tl;dr for sowing:
"laughing with" is a weak song with a surface level message about spirituality that wants to be profound but just comes across as disingenuous and insulting to actually religious people.

Album Rating: 4.0

If only they allowed God to give them peace. But no, they let Satan guide their emotions.

Album Rating: 4.0

I mean I'm semi-religious and the song doesn't offend me at all. I always thought the lyrics depicted exactly what's right and wrong with the way people act about God.

i find the "people only think of god when they are in trouble" and the subsecuent "organized religion is such a joke roflmao why do you spend money on church?" or "god isn't like, your personal genie dude" such surface level takes i expect from a 14 yo, tbh.
And like I said, people who propose this view on faith and belief to pander to some woke, new-age, neo-spiritual demographic tend to work for cults.

Album Rating: 4.0

I don't know, I think the song has a fair amount of depth, but even if I doesn't, it's still exceptionally well written in a way that makes you think. I know when I listen to it, it makes me reevaluate some things. The examples are just so vivid, like damn I wouldn't want to go through that. I dunno maybe I'm missing the point of the debate. It's just a really good song.

nah, it's not a debate, it's more like me rambling and you all trying to figure out what tf i'm tryna say lol. sorry. I just don't like the song, how's it's written.
Will probably give the rest of the EP a go.

"i find the "people only think of god when they are in trouble" and the subsecuent "organized religion is such a joke roflmao why do you spend money on church?" or "god isn't like, your personal genie dude" such surface level takes i expect from a 14 yo, tbh."

you must know some pretty enlightened 14 year olds then. idk what's so bad about pointing out how people often turn to religion when things have gotten too bad to handle... it says a lot about the selfishness of people. also appreciate the concept of not needing to go to church to be religious

Album Rating: 4.0

I mean there's definitely crazy cult-y religious fanatics out there. I get that from the "when the crazies say he hates us / And they get so red in the head you'd think they're about to choke" line, which is again why I like it. It points out the idiots just as much as the humble people who just hope they'll never have to face a situation where they need God in a pinch. You're allowed to dislike the song though haha. Yeah I don't know what we're talking about and while I was typing this my 2 year old just threw a slice of pizza into my TV.

Spirituality is cool and all, but it's not hard to find one-self engulfed with shady organizations if one's only idea of spirituality comes from the need for structure and reassurance in trying times.
Religions are ooooold structures, complex and multi-faceted anthropological machines. I get so scared seeing so many seemingly rational people falling for the simplest tricks of cultists because they lack the understanding of where faith and belief's more underlying importance lie.

Album Rating: 4.0

I respect the idea of organized religion as a positive community presence but not as a substitute for finding your own passions in life and reconciling your existence with whatever truths you choose to believe about death.

Album Rating: 4.0

The superficiality of it all

Album Rating: 4.0

Not quite sure what's happening here, but popping in to say that this might end up as my favorite Kishi Bashi

Album Rating: 4.0

Thank you. Let's restart the thread with that comment in play.

Woke.

Really disappointed in this so far. Liked Omoiyari, really liked Annie, but did not vibe any hard with any of these, except that Laughing With cover (which idk if I love or hate, but it did something!)

I love Kishi but why pick one of the worst genres of all time [2]

Album Rating: 4.0

Lol oh damn @Johnny. I think he does the stripped back sound incredibly well, even with how much I love Lighght. I loved Omoiyari, but felt like nothing quite hit as well as Marigolds or Annie. Other songs felt bloated in comparison. "Wait for Springtime" hits it for me perfectly. The dark backdrops of the atrocities of internment combined with this nostalgia and heart-ache from the love story is such a fascinating concept to me, and I think this one hits that balance really well, even if it's not quite as interesting or exciting.

Although as I type this comment I'm listening to Omoiyari and remembering how good it is.

Album Rating: 3.5

My first touch with a complete Ishibashi work, and I can say, this is indeed beautiful. Last two songs are amazing.

I think almost all KB's good stuff sounds bloated for better or worse tbh. Debut and Ligjthfuustaght are fab, but such a tangle of ideas, and Omoiyari is so emotionally laden (+ them dramastrings, phwoar).
Will give this another shot, and I have no doubt he could do just as well with a sparser approach, but all I'm hearing is hokey Americana background jams for the wrong coffee shop

Album Rating: 4.0

Deep breaths now, Johnny boy.

Album Rating: 4.0

this is good

Eg KB is the only artist you jam who is not indecipherable gloom or an egomaniac or both and i will not abide with you playing cool on this platform uh roll d8 for constitution