Carrots and Sticks (album) explained

Carrots and Sticks
Type:Album
Artist:Bish
Cover:BiSH - CARROTS and STiCKS cover.jpeg
Released:April 3, 2019 (Sticks EP)
May 3, 2019 (Carrots EP)
July 3, 2019 (full release)
Genre:Punk rock, pop punk, alternative rock, pop rock, alternative metal
Length:58:28
Language:Japanese
Label:Avex Trax
Producer:Kenta Matsukuma, JxSxK
Prev Title:The Guerrilla Bish
Prev Year:2017
Next Title:Letters
Next Year:2020

Carrots and Sticks (stylized as CARROTS and STiCKS) is the fifth album by Japanese idol group Bish released through Avex Trax on July 3, 2019. The album was released in three parts: Sticks (stylized as STiCKS, an EP) on April 3, Carrots (stylized as CARROTS, also an EP) on May 3, and the full version on July 3. The two EPs contained four songs each, while the full version contained an additional six songs for a combined fourteen songs.

History

The album was first announced on April 1, 2019, during Bish's theater screening of Bring Icing Shit Horse Tour Final "The Nude", a film documenting the group's concert "Bring Icing Shit Horse Tour" at Makuhari Messe in December 2018. On the same day, a video detailing the release schedule of the album accompanied by a song in the album, "Tsuinishi", was released on YouTube. In the video, producer Kenta Matsukuma described Sticks as containing songs that were "dirty, can't sell, and noisy", while Carrots would contain "sellable, cool" songs. The EPs were distributed exclusively through Apple Music.[1] [2]

On June 12, Bish "released" the entire album through Tower Records 21 days before the official release date, a stunt also pulled for the previous album, The Guerrilla Bish. However, it was soon revealed that the album was a fake: all fourteen songs were performed by producers Kenta Matsukuma and JxSxK under the name "Beat Mint Boyz". The real version was released on Apple Music the following day.[3] [4] [5] Nevertheless, the fake album managed to climb to 6th place on the Oricon weekly charts.[6]

Release timeline

Charts

TitlePeak chart positions
JPN
Oricon
JPN
Hot 100
Fake edition6
Full edition4

Notes and References

  1. Web site: April 1, 2019 . BiSH新アルバム「CARROTS and STiCKS」発売、3カ月企画「#BiSHアメトムチ」始動 . BiSH new album "CARROTS and STiCKS" released, 3-month project "#BiSH Ametomuchi" started . October 23, 2019 . . ja.
  2. BiSH / 「#BiSHアメトムチ」特報映像 . April 1, 2019 . Avex Trax . ja . BiSH / "#BiSH Ametomuchi" special news video . October 22, 2019.
  3. Web site: June 12, 2019 . BiSHエモーショナルな「DiSTANCE」MV公開、新アルバム299円でのゲリラ販売再び . BiSH emotional "DiSTANCE" MV released, guerrilla sale for new album 299 yen again . October 23, 2019 . . ja.
  4. Web site: June 12, 2019 . BiSHゲリラ発売299円CDがフェイク盤と判明、本物は今夜24時に先行配信 . BiSH guerrilla release 299 yen CD turned out to be a fake board, the real thing will be delivered in advance at 24:00 tonight . October 23, 2019 . . ja.
  5. Web site: June 12, 2019 . BiSH、緊急発売した299円CDはサウンド・ プロデューサー 松隈ケンタ&WACK代表 渡辺淳之介が歌うフェイク盤と判明。BiSH歌唱のニュー・アルバムは明日6/13先行配信 . BiSH's urgently released 299 yen CD turned out to be a fake board sung by sound producer Kenta Matsukuma & WACK representative Junnosuke Watanabe. BiSH singing new album will be pre-delivered tomorrow 6/13 . October 23, 2019 . Skream! . ja.
  6. Web site: 週間アルバムランキング 2019年06月24日付 . Weekly Album Ranking June 24, 2019 . October 23, 2019 . . ja.
  7. Web site: April 2, 2019 . BiSH死亡フラグ立ちまくり「遂に死」MV公開、新アー写は2パターン . BiSH death flag standing up "Finally death" MV released, new Ah photo 2 patterns . October 23, 2019 . . ja.
  8. Web site: May 2, 2019 . BiSHのパラレルワールド描く「I am me.」MVに田中真琴 . Makoto Tanaka in "I am me." MV drawn by BiSH's parallel world . October 23, 2019 . . ja.
  9. 1135561926044540936 . BiSHオフィシャル . 【新曲「DiSTANCE」宇宙初オンエア!】メジャー3rd AL「CARROTS and STiCKS」リード曲で新曲「DiSTANCE」が6月11日(火)TFM「SCHOOL OF LOCK!」にて初オンエア解禁決定!絶対聴いておくれ . June 3, 2019 . October 23, 2019 . ja . [New song "DiSTANCE" on air for the first time in space! ] Major 3rd AL "CARROTS and STiCKS" lead song new song "Di STANCE" will be unveiled for the first time on June 11th (Tuesday) TFM "SCHOOL OF LOCK!" Be sure to listen .
  10. Web site: CARROTS and STiCKS(初回生産限定) . CARROTS and STiCKS (First production limited) . October 23, 2019 . . ja.