Search - Buck-Tick :: Korosi No Sirabe: This Is Not Greatest Hits

Can they be called remixes, when they're now the final produ

Sokudo Ningyou | Somewhere Nowhere. | 07/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Koroshi no Shirabe ~ This Is Not The Greatest Hits" isn't so much a remix album, but an album of older songs tweaked as Buck-Tick matured and realized that some of those songs could stand a tweak or two. They're also now apparently the only versions they'll play live, sacrificing the originals for the updated models. But is this bad? Feh. Of course it isn't.



1. Iconoclasm - The only real annoyance to this song is that it has a great lead in that ends abruptly whenever it reappears, and leads in to a harsh scream of the lyrics. This song didn't work well in the re-tweak for me, because they sacrifice some great instruments for sudden and jarring shifts of melody.



2. Aku no Hana - The changes to this song are minor and, if you're not paying attention, almost negligible. I'm tricked easily into thinking this is the original at first, until I really turn my ear to it and realize it was sped up and freshened. And of course, that marvelous voice is just a bit more mature than before.



3. Do The 'I Love You' - Actually, this one is taken down a slight notch, as the original was slightly more frantic and slightly spastic. I definitely prefer this one to the original.



4. Victims Of Love - This one was revamped quite a bit; melody was slowed down and tweaked, different instruments were used ( at least to my heathen ear), and Aa-chan's singing is slower and more syrupy, as if he's reminiscing instead of simply rushing through the song.



5. M-A-D - This one was revamped only a year after it was originally released. Guys, if you didn't like it originally, why release it? It's almost an entirely different song, more harsh instrumentals and no real lyrics to speak of. Not big on it.



6. Oriental Love Song - The original seemed slower, taking its time in its pacing. This one is a bit faster, with a different opening.



7. SPEED - Both are equally great. This one has a different opening (of which I actually prefer the original a bit more), and basically the same pace. The only real diference to my ear is the opening.



8. Love Me - Much different, due to Aa-chan's changing voice as well as the pace of the song. Slower and more meandering than the original.



9. Jupiter - The opening is completely different, complete with some odd churchly dirge instead of the instrumentals of the original. (I think the earlier one is still used at concerts, too.) Otherwise, I'd say it's still similiar.



10. ...In Heaven... - Slightly different pacing, and Aa-chan's more mature voice. About it.



11. Moon Light - Slower pacing and not quite as frantic instrumentals, as well as a more mature voice and slower singing. (For a nice brain twist, listen to Balzac's version on the "Parade" tribute album. Heh.)



12. Just One More Kiss - More coherent song, to me. The original seemed a bit pieced together; this one flows smoother. Slightly different background instruments. Quite preferable to the original.



13. Taboo - The little whirly bit at the beginning makes me giggle; it's also different from the original. I like them both.



14. Hyper Love - The opening isn't quite different, just a bit off: the melody seems to have switched a bit. Also a few seconds longer leading in to the actual vocals. As enjoyable as the original, though just a bit more due to Aa-chan's scrumptiously grown-up voice.



Altogether, a good album for the established fan and newcomer alike, though I would recommend "Catalogue 2005" for the latter as an introduction to a marvelous band."