Music / Shōso Strip

Shōso Strip (勝訴ストリップ) is a 2000 album by Shiina Ringo released on March, 31. Its official English title is Winning Strip, it can be also translated as Victorious Strip. It is a sophomore album by the singer and composer. Her first album, Muzai Moratorium was a successful straightforward alt-rock/pop-rock album which sold quite well.

After that Shiina tried to expand her sound and succeeded. Shōso Strip drifts towards much artier, more exquisite sound and shows a huge creative growth. Songs are eclectic, wildly varied in mood and style. She exercises both pop and noise on various tracks. Shōso Strip sold huge and remains her top selling album.

After Shōso Strip Shiina Ringo went further and subsequently managed to create a sprawling, timeless masterpiece. It was followed by Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana.

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Tracks

1. "I Am a Liar (虚言症 Kyogen-shō)" (5:26)
2. "Bathroom (浴室 Yokushitsu)" 4:15
3. "Excuse Debussy (弁解ドビュッシー Benkai Dobyusshii)" 3:16
4. "Gips (ギブス Gibusu)" 5:38
5. "A Driving Rain in Darkness (闇に降る雨 Yami ni Furu Ame)"5:03
6. "Identity (アイデンティティ Aidentiti)" 3:05
7. "Crime and Punishment (罪と罰 Tsumi to Batsu)" 5:32
8. "Stoicism (ストイシズム Sutoishizumu)" 1:46
9. "A Broken Man and Moonlight (月に負け犬 Tsuki ni Makeinu) "4:14"
10. "Tidbits (サカナ Sakana)" 3:43
11. "Sickbed Public (病床パブリック Byōshō Public)" 3:16
12. "Instinct (本能 Honnō)" 4:14
13. "I Am an Addict (依存症 Izon-shō)" 6:23

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Tropes

• Affectionate Parody: Utada Hikaru once sang Tsumi to Batsu. Well, at least she tried the beginning.
• Alliterative Name: Shōso Strip
• Bookends : "I Am a Liar (虚言症 Kyogen-shō)" and "I Am an Addict (依存症 Izon-shō)".^note The Japanese titles actually translate more literally as something like "Falsehood Illness" - i.e., pathological lying - and "Dependence Illness" - i.e., addiction - but the official English titles are definitely more memorable to English speakers.
  • Also the lyrics on Honnō both start and end with two lines of English
    I just want to be with you tonight.
    I know that you want to be in my bed.
• Epic Rocking: Many:
  • Both opener and closer "I Am a Liar (虚言症 Kyogen-shō)" and "I Am an Addict (依存症 Izon-shō)
  • Yami ni Furu Ame
  • Especially the grandiose Tsumi to Batsu although at 5:32 it is only the second longest track however some part of Izon-shō is outro.
• Fanservice: In the video for Honnō. Shiina wears a Naughty Nurse Outfit and makes out with an unconscious woman.
• Intercourse with You: Honnō
• Invulnerable Knuckles: In Honnō she breaks the glass and her knuckles indeed remains unharmed.
• Naughty Nurse Outfit: On Honnō
• Noise Pop: Byōshō Public
• Opera Gloves: In the video for Tsumi to Batsu. They are also red!
• Proscenium Reveal In the end of the video for Honnō it is revealed that in-universe it is not a hospital but a set and Shiina is just playing a nurse.
• Rule of Drama: Tsumi to Batsu is as high a drama as it gets.
• Sheet of Glass: In the video for Honnō it is broken Played with as it is revealed only in the end of the video that the glass which separates Shiina from a viewer is actually a classical sheet of glass held by two extras
• Shout-Out:
  • Benkai Dobyusshii - to Claude Debussy.
  • Tsumi to Batsu - to Crime and Punishment
• Smoking Is Cool: The video for Tsumi to Batsu starts with Ringo having a smoke.
• Splash of Color: In the video for Tsumi to Batsu Shiina's opera gloves are visibly red when the rest of the shot is monochrome.