BIGMAMA - Sweet Dreams

BIGMAMA have been bringing their string-laden brand of rock to the masses since 2001. They've decided to put their own stamp on a lullaby in their 11th single. Entitled Sweet Dreams, it was released February 26th.

The single starts off gently with a delicate piano intro accompanied by quick, spicatto violins, one of which is wielded by band member Higashide Mao). Any notion that this tone will continue is shattered after 20 seconds when the rest of the rock instruments suddenly jump in. The whining lead guitar is the most prominent and continues to be so throughout. Riad Ib's low drums, pounding in time with the bouncing string part, are nicely understated and are a solid base for the various layers that end up over it. Vocal harmonies build up around lead singer Kanai Masato's part and climax in the strong and addictive chorus, which is almost shouted by those involved. They keep to the tried and tested formula of simple melody and short English phrases to deliver the emotional payload in the "everybody sings" refrain. Predictable as it is, Sweet Dreams still manages to move.

The B-sides are varied. A film reel rattles away in the start of Theater of Mind, a pretty standard bit of loud, drum-heavy rock with plenty of strings and "woahs". The other two tracks are covers. The first is Brit funk band Jamiroquai's Virtual Insanity, a popular choice as Fukuhara Miho and UNCHAIN have also given it their own treatments in recent years. The characteristic bass of the original has been toned down, the strings turned up and a distracting buzzy guitar instated. Masato does a decent job of paying homage to Jay Kay, but this version doesn't bring anything new to the table. The final track is their take on JUJU's pop power ballad Yasashisa de afureru youni, which the band have given a harsher, heavy rock spin.

Sweet Dreams doesn't break the mould and comes from a long line of big sound anthems designed to rouse and please the crowd. However this doesn't have to be negative as the track succeeds in doing all of that quite well. It's an uplifting song full of positivity which won't fail to get a reaction when tour time rolls around.