♪Wanna be on top?♪
サクラ小町 continues the vibe but includes another killer guitar hook. This song is like Yellow's coming out party - in WING, she was doing some cool big parts, but here she's really belting out the cool parts with power. The rockin' out doesn't stop, as next we get おねがい which is way more in the vein of the classic PASSPO☆ sound. Though 4 albums in now and I don't even know what that "classic PASSPO☆ sound" could possibly be, because there's all sorts of stuff going on these albums. But whatever, because STEP&GO is kinda on that similar vibe. But not really.
気分はサイコー!サイコー!サイコー! is a song I did not like at first. Now I consider it a highlight of the album and I have to stop myself from giving it a 5 star rating when I know it really isn't a 5 star song but then I realise that it doesn't matter so I give it 5 stars. Because it makes me want to party. This is the はっちゃけ隊 song #1; はっちゃけ隊 are the PASSPO☆ side group. It involves Yellow, Red, Orange and Blue drinking beer and being ridiculous. They're so bad it's amazing and it makes me happy this group seems to be continuing to perform. Especially because then songs like this won't die.
妄想のハワイ is kinda fun. Shang Shang シャンデリア seems to be incorporating some classic Asian sounds into the Idol musicverse. I'm not sure I get this song. But I certainly get キャンディー・ルーム. Super fun pop-punk to the rescue! That chorus is WAY too catchy! And Yellow doing all the silly cute voices just tops it off. くちゃLOVE is actually exactly the sort of song I consider signature PASSPO☆; pop-punk sensibilities with an almost power ballad vibe, without being a slow song at all. Do I make sense? No. PASSPO☆ break all genres and power of correct thinking.
Truly is one of those songs that starts off kinda 'meh' but then slowly builds into something more interesting than you were initially expecting. But then it's back to rockin' in your face with MASK. Wish on a Star has a great hook but also doesn't really go where you expect. Or want. Growing Up（Album ver.）, like 気分はサイコー!サイコー!サイコー!, was not something that grabbed me at first. Now it's probably my 2nd favourite song on the album. It's really groovy, but also a soulful musing of how life moves forward. The single version isn't quite as awesome as the album version - there is a chord change in the chorus that's missing in the single version. Amazing how one chord can make a large swing like that.
Growing Up is the 1 of the 1-2 punch to end the album. The 2 being 「I」. I recall a review of PASSPO☆'s final concert where they wrote 「I」could have been written for the event and they're not wrong at all; the lyrics are about chasing your dreams and staying together no matter what. The last line is especially fitting: "No one can take your place/It's my faith!" It's a fast-paced punk anthem with all the feels. This album ends with a raised fist in the air and DAAM it feels good!
This is the longest album in the PASSPO☆ library with 16 songs at 62 minutes. If you took out a couple of the lesser awesome songs like 妄想のハワイ and Shang Shang シャンデリア it would be near perfect. But as it stands, it's still a mighty fine album - I think it even has the most 5 star songs of all their albums! My first few listens didn't really grab me a whole lot, but it was possibly on my last flight to Osaka where I listened to it and finally realised I was wrong and there are too many great songs to ignore.
Highlights:
サクラ小町, キャンディー・ルーム, くちゃLOVE, Growing Up (Album ver.) , 「Ｉ」
Lowlights:
PASSPO☆ not staying together like they promised in 「Ｉ」
5.5 / 7 Glowsticks
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