abingdon boys school - abingdon boys school

abingdon boys school is headed by Takanori Nishikawa, who has an impressive ten years of experience at the top of the pop scene as T.M.Revolution. The band consists of three of his musical acquaintances from those years: SUNAO (Gt.), Shibasaki Hiroshi (Gt.) and keyboardist/programmer Toshiyuki Kishi. Although the band is often known as Nishikawa's band, the members all have equal status in the band and exhibit their talents in perfect harmony. Their first album, the eponymous abingdon boys school, was released in late 2007, the band's first truly busy and successful year.

The initiation of the album is a strong, guitar-driven track, As One. It's a familiar sound, with hints of friends of the band, L'Arc~en~Ciel. Just off of the initial track, the band delivers both an upbeat, radio-friendly rock song while still utilizing down-tuned, heavy guitars. Having two guitarists is certainly advantageous, and even with the lack of a permanent drummer or bassist, all aspects of an ideal rock song are present and strong. This refreshing synthesis of hard rock and pop continues with HOWLING -INCH UP-, the album version of their popular single. The forceful electronic background runs deep and sets the mood for the instrumental parts of the song. Nishikawa's versatile voice sails high in the mix, and the song offers simple, driving guitar riffs complemented by masterfully executed solos. The song continually keeps your ears perked with a throbbing double-bass, and the song destroys itself in a glorious attack of mismatched guitar, drum, and piano mashing.

The following track, Via Dolorosa, opens with a piano and heavily digitized guitar, but quickly jumps to an almost dark scaling and is still joined by a solid piano. Not to be tied to its heavy nature, Via Dolorosa shifts down to a near-ballad tenderness, and then back and forth at several benchmarks. Kishi's programming is a highlight of the song, and while it is entirely computer-generated, it still feels organic, surrounded later by a serious acoustic guitar bridge and an ethereal loftiness. Later accomplishments by Nishikawa are made through stunning vibratos, and a spectacular honest emotion pouring from the lyrics. The last forty seconds of the track remind you of the loud guitar and drum introduction, and quietly fades out.

The follow up is another single off this album, INNOCENT SORROW. This particular track was actually released in last days of 2006, but its age and heavy radio and television air time have not worn the track down. The general mood is almost entirely upbeat, and the song is a testament to each member's abilities. The dueling guitars of SUNAO and Shibasaki intertwine, reaching complementary riffs and clashing bridges. Incorporating DJ scratching, the song has a very strong influence from Western rock.

DOWN TO YOU is another track with a blend of various rock styles. Nishikawa sings in understandable English, which is not always common in Japanese music, and manages to keep his vocal hook through the entire song. The chorus is very catchy, and will definitely keep one returning to the track. Shibasaki and SUNAO show their familiarity with old-fashioned metal music while they execute shrieking solos and scale the the peaks of their guitars' abilities. Following DOWN TO YOU is Atena. The subtly symphonic exposition is accompanied by a finely coordinated guitar and piano, then shifting to just a fast danceable guitar overlay. Atena is generally slower than some of the other a.b.s. tracks, but it still has the same positive energy. The harmony reached between vocals and guitars is the pinnacle of the track, after which it slowly plays itself out with some nice a capella sections from Nishikawa and a very gentle decline.

stay away opens with a charming "1-2-3!" and then gets down and dirty with a groovy guitar line reminiscent of early 90's heavy metal. The song is entirely atypical for abingdon boys school, and could even be more suited to X JAPAN. The whole song is passionate, yet fun, and the swapping solos and sudden cuts, followed by bursts of bright guitars and strong rhythmic drums are exciting and let one feel loose and set free.

Now, onto the eighth track, Nephilim. This track may have been more suited as a closer, but it fits itself in as a nice break between the louder, more fast-paced rock presented in the first half of the album. The final single to this album is LOST REASON. It comes with a nice twist; the album version features Micro of hip-hop group HOME MADE Kazoku. The bands signature bi-polar track with a deep, emotional chorus runs smoothly, and is only made better with Micro's fun rapping breakdowns. Shibasaki and SUNAO each show their stunning versatility and push the delicate balance that must be achieved with dual guitars. The track eventually fully cedes itself to Micro with some of the catchiest rap verses in recent rock music, and it even edges on a nü metal heaviness when the guitarists again interrupt. The track doesn't forget its purpose as an abingdon boys school track, ending with the loud and agitating instrumentation that could get even the most timid person jumping and headbanging.

Following the impressive new version of LOST REASON, DESIRE comes in on some watery, sharp guitars. This time, Kishi and Nishikawa join efforts with a synthesized version of Nishikawa's vocals. Most of the track is an excellent chance for Kishi to explicitly drop his composition talent into the song, tying together his daring electronic music with the catchy choruses and shifty guitars. After DESIRE, the band introduces another familiar track - maybe even familiar to a new listener - with their cover of BUCK-TICK's Dress. Nishikawa honors Atsushi Sakurai's rich, seductive voice while making the song sound honest and innocent. Matching electric and acoustic guitars, courtesy of SUNAO and Shibasaki, work well with the track, and pay respect to the 90's rock scene. It also updates the song to the stylings of the twenty-first century. The entire track features epic-styled guitars and loud, interjecting drums, which come together to make a true piece of rock musicianship.

To close the album, abingdon boys school gives us ReBirth + ReVerse. It comes through with a piano, harp and synthesizer lead-in, and then slowly transitions to a lovely slower rock song. The song gives the quintessential feeling of finalization and completion. The trick, however, comes when the track turns to a deep house/trance thumping and introduces something entirely produced by Kishi. An excellent instrumental track, the album steps down with full closure and a good sense of finality.

abingdon boys school does not disappoint fans with this album. Anyone who spins this disc will surely feel anticipation for new music by a.b.s., and a sophomore album will definitely be welcomed by the public.