A sensible single from the renown rocker.
The limited edition of the single FRIENDLY is a must-have for Asai Kenichi (BLANKEY JET CITY, JUDE, SHERBETS) fans - not only because of the music, but also because it comes with a figurine of the artist himself. The downside to the cute mini-version of Benzie is that it’ll cost you nearly 55 euro/65 dollars for a tiny plastic man and three songs. Fans that prefer the music over the merchandise might opt for the regular edition of FRIENDLY, which is much friendlier in cost and comes with a fourth track instead.
The single starts with FRIENDLY, which lives up to its name. It’s a calm, mostly acoustic song that drifts on unhurriedly. It features a violin that is slightly screechy, but because of that it’s a great addition as it helps to set the mood. Asai sings “Friendly afternoon melody” in English, and the rhythm is laidback and so unstrained that it’s easy to imagine the lazy afternoon he sings about.
Bad Strawberries picks up speed, starting with a ‘stomping’ guitar riff and percussion and Asai’s 60's-style “tu tu tu tu" backing vocals. The chorus of the rock song is less staccato and incredibly catchy, again with a sixties feel to it. The lyrics are mostly in English, featuring the lines “western Vivienne Get Wild Because Living Stone, Help me Super the Hero Get me Wild Living Stone,” which don’t make a whole lot of sense. Though from what the Japanese lyrics are saying, it seems that the ‘bad strawberries’ refer to rich people partying while there are people dying from hunger in Africa and Central America.
The third track, SPRING SNOW, is also very acoustic, almost folk-like as it’s mostly centered around Asai’s vocals and an acoustic guitar. It has a sad feeling and somehow sounds restrained as well, holding back until the end, where it grows more intense.
Since the release of FRIENDLY, Asai has released a few more items under his own name, but it seems that his solo project is mostly on a hold due to the new band he started, The Pontiacs. However, FRIENDLY shows Asai’s musical sensibility, something that is both captivating and enjoyable to listen to. Let’s hope he will not forget about his solo career altogether and slip in some new items in the future.
