LOVE PiECE's the 4th album released by JPop singer/songwriter/pianist ai otsuka . Outta 11 tracks , 5 singles were released prior to the release of LOVE PiECE , namely Frienger , Yumekui , Renai Shashin , CHU-LIP & the double A side PEACH / HEART . I listed them in the order of the singles that were released .
I never thought that I would come to appreciate & listen to otsuka's music as I used to find her voice a tad screechy & whiny at times but as time goes by after listening to some of her earlier material prior to LOVE PiECE , I came to enjoy & appreciate her style of music .
From what I know , she's a really talented person . Besides writing lyrics to all of her songs , she also composes the melodies/tunes for her songs , produces all of her albums , plays the piano + she's really good when comes to drawing aka a talented graphic artist .
Anyway , let's go back to LOVE PiECE . otsuka has some weird song titles in her previous 3 albums & also on her latest 4th album . The album kicks off with Mirai Taxi (Future Taxi) . I wasn't expecting much from the opening , somemore with a weird song title like Mirai Taxi , what possibly can happen but I was surprised that the song doesn't sound like crazy as the song title .
Yumekui (Dream Eater) is track 2 & the 12th single otsuka released & I love this song the 1st time I heard it . It's a pleasant mid tempo pop/rock no. & the video's possibly 1 of my fave animated cartoon videos from otsuka . She doesn't really appear in the video but the cuteness & sweetness of the video practically makes up for everything else .
Track 3's another strange song title , Mackerel’s canned food . I was going ??? when I saw the title . It's like what the hell ? on why would she come up with a pretty stupid song title called Mackerel’s canned food but thank goodness the song's not bad .
Track 4's one 1/2 of her No.1 double A side PEACH / HEART . PEACH is a upbeat song & it's said to "give the feeling of the refreshing summer sky" and it's the theme song to the new summer 2007 drama , Hanazakari no Kimitachi e which stars Maki Horikita and Shun Oguri & no surprises , there's a big peach in the video of the song . The video's comical .
Track 5's Kumuriuta (Cloudy Song) is a nice ballad from otsuka & there's a video which accompanies the song in which it's 1 video that I don't understand at all , concept wise .
It's so random & I was going ??? while watching it . I like Kumuriuta , wish I could say the same thing for the video .
Track 6's another great track which's Hoshi no Tango (Star's Tango) & it's 1 of the standout tracks on LOVE PiECE . For a song that was not released as a single , it's impressive . Too bad Hoshi no Tango's so short , if otsuka were to extend it to a few secs or so , it will be even better as it seemed 1/2 or 3/4 finished to me .
Just when you think otsuka slowed things down in the middle of LOVE PiECE , she picked up the pace with Track 8 which's Katori Senkou (Anti-Mosquito Incense) which's incidentally the shortest track on the album clocking in at 2:08 but this song , it's something that you will either like it or hate it . For me it's the former but for Hui Li , it's the latter .
I like Katori Senkou due to the whole kakakakakaka at the background & it's a much heavier & harder rock sound to it . otsuka probably went & let everything loose in the studio or something while recording this track . I don't know but I find Katori Senkou cute but if I were to play that song to someone whom never heard her stuff before , they probably go crazy in no time & will ask me to turn it OFF .
The last 4 tracks are singles that otsuka has released prior to the release of LOVE PiECE . Track 8's Frienger (Friend - Ranger) & it's a good single . I personally like it as it's so upbeat , catchy & I like it when otsuka go 'Fight' at the background music . The video was filmed in Taiwan .
Track 9's CHU-LIP & it's a play on the Japanese word for Tulip , and the sound of a kiss , "chu" with the english word "lip" . The melody of CHU-LIP is cool . The video's very interesting as well where you get to see otsuka in blond hair & people are just flying around as pollens from where else , Tulips .
Followed up it's the other 1/2 of the double A side PEACH / HEART . In contrast to PEACH , HEART's a medium-tempo track which will hold a "nostalgic feeling" . I was surprised when I 1st heard HEART as it's something that otsuka doesn't come up with , musically . It's kinda like chilled out lounge music . Not that it's a bad thing but somehow HEART's pretty un-memorable . Guess I need to listen to HEART a bit more .
What better way to close the album with Renai Shashin (Love Photograph) . Sure , it doesn't match up to the same greatness of standard as 1 of her best songs/singles to date imo which's Planetarium , but still Renai Shashin's really nice & I think when I 1st saw this video on MTV Asia , it's the 1st time I actually was introduced un-officially to otsuka's music & to think I used to scoff at Renai Shashin & look what happened now .
Not bad I say , LOVE PiECE's a good album from otsuka . Long time fans might not appericate that practically 1/2 the album was released before her album was out but for me it's more than enough .
Good stuff , looks like I will have to catch up with the rest of the albums that she has released .
Blog Personnel
Karen Pang
# 10th Jan
# #1 BREAKERZ fan in Singapore since 2008 debut single ♥
# My music blog consists of JPop/Rock singles & albums reviews that I put my heart , efforts & soul into writing them as I'm disgusted with the way that JPop/Rock music is being treated/written/reviewed in Singapore so to the local media (yes you TEENS , Teenage Magazine & The Strait Times) , screw you all . I basically can write better JPop/Rock reviews , period
