Billy - Rebecca

Billy already has an impressive release record for a group that has only existed for four years. Rebecca, released in the end of September, is yet another reason to wish for their productivity to never diminish.

The title song starts with a delicious ambient melody, and as a pleasant surprise, it does not get tiresome, which adds to the end result. Edging in between a ballad and a rock number, it manages to favorably exhibit Billy’s dynamic. Baku sings throughout the whole song on what seems like one breath and never loses passion. The guitar solo is expertly delivered, and some extra electronic elements, like the voice distortion during the bridge, add the necessary spice, making Rebecca an efficient A-side.

[bit;] Ame ni setsuzokusareta sekai kicks off with a rather interesting combo of guitars. Drumming and Tsubasa’s high-tuned bass soon join in the mix, which remains unchanged for the track’s duration. The high pitched beat gets annoying after a while, especially in the parts where it more or less dominates single-handedly the song’s flow. Baku’s throaty voice balances the song, since any low key notes from the instruments are non-existent for the most part. Despite the unfortunate arrangement, it is a pleasant, upbeat track with a very distinctive presence.

The closing track is The Bluffer (ABC edit), which could have easily been renamed as "Crazy Party remix." The editing works astonishingly well in this case, with the constant presence of amusing background vocals building on the feeling of a fiesta. Hiroshi sounds like he is having a blast on drums and offers a top notch performance. There is nothing to dislike about this happy song, and even if there were, you would be too busy head-banging to notice.

Rebecca is a pretty decent release from an above average visual kei band. It is upbeat, wholesome and entertaining; it's pretty much the perfect initiation to Billy’s sound for any new listener.