Maaya Sakamoto – Okaerinasai October 25, 2011

Track Listing

1. Okaerinasai
2. A HAPPY NEW YEAR
3. Okaerinasai (Instrumental)
4. A HAPPY NEW YEAR (Instrumental)

1. Okaerinasai

Unlike the previous single, “Buddy”, Okaerinasai is a much lighter tune with that has strings, acoustic guitar, and light vocals from Maaya.  It’s a nice little breezy tune but a farcry if you were expecting a little more like her last A-side.  It’s just a real easy tune to make you smile and enjoy life (yeah, it’s one of those songs ^_^).  Nice tune!

2. A HAPPY NEW YEAR

The B-side though is actually a cover of Yumi Matsutoya’s old song.  It’s a simplistic kind of song for Maaya since she’s much lighter in vocals and the music is a little fairytale-like and almost wintry as well.  It’s a pretty-sounding cover though, but I don’t know if it was good to have been put after “Okaerinasai”.

 

 

I still find it very strange that Maaya would release a mini-album without putting “Buddy” nor this A-side on it.  Okaerinasai was quite a change from her last single but that’s ok because I also like Maaya’s more breezy pop kind of tunes and it’s a really sweet song.  A HAPPY NEW YEAR was a nice cover and it’s a little strange that it’s more winter than anything else lol.  Still, good single but I liked “Buddy” better.

AKB48 – Kaze wa Fuiteiru

Track Listing

1. Kaze wa Fuiteiru
2. Kimi no Senaka (Undergirls)
3. Vamos (Undergirls Baragumi) (Type-A only)
4. Gondola Lift (Undergirls Yurigumi) (Type-B only)
5. Tsubomi-tachi (Team 4 + Kenkyuusei) (Theater Edition only)
6. Kaze wa Fuiteiru off vocal ver.
7. Kimi no Senaka off vocal ver.
8. Vamos off vocal ver.
9. Gondola Lift off vocal ver.
10. Tsubomi-tachi off vocal ver.

1. Kaze wa Fuiteiru

Usually, AKB48’s fall A-sides have been the oddball singles yet, so amazing like “RIVER” and ‘Beginner”.  Sadly, what happened to that spark with Kaze wa Fuiteiru?  I mean it is a nice change I have to say since it begins with acoustic guitar and a nice melodic intro from the girls.  It stays on this light pop groove for most of the song which is alright, but it doesn’t stand out like their previous fall songs but better than the last previous A-sides this year.

2. Kimi no Senaka

So once again, we have another song from the Undergirls with Kimi no Senaka.  It is a little more upbeat than “Kaze wa Fuiteiru” but it kind of suffers from a bland atmosphere and typical AKB-sounding song.  Despite having different girls singing the song, it doesn’t hide the fact that it’s still a bland song and just kind of fits with the other songs I’m not a big fan of. 

3. Vamos

Then it kind of gets weird when the Undergirls get split even further with new sub-groups Baragumi and Yurigumi.  I’m not sure why of the decision behind it but whatever…it means more songs I guess.  I like the more latin-feel of the song since it fits with the Spanish title and all that.  It’s a fun song though but there’s not of lyrical content (looking at the chorus mostly).  It also has boring verses, not even gonna lie.  Still, the atmosphere is nice and it stands out better than “Kimi no Senaka” did.

4. Gondola Lift

Yurigumi comes in with their song, Gondola Lift which is funny enough a ballad.  I’d say vocally, this is the best the single has to offer which isn’t surprising because ballads and idol groups kind of work together and finally we have something that sounds a little like “Sakura no Shiroi”.  Also, it does ride off as a wintery ballad though it shouldn’t since it’s the fall single.  As simple as the arrangement is, it’s a pretty song and the best off the single overall.

5. Tsubomi-tachi

As it’s the first single to include Team 4 (which I think is a sub-group from team Kenkyuusei) but also includes team Kenkyuusei as well.  The tune in question is pretty upbeat yet somewhat cute.  I will say the girls featured in this song aren’t quite as strong of a group of singers like Undergirls Yurigumi but they do an alright job with the happy-go-lucky feeling of it all. 

 

 

AKB’s Autumn single isn’t quite as great as previous releases in the same general release dates.  Kaze wa Fuiteiru is a little different from their stuff but it isn’t as wild and random like before so this is a little disappointing as an A-side, but c’mon I wanted a little more out of it.  Kimi no Senaka was just bland and forgetful.  At least Vamos, Gondola Lift, and Tsubomi-tachi were pretty good though as B-sides.  Now, I wonder what’s next for their Winter single.

Tommy heavenly6 – monochrome rainbow

Track Listing

1. monochrome rainbow
2. I’M YOUR DEVIL -HALLOWEEN REMIX-
3. monochrome rainbow (Instrumental)
4. I’M YOUR DEVIL -HALLOWEEN REMIX- (Instrumental)

1. monochrome rainbow

Wow has it been that long since Tomoko released anything?  Then again I’m a little saddened to see that heavenly got brought back (especially the last thing she released under the persona was the crappy “I KILL MY HEART” album).  monochrome rainbow does kind of harken back to her debut era in which the songs had a lot of rock but at the same time sounds hopeful and not dark-laced.  I liked it since it’s a lot better than previous songs but to me in the long run, it doesn’t have the longevity like “PAPERMOON”, “Heavy Starry Chain”, or even “Wait till I can dream”.

2. I’M YOUR DEVIL -HALLOWEEN REMIX-

If this track doesn’t seem familiar it isn’t really much of a surprise then.  I’M YOUR DEVIL was Tomoko’s first digital single after switching from DefSTAR to Warner Japan.  Of course it’s changed since its movement to a physical single and it’s great that she made it of course 10:31 to accomodate to the fact that this single was released before Halloween.  Doesn’t this remind you of “Lollipop Candy♥BAD♥girl”?  Anyway there’s a long intro where there’s talking from Tomoko in Engrish of course.  I have to say that it’s just awesome to hear this from her of course it gets creepy and dark which is different from her last Halloween song being more fun and lively.  Once the actual tune starts it gets rockin’ and definitely cooler by the listen.  I must say the main track is just epic and while it’s not as gritty and haunting like “Lollipop Candy♥BAD♥girl”, this is a great follow-up!

 

 

YES!, Tomoko is back in her prime with monochrome rainbow.  I’d say the label changed is doing good for her so far (counting “BLACKOUT” from the brilliant green as well).  The lead-in track definitely put the spark back into her music which was horribly lacking in “I KILL MY HEART”.  I mean it’s nothing that would be considered special, but she is back and I love that.  The new version of I’M YOUR DEVIL though ranks up there amongst the best Th6 tunes for being another awesome contribution to the holiday of Halloween.  Now if only she reawakens Tf6, then we’ll be good ^_^

You Kikkawa – Hapirapi ~Sunrise~

Track Listing

1. Hapirapi ~Sunrise~
2. Hapirapi ~Sunrise~ Remix (Limited A & Regular only)
3. LOVE YOU FOREVER (Limited B only)
4. Mizuiro (Limited C only)
5. Sweetie (Limited D only)
6. Hapirapi ~Sunrise~ (Instrumental)
7. LOVE YOU FOREVER (Instrumental)
8. Mizuiro (Instrumental)
9. Sweetie (Instrumental)

1. Hapirapi ~Sunrise~

It’s funny I must say that Yuu’s second A-side really sends idol beams towards me.  Hapirapi really has this cutesy synth-pop/anime kind of sound this time around and since Yuu’s vocals are a little more tighter as well, it just kind of surprises me.  It doesn’t seem like she moved anywhere but I kind of like Yuu’s vocals a bit more here than in “Kikkake wa YOU!”.  It’s a slight upgrade as the 2nd A-side.

2. Hapirapi ~Sunrise~ Remix

I wonder if we have the same remixer here that remixed “Kikkake wa YOU!”.  Just like the remix on Yuu’s debut, Hapirapi is clearly given an electro touch-up that includes a butt-ton of synths and auto-tune on the vocals to fit the atmosphere.  I kind of enjoyed this a little bit more than the previous remix as well even though they have the same issues like a bit too much editing and a bit long.  Still not bad here!

3. LOVE YOU FOREVER

Who knew Yuu was going to do an R&B-styled kind of song as one of the B-sides?  LOVE YOU FOREVER is kind of interesting because it’s something different for her and yet it makes me smile because it shows a little more variation for Yuu.  In some points, Yuu’s vocals remind me of Gocchin’s vocals which is awesome in its own right.  I actually enjoyed this a bit more than the A-side and this does a great job of making her stand out vocally IMO.

4. Mizuiro

Continuing to show even more variation, Mizuiro is more energetic with a great guitar-fronted arrangement but retaining a little bit of cute (almost Buono! actually).  As much as that initially excited me, Mizuiro becomes rather plain and bland after a while and not even Yuu’s vocals could really save it.  It just kind of blows on by unfortunately.

5. Sweetie

Closing the single out is Sweetie which is once again something that Yuu can actually pull off with ease.  Though I have to say that since it’s more synth-pop than “Hapirapi”, I’d say she pulled this song slightly better than it but it’s definitely no “Fuyuzora Hanabi”.  I must say that since she went solo, this song is definitely the closest to her cute songs that she participated in while she was under H!P.  It’s pretty good though.

 

 

Yuu’s second single is pretty nice but I’m not sure as a package if it ranks better than “Kikkake wa YOU!”.  I know she used to be an idol and all but since she’s on UNIVERSAL-J, you’d think they’d pull her away from that atmosphere but I guess not since Hapirapi shows more idolness (and so does Sweetie for that matter).  The remix was alright even though it’s the same remixer who did her debut A-side’s remix as well.  Mizuiro shows potential for Yuu to do something rock-wise and that’s cool but I think LOVE YOU FOREVER did the best job conveying a perfect show of how mature Yuu can sound in the future and I hope she goes that direction in the future!