This post was a very long time in the making, for reasons specific to Japanese emo that I've already discussed. The short version is that CDs are still popular in Japan and exporting them is very costly when its possible at all. But Japanese emo was and continues to be some of the best stuff around, so I'm glad to be able to offer another band from that scene.
All Out were possibly from Aichi Prefecture, formed in 1997 and active until 1999, at which point three of the members would form The T.V. Dinners. If considering the first half of All Out's discography, their sound would remain mostly congruent between projects, a mix of emo pop and pop punk with some of the rough elements of melodic hardcore intact; 'emo punk,' as it's sometimes called. However, in the back half the band began to bring in far more midwest emo influences.
The band existed long enough to put out a couple demos and two splits. In 2017, they reunited to put together their semi-posthumous discography, the end of serenade (the Mineral reference is blatant, but earned in the second half). I say 'semi'-posthumous because they recorded a new song while briefly reunited.
It's great that the band cared enough about their legacy to put together a discography nearly twenty years later. Sadly, the end of serenade is the worst kind of discography: an incomplete one. The band released the new song as a single, 願い, and on that single also included four songs from their first demo that aren't on the discography either. That makes five missing songs from a discography that's already only nine songs long, and it's entirely possible there are other missing tracks as well.
I was unable to find a retailer that had the single in stock and was also willing to ship to the States, so the end of serenade is all I have to offer.
I went ahead and translated the liner notes. It’s not flawless, but I am hoping it gets the message across:
ReplyDeleteOne day, during my commute, I was listening on the train to a compilation of All Out’s past releases—a compilation of tracks sent to me by the label. Along with the slightly embarrassing memories that came flooding back, I found myself reminiscing, and it struck me just how much we’ve been supported—back then, and even now—by so many people throughout our journey. My mind started swirling, and before I knew it, my eyes welled up.
Pathetic as it sounds, I’ve missed every proper chance to look back and reflect on our path. The reason my eyes got so puffy was because the regret of that neglect came flooding in all at once, along with the energy of those lyrics—so blue, so introspective—and the music we poured our hearts into, stretching ourselves as far as we could. And I realized that energy, that heat, is still on the same track we’re on, and will continue to be.
I never imagined that, over a decade later, something like this would come back around to kick me in the ass.
I haven’t changed a bit since then. Maybe I can’t change…
Clatter, clatter…
I think the meaning this discography has given me is a “point.” For those who once listened to these songs, I hope this CD becomes a kind of arrival point for a certain stage in their lives, and at the same time, for those discovering these songs anew, I hope it becomes a starting point towards something ahead. When that happens—only then—I think the title the end of serenade will begin to make sense, little by little. And unless it does something like that, I’d feel guilty towards Mr. Shibayama, who went through the trouble of digging this up from the grave.
A track must have a destination.
Lastly, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who was involved with us back then—starting with Mr. Nakai, the manager of HUCK FINN at the time, the bands we played with, the audiences, and, of course, Mr. Shibayama of ONE BY ONE RECORDS, who gathered together these songs, nearly buried and lost to time for 18-20 years. Thanks as well to Mr. Sato, the filmmaker, Ms. Fukaya who appeared in the music video, Mr. Machida who did the design work, and to Mr. Kurosaki, the current manager of HUCK FINN, along with all the entire staff—thank you, truly.
all out bass/vocals – Eiji Chida