HOUND ROAR cranks up the allure in the dreamy orchestral-meets-rock tune, “unfair”.
HOUND ROAR is a rock band fronted by HIBIKI (CV: Toshiyuki Toyonaga), with guitarist SHOMA (CV: Ryohei Kimura), bassist TOYA (CV: Hikaru Midorikawa), keyboardist SHION (CV: Yuichiro Umehara), and drummer SOGO (CV: Takashi Kondo).
Title: DIG-ROCK HOUND ROAR Vol.3 Label: TEAM Entertainment Inc. Release date: 24/08/2022 Genre: Rock/Acid-jazz
Tracklist:
1 - 大忙しの準備 2 - 隠しごと 3 - 言えないこと、その正体 4 - 夢の後先 5 - 未来の話をしよう 6 - 猛犬の狂乱 7 - unfair
Track analysis:
7 – unfair
Under the theme “unfair”, HOUND ROAR takes you through a unique, stripped-down soundscape. Slow, legato strings lead you to a dreamy instrumental in which the rhodes piano takes the final drapes off the stage.
It is almost bare yet it is beautiful, something the strings make sure of giving you a sense of.
A suggestive guitar riff loops throughout the verse, adding a layer of allure to this tune, contrasting with the nostalgia in the intro. “unfair” feels like a dream sequence. Elegant. Beautiful. Too good to be true. Unattainable.
At center stage is HOUND ROAR alongside a small chamber music unit comprised of violins, cellos, and violas, playing in both legato in the verses and pizzicato in the chorus.
This is, easily, the best format this band could have, mixing the complexity of jazz music through its 5-piece band with orchestral music but keeping both at a tasteful balance that will please fans of both music genres and give you a completely different outlook of how versatile HOUND ROAR is as a band – both on the music as well as vocals – going forth.
Drama heightens as you get closer to the chorus, with strings swells taking you by hand to the emotional – yet simple – performance by Toshiyuki Toyonaga (as Hibiki).
From its opening stages up to the chorus, bridge, and outro, it is unfair how beautiful and elegant this song is. Yet another stellar entry by HOUND ROAR.
“DIG-ROCK HOUND ROAR Vol.3” is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.
