Track Listing
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Z Densetsu ~Owarinaki Kakumei~
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CONTRADICTION
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Mirai Bowl
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Wani to Shampoo
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Pinky Jones
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Kimi no Ato
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D’ no Junjou
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Ame no Tachikara wo
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Orange Note
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Ikuze! Kaitou Shoujo
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Stardust Serenade
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Kono Uta
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MomoClo no Nippon Manzai! (bonus track)
Limited Edition A CD2
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Taiyou to Ekubo
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fall into me
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…Ai Desu ka?
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Datte Aarin Nanda Moon☆
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Arigatou no Present
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Koi wa Abare Ondekoza
1. Z Densetsu ~Owarinaki Kakumei~
Ugh, I still can’t get into Z Densetsu at all. I mean I still like that it’s a nod to the Super Sentai series and all, but the girls vocals felt really shrill and kind of messy of a song itself to be making them that way in the first place. I don’t know why but I just can’t find myself ever really enjoying the song at all. The only thing it helped with me was to figure out the members but only in this song unfortunately.
2. CONTRADICTION
After that mess with the opening track, CONTRADICTION rushes in with more synths and a pretty speedy beat and that caught my attention pretty damn quickly. Even the vocals were fixed up immensely which was also such a good move on their part. I like the solos and the melodies together with each member since it didn’t feel stressed or pitchy. Such a great improvement!
3. Mirai Bowl
As I learned from other people before reviewing this album it seems that all the songs that were released before Akari Hayami’s graduation from the group were recorded again without her presence. Sadly, I didn’t know what voice she was in the songs so this actually was tougher for me. Mirai Bowl is the group’s third A-side since going major and it still doesn’t interest me even with the new changes. Like “Z Densetsu” it’s just very weird in it’s arrangement and unlike the song, this doesn’t have a lot of singing at first since the members are essentially “talking”. I’m just not a big fan of this one.
4. Wani to Shampoo
It seems that only by two tracks so far, the new songs are gonna outshine the already released songs. Wani to Shampoo (strange title aside) is kind of simple when compared to the last few songs but it’s catchy and I like the members and how they dealt with this track. There’s a lot of energy to be had even though the song is a bit mid-tempo lol. Fun song if you ask me.
5. Pinky Jones
Pinky Jones is prolly my second favorite of the A-sides released because it’s fast-paced and has such an interesting feel to it. I can say the rather light Arabian feel from the sitars in the song gave it life and the members sound great together despite Akari being taken out. One of the album’s better songs!
6. Kimi no Ato
The interesting thing about Momoclo was the fact that I actually have not heard a ballad from them since “Kimi Yuki”, but seeing that song isn’t present on the album, Kimi no Ato takes that place and actually surpasses their last ballad by a big time. The thing that surprises me is that they can make such a bad song (“Z Densetsu”) for example and then pull off something like this is quite a 180. Great song!
7. D’ no Junjou
Which brings us to our 5th A-side released and I love this song still. It’s the group’s best A-side of the era for sure and there’s no doubt. I love the mysterious yet cute vibes I get from this song but it’s also the group’s darker tinged song and it shows a lot of character from the group. D’ no Junjou just came out of nowhere and yet ended up being a quick favorite of the year.
8. Ame no Tachikara wo
I like that the whole traditional Japanese feel carries over to our next song as well. I actually get a little mix of Arabia as well in some parts so it’s like a mixture of “D’ no Junjou” and “Pinky Jones” as well. Sadly, I barely remember this song since it doesn’t really stand out besides the rockin’ chorus. Otherwise, it’s forgettable.
9. Orange Note
At least we have songs like Orange Note to bring me back into focus. It is one of the more cuter songs off the album, but it’s more like the songs that were more towards the beginning of the album with dance beats ridden throughout. It might be like a typical idol song, but on an album like this, it’s actually refreshing to have oddly enough.
10. Ikuze! Kaitou Shoujo
Then we get into the group’s first single since going major and I still slightly enjoy the song because it’s quite energetic and the whole ~we are the Momoiro Clover~ lines are so catchy and it’s what they are. I do think the transitioning of the song is a little shaky but it’s not as jagged as “Mirai Bowl” was and that’s a good thing for sure. Not bad for their first A-side and I kind of like it better than I did then.
11. Stardust Serenade
As the album’s last three songs are new tracks I was wondering how they’d treat the closing of the album. The first, Stardust Serenade sounds kind of basic when compared to most of the previous songs. I do like that it’s sparkly and cute of a track from them, but it feels like there’s just something missing here. Maybe a little more interest or spice could’ve helped the song, but right now it’s just alright to me, nothing amazing.
12. Kono Uta
So the actual final track to this album is Kono Uta which I’m surprised by going of the title isn’t a ballad, but more of like “Orange Note” by being an idol song with splashes of excitement throughout. I like how genki this song really is and stood out a lot more than the last song did but as a final track…it’s a little strange not gonna lie.
13. MomoClo no Nippon Manzai!
So the album contains a bonus track in the form of MomoClo no Nippon Manzai! which one of my friends explained is exactly like what Minimoni did in their song “Rock n’ Roll Kenchoushozaichi ~Oboechaina Series!~”. It’s basically the group going through different areas of Japan and commenting about it. Since this idea isn’t a new one, Momoclo’s was wild since there were energetic parts and slow parts and some other odd parts to it. If I could understand what was being said, I could get a better understanding of the song. It’s alright for what it is.
CD2
1. Taiyou to Ekubo
The second disc is actually six songs all solos by each member (including graduated member Akari Hayami). Starting with Kanako Momota’s solo, Taiyou to Ekubo sounds like one of those typical cutesy idol songs that appear frequently. I do like acoustic guitar and brass being involved for the most part and while I’m not a fan of Kanako’s vocals in this song it’s alright.
2. fall into me
Yup, Akari Hayami gets shafted on the first disc but somehow ends up with a solo on the second disc? Yeah, it’s pretty confusing for the reasoning of the happening of it but whatever. I really love the dark atmosphere that opens the song with pipe organ leading the way and then it turns into this edgy rock tune. Then the weird things happen since Akari is rapping the verses and singing the chorus. She has such a good deep tone to her voice that I really liked and she was the best singer of the 6-nin group. Sad she left damnit!
3. …Ai Desu ka?
Shiori Tamai is next up and her song …Ai Desu ka? is more of a mid-tempo pop tune. I’d say after Akari, Shiori has the next best set of pipes since their light and not too shrill to listen to. The arrangement isn’t must to really gasm about and it reminds me of a softer version of “Taiyou to Ekubo”. Just not that amazing.
4. Datte Aarin Nanda Moon☆
I guess we’d have to have another strange song and I thought by the beginning of the song I was listening to ANOTHER cover of “Koi no Dial 6700″ with the ~rin, rin, rin~ parts going. Ayaka Sasaki’s vocals are more suited for this super sugary songs and it shows since the song is very genki (prolly the most of the entire album). Sadly, the song doesn’t really do much for me and just passes over my head.
5. Arigatou no Present
I was guessing there’d be another ballad somewhere on this album and Momoka Ariyasu’s solo fits that role. Sadly, likewise with the other solos on this disc, it’s pretty forgettable and Momoka’s vocals don’t really sound great under such ballads. The music is alright and has a little more going on then “Kimi no Ato”, but I like the latter better still since the vocals in that song don’t sound so blah.
6. Koi wa Abare Ondekoza
I’ll say that Reni Tagaki’s solo is pretty much the other solo that is interesting to listen to (Akari’s is the other BTW). I mean first off the song is under the Ondo style so there’s the fact that it’s set under a Japanese Folk style that makes it stand out. Reni though has shaky vocals and it’s pretty obvious some of the notes are questionable, but the fact the arrangement is spiffy enough makes me give her a second chance. Good little tune.
Tracks Recommended
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D’ no Junjou
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CONTRADICTION
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Pinky Jones
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fall into me
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Orange Note
Song of Avoidance
Momoiro Clover Z finally releases their debut album and for the most part it’s alright but nothing totally amazing. I did love that for the most part, they tackled different styles of music which is a plus for idols but sometimes the arrangements of some of the songs are pretty weird and messed up in a few others. I didn’t like that they had to redo the older A-sides because Akari left and yet somehow she ended with a solo on the second disc. By the way, the second disc is kind of a miss…only two of the girls’ songs stood out and that’s Akari and Reni’s solos. It’s a good album, but nothing overly amazing.
