So let’s finally finish my best of 2010 posts with the most important categories! ALBUMS!!!
Can I get a what what for the best of albums?!
So the five that almost made the top 10: UNIVERSE, Okayui Tokoro wa Gozaimasen ka?, IMPACT EXCITER, gothic lolita agitator, and MICROCOSM were great albums in their own rights! Such amazing collection of songs, but these next 10 are the best of 2010!
10. Bentley Jones – Finally Free
I was wondering what was going to happen since Bentley left EMI, but with Finally Free, it seems he got what he wanted in his music and it turned out to be actually a very strong album as well. The only thing is that it’s the only English album to make the list, but he’s a special case here on the site. Given that the album’s feel and lyrical content was from the heart, it was a personal album and I was surprised that I ended up enjoying it the way I did.
9. Yuya Matsushita – I AM ME
Despite the fact the album is mostly pre-released stuff with only three new vocal songs out of a smashing 18 tracks, I AM ME should be considered to be a Best-of. Either way, all of the songs showcased Yuya’s vocals quite nicely and it fits various styles. It still is a strong debut from him.
8. KOKIA – REAL WORLD
Oh the voice of angels released such a powerful and stylistic album. Despite the digital singles actually being the crappy stuff found on the album, the other songs just screamed epic and the trip to Tunisia really helped her out with this album. I just think it did wonders for KOKIA, and I have a lot of favorites from the album as well.
7. Mai Kuraki – FUTURE KISS
Was I ever surprised that Mai actually released a strong album (I still question how the hell “delicious way” got so popular). Either way, FUTURE KISS is definitely her strongest album since joining NORTHERN MUSIC and even though some of the songs are a little on the old side, they were strong songs. Though I do wish she had added to the second disc besides her collaboration with Michael Africk…Still, one of the more stronger releases from GIZA (though she’s kind of the only one left since Rina retired).
6. Saori@destiny – WORLD WILD 2010
Electro artists recently have slowly dropped the meter with their album releases, but Saori and another this year has risen above and beyond. WORLD WILD 2010 just like its cover was colorful and varied which is what electro should be. Besides the fact that the remix ended the album with a slightly bitter taste, it still was one of the stronger electro albums of the year.
5. AAA – HEARTFUL
For the first time in AAA history, we actually had an album from them that stuck to one style the entire way through (with the exception of FIELD, simply because it was a ballad). The fact that they chose to go towards a more electro/eurobeat style was a little weird, but then again they’ve found solace in the style and it shows since they’ve gotten better sales since. It might’ve not been everyone’s taste, but I enjoyed one solid style from the group since it meant there were less songs I didn’t like.
4. Mao Denda – Ren’ai Chuudoku
If there was one R&B album that really stuck out for me this year, Mao’s third album, Ren’ai Chuudoku filled that space up entirely. Since the promotional stuff were released as digital singles, I treated this as an album with all new tracks. Anyways, after hearing how good “I AM” was this was a major jump and I was very happy with this album and the styles she tackled here. Beautiful!
3. SAWA – Welcome to Sa-World
Another debut album here, SAWA’s was actuallywas an amazing piece of art from her this year. I will admit that I was skeptical before this was released since the mini-albums were up and down and weren’t consistent, but with the new songs and actually interesting interludes used, Welcome to Sa-World definitely deserves a listen, especially if she went out of her way to add her indie tracks too!
2. Kalafina – Red Moon
Once again, Kalafina has found themselves on this list even though they aren’t on the top this year. Red Moon to me is slightly above their debut album, “Seventh Heaven”, but I think why it wasn’t on top is because they let something like “Hikari no Senritsu” happen and that track kind of is meh for me. Either way, the amount of diversity is amazing and them fully as a trio is way strong now.
1. school food punishment – amp-reflection
However, there was no doubt that best album for me this year was school food punishment’s debut album. Just like Kalafina’s album, there was so much diversity with the group’s song and the singles, it was almost phenomonal to see that all the songs even the song that I thought was the weakest was strong. To be honest, there was no competition after this and “Red Moon” these two albums were just the pinnacle of this year.
Now for the somewhat craptastic ones!
So, MORE FRIENDS, infinite synthesis, IDENTITY, Koisuru Kimi e, and Chouzetsu Shoujo were pretty meh albums. I will say that I was kind of disappointed with a few of them personally…but what can you do?
10. Nami Tamaki – STEP
I know it’s probably pretty stupid for adding this, but I still think that after “Don’t Stay”, STEP is just a major disappointment from Nami even after the fact she added some bad B-sides to the album as well. It might have slightly gotten better, but there’s still songs I just despise.
9. Rie fu – at Rie sessions
To me, Rie fu’s conceptual album to me felt like a whole step back after the strong force “URBAN ROMANTIC” was. at Rie sessions tried to be something new for her, but the fact that most of the songs were beyond boring and kind of bad in certain songs really pulled out the negative reactions out of fans. To me, it was a bit of a bore fest…but at least she tried something new.
8. MIYAVI – WHAT’S MY NAME?
I really liked his last album, unfortunately with melody. having his two kids, he kind of left and went to another label and released this bareboned album in light of his new side. To me the lack of bass and various instruments really made it feel like he was trying to go back as an indies artist, but even worse and it showed on the album. I like him to get back to a much fuller sound when he releases his next album please.
7. FLOPPY – PROTOSCIENCE
I am surprised of the direction that Sharaku took for FLOPPY’s 2nd album. Compared to the 8bit-ness of “Deus ex machina”, PROTOSCIENCE kind of took to a very boring way. It felt so light and effortless and when the title track was the best thing and it turned out to be an instrumental, you know you have a bad album on you.
6. °C-ute – Shocking 5
I’m sorry, but after an era of losing two members, I wasn’t expecting Shocking 5 to be actually something good, but I didn’t know it was going to be typical H!P fodder. I mean ok, some of the pre-released songs are ok and the only song I can fondly remember is the remix for “Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu”. Either way, it’s great that the group has gathered themselves and started to come back to releasing good stuff after the album’s release.
5. cargo×seira – FLOWER SHOWER
I’m not sure what they actually consider the album to be…but it was pretty much a Q;indivi album without having to be a release from them. I will admit I loved Seira’s voice, but when each song became the same arranging style as the last, it quickly becomes very boring, very quick. Sorry, but it was a nice try though.
4. Aki Misato – from now on
Meh, for some reason Aki had to make this era as boring and stale as possible. from now on’s songs that were old and new weren’t the best she’s released since she debuted and it’s quite sad that that collection of blah songs come together for an album release. Luckily, Aki is gotten way better since this release as well which is a good sign!
JYJ – The Beginning
I didn’t like the fact that JYJ had to release a mini-album, but this album released internationally was just a mistake that shouldn’t have happened. I have grown to slowly like “Ayyy Girl” but I still hate Kanye in the song itself, but the rest of the album felt so lame and even the remixes ended up sounding better than 90% of the album.
2. MOON -kana- – MOON DRAGON
Let’s just not be surprised that this album is on the list. She clearly can’t hold a tune period and I’m shocked her fanbase is actually quite sizable. MOON DRAGON might be a step up from her last album, but it’s still pretty hard on the ears. One day maybe she’ll get better >.>
1. Q;indivi starring Rin Oikawa – Happy Celebration
Blah, I am not a fan of these series of albums from Q;indivi at all, but this one took the cake this year and just threw it all over. The thing was that Happy Celebration was mainly about the ideas of birthdays…and when you have 5 versions of the Happy Birthday song…it’s bound to be terrible XD.
SO IT’S OVER, WAIT TIL 2011’s XD, EH???
Kurayami Monogatari 