CD
CD
1) Bad Karma
2) DON'T FORGET MY NAME
3) Syrup
4) Hikouki Gumo
5) KAGEROU
6) tomato
7) Sick of u
8) Naimononedari
9) PUZZLE
10) Epilogue (Instrumental)
Shota's last album release was 2023's Insomnia .
Pulsatilla cernua is Shota's 1st album release to get a CD + Blu-ray version alongside with his 1st ever fanclub version of a release pertaining to his latest album release .
Shota's new album has 10 songs , inclusive of :
- DON'T FORGET MY NAME
This's the lead album track which was 1st released digitally on last month 28th May & it has a video made
- Syrup ; released digitally in April
- tomato ; released digitally on 11th June
- PUZZLE ; released digitally last Oct
I enjoy Shota Shimizu's last 2 album releases HOPE & Insomnia so naturally I was curious to see if I would like his latest album offering Pulsatilla cernua which luckily I do to a certain extent .
Autotune is still present in Pulsatilla cernua but thankfully this has been kept to a bare minimum and instead the majority of Shota's new album allowed him to let his vocals shine & not having auto tune to conceal his singing to the extreme .
The strength in Pulsatilla cernua is no doubt the mid tempo driven numbers & also ballads . Both music genres showcase what Shota vocally excelled in the best , such as the album's new material ie. Hikouki Gumo , KAGEROU & tomato .
If there's 1 thing to nit pick on Pulsatilla cernua is that I wished Shota would have included a bit more new material as the album overall felt a bit too short .
In addition I don't think DON'T FORGET MY NAME should have a video made . Instead this should have been given to KAGEROU as that to me is the standout new song in Pulsatilla cernua .
Aside from that , Pulsatilla cernua is overall quite a worthy follow up to Insomnia and most of the new songs in the album I enjoy especially the 3 songs I singled out (Hikouki Gumo , KAGEROU & tomato) .
I look forward to see what Shota Shimizu will release next & if he were to release another song like PUZZLE I'm up for it as this's the type of song he should be releasing a lot more often & in return people will and have responded to it positively .
CD
CD + DVD & CD + Blu-ray A
CD + DVD & CD + Blu-ray B
Promo wise , encore was used as the theme song for the drama Parallel Fufu: Shinda Boku to Tsuma no Shinjitsu starring member Inoo Kei .
4 B-sides are included in encore :
- SUPER CRUISIN' 1st released digitally on 26th March & it has a video made
Described as a funky upbeat track driven by lyrics from Saya & a groovy beat produced by Sakiura Shin .
Lyrically SUPER CRUISIN' is all about motion , momentum & swagger . This isn't a cruise for the calm , it’s a wild ride of highs , spins & unexpected turns .
- Love Letter (CD Only Track)
- MATSURI☆FEVER (CD Only Track)
- Step by step (CD + DVD & CD + Blu-ray A Track)
- Miraisen (CD + DVD & CD + Blu-ray B Track)
Hey ! Say ! JUMP's 35th single encore is the theme song for the Fuji TV drama Parallel Fufu starring member Inoo Kei . The refreshing love song makes you want to sing & dance along with its rhythmic pop melody .
The single's B-side track SUPER CRUISIN' that was penned by Laland's Saya is an upbeat hip-hop number that expresses the strengths & charms of Hey ! Say ! JUMP, who have cruised from Heisei to Reiwa at their own pace as a group .
In all honestly I'm not really a fan of Hey ! Sɑy ! JUMP's previous single UMP as I felt it was a bit un-necessary for them to redo their debut single where they could have chosen not to perform Ultra Music Power any longer .
Luckily I do not have the same opinions towards encore as I do like the song the moment I 1st heard it .
As for the B-sides in encore all 4 of them are equally enjoyable & different from each other in a good way even though I personally feel Love Letter should be the 1 that gets a video made & not SUPER CRUISIN' .
Hey ! Say ! JUMP LIVE TOUR 2024-2025 H⁺ DVD + Blu-ray will be released next month on 30th July .
