Track Listing
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pretty voice
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Momo no Hanabira
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Sakuranbo
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GIRLY
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Ame no Naka no Melody
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Shabondama
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Ishikawa-Osaka Yuukoujouyaku
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Kataomoi Dial
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Honey
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Amaenbo
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Always Together
1. pretty voice
Wow, fast percussion starts us on this album. Sounds like a peppy beach song. It kind of sounds like Morning Musume music actually. Still I can’t help but find it’s charm throughout the song. I love Ai’s enthusiasm in this song, It makes it more enjoyable….Huh? Is that banjo playing in the 2nd verse? Ok this, is definitly something cool. Anyway as fast as the song is, it’s not bothersome.
2. Momo no Hanabira
After that ride, we enter the slower and yet somewhat annoying Momo no Hanabira. I still can’t take the numerous times she repeats the same damn word. The song itself is kind of a cute tune. Sounds like something you’d her in Naruto for some reason, its got this Japanese sounds to it, which sounds pretty cool. But, ~yuda, yuda, yuda, yuda, yuda, yuda~ totally ruins it for me. Still it’s an alright track
3. Sakuranbo
Sakuranbo, the cute pop song. Like I said on the single, I would rather have the Sutaijio Raibo version instead. The introduction of brass instruments are really needed or it would have been a slower “pretty voice” Still this is an alright track.
4. GIRLY
Ahhh, another pop/rock track. This is actually has a bit less going on, and there’s harmonica introduced in this track. The bridge is kinda unusual, changing time’s twice in it. This is obviously the feelgood song which is awesome. Though I can’t understand why I get bored after the chorus. I think the bridge was the best part of the entire song.
5. Ame no Naka no Melody
We get our first ballad with Ame no Naka no Melody. Like I said before Ai has a way with making ballads great. Sounds of dropping water fill the background while Ai is singing. I really like how soft and calm her vocals are, they are definitly controlled. She tends to get flat going for the high notes but other than that…almost perfect. What a nice ballad.
6. Shabondama
This time there’s bubbles popping in the background of Shabondama, which is also in fact, a ballad. I actually found this tune better than the previous one. Her voice is filtered a bit in the chorus, but she also uses her real voice for majority of it. She sounds a lot more powerful too. This is definitly a must listen
7. Ishikawa-Osaka Yuukoujouyaku
What an unusual track title, even scarier is the song itself. Sounds like a childrens song. Now, I consider this her childish phase of her music. It’s light-hearted, Ai is sounding really child-like, though yet retaining good vocals. Still, this was the most random song on the album, It bothered me though too, since this was like Ai was 10 years old…and it was after “Shabondama”…
8. Kataomoi Dial
After that unusual track we start this track with Ai dialing on a phone and letting it ring where it leads right into the track. It also has Ai’s cute vocals, but unlike the last song they actually are pretty great. The music has some synths but it’s guitar leading it mostly. There’s some xylophone too which was pretty cool where you an hear it. This is actually my favorite track of the album. So it’s a must listen…Oh yea, guitar solo = sweeeet
9. Honey
We calm down after “Kataomoi Dial” with this short track. It’s pretty soft and Ai’s vocals return to the nice ballad sounds. Whenever I hear this track it’s mostly farm-like…hahaha Ai and farms hmmmm. So what the hell was that bad sound during the 2nd verse? It sounds like she was pushing one out XD Sorry, I had to say that. Still, it’s a short, short tune that leads pretty nicely to the next track
10. Amaenbo
The oboe oozes its sounds to this ballad. Like I said Ai sounds great in this song. Though it actually leads to more of a power ballad. With bells and drums and guitars playing in the chorus, it’s very powerful. Fits very well on the album.
11. Always Together
Even more ballady than “Amaenbo” Always Together also has oboe in it, and lil percussion snippets in it. Ok, so the chorus actually minus Ai’s lyrics, it’s practically a bit like “Amaenbo’s structure. Though after the chorus, it’s gets louder and wow, it gets better with a chorale singing in the background. Then it takes a twist and sounds a bit tropical, then returns to the “Amaenbo’s” structure then the awesome combo of Ai and the BKGD vocals, this is definitly a real good album finisher.
Tracks Recommended
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Shabondama
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Kataomoi Dial
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Always Together
Ai’s debut album is really great. She’s shown a lot of charisma and enthusiasm that a lot of artists are lacking nowadays. I love all the ballads, her sort-of rock stuff, and the pop stuff though “Ishikawa” was a bit too weird. Don’t pass this album up, it’s a great start.
