Heavily influenced by the hardcore punk ethos of Southern California-specifically bands like Black Flag, the Circle Jerks, and the Descendents-they fused the cultural norms of early adolescence with the influence of various icons of that earlier era and came up with a sound that resonated with irresistible hooks and ready refrains, allowing them to maintain their absolute devotion to more melodic intents. A dozen demos augment the original 14-song set, adding extra impact to what was always something of an audio extravaganza.Įach of the original offerings found the band, originally founded by brothers Jeff McDonald and Steve McDonald, in their Hawthorne, California living room circa 1978. And while a 37th-anniversary edition seems an odd number in terms of commemoration, this newly remastered edition, available as a double CD as well as a two-LP edition, ought to find favor with completists and devotees alike. It knows when to pull back and when to wallop you over the head.Īnd that’s what makes Rescue a Legendary Song.A rowdy and raucous affair, even by power-pop standards, Neurotica, the unbridled opus by the alternative outfit known as Redd Kross, shook some musical foundations when it was originally released in 1987. It zigs and zags this way and that, but never cuts against its core energy or theme.
MUSIC RESCUE REVIEW FULL
By the end of the song, Rescue has taken you on a full journey, teasing out the strengths of its relatively simple melody in all the ways it can. When the full weight of the production slams in again, the impact is even greater because of the empty space preceding it. Then, in a brilliant use of dynamics, the instrumental fades to little more than waves of synth majesty as the members’ vocals carry us into Rescue’s climactic chorus. Here, it accentuates the already sticky rhythm, offering yet more to chew on as this bridge/dance break continues to elongate. Even as a big fan, KAT-TUN’s beatbox breaks can sometimes feel shoehorned in - like a parlor trick. But rather than culminate in the song’s final chorus, the track drops into another sinister groove, spotlighted by member Nakamura’s trademark beat box. Like Rescue’s introduction, the vocal arrangement cascades with a looping effect that adds incredible tension to the already bounding instrumental. From here, we arrive at one of modern pop’s most underutilized segments – the bridge. A growling rap verse brings us to an extended dance break (over a minute long in the music video, far less in the actual song), where swirling synths intensify and the beat chugs with unbreakable energy. Rescue bops along quite nicely for three minutes, and at the point where many pop songs would wind down to a conclusion, the track morphs further. Those softer moments only serve to add greater impact to the megawatt chorus. Even when Rescue retreats to softer moments, you never lose the overall plot. Like so many of my favorite songs, there’s a sense of constant acceleration. The verse is tight and compelling, wasting no moment with unnecessary diversions.
Though high-toned and reedy, these two voices are able to convey such pathos and drama throughout the entire track, modulating slightly with each chorus to achieve different effects.įrom here, Rescue pulls back – but only slightly. This opens with the vocals of Kamenashi and Akanishi, layered in an echoed siren call directly preceding a monster beat drop. And, if a track is confident enough to unveil it right from the start, that’s usually a promising sign.Īfter a wonderfully ridiculous spoken word intro, Rescue bounds forward with a tease of its mighty refrain. Though its emphasis has dulled lately, the chorus is a vital part of any decent pop song.
I believe that many of the best pop tracks share one thing in common: they kick off with their chorus. And with songs like this, Don’t U Ever Stop and Real Face, it’s easy to see why. Their first few years together were met with mammoth success, and remembered fondly by a fiercely loyal fan base. The group has since been halved, but are still churning out the tunes. Standing alongside a few legendary songs in their catalog is 2009’s Rescue - an utterly perfect dance anthem.Īt the time of its release, KAT-TUN were still at their full, six-member configuration. At their best, they’ve delivered some of the most essential pop tracks of the last fourteen years. Even since, I’ve been revisiting KAT-TUN’s (consistently fantastic) discography and remembering just how much I adore their music.
I watched J-drama Nobuta wo Produce for the first time last month and fell head over heels in love with it.
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