GeKiGaKutai - Tokyo

GaKiGaKutai (GKGK) is the session band comprised of kyohsuke of ex-La Vie En Rose and currently usagi as vocalist, Miya of MUCC as guitarist, Tsuyoshi of Jully as drummer, and Yoshida of THREE 9 as bassist. These fun loving friends only created one mini-album during their session; Tokyo was released in two editions, both by Danger Crue, which recently changed its name to Maverick.

The mini-album begins with Crude, which is a rather heavy, pounding song leading into another just the same as itself. It begins with the slow strumming of the electric guitar, and Tsuyoshi joins in with his beating drums after a few seconds, increasing the pace. All four men shout into the microphone in unison just as kyohsuke sings a quick intro. This easily leads into the next song, Kokoro sabaku, which continues with the same feel as its predecessor. Throughout the song, the guitar and drums are coupled into a perfect complement of one another bringing the listener into a frenzied rush.

After listening to two tracks that have quickly provided an adrenaline rush for its listeners, GekiTokyo keeps the rush flowing, but with a rather catchy and jazzy number. This song shows just how strong this session band's members are when they perform together. Tsuyoshi adds his cymbals, contributing to the theme of the track, while Yoshida's bass keeps in steady tune with them. It's Miya's guitar that brings the song to a higher peak, bringing a rock-sounding element to this track.

Muku begins slowly with only a light guitar and kyohsuke's rough vocals. Even with the deficient sounds coming from the vocalist, they simply add a nice twist to the heavy, yet soft, song. Almost halfway through the track, there is a dramatic pause consisting of only bass drums and a few guitar strings that are played. This pause is simply the calm before the storm. The following sequence brings the listener to a sort of climax as the vocalist sings his heart out, trying to reach his listener's hearts through his lyrics. Even though there are those who know and appreciate kyohsuke's voice, a passing listener would be shocked at the inadequate screams toward the end; they simply don't reach where the vocalist wishes them to.

Surprisingly, the fifth track of the mini-album is a remake of a La Vie En Rose punk song. This version, Shouwa ~gk-edit~, is very slow and melodious. Having already been familiarized with the imperfection of the vocals, it is surprising that during this song kyohsuke's voice sounds rather soothing. There is no similarity between him and the original vocalist of the song, YUTA, but kyohsuke definitely adds a different feel. It's a song of happiness and remembering a time of old, and this new version sounds sad and desiring something from the past.

Shinjou mune ni sasaru is a combination of a mellow and uplifting track with a hint of happiness. It is the softness of Miya's backup vocals that is surprising to the listener. Toward the middle of the song, the guitar and vocalist follow a riveting guitar solo, which then leads to the climax at the end of the song with all instruments meshing wonderfully with one another. GekiGaku follows after, and it sounds very similar to the first two tracks of the mini-album.

The addition of the final song, GekiGaku-san ni ai ni yukou (wara), is the only difference between the limited and regular versions. The first half of this long track is quite low in volume with just GKGK having fun while they sing and laugh together. The latter half returns to normal volume, and it becomes a more refined, reggae-sounding version of song.

Tokyo is definitely an album for listeners who are familiar with bands such as MUCC and La Vie En Rose, considering this band's music is written by kyohsuke and Miya. Those who are not familiar with these band members' previous music arrangements can still enjoy the album, though getting past the raspy and rough vocals might be a feat for some. This album is fun, energetic, and keeps the listener's heart pounding, which is an excellent combination to keep any listener coming back for more.