PUFFY – All Because Of You January 12, 2010

Track Listing

1. All Because Of You
2. Frontier no Pioneer
3. Closet Full Of Love (RYUKYUDISCO REMIX)

1. All Because Of You

When I heard that Avril Lavigne worked on this song, I was surprised because I really did hear Avril through the songs pop/rock arrangement.  Like I said before, Ami and Yumi aren’t the best singer around but their interesting harmonies keep me interested for a while.  Definitely American-inspired rock, but it’s pretty catchy.  PUFFY sure do know how to make a good song here and then.

2. Frontier no Pioneer

I’m not sure if Frontier no Pioneer was produced by Avril, but I doubt it because it sounds more like what they usually release.  It does sound something you’d hear on a pioneer adventure, but other than that this song really does nothing for me.  It’s alright, but I don’t think it’s like jaw-dropping.

3. Closet Full Of Love (RYUKYUDISCO REMIX)

Taking a track off their album, “honeycreeper”, Closet Full Of Love gets remixed by none other than RYUKYUDISCO.  Now I’m not too fond of remixes made by them and this doesn’t surprise me one bit that I didn’t really like the remix.  Though the ad-libbing was pretty cool and the Engrishness going on in the song.

 

 

PUFFY begins the “Bring it!” era off with a pretty good A-side in All Because Of You.  It’s not what you really expect from PUFFY, but since when have they been actually predictable in their work?  Frontier no Pioneer was alright but nothing really stoof out from me and the remix for Closet Full Of Love was OK.  I guess it’s an alright start for an era. 

Stephanie – because of you

Track Listing

1. because of you
2. To.Be.Me.
3. Ben

1. because of you

Thank god she doesn’t begin this single with a whistle note this time.  Even though because of you is basically a refined version of “Kimi ga Iru Kagiri”, it’s still a pretty soothing track and it does have a certain Disney ballad quality about it.  She definitely does yell through the songs though, but I guess it makes it more epic???  Still it’s a better ballad than her debut.

2. To.Be.Me.

While we know Stephanie isn’t one to stick to one style, To.Be.Me. is a bit more rock-oriented and I enjoyed how it began so loud and fast.  It’s not bad at all, just very different I guess.  I guess there isn’t much to really complain about because I like Stephanie singing rock songs more than ballads right now.

3. Ben

Stephanie decided to cover Michael Jackson’s  “Ben” and honestly, her voice definitely suits the song because of her powerful vocals and it works for me because she really pulled it off nicely with just a piano arrangement.  Really pretty song though being only 3 minutes.

 

 

Stephanie’s 2nd single really surprised me because it basically fixed the problems that were wrong in “Kimi ga Iru Kagiri” and vocally made the three songs just stand out really nicely.  I really liked her cover for Ben though, really pretty song.

Mika Nakashima – Love Addict

Track Listing

1. Love Addict
2. Be in Silence
3. aroma (live)
4. Love Addict (Fukihiro Fukutomi Remix)
5. Love Addict (Instrumental)

1. Love Addict

Beautiful strings open up Love Addict and what a pretty way to do it as well.  After the opening, this jazzy arrangement flows through so smoothly and it’s an upbeat jazz tune.  Mika, with her smoky vocals, really made me appreciate her fully because she sounded together with the song.  I enjoyed this song a lot.

2. Be in Silence

I’m guessing Mika wanted to hit all the soft spots because Be in Silence is definitely a soft pop song and it just relaxes your mind.  I loved the flute solo in the song which gave the song a more soothing feel.  It’s simple, Mika sounds nice and the song just felt good to listen to.

3. aroma (live)

A live version of a track off the “RESISTANCE” mini-album, aroma also fits the mood of the single easily.  It’s just as jazzy as “Love Addict”, but it also has this smooth and chill feel that “Be in Silence” had as well and it’s a good mix because it feels like it wasn’t live and Mika’s vocals were just right, once again.

4. Love Addict (Fukihiro Fukutomi Remix)

So we have a remix of Love Addict as well, and since it’s a Fukutomi, you know it’s going to be long and at more than 7 minutes, it’s pretty hard to pay attention.  It doesn’t even feature Mika period which makes this an even more harder listen.  Even though the instrumental does play the melody, it’s just too boring for me.

 

 

I think Love Addict is Mika’s best single so far in this point of her career.  I really enjoyed the jazzyness of the entire single and with the slow pop standards of Be in Silence this single just flowed so nicely, even the remix sort of fit nicely even though Mika was nowhere to be found on it.  Pretty single

Buono! – Rottara Rottara

Track Listing

1. Rottara Rottara
2. My Love
3. Rottara Rottara (Instrumental)
4. My Love (Instrumental)

1. Rottara Rottara

Well, by god, Rottara Rottara just pwned “Gachniko de Ikou?” in one fall swoop.  Really there’s just nothing stopping Buono! at this point because this song is the best thing to happen in forever.  This song is just hook after hook and how all the ladies just sounded excited and cute.  Even Momoko surprised me by being cute but not gross.  Three thumbs up for this song.

2. My Love

The B-side though is a little like “Lady Panther” but with more brass.  It’s got that same cuteness that’s found in said track, and at the same time I do like the more furious guitar riffs here though.  The girls once again are doing pretty well for themselves with their own solo lines and stuff like that.  Very cool song overall

 

 

While it was the 3rd single of the era, Rottara Rottara continues this wrath of amazing Buono! singles.  Rottara Rottara is just pure H!P fun and the girls really showed off what they were as a group, this song is Buono! IMO.  My Love is great as well, even though it’s a little bit like “Lady Panther”, it’s still a great single overall!

Buono! – Gachinko de Ikou!

Track Listing

1. Gachinko de Ikou!
2. Lady Panther
3. Gachinko de Ikou! (Instrumental)
4. Lady Panther (Instrumental)

1. Gachinko de Ikou!

I think what really kickstarted the era, was the 2nd single of the era Gachinko de Ikou!  It could be my inner wota calling out to me but I just love this song a lot.  It’s different with the whole space-ish sound going on, even though I think the PV wasn’t like this…I do like how the song is about competition and such and made a good fun pop/rock song for me.

2. Lady Panther

To me, Lady Panther is a whole lot more energetic and gots the catchiest parts.  I know there’s a word to describe this tune, maybe a little bit old rock, Iono, but there’s just something I love and it could be because of Miyabi, Airi, and Momoko (I love her here).  Very cool track from Buono!

 

 

Could this be the perfect Buono! single?  I kind of think so because both tracks are so peppy and cute that I actually enjoyed it a whole lot.  It just might be the single most-handedly great single from H!P as of recent.  Could it get any better?

AAA – Black & White

Track Listing

1. Samurai heart -Samurai Tamashii-
2. Winter lander!!
3. Hurricane Riri, Boston Mari (Live version)
4. Samurai heart -Samurai Tamashii- (Instrumental)
5. Winter lander!! (Instrumental)

1. Samurai heart -Samurai Tamashii-

Oh friggin sweet, Samurai heart is by far the most intriguing song I’ve heard so far from the group.  I mean not only it’s a rock-themed song like “Soul Edge Boy”, it’s got everyone in the song participating.  I mean I was surprised when I heard Shuta and Shinji actually rapping instead of Hidaka, it shocked me because they were just as energetic.  The song is probably the most hard-hitting tune they’ve released so far, so I was definitely happy to hear something so jaw-droppingly amazing from AAA

2. Winter lander!!

Then again on the flip side of the coin, Winter lander!! is more into the giddy pop releases, it’s not as bad as earlier on, but giving the winter song a disco background felt way tacked on.  While they really haven’t done disco-y songs since the first album, Winter lander!! is just way too cheesetastic for me.

3. Hurricane Riri, Boston Mari (Live version)

We get another live version, this time from the 3rd A-side of the era, Hurricane Riri, Boston Mari is alright, it’s nothing more or less like their previous live versions and what you expect in a live version of this song is there.  Though is it me or am I hearing a lot more of Shuta?!?, beyond that nothing too shocking besides the solo line.

 

 

FINALLY, ending the stretched to no end ALL era, Black & White was definitely on the opposite sides of the world.  Samurai heart was shockingly good and depending if you like to hear the members, this would be a great song to start with.  Winter lander!! however was a back to the cheesy sounding songs with disco and wintry moods mixed together…not so good.  The live was alright, but can we change from lives to something else now?

fripSide – only my railgun

Track Listing

1. only my railgun
2. late in autumn
3. only my railgun -instrumental-
4. late in autumn -instrumental-

1. only my railgun

Being the first single I’ve came across with fripSide and since it’s the first single with new lead singler Yoshino Nanjo, only my railgun really is for anime fans.  Her voice comes off as rather chipmuky, but given the song’s techno arrangement, it oddly fits for me and what did it for me was the cool PV based on the song’s tie-in to To Aru Kagaku no Railgun, so honestly, this song is pretty damn cool.

2. late in autumn

Being a long song over 6 minutes, I was wondering what we’d get out of late in autumn.  At first, I thought the song was taking a pop route, but it becomes a more mid-tempo sounding “only my railgun”, but a little more anime like.  Yoshino’s vocals are a bit more tame here, but it’s still not that good.  I kind of like the GND sounding verses though…maybe a little deja vu, but still a pretty solid song.

 

 

fripSide really pulled the strings in the right way by Yoshino’s debut with sat.  only my railgun is a pretty futuristic song as things go so basically it caught me off guard at how good it turned out.  late in autumn is a nice B-side, but it’s all that I think it’ll be. 

Tohoshinki – Bolero/Kiss The Baby Sky/Wasurenaide

Track Listing

1. Bolero
2. Kiss The Baby Sky
3. Wasurenaide
4. Doushite Kimi wo Suki ni Natte Shimattandarou? -Royal Mirrorball Mix- (CD only)
5. Bolero (Less Vocal)
6. Kiss The Baby Sky (Less Vocal)
7. Wasurenaide (Less Vocal)

1. Bolero

Beginning this triple A-side, Bolero is quite amazing, even moreso than that really long title of the last single.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone try to pull off a bolero, and Tohoshinki has made a great song out of it.  The guys really sound great together and showing off their vocals.  I’m not sure why, but Tohoshinki has been improving with each single so far and I think Bolero is the peak of awesomeness.

2. Kiss The Baby Sky

I was expecting this song to be a ballad as well, but with Junsu rapping at the start and the heavy beats providing support, I was also expecting a cool dance song…However, it just becomes awkward because it’s in the middle, being somewhat cool and dance-like but the chorus being all happy-go-lucky and slow-paced.  It’s really hard to enjoy the song because of the misconceptions, so I’m on the fence over this song.

3. Wasurenaide

Now this song was more of what I was expecting from the group.  Wasurenaide is a ballad with beautiful strings and piano being the main arrangement.  Since it has been a while since their last true ballad in “Sennen Koi Uta”, Wasurenaide picks up where that song left off in my opinion and gave us a better vocal performance from all five guys.  It’s a pretty sweet and heartwarming ballad, so you know what, forget “Sennen Koi Uta” I’m loving Wasurenaide.

4. Doushite Kimi wo Suki ni Natte Shimattandarou? -Royal Mirrorball Mix-

To break the single’s mood, er whatever it was trying to represent, we get ANOTHER remix of the long-titled song.  Unlike the last remix on “Jumon -MIROTIC-” which kept to it’s main roots, the Royal Mirrorball mix takes the song in a more dance style than the last one.  It seems the remix also sped up the lyrics quite a bit to the point where saying the title is a tongue twister.  That being said, speeding up the song itself really made it difficult to listen and understand, but the piano mixed with the dance beats made it somewhat of a smoother listen.

 

 

While I think a triple A-side of mostly slower songs is a bad idea, Tohoshinki luckily did this single mostly right with Bolero and Wasurenaide.  I love how moving both songs were and definitely one of their bests, even though this era has been filled with great tracks.  Kiss The Baby Sky came off as a little too weirdly strung and I have mixed feelings for it.  The remix wasn’t really needed and to be honest the other remix was a whole lot better IMO.