Seven Idiots, World’s End Girlfriend (2010)
For those that don’t know, World’s End Girlfriend is purportedly one of the most “experimental” rock acts in Japan – and has been for quite some time. However, WEG isn’t experimental because the sounds he explores are particularly fresh or previously-unconquered. He’s boundary-pushing because of the immense breadth of his sound, which swings between the likes of IDM, noise, nu-jazz, post rock, modern classical, drone and noise pop.
One’s enjoyment of WEG rests rather squarely on the awe intended to induce with that broad palette, which is undeniably impressive, on every release. But that same awe wears off – or it did for me, anyway. I’m not quite in the camp that believe that breadth does not equal “experimental”, as I think that there’s something particularly impressive in such disregard for genre conventions but I think there are serious limitations to the interest of such breadth when every track is such a solitary statement.
In short, I’m unsold. Seven Idiots is an impressive technical feat but it doesn’t quite fit together as an affecting whole. WEG creates many moments of quality but among them are feats that can be easily picked-apart by any who have more fully delved into the genre that he has only ventured into for a single track. The huge shifts in style are arranged in a manner by which they lose momentum: Seven Idiots is never really allowed to enthral beyond the length of any of its individual tracks.
Seven Idiots shows that one can, by so many of the usual markers, be an exciting and experimental pop artist but if the overall structure or vision isn’t clear enough, a lot of that brilliance can seem aimless. For me, it’s very representative of why I’ve never really taken to much of WEG’s music beyond the odd track: he is clearly brilliant, yet there none of his records so far manage to successfully demonstrate his talent.
Pick: ‘Les enfants du paradis’
