MOON -kana- – MOON DRAGON April 20, 2010

Track Listing

1. Hikari no Tegami
2. Tsuki Kabuto
3. Hoshi no Tsubasa
4. Ryuujin
5. Star★Tears
6. BUNNY DRAGON
7. Neko Punch
8. Dragon Matsuri
9. Tsuki no Sakura
10. Moon Wings ~Dragon no Hikari~

1. Hikari no Tegami

Beginning the album with the first song that was actually known on the album, Hikari no Tegami is a very quiet song from her.  All there is to the song is piano and tambourine being the song’s rhythm section.  While it has been a while since I’ve heard voice, I can say she’s gotten less pitchy and can actually hit some notes.  Midway there’s a rain storm and some kiddie piano added but that only stays for a lil bit before getting to the rather empty arrangement.  It’s alright.

2. Tsuki Kabuto

After that pretty slow opening, the tone of the album just flips over and we finally see a return to an edgier Kana because of the songs very heavy percussive sound.  Though I do love the fact that her rock songs have a little more stability unlike in her early days.  Kana’s not really singing here, almost talk-singing here which can be pretty annoying and almost comes off as lazyness. 

3. Hoshi no Tsubasa

Now this is what I’m talking about some meh arrangements because this is more of what I heard in the “Ningen” series of albums.  I like the fact there was acually some reasonable amount of English, but Kana, you have to stop being so repetitive in saying ~star~.  Besides those parts she sounds more interesting than let’s say back in “Tsuki Kabuto”.

4. Ryuujin

Going mid-tempo for our next track, Ryuujin actually sounds promising because Kana’s vocals are filtered out under a mainly acoustic arrangement.  There’s parts where electric guitar is prominent and fills up the song.  There’s times where I thought Kana was being nasally in her singing, but for the most part, I liked this song though it’s so underproduced.

5. Star★Tears

Getting into the odd, Star★Tears begins oddly with like a fuzzy background and Kana repeating the title of the song before the electric guitar,bass, and drums appear.  While we actually get some singing from Kana this time, she’s once again repeating various lines over and over again and she’s falling back into her old ways where she doesn’t sound pleasant.

6. BUNNY DRAGON

Every album seems to have the “cute” song and BUNNY DRAGON is definitely that song.  While it’s not as amazing like “Maid” or “Puppy-chan”, this one actually is fun and the repetition made the song, how can I say this, sickingly cute.  A little under 3 minutes, I found this song to be an early favorite and Kana’s cute voice is a whole lot easier to listen to than her more serious voice…

7. Neko Punch

Another short tune (actually the shortest), Neko Punch isn’t as cutesy as the last song and we’re back to Kana’s bad vocals though I love it when she says ~neko punch!~  she really likes to make the oddest line stand out.  It’s pretty funny to listen to and the chorus is a hot mess but still too funny.

8. Dragon Matsuri

Repeating the same thing is starting to become this album’s main problem and it comes as the main point with Dragon Matsuri.  She says ~dragon~ way too many times and worse she says this everywhere in the song.  Besides that, I’m guessing it’s supposed to be cute since she does the cute yelps, but the song was so annoying, music-wise it was nice to hear some oriental tonage…that was nice…but…otherwise I’d pass it up.

9. Tsuki no Sakura

This song sounds oddly familiar to something off of “Spade” and/or “Tsuki no Usagi”.  The laidback rock arrangement and even more laidback Kana whose vocals are actually alright here and sounds like it has potential to be good.  I guess there could’ve been more sound coming from the tune but it’s alright.

10. Moon Wings ~Dragon no Hikari~

Ending off another album with a Moon Wings song (she had two on “Tsuki no Usagi”).  The song is totally different from the other songs because this is just a pure acoustic track with Kana singing.  Problem is is that Dragon no Hikari is mostly in English and pretty bad English at that since I couldn’t understand and even worse is that the song is a ballad which means long notes and it’s terribly obvious she can’t hold these notes cuz she cracks so badly.  Then she pulls off these whistle notes which aren’t as bad but they aren’t supported well enough…kind of a bad way to end the album.

Tracks Recommended

• BUNNY DRAGON
• Ryuujin
• Tsuki no Sakura

Song of Avoidance

• Moon Wings ~Dragon no Hikari~

So after a 3 year break, MOON -kana- returns with MOON DRAGON and while I don’t think it’s better than “Spade” it is somewhat better than “Tsuki no Usagi” in the way the arrangements are a bit more solid and have some variety.  Her singing also has gotten better, but it kind of sucks that she repeated way too much here than on previous albums.  Not horrible, but not that good either.

Kana – Ningen-teki Ningen December 19, 2008

Track Listing

1. Hadaka
2. Honoo
3. Uchuufuku
4. Kigou
5. Heart
6. Doseikoku
7. Tsuki no Kanmuri

1. Hadaka

Hadaka opens the mini-album is a pretty moody way.  Kana’s voice is very airy, but she sounds somewhat better than her last album already.  Well, that is until she starts singing to chorus where her voice gets squeaky and unfocused, but I do like how sad the song sounds though. 

2. Honoo

We finally get some rock stuff happening again.  This time Kana sounds like she’s being tortured, it’s even added more with her ear-piercing scream.  Which actually did hurt my ears.  The chorus though was just messy and didn’t exactly have a direction either, it was just all over the place.  Music was cool with some added strings which sounded cool, but you got to consider who’s singing it.

3. Uchuufuku

Entering our next song with pop/rock roots, Uchuufuku sounds a little more better and less like trash.  The chorus even makes sense, but it’s really short.  I do like the guitar moments and you hear strings again.  Sadly, the song isn’t exactly memory material.

4. Kigou

The rhythms opening Kigou up are dang pretty catchy.  The clicking and the guitar riffs sounds pretty cool and then Kana comes in.  It seems she’s singing two parts because they go back and forth between the two different parts.  Later on after what could be the chorus, the song is led into this dark synth part which was perfect timing.  This could be the best song right now.

5. Heart

Heart starts off with orgels playing the song’s melody, which is led into Kana and only the drums going on.  The drums are hitting like a heartbeat which was a nifty drive for the song.  I’m not noticing Kana’s terrible voice much, but then the bridge was terribly flat and even the chorus.  The chorus though was terrible because she kept holding these terrible notes.  So out of place.

6. Doseikoku

With the way Doseikoku opened I was expecting the Perfume girls to bust in with “Electro World”.  That thought was thrown out as the song gained some eerie ghost sounds and harp perhaps?  I actually think this song was her most complex of the album because the music gradually gets more hectic.  The way Kana was whispering and then these lyrical BKGD moments from actually worked this time.  Best song right here.

7.  Tsuki no Kanmuri

We had to finish this off terribly right?  The music is strange for some reason, but the main reason it failed was yep (her vocals).  It really hit a new low for her because her tone did not really fit the chords of the song and she was just horrible and ughhh. 

 

 

Kana’s 1st mini-album was a step up from the album for sure, but it still isn’t really worth getting.  I mean the only song to really get is Doseikoku, but all the other songs were pretty much her fault totally.  Luckily, this was the last thing released before going indies.

 

Kana – Kikai-teki Ningen October 14, 2008

Track Listing

1. Rou no Kumi
2. Suzu
3. Kurozatou
4. Tetsukuzu
5. Mabataki
6. Anzen Pin
7. Shippo
8. Miyako
9. Kagi
10. Chimidoro
11. Tirorin
12. Nekotan
13. Kedamono
14. Mushi Naki Tsukiyo

1. Rou no Kumi

We start off with a short track.  Kana’s voice does sound a bit flat and she’s really screwing up because of the higher notes she’s trying to hit.  Damn, though she has to hold them too?  Ewww.  I think the music is nice with some harmonica and acoustic guitar.  I better change this before I hear that god-forbidden high note.

2. Suzu

Suzu sounds pretty cool making it sound like traditional japanese pop track.  The use of violin and synths may not be new, but they used it in a way to make it sounds quite new and interesting.  Kana though is hopelessly lost in her vocals.  She’s taking too many breaths and the lyrics comes out very robotic and mechanical.  When she tries though, she can sound pretty good.

3. Kurozatou

Quirky bass line.  I’m noticing that so far this album has sounded nothing like her debut.  I mean there’s more strings.  Kana sounds a little more stronger and she’s doing pretty well with her higher register.  Even though the song’s title translates to “Brown Sugar” I’m thinking it’s a holiday track because there’s jingle bells present.  It’s a good song really.

4. Tetsukuzu

Oh my, that was a high ass note…Why is she even trying to do this?  I mean this has to be one of her poorest execution of a track, even worse than “Momo”.  I mean she sounds pretty terrible and the minimalistic of the music didn’t really exactly help…Luckily it’s a short interlude so I guess I’m happy they didn’t make it long.

5. Mabataki

That’s a blood-crudling scream at the start.  She ups the tempo and actually it would make sense as an Halloween tune.  Kana has some hit and misses in the notes, but other than that I thought this was a pretty good tune also.  I thought the music was quite nice as well.

6. Anzen Pin

The only A-side to appear actually was a great idea and song.  It still carries that Halloween kind of vibe, but was so much better than the song previous.  The synth was pretty catchy and Kana didn’t really screw up, except for the high note again.  Though, I do wish there was more in the song, maybe more synth and guitar.

7. Shippo

Shippo is definitly the odd one off the album.  Musically it’s light percussion and some bouncy synths.  Kana is in that whisper kind of sound that I usually didn’t like, but this time I actually find it quite nice with the music.  Even though her choice of lyrics needs help….oh wait….it’s another interlude….w/e….

8. Miyako

Strange synths happen to start this track.  To my expectations, she hits the high note again and again she fails.  This time she failed because her vocals are all over the place.  There was something unsettling in the music as well.  Like why does it sound so unfinished? 

9. Kagi

This one does sounds pretty creepy, I’ll give her that and there’s her doing BKGD vocals as well which gave the song a more dark and gothic vibe.  Her off vocals actually worked with the song’s vibe.  I mean OMG do I hear acoustic guitar?  I like it.  Finally, a really good full song. 

10. Chimidoro

Another “blood” titled song?  I sounds a little like “Kagi” but it does sound different when you take the major things.  I means there’s some nice string moments and random sounds.  I’m starting to wonder why there hasn’t rreally been any fast tracks.  Weird to also hear accordion also after Kana’s unsupported singing.  Though once again her voice sounds right with the type of song.

11. Tirorin

Damn another interlude?  Though it’s fast paced (looks like my hope was answered).  Sadly the song is so robotic in her looks and she says ~Tirorin~ and OMG please never have Kana try to sing to different parts because it doesn’t work at all.

12. Nekotan

I think this is the first time hearing the deeper sounds of Kana.  IMO, she sounds so much better than trying to be all seiyuu-like.  The song sounds like a combination of what PUFFY would do and just pure rock.  So you can tell, I really like her deeper vocals.  Is that brass in the song?  I don’t think so, I think it’s keyboarded but still it gave definition to the song.

13. Kedamono

I was thinking that the song would’ve been aggresive, but then I heard the haunting sounds and I knew that would work as well.  Sadly the song which, has minimal stuff going on really bored me half to death.  For a song to mean “Beast” this was a half-assed try.

14. Mushi Naki Tsukiyo

All right, this is like the the album’s “Momo”…I mean I despise her vocals hear and this was a ballad for sure.  Though I do like the piano’s time on the song, Kana just killed it 100%…Why oh why did you have to do that to me Kana?

Tracks Recommended

• Kagi
• Anzen Pin
• Shippo
• Mabataki
• Nekotan

Song of Avoidance

• Mushi Naki Tsukiyo

I know I like more songs on the album, but comparing this to her debut, this was terrible.  I don’t know why, but everything seemed absent and just didn’t put much effort to it.  I also noticed that she was absent of the hard-rock tracks that made her (sort-of) famous like “Hebi-Ichigo”.  She tried some new sounds which totally killed it and well she needs terrible help.  Still the 5 songs are good, but they aren’t like her first album recs.

Kana – Anzen Pin September 21, 2008

Track Listing

1. Anzen Pin
2. Puppy-chan
3. Suna-Arashi
4. Uka -Kokoro Shiki-

1. Anzen Pin

Anzen Pin to me sounds like an anime opener for some reason.  Kana doesn’t sound ultimately bad, but that’s just because the music is calling for some softer vocals.  There’s not much to it really, but it’s dark.  I found this to be her strongest A-side since “Hebi-Ichigo”

2. Puppy-chan

Man, she’s on a roll.  Puppy-chan is actually the first upbeat cute song she’s done and it actually works fully.  She sounds like a young girl having some cute moments before she goes into her mature sound which would be the bridge.  Then the chorus comes by and it sounds like she’s lost her ~Puppy-chan~.  Definitly one of my favorite tracks from Kana surprisingly.

3. Suna-Arashi

When theat fun-fest ends we gets this very absent-sound track.  It’s kind of weird.  Then she starts to sing and sounds a little bit like Koda Kumi before she gets onto her medium sounds.  There’s something mysterious about this song and I kind of like it.  The chorus is also very strange and mysterious….it’s pretty cool.

4. Uka -Kokoro Shiki-

This would have to be my least favorite track of the single.  I mean there’s some interesting background sounds like bugs and other things you would hear in a forest, however…It’s destroyed by Kana’s creaky voice.  I guess its a haunted track, but this works for being a creepy track.

 

 

Kana’s final single is the best she’s released.  She doesn’t sound bad in the first three.  Anzen Pin was rocking and definitly makes a great addition to “Kikai-teki Ningen”.  Puppy-chan is just so cute and made me love that song bad.  Suna-Arashi is definitly something else and very eerie.  Uka is musically nice but just fails with Kana.  When I say final single I mean it.  She goes on to release Kikai and 3 other albums so it’s kind of sad really.

Kana – Niku August 8, 2008

Track Listing

1. Niku
2. Kandzume
3. Rainbow -Doubutsu Shiki-

1. Niku

What an evil little tune this is.  It might not sound like totally but how Kana is going through the verses and the little music there is an obvious dark tone to it.  Weird, it’s about her graduation.  After a little bit the music becomes a rockish tune and Kana starts using her “Gwen Stefani” lyrics.  It’s definitly a better made track, than her previous two singes.

2. Kandzume

This song also is a rock track and it actually sounds more better than “Niku”.  It has much of a better sound and beat to it.  Though at a price, Kana sounds a lot worse here.  It’s better to stay away from this track.

3. Rainbow -Doubutsu Shiki-

Pretty much “Rainbow -Ningen Shiki- here.  There’s not a lot of difference from it’s counterpart.  There isn’t much to report here, though it’s still annoying and filled with Kana’s screechy vocals. 

 

 

Niku, the only good track from the single is here.  The other two tracks were vocally bad for me, I had to pass them up.  Interestingly, Niku doesn’t appear on “Kikai-teki Ningen”  So it’s pretty much a singe left open.

Kana – Doubutsu-teki Ningen July 27, 2008

Track Listing

1. Rainbow -Ningen Shiki-
2. Hebi-Ichigo
3. Kabi
4. Mirukii
5. Toraboruta
6. Chimame
7. Jueki
8. Mori
9. Kuuchuu Buranko
10. Tsuno
11. Daichi
12. Momo -Me ga Haeta Shiki-

1. Rainbow -Ningen Shiki-

Not the nicest way to start the album of, with her kiddy-like voice.  The music is a bit depressing and with the random xylophone moments it kind of made it a melancholic track but with Kana’s extreme vocals it can get weird for the listener.

2. Hebi-Ichigo

1st single really kicks off this album in a good way really.  Kana is really showing at how good she’s capable of and her talent to show how far she can totally destroy it also.  I’m still loving this single, if I’m correct this is her most popular song or most recognizable, and I can see why.  Awesome rock track.

3. Kabi

WTF is she doing at the beginning?  Rolling the lips like that, that totally was random.  It’s a very fast rock track and got’s a nice steady beat to it.  Kana sounds a tad monotone in the verses sadly.  It’s one of the “being chased” tracks, if you know what I mean. 

4. Mirukii

A dark and eerie beginning with the strings and odd percussion.  Overall, it is a strange track but it’s got a nice arrangement and the offbeat guitar makes for a better song.  Kana actually doesn’t sound real bad either.  A nice slow rock track here.

5. Toraboruta

Travolta?  Ok, it might be about the famous actor, but this song is just the two tracks before shoved together.  It’s got the soft sounds from “Mirukii” and the chase sounds of “Kabi”.  This song was just overly creepy.  After the chorus there’s a guitar solo that sounded pretty shweet and Kana coming in after that was so cute. 

6. Chimame

We’re here with the 2nd single of the era and it was gritty, strange and c’mon it’s gotta be rockin’ as well.  I still find it oddly slow and kind of messy for a single.  Then again, why am I complaining?  Not the best track off the album.

7. Jueki

Thr shortest track off the album barely reaching 2 minutes, it acts like an interlude.  It’s got some strange percussion with Kana ad-libbing and that’s all it is, not really much of anything and kinda creepy too.

8. Mori

Mori is the oddest track with it’s soft pop roots written to it.  It’s got such a nice calming atmosphere to it which last time seen was “Tsuki no Tsubasa” from the “Kuuchuu Buranko”.  Kana’s vocals can seem whiney here, but they do compliment the song in a way.

9. Kuuchuu Buranko

The final single shows up in a flurry of guitars and pounding beats.  It’s got such a cool sound to it.  Kana sounds evil in this song as well.  It can be a bit messy in the chorus and Kana can sound off a lot.  When she says the title she really stresses into saying it too, What a cool, crazy song.

10. Tsuno

Whoa, definitly the fastest opening in a Kana song, it slows down back into the usual rock fare.  I do like the beats from the drum.  The bridge gots some of the creepiest undertones found on this CD.  Tsuno wins for darkest track.  She’s a bit messy in the vocals and is monotone again, still it’s catchy for sure.

11. Daichi

Daichi, who’s Kana’s brother, I think she wrote it for him.  It’s so abstract with its screeching parts and obscure beats.  Kana’s voice is layered too which caught me as distracting from the song.  I really don’t what to think of the song, its the strangest track for sure.

12. Momo -Me ga Haeta Shiki-

NO, NO, NO!!!  This song sucks just as much as it did in the “Chimame” single.  I tried to find a difference between the 2 versions and there isn’t any.  It’s got the worst vocals in it with Kana sounding so off everywhere.  Terrible final track.

Tracks Recommended

• Hebi-Ichigo
• Daichi
• Mirukii
• Kuuchuu Buranko

Song of Avoidance

• Momo ~Me ga Haeta Shiki~

Kana’s debut album was a pretty good start for this gothic lolita.  Every song except Momo was alright, though she could have added a B-side or two.  I’m not sure exactly what her future albums sound like yet, but I think I’m terrified

Kana – Kuuchuu Buranko July 20, 2008

Track Listing

1. Kuuchuu Buranko
2. Kedama
3. Tsuki no Tsubasa
4. Hamushi -Tenryuu Shiki-

1. Kuuchuu Buranko

The more clearer rock track, Kuuchuu Buranko has understandable rock flavor in it.  Kana’s wild voice does make it a pill hard to swallow, as it is not perfect.  The chorus is just OMG, it’s good but at the end she does a growl-like scream which knocked me off outta my seat.  Definitly a better track than “Chimame”.

2. Kedama

A faster track, with a very booming bass line at the beginning it really makes a hectic track.  But I was turned off by the fact that she’s very repetitive in the song itself.  I do have to give credit to that guitar solo.  Still, it’s a track worth listening to once.

3. Tsuki no Tsubasa

As a more laid-back track, Tsuki no Tsubasa is actually quite a nice difference from her usual fare of hard rock.  Yes, Kana does need some vocal training, but c’mon the song is such a nice listen, a more halloween-like sound is definitly what she needs to stay in.  The bass is so much in the forefront, what a great thing.   Good track.

4. Hamushi -Tenryuu Shiki-

Continuing the “Shiki” series, Tenryuu is actually an even more beautiful track, having more of a happier nature-like sound.  A violin is played through most of it, while Kana ad-libs also.  This is probably the best Shiki she’s done. 

 

 

Kuuchuu Buranko, the final single of the “Doubutsu-teki Ningen” er, was probably the best single, all of the songs brought some interesting things to the listener.  Kuuchuu Buranko was the usual fare of her rock stuff.  Kedama brought the sense of urgency, but failed cause of its repetitiveness.  Tsuki no Tsubasa was a definite high mark on the single with it’s beautiful arrangement and the Hamushi instrumental, was the longest yet the most strikingly pleasant track on the single. *RECOMMENDED*

Kana – Chimame June 21, 2008

Track Listing

1. Chimame
2. Hone
3. Momo
4. Hamushi -Nankotsu Shiki-

1. Chimame

Well, the title is a bit disturbing, Chimame = Blood Blister……ewww.  It sounds very grungy, if you know what I mean.  She eventually gathers momentum in the song, though her voice is very all over the place, and definitly doesn’t fit in a song like this.  I like her commitment in the song.  Then she starts to echo out in the song, actually it sounds pretty good there.  The music is so dirty and dark it’s pretty frightening really.

2. Hone

Does she scream at the beginning, well def took me by surprise.  She sounds like her voice is digitized which also shocks me.  The chorus is very catchy.  I like the guitar riffs.  The chorus is where the songs shine the most, adding in the ghostly sounds in the back really puts a mood in.  Then she starts singing simultaneously with the guitar….very freaky and the end, OMG what was that?

3. Momo

We enter Kana’s depressing song.  She sounds like she’s crying in the song, the first long note she hit, she scratches, and again at the long notes.  I’m surprised to find an Acoustic Guitar playing mostly in this sad song.  Still, it doesn’t really save the song.  I found myself hating Kana staying on one note and purposely messing up the long notes.  Nice try Kana but this “Peach” isn’t good at all.

4. Hamushi -Nankotsu Shiki-

I like the very mysterious beginning.  With a booming drum keeping beat, whistling, bugs, Kana ad-libbing?  It’s almost calm to hear.  I actually like the jungle feeling of the song.  Kana sounds like she’s hypnotized by the song too, as she is blabbing along in the song.  There’s Acoustic playing in with Kana.  Still, it’s pretty much lyrically empty as songs go.

 

 

Kana, this single was half/half for me, Hone and Hamushi are definitly cool song in their rights.  Both really put moods for me, which easily gets a point for me. Chimame was alright, but it’s not as great as “Hebi-Ichigo”.  and Momo…..ugh….I can’t believe that it made the album.  Sucks!

Kana – Hebi-Ichigo June 15, 2008

Track Listing

1. Hebi-Ichigo
2. Kiba
3. Kugi
4. Hamushi -Gomi Bako Shiki-

1. Hebi-Ichigo

Growling starts off with this wacky track.  Kana’s unorthodox style of singing is definitly shown.  She sounds like a Japanese Gwen Stefani but with twinges of despair…Yeah, It’s something you gotta hear.  To the song, actually I like how wild and animalistic this song is.  She’s definitly performing it to her best, I can tell.  The music is actually kind of catchy LOL…the guitar riffs are pretty cool.  I like this song alot.

2. Kiba

A very solemn bell starts off this dark song.  Kana’s voice is actually held back in this song.  The song is very much less active than “Hebi-Ichigo”.  Her real voice comes into the song right when the 1st verse starts, but majority of it sounds like she’s using a megaphone.  There’s some unusual synths playing here and there.  Definitly a good B-side.

3. Kugi

Even more darker than “Kiba”, Kugi is a very quiet song at first.  This is the one of the many times we hear Kana’s distinctive kid voice which is very surprising.  I do find that this really isn’t singing, but shes like saying the lyrics.  She kind of sounds sexy in this song which is a first for me to hear!…It’s a very dark song with eerie guitars and a steady beat on the drums….it’s almost frightening.  Definitly cool.

4. Hamushi -Gomi Bako Shiki-

Last song on the single is a short one.  Starts out like the entire song is filtered to make it sound old and fluffy in the sound.  Kana does some ad-libbing and wow, It’s definitly a creepy thing she’s doing.  This is also one of the many *Shiki* songs on her discography.  Kana doesn’t exactly sing though which takes away.

 

 

Kana’s 1st single was OMG great.  The uber rock song Hebi-Ichigo, two dark tunes, Kiba and Kugi, and well, would you say an Interlude at the end?  Weird, but it fits this whole single well.  The single is outta print though, so I can’t say to get it.