LM.C – Ah Hah! March 1, 2012

Track Listing

1. Ah Hah!
2. Shibuya Cantabile

1. Ah Hah!

Wow that beginning threw me off at first.  I love that LM.C kind of brought back their straightforward rock sound since I’ve been missing that for a while since they’ve been experimenting new directions (basically everything between this and “LET ME’ CRAZY!!”).  I love when maya is like ~Everything is gonna be psycho day!~…I thought that line stood out to me lol.  Fun and energetic, definitely didn’t lose any spark since their best-of came out haha!

2. Shibuya Cantabile

I wasn’t expecting the B-side though, not gonna lie.  It’s definitely a lot lighter when compared to “Ah Hah!” but it’s not a ballad like “The LOVE SONG” was.  It’s more like a poppy J-rock song but containing a lot of LM.C power riffs.  Maybe a little like SID perhaps?  I liked the strings in the song a lot since it gave the song a rather anime-ish tone to it and maya’s quieter vocals are nice too.  Odd B-side but I like it.

 

 

As the first single of the era, Ah Hah! is pretty impressive if not great for them.  We see them at what they do best and it’s their rock songs and I loved the energy found in the A-side.  The B-side though is new territory for them (or at least for how much I’ve listened to them it is).  Shibuya Cantabile is anime-ish but done quite nicely and not as formulaic in areas.  Yeah can’t wait for more singles this time around ^_^

Marina Kawano – Takaramono

Track Listing

1. Takaramono
2. February March
3. a long long letter
4. Takaramono -TV Ver.-
5. Takaramono -Instrumental-

1. Takaramono

I didn’t think Marina was going to pull a ballad for her second single but I must say I’m rather impressed by her in this song.  I enjoyed her vocals a lot more than I thought I would.  They’re soft but not to the point where it felt lazy.  I guess the music could’ve been better, but for what it’s worth it did its job just right and I liked this a lot more than “Morning Arch”.

2. February March

I like the tempo for our first B-side quite a bit and I love the cuteness of it without being overbearing since we still have Marina singing at a comfortable tone.  I feel like it would’ve made a great ending theme to an anime since it has that feeling and I love that about this song.  Breezy yet refined…I’m liking this B-side a lot!

3. a long long letter

I was guessing that the other B-side would be another ballad just from the title but was surprised in a good way that we got this chilled out/bossa nova/pop track through this.  It sounds really nice and relaxing and has this charm about it that sounds great…it’s like mediterranean almost lol.  Pretty song and my favorite.

 

 

I was wondering where Marina went since she basically disappeared since May of last year.  Hearing this single though totally shocked me in a good way as it slams “Morning Arch” out for sure.  All three songs are pretty great and should be deserving of a listen!  Definitely the B-sides though since they’re a little more upbeat than Takaramono *RECOMMENDED*

BONNIE PINK – Tsumetai Ame

Track Listing

1. Tsumetai Ame
2. Keep Crawling
3. Nichinichisou (2011.11.27 Live at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall)
4. Kingyo (2011.11.27 Live at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall) (Limited Edition Bonus Track)
5. Tsumetai Ame (Instrumental)
6. Keep Crawling (Instrumental)

1. Tsumetai Ame

We really haven’t had a rockin’ track from Kaori since “Kane wo Narashite” so long ago so hearing this is quite a nice surprise coming back to.  Of course there’s not a whole lot to really say about the song because it’s just a nice BP song and there really isn’t a whole lot wrong going on here.  At least it’s a step-up from the Owl City-like “Kite”.

2. Keep Crawling

I loved that she released a B-side collection with her last album since a lot of them were really good and some better than A-sides.  Keep Crawling keeps this tradition going with deeper synths and a poppy atmosphere going.  I loved hearing Kaori singing deeper as well and added this interesting sexy feel but then the chorus comes up and I’m a little disappointed since she keeps on one note…it was a little bit meh but the song is still catchy enough for me to warrant more listens.

3. Nichinichisou (2011.11.27 Live at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall)

The rest of the single are live versions of old songs of hers.  The first is the more recent one from “Golden Tears”.  I enjoy hearing Kaori singing live and she sounds nice but a little different than I hear on her studio songs…I little more higher I guess?  Still this song is still quite as catchy and confusing to write out >.<.  I’ve seen it written as Hibisou…but she doesn’t say that once…it’s Nichinichisou I guess…

 

 

*will review the other live once it leaks*.  After taking a break (and releasing that acoustic album) it felt nice seeing Kaori return with an actually good single.  While I don’t think Tsumetai Ame breaks new ground, it’s not bad and better than her last A-side that’s for sure while the B-side Keep Crawling was good but a little redundant at times.  The live version of Nichinichisou was pretty good though IMO…Good start to an era!