FLOWER – Koibito ga Santa Claus November 27, 2012

Track Listing

1. Koibito ga Santa Claus
2. Still ~Christmas version~
3. Koibito ga Santa Claus (instrumental)
4. Still ~Christmas version~ (instrumental)

1. Koibito ga Santa Claus

I kind of like how the song starts up with that guitar riff and bounce.  As it’s a cover of a classic from Yumi Matsutoya, Koibito ga Santa Claus is actually a rather nice song from the group especially after their last single.  There’s just something about the song that really suits the holiday season and it’s really pretty.

2. Still ~Christmas version~

I still am kind of sour that Still was on the last single since it was useless.  With a new version of their debut A-side on this single, I was more than a little apprehensive and for good reason!  It feels like it was lazily placed on the single with extra jingle bells in the arrangement…definitely wasn’t needed.

 

 

FLOWER, I relaly don’t know what to think anymore about them it seens after they’re debut they aren’t impressing me as much.  I don’t think SONY knows how to deal with them either besides caking on Still as much as they can.  Koibito ga Santa Claus is a good cover though, I will admit that, but rehashing Still by laying on some jingle bells is just damn lazy…

FLOWER – forget-me-not ~Wasurenagusa~ August 25, 2012

Track Listing

1. forget-me-not ~Wasurenagusa~
2. YOUR GRAVITY
3. CALL
4. Still (Limited Pressing only)
5. SAKURA Regret (Limited Pressing only)
6. forget-me-not ~Wasurenagusa~ (Instrumental)

1. forget-me-not ~Wasurenagusa~

As the newest GUNDAM theme, FLOWER took it upon themselves to releae something good for it and forget-me-not is probably their quickest paced track which is good but it’s still in the vein of their previous singles.  As I listen to the song it starts to feel like there’s only one girl really singing the song and that bothered me for some reason.  It’s not a bad song but I like they previous A-sides a bit more.

2. YOUR GRAVITY

When I hear this song the first thing I notice is the fact that the lead singer in this song sounds a lot like Kanayan and this kind of song is that summery and bright song.  I’m not disappointed by the song but it does feel a bit meh when compared to other songs.

3. CALL

To me, CALL is the ballad of the single and there doesn’t seem to be a concrete lead in the song.  It’s light and and takes the R&B quite nicely.  Once the chorus comes up, the song kind of goes downhill for me for some reason.  I guess it’s the synths that kind of disappoint me because they’re oh so present in most of the group’s stuff so far.  It’s a song that could grow on me.

4. Still

On the limited pressing of the edition (the one with the GUNDAM on it), it takes out the previous B-sides and replaces them with the group’s previous two A-sides.  Starting with their debut, Still is still pretty much a song that I’ve come to enjoy moer since it was first released.  I mean it is a lot like “forget-me-not” but this came first.  Definitely one of the nicer debuts I’ve heard.

5. SAKURA Regret

I used to think SAKURA Regret was better than “Still” but not anymore, I’ve started to see that the song is kind of boring more nowadays even though the vocalists are sounding so smoother.  I guess it’s a nice ballad, but I think this is becoming their weakest A-side nowadays,

 

 

FLOWER’s 3rd single and this one is starting to wear on me.  I still don’t like the EXILE effect this group has (3 singers and a bunch of backup dancers).  forget-me-not isn’t bad and is the most upbeat track yet which is something the group needed.  However, YOUR GRAVITY and CALL are just boring songs that sound like other FLOWER songs out there.  Then there’s the GUNDAM edition with all three A-sides together and I’m kind of like…couldn’t we have waited for the album?  I don’t know, but this release felt super lazy IMO.

FLOWER – SAKURA Regret March 2, 2012

Track Listing

1. SAKURA Regret
2. be with you
3. Just A Little Bit
4. SAKURA Regret (instrumental)

1. SAKURA Regret

Already I felt that SAKURA Regret stepped up the group’s game up quite nicely.  At first it starts quiet with both vocalists singing quietly while the arrangement gains a bit of momentum.  While it doesn’t fully power itself, the song is still pretty and doesn’t offend me in anyway.  Still maybe it’s just me but at the end of the day, I kind of liked “Still” better…>.<

2. be with you

At least the B-sides are a little more worth it to be honest.  be with you is definitely a lot poppier than anything they’ve touched before.  It’s definitely a girly sounding song (no offense) but the way the synths play and how the ladies sound are kind of giving me this mall-shopping feel with this song and I kind of dig that about it.  It’s usually not the kind of songs I go for…yet I do somehow (like alan’s “My Stage”…).

3. Just A Little Bit

I get nostalgic vibes from the second B-side actually.  It’s like hearing 90′s R&B and seeing artist just strut down the street like it’s nothing.  I will say that it does sound a little safe for them but it’s quite chill and I could totally see Kana Nishino performing this song bwahaha.

 

 

FLOWER’s second single is a tad underwhelming when put next to “Still” but it’s a nice second single for them.  SAKURA Regret was nice but it lacked something to make it pop and stuff.  Though I think I liked the song better when it’s accompanied by its PV.  Minus the PV linkage, I felt the same way for Just A Little Bit…it lacked something for me but it’s got a bit of charm I guess.  However, the best was easily be with you since it had a lot going on and the two (or three…) girls sounded great in the song!  I hope their third single is really good!

FLOWER – Still February 27, 2012

Track Listing

1. Still
2. Fadeless Love
3. Are You Ready?
4. Still (instrumental)

1. Still

When I first turned on Still, I kind of got Juliet vibes with the first singer of the group lol.  It grows on ya since it’s a nice sounding track with synths and a constant R&B-like beat.  I’m surprised that of a group with that many members only three of the sing…it’s kind of odd but at the same time doesn’t feel busy.  The three girls actually sound good all-around so there’s no complaints there and I keep remembering that hook of ~I’m still in love with yoooou~.  Nice A-side!

2. Fadeless Love

A little more of what I was expecting to hear from the group to debut with, Fadeless Love is a little more synthy and towards more of an R&B style than “Still” actually.  However, when I listen to this song, I get Dream vibes but since they are similar it’s excusable.  Song is alright overall, but I felt the A-side was much better TBH.

3. Are You Ready?

I think this is the third time I seen this title…you know mini and Meisa share those times and it’s like I’VE BEEN READY!  At least out of all the songs on the single, they’ve built up to this cool dance track.  The first thing I noticed was the use of auto-tune here which kind of bothered me since Chiharu, Reina, and Kyoka are valid singers in their own right.  Besides that, I thought this was the best song off the single since it has great flow and the three girls sound great! 

 

 

As 1/3 of E-Girls and they’re own group I felt that FLOWER does have the chance to be pretty popular.  I liked their debut single, Still since both the A-side and Are You Ready? were great songs to show off their vocals.  Fadeless Love is alright but a little meh at the same time.  I do want the other members to do something besides dancing…I mean 3 out of 9 are vocalists…that’s a bit absurd…the other girls should sing too IMO.