Same cover used for CD , CD + DVD & CD + Blu-ray version(s)
1) Only One,Only You
2) GALAXY (GLAY × 80KIDZ)
3) Chrome Noir
4) WE Love HAPPY SWING (GLAY LIVE TOUR 2022 ~We Love Happy Swing~ Vol.3 2022.07.31 @ Makuhari Messe)
Composed by guitarist TAKURO , the A-side conveys the rock band's thoughts & prayers for the world .
In addition , Only One,Only You celebrates the 25th anniversary of GLAY's fanclub HAPPY SWING .
3 B-sides are included in Only one,Only you :
- GALAXY (GLAY × 80KIDZ)
1st released digitally on 22nd July & promoted WOWOW Tennis 2022 Season
- Chrome Noir
1st released digitally on 26th Aug & was used as the ending theme no. to promote TV Tokyo's World Business Satellite
- WE Love HAPPY SWING
This song express gratitude to GLAY's fanclub & this was recorded live from the last date of GLAY LIVE TOUR 2022 ~We Love Happy Swing~ Vol.3
Reaching the landmark 60th single release , GLAY proves that they still got it after being in the business for so long with the release of Only one,Only you .
All the songs in Only one,Only you are musically diverse from each other & I enjoy the B-sides just as much as the A-side which's a great empowering no. .
A lot of artistes come & go over the years but GLAY is still here and the release of their latest single Only one,Only you is evident why they're 1 of the rare JRock groups that still have long lasting power to this date .
There was no prior announcement before the digital release of Baby I love you so & a video was made for the song .
The music style of Baby I love you so is more or less the reason why I got into Shota in the 1st place as this's what he's good in doing ie. soulful R&B without any single trace of autotune in the song's melody .
Next year will be 15 years since Shota debuted & Baby I love you so is a great throwback to his early start in the music business .
CD
CD + DVD A / CD + Blu-ray A
CD + DVD B / CD + Blu-ray B
1) "Introduction" -Interlude-
2) TRIAD
3) LOSER
4) Canon
5) "Rhythm" -Interlude-
6) Polyrhythm
7) Chincha Umakka
8) Sanjyushi
9) "Melody" -Interlude-
10) Beautiful
11) pink moon
12) "Harmony" -Interlude-
13) KMK the boys rock you all!!
14) Kanariya
15) Hashiremerosu no Youni
16) "Dischord" -Interlude-
17) BURN
18) ReBorn
19) "Music" -Interlude-
20) Mirai e
21) Coda
22) "Outroduction' -Interlude- (Not mentioned online)
CD only version
- Refrain (Koyama Keiichiro)
- XXX (Masuda Takahisa)
- Agitato (Kato Shigeaki) ; written , composed & arranged by Shige himself
The group's last studio album release was 2020's STORY .
Ongaku is NEWS'
- 1st album release as a trio after the departure of former member Tegoshi Yuya
- 1st album release to receive Blu-ray version(s) alongside with DVD version(s)
Utilising their past experiences , the members faced music head on & demonstrated their specialties to create Ongaku .
4 singles are included in Ongaku :
- Beautiful / Chincha Umakka / Kanariya
- BURN
- Mirai e / ReBorn
- LOSER / Sanjyushi
7 new album tracks & 7 interludes are included in Ongaku . All interludes were composed by Shige while the CD only version include 3 solo songs .
Out of the 7 interludes , the last interlude "Outroduction' -Interlude- is not mentioned online but it's credited/indicated inside the album CD sleeves .
Triad serves as Ongaku's lead album promo track & has a video made .
Credits wise , Triad was written by her0ism , composed by ☆Taku Takahashi (m-flo) & her0ism and arranged by ☆Taku Takahashi + Nakanishi Ryosuke . The song's melody was made utilising 27 different instruments which NEWS played , sampled & recorded it in the studio .
The following is a summary of each single song included in Ongaku :
LOSER ; 1st A-side of 29th single LOSER / Sanjyushi ; used as the opening theme no. to promote TV Tokyo's drama Kichijyoji Losers starring member Masuda Takahisa
Chincha Umakka ; 2nd A-side of 26th single Beautiful / Chincha Umakka / Kanariya ; used as the ending theme for Gochi ni Narimasu which's featured as part of a segment in NTV's Guru Guru 99
Sanjyushi ; 2nd A-side of 29th single LOSER / Sanjyushi ; produced & provided by GReeeeN
Beautiful ; 1st A-side of 26th single Beautiful / Chincha Umakka / Kanariya ; promoted the drama Rental Nanmo Shinai Hito starring member Masuda Takahisa
Kanariya ; 3rd A-side of 26th single Beautiful / Chincha Umakka / Kanariya ; promoted the drama Rental Nanmo Shinai Hito starring member Masuda Takahisa
BURN ; 27th single ; used as the opening theme song for the Hanyou no Yashahime anime
ReBorn ; 2nd A-side of 28th single Mirai e / ReBorn ; 2nd opening theme no. for the Hanyou no Yashahime anime after BURN
Mirai e ; 1st A-side of 28th single Mirai e / ReBorn ; promoted NTV's drama Nigatsu no Shosha: Zettai Gokaku no Kyoshitsu starring member Kato Shigeaki
NEWS's 12th album is all about the music ! Drawing from their experiences , the 3 members present the best music & entertainment in Ongaku .
Ongaku is probably 1 of the most anticipated album release of the year given the unfortunate circumstances surrounding it .
But considering that NEWS put out 4 singles before they finally release their 1st album as a trio , I felt it was worth the wait as for once they didn't rush to put out a studio album for the sake of doing so , unlike what happened the last few years .
In some way , Ongaku has some music similarities with NEWS' 7th album QUARTETTO except this time round , I feel that Ongaku is a lot more put together & it's quite evident why Triad is the only album track that has a video made because it deserves so .
The other new album material are also equally good although some of them I wish they were a bit longer like Canon . And same as their past studio albums , given a choice , I would remove all the interludes as I find them a distraction .
Next year is 2 decades since NEWS made their music debut & they're 1 of those groups that have been through a lot over the years , for better or for worst but the fact that they're still here because of their fans , that says a lot .
Hopefully the way NEWS will celebrate their impending 20th anniversary milestone next year will be something worthwhile & memorable .
Cover same for CD , CD + DVD & CD + DVD + Cassette Tape editions
1) SLEEPLESS
2) Hard Rain Love
3) COMEBACK -Itoshiki Hahen-
4) YES YES YES
5) Highway X
6) Mamirena
7) Yamate Doori ni Kaze
8) Liv
9) Daydream
10) UNITE (Album Version)
11) You Are My Best
The duo's last studio album release was 2019's NEW LOVE .
No prior physical CD single songs are included in Highway X . In addition , Kimi to Nara which was digitally released last May's is not included in the new album .
The following tracks in Highway X have had various different promo tie in's :
- SLEEPLESS ; Detective Conan anime opening no. ; 1st released digitally on 24th June
- COMEBACK -Itoshiki Hahen- ; promoted the TV Asahi drama Mirai e no 10 Count
- Liv ; promoted the movie Usogui . described as a thrilling number
- UNITE ; released digitally last Oct . Promoted B'z presents UNITE #01 which featured B'z performed alongside with 2 other great JRock legends ie. GLAY & Mr.Children
The version of UNITE that's included in Highway X has some slight melody difference unlike the version that was released digitally last Oct
- You Are My Best ; used in TV Asahi's coverage of the 19th FINA World Championships Budapest 2022
To promote Highway X , live concert footage videos were made & released for COMEBACK , Liv & COMEBACK -Itoshiki Hahen- .
NEW LOVE was not an easy album to get into so before I listened to Highway X , I was a bit worried if I might face the same problems but luckily that did not happen .
Compared to B'z's previous album , Highway X overall on whole is a lot more radio friendly & most if not all the new material is really good .
My favourite album track in Highway X hands down has to be Hard Rain Love as the moment I 1st heard it , I straightaway was drawn onto it . It reminds me of NEW LOVE's WOLF but a lot more funkier & jazzier .
Also I didn't expect the version of UNITE included in Highway X to have some slight musical difference but the album version is easily more superior than the version released digitally last year .
If there's 1 thing I don't like about Highway X is that B'z did not include Kimi to Nara which was a surprise . Then again it's not their 1st song that they did not include in a studio album of theirs .
Overall on whole , I really enjoy Highway X & knowing that this's B'z's overall 22nd album , it's quite mind blowing but not really surprising as they prove they still got it even after being in the business for so long .
Koda's latest new song offering was chosen to promote the mobile game Ikemen Series .
This year is 1 of the rare times that Koda did not release anything Summer inspired which's a bit of a pity as some of her past Summer releases were & are still some of the best she put out to date .
Despite this , Koda more than make up for things with the release of Wings which's a really lovely mid tempo ballad .
Most of the time , Koda's ballads are easily written off due to a wide variety of reasons but luckily that's not the case for Wings .
In addition , Wings is 1 of those songs that the more I listen to it , the more I like it more than the previous time(s) I heard it .
