Chihiro Onitsuka – INSOMNIA June 6, 2009

 

Track Listing

1. Gekkou
2. Innocence
3. BACK DOOR (Album Version)
4. edge
5. We can go
6. call
7. Shine (Album Version)
8. Cage
9. Rasen
10. Memai
11. Gekkou (Album Version)

1. Gekkou

I guess it was appropriate to begin the album with Chihiro’s biggest song.  Gekkou is still definitly one of the best ballads she’s done and it shows with how soothing Chihiro’s vocals and the lone piano playing along.  How she tackled the chorus was so soulful and c’mon this is one song not to pass up!  Great track.

2. Innocence

We get into our first new track, I’m starting to sense a little bit og emotional pain with Chihiro because this song is very melancholic in sound and Chihiro’s vocals are a bit more vulnerable sounding.  I love how things get more energetic in the chorus where a band appears and plays along.  It’s definitely a dark song and I praise it.

3. BACK DOOR (Album Version)

There’s a few songs that have been rearranged on “INSOMNIA” starting with BACK DOOR which was originally a B-side from “Shine”.  I clearly noticed the change that went around with the song and I kind of wished they didn’t do it because BACK DOOR was an alright pop track and they just stripped that off and made it into a simple ballad.  I do like how Chihiro asks ~Where is the back door?~  Maybe she’s blind or something?

4.  edge

Representing part of the double A-side that ended the era, edge makes the jump onto the album and it still kind of feels like a filler track more or less.  We do get to hear Chihiro in the higher register, so I really enjoyed her there, but otherwise there’s still nothing that really makes it stand out.

5. We can go

I guess I’m starting to get somewhat bored of the album here because of how calm and yet nothing is standing out from the album yet.  We can go kind of sticks out with it’s more upbeat nature and sounds like something you’d hear on the beach.  At the same time, she sounds like a country singer with everything going on.  That was smart planning to do a song like this and I quite like it alot.

6. call

After the minor boost of energy, call pops in and brought me back down to boredom.  I mean it’s nice enough that it’s calm and stuff, but this is just too calm for me.  Chihiro just drags the song the entire way and doesn’t make anything stand out.  Talk about boring.

7. Shine (Album Version)

Once again, I’m slightly disappointed at the change made with her debut as well.  She stripped whatever made Shine listenable and turned it into a straight-up ballad, which once again fails to make me pay enough attention.  I do love the fact her vocals are amazingly better, but still c’mon….another ballad?!?

8. Cage

3rd single, Cage pops up next and I was so elated that it wasn’t tagged by (Album Version).  We needed another upbeat tune to fill up the album and Cage does it very well.  I mean it’s still pretty calm as Chihiro tracks go, but seriously?  Can we spice things up, you know go electro? xD JUST KIDDING!  Cage is still a great track on the album.

9. Rasen

The final new track, Rasen is a lot like “Innocence” in a way that it’s very melancholic and sad to listen to.  I actually enjoyed this track more because in some places it’s like a gospel track and at other points it just sounds like a hopeful song.  It’s definitly soothing despite the rest of the album is similar.

10. Memai

Memai ended off the era on a good note, but on the album it just doesn’t sound orgasmic as the new tracks have been.  I don’t know why this doesn’t sound as good as the others, but I guess it’s still alright despite the unoriginality hitting this track.  I’ll say the chorus is still the best part though.

11. Gekkou (Album Version)

Can you really make a ballad even more ballady?  I guess so, because Gekkou got this tagged and interestingly took out some important stuff and just left some BKGD vocalists and piano….It’s definitely a lot more simpler and Chihiro resung it as well.  I still enjoyed the original a lot more than this version though. 

Tracks Recommended

• Gekkou
• We can go
• Rasen
• Cage

Chihiro’s debut album isn’t one of the best albums out there, but it does solidify her as a great ballad singer.  I think what made me not enjoy the album fully was in that all but 2 songs were ballads which is a hard listen for me.  Having some of the tracks rearranged was mainly not the smartest idea as well.  Still Chihiro’s vocals are great and I love a few of them, so it’s not an entirely bad album, just a little stale.