MARS
Review by Dave
Rating: ****

This mini album was released mid-year 1991, and was intended as a break between RISKY, and In the Life, which was going to be released in November 1991. This album included 3 English versions of 3 very popular songs by B'z. These included Loving All Night, Love and Chain, and Lady Navigation. While the translation to English from Japanese wasn't flawless, it proved that Wicked Beat, released the previous year, wasn't just the only time B'z would do English lyrics. The English versions were near direct translations of the songs, and while stilted in some places, the songs were very well arranged.

Kodoku no Runaway was the only Japanese song on the album, if you don't count Kohshi's talking during MARS. The song was definitely a dramatic change from the dance-pop they were so identified with in their early work. The riff is tight, and the flow of the song is great. Kohshi hits the mark every time, and Tak's guitar work is immaculate.

This whole album is filled with the searing metal sound that has become a trademark of this band, but it is tastefully done. I would truly recommend this album to any person who hasn't heard B'z before, because of the English lyrics, and the sheer spontaneity of the band on this project.