Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Mika Nakashima - SMILEY (CANDY GIRL's B-side)
SMILEY is the B-side no. you can find in Mika Nakashima's 29th single CANDY GIRL which's released officially today & this song's fully written by Mika herself .
I frankly got a shock when I 1st heard SMILEY because in the background , you can hear laughter which you might be able to hear/find them in circuses (keeping in line with the concept that CANDY GIRL has) which really scared me initally .
But after I got that out of the way , the song's an unusual no. . It's not the typical Jazz style that Mika's famous for . Instead it's more towards the poppy side .
I guess maybe because of this , I did not find SMILEY as memorable/catchy as what I was hoping for . It only started to sink into my mind after a few listens .
Not bad but I will not consider it as 1 of my fave B-side tunes of Mika .
===
From Over Load & now CANDY GIRL , Mika Nakashima has brought another really cool single to the table .
Except for SMILEY which I feel was a bit of a letdown , the A-side itself's already awesome & that goes for the whole concept surrounding her new single & she looked great for all 4 covers of CANDY GIRL too .
I can't wait to see what else she has in store in due course .
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Aqua Timez - Saigo Made (To End)
Saigo Made (To End) is a new song delivered by pop/rock group Aqua Timez .
This song is found in their 1st compilation album The BEST of Aqua Timez which will be released on 14th Oct & Saigo Made's used for the 2nd campaign for Sony's WALKMAN called Play You. .
Despite the somewhat depressing song title , I have to admit I was very surprised when I finally managed to listen to Saigo Made .
It's really upbeat & has more harder rock shades attached to it . It's probably 1 of their more edgier no.s that they have delivered to date from what I have listened from the guys & girl & this's for sure a kick ass tune that's great to rock out to if you want to let your hair down on a good/bad day .
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Takizawa Hideaki - Hikari Hitotsu (Only Light)'s B-sides
The following B-sides are found in Takizawa Hideaki's 3rd solo single Hikari Hitotsu which was released on Wed .
- Warui Otoko (Bad Man)
- Ai no Senshi (Soldier Of Love) TAKI Ranger (CD Only Track)
- Boku ga Iru (I'm Here) (Tackey Shop Track)
I will only review the 1st 2 songs because I'm not able to find Boku ga Iru .
Warui Otoko is a hot & sensual no. . It immediately reminded me of Tackey's debut single Ai Kakumei (Love Revolution) except it's better & less cheesy .
I like the various beats & influences going on in this Spanish dance influenced no. & no surprises I took an instant liking to Warui Otoko straightaway .
Only found in the CD only edition of Hikari Hitotsu , it's Ai no Senshi TAKI Ranger
& just like Tackey's previous B-sides which lies on the crazy whack factor , this's no exception for Ai no Senshi TAKI Ranger .
Surprisingly , I actually didn't mind Ai no Senshi TAKI Ranger that much as I find it extremely amusing & I suspect Tackey choose to incorporate crazy B-sides in his solo singles to balance things off since usually the A-sides songs of his are geared up towards the more serious side of things & that goes for Hikari Hitotsu .
As the saying goes , 3rd time's the charm & I think this saying really applies to Tackey's latest single very well .
I honestly can say that out of all the 3 solo singles that he has released since Jan this year , Hikari Hitotsu has got to be my fave so far coming from him .
I'm not sure what's next in store for Tackey but I have a feeling he might be releasing his debut solo album soon or maybe another new solo single .
If not , I really hope he can reunite with Tsubasa as it has been way too long for Tackey & Tsubasa in not releasing anything new since last June's Koi Uta (Love Song) / PROGRESS .
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Ken Hirai - Boku wa Kimi ni Koi wo Suru (I Fall In Love With You)
Boku wa Kimi ni Koi wo Suru (I Fall In Love With You) is Ken Hirai's 31st single . It will be released next month on 21st Oct & this comes in less than a month after the release of CANDY .
Ken's new single will served as the theme song for the movie Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu starring Inoue Mao & the movie will open in cinemas on 24th Oct .
This's his 1st single to be released in 2 formats , CD & CD + DVD & it has been described as a love ballad which I guess this's probably concide with the movie concept surrounding Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu .
Boku wa Kimi ni Koi wo Suru brings back to the days when Ken was really famous for some of his best ballds that he put out in his career to date , such as Ring , his best/highest selling single Hitomi wo Tojite (Close Your Eyes) & Elegy (Aika) .
It might sound generic in a way or 2 but there's a certain feeling of comfort & yet sadness you can detect in Boku wa Kimi ni Koi wo Suru which I really like & no surprises , the mood you can feel in Boku wa Kimi ni Koi wo Suru is so different as compared to CANDY .
Hitori ja nai (Not Alone) & Catch you serve as the 2 B-sides which will accompany Boku wa Kimi ni Koi wo Suru .
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Ken Hirai - Furusa Sai'da (Nice To Meet You) & Do it !! (CANDY's B-sides)
Furusa Sai'da (Nice To Meet You) & Do it !! are the 2 B-sides tunes you can find in Ken Hirai's 30th single CANDY which's released officially today .
The title of his 1st B-side Furusa Sai'da is actually an Arabic no. & it's written something like this - فرصة سعيدة which yeah looks intimidating but I was actually surprised when he chosen to do such a song because from what I know , he has never done such a strong Arabic influenced tune during his 14 years being in the music business so when I listened to Furusa Saiida , I felt it's a nice change for Ken to experiment & do something he never done before .
In the case of the 2nd B-side Do it !! , it's yet not another typical song that Ken might do since his main music roots lie in Jazz & Soul . It leans more towards the electro side of the spectrum which I find it cool even though I can't help wonder in that Do it !! has that dirty sounding vibes it gives , just like the A-side .
If you have been a longtime fan of Ken Hirai , then be prepared to get a shock or 2 when you listen to CANDY as this's probably his most daring single release to date , video & then some & also it kinda doesn't help matters when his official site said that CANDY's deemed 'loose and lecherous' .
While I feel it's nice for him to experiment & do things that he normally doesn't do musically , it will be good for him to return back to what he does best in which that will happen when I will be reviewing his new single after CANDY ie. Boku wa Kimi ni Koi wo Suru (I Fall In Love With You) in due time & his 31st single will be released on 21st Oct .
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
school food punishment - sea-through communication
Cover for both CD Only & CD + DVD editions :
sea-through communication is school food punishment's 3rd single . It will be released on 7th Oct & this comes in 3 months + since the release of their previous single butterfly swimmer .
I was honestly surprised when I heard sea-through communication because unlike butterfly swimmer & let alone futuristic imagination , it leans more towards the poppy & synth side .
It's less drums & guitar emphasised & instead you get various groovy synth beats going on in the quartet's latest A-side material which I find it very cool .
Also , I noticed that the mood vibes you can feel in sea-through communication is more happier & cheerier to a certain extent as compared to butterfly swimmer & futuristic imagination & lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Yumi seem to be in a really good mood when recording this no. which I like .
fiction nonfiction & the -Q;indivi Yusuke Tanaka Remix- of butterfly swimmer serve as B-sides in the single .
Friday, September 18, 2009
CD Review :: Aoyama Thelma - Emotions
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Cover :
Tracklist :
1) Intro
2) Wasurenaiyo (I Wouldn't Forget)
3) Happiness
4) Futari no Yakusoku no Hi (Two Days Of Promise)
5) I'm Sorry
6) KEEP ON
7) Sunao ni Narenakute (I Can't Be Honest)
8) Todoketai ... (I Want To Send ...) Feat KEN THE 390
9) Baby , I love you
10) LOOK
11) WANNA COME AGAIN Feat m-flo's VERBAL
12) Cinderella Story
Emotions is Aoyama Thelma's 2nd album . It was released last Wed , on the same day as her 1st DVD Motions -Thelma Clips Vol.1- which features all of her music videos .
Only 2 singles are included in Aoyama's latest offering .
After a short 43 seconds Intro , track #2 immediately starts Emotions off with Wasurenaiyo (I Wouldn't Forget) which was her 7th single . It was the last single that Aoyama released before Emotions dropped .
Wasurenaiyo served as the theme song to the film HACHI Yakusoku no Inu which's the Japanese version of the Hollywood film Hachiko : A Dog's Tale .
I still like Wasurenaiyo & this's honestly a song that I never get sick of listening to as it's such a bittersweet R&B ballad . I just wish that the B-side Don't Stop made the cut in Emotions as it's a hot upbeat tune but too bad that didn't materialised but at least there're other great R&B no.s you can find in Emotions which I will review & talk about them later on .
Happiness is the 1st album track's & it was used in the Kao Essential ad .
I have seen the Kao Essential ad which featured a preview snippet of Happiness a while back ago & to finally hear the full version of the song on Emotions , it's nice I say .
This's a really carefree & chilled out song that I really like & it helps that it's catchy too . Also there's some groovy finger snapping beats going on in Happiness which adds a nice touch to the song .
Futari no Yakusoku no Hi (Two Days Of Promise) is track #4 & it's the 1st album ballad you can find in Emotions .
Honestly when I 1st heard Futari no Yakusoku no Hi , it definitely sounded pretty much every ballad that Aoyama does . Except in this case , I like the sincerity that she delivered across the border which's definitely not a bad thing at the end of the day .
I'm Sorry is the next track & to me , this's 1 of my fave album tracks in Emotions .
The beginning of the song somehow really reminded me of the 1st A-side of her 6th single Todoketai ... (I Want To Send ...) Feat KEN THE 390 / Konomam Zutto (This Much Remains) , with the clock like ticking noises .
But after that's outta the way , I'm Sorry begins to morph into a somewhat angsty driven tune & you definitely can't escape her singing "Aitakute Aitakute Aitakute" respectively in the background chorus that's for sure .
KEEP ON follows after I'm Sorry & this's 1 hot song ! It follows in the same vein as her other upbeat tunes such as Don't Stop , ONE WAY , PARADISE & you definitely can sense the party feeling vibes that KEEP ON gives .
Great to see that 2 strong album tracks being laid side by side together which I like .
Sunao ni Narenakute (I Can't Be Honest) is a slow R&B mid tempo track . It has a really strong melody that it gives off . I guess it's almost on the same wavelength as Wasurenaiyo but it still has that subtle happiness factor going on in here .
Todoketai ... feat KEN THE 390 is the 1st A-side of Aoyama's 6th single Todoketai ... / Konomam Zutto . In Emotions , only Todoketai ... is included . You can find Konoman Zutto as track #6 in her 1st compilation album LOVE ! though .
This's the 1st song you can find in Emotions which features guest musicians on vocals & I was frankly charmed by Todoketai ... on 1st listen .
At least for once , it's not a ballad unlike her 2nd single Soba ni Iru ne (I'm By Your Side) Feat SoulJa & even though in a way or 2 KEN THE 390 is somehow playing 2nd fiddle to Aoyama's vocals in here , it's still a neat collaboration between the 2 of them .
Baby , I love you is track #9 & even before I describe how the style's like for the tune , I think you can already guess from the title that it's a ballad .
It's quite cheesy for my liking & a bit slower than usual as compared to other ballads you can find in Emotions but I suppose I can let things slide in a way or 2 with regards to Baby , I love you .
LOOK is the next album track & just like KEEP ON , both of them lean towards the hot R&B uptempo side which I really like & it's nice to see Emotions flip flop from a ballad to an upbeat tune within minutes from each other .
WANNA COME AGAIN feat m-flo's VERBAL is the 2nd collaboration you can find in Emotions & this time , it features VERBAL from m-flo .
This song has got to be 1 of the more interesting tunes in the album as it has a more urban & electro feel to it but it still managed to maintain the R&B influence that Aoyama's famous for in her music .
I can't really understand VERBAL's rapping but other than that , this's a really good duet that I enjoyed .
Cinderella Story is a fitting way to wrap Emotions up seeing that it's the final track on the album & yes it's a ballad .
It's piano driven which's a refreshing change as the other ballads you can find in Emotions tend to be either guitar or percussion driven & I personally find Cinderella Story to be a really beautiful song .
I honestly can say that Emotions is a lot more better than what I expected from Aoyama Thelma . I was a bit worried on whether will she suffered the dreaded 2nd album music syndrome but thank goodness she didn't .
She came back with a much more stronger , mature & polished sounding record & despite the fact that I said before that doing a full blown R&B album is tough , she otherwise have proven me wrong in here .
Her debut album DIARY was an inital music stepping stone & in here you can feel the various emotions (pun intended) being poured & laid down all over the tracks that're scattered in her 2nd album .
There's a good mix of R&B upbeat & ballads in which I'm so relieved because before that I was worried that Emotions might be a snoozefest album filled with ballads since the majority of singles that she has released so far , the majority leans towards ballads .
So for her to pump up the volume & crank up the beat or 2 with great upbeat tunes in Emotions , it's a nice balance I say .
Definitely a solid release that I enjoyed a lot more than DIARY .
Thursday, September 17, 2009
flumpool - Frame
Frame is a brand new song delivered by flumpool . This's said to be their 3rd digital single & that it will be released online on 14th Oct .
This's the 3rd song of theirs to follow in this manner after Hana ni Nare (When Flowers) & Over the rain ~Hikari no Hashi ~ (~Light Bridge~) .
In terms of time duration , it's equally lengthy like Hana ni Nare ie. both songs last for 6 mins + .
I honestly have to say that Frame wasn't as catchy & grabbing unlike their other tunes in their discography but at least in due time , I'm able to grab hold onto Frame & I think it's a beautiful song & it's a really lovely mid tempo tune .
The part where guitarist/lead vocalist Ryuuta goes 'lalala' prior to the conclusion of Frame adds a nice touch to the song & it has really nice melody arrangements going on which I adore .
I do hope to see Frame getting a physical release in due time either on a new single or a full length debut album of the guys since Hana ni Nare & Over the rain ~Hikari no Hashi~ made the cut in their debut mini album Unreal . So I guess only time will tell on the fate of Frame .
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Domoto Tsuyoshi - RAIN
CD Only Regular Edition Cover :
Tracklist :
1) Sunday Morning
2) Ongaku wo Owaraseyou (Music Could Be Finished)
3) FUNK-SE○SSION
CD Only Limited Edition Cover :
Tracklist :
1) Sunday Morning
2) Ongaku wo Owaraseyou (Music Could Be Finished)
3) RAIN (INST)
RAIN is 1 1/2 of KinKi Kids's Domoto Tsuyoshi's 3rd solo single . It was released last Wed .
Tsuyoshi's new solo single is released under his full name . As such , I do not count Sora (Sky) ~ Utsukushi ware no Sora (The Beautiful Sky) which was released on 10th April this year in the picture as that single was released via the name Tsuyoshi as it's .
Unusually enough , despite the fact that RAIN's the title of his new single , you will not find the any songs titled as such even though you will get the instrumental of RAIN in the limited edition of the single .
Instead , you will find Sunday Morning as track #1 in here & in here , it sees the talented music artist not only taking care of the lyrics , composition & arrangement , but also playing the piano , drums & the bass .
If you know how KinKi Kids & let alone the 2 guys's solo material are like , then you definitely know when comes to Tsuyoshi , he's very experimental when comes to his solo works as compared to Domoto Koichi whose works's almost similar to their duo's except it's more electro & somewhat pop influenced & also he leans more towards the composing side of the spectrum .
But anyway , Sunday Morning is a really chilled out song . I love the trumpets going on in the background of the song . It sounded a bit repetitve but the melody & arrangements more than make up for everything .
The next 2 songs are 2 very very long tracks & we're talking about a 12:27 mins & a 13:19 mins tune respectively !
I almost got a shock when I saw the track durations pertaining to Ongaku wo Owaraseyou (Music Could Be Finished) & also FUNK-SE○SSION as I didn't expect this coming from Tsuyoshi .
Both song are almost simliar in terms of their sound , except for Ongaku wo Owaraseyou , the additions of electric guitar riffs can be heard while for FUNK-SE○SSION , it's more soul & funk based .
I thought I might be intimidated with both songs but surprisingly , both tunes kept me very entertained from the start to the end & hats off to Tsuyoshi who's responsible for writing & composing both no.s .
After the release of Sora ~ Utsukushi ware no Sora , Domoto Tsuyoshi returns back with another pretty solid & mature solo single . If you were expecting another KinKi Kids soundalike material in here , then you will be proven very wrong after you gave RAIN a listen .
& speaking of KinKi Kids , the duo will be releasing their 29th single Swan Song on 28th Oct so be sure to look out for it .
Writing/composing credits for RAIN
1) Sunday Morning
Lyrics/Music/Arrangement - Domoto Tsuyoshi
2) Ongaku wo Owaraseyo (Music Could Be Finished)
Lyrics/Music - Domoto Tsuyoshi
3) FUNK-SE○SSION
Lyrics/Music - Domoto Tsuyoshi
4) RAIN (INST)
Lyrics/Music/Arrangement - Domoto Tsuyoshi
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Takizawa Hideaki - Hikari Hitotsu (Only Light)
CD Only Cover :
CD Only Cover (Tackey Shop) :
CD + DVD Cover (Drama Clip Edition) :
CD + DVD Cover (Music Clip Edition) :
Hikari Hitotsu (Only Light) is Takizawa Hideaki's 3rd solo single . It will be released on 23rd of this month & this comes 4 months since the release of Sha.la.la / Mugen no Hane (Wings Of Infinity) .
This's his overall 3rd solo single release for 2009 after Ai Kakumei (Love Revolution) & Sha.la.la / Mugen no Hane .
The A-side serves as the theme song to the drama Orthros no Inu starring Tackey himself & 2 of his juniors ie. NEWS/Kanjani∞'s Ryo Nishikido & Hey ! Say ! JUMP's Hikaru Yaotome .
As the saying goes , 3rd time's the charm & I gues this statement can apply in Hikari Hitotsu .
Because of the fact that I'm currently watching Orthros no Inu & that I always hear a preview of Hikari Hitotsu in the beginning of each episode , I know immediately that the song will sound great in full & my wish came true when the video for Hikari Hitotsu finally surfaced today .
If you know how ARASHI's truth sounds like & also the story plot going on for Orthros no Inu , then no additional words's needed to describe Hikari Hitotsu since both Tackey's latest single offering & truth are on the same wavelength , music wise .
I feel Tackey's solo offerings are getting better as each single release goes by & so far , my fave A-side material of him is definitely Hikari Hitotsu .
It's dark , moody & it fits the whole drama concept of Orthros no Inu perfect to a tee & the melody arrangements going on in Hikari Hitotsu is great & haunting .
The following songs serve as B-sides in Hikari Hitotsu :
- Warui Otoko (Bad Man)
- Ai no Senshi (Soldier Of Love) TAKI Ranger (CD Only Track)
- Boku ga Iru (I'm Here) (Tackey Shop Track)
Saturday, September 12, 2009
YUI - Never say die
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Cover :
Never say die is the 2nd A-side of YUI's 14th single It's all too much / Never say die which will be released on 7th Oct .
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 will be used in the film as an insert song .
Kaiji will be open in cinemas in Japan on 10th Oct .
While It's all too much is the angsty rock driven tune in here , Never say die paints a completely different picture .
Instead what you get in Never say die is a somewhat cheery & peppy tune . In fact , the song did reminded me of My Generation to a certain extent since both tunes kind of have the same guitar riffs going on in their melodies which I like .
The only grouse about Never say die is that it's unusually a tad too short . It might have been better for YUI to extend a song by a few seconds or so but other than that , Never say die is a perfect contrast to the angsty in your face driven It's all too much .
The ~YUI Acoustic Version~ of again serves as the B-side in It's all too much / Never say die .
Friday, September 11, 2009
CD Review :: SID - hikari
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Type A Cover :
CD + DVD Type B Cover :
Tracklist :
1) Rakuen (Eden)
2) Mousou Nikki (Diary Of Delusion) 2
3) Uso (Lie)
4) CIRCUS
5) Nakidashita Onna to Kyomukan (Weeping Woman And Emptiness)
6) Monochrome no Kiss
7) Tsumiki Kuzushi (Destroying Toy Bricks)
8) 2 Dome no Kanojo (Get Her Back Again)
9) capsule
10) DRAMA
11) Hikari (Light)
hikari is JRock & ex visual kei quartet SID's major label debut album release . The album was released on July 1st this year via Ki/oon Records .
The guys's 1st 3 singles that were released via Ki/oon Records are included in the album .
Rakuen (Eden) is the very 1st track in hikari & I have to say that it's a great song to start things off .
The way that lead singer Mao delivered this emotional driven mid tempo rock song , it's pretty something & I also adore the music arrangements going on in Rakuen too which I find it very empowering .
Mousou Nikki (Diary Of Delusion) 2 is track #2 & it's another cool rock tune . Unlike Rakuen , Mousou Nikki 2 is more drums & guitar driven .
The way that the drum beats goes & also the guitar riffs found in the song , it's those adrenaline driven no. that I like & it helps that it's catchy too .
Uso (Lie) is SID's 3rd single which served as the 1st ending theme song for the anime Fullmetal Alchemist : Brotherhood .
This's the song that 1st got me in touch with SID's music & I have to say even up to now , I still love Uso a lot & the music arrangements never fail to make me feel so impressed over this masterpiece that the guys have crafted .
CIRCUS is the 3rd album track . I frankly find this to be an OK song , it's those standard staple rock tunes that I tend to hear so I guess for CIRCUS's case , my opinions towards it is pretty much neutral in that I neither like nor dislike the song .
Nakidashita Onna to Kyomukan (Weeping Woman And Emptiness) is track #5 & I find this song really interesting & captivating .
For once , Nakidashita Onna to Kyomukan is 1 of the more poppier tunes you can find hikari & it's less rock influenced which I find it refreshing & nice .
Monochrome no Kiss is the guys's debut major label single which was released on last year on 29th Nov . It served as the opening theme song for the anime Kuroshitsuji .
If you're an anime bluff , I'm quite sure you have came across Uso & let alone Monochrome no Kiss .
Regardless of which , I really like Monochrome no Kiss . The introduction of the song has some nice guitar riffs & also the tune's already a class of its own .
Tsumiki Kuzushi (Destroying Toy Bricks) is track #7 & just like Nakidashita Onna to Kyomukan , this's another interesting song that caught me by surprise on 1st listen .
The introduction for Tsumiki Kuzushi is very Caribbean like inspired which I find it very cool & this continues on as a music backdrop as you listen to it as time goes by .
2 Dome no Kanojo (Get Her Back Again) is SID's 2nd single & it was released this year on Jan 14th .
This's the only Christmas inspired tune on hikari seeing that it's evident in the single covers & the music video itself .
For me , what I like about 2 Dome no Kanojo is that it's 1 of the more mellower tunes you can find in hikari which's such a nice change since in general , hikari's geared more towards the upbeat side of things .
capsule is another song that I find it really unique . Because just like YUI's again , capsule's 1/2 mellow & 1/2 upbeat in your face & you also don't know when to expect when will you get the mellow or upbeat side for the no. .
& when capsule's upbeat , it gives off great positive energy vibes that SID unleashed which I find it very kick ass & rocking .
DRAMA is track #10 & just like CIRCUS , I feel that both songs are slotted in the album for the sake of doing so .
In short , both DRAMA & CIRCUS are pretty much standard jrock songs that I tend to come across .
Having said that , I really like the drum beats & guitar riffs going on in DRAMA . It's just that I will not consider it as my fave album track in hikari .
The final things to close things off in hikari is well , what better way than a song which has the same title as the album & it's also the longest track on hikari , clocking in at 5:04 mins .
Hikari is really beautiful . I love the orchestra feeling/atmosphere that the tune gave in the beginning & after that's out of the way , in comes a laidback & great mid tempo song which I feel it's perfect in wrapping things off .
hikari the album is the 1st record I have listened to by SID & I have to say that I really enjoy the whole album . They're a rock & ex visual kei band but in here , you don't get a straight up rock affair record .
Instead there're various experimentations going on in hikari which the guys mixed it up with their signature trademark rock sound & the final product gives you an album that're extremely versatile & highly entertaining from the start to the end .
They will be releasing their 4th single one way on 11th Nov . Until then , I'm going to be putting hikari on repeat mode for a while .
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Mika Nakashima - CANDY GIRL
CD Only Regular Edition Cover :
CD Only Limited Edition Type A Cover :
CD Only Limited Edition Type B Cover :
CD Only Limited Edition Type C Cover :
CANDY GIRL is Mika Nakashima's 29th single . It will be released in the last Wed of Sept ie. 30th & this comes in 4 months + since the release of her last single Over Load .
Mika's brand new single will be released in 4 different editions , in which 3 of them are limited editions which comes with 3 different T-shirts & 1 regular edition , making this the 1st single of hers to be released in more than 2 editions .
The theme for CANDY GIRL is how to make a woman look glamorous and sexy in an everyday life & this's a collaboration with a fashion brand designer called "SLY" .
Also , since SLY new season theme is titled "CIRCUS" , this will also served as the theme for CANDY GIRL in which its creative director is Mizuki Ueda .
SLY has a vintage clothes collection and their theme is how to make a woman looks glamorous and sexy in an everyday life & in short , they just designed the t-shirts with Mika .
CANDY GIRL brings in a gothic circus theme & it is a jazzy , fun song , produced by reknowned R&B/Hip Pop producer icedown .
Well I have to say that CANDY GIRL is already a masterpiece of its own . From the covers to the song , Mika has nailed every single thing downpat which I can never imagine at all & here I was thinking that her last single Over Load was great but she has oomph up the factor in here .
This's a bit different from what she usually tends to do but it's an infectious song & it's definitely very circus inspired which's great .
It helps that the song gets more catchy as each listen goes by which's what keeps me coming back for more for CANDY GIRL .
SMILEY will serve as the B-side for CANDY GIRL .
Sunday, September 06, 2009
CD Review :: Kobukuro - CALLING
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Cover :
Tracklist :
1) Sayonara (Goodbye) HERO
2) Koigokoru (Love)
3) To calling of love
4) Niji (Rainbow)
5) STAY
6) Tenshitachi no Uta (Song Of Angel)
7) FREEDOM TRAIN
8) Summer rain
9) Sunday kitchen
10) Kamikaze (Divine Wind)
11) Betelgeuse
12) Toki no Ashioto (The Footsteps Of Time)
13) Akai Ito (Red Thread)
CALLING is Kobukuro's 7th album . It was released last month on the 5th & this comes almost 2 years+ since the release of their million selling album 5296 .
Their 3rd #1 album contains 3 singles & 4 B-sides .
Sayonara (Goodbye) HERO is the 1st album track in CALLING & wow , what a way to start things off !
Because their main music focus tend to lie in folk , it was surprising to hear them do such an in your face rock song coupled with wicked synth beats which was really refreshing .
Koigokoru (Love) is the 2nd album track & it's a really nice folk ballad . It's definitely a lot more calmer than Sayonara HERO & you also have strong acoustic guitar riffs going on in Koigokoru which's plain lovely .
To calling of love is track #3 & this's the 2nd longest track in CALLING , clocking in at 6:21 mins & it was 1st performed during their 5296 live tour .
This's an unique song I feel because it's a slow song but yet there're traces of harmonica going on in To calling of love which I find it really cool as it gives off that old school country vibe that's nice .
Also you tend to hear Kuroda sing more than vocalist/guitarist Kobuchi in To calling of love as compared to other songs where they tend to have equal singing parts .
Niji (Rainbow) is the duo's 17th single & it was used as a tied up no. with the airline company JAL (Japan Airlines) .
I remembered when I 1st heard Niji on 1st listen , I really like it as it's a very upbeat & soaring pop/folk tune which strays away from the usual slow/mid tempo tunes that Kobukuro does & it's a song that gives off positive vibes too .
STAY is their 18th single which was the last single that they released before CALLING was dropped .
It served as the theme song to the TBS drama series Kanryoutachi no Natsu , which's based on a novel by the late Shiroyama Saburou .
STAY is definitely on par with their best selling single to date which's Tsubomi (Flower Bud) since both songs are power ballads which're a class of their own .
I really love the music arrangements going on in STAY which I feel it has an unique flair .
Tenshitachi no Uta (Song Of Angel) is track #6 & it's the 4th album track . It's a mid tempo song which has a really gorgeous melody . I was really taken aback when I 1st heard Tenshitachi no Uta as it gives off positive affirmations that I like .
The next 2 songs are B-sides no. .
FREEDOM TRAIN is the 1st B-side of STAY & just like the song title suggest , it's a carefree tune & I'm frankly happy to see the song make the cut in CALLING as it deserves to .
Summer rain is the 1st B-side of Niji & it was used as the opening theme for the manga-based TV Tokyo baseball anime Cross Game .
To me , what I like about Summer rain is that the acoustic guitar riffs in Summer rain are nice . It's not as out there as compared to Niji but still this's a song that I don't mind listening to .
Sunday kitchen is track #9 & just like Sayonara HERO , it's a song that I definitely wasn't expecting of Kobukuro seeing that it's a somewhat Carribean inspired no. that has the appearance of a flute going on which's unusual but somehow it works in their favour .
& in here , you tend to hear more of Kobuchi's vocals as compared to Kuroda's .
Kamikaze (Divine Wind) is the last album track you can find in CALLING & this's the 3rd song that's not a typical Kobukuro style that you can find as just like Sayonara HERO , it's rock but you will not find synth beats going on .
Instead , it has been replaced with rough & in your face electric guitar riffs which I think it's pretty good & kicking .
Betelgeuse is the 2nd B-side of their 16th single Toki no Ashioto (The Footsteps Of Time) & this's the only B-side tune on CALLING that received a music video of its own .
When I 1st heard Betelgeuse , I was surprised because it's an unusual song & also it's very different from Toki no Ashioto which I like .
It took me forever to remember how Betelgeuse sounds like but after I saw the music video , I'm fine with it now .
The next song after Betelgeuse's the A-side song itself , Toki no Ashioto . It was used as the theme song for the NTV drama Oh ! My Girl !! .
Toki no Ashioto is the oldest single in CALLING because it was released last year as compared to Niji & STAY where both tunes were released this year .
If you listen to Toki no Ashioto , the music arrangements is unique as it utilise somewhat clock sounds & piano beats . This odd combination sounds weird but it strangely works in the guys's favour .
Akai Ito (Red Thread) is the final track you can find in CALLING & it's also the 1st B-side of Toki no Ashioto .
It's also the longest track in the album , clocking in at 6:55 mins .
I guess somehow because of the really long time duration of Akai Ito , I'm not really feeling that much love for the song as much as I want to seeing that it tends to get a bit boring & unmemorable for my liking but considering that the duo slotted in this song as the last no. , I don't mind skipping it on times when I feel like it .
CALLING is the 1st record I chose to listen to of Kobukuro & I was pleasantly surprised on what the folk duo has to offer . I assumingly thought that the album was going to be a strict & full on folk/rock album given their niche music areas but that's not the case after I listened to it .
There're some experimentations that went on in CALLING in which the final products turned out pretty nicely as they shown me musically that they do well in other music genres other than folk itself .
Definitely a solid album worth checking out for in 2009 .
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
SID - 2 Dome no Kanojo (Get Her Back Again)
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Type A Cover :
CD + DVD Type B Cover :
2 Dome no Kanojo (Get Her Back Again) is SID's 2nd major label single & it was released this year on Jan 14th , making it their 1st single release of 2009 .
Even before I describe what kinda music style 2 Dome no Kanojo portrays , I guess you more or less can guess judging from the single covers itself in that 2 Dome no Kanojo is a Christmas inspired tune .
Be it the covers or the video , 2 Dome no Kanojo is a tune that SID delivered which's a bit different from Monochrome no Kiss & Uso (Lie) since both songs are more or less straight up no nonsense rock tunes while 2 Dome no Kanojo is a very straightforward holiday spirit influenced no. .
I guess since Christmas will be coming up in about 3 months + time , what better way to listen to 2 Dome no Kanojo to get into the holiday festive mood eh ?
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Dew - My Special Day
Tracklist :
1) My Special Day
2) From my heart
3) My Special Day (instrumental)
My Special Day is Dew's 2nd single . This was released last year on Nov 26th .
I find the A-side really charming & soothing on 1st listen . This's a perfect song to listen to if you're planning to chill out as it's a relatively upbeat piano influenced no. & the girls Yu & Haruna are really in synch together in here which's good .
The B-side From my heart is a lot more slower than My Special Day . The girls utilised stronger violin strings pertaining to the melody while still maintaining the distinct piano pop sound that Dew is known for .
From my heart's nice I say & you can find an album version of the B-side in their debut major label album PRESENT .
Just like their 3rd single Thank you , My Special Day is another single that I enjoyed of the duo Dew .
1 thing I feel about the type of music that Dew does is that it tend to get monotone & repetitive . As a result , there's not much room for them to experiment music wise but I have faith in them in that in due time , they're able to get themselves unstuck in this music rut .
Until then , I'm going to enjoy what the duo has to offer in the music front as I feel that they're 1 band that can go far .
Matsushita Yuya - Honesty -acoustic version- & Achira e (Over There) (Honesty's B-sides)
Honesty -acoustic version- & Achira e (Over There) are the other 2 B-sides songs you can find in Matsushita Yuya's 3rd single Honesty which was released last Wed .
As the title suggest , the acoustic version of Matsushita's A-side single is as it's . I wouldn't really call it a full blown acoustic song but at least it's a lot more slower & less upbeat than what you get in the original version .
Still , the acoustic take of Honesty is lovely as Matsushita gets to showcase his vocals in here which I really like .
Only found in the CD only edition of the single is Achira e . This served as the ending theme song for the musical adaption of the manga series Kuroshitsuji in which Matsushita portrayed Sebastian Michaelis .
The 1st part of Achira e is essentially Matsushita singing in full English while the later part , it's sang in Japanese .
The song caught me by surprise on 1st listen because I never expected this of Achira e but surprisingly , I'm able to catch hold of Matsushita's Eng dictation in here & the song's essentially pretty much a slow acoustic guitar , piano & R&B driven no. .
As the saying 'third time's the charm' goes , I guess this phase can more or less summarises Matsushita Yuya's latest single offering Honesty .
I frankly feel that the whole musical package that he has to offer in Honesty is top notch & it helps that the 3 B-sides that're found in the single are on par if not more superior than the A-side .
Hopefully Matsushita will be able to release his debut album soon as he already has 3 singles in the bag so it's about time an album bear fruit in a matter of time .
Koda Kumi - Alive / Physical thing
CD Only Cover :
CD + DVD Cover :
Alive / Physical thing is Koda Kumi's 45th single . It will be released on 16th this month & it comes 2 months+ since the release of of her 1st triple A-side single 3 SPLASH .
This's her 6th overall double A-side single & her 3rd single release of 2009 , after It's all Love ! that she collaborated with her younger sister misono & 3 SPLASH .
The 1st A-side will be used as the theme song for Yoichi Sai's upcoming manga-to-film adaptation The Legend of Kamui (Kamui Gaiden) , starring Kenichi Matsuyama which will open in theaters 3 days after the release of Alive / Physical thing & the melody of the song is inspired by Lascia ch'io pianga which's an aria taken from the Italian opera Rinaldo by Handel .
I always have like Koda's ballads & Alive is no exception . It does reminded me of Ashita e ... (Towards Tomorrow ...) which's found as track #1 in her BEST ~BOUNCE & LOVERS~ compilation album as both songs have strong classical influences in which I feel it's really lovely .
In the case of the 2nd A-side Physical thing , it has been described as a dance no. .
No doubt on 1st listen , Physical thing reminded me of past electro pop tunes that Koda has done such as ECSTASY & tunes that you can find in her 7th album TRICK such as Driving .
The song does sound repetitive here & there as the melody is pretty much monotone but at least there're certain beats going on in Physical thing which kept me pretty much entertained & Physical thing's a sharp contrast to the power ballad Alive that Koda has delivered which's nice to balance things off .
Koda Kumi has been delivering the music goods constantly & that shows for her latest single Alive / Physical thing too in which I enjoyed listening to .
I will not be surprised if her 8th album will be released before 2009 wraps up or maybe that will happen at the beginning of 2010 seeing that Alive / Physical thing is the 3rd single that she has already released for this year .
Either that , I look forward to see what else she has up her sleeves in due time .
