girl next door – Dada Para!! September 7, 2011

Track Listing

1. Dada Para!!
2. Pure
3. Summer Breeze (CD only)
4. Dada Para!! (Instrumental)
5. Pure (Instrumental)

1. Dada Para!!

The first thing I thought of when I heard Dada Para!! was with did it remind me of “Drive away” and “Infinity”.  I mean this song is pretty eurobeat and I actually found myself bopping my head with the music because it’s energetic and fun to listen to.  CHISA still sounds the same as she ever was but I don’t think it’s too much but this song is relentless with the synths this time and I kind of enjoyed a more energetic song…kind of like “Unmei no Shizuku” XD

2. Pure

It isn’t surprising that the first B-side was a ballad since that’s how it’s been through of the gnd’s career.  I will say that CHISA’s lighter vocals sound so much stronger and confident than in the group’s fast-paced songs…it gives her more room to be relaxed.  I do feel it’s one of the group’s stronger ballads because the melody is pretty damn good…One of their best ballads since….uhhhh…yeah…

3. Summer Breeze

Strange…we just had “Winter breeze” on their last album and now the CD only version of the single has the opposite.  Though this song shares the melody and lyrics of the original, it feels like the arrangement is slightly different and there might be a couple things changed in the lyrics but it feels like I’m listening to “Winter breeze” all over again.  Maybe there’s a good enough reason for such minor changes.

 

 

Well first off if you’ve noticed, GIRL NEXT DOOR goes by all lowercase from now on since it’s their third anniversary and all that.  To the single, it was a pretty awesome single (talking about the two main songs).  Dada Para!! is so energetic and fun that it’s hard not to love it while Pure is one of the best ballads they’ve done.  Summer Breeze is just a little odd seeing that it’s just a new version of “Winter breeze”.  Otherwise, great way to begin the era!

Aimer – Rokutosei no Yoru/Kanashimi wa Aurora ni/TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

Track Listing

1. Rokutosei no Yoru
2. Kanashimi wa Aurora ni
3. TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

1. Rokutosei no Yoru

Did YUI switch to piano again?!?  Nah, we have a new artist here with Aimer and yes, her vocals have that same grittyness to it that YUI has, but a little more deeper and it slightly disappears when she opens up.  It’s been a while since we got a ballad that was like this and I kind of enjoyed it but her vocals are ones you have to get used to.  I’d say it’s pretty good for a debut A-side

2. Kanashimi wa Aurora ni

I prefer the second A-side actually more than “Rokutosei no Yoru” because Aimer’s vocals sounds a lot more pleasant and the arrangement has a LOT more color to it even though it’s still a ballad at heart.  It’s got the right workings and it gets dramatic at the right parts as well.  Yeah best one of the three songs.

3. TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

I’m kind of like hoping it wasn’t a cover of what I thought it was, but it is and it really makes me curious to why she covered such a song like this.  Aimer’s English is quite good but she does pronounces things a little weird like ~diamond~.  However, she doesn’t sing it like it should and repeats lines over and over and it gets damn annoying after a while. 

 

 

Aimer’s debut single was quite light and wasn’t really supposed to be all that.  Rokutosei no Yoru was alright for a debut, but not totally amazing.  If you wanted that, Kanashimi wa Aurora ni was the answer and that should’ve been the lead A-side for sure.  You can just simply pass TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR because it’s just bad and kind of boring really lol

°C-ute – Sekaiichi HAPPY na Onna no Ko

Track Listing

1. Sekaiichi HAPPY na Onna no Ko
2. Idai na Chikara wo!
3. Sekaiichi HAPPY na Onna no Ko (Instrumental)

1. Sekaiichi HAPPY na Onna no Ko

It seems that C-ute is going for more of a cuter vibe once again!  I will say that this song did a much better job at making me enjoy it rather than say “Momoiro Sparkling”.  I will say that it was weird getting into the chorus (if there’s one LOL) but it’s still catchy and all five members get lines so I’m also enjoying the line distribution.  I’m not into their cuter stuff since I’m so used to songs like “Kiss me Aishiteru” and “Midnight Temptation” so once again I’m kind of left wanting something edgier.

2. Idai na Chikara wo!

I wasn’t sure what was going to come out of Idai na Chikara wo! since C-ute’s B-sides are pretty random songs.  Yeah, this is pretty random and I can’t really tell what it’s supposed to be since it has a good rhythm, it’s cute and synthy and members have equal lines again.  Mai though cannot sing for the life of her in this tune since she’s majorly nasally in this song.  It’s alright and a lot better than “FARAWAY” at least.

 

 

As much as I like °C-ute, I’m not sold on the cute songs like what they used to do anymore.  Sekaiichi HAPPY na Onna no Ko is alright, but I felt the same with “Momoiro Sparkling” so this is kind of blah to me otherwise.  Idai na Chikara wo! is definitely gonna take some time for me to get used to since it’s cute veined, but it’s a different kind of cute for me.  I hope their next single is high-energy!

Juliet – Motokano

Track Listing

1. Motokano
2. Here We Go!!
3. Motokano (Instrumental)

1. Motokano

Hmmm, dance beats and a lot of synths present for Motokano?  I approve since it gives a little more room for the trio to sing and hit some amazing notes together.  There’s a little filtering going on but it’s not heavy and the song can still come off as enjoyable.  I wonder if it’s connected in anyway to “Motokare” but I much prefer this upbeat track since it’s more of the style I enjoy from them to begin with xD. 

2. Here We Go!!

We couldn’t really escape the summer songs just quite yet and it seems that Juliet decided to throw on with this one.  It doesn’t feel much like one but more of a disco party XD.  I’m gonna admit as fun as the arrangement is, the vocals from the trio went down the drain as they kind of took on a “idol” feel for the song.  It’s a nice change don’t get me wrong…but they are good singers kind of wasted here.

 

 

 

I wonder if Juliet is on this “Motoka__” line now since they dried up using seasons to get by.  Motokano isn’t bad but it’s not as great as their last single simply because of Here We Go!! and it’s harsh shattering premise.  Motokano though was just what I needed from them and is one of the few favorites of this long era.