Vickeblanka -- Wizard

Based on my amity for the catchy "Buntline Special" and some of his other songs from YouTube by singer-songwriter Junya "Vickeblanka" Yamaike（山池純矢）, I decided to get his 2nd album "Wizard". As you can see above, the good folks at Avex have even provided an "appetizer" video of sorts for the November 2018 release.

Track 2 is "Winter Beat". Kinda sounding like a mix of Queen and Spitz（スピッツ）, Vickeblanka（ビッケブランカ）seems to like his videos infused with a generous heaping of whimsy. From what I could understand from his lyrics, the lad is going the extra mile to express his undying affection for the lucky lass. The truck carrying him and his piano may as well be hauling from Toronto down to Miami.

Not to say that Vickeblanka is Japan's 21st-century answer to Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly, but he does like hoofing it up a fair bit in his videos, I find. Adds some good fun there. Anyways, I'm not 100% sure whether to romanize Track 5's 「ウララ」as "Ooh La La" or "Urara". Although the title is never mentioned in the lyrics, I'm kinda wondering whether the young lady that Vickeblanka's caddish persona is pursuing is actually named the latter or the former is referring to his raging libido. Whichever the case, it's a pretty fun tune with the strings and piano. is also Vickeblanka's first CD single released in April 2018 although there have been three previous digital singles by him.

From the whimsical to the wistful...Track 3 is "Masshiro"（まっしろ...Pure White）, a ballad about two people with the world seemingly against them trying to make their way into a better place and time. "Masshiro" was used as an insert song for the Fuji-TV drama "Kemono ni Narenai Watashi Tachi"（獣になれない私たち...We Who Can't Become Beasts）, and thanks to its strings, I get reminded of some of the sweeter material by Misia.

The last song here that I will provide is "Black Rover" which was one of the opening themes for the anime "Black Clover"（ブラッククローバー）that has been going on and on like the Duracell Bunny since October 2017. Although it doesn't quite grab me like "Buntline Special" did for "DOUBLE DECKER! Doug & Kirill"（ダグ&キリル）, it still strikes me as a quintessential anison opener for an action-packed show.

In fact, I would say that "Buntline Special" is still the lone earworm of "Wizard" although I think tracks especially such as 「ウララ」are quickly growing on me. Still curious as to what Vickeblanka has in store in the future and what he has provided in the past. Perhaps a look into his 2017 debut album "Fearless" may be in order.