Mano Erina – Doki Doki Baby/Tasogare Kousaten February 23, 2012

Track Listing

1. Doki Doki Baby
2. Tasogare Kousaten
3. Doki Doki Baby (Instrumental)
4. Tasogare Kousaten (Instrumental)

1. Doki Doki Baby

I didn’t expect ManoEri to actually start the single off with an actual upbeat song like this.  It’s probably her fastest song in the current era and has the most spice as well.  I will say that I’m surprised at how much drums are involved in this and how cute this is for Erina.  It sounds alright but the music doesn’t really change up anywhere so it remains at the same pace for nearly the entire song.  Also, Erina’s vocals have sort of gotten better but they are still kind of weak at the same time.  I guess it has the ability to catch on but it’s a slow burner for me.

2. Tasogare Kousaten

After “My Days for You”, I was thinking that it’d be nice to hear Erina’s piano music again and while this isn’t it since there’s more guitars it’s close and I kind of like this track since it’s relaxing and I like her performance a whole lot more than in “Doki Doki Baby”.  Though, it kind of reminds me of her earlier days and some of her B-sides as well.  Fitting A-side!

 

 

Damn!  It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen Erina release a single and as the third and final single for the “More Friends Over” era, Doki Doki Baby/Tasogare Kousaten is alright but nothing to write home about.  Doki Doki Baby is cute and sugary but I don’t think her vocals kept up with the nature of the song and kind of fell flat for me.  Tasogare Kousaten however was a lot better and she does mid-tempos just fine…I wonder what her third album will be like now…

GACKT – UNTIL THE LAST DAY

Track Listing

1. UNTIL THE LAST DAY
2. UNTIL THE LAST DAY (D.A. Edit)
3. UNTIL THE LAST DAY (Instrumental)

1. UNTIL THE LAST DAY

A new single from GACKT eh?  Well, with UNTIL THE LAST DAY we get the darker rock sound we’ve been missing from him for a while and I actually enjoyed this song because he sounds a little different from “Graffiti” actually…a bit more controlled and relaxed I guess?  Then again this sounds like it could’ve been tied to Kamen Rider given it’s arrangement and such.  Not bad, not bad…probably his best A-side since “Setsugekka/ZAN” to be honest.

2. UNTIL THE LAST DAY (D.A. Edit)

I guess I should mention this track, but it’s almost near to an instrumental without being it (since there’s one as the third track and all) but I had to mention it otherwise.  The big difference is that GACKT’s character in Dragon Age speaks over the arrangement of the song…that is all there is to it. 

 

 

GACKT hasn’t really surprised a lot in this era so far, but UNTIL THE LAST DAY was actually not that bad of a song.  I mean it’s got that great dark rock sound that I enjoy like in “Redemption” and all that but at the same time as a whole this single is a little disappointing since there’s nothing else remarkable about it.  I mean a GACKT voiceover the instrumental is weak…Album soon I hope?

AAA – SAILING

Track Listing

1. SAILING
2. WISHES
3. CALL (DJ OMKT & MJ Remix) (CD only)
4. SAILING (Instrumental)
5. WISHES (Instrumental)

1. SAILING

Is it me or are they really saying ~vortex makes me haaaard~ in the beginning? XD  If so, then uhm yeah interesting start to SAILING (which luckily isn’t a cover of the soft song from Christopher Cross).  After the rather odd rap from Hidaka, I really liked the verses that followed but I instantly got a Komuro vibe from the song which isn’t surprising lol.  However, the cringing fault is the chorus which is way bright and kind of out of place like “Digest” and “Daiji na Koto” before it.  I’m still loving that Shinji and Shuta are getting more solos since “HEARTFUL” and they sound great along with the other members.  Not my favorite song, but it’s not bad either.

2. WISHES

Then we get into the B-side and I’m kind of bummed that it’s a ballad because in recent times their ballads have been nothing but borefests for me…like “Lights” from the last single.  Now I know this is a heavy Urata/Misako ballad but the other members have lines which is nice (except Hidaka, I think)…it’s still a good ballad and kind of beats the last few nicely but it lacks a memorable melody for me so it kind of went under, but ballad lovers might enjoy this.

3. CALL (DJ OMKT & MJ Remix)

It’s been a while since we’ve got a legit remix from the group since the last few were either medleys or new versions of old songs (which could be considered remixed hmmm…).  Now I loved the hell out of CALL so seeing a remix actually got me quite excited.  Of course being a remix, it’s got a LOT more synths involved here and for the most part I liked it but I have to say the chorus area is a little weaker but the verses were actually quite cool especially during Misako’s and Chiaki’s parts.  Not bad of a remix though.

 

 

As their 2nd (or 4th…I don’t know) single, SAILING is slightly under their last single but it’s not too far from “Charge ▶ Go!/Lights” at least.  SAILING is nice but I have that same feeling with “Digest”…The verses are so good but then the chorus just kind ruins the song but it’s still a good song otherwise.  WISHES to me is kind of boring and plain, but I wouldn’t say it’s bad just not my thing.  Also, the remix for CALL was actually the best off the single oddly enough.  I hope they come back with something awesome next!