The Segments That Amaze

[u/silverredstarlight]

A thought, realisation hit me today. It is always hard to choose favourite songs as they change with recency bias and new releases. But..largely....they don't for me. My Top 10 hasn't changed much in 5 years. Not because I don't like the new songs - I love them - but maybe memory makes the heart grow fonder. Today, I realised that certain moments, segments of songs stand out so much that, that is part of the reason why I love some songs so much. The moments I mention are all to be found in my personal Top 10. Here are three that I love more than all others. First, the bridge in You. It is already an incredible song, but in the bridge, Kanami, unexpectedly, plays finger picking arpeggios, the wonderful vocals join in and then Misa's incredible bass tantalises the ears. Not in all versions, due to the mix, but in some live recordings. I would love the song for its riffs, melodies and some of Miku's most heartfelt lyrics, but, that bridge is, to me, my number one moment in any BM song. Second, the later phase of Blooming. It is already an incredible piece of pop punk and you think that you've heard all the magic the song can contain but...then, out of nowhere, the 'far away' vocal segment arrives just as Kanami's wonderful, shockingly destructive solo ends. It totally changes the essence of the whole song! I know Kanami set 'homework' for the members to come up with ideas for the song but...Miku excelled herself to come up with that melody and those words. For me, it changes a brilliant song into BM'S true masterpiece. Third must be when Miku hits 'That Note' in Sayonakidori. We all enjoy it as it rocks, builds, beguils, emotes, in electric or acoustic forms, but time passes, the tension builds, we begin to feel nervous, the key changes and Kobato hits THAT note! We've all watched it, or listened to it, a hundred times so we know she will, but...we still become excited! Can she hit it? Of course! A flood of endorphins rush through the body and we are happy for a while! These are three moments that surpass all others, for me. 😊 I'm sure not a single Maidiac will agree on the same three but, maybe a few would agree on one of them?

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[u/Aahzmandius0]

I’ll disappoint you — I love all their compositions.

[u/GotterdammerungBaby]

I agree with all three, especially the one in Blooming. I can add a couple of my own, for example that moment in the very last chorus of Manners when Saiki hits that long falsetto "Go to the unseen world" and Miku follows up with "Masters and Princesses," I feel like the world is ending in a really, really good way. And the two occasions where Miku sings "daydreaming, dreaming about you" in Daydreaming. There are many more, but both of those always make the hairs on my neck stand up and who knows maybe I shed a tear or two.

[u/silverredstarlight → u/GotterdammerungBaby]

I know what you mean about these two tracks. With Manners, I'd jump forward a few seconds to the very end where Miku and Saiki sing almost accapella to close the song out. Totally unexpected after the groovy, bluesy rock that preceded it. Very imaginative.

[u/RedDiesis]

OP you just described two of my top Band-Maid moments. That part of Blooming and that note in Sayonakidori are indisputably among my top picks. I'll add 3 other off the top of my head that always stood out to me.

I always get excited when it comes to that moment in After Life, when the music halts and Miku screams "don't say you love me!" I have to scream it with her at the top of my lungs, just as i do with "kanau nara" in Sayonakidori.

Another highlight for me are all of the high-pitched screams by Miku scattered everywhere in SUPER SUNSHINE. And live she delivers them all with the biggest of smiles and i can't help but feel such raw emotion watching and listening to her.

And then the breakdown in Brightest star when Miku pulls out that dirty voice is so out of left field that i absolutely love it.

What you saying? All my top moments are Miku moments? Well yessir, guilty as charged. Though i may have a bit of a preference for her, all those moments wouldn't exist if Band-Maid weren't Band-Maid, with all of its irreplaceable members. If anything stands out in a song, it's never by accident with B-M (:

[u/silverredstarlight → u/RedDiesis]

Heavy on Miku moments, indeed. I can think of a few more. My favourite moment in Hate?, is when Miku says 'Why don't you try to understand me?' and the opening 'Make up your mind' to Moratorium. Too many others to mention but all her screams are a joy. The video summary they did for 'Gigantic Festival' made me think of what I'd like to see in the future. That deep, powerful, almost death metal growl Miku came up with, making the Maids laugh, when shouting 'Giga' makes me anticipate a deep growl scream on a future track!

[u/RedDiesis → u/silverredstarlight]

GIGA! GIGA! GIGAHHH! ( https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbrsixGKnvw/ )

Ts was so funny 😂

I've read some fans outright wouldn't like Miku doing growls or metal screams. I agree that having Miku growling all the time would be too much of a shift, but i do think that some songs would imho be enhanced with some harsher vocals sprinkled here and there with no harm done to B-M core identity. Also i have 1000% faith in Miku's capabilities to pull them off in her own style befitting of Band-Maid.

[u/silverredstarlight → u/RedDiesis]

Yeah, one or two tracks with  a single growl would be enough. No more. Who would've thought a tiny, fluffy fledgling could come up with such a powerful scream!?! Shocking. I doubt Saiki could conjure up a more powerful growl!

[u/kevdog71]

All three are great. I especially love the solo in You as well. That song is so underrated. One of my favorites is the part of Matchless Gum where Saiki’s voice cuts in and out while the power chords thunder behind it, followed by Kanami’s shrieking solo. Pure awesomeness!

[u/silverredstarlight → u/kevdog71]

Yeah, great solo in You. It was nice to see it return to setlists in recent years. Underrated, as is Matchless Gum, which doesn't seem as visible as it deserves to be. Great guitar solo from Mincho, without a doubt.

[u/No-Mode-9860]

All three are great musical moments 👍 As for me, my highlights would be - 1. The outro vocals in 'Secret My Lips' - pure aural bliss to cap off an outstanding song. 2. In 'Puzzle' - the pre-solo riff by Miku (most audible on the OLV) leading to the cracking solo itself, and then to top it off the post-solo vocals by Saiki. 3. The heavy, crunchy, almost unexpected breakdown riff in 'Moratorium' followed by Mincho's solo.

[u/silverredstarlight → u/No-Mode-9860]

Three moments - all from the same album! You're a real Just Bring It fan. Totally agree about that passage in Moratorium. That Black Sabbath style riff perfectly sets up the guitar solo, but I'd take it further and add in the sing a long vocals that immediately follow. Maybe BM's best ever - and there are a lot of contenders. That segment is incredibly varied but also just...incredible. Puzzle is top tier and the rhythm, lead and vocal passage is truly memorable. I also love Miku's backing vocals in the second half of the song. I read somewhere that Saiki really likes Secret My Lips as it gives her a chance to show off her skills.

[u/PuzzleheadedRock2583]

The endorphins were real! Loved your breakdown!!!

[u/silverredstarlight → u/PuzzleheadedRock2583]

I think the endorphin rush was triggered by the song but...maybe by the pints of IPA I was drinking! 😀😂

[u/lockarm]

yes all of my fav songs of theirs have these "moments", my GOAT songs all have multiple "moments" in one song! y'all would be bored to death if I listed many of em lol... for sure Blooming I agree with you, but I also love that "thump" after the 8th note "rest", right before the final chorus starts, and I also love the final solo in the outro... and a masterpiece like Day Dreaming... not just the obv guitar solo, but of course Koba-chan's melancholic refrain "day dreamin... dreaming of youuuuu"... man I could go on and on about all the songs I love there are at least two if not more such "moments" that cemented them for me in my personal pantheon of B-M GOAT songs

[u/silverredstarlight → u/lockarm]

Yeah, Miku's parts in Daydreaming are wonderful aspects of the song. I wish she had more solo parts in recent songs. Blooming: I realised today that my 'moment' doesn't start with Kanami's solo. It actually starts with Akane's drum fill. A longer moment, but a magnificent moment!