capsule – CUTIE CINEMA REPLAY June 15, 2008

Track Listing

1. open
2. sweet time replay
3. Candy Cutie
4. Plastic Girl
5. french lesson
6. music controller (piconova-mix)
7. Odekake Go!Go!
8. fashion fashion
9. Udagawa Friday
10. close

1. open

A horn intro with Nakata speaking to the end, it’s very short so it’s just an introduction.

2. sweet time replay

A very odd synth starts and is fueled by piano, I can’t really tell you how carefree this song is….hmmm….Ok!, it’s something you’d expect to hear in Katamari Damacy or one of it’s sequels.  Dahlia though sounds very airy….I guess it fits but whatever.  After the chorus, she’s whispering and the music gets awkward…like some odd sounds appear.  Well, it’s an alright song

3. Candy Cutie

Piano starts us off and then does a mind twist and shoots us into this odd cute song.  This song is very lively and almost sounds like Kirby music with lyrics!  Sonic Coaster Pop is featured in this track, I guess that’s why this song is so sugar coated, it’s almost a guilty pleasure.  I actually found myself jamming to this.  It’s just that cute.  The interlude in the song even goes further with the video game sounds and it just is so good.

4. Plastic Girl

~Wicked Plastic~ is said right when the tune starts up.  EeL is featured in this song, though I don’t think they are a major role…because I hear Koshi, I could be wrong be ehhh.  She sounds actually quite good in the song.  It’s not as lively as “Candy Cutie” but it’s got its flair and actually is a great song to listen to while bike riding. 

5. french lesson

Uhm, okay…..this has to be the oddest song on the album.  It’s definitly French-affialiated with the accordion being the main instrument.  There’s no singing just a voice in japanese speaking.  Whenever I hear this I think of “Delfino Plaza” from Super Mario Sunshine.  I guess it’s an interlude of sorts, but a really long one.  I love the swooping whistle XD

6. music controller (piconova-mix)

A remix of the original music controller and the only “capsule-only” tune on here.  It’s a very weird tune.  Koshi sounds a tad dark sounding in this song that kind of reminds me of fiestas.  It’s got a nice share of synths and maracas and keyboardto color the song.  It’s definitly something if you like laidback synth tunes.

7. Odekake Go!Go!

Oh snap, a car honks to tell us that there’s a new song starting.  It’s very lively also.  Various percussion is heard throughout.  I like the sudden urgency before the second verse.  You can hear the honking car work for the song too, which is interesting.  Sylvia55 is actually the artist in this track, and wow I was surprised that they came to make this song.  It’s one of the catchiest songs on the album.

8. fashion fashion

I’m a little scared of this song.  Why?  That girl who says ~Tokyo Chocolate* and *Fashion Fashion* is definitly on pot or something.  The song is minimalistic when compared to the other songs, but it’s got this whole happy feeling in it which fits the song.  The girl does get annoying because she keeps repeating the title over and over.  Eventually more sounds do come in like flutes, more percussion and guitars.  Still, it gets really repetitive and boring.

9. Udagawa Friday

Using a xylophone and a electric guitar we get our final track Udagawa Friday.  The song is so goofy, it’s downright hilarious.  It kind of mashes all of the songs on the album and shoves them together.  Not seriously, but there’s traces of sounds like the accordion.  I think Koshi is also singing in this track, I cant tell but she sounds good here.  Definitly a peppy, happy track.

10. close

Auld Lang Syne is the closing of the album??? WTF…it’s played on Xylophone…then a guy’s voice appears…and is he speaking French???  Alright, this is the strangest ending ever!

 Tracks Recommended

• Odekake Go!Go!
• Candy Cutie

capsule’s 2nd album featured many artists and not capsule themselves.  This was a different album than “Haikara Girl” adding more pop and light stuff across.  Majority of the album was cute stuff and not so much serious stuff, it does get the job done, it made me happy listening to it.  oh yea….Auld Lang Syne WTF

Utada Hikaru – Addicted To You June 15, 2008

 

Track Listing

1. Addicted To You (UP-IN-HEAVEN MIX)
2. Addicted To You (UNDERWATER MIX)
3. Addicted To You (UP-IN-HEAVEN MIX) [Instrumental]
4. Addicted To You (UNDERWATER MIX [Instrumental]

1. Addicted To You (UP-IN-HEAVEN MIX)

Uhm, that is definitly an odd sound Utada, ~chika chika~.  Utada sounds a bit shaky in the verses, I guess it’s supposed to fit with this song.  When she hits the chorus though, she sounds great.  I like the overall sound of the song, it makes more sense.  It’s R&B, but very different from your normal one though, there’s a lot of things that are happening.

2. Addicted To You (UNDERWATER MIX)

So the alternative remix is actually a lot more subdued in sound.  What I mean is there is R&B, but more of a slow dance feeling to it.  It kink of sounds real groovy.  I can see why though they didn’t put this on the album however.  The song is would just be a little bit awkward on the album.

 

 

So, Utada released Addicted To You with no new songs with it, what a disappointment.  Anyway the UNDERWATER MIX gets shelved for the UP-IN-HEAVEN Mix that goes on to be on “Distance”.  Song itself is alright, still isn’t on par with some of her later works, but this will do….I say pass this single up.

Koda Kumi – TAKE BACK June 15, 2008

 

Track Listing

1. TAKE BACK
2. Your Song
3. TAKE BACK (C. “Tricky” Stewert Remix)
4. TAKE BACK (Daylight Remix)
5. TAKE BACK (Instrumental)
6. Your Song (Instrumental)

1. TAKE BACK

Coming out strong right from the start we get this R&B track from Kumi.  It does have an arabian-esque sound to it also which is very surprising for a debut.  It’s a little bit on the slow side, but it does her justice, actually.  Kumi’s voice is a deep one and very different from her sister Misono, mainly Kumi doesn’t depend on vibrato.  This track is definitly memorable.

2. Your Song

More or less of a R&B ballad track, Kumi sounds a lot better in this track.  Still, her vocals can be a little awkward and sometimes she over accents some of lyrics…though you got to give her credit as this is her 1st B-side.  I like her softer vocals, they actually sound calm and relaxed.  Her ad-libbing though is a little bit questionable as she gets a lil too hogwild there.

 

 

Kumi’s debut single is definitly a nice one.  We got TAKE BACK, the uptempo R&B track and Your Song, the R&B ballad.  Though in the same genre, they are opposites of each and showcases what she can do.  Though it isn’t later that she’s recognized as a huge artist *cough* Final Fantasy X-2 *cough*  Still, a great effort all-around

dream – Movin’ on June 15, 2008

Track Listing

1. Movin’ on (Keep on Mix)
2. Movin’ on
3. access to love
4. Movin’ on (Dub’s Not Illegal Mix)
5. Movin’ on (D-Z CRYSTAL OXYGEN Mix)
6. access to love (Y&Co. TASTE Mix)
7. Movin’ on (Instrumental)
8. access to love (Instrumental)

2. Movin’ on

What a dizzy beginning, very awesome guitar playing.  Though it’s your normal dance track, minus the awesome bridge, though it makes up with that great guitar.  The girls sound strong from the start too.  I can’t say that I found this song well though.  It kind of lost my interest.  Though I like how they say ~Movin’ On!~ 

3. access to love

I already enjoyed this song so much better than “Movin’ on” .  This song also has some cool riffs in it.  The girls also sound much more comfortable in this song too.  It’s a tad slower than the title track but still, it’s got so much more interest in here.  I like what they do when they finish the chorus by going back to the sounds from the beginning.  Great!!!

 

 

Well, starting with the 3-nin dream, this single was alright, though I would have liked access to love be the A-side, because Movin’ on has B-side qualities to it.  Still they both make it onto their 1st album.

New Artists!!!!!! June 15, 2008

So I guess you guys have seen I’ve done reviews on

Kana and T.M.Revolution!……………..As you can tell I’m starting chronologically on Kana with “Hebi-Ichigo”.  As for T.M.Revolution I reviewed his single that just came out earlier this week with “resonance”….And yes I’ll also start up with him chronologically with “Dokusai -monopolize-” 

3rd artist I’m adding up in this blog is ICEMAN!!!!! Since there is no singles picture only album pics I’ll start up with their 1st album.

 

I’m thinking of a 4th addition….though I want some comments on to who i should have

Two-Mix or Miyavi!    

EDIT:  Well, It’s really difficult to find TWO-MIX stuff so here I’ll add a few more artists to the list.

1. Koda Kumi
2. dream/DRM
3. Miyavi
4. access (but only their Best-of album, though it’s split into 3 cd’s)
5. m.o.v.e.

Kana – Hebi-Ichigo June 15, 2008

 

Track Listing

1. Hebi-Ichigo
2. Kiba
3. Kugi
4. Hamushi -Gomi Bako Shiki-

1. Hebi-Ichigo

Growling starts off with this wacky track.  Kana’s unorthodox style of singing is definitly shown.  She sounds like a Japanese Gwen Stefani but with twinges of despair…Yeah, It’s something you gotta hear.  To the song, actually I like how wild and animalistic this song is.  She’s definitly performing it to her best, I can tell.  The music is actually kind of catchy LOL…the guitar riffs are pretty cool.  I like this song alot.

2. Kiba

A very solemn bell starts off this dark song.  Kana’s voice is actually held back in this song.  The song is very much less active than “Hebi-Ichigo”.  Her real voice comes into the song right when the 1st verse starts, but majority of it sounds like she’s using a megaphone.  There’s some unusual synths playing here and there.  Definitly a good B-side.

3. Kugi

Even more darker than “Kiba”, Kugi is a very quiet song at first.  This is the one of the many times we hear Kana’s distinctive kid voice which is very surprising.  I do find that this really isn’t singing, but shes like saying the lyrics.  She kind of sounds sexy in this song which is a first for me to hear!…It’s a very dark song with eerie guitars and a steady beat on the drums….it’s almost frightening.  Definitly cool.

4. Hamushi -Gomi Bako Shiki-

Last song on the single is a short one.  Starts out like the entire song is filtered to make it sound old and fluffy in the sound.  Kana does some ad-libbing and wow, It’s definitly a creepy thing she’s doing.  This is also one of the many *Shiki* songs on her discography.  Kana doesn’t exactly sing though which takes away.

 

 

Kana’s 1st single was OMG great.  The uber rock song Hebi-Ichigo, two dark tunes, Kiba and Kugi, and well, would you say an Interlude at the end?  Weird, but it fits this whole single well.  The single is outta print though, so I can’t say to get it.