| Soundtrack From Film "Mabuta no Ura" | ||
|---|---|---|
 Cover for the Catune CD version. | ||
| Studio album by Boris | ||
| Released | June 29 2005 | |
| Recorded | Winter 2003 to Summer 2004 in Tokyo, Japan | |
| Genre | Experimental Rock, Ambient, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, Shoegaze, Post-Rock | |
| Length | 40:08 (Catune & Inoxia versions) 53:10 (Essence version) | |
| Label | Catune (Japanese CD) Inoxia Records (Japanese LP) Essence Music (Brazilian CD / Box Set) | |
| Producer | Boris | |
| Boris chronology | ||
| Dronevil (2005) |
Soundtrack From Film "Mabuta no Ura" (2005) |
Boris Archive (2005) |
| Alternative Cover | ||
| ||
Soundtrack From Film "Mabuta no Ura ("Under The Eyelids") is the ninth studio album by Boris, released initially in Japan circa 29 June 2005 and later in Brazil circa 12 December 2005. Conceived as a concept soundtrack for a film the band members imagine in their heads, Mabuta no Ura explores a wider range of musical territories while also being mostly instrumental.
The album however is notable for the song "A Bao a Qu", which would be a live staple of the band for many years and released an extended, two-part 7" single on picture disc vinyl via SuperFi Records (Limited to 525 copies.).[1] A music video was also released for this song but it is based on the 7" single.
Background[]
The "box set" version released by Essence Music.
From the winter of 2003 to the summer of 2004 between recording sessions and touring, Boris would self-record and produce a series of songs based on a fictitious film the band idealized in their minds, thus the title and the fact an actual film based on the soundtrack doesn't exist. The band would explore genres such as shoegaze, post-rock, stoner metal, ambient, drone and alternative rock for the soundtrack. The album's concept is also driven by photography and art-styling, with all versions featuring several photo cards that include the following short stories marked by symbols:
- The Trail - Kouhei Igarashi ⚜
- Lowering Her Eyes, She's Smiling - Chihiro Suda ♰
- A Midnight Cat - Touko Aimiya ✽
- A Home That Is Far - Taisei Umeki ❖
Two versions of this album exist. The first one is the version of the album was released on CD by the label Catune. This version was housed on brown packaging which included story cards with photos and the stories and lyrics in Japanese. Inoxia would handle the vinyl edition, limited to 600 copies. The vinyl version would be released in a heavyweight gatefold sleeve. One pocket holds the record in a simple poly inner sleeve, the other holds a large poster and eleven 11" x 11" insert sheets, each with photos and Japanese/English text depicting the short stories.
The alternate version of Mabuta no Ura would be released by Brazilian label Essence Music, limited to 2000 copies. Musically this version showcases a different arrangement, slightly altered song titles, an extended version of "Yesterday Morning" and two exclusive tracks though three songs are also omitted. Visually this version featured the same cover as the Inoxia vinyl edition along with the story cards in English. Lastly a special box edition would be composed, hand-numbered and limited to 199 copies. This version contained the Brazilian version of the album, a heavy handmade textured box also containing an extra set of 37 professionally printed photocards of different sizes, flyers and dried white flowers.
Reviews on the album tend to be fairly sparse and tend to be mixed based on the experimental, conceptual nature. A site selling the Brazilian version known as Darla would praise the album as "BORIS at their most abstract personality." and "A stunning guitar-driven psychedelic voyage to an imaginary land where Pink Floyd's "More" meditates with Sunn 0))) drenched in ambience and feedback!".[2] Sputnik Music awarded the album a 3.5 and described the album as enjoyable but criticizes that "some of the tracks never really get going" and that the album would be best for fans of the band rather than new listeners.[3] In a ten-year anniversary tribute via Doodlehound praised the album on a return listen as a solid "art rock" album while reflecting on the impressive physical product to compliment the "music is art" theme. The flow and the general variety of the music, viewing it as one of the better experimental albums from Boris' catalogue.[4]
Mabuta no Ura would be re-issued digitally on Boris' Bandcamp on 5 March 2021 with Variations and "Hope" Japan Tour 2011. The digital version would contain both versions of the album.
Boris - Mabuta No Ura (Full Album)
Boris - "Mabuta No Ura" (full album w visuals)
Tracklist[]
Catune/Inoxia Version[]
- 1. Theme (2:32)
- 2. The Middle of The Stairs (1:59)
- 3. A Bao A Qu (4:58)
- 4. The Slow Ripple of a Puddle (3:29)
- 5. Your Name (3:25)
- 6. White Warmth (2:26)
- 7. Melting Guitar (1:32)
- 8. Yesterday Morning (3:16)
- 9. Amber Bazaar (3:09)
- 10. Smoke Sequence (2:37)
- 11. Space Behind Me Part 2 (1:59)
- 12. The Picture of The Wind (2:43)
- 13. It Touches (6:03)
Essence Version[]
- 1. Yesterday Morning (6:35)
- 2. A Bao A Qu (4:59)
- 3. The Slow Ripple of a Puddle (3:30)
- 4. Your Name (3:25)
- 5. White Warmth (2:27)
- 6. Melting Guitar (1:35)
- 7. Continues (4:07)
- 8. The Meddle of Stairs (1:58)
- 9. Amber Bazaar (3:08)
- 10. The Picture of a Wind (2:43)
- 11. It Touches (6:04)
- 12. Space Behind Me Part 1 (12:39)
Personnel[]
- Takeshi - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
- Wata - Guitar, Effects, Echo
- Atsuo - Drums, Percussion
- Fangs Anal Satan - Recording, Mixing, Photography, Design, Art Direction
- Souichirou Nakamura - Mastering
- Regina - Artwork (Catune/Inoxia Version)
- 'Taisei Umeki - "A Home That Is Far"
- Touko Aimiya - "A Midnight Cat"
- Chihiro Suda - "Lowering Her Eyes, She's Smiling"
- Kouhei Igarashi - "The Trail"
- Yoshiko Ikeda - Story Translation