Japanese quartet Cody・Lee(李) has released their new album, 最後の初恋(The Last First Love). Romantic, bitter-sweet and bright, it’s a JPop gem to listen to. Review.
最後の初恋 (THE LAST FIRST LOVE) – CODY・LEE(李)
With NOT WAR, MORE SEIKATSU, Cody・Lee(李) shows their peaceful and soft dimension. The production progressively goes up towards a dreamlike state. Their guitars coming next on 涙を隠して(Boys Don’t Cry) may have a splendid saturation, so far, their JPop sound remains soothing and relaxing. It’s for DANCE扁桃体 (DANCE Amygdala) that its core shifts. Summery as it can be, the track is also thrilling. It matches perfectly with its video, and it becomes one of my new pop-rock faves. Light and connected with its sometimes heavy real-life troubles, it’s the kind of sound Cody・Lee(李) proposes with 最後の初恋(The Last First Love).
イエロー (Yellow) shows it through its bittersweetness, from the piano to the guitar and its melody. The four friends continue to explore their sound, melting a funk bass with a pop chorus and a rap verse on 真夏のジャイガンティック (Midsummer GIAGANTIC). And it works as we get to the flavour of a summery night there. Then ストロベリーエンジェル ～Don’t Say Goodbye～ gets daring with a very, very 80s intro. It’s a wonderful tribute to ‘vintage’ JPop and offers a great contrast with the rest. But again, it does work! さよuなら (SAYOuNARA) gives a glimpse of other similar influences with its memorable chorus, too. As if they needed to prove which ones, the band starts 烏托邦 (Wu tuo bang) and goes from a classic pop-folk sound to reggae to whimsical rock. In five minutes, it’s a real journey through the whole of the band’s aesthetics.
Despite their fifth member’s departure in 2023, Cody・Lee(李) has been able to keep their unicity alive. It’s vibrant, colourful, fun, and unexpected. ほんの気持ちですが！(Just a Little Something!) also carries that image, and I am not going to try and resist its beat… however, I understand less why reusing it on the intro of 下高井戸に春が降る (Spring Falling in Shimotakaido), featuring GOMESS, just before it shows its softness. The atmospheres are too different, and the fade connecting it might be the record’s weakness. Still, it’s there. 1096 goes on the same lighter and bitter-sweet note set. Lastly, 最後の初恋(The Last First Love) by Cody・Lee(李) ends with 生活 (Living), tender, romantic and epic. Overall, it’s a beautiful record that knows how to dress wounds made by life.
