T.M.Revolution – HEAT CAPACITY May 10, 2009

Track Listing

1. HEAT CAPACITY
2. HEAT CAPACITY (Instrumental)
3. HEAT CAPACITY (Split~Attention L or R ch!)

1. HEAT CAPACITY

You know those dolby sounds in theaters that really goes through your ears before the movie?  Well that sound starts us off in HEAT CAPACITY.  Now Takanori sounds a lot more scruffy in his vocals and his vibrato is starting to get heavier.  Sadly, the arrangement doesn’t sound different from his past releases which makes this another meh song from the duo.  There is some different things, but overall it feels like some of the other tracks. 

 

 

HEAT CAPACITY didn’t really strike me as a good A-side for the era, but it’s suited to whats coming up after this album which is cool.  I just hope the next single is better than this single for sure.

Morning Musume – Shouganai Yume Oibito

Track Listing

1. Shouganai Yume Oibito
2. 3, 2, 1 BREAKIN’ OUT!
3. Shouganai Yume Oibito (instrumental)

1. Shouganai Yume Oibito

After “Platinum 9 Disc” Momosu decided to bring another new track out into the open.  It’s kind of funny that it sounds different, having a more dance-sounding beat to it that mimics anime-opening tracks.  It’s got some epic moments especially when they say the title of the track.  I know that Ai is leading it entirely and she sounds pretty good.  Even the violin solo in the middle of the song was nifty in the song.  I got to say another strong A-side.

2. 3, 2, 1 BREAKIN’ OUT!

I was even more surprised at the B-side.  It’s funky and has a lot of quirks, like a groovy guitar riff, bubbly sounds, and other little sounds.  I love when they go into the part where they harmonize one-by-one….that was cool.  The chorus was a little short, but the girls gave a pretty sweet performance.  This is as good as “Hand made CITY” if not better!!!!

 

 

Wow, the girls + Tsunku still have it to give out amazing single especially from the last era up.  Shouganai Yume Oibito was definitly another song to try out their new stuff and I found perfect especially after P9D.  The B-side also was on higher quality than normal since the last few B-sides were lukewarm.  Overall, great single to start out their 10th era…..even though it’s actually the 11th XD

Ami Suzuki – Potential Breakup Song

Track Listing

1. Potential Breakup Song
2. feel the beat
3. Potential Breakup Song (Sugiurumn Remix)
4. Potential Breakup Song (Instrumental)

1. Potential Breakup Song

Well, well, well…what do we have here?  Ami Suzuki earlier in the avex days did cover some other disney tracks….(lemme tell you, they were a bit embarassing).  Anyway, I really question whoever decided to let Ami cover Aly & A.J.’s biggest song because it came out of left field for many people who followed Amigo for a long time (me).  Now unlike the sisters pop/rock lovefest, Ami’s is definitly more chill and flowed really well altogether.  The sisters were featured in the song as minor backups and it suited with Ami’s more sultry vocals here.  The only real problem I had was with her thin vocals when she was singing ~This is the potential breakup song~ area.  Still this was way better than the sis’s version for sure.

2. feel the beat

I was expecting something really hardcore from the B-side, but what I got was a borefest, an 8-minute borefest.  I mean don’t get me wrong Sugiurumn did make the song very club-heavy, but what he/they? forgot was the lyrical sense of the song.  I mean all of the song it’s Ami saying ~i feel the music, i feel the sound, i feel the beat, beat, be-be-beat~.  I mean that doesn’t exactly fill the song up right if you ask me.  The arrangement doesn’t change much except when it restarts midway…Still, the chorus (if that’s what it is) is the best part because the ahhh-ing in the background was so eerie and cool.  The album version is still better.

3. Potential Breakup Song (Sugiurumn Remix)

Wait, wasn’t Sugiurumn making the last track, so why would he want to remix his own track?  WTF!  Anyways, it’s definitly long also passing 8 minutes…I actually liked this remix because it’s more completed in a sense.  I like how it starts up with it’s calm guitar thing.  It seems like Ami’s singing has slowed down a bit for the remix which kind of sucks, but whatever, it sounds they made this remix more ethereal, but with added club beats. 

 

 

*phew* I’m so finished with Ami’s discography!!!!  Anyway, Potential Breakup Song was a very surprising cover and very soon I might add.  I actually liked the more house version of Ami’s and even though feel the beat gets shortened for the album release it can be good if you don’t mind long songs.  The remix was actually pretty awesome and it was the only remix of the era so I can’t say much beyond that xD

Yui Sakakibara – Dream Party Memorial 2009

Track Listing

1. Brightness
2. Dream a go!go! (ArrangementVersion)
3. Motto, Yume, Miyou!! (CoverVersion)
4. Premonition Dream (ArrangementVersion)
5. Shiny Road
6. Rose quartz (ArrangementVersion)
7. Summer Angel☆
8. To be continued…
9. Happy Day☆ (ArrangementVersion)
10. The desert of time
11. Thank you for us (ArrangementVersion)
12. Sign

1. Brightness

Maybe I should be embarassed about listening to Brightness, because it’s so cherry j-pop with seiyuu voices.  There’s the usual piano and happy guitar playing.  I guess the music isn’t that bad, but Yui kind of failed in this song because I can’t take her voice too much.

2. Dream a go!go! (ArrangementVersion)

Then Dream a go!go! starts and I instantly think it’s some kind of H!P tracks because it is full of idol stuff.  So my initial thought that it’s pretty useless, but it’s actually quite catchy when it wants to be.  The chorus is definitly the highest point of the song, but I’ll pass.

3. Motto, Yume, Miyou!! (CoverVersion)

I’m pretty sure that Yui is covering a Momoi song because I’ve seen this song a few times in Momoi’s discography.  Right from the start it sounds quite upbeat and with the more dance-oriented synths, the songs arrangement reminds me of Tomoko’s Feb. stuff.  Sadly, Yui’s vocals aren’t that great and it’s kind of hard to keep listening to the song.  After a while, it just seems to be too sugary for me to comprehend fully LOL

4. Premonition Dream (ArrangementVersion)

Three tracks in a row that has to do with dreams?  Premonition Dream clears up the sugary craze and keeps the dance style in the song.  Now this is my kind of song and even made better because Yui doesn’t go into seiyuu mode, thank god.  Actually, it might be a eurobeat song because of the heavier beats and finesse in the synths.  This right now is my favorite track.

5. Shiny Road

Things go back downhill for our next track.  Shiny Road is a bit more laidback than “Premonition Dream”, but Yui once again fails for the vocals in it.  Some points of the song reminds me of space which is cool, but otherwise, it’s nothing special to note and could’ve been replaced.

6. Rose quartz (ArrangementVersion)

Our first true ballad, Rose quartz was thankfully good.  There’s a bit of a chill factor and hearing a more pseudo-jazz sound is what she needed, especially with Yui’s vocals.  The chorus was a little tough because she kept pinching her notes in a bad fashion, but the verses were where she shined the most.  The latin guitar solo before the 2nd verse was so cool though.  Good song overall.

7. Summer Angel☆

I didn’t expect Summer Angel☆ to start up with a low synth beat, but this song sounds just like a summer song would.  It’s got those guitars and laidback kind of sound.  Chorus though was pretty shaky in the vocal section.  It isn’t too much, but the song has its good qualites.

8. To be continued…

At first, I thought we were gonna get another ballad, but it seems it’s the basic anime song.  You know, ballad opening and fast upbeat stuff for the rest of the song.  Once again I found myself loving the songs interesting arrangement and dance beats.  I actually like this song a lot now. 

9. Happy Day☆ (ArrangementVersion)

Then things just dropped into obscurity with our next track.  Happy Day☆ probably has the worst use of her seiyuu voice and add the fact the song sounds very repetitive and just frantic.  Even the synths couldn’t save the songs weird vibe.  The chorus even felt terribly empty (that’s when you weren’t listening to Yui though…LOL)…Meh, not my kind of song.

10. The desert of time

Wow, the song has a very random opening.  At first, I thought this would’ve been a ballad because desert and time would usually mean slow-moving.  We got a mid-tempo pop track instead, but Yui really screwed up in the chorus by throwing that strange time sig change…or maybe it was a sudden change of singing style, I don’t, but the songs use of brass does make it stand out well.  It’s alright, nothing amazing.

11. Thank you for us (ArrangementVersion)

We finally get that ballad, but it’s not what I call very good, or interesting.  Yui is using her seiyuu voice and we all know ballads + seiyuu’s usually = FAILURE and this isn’t an exception to the rule.  Her voice is so squeaky and annoying.  Even the music seemed a little too boring than normal….yea….no…

12. Sign

We get a better representation of Yui ending off this album.  It’s just as eurobeat as “Premonition Dream”, but it’s also quite ethereal in a sense.  There’s a low synth bass beat pumping the songs fuel and the explosions in the chorus was pretty awesome.  I gotta say for an album of meh songs, this song sounds pretty good.

Tracks Recommended

• Premonition Dream (ArrangementVersion)
• Sign
• To be continued…

Song of Avoidance

• Thank you for us (ArrangementVersion)

To think this was released at the same time as “PHANTASM ~End Prophecy~ baffles my mind to no end.  This album has like a few good tracks while others were well, not my cup of tea.  Maybe Yui shouldn’t do seiyuu songs and stick with more serious releases.  *shakes head*

Yui Sakakibara (PHANTASM) – ~PHANTASM~ End Prophecy

Track Listing

1. Mikkyou no Kubikazari -Black Mass Ver.-
2. Shokuzai no Erotica
3. Zaika ni Keiyaku no Chi wo
4. Yami ni Hikari wo Sasumono
5. Haritsuke no Misa -To the distance Ver.-
6. Haruka Naru Idiyona -Heavy Generation Ver.-
7. Allelujah no Fukuin -Extra Solo Ver.-
8. Glajioul
9. Nageki no Arabesque

1. Mikkyou no Kubikazari -Black Mass Ver.-

Mikkyou no Kubikazari starts off innocent enough with a record playing the entrance to the song.  Then it stops and releases a very hardcore rock song from within.  I love how cool and rocking it sounds and Yui’s vocals are actually pretty damn amazing, especially when she channels the Nana Kitade vocals in the loud chorus.  What a powerful way to begin the album.

2. Shokuzai no Erotica

Shokuzai no Erotica sounds really gothic at the starts especially with Yui’s softer vocals and the chanting going on in the background.  Then things start to pick up when guitar and strings are added in to make it more powerful.  Another great song to follow-up the start of the album.

3. Zaika ni Keiyaku no Chi wo

This track opens up like we’re actually somewhere haunted with the wind blowing and a little flute opening.  Yui comes in and then you hear organ added as well which makes the track so much more creepy and cool.  As I’m sitting here thinking about the song, it actually sounds more of a rock ballad because it’s slow and it shows off Yui’s vocals.  Definitly another cool and rad track.

4. Yami ni Hikari wo Sasumono

Damn, Yui’s on a roll here.  Our next track is actually quite hard and powerful as a gothic rock track.  Only Asriel and Yousei would be proud of.  Yui shows a lot of emotion all over this track and with how freaky and psychotic it sounds, I was definitly digging this song a lot.  Definitly an epic song.

5. Haritsuke no Misa -To the distance Ver.-

Harituske no Misa brings out a more womanly sound from Yui but continues with the hard pounding or gothic rock in the song.  I actually loved the guitar riff during the bridge because I don’t think it could’ve been any more interested in this song as it is.  Now if you’ve noticed the versions tied on the end, I really haven’t heard the original, so I’ll be ignoring it from here on out.

6. Haruka Naru Idiyona -Heavy Generation Ver.-

Haruka Naru Idiyona actually doesn’t sound too much like the gothic stuff beforehand.  It seems that it’s gone for a bit, since it seems more like a HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR song which doesn’t surprise me, but at least it’s something to take ourselves away from the gothicness (even if it’s for a little bit).  Still, I guess it isn’t as memorable as the others, but it’s still good.

7. Allelujah no Fukuin -Extra Solo Ver.-

Fortunately, Allelujah no Fukuin is devoid of anything rock-like and we’re left with just a gothic song that feels so cold and it’ll send shivers down your spine.  Yui’s vocals are surprisingly calm and with the distant guitar playing, I was pleasantly surprised at this song.  Even when the song goes into its epic-sounding chorus it still is somewhat a very chilling track.  Wow, was this a good track.

8. Glajioul

Glajioul actually gradually starts up into (another) epic rock track.  What’s going on here?  Why are these songs sound overly amazing?  Yui actually is once again using her deeper vocals for the verses and then shows off her powerful vocals out in the chorus.  Then again it’s a bit like the other tracks on the album, but that’s not a bad thing in this case.

9. Nageki no Arabesque

Ending the album, is probably one of my favorite tracks off of here.  Nageki no Arabesque doesn’t actually sound Arabesque, but it does sound pretty cool with strings playing the melody with the guitars.  Now this song I can picture being an Anime opening, it just has the right sense of flow to be one.  I was impressed.

Tracks Recommended

• Allelujah no Fukuin -Extra Solo Ver.-
• Haritsuke no Misa -Heavy Generation Ver.-
• Yami no Hikari wo Sasumono
• Nageki no Arabesque
• Mikkyou no Kibuzukari -Black Mass Ver.-

Song of Avoidance

• Haruka Naru Idiyona -Heavy Generation Ver.-

Uhm….wow now this was an album, anime based or not, this is one friggin epic album.  If you really like Asriel and Yousei Teikoku then this is the album to look for as well.  Yui Sakakibara does have a questionable past of releases (read review of JOKER)…so it’s amazingly awesome to see Yui continue more on this gothic ride and it suits her good!