Naoya Urata – TURN OVER January 28, 2009

Track Listing

1. Intro
2. TURN OVER
3. Baby Bang! feat. SPHERE
4. I think I’m in love
5. Ecstasy feat. YUKALI
6. Too Late
7. HOT LIKE FIRE
8. voice of mind
9. anything about sex
10. Starting all over
11. Like a tattoo
12. White Lie

1. Intro

Your typical opening track.  It starts with a low robotic voice and some trumpet blares.  It’s quite funny cause it clashes xD.  It finishes after a minute passes by so its there, welcome to the album.

2. TURN OVER

We start with a pretty chill R&B track as well being the title track and all we finally get to hear Urata’s voice.  He’s got a pretty cool voice, I must admit and it has like a soulful propertie that I just really enjoy.  The music doesn’t change much out of the arrangement, but it’s shows off Urata’s classy side.  He also has a good voice when it isn’t in the higher register or being distorted lol.

2. Baby Bang! feat. SPHERE

I think my jaw dropped at how kickass and sex-filled this song was.  I  mean Urata is still doing the high register singing to the point, where the lyrics aren’t exactly decipherable.  I have to say this song has great energy and definitly a great choice to have it be the promotional track.  SPHERE though does rub off wrong on me, but c’mon let’s stare at Urata’s hotness ^_^

4. I think I’m in love

We get to hear Urata’s English skills and he has a grasp on it.  Though the song is pretty much a R&B ballad track, it’s quite smooth and flows at a good pace.  Urata is also singing in a more comfortable position and it’s just so nice. 

5. Ecstasy feat. YUKALI

If you thought Baby Bang! was naughty, then this song 1-ups it in every way.  I know Urata is singing in a way deeper tone than usual and YUKALI is singing as a response to his singing.  I mean they talk about touching and such, I was like dirrrty.  YUKALI at the beginning is just lulzy though.  The music is pretty secretive and fits the mood. 

6. Too Late

A lot of harmonizing happens in our next slow R&B track.  The song does have somewhat of an arrangement mess, but it’s a nice soft-spoken track and Urata shows off some emotion.  I have to say he fits in these kind of songs because of that voice of his.

7. HOT LIKE FIRE

Jeeze, HOT LIKE FIRE does sound like American Rap, which right there is a big no-no.  Then again it sounds like a circus sound.  Urata’s voice is filtered at the verse, but where we get into the bridge he loses it and then the song gets all hot.  ~Let’s get it on!~.  Tell me that isn’t suggestive.  It’s not bad, but is a little forgettable.

8. voice of mind

We finally get a true ballad.  It’s quite really calm and hearing Urata tackle a ballad sounds really nice.  He does have some small slipups in notes, but he really give a smooth and nice performance.  The piano and light R&B moments gave the song some great moments. 

9. anything about sex

You think this’d be a hardcore sex song right?  Well it’s light R&B and even has some soul implemented.  His voice sounds right with this song and even though the song is the love version of sex, it’s really simple and I think it hits a good spot with me. 

10. Starting all over

I didn’t think this track would be heavy on the beats.  There are definitly some golden Urata moments here.  It isn’t as mind-blowing as “Baby Bang!”, but it’s definitly has some awesome moments, especially his ad-libbing was hot.  It’s definitly another strong song altogether though.

11. Like a tattoo

It’s weird that they spelled it with one “t” so I think it was a mistake on their part, unless it was meant to be.  I think it’s got a lot more going on than the last track. It also sounds a lot more complete.  Urata seems to have hit gold here as well because of how cool the synth is and how Urata’s voice is treated with the song.  There’s traces of acoustic guitar, which added more to the song.  Definitly a favorite of mine.

12. White lie

Descending synth notes begin our final track, which is an interesting hot mess honestly.  I mean it was a little difficult to pinpoint the chorus and the music was spastic .  I mean it’s good to hum along and dance to, but I kind got a little lost in the track. 

Tracks Recommended

•  Baby Bang! feat. SPHERE
• Like a tattoo
• voice of mind
• Starting all over

Urata, you so sexii…(wait, did I say that?)  Anyways, if AAA were to split, Urata will definitly be the one to continue as a solo artist because this album is definitly of high-quality work.  His whole American R&B style songs are a nice change to J-pop and even a few are danceable.  It’ll be awesome to see where he goes in the future but right now this album is *RECOMMENDED*

ayaka – melody ~SOUNDS REAL~ January 28, 2009

Track Listing

1. melody ~SOUNDS REAL~
2. Blue Days
3. melody ~SOUNDS REAL~ -Live Version-
4. Sha la la -Live Version-
5. Blue Days -Live Version-

1. melody ~SOUNDS REAL~

Well, after the nice ballad “I believe” we get a more lively and upbeat track.  It’s got ayaka singing in a louder style than the previous A-side and add in the cool sound provided by a band, melody is just a nice track with even nicer vocals.  It may not stand as the best track she’s done, but this’ll do.

2. Blue Days

Blue Days however is a little more soft-spoken in both areas: sound and vocals.  ayaka does seem to want to just bust out her loud side, but with only the acoustic leading for most of the first verse, it’s kind of awkward.  I also think that her higher notes aren’t too supported and she starts to squeak, especially in the chorus.  It’s alright, but nothing special.

3. melody ~SOUNDS REAL~ -Live Version-

This single is the first of many singles of hers to include such live versions.  melody comes first of 3 live songs and I seem to connect to the live version more than the original.  There’s such a nice feeling of being alive and with ayaka is definitly using her strong voice to potray the song in a more powerful way was great.

4. Sha la la -Live Version-

Oddly enough, Sha la la hasn’t been heard originally yet, so to people this came as a surprise and for good reason.  The song is pretty nice to listen to and ayaka sounds great live.  When she goes into saying her ~Sha la la~ line, it was amazing.  I hope the main song sounds this great.

5. Blue Days -Live Version-

ayaka opens up with a little speech opening that starts up the last live song on the single.  As much as I didn’t really feel for the original, she gave a much better performance of it live.  She isn’t squeaking as terribly and her voice showed a lot more emotion. 

 

 

This single if not for the amazing live tracks would’ve been pretty low tooken by me.  melody is alright but is easily forgettable against other upbeat tracks.  Blue Days was just a disappointment in a ballad.  Like I said, the saving grace is the live versions as they all just sound amazing.  ayaka, your lives are prolly that amazing.

Tsukiko Amano – Utakata January 28, 2009

Track Listing

1. Utakata
2. Uraraka

1. Utakata

For a song that’s called “Bubbles” this does fit that bubbly sound almost perfectly.  I loved the calm piano chords that filled with the strings and xylophone moments.  Tsukiko’s voice is just so refreshing and when the bridge comes up there’s additions of drum and guitar, where it leviates to a loud chorus.  Even the guitar solo was epic.  I loved this track hands down.

2. Uraraka

Uraraka is pretty much typical rock Tsukiko.  It has a nice rhythm and had some attitude.  It sounds like something you’d hear while riding on a motorcycle down a highway.  Even though it reminds me of her earlier stuff, it’s just was an OK B-side. 

 

 

Tsukiko’s 2nd simultaneous single was alright at best.  Utakata was just a great experience, but Uraraka did king of bring the single down a bit.  Since it was just a little too typical of her, but I guess it could’ve been worse.

Tommy heavenly6 – Heavy Starry Chain January 28, 2009

Track Listing

1. Heavy Starry Chain
2. Always Somethin’ New
3. Heavy Starry Chain (Instrumental)

1. Heavy Starry Chain

This is definitly her most hardcore track she’s done in this era.  As so, there are hard guitar riffs and Tomoko singing really well with this amazing arrangement of a song.  I love how she proclaims ~You are my heavy starry chain!!~ As the main part of the chorus.  It’s so addictive that id does spawn tracks that almost sound like it like Buriguri’s “Ash Like Snow” and Th6’s “PAPERMOON”.  Flattery works right?

2. Always Somethin’ New

Interestingly enough, the B-side is just as hard rock as the previous, but seems a little like her debut A-side.  That’s not a bad thing, but Tomoko does seem a little too monotone chorus, but I love the raw sound this song brought along.  I love her speaking part when she says the title a few times.  Definitly a worthy B-side.

 

 

Tommy heavenly6’s final single for the “Heavy Starry Heavenly” was an explosive single.  Both song were definitly hard rock and very angsty.  I was shocked to find out that Always Somethin’ New doesn’t appear on the album, but every song before the single does (minus the melancholic versions).  I did wish this made the album and replace a few unneeded tracks.  Good single overall though.