Panic Fancy (ALBUM+DVD)(First Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version) DVD Region 2

Panic Fancy still has the usual mix of the fun energetic rock songs and mid-tempo power ballads the band is known for, though they've steered a bit away from their signature pseudo-rap this time. Opening track Beat It (Track 1) easily wraps up the overall style of the 15-track album. Even though the track starts off with the usual crowd-pleasing rowdy style that established them as a major pop act, it also stops for extended attention-catching interludes that seem to remind listeners that this is not just another Orange Range album.

That doesn't mean that Panic Fancy strays far from the norm. The singles released ahead of the album (over the course of the last 14 months) are the typical type of summer rock that fans would expect. First single Ika Summer (Track 11) provides an energetic jolt of ska-rock hybrid that offers no surprise, except for the intriguing trace of ska and the playful arrangement. Second single Ikenai Taiyo (Track 2) is again business as usual, as every single element of the song sounds as if they've been done before (with even the same female backing vocals). The composition is also fairly pedestrian, edging too close to some of fellow Japanese band Tokio's recent hits. The most recent single O2 (Track 10) is the most successful of the four with an aggressive energy that effectively fulfills the song's purpose as an anime theme song. With its continuous assertion to "continue to fight", O2 has a combative tone that differs from the usual sunny summer vibe the band gives off with their singles. The rock energy remains consistent, but the slight change of pace is nevertheless refreshing.

The other style Orange Range is known for is their more gentle mid-beat rock ballads, and surprisingly, only one of the four singles from the album fit that style. Kimi Station (Track 4) has the same sentimentality that has calmed their usually excited fans, but the composition doesn't quite reach the heights of past hit ballads such as Love Parade and Hana. On the other hand, the album's other anime theme song Shiawase Neiro (Track 8) is closer is reaching that goal, but it offers no breakthrough from the arrangement and vocal style the band has used over the years.

While much of Panic Fancy is business as usual for Orange Range, the album shines when it gets out of its comfort zone. After Beat It sets the tone, the first trip into the strange comes at Soy Sauce VS. Petunia (Track 5). The track starts off as a light rock track with the band's signature female background vocal, but it quickly stops and switches into a mid-tempo guitar-driven song with a completely different set of composition and pacing. The parts are pleasing enough by themselves, and the combination makes for an attention-catching, though not exactly matching mix. Panic Fancy then goes on an even stranger 6-minute journey with 5 (Track 9). The number in the title represents the 5-part structure of the song, all of which has a unique style of its own. Each of the part are so far away from the usual Orange Range musical structure that fans will likely be confused by the lack of an overall style. However, even if the sum of its parts doesn't add up to a coherent whole, 5 is the riskiest thing the band has done since they hit it big, and by far the most interesting track of the album for pure experimental value.

While veteran bands like B'z and Mr. Children are still dominating the Japanese charts with essentially the same musical style over the years, Orange Range is quickly losing relevance for the same reason. The reason is because unlike those veteran groups, the band's works after their major hits pale in comparison with their most popular hits. However, Panic Fancy represents a change in direction for the band, especially in pacing. Unlike Musicq, Panic Fancy doesn't overstay its welcome with a wall-to-wall audio assault on the ears. Instead, the more experimental tracks give the album stylistic diversions that spark attention. It may not be liked by everyone, and it may not even be good, but Panic Fancy is certainly one of Orange Range's most intriguing albums to date.

Recommended Tracks: Beat It (Track 1), Soy Sauce VS. Petunia (Track 5), Shiawase Neiro (Track 8), 5 (Track 9), O2 (Track 10), Fuyumi (Track 13)

by Kevin Ma