the studs - Spider Nest/Yami Nochi Ame

Announced just two months before, Spider Nest/Yami Nochi Ame is the final release of the studs for 2008.

Spider Nest was the highly anticipated new track, advertised as a much darker song than others fans have heard in the past, and with the heavy bass and guitar opening, it seems that the promise has been fulfilled. But after the forty second opener, the song tapers off once Daisuke begins to sing and picks up slightly in sound. Between his raspy vocals and the near pop sounding chorus, the song isn't enhanced; instead it's shredded of any mystery that Spidernest may have been trying to achieve. The instrumental pieces that are scattered throughout this track save it, however, and maintain a solid sound that is appealing. A karaoke version of this song would be amazing, as the composition is strong and well arranged.

Shizuku (rain drop another version) begins with the sound of a leaky faucet being turned off and squeaking noisily before transitioning into an eerie piano melody with the sound of water dripping. When Daisuke begins to sing, the unnerving piano melody continues. Aie and yukino come in briefly with bursts of sound, but they vanish just as quickly, leaving the song with just Daisuke's vocals and the piano until the chorus. The chorus sounds much like the original version of rain drop and there are no lyrical differences, but the music drops back into the piano melody once the chorus concludes. This is the third version we've gotten of rain drop, and it is the most disappointing.

The normal progression of songs is that we hear the regular version before the unplugged. However, for Yami Nochi Ame, this was not the case. The first version debuted as acoustic on the mail-order release of Fair Occasionally Dark, and despite being a muted and gentle song, it blew away the other two that it accompanied.

Yami Nochi Ame starts with Daisuke singing and a flash of guitar and drums before it goes into full musical arrangement, and we finally see the true colors of Yami Nochi Ame. As an acoustic song, it's undeniable the song had potential, but with accompaniment, it's no wonder why Yami Nochi Ame was mentioned as the title track. The song is much faster in sound and the vocals are sped up, unlike the original version which was slow and drawn out. With a cheerful but fast paced chorus and great guitar solo, this song is addictive, catchy and memorable.

As the final release of the year, the studs pushed Spider Nest/Yami Nochi Ame in advertisements, and with all the positive information about it, the single seemed like it would be a really great release. However, with the mediocrity of Shizuku and the disappointment of Spider Nest, it's a miracle that Yami Nochi Ame once again saves the day. For that song alone, the single is worth listening to as it outshines the other two tracks and was well worth the wait.