Hi NittPicc, As disabled musician of 56 plus years. I found Band-Maid back in the beginning of 2014. As I studied music theory early on in life I found Band-Maid. From the beginning, BAND-MAID impressed me with their talent. When Kanamincho (Kanami Tono) was let loose too write and compose their own music. I was shocked as how talented Kanamincho, MISA and Akane Hirose were. Now am more impressed with Our little Pigeon (Miku Kobato-San). To pick up a guitar with no knowledge of playing a guitar. Ten years later, I am so proud of Miku-San and Band-Maid... They keep me alive right now, because of not being able to play keyboards anymore. 😢.. Great reaction.. 👍👍 BAND-MAID FOREVER ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🕊️🇺🇸
This being the first song they were allowed to write on their own is like hitting a home run in your first major league game. And yes, it still holds up and then some. They play this song a lot in their okyu-jis. They are rightfully proud of this baby! I always love seeing your love and appreciation for what these amazing ladies create. Your reactions are always a fun time! Viva Band Maid Sunday!
It's amazing how much of the style we think of as Band-Maid is present in this their _first_ song. Cool bass, creative drumming with the punk beat, rhythmic main vocals, backing vocals harmonizing and at least one little _ad-lib_ , and the short but sweet shreddy guitar solo. Thanks for the reaction!
@@TherealSeriousMoonlight magic right out of the gate. I love how that first wave of their own songs overflow with ideas. Each one has more riffs, melodies and rhythms than many bands put into an album. Not to mention the many ways they find to make a 4/4 time signature uncountable.
Princess NittPicc. I'm glad you're feeling better but we Maidiacs want you back to full health soon. I love "Alone" not only because it's the band's first written and recorded song, but it gives an early glimpse of how talented, cohesive, and professional they were even back then. The cream always rises to the top. Band-Maid is that cream.
Misa's heavy and chunky bass tone, Akane's stunning spot on fills, Mincho's cool guitar solo, Saiki and Miku's beautiful harmony, everything was there, already. I just love this band.
Been with the ladies since Thrill and still remember when Alone came out and it is still the song that sold me on Band-Maid, prior to this song they were just another fun band from Japan to listen to while I was at that time mostly into BabyMetal. Alone changed everything, Band-Maid became my favourite Japanese band and soon after my favourite all time band ❤
From day one here 👍 one hell of a journey for me as I had lost hope in rock due to the never ending cookie cutting non talented bands getting all the attention and contracts , this band in my opinion are criminally underrated.
Can’t even imagine what kind of flood gates of creativity this opened on Kanami’s mind 🔥❤️ Now we see results after..Pure magic song after song and still Rolling 💥🔥❤️🤘
"Alone" is a great song. As for myself, "Alone" symbolizes Band-Maid's "Never Give Up" attitude and it marks the day that Band-Maid became their own property. This band's back story is just so inspirational. And that story is told through their music, whether it's "Thrill", "Dice", "Alone", "Smile", "Before Yesterday", "About Us", and innumerable songs, their songs are road markers of their career together.
At the 8:38 mark, Miku has a huge smile on her face as if to say “Yes, I created this super-group.” Miku is such an inspirational individual who sets goals, then shatters them only to move on to the next one. I dare anyone to tell her she cannot do something!
I have heard of bandmaid in 2018 but only started listening to them since the end of 2019 when conqueror came out I randomly found the live video for donation loved it then onset and that’s when I fell in love with them never stopped listening since then 🤘🏻🫶🏼🤘🏻finally got to see them live last year what a blast
Kanami's solo in this song is one of my favorites of hers and that's saying something. It's the first time we get to see Minchomania unleashed. And you know, if you saw her on the street and didn't know who she was, you'd never suspect that behind that sweet smile and polite personality lies a monster of a rock demon. She's simply amazing!
It's true that you have not been part of this Beautiful Thing for that long, but you are absolutely a big part of Us! We love having you amongst us! You are home Princess NittPicc!
Whenever I think about this being the first song that their management allowed to see the light of day, I light a candle in my brain for all of Mincho's compositions that met their end in the waste bin. I can't help but wonder what they threw out!
A composer seldom throws an idea away. Probably stored on the PC. And when she struggles with inspiration, she picks it up to see if she can use it for something? At least what I would've done!
@@andreaspedersen3952 The most sought-after item in the world, at least for musicians, is Kanami's phone. So many song ideas stored on it and pictures of Saiki. 😆🎸
Glad to see that you are on the mend NittPick. A broken rib is nothing to be laughed at! As that is painful. What a song "Alone" is for their first officially written song. It kinda makes you wonder what those songs of Kanami's were like, that was chucked in the bin. I've been listening to Band-Maid for almost 2 years just a little bit longer than you lol. Love listening to musicians like yourself and some others describing what we are hearing from their playing. I myself am stone deaf in the right ear. So I can only use mono earphones and am missing the panning you get with the extra channels you get with stereo.
Recovering from the same thing, caused the same way, so I feel your pain. Love your Band Maid reactions, your enthusiasm is infectious. Hope you feel better soon, keep up the good work.
I've been with Band-Maid for four years now; I discovered them when Covid started. I've been admiring Akane's drumming (among other things, of course) and it occurred to be that she just has a philosophy unlike any other drummer: why do measly drum fills when the whole song can be a drum fill? That's her in a nutshell, I think. Now that you've heard "Alone", do you agree that Mincho's best guitar solo is between this one and "Daydreaming"?
Hi NittPicc - glad to see the meds are keeping you loose. This song is amazing - such a banger. What strikes me most when I hear it are: how amazingly long the chorus melody is - it just goes on forever; the vocals are tight and interesting; it has one of Kanami's very best solos (and it's a nice long one); and it has some cool breakdown bits that stop your heart. What's not to love? No wonder the albums after this are almost totally band-composed - the management would have been foolish not to nurture such talent. I'm three years into the journey and loving it all.
I discovered them in 2014 when Thrill MV was just released. I was always excited to see the next MV drop. Their evolution has been great to witness. Crazy I have been listening to the for a decade now. Damn!
Hi Nittpicc. Great reaction. I always like your insights. I agree that this song and this moment really defined who they are and where they have gone since. It’s amazing how detailed this song is and how you can hear how their more recent compositions share some of these same elements so many years later. Glad you are feeling better!
@@GaryHolloway-810 I love how much she liked it. 🙂 She hit almost every reason that this percolated to the top for me after hearing everything. That and the emotional response really was sort of nostalgic for me. I was having that emotional wrestling match with this and 'Manners' dukin' it out for #1 a while ago. Hahaha
Sounding off! I discovered Band-Maid because I saw some maids holding instruments in a black and white thumbnail, and was like "Huh. Ok." and clicked. That was four days before their video for "the non-fiction days" came out. Which (after double checking their RUclips page) was 8 years ago. I remember it well, because after listening to Thrill, I wanted more, and there wasn't much back then on RUclips. So I was surprised to see the new video pop up just days after finding them. My prize possessions of two VERY early Band-Maid t-shirts have been hanging on the wall in my collection room since shortly after. And they look like they belong to a goth band. lol So yeah, a bit more darker theme back then, like you said.
I always will cherish Alone as a masterpiece by girls. There are two things that stand for me unique. First is Akane play, she is the best of the bests. That’s for sure. And second is that harmonisation between Saiki and Miku. I can listen to this over and over. And you noticed this as well! Thanks for rewinding to the beginning!
Agreed that you can hear their future in this song. Not just much in the darker sounds (you get those in Thrill and Real Existence for example) but, as you say, it's their personal styles of playing that come through. 💯
Didn't even know that was possible! 😦*hugs* 🤗 I think that they had some level of freedom creatively before that Us Maidiacs ♥ them, but even more surprisingly they seem to ♥ us back! Definitely not something you see very often.
The lengthy octave harmony in Alone, more than other songs, hits me in a smooth beautiful way, maybe because of where it sits in Saiki's and Miku's particular vocal registers.
As long as there are people like you, we can go back to the beginning and enjoy the moment when the band started. I became a fan when AKANE was singing the melody.
I can't think of many bands (except for 3-piece bands) where the bass is so upfront and present in all their songs from the very beginning, even with the songs written for them, for example, Thrill, has a bass solo, who does that? This band is amazing. Thanks for this one, a real favorite with the fans.
First true Band-Maid song and the second milestone for the band. Although this the first full song written by Band-Maid, Miku first wrote lyrics for "Freedom", as we all know, is their second most played live song! I've been on the Pigeon Train for six years now, loving every minute of it!
Great observations about an amazing song. Furthermore there is something about this video that really gets me...compared to other earlier vids that make play of their femininity and maid aesthetic, this video is shot in a small, dark and claustrophobic studio where only Saiki and Miku get face time as singers. Kanami, Misa and Akane are faceless behind the whirl of hair and in the shadows but their instruments and playing get the focus. Alone...as an old Rush fan, this to me is their 2112 moment, where they get to say that they are a proper band of proper musicians that are going to do it their way. I love this song and I love this band.
In video game terms they leveled up with this song. They’ve leveled up multiple times since, driven by their collective drive to be better and the urgings of their beautiful taskmaster, Kanami!
I love this song and it's a real turning point for the group. If you combine some of the latest interview material on the Blu-ray edition of their 10th anniversary release with some of the earlier comments Kaname made on Instagram 8 or 9 years ago, this is right when Akane was thinking about quitting the group. Kaname was writing Akane's initial drum parts as a guitarist who thinks about guitar composition as percussive in nature, and was writing incredibly complex drum parts that were way beyond Akane's skill level. Somehow they convinced Akane to stick to it and practice like hell and look how she has developed through all of this
I was showing Band-Maid to a friend who'd never heard of them. When the opening riff of Alone played he made me stop while he delved through the OST to Tony Hawk 1-3 then said "It's Papa Roach, Last Resort by Papa Roach!" They're definitely different riffs, but I can't unhear the similarity.
When their management let Kanami write this song - this solo brought out the first glimpse of the beast, Kanami becomes when she gets that guitar in her hand and has total control over the music. It was a portent of what was to become a legend.
Re: band longevity and persistence, I can't wait until you get to Miku's documentary! And yes, Thrill and Alone are super important milestone songs for the band. Good luck, Chuck! 😆
Is it one of their most complex songs? Certainly not, but the title it and its sound together with the MV are a clear statement! It seems as if each of the ladies has been released from their chains and rules are there to be bent and broken.... If 'Freedom' hadn't already been assigned to one of the album's songs, it would have also fit very well imo. This right here, for me, is where the journey of this band and them having fun really begins. :) ... And then there's the MV, which in my opinion is also so subtly meaningful. A studio in which they play alone, without anyone telling them what to do. And in the first frames after Kanami's intro, you see Saiki throwing her microphone stand away with full force and never using one since. Well, except for one very special performance not too long ago where her hands weren't quite as free as usual. 😇 The song is great, has a slightly retro charm and, with its story, certainly has a special place in each of our hearts. ❤🔥🤘🏻 Best greetings from Germany and continue to get well! Take care. 😉🙏🏻 _____________________ _"America invented rock. England improved it. And now, Japan has perfected it."_ ※ Band-Maid ※ Gacharic Spin ※ Lovebites ※ Nemophila ※ East of Eden ※ Hanabie ※ Asterism ※ Trident ※ Nek! ※ Hades ※ etc.
Following the Maids since 2015. This song is one of their defining moments and has a special place in our hearts. What did you miss? In the early seconds you will see Saiki throw her microphone stand to the ground with a vengeance. It never came back and she hasn't used one since. The Queen does not want to be anchored.
It's also interesting, I would mark 'Alone' a big milestone for Miku - because she has her part of playing in this, but esp in the versus, Kanami and Misa have to do the heavy lifting of filling in the music space, at least instrumentally. Miku's voice is key in this too - but she obviously isn't playing much in the verse. She gets to really join in doing the background for Kanami's solo though! And in the releases after this, you feel that - wow, I can hear Miku, she's backing really strong, letting Kanami 'sing' more in the versus, etc. And also, can we also shout out even MORE the genius of Kanami- because she wasn't only writing songs, she was writing keeping in mind their rhythm guitarist was still learning, so she had to write pushing Miku's parts more and more, but knowing there was a definite stop point that Miku wasn't beyond yet. But then, later when she was past that, Kanami, writes more knowing she can push Miku further, etc. Just - you're trying to write songs, but then you're writing songs knowing one of your band mates, and best friend, has a different top level to other members. Just incredible and my mind is blown thinking how that process must have happened.
Band-Maid constantly changes their sound but you can always tell it's them. Manners is funky, Rinne is more metal, Different is just different, About Us just has a way of bringing tears, Influencer rips on Influencers while Saiki raps like a champ. Then you get the Miku songs that bring her happiness to the sound. If you don't get a smile when you listen to Rock in me then there's something wrong with you. Band-Maid can't be categorized, they are just Band-Maid.
If you go back and listen to the songs they didn’t wright you are like these are awesome I like a lot of them but then you hear the first stuff they wrote themselves and you are like amazing so much better I am glad kanami didn’t give up she writes bangers and thank you saiki for encouraging her to keep at it 🤘🏻🫶🏼🤘🏻
Once they were left "Alone" by their record / management companies to create what they wanted, well... look what they did. Alone's somewhat sad, heavy yet empowering story (topics Miku's known for writing about), up against Kanami's up-tempo, complex yet rockin' music is quintessential Band-Maid. BAND-MAID is an important influence and contributor to the music industry with a continuous, growing worldwide fanbase. But to me, they are just the best sounding, best writers of hard rock music, and the most fun, joyous group of musicians to come along since the Beatles! Thx, Ms Picc!
Hi NitPic… I keep trying to figure out discord hahaha! I’ll get there eventually! A couple notes: Misa shredding on only four strings! Kanamincho sounding constrained without her PRS (correct me if I am mistaken)! … and still killing it! Akane being Akane! Split time with double peddle triplets at the end?! SICK! (Read boomer vocab “Radical!”) Miku: killing it with harmonizing - complementing vocals and getting up to speed on her guitar Saiki: a powerful voice finding her stage presence
Yes, you are right. Here the riff made by Kanami has the sound, and feeling, of 'the final liberation'...which means despair and hope, on a guitar, during the same riff...
Once again another great video. Take care, try not to laugh too much sadly and dont reach for things. It will take longer to heal. Been there done that. Good Luck and take care. Think happy thoughts. Aloha.
That's a great catch on Akane being in rhythm with Saiki during her vocal. And that made me think of what I saw in the new Baby Metal video where they do "Brand New Day" with Scott LePage and Tim Henson playing live with them in Yokohama (and then again in Belgium). There were times you could hear Tim playing in rhythmic harmony with Su's vocals, which was pretty fantastic. And of course, Scott and Tim's solo was just freakin' amazing. Talking about Kanami........well.....she is a true savant in the class of a Mozart when it comes to her compositions and nothing that I hear surprises me any more. And as far as her playing goes, there are really no words........I'm pretty sure that the greatest female guitarist in music history, Sister Rosetta Sharp, is looking down on her very fondly on Kanami right now. I've been following them for about 5 years now and there are still older songs that I haven't really listened to in depth. One song you have to check out is their "naughty" song, "Don't Let Me Down", it's a hoot, lolololol. That's also from before they did their own songs. And as someone commented below, you have to react to YOLO, it's a real banger and Kanami does some more of her wizardry changing things up on the fly. In fact, YOLO is one of my favorite songs of theirs. I know you say to make requests on you Discord, but I'm an old fart and it confuses the hell out of me, lol. One recommendation I would make to you that I think is right up your alley. I think I might have mentioned them in another comment, but I'm not sure. They are Glim Spanky, a band centered on 1960's blues rock and some pyschadelia from the period. Their influences are the Beatles, Yardbirds and Zombies. It's basically two artists, Remi Matsuo (guitar and lead vocals) and Hiroki Kamemoto (lead guitar and backup vocals). They pretty much use session musicians for their videos and studio work as well as live performances. Remi has a voice that is a pleasure to listen to and has a strong Janis Joplin feel with some Grace Slick and Susanna Hoffs added in. She also is an excellent guitarist. Hiroki is what Jimmy Page must have been like at the very beginning and is just lights out. If you decide to investigate, a couple of great songs are "Circle of Life" from their 2020 RUclips Live concert, the live studio version of "Breaking Down Blues" and a live video of "Orokamonotachi" with bassist Seiji Kameda. Three great songs that I think you will enjoy and have a LOT to comment on, lol.
The other thing I wanted to mention is that the incredible harmonies between Saiki and Miku in EVERY song are just fantastic. It's like they are reading each other's minds, their symbiotic relationship is just perfection. And I don't think that enough is said about that. Miku started with the idea of being the lead singer, thn has the smarts to realize that the group needed a different type of voice for hard rock, and they choose Saiki, who has become one of the true great frontwomen in music today. When I first watched the live video of "Don't You Tell Me" from the 2023 finale concert in Yokohama and saw Saiki strutting out there onto the proscenium wowing the crowd and having them in the palm of her hand, you know Saiki and Band Maid had reached rarified heights.
man that must have been some cough ! thank goodness you don't need strong ribs to do reactions. i found the MAIDS in the summer of '16 after some of the first videos had been done. thrill , real existence , don't let me down , the non fiction days. so they were still relatively new mv's [ 2014 - 2016]. blown away right off. and the first cd 'maid in japan' had come out in '13 before any of the mv's. all of the songs on it were written by akutsu kentaro and he kind of found their signature sound in some of the songs early on. in particular the songs 'key , be ok and forward '. all of the songs were really good. great album that did not even chart. i guess no one was ready for them until ' thrill ' hit it big and put them on the map.
I first stumbled on to BAND-MAID the end of 2014. I was looking for Japanese rock/metal bands (I was desperate to find somebody/some band to get me back into music and voila - THRILL was on RUclips) I've been a fan since then and, to this day, I listen to these 5 talented ladies every day. I strongly believe their music will last past the life of the band. Oh, and yes, thanks to BAND-MAID my love of music and several bands from around the world exists full throttle these days.
LOL! I wish you luck with your broken rib and on any future calamities to befall you! Are you related to Miku? She too has a LONG history of injuries. In fact, she showed up in the US at the start of their 2022 tour with a brace on one of her ankles I believe it was. but you can't stop that Pigeon, Po! I absolutely love this song. It's a great solid hard rock banger that honestly, should be getting heavy rotation on the radio.
I am glad to hear that you are well. I hope you will be completely healed soon. Alone is a song that Mincho still cherishes and plays live. This song already has all the charm of BAND-MAID and gives us a glimpse of the direction the girls are heading. Alone is a milestone for BAND-MAID and remains one of my favorite songs of all time. The brilliance of the talent of the genius KANAMI will further blossom from here. I enjoyed listening to the program again. Thank you so much.
I think the title of this song was very apropos to the band. It finally meant that they were truly "Alone" to pursue their own musical path in whatever direction they decided to follow (which just turned out to be a new genre altogether - Band-Maid). Great reaction!
Everything about this song is perfect. There's a camera phone recording of them performing this at Comicon in London in 2016. The audio mostly picks up Kanami and Akane. But it is one of my favorite videos on youtube because Kanami looks so freaking cool on stage. And Akane beats the shit out her drums.
I have been following Band Maid since the time "Thrill" first went viral. I found them by accident. I was trying to recall a Japanese song that made it on American pop stations in the 1970s when I was a kid. The song for Americans was Sukiyaki, but the real title is "Ue o Muite Arukou" ruclips.net/video/C35DrtPlUbc/видео.htmlsi=C87wv0SqOVE80sFy. Anyway I found the song, and "Thrill" was then listed as a suggestion. I clicked on it and was hooked by these lovely ladies. So, when "Alone" was released. It immediately caught my ear as I could tell it was a change-for even better music and quickly found that they composed it themselves. And since, they haven't looked back. Also, if you look at their earlier music, even though they didn't compose the music, Miku wrote the lyrics for several pre-"Alone" songs.
Broken ribs hurt like hell but are relatively minor as far as injuries go, unless they are compound fractures. Take it easy and don't do anything to aggravate it and you should be ok after some healing time. This song is pretty impressive to be the first one that Kanami wrote which was accepted by the record label. I guess we will never know what was deemed not good enough by the record label. I find it hard to believe that they would have been unacceptable judging by the long string of excellent songs that she has written since then.
2017/01/11 Release Just Bring It YOLO There is a video of Kanami playing YOLO on the piano, and there is an idea that she was already composing it before joining BAND-MAID. I don't know how many songs there were before ALON was recognized. On top of that stack is ALON.
Fingers of Flame!!! This song is so epic and you can tell that they wanted to make sure their first self written song had no questions left about their ability to compose. I wonder how much money they save by writting their own songs? ANyone?
I can't give you a figure, but they probably started with the typical Japanese management model where the company takes all and pays the performer a salary. Once they had broken the songwriting wall, they had more leverage in contract negotiation, and the Pigeon made the most of it. She is formidible in negotiations. Today they seem quasi-independent and I haven't heard anything about a management firm calling shots in a long time. So, whatever the bottom line difference is, I'd bet it's a LOT.
Saiki: Kanami, did you write a solo For yourself? Kanami: Yes I did. Would you like to hear it? Band Maid: Oh yeah. Kanami transformes into Mincho and plays the solo. When it is over..... Kanami: What do you think? Did you like it? Band Maid: HOLY SH*T!!!!
I commented either on your RUclips channel or your Patreon about the song YOLO. If you enjoy Alone, you should really listen to YOLO. It was released shortly after Alone came out, first as the A-side of a single (with 2 extremely well done B-sides Unfair Game and Matchless Gum), and then on the Just Bring It CD. You will have a lot to talk about after listening to YOLO. I think it will be right in your wheelhouse, musically and lyrically. If you do decide to react to YOLO, try to find the short video of Kanami playing YOLO on the piano and react to it first. This video just might be how a Band-Maid song starts out in Kanami's brain. I would really like your take on this song. It will be well worth your time.
January 2020 was my introduction to Band-Maid. " As with "Thrill", "Alone" is also quintessential Band-Maid listening.....both milestones for the band. I feel it's one of Kanami's best solos. You can tell it's a Kanami song because of Akane's half time at the end is truly a Band-Maid signature. Pre-Zemaitis...Pre-PRS...Pre-five-string bass, Pre-Tama and Pre-vocal chord surgery. Just proof these girls are that good. Heal up NittPicc, I thought for sure if you're going to fracture a rib it would have been from laughing. Get Well
I completely agree with your take. Their externally-written stuff is great but this song just stands out. I know because alone was my clear favourite from the first three albums before I found out about the band's history and who wrote what. It's still a contender for my favourite Band-Maid song even now. Best of luck with your recovery!
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Hi NittPicc, As disabled musician of 56 plus years. I found Band-Maid back in the beginning of 2014. As I studied music theory early on in life I found Band-Maid. From the beginning, BAND-MAID impressed me with their talent. When Kanamincho (Kanami Tono) was let loose too write and compose their own music. I was shocked as how talented Kanamincho, MISA and Akane Hirose were. Now am more impressed with Our little Pigeon (Miku Kobato-San). To pick up a guitar with no knowledge of playing a guitar. Ten years later, I am so proud of Miku-San and Band-Maid... They keep me alive right now, because of not being able to play keyboards anymore. 😢.. Great reaction.. 👍👍
BAND-MAID FOREVER ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🕊️🇺🇸
This being the first song they were allowed to write on their own is like hitting a home run in your first major league game. And yes, it still holds up and then some. They play this song a lot in their okyu-jis. They are rightfully proud of this baby! I always love seeing your love and appreciation for what these amazing ladies create. Your reactions are always a fun time! Viva Band Maid Sunday!
Been a fan since seeing the Thrill video recommended to by YT after watching Scandal video. Best YT referred video of my life.
It's amazing how much of the style we think of as Band-Maid is present in this their _first_ song. Cool bass, creative drumming with the punk beat, rhythmic main vocals, backing vocals harmonizing and at least one little _ad-lib_ , and the short but sweet shreddy guitar solo. Thanks for the reaction!
@@TherealSeriousMoonlight magic right out of the gate. I love how that first wave of their own songs overflow with ideas. Each one has more riffs, melodies and rhythms than many bands put into an album. Not to mention the many ways they find to make a 4/4 time signature uncountable.
@@roqy Which is why every Band-Maid fan should go back and listen through Just Bring It.
Princess NittPicc. I'm glad you're feeling better but we Maidiacs want you back to full health soon. I love "Alone" not only because it's the band's first written and recorded song, but it gives an early glimpse of how talented, cohesive, and professional they were even back then. The cream always rises to the top. Band-Maid is that cream.
Misa's heavy and chunky bass tone, Akane's stunning spot on fills, Mincho's cool guitar solo, Saiki and Miku's beautiful harmony, everything was there, already. I just love this band.
Been with the ladies since Thrill and still remember when Alone came out and it is still the song that sold me on Band-Maid, prior to this song they were just another fun band from Japan to listen to while I was at that time mostly into BabyMetal. Alone changed everything, Band-Maid became my favourite Japanese band and soon after my favourite all time band ❤
I love the moment during Kanami’s solo (her best before Blooming) when Miku throws her head back with joy because, yah, she’s feelin it
alright.😄👍🏻🤘🏻
From day one here 👍 one hell of a journey for me as I had lost hope in rock due to the never ending cookie cutting non talented bands getting all the attention and contracts , this band in my opinion are criminally underrated.
Can’t even imagine what kind of flood gates of creativity this opened on Kanami’s mind 🔥❤️ Now we see results after..Pure magic song after song and still Rolling 💥🔥❤️🤘
"Alone" is a great song.
As for myself, "Alone" symbolizes Band-Maid's "Never Give Up" attitude and it marks the day that Band-Maid became their own property.
This band's back story is just so inspirational. And that story is told through their music, whether it's "Thrill", "Dice", "Alone", "Smile", "Before Yesterday", "About Us", and innumerable songs, their songs are road markers of their career together.
One of my favorite Mincho solos, simple and soulful, fits perfectly
and I don't mean simple=easy, just mean not flashy for the sake of being flashy
They were suggested to me by the algorithm because I was a Baby Metal fan. Been a BAND-MAID fan for almost 6 years now.
At the 8:38 mark, Miku has a huge smile on her face as if to say “Yes, I created this super-group.” Miku is such an inspirational individual who sets goals, then shatters them only to move on to the next one. I dare anyone to tell her she cannot do something!
That's one of my favourite isolated moments from any Band-maid MV, so I'm glad someone else spotted it too!
I have heard of bandmaid in 2018 but only started listening to them since the end of 2019 when conqueror came out I randomly found the live video for donation loved it then onset and that’s when I fell in love with them never stopped listening since then 🤘🏻🫶🏼🤘🏻finally got to see them live last year what a blast
Kanami's solo in this song is one of my favorites of hers and that's saying something. It's the first time we get to see Minchomania unleashed. And you know, if you saw her on the street and didn't know who she was, you'd never suspect that behind that sweet smile and polite personality lies a monster of a rock demon. She's simply amazing!
It's true that you have not been part of this Beautiful Thing for that long, but you are absolutely a big part of Us! We love having you amongst us! You are home Princess NittPicc!
Band Maid🎀doing what they do best, ROCKING!😸
Whenever I think about this being the first song that their management allowed to see the light of day, I light a candle in my brain for all of Mincho's compositions that met their end in the waste bin. I can't help but wonder what they threw out!
Yep, me too.
Any stuff that they liked ended up in later songs, I'm sure.
@@_DriveTime Hopefully that is true. Okay, I choose to believe that. Thanks!
A composer seldom throws an idea away. Probably stored on the PC. And when she struggles with inspiration, she picks it up to see if she can use it for something? At least what I would've done!
@@andreaspedersen3952 The most sought-after item in the world, at least for musicians, is Kanami's phone. So many song ideas stored on it and pictures of Saiki. 😆🎸
I'm glad you're feeling better. Modern meds are wonderful LOL. 8:30 is a really proper start of your Band-Maid stankface LOL LOVED IT!
Glad to hear you’re getting better!
I love Akane’s monster fills in this song.
Thanks I got my Sunday Nittpicc Band-Maid fix!
🤘🕊️🦍🥷👸🏻👀PO!
Nothing lasts forever but the awesome music BAND-MAID has given us is enough to last a lifetime.🤗
Glad to see you have a smile. 🤗I hope everything is going great, Gary! 😉
@@TomClark-Futoura Thx Tom. Actually i'm not that good but i'll always raise a smile for BAND-MAID :)
Glad to see that you are on the mend NittPick. A broken rib is nothing to be laughed at! As that is painful. What a song "Alone" is for their first officially written song. It kinda makes you wonder what those songs of Kanami's were like, that was chucked in the bin. I've been listening to Band-Maid for almost 2 years just a little bit longer than you lol. Love listening to musicians like yourself and some others describing what we are hearing from their playing. I myself am stone deaf in the right ear. So I can only use mono earphones and am missing the panning you get with the extra channels you get with stereo.
Recovering from the same thing, caused the same way, so I feel your pain. Love your Band Maid reactions, your enthusiasm is infectious. Hope you feel better soon, keep up the good work.
We are all proud of our Maids. It's a big part of the addiction for me.
Yes, many of us, being older, look upon them as our wonderful daughters or nieces. To see them grow and succeed and shine is an incredible feeling.
Yikes! I'm glad you're doing better! This is such a great song, and it makes me wonder about the songs that management kept rejecting.
I've been with Band-Maid for four years now; I discovered them when Covid started. I've been admiring Akane's drumming (among other things, of course) and it occurred to be that she just has a philosophy unlike any other drummer: why do measly drum fills when the whole song can be a drum fill? That's her in a nutshell, I think.
Now that you've heard "Alone", do you agree that Mincho's best guitar solo is between this one and "Daydreaming"?
Hi NittPicc - glad to see the meds are keeping you loose. This song is amazing - such a banger. What strikes me most when I hear it are: how amazingly long the chorus melody is - it just goes on forever; the vocals are tight and interesting; it has one of Kanami's very best solos (and it's a nice long one); and it has some cool breakdown bits that stop your heart. What's not to love? No wonder the albums after this are almost totally band-composed - the management would have been foolish not to nurture such talent. I'm three years into the journey and loving it all.
I discovered them in 2014 when Thrill MV was just released. I was always excited to see the next MV drop. Their evolution has been great to witness. Crazy I have been listening to the for a decade now. Damn!
Hi Nittpicc. Great reaction. I always like your insights. I agree that this song and this moment really defined who they are and where they have gone since. It’s amazing how detailed this song is and how you can hear how their more recent compositions share some of these same elements so many years later. Glad you are feeling better!
Thanks for doing my favourite song, NittPic! Great reaction! 🙂
I know someone who knows this is your fave song. I can't think of his name at the moment but i'm sure i know him.🤔😏
@@GaryHolloway-810 I love how much she liked it. 🙂 She hit almost every reason that this percolated to the top for me after hearing everything. That and the emotional response really was sort of nostalgic for me. I was having that emotional wrestling match with this and 'Manners' dukin' it out for #1 a while ago. Hahaha
I can understand why you like it so much. It's like with "Alone" BAND-MAID were finally unleashed :)
Sounding off! I discovered Band-Maid because I saw some maids holding instruments in a black and white thumbnail, and was like "Huh. Ok." and clicked. That was four days before their video for "the non-fiction days" came out. Which (after double checking their RUclips page) was 8 years ago.
I remember it well, because after listening to Thrill, I wanted more, and there wasn't much back then on RUclips. So I was surprised to see the new video pop up just days after finding them.
My prize possessions of two VERY early Band-Maid t-shirts have been hanging on the wall in my collection room since shortly after. And they look like they belong to a goth band. lol So yeah, a bit more darker theme back then, like you said.
I remember where I was the first time I heard this. Damn near dropped my soda hearing that solo.
Wow...Miss Picc-olo, I think you should have listed your meds as a co reactor for this one 😆 ! That was wild and entertaining ! ❤️
No excuses, I am sometimes like this with music without meds ;-)
Great reaction !
One of their best songs. Every part here is perfect
BAND-MAID had it from day one and have been nurturing it for over ten years and hopefully many more to come.
I always will cherish Alone as a masterpiece by girls. There are two things that stand for me unique. First is Akane play, she is the best of the bests. That’s for sure. And second is that harmonisation between Saiki and Miku. I can listen to this over and over. And you noticed this as well! Thanks for rewinding to the beginning!
Agreed that you can hear their future in this song. Not just much in the darker sounds (you get those in Thrill and Real Existence for example) but, as you say, it's their personal styles of playing that come through. 💯
Didn't even know that was possible! 😦*hugs* 🤗
I think that they had some level of freedom creatively before that
Us Maidiacs ♥ them, but even more surprisingly they seem to ♥ us back!
Definitely not something you see very often.
The lengthy octave harmony in Alone, more than other songs, hits me in a smooth beautiful way, maybe because of where it sits in Saiki's and Miku's particular vocal registers.
Been with them since beauty and the beast, and price of pride.
I love your "Misa" face every time you hear Misa...
As long as there are people like you, we can go back to the beginning and enjoy the moment when the band started. I became a fan when AKANE was singing the melody.
I can't think of many bands (except for 3-piece bands) where the bass is so upfront and present in all their songs from the very beginning, even with the songs written for them, for example, Thrill, has a bass solo, who does that? This band is amazing. Thanks for this one, a real favorite with the fans.
Ohrenje has just published a gem - the same song jumping back and forward from 2017 to 2024 - Before Yesterday -
At this special moment the legend began.
First true Band-Maid song and the second milestone for the band. Although this the first full song written by Band-Maid, Miku first wrote lyrics for "Freedom", as we all know, is their second most played live song! I've been on the Pigeon Train for six years now, loving every minute of it!
Band-Maidをいつも応援 arigato❤️best hard rock band on the earth❗️
ハンドメイドを楽しんでくれてありがとう！私もあなたのリアクションが大好きです！😊
Great observations about an amazing song. Furthermore there is something about this video that really gets me...compared to other earlier vids that make play of their femininity and maid aesthetic, this video is shot in a small, dark and claustrophobic studio where only Saiki and Miku get face time as singers. Kanami, Misa and Akane are faceless behind the whirl of hair and in the shadows but their instruments and playing get the focus.
Alone...as an old Rush fan, this to me is their 2112 moment, where they get to say that they are a proper band of proper musicians that are going to do it their way. I love this song and I love this band.
In video game terms they leveled up with this song. They’ve leveled up multiple times since, driven by their collective drive to be better and the urgings of their beautiful taskmaster, Kanami!
I love this song and it's a real turning point for the group. If you combine some of the latest interview material on the Blu-ray edition of their 10th anniversary release with some of the earlier comments Kaname made on Instagram 8 or 9 years ago, this is right when Akane was thinking about quitting the group. Kaname was writing Akane's initial drum parts as a guitarist who thinks about guitar composition as percussive in nature, and was writing incredibly complex drum parts that were way beyond Akane's skill level. Somehow they convinced Akane to stick to it and practice like hell and look how she has developed through all of this
I was showing Band-Maid to a friend who'd never heard of them. When the opening riff of Alone played he made me stop while he delved through the OST to Tony Hawk 1-3 then said "It's Papa Roach, Last Resort by Papa Roach!"
They're definitely different riffs, but I can't unhear the similarity.
When their management let Kanami write this song - this solo brought out the first glimpse of the beast, Kanami becomes when she gets that guitar in her hand and has total control over the music. It was a portent of what was to become a legend.
I will still never get over the friggin pumps that Kanami is wearing in this video...everyone is so used to the flats she wears now. lol
Re: band longevity and persistence, I can't wait until you get to Miku's documentary!
And yes, Thrill and Alone are super important milestone songs for the band.
Good luck, Chuck! 😆
Is it one of their most complex songs? Certainly not, but the title it and its sound together with the MV are a clear statement! It seems as if each of the ladies has been released from their chains and rules are there to be bent and broken.... If 'Freedom' hadn't already been assigned to one of the album's songs, it would have also fit very well imo. This right here, for me, is where the journey of this band and them having fun really begins. :) ... And then there's the MV, which in my opinion is also so subtly meaningful. A studio in which they play alone, without anyone telling them what to do. And in the first frames after Kanami's intro, you see Saiki throwing her microphone stand away with full force and never using one since. Well, except for one very special performance not too long ago where her hands weren't quite as free as usual. 😇
The song is great, has a slightly retro charm and, with its story, certainly has a special place in each of our hearts. ❤🔥🤘🏻
Best greetings from Germany and continue to get well! Take care. 😉🙏🏻
_____________________
_"America invented rock. England improved it. And now, Japan has perfected it."_
※ Band-Maid ※ Gacharic Spin ※ Lovebites ※ Nemophila ※ East of Eden ※ Hanabie ※ Asterism ※ Trident ※ Nek! ※ Hades ※ etc.
Following the Maids since 2015. This song is one of their defining moments and has a special place in our hearts. What did you miss? In the early seconds you will see Saiki throw her microphone stand to the ground with a vengeance. It never came back and she hasn't used one since. The Queen does not want to be anchored.
🤘Band-Maid 🤘Thanks for the reaction NittPicc. Cracked ribs is no laughing matter. Feel better
This song definitely has the mood and groove of the stuff that went onto Just Bring It that they composed themselves.
It's also interesting, I would mark 'Alone' a big milestone for Miku - because she has her part of playing in this, but esp in the versus, Kanami and Misa have to do the heavy lifting of filling in the music space, at least instrumentally. Miku's voice is key in this too - but she obviously isn't playing much in the verse. She gets to really join in doing the background for Kanami's solo though! And in the releases after this, you feel that - wow, I can hear Miku, she's backing really strong, letting Kanami 'sing' more in the versus, etc.
And also, can we also shout out even MORE the genius of Kanami- because she wasn't only writing songs, she was writing keeping in mind their rhythm guitarist was still learning, so she had to write pushing Miku's parts more and more, but knowing there was a definite stop point that Miku wasn't beyond yet. But then, later when she was past that, Kanami, writes more knowing she can push Miku further, etc. Just - you're trying to write songs, but then you're writing songs knowing one of your band mates, and best friend, has a different top level to other members. Just incredible and my mind is blown thinking how that process must have happened.
I have always loved Akane's drumming here, but I never noticed the syncopation with Saiki. That's just next level.
Band-Maid constantly changes their sound but you can always tell it's them. Manners is funky, Rinne is more metal, Different is just different, About Us just has a way of bringing tears, Influencer rips on Influencers while Saiki raps like a champ. Then you get the Miku songs that bring her happiness to the sound. If you don't get a smile when you listen to Rock in me then there's something wrong with you. Band-Maid can't be categorized, they are just Band-Maid.
If you go back and listen to the songs they didn’t wright you are like these are awesome I like a lot of them but then you hear the first stuff they wrote themselves and you are like amazing so much better I am glad kanami didn’t give up she writes bangers and thank you saiki for encouraging her to keep at it 🤘🏻🫶🏼🤘🏻
It was in May of 2018 and this was my 3rd or 4th song I listened from BAND-MAID, and nailed my heart to them.
Once they were left "Alone" by their record / management companies to create what they wanted, well... look what they did. Alone's somewhat sad, heavy yet empowering story (topics Miku's known for writing about), up against Kanami's up-tempo, complex yet rockin' music is quintessential Band-Maid. BAND-MAID is an important influence and contributor to the music industry with a continuous, growing worldwide fanbase. But to me, they are just the best sounding, best writers of hard rock music, and the most fun, joyous group of musicians to come along since the Beatles! Thx, Ms Picc!
Hi NitPic… I keep trying to figure out discord hahaha! I’ll get there eventually!
A couple notes:
Misa shredding on only four strings!
Kanamincho sounding constrained without her PRS (correct me if I am mistaken)! … and still killing it!
Akane being Akane! Split time with double peddle triplets at the end?! SICK! (Read boomer vocab “Radical!”)
Miku: killing it with harmonizing - complementing vocals and getting up to speed on her guitar
Saiki: a powerful voice finding her stage presence
Yes, you are right. Here the riff made by Kanami has the sound, and feeling, of 'the final liberation'...which means despair and hope, on a guitar, during the same riff...
Once again another great video. Take care, try not to laugh too much sadly and dont reach for things. It will take longer to heal. Been there done that. Good Luck and take care. Think happy thoughts. Aloha.
Animo, and don't laugh too loud 🥲
Here's the open secret... We love it when you're loopy.
That's a great catch on Akane being in rhythm with Saiki during her vocal. And that made me think of what I saw in the new Baby Metal video where they do "Brand New Day" with Scott LePage and Tim Henson playing live with them in Yokohama (and then again in Belgium). There were times you could hear Tim playing in rhythmic harmony with Su's vocals, which was pretty fantastic. And of course, Scott and Tim's solo was just freakin' amazing.
Talking about Kanami........well.....she is a true savant in the class of a Mozart when it comes to her compositions and nothing that I hear surprises me any more. And as far as her playing goes, there are really no words........I'm pretty sure that the greatest female guitarist in music history, Sister Rosetta Sharp, is looking down on her very fondly on Kanami right now.
I've been following them for about 5 years now and there are still older songs that I haven't really listened to in depth. One song you have to check out is their "naughty" song, "Don't Let Me Down", it's a hoot, lolololol. That's also from before they did their own songs. And as someone commented below, you have to react to YOLO, it's a real banger and Kanami does some more of her wizardry changing things up on the fly. In fact, YOLO is one of my favorite songs of theirs. I know you say to make requests on you Discord, but I'm an old fart and it confuses the hell out of me, lol.
One recommendation I would make to you that I think is right up your alley. I think I might have mentioned them in another comment, but I'm not sure. They are Glim Spanky, a band centered on 1960's blues rock and some pyschadelia from the period. Their influences are the Beatles, Yardbirds and Zombies. It's basically two artists, Remi Matsuo (guitar and lead vocals) and Hiroki Kamemoto (lead guitar and backup vocals). They pretty much use session musicians for their videos and studio work as well as live performances. Remi has a voice that is a pleasure to listen to and has a strong Janis Joplin feel with some Grace Slick and Susanna Hoffs added in. She also is an excellent guitarist. Hiroki is what Jimmy Page must have been like at the very beginning and is just lights out. If you decide to investigate, a couple of great songs are "Circle of Life" from their 2020 RUclips Live concert, the live studio version of "Breaking Down Blues" and a live video of "Orokamonotachi" with bassist Seiji Kameda. Three great songs that I think you will enjoy and have a LOT to comment on, lol.
The other thing I wanted to mention is that the incredible harmonies between Saiki and Miku in EVERY song are just fantastic. It's like they are reading each other's minds, their symbiotic relationship is just perfection. And I don't think that enough is said about that. Miku started with the idea of being the lead singer, thn has the smarts to realize that the group needed a different type of voice for hard rock, and they choose Saiki, who has become one of the true great frontwomen in music today. When I first watched the live video of "Don't You Tell Me" from the 2023 finale concert in Yokohama and saw Saiki strutting out there onto the proscenium wowing the crowd and having them in the palm of her hand, you know Saiki and Band Maid had reached rarified heights.
man that must have been some cough ! thank goodness you don't need strong ribs to do reactions. i found the MAIDS in the summer of '16 after some of the first videos had been done. thrill , real existence , don't let me down , the non fiction days. so they were still relatively new mv's [ 2014 - 2016]. blown away right off. and the first cd 'maid in japan' had come out in '13 before any of the mv's. all of the songs on it were written by akutsu kentaro and he kind of found their signature sound in some of the songs early on. in particular the songs 'key , be ok and forward '. all of the songs were really good. great album that did not even chart. i guess no one was ready for them until ' thrill ' hit it big and put them on the map.
I first stumbled on to BAND-MAID the end of 2014. I was looking for Japanese rock/metal bands (I was desperate to find somebody/some band to get me back into music and voila - THRILL was on RUclips) I've been a fan since then and, to this day, I listen to these 5 talented ladies every day. I strongly believe their music will last past the life of the band. Oh, and yes, thanks to BAND-MAID my love of music and several bands from around the world exists full throttle these days.
LOL! I wish you luck with your broken rib and on any future calamities to befall you! Are you related to Miku? She too has a LONG history of injuries. In fact, she showed up in the US at the start of their 2022 tour with a brace on one of her ankles I believe it was. but you can't stop that Pigeon, Po! I absolutely love this song. It's a great solid hard rock banger that honestly, should be getting heavy rotation on the radio.
Great reaction!
I suggest listening to their entire Unseen World album. IMO, their magnum opus.
Kanami's guitar solo is good, as if Kanami's limiter has been removed, right on cue from Saiki!
Management unlocked the door and they blew it off its hinges.
Yes, Kanami had been standing in front of the door for long time.
I am glad to hear that you are well. I hope you will be completely healed soon. Alone is a song that Mincho still cherishes and plays live. This song already has all the charm of BAND-MAID and gives us a glimpse of the direction the girls are heading. Alone is a milestone for BAND-MAID and remains one of my favorite songs of all time. The brilliance of the talent of the genius KANAMI will further blossom from here. I enjoyed listening to the program again. Thank you so much.
I think the title of this song was very apropos to the band. It finally meant that they were truly "Alone" to pursue their own musical path in whatever direction they decided to follow (which just turned out to be a new genre altogether - Band-Maid). Great reaction!
Found them in either late 2014 or early 2015 when Thrill was pretty much it on here.
i think this song contains my favorite miku / saiki harmonies.
Everything about this song is perfect. There's a camera phone recording of them performing this at Comicon in London in 2016. The audio mostly picks up Kanami and Akane. But it is one of my favorite videos on youtube because Kanami looks so freaking cool on stage. And Akane beats the shit out her drums.
It's a shame that video came down. You got to see what an absolute fill monster Akane is.
I have been following Band Maid since the time "Thrill" first went viral. I found them by accident. I was trying to recall a Japanese song that made it on American pop stations in the 1970s when I was a kid. The song for Americans was Sukiyaki, but the real title is "Ue o Muite Arukou" ruclips.net/video/C35DrtPlUbc/видео.htmlsi=C87wv0SqOVE80sFy. Anyway I found the song, and "Thrill" was then listed as a suggestion. I clicked on it and was hooked by these lovely ladies. So, when "Alone" was released. It immediately caught my ear as I could tell it was a change-for even better music and quickly found that they composed it themselves. And since, they haven't looked back. Also, if you look at their earlier music, even though they didn't compose the music, Miku wrote the lyrics for several pre-"Alone" songs.
It’s an amazing song with possibly my favorite solo from Kanami. Love Band Maid
Broken ribs hurt like hell but are relatively minor as far as injuries go, unless they are compound fractures. Take it easy and don't do anything to aggravate it and you should be ok after some healing time.
This song is pretty impressive to be the first one that Kanami wrote which was accepted by the record label. I guess we will never know what was deemed not good enough by the record label. I find it hard to believe that they would have been unacceptable judging by the long string of excellent songs that she has written since then.
Saiki slamming her mic stand to the ground and not using one again is like her statement on "This is what we are going to do!"
2017/01/11 Release Just Bring It YOLO
There is a video of Kanami playing YOLO on the piano, and there is an idea that she was already composing it before joining BAND-MAID. I don't know how many songs there were before ALON was recognized. On top of that stack is ALON.
THIS IS SCARY GOOD !!!!!!
Fingers of Flame!!! This song is so epic and you can tell that they wanted to make sure their first self written song had no questions left about their ability to compose. I wonder how much money they save by writting their own songs? ANyone?
I can't give you a figure, but they probably started with the typical Japanese management model where the company takes all and pays the performer a salary. Once they had broken the songwriting wall, they had more leverage in contract negotiation, and the Pigeon made the most of it. She is formidible in negotiations. Today they seem quasi-independent and I haven't heard anything about a management firm calling shots in a long time.
So, whatever the bottom line difference is, I'd bet it's a LOT.
Kanami has publicly thanked all their prior songwriters for teaching her about the craft.
She also said her older songs would never see the light of day. She probably doesn't think much of them.
Saiki: Kanami, did you write a solo
For yourself?
Kanami: Yes I did. Would you like to hear it?
Band Maid: Oh yeah.
Kanami transformes into Mincho and plays the solo.
When it is over.....
Kanami: What do you think? Did you like it?
Band Maid: HOLY SH*T!!!!
I commented either on your RUclips channel or your Patreon about the song YOLO. If you enjoy Alone, you should really listen to YOLO. It was released shortly after Alone came out, first as the A-side of a single (with 2 extremely well done B-sides Unfair Game and Matchless Gum), and then on the Just Bring It CD. You will have a lot to talk about after listening to YOLO. I think it will be right in your wheelhouse, musically and lyrically. If you do decide to react to YOLO, try to find the short video of Kanami playing YOLO on the piano and react to it first. This video just might be how a Band-Maid song starts out in Kanami's brain. I would really like your take on this song. It will be well worth your time.
It's so funny she called this "Alone" when this song is all about harmony.
As Dave Mason said, Alone Together.
January 2020 was my introduction to Band-Maid. "
As with "Thrill", "Alone" is also quintessential Band-Maid listening.....both milestones for the band. I feel it's one of Kanami's best solos. You can tell it's a Kanami song because of Akane's half time at the end is truly a Band-Maid signature.
Pre-Zemaitis...Pre-PRS...Pre-five-string bass, Pre-Tama and Pre-vocal chord surgery. Just proof these girls are that good.
Heal up NittPicc, I thought for sure if you're going to fracture a rib it would have been from laughing. Get Well
バンドメイドは やはり 凄いね～！！ 素晴らしいバンドだと思います いつも思います、 歌う心と 楽器隊自体の心が伝わってきますよね～と！！。
Band Maid slowed down 'Alone' in a covid show a few years back and it sounded amazing and the akane 'london comic-con' video is legendary.
I completely agree with your take. Their externally-written stuff is great but this song just stands out. I know because alone was my clear favourite from the first three albums before I found out about the band's history and who wrote what. It's still a contender for my favourite Band-Maid song even now. Best of luck with your recovery!