RADWIMPS - Altocolony no Teiri

On March 11, 2009, RADWIMPS released their third major album, Altocolony no Teiri. The album is fine mix of ballads and powerhouse rock-inspired anthems with beautifully composed, sometimes obscure lyrics. Altocolony no Teiri ranked nineteenth on the Oricon charts in 2009, maintaining that position for a number of weeks.

Noda inhales sharply in the beginning of the first track, Tayuta, and dives straight into the song. It sounds like the beginning of Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel in that the acoustic guitar closely follows the vocalist. In Tayuta, the same happens. It’s a mellow, soft track and great as the opening of the album.

An overwhelming mess of static, as if someone were frantically trying to change the radio station, catches the listener’s attention quite well. Initially, Oshakashama seems like a bore, but as the seconds slip by, we reach a point that leads straight into the depths of the song, burying the listener into layers of guitar. The bass is easily heard, hidden underneath Noda and bassist Takeda. Later, the quick intro heard in the beginning makes a second appearance in the last twenty or so seconds of the song, and only then does it seem right. Noda really shines in Oshakashama as his voice is backed with more passion, paired with fast-paced melodic guitars that jump between frets and dart all over the place but sound polished. It leaves the listener wanting to put the song on repeat.

Sung entirely in English, Bagpipe is more direct in that the tempo is reduced but the output is heated and driven by passion. The emotion and tone felt in the song is brightened by the fact that it’s in C minor, giving the song an optimistic outlook. However, the unexpected but almost humourous lines “..but even though even though all I could do is just a little bit and its kinda sad / Such as screaming in the toilet and use all the toilet paper / And polluting all the air producing carbon dioxide” show the sheer reality behind the song, both living a carefree life and experiencing the consequences from living so freely. Bagpipe also represents the loss of someone important and remembering them while living in a dream, showcasing the contrast between reality and fantasy. The words “are you, are you, are you” and “I am I am I am I am…” are heard frequently as well in the latter half of the song when the rhythm alters slightly and the melody transposes up a key. It’s as if Noda questions either himself or a third party through those lines and isn’t quite answered as the questioning is left open-ended.

In Shichi no uta it’s quite clear that “I wanna be with you” is the main theme as that line floats precariously into various moments. Although drawn-out to a length that is rather sketchy, the track almost has a country folk-like undertone to it, with a slow, ballad like tempo. Repetition of certain lines reinforces the emotions of innocence and dedication between the person in the song and whom he cares for.

Another ballad sung in English is another noteworthy selection from RADWIMPS; Ameotaku is a softer composition. It is a more relaxing point in the album, paired with the same mellowness from Shichi no uta. Ameotaku opens with acoustic guitar and light drums paired with vocals. The song details the past of a young man with a previous lover and his feelings in the present. It’s airy, although a lingering feeling of regret latches onto the listener as the seconds tick by. The following track, Ordermade, is a gem in comparison. Straying away from the typical formula for a song, Ordermade takes advantage of Noda’s soft voice and become the true ballad < i>Ameotaku dreamed of being. The vocals don’t rise and fall with the backing track, remaining constant and peaceful as if one were staring at their reflection in a glass window. Ordermade represents the resonating image reflecting back and doesn’t judge.

Magic Mirror prepares the listener for the succeeding track…a good idea, if some harmonization were included in the each bridge leading into the chorus to add variety. It seems like most RADWIMPS songs follow a simple formula; both the opening and the chorus are the high points, and everything else becomes the low. Magic Mirror has a few inconsistencies, leading the listener to great heights and almost shocking them after the relaxation experienced during the previous track.

The second to last track, Sakebe, invites the listener to take any negativity within and let it escape into the surrounding air. A smidgen slower than the previous song, Sakebe gives a chance for closure. The person in Bagpipe can let it all out by shouting away their worries. Sakebe is a jovial song in that it lets the listener be themselves. The high point of the song is all of it; the opening stretches the silence at the end of the track.

Overall, Altocolony no Teiri is a collection of thought and shows how diverse RADWIMPS' style is. Their single released after Altocolony no Teiri was the popularKeitai Denwa, and their most recent is Manifesto in late June 2010.