Plastic Tree: Nenriki

I am depressed due to a lost (hopefully delayed) EMS package from Japan… but, I’d like to share my impressions about the new Plastic Tree EP that released yesterday January 25th, titled “念力” which means “Will-power” in English. The EP was released in 4 versions, each of them featuring one Plastic Tree member in the cover.

Regular edition: Ryutaro in cover, this version contains probably my favorite song in this EP, which is a live arrangement of the song “Circus” from their 1999 album “Puppet Show”, it’s always welcome to listen a new version of such classic song. Song list is the following:

1. Nenriki　(念力)
2. Creep
3. Cricus (サーカス) (Live Arrange Version)
4. Nenriki　(念力) (Instrumental)

Buy in CD Japan: Nenriki [Regular Edition] / Plastic Tree

Buy also in Amazon

Type A edition: Tadashi in cover, this contains the same songs except Circus. However, it contains a bonus DVD with live footage from their 2016 autumn tour Black Silent/White Noise featuring 10 songs.

Buy in CD Japan: Nenriki [w/ DVD, Limited Edition / Type A] / Plastic Tree

Buy also in Amazon

Type B edition: Akira in cover, this edition is exactly the same as edition A, the only difference is that the sets of songs included in the DVD are different songs. So if you want to have the complete concert, you need to buy edition A and B.

Buy in CD Japan: Nenriki [w/ DVD, Limited Edition / Type B] / Plastic Tree

Buy also in Amazon

Type C edition: Kenken in cover (why the drummer seems like the less important? type “C”…lol)  well, this version has the same songs as Type A and B, but the DVD only contains the full version of the Promotional video of the main song of this EP: Nenriki.

Buy in CD Japan: Nenriki [w/ DVD, Limited Edition / Type C] / Plastic Tree

Buy also in Amazon

So my actual thoughts about the new songs, Nenriki is a good typical Plastic Tree song, it’s welcoming to hear some synths at the beginning combined with some aggressive drumming, which is becoming a recurrent feat in some recent Plastic Tree songs, probably because Kenken and Akira are pushing more their style, the chorus is very catchy and  Ryutaro’s voice is exceptionally captivating in a very sensual way, the entrance from the bridge into the chorus is beautiful and mesmerizing, I really like the music stopping toward the end and replaced with a very electronic sound before going into the same pace again. Regardless being a great song. maybe it’s just me, but I feel this song does not have enough impact to be the main song of the EP, I was expecting more impact. What do you think?

Creep is a very guitar driven song, it has many fast paced guitar riffs that are also a familiar sound in many Plastic Tree songs, it has that nostalgic feeling and Ryutaro stretches his voice very well, with some very fast singing parts and parts where you feel like he’s about to cry, every Ryutaro fan will definitely enjoy this!. It also has a very nice guitar solo near the end, so I am very satisfied with this song.

About the 4 version release, I am not a big fan of so many versions of the same single, and I was very interested in getting the live version of “Circus” so I opted to buy the iTunes version!  I guess I’ll wait for the concert to be released in Blu-ray in a single disc, not split between singles!

And well, here is the music video (short version) because if you want to see the full version, you need to buy the Type C edition!