The Flashcards: 路傍の石

The Flashcards: 路傍の石 – Vocaemo (2026)

70+/100

Genre: alternative rock/shoegaze/emo

路傍の石 (Robō no ishi) has become a fairly active Japanese band, and this album opens up their chapter for 2026, despite being released back in February.

The primary departure from the My Dear Family album is the inclusion of screams for the emo sections, as heard on "Right of Left," "L.o.v.e," and on "To Do One's Duty," where Hatsune Miku's own vocals are made to shriek at the tail end of the track. Meanwhile, the rawest musical impression comes forward most prominently on "Fact." Naturally, that isn't really what I'm looking for here.

The maiden playback kept spinning, but right from the outset, it felt flat. However, an emotional aura finally wafted out upon entering "Come Back" and the three subsequent tracks. Distinct midwest emo/math rock plucking is most visible in "何もかも," while a pop-punk vibe serves as the opening hook for "明日に向かって撃て！"—a track that failed to grab me initially, and even upon re-listening, I still can't bring myself to fully embrace it. Meanwhile, I'll relegate "Grief" and "Run Out" to the honorable mentions.

So, is it worse than My Dear Family? Once you've really dived into it, the level of appreciation feels about the same, but when taking those screaming vocals into account, it clearly sits slightly below it.

Tracklist:

1. 明日に向かって撃て！ (Asu ni Mukatte Ute!)

2. あなたへ (Anata e)

3. Fact

4. Right of Left

5. Grief

6. Run Out

7. 忘れて (Wasurete)

8. Come Back

9. To Do One's Duty

10. 何もかも (Nanimokamo)

11. Dump

12. L.o.v.e

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