Billy - Rockin' Princess

Colorful, fun and fresh are all terms that can be applied to Billy. The band is full of personality and style, and the single they released earlier this summer, Rockin' Princess, combines all of their best qualities.

The title track starts with the sound of a horse galloping before diving headlong into the chorus, which is delightfully open and uncomplicated. BAKU uses just the right amount of roughness in belting out the lyrics. The electronic melody in the background makes the song feel like a theme for a video game, and once you've got that idea in mind, it's surprisingly easy to picture yourself as the "rocking princess" out on a wild and crazy adventure. The entire song is a bouncy joyride designed to make you jump and dance, so although the chorus is repeated a lot, it never gets old. Rockin' Princess ends all too quickly with the same galloping horse sound effect heard at the beginning.

If Rockin' Princess is the action-adventure anthem, Ichigoichie - jokyoku [Rebecca] is the love ballad interlude. The opening seems almost excessively cute at first; the light beat and trilling set up a whimsical mood. However, the melody deepens once BAKU begins singing, and a poignant guitar line leads the song along. Mi-ne and Takuma create a tropical atmosphere with twanging guitar chords, and the digital components that had been slightly annoying during the intro end up giving the impression of a starry night. Warm and sweet, Ichigoichie - jokyoku [Rebecca] becomes a romantic overture made for a swaying, slow dance.

The last track on the single, Slim Smart Slender, has no intro to speak of. In fact, the song seems to start with BAKU halfway through a line. But, once you get over the abrupt opening, you will fall right into the song. Slim Smart Slender mixes jazz and swing with a doo-wop rock twist, which may sound like too much - except it works. The vocals are rich and smooth, the beat is fun and energetic, one can't imagine a more perfect ending for the single.

Billy definitely has some interesting ideas when it comes to entertaining, and Rockin' Princess is one of their better ones. The single is smartly packaged to be a dose of unrestrained joy and is guaranteed to leave a smile on your face.