Kanon Wakeshima – Shinshoku Dolce February 12, 2009

Track Listing

1. sweet ticket
2. Shinku no FATALISM
3. Kagami
4. still doll (album ver.)
5. Maboroshi
6. Annyui Kibun!
7. Suna no Oshiro
8. Monochrome frame
9. L’espoir -Mahou no Akai Ito-
10. Kuroi Torikago
11. skip turn step♪
12. Shiroi Kokoro
13. sweet dreams

1. sweet ticket

 As I would’ve expected from Kanon.  She opens the album with a cello-only opening.  It’s kind of regal almost with the drum rolling and majestic opening.  I think it’s a pretty good opening in my honest opinion.  Maybe use it in a FF game maybe xD.

2. Shinku no FATALISM

Our first new track, happens to be quick-paced and we get to hear Kanon sing.  She’s pretty quiet during the verses and perhaps nothing new really hearing from her.  It sounds like a happier “Suna no Oshiro” especially the chord progressions in the chorus which is really strange.  The song slows down before Kanon’s small cello solo.  It’s a pretty hectic, but good track.

3. Kagami

I knew Kanon was going to pull off something really dark and haunting.  I didn’t think it was going to be this one because of the title meaning “Mirror”.  Kagami has some interesting gothic moods popping up here and there and the carnival undertones really stood out.  I’d say this is more nerve-disturbing than “still doll”.

4. still doll (album ver.)

Speaking of still doll,  it’s changed a little bit for the album.  The most obvious, is which it begins.  It immidiatly begins with the chorus which has new lyrics of course, but the music also went into an orgel sort of sound before actually beginning fully into the song.  You notice the change once Kanon finishes up the part when the actual starts.  Other than that you get the same, dark song as her debut with no changes.  Amazing debut track though.

5. Maboroshi

I never expected xylophone to make an appearance as a song meaning “Phantom”.  Kanon sounds like she’s trying to be cute in the vocal areas and at some points it works.  The chorus goes through some odd time changes, but it makes the song seem more complex.  I have to say I loved the more mysterious outlook of the mood and Kanon won me over here.

6. Annyui Kibun!

Another surprise is how this song starts up with nature sounds, water drops, and a telephone ringing.  I don’t know how to describe this track.  It’s very abstract and oddly girly and the cello isn’t at forefront in the song, having one part in the song and it’s short.  Annui Kibun! is so strange and filled with the oddest of sounds.  Kanon’s vocals is also a little strange as well.  You just have to hear this.

7. Suna no Oshiro

The last A-side to represent the album, Suna no Oshiro is still terrifyingly dark in it’s verses and I love how Kanon whispers through it and then gets emotional for the chorus.  Even though I love the cello solo in “still doll” the solo here is very frantic and mixed with the foreboding bass and darker instruments, it’s one of my favorite Kanon songs.

8. Monochrome frame

It starts out with a bell ringing febore the violin appears and starts the melody.  Kanon seems to have a more mature sound in her voice and the song has an almost graceful feel to it.  Sadly, this didn’t stand out too much as the earlier new stuff has.  I’ll still give it points for showing Kanon off more as a singer.

9. L’espoir -Mahou no Akai Ito-

From the previews, I liked this track alot because it has a quicker pace and the timpani is more important.  The beat can get a little in the way of Kanon’s vocals, but it seems more happier and progressive which can make it stand out from the album, but there’s another track that has a beat that was executed more better.

10. Kuroi Torikago

I can honestly say that they could’ve left this off the album.  It had an electro style to it which we’ve seen earlier which worked.  Being the B-side of “still doll” doesn’t help it out as the song seems too rushed and kind of messy actually.  It’s also the shortest song with vocals on the album as well. 

11. skip turn step♪

I said earlier that there was a track that had a better repeated sound.  Yep, from “Suna no Oshiro”, the B-side has a pretty catchy violin melody which sounds like you can dance to.  There’s just so much going for this song and I was surprised that it was lodged as such.  Nice waltz-like track.

12. Shiroi Kokoro

I have no idea why the piano melody seems so familiar to me.  Still one of the sadder tracks and actually can be called a ballad.  Since I’ve never heard her try something like this, it’s a fresh sound and she sounds quite nice against it.  Sometimes the BKGD vocals do mess things up but other than that, pretty good, but I do wish there was more cello moments.  Even the song ends in the middle, like just out of nowhere *ends*

13. sweet dreams

I’m not sure what the melody of sweet dreams is based off of, but it’s all orgel and even makes for a nice sleeping lullaby mood.  I guess it made an appropriate ending to the album…

Tracks Recommended

• Suna no Oshiro
• Kagami
• Maboroshi
• skip turn step♪
• still doll (album ver.)

Song of Avoidance

• Kuroi Torikago

Kanon’s debut album is definitly a strong one.  With the cello being the mainstay mostly on the album there’s nothing like it right now this year that comes close to originality.  The new tracks evened out the good singles which is great.  Definitly *RECOMMENDED*