Book-Off Purchase Log Vol.33 -250226-

The other night, late at night, I accessed Book-Off Online on a whim before bed, and a bright red 'Clearance Sale' banner jumped out at me. However, the clock was already pointing to 1:30 AM. I have work tomorrow, and I should probably go to sleep, but—click!

So, while fighting off sleepiness, here is the star-studded lineup I picked up with the indomitable spirit of a CD man.

The 3rd album from this US alternative country/rock band. A long time ago, I bought it without knowing anything about it, drawn in by the pig cover art, but it didn't resonate with me at all back then, so I sold it off—a lingering regret. I own their later albums, so I bought this again partly to confirm why I didn't like it. Once again, John McCrea's singing voice is one of a kind. A complete victory, surprisingly, with the Japanese edition and obi strip included.

The 1st album from this US punk rock band. I bought it based on the cover art alone, featuring a guy with a neck tattoo and a pompadour. When it arrived, I was excited to find it was released by Boss Tuneage and that Scott Reynolds of ALL/PAVERS had taken them on tour. The sound is pure 90s melodic punk.

The only album from this US emo/indie band. I bought this one for the cover art too. Given the thin gothic font and the neat impression, I thought it would be emo or refreshing alternative rock, and it was exactly that. The high-pitched vocals and the overall sense of freshness made it feel a bit like UK rock.

The 1st album from this US high-speed melodic punk band. The illustrated artwork is full of that 2006 vibe, and I thought to myself that I probably wouldn't have bought it in real-time. As for the sound, it's interesting how the triple vocals shift freely between chorus and lead.

The 3rd album from this US post-metal band. I bought it for the cover, guessing it was something from the metalcore scene based on the classy artwork. It's post-metal with gloomy, atmospheric guitars and vocals that feature both screaming and clean parts. I feel bad about whether I heard it before or after, but several similar bands crossed my mind, making it hard to judge...

Finally, a band from outside the US. The 2nd album by this metalcore band from Hungary. With fast-paced drums and twin leads playing lyrical melodies that hit the spot, it's the kind of newschool/metalcore sound I love the most. The vocals, which just scream away without any clean parts, are also great. Honestly, I was worried just by the forest artwork, but I'm glad I bought it.

The 1st album from this hip-hop unit from Morioka. I thought it was hip-hop because of the tagging on the top right of the artwork, but I was pleasantly surprised by the electronica-leaning sound and abstract rap. The rapid-fire flow, reminiscent of BOSS THE MC around the time he released 'Sell Our Soul', is very cool.

A cover EP released by the legendary Swedish melodic punk band. As the artwork suggests, I wanted to hear their cover of Elvis Costello's 'Welcome To The Working Week'. It was a great, straightforward cover with no twists.

A compilation album featuring ska-punk bands from around the world. I bought this due to a mysterious craving for ska-punk. Out of the 16 tracks, the one that hit me the most was 'The Skoidats', a skins/ska band, and this track is actually a hard-hitting Oi song, not ska-punk at all. I was frustrated that it didn't have an obi strip, even though it was a Japanese edition.

Still at it with ska-punk. A NY-based band whose selling point seems to be that they are a melting pot of races, including Hispanic, Japanese, American, Russian, Australian, and Italian members. This is just average, neither good nor bad, ska.

So, that's a total of 10 items for 1,834 yen.

Even though it was just to get free shipping on orders over 1,800 yen, honestly, the two ska-punk albums were unnecessary, but I still thoroughly enjoyed my first Book-Off online shopping experience in a long time. Above all, in this Reiwa era, the high level of entertainment provided by Book-Off Online is remarkable, whether it's buying obscure CDs based on their covers for cheap or the challenge of seeing if a domestic release comes with an obi strip before the package arrives.

If such wonderful encounters can be born from a sudden whim on a random night, perhaps I should use their online service a bit more often from now on... that's what I found myself thinking.

I look forward to our continued relationship, Book-Off.