ikimono-gakari – Nakumonka November 10, 2009

Track Listing

1. Nakumonka
2. Orion
3. Nakumonka -instrumental-

1. Nakumonka

Nakumonka sadly ends the A-sides of the era in a very disappointing way.  I mean did we really need another ballad from the trio…Does “Futari” and “YELL” fill that gap fine enough?  Oh well, I actually don’t find anything about Nakumonka to make it stand out besides the songs melancholic feel (which once again, been proved with previous A-sides in the era.  So much for ending nicely for the era huh?

2. Orion

I’m not sure why the J-pop world is hopping on to name their songs Orion after Mika started it.  Not that I don’t mind right now but let’s just hope it doesn’t become a wildfire like “Ai no Uta” did.  Now ikimono-gakari’s Orion does remind me of their previous B-side “Omoide no Sukima” in which the song has a bit of harmonica before turning itself into a ballad tune.  At least that made it different to said song.  Still, a another ballad song isn’t the direction I didn’t want this song to go and I’m once again bored and not liking the song.

 

 

ikimono-gakari finishes their era in a very boring manner.  Nakumonka and Orion just doesn’t live up to their more memorable songs of the current and last era.  It just seems their lacking something this era besides “Joyful” and “Hotaru no Hikari”.  I wished they pick up and hopefully have great tracks lined up for the album next.

ikimomo-gakari – YELL/Joyful September 13, 2009

Track Listing

1. YELL
2. Joyful
3. YELL -instrumental-
4. Joyful -instrumental-

1. YELL

Another ballad to fill the era up?  YELL wasn’t the feeling that I was getting from the title, I thought it was going to be more rock-out and crazy.  What we ended up with is Kiyoe singing strongly with the song’s piano-led arrangement.  Not that there was anything wrong with that, but didn’t we have “Futari” to hold us over on that aspect?  Then again looking at the 6 minute length, I couldn’t exactly take much of it, but I’ll say Kiyoe is singing a whole lot better than she did in “Hotaru no Hikari”.

2. Joyful

Oh wait…now this is the song I was expecting to be “YELL”.  The arrangement is upbeat and the tambourines are just as fast.  Kiyoe’s vocals do sound a lot more exciting and her yelps are just so damn cute.  I actually think it’s the second time where I thought an A-side was really good from ikimono-gakari (haven’t listened to anything previous before “Kimagure Romantic” and I thought that was really awesome).

 

 

Their 3rd release of the era, YELL/Joyful is a bit better than “Hotaru no Hikari” and “Futari” as both songs showcased Kiyoe so much better than those two.  YELL’s length was probably the only downside I could find about the song, but it’s orchestral feel was great and Joyful’s happy and peppy sound won me over very quickly ^_^

ikimono-gakari – Hotaru no Hikari July 14, 2009

Track Listing

1. Hotaru no Hikari
2. Omoide no Sukima
3. Hotaru no Hikaru -instrumental-

1. Hotaru no Hikari

Of course when you have a song tied in to a big series (Like in this case, Naruto) you know the song will have a certain direction of how the song will go.  Mostly it begins right at the chorus before entering the song like how Kiyoe does here in Hotaru no Hikari.  I’ve only previously heard their last A-side “Kimagure Romantic”, so I’m still fresh on them, but what I’m listening to hear is quite nice.  Kiyoe’s vocals are a bit off sometimes, but the upbeat nature and pop/rock sound is quite nice.

2. Omoide no Sukima

I’ve heard that the band loves to use harmonica and it’s not surprise that it’s featured on this track.  Omoide no Sukima is a bit more tame than their last track for sure and of course Kiyoe’s vocals are a bit more relaxed as well.  Maybe it’s a bit too laidback, but it’s a nice listen either way around.  It is nice though to hear Yoshiki as well, made the song better, even when Kiyoe’s vocals gets too short.

 

 

ikimono-gakari’s 2nd single of the current era is pretty nice as songs go..I do want a song that is a bit like “Kimagure Romantic” again…Anyways, Hotaru no Hikari is another great song tied-in with an anime and Omoide no Sukima is nice relaxing song (when Kiyoe isn’t sounding thin).