Punk (Chai album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Punk
| type = studio
| artist = Chai
| cover = Chai Punk.jpg
| alt =
| released = February 13, 2019 (Japan)
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
- Bubblegum pop{{cite web|url=https://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2019/03/11/chai-punk-burger-records/|title=CHAI – PUNK (Burger Records) {{!}} God Is In The TV|website=godisinthetv.co.uk|date=11 March 2019 |language=en|access-date=January 24, 2021}}
- indie pop
- new wave
- punk rock
- synth-pop
| length = {{Duration|m=31|s=06}}
| label =
- Burger Records
- Heavenly Recordings
- Otemoyan
| producer =
| prev_title = Wagama-mania
| prev_year = 2018
| next_title = Wink
| next_year = 2021
}}
{{Music ratings
|MC=86/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/punk/chai|title=Punk by Chai Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=April 14, 2019}}
|rev1=AllMusic
|rev1score={{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/punk-mw0003249622|title=Punk – CHAI|publisher=AllMusic|last=Sendra|first=Tim|access-date=April 14, 2019}}
|rev2=DIY
|rev2score={{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=http://diymag.com/2019/03/15/chai-punk-album-review|title=CHAI – Punk|work=DIY|last=Siregar|first=Cady|date=March 15, 2019|access-date=April 14, 2019}}
|rev3=Exclaim!
|rev3score=9/10{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/chai-punk|title=CHAI: Punk|work=Exclaim!|last=Pearson|first=Luke|date=March 12, 2019|access-date=March 15, 2019}}
|rev4=The Guardian
|rev4score={{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/mar/15/chai-punk-review-positive-punk-pop-heavenly-japanese-quartet-synth-pop|title=Chai: Punk review – harebrained gang bring positive pop vibes|work=The Guardian|last=Snapes|first=Laura|date=March 15, 2019|access-date=March 15, 2019}}
|rev5=The Line of Best Fit
|rev5score=9/10{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/chai-dazzle-us-on-aptly-named-new-album-punk|title=CHAI dazzle us on aptly-named new album, PUNK|work=The Line of Best Fit|last=Kuscher|first=Oliver|date=March 11, 2019|access-date=August 8, 2019}}
|rev6=Pitchfork
|rev6score=8.3/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/chai-punk/|title=Chai: PUNK|work=Pitchfork|last=Kemp|first=Sophie|date=March 15, 2019|access-date=March 15, 2019}}
|rev7=Q
|rev7score={{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal|title=Chai: Punk|journal=Q|issue=397|last=Monroe|first=Jazz|date=May 2019|page=108}}
|rev8=The Skinny
|rev8score={{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/chai-punk|title=CHAI – PUNK|work=The Skinny|last=Amour|first=Cheri|date=March 12, 2019|access-date=April 14, 2019}}
|rev9=Spectrum Culture
|rev9score={{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://spectrumculture.com/2019/03/19/chai-punk-review/|title=Chai: Punk|work=Spectrum Culture|last=Jacobs|first=Mick|date=March 19, 2019|access-date=August 8, 2019}}
|rev10=Vice (Expert Witness)
|rev10score=A−{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/a3xqmj/robert-christgau-reviews-charly-bliss-young-enough|title=Robert Christgau Reviews Charly Bliss' 'Young Enough'|work=Vice|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=June 22, 2019|access-date=June 22, 2019}}
}}
Punk (stylized in all caps) is the second studio album by Japanese band Chai. The album was released on February 13, 2019, by Otemoyan Records. It was released on March 15, 2019, in North America and Europe by Burger Records and Heavenly Recordings, respectively.{{cite web|url=https://chai-band.com/category/discography/|title=Discography|publisher=Chai-band.com|access-date=April 14, 2019}}
Composition
AllMusic's Tim Sendra felt the record left some of the rap rock influences prominent on PINK behind in exchange for more pop-oriented stylings. Indeed, PUNK dives into several pop-based genres from bubblegum to indie to synth-pop.
Kicking off the record is "Choose Go!", a "punchy" piece of "cheerleader rock", that features "synths that churn like vacuum cleaners." Following is "the pulsing electronic pop" of "Great Job".
"Wintime" is "Paramore-plucked, rose-tinted tropic-pop".
"This Is Chai", the record's only song to have its writing credited to all four members, has been called everything from post-punk to Europop to "happily corny handbag house". "Fashionista", along with "This is CHAI", "has some seriously infectious funk woven into its DNA". "Curly Adventure" is a "synth-pop ballad" that "throw[s] heavy metal guitar grind" into its mix.
Accolades
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Accolades for Punk ! Publication ! Accolade ! Rank ! class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| Noisey
| Top 100 Albums of 2019 | {{center|97}} | {{center|{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3kxxw9/the-100-best-albums-of-2019|title=The 100 Best Albums of 2019|work=Vice|access-date=May 14, 2020}}}} |
| Pitchfork
| Top 50 Albums of 2019 | {{center|46}} | {{center|{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-albums-2019/|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2019|website=Pitchfork|date=December 10, 2019|access-date=May 14, 2020}}}} |
| RX Music
| Best Albums of 2019 (Indie Pop) | {{center|5}} |
| Thrillist
| Top 35 Albums of 2019 | {{center|20}} | {{center|{{cite web|url=https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/best-albums-of-2019|title=Best Albums of 2019|website=Thrillist|last=Jackson|first=Dan|date=December 21, 2019|access-date=May 14, 2020}}}} |
= Tracks =
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Accolades for tracks from Punk ! Publication ! Work ! List ! Rank ! class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"|Pitchfork
| "Fashionista" | The 100 Best Songs of 2019 | {{center|59}} |
Accompanying music video
In 2019, a music video for the eighth track (Curly Adventure) was directed by Sean Solomon, using character designs from band member and visual director Yuuki, in which the video picks a load of eccentric (and surreal)scenes with vibrant colours{{cite web |title=CHAI – "Curly Adventure" [Video] |url=https://thefirenote.com/videos/chai-curly-adventure-video/ |work=The Fire Note |last=Wilde |first=Thomas |date=1 April 2019|access-date=20 July 2022}} with the simplistic style of the album's cover, inspired by Peanuts characters and the hyper-stylized Hanna-Barbera cartoons of the 1970s.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2037095/chai-curly-adventure-video/news/|title=CHAI – "Curly Adventure" Video |work=Stereogum |last=Breihan |first=Tom |date=26 March 2019|access-date=20 July 2022}}
The additional credits in the video are storyboards drawn by Evan Red Borja and animation by Sarah Schmidt and Ian Ballantyne.{{cite web |title=Curly Adventure music video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jowGY1aYmMo |website=YouTube |access-date=20 July 2022}}
Track listing
All music by Mana and Kana, except where noted. All lyrics by Yuuki, except where noted.
{{Track listing
| headline = Punk track listing
| title1 = Choose Go!
| writer1 = {{hlist|Mana (music)|Yuuki (lyrics)}}
| length1 = 2:42
| title2 = Great Job
| length2 = 3:15
| title3 = I'm Me
| length3 = 3:21
| title4 = Wintime
| writer4 = {{hlist|Mana (music)|Yuuki (lyrics)}}
| length4 = 2:39
| title5 = This Is Chai
| writer5 = {{hlist|Chai (music & lyrics)}}
| length5 = 2:37
| title6 = Fashionista
| writer6 = {{hlist|Mana (music)|Yuuki (lyrics)}}
| length6 = 2:56
| title7 = Family Member
| length7 = 3:11
| title8 = Curly Adventure
| length8 = 3:21
| title9 = Feel the Beat
| length9 = 3:42
| title10 = Future
| writer10 = {{hlist|Mana (music)|Yuuki (lyrics)}}
| length10 = 3:22
| total_length = 31:06
}}
Personnel
Chai
- Kana – vocals, guitar
- Mana – vocals, keyboards
- Yuuki – bass guitar, chorus
- Yuna – drums, chorus
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+Chart performance for Punk !scope="col"| Chart (2019) !scope="col"| Peak |
| {{Album chart|Oricon|50|M|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/663872/products/|title=CHAIの作品 (すべて)|publisher=Oricon|access-date=August 9, 2019|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"| Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan){{cite web|url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums&year=2019&month=02&day=25|title=Billboard Japan Hot Albums [ 2019/02/25 付け ]|work=Billboard Japan|language=Japanese|access-date=August 12, 2019}}
| 72 |
|---|
Use in other media
A song from the album, "This Is Chai", was featured prominently in an episode of the American television series Better Call Saul in 2020.{{cite web |title=Better Call Saul Soundtrack |url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/better-call-saul/season-5/95887 |website=Tunefind |access-date=18 June 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Chai (band)}}
{{Authority control}}