Pink is the tenth album by Japanese experimental music band Boris. It was originally released in 2005 through Diwphalanx Records in Japan and subsequently reissued in 2006 by American label Southern Lord Records. The album received favorable reviews, particularly for incorporating more melody into the band's abrasive sound.
The album's length was extended significantly on the LP version of the album. For the 2006 reissue of Pink, the album's cover art, track order, and length were modified from the original version released in Japan in 2005. Additionally, a music video was shot for the title track which was limited to 100 copies on DVD. Since then, the music video has been included in the limited edition of the album Smile, also published by Southern Lord.
An expanded reissue of the album using the original Japanese filled stencil-style art was announced for worldwide release by Sargent House on May 9, 2016, simultaneously debuting new track "Are You Ready" from its bonus disc.[5] Later the same month, NPR Music hosted a stream of an additional new song from the release, "SOFUN".[6] Sargent House streamed the bonus disc via their SoundCloud page the day before it was released on July 8, 2016.[7]
The full-length version of the track "Farewell" from the LP edition appears on Boris / Variations + Live in Japan. It was also re-recorded for Boris' collaborative studio album with Merzbow, Gensho.
Critical response to Pink has been positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 80, based on 13 reviews.[8]
Applauding PINK as "groundbreaking", Nina Corcoran for Consequence claimed it "holds up with contagious energy and genuinely mesmerizing atmosphere" when reacting to its 2016 reissue. She compared it to an equally experimental, influential and acclaimed metal recording, 2013's Sunbather by then-trio Deafheaven.[2]
Track listing[]
No.
Title
Length
1.
"決別" ("Farewell")
7:33
2.
"Pink"
4:20
3.
"スクリーンの女" ("Woman on the Screen")
2:38
4.
"別になんでもない" ("Nothing Special")
2:17
5.
"ブラックアウト" ("Blackout")
4:49
6.
"Electric"
1:45
7.
"偽ブレッド" ("Pseudo-Bread")
4:29
8.
"ぬるい炎" ("Afterburner")
4:22
9.
"6を3つ" ("Six, Three Times")
2:53
10.
"My Machine"
2:01
11.
"俺を捨てたところ" ("Just Abandoned Myself"; 18:14 on English version)
10:14
Total length:
47:23
Southern Lord CD version[]
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Farewell" (決別)
7:33
2.
"Pink"
4:20
3.
"Woman on the Screen" (スクリーンの女)
2:38
4.
"Nothing Special" (別になんでもない)
2:17
5.
"Blackout" (ブラックアウト)
4:49
6.
"Electric"
1:45
7.
"Pseudo-Bread" (偽ブレッド)
4:29
8.
"Afterburner" (ぬるい炎)
4:22
9.
"Six, Three Times" (6を3つ)
2:53
10.
"My Machine"
2:01
11.
"Just Abandoned Myself" (俺を捨てたところ; 10:14 on Japanese version)
18:14
Total length:
55:23
LP version[]
Side A
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Pink"
4:20
2.
"Woman on the Screen"
2:38
3.
"Nothing Special"
2:17
4.
"Blackout"
4:49
Side B
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Electric"
1:45
2.
"Six, Three Times"
2:53
3.
"Afterburner"
4:22
4.
"Pseudo-Bread"
10:08
Side C
No.
Title
Length
1.
"My Machine"
11:14
2.
"Farewell"
9:32
Side D
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Just Abandoned My-Self"
18:14
Total length:
72:16
2016 deluxe version[]
The first disc of the CD release is identical to the Southern Lord CD release, and the first two discs of the LP release are identical to those of the previous LP release.
Forbidden Songs
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Your Name Part 2"
6:15
2.
"Heavy Rock Industry"
3:18
3.
"SOFUN"
3:57
4.
"non/sha/lant"
2:35
5.
"Room Noise"
3:35
6.
"Talisman"
4:26
7.
"N.F. Sorrow"
7:50
8.
"Are You Ready?"
4:21
9.
"Tiptoe"
2:18
The LP version of this disc splits the track list between "Room Noise" and "Talisman".[15]
Some copies featured a die-cut sleeve around the jewel box
2xLP
Yes
Ltd. 500. Deluxe 2xLP featuring a die-cut "stencil" cover and extended cuts of "Pseudo-Bread", "My Machine", "Farewell" and "Just Abandoned Myself"; different track listing
Different cover from Japanese pressing; has same audio overall as the Japanese CD apart from featuring the same extended cut of "Just Abandoned Myself" as the Japanese 2xLP. The cover art features pictures by the poet and artist William Blake depicting Satan from his illustrations to John Milton's Paradise Lost. The album also comes with three paintings of devil imagery on sheets of what resembles perforated "blotter paper," usually associated with LSD. Also, the misspelling of 'abandoned' to 'abondoned' on the album sleeve and online MP3 tagging seems to be intended.
2xLP
Yes
Ltd. 6000. Pressed on 180g pink marble (2000), clear pink (2000) and black vinyl (2000); has same audio overall as the Japanese 2xLP; same cover art as the US CD
2007
2xLP
Yes
Ltd. 2000. Pressed on 180g icy pink (1000) and deep red (1000); has same audio overall as the Japanese 2xLP; same cover art as the US CD
[12]