Released only last month, SuG's third album has already garnered much attention. The new album features a 'pastel-goth' concept and incorporates many punk and rock elements.
Released on April 25, 2012, Lollipop Kingdom brings fans more than ten new tracks, ranging from hard rock tones to SuG’s signature happy, crazy sound. Previously released singles ☆Gimme×Gimme☆, Toy Soldier and Fukanzen Beautyfool Days are also included on all editions of the album.
The album opens with title track Lollipop Kingdom. Seemingly a prequel to Pastel Horror Yum Yum Show, the song is very rock orientated but contains classic SuG elements that have featured throughout the band’s entire career: punk, pop, even branching into heavy metal. The cover art for the limited edition version of the album and a motif throughout the PV, both as an image and on clothing, is a million$orchestra x AVANTGARDE collaborative design featuring a pastel pattern of macarons pierced with nails. This is similar to the concept of the nail-pierced strawberries in the PV for ☆Gimme×Gimme☆.
Pastel Horror Yum Yum Show packs more punch than the average song. It’s almost as if there are several songs contained within the track: both the intro and first verse sound like a typical wild rock song joined by symphonic strings, but the hook is rapped freestyle by Takeru. The choppy chorus contains three different melodies and is followed by a second hook. The unpredictability that SuG offers throughout their work can certainly be heard in Pastel Horror Yum Yum Show (which also includes some silly Engrish!). The most memorable lyrics of the track must be “I can’t believe that 0kcal wow sugarless!? NONSENCE da ze!!” and “Pastel Horror is Yum Yum!!” which has added value when watching the corresponding part in the PV (seen below).
Takeru’s energetic scream at the beginning of No! More! War! moves the album away from heavier punk rock towards a more relaxed but restrained sound. Although the title of the song is used as the main line of the chorus, it’s strong and catchy. Similarly, crispy showcases SuG’s openness to risk-taking. This track stretches into pop and jazz without straying away from the band’s original sound.
Returning to a sound that SuG are masters at, Howling Magic borrows from older works. With heavy guitar riffs by yuji and masato, shinpei’s stellar drumming and Takeru’s unusual partially rapped vocals, Howling Magic is much like the backing track of the older song Ultra Spin Tea Party, but in a minor key, combined with the intensity of another old track, mad$hip. On top of that is a layer of synthesizers which further adds to the ‘magic’ of the song.
Another intense minor-keyed track on Lollipop Kingdom is sleazy ARMY blood, with synthesizers encased in killer guitar riffs. Takeru’s half-rapping grows heavier throughout the track and is mixed with short spurts of screaming and yelling.
Kitanai Kotoba stands out from the rest of the album as something unusual. Different to SuG’s usual trash rock sound, the song sounds similar to the work of other visual kei bands, much like SuG’s older track Kuchi yakusoku.
Bright toned and sweet, the final track Fancy Cake Yum Yum Show wraps up Lollipop Kingdom in a sweeping major key. It feels as though the listener is overcome by sweetness as each second passes.
The regular edition includes an extra track titled Toki Doki Sutekina Kono Sekai whilst the limited edition includes two PVs. Fans can also splurge on the 3939BOX that contains more content than the filling of a macaron: CMs and live footage of recent lives.
The PVs for both Pastel Horror Yum Yum Show and Howling Magic have been aired at the recent NicoNico Chokaigi live event as well as on SuG’s weekly Nico nama housou, “Mushuusei de SuG Show” via NND for the past few weeks. Users are able to comment throughout the live stream and usually a flood of comments saying “yum yum” scroll across the screen right as Takeru sings the line in the “Pastel Horror is Yum Yum” PV.
