:+: No Music No Life :+:

Friday, June 26, 2009

CD Review :: GReeeeN - Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER-

Cover For Both CD Only & CD + DVD's editions :

Tracklist :

1) Hikari (Light)
2) Kuchibue (Whistle)
3) Haruka (Far)
4) Ayumi (Milestones)
5) Itsumademo (Forever)
6) Tabibito (Traveler)
7) Hareruya (Hallelujah) !!!!
8) STORY
9) Setsuna (Moment)
10) Fuyu no Aru Hi no Uta (Song Of A Winter's Day)
11) Tobira (Door)
12) Sora e no Tegami (Letter To The Sky)
13) Fubouta (Parents' Song)
14) Kiseki (Miracle) [CD Only Bonus Track]
15) Hige , Kosō (Hidden Track)

Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- is GReeeeN's 3rd album . It was released on 10th June , on the same day as the re-released edition of their 11th single Haruka (Far) .

4 singles & a B-side are included in Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- & it has been almost a year since the release of their last album A , Domo. Ohisashiburi Desu. .

The album also contains an initally untitled hidden track when it was 1st released but the song since have been given a title in the form of Hige , Kosō .

Hikari (Light) is a fast paced mid tempo song which kicked things off in Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- . The melody took me by surprise because it was a bit unusual sounding coming from GReeeeN themselves . But still , this's a relatively catchy tune & a good start on what you should expect in their new album .

Kuchibue (Whistle) is the 2nd's album track & I actually find Kuchibue amusing because it's pretty much a crazy whacked song that GReeeeN delivered but compared to their relatively crazy songs like Boyonka Boyoyonka ~Yukai na Otona-tachi~ (~Adults Cheerful~) Feat 2BACKKA & UNITEBUS & Party People , Kuchibue's considered tame .

What I like about Kuchibue is that after the 2nd chorus was delivered , there's a short instrumental bridge that has really nice synth beat going on which's great .

The next 2 songs are singles that GReeeeN has already released prior to the release of Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- .

Haruka (Far) is the group's 11th single & it's the theme song for the movie Rookies . Their 7th single Kiseki (Miracle) was used for the drama so I guess it's kinda more fitting for the guys to 'return' to provide the theme song for the movie adaption of Rookies .

Like what I mentioned before , a special re-release edition of Haruka was released on the same day as Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- & both editions of Haruka , be it the original or the re-release edition , sound great & I just love the lyrical content of Haruka too .

Ayumi (Milestones) is the quartet's 9th single & it was their 1st single release of 2009 . Not much to comment about Ayumi other than the fact that it's a catchy pop/rock song that GReeeeN has delivered .

Itsumademo (Forever) is the 1st album ballad track & it's such a nice/enduring song which's arranged real simply with a backing of a piano , some percussions & you can also hear echoes of children in the background .

The guys just let their vocals do the work in Itsumademo & this's what I really like about the song in that it's simplicity at its best .

Tabibito (Traveler) & Hareruya (Hallelujah) !!!! are 2 of the album's most upbeat songs . I realised that Tabibito sounded a bit too similar to SUN SHINE !!! & Mata ne. (See You Again.) in the beginning but at least in due time , the song began to take a life of its own .

Hareruya !!!! is probably the album's most crazy over the top track as the guys really just let loose in this party inspired tune & there're some gorgeous Caribbean inspired beats going on before the song concludes & I think this's like the perfect track to blast if you're in the beach .

STORY is the album's 2nd album ballad & just like Itsumademo , it's also another winner in the bag as STORY is just the guys singing alongside with the backing of an acoustic guitar which's lovely & there's no way you cannot dislike such a pleasant guitar pop no. at all .

Setsuna (Moment) is GReeeeN's 10th single & it served as the theme song to the dodrama VOICE which starred Ikuta Toma .

I love Setsuna on 1st listen because it's such a great mid tempo no. & with the backing of fierce beats , this's another single winner in GReeeeN's singles discography .

Fuyu no Aru Hi no Uta (Song Of A Winter's Day) is the only B-side track that made the cut in Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- & this's was originally found in the 2 CDs limited edition of the group's 8th single Tobira (Door) .

Honestly , I was very surprised & happy that they have included this Christmas inspired no. Fuyu no Aru Hi no Uta in the album as I remembered when I 1st listened to Fuyu no Aru Hi no Uta during the time when Tobira was released last Dec , I immediately loved it on 1st listen .

So naturally , I was real stoked to find Fuyu no Aru Hi no Uta as track #10 in Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- as it's a really solid B-side & even though Christmas will not be knocking on your door til 5-6 months + later , it shouldn't stop you from listening to Fuyu no Aru Hi no Uta at all .

& speaking of Tobira , it's slotted in as track #11 & it's the last single to be included in the album . I have no complaints about Tobira at all (as I generally like all of GReeeeN's singles) & Tobira's no exception .

This's a nice mid tempo no. & I like the piano going on in Tobira which really keeps me charmed from the start to the end .

Sora e no Tegami (Letter To The Sky) is yet another fantastic album track & just like Tobira , it's piano driven except in this case , the emphasis on piano is a lot more stronger in Sora e no Tegami .

Fubouta (Parents' Song) I feel is the only weak link in Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- because it took me quite a while to remember as to how it actually sounds . The intro of Fubouta really reminded me of Haruka slightly but other than that , it took me a few listens before I actually can remember on how Fubouta sounds .

After I got that outta the way , it's a nice slow no. but I will not consider it as my fave album track in this context .

Only available in the 1st press CD only edition of the album , it's the quartet's 7th single Kiseki .

I don't know why they decided to include Kiseki as a bonus track but it's something that I don't mind at all .

Besides , it's not their highest selling single for nothing & at this point in time , it's still their only #1 single that they have attained in their career at this point in time & it's a song that I never get bored of listening at all & I just love the lyrics going on in Kiseki too .

Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- is frankly a music step up for GReeeeN from their previous album offering A , Domo. Ohisashiburi Desu & in general , I really like the whole package that the quartet has delivered in the form of their latest album Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- .

Judging from the sales that their 3rd album has gathered so far at this point in time (it has stayed on #1 for 2 straight weeks & has lodged about 625K worth of physical sales at this point in time) , I guess that's already saying something .

Initally , I was worried on whether can GReeeeN live up to exceptations especially since their 1st 2 albums were good but they really have proven me wrong in here . The album tracks are generally solid if you compare them against the singles .

GReeeeN has come of age & maturity with Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER- & if you like to listen to an artiste that blends pop , pop/rock , enka & even folk & rap in their music material , then probably GReeeeN's the perfect artiste to get yourself acquited with .