Chosyoku

Chosyoku

Before making their first full-length album, the four rockers comprising Macaroni Empitsu had had a few years to sort out their sound over the course of a string of singles and EPs. By the time their debut LP, Chosyoku, arrived in 2017, their signature power-pop approach was fully established, but the ’80s New Wave influences that had poked through on their early releases had largely been left behind in favor of a sound more timeless. “Mr Blue Sky” (not to be confused with the Electric Light Orchestra classic—but not a million miles away from that tune’s post-Beatles pop punch either) opens the album with a bang. Huge power chords and rolling rhythms make for a cinematic feel as big as all outdoors. “Natsukoi Senseisyon” speeds things up to a feverish, almost punkish pace; the stop-start rhythms seem to be the album’s only real callback to the New Wave worship of the band’s early EPs. Over the next couple of cuts, that hectic pace becomes the norm, but no matter how speedy things get, these music-college grads’ riffs never get any less precise, even when they’re flying by at dangerous rates. “Girl My Friend” in particular throws in a couple of impressive music-school chord changes and guitar licks. Amid all the hubbub, the acoustic-guitar ostinatos and sexy, syncopated beat of “Music” are the first real chance for listeners to catch their breath—not that the tune doesn’t eventually explode into one of those perky, pop-perfect Macaroni Empitsu choruses. The band would indulge in more stylistic experimentation on future releases, but it’s already dipping into different flavors on Chosyoku. A prime example is “Cool Na Onna,” built on a funk groove and fleshed out by juicy, jazzy chords. “Yusyoku” is a straight-up acoustic ballad, with no rhythm section whatsoever, much less a rocking rave-up; “Iraniran” sneaks in some Thin Lizzy-worthy licks while remaining pop to the core. For all the bobbing and weaving, the power-pop aesthetic is always Macaroni Empitsu’s main agenda item, and “Sentakukitokimitoradio” boasts perhaps the catchiest chorus on the album, which is no mean feat.

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