Ai Otsuka – LOVE LETTER December 16, 2008

Track Listing

1. LOVE LETTER
2. Rocket Sneaker
3. Bye Bye
4. Kurage, Nagareboshi
5. Ningyou
6. Kimi Fetch
7. Creamy & Spicy
8. Do☆Positive
9. 360°
10. Shachihata
11. OnexTime
12. Pocket
13. Ai

1. LOVE LETTER

Ai has never had a title track prior to this album and once again here we have a ballad.  It seems the song is asking too much because she’s hitting the higher notes and we all know she’s not exactly the best at that.  I actually didn’t find anything to memorable about it, which kind of sucks.  Talk about depressing.

2. Rocket Sneaker

At least Rocket Sneaker was my favorite, the energy building the song is so great here and even though the PV was low-budget….I think, Rocket Sneaker definitly was the surprising A-side.  Love the guitar riffs and Ai’s powerful vocals here.  She needs more of these kind of tracks IMO.

3. Bye Bye

What is up with artists thinking doing songs that sound like country is good?  It isn’t as bad as some others I’ve heard but it isn’t that good either.  It reminds me of “CHU-LIP” just a litte bit as well, still I didn’t really feel for this song much either.  It’s a nice listen once in a while.

4. Kurage, Nagareboshi

Well, Kurage, Nagareboshi finished the era off with a great note as this is one of her better ballads.  Starting with a beautiful piano entry then turning into what I liked to call the badass zone.  Ai really pulled this song off very well and is can be considered the “Planetarium” of the era.  When the album first leaked, Kurage did sound a bit different and a little faster, but when it officially came out it retained the normal sound of the single version.

5. Ningyou

Well, Ningyou is pretty much a ballad, but I think this is as strong as “Kurage, Nagareboshi with super strong vocals from Ai.  What surprised me was that the rest of the album leaked like a month earlier and this was the song that wasn’t on it.  WHAT THE HELL!  Anyways, Ai really did well and it’s my favorite new track, very pretty.

6. Kimi Fetch

Kimi Fetch is such a nice laidback kind of track.  Though I’m not finding anything really interesting with this track…I’m not sure why myself, but the depressing mood this song shows is putting me in that mood.  Luckily, the chorus is a little brighter. 

7. Creamy & Spicy

We get the oddly titled upbeat Creamy&Spicy next.  Hahahaha she really knows how to be strange because this song is downright silly.  How she sings really high for the title and even then she totally fails at English ~Creamy Spishy~ Yeah, I have to say though, I’m happy to have such a funny track here.

8. Do☆Positive

I’m usually loving the crazier rocker tracks, but this is too safe for Ai.  I guess it shows her maturity and it shows, but her vocals here are a little too nasally for me here.  Is it me, or her voice seem different?  Anyway, I really like the riffs and the energy, but it isn’t like anything that’s too spectacular.

9. 360°

A very nice piano opens the song up.  As more piano chords come in the song sounds pretty dark for some reason and I love the hollow sounds of Ai’s vocals throughout.  It’s definitly ethereal to me and is also another first for her, then the song gets a little more upbeat and somehow reminences from “Mirai Taxi”.  Definitly an awesome new track.

10. Shachihata

Definitly a surprising song.  Ai steps her game up in this jazzy track.  I love the total jazz style of the song and Ai sounds so mature here for some reason.  She’s also scatting through much of the beginning, but as she doing this her voice sounds more deeper and woman-like.  Definitly new and fresh for her.  The only recognizable lyric is ~Shachihata~  which is hilarious.  Shachihata is the best new track.  Doesn’t it sound like something you’d hear in the Katamari series?

11. Pocket

I usually confuse the piano opening to another track “Kurage, Nagareboshi”.  Anyways, the song is a nice ballad, but it isn’t as strong and memorable as others in the past.  I wished there was a little more substance to the song though…I just kind of felt bored and it’s possibly my least favorite of the era.

12. OnexTime

Stylistic OnexTime pops up and it made such a nice compliment to “Rocket Sneaker”.  Her choice of vocals here is a little weird at first because it’s like a cross between singing and whispering.  It isn’t really bad or anything, it actually made her sound more mature. 

13. Ai

The longest and last track appears next and not a shocker, it’s a ballad, clocking over 6 minutes in length, I was quite surprised.  It’s kind of a cute ballad as one and I’m also hearing some nice things from Ai as well.  To make itself stand out, it is an acoustic/strings ballad which is pretty good to hear from her.  Still the time limit on this track is a little too long-winded and can drag in the later parts of the song.

Tracks Recommended

•  Rocket Sneaker
• Ningyou
• Kurage, Nagareboshi
• Shachihata
• 360°

LOVE LETTER to me was a disappointment because of all of the ballads on here…I mean they covered a good portion of the album.  Though some of them were really good like Ningyou and Kurage, Nagareboshi, the rest were kind of draggy and didn’t hold any true charm to it.  As for the upbeat tracks, I think she won me over on the side.  Songs like the freaky Creamy & Spicy and 360° to the more abstract Shachihata, I’m sure you’ll find something to love.  Comparing to her previous album “LOVE PiECE”, this was a bit of a letdown.

Ai Otsuka – Yumekui November 8, 2008

Track Listing

1. Yumekui
2. Tears
3. Yumekui (Instrumental)
4. Tears (Instrumental)

1. Yumekui

I familiarize myself with this song pretty well.  I mean it’s pretty different from her other works because it’s like pop but there’s obviously rock written as well.  Yumekui does sound pretty depressing at first, but as the song goes by you’ll know the song has a hopeful state in it as well.  Ai sounds sweet and lovely as usual and she goes into her lower register which isn’t so bad.  Can I say dreamy rock tune?

2. Tears

Another high quality ballad by Ai?  Yep, she does it again and seriously it’s beautifully written.  With the piano making most of the early part and strings enter later.  Even though it isn’t the performance of lifetime (Planetarium, Kurage, Nagareboshi, and Kingyo Hanabi)…It still is one of her best B-sides she’s had and I was majorly impressed by Tears.

 

 

Even though both songs are slow tracks, they both complimented each other very well.  I still prefer Tears over Yumekui because it was more heartfelt and musically beautiful.  Could be her best single for the era.

Ai Otsuka – Frienger October 16, 2008

 

Track Listing

1. Frienger
2. Amai Kimochi Maru Kajiri
3. Frienger (Instrumental)
4. Amai Kimochi Maru Kajiri (Instrumental)

1. Frienger

I think we needed an upbeat track to start the era off.  Frienger does sound different from her pop/rock tracks and I guess it’s something new, but I felt the song was lacking any interest mainly in the chorus.  It’s definitly not too fond of the track, but I guess it’s nice once in a while to listen to Ai go through.

2. Amai Kimochi Maru Kajiri

I’m suprised that this song was just as bland and boring if not more than “Frienger”.  It just lacked any interest and the chorus kind of sounds bad from here.  The thing I liked about it was its calm and smooth atmosphere.  Though it didn’t save the song.

 

 

Ai’s first single for the era was pretty boring if you ask me.  I mean Frienger is faster than Amai Kimochi Maru Kajiri, but they both lacked a lot of needed support to be really good.  I hope she doesn’t screw this era up.

Ai Otsuka – LOVE COOK October 3, 2008

Track Listing

1. 5:09am
2. Haneari Tamago
3. Biidama
4. SMILY
5. U-Boat
6. Neko ni Fuusen
7. Cherish
8. Ramen 3-bun Cooking
9. Tokyo Midnight
10. Planetarium
11. Birthday Song
12. LOVE MUSiC

1. 5:09am

We start off her album with a quiet note.  Which sounds pretty ethereal for a track.  Then the drums kick in, but they seem to be awkward because they are powerful hits.  Then the chorus runs in and it’s very rockish and loud which to me is a little too loud but, whatever.  The verses do have some sense of tension which is nice, but is it me or this song would have been a NANA song?  I just think it because it’s so rockish.  Odd that it ends before 3 minutes too…

2. Haneari Tamago

Egg with Wings?  Yeah, her titles are always weird, but in the end the song that accompanies the weird titles are usually some of her best work and this isn’t an exception to the rule.  It’s acoustically driven and it sounds pretty.  It isn’t better than the other known ballads and even some of the B-side ballads are better.  Though she performs this a lot for some reason.  It’s an alright song.

3. Biidama

Maybe turning the cute factor was a good idea.  Oddly this time Biidama comes before “SMILY”.  Though I was harsh on it in the review of the single.  I still think her vocals took a backseat because they are really pinched for some reason.  The verses sound a little on the monotone as well which didn’t really help the happy feeling it was supposed to convey.  Though I do like this more than the next track…

4. SMILY

Only Ai would do this kind of track.  It her signature summer track and to be honest I wonder why this song is so liked.  It just screams of Hello!Project and it was just wrong in so many ways.  Ai’s vocals once again take a backseat because she’s trying to provide cute but comes out awkward and very flat even for her.  As well her English is poor here which I guess doesn’t come as a surprise?  The PV didn’t help this song out much and how she was pushed out of the way from the semi truck was downright hilarious XD

5. U-Boat

~Norikonde U-Boatoo~  Seriously?  I love how the track starts and speeds up and gets into the song.  I guess she needed another summer track, but this one actually doesn’t sound so wrong.  I think of “Happy Days” whenever I hear this because it’s just as loud and full of fun.  The same drawback happens here but not as much and that’s her voice.  It’s sometimes in tune, but other times she’s struggling to keep it in tune.  Still it’s practically a “Happy Days” pt. 2

6. Neko ni Fuusen

Odd transition into the 2nd single in the era.  At least her voice has calmed down a little bit.  Though I still don’t think fondly of this track much it is a pretty good ballad combining strings, a band, and some synths.  Other than that this song would just sound pretty filler in the album to me. 

7. Cherish

Wait, she did a track for NANA and it’s one of the WTF moments on the album.  Starts with a very ghostly entrance and it’s eerie as well.  Then some percussion and other stuff that make it sound mystical and yet dark at the same time.  Ai’s actually sounds beautiful with this and the whole abandoned sound.  Then the chorus becomes very rock-like.  The after-chrous sounds like something Ayu would actually do and then it returns to the wondrous sounds.  For being a NANA tribute track, I actually think this is one of her best tracks in her career. 

8. Ramen 3-bun Cooking

Yep, and here we are with the biggest WTF moment of the album.  Everytime I hear this I have to make ramen and put the microwave at 3 min. just for this song.  The song is a safest of the wacky songs because this won’t annoy to no end unlike a the other album joker tracks.  The song has a bouncy piano line and such and Ai is like being silly yet keeping some seriousness into it.  Though the beginning threw me off with the sheep baa of ~Ra-a-aa-a men~…Though the transitioning from “Cherish” and the transition into “Tokyo Midnight” does create an awkward moment with this song.

9. Tokyo Midnight

I never expected a jazz-like track, but then it starts up and it sounds like something PUFFY would do.  A very persistant beat and lots o’ brass.  I’m not sure what to think, but I wasn’t fully sure with the track.  I mean it didn’t sound right being sung by Ai-Chan.  Though I do love the sax solos.  Sadly, this song just failed for me.

10. Planetarium

Still, one of her trademark songs.  Planetarium is a beautiful ballad which we knew Ai was capable of creating.  Ai sounds perfect with this track.  Imagery makes me want to think that this song would be perfect to be performed at night.  The whole shakuhachi being featured with the guitar and drums was one of the smartest ideas and it worked it well. 

11. Birthday Song

A birthday song with some harmonica?  Right, anyways this song has a pretty obscure clapping rhythms and Ai actually using a lot of English and she sounds fine saying it during the chorus.  It’s another one of those tracks that make you think, “Why? Ai, Why?”  It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just one of the out of left field tracks.  Strange.

12. LOVE MUSiC

We finish off the album with another ballad?  I do love the dreaminess this song has and really sounds pretty.  Though I wish the drums weren’t present for this song because it was in the way.  The bassoon and oboe that are in the song gave the song some interesting sounds.  My favorite of the album’s new tracks

Tracks Recommended

• Cherish
• Planetarium
• LOVE MUSiC
• Ramen 3-bun Cooking

Out of all her albums this was my least favorite of the albums.  I know she’s also trying some new styles, but the only one where she fared well in was the rock side of things.  Sadly, also the single weren’t really that stellar and the ones that were are like perfect oddly.  Ai however excels at ballads, which is a blessing and yet it could be her downfall because she has too many of them, which can get very similar to one another.

Ai Otsuka – Planetarium September 26, 2008

Track Listing

1. Planetarium
2. drop.
3. Planetarium (Instrumental)
4. drop. (Instrumental)

1. Planetarium

Wow, I really love she shakuhachi opening to one of Ai’s best tracks in her career.  Planetarium is probably considered a ballad but the chorus has some rock elements which didn’t really bother me.  I mean I was like surprised to hear the guitar being here which made the song even more epic.  What made this song even more famous was that it was used in Hana Yori Dango, which IMO makes any song that’s on it, pretty epic and big.  Way to Ai for making this.  Nice to have a firework shoot off before the final chorus.

2. drop.

A more laidback pop song, drop. really didn’t capture my interest at first.  After a while though, the fun sound did make me happy to hear it.  Somehow, there’s some awkward chorus and transitioning issues afoot which took away from the experience.  The instrumental parts were even weirder because you wouldn’t have expect it either.  Strange song.

 

 

Planetarium really hit the nail on the coffin.  As it was an epic ballad by the Ai-chan who would’ve known she’d pull it off so well?  Being a tie-in helped it quite a bit if you ask me.  drop. is definitly B-side material and probably was a good idea to leave it off the album.

Ai Otsuka – Neko ni Fuusen September 21, 2008

Track Listing

1. Neko ni Fuusen
2. Natsuzora
3. Neko ni Fuusen (Instrumental)
4. Natsuzora (Instrumental)

1. Neko ni Fuusen

Taking a more acoustic drive for her next A-side.  Neko ni Fuusen, is a pretty basic track which sadly doesn’t stick out to me.  I thought the random synth was pretty weird.  Things doesn’t get going until the chorus comes forth and even then I was kinda bored with it.  It’s a laidback track though which I’ll give cred to since the previous single was bomb to me.

2. Natsuzora

Wow, even then her B-sides never fail to impress me.  There’s some interesting japanese sounds and a very calm atmosphere to it.  I would call it enka but I’d be lying to myself.  It’s just a nice nod to the classic music Japan had.  Perhaps, Japanese folk?   Ai sounds pretty calm as well giving much needed support.  A very beautiful track.

 

 

Ai’s 2nd single for “LOVE COOK” came to me as a wide falloff from what she did in “SMILY/Biidama”  I guess it was meant to compliment it.  Neko ni Fuusen was an alright track but it failed to impress like she’s had in the past.  Though Natsuzora is so beautiful and peaceful with its mix of past and present.  Sucks it isn’t on the final cut.

Ai Otsuka – Kurage, Nagareboshi September 8, 2008

Track Listing

1. Kurage, Nagareboshi
2. H20
3. Ame no Tsubu, Waltz ~LOVE MUSiC~
4. Kurage, Nagareboshi (Instrumental)
5. H20 (Instrumental)

1. Kurage, Nagareboshi

This era has been full of not so great tracks, we finally get the “Planetarium” of the era.  Ai sounds so much stronger than she was than any of the other ballads throughout out the era.  There’s some very nice piano playing which I think Ai played.  It’s captures too the beauty of a ballad and the emotions within it.  I was waiting for a great ballad and she brings it fully and I’m so happy.  This has to be her best A-side of the era.  Way to go Ai-chan.

2. H20

H20 being a more upbeat track was a little disappointing to me.  She sounds kind of strange acting more loud than anything else.  The instrumentation is pretty cool and sounds complete, but I think Ai is trying too hard here.  If it was me I’d say this was a little less liked than “Rocket Sneaker”.  It’s an alright try though.

3. Ame no Tsubu, Waltz ~LOVE MUSiC~

“LOVE MUSiC” got remade???  Oh yea, like in the title it’s put in a waltz kind of mood, but it doesn’t sound so forced.  I kind of liked the arrangement here more than the original.  It just made much more sense to me.  Ai sounds just as strong as in “Kurage, Nagareboshi” if not more.  The strings and piano really does give a nice classical tone as well which is so smart to do.  Beautiful track indeed.

 

 

So far this era has been full of disappointments, but this single really gave hope to it.  Kurage, Nagareboshi was so epic and beautifully written, it’s up there with her other powerhouse ballads she has.  H20 was a bit much for her, but I did enjoy the rock instrumentation.  The remake of LOVE MUSiC was so good…another classic single for Ai’s discography.

Ai Otsuka – SMILY/Biidama August 12, 2008

 

Track Listing

1. SMILY
2. Biidama
3. SMILY (Instrumental)
4. Biidama (Instrumental)

1. SMILY

If you thought “Happy Days” was too happy….then you are highly mistaken.  SMILY is so bubblegum j-pop like H!P worth.  Ai sounds ver nasally and just can’t help but say this is our Ai-chan?  The one who sang “Kingyo Hanabi”?  It’s sadly kinda too repetitive and just sugary for me.  So I’m not much a big fan of the song.

2. Biidama

Biidama, the other A-side actually sounds like one of the old openings too Cheers.  So, it was a different change in sound again.  Once again though, this song failed to make an impression on me.  Ai sounds odd here once again and the chorus was just painful.  It’s probably one of her worst songs IMO.

 

 

This double A-side failed terribly for me.  SMILY was screaming H!P very harshly and she made is so cheesy and bad.  While Biidama was just horribly taken the wrong way, I mean she should have used a lower tone for it.  Ick, bad way to start the “LOVE COOK” era

Ai Otsuka – LOVE JAM August 5, 2008

Track Listing

1. Superman
2. Happy Days
3. Strawberry Jam
4. Daisuki da yo.
5. Sensu
6. Mousou Chop
7. Ponpon
8. Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi
9. Kingyo Hanabi
10. Kurage Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 735 Yen
11. Friends

1. Superman

Cars and sirens open up the album, to this rock/pop fusion track.  Ai sounds a bit weird in this song and the song pretty much goes nowhere for me.  The chorus has Ai hit some high note which is pretty bad here.  Not her best opening track.  Doesn’t the arrangement seem familiar to…

2. Happy Days

I prefer this track over “Superman” just because it sounds so much cleaner and more fun.  Her voice is blaring in a megaphone most of the song, I’m not turned off by it, but how addictive this song can get can get this song in the annoying sense.  The bridge is my favorite part just how she can shoot lyrics at a good pace.  Great single track.

3. Strawberry Jam

Very much known for her strange titled songs, Strawberry Jam is a nice pop tune.  A great brass section backing up the music, it was like awesome to me.  Ai sounds so girly here too which made the song even more sweeter.  Though, I’m left to wonder why she’s so loud in the chorus, you can hear her crack some notes as well.  Strawberry Jam is a tasty new song for the album!

4. Daisuki da yo.

3rd single Daisuki da yo. represents an overall change to the album since we’re leaving her rock/pop hybrids to a full blown ballad.  Ai is singing to drums, strings, and piano.  I love Ai’s voice in the chorus except when she goes for ~Zutto~.  That’s not such a nice sound.  Ai is just so powerful in this ballad.

5. Sensu

Then, we’re led into this ballad.  A little more rock influenced as hinted from the beginning.  I did find this song was less memorable from the album, which I guess Sensu was used for.  The beat was a little bland and the percussion was loud for the song.  Srry Ai, but this song wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be.

6. Mousou Chop

What a weird track Mousou Chop is.  It’s got Ai singing naturally and on a vocoder too.  It’s got a dance beat to it and is just a WTF moment from her.  I actually enjoyed the synth cuteness of this track, even though it’s so not of her.  Her voice synthed up is just as same sounding as it does to the girls of Perfume, not a surprise.  Luckily, the music is synth/rock which is pretty cool.

7. Ponpon

Ai’s normal tradition is to have a crazy ass tune.  Ponpon is so crazy is so much ike “Katorisenkou” even down to the repetitions included in the song.  Here though she goes through some different time changes and sound difference, but we’re led straight back into ~pon, pon, pon, etc.~  Yeah, it’s a hard listen without thinking “am I losing my sanity?”

8. Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi

A latin flavored track, It’s kind of sweet to listen after that maniacal track, “Ponpon”.  Ai’s vocals are cute with the piano and maracas.  It’s a nice song to sway to, so laidback, and summery.  The song can be easily listened to and not have bad feelings towards it.  Oh yea, it’s the last new song off the album.

9. Kingyo Hanabi

Still, the best song from the album, Kingyo Hanabi is a sweet, yet sad ballad with little instrumentation that creates a nice enka, like feel to it.  Even better the song portrays underwater sounds and it does without leading the track offbalance.  The ending like i said in the single review explodes and is frantic, but luckily it quiets down and ends on a good note.

10. Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 735 Yen

This is the original track before it was changed into the recut single.  As it is, its a more relaxed than it’s upbeat remake.  I kind of didn’t like this version because she sounded cooler in a rock state of mind.  The music is just as carefree as “Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi” but this just didn’t stand out for me as that song did. 

11. Friends

The last song is a ballad of course, and was also changed from when it was on “Daisuki da yo.’s” single.  This time also taking the guitar parts and replacing it with a piano and string instruments, the song is being a bit more powerful.  It somewhat works but I’d rather have had the Sakaban version.

Tracks Recommended

• Kingyo Hanabi
• Mousou Chop
• Strawberry Jam
• Friends
• Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi

Ai’s second offering was so much better in production and quality.  There were a lot of songs that I wanted to be on this album, mainly the B-sides.  Still, all of the new tracks were just as good as the A-sides.  Ponpon is gonna be stuck in my mind for awhile…oh well.  Great album.

 

Ai Otsuka – Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 680 Yen July 31, 2008

Track Listing

1. Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 680 Yen
2. Hon Maguro Chuutoro 300 Yen (Midori Iro)
3. Tsukune 70 Yen
4. Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 680 Yen (Instrumental)
5. Hon Maguro Chuutoro 300 Yen (Instrumental)

1. Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 680 Yen

Wow, this starts off kiddy-like, but it goes straight into a great rock track.  Ai sounds mature with this song.  The title is a bit misleading and silly but she puts out something like this it’s just so great.  The chorus is simple but real cool and with the music is great.  In the middle of the song there’s a pretty cool solo section. What’s even more interesting it’s a remade track and IMHO sounds so much better.

2. Hon Maguro Chuutoro 300 Yen (Midori Iro)

Taking a full jazz sound for the first A-side, I was pleasantly surprised by this track.  Ai sounds perfect in this song.  Soothing to ears, blending with music, and has a good tone.  It’s got a smooth beat to it, I couldn’t help but sway with the band.  I thought the was the best song on the single.  Great sax ending!

3. Tsukune 70 Yen

It starts off sweet enough and quiet enough, but…then it goes friggin crazy.  I mean rock-hard crazy.  This was so strange and quite of Ai, especially with her drugged up stuff, for example: Katorisenkou.  Ai’s vocals are also mixed with the guitar which was a new surprise.  However, it’s a bit messy and the guy talking is unusual.  Very weird song.

 

 

Not only this was a strange  recut titled single, it’s got some strange songs too!  The title track is a nice rock song that is definitly something we haven’t really heard of from her yet.  Hon Maguro was an awesome jazz track that should’ve been on the album.  Tsukune though was a crazy track…very gritty and in your face, another new area of sound Ai has waddled in.  Oddly enough, none of these tracks make on LOVE JAM.  Kuroge fine-tuned and changed from “Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 735 Yen”  Which IMO was better than this.  Awesome recut/final single for the “LOVE JAM” era.