1) Superman 2) Happy Days 3) Strawberry Jam 4) Daisuki da yo. (I Love You) 5) Sensu (Fan) 6) Mousou Chop (Crazy Chop) 7) Ponpon 8) Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi (Two Stars Remembrance Day) 9) Kingyo Hanabi (Goldfish Fireworks) 10) Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 735 Yen (Black Grilled Cow's Tongue , 735 Yen) 11) Friends
LOVE JAM is ai otsuka's 2nd album . This was released 4 years ago in Japan on Nov 17th . The first-press of the CD only edition came with a 80-page illustration book drawn by otsuka herself (limited to 200,000 copies) .
The CD + DVD edition comes with a DVD containing the PV of Daisuki da yo. (animated version featuring bunnies designed by otsuka) & a short film starring otsuka involving her 5th single Kingyo Hanabi .
4 singles are included prior to the release of LOVE JAM .
The album kick things off with an energetic pop/rock called Superman . This's 1 nice catchy no. & it flows in nicely with another track of the same vein which's otsuka's 4th single , Happy Days & as the title suggest , this song will make you extremely perky after you hear this song .
Track 3's a song called Strawberry Jam & I really like the melody of this song as it's a calming mid tempo track & this's 1 perfect song to listen to when you plan to chill out at home doing basically nothing .
The next 2 songs are ballads which borderline on the depressing side . 1st up in line's otsuka's 6th single Daisuki da yo. (I Love You) . I remembered I was really touched when I 1st heard Daisuki da yo. & the music video for the song is quite depressing but having said that I believe it fitted the whole theme of the song extremely well .
The animated video version of the song titled LOVE's STORY ~Daisuki da yo.~ is entertaining to watch but at the same time I didn't like the ending as it was quite upsetting .
If you think Daisuki da yo. is up there , then look no further for another depressing but great ballad in the form of Sensu (Fan) . This's probably my fave non single on the album . I just love this song the very 1st time I heard it simply because otsuka sing this song with such earnest & sincerity , you can't help but be touched when you hear this .
After the depressing storm has cleared up , in comes 2 songs which borderline on the weird/psycho side . That's otsuka for you , she can either come up with weird/psycho or serious songs , she can't do something in between .
1st in line is a weird song that goes by the name of Mousou Chop (Crazy Chop) . The melody of Mousou Chop kinda is a techno driven no . otsuka's vocals here & there were distorted on purpose on Mousou Chop . Personally I think this's a silly song but once in a while , it's good to just listen to this type of songs .
Just when you think the whole crazy/psycho side of otsuka has subsided , in comes another CRAZY & charged up song called Ponpon . A word of caution - don't listen to this song if you're having a really bad day because otsuka will drive you crazy big time in this no. . She practically unleashed her crazy side of her in here where she kept going pon pon pon pon from the start to the end so you have been warned .
Track 8's a great track . Titled Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi (Two Stars Remembrance Day) , I just love how chilled out this song sounds & finally she's done with the whole psycho/crazy side of her in this album . I think Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi is fantastic & it's definitely single material .
The next 2 songs are singles that otsuka has put out prior to the release of LOVE JAM . Track 9's 1 of my absolute faves coming from her which's her 5th single Kingyo Hanabi (Goldfish Fireworks) .
I remembered I was blown away by the melody & music arrangement of Kingyo Hanabi the 1st time I heard it . Together with her 10th single Planetarium , both songs changed my music perception on her big time .
Track 10's Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 735 Yen (Black Grilled Cow's Tongue , 735 Yen) . By right her 7th single is titled Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 680 Yen (Black Grilled Cow's Tongue , 680 Yen) .
Aside from the difference in prices of the grilled cow's tongue , the single is arranged differently in terms of music and vocals . For comparison , the 680 Yen version has been described as more "aggressive" while the album version (the 735 Yen version) is more "loving" or "tender" .
Personally I like both versions although I find it a bit amusing that she can be inspired to write a song about grilled cow's tongue of all things .
The final track to close the LOVE JAM album is something called Friends . This's a mid tempo piano driven no. & I guess you can say this qualifies as a ballad as it gets dramatic in the middle of the song & the music arrangement on Friends is pretty good too .
I somehow find Friends to be the only weak link on LOVE JAM but hopefully after a few more listens , this song will grow on me .
In general , LOVE JAM is a pretty neat album coming from otsuka . The singles themselves are fantastic especially Kingyo Hanabi which I feel it's 1 of her best singles that she has put out to date & the non singles are pretty well defined in their own way too .
An album worth checking out .
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
