Monday, August 31, 2009
Crystal Kay Feat KAT-TUN's Akanishi Jin - Helpless Night
Helpless Night is a song that's found in the 3rd disc of Crystal Kay's BEST of CRYSTAL KAY which will be released this coming Wed & this no. features the vocals of the 2nd co lead vocalist of KAT-TUN , Akanishi Jin .
The 3rd disc's only available in the limited edition of Crystal's 2nd greatest hits album as BEST of CRYSTAL KAY is released in celebration of her being in the music business for 10 years since making her debut in the scene when she was just a mere 13 year old teen .
Helpless Night is the 2nd song that Crystal & Akanishi collaborated together in which the 1st song that both of them did together was something called WONDER during KAT-TUN's Break the Records -by you & for you- tour where Akanishi 1st previewed the song to the audience .
I'm not familiar with Crystal Kay's material but I have to say that I really love Helpless Night as I feel both Crystal & Akanishi's vocals gel extremely well together & it helps that both their vocals were really in synch in this mid tempo R&B & somewhat sad no. .
There're some English portions pertaining to Helpless Night & it's good that I can understand both their Eng dictation especially since Crystal's fluent in Eng herself & it helps that both of them had a hand in cowriting & co-composing Helpless Night which's great .
Helpless Night's already shaping up to be 1 of my fave collaborations that I have came across this year & I do hope that WONDER itself will get the CD studio treatment soon .
ayaka - ayaka's History 2006-2009 compilation album details & tracklist
Disc 1 Tracklist :
1) I believe
2) melody
3) Real voice
4) Mikazuki (Crescent Moon)
5) WINDING ROAD (ayaka × Kobukuro)
6) Jewelry day
7) CLAP & LOVE
8) Why
9) For today
10) Te wo Tsunagou (Let's Hold Hands)
11) Ai wo Utaou (Let's Sing Love)
12) Okaeri (Welcome Home)
13) Anata to (With You) (ayaka x Kobukuro)
14) Yume wo Mikata ni (Make Your Dream(s) Your Ally)
15) Koi Kogarete Mita Yume (The Dream You Yearned For)
16) Minna Sora no Shita (All Under The Sky)
Disc 2 Tracklist :
1) Yume no Kakera (Fragments Of Dreams) ; B-side of her debut single I believe
2) Blue Days ; track #1 from her debut album First Message
3) Sky ; track #4 from her 2nd album Sing to the Sky
4) Peace loving people ; B-side of her 3rd single Real voice
5) POWER OF MUSIC ; track #1 from her 2nd album Sing to the Sky
6) Kon'ya mo Hoshi ni Dakarete (Wrapped In The Stars Tonight) ; track #15 from her 2nd album Sing to the Sky
7) Good Night Baby ; track #5 from her 2nd album Sing to the Sky
8) Start to 0 (Love) ; track #1 from her debut album First Message
9) Kimi ga Iru Kara (Because I Have You) ; track #13 from her 2nd album Sing to the Sky
10) Arigatou. (Thank You.) ; B-side of her 11th single Minna Sora no Shita
11) Minna Sora no Shita (All Under The Sky) (Piano ver.) (Bonus Track)
ayaka's History 2006-2009 is ayaka's 1st greatest hits album . It will be released on 23rd Sept in 3 different editions ie. a CD only regular edition & 2 different limited editions .
With regards to the 2 different limited editions of ayaka's History 2006-2009 , both editions will come with an extra disc which contains 10 songs that her fans voted to be made the cut in the 2nd disc which took place via her official site a while back ago .
Buyers have a choice of getting either a photobook or a DVD containing all of her music videos pertaining to the 2 different limited editions of ayaka's History 2006-2009 .
Regardless of which edition you're getting at the end of the day , the 1st disc contains ayaka's 1st 11 solo singles inclusive of her most recent hit Minna Sora no Shita , a digital single For today & her 2 collaborations that she did with fellow label mate , folk rock duo Kobukuro .
I'm definitely going to miss 1 of my fave pop/rock female solo acts in bringing in the music goods seeing that the release of ayaka's History 2006-2009 signals the beginning of ayaka's indefinite break from the music industry as she has been unfortunately been diagnosed with
Grave's disease & that she also will be focusing on her marriage to actor/model Mizushima Hiro .
The good news's that doctors detected the illness in ayaka real early so she will be taking the time off to get herself treated & then some .
Regardless of which , if you don't have her 1st 2 albums First Message & Sing to the Sky , then ayaka's History 2006-2009 is definitely a compilation album you should get despite the fact that I dislike the title of her maiden greatest hits album .
Having said that , I'm pretty much happy with the selection of 10 songs that made the cut on the 2nd disc (with 5 out of 10 songs fans selected are taken from her 2nd album Sing to the Sky which's great) especially Peace loving people & Kimi ga Iru Kara (Because I Have You) as these are 2 of my fave ayaka tunes .
Besides , Peace loving people is more or less an ayaka staple song & she never fails to perform this no. live whenever she has the chance to so it definitely deserves to have make the cut on disc 2 of ayaka's History 2006-2009 .
I wish ayaka all the best in her marriage & health & I hope she's able to return back to the music scene sooner or later with a clean bill of health .
Sunday, August 30, 2009
YUI - It's all too much
It's all too much is the 1st A-side of YUI's 14th single It's all too much / Never say die which will be released on 7th Oct .
This comes 4 months + since the release of her 4th #1 / comeback single again .
The 1st A-side of YUI's will be used as the theme song for the new Sato Toya movie Kaiji starring Death Note stars Fujiwara Tatsuya & Matsuyama Kenichi while the 2nd A-side Never say die will be used in the film as an insert song .
Kaiji will be open in cinemas in Japan on 10th Oct .
It's all too much was aired 3 days ago on Japanese Radio TokyoFM's SCHOOL OF LOCK & I guess you can say in this case , it's classic YUI at its best .
I always love the angsty side of YUI as evident in her previous past angsty rock songs like again , Rolling star & then now It's all too much .
I like the subtle classical & violin influence you can hear briefly in the 2nd bridge of the song after she belted out the chorus during the 2nd time which I think it's really cool .
The 2nd A-side Never say die & the B-side of the single which's the ~YUI Acoustic Version~ of again will be reviewed in due time .
alan - BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ (~Nameless Love Song~)
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Cover :
Tracklist :
1) BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ (~Nameless Love Song~)
2) Shiawase no Kane (Bells Of Happiness) (2009 ver.)
3) BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ (Instrumental)
4) Shiawase no Kane (Instrumental)
BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ (~Nameless Love Song~) is alan's 10th single . It will be released this coming Wed & this comes in almost 5 months since the release of her previous single Kuon no Kawa (River Of Eternity) .
The original release date for BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ was 24th June & the A-side has been described as a 'magnificent ballad' & it's used as the theme song for the movie that has the same title starring SMAP's Tsuyoshi Kusanagi & Yui Aragaki .
Well I will not really considered BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ as a magnificent ballad but at least it's a pretty one . It took me quite a lot of listens to remember how her new single sounds like as it was not as memorable as what I was hoping for .
At least in the beginning of BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ , you can hear parts of her yodelling in the background which's more or less defined as her trademark singing style & also I find the melody of the A-side a charming one .
The B-side song is something that I'm already familiar with which's Shiawase no Kane (Bells Of Happiness) which's a a charity song that was rolled out about a week after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake .
The song was released as a digital no. across Asia & all proceeds were donated to the Red Cross to aid victims in her home province in Sichuan .
The chinese version's of the song's called Ai Jiu Shi Shou (愛就是手; Love Is Our Hands) which's found as a 1st press track in alan's debut chinese album Xin De Dong Fang (心的東方 ; Orient Of The Heart) in which Xin De Dong Fang was released on July 10th in Hong Kong & subsequently July 22nd in China .
& in here , Shiawase no Kane has been given an update , music wise . There's not much difference between the original & the 2009 version of both tunes except in the updated version of Shiawase no Kane , the introduction of a much stronger violin strings & piano can be felt here which gives the song a somewhat orchestra feeling which I feel it's nice .
BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ is a neat package that alan has delivered to the music front . I will not really consider BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ as my fave A-side of alan's but it's alright I suppose .
I just hope that she can release something upbeat in her next single as I think she does them really well in the form of Gunjou no Tani (Ultramarine Valley) & Kaze no Tegami (Letter Of The Wind) .
Saturday, August 29, 2009
B'z - Ichibu to Zenbu (One & All) / DIVE
Tracklist :
1) Ichibu to Zenbu (One & All)
2) DIVE
3) National Holiday
Ichibu to Zenbu (One & All) / DIVE is JRock duo B'z's 46th single . It was released on 5th Aug this month & it's their 1st single release of 2009 .
The 1st A-side was currently being used as the theme song for the drama Buzzer Beat starring NEWS's Yamashita Tomohisa & Kitagawa Keiko while the 2nd A-side is used to promote Suzuki's Swift compact car .
For their latest single release , B'z specially invited Red Hot Chili Peppers's drummer Chad Smith & Mars Volta's bassist Juan Alderete as guest musicians .
Consists of Tak Matsumoto (composition & guitarist) & Koshi Inaba (lyrics & vocalist) , this duo's considered as the best selling Japanese act of all time with 78 million + worth of material sold since their debut in 1988 .
I guess I can finally understand as to why they deserve such an honour because after I listened to both A-sides , it's easy to see why they're still going on strong despite being in the business for 21 years .
Also , guitarist Matsumoto is responsible for composing KAT-TUN's debut single Real Face (Suga Shikao provided the lyrics for the song) , be it the single or album versions so I guess that was my 1st exposure of sorts to B'z material in a way or 2 .
When I 1st heard Ichibu to Zenbu , it does reminded me of Franz Ferdinand's material except it's more aggressive & meaner but yet the duo still managed to maintain that certain charm & posse in the song which keeps me coming back for more , listens wise & no surprises this's 1 kick ass rock song that I really adore .
In the case for DIVE , it's also another in your face & straight up no nonsense rock song except unlike Ichibu to Zenbu , the guitar riffs going on in the duo's 2nd A-side is more prominent which's something that I like & it's 1 of the things I look out for , in a good rock song .
The B-side is called National Holiday & it's a song fans may remember from the duo's 20th anniversary tour B'z LIVE-GYM 2008 "ACTION" .
I suppose because of the greatness that's of the 2 A-sides , National Holiday is kinda overshadowed by Ichibu to Zenbu / DIVE & it frankly took a lot outta me to remember how National Holiday sounds like .
It's a grower for sure but I suppose for my case , I rather blast & plug the 2 A-side tunes more than the B-side .
Ichibu to Zenbu / DIVE is the 1st single I have listened to B'z & I have to say that I love what they have to offer & it helps that rock's my fave music genre & now I can understand as to why they still have got it going on after being in the business for 21 years .
If I adore Ichibu to Zenbu / DIVE , then I have a feeling that their past works are on par or if not even greater than what they have to offer now .
Definitely a great & rocking single to check out on a Sat .
Thursday, August 27, 2009
V6 - GUILTY
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Type A Cover :
CD + DVD Type B Cover :
GUILTY is V6's 36th single . It will be released next Wed & this comes in 3 months + since the release of their last single Spirit .
The guys's new song will served as the theme song to season 4 of the TV Asahi drama Keishicho Sosa Ikka 9 Gakari starring band member Inohara Yoshihiko .
From the summer inspired sounding Spirit , the guys have shifted gears & deliver this really somewhat dark & dancey tune which's really catchy on 1st listen & the subtle rapping going on in GUILTY done by Morita Go & Miyake Ken adds a nice touch & edge towards the song .
It reminds to be seen when V6 will be releasing their 11th album in due time or not since they have enough singles to fill up a new record now since 2007's Voyager .
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
CD Review :: Domoto Koichi - mirror
CD Only Regular Edition Cover :
CD Only Limited Edition Cover :
Tracklist :
1) Ai no Jujika (Cross Of Love) ~Promise 2U~
2) Deep in your heart
3) One more XXX ...
4) SNAKE
5) Kagen no Tsuki (Month Of Last Quarter)
6) Take me to ...
7) Spica
8) Shadows On The Floor
9) Velvet Rain
10) Addicted
11) Tsuioku no Ame (Rain Of Recollection)
12) + MILLION but - LOVE
13) -so young blues- 2006 (Regular Edition Track)
mirror is Domoto Koichi's debut solo album . It was released 3 years ago on 13th Sept .
Just 1 single is included in mirror & 1 album track received a music video of its own . While Koichi did not provide any lyrics to the 12 (13) songs you can find in mirror , he composed the whole record by himself .
Ai no Jujika (Cross Of Love) ~Promise 2U~ is such a great song to kick things off as it has a really nice futuristic vibe that the song presented in here .
Aside from that , you also can find shades of rock going on in Ai no Jujika ~Promise 2U~ which I have to say that I like it a lot & it gives you the starting platform on what to expect in mirror as you listen to the next few tracks down the line .
Deep in your heart is the 1st A-side of Koichi's debut solo single Deep in your heart / + MILLION but - LOVE which was released 3 years ago on 12th July .
The 1st A-side was used as the theme song to the anime Jyu-Oh-Sei in which Koichi voiced the main character in the anime ie. the adult Thor .
Unlike his 2nd single Ayakashi (Something Strange/Suspicious) , Deep in your heart is kinda Bollywood/Tribal inspired (just watch the video & you know what I mean) & in the beginning of the song , you can hear the sounds of big band marching beats .
This tune which combines Bollywood/Tribal inspired & big band marching beats together with a foreign guy rapping in the background might sound like an odd mixture but it strangely works in Koichi's favour & the 1st A-side of his debut solo single does get infectious as each listen goes by .
One more XXX ... is the 1st ballad you can find in mirror . It's not a standard ballad that you might have came across .
Koichi incorporated electro beats , Latin Spanish influenced rhthyms & guitar riffs in One more XXX ... which gives you a really smooth & somewhat mid tempo tune which I adore .
SNAKE is track #4 & despite the strange title for a song , I actually like it as it's a kick ass no nonsense strong rock meets pop tune .
The guitar riffs going in SNAKE is more prominent in here unlike One more XXX ... & kudos to Koichi for composing such a top dog melody .
Kagen no Tsuki (Month Of Last Quarter) is the 2nd ballad you can find in mirror & it's also the only album track to get a video of its own aside from Koichi's debut solo single .
It's also the longest track on the album , clocking in at 5:40 mins .
I was surprised when I found out Kagen no Tsuki for some reasons received its own video as I feel it deserves it as this's 1 superb , powerful & sweeping ballad .
On 1st listen , Kagen no Tsuki really took my breath away as it's a pretty & gorgeous no. & I thought Perfect World -2009- is ace but Kagen no Tsuki is on par if not more superior than Perfect World -2009- .
Take me to ... is a hot song ! When I say hot , I mean that it's a perfect tune to crank up a notch or 2 if you're planning to dance the night away .
I just love the whole feeling that Take me to ... gives in here as Koichi thrown in a lot of salsa inspired & also jazz somewhat beats into the song .
I noticed that Take me to ... reminded me of KinKi Kids's 21st single Velvet no Yami , style wise since both songs are kinda on the same wavelength .
Not that I'm complaining seeing that I like both songs but man , Take me to ... is just made of pure win !
Spica is track #7 & after Kagen no Tsuki , this's the 3rd ballad you can find in mirror .
However , unlike One more XXX ... & Kagen no Tsuki , Spica is less complicated in the music department .
Basically what you're getting in Spica is more or less a stripped down tune which's backed up by piano & some percussions which gives you this really heartwarming no. & I feel there's no way you will dislike Spica in this context .
Shadows On The Floor is track #9 & it's an interesting song . I don't know why but I have odd vibes of Destiny's Child's Survivor when I 1st heard it , especially as evident in the beginning of the song .
But after that's outta the way , I have to say that Shadows On The Floor is yet another hot dance track that's perfect to spin in a club & a disco .
Velvet Rain follows after Shadows On The Floor . Just like SNAKE , it follows the same music vein ie. a strong pop meets rock tune .
Except in this case , Velvet Rain takes on a much more aggressive music approach in the later part of the song which I think that gives the edge Velvet Rain needs in order to stand out from the other songs in mirror .
Addicted is track #10 & man , this's such a sexy no. . Just like Deep in your heart , Koichi incorporated a lot of exotic beats going on in Addicted & this time round , you have a song that's very heavily influenced by exotic Egyptian rhythms & beats .
Throwing in guitar riffs for good measures , you have this slamming no. which I love it immediately on 1st listen .
Tsuioku no Ame (Rain Of Recollection) is the last ballad you can find in mirror . The introduction of the song is really lovely as it has a nice & grand piano/orchestra feeling .
The mood of Tsuioku no Ame started to change slowly in the midst of the song & you can ever hear in the backgrounds echoes of a choir which adds a nice touch to Tsuioku no Ame .
+ MILLION but - LOVE is the 2nd A-side of Koichi's debut solo single Deep in your heart / + MILLION but - LOVE .
The 2nd A-side was used as the opening theme song to the TV show Ongaku Senshi MUSIC FIGHTER .
Compared against Deep in your heart , + MILLION but - LOVE is a very catchy big bang swinging jazz tune with strong trumpet beats which I was hooked onto on 1st listen .
Both A-sides are basically upbeat no.s at the end of the day but they both carry different styles/influences in each tune which's great .
Only found in the regular edition of mirror , it's -so young blues- 2006 .
Now I don't know if it's just me but I have odd vibes of KinKi Kids's 27th single Secret Code when I 1st gave -so young blues- 2006 a listen .
I'm not sure why so . Maybe because both songs have almost the same music structure . Also , I feel that -so young blues- 2006 is probably the most random song in mirror as it's just slotted in mirror for the sake of doing so .
Not to mention , it's quite rojak sounding to a certain extent & it sounds to me like a really messed up song in the good kinda way .
Man , I have to say that I was so & very blown away & impressed with Domoto Koichi's debut solo album offering mirror .
I enjoyed his 2nd single Ayakashi & that gave me the push to try out mirror in which it's a decision that I did not regret doing so because it's such a top notch album & when you have Koichi composing the whole album & making each song sounds great , you know that you're in good hands when you listen to mirror .
I love the various styles that're found in mirror & the whole record just flows really well from the start to the end .
It might have been 3 years since mirror was released but I'm glad that I have caught onto listening to his solo material & let alone mirror now as it's definitely never too late to catch onto 1 1/2 of KinKi Kids's solo works .
abingdon boys school - STEALTH - Reigoushiki (Type Zero) JAP- (Kimi no Uta's B-side)
STEALTH - Reigoushiki (Type Zero) JAP- is the B-side song which you can find in abingdon boys school's 7th single Kimi no Uta (Your Song) which's released officially today .
The A-side is used as the opening theme song for the anime Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 .
If you have followed the quartet since day 1 ie. them incorporating full English B-sides songs in their singles & let alone know how does their previous single JAP sounds like , then you probably know what to expect for STEALTH - Reigoushiki JAP- which's basically an Eng version of JAP .
Except of course , the Japanese lyrics have been replaced with full on English ones . I think it's cool to 'remake' JAP in this sense but somehow or another frontman Takanori's command of the language gets lost somewhere in the midst of the song .
Whichever the case , Kimi no Uta is another stellar single that I enjoyed from abs & generally you can't go wrong with rock music at all .
I do hope that the guys will be releasing their 2nd album soon since it has been 2 years since their self titled debut album was released & not to mention Kimi no Uta's their 3rd single of the year , after STRENGTH. & JAP .
Considering that they will be touring & performing in Europe this coming Nov , maybe that will happen sooner or later before I know it ?
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
ai otsuka - LOVE is BEST compilation album details & tracklist
Cover For Both CD Only & CD + DVD's editions :
CD Tracklist :
1) Is
2) aisu x time (otsuka ai x SU from RIP SLYME) ; 2nd A-side of her 17th single Rocket Sneaker / One × Time
3) Daisuki da yo. (I Love You) ; 6th single
4) Ticket ; B-side of her 16th single
5) Kimi Fechi (You Fetish) ; track #6 from her 5th album LOVE LETTER
6) HEART ; 2nd A-side of her 15th single PEACH / HEART
7) Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi (Two Stars Remembrance Day) ~Shinkon Hiyori~ (~Day For Newlyweds~) ; track #8 from her 2nd album LOVE JAM
8) Sakuranbo (Cherry Blossoms) ; 2nd single
9) Strawberry Jam ; track #3 from her 2nd album LOVE JAM
10) drop. ; B-side of her 10th single Planetarium
11) Amaenbo (Spoiled Child) ~Wedding~ ; 3rd single
12) Kimi ni Kaeru (Returning To You) ; B-side of her 14th single CHU-LIP
13) Amai Kimochi Maru Kajiri (A Bite Full of Sweet Feelings) ; B-side of her 11th single Frienger
14) Renai Shashin (Love Photograph) -Haru- (-Spring-) ; B-side of her 15th single PEACE / HEART
15) Pocket ~Last Love Letter~ ; 16th single
DVD Tracklist :
1) Is
2) aisu x time (otsuka ai x SU from RIP SLYME)
3) Daisuki da yo. (I Love You)
4) HEART
5) Sakuranbo (Cherry Blossoms)
6) Amaenbo (Spoiled Child) ~Wedding~
Source
LOVE is BEST is ai otsuka's upcoming 2nd best compilation album . It will be released on 11th Nov this year in 2 different editions in a CD only & a CD + DVD format .
This's her 2nd compilation album after 2007's Ai am BEST & it's said that LOVE is BEST is deemed a compilation album containing otsuka's love songs & you can find a mixture of her B-sides , singles & album tracks in LOVE is BEST .
Frankly to me , I was caught off guard by this because I never expect her to release a new compilation album so soon & after I went to her official site to check things out , my worst fears were kinda confirmed when I saw the tracklist .
To my horrors , classic otsuka ballads such as Planetarium , Kingyo Hanabi (Goldfish Fireworks) , Kurage Nagareboshi (Jellyfish , Shooting Star) & let alone Cherish are absent from LOVE is BEST which's no doubt an outrage as the songs that I have singled out are the ones that I feel are her best ballads to date which's a no doubt a huge pity & got me really thinking on what's going on in her mind , really .
Also , it doesn't help matters that I generally find her B-sides to be on the miss side of things .
But at least in a way she redeemed herself in a way or 2 by doing the following :
- 4 new recordings of Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi (Two Stars Remembrance Day) , One × Time & Pocket .
- One × Time is finally receiving a video of its own & in here , it has been renamed as aisu x time .
Otsuka came up with the idea of doing a new version of One x Time with a hip-hop flavor . As a fan of RIP SLYME's music , she invited SU to do the collaboration with her .
The aisu in the title refers both to the song’s theme of love and the names of the two artists .
When Rocket Sneaker / One × Time was released last May on the 21st , at that time , only Rocket Sneaker received a video in which I found it really boring & terribly cheap & that kinda affected my overall reaction & liking towards the single . I hope this will not happen to One x Time's case as I really like the song .
- A new song Is which will kick start LOVE is BEST's tracklist .
Anyway , I honestly have no idea as to how LOVE is BEST will fare in terms of sales & chart position seeing that her 5th album LOVE LETTER is her lowest selling studio album to date so this might kind of hampen things in a way or 2 .
The new song taken from LOVE is BEST & covers pertaining to her new compilation album will be posted & updated in due time .
Monday, August 24, 2009
SID - Monochrome no Kiss
CD Only Regular Edition Cover :
CD Only Limited Edition Cover :
CD + DVD Type A Cover :
CD + DVD Type B Cover :
Monochrome no Kiss is SID's 1st major label debut single released under Ki/oon Records .
The song was released last year on 29th Oct & it served as the opening theme song for the anime Kuroshitsuji .
The CD only limited edition of Monochrome no Kiss was released on 21st Jan this year .
Just like their 3rd major label single Uso (Lie) , I find Monochrome no Kiss real charming even though melody wise , it's not as complicated & complex as Uso .
Having said that , Monochrome no Kiss is a really nice & somewhat laidback rock song & I adore the guitar riffs going on in the no. which it's real enduring & not to mention plain lovely .
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Yuna Ito - GATE
Last June , Yuna Ito collaborated with popular Japanese music producer Takeshi Kobayashi (who produced music for Mr. Children , the 2nd best selling Japanese act of all time) & Russian conductor Mikhail Pletnev , to sing GATE , the theme song for the documentary movie with the same name .
I already mentioned a while back ago when I reviewed Yuna's 3rd album DREAM in that I felt it's a pity that GATE did not made the cut in DREAM but now I understand as to why so because honestly , slotting GATE in her latest album will feel really outta place as the song's such a big sweeping power ballad which probably might overdrown DREAM which consists of quite a lot of upbeat dance tunes .
I never watched the movie Gate but I guess you can slot GATE on par if not more superior than Yuna's other famous ballads like ENDLESS STORY , Precious & Truth .
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Matsushita Yuya - Negai ga Kanau Nara ... (If My Dream/Wish Comes True) ... (Honesty's B-side)
Negai ga Kanau Nara ... (If My Dream/Wish Comes True) ... is the 1st B-side song you can find in Matsushita Yuya's upcoming new 3rd single Honesty which will be released this coming Wed .
Just like the A-side , Negai ga Kanau Nara ... also received a music video of its own .
Unlike Honesty , Negai ga Kanau Nara ... is a more toned down & laid back song . It's still R&B influenced & catchy & I feel it's a nice & good contrast against such a heavy poppy R&B infused A-side .
It frankly took me a while to remember as to how Negai ga Kanau Nara ... sounds like but now I grew to remember it & eventually I like Negai ga Kanau Nara ... just as much as the A-side .
2 other B-sides Honesty -acoustic version- & Achira e (Over There) will be reviewed in due time .
Achira e is only found in the CD only edition of Matsushita's Honesty single & it served as the ending theme song for the musical adaption of the manga series Kuroshitsuji in which he portrayed Sebastian Michaelis .
Ken Hirai - CANDY
CANDY is Ken Hirai's 30th single . It will be released next month on 23rd & this comes in 1 year & 5 months+ since the release of his last single Itsuka Hanareru Hi ga Kite mo which served as his 1st recut single which was taken from his 7th album FAKIN' POP .
Hoo boy , it has been a long time since Ken released a new single & it seems like forever when his 2nd cover album Ken's Bar II was released on 27th May this year .
Hence when I found out that he's finally back with something new , I embraced that & he returned with this really smooth R&B influenced tune in the form of CANDY !
I must admit before I heard the song , I was wondering if it's going to sound like another Strawberry Sex or fake star but it's without the raunchy factor going on .
I can't help but compare CANDY against I'm so drunk which's track #7 from his 5th album LIFE is ... as the tunes for both songs sounded a bit similar but in anycase , CANDY's really infectious & I was immediately hooked onto it on 1st listen which's great stuff .
Furusa Saiida (Best Wishes) & Do it !! serve as B-sides in his new single & I say , welcome back Ken Hirai !
Thursday, August 20, 2009
ARASHI - Attack it ! (5x10's Hidden Track)
The hidden track of 5x10 which's called Attack it ! is only found in the regular edition of ARASHI's 3rd compilation album ARASHI 5x10 All the BEST ! 1999 - 2009 which was released yesterday .
After 5x10 , a 2:40 mins snippet of Attack it ! can be heard & the time duration of 5x10 found in both editions are naturally different .
In the case of the regular edition , inclusive of the hidden track , it clocks in at 8:18 mins while the exclusion of the hidden track in the limited edition , brings the time frame of 5x10 to be 5:28 mins .
Let me just say that Attack it ! is really random & amusing . You get to hear random snippets from the guys's previous songs & the final product gives you this quirky mash up .
It's a pity that the mash up clocks in under 3 mins since this's 1 mash up that I kinda enjoyed & it's fun for that matter too .
Friday, August 14, 2009
SID - Uso (Lie)
CD Only Regular Edition Cover :
CD Only Limited Edition Cover :
CD + DVD Type A Cover :
CD + DVD Type B Cover :
Uso (Lie) is rock band SID's 3rd major label single . It was released on 27th April this year & it served as the 1st ending theme song for the anime Fullmetal Alchemist : Brotherhood .
The song peaked at #2 in the 1st week of release .
YUI's 14th single again was used as the opening no. .
Pronounced as 'Shido' , Uso is a really gorgeous piece of rock no. . I love it that I was immediately drawn into how beautiful/pretty it sounds & lead singer Mao's vocals is pretty distinct to a certain extent .
I just love the whole feeling that Uso gave & I feel that it fitted the concept of Fullmetal Alchemist : Brotherhood very well to a tee .
6 years ago since SID was formed from the time when they were initally an indie rock band , their popularity progressed at a rate which surprised numerous publications and notoriously earned them the title "the monster band of the indie scene" which I guess it's easy to see why when you listen to Uso .
Somemore , being on the same record label (Ki/oon Records) as L'Arc~en~Ciel is ain't 1/2 bad either .
Great stuff , this's another band that I will be keeping tabs on from today onwards .
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Dew - Thank you
Tracklist :
1) Thank you
2) Niji (Rainbow)
3) Lovin' you
4) My Special Day (acoustic version)
5) Thank you (instrumental)
Thank you is Dew's 3rd single . It was released on 8th April this year .
The duo comprises of 2 vocalists Yu Simizu & Haruna Ohnishi in which Haruna also doubles up as a pianist in the group & they share the same record label as SMAP & Saito Kazuyoshi ie. Victor Entertainment .
MTV Asia & MTV China been playing this single on a pretty frequent basis & I decided to try their material as I basically like what the girls have to offer . It's pretty much a really good pop & piano influenced no. .
The 1st B-side is called Niji (Rainbow) & it's more calm than Thank you . It's a nice piano pop song coupled with cool percussion beats which gives you this song the edge that it needs to stand out .
The 2nd B-side is called Lovin' you & this's sung in full English . Unlike other jpop acts that I listen to , the girls's English dictation's good in here . It helps that that they went to secondary school for 3 years in Canada so you're not getting any broken English/Engrish in Lovin' you .
Unlike Thank you & Niji , Lovin' you is a really beautiful acoustic song . It's just the girls singing alongside with the piano which's great since I really love acoustic songs & that goes for Lovin' you .
The last song in the single is the acoustic version of their 2nd single My Special Day .
Compared to the original , the acoustic take of My Special Day has been replaced with gorgeous & stronger strings . Combined that with piano , this's just plain lovely I say .
I really enjoyed the whole package on what Dew has to offer in their latest single Thank you . I guess they're 1 group that's really worth listening/looking out for as I think given the right amount of time/exposure , they can go really far .
If you like touching & great pop songs with splashes of piano , guitar & strings , then Dew might be the artiste for you to try out .
Dew's Official Site
Saito Kazuyoshi - COME ON !
Tracklist :
1) COME ON !
2) Ai no Hi (Light Of Love)
3) Yukidoke (Thawing Of Snow)
COME ON ! is Saito Kazuyoshi's 37th single . It was released last Wed & it comes in 3 months + since the release of his last single Don't Worry Be Happy .
The single debuted at #16 with 5,691 copies sold in the 1st week .
Just like Don't Worry Be Happy , COME ON ! is an extremely upbeat peppy tune . I loved it that I was immediately hooked onto the song within an instant .
Also , I love the guitar riffs going on in COME ON ! which's ace .
The 1st B-side in the single is called Ai no Hi (Light Of Love) . It's a sharp contrast to COME ON ! which's a highly energetic no. . You will not get that in Ai no Hi which's a beautiful touching ballad .
It's basically just Saito with his trusty guitar & the ending product gives you this really nice no. .
The 2nd B-side Yukidoke (Thawing Of Snow) is a cover song that was originally done by Kiyoshiro Imawano . It's also the longest track in the single , clocking in at 6:26 mins .
Perhaps because of the duration of Yukidoke somehow or another , I don't really like Yukidoke as much as the other 2 songs in the single . I was frankly quite bored with it on 1st listen .
I'm fine with Yukidoke now , just that I will not consider it as my fave song in the single .
After delivering 1 heck of a great single , Saito Kazuyoshi came back pretty strong with COME ON ! & come on (pun intended) , go ahead & listen to his material . You will not regret doing so at all .
He will be releasing his 13th album Tsuki ga Noboreba next month on 16th & I can't wait for that to happen .
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
ARASHI - 5x10
5x10 is the only new song that you can find in ARASHI's 3rd compilation album ARASHI 5x10 All the BEST ! 1999 - 2009 in which it will be released in exactly a week's time .
This song can be found in the 2nd disc of the album & it express the band's thanks to friends & fans for supporting them since debuting on the scene a decade ago .
Also 5x10 is the 2nd song that they have wrote together that make the cut on a CD , the 1st being Fight Song which you can find in the limited edition of their 18th single Love so sweet .
The full song was played on Aiba Masaki's radio show AIBA RECOMEN a few days ago & such a beautiful touching ballad I say & it immediately reminds me of their 4th single Kansha Kangeki Ame Arashi (Big Gratitude From Arashi) , lyrics wise as both tunes are in the same wavelength .
If you have read the translated lyrics of 5x10 online , this's a song that will tug your heart , especially for fans who have been supporting ARASHI since 10 years ago when they 1st debuted which's frankly no laughing matter & it brings you on how much that they have accomplished & also on what music & non music impacts that they have left .
With that said , I really cannot wait to get my hands of ARASHI 5x10 All the BEST ! 1999 - 2009 in due time as this's probably the must have compilation album of the year to get .
Songwriting & composing credts of 5x10 :
Lyrics - ARASHI
Music - youth case
Arrangement - ha-j
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
abingdon boys school - Kimi no Uta (Your Song)
Cover For Both CD & CD + DVD's editions :
Kimi no Uta (Your Song) is abingdon boys school's 7th single . Scheduled to be released this month on the 26th , this comes 3 months + since the release of their last single JAP .
The A-side will be used as the opening theme song for the anime Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 & it's their 3rd single release of 2009 after STRENGTH. & JAP .
The song deals with change , hope , and gratitude & it's written by frontman Takanori & composed by guitarist Shibasaki .
From 1 heart thumping rock tune to the next , the guys have blazed though another one in the form of Kimi no Uta . I initally thought that the song might be a ballad just like their 3rd single Nephilim but I was so proven wrong when I finally got to see/hear it .
This's classic abs at its best & I just love the whole feeling that Kimi no Uta presented . It's a kick ass rock song coupled with lots of great beats & synth thrown in for good measures & when you have frontman Takanori in the front seat , you know you can't go wrong with Kimi no Uta at all .
STEALTH - Reigoushiki (Type Zero) JAP- serves as the B-side in the single .
Saturday, August 08, 2009
GIRL NEXT DOOR - FRIENDSHIP / Wait for you
FRIENDSHIP / Wait for you are the other 2 A-sides of GIRL NEXT DOOR's 6th single Be your wings / FRIENDSHIP / Wait for you which was released on Wed .
My 1st impression of FRIENDSHIP is that it really reminded me of ayumi hamasaki's Boys & Girls . Especially at the beginning of the song which I got a strong case of deja vu .
Not that it's a bad thing seeing that I love Boys & Girls but in the case of FRIENDSHIP , this's some serious catchy stuff that the trio has dished out & not to mention it's upbeat & peppy just like Be your wings .
The thing that separates the 1st & 2nd A-sides is in FRIENDSHIP , frontwoman Chisa keeps going on 'you're my friend I'm your friend' in the background which naturally is easy to remember & it sticks in your head within seconds .
Wait for you is the only A-side that did not receive a music video of its own & honestly I kinda can sense why so because out of the 3 A-sides , I feel Wait for you's the weakest outta the lot .
It took me quite a while to remember how the song sounds like but after a few listens , I'm alright with it . I feel it sounded a bit the same like Climber's high to a certain extent so that kinda helps matters in here .
Plus , you can hear stronger guitar riffs going on in Wait for you unlike in Be your wings & FRIENDSHIP .
The B-side of the single is the Ferry Corsten Remix of Jounetsu no Daishou (The Compensation Of The Passion) .
I said it many times before in my music blog that I'm not really a remix person at all but this's pretty ok & considering that Ferry Corsten composed ayumi's Connected in her 4th album I am ... which I adore , I guess I can apply this in here too .
After releasing 2 singles this year , GND returns back with their 3rd single release of 2009 in the form of Be your wings / FRIENDSHIP / Wait for you & this time round , they venture out a bit from their music comfort zone & delivered a single that has a lot of bite & kicks which I like .
I think it's about time that the guys & girl to release their 2nd album since the amount of singles that made the cut in their debut self titled album , contains their 1st 3 singles & maybe that will go the same thing for their 2nd album ?
Only time will tell on this I suppose .
Friday, August 07, 2009
ayumi hamasaki - Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Cover :
Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ is the 2nd A-side of ayumi hamasaki's 46th single Sunrise / Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ which will be released this coming Wed .
The 2nd A-side will be used in the latest Panasonic LUMIX FX60 camera ad in which ayumi's the spokesperson for the company .
If you know the concept going on with regards to Koda Kumi's Yume no Uta / Futari de ... , then the same thing applies to Sunrise / Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ in that 1 same melody's utilised but it's being used for 2 songs with different vibes .
While Sunrise's a happy , upbeat & summer inspired tune , in the case for Sunset , it's a ballad & I have to say that despite the fact that both songs are using the same melody , you can hear subtle differences to a certain extent .
Like for Sunset's case , you can hear the inclusion of piano that you're not able to find in Sunrise which's plain lovely & you can feel the raw emotions coming from ayumi in this case which's great .
The B-side of Sunrise / Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ is a "fairyland-glitter-BLUE BIRD-Greatful days-July 1st" Mega-Mash-Up-Mix which's basically a 7:45 mins mashup of her previous summer songs .
I will not comment that much about the mega mashup mix but it's a nice walk down the music memory lane , especially since this mix contains some of my fave past summer songs of hers , including BLUE BIRD as that was 1 of the 1st few songs & videos I listened/saw of her when I began my jpop music journey 3 years ago .
After the release of her 10th album NEXT LEVEL , ayumi has really brought things to the next level (pun intended) in the form of her latest new single Sunrise / Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ .
It's frankly not an easy task to carry off a double A-side which utilises the same melody but with different vibes that each of the A-side presents as things might backfire & etc but ayumi managed to work things in her favour in here & both songs compliment each other extremely well .
I definitely can't wait to see what else she has up her sleeves as to me , she's 1 of the rare artistes that has been putting out real good material since her debut in the scene 11 years ago & to be still going strong after being in the business for so long , it's commendable I have to say .
Monday, August 03, 2009
CD Review :: Tegomass - Tegomass no Uta
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Cover :
Tracklist :
1) Miso Soup
2) Kiss ~Kaeri Michi no (Going Back Home) Love Song~
3) Tatta Hitotsu Dake (Just The Only One)
4) Natsu e no Tobira (Door To Summer)
5) What's going on ?
6) Kushami (Sneeze)
7) Sayonara Boku no Machi (Goodbye , My Town)
8) HIGHWAY
9) POWER OF EARTH
10) Shikisai (Colour Of Four Seasons)
11) Kataomoi no Chiisana Koi (Tiny Crush)
12) Aiaigasa (Sharing An Umbrella)
13) Ame nochi Hare (Rain Then Sunny) (CD Only Track)
14) Chicken Boya (Boy) (CD Only Track)
15) Miso Soup (CD Only Track)
Tegomass no Uta is Tegomass's debut album . It was released last month on the 15th .
The duo's 1st 3 singles are included in Tegomass no Uta & as such , you will not find their 4th single Tanabata Matsuri (Star Festival) in here which was released a week before the album dropped .
Miso Soup is track #1 on the album & it's their debut single which was released 3 years ago . I have to admit that initally when I saw the title Miso Soup , I thought it might be some corny/cheesy tune but I'm actually surprised on how mature like it sounded to a certain extent .
It's a nice mid tempo ballad I should say & both Tegoshi & Masuda's vocals compliment each other very well .
Incidentally , the English version of the song is the last track you can find in Tegomass no Uta (assuming if you bought the CD only edition as you will not find it in the CD + DVD edition of the record)
Kiss ~Kaeri Michi no (Going Back Home) Love Song~ is track #2 & it's their 2nd single . The song was used as the ending theme song for the anime Lovely Complex & the B-side Kimi + Boku = Love ? was used as the opening theme .
This's also the only single of the duo that did not debuted at #1 as compared to the rest of their discography . It had to settle for #2 eventually .
It's a pity I say because I honestly really like Kiss ~Kaeri Michi no Love Song~ as it's such a sweet sincere ballad & there's no way you will dislike this type of music at all , no matter how somewhat cheesy it's but it still gives you a warm fuzzy feeling at the end of the day .
Tatta Hitotsu Dake (Just The Only One) is the 1st new album track on Tegomass no Uta . This's a really upbeat & peppy song . The guys sounded like they had a lot of fun belting this no. out . I wouldn't blame them if that happened as it puts me in a really good mood when I 1st heard Tatta Hitotsu Dake .
Natsu e no Tobira (Door To Summer) is a nice & rather chilled out mid tempo song . It's a pop song but it's not exactly a full blown pop no. . Instead you have shades of synth in Natsu e no Tobira & the ending product that you get to hear's this somewhat groovy tune which's frankly cool .
What's going on ? is track #5 & what an upbeat song this's & I say this's a perfect sound transition from Natsu e no Tobira to What's going on ? & it helps that this's some serious catchy tune that I like .
Kushami (Sneeze) is an amusing song title . I thought it might be a joke song or something but I'm surprised that it's a very short song .
In fact it's the 2nd shortest song in Tegomass no Uta , clocking in at 2:17 mins & in here , you get an awesome stripped down song in which the guys are backed up only by an acoustic guitar which's basically back to basics & you can hear the duo's vocals shine & it's kinda evident as to why Tegoshi & Masuda are considered 2 of the best vocalists in NEWS .
Sayonara Boku no Machi (Goodbye , My Town) is an interesting song . I say so because it's 1 of the 2 songs you can find in Tegomass no Uta that's heavily Enka influenced to a certain extent which caught me by surprise when I 1st heard it .
Also you can hear the sounds of flute going on in Sayonara Boku no Machi which I think it's cool as it gives the song an even bigger music edge that it needs to stand out from the other songs you can find in Tegomasu no Uta .
HIGHWAY is 1 of my fave album tracks & it's quite easy to see why because HIGHWAY consists of loud trumpets blaring out in full force in the beginning of the tune & this's the perfect song to blast out in your sound systems if you're planning to throw a party as it will give you that really high (drug free) feeling .
POWER OF EARTH is track #9 & this's also another fave album track of mine as it's a pop/rock guitar driven no. . It might sound like a standard typical pop/rock fare but Tegoshi & Masuda's vocals were able to save it from becoming a boring tune & they changed HIGHWAY to something worth listening/looking out for which's great .
Shikisai (Colour Of Four Seasons) is the shortest track in Tegomass no Uta , clocking in at 2:11 mins & this's the 2nd song that's heavily Enka influenced .
I wouldn't really call this a full song , it's more like a long interlude that's oddly smacked in the middle of the album . There were basically less than 10 lyrics lines or so in Shikisai but man the melody's something that I really enjoyed .
Especially at the last part where it gets very aggressive & heart thumping somewhat .
Kataomoi no Chiisana Koi (Tiny Crush) is track #11 & it served as the ending theme song for the 2nd season of the anime Neo Angelique Abyss .
This's probably 1 song that I have been waiting for the longest time to hear the full take of it seeing that I heard the short version of the song since last year & for me to finally to be able to hear the full version of Kataomoi no Chiisana Koi , it's definitely worth the 1 year+ wait for me .
For me , what I like about Kataomoi no Chiisana Koi is that it's such a nice ballad & the music cameo of a flute & also some Enka influences thrown in for good measures makes Kataomoi no Chiisana Koi stands out from the other tunes you can find in Tegomasu no Uta .
Frankly I was hoping that the duo would have released Kataomoi no Chiisana Koi as a single as it's written single material all over the place but too bad that didn't materlised but at least it made the cut in Tegomass no Uta which I guess it's not so bad at the end of the day .
Aiaigasa (Sharing An Umbrella) is the duo's 3rd single which was used as the ending theme song for the 1st season of Neo Angelique Abyss .
Ah what's there not to like such a sweet song ? Aiaigasa was also the 1st tune I heard from Tegomass too so it has quite a lot of special memories/meaning to me & just like Kiss ~Kaeri Michi no Love Song~ , it has that warm fuzzy feeling you will have when you listen to Aiaigasa .
The next 3 songs are tunes that you're only available to find in the CD only edition of Tegomass no Uta .
Ame nochi Hare (Rain Then Sunny) is a charming song I should say . It's really carefree & it's 1 of those songs that will want you to just kick back & relax when you listen to Ame nochi Hare .
Chicken Boya (Boy) is another song title that will make go o_O but it's interesting to note that this's the only song in Tegomasu no Uta which has personal input that were contributed by the duo .
The lyrics of Chicken Boya were written by Masuda while the music was composed by Tegoshi .
I have to confess that I thought the song might be something cheesy/weird but I'm surprised that it's quite mature sounding . I guess this goes to show that you should not judge a song based on its title alone & I believe the same thing goes for Miso Soup & also Chicken Boya too .
It's a pretty good mid tempo song & considering that it's the duo's 1st song that they have wrote & composed separately (respectively) , hats off to them for doing so .
Miso Soup is the final track on Tegomass no Uta & no your eyes are not playing tricks with you in that there're 2 songs in the record that shares the same song title .
In here aka track #15 , it's the English version which was 1st released in Sweden before the Japanese version was released because the writer of Miso Soup who goes by the name of zopp is Swedish himself so that's probably 1 of the reason why so it happens .
For me , I'm surprised that the duo's English command's pretty good in here . I did got lost in the midst of hearing it , especially after they belted out the 1st chorus & I had to look at the lyrics sleeve when I listened to it .
Considering that English's not their 1st language , it's commendable I say .
Tegomass no Uta is a pretty neat debut album delivered by Tegomass . In here , you get a mixture of upbeat/mid tempo pop songs with ballads thrown in for good measures .
Let's just say that the material you're able to find in Tegomass no Uta , are tunes that you will not be able to see NEWS doing it at all & in here , you have 2 of NEWS's best vocalists in delivering this solid album offering .
I'm not sure whether will they be releasing another album & let alone a new single . That reminds to be seen coming from the management's point of view but until then , do yourself a favour & listen to Tegomass no Uta .
You'll be amazed on how top notch this debut album offering's .
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Domoto Koichi - Ayakashi (Something's Strange/Suspicious)
CD Only Regular Edition Cover :
Tracklist :
1) Ayakashi (Something's Strange/Suspicious)
2) Awaken Yourself
3) Falling -2009- (CD Only Regular & Limited Editions Track)
4) Peaceful World -2009- (Regular CD Only Track)
CD Only Limited Edition Cover :
1) Ayakashi (Something's Strange/Suspicious)
2) Awaken Yourself
3) Falling -2009- (CD Only Regular & Limited Editions Track)
4) Ayakashi (Backing Track with Koichi's Chorus) (CD Only Limited Edition Track)
CD + DVD Cover :
1) Ayakashi (Something's Strange/Suspicious)
2) Awaken Yourself
Ayakashi (Something's Strange/Suspicious) is Domoto Koichi's 2nd solo single . It was released this Wed & it serves as a prelude to his 1st solo tour in 3 years which will commence on the 15th of this month .
Domoto Koichi is of course best known as being 1 1/2 of the duo KinKi Kids in which he formed the duo together with Domoto Tsuyoshi some 12 years ago & despite the fact that both guys have the same surname , they're not related by blood at all .
It has been 3 years since Koichi's last solo single release Deep in your heart / + MILLION but - LOVE & that goes for the release of his debut solo album mirror as well .
With the exception of Perfect World -2009- in which Koichi wrote & composed it , the other 3 songs in the single were composed by him .
Man , Ayakashi's such an explosive song , I was so & immediately addicted to this no. which has shades of guitar riffs , electro & dance thrown in for good measures & this's an insane catchy tune in which I have been playing it on repeat mode for the past few days or so .
The same thing goes for the 1st B-side Awaken Yourself . While there're no guitar riffs in here , it takes on a more electro/pop direction which's equally strong/awesome like Ayakashi .
It's a good thing that both songs sounded different from each other even though they're almost in the same music direction & it's the melodies which make Ayakashi & Awaken Yourself stand out from each other & hats off to Koichi for composing .
Only available in the CD only regular & limited editions of Ayakashi , it's Falling -2009- .
Unlike Ayakashi & Awaken Yourself which're very upbeat no.s , that's not the case for Falling -2009- . This's 1 really smooth electro/pop tune & it's a lot more slower & it's quite a sexy one if you look at it .
Definitely a very cool song to plug if you're in a bar , chilling out & all .
Peaceful World -2009- is only found in the CD only regular edition of Ayakashi & this's the only song in the single where Koichi wrote & composed it as compared to the 1st 3 songs where he only composed them .
I really love Peaceful World -2009- on 1st listen & as the song title suggest , it's a somewhat peaceful tune & it's a ballad .
There's an amazing sweeping orchestra feeling that the song presented & I just like it how everything fits together in here .
Domoto Koichi's latest solo single Ayakashi is a top notch single that he has brought to the music table . I have to confess that initally I had no intentions to listen to his solo material but something in me convinced me to try out his solo works & it's something that I don't regret doing so now .
I'm real amazed on how solid the single's beyond my expectations & here you get really top notch quality material coming from The Prince & Koichi's composing skills are something worth admiring for .
I will be reviewing his debut solo album mirror in due time but until then , I'm going to be putting Ayakashi on repeat mode for a while .
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Nakayama Yuma w/B.I. Shadow , NYC boys - Akuma na Koi (Demon Love) / NYC
CD Only Covers :
Tracklist :
1) Akuma na Koi (Demon Love) (Nakayama Yuma w/B.I. Shadow)
2) NYC (NYC boys)
3) Aoi Kisetsu (Blue Season) (CD Only Track) (NYC boys)
4) Akuma na Koi (Demon Love) (Original Karaoke)
5) NYC (Original Karaoke)
CD + DVD Type A Covers :
Tracklist :
1) Akuma na Koi (Demon Love) (Nakayama Yuma w/B.I. Shadow)
2) NYC (NYC boys)
3) Dial Up (CD + DVD Type A & B Track) (NYC boys)
CD + DVD Type B Covers :
Tracklist :
1) NYC (NYC boys)
2) Akuma na Koi (Demon Love) (Nakayama Yuma w/B.I. Shadow)
3) Dial Up (CD + DVD Type A & B Track) (NYC boys)
Akuma na Koi (Demon Love) / NYC is Nakayama Yuma w/B.I. Shadow , NYC boys's debut (temporary) single . It was released last month on the 15th .
The single went to #1 & sold 175,788 in the 1st week , making them the youngest group to have a #1 single in Japan & initally it was Morning Museume which managed to accomplish this feat .
Nakayama Yuma w/B.I. Shadow is Johnny & Associates's latest new group to debut this year . The group consists of Kansai Johnny's Jr. Nakayama Yuma in which the reminding members of the group are Johnny's Jr. unit B.I. Shadow (Nakajima Kento , Kikuchi Fuma , Matsumura Hokuto , and Kochi Yugo) , hence the group name Nakayama Yuma w/B.I. Shadow .
Also , the guys teamed up with Hey ! Say ! JUMP's Yamada Ryosuke & Chinen Yuri to form the latest Johnny's temporary unit NYC boys which served as this year's supporters for the Women's Volleyball World Grand Prix .
So I guess you can say that for this single's case , it's a 1/4 debut single & a 3/4 temporary unit single since the 2nd A-side & the 2 B-sides are sung by NYC boys .
1st off is Nakayama Yuma w/B.I. Shadow's debut single Akuma na Koi in which it serves as the theme song of Nakayama's new Fuji TV drama Koishite Akuma .
I'm surprised that it sounded pretty much grown up & mature to a certain extent despite how young this group of boys are . It's a nice mid tempo guitar pop/rock driven no. & their vocals are pretty good to handle this rather grown up tune which's good .
The subsequent material you can find (including the 2 B-sides) in the single are sung by NYC boys .
NYC which's the 2nd A-side is this year's official volleyball support song for the Women's Volleyball World Grand Prix .
I guess this's quite a typical standard Johnny's fare . It's pretty much an upbeat tune even though I can't help but compare it against Hey ! Say ! JUMP's debut single Ultra Music Power since that song was also used in the Women's Volleyball World Grand Prix 2 years ago when the 10 piece band debuted .
Only available in the CD only edition of the single , it's Aoi Kisetsu (Blue Season) & wow this's some pretty nifty no. .
I was quite shocked with the loud blaring of trumpets in the beginning of the song & after that's out of the way , in comes a really upbeat & strong pop Jazz influenced song which's no doubt catchy on 1st listen .
The 2nd B-side Dial Up is only available in both CD + DVD editions of Akuma na Koi / NYC .
Unlike Aoi Kisetsu which I like on 1st instant , it took me quite a while to warm up to Dial Up . It was really cheesy for me to handle initally & it doesn't help that the introduction & ending both had a dial up sound effect .
Not to mention , it sounded like some dated 90's no. to me & the bridge of the song was a bit too long & un-necessary for me to handle .
But after a while , I'm ok with it & the slight rapping going on in Dial Up is pretty cool & I guess this's 1 Carribean inspired like song you can plug it loud if you're planning to throw a party .
Akuma na Koi / NYC is surprisingly a really nice grown up effort coming from Johnny & Associates's brand new debut group even though I must say that it's weird that the talent agency decided to put this single into a 1/4 debut single & a 3/4 temporary unit single since it's better that they spilt things up properly .
I guess things happen for a reason & if future material of Nakayama Yuma w/B.I. Shadow continues to be this good , then I think good things will be showered over them in time to come .
Koike Teppei - Kimi Dake (Just You)
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Cover :
Tracklist :
1) Kimi Dake (Just You)
2) Rough Writer
3) Kimi ni Okuru Uta (The Song Which Is Sent To You) Acoustic version (CD Only Track)
Kimi Dake (Just You) is Koike Teppei's 1st official solo single . It was released on 24th June this year .
The single debuted at #4 in the 1st week of release & this followed by the release of his 2nd solo album Jack In The Box last month on the 15th & you can find Kimi Dake as track #5 on his new album which debuted at #15 on the 1st week of release .
Koike is probably best known as 1 1/2 of the duo WaT in which he formed the duo together with Eiji Wentz , hence the namesake .
Aside from that , he's also an actor in which some of his TV dramas credits include the 2nd season of Gokusen .
Kimi Dake is a pleasant mid tempo ballad that's piano driven to a certain extent . Initally I had no idea as to how Koike sounds like but he did a pretty good job delivering Kimi Dake .
The 1st B-side of the single Rough Writer is well quite a 'rough' no. . Compared to Kimi Dake , Rough Writer is a really uplift & soaring guitar pop/rock song . I have to admit that this's a really catchy tune which caught my attention on 1st listen .
Only available in the CD only edition of Kimi Dake , it's the acoustic version of Kimi ni Okuru Uta (The Song Which Is Sent To You) .
This song was originally found in the (Teppei Koike Jacket Ver.) of Kimi ni Okuru Uta / Lucky de Happy in which it featured one of 2 solo vocal versions as B-sides & that was released 2 years ago on 14th Feb .
I don't know how the original take of Kimi ni Okuru Uta sounds like but I have to say that I really like the acoustic take of the song . It's such a simple , sweet & stripped down tune , it's a hard thing to dislike acoustic driven music if you ask me & Koike sounded very much at ease when belting out the acoustic take of Kimi ni Okuru Uta which's really nice .
This's the 1st time I chose to listen to Koike Teppei's solo material & I must say that Kimi Dake's quite a solid & good solo offering . It's nice that he showcased various styles of music in Kimi Dake , from a piano driven ballad to an upbeat guitar pop/rock no. to finally an acoustic song .
There's something for everyone to enjoy in Kimi Dake & Koike nailed every single music aspect in here , downpat .
