Junko Akimoto – Aisuru Hito no Tame ni September 24, 2009

Track Listing

1. Woman, Nin Toshite
2. Kokoro no Guitar
3. Time Machine de Ai ni Kite
4. Sabaku no Bara no You ni…
5. Toki no Scenario
6. Ai ga Jukusu Made [with Yuutaira Hanoka]
7. Kanabun no Blues
8. Nidome no Hatsukoi
9. Ai no Uta Uri
10. Niji no Kanata
11. Stay~Ika Naide
12. Tasogare Love again

1. Woman, Nin Toshite

I’m still getting used to enka as a style to listen to, but it’s so much easier than listening to JERO.  Aisuru Hito no Tame ni begins with Woman, Nin Toshite and as the first vocal track, Junko clearly impressed me with her smooth and sultry vocals.  The horns add this mysterious feeling to the song that sounds cool.  Good start for the album.

2. Kokoro no Guitar

The next track off the album, Kokoro no Guitar is a bit more of a ballad track with of course acoustic guitar and piano.  It’s a little bit empty, but when the solo’s without her appear, the song sound fuller.  So in honesty, this song is a little bland.

3. Time Machine de Ai ni Kite

I really like the trumpet solo at the beginning that comes with the ticking.  It also sounds like Junko is trying for a more happier tune and she got it somewhat right.  Her vocals do sometimes sound a little vague and monotone, but somehow it’s really nice to see a little bit of fun in her songs.  An early favorite.

4. Sabaku no Bara no You ni…

I really like the desert theme of our next track.  You can thank the brass group for putting that image into my head.  Junko also sounds so much more livelier here and shows some sweet singing here.  Could it be the smartest song she’s released besides “Ai no Mama de…”?

5. Toki no Scenario

Rather having positive feeling ballads, Toki no Scenario proves to be the other way around.  It sounds quite foreboding and Junko emanates sadness quite smoothly.  The song doesn’t lose any steam and it’s nice that she’s getting more louder and profound as time goes by the song, it’s a nice touch…Good tune.

6. Ai ga Jukusu Made [with Yuutaria Hanaoka]

The next track looks to be a collaboration.  It is rather a more chilled version of “Woman, Nin Toshite” and that might be nice to know, but Hanaoka ruins the song with his nasally vocals that sound terrible mixing with Junko’s nice vocals.  It creates a rather uncomfortable rift.  I’m not enjoying this song much.

7. Kanabun no Blues

It’s the first time hearing Junko under an electric guitar arrangement and it’s rather reminescent to some of JERO’s song becuase they also have an electric guitar leading.  It’s rather strange hearing Junko going through the chorus repeating ~bun, bun, bun~.  It’s rather distracting, but it has it’s own charm that’s catchy.

8. Nidome no Hatsukoi

So many slow songs on this album.  Nidome no Hatsukoi has a bit of an islandy sound to it that made me interested to hear where it was going.  It once again shows Junko singing smoothly and fits the mood just right.  Wished it was a little more upbeat, but what can you do about it?

9. Ai no Uta Uri

I really liked the fact she added the Russian-like B-side from “Tasogare Love again”.  Maybe it’s the fact she used accordion again to make it stand out on the album, but damn was this one of her better songs off the album.  She sounds really pretty in this song and the arrangement sounds adventurous almost, so good!

10. Niji no Kanata

I think it’s a first to hear an orchestral opening to Junko’s album and with a nice acoustic guitar opening to push that idea forward too.  Sadly, it’s rather bland since there’s already ballads all over the album, and this hardly stood out to me.

11. Stay~Ika Naide

Is it funny that I think this track reminds me of Dollet music from Final Fantasy VIII?  Besides Junko’s singing the song reminds me of that tune.  After the opening, the songs just goes into blandville again since nothing besides the opening stood out again. 

12. Tasogare Love again

Ending off the album is the era’s only A-side.  I just love the flow of this song and Junko did a great job singing along with the melody.  I still think the chorus is the catchiest part of the song and oddly enough her strongest part.  While it may be the loner single for the album, she chose a great song to represent it.

Tracks Recommended

• Sabaku no Bara no You ni…
• Time Machine de Ai ni Kite
• Tasogare Love again
• Ai no Uta Uri

Junko’s 3rd album didn’t show as much personality as “Second Story” but at least it’s still an alright group of tracks that shows Junko off.  It’s sad that the lone single altogether is better than the album tracks here cept two that really stood out.  Maybe it’s me but she quickly is past her high-time after “Ai no Mama de…”

Junko Akimoto – Tasogare Love again July 8, 2009

Track Listing

1. Tasogare Love again
2. Ai no Uta Uri
3. Tasogare Love again (Original Karaoke)
4. Tasogare Love again (Ippanyou Karaoke)
5. Ai no Uta Uri (Original Karaoke)

1. Tasogare Love again

Ahhhh, I’m not sure after the amazing “Ai no Mama de…” It’s hard to really follow-up with something just as amazing.  Tasogare Love again, it’s another ballad from Junko and features a lot of accordion and there’s even BKGD vocalists as well.  I kind of like the mid-tempo sound and at different points it sounds a little bit like a waltz in the chorus.  I’m a sucker for that kind of stuff, so I naturally like this track.  Junko’s vocals are as usual quite nice sounding as well. 

2. Ai no Uta Uri

Our B-side, is a bit more upbeat, but there’s something about it that just screams perfection to me.  It’s got a Russian sound, acoustic guitar playing, and seriously the different areas of music is quite intriguing and surprised that it’s kind of catchy as well.  Even though it doesn’t ave a clear climax to it and basically stays at the same pace most of the song it’s a good B-side.

 

 

I know this isn’t “Ai no Mama de…”, but this was a great single to start up a new era for Junko here.  Tasogare Love again basically made enka sound a bit waltzy for the era and she pulled it odd gracefully.  Ai no Uta Uri on the other hand kept a good punch in the music and the song sounded ethnic and nice.  I think she’s still got the flame to take over Oricon again.

Junko Akimoto – Madison Gun no Koi March 19, 2009

Track Listing

1. Madison Gun no Koi
2. Gatsu no Hamabe

1. Madison Gun no Koi

Junko’s debut is definitly strange and maybe a little cheesy in the musical sense.  I mean there’s piano and accordion just like “Ai no Mama de…” but there’s this weird percussion instrumentation, sounds like a cowbell, but worse maybe?  That right there took me out of the song, but I’ll have to say, I like Junko’s vocals alot.  Maybe not as extravagant as in her best single, but this is a nice try…but that cheesy cowbell sound is annoying!

2. Gatsu no Hamabe

See here we go again.  That idiotic cowbell sound is once again very apparant here, but luckily it isn’t as loud as it was in the last track.  This would be the first track I’ve encountered that I hear electric guitar present which makes this a more modern enka track as well.  I’m not sure who’s singing along with her but this male presence sounds very flat against Junko.  Hmmmm…

 

 

Junko’s debut single isn’t really much to talk about since well it is a debut.  Her voice though has a good tone and flow that a good portion of enka artists don’t because they usually sing enka mechanically for some odd reason…it might just be the guys though.  The thing that brought the single down the most was the cowbell.  I’m pretty the songs could’ve been fine without it, I’m sure…

Junko Akimoto – Ai no Mama de… February 18, 2009

Track Listing

1. Ai no Mama de…
2. Wasure Mono
3. Ai no Mama de… (Original Karaoke)
4. Ai no Mama de… (Ippanyou Karaoke)
5. Wasure Mono (Original Karaoke)

1. Ai no Mama de…

I can only imagine why this song is loved so much in Japan for it being NO.1 on the Oricon charts for so damn long.  For being in her 60’s, Junko has a deeper womanly voice and she knows how to control her vibratos unlike some other artists today.  There isn’t much in the music so it isn’t too important because Junko is the important one here.  I like it more than JERO’s “Umiyuki” actually.

2. Wasure Mono

Wasure Mono is still enka, but it’s got a saxophone in it, which usually doesn’t make any sense on any enka track, but luckily it isn’t used too much.  Once again the more minimal, the better.  I got to say, I admire Junko’s vocals here as it’s just emotional and so together.  Even better then the A-side actually.

 

 

I have no idea what number single this is, but all I know is that Junko broke a record for hitting No.1 on the Oricon and it’s that she’s the oldest the reach it, which is showing that Japan still loves their Enka.  Both tracks were just so amazing and even though, I am a tekkie person, this is just a nice leeway out of it.  *RECOMMENDED*