Review Summary: Buck-Tick's 18th full-length is a more accessible addition to their discography, yet is no less than magnificent for it.
Prior to the release of
Yume Miru Uchuu, Buck-Tick's sound had been in a stage of transition for a while. Having well-and truly moved from their earlier 'positive post-punk' roots, even the cyberpunk style that they fashioned afterwards was well on the way to being morphed into a brighter still direction for them. Consequentially, their 18th full-length can be considered one of Buck-Tick's more instantly accessible releases, but accessibility should not be seen as a substitute for their signature adventurous streak; instead, their penchant for trying new things merely manifests itself in different ways, and the result is just as magnificent.
Complete with its irrestibly infectious opening riff and equally catchy chorus, 'Elise no Tame ni' is an immediate representation of the album's focus on being as positive a listening experience as possible. While it wouldn't be wrong to say that much of
Yume... follows the basic formula of catchy hooks and irrepressible energy (although there are one or two exceptions, which will be brought attention to shortly), the manner in which Buck-Tick carry this out changes in the detail from track to track. To give but a few examples, 'Ningyo -mermaid-' carries a feel of the 1960s beach party in its drum pattern, 'Yasou' is heavily influenced by swing jazz and 'Inter Raptor' bears characteristics of classic synthpop alongside more conventional rock stylings. As a result, there are very few (if any) instances where
Yume... feels stale, which does more for making it sound genuinely fun that anything else could.
It would be perhaps unfair to describe
Yume... as a wholly whimsical song-and-dance number however, particularly given that some of the album highlights are those that dial down the pace a smidge. 'Kinji Rareta Asobi' evokes a vaguely 90s indie quality with its bright, clean guitar line, and this slightly less bombastic musical approach complements the heavy subject matter of Sakurai's abusive childhood. The eponymously titled closing track seems to carry a bittersweet tone to it too, the grandiose of the composition distorted slightly by the peals of feedback underpinning every moment. The effect is something decidedly emotional, and given the playful quality much of the album maintains, feels almost like the firework display at the end of a festival; a beautiful and fitting climax, yet through marking the end yields a slight pang of sorrow.
It's obvious that Buck-Tick are still, after all these years, a band that loves doing what they do. Their undeniably darker influences may be almost completely behind them, but the Fujioka band have never been accusable of being a one-trick pony, and their successful grasping of this more carefree offering is testament to their chameleonic style that has served them well for so many years.
