Ai Otsuka – LOVE JAM August 5, 2008

Track Listing

1. Superman
2. Happy Days
3. Strawberry Jam
4. Daisuki da yo.
5. Sensu
6. Mousou Chop
7. Ponpon
8. Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi
9. Kingyo Hanabi
10. Kurage Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 735 Yen
11. Friends

1. Superman

Cars and sirens open up the album, to this rock/pop fusion track.  Ai sounds a bit weird in this song and the song pretty much goes nowhere for me.  The chorus has Ai hit some high note which is pretty bad here.  Not her best opening track.  Doesn’t the arrangement seem familiar to…

2. Happy Days

I prefer this track over “Superman” just because it sounds so much cleaner and more fun.  Her voice is blaring in a megaphone most of the song, I’m not turned off by it, but how addictive this song can get can get this song in the annoying sense.  The bridge is my favorite part just how she can shoot lyrics at a good pace.  Great single track.

3. Strawberry Jam

Very much known for her strange titled songs, Strawberry Jam is a nice pop tune.  A great brass section backing up the music, it was like awesome to me.  Ai sounds so girly here too which made the song even more sweeter.  Though, I’m left to wonder why she’s so loud in the chorus, you can hear her crack some notes as well.  Strawberry Jam is a tasty new song for the album!

4. Daisuki da yo.

3rd single Daisuki da yo. represents an overall change to the album since we’re leaving her rock/pop hybrids to a full blown ballad.  Ai is singing to drums, strings, and piano.  I love Ai’s voice in the chorus except when she goes for ~Zutto~.  That’s not such a nice sound.  Ai is just so powerful in this ballad.

5. Sensu

Then, we’re led into this ballad.  A little more rock influenced as hinted from the beginning.  I did find this song was less memorable from the album, which I guess Sensu was used for.  The beat was a little bland and the percussion was loud for the song.  Srry Ai, but this song wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be.

6. Mousou Chop

What a weird track Mousou Chop is.  It’s got Ai singing naturally and on a vocoder too.  It’s got a dance beat to it and is just a WTF moment from her.  I actually enjoyed the synth cuteness of this track, even though it’s so not of her.  Her voice synthed up is just as same sounding as it does to the girls of Perfume, not a surprise.  Luckily, the music is synth/rock which is pretty cool.

7. Ponpon

Ai’s normal tradition is to have a crazy ass tune.  Ponpon is so crazy is so much ike “Katorisenkou” even down to the repetitions included in the song.  Here though she goes through some different time changes and sound difference, but we’re led straight back into ~pon, pon, pon, etc.~  Yeah, it’s a hard listen without thinking “am I losing my sanity?”

8. Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi

A latin flavored track, It’s kind of sweet to listen after that maniacal track, “Ponpon”.  Ai’s vocals are cute with the piano and maracas.  It’s a nice song to sway to, so laidback, and summery.  The song can be easily listened to and not have bad feelings towards it.  Oh yea, it’s the last new song off the album.

9. Kingyo Hanabi

Still, the best song from the album, Kingyo Hanabi is a sweet, yet sad ballad with little instrumentation that creates a nice enka, like feel to it.  Even better the song portrays underwater sounds and it does without leading the track offbalance.  The ending like i said in the single review explodes and is frantic, but luckily it quiets down and ends on a good note.

10. Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 735 Yen

This is the original track before it was changed into the recut single.  As it is, its a more relaxed than it’s upbeat remake.  I kind of didn’t like this version because she sounded cooler in a rock state of mind.  The music is just as carefree as “Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi” but this just didn’t stand out for me as that song did. 

11. Friends

The last song is a ballad of course, and was also changed from when it was on “Daisuki da yo.’s” single.  This time also taking the guitar parts and replacing it with a piano and string instruments, the song is being a bit more powerful.  It somewhat works but I’d rather have had the Sakaban version.

Tracks Recommended

• Kingyo Hanabi
• Mousou Chop
• Strawberry Jam
• Friends
• Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi

Ai’s second offering was so much better in production and quality.  There were a lot of songs that I wanted to be on this album, mainly the B-sides.  Still, all of the new tracks were just as good as the A-sides.  Ponpon is gonna be stuck in my mind for awhile…oh well.  Great album.