You Kikkawa – Koko Kara Hajimarunda! July 11, 2012

Track Listing

1. Koko Kara Hajimarunda!
2. 17-sai (Limited A and Regular only)
3. Kaze no You na Melody (Limited B only)
4. Koko Kara Hajimarunda! (Instrumental)
5. 17-sai (Instrumental)
6. Kaze no You na Melody (Instrumental)

1. Koko Kara Hajimarunda!

After her rather good debut album, Yuu returns with Koko Kara Hajimarunda! and I was surprised at how much change happened.  The song is all electropop like “Hirahira Hoshi” from her first album because it’s got Yuu singing under some filters and auto-tune here which might not be a good thing for some fans of hers.  I don’t think the song is as good as her last A-side, “Konna Watashi de Yokattara” but it’s something new for her so I kind of like it.

2. 17-sai

Second track and we’re at a cover of an old song from Chisato Moritaka.  When I listen to this song I do get this sort of 80’s synth feel which is pretty rad if you ask me.  I love hearing Yuu without any of the synthetic touch-ups like the other two tracks.  It’s a good cover and I really like the arrangement out of this one!

3. Kaze no You na Melody

The next track actually is a bit of a bummer.  I will say that I like that Yuu is singing with some of her natural vocals (but there’s still a bit of filters/auto-tune present).  To be honest it’s hard to really tell the difference in sound because it’s a lot like “Koko Kara Hajimarunda!” in style which might push people away for it’s lack of creativity.  I’m kind of just forgetting it at the moment and consider the A-side more than this.

 

 

I think I might be a little disappointed in this single from Yuu.  I mean the only song that really ranks up there is 17-sai and that’s a cover track.  I really didn’t like that Yuu was under filters and so much auto-tune in both Koko Kara and Kaze no You na Melody since it just doesn’t do her well…plus those two tracks sound way too much alike for me…Please Yuu, go back to your natural stuff…

SCANDAL – Taiyou Scandalous

Track Listing

1. Taiyou Scandalous
2. Welcome home (Band Edition only)
3. Koi no Hajimari wa Diet (Special Unit Edition A only)
4. Cherry Jam (Special Unit Edition B only)
5. Taiyou Scandalous (Instrumental)

1. Taiyou Scandalous

Produced by NAOTO from ORANGE RANGE, Taiyou Scandalous kind of does remind me of OR’s summer tunes but with SCANDAL at the lead which is pretty rad!  It’s energetic and has good flow throughout, especially since HARUNA and TOMOMI sounds actually quite nice in the song.  I think it’s also the fact I like that synths were used in the song that made it stand out to me even more.  Great A-side from them!

2. Welcome home

The B-side on the band edition of the release is a bit more edgier than “Taiyou Scandalous” which is for sure and to be honest, I’ve been wanting SCANDAL to tackle something a lot more harder.  I’m not sure who leads in the song but I hear more than the two primary singers here and that’s awesome!  Definitely one of the strongest B-sides I’ve heard from them ever!

3. Koi no Hajimari wa Diet

The rest of the single is split into duo units of the 4 of them and one song is found on each edition.  HARUNA & RINA combine to form Almond Crush (strange name) and sung our first track Koi no Hajimari wa Diet.  It’s such a departure from the SCANDAL we know because this song is very electro-pop…I mean synths galore and nothing of band instruments present.  Both vocalists are kind of singing in a cute style which is interesting but I don’t know I’m not used it it…the spoken dialogue was too strange too.  I can get into this track I think.

4. Cherry Jam

TOMOMI & MAMI make up the other unit, Degree Of Bond Bond (strange name too) and with their tune, Cherry Jam, they also make a GIANT departure from the norm by giving the listeners a strange hip-hop song…yes you heard me, a hip-hop tune!  I can’t really take this song seriously because it’s just too damn strange and hilarious.  TOMOMI rapping is just funny to listen to but MAMI has good flow oddly enough.  Strange song here…

 

 

SCANDAL opens up a new era with a good A-side in Taiyou Scandalous (they’ve been getting so much better with their lead songs and working with NAOTO worked out well for them).  Welcome home is also quite awesome and ranks up there with their better B-sides!  However, things get a bit strange with the units since they switched to two different style for them.  I do like Almost Crush’s tune more than Degree Of Bond Bond’s tune but they give a different flavor for the members to deal with and I can dig that.  Good single overall!