XX emotion [w/ DVD, Limited Edition]

Just got my hands on FLiP's second full album today! First off, good news if you didn't bother to buy the singles. The entirety of "Hoshi mono ha" and "Wonderland" are on this CD. That leaves plenty of room for the new tracks. If you're lucky enough to have the LE (and they're going fast at the time of this review), you get not ONE, not TWO, but FIVE, count them FIVE music videos on the DVD, all the way from "Laila" to their newest, "Cherry Bomb". FLiP hit it out of the park with their debut album, "michi Evolution", and they're two for two with "XX emotion". Sachiko's voice, Yuko's mad guitar skills and Yuumi's drumming combine once again to prove these girls decided to keep the bar right where it's been since their debut. CHERRY BOMB, Walther, Emimoa, and GHOST BUSTER are in the vein of songs like their three best known songs, "Kazana", "Kaa to Naigo", and "Raira", while Demo Maybe, Everything is alright,and Konya Tsuki De Aimashou find their roots in their last two singles. Fans of both sides of FLiP will not be disappointed, however michi evolution showcased all that FLiP could do, slowing down for songs like "Shikatte" and one of my favorites "Butterfly", in how it starts out slow and quiet and eventually builds into a full rocked out song. XX emotion delivers on what we've come to expect from FLiP, but if you're looking for any experimentation, as I was, you sadly won't find it. Not that it's a totally bad thing, this CD still delivers for me, and with the entire discography of their last two singles essentially included, those "I don't buy singles" people should definitely get this since you do get the two B-sides from "Hoshi mono ha" and "Wonderland". That, and the bonus DVD from the LE delivers as well with all their music videos up until now. All in all, these girls have done it again! Fans of them will not be disappointed.