Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Hey ! Say ! JUMP - Ride With Me

CD Regular

CD Limited

CD + DVD

Ride With Me is Hey ! Say ! JUMP's 11th single & it was released last week on Christmas / 25th Dec .

The group's latest single offering comes in about 6 months + since their previous single Come On A My House .

Ride With Me is described as a cutting edge dance tune which was composed & produced by ☆Taku Takahashi (block.fm , m-flo) . This is the 1st time for ☆Taku to be in charge of a Hey ! Say ! JUMP song .

Promo wise , Ride With Me was picked to be used as the theme song for NTV's special drama Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Gokumon Juku Satsujin Jiken , starring members Yamada Ryosuke & Arioka Daiki . The drama itself will be aired on 14th Jan 2014 .

I did not like Come On A My House that much but I must say for Ride With Me , it's a different music style that the guys have undertook . The result gives a more mature sound when comes to Ride With Me .

1 flaw I feel that Ride With Me suffers is that the in between rapping felt very odd & doesn't go in synch with the chorus which's the strong main focal point of the song but other than that , it's definitely 1 of the group's more grown up sounding songs they've added to their discography .

There're a total of 4 B-sides in the single .

School Girl & Hands up are both found in the CD only regular edition of Ride With Me .

Between both B-sides , I prefer Hands up as it's a fun wholesome sounding no. unlike School Girl where it sounds really cheesy .

On the other hand , Go To The Future ! & GIFT are exclusively found in the CD only limited edition of the single .

Both B-sides in this edition of Ride With Me are equally good with Go To The Future ! being described as a live band track while for GIFT , it's a really nice heartwarming winter ballad .

Ride into 2014 with Hey ! Say ! JUMP ! The Johnny's group is heading into a brand new year with Ride With Me , an upbeat dance number co-composed and arranged by m-flo's ☆Taku Takahashi . The song will also serve as the theme song to the latest Kindaichi Case Files live-action drama special , starring members Yamada Ryosuke & Arioka Daiki .

Hey ! Say ! JUMP's 12th single AinoArika / Aisureba Motto Happy Life will be released on 5th Feb 2014 .


Sunday, December 29, 2013

ayumi hamasaki - Feel the love / Merry-go-round

CD

CD + DVD

1) Feel the love
2) Merry-go-round
3) Feel the love (DJ Hello Kitty remix)
4) Feel the love (Blasterjaxx remix)
5) Feel the love (-Instrumental-)
6) Merry-go-round (-Instrumental-)

Feel the love / Merry-go-round is ayumi hamasaki's 51st single which was released on Christmas / 25th Dec .

ayumi's last physical single release was 2010's L .

The 1st A-side Feel the love is described as an electronic dance music number . The song was produced by DJ Hello Kitty & composed by Komuro Tetsuya . Promo wise , it was used in the ads of H.I.S Christmas Fair + as the opening theme song for TBS's CDTV for this month and next month in Jan 14 .

On the other hand for the 2nd A-side Merry-go-round , ayumi teamed up with m-flo for the 1st time . Described as an hip-hop flavoured dance tune , the melody for Merry-go-round was produced by ☆Taku Takahashi & it features a rap section from VERBAL .

After having a rather messed up release pattern for quite a long time , for ayumi to resume in releasing a physical single in 3 years , it feels quite odd if not a welcome sign especially since both A-sides' music styles are something she has never tried before until now .

That said , I think both A-sides are equally solid if not enjoyable . Between both , I prefer Merry-go-round a bit more . Prior to hearing it , I was quite skeptical on how it will sound like as I've heard of some of m-flo's produced works before but the final result in this case turns out to be quite good overall .

There're 2 remixes found in the single which're both remixes for Feel the love , DJ Hello Kitty remix & Blasterjaxx remix .

Between both remixes , I prefer the Blasterjaxx remix of Feel the love a bit more than DJ Hello Kitty remix . The 2nd remix has a much more heavier if not edgier sound . Not that the DJ Hello Kitty remix is bad . In fact I think both remixes are on par sounding , I just wish that ayumi could have included a remix of Merry-go-round as I would be intrigued to hear how it will sound like in remix mode .

ayumi hamasaki celebrated her 15th anniversary in the business this year & before 2013 wraps up , she released her 1st physical single in 3 years in the form of Feel the love / Merry-go-round .

After being quite disappointed with her 14th album LOVE again , I'm glad that ayumi decided to explore new music boundaries this time round with Feel the love / Merry-go-round . While she might have alienated many fans in the process (be it the choice of personal and/or music decisions she undertook in recent times) , to me I can say that I genuinely do enjoy what Feel the love / Merry-go-round has to offer .

I only hope that in 2014 , ayumi will go back to release singles in physical mode as for the past 3 years , her release pattern has been quite messed up if not very unpredictable and/or inconsistent . And now that she's in a stage where she's not pressured to set/break any records anymore , I hope in the new year , she will do things according to her own rules & mindset .


Friday, December 27, 2013

JASMINE - Countdown

CD

CD + DVD

1) Countdown
2) JACKPOT for Jas Vegas -Remixed by T.O.M-

Countdown is JASMINE's 11th single & it was released on Christmas / 25th Dec .

JASMINE's latest single offering comes in about 4 months + since the release of her 2nd album Complexxx .

Countdown is JASMINE's 1st single to get released in a CD + DVD edition .

Honestly it did surprised me that JASMINE released something new relatively quite fast after Complexxx , especially given that it took her 3 years to release her 2nd album , this's saying something .

That said , Countdown feels like something that could have been in Complexxx as it's EDM driven , just like High Flying & HERO . Not that I have anything against the song but JASMINE's recent material have lost an unique spark when comes to her material which's quite evident if you compare her older works against what she has released in recent times .

JACKPOT for Jas Vegas -Remixed by T.O.M- serve as the B-side in the single & this extremely long remix clocks in at almost 16 mins long .

This remix has a total of 5 no.s that makes up JACKPOT for Jas Vegas -Remixed by T.O.M- which consists of the following :

Addiction - B-side in 7th single ONLY YOU
Dreamin' - 5th single
This Is Not A Game - 3rd single
i'm in luv wit u - B-side in debut single sad to say . Original version was never released , only 2 remixes were included in sad to say
CLUBBIN" - 1st B-side in 2nd single No More

I was definitely shocked when I saw the duration of JACKPOT for Jas Vegas -Remixed by T.O.M- . Despite this , this remix is surprisingly quite enjoyable despite the length as it includes a mixture of singles & B-sides which're probably some of JASMINE's best songs in her discography .

JACKPOT for Jas Vegas -Remixed by T.O.M- is quite ideal to listen to if I'm on the bus/train . I usually do not like very long remixes but times like this , this's something I don't mind listening to & the 5 songs in the remix flows quite well/consistently from start til finish .

JASMINE wraps up 2013 with the release of her latest single Countdown & now word has it that she will be releasing a new album in 12th March 2014 .

For now it's not certain what type of album it will be but somehow I doubt it will be a studio album since Complexxx was only released in August . It reminds me to be seen if will her upcoming release be a mini or a covers album .


Monday, December 23, 2013

UVERworld - Nano・Second

CD

CD + DVD

1) Nano・Second
2) LIFE
3) DEJAVU

Nano・Second is UVERworld's 25th single & it was released last week on 18th Dec .

UVERworld's latest single offering comes in about 4 months + since the release of their previous single Fight For Liberty / Wizard CLUB & the release of Nano・Second concludes their successful 2013 .

Nano・Second is described as a pop number that features touches of electro-rock element which introduces an innovative new sound from UVERworld , the ending result brings this really interesting if not unique song coming from them .

This despite the inclusion of harmonica that sounds a bit out of place but surprisingly it managed to blend quite well into Nano・Second .

It has been a while since I last enjoyed UVERworld's singles back to back . I was impressed with what they had to offer for Fight For Liberty / Wizard CLUB & likewise the same thing goes for Nano・Second . I'm definitely eager to see what they have in store in 2014 .


Friday, December 20, 2013

BENI - Ai Uta

Cover for both CD & CD + DVD's editions

Ai Uta serves as track #3 in BENI's 3rd covers album COVERS 3 , that was released on 18th Dec .

This song was 1st released digitally on 11th Dec , a week before COVERS 3 was released .

COVERS 3 was released on the same day as BENI Red LIVE TOUR 2013 ~TOUR FINAL 2013.10.6 at ZEPP DIVER CITY~ while BENI's 17th single Konayuki (an English cover of Remioromen's) is included in the covers album as track #1 .

This time round in COVERS 3 , 1 of the songs BENI chose to cover/sing from Japanese to English is GReeeeN's 3rd single that was released 6 years ago .

I know how the original of Ai Uta sounded like but for BENI's version , she took it to a whole new level & to me she completely remade Ai Uta in a really good way .

GReeeeN's Ai Uta is still a great song even up to now . For BENI's rendition , she added in a sweeping grand piano sounding melody which the ending result brings this awesome power ballad that showcased her vocals a significant deal .

Out of the Japanese to English covers I've heard from BENI selectively via COVERS 1 , COVERS 2 & COVERS 3 , BENI's take on GReeeeN's Ai Uta is hands down 1 of my faves coming from her .


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

CD Review :: MUSCLE ATTACK - MUSCLE

1) MUSCLE PARTY 
2) My BLOODY BUNNY 
3) RUNNER'S HIGH 
4) FIRE!! 
5) HIGHER 
6) HERO 
7) SPREE 
8) BYGONES 

MUSCLE is MUSCLE ATTACK's debut album & it was released last month on 27th Nov .

MUSCLE ATTACK is fronted by BREAKERZ's guitarist SHINPEI in which he started it as part of his solo project since BREAKERZ are currently on hiatus in order for each of the members to focus on solo projects for this year .

In MUSCLE ATTACK , SHINPEI serves as both the vocalist & guitarist . The rest of MUSCLE ATTACK consists of guitarist Shunp , bassist Jong & drummer HIDEHIRO .

No physical singles are included in MUSCLE . All lyrics in the album were written by SHINPEI . Except for My BLOODY BUNNY & SPREE that were composed by Jong , the other songs were composed by SHINPEI .

The 8 track album kicked things off with MUSCLE PARTY in which as the song title suggests , it's a fun energetic song that sets the mood on what to expect with the other songs found in MUSCLE .

My BLOODY BUNNY follows after MUSCLE . MUSCLE was preceded by My BLOODY BUNNY in which this song was 1st released digitally online on 17th July .

Promo wise , My BLOODY BUNNY was used to promote MUSIC JAPAN TV's MUSIC LAUNCHER in May as an image song .

Found as track #3 , RUNNER'S HIGH was picked to be used as the opening song for MUSIC JAPAN TV's MUSIC LAUNCHER for last month .

I've already heard the live version of RUNNER'S HIGH before the release of MUSCLE and needless to say , I was excited to hear the studio take of it . And to me , RUNNER'S HIGH is 1 of the standout tracks in the album .

FIRE!! is track #4 & this song has an interesting melody . It's fast paced but yet there's something quite enjoyable when comes to listening to FIRE!! .

On the other hand , HIGHER boosts rather shocking lyrics in the song as the F word was used in it which definitely caught me by surprise when I 1st heard the song while eventually looking at the lyrics .

That said , HIGHER is 1 of the more angsty driven songs in MUSCLE , be it lyrically and/or melody wise .

HERO follows after HIGHER . The 6th track in MUSCLE , HERO has a lot of good guitar riffs and SHINPEI's voice has been quite distorted here which was probably done on purpose .

The 2nd last track in MUSCLE , SPREE is a fun energetic song and it's something that I enjoy quite a fair bit .

BYGONES is the final song in MUSCLE & it's also the longest sounding track in the album too . It's not really my fave song in the album but I guess the guys have their own reasons in choosing BYGONES to conclude MUSCLE .

After the solo releases coming from BREAKERZ's AKIHIDE & DAIGO respectively , it's now SHINPEI's turn in the form of him releasing MUSCLE with new band mates under the group name MUSCLE ATTACK .

To be honest , I was quite skeptical on what MUSCLE ATTACK had to offer & given that their group name might come across a bit of a punch of jokes , it doesn't quite help matters either .

But I must say upon listening to MUSCLE , I was surprised on what the album had to offer & SHINPEI really deserves brownie points seeing that he put in considerable amount of effort to try his best to make MUSCLE work , especially since this time round , in addition to composing , he wrote lyrics for the 1st time , something that he didn't do so in BREAKERZ (yet) .

On the other hand , SHINPEI's music vocals is actually my least fave in BREAKERZ as vocal wise , he doesn't sound as good as AKIHIDE and/or DAIGO which might explain why quite a fair bit of songs in MUSCLE were concealed by music layering .

That doesn't mean MUSCLE is overall a bad album though . At the end of the day , SHINPEI & the rest of his band mates put in their heart , time & effort into making MUSCLE which I respect that . It's not easy but I'm sure for SHINPEI , this means a lot to him in getting MUSCLE released physically .


Saturday, December 14, 2013

DAIGO - BUTTERFLY / Ima Aitakute ...

CD

CD + DVD A

CD + DVD B

1) BUTTERFLY
2) Ima Aitakute …
3) ROCK THE PLANET ~2013 HYPER CLUB MIX~ (CD Only Track)

BUTTERFLY / Ima Aitakute ... is DAIGO's 2nd single & it was released last week on 4th Dec .

DAIGO's latest single offering comes in about 4 months + since the release of his debut solo single Itsumo Dakishimete / Mugen ∞REBIRTH .

Just like Itsumo Dakishimete / Mugen ∞REBIRTH , both A-sides were written & composed by DAIGO .

The 1st A-side BUTTERFLY is described as an alluring dance number with an underlying electronic beat . Promo wise , it was picked to be used as the opening track for TV Asahi's Break Out programme this month .

On the other hand , the 2nd A-side Ima Aitakute ... is described as a sad Winter ballad that talks about unrequited love . Promo wise , it was selected to be used as the 46th ending theme song for the anime Detective Conan that was broadcast from today/14th Dec onwards .

Itsumo Dakishimete / Mugen ∞REBIRTH was a great debut solo start for DAIGO but this time round for BUTTERFLY / Ima Aitakute ... , he really pushed the envelope & broke a lot of boundaries , be it visually and/or music wise especially with regards to BUTTERFLY .

To be honest , I was completely stunned beyond words when I 1st heard & saw BUTTERFLY's video because it's nothing like what he has done before , when comes to what he did as DAIGO☆STARDUST and/or in BREAKERZ .

Likewise , DAIGO even did a bit of rapping after the 1st chorus of BUTTERFLY . It was quite amusing to hear him rap for the 1st time but this song definitely was daring if not really bold for him to do in which this gamble definitely paid off a great deal for DAIGO .

On the other hand , Ima Aitakute ... is a really sad depressing ballad which contrasts BUTTERFLY extremely well . I do not want to compare Ima Aitakute ... against any sad Winter inspired ballads in BREAKERZ's discography as they were not written & composed by DAIGO .

DAIGO himself did wrote & composed some Winter inspired no.s as DAIGO☆STARDUST and/or in BREAKERZ but none of them were as sad sounding as Ima Aitakute ... .

ROCK THE PLANET ~2013 HYPER CLUB MIX~ serves as the B-side in BUTTERFLY / Ima Aitakute ... & this's only available in the CD only edition of the single .

In this case , ROCK THE PLANET ~2013 HYPER CLUB MIX~ is an updated version of DAIGO☆STARDUST's 3rd single ROCK THE PLANET that was released 9 years ago on 21st April .

ROCK THE PLANET always been 1 of DAIGO☆STARDUST's rather amusing / not to be taken seriously song in his discography but for ROCK THE PLANET ~2013 HYPER CLUB MIX~ , it has been given a very updated treatment .

The updated version of ROCK THE PLANET was also composed by DAIGO . Unlike the original , I feel that ROCK THE PLANET ~2013 HYPER CLUB MIX~ is geared more towards being club/dance driven & there's a lot of autotune going on with DAIGO's voice being distorted which was probably done on purpose .

Before going on his 1st solo tour DAIGO LIVE TOUR 2013 “BUTTERFLY” , DAIGO released his latest single offering BUTTERFLY / Ima Aitakute ... & with the release of this single , it gives him his 2nd consecutive top 10 solo single .

Honestly , I don't want to compare BUTTERFLY / Ima Aitakute ... with Itsumo Dakishimete / Mugen ∞REBIRTH because both singles are on completely different levels , be it visually or song wise . Looking back now , Itsumo Dakishimete / Mugen ∞REBIRTH feels a bit too safe despite that it's overall a really good single .

But for what DAIGO has done for BUTTERFLY / Ima Aitakute ... , I suppose after using Itsumo Dakishimete / Mugen ∞REBIRTH as his debut stepping stone & seeing how well it did , he decided to throw caution in the wind this time round but the end result is still spectacular for what he was able to achieve with BUTTERFLY / Ima Aitakute ... .

At the end of the day , what I like about DAIGO on what he did (be it in solo or group mode) is that he's very hands on with what he does from writing to composing everything , something that not everyone's able to do co-currently & for that , I respect him a great deal as a musician .

Even though BREAKERZ are still on hiatus , I do hope that they will be able to come back together as a trio in due time but for now , 2014 looks set to be another rewarding great year for DAIGO as he mentioned that he will be releasing his debut solo album next year to coincide with his impending 2nd solo tour that will start in March 2014 .


Tuesday, December 10, 2013

CD Review :: KAT-TUN - Kusabi -kusabi- EP

CD

1) Kusabi -kusabi-
2) GIMME LUV
3) ON & ON
4) FIRE and ICE
5) BLESS (CD Only Track)
6) 4U (CD Only Track)
7) PHOENIX (CD Only Track)
8) Kusabi -kusabi- (Original Karaoke)
9) GIMME LUV (Original Karaoke)

CD + DVD A

1) Kusabi -kusabi-
2) GIMME LUV
3) ON & ON
4) FIRE and ICE
5) Boku Nari no Koi (CD + DVD A Edition Track)
6) MONSTER NIGHT (CD + DVD A Edition Track) (Ueda Tatsuya's Solo)

CD + DVD B

1) Kusabi -kusabi-
2) GIMME LUV
3) ON & ON
4) FIRE and ICE
5) FANTASTIC PLANET (CD + DVD B Edition Track)

Kusabi -kusabi- EP is KAT-TUN's 1st mini album & it was released last month on 27th Nov .

No singles are included in Kusabi -kusabi- & this's the group's 1st release as a new quartet after the departure of fellow member/rapper Tanaka Koki in which he left the group + Johnny's & Associates talent agency on 30th Sept .

Kusabi -kusabi- was released in 3 editions , each edition of the mini album have different tracklists . Essentially a total of 10 songs are spread out in all 3 editions of the mini album .

Videos wise , a total of 3 videos were made for Kusabi -kusabi- .

Sharing the same title as the mini album , Kusabi -kusabi- (the song) was picked to be used as the theme no. for the drama Henshin Interviewer no Yuutsu starring Nakamaru Yuichi & actress Kimura Fumino .

1 of 3 songs that received videos , Kusabi -kusabi- presents a very different musical side of KAT-TUN . It's a bit hard to describe what Kusabi -kusabi- offers but even before I found out it's used to promote Nakamaru's drama , it's quite evident that the song has a somewhat drama influence attached to it .

GIMME LUV is the 2nd album song that also received a video & this was used in the ads of Suzuki Solio Bandit in which the guys can be seen in the ads themselves .

Compared to Kusabi -kusabi- , GIMME LUV is classic KAT-TUN with it being hard rock edgy sounding & this's the type of music style that most fans are quite familiar with .

ON & ON follows after GIMME LUV . In this song , Nakamaru gets to showcase his beatboxing skills which's flashed out a great deal in ON & ON which I really like as this's something that I have always liked from him which makes KAT-TUN stand out from the other Johnny's .

Song wise , ON & ON is really catchy & fun .

FIRE and ICE is the last song that's found in all 3 editions of Kusabi -kusabi- .

Just like Kusabi -kusabi- (the song) , FIRE and ICE is another interesting song that KAT-TUN has not tackled before , music style wise but they did it quite well . The song is quite angsty with it being piano driven which's very different from the 1st 3 songs included in the mini album .

The next 3 songs are found exclusively in the CD only edition of Kusabi -kusabi- .

BLESS is found as track #5 in the CD only edition's tracklist . Another strong memorable album track , BLESS sounds very uplifting if not empowering .

4U follows after BLESS . I think 4U is ok sounding even though this's something that KAT-TUN normally doesn't do . Compared to other album tracks , 4U is a bit weak if not slightly unmemorable but it's still worth a listen .

PHOENIX is found as track #7 in the CD only edition's tracklist & this song's personally 1 of my fave as it's quite a haunting no. but in the process , the song transformed into something quite unexpectedly good making this song a clear winner .

Honestly I thought that PHOENIX should have gotten a video as it deserves so , not that the other songs in the mini album don't .

The next 2 songs are exclusively found in the CD + DVD edition of Kusabi -kusabi- .

Boku Nari no Koi is the only ballad in Kusabi -kusabi- & it's also the longest track in the mini album too .

KAT-TUN are usually not known for their slower uptempo/ballads but I personally feel that they do have some great ballads in their discography . As for Boku Nari no Koi , it's somewhat a bit of a sore thumb as the rest of the songs in Kusabi -kusabi- are generally upbeat but I feel that this song showcased the harmonisation of vocals that the guys have together as a group .

MONSTER NIGHT follows after Boku Nari no Koi & this's the only solo track available in Kusabi -kusabi- which's sung by Ueda Tatsuya .

For this song , Ueda cowrote MONSTER NIGHT with Masami Okaza & it's the last song to get a video after Kusabi -kusabi- (the song) & GIMME LUV .

When I 1st heard MONSTER NIGHT , I was quite stunned because I thought Halloween came late as the whole song sounds as though it's perfect to use for Halloween 2 months ago & likewise the same thing goes for the video too where Ueda is dressed up like a wolf .

Overall , MONSTER NIGHT is not something to be taken seriously but I feel that Ueda should have picked a song that shows off his musical talents as he's honestly a very talented person in reality so in some ways , MONSTER NIGHT didn't do justice to him .

FANTASTIC PLANET is the final song in Kusabi -kusabi- & this song's only available in the CD + DVD B edition of the mini album .

I think this song's a good track to conclude all 3 editions of Kusabi -kusabi- & FANTASTIC PLANET is a catchy uptempo no. in concluding things in the tracklist .

Despite their recent controversy with the departure of member/rapper Tanaka Koki , KAT-TUN keeps marching on to the future . Kusabi -kusabi- is their 1st release as a newly restructured quartet .

I'm not going to lie that just like many longtime fans in the fandom , I was shocked when it was announced that Tanaka has departed from KAT-TUN because whether people like it or not , his unique flair & rapping skills were 1 of the many things that made KAT-TUN unique from their other counterparts , alongside with Nakamaru's beatboxing .

So when it was announced the new KAT-TUN would be releasing Kusabi -kusabi- a bit too soon after Tanaka's announced departure , I was skeptical but after listening to the 3 separate editions of the mini album , my fears were unfounded as it turns out , they actually can still continue on as a quartet .

To me it's definitely weird not to hear Tanaka's singing/rapping vocals anymore in Kusabi -kusabi- but in the absence of this , it allows KAT-TUN to try out quite a wide variety of sounds as evident just how musically versatile the songs are in the mini album .

On the other hand , I definitely do not like the way Kusabi -kusabi- was marketed as essentially , it should have been a full length album but due to marketing tactics , that changes things but at the end of the day , it's part of the music business when comes to such things .

That said , despite this really unfortunate event , I really admire the current members of KAT-TUN in still trying to stick together as a new quartet . It's not easy especially since they've already lost 2 members . They could have choose to disband but they did not due to the many fans that have supporting them from their pre debut in 2001 until their official debut in 2006 .

The road ahead for the new KAT-TUN will not be easy but I believe in them & so do their other fans that have stick with them through thick & thin until now . And to sum it up , this's not the end but merely a rebirth if not a new beginning for KAT-TUN .


Sunday, December 08, 2013

BENI - Two Hearts

Two Hearts is a song sung by BENI that was released digitally last month on 27th Nov .

This song serves as the theme no. for the 2013 Yomiuri Land & Two Hearts made its debut during a mini live on 1st Nov where a lighting ceremony took place .

I liked the preview of Two Hearts when I 1st heard it & the full version is definitely something I like as it reminds me of BENI's past songs such as Sign & Gimme Gimme♥ .

I don't know why BENI chose to release this digitally as I thought it would have been a good B-side to supplement Konayuki but I guess she has other plans up her sleeves , especially since her 3rd covers album COVERS 3 will be out this month on 18th Dec .

For now at this point in time , hopefully BENI might include Two Hearts in a future physical release as it will be a waste of her not to do that .


Friday, December 06, 2013

Aqua Timez - Eden

CD Regular

1) Eden
2) Cranberry Jam
3) The FANtastic Journey
4) Eden (LITTLE PARADE session)
5) Eden (Instrumental)

CD Limited (available until 27th Dec)

1) Eden
2) Cranberry Jam
3) The FANtastic Journey
4) Eden (LITTLE PARADE session)
5) Eden (Instrumental)
6) Eden (Anime Version)

Eden is Aqua Timez's 16th single & it was released last month on 27th Nov .

The group's last single release was last Aug's Tsubomi & Eden was picked to be used as the ending theme song for the anime Magi : The Kingdom of Magic .

Aqua Timez vocalist Futoshi acknowledged that the group created Eden before they were aware of Magi , so they were surprised & thrilled that it was linked to the world of Magi , by chance or by fate .

Eden was released on the same day as the group's latest DVD/Blu-ray "because we are we" tour 2012-2013 .

Aqua Timez always has a knack for releasing inspirational if not heartfelt songs , no exception this time round for Eden which's such an enduring ballad .

It's quite hard to believe Eden is their only new single release offering for 2013 as they spent most of last year until this year in touring but that said , it's always great to have their songs on my playlist & they're 1 of the few artistes that can/will not go wrong with me .


Wednesday, December 04, 2013

GLAY - DIAMOND SKIN / Niji no Pocket / CRAZY DANCE

3 alternate jacket covers applies for both CD & CD + DVD editions

1) DIAMOND SKIN
2) Niji no Pocket
3) CRAZY DANCE

DIAMOND SKIN / Niji no Pocket / CRAZY DANCE is GLAY's 49th single & it was released last month on 27th Nov .

The group's latest single comes in 4 months + since the release of their previous single DARK RIVER / Eternally / Tokei .

DIAMOND SKIN / Niji no Pocket / CRAZY DANCE is produced by Sakuma Masahide . The 1st A-side DIAMOND SKIN is used as 1 of the songs in Capcom's 1st music game CROSS×BEATS .

CROSS×BEATS is a music game for smart phones where you tap , flick or hold the screen when the "arrows of light" intersect .

The 2nd A-side Niji no Pocket was used in the ads for Yokohama Rubber Company's studless tire iceGUARD 5 . The song was 1st released digitally on 2nd Oct .

Niji no Pocket is described as a medium-tempo number with a driving feeling . It's perfect for the ads that shows the high performance of iceGUARD 5 & the ads started airing from August 15 in Hokkaido .

On the other hand , the last A-side CRAZY DANCE was one of the 1st few songs GLAY composed when they were in Hakodate & it's also the shortest song in the single , clocking in under 2 mins .

Just like DARK RIVER / Eternally / Tokei , I enjoyed what DIAMOND SKIN / Niji no Pocket / CRAZY DANCE offers . Unlike their previous triple A-side single which're 3 different ballads , their single this time round offers something for everyone to listen to .

Except for CRAZY DANCE which I don't really like , I like what DIAMOND SKIN & Niji no Pocket brings to the table . GLAY has had a relatively fruitful 2013 & for them to wrap up 2013 with DIAMOND SKIN / Niji no Pocket / CRAZY DANCE , it's definitely a good thing & I can't wait to see what else they have in store in 2014 .



Blog Personnel









Karen Pang

# 10th Jan

# #1 BREAKERZ fan in Singapore since 2008 debut single ♥

# My music blog consists of JPop/Rock singles & albums reviews that I put my heart , efforts & soul into writing them as I'm disgusted with the way that JPop/Rock music is being treated/written/reviewed in Singapore so to the local media (yes you TEENS , Teenage Magazine & The Strait Times) , screw you all . I basically can write better JPop/Rock reviews , period

# My LiveJournal

# My Twitter






♥ ♥ ♥ BREAKERZ ♥ ♥ ♥











Upcoming New JPop/JRock Releases

# Kobukuro's compilation album ALL SEASONS BEST , 200324 , Wed

# SID's 27th single Omokage , 200324 , Wed

# L'Arc-en-Ciel's 30th L'Anniversary LIVE DVD + Blu-ray , 270324 , Wed

# Saito Kazuyoshi's KAZUYOSHI SAITO 30th Anniversary Live 1993-2023 30 DVD + Blu-ray , 270324 , Wed

# B'z's B’z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2023 -STARS- DVD + Blu-ray , 030424 , Wed

# Ichi no Mori Daigo's debut solo single Ichi no Mori Daigo Desu / Modotte Okure , 100424 , Wed

# Koda Kumi's 19th album UNICORN , 170424 , Wed

# GRANRODEO's guitarist's e-ZUKA debut solo album LET’S GET STARTED , 240424 , Wed

# Hilcrhyme's BEST 15 2009-2013 -The Beginning & Flying- , 290524

# GRANRODEO's vocalist's KISHOW debut solo album title tbc , July 2024

# BREAKERZ's 8th album title tbc , July 2024

# GRANRODEO's 35th single title tbc , Sept 2024





Album Reviews


# SPYAIR - Orange EP

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - PULL UP!

# NEWS - NEWS EXPO

# Shota Shimizu - Insomnia

# ayaka - Funtale

# NEWS - Ongaku -2nd Movement- EP

# KAT-TUN - Fantasia

# ayumi hamasaki - Remember you

# Hilcrhyme - SELFISH

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - FILMUSIC!

# NEWS - Ongaku

# B'z - Highway X

# Mika Nakashima - I

# KAT-TUN - Honey

# SID - Umibe

# flumpool - A Spring Breath

# GRANRODEO - Question

# Koda Kumi - heart

# ayaka - LOVE CIRCLE

# Aoyama Thelma - Scorpion Moon

# Hilcrhyme - FRONTIER

# V6 - STEP

# BREAKERZ - WITH YOU

# Shota Shimizu - HOPE

# Domoto Koichi - PLAYFUL

# Ken Hirai - Anata ni Narita Katta

# SPYAIR - UNITE

# GRANRODEO - Bokutachi no Gunzo EP

# YUI - NATURAL EP

# Fukuyama Masaharu - AKIRA

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - Fab! -Music speaks.-

# Koda Kumi - angeL + monsteR [MY NAME IS...] EPs

# ARASHI - This is ARASHI

# Shota Shimizu - period EP

# JASMINE - S EP

# Beni Daniels - MADE IN LOVE EP

# Mika Nakashima - JOKER

# BENI - Y/our Song EP

# Hilcrhyme - THE MC

# JASMINE - M EP

# AKi - Collapsed Land

# Kis-My-Ft2 - To-y2

# flumpool - Real

# FLOWER FLOWER - Target

# NEWS - STORY

# Koda Kumi - re(CORD)

# JASMINE - JASMINE2.0 EP

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - PARADE

# Kanon Wakeshima - odd sting & intrigue EP

# SID - Shonin Yokkyu

# KAT-TUN - IGNITE

# B'z - NEW LOVE

# GRANRODEO - FAB LOVE

# Kis-My-Ft2 - FREE HUGS!

# Matsushita Yuya - BLACK NEVERLAND

# NEWS - WORLDISTA

# Hilcrhyme - Hilcrhyme

# Yamashita Tomohisa - UNLEASHED

# BENI - CINEMATIC

# ayaka - 30 y/o

# GRANRODEO - M・S COWBOY no Gyakushuu EP

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - SENSE or LOVE

# Koda Kumi - DNA

# Shota Shimizu - WHITE

# SID - Ichiban Sukina Basho EP

# Aoyama Thelma - HIGHSCHOOL GAL

# ayumi hamasaki - TROUBLE EP

# Hilcrhyme - One Man EP

# Kis-My-Ft2 - Yummy!!

# NEWS - EPCOTIA

# FLOWER FLOWER - Spotlight

# Koda Kumi - AND

# B'z - DINOSAUR

# ARASHI - 「untitled」

# BREAKERZ - X

# Aoyama Thelmas - 10TH DIARY

# SPYAIR - KINGDOM

# SID - NOMAD

# V6 - The ONES

# Shota Shimizu - FLY

# Ken Hirai - Utabaka Dake ni.

# Acid Black Cherry - Acid BLOOD Cherry

# Kis-My-Ft2 - MUSIC COLOSSEUM

# Mika Nakashima - TOUGH

# NEWS - NEVERLAND

# Koda Kumi - W FACE ~inside~ & W FACE ~outside~

# GRANRODEO - Karma to Labyrinth

# GRANRODEO - Pierrot Dancin'

# Hilcrhyme - SIDE BY SIDE

# Kanon Wakeshima - luminescence Q.E.D

# ARASHI - Are You Happy?

# Mao from SID - Maison de M EP

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - DEAR.

# Ken Hirai - THE STILL LIFE

# BENI - Shiki Uta summer

# Kis-My-Ft2 - I SCREAM

# ayumi hamasaki - M(A)DE IN JAPAN

# MUSCLE ATTACK - HERCULES ROAD

# Aoyama Thelma - PINK TEARS EP

# Shota Shimizu - PROUD

# flumpool - EGG

# NEWS - QUARTETTO

# AKi - EPHEMERAL EP

# BENI - Undress

# SPYAIR - 4

# ARASHI - Japonism

# Aoyama Thelma - GRAY SMOKE EP

# ayumi hamasaki - sixxxxxx EP

# BREAKERZ - 0-ZERO-

# Domoto Koichi - Spiral

# Kis-My-Ft2 - KIS-MY-WORLD

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - JUMPing CAR

# Namie Amuro - _genic

# ayaka - Rainbow Road

# THE TURTLES JAPAN - ELECTRONIC HUMANITY

# ayumi hamasaki - A ONE

# Hilcrhyme - REVIVAL

# MUSCLE ATTACK - ATTACK

# Koda Kumi - WALK OF MY LIFE

# B'z - EPIC DAY

# Acid Black Cherry - L

# Kanon Wakeshima - Tsukinami

# NEWS - White

# FLOWER FLOWER - Shiki EP

# AKi - ARISE

# FLOWER FLOWER - Mi

# ARASHI - THE DIGITALIAN

# Anna Tsuchiya - LUCIFER EP

# Yamashita Tomohisa - YOU

# Aoyama Thelma - Lonely Angel

# Yamashita Tomohisa - Asobi EP

# Kis-My-Ft2 - Kis-My-Journey

# ayumi hamasaki - Colours

# KAT-TUN - come Here

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - smart

# Fukuyama Masaharu - HUMAN

# Miliyah Kato x Shota Shimizu - THE BEST

# JASMINE - Welcome to Jas Vegas

# SID - OUTSIDER

# Shota Shimizu - ENCORE

# Hilcrhyme - FIVE ZERO ONE

# DAIGO - DAIGOLD

# Koda Kumi - Bon Voyage

# Tegomass - Tegomass no Seishun

# MUSCLE ATTACK - MUSCLE

# KAT-TUN - Kusabi -kusabi- EP

# ARASHI - LOVE

# Yamashita Tomohisa - A NUDE

# Matsushita Yuya - #musicoverdose

# JASMINE - Complexxx

# SPYAIR - MILLION

# BENI - Red

# ON/OFF - DICE EP

# NEWS - NEWS

# Namie Amuro - FEEL

# AKIHIDE - Amber

# Kis-My-Ft2 - Good Ikuze !

# girl next door - Life of Sound

# V6 - Oh ! My ! Goodness !

# ayumi hamasaki - LOVE again

# Mika Nakashima - REAL

# flumpool - experience

# ayumi hamasaki - again EP

# Hilcrhyme - LIKE A NOVEL

# ayumi hamasaki - LOVE EP

# ARASHI - Popcorn

# Domoto Koichi - Gravity

# SPYAIR - Just Do It

# SID - M&W

# Yamashita Tomohisa - Ero

# Namie Amuro - Uncontrolled

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - JUMP WORLD

# Kis-My-Ft2 - Kis-My-1st

# Acid Black Cherry - 『2012』

# Shota Shimizu - Naturally

# ayumi hamasaki - Party Queen

# Matsushita Yuya - 2U

# KAT-TUN - CHAIN

# Kuroki Meisa - UNLOCKED

# L'Arc~en~Ciel - BUTTERFLY

# ayaka - The beginning

# Koda Kumi - JAPONESQUE

# Kuriyama Chiaki - CIRCUS Deluxe Edition

# girl next door - Agaruneku !

# Hilcrhyme - RISING

# ON/OFF - Legend Of Twins II -Zoku Futago Densetsu-

# BENI - Fortune

# YUI - HOW CRAZY YOUR LOVE

# Saito Kazuyoshi - 45 STONES

# Tegomass - Tegomass no Mahou

# SPYAIR - Rockin' the World

# BREAKERZ - GO

# ayumi hamasaki - FIVE EP

# B'z - C'mon

# School Food Punishment - Prog-Roid

# ARASHI - Beautiful World

# Aoyama Thelma - WILL

# Ken Hirai - JAPANESE SINGER

# GIRL NEXT DOOR - Destination

# Tackey & Tsubasa - TRIP & TREASURE EP

# Shota Shimizu - COLORS

# Koda Kumi - Dejavu

# SID - dead stock

# flumpool - Fantasia of Life Stripe

# Yamashita Tomohisa - SUPERGOOD , SUPERBAD

# Kuroki Meisa - MAGAZINE

# ayumi hamasaki - Love songs

# BENI - Jewel

# Hilcrhyme - MESSAGE

# Saito Kazuyoshi - ARE YOU READY ?

# Mika Nakashima - STAR

# Kanjani∞ - 8UPPERS (Pacchi Uppers)

# GLAY - GLAY

# Anna Tsuchiya - RULE

# NEWS - LIVE

# JASMINE - GOLD

# Domoto Koichi - BPM

# Aoyama Thelma - LOVE ! 2

# Hilcrhyme - Recital

# ARASHI - Boku no Miteiru Fukei

# Kanon Wakeshima - Shoujo Shikake no Libretto ~LOLITAWORK LIBRETTO~

# YUI - HOLIDAYS IN THE SUN

# Hey ! Say ! JUMP - JUMP NO.1

# KAT-TUN - NO MORE PAIИ

# BENI - Lovebox

# Matsushita Yuya - I AM ME

# Acid Black Cherry - Q.E.D.

# Acid Black Cherry - BLACK LIST

# school food punishment - amp-reflection

# Tegomass - Tegomass no Ai EP

# BREAKERZ - B.R.Z ACOUSTIC EP

# ayumi hamasaki - Rock'n'Roll Circus

# V6 - READY ?

# DAIGO☆STARDUST - HELLO CRAZY GENTLEMAN

# DAIGO☆STARDUST - The space toy

# Shota Shimizu - Journey

# Koda Kumi - UNIVERSE

# NEVER LAND - Beautiful Days EP

# abingdon boys school - ABINGDON ROAD

# BENI - Bitter & Sweet

# GIRL NEXT DOOR - NEXT FUTURE

# LANDS - Olympos EP

# flumpool - What's flumpool !?

# Kuroki Meisa - ATTITUDE EP

# Yusuke - Ano .. Konnan Dekimashita Kedo.

# KinKi Kids - J album

# Namie Amuro - PAST < FUTURE

# BREAKERZ - FIGHTERZ

# alan - my life

# LOVE - LOVE.IT EP

# B'z - MAGIC

# Dew - PRESENT

# Saito Kazuyoshi - Tsuki ga Noboreba

# Aoyama Thelma - Emotions

# SID - hikari

# Kobukuro - CALLING

# Domoto Koichi - mirror

# Tegomass - Tegomass no Uta

# ON / OFF - Legend Of Twins I -Futago Densetsu-

# Fukuyama Masaharu - Zankyou

# Kanon Wakeshima - Shinshoku Dolce

# GReeeeN - Shio , Koshou -SALT & PEPPER-

# flumpool - Unreal EP

# Yuna Ito - DREAM

# Kanjani∞ - PUZZLE

# KAT-TUN - Break the Records -by you & for you-

# Kuroki Meisa - hellcat EP

# Kanjani∞ - KJ2 Zukkoke Daidassou

# ayumi hamasaki - NEXT LEVEL

# Utada Hikaru - DEEP RIVER

# Utada - This Is The One

# Kanjani∞ - KJ1 F·T·O

# ARASHI - Dream"A"Live

# Kanjani∞ - Kansha ni Eight EP

# alan - Voice of EARTH

# Aoyama Thelma - LOVE !

# Koda Kumi - TRICK

# Aoyama Thelma - DIARY

# YUI - I LOVED YESTERDAY

# YUI - CAN'T BUY MY LOVE

# BREAKERZ - BREAKERZ

# GIRL NEXT DOOR - GIRL NEXT DOOR

# GReeeeN - A , Domo. Ohisashiburi Desu

# YUI - FROM ME TO YOU

# GReeeeN - A , Domo. Hajimemashite

# BREAKERZ - CRASH & BUILD

# ai otsuka - LOVE LETTER

# Mika Nakashima - VOICE

# BREAKERZ - BIG BANG !

# NEWS - color

# Anna Tsuchiya - NUDY SHOW !

# Soundtrack Of High School Musical 3 : Senior Year

# L'Arc~en~Ciel - KISS

# BREAKERZ - Ao no Mirai EP

# ai otsuka - LOVE PUNCH

# ai otsuka - LOVE COOK

# ai otsuka - LOVE JAM

# KAT-TUN - cartoon KAT-TUN II You

# OLIVIA - Trinka Trinka EP

# NEWS - touch

# NEWS - pacific

# ARASHI - Iza , Now

# ARASHI - One

# NANA Triple Billing

# OLIVIA - The Cloudy Dreamer EP

# Anna Tsuchiya - strip me ?

# ARASHI - ARASHIC

# KAT-TUN - Best of KAT-TUN

# Anna Tsuchiya - Taste My Beat EP

# ARASHI - Time

# Electrico - We Satellites

# ayaka - Sing to the Sky

# ayaka - First Message

# KAT-TUN - KAT-TUN III -QUEEN OF PIRATES-

# Koda Kumi - BEST ~BOUNCE & LOVERS~

# Jesse McCartney - Departure

# The Veronicas - Hook Me Up

# Ken Hirai - LIFE is ...

# Ashlee Simpson - Bittersweet World

# Ken Hirai - gaining through losing

# Yuna Ito - HEART

# Utada Hikaru - HEART STATION

# Ken Hirai - FAKIN' POP

#
Yuna Ito - WISH

# Ken Hirai - SENTIMENTALovers

# Koda Kumi - Kingdom

# ayumi hamasaki - GUILTY

# ai otsuka - LOVE PiECE

# abingdon boys school - abingdon boys school

# ayumi hamasaki - I am ...

# ayumi hamasaki - RAINBOW

# The Great Spy Experiment - Flower Show Riots

# Koda Kumi - BEST ~second session~

# The Click Five - Modern Minds And Pastimes

# Soundtrack Of High School Musical 2

# Koda Kumi - Black Cherry

# Namie Amuro - PLAY

# Maroon 5 - It Wouldn't Be Soon Before Long

# ayumi hamasaki - Memorial address EP

# NANA starring Mika Nakashima - THE END

# Mika Nakashima - YES

# Jamie Michael - People Watching

# ayumi hamasaki - A BEST 2 -BLACK- & A BEST 2 -WHITE-

# ayumi hamasaki - (miss)understood

# ayumi hamasaki - Duty & MY STORY

# Muse - Blackholes And Relevations

# Utada Hikaru - ULTRA BLUE

# ayumi hamasaki - Secret

# Utada - Exodus

# Vanessa Hudgens - V

# The Veronicas - The Secret Life Of The Veronicas

# Jesse McCartney - Right Where You Want Me

# Maksim - Electrik

# McFly - Motion In The Ocean


Other Posts Worth Checking Out


# Fave Songs Of 2010

# Fave Singles Releases Of 2010

# Fave Albums Releases Of 2010

# Fave Songs Of 2009

# Fave Singles Releases Of 2009

# Fave Albums Releases For 2009

# The Best Music Releases For The 1st 1/2 Of 2009

# Fave New Acts Of 2008

# Fave Songs Of 2008

# Fave Singles Of 2008

# Fave Albums Of 2008

# The 1st Song I Heard From My Future JPop Acts

# The Best & The Worst Music Releases For The 1st 1/2 Of 2008

# Fave Albums Of 2007

# The Click Five - The Band Behind The Band Documentary

# 987 Control Songlist Set

# Hot Review Of Maksim's Electrik

# Lu Yong Find My Shoes Journey

# Eric Dill Of The Click Five Got Punk'd !


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Credits

designer - Chronicles

imageeditor - adobephotoshop

music - radioblogclub

image - fortminorwebsite