Chara – Alterna Girlfriend June 8, 2012

Track Listing

1. Alterna Girlfriend
2. Taisetsu wo Kizukumono 2012.2.15 Tokyo Bunka Kaikan

1. Alterna Girlfriend

For not even reaching 3 minutes, I was wondering what we were going to get out of Alterna Girlfriend and boy was I surprised.  I mean the song is quite edgy sounding and not a ballad like most of the stuff I’ve heard from her was.  This has got guitars and synths and movement.  Now minus the chorus, Chara isn’t that bad oddly enough.  I mean the verses were cool and she gave a mysterious sound.  However, the chorus was pretty much the song’s fault because she was VERY nasally and literally did sound like a dying cat in heat.  Besides that mess, the rest of the song, while short was good.

2. Taisetsu wo Kizukumono 2012.2.15 Tokyo Bunka Kaikan

Not surprised that she would add a live.  One of her many A-side, Taisetsu wo Kizukumono isn’t a song I’m familiar with but it’s interesting to hear her sing something live.  Her voice IS really that scratchy live as well, even though it’s a ballad with just piano and acoustic piano.  She’s alright but nothing that amazing but later on when accordion (or is that harmonica?) it’s pleasant.  Six minutes though is just asking too much for Chara though hahaha.

 

 

Chara after having an actual blah time bring an indies artist. went back to SONY under Ki/oon Records and released her first single, Alterna Girlfriend.  It’s got a lot more spark than the stuff I’ve came into (anything “CAROL” to her last release before this, “Utakata”).  I kind of liked Alterna Girlfriend, but that chorus is REALLY hard to get through.  The live version of Taisetsu wo Kizukumono was nice but a little long for me.  Maybe it’s a change of styles eh?

Miliyah Kato – AIAIAI

Track Listing

1. AIAIAI
2. Doukoku
3. Yuushatachi (T.O.M. REMIX)
4. AIAIAI (Instrumental)

1. AIAIAI

I’m not sure what to think about AIAIAI because it’s definitely nothing she’s used to releasing really (then again this era has been weird).  I do like Miliyah’s deeper vocals she using in the song but I’m not sure what to classify the song as since it’s between rock, R&B, and pop.  She does growl a little bit and that’s cool.  Otherwise the song kind of comes off as just a little weird even for her…it’s missing something to glue the song better because I feel like it just doesn’t work with her at all.

2. Doukoku

The B-side for the single kind of strikes me as weird as well because it seems they boosted the synths and guitarwork for this song and I’m kind of just surprised.  I liked it when they were in the foreground and Miliyah wasn’t doing anything but once she comes in, the song just kind of loses that fire.  The chorus is quite underwhelming as well…not enough BOOM to let it leave a mark.  I guess a good thing is that it’s better than “AIAIAI”, but not by much.

3. Yuushatachi (T.O.M. REMIX)

I loved the remix T.O.M. did for “RAINBOW” so I was expecting the remix for Yuushatachi to be quite as good and I kind of do like it.  It’s better than either of the other songs on the single.  Yuushatachi has gotten dropped in some tradional Japanese goop and it came out slick and smooth and works even better than the original version of the song.  It’s just smooth R&B all the way through…no awkwardness to be had!

 

 

Ever since the “HEAVEN” era ended, Miliyah has just been having a hard time leaving a mark on me.  Her A-sides from “Yuushatachi” to now have been less than appealing just simply because she’s experimenting with guitars and R&B…it doesn’t work for her and all it does is just creates weird messes.  AIAIAI amd Doukoku both fail on that aspect because neither song is that memorable or even that great TBH.  The only redeeming quality the single has is the Yuushatachi remix…then again anything is better than the original.

yanaginagi – Ambivalentidea

Track Listing

1. Ambivalentidea
2. Shiroku Yawaraka na Hana
3. halo effect
4. Ambivalentidea (instrumental)
5. Shiroku Yawaraka na Hana (instrumental)
6. halo effect (instrumental)

1. Ambivalentidea

I was definitely curious to what Nagi was up to next for her second A-side.  Ambivalentidea is actually a ballad for her (softer than anything she did in supercell lol).  Nagi’s vocals are really light and quiet to fit the mood of the song which flows so smoothly with the strings that overload the song.  It’s like snow is falling around her and she’s just singing what comes to her mind.  I was a little surprised it kind of stops midway in the song…is that supposed to happen?  I just love the dramatics of the song though since it grows in sound and movement!  It’s such a pretty song to listen to and definitely ranks better than “Vidro Moyou”.

2. Shiroku Yawaraka na Hana

The first B-side of the single, starts off mysterious with strings and a low beat and then Nagi comes in with some ad-libbing.  It kind of feels like more of a continuation from “Ambivalentidea” but also a little different as well with the way it’s handled.  It’s just as laidback as the A-side which could become a problem because unlike the previous song, it doesn’t really grow into anything.  It kind of keeps trudging along with the same beat and sound the entire way through.  I still do think Nagi sounds great and all, but the arrangement just didn’t work as much.

3. halo effect

At least the boredom is cured with this curious-sounding track in halo effect.  It kind of reminds me of Annabel with the weird arrangement but moves into something a little more awesome.  It’s upbeat and loud which is what the single needed.  It kind of has a certain school food punishment vibe because of all the technical quirks heard in the song and Nagi’s soft vocals.  It just worked here!  It’s good though and I liked it as much as the leading song.

 

 

Nagi’s second single and she’s impressing me even more than she did under ryo.  Ambivalentidea is so much more impressive than her debut and blew me away with what she can do as a solo artist.  It’s rare for me to love a ballad but this was damn good!  So was halo effect, that song brought up something more upbeat and exciting for her and it worked in this case.  Shiroku Yawaraka na Hana though kind’ve faded into the background…not bad still, just a little forgetful.  Can’t wait to hear her next single!

Kaori Mochida – Utsukushiki Uruwashiki Hito

Track Listing

1. Utsukushiki Uruwashiki Hito
2. tokyo hotaru

1. Utsukushiki Uruwashiki Hito

After “Megumi”, it wasn’t surprising that her next A-side was going to be quite lighter and more of a ballad than anything else.  I like that it sounds like a pretty song to play during the night because it has a quiet and lullaby-like arramgement that just soothes ya down and relaxes your mind.  I will say that I’m surprised that I enjoyed the song because she’s done stuff like this and I was kind of bored with it.  This one is a lot more engaging though…plus it helps that Kaori’s vocals are really nice!

2. tokyo hotaru

Which leads into our next track and this is what I meant by ballads but no substance really.  Instead of the nice nighttime feel, tokyo hotaru sounds like it’s in the dead of night.  It’s a lot more quiet and the percussion kind of comes and goes through the song.  At least the chorus brings some life into the song but her vocals do crack a little bit since it’s the loudest parts of the song.  It just moves too slow for me…like “green”.

 

 

I’m surprised that Kaori would release a single so quickly after her last one *prepping for an album?*  Utsukushii Uruwashiki Hito is a nice track and a good opposite to “Megumi’s” happy theme.  It’s just a good and calming song for me and is more impressive than said song.  tokyo hotaru though was trying to deepen the mood…but it ended up falling flat…kind of boring (cept that chorus) lol.

Crystal Kay – Forever

Track Listing

1. Forever
2. Forever (SKY HIGH REMIX)
3. Haru Arashi (BONEBOX REMIX)
4. Forever (Instrumental)

1. Forever

I’m really enjoying Kuri’s recent enjoyment of the synths mixed into her R&B style because it works with her smoky vocals.  I was actually surprised at how progressive the song is and the synths just blossom all over the song.  The background stuff is a bit questionable but I’m it’s a small discrepincy.  I love the amount of English in the song and her repeating certain things is kind of catchy hahaha.  It doesn’t surpass “Haru Arashi” but this is definitely up there and ranks as another great A-side from the awesome Kuri!

2. Forever (SKY HIGH REMIX)

Then I hear the remix for the track and I’m liking Forever even more than I should haha.  I mean they took out they odd background stuff and the arrangement is more of a electro/eurobeat kind of sound which works with the song!  I mean the buzzing sounds and then hearing Kuri under some filters except in other parts is quite something.  It’s a really solid remix of Forever but after a while I’m kind of liking the obscure stuff from the original more hahaha.

3. Haru Arashi (BONEBOX REMIX)

We get another remix but this time it’s for Haru Arashi which I thought I’d enjoy quite a bit and I did at first in the first half since it was more laidback and kind of enjoyed the synths and guitarwork.  After a while it kind of shifts gears and then slams into this dubstep area…which totally killed the song for what its worth.  It’s like a BAD Skrillex move…very jagged and unneeded.  If they had left it off, I think this would’ve been a good remix.

 

 

As the third and final single before her 1st, UNI-J album, “VIVID” drops, Forever leaves us with the hope that this album will be pretty awesome!  Her last couple of albums from SONY were OK but nothing like her earlier days and hopefully the label change will do her good because these singles: “Superman”, “Delicious na Kinyoubi/Haru Arashi” and this one have done nothing but impressed me!  While I do wish there was another track instead of the remixes, Forever wasn’t bad and neither was its remix.  Haru Arashi’s though was a trainwreck and should be avoided at all costs!

Nana Mizuki – TIME SPACE EP

Track Listing

1. METRO BAROQUE
2. PARTY! PARTY!
3. Jikuu Sapphire
4. ONE

1. METRO BAROQUE

Now if you’ve missed Nana doing stuff like “Mugen”, “PHANTOM MINDS” and the like, METRO BAROQUE is definitely your answer back into her stuff.  There’s a lot of strings and piano and of course Nana’s VERY expressive vocals which stand out in a good way here because it keeps the song dramatic and fresh.  I don’t know if I would consider this better than “Synchrogazer” but this song is going back to what she does very well!  I think the only thing that would make me worried is that it’s like stuff from before so it might not impress many…but it’s an orchestral wonder!

2. PARTY! PARTY!

Our next song is a bit more synth-friendly but more towards the “DISCOTHEQUE” and “COSMIC LOVE” kind of way.  It’s a lot more poppier that’s for one thing and she keeps her voice from going over dramatic like in “METRO BAROQUE”.  I’m surprised the song is kind of safe sounding, but that’s not bad once in a while from her because despite taking a safer route, it comes off as classy and cool.  I actually kind of enjoyed this more than the leading track TBQH.

3. Jikuu Sapphire

On the flipside of her synth songs, Jikuu Sapphire is more focused on it’s anime movements (kind of like “METRO BAROQUE”) since the strings and piano return once again.  I kind of liked this more than it as well since it didn’t seem so busy plus the arrangement was a little more controlled here as well.  However, I feel like this could’ve been on any of the previous singles (minus “Synchrogazer”) and feel like it was a weak song because its stuff she’s utitlized MANY times before.

4. ONE

The last track on the single (a title that’s way too used), ONE is the weakest of the bunch to me but it’s not really much of a surprise but at the same time, I’m intrigued because it’s plain and soft and doesn’t seem to be a thing Nana would ever really do.  It’s considered a ballad but an upbeat one and positive.  It’s like they slowed the song down because there’s still a lot of piano and strings to be had (and a lil of trumpet) in the tune.  Also, Nana’s vocals aren’t doing as many aerials as she’s used to doing…just kind of plain here XD.

 

 

While none of the songs brought the power that “Synchrogazer” did, TIME SPACE EP did include some nice songs but typical Nana music this time around.  I mean both METRO BAROQUE and Jikuu Sapphire aren’t that differen’t from stuff like “Junketsu Paradox” and “SCARLET KNIGHT” which kind of slightly made me happy and slightly disappointed.  ONE was just oddly plain for me,  Strange enough, PARTY! PARTY! was the best from the single.  It was fun and catchy as crazy!  I wonder what her next album will be like xD

Not yet – Suika BABY

Track Listing

1. Suika BABY
2. Kibou no Hana
3. Fumuona Yoru (Type-A only)
4. guilty love (Type-B only)
5. May (Type-C only)
6. Aisareru to Iu Koto (Not yet ver.) (Theater Edition only)
7. Suika BABY (off vocal ver.)
8. Kibou no Hana (off vocal ver.)
9. Fumuona Yoru (off vocal ver.)
10. May (off vocal ver.)
11. Aisareru to Iu Koto (Not yet ver.) (off vocal ver.)

1. Suika BABY

Not yet gets onto releasing this song which is kind of a punch to people since their last release, “Perapera Perao” was clearly a summer tune and we’re given another to deal with x.x  I mean it’s a bit louder than you would expect it to be but it’s still just really another Aki.P summer song and I’m just kind of tired of it to be honest…is there really a way to really tell them apart? XD.  At least it’s just the four ladies performing the song.

2. Kibou no Hana

Moving onto the B-side on all versions, Kibou no Hana is a lot lighter than “Suika BABY” was and that’s nice but this is Not yet we’re talking about and this song doesn’t really identify as being something different which isn’t a surprise since it’s been a problem since they’ve debuted.  I guess the longing and sentimental feel of the song is nice and the girls aren’t hitting sour notes that I can hear of but it’s just nothing special.

3. Fumuona Yoru

I can see they were trying with Fumuona Yoru because the song has a different feel to it but still very Not yet-ish of them to release which is great to hear!  There’s still a lack of emotion in my opinion so they song kind of just drags a little bit for me but at least it’s something a little more memorable than the previous two tracks…Just not my thing to listen to to be honest!

4. guilty love

Written by Rie Kitahara, guilty love is kind of interesting to listen to actually.  It’s more engaging and has a different kind of feel (like a little anime-like).  Plus the four ladies are able to show more of their vocals with less music fueling them from behind which is nice.  It’s not too much different than “Fumaona Yoru” but this sounds better and I’m enjoying listening to the ladies a lot more than in said song before as well.

5. May

Our next song, May, is a solo track for Yui Yokohama and doesn’t surprise me it’s one of the lighter tracks on the single.  Yui’s vocals are a bit more cutesy but she can hold her own in pitch which is a nice thing to have but May is kind of underwhelming for some reason.  It’s like it’s trying to decide if it’s a pop track or enka/kayoukyoku.  It just throws me off with the low brass and then flutes…kind of throws me off everytime I listen to it XD.  It’s not bad, but it needs more XD.

6. Aisareru to Iu Koto (Not yet ver.)

So the final track on the single is a cover of ICE from AKB48′s Aisareru to Iu Koto but oddly was never released physically…>.<.  The song sounds really nice since it was made for an anime.  As it is another slower song out of the bunch, Not yet’s version isn’t bad but once again it kind of comes off as a tad boring and just kind goes nowhere except in the chorus which is nice but doesn’t bring enough power.  I just don’t think it really suits them xD

 

 

I’m guessing we could be getting an album from the quartet soon since Suika BABY is their 4th single and all.  I’m still not thrilled about it because they still kind of getting the bland stuff that AKB doesn’t really want.  I just can’t believe they’re given such mediocre songs but somehow still can stand for it.  I liked guilty love the most but that’s not saying a lot.  I hope the album won’t be as bad as I think it’ll be…but time will tell I guess haha.