Utada – Come Back To Me January 20, 2009

Track Listing

1. Come Back To Me (Tony Moran Radio Edit)
2. Come Back To Me (Seamus Haji & Paul Emanual Radio Edit)
3. Come Back To Me (Quentin Harris Radio Edit)
4. Come Back To Me (Mike Rizzo Radio Edit)
5. Come Back To Me

1. Come Back To Me (Tony Moran Radio Edit)

To begin an American single with a remix is usual of course.  It seems to be your generic remix of track.  I mean it’s danceable, but it lacks interest and it just doesn’t get special or anything.  It’s the same beat just played back with Hikki.  Not the best way to start things off.

2. Come Back To Me (Seamus Haji & Paul Emanuel Radio Edit)

Same issue stands with this track.  I mean, once again the beat is to repetitive to lead anywhere really.  It drops a bit for the second verse which was a good break from it because it gets ethereal but it comes back…It was a good try, but no cigar.

3. Come Back To Me (Quentin Harris Radio Edit)

I do like how they made the strings a part of the remix, but this time this remix felt pretty empty otherwise.  A lot of this percussion instrument that resembles a cowbell just provides a good portion of the beat and seriously?  It’s annoying.

4. Come Back To Me (Mike Rizzo Radio Edit)

The only remix to stand out is this one.  For one thing, it had a pretty catchy beat and Hikki’s singing sped up for this one was the smartest idea to do with the song.  I mean I could clap along with it and just seems right.  It helps it sounds like a 90’s R&B track.  Definitly enjoyed listening to this one and it was a bit of fresh air to me.  Great remix otherwise.

5. Come Back To Me

Honestly, with such an emotional piano opening I didn’t expect something so oddly generic.  Hikki isn’t normally like this but returning to the American music market must have made her feel pretty awkward.  The lyrics are just as odd using the word ~Photoshop~ I mean that’s just a little strange.  At least she knows what it is hahaha.  It just seemed like a little bit of Mariah Carey was infused in the song and just made the song a bit worse.  I hope the new album won’t be full of cheesiness

 

 

Hikki’s 1st single return to the American market, will probably get big since the lyrics do seem a lot more easier to understand and relate to than her past English stuff.  Me, though I want her to keep the interesting topics flowing because “EXODUS” was that good.  So far she hasn’t really proved anything yet.  Except that R&B is more heavy this time around.  The remixes though minus Mike Rizzo’s take were horrible, lifeless remixes.

 

Gackt – GHOST January 20, 2009

Track Listing

1. GHOST
2. Blue Lagoon ~Shinkai~
3. GHOST (Instrumental)
4. Blue Lagoon ~Shinkai~ (Instrumental)

1. GHOST

Who knew Gackt can do electronica!  Anyways this has a pretty big tie-in to the Sarah Conner Chronicles so it’s pretty obvious that the track would sound so robotic and techno.  Gackt is under some vocoder which finally shows he can do what Nakata can’t.  Put dudes under em.  How he did the bridge though was amazing though so cold and empty and yet wow.  Sadly, comes the sad part.  This song is pretty short, like Jesus short.  If it wasn’t full of music instrumentation, he could’ve done so much more with.  Still one of his best tracks for sure.

2. Blue Lagoon ~Shinkai~

Finally we get a true B-side and not live versions of past songs.  Blue Lagoon continues this cold robotic sound, but without the vocoders being in the song.  Gackt sounds pretty lifeless in the verses and isn’t until the chorus where he sort of gets better.  I think he’s done better rock-like tracks in the past IMO, this was just alright.

 

 

I don’t know why he didn’t lengthen GHOST for the single, I mean it was just felt too short.  Blue Lagoon finally returned the B-side to us since the last two single were just live performaces…It was OK at best, wished there was more fire in Blue Lagoon too.  hmmmm.

 

Anna Tsuchiya – cocoon January 20, 2009

Track Listing

1. cocoon
2. u
3. Guys (CD Only)

1. cocoon

After that strange single, “BUBBLE TRIP/sweet sweet song”.  We finally go back to Anna’s rock roots with an amazing track to back it up.  Anna’s actually is making a lot more sense in English and well, seems pretty personal to her.  I can’t remember if this was the single after her husband’s passing, but it’s full of angst and you can actually feel for her.  Love this track as it’s my favorite Anna track right now.

2. u

Dang this single is just too good.  u is also switching between lyrics of the JPN and the USA languages which she’s got a pretty good grasp at.  What really got me was how raw and catchy u altogether is.  The riffs are just crazy good as well.  This would be my 2nd favorite track from her as of now.  It’s still the best from “NUDY SHOW!” since cocoon got stepped on on the album.

3. Guys

Guys is only available on the CD only version and I have to agree, this has a more things going on here as well.  So the song is entirely in English, but Anna’s husky voice kind of creates some odd pronunciation issues, but the other two songs as well had that issue, but this was more apparant because it’s only in English.  Yeah, the song is a cool listen, but just didn’t catch with me because of the other two tracks.

 

 

cocoon is by far her best single altogether.  All of the singles had a pretty catchy riff in it and the lyrics were awesomely good as well.  My only real problem was that only u was truely featured on the album while cocoon was being altered and Guys just didn’t appear…weird…Still what a great single *RECOMMENDED*

Nana Kitade – SUICIDES LOVE STORY January 20, 2009

Track Listing

1. SUICIDES LOVE STORY
2. Setsuna no Kizuna
3. Tsuiraku
4. SUICIDES LOVE STORY ~Instrumental~

1. SUICIDES LOVE STORY

Nana’s on a roll with her next A-side.  It’s also pretty depressing to listen to and has the same feeling that “Antoinette Blue” had as well.  Her vocals are a little grating mostly in the chorus, but the whole song is pretty nice.  Maybe she’s findin her niche now after the craptastic “I scream” album.

2. Setsuna no Kizuna

Well, that was until this song started up.  If her vocals weren’t the issues here, this could’ve been something off her debut album.  Her wailing is just off the wall and bothered me to no end.  I do like the rock sound of it luckily, so it isn’t terrible just needs some refinining.

3. Tsuiraku

I think we can say that Tsuiraku is the most aggressive track on the single and actually is the best as well.  The guitar riffs worked so well and Nana didn’t use her odd wailing as much in the song.  There’s something about the song that screams Halloween here as well.  Seriously, it’s something new and fresh from her.

 

 

You know, I actually found a single I was comtempt with in this era.   SUICIDES LOVE STORY though not as cool as the previous A-side did sound overall pretty good, but Tsuiraku totally took as the single’s best track.  As for Setsuna no Kizuna….well, you might as well pass it up.

UPDATE January 20, 2009

So I’m am now officially finished with the Review Index, you guys can go check it out now!!!