TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – Yakusoku February 9, 2013

Track Listing

1. Intro
2. Bad Flower
3. Tsuioku -Single Version-
4. Discord
5. Sore de Ii jan
6. Taisetsu na Kotoba
7. Tsuki to Sayonara
8. Maboroshi
9. Overnight Sensation ~Jidai wa Anata ni Yudaneteru
10. Futari Kiri
11. LolitA☆Strawberry in summer
12. Yakusoku
13. Outro
14. Himawari to Hoshikuzu -English Version-
15. Tsuki to Sayonara -Royal Mirrorball Remix- (CD only)

1. Intro

Oh a 2-minute introduction to the album huh?  It’s quite lulzy because this kind of reminds me of some 80s motif at the beginning.  As it continues on it becomes elevator music essentially which is kind of strange? xD.  It sounds like it’s going through a timeline because of the different genres tackled like rock at the end too before it smoothly moves into our first vocal track.

2. Bad Flower

Which is conveniently the best A-side of the era!  I just found myself loving this track so much because it showed off how well the girls vocals can be when given some training and boy did it pay off!  I mean besides Ayano who is already such a badass singer, Hitomi sounds amazing as well!  Add in that we got to see more of everyone else and it just came together as the dark, forbidden song that is just so good.  Reminds of “Limited addiction” but with guitars.

3. Tsuioku -Single Version-

I’m quite surprised the group decided to include the single version of Tsuioku (despite the original being on their last album and all >.>).  I mean the big difference between the two is that this version has a bit more going on in its instrumentation like a beat of sorts.  It’s a bit long because it follow TG’S’ formula of having the extended periods of music before every verse and the ending.  This is nice though, but didn’t need a second appearance to be honest >.>

4. Discord

Coming from the same single as “Bad Flower”, Discord was literally my favorite song from the singles.  I still find it amusing that it was used in the Transformers cartoon so it really kind of seemed a bit absurd y’know?  Still Discord is kind of like the synthy sister of “Bad Flower” because it has a darker tone as well.  I just really came to love this song a LOT!

5. Sore de Ii jan

I was wondering when we were gonna get to some new tracks and we have our first one in Sore de Ii jan!  To me, the song feels a lot like a mix of “Kirari☆”, “Himawari to Hoshikuzu” and “W.M.A.D” just thrown in a blender together and came out with this track.  That being said, it’s not a totally bad thing to do because the song is pretty catchy and I find myself grooving to the arrangement most of the time!  I’m also loving the vocals as well!  Not bad!

6. Taisetsu na Kotoba

Backing up to Taisetsu na Kotoba which was the secondary A-side next to “Tsuioku”, I actually kind of dislike it further because it sounds like an early take of “Discord” with the synths…but had some brass from stuff from the “Limited addiction” album.  The thing I remember most is that there’s quite a bit of high notes thrown in.  Suffice to say of the three A-sides, this was the weakest of them.

7. Tsuki to Sayonara

Another dark song on the album count me in!  Even though this song wasn’t chosen to promote the album it did get the remix at the end of the album (who’d thunk it).  I’m not sure why, but I kind of get this lounge setting here, but with some kick!  Though this sounds like a slowed down “Discord” even in some of the melodies in the chorus…it was ironic almost.  It’s alright, but it doesn’t really have that spark going for it in my opinion.

8. Maboroshi

I was instantly interested when one of the titles of the song is “Phantom” and I have to say it did feel like a track that’s meant for Halloween (despite being late to the party).  It’s like they took what I didn’t particularly enjoy about “Tsuki to Sayonara” and just made it so much better.  It’s an eerie track and the ladies just sound mysterious alongside the arrangement.  Very unique to the group!

9. Overnight Sensation ~Jidai wa Anata ni Yudaneteru~

Our next track is a cover of an old TRF song (a group I don’t exactly listen to besides other artists covering their music LOL).  From what I heard from TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE, the song is kind of fun and there’s a lot of surprising English lines in the song which actually sounds good for the most part haha,  It’s probably the brightest and poppiest song on the album so it’s a tad out of place but this isn’t bad and the vocals are just still VERY strong.

10. Futari Kiri

I actually really liked the guitar solo that opens up Futari Kiri but after that, the song just kind of goes south for me because while it does try to reach out and be something like “Onnaji Kimochi”, it kind of lacks a memorable melody about it and it just kind of sounds like a total mess (minus the guitar solos throughout, but this honestly felt like a “Limited addiction” throwaway).

11. LolitA☆Strawberry in summer

Remember this B-side from “ROAD TO BUDOKAN”?  Yeah, the group’s 2nd SweetS cover makes the tracklist and while I did like the acoustic guitar that opens up the track, the remaining bits are a tad forgetful and kind of tries to replicate what “Bad Flower” had but kind of becomes sour and forgetful after a while.  I do love the vocals though!

12. Yakusoku

So the last of the new songs was actually the one chosen to promote the album!  At first I kind of expected it to be a ballad, but the song is kind of a mid-tempo fare which is a pleasant surprise, especially since it was expected.  I hear those synth beats being used again here which is kind of bothering me here, since I could’ve been happy with just acoustic guitar in this one.  Kind of blah otherwise.

13. Outro

Then the outro comes and for being 3 minutes, it starts off in a cool way with synths and beats and a futuristic feel.  I kind of like how it builds on itself as time goes by though too…it’s just really glossy and pretty to listen to!  A bit long though since it doesn’t really strive to go anywhere else, but I guess it’s a good way to end the album.

14. Himawari to Hoshikuzu -English Version-

For the first time in the group’s time, we have an English Version of an older song of theirs.  Himawari to Hoshikuzu is a pretty awesome song so I was quite curious to how they could handle it in a language they aren’t used to.  Sadly, while the arrangement is the same of course, hearing the group butchering the song in English is just almost unbearable and almost unintelligible.  I’m sorry but Hitomi did better here than Ayano this time hahah.  Nice bonus, but not really all that great and I rather listen to the original still.

Tracks Recommended

• Discord
• Bad Flower
• Maboroshi
• Overnight Sensation ~Jidai wa Anata ni Yudaneteru~

Song of Avoidance

• Futari Kiri

Right now, I’m still kind of undecided if I like Yakusoku more than “Limited addiction” or not.  I mean they both have the same problems still, but the latter did have more A-sides that I loved!  So this might be a step down even further for the group, but slight.  Vocally this is their best yet so that’s also a good thing here.  My biggest complaint is the group really needs to step away from the way their songs are set up…I mean most tracks were 5+ minutes….they really need to get rid of the extended music breaks before verses and everything…it’s getting stale…

TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – ROAD TO BUDOKAN 2012 -Bad Flower- October 22, 2012

Track Listing

1. Bad Flower
2. LolitA☆Strawberry in summer
3. Discord
4. Bad Flower -Royal Mirrorball Mix- (CD only)
5. Bad Flower (Instrumental)
6. LolitA☆Strawberry in summer (Instrumental)
7. Discord (Instrumental)

1. Bad Flower

As the leading track (and A-side), Bad Flower isn’t too much different from “Limited addiction” (or any of its leading songs) since it has a long intro and the overall feel is similar.  However, the song really stood out to me since it’s darker and has an eerie feel to it.  I’ve also noticed that these girls had some training because they sound great!  Especially some of the back girls who really sound powerful in the song.  It’s just a sweet and badass track from them ^_^!

2. LolitA☆Strawberry in summer

So we learned of this track because of the “Senkou Ongen” from the last single.  Though learning that it’s another cover of a different SweetS track (their first being “Love like candy floss”) is interesting…I wonder if avex is grooming them to be the next SweetS but more badass LOL.  I didn’t expect the track to open with acoustic guitar (almost made me think it was a country song).  Though it speeds up and the song begins.  I don’t think the track is as strong or as powerful as “Bad Flower” but for being a cover song, it’s a different take and I commend them for that. 

3. Discord

The other original track on the single starts off on a really cool synth melody and follows through with a pretty nifty 80′s new wave feel and guitarwork as well.  I actually thought this was pretty nostalgic but also quite strong from them…it’s dark (but not like “Bad Flower” dark….just dark tinted).  I was surprised they filtered the verses out but everything is clear…different but I like it.  Not bad for a B-side, one of their better ones in recent times.

4. Bad Flower -Royal Mirrorball Mix-

Of course the single ends with the signature remix and this time Bad Flower gets it.  Unlike the original’s dark rock feel, it’s given more of an 80′s feel (just like “Discord” but I kind of dig this one as well).  It gives the vocal melody a different feel for something and the identity of the song shifted but I don’t mind it because it’s smooth and catchy!  I’m starting to see Royal Mirroball really getting better at this now!

 

 

After taking a short break to train a little more, TG’S releases Bad Flower and I’m just surprised that this single was really good!  Bad Flower might have the same direction as “Limited addiction” but you can’t deny that the girls here sound AMAZING.  It even follows through with Discord which sounds really nice as well bearing a synth-focused melody.  Even the remix is just awesome to listen to and gives Bad Flower a different take.  The only track that disappointed me was their SweetS cover…it just wasn’t as good nor did it make much of an impact on the single…Yeah this single is a *RECOMMEND*

TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – Tsuioku -Single Version-/Taisetsu na Kotoba May 26, 2012

Track Listing

1. Tsuioku -Single Version-
2. Taisetsu na Kotoba
3. Tsuioku -Royal Mirrorball Remix- (Type D only)
4. Tsuioku -Single Version- (Instrumental)
5. Taisetsu na Kotoba (Instrumental)
6. TGS23 -Senkou Ongen- (Type D only)

1. Tsuioku -Single Version-

Remember Tsuioku from their sophomore release, “Limited addiction”?  Yeah if you remember that review, this song was the lone ballad and was pretty heartfelt and pretty all-around.  The new version of the song kind of erases that and changes the sound of the tune from a ballad to something more R&B-tinged.  I could’ve lived without it, but I guess they need to make the mood a little more alive.  After a while the song does grow onto me and the changes made to the track is quite something and it lets the girls work the song better…I really enjoyed that about this song.  I was initially worried about how it was going to turn out, but I love it now ^_^.

2. Taisetsu na Kotoba

Unlike their last recut single, this one actually has a new original song on it in the form of Taisetsu na Kotoba.  After dealing with the album I was kind of wanting something different sounding and Taisetsu na Kotoba tries to get out of that monotony that made me disappointed but this song is definitely something you would hear off of “Limited addiction”.  It still has the funky bass lines and disco vibes that were in all of the previous A-sides of the last era.  Kind of has this “Rock you!” familiarity for the most part and I’m kind of dreading here.  It’s not terrible, but I long for something that sounds different like “Tsuioku”.

3. Tsuioku -Royal Mirrorball Remix-

Jeeze, an 8 minute remix of Tsuioku comes next and I was definitely wondering what RM would pull for such a relaxed track.  It seems they had quite a bit more freedom to do what they want and I kind of like it because they added synths and flow sounds really cool and chill.  It might sound like “Limited addiction’s” style and all but it works here.  This is definitely their best remix since they’ve debuted ^_^

4. TGS23 -Senkou Ongen-

Here we are once again with our next little preview of an album song (currently with no name) and it’s only a 50 second preview at that.  I have to say, it sounds different like there’s different vocals because they’re so deep and mature…like Ayano is leading the track.  I’m guessing by what I’m hearing, the title is Lolita Strawberry…interesting and I’m looking forward to the full thing ^_^

 

 

As they go into hiatus mode for 2 months to train more, they leave us with an interesting recut single.  While I was worried on how they were going to treat Tsuioku, in the end, I found it more memorable and a lot better of a song to showcase their vocals (though I still love the original ballad version as well).  The remix also added more on top of that and it’s like they could do no wrong with whatever direction they took the song.  Taisetsu na Kotoba just seems like leftover “Limited addiction” fodder but it’s not terrible, just not original enough for me.  At least the track preview gives me hope that they are moving in a different direction before beginning on their third era of releases.

TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – Limited addiction March 25, 2012

Track Listing

1. Intro
2. Sparkle
3. W.M.A.D
4. Regret.
5. Boku no Tegami
6. Don’t Be Cruel
7. Liar
8. Rock you!
9. Memai feat. Vanilla Beans
10. Limited addiction
11. Tsuioku
12. Outro
13. Sparkle -Royal Mirrorball Mix- (Type C only)
14. We Will Win! ~Kokoro no Baton de Po Pon no Po~n☆~

1. Intro

Starting the girl’s sophomore album off, Intro kind of gives us this disco-groovy feel to it which is pretty awesome since it’s fun to listen to and the arrangement is great.  Did a pretty good job setting the album up.

2. Sparkle

Following the goodness of the intro, Sparkle utilizes deeper synths to get this 80′s sound which sounds really cool and chill.  I’m not sure how to explain this to the best of ways but it kind of reminds me of “W.M.A.D” and has similar sounds found in it when it comes to the various A-sides on the album.  I like it for the most part but I do feel like it’s a little bit uninspired.

3. W.M.A.D

Talking about said song, our next track was the secondary A-side of the 2nd single released for the era.  I know I’m going to be saying this all over this review but the album songs sound a lot like the singles themselves which is already made a point when I reviewed the singles >.<  However, I do think there are a couple of songs that really stick out like W.M.A.D since it’s a lot more energetic and has a fun arrangement to go along with it.  I love the warped ~ahhhhs~ in the bridge for some reason, but the chorus is another reason that it stood out to me.  One of the era’s best songs!

4. Regret.

While I’ve heard a preview of said song back on a single, it’s the album’s longest track being above 6 minutes.  I was surprised since I didn’t think they would make a song that long.  I felt the intro almost reminded me of “Kirari☆”.  However, the energy of the song kind of reminds me of the other songs on the album unfortunately so it kind of lacks here as well.  Which also means that the time length really made it hard to keep going though the synth solo in the middle was a nice treat.  Ehhh?

5. Boku no Tegami

Finally a song to sort of break the mold of the album perhaps.  It is a bit slower than most of the songs…but it uses the same instruments that are found in most of the songs too.  The slower tempo is a nice change but it’s really hard to enjoy it but I guess the fact that I feel that it’s a bit more bluesy is interesting.  Still I can’t help but feel like it’s just a slower “Limited addiction”.

6. Don’t Be Cruel

I still find it funny that this was the only true B-side for the era…weird.  Don’t Be Cruel does sound a little bit different when put against the other songs on the album which is good because this focuses elsewhere but doesn’t stray from the group’s sound overall.  I will say that I would’ve loved a little more oomph from the song because it kind of lacks something.  I will say it’s grown since the initial review I did back on it’s single. 

7. Liar

Ahhhh the primary A-side of their 2nd single comes next and Liar does fit after “Don’t Be Cruel” for some reason but since they both sound similar it’s really no surprise here.  The thing that really stood out from this particular song was that they pushed their vocals hard on this one and the results were pretty good.  Plus the song’s classy sound kind of worked for them IMO.  Definitely grew into this one for sure and a good thing!

8. Rock you!

A week prior, Rock you! came out and sadly beyond the cool intro and the chant…there really wasn’t much to really seperate it from the other songs in the era but the girls are singing a little more broader like the high notes from who I thought it was Mei.  Reminds me of “W.M.A.D” as well but a little more darker lyrically.  Not bad but meh I’m tired of these same sounding songs.

9. Memai feat. Vanilla Beans

I didn’t expect TG’S would actually collaborate with Vanilla Beans who are totally different from each other.  Memai also is good for this album because at least it doesn’t sound repetitive.  I was curious though since it’s seven ladies singing together.  It does have a certain fusion of both sounds of each group so that was pretty impressive.  Unfortunately Risa and Rena are stuck singing behind the younger ladies which is sad but the song was nice, not gonna lie.

10. Limited addiction

It’s sad that by this time I’m so TIRED of the same-instrumentation that’s going on (with that little break in “Memai”).  When it comes to Limited addiction, I think it’s just badass and totally nullifies the fact that it caused so many sound-a-likes here.  I mean this song has great vocals, a powerful arrangement and definitely brought my attention to Ayano since she just blew me away.  Oddly enough, it is the album’s best track.

11. Tsuioku

As we near the end of the album, Tsuioku finally breaks the monotany of the album by presenting a straight up ballad.  It’s a bit random to come crashing into a song like this but it’s nice and the chorus really gives it this drive that surprises me when compared to the quiet verses.  A really nice ballad and works for them (odd seeing that idol ballads usually suck).

12. Outro

Closing the album (well not really), Outro kind of gives us this jazzy melody in contrast to “Intro’s” disco vibes.  I thought it was a fair way to close things…up to the part where it gets rockin’ and this guitar solo just pops in with like weird bits from the girls.  As quick and random as that enters it goes back to the jazzy side just as quick. 

13. Sparkle -Royal Mirrorball Mix-

On one edition of the album, we get a RM remix of Sparkle which I think could be considered the promo but it doesn’t even get a PV.  Anyways the remix is interesting because it kind of reminds me of “Himawari to Hoshikuzu” with the amount of brass and funky disco beats.  Odd enough, I like the remix more than the original which kind of surprises me in a way since most of the time, Royal Mirrorball remixes are kind of mediocre.

14. We Will Win! ~Kokoro no Baton de Po Pon no Po~n☆~

While Type C actually has two songs after the “Outro”, the other versions have one song closing things out and that’s We Will Win! (the secondary A-side that begun the era).  We Will Win! does kind of sound like some of the stuff that was on “Kodou no Himitsu” but thrown together with the overall sound with this album.  How it makes sense to make it the album’s final track is beyond me but it’s not as bad as I first remembered it…but the idol-ish genki shouts are here but that’s alright.  Not the best song…but it’s tolerable.

Tracks Recommended

• Limited addiction
• W.M.A.D
• Liar
• Tsuioku
• Sparkle -Royal Mirrorball Mix-

Song of Avoidance

• Regret.

Damn, TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE hit their sophomore slump with Limited addiction.  At the time Liar/W.M.A.D was released, I had high hopes because they had pretty much started to sound amazing and was being a force to reckon with.  The album is good but the main problem was that this album lacked variety in the major way.  Minus Memai and Tsuioku the album just sounded like one LOOOOONG song.  I was just disappointed but the A-sides really stood out…but that’s because they’ve had time to stick to my mind.

TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – Rock you!/Onnaji Kimochi -YMCK REMIX- March 9, 2012

Track Listing

1. Rock you!
2. Onnaji Kimochi -YMCK REMIX-
3. Rock you! -Royal Mirrorball Remix- (Type C only)
4. Rock you! (Instrumental)
5. Onnaji Kimochi -YMCK REMIX- (Instrumental)
6. TGS16 Senkou Ongen (Type C only)

1. Rock you!

The only original song, Rock you! does stand out to be differet from the previous A-sides by being a little more angsty and driven but after that awesome rock riff that opened the song, it seemed to groove into another “Limited addiction” and “Liar” which is slowly getting to me but not so much because it’s enjoyable.  I will say that the five girls sound great though so it surpasses “Liar” in that repect.  Otherwise this is a pretty good song though I hope they broaden out their sound after this.

2. Onnaji Kimochi -YMCK REMIX-

How many versions of Onnaji Kimochi do we really need?  I mean we have the original (their second single), the Mirrorball remix on the single, the Kids version on “Love like candy floss”, the Chinese version off their debut album and now a YMCK remix?  Last time we seen YMCK they remixed the group’s song, “Kodou no Himitsu” and that was pretty damn good.  However, I’m not too big of a fan of their take on Onnaji Kimochi.  The melody plus the 8-bit melody over it just don’t fit together and kind of comes off as a little more annoying than great.  I think there’ll be fans of this but I still think YMCK’s first remix for the ladies was MUCH MUCH BETTER!

3. Rock you! -Royal Mirrorball Remix-

Getting into the remix for Rock you!, just like the original, the remix does take the song in a more serious style and has a rather deeper synth melody compared to previous RM remixes.  I actually kind of enjoyed the remix a lot more than many other RM ones and while the original tops it, this sounds great and works with the melody. 

4. TGS16 Senkou Ongen

If you’re a follower of the group, you should know what this is.  To others this is actually a preview track of an album song.  TGS has done it before for their first album with a couple songs.  This Senkou Ongen is a preview for “Regret.” which is an album track for “Limited addiction”.  Not much to go by for this review as short it is…but it gives me hope for the album now LOL.

 

 

Closing the “Limited addiction” era, Rock you!/Onnaji Kimochi -YMCK REMIX- is alright but I think of the singles, this was the weakest as a presentation.  I do like Rock you! and its remix but is weaker than half of the A-sides (only better than “We Will Win!” and “Liar”).  The Onnaji Kimochi remix was kind of bad and just wasn’t necessary IMO and the Senkou Ongen was just a teaser, not enough to determine the review.  At least next week is the group’s sophomore release.

TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – Liar/W.M.A.D November 26, 2011

Track Listing

1. Liar
2. W.M.A.D
3. Liar -Royal Mirrorball Mix- (Version D only)
4. Liar (Instrumental)
5. W.M.A.D (Instrumental)

1. Liar

Coming off that awesomeness of “Limited addiction”, it seemed that the group wanted to try that again with Liar and while there’s some things that are similar, Liar is its own entity and such.  The big thing I noticed was that the line distribution was a little even for the five gals which is great but I also felt that the song was a little weaker with the thin high notes in the chorus.  Still the way the song moves, it just feels like “Limited addiction” pt. 2…but that’s not so bad since I enjoyed that and this song quite a bit.

2. W.M.A.D

The other A-side really struck me with the dejavu chord with the intro which sounds exactly like “Himawari to Hoshikuzu’s” intro.  Luckily, the song moves into a different kind of area but keeping up with their current sound but has a lot of interesting things going for it.  I will say that I noticed that there’s no solo lines to be found until before the final chorus which is cool for sure and the arrangement is fun and engaging and makes me tap my foot to the beat.  I actually consider this over “Liar” actually!  BTW, what does W.M.A.D stand for?!?

3. Liar -Royal Mirrorball Mix-

It’s not a TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE single without a Royal Mirrorball remix of the main A-side.  I like they made it more chilled out and less busy with all that fake brass in the original version.  I also think the vocals sound a little more subdued here as well letting the music slightly have better sound.  It’s an interesting take on the original and I kind of like the mood here…though at 7 minutes basically, it might be a little boring.

 

 

These girls are seriously going to have a great album if they keep this style up!  Liar might be a “Limited addiction” clone but it’s a good song nonetheless and their pushing the envelope through their PVs which will be awesome in the long run!  W.M.A.D was my favorite of the single by having a new fresh sound and paying more attention to the girl’s melodic properties more than anything while the Liar remix was cool and chill.  SOOOOO much better than their last single ^_^

TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – Limited addiction/We Will Win! ~Kokoro no Baton de Po Pon no Po Po~n☆~ August 27, 2011

Track Listing

1. Limited addiction
2. We Will Win! ~Kokoro no Baton de Po Pon no Po Po~n☆~
3. Don’t Be Cruel
4. Limited addiction -Unlimited addiction Mirrorball Royal Mix-
5. Limited addiction (Instrumental)
6. We Will Win! ~Kokoro no Baton de Po Pon no Po Po~n☆~ (Instrumental)
7. Don’t Be Cruel (Instrumental)

1. Limited addiction

Wow, I’m liking this rather mature direction TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE is taking for their songs like “Kirari☆” and recently “Kodou no Himitsu” but damn Limited addiction is something quite awesome.  It has this disco vibe which isn’t a surprise but somehow the song comes off as deep and kind of dark to me.  I will say this is the first time I truly noticed how amazing Ayano’s vocals are…they’re so deep for someone so young and she clearly is the powerhouse of the vocals while Hitomi takes the second role (who I learned was the major vocals for most of the previous singles).  Miyu, Yuri, and Mei have lines but mostly in the chorus which are also solo lines as well.  My only problem with this one (even though it’s still friggin amazing) is that the instrumental parts are stretched WAY TOO FAR here…I mean the space from the first chorus to the second verse is ridiculous, but I could understand the space between the second chorus and the final chorus.  Still, wow Ayano definitely showed her prowess and I think I love this more than “Kodou no Himitsu”.

2. We Will Win! ~Kokoro no Baton de Po Pon no Po Po~n☆~

It does come as a surprise that the B-side would take more of an “Onnaji Kimochi” vibe since it’s upbeat and more genki and less of the serious TG’S.  We Will Win! is still fronted by mostly Hitomi and Ayano who don’t sound as epic as in the previous track so this comes off as a little disappointing in that respect.  I seriously think this tune would have fit their debut album but whatever not as jaw-dropping so I’m happy it was the secondary A-side.

3. Don’t Be Cruel

WOW, finally we get an actual B-side from the group that isn’t a remix (even though there is still one of those).  Don’t Be Cruel seems to lay in between the A-sides because it’s not deep as “Limited Addiction” but has a lighter vibe like “We Will Win!”.  It is a but more urban and funky which I will give them and it sounds good up until the instrumental with the disc scratching…did we really need that distraction?  It’s alright, but nothing I’d deem really memorable.

4. Limited addiction -Unlimited addiction Mirrorball Royal Mix-

I don’t know what to think about MR’s remix for Limited addiction, it took out all of the idol sounding stuff and replaced it with a dark and grungy mix of the song.  Now I can say that it’s different than all of the previous Mirrorball remixes which is goo but it’s done in the wrong way because it feels really messy and just terrible when compared to the original mix.  Sorry not good!!!

 

 

 

Wow, are they just on a roll, I seriously can see myself loving this idol group to the full if they keep putting great tracks out and they have been since their debut with a couple of exceptions “Ganbatte Itsudatte Shinjiteru” and “Love like candy floss” (though the latter is a cover, I’ll let that slip by).  Limited addiction is by far their best song yet (though a little long on with the interludes of the song).  We Will Win! does remind me of “Onnaji Kimochi” so it’s the standard genki idol song while Don’t Be Cruel was prolly my least favorite…it suffered the same issue like Limited addiction did with the absurdity of long lines of just music but it’s purely B-side material and the remix…let’s just say it’s better than it never existed.  I’d say overall, this is a good outlook to begin their sophomore era.

TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – Kodou no Himitsu/Sayonara, Arigatou. June 7, 2011

Track Listing

1. Kodou no Himitsu
2. Sayonara, Arigatou.
3. Kodou no Himitsu -YMCK REMIX-
4. Kodou no Himitsu -Royal Mirrorball Mix- (CD only)
5. Kodou no Himitsu -Instrumental-
6. Sayonara, Arigatou. -Instrumental-

1. Kodou no Himitsu

I’m happy they actually rereleased the song without the damn annoying intro for sure.  Now besides the cut, the song is still the same and I actually love the song now for some reason.  It’s kind of cute and yet presents the group in a sort of classy way.  Then again, I’m in love with the song’s PV so it could also be the reason I found this one of their best A-sides.  I must say, this was an impressive song and a good choice to have promote the album.

2. Sayonara, Arigatou.

The only song that isn’t changed, the second A-side is definitely a 180 turn from the more danceable “Kodou no Himitsu”.  As the group’s ballad of the era, I find it nice to listen to because it gives the ladies more chances to show off their vocals in solo lines but also in group lines.  Like I said on the album review, it is a bit long to listen to, but for their first jump at something slow, this was nice.

3. Kodou no Himitsu -YMCK REMIX-

Of course the main reason for the single is clearly for the remix as you can tell by the art cover.  YMCK is always a good thing to hear in remixes and since they did Ayu’s “Days” well, I was definitely hoping the most for this one and I was actually impressed with this one more.  They took 8bit and meshed it with the gals in both filtered vocals and non-filters as well.  It’s fun and just filled with NES goodness.  AWESHOMES!

4. Kodou no Himitsu -Royal Mirrorball Mix-

Of course it really isn’t a TG’S single without one of these right?  It does sort of carry the same music components from the original, but has a more funkier arrangement to it.  It does feel a little stripped down from the original which is a bit underwhelming, but whatever, Royal Mirrorball remixes for the group tends to be that way as it is so this doesn’t surprise me one bit.

As it is the era’s recut single, Kodou no Himitsu/Sayonara, Arigatou. was alright for a recut actually.  The only song that remained unchanged from the album was the secondary A-side and it was a solid start for them doing ballads.  I love that the cut the intro off and rereleased Kodou no Himitsu without it since it’s so much better and less annoying.  I also loved the YMCK remix a lot more than I did the Royal Mirrorball mix as well.  Pretty cool single….can’t wait until they start their 2nd era.

TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – Kodou no Himitsu May 6, 2011

Track Listing

1. Intro ~ Kodou no Himitsu
2. Love like candy floss -TGS ver.-
3. Himawari to Hoshikuzu
4. Ganbatte Itsudatte Shinjiteru
5. Sayonara, Arigatou.
6. Attack Hyper Beat POP
7. Onnaji Kimochi
8. Yuuyake Hanabi
9. Kitto Wasurenai,,,
10. Kodoku no Hate ~Tsuki ga Naiteiru~
11. Kirari☆ -Album Mix- ~Outro~
12. Onnaji Kimochi -Chinese ver.- (CD Only)

1. Intro ~ Kodou no Himitsu

The album begins with this heartbeat that pumps slowly and then gains a little speed before this heavy beat joins it and slightly turns it electro and mixes guitar and more synths to make this amalgation of sounds.  After all the that passes by, the actual song starts and being as it was a promotional song, it sounds quite good and a lot like previous tunes they’ve done.  The vocals from the girls sounds nice enough and mixes with this kind simple pop tune from em.  I can’t wait to get the song without the opening since it’s part of the re-cut single coming out next week.

2. Love like candy floss -TGS ver.-

I’m not sure exactly what’s the deal for the tagging because nothing totally changed here except perhaps some of the instrumentation has been changed in volume, but even that’s minor to be honest.  Love like candy floss is TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE’s first cover track if I hadn’t mentioned that before.  Being the 5th A-side released for the album, Love like candy floss was a bit of a downgrade since it did go back to how they began their careers with this kind of 90s-ish pop sound.  It’s an alright cover but SweetS’ version is still better.

3. Himawari to Hoshikuzu

Fitting that they’re going backwards on A-sides since this track was the primary 4th A-side.  Like I said in the single review, this was probably their best track released yet and it still carries that torch for me.  I mean from the guitar groove from the beginning to the disco-themed arrangement it has, I just loved every bit of it.  I also loved the amound of brass and bass present since it gave the song an awesome feel and the girls gave it their all especially in most of their solo lines.  It does sound familiar to H!P’s own “Egao YES Nude” for some off reason, but more exciting and the vocals in a younger tone.

4. Ganbatte Itsudatte Shinjiteru

Onto the 3rd A-side released, Ganbatte Itsudatte Shinjiteru still struggles to really stand out as a song from them because most of their other songs have some special about it that makes it pop while this track just flows by kind of uneventfully.  The vocals are good when it’s the 5 doing solos, but together they were kind of off pitch to each other…not sure what the mistake was really, but it didn’t help the already struggling song…still not a favorite of mine.

5. Sayonara, Arigatou.

Joining “Kodou no Himitsu” as the re-cut single Sayonara, Arigatou. marks a surprise from the group since it’s the only ballad present for the album.  Being quite a lengthy song at almost 7 minutes in length, I was kind of worried about how they were going to pull this tune off.  After the vocal hiccups in “Ganbatte Itsudatte Shinjiteru”, it’s nice to hear the girls get it together when they sing together and the solos sound quite cute and not pitchy for the most part.  It’s a bit long, but the arrangement is sweet and innocent…good job on this one ^_^

6. Attack Hyper Beat POP

Kind of breaking the flow, Attack Hyper Beat POP is pretty quickly paced moreso than the other songs, but I was expecting something spazzy to be honest.  I like the atmosphere, but the vocals are quite harsh in the song especially since the chorus places them into shouting territory and that was poorly handled since they sounded like pitches were ignored here.  It’s pretty loud and messy IMO.

7. Onnaji Kimochi

Moving onto the 2nd A-side released, Onnaji Kimochi did get surpassed as the fun song when “Himawari to Hoshikuzu” was released but despite that, I still enjoy this song for it’s upbeat and cute nature.  Even the vocals were fixed as well and was a first for them when they gave all the girls solo lines.  I find myself repeating the ~let’s get together now~ when the chorus rolls around….it’s just a cheery song ^_^

8. Yuuyake Hanabi

While three of the first press singles contained a preview of an album song, only one of them leaked online and that was the preview for this track.  It does feel like a slower version of “Himawari to Hoshikuzu” with the amount of brass and bass and this disco feel to it.  The bongo drums were an interesting addition to the arrangement but after a while I end up drowning this song out since it’s pretty slow and the vocals weren’t as good as I thought they were…hm…..

9. Kitto Wasurenai,,,

Which brings up the problem with the secondary A-side on their 4th single.  It reminds me of a combination of “Himawari to Hoshikuzu” and “Kirari☆”.  I still enjoy it time and time again, but I still can’t shake off the fact that it’s just a combination of two already great tracks…At least the vocals are great, I guess.

10. Kodoku no Hate ~Tsuki ga Naiteiru~

Hmmm, Kodoku no Hate is an oddball on the album because it sounds like it starts out like some kind of live song but it turns into this fusion of jazz and big band with some additional male vocals to back up the girls.  I thought this song pushed some new boundaries for the group and to be honest, this was one of the album’s best songs since it feels good to listen to and waggle a finger along with.  Definitely impressed and want more of these kind of tracks.

11. Kirari☆ -Album Mix- ~Outro~

The other song on the album to get their arrangement fixed a tad, Kirari☆ is probably one of the few songs that I love that the fact that it sounds dated.  The sound of the song feels stronger and while I don’t know if they resang the song, it sounds a lot better than I remembered it initially.  It has the oomph to it that makes the group sound serious and yet still pull off that idol sound well enough.  Sad though that only two of the girls (the main vocalists Hitomi and Ayano got the only solo lines).  As Kirari☆ finishes, the outro begins with the funky bass line and this goes into some ad-libbing with this 70′s kind of feel…and then it fades away into silence.  I guess it was nice seeing an update to the main track but the outro was a little weird to close things off like that…

12. Onnaji Kimochi -Chinese ver.-

Funny how that the bonus track we get is a Chinese version of Onnaji Kimochi.  It still has the upbeat feel done right and while I think the girls did alright in singing the tune in a different tongue, it feels off for some reason but it’s nothing too bad…but it still retains the ~Let’s get together now~ lines so that’s a plus XD

Tracks Recommended

• Himawari to Hoshikuzu
• Onnaji Kimochi
• Kirari☆ -Album Mix- ~Outro~
• Kodoku no Hate ~Tsuki ga Naiteiru~
• Intro ~ Kodou no Himitsu

Song of Avoidance

• Attack Hyper Beat POP

I will honestly say that I loved this album a whole lot more than avex’s other new idol group, SUPER☆GiRLS’ debut album.  I think it’s because the arrangements weren’t pushing too far (and probably the fact this group has only 5 members added to this).  They had pretty good songs on the most part and they show quite a lot of potential to be big.  The thing that might be bad is the closeness of arrangements amongst a few songs, but this is still a great album to listen to if you’re into idol groups (not sure about the people just getting into idol fandom).

TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE – Love like candy floss February 15, 2011

Track Listing

1. Love like candy floss
2. Kitto Wasurenai,,, -Royal Mirrorball Mix-
3. Love like candy floss -Royal Mirrorball Mix- (CD only)
4. Love like candy floss -Instrumental-
5. Onnaji Kimochi -Kids ver.- (CD only)

1. Love like candy floss

For an avex idol group, I’m surprised it took em til their 5th single to finally get a cover track, more or less from another avex idol group back when, SweetS.  I’ve never heard the original since I wasn’t totally more into dream than SweetS back then.  Though I will say that after the last single and the fact that it sort of sounds like “Kirari☆” is a bit weird…but the cover doesn’t so bad…just a tad underwhelming after the last single.

2. Kitto Wasurenai,,, -Royal Mirrorball Mix-

Y’know, I’m getting pretty tired here of the remixes by the same people…it’s just getting a little tiresome with each remix found on every single so far with TG’S.  The remix is not as energetic as the original, but actually a lil more lighter and slightly club-friendly than previous efforts.  Not bad for a Royal Mirrorball remix.

3. Love like candy floss -Royal Mirrorball Mix-

So it’s the first single that features two different remixes and the one for Love like candy floss actually sounds so much better than the original oddly enough.  I like the idol touches, but with a bit of a punch found throughout.  Though I wish the interludes weren’t so long since the track works better with the group singing.  Either way, it’s pretty damn good of a remix.

4. Onnaji Kimochi -Kids ver.-

To be honest, I really don’t exactly see the reason for a new version of Onnaji Kimochi that ended up like this.  The arrangement is the same as the original’s but the difference here is that there’s more vocals going through the song more than the original which is weird because do they really need such a gimmick?  I still think the song is catchy as hell…but besides the added vocals…nothing changed here.

Ending the “Kodou no Himitsu” era, Love like candy floss seems to be not liked by fans that have heard the original SweetS version of the song and while I haven’t, I still don’t think it’s a strong A-side this time around.  The remixes though took over for the single and both were pretty strong this time around despite being by the same remixer.  As for the new version of their 2nd single, it’s so unnecessary….