Listen/Review: 'Blooming', 輪廻 ('Rinne'), 'Onset' (by Band-Maid)

[@waynebenedict5785]

"Blooming" is a masterpiece! I've heard it called "the homework" song, as Kanami was a little stuck and asked for the other members to come up with a part of a song and send it to her. MISA has said she wrote her part when she was pretty drunk, and wasn't sure she could actually play it, but with practice she sure does! Kanami took the individual pieces and crafted this masterpiece! "Rinne" just reminds us that Band-Maid can rock hard when they want to, hence the "Shut Up!" at the end!

[@Chan_Fry]

Interesting story (re: homework). If true, it perfectly encapsulates why Band-Maid is my now my "desert island" band. (In the past, I always struggled to answer the question: "If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one group's music with you, which would it be?", but these days, the answer is very easy for me.)

[@jwoodjapan]

It's so refreshing not being begged to subscribe that I did it anyway (long time ago). Chan, thanks for playing three of my top 15 Maids songs all in one go. It certainly helped me to a better place as well.

[@Chan_Fry]

Thanks for being a regular. :-) I think it takes pressure off the person recording (me) to not have to worry about that too... If I was trying to make a living doing KZbin, I can't imagine the stress of self-promotion, keeping up with social media and constantly checking stats, etc. This way, it's just FUN. :-)

[@me262a1]

Glory and Blooming go together like peanut butter and jelly. Perfect one two punch of killer rock music!

[@johnverley1739]

Hey Chan, hope all is well. Great reaction to 3 amazing songs. Best band on the planet as far as I’m concerned. You always pick up on things I miss, which I appreciate always. My only negative thought is your occasional long departures from reactions. But, it makes it more exciting when I see you’re back! LOL thanks for another great reaction sir!

[@Chan_Fry]

I do sometimes wish I had the leisure to just record Band-Maid reactions all the time, but on the other hand it makes it more special this way... And I get a lot of other things accomplished in the meantime. :-)

[@philcalvino884]

Thanks, Chan, great that you're continuing through the discography, super commentary as always!

[@Chan_Fry]

Thank you!

[@synousia2]

rinne quickly became one of my favorites. i love the raw grungy sound.

[@Chan_Fry]

It has a nice raw sound to match the video. :-)

[@daaaaaave]

Haha. Sumo Kanami. I’ve had that thought about Misa. One of the moves she does all the time is slowly lift up her left leg and then kind of stomp it.

[@Chan_Fry]

Ah, yes, MISA seems to do that at least once per song -- the fairly high left leg lift and firm stomp. I always thought it was a balance thing (that bass looks huge and heavy).

[@srudine]

Kanami's tapping in Blooming (and Onset) absolutely defies description regarding how great they make me feel❤! They pack so much energy and joy into their songs, the only thing left for us as MAIDIACs to do is sit back, eyes glued to the monitor, ears intent on finding new gems from our up-teenth time of listening to these "new classic" bangers. This was my first time hearing Rinne and it was amazing. Like you Chan, I really enjoy Miku's role in the band and often feel our small pigeon gets overlooked when Kanami, Akane or Misa briefly take center stage. Without Miku's rhythm roles and harmonies supporting the other 4, these audio gems just wouldn't shine as bright. I love when her pigeon tails start flapping Po! Without Miku, there is no BAND-MAID. That's scary! I have written a lot here but Chan Fry you have echoed so much of my sentiment regarding our monumental MAIDS! I really enjoy your reviews because you are calm, level-headed, have a reassuring voice, and you abstain from profanity that is rampant on other reaction channels. Kudos to you brother! We MAIDIACs all agree that this is the best band to grace the planet and are so fortunate to have our fabulous five entertain us like no other group can. As a new MAIDIAC (Dec.2024) this journey of discovery has brought me so much joy. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings! See you soon!🕊🎀

[@G-man_810]

Glad to have you back and enjoying Band-Maid…hope all is well with family! I read that the filming of Rinne was to create a horror film atmosphere shoot in 8mm they had watched! In live performances of Rinne Miku does her helicopter tails head banging which I love…When I see Kanami go into her Mincho stance I know we’re in for a great listening experience! I could go on forever about these 3 songs…but we all know “It’s Sink or Swim…Shut up” - Saiki 🤘🕊️🦍🥷👸🏻👀PO,

[@Chan_Fry]

Thanks! We are doing as well as can be expected. Fortunately modern medicine has mostly solved the problem that cropped up a couple of months ago, though the condition (and medication) will be lifelong, it seems.

[@bandmaidfanATL]

Blooming has been my favorite Band-Maid song since the first time I heard it. A Rock masterpiece. Also, I always wondered if not showing Kanami, MISA and Akane's face was a purposeful comment to focus on the instrumentation, not the outfits.

[@Chan_Fry]

Possibly... Though their faces are among my top ten reasons to follow Band-Maid. :-) Either way, the song is pure rock perfection.

[@davestafford8273]

Good ear picking out the 3rd rhythm guitar in a backing track in Onset. The 3rd guitar is playing the high rhythm for a few seconds while Miku plays the crunchy lower rhythm throughout. If you watch any of the fan cams from the Maid’s US tour when they played Onset, Miku goes into full rockstar mode and is very much upfront.

[@Chan_Fry]

If/when I ever get to see them live (no U.S. tour dates yet for 2025), I hope they figure out a way to get all five of them out front. :-)

[@AndersonConnors]

Even though I tend toward softer fare, Blooming is a truly beautiful song. I'm honestly surprised it's less popular than some of their others. And I don't get the bpm thing either - I once read that Stairway to Heaven had a FAR faster bpm than I would have guessed... I would have assumed it was about 30bpm, but somehow it's counted as 82!

[@AndersonConnors]

I also just noticed the black rectangle cover your face at 20:35... Did you resort to profanity after all? LOL. Perfectly understandable.

[@Chan_Fry]

Yes! I read the same thing about Stairway To Heaven... WTH?! As for the black box, yes, I didn't anyone lip reading my excursion into less polite language. :-) (But I do need to come up with an epithet other than "oh my goodness". I do like "holy hand grenade!", but I feel like Band-Maid would have taken out that killer rabbit faster than the device in the movie...)

[@I_am_Warthog]

You're right regarding the Onset / Conqueror connection, not an album track but part of the limited edition bonus DVD/BluRay with the "white room" videos. However, that is one of the few limited editions that are still available. CD Japan has the type-B (DVD) version in stock for $24, and the type-A (BluRay) version on backorder for $30. Shipping would be about $25 on top of that. A better deal could be found on ebay, I just looked and I saw the type-B version (brand new) for $39.58 with free shipping and the type-A version (brand new) for $39.74 with $2.50 shipping.

[@Chan_Fry]

Great info. Thanks!

[@waynebenedict5785]

I don't think Kanami has "It's good enough" in her vocabulary! Another reactor, Ryan Mear, has said, He wonders if the studio workers have to escort Kanami out of the studio with them saying that's good enough so they can finish their work, but never her. There is a "White Room" version of "Onset", and it gives a clearer view of the artists doing their thing, it's really great!

[@Chan_Fry]

Oh, I love those white room versions! I'll look for it. :-)

[@tasminoben686]

Hello, my friend, good That you are back! Etwas interesting and Lord of funto follow This Video Po! Greeting vom Frost the Hamburg, Ben❤

[@Chan_Fry]

Thanks for stopping by. :-)

[@bandmaidfanATL]

Also, if you haven't already, and if you get the chance, they opened their Finale show in 2020 at Line Cube Shibuya with Rinne and Blooming, and it is a stunning intro.

[@Chan_Fry]

I don't think I've seen a Blooming live, though I'm pretty sure I caught a live version of Rinne at some point. I'll look for them.

[@johndoe-wt6sy]

As you said, the 3rd guitar is a backing track by Kanami. At this point, Miku was not as good at guitar as she is now, so she plays cutting strokes throughout the song. Generally, there is an unwritten rule in Maidiacs that "You should not pause when Kanami is playing a solo". But that can't be helped with instrumental songs.😅 It's your channel after all, so I think you can pause whenever you like.👌 Although there aren't many, BAND-MAID has several other excellent instrumental songs. (Without Holding Back, Giovanni(instrumental), from now on, etc.) The instrumental songs are so complex that they could be called Prog Rock, but what's interesting is that they don't feel any lack even without Saiki's vocals, which should be essential.😊

[@Chan_Fry]

I usually try to pause just *before* a Kanami solo, so I can make sure to focus on it, but yes, in the instrumental songs, where's a good place to stop? No "end of chorus" or "we're going into the bridge now", etc. :-)

[@johndoe-wt6sy]

@@Chan_Fry Thank you for your reply. It's hard to decide where to pause in a song you're listening to for the first time. Especially when you don't know if it's an instrumental song or not. Well, if I had to look for it, I guess it would be where Miku is playing. (Sorry Miku.)😅

[@mermaidmelodies1492]

Glad you're back! - 28:52 - That solo reminds me of one of the first guitar solos I remember from my high school days when The Sweet released "Desolation Boulevard". There is a (mostly instrumental) track called "Sweet F.A." that has that same trilling riff and I fell in love with the sound. Now, here we are in the 21st century and Kanami Tono is shredding way better than all those excellent guys did 'back in the day'! What a wonderful world we live in, dominated by BAND-MAID!

[@Chan_Fry]

In whatever jurisdiction they're allowed to run for office, I want to volunteer for the Band-Maid world domination campaign. :-)

[@_JimS]

Nice to see you again Chan. "Blooming" is one of my favorite songs by the Maids, an absolute Rock masterpiece. The way Akane goes into her half-time after her blistering kick drum is fun to hear. She is the queen of tempo change. Funny you mention Kanami's leg movements, thought I was the only one.....Lol! This month is my 5yr anniversary of finding Band-Maid and "Onset" is one of my first songs to listen to. "Thrill" was the first and the one that hooked me past the barb. I've never left their side since. Akane's wrist movements is how she was taught at the Tokyo School of Music. As a drummer, I noticed it and looked into it and that's what I found. Stay Well.....

[@Chan_Fry]

@@_JimS Thanks. I must have seen Akane playing that way before, but it really struck me in this video... I need to learn to do more of my tasks with such fluidity of motion. :-)

[@_JimS]

@@Chan_Fry Right? Especially swingin' a hammer.

[@Chan_Fry]

@ : I've been practicing with a Japanese pull saw, and it kind of forces you to relax and be precise. Very zen, very Yoda. :-)

[@bandmaidfanATL]

As you may have heard, Saiki took inspiration from one if her favorite Jaoanese horror movies if the same name, Rinne for the look if the video. If you get the chance, it is a pretty good movie.

[@Chan_Fry]

I did look for it. Currently, it's only available on Amazon streaming, which I'm not a part of, so... Maybe someday?

[@ronniebrucehalford8396]

Good catch regarding Akane’s posture over time. She had to change her drumming stance after a back injury due to her poor drumming posture.

[@G-man_810]

Wasn’t it during COVID that Akane studied her basics to improve her movement and help with her endurances. Or maybe she upped her bananas and ramen intake! 🦍🍌🍜

[@Chan_Fry]

Makes sense. As I age, I've been paying a lot more attention to posture, especially when woodworking (I won't notice the problem until the next day, usually). :-)

[@EDGE-POWER]

Please respond to BAND-MAID requests. I think you'll like it. Thank you. BAND-MAID / Without Holding Back [instrumental song] kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5jHi394h95kq6c BAND-MAID / Giovanni [Instrumental] kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJLIeZiEhJKWeM0

[@AndersonConnors]

He didn't fully explain it here, but Chan is going through ALL Band-Maid songs, in chronological order (by release date). So he'll get there eventually. 😊

[@Chan_Fry]

As Anderson said, no need to request Band-Maid. I'm doing EVERY Band-Maid song, in order. Looks like next up is the single "Different" (which includes "Don't Be Long"), and then the album "Unseen World". :-)

[@bbobjs]

The medicine delivery reminded me, as mentioned a few videos back I'd been struggling with a hospitalized family member. After 31 days they finally sent her home with an absolute nightmare schedule of medication. 3 IVs at thrice, twice and once a day (one requiring manual mixing) and 8 oral medications with one being a liquid that needed to be taken at least an hour before and two hours after eating, 4 times a day. Proud to say that although it was an absolute nightmare to manage, functionally alone while working full time during the holiday season, it paid off and she's recovered to basically a normal life this month. No idea what your situation is but it really is impressive what people can managed when life gives them no choice. ...which is what I think Blooming is about. I always promise myself I'm going to REALLY focus on the lyrics for Blooming because they're absolutely beautiful, but I never quite manage to as the rest of the music drags my attention away. If I had to pick one song from them to keep, it's absolutely Blooming.

[@Chan_Fry]

I'm glad to hear you are managing (I know it's tough!) On our end, fortunately, we have bi-weekly self-administered injections, plus a handful of daily meds (some of which have to be spaced in time away from others), but it hasn't been terrible. I think we're about back to "normal" (though the injections will be lifelong). Speaking of focusing on lyrics, I had the urge to cull through Kobato's lyrics (from the beginning) and come up with a sort of Pigeon Religion (I just now realized it rhymes), but less of a belief system and more of a self-help way of life based on her sayings. Blooming has a few, like: "I can't quit, don't want to quit. I can not. I can not do it. I can't stop, don't want to stop. I can not. I cannot be stopped." :-)

[@daaaaaave]

Sorry to hear about your hard time, Bbob. Glad it’s gotten better.

[@bbobjs]

@@Chan_Fry Ooh! I like the idea of Kobotoism. "Tears will also make a rainbow" "I don't want to survive, I want to live my life" "Even if you stop breathing the world doesn't change"

[@Chatwin78]

Thanks Chan--always interesting. You're right about Kanami's movements being natural (and Misa is the same), but Miku has to think about what she's doing--playing while singing into a mic. I remember a video where Kanami was giving some advice to Miku on her stance during a rehearsal. With regard to Onset, when they released the Bubble and Glory singles in Jan 2019 you could get a bonus CD for each (Puzzle acoustic for Glory and Anemone acoustic for Bubble) for a limited time. If you bought both singles together, you got an additional bonus CD with Onset. Good luck finding any of those limited bonus CDs.

[@Chan_Fry]

@@Chatwin78 : I'm just glad they released Onset as a video... Otherwise I might have never heard of it (they did not put it on Spotify).

[@Glenner7]

You were definitely hearing at least 3 guitars there...

[@russellpotter7294]

Mentioned that Rinne was among the first three or four songs I heard from Band Maid. One of the first MVs I saw of them. Miku is certainly showing her love for being the rock god she always wanted to be with her head banging. Loved the song. I love the comment about Kanami. I actually enjoy watching SUMO. I will deny it if the Thought Police call. But yes her wide legged, bent back and head down has that Sumo feel. The songs are always just constructed like little works of art. Again repeating myself but putting on CDs and listening on an old CD player with ear phones. They never ever feel repetitive. Glad you had a chance to return to the MVs. Enjoying the stopping and repeating. Never gets old. Glad you make the same sort of faces during some parts that I make. They are a cure for all ills. Again thanks for these reviews.

[@Chan_Fry]

@@russellpotter7294 Thanks for watching! The chemical change in my body as I watch/listen is remarkable. A very safe (but habit-forming) mood enhancer. :-)

[@miqoto]

Onset was a limited edition giveaway when you bought Glory & Bubble singles together