Eri Nobuchika – III -THREE- December 4, 2016

Track Listing

1. Everybody needs love
2. Amouisso
3. Tatta Hitotsu no Koi
4. Hello
5. Kimi no Koe wo
6. Beautiful
7. Woman “W no Higeki” Yori

1. Everybody needs love

Opening the album, Everybody needs love begins with a bright piano-centric & jazzy arrangement and it just feels right home with Eri’s vocals as it felt like they never changed.  She has a lot of character in her vocie and it really adds itself to the upbeat nature of the song.  I have to say, as the opening song, it’s pretty awesome!

2. Amouisso

Slowing things down a bit, Amouisso initially came off as an Xmas song with the melody and general feel.  It does grow a bit more to add some guitar and drums to the arrangement and once again Eri’s vocals are just mad radiant here and fits the arrangement.  Simple song overall but it’s no way boring or bad.

3. Tatta Hitotsu no Koi

Something like Tatta Hitotsu no Koi with its jazz arrangement easily reminds me of her “hands” mini-album, but also songs like “Kodou” and “Sketch for Summer”.  Though this is purely a jazz track and I’ve always loved Eri’s more sultry and controlled vocals for arrangements like this and she really brought her A-game to this track!  I have to say, this was my favorite song from the mini-album by far!

4. Hello

As the first full ballad, Hello brings back the lower vocals from Eri and she still has so much personality to it that she made this rather simple piano arrangement sound not-so-much of a borefest and then the chorus just punches in and its just wonderful!  Like “Amouisso”, there’s not much else to really say about Hello but it’s good!

5. Kimi no Koe wo

Released as the digital single right before the album’s release, Kimi no Koe wo had a lot to cover after Eri was in hiatus for another close-to 7 years after her last release, “hands”.  Moving even slower than “Hello”, Kimi no Koe wo was the first of Eri’s return and when I took a listen to it, I felt like she had never left her music career and begun where she left off.  The song might not be the best the album has to offer, but I do appreciate it as the first taste of Eri’s comeback.

6. Beautiful

Moving on, we get to Beautiful and what I thought was going to end up as another ballad, turned into an upbeat and playful track.  I actually thought the arrangement was cool and bright but not overbearing.  Once again Eri strikes gold and her voice just adds that extra touch that really made the track memorable for me.  It’s a pretty refreshing song and another standout from the mini!

7. Woman “W no Higeki” Yori

Ending the album, we have a cover of an older Hiroko Yakushimaru song (though I have heard Ken’s version ironically enough).  With Eri’s version, it has a darker atmosphere to it, but is still something I’m used to Eri’s music so this sort of jazzier feel is pretty nifty and sultry in the end product.  It’s a really sweet way to close things off.

Like I said, 7 years after her indies mini, “hands” might be quite a long time (and it was), but when we heard word that Eri was joining avex, I was pretty excited as it would mean we get the chane to hear her lovely vocals once again.  III -THREE- is a worthy comeback release and reintroduced Eri back to the masses with more jazzy music on top of some nice pop tracks and ballads.  Though I hope that she’ll release a new EDM song like the stuff from “nobuchikaeri”.  Either way, this was a solid release!

Eri Nobuchika – hands June 5, 2009

Track Listing

1. Melody
2. Kimi Nanda
3. Tashika na Mono
4. calling you
5. Seseragi
6. Tsunagu Mirai
7. STEP
8. DEEP BLUE

1. Melody

Well well well…Eri begins this mini-album with Melody a pretty laidback ballad which is actually quite nice with the flowing strings and acousitc guitar.  Eri’s vocals have gotten a bit more airy, but they still sound great.  Melody was just a nice way to start the mini off.

2. Kimi Nanda

Kimi Nanda harkens back to the last 2 singles with it’s jazz-like atmosphere.  Eri’s vocals are definitly more powerful in this song as well which has shown she’s been keeping up with training.  The simplicity is showing though, because it isn’t filled with all those synths and such.  Just drums, strings, and piano.

3. Tashika na Mono

Unlike the jazzy passages of “Kimi Nanda”, Tashika na Mono is more in the vein of a pop ballad.  It’s a bit of an bore though because it’s like a good portion of other tracks, basically not original.  Eri’s vocals are still good it’s just that the arrangement isn’t as good as I hoped it it would’ve been. 

4. calling you

We finally get something more upbeat and calling you is like a breath of fresh air for me.  It’s got a pretty hectic sound going on and there’s piano that’s playing the melody along.  It’s actually really nice as it sounds like something that could’ve been used in “Mirror’s Edge” or even “FFX”.  The shuffling percussion is something I haven’t heard and I kind of enjoyed it, but it’s not for everyone. 

5. Seseragi

We calm down again for a straight-forward acoustic track with a bit of a country sound going on.  In retrospect it is a bit like “Hidamari”, but luckily this isn’t the last track so it doesn’t fail on that account.  Then again hearing a country sounding guitar was pretty interesting.  Definitely something pretty cool to listen to.  It’s nice to know someone else is singing along as well, but she is overpowered by Eri’s superior vocals.

6. Tsunagu Mirai

 Tsunagu Mirai actually is also a bit different sounding like something Hawaiian, but you can guess that from the violin opening.  I don’t know why, but I get that feeling when I listen to the song.  Other than that, this is like the last few songs she’s pulled here, so I have no idea why, but get bored when listening.

7. STEP

Does anyone remember “Voice”?  Yep, I’m instantly reminded of that track but stripped of it’s electro sound.  There’s a lot of clapping and latin guitar playing all over the song which makes the song sound amazing.  Eri is also without any vocal contraptions, so hearing Eri naturally take the song is just wow, it’s easily my favorite of the mini for sure.

8. DEEP BLUE

Ending us off, DEEP BLUE is once again another Eri ballad, but there’s a lot more interest than the other ballads.  It also would’ve fit pretty nicely back on “nobuchikaeri”.  There’s just something about it that’s enchanting and Eri’s vocals are pretty spot-on.  It’s one of the nicest songs off the mini.

 

 

OMG Eri is back and even though she’s not with SONY, she still returned to the music business in good fashion.  I was a little worried before this release because it’s been a long time since “nobuchikaeri” and theat album was a mix of many styles rolled into an album.  Since she went indies, I wasn’t sure where she’d go, but hands is a simpler album and that’s a good thing and we got to hear more of Eri’s epicness throughout.  I hope we start gettin new material from her because right now this mini-album is a good welcome back for her.

Eri Nobuchika – nobuchikaeri October 4, 2008

Track Listing

1. Forest of Dreams
2. Lights
3. SING A SONG
4. Sketch for Summer
5. Kutsu wa Narasou
6. Inner Glow
7. I hear the music in my soul
8. Voice
9. Kodou
10. Desert of Dreams
11. Yume no Kakera
12. Hidamari

1. Forest of Dreams

Almost at a minute long, we start the album with on a quite mystical start.  Though it’s nothing really important to the album it does gradually get loud and leads into the next track.

2. Lights

Her debut single is the first track and is the first we heard of Eri.  The most noticeable thing about her voice is that it’s raspy and very deep for a female singer, especially at her age at the time.  Surprisingly you’d think the song would be a full-on ballad.  Though as time goes by her voice becomes very strong and the music switches to a dance track which is totally beyond me.  I love how at the end of the chorus it warps back to the piano ballad.  The formula works for her since her powerful vocals do make an impact on the song. 

3. SING A SONG

Already this is my favorite track on this entire album hands down.  It’s the one to listen to.  I mean for starters this is the most dance-influenced track, borderlining trance practically.  I mean it starts with some chords playing a rhythm and then beats come in, Eri comes and BAM! it’s dance time kiddies!  What’s better is the length of it.  Perfect clock timing at about past 6:20.  The beat to it is so ever addicting with thumping and such.  Vocally, I think Eri’s voice fits the best with this style and her loud to quiet motion through the chorus was genius.  I think this track is one of her best and luckily it was a sort-of single with “Yume no Kakera”…oh yea…end it better next time…

4. Sketch for Summer

We come to the 3rd single of the era and slows thing after that crazy dance track.  Her voice is airy but I didn’t think of it much.  It kind of reminds me of “Lights’s” verses since it was only backed up by piano until the louder points.  That’s where the song takes a jazzy turn.  I still have problems differentiating it with fellow single “Kodou” however since both are jazz tracks.

5. Kutsu wa Narasou

Kutsu wa Narasou sounded live and recorded live as well.  It shows that it’s natural voicing and she has the vocals of someone who’s been in the business for a long time.  The sad thing though is that this song didn’t really interest me because it was just guitar and some BKGD vocals.  I guess I do like the unplugged sound of it all I’ll give it that.

6. Inner Glow 

Eri’s actually singing in English for this track.  The song has an eerie glow to it which is an interesting sound to use.  Like I can hear harp in the background while Eri is singing out.  She’s not that bad at English in fact which is also very surprising.  Then I hear ~Forest of Dreams~.  It’s definitly a unique track and it sounds very laidback and smooth.  As time goes by I do lose a little interest, but that’s because it’s the 2nd longest track!  Almost at 7 minutes….crazy.

7. I hear the music in my soul

I have no clue why they didn’t put “Album Version” because this is a shorter edit of the track from the “Lights” single.  It’s still very dance-like, but it isn’t as aggressive as “SING A SONG” and fails because it’s terribly repetitive.  Even sadder is that Eri only singles a line in the track, which also puts it down.  I do like that they shortened it though.  It still isn’t the best track though.

8. Voice

Yay!  What I loved about this track was the fact this it was dance but Latin-infused as well.  The begining with the strumming showed us that the song was gonna be an interesting one right from the start.  Eri’s deep vocals also showed some power as well.  After the 1st verse a more profound synth starts up it just OMG is good.  The bridge she starts singing pretty fast.  I think it’s also one of her more memorable tracks off the album.

9. Kodou

Another jazz track, but with the better chorus.  The start has her in a quiet mode of singing which is nice, but it did make her sound vulnerable of sorts.  Another of the piano only tracks at the start, but elevates into something more.  I actually preferred this to “Sketch for Summer” because it does standout to me and being the other jazz track, I thought this was more stylistically closer to the genre than said song.

10. Desert of Dreams

A two minute interlude pops in to seperate “Kodou”.  The music has a dance quality because when the guitar comes in it starts getting into a dance groove by the repeating and such before going into the strings again.  V. Game formula much?

11. Yume no Kakera

Another English track and this time it sounds almost European or Arabian in style.  The way the strings is played really made me think that.  The drums though kind of countered the idea.  Even then, this is the longest track being past 8 minutes.  So the song really does sound pretty with the stringed instrument being the musical voice while Eri isn’t singing.  Though, it’s one of those songs that also gradually get loud and more strongs as time passes.  Though for being the longest, I didn’t lose any interest because Eri was doing some of her best vocals on here.

12. Hidamari

Interesting, I would have prevented this track…I mean after the grand “Yume no Kakera” this just sounds out of place as an album finisher.  Though like “Kutsu wa Narasou” it is an unplugged track which sounds nice, but there was just something not needed by this track.  You can also here fuzz in the background which definitly meant that it was a live production…I would have put this track somewhere else on the album IMO

Tracks Recommended

•  SING A SONG
• Voice
• Inner Glow
• Yume no Kakera
• Kodou

Song of Avoidance

• Hidamari

Where has she gone?  I mean after this she released a DVD single for Yume no Kakera with SING A SONG on it.  Then there was the remix album she did and the collaboration with an Orange Range member to make one album as named “Delofamila”  After that she was practically left behind.  This album shows that Japan is actually dumb and not seeing true artists, because trust me Eri is an awesome singer and her comeback is much needed

Eri Nobuchika – Kodou September 27, 2008

Track Listing

1. Kodou
2. Kodou (INCOGNITO DEJA VI MIX)
3. Sketch For Summer (G.RINA MIXXX)
4. Kodou (KARAOKE)

1. Kodou

Even taking things in a more different route.  Eri decides instead of dance or jazz she tries for a ballad.  To be honest I think she’s sounds pretty good still, but the music is definitly nothing we haven’t already heard before.  The chorus is probably the highest point of the song and then you hear brass again….So it’s another jazzy track?  *sigh*  We’ve heard this before in “Sketch For Summer” so it’s nothing new altogether.

2. Kodou (INCOGNITO DEJA VU MIX)

Even more jazzier than the main track, I was like OK, we get your point so it’s pretty much nothing new at all, except being more true to it’s form which is obvious.  I still think the chorus is the strongest part and sounds really good.  Other than that it’s a song that goes into obscurity.

3. Sketch For Summer (G.RINA MIXXX)

I knid of like that opening to this track, very mysterious but then the song comes in and Eri’s voice sounds oddly pleasant here.  Though the song doesn’t really go anywhere.  I think there’s an islandy feeling somewhere in its translation, but it doesn’t really stand out until the beat comes in about 2:15 of the song.  Somehow, the song is going for a climax…Still….remixes for her are pretty bad usually

 

 

Kodou is in fact her worst single for me.  Nothing really stood out for me as anything new.  The remixes didn’t really stand out much really.  Luckily this release was 2 weeks for the album, so I guess it really wasn’t planned to have good ratings in the 1st place.

Eri Nobuchika – Sketch for Summer September 1, 2008

 

Track Listing

1. Sketch for Summer
2. Sketch for Summer (Live @ Sony Music Studio)
3. Voice (Bob Sinclair Voiceless Remix)
4. Sketch for Summer (Karaoke)

1. Sketch for Summer

Taking a new turn, Sketch for Summer is definitly a ballad.  Though coming from me, I found this a bad direction as I liked her combinations of dance and such to her music.  Eri though sounds beautiful and her and ballads are great.  Then the song turns all jazzy and full of nice band sounds.  I think the song is a little too long for my taste for a good job overall.

2. Sketch for Summer (Live @ Sony Music Studio)

Even more ballad-like to the original, I once thought, it’s too damn long.  Truthfully, this was a little too boring.  Then again Eri sounds strong if not more than the original.  After a while, the jazz instruments which are more prominent this time around, join in the fray and made the song more enjoyable.  Loved it.

3. Voice (Bob Sinclair Voiceless Remix)

Yep, where the hell is my Eri?  Voice isnt full without Eri in it.  However, it makes a good club song w/o them.  There’s more to the song like extra beats and synths/piano but its still got the same buildup as the original….failed.

 

 

Eri’s 3rd single probably surprised a few people as it was a jazz ballad instead of a dance-hybrid.  Though it isn’t my favorite single it had some nice qualities to it.  Though I wonder who decided to put Eri in a ballad….that was a bold idea that worked.

Eri Nobuchika – Voice August 16, 2008

 

Track Listing

1. Voice
2. Voice (Live @ Crescente Studio)
3. I hear the music in my soul (Solid Groove Remix)
4. Voice (Karaoke)

1. Voice

I love the latin acoustic startin out the track.  Then when she starts up singing it sounds awesome.  Then these great dance beats come in and I’m totally falling in love again.  With Eri’s vocals strengthening in the song and it’s just golden.  The chorus is where she shines the most keeping an awesome note long it sounds great then quiets back down ahhhhhhhh. 

2. Voice (Live @ Crescente Studio)

Throwing out the dance beats all we’re left is with the acoustic guitar and castanets which is a nice surprise.  Eri’s voice sounds more smoother and overall very nice for someone’s 2nd single.  It’s like she’s got the right voice for songs like this.  She even sounds awesome at the chorus just as well.  Perfect track and the solo even awesomer she wins!

3. I hear the music in my soul (Solid Groove Remix)

Returning to the dance sound, we get a remix of the B-side from her previous single and to tell you the truth, this is a very odd remix.  Everything is repetitive with sounds that are like random.  You hear Eri at some points but it’s just so weird.  Adding more stuff as time goes by.  Still, it’s just for dancing not for listening to carefully. 

 

 

Voice to me was a nice single especially the 1st two tracks, I would’ve been better off just listening to the first two only.  Still, it’s a great single and Voice is high up there as favorites.

Eri Nobuchika – Lights August 3, 2008

Track Listing

1. Lights
2. I hear the music in my soul
3. Lights (ACOUSTICS)
4. Lights (KARAOKE)

1. Lights

Yea, the song has a nice piano beginning, though repeating a lot and it does create some boredom.  When Eri comes in OMG, she’s got a great voice.  Then  all of sudden you hear a rise in sound unti she comes in for the chorus where the it changes alogether into the dance beat.  After the 2nd run-through the chorus there’s beautiful strings. After all that though it ends sourly for me and I wanted so much more.

2. I hear the music in my soul

As if she knows what I like, we get another dance track but it’s so repetitive and so long too clocking at over 8 minutes.  Most of the time we’re focused on the ad-libs and the music.  Eri only true lyrics is practically the title of the song, how bad is that?  About at the 2:40 mark we get a change in sound and it goes into a more trance like sound which made me happy.  Still, I like the album version so much better.

3. Lights (ACOUSTIC)

Taking the dance beats out for more of a ballad take on the single.  Lights in this form was a little better for me since we got to hear more of Eri’s great vocals.  It still has the beautiful string accompainment in it also, that really made the song better also. 

 

 

Eri’s debut single, Lights was OMG different.  Lights was how dare I say it, awesome!  It contained a beautiful strings area and there was an addicting dance beat to it.  I hear the music in my soul was a dance tune, but too long and repetitive for me.  The acoustic Lights made the song more powerful in a ballad form.  A great single