Personal Anecdote: CD bonus track

全知全能 (romanised as "Zenchizennou") is the first studio album released by the Japanese rock band POLKADOT STINGRAY. I've been a fan of this band for quite a while, since at least the age of 13. As well, my special interest with J-rock latches onto POLKADOT STINGRAY in particular, so they were a big target for me when I started collecting CDs. This album ended up being the first that I'd ever buy from overseas.

In collecting these records, I learned that 全知全能, as well as the band's next album, 有頂天 ("Uchouten"), feature CD-exclusive bonus tracks. I was absolutely giddy over this: I had suddenly discovered new songs in albums that I thought I knew front-to-back.

On 全知全能, the bonus track is an acoustic rendition of the song "ポルカドット・スティングレイ" (Japanese spelling of "Polkadot Stingray"). This song was originally the leading track of the band's debut EP of the same title. So now, not only was I excited because of the bonus track existing, but also because it's a rendition of a song that I recognised and knew the context of, and how important it is to the band.

I'm almost embarrassed to say how overjoyed I was listening to this bonus track for the first time. I'm not exaggerating when I was I was rolling on the floor over it. It's a feeling I get really any time I hear new music from one of my special interest bands; the same happened when SHISHAMO 8 released.

I never like to pick favourite albums, because I do believe that they're all worth listening to. But this bonus track, and especially the experience I had discovering it, cemented a very fond place in my heart for 全知全能... and the fact that it's a really good album, you should definitely give it your time.

Extra pictures, just because