Tsubaki Factory – 3rd -Moment- February 21, 2024

Track Listing

1. Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki
2. Garakuta DIAMOND
3. Yakusoku Renraku Kinenbi
4. Adrenaline Dame
5. Yowasa ja nai yo, Koi wa
6. Idol Tenshoku Ondo
7. Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai
8. Skip Skip Skip
9. Kimi to Boku no Kizuna feat. KIKI
10. Yuuki It’s my Life!
11. Mousou Dake Nara Freedom
12. Demo…Ii yo

CD 2

1. Power Flower ~Ima Koso Ichigan to Nare~
2. Stay free & Stay tuned
3. Shichibu-zaki no Tsuzuki
4. EZPZ!!
5. Summer Challenger
6. Amayadori no Epilogue
7. Atashi Rhythm
8. Kimi to Boku no Kizuna
9. You’re My Friend feat. KIKI
10. Kacchoii Uta
11. BE

1. Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki

As the album opening, we of course do the first disc which is strictly the singles that were released.  First off is Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki and it marked quite a few things for Tsubaki Factory.  First was the single was the first after Risa Ogata left the group due to some scandals (and ended up going solo from it) and the fact we ushered in a new generation of Tsubaki with Yuumi Kasai, Runo Yofuu, Shiori Yagi, and Marine Fukuda.  The song itself is kind of a cool song for the group and shows off a smokier take for the group and I kind of loved the funky, cool vibes out of this one.  I do enjoy that we do get to hear the new members though they only get a solo each.  Though Kishimon really vocally had her standout moments which is pretty cool yeah?  Even the jazzy bridge was a neat throw-in as well.  Great song and just a great way to begin the album too!

2. Garakuta DIAMOND

I thought Garakuta DIAMOND was also quite a hitter for me from the single as well.  It was a bit more punchy and yet somehow also softer as well.  I enjoyed this mostly because we get to hear more from the new members!  I really liked how the members sounded mostly Runo and Shiori, but Yuumi’s whispy vocals are definitely unique for the group and Marine while here in this song sounds a little bit green and not-so-trained yet.  The chorus is definitely something I feel like H!P has done before, but the verses are sweet and the bridge between Runo and Yuumi was pretty neat too!  Good song overall!

3. Yakusoku Renraku Kinenbi

Of the single, I tend to forget about this one as it felt a little too grey for me in comparison to the previous two tracks.  It seems to kind of slide in between the those tracks as it’s a bit more danceable, but I feel like this is kind of along what Tsubaki Factory has released before from their first two albums.  Am surprised that I forgot the all 4 new members once again get a solo in the first verse, which wows me they got some decent attention in their debut single.  Not sure how I feel about the chorus having so many triplets throughout though, it’s different and nothing like Momusu’s “Only you”, but it’s still kind of odd to hear at points.

4. Adrenaline Dame

Honestly, the next single up, I kind of forgot it entirely, I couldn’t remember any of the melodies of the next three tracks, but it probably shows how I wasn’t interested in the single.  Though if anything, Adrenaline Dame probably should’ve stayed on my mind as it was pretty in-your-face with the disco-funk vibes from this one and especially how fire Yumeno was owning the song.  Yeah, even the guitar solo in the bridge was wild too…yeah, I’m a bit more fonder of this one after hearing.  Also Marine at the end caught me by surprise too.  Yeah this was pretty good, coming back to it!

5. Yowasa ja nai yo, Koi wa

I think where the single lost me was with this song which was more of a mid-tempo ballad that to me conjures feelings of their past A-sides (although most of them tend to have some kind of dance-beat to alleviate the dullness going on).  Yowasa ja nai yo, Koi wa has a bit more of an organic feel compared to them as there’s some guitars and percussion and such.  Maybe a good comparison is maybe “Dakishimerete Mitai” or “Ima Nanji?”.  Not a song that I would return, but I could see how fans would enjoy this one.

6. Idol Tenshoku Ondo

I wasn’t expecting H!P to release two Ondo-themed songs in the same year and yet I felt like OCHA NORMA ended up with the better song.  It has been some time we’ve gotten a sillier Tsubaki song.  Don’t know why I feel such disconnect with the song, but this just doesn’t seem to really fit the group much in anyway and I wasn’t exactly blown away vocally like the last two tracks did.  That bridge sounded neat though, I can give it that, but the rest of the song…eh?

7. Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai

Next single up and it was a pretty big deal as this was originally Kiki Asakura’s last single with the group before graduating (until it kind of also became Yumeno Kishimoto’s last single as well as she ended up going on hiatus until basically a few weeks before her actual graduation, missing on sharing the last single with Riko).  This was such a badass song from the group and I loved the energy and power and just everyone owns their lines and the dramatics were just so good here!

8. Skip Skip Skip

Another song that kind of felt a bit generic to me a little bit, Skip Skip Skip is Tsubaki Factory filling that gap like “Shunrenka” did and also reminds me a tiny bit of “Waratte”.  It’s upbeat and cuter than most of Tsubaki’s songs.  That said, the song is kind of just flying by me a bit, but I can dig the group being a bit more upbeat (and not like in the way “Idol Tenshoku Ondo” ended up).  I also feel like it’s a song any H!P group has done at least once in the past, so I don’t feel any connection with this one.  I’d say this one is more middle-of-the-road for me.

9. Kimi to Boku no Kizuna feat. KIKI

Kiki somehow got both a feature and solo graduation song before she graduated and it surprised me that the feature song was this one which was kind of well-known as it was being performed prior to Kiki’s graduation announcement, but here we are.  If I thought “Skip Skip Skip” felt a little too generic, then Kimi to Boku no Kizuna is kind of worse in ways.  I get that Kiki gets leading vocals on this one, but this kind of melancholic, but hopeful sound just doesn’t work for me.  Like we’ve had a lot of these more recently “Dousousei”, “Neverending Shine”, “Familia” all from other H!P groups so this kind of just flies over my head sadly.

10. Yuuki It’s my Life!

That said, considering we’re onto the last single represented, this was supposed to be both Riko Yamagishi and Yumeno’s final single, but like I said above, Kishimon ended up taking the hiatus and missing out on the single, so this became only Riko’s final single.  Honestly, versus “Kimi to Boku no Kizuna”, this was a lot more exciting and bright and I feel like this perfectly represented Riko who was such a bright figure for the group despite not being a vocal powerhouse for the group.  This was just bright and upbeat and made me feel something versus something like “Skip Skip Skip”.

11. Mousou Dake Nara Freedom

Moving on, Mousou Dake Nara Freedom was another song that kind of just feels fresh for Tsubaki Factory taking on a more Kobushi Factory-esque track here.  A lot more rock-elements that is a bit more fun and wild than you would expect from the group.  It’s frantic and loud and versus the other songs from the first disc, it just has relentless energy and I kind of enjoy it all.  It’s a good song for sure and definitely sticks out on the album.

12. Demo…Ii yo

Fair enough to close the first disc with a ballad with Demo…Ii yo and now that I think about it, it’s the slowest off the first disc funny enough.  I was prepared to not be into this one, but I feel like Tsubaki could handle ballads more than other groups could.  This just feels powerful and yet light at the same time.  I was surprised that most of the members are singing in a higher pitch (especially for the chorus) and just is a pretty ballad and I really like Runo, Marine, and Saori ending the chorus lines, just really perfect here.

CD 2

1. Power Flower ~Ima Koso Ichigan to Nare~

As the opening to the 2nd disc which is where most of the new stuff landed, I was wondering how the new songs will stack up since Kiki, Yumeno, and Riko were all gone and Kisora became leader here.  Anyways, I wasn’t expecting airhorn to open the 2nd disc and it seems the song is a bit more upbeat and funny enough kind of feels like ANGERME’s “Ai no Kedamono” but less energetic.  I do hear a lot of harmonization in the song.  There’s a bit of an islandic vibe here oddly enough, but does sound unique for the group.

2. Stay free & Stay tuned

Was not expecting the group to go surf rock/ska for the next new track, but it’s definitely one of those songs that shows the group’s humor so it sounds like it would be a good piece next to “Mousou Dake Nara Freedom”.  Though it feels like it goes by quickly only going to 3:20 in length.  I also get this feeling this song is probably going to be utilized as an encore song during lives, it just has the celebretory feeling to it and the group’s excitement is kind of just a song they needed to have or something new to replace “Happy Cracker” or something.

3. Shichibu-zaki no Tsuzuki

There’s a couple songs on this disc that fans already know because H!P loves to trickle out unreleased songs for a while before splashing them onto the albums as “new cuts”.  This is definitely a Tsubaki song if it felt like an anison track.  Though yeah, it was definitely recorded without Yumeno and Riko as they’ve graduated and wouldn’t make much sense being here.  Watching the live version that’s out there, most of the members gets lines (shame that Riko and Yumeno were switched out for others in the song) but it’s OK, kind of like “Skip Skip Skip” it’s kind of more typical H!P fare here.

4. EZPZ!!

I was curious because of how odd the title looks, EZPZ!! is kind of the more quirky and sillier side to the group (kind of gives me vibes of “Mou Saikou!” and “Hair Up Sora e!”.  It’s got a quirky and cute side and the younger members seem to be able to shine brighter versus the elder members.  I suppose it checks off the mark for a sillier new track for the group, I was just not into this one too much.

5. Summer Challenger

The earliest track we knew before finding it as a new track on the album, Summer Challenger took way too long and is just bothersome.  Like it was meant for the summer and yet here we are in February lol.  To me, it kind of sounds like a lighter version of “Yuuki It’s my Life!” just without the blazing energy and synths all over the place.  Another song that feels pretty standard out of H!P…maybe a little better, but still kind of just crossing off a list.

6. Amayadori no Epilogue

I do like Yuumi’s vocals open up our next track and actually of the new songs, Amayadori no Epilogue immediately catches my attention with a more dramatic setting with some piano in the arrangement alongside the synths and dance beats.  It’s quite a nice surprise and very good for some of the members singing for sure, I’m pretty sure Mizuho is leading the pack though.  Like I said, this is a surprisingly good track and one of the best from the 2nd disc.

7. Atashi Rhythm

Atashi Rhythm is a song that has been known, but it’s only been a few months at best because this premiered the same day Riko and Yumeno graduated.  I remember when I first heard it, the song was really catchy and had a lot of things going on and hearing the studio version just makes the song a bit better for me.  Such a strong song too, maybe not as jaw-dropping as “Amayadori no Epilogue”, but it’s a good jam for sure.  Loud, energetic, and just fun!

8. Kimi to Boku no Kizuna

When I saw the tracklist, I was wondering why we have a 2nd version of Kimi to Boku no Kizuna on the album and then to find it, it’s just a version without Kiki, Yumeno, and Riko on the track and felt a bit annoyed by this.  Like why bother doing this, the song wasn’t even all that great to begin with and the original (despite the focus being on Kiki) wasn’t too off-balance in my opinion, so was this truly needed?  I guess a plus is that the new members take over lines that were sung by the now graduated members, but…*sigh*

9. You’re My Friend feat. KIKI

So I had bolded the last three tracks because they’re the solo graduation songs (something that H!P never really includes on albums) and these tracks were digitally released on the days the trio graduated out so…it’s odd to see them here (especially since disc 2 is all songs past their tenures, so sticking these on felt a bit last minute to me.  Kiki’s up first and she graduated by singing a cover of Buono!’s 2009 song, You’re My Friend.  I wasn’t a big fan of this one because it did strip the rock elements out of the song and replaced with an acoustic guitar/piano ballad which is kind of blah to me.  I will say Kiki’s vocals were pretty solid though and stood out for this cover…but I just wished the song’s arrangement wasn’t dulled down.

10. Kacchoii Uta

Riko’s comes next and her choice was the B-side from 2011’s “Busu ni Naranai Tetsugaku” from Hello! Project Mobekimasu.  Kind of a shocking choice as I was expecting something softer from Riko, but this song definitely fits Riko for sure.  I will say, I remember when Erina Mano did the song solo and it was wreck and a half, but Riko actually does power through even if it still isn’t quite right being a solo in the first place.  Interesting choice, but a good way to graduate with.

11. BE

Then comes Kishimon’s graduation song a cover of Berryz Kobo’s 2008 song from their “5 (FIVE)” album.  I thought it was an odd choice since it’s an album ender and while Yumeno sings the song pretty well, I wasn’t really thrilled about the background singers there mostly but they were there in the original so I can’t exactly complain too hard.  It’s got a lullaby-esque feel to it, which also doesn’t feel like something Kishimon would graduate with, but eh?  It’s OK and Yumeno sounds pleasant regardless.

Tracks Recommended

• Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai
• Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki
• Yuuki It’s my Life!
• Demo…Ii yo
• Garakuta DIAMOND

• Amayadori no Epilogue
• Atashi Rhythm
• Stay free & Stay tuned
• Kacchoii Uta

Song of Avoidance

• Idol Tenshoku Ondo
• Kimi to Boku no Kizuna

Didn’t feel as long moving from “2nd STEP” to this album, but yet a lot has happened to the group with this release from losing 3 members to gaining 4.  It’s got a different feel to it and yeah the album while going through the changes is going to sound a bit different than their previous efforts.  I will say though as a whole, I think 3rd -Moment- feels the weakest but it’s mostly from the 2nd disc where I feel like the group fell short.  The singles (Disc 1) were pretty damn good with maybe 3 songs not really doing it for me…but the 2nd disc only like 3 songs did it for me and then Riko’s graduation song was just kind of duh, the song was good anyways originally.  Just kind of feels like a bit of a dud album if we’re only looking at the brand new tracks (they mostly all felt like necessities that an H!P group normally has, but, Tsubaki should’ve been passed this hurdle a while ago).  Although now with Kisora graduating (leaving Ami as the last original member) and 3 new members (Mihane Ishii, Yuu Murata, and Fuuka Doi), I’m very curious to see where the group goes especially since vocally they’re lessened now that Kiki and Yumeno are gone.

Tsubaki Factory – Yuuki It’s my Life!/Mousou Dake Nara Freedom/Demo…Ii yo September 16, 2023

Track Listing

1. Yuuki It’s my Life!
2. Mousou Dake Nara Freedom
3. Demo…Ii yo
4. Yuuki It’s my Life! (Instrumental)
5. Mousou Dake Nara Freedom (Instrumental)
6. Demo…Ii yo (Instrumental)

1. Yuuki It’s my Life!

Leading the single off, Yuuki It’s my Life! is quite the uplifting and upbeat song for the group, something a little more refreshing to come from the group since their last couple of releases were more serious sounding overall.  I like the atmosphere of it and the little odd aggression for the pre-chorus was unexpected, but the chorus brings everything together for a bright song.  Of course giving this is Riko’s graduation single, she does show up quite a bit vocally (especially in the bridge), but most of the song is done in duets or pairings.  It’s a cute song and versus recent other H!P offerings, one of the better breezy tracks as of recent!

2. Mousou Dake Nara Freedom

This one definitely had a lot of promotion with the short choreos, but Mousou Dake Nara Freedom was the last to pop up.  This one is more upbeat and has a synth/rock/pop groove about it.  I do like how the verses are done by generation (first solos from Runo, Marine, Shiori and Yuumi and then followed up by Mao, Saori, and then Mizuho and then rounding with Riko, Ami, and Kisora).  I can see this song being well received during live performances for sure with its relentless energy and just fun atmosphere.

3. Demo…Ii yo

I felt like this song got very little promotion outside the PV which just kind of appeared with little fanfare.  Though I guess I can see why since it’s the ballad of the single.  I feel like Tsubaki ballads have been kind of hard to pin down any interest.  I mean it sounds different because of the new members involved.  I really liked that Yuumi and Marine had the first solo lines and they sounds really pretty.  Further in, I even enjoying Runo, Mao, and Mizuho’s vocal performance as well!  It’s definitely not like some of their other ballads, this one has a bit of a mystifying approach, so this kind of interested me.  Not bad!

This single was pretty good all things considered!  The bright energy out of Yuuki It’s my Life!, the solemn stillness out of Demo…Ii yo, and the energetic Mousou Dake Nara Freedom all really worked out here.  It’s been a while since a Tsubaki Factory single overall came out well.  Though you might be thinking, where’s Yumeno?  Well, she’s been put on hiatus as she’s dealing with “adjustment disorder” and considering she announced her graduation simultaneously with Riko….this single may also be her last unless she wants to make the next single her last, but I’m not holding my breath.  As for being Riko’s last single, she was a decent leader (musically, she was in the back though).  To think now we’re down to Kisora and Ami (maybe Yumeno for a short period) as the last original members, I’m curious to see where the group goes after Riko (and Yumeno) graduate/leave.  Still, this single was pretty good!

UPDATE: Well, it seems that while Yumeno has returned to the group, she’s still graduating in November, which means the previous single was the last single she’d be a part of the group…unfortunately.

Tsubaki Factory – Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai/Skip Skip Skip/Kimi to Boku no Kizuna feat. KIKI February 5, 2023

Track Listing

1. Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai
2. Skip Skip Skip
3. Kimi to Boku no Kizuna feat. KIKI
4. Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai (Instrumental)
5. Skip Skip Skip (Instrumental)
6. Kimi to Boku no Kizuna feat. KIKI (Instrumental)

1. Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai

Wasn’t expecting the song to begin with English thrown into the mix, yah?  Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai kicks the single off with a more darker and softer tone than previous leading tracks have.  The dramatic sounds are super nice and hearing each of the members get some solid solo through the song is pretty awesome (kudos to Marine with the English during the choruses).  Just honestly, loving that I heard a lot of Ami and Runo in the track was great and they suited the more serious-sounding track overall.  What a great way to start the single off though!

2. Skip Skip Skip

No surprise that the next track off the single would be an upbeat poppy track for the group with Skip Skip Skip.  I’ve noticed the 4 new girls are finally catching up into the group as they have a lot more lines that the already established members of Tsubaki here.  I like the energy of the song if it wasn’t for the fact that we’ve heard this kind of arrangement before in H!P’s past, so I don’t find it particularly unique for them?  I guess, it’s fine, but just standard, cutesyness abound basically.

3. Kimi to Boku no Kizuna feat. KIKI

Last song off the single, Kimi to Boku no Kizuna was actually first performed quite a while ago, though it’s different versus the live cut and that’s mostly because it’s now a ballad.  For that reason, it’s also kind of part 1 of Kiki Asakura’s graduation hence why she’s singled out from the title as you see.  To be honest, yeah I do sense this is Kiki’s last song with the group because she does get the most solos in the song, but the other 11 members show up for the song so it doesn’t quite feel like her song.  Add on the fact it’s kind of your standard ballad and I kind of just tuned out of this one pretty quickly.

As the first H!P single released for 2023, I was happy to see Tsubaki Factory be the first as…they barely showed up last year (one single).  This single was OK at best, the best track being Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai because it was dramatic, dance-y, and featured some great vocal-work from the group.  Skip Skip Skip was decent, albeit standard territory and Kimi to Boku no Kizuna was a borefest.  I hope the next single will be more interesting, but it was better than their last single.  As for Kiki leaving, she was a lead so her being gone will be felt, but after all of the stuff Risamaru said….I’m just kind of eh.

Tsubaki Factory – Adrenaline Dame/Yowasa ja nai yo, Koi wa/Idol Tenshoku Ondo June 17, 2022

Track Listing

1. Adrenaline Dame
2. Yowasa ja nai yo, Koi wa
3. Idol Tenshoku Ondo
4. Adrenaline Dame (Instrumental)
5. Yowasa ja nai yo, Koi wa (Instrumental)
6. Idol Tenshoku Ondo (Instrumental)

1. Adrenaline Dame

As the leading track, Adrenaline Dame kicks the single off into a fun, disco-funk setting with some fire behind its arrangement!  I really love the energy in the song and the fact that all 12 members get some decent lines is pretty amazing in such a track like this one.  I definitely really enjoyed the bridge section as a lot of the members get a sense of a powerful solo line and just the punch and gravitas of them all really did well for them here.  I’m not sure if it’s the best song of their collection, but it’s pretty solid and I really am starting to get used to Runo, Yuumi, Shiori, and Marine being around now!

2. Yowasa ja nai yo, Koi wa

The next track up kind of continues their more softer motifs like they were doing during the “2nd STEP” era of singles.  It’s not quite as intriguing as those songs because there’s no real hook for me to grasp onto and it’s more of a slightly upbeat mid-tempo track for them.  It is nice to hear more from the new members as their softer vocals are kind of a first for them.  I do think once again that the bridge to the ending was the best parts of the song though.  Quite beautiful and vocals are just on point.  I just wish I was more into the song itself.

3. Idol Tenshoku Ondo

Ondo-styled tracks from H!P have always seem to be ridiculously random and silly and I was definitely hoping for that since it feels like forever since Tsubaki Factory has been loose and silly in a song (Tsubaki has mostly been known for being the more serious, lady-like group so it’s pretty big when they can let themselves be silly.  The song itself is very synth-heavy but has that traditional Japanese feel to it that tries to make it sound interesting…I honestly feel like this could be a BEYOOOOONDS song at points too because it can come off as random but like in their randomness XD.  Tsubaki Factory going for this feels a little out of character for the group, but I don’t mind the song.

2nd single with the newbies and this single is kind of a bust for me?  I don’t know why it feels that way, but it just doesn’t quite hook onto me like the last single did, but I do appreciate the equality throughout the members in all 3 songs for sure.  Adrenaline Dame is probably my favorite off the single, energetic, lots of power in the song and just is a good side to them to see!  Yowasa ja nai yo…Koi wa is OK, but nothing memorable to me and Idol Tenshoku Ondo feels like a song that should’ve been given to BEYOOOOONDS in my honest opinion.  Yeah, middle of the field single here.

Tsubaki Factory – Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki/Garakuta DIAMOND/Yakusoku Renraku Kinenbi October 17, 2021

Track Listing

1. Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki
2. Garukuta DIAMOND
3. Yakusoku Renraku Kinenbi
4. Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki (Instrumental)
5. Garukuta DIAMOND (Instrumental)
6. Yakusoku Renraku Kinenbi (Instrumental)

1. Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki

Kicking the single off is Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki and this was a little unexpected for me because usually the funky-type of songs are usually done by ANGERME or Juice=Juice so seeing Tsubaki Factory take one on is an interesting twist to be quite honest.  Though I was mostly excited because the group added 4 new members to the lineup (Marine Fukuda, Shiori Yagi, Yuumi Kasai, and Runo Yofuu) and I was waiting to hear how they’d fair in the new songs.  While I don’t think this song really showcases them too much, I do appreciate all the members getting solos.  So far nothing is too impressive except for Yumeno’s adlibs and runs.  Still, not bad of a song and pretty catchy!

2. Garakuta DIAMOND

Now, this was what I expected from the group a little bit of a dance track with guitar elements thrown in the mix.  Plus it sounds a bit more serious which is a plus as well.  I think what gets me is that the 4 new members get a bit more time to shine in this one (especially Yuumi and Runo, who are I would bet the leads of the song).  I knew of Runo’s vocals from her Kenshuusei days and she’s young, yet mad impressive.  Yuumi sounds really pleasant as well as Shiori too, both I feel could grow into awesome vocalists and Marine while probably the weakest vocally, still sounded better than I would’ve thought.  Add on some epic low tones from Mizuho, Saori, and Kiki at the end of the choruses and I was just shocked at how good this was.  Yeah, definitely my favorite from the single.

3. Yakusoku Renraku Kinenbi

As the 3rd A-side of the single, something about Yakusoku Renraku Kinenbi kind of just didn’t work for me like the other two  tracks somehow did.  Still impressed all 12 members got a solo line in it, but the track itself seems like something regular Tsubaki Factory would release.  Did feel like it was more to showcase the elder 8 more than the new members, which make sense, but still…this song is kind of forgettable as an A-side for me…maybe this could’ve been an ANGERME track to be honest.

 

 

Beginning a new era of singles, Tsubaki Factory kicks things off with the addition of 4 new members and from the single, I’m getting a sense that they’re all pretty decent singers and will help with powerful lines moving forward.  To be honest, Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki and Garukuta DIAMOND were the highlights of the single and did a great job showcasing the new members.  Yakusoku Renraku Kinenbi to me is the only slight misstep due to the song not really being unique or interesting in comparison.  Can’t wait to see whats next for Yuumi, Shiori, Marine, and Runo!

Tsubaki Factory – 2nd STEP June 24, 2021

Track Listing

1. Dansha-ISM
2. Masayume
3. Sankaime no Date Shinwa
4. Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma
5. Ai wa Ima, Ai wo Motometeru
6. Fuwari, Koi Dokei
7. Saijoukyuu Story
8. Hikari no Curtain
9. Nineteen no Shinkirou
10. Koi no UFO Catcher
11. Ima Nanji?
12. Dakara Nannanda!
13. My Darling ~Do you love me?~
14. Dakishimerarete Mitai
15. Tarinai Mono Umeteyuku Tabi

1. Dansha-ISM

Opening the album is one of the last A-sides released prior to the album, Dansha-ISM!  I can’t say the song has grown on me more since the single released because it just still is that much of a divided song for me.  I still think the electro side of the song is powerful and incredibly quick and catchy, but that chorus just DOES NOT work for me.  I think the idol-like atmosphere of that chorus is just a bit too brazen with the verses and hooks that I just don’t really find it all that appealing to me.  It’s a weird choice to kick the album off too, but it’s whatever…not their best A-side from the album for sure.

2. Masayume

As the first of the 6 new tracks, Masayume kicks off with a pretty cool nice guitar riff and then comes in this disco/funk vibe in the arrangement that kind of caught me and I was immediately caught by the vibes of the song even if this style is kind of being used all over H!P currently.  I do love the progressive sound of the song and the guitar just wows me a LOT here.  Though the group singing in a lower range in the verses also caught me off guard and then the explosive chorus really surprised me too!  For the first new track off the album, it’s pretty damn good, but also a reminder to me that Risa isn’t in any of the new tracks (she left the group in late 2020).  Also NOT an Aa! cover either, had to make that clear xD.

3. Sankaime no Date Shinwa

Wow, I feel like this single was released long ago, but I mean it’s been like 2 years almost?  Regardless, Sankaime no Date Shinwa kind of faded from my mind since the single review and coming back to it now for the album, it’s definitely a song that pops out with it’s more louder sound with the inclusion of electric guitars in the arrangement and that it kind of gives me some anime vibes too.  It’s not bad of an A-side either, but there’s been better still!

4. Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma

Another A-side comes this way, a little more recent than the previous track.  Now this one initially reminded me too much of “Fuwari, Koi Dokei” with that sparse piano melody and the flickering ended up reminding me of Momusu’s “Toki wo Koe Sora wo Koe” in just the arrangement, but the chorus kind of changes that up by kind of giving us a little Drum n’ Bass sound which is neat…but still not quite that great, though I did like that bridge! (probably because of Riko’s solo dance).  Though props to Risa, Mao, Mizuho, and Yumeno for giving great vocal performances.  Not bad still, but you know the drill xD.

5. Ai wa Ima, Ai wo Motometeru

Yay!  Another new track shows up!  This one definitely feels like it changes the tone of the album as it’s more peppy and upbeat and kind of classic H!P genkiness you would expect.  I do like the riff of the arrangement and the happier notes that I felt were kind of lacking on this album so far.  It’s bright and the energy from the group is pleasant to hear for sure!  Not sure who leads here (I think there wasn’t wasn’t any) but it’s such a cute song and while not their kind of song, it’s nice to know they have something like this in their discography!  Kind of like “Uruwashi no Camelia” but on their 2nd album.

6. Fuwari, Koi Dokei

Likewise with “Sankaime no Date Shinwa”, this felt like it was also released so long ago.  This one felt quite interesting for the group at the time because it was a LOT more lighter and pleasant of a song.  I kind of just love the slower side of the group and the spring-like atmosphere of the song is refreshing for the group, plus it jsut feels like it flows and grows so nicely and even better that I notice all the members getting solo lines outside of like Mizuho, Risa, Yumeno, and Kiki getting the important hits and that bridge while random, kind of hits nice for me.  Yeah, this was a pretty good track here!

7. Saijoukyuu Story

Back to more of the new songs, Saijoukyuu Story comes next and it too also sounds a little like anime track that kind of feels more an upbeat pop/rock track for the group.  From those short previews, I feel like Mizuho has a lead part, but that could be me.  I ended enjoying this kind of breezy kind of song and it goes so nicely with everything on the album in a good way.  Kind of a little bit of a hidden gem on the album to be quite honest.  Great track here!  Although if anything, it does kind or remind me of some of Karin Miyamoto’s solo tracks at the moment, but since this actually released, I’ll let it pass.

8. Hikari no Curtain

I figured of the 6 new songs, one of them was going to be a ballad and here we are with Hikari no Curtain.  I will say it does kind of differ from the usual slop we get out of H!P when it comes to ballads by focusing on harmonies, acoustic guitar, and actually nice vocals from the group.  It’s kind of surprise to hear really and I’m loving the chorus as well with the string flourishes while the verses keep it simple (adding a little western feel in the 2nd verse).  Still doesn’t quite the amazing levels I’ve seen in the past, but this is OK, I suppose. 

9. Nineteen no Shinkirou

Kind of surprised to see B-sides making the albums cut, not all of them are here (the TROLLS covers are not on the album) but the other 3 B-sides did make it.  Nineteen no Shinkirou was originally a digital single before being updated on the “Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma / Dakishimerete Mitai” and really it still hasn’t latched onto me very much considering this screams live performances.  It’s upbeat, loud, and rockin’ which are normal elements when H!P needs a group to have a song to pump up the crowds (kind of like C-ute’s “JUMP” and Momusu’s “I surrender Aisaredo Ai”).  I still kind of get annoyed by the ~yurete, yurete, yurete, ienaaaaaaaaaiiii~ hook of the song too.  Yeah, this felt like it was coming, but I still kind of just don’t enjoy it much.

10. Koi no UFO Catcher

On the flipside, this B-side from “Dansha-ISM / Ima Nanji?” was way better than I expected.  It’s kind of synthy, but also carries the same upbeat nature as “Ai wa Ima, Ai wo Motometeru” as well which gives me great pleasure in listening especially since it’s a B-side.  It’s entirely catchy to me and the melody and vibes are just together in a way that just make it awesome to sing along.  Plus the switch-up in the bridge was surprising but awesome too.  Yeah this was a really good song and really happy it made the album!

11. Ima Nanji?

So back on the single review, I had kind of compared this to “Fuwari, Koi Dokei” just in the way it felt and how light it also sounded, but coming back to this song…it definitely has it’s own flair and movement that’s totally separate from the song too.  I was happy to hear Risamaru kick the song off and she does these light tracks so much justice.  That said, I was a little worried with that beat-drop chorus, luckily it wasn’t just the instrumentation as the girls pop back into round out the end of the choruses.  I do love the hook and the lead-in into the choruses as it’s just so front and in your face where the rest of the track is smooth and light…it’s got a lot of staying power for me…probably the best A-side released for the album.

12. Dakara Nannanda!

Back to new songs with Dakara Nannanda! and from the previews, this was the one I was morbidly curious about because of how meme-y it was with Saorin doing wacky things in the preview.  The song itself sounded pretty random too, kind of like the group was letting their hair down for this track.  Honestly, after all of the serious songs Tsubaki Factory has had through this album, this and “Ai wa Ima, Ai wo Motometeru” are kind of like fresh air songs and brings back the goofy and fun sound the group had from “first bloom”.  It’s a pretty synth-heavy song and it has a lot of punch and wild effects and the chorus is pretty nice too!  Yeah another good track here!

13. My Darling ~Do you love me?~

Yeah, the other B-side from “Dansha-ISM / Ima Nanji?” also made the cut and I guess I’ve sort of warmed up to it since it released last year by a little bit.  For a Takui Nakajima creation, this song is fitting with the pop/rock sound that usually comes with his works and it’s perfectly upbeat, but for some reason doesn’t hit like “Taikibansei” did back in the day.  It’s kind of cutesy and cheesy, but the song is nice and all 9 members get a solo line once again so it feel pretty complete of a song.  Not bad, but I could see its place here.

14. Dakishimerarete Mitai

As we near the end of the album, we hit the last of the A-sides with Dakishimerarete Mitai and of all the songs released as A-sides, this one definitely took a while to remember because I didn’t feel like it was a memorable track and especially with the rest of the tracks, it still kind of feels lost and forgotten because it sounds like a lot of other Tsubaki Factory songs (like “Teion Yakedo”, Hana Moyou”, “Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma” and more).  It’s just a really plain and vanilla song for me and it still doesn’t really do it for me as whole.  Why it’s placed towards the end is kind of weird, but whatever…moving on.

15. Tarinai Mono Umeteyuku Tabi

Ending the album is our last new song and huh…another ballad…fair enough.  Surprise that it is the album’s longest track too and unlike “Hikari no Curtain” this ballad is a bit more lively and bright and has Mao in the front it seems.  As simple as it sounds with the shuffling percussion and the piano (and the strings, post-chorus) it’s closes the album on a happier note which is nice, but I still don’t think I’d come back to this one much because there’s not much for me to stick to.  It’s OK for a closer, not my kind of song though.

Tracks Recommended

• Koi no UFO Catcher
• Ima Nanji?
• Fuwari, Koi Dokei
• Saijoukyuu Story
• Masayume

Song of Avoidance

• Dakishimerarete Mitai

When it comes to Tsubaki Factory’s sophomore effort, I don’t think it hit as strongly as “first bloom” did to be quite honest.  There was a lot of weird decisions on this album that I wasn’t too fond of and the A-sides, most weren’t as good because they were trying to recapture the feeling of the previous A-sides and it just felt off and generic at points.  I will say there were song great songs, but you’re going over this album versus their first which had literally over double the amount of songs.  Yeah, now with Risa Ogata leaving the group and an audition ongoing currently, I’m curious to how this 3rd era will kick off…

Tsubaki Factory – Dansha-ISM/Ima Nanji? October 1, 2020

Track Listing

1. Dansha-ISM
2. Ima Nanji?
3. My Darling ~Do you love me?~ (Reg A only)
4. Koi no UFO Catcher (Reg B only)
5. Dansha-ISM (Instrumental)
6. Ima Nanji? (Instrumental)
7. My Darling ~Do you love me?~ (Instrumental)
8. Koi no UFO Catcher (Instrumental)

1. Dansha-ISM

Opening the single, their main A-side, Dansha-ISM is kind of a bizarre song for the group to release.  I will say that I really enjoyed that electro opening for the song since it suited the current sound of H!P and the verses were energetic and got me pumped up.  Though I can’t agree with the rest of the song being rather cute and upbeat otherwise, it felt like two separate ideas that just didn’t work.  I don’t know why the song chorus is just that way.  I do like the vocals though and surprised with the rather nice lines we get from Kisora and Ami.  Ok song, but kind of stuck with a weak chorus.

2. Ima Nanji?

The other A-side on the single, Ima Nanji? feels like a ballad for the group which is OK, but nothing to really be surprised about.  Though it does kind of build a little more once they get towards the chorus where it builds to a mid-tempo dance track (kind of reminds me of “Fuwari, Koi Dokei” almost.  I see Ami once again, a bit more than usual and she’s gotten used to her cute vocals I see.  The rest of the group sound nice, but it does feel like treading on a similar ground like the aforementioned song and “I Need You ~Yozora no Kanransha~.  Also those breakdowns kind of remind me of The Chainsmokers lol!

3. My Darling ~Do you love me?~

Wow, two original B-sides eh, though of course their edition exclusives.  Reg A’s contain My Darling and this one was a kind of nice to listen to.  It’s pretty poppy and upbeat no thanks to Takui Nakajima that’s for sure and you can hear that in the arrangement and guitar melody.  It’s a nice track, honestly, I remember this one better than the A-sides!

4. Koi no UFO Catcher

As for the other B-side of the single, Koi no UFO Catcher is just as cute and upbeat as the previous track, but this one has a lean more on the synths and space-like atmosphere which is honestly catchy as hell!  Even the chorus has me bopping my head to it as it’s just sweet.  Definitely a really unique track and could pair nicely well with “Yuki no Planetarium” I’d say.

Wow, the first H!P in 2020 to release a second single and I’m just kind of blown with the space between releases (though we ALL know why they’re taking their time).  Anyways Tsubaki’s 2nd single of the year was a smidge better than their last one with more memorable tracks.  I’d say all of them have their interesting things about them, though I do prefer both B-sides over the leading tracks and surprised it was the case.  My Darling & Koi no UFO Catcher were really nice and peppy and both turned out well!  Ima Nanji? was nice but it’s like another bout of “Fuwari, Koi Dokei” and Dansha-ISM could’ve been great had it not been for the chorus.  Good single though!

Tsubaki Factory – Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma/Dakishimerarete Mitai January 15, 2020

Track Listing

1. Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma
2. Dakishimerarete Mitai
3. Nineteen no Shinkirou (Reg A only)
4. Hair up Sora e! (Reg B only)
5. Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma (Instrumental)
6. Dakishimerarete Mitai (Instrumental)
7. Nineteen no Shinkirou (Instrumental)

1. Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma

As the leading A-side of the single, Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma is kind of an odd one for me because it does start off like a ballad (with similar piano skips like in Momosu’s “Toki wo Koe Sora wo Koe”.  At least that part is nice and I really love Kishimon’s high notes in the pre-chorus.  Though the chorus because more upbeat and danceable that sort of reminds me of “Fuwari, Koi Dokei”.  Putting that together, it’s kind of not a memorable song for Tsubaki unfortunately and it just fees like fluff to me.

2. Dakishimerarete Mitai

The other B-side also kind of feels similar to me, especially when this reminds me of “Junjou cm”.  Not sure what the style they were going for here, but I do enjoy hearing all 9 members singing here which is always decent for me.  I think it’s also a bit of a wintry song with some of the jingling I hear through the chorus (which we already had with “Teion Yakedo”.”.  I don’t know, but this one did fare better than the leading A-side so I suppose that’s good?

3. Nineteen no Shinkirou

So if you don’t follow the group or just not in the in, Nineteen no Shinkirou is a song that was released digitally, already last year, but that was tagged as a special version primarily due to Kiki’s absence.  So on this single it’s touted as the complete version as Kiki’s returned.  The song itself hasn’t changed and the presence of Kiki really doesn’t move things as much as I expected.  It’s still a song that feels better hearing live rather than getting a studio cut.  It’s upbeat, rockin’, and full of energy, but it’s just kind of how I feel about most of these songs.

4. Hair up Sora e!

Didn’t mention this but the single is split into editions of course and Regular A had “Nineteen no Shinkirou” while Regular B came with this track!  I’m pretty surprised it took them this long, but this song is the ending theme to the TROLLS cartoon in Japan (if you recall, “Mou Saikou!” was the opening theme).  I do prefer this over the aforementioned as it’s not as super girly and the kind of danceable feel mixed with the ~buhhh-da-daah~ is really nice.  Though it does feel like it repeats a lot.  Still, I dug it.

 

 

I’m gonna say it, but this is probably my least favorite single out of Tsubaki Factory so far.  When the TROLLS song ends up being my favorite out of the single it’s definitely a problem.  Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma and Dakishimerarete Mitai really don’t bring anything new to the table and they just feel like safe songs that really didn’t make them stand out (especially since it’s been almost a year since their last single, “Sankaime no Date Shinwa/Fuwari, Koi Dokei”.  As for Nineteen no Shinkirou, I think it was just a bad idea to have released a Kiki-less version and then to re-update it on this single, especially since the song is kind of throw-away.  Unfortunate single here.

Tsubaki Factory – Sankaime no Date Shinwa/Fuwari, Koi Tokei February 15, 2019

Track Listing

1. Sankaime no Date Shinwa
2. Fuwari, Koi Tokei
3. Mou Saikou!
4. Sankaime no Date Shinwa (Instrumental)
5. Fuwari, Koi Tokei (Instrumental)

1. Sankaime no Date Shinwa

As the leading song, Sankaime no Date Shinwa takes more of the serious route like “Junjou cm” and “Hana Moyou” but with a little more guitar lines to make it more angsty and wild.  I’m noticing a lot of Maopin in the track which is a nice change on top of hearing all of the normal leads take place as well.  I mean Ami gets one line while Riko gets 2, but the rest sound awesome here and the track is just a fun ride overall!

2. Fuwari, Koi Tokei

I wasn’t expecting the other A-side to rather be a soft song for the group, kicking things with piano and Risamaru/Kishimon lines.  I really love the buildup to its chorus a lot and when it does happen, the chorus is just right and the line distribution feels a bit more even.  The only thing that seemed maybe a bit out of place was the bridge with the synths and light dubstep blemishes.

3. Mou Saikou!

I wasn’t expecting the single to include a B-side, but Mou Saikou! ended up being included.  If you don’t know, it is a Japanese Cover of “Best Day Ever!” the English version that was used in the cartoon Trolls: The Beat Goes On.  What an odd choice for a song to cover (they also covered “Hair In the Air!”, “Hair up Sora e!”, which is oddly missing?).  Back to Mou Saikou! the song is definitely something unusual for Tsubaki since it doesn’t sound like anything of theirs.  Regardless, the song is just happiness rolled into a song and quite catchy of a song.  I was even liking the solos (well the ones that were given to Mizuho, Kiki, Risa, and Yumeno.  I’m not even surprised the song is only 2:50 in length either.  Cute song though.

 

 

Tsubaki releases their first single in 2019 with a pretty decent one at that!  After “first bloom”, I felt like Tsubaki were on a roll and decided to continue throwing great songs like Sankaime no Date Shinwa which covered the serious, dancey track while Fuwari, Koi Tokei was the slower but romantic one.  Throwing Mou Saikou! as a bonus was neat (should’ve added “Hair up Sora e!” to kind of get both Trolls songs outta the way though).  All in all, this was a good single for them!

Tsubaki Factory – first bloom November 15, 2018

Track Listing

1. Hatsukoi Sunrise
2. Hyoumen Chouryoku ~Surface Tension~
3. Kon’ya Dake Ukaretakatta
4. Shuukatsu Sensation
5. I Need You ~Yozora no Kanransha~
6. Kanousei no Concerto
7. Shunrenka
8. Date no Hi wa Nido Kurai Shower Shite Dekaketai
9. Kaerou Let’s Go!
10. Just Try!
11. Junjou cm
12. Waratte
13. Yuki no Planetarium
14. Uruwashi no Camellia
15. Hana Moyou
16. Teion Yakedo
17. Happy Cracker
18. Furisake Mireba…

CD2

1. Hitorijime
2. Kedakaku Sakihokore!
3. Seishun Manmannaka!
4. Watashi ga Obasan ni Nattemo
5. 17sai
6. Cabbage Hakusho ~Haru-hen~
7. LET’S LIVE!
8. Jiriri Kiteru
9. Tokai no Hitorigurashi
10. Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi
11. ENDLESS YOUTH

1. Hatsukoi Sunrise

Fitting that the group’s first album would open up with their major label debut and known for being the debut for Mao, Saori, and Mizuho!  To be fair, the song was pretty awesome as the 9-nin’s debut because it just smacked hard and the tune is pretty damn catchy!  Plus, hearing all the members getting some kind of solo was pretty impressive and did a great job to alleviate the fears a lot of fans were having during their indies days!

2. Hyoumen Chouryoku ~Surface Tension~

So the album contains 6 new tracks (though 5 of those 6 were heard in concerts throughout the year so we’ve had some time with a couple of those.  Hyoumen Chouryoku was one of the more recent ones and from information, the song was kind of a freebie song that was used in a contest (lost, but was given to Tsubaki Factory down the line).  I already can tell that this one might stand out because of the funkier vibes I get here (almost feels like it belongs to Juice=Juice).  I will say the energy here is nice and the group sounds exciting too!  Not bad, if there’s anything the high note in the chorus is a bit abrasive, but the song is catchy too!

3. Kon’ya Dake Ukaretakatta

As part of the group’s 4th and final single for the album, I felt like most of that single just kind of flew by my head.  Coming back to this song, Kon’ya Dake Ukaretakatta was purely a favorite off that single (probably the best of the 2018 A-sides).  There’s just something so bright and cute about this song that just worked, maybe it’s those filtered vocals at the beginning and the beat of the track overall.  I just thought that it was a pretty awesome song and was a good tune to remember.

4. Shuukatsu Sensation

Moving back to their 2nd single, Shuukatsu Sensation was the primary A-side off the single and just like “Kon’ya Dake Ukaretakatta”, it was an instant favorite of mine off that single because it seemed a bit more funkier than their songs before.  I’m really liking a lot of the song because of the hooks and hearing Kishimon just belting it out always impressed me and then having Mizuho also having the other solo line just showed how much she was being pushed as a main singer.  Another awesome song!

5. I Need You ~Yozora no Kanransha~

Part of their 3rd single, I Need You was kind of a hot n’ cold kind of track for me.  I do like that it did slow things for the group and focused on solos and the sentimentality of the mood, but it’s kind of ruined by the weird passages of dubstep in the music bridges.  If they had taken that out altogether, I would’ve deemed the song higher because the rest is cute and poppy and just sweetness.  Still, did not need those parts ugh!

6. Kanousei no Concerto

Our next new track comes up next and like “Hyoumen Chouryoku”, was performed a bit more recently compared to other tracks and this one felt like an anison track from the beginning, but I’m not complaining at all!  Though the problem is with how memorable of a song it is on this album and while it does give a different sound in comparison to other tracks, I don’t think it quite sticks out over other songs (most of the A-sides).

7. Shunrenka

Like I said, most of the A-sides the group released this year have ben rather mediocre and forgettable to me and Shunrenka is one of those tracks.  I will say it does kind of feel slightly nostalgic with the guitar-heavy arrangement mixed in with that Springtime goodness, but it just doesn’t quite resonate with me much.  Yeah, this song was meh for me.

8. Date no Hi wa Nido Kurai Shower Shite Dekaketai

Same thing with the primary A-side of their 4th single, I’m not sure why Tsubaki’s lead tracks this year haven’t quite caught my attention versus other Hello! Project releases.  I mean, I do like the guitar flickering and the more serious side to the group, but there’s just something missing for me here.  It just felt like the verses were building to something pretty awesome, but the chorus just felt like a letdown.  At least listen to the verses because they are the best part of the track.

9. Kaerou Let’s Go!

The only track that wasn’t performed in any concerts as of the review, Kaerou Let’s Go! is technically the only brand spankin’ new track and they really amped up the cute factor for this one!  It does remind me of those songs we’d find in the anime era of H!P (ala Guardians 4 and Buono!).  I kind of like the brightness of the song here and the girls sound a LOT more younger than what I’m used to.  I wonder if it’s because they’re using Kisora, Ami, & Saori more here?  Does feel like it works in tandem with “Kanousei no Concerto” due to both songs having an anison kind of feel to them.  I kind of liked this one a lot!

10. Just Try!

Odd that they place Just Try! (their cool song) after the previous track as it kind of brings us back to familiar levels with the group.  After having so much time with this song and watching the group grow with more songs under their belt, this song actually kind of got worse as time went on.  I mean, I still dig some parts like the intro and the prechorus, but the rest of the song felt so flat and mechanical almost to the point of kind of being annoying to me.  This felt like something that belonged in the indies era of songs (and even then it’s not as strong as their original trio of indies songs).

11. Junjou cm

I don’t know why, but whenever I listen to this, I get reminded me of “Hatsukoi Sunrise” & “Hana Moyou” but with a touch of seriousness and better vocal strength all-around.  The arrangement is familiar using strings as well giving me a bit of S/mileage and Morning Musume vibes as well which doesn’t quite lift the song to a high enough platform for me to remember it by.  Though, I guess it’s the bridge between the good and poor A-sides of this year.

12. Waratte

I’m happy that the album picks up again with this A-side from their 2nd single, Waratte.  It definitely gives me a mix of 80s and funk vibes and that really solidified that whole single for me in a nice way.  It’s the group being outside of the box and being cute, yet coy about the whole song.  It’s just peppy and it works for me, great song and good choice to pick up the slack after the previous two tracks.

13. Yuki no Planetarium

As the oldest of the “new” tracks, I instantly fell in love with this song when I took a quick live listen to it.  I mean it does have a LOT of synthwork put into it more than the rest of the new tracks and it has Spanish guitar in it as well which really sounds cool!  I mean considering it did get first performed right after the release of their 2nd single, this track just sounds awesome and it’s definitely my favorite of the 6 new tracks here!  Really great job here!

14. Uruwashi no Camellia

On our final stretch of old songs, we get to Uruwashi no Camellia which kind of plays up the ragtime sound by putting filters on the girls for the first verse!  While I still think “Hatsukoi Sunrise” is the best from the single, I definitely appreciated the originality of this song and the choice to make the song sound old-timey for the verse (if it’s kind of odd without the video to give reason).  It’s a cute song and very playful for the group and definitely sticks out on the album (funny enough, I feel like a song like this would work for the newly unveiled group, Ame no Mori Kawa Umi).

15. Hana Moyou

I guess I can see why “Junjou cm” wasn’t placed here with the next two tracks as they all would kind of blend into each other too much.  With a sound that I could compare to something that C-ute would easily tackle if they were still together, Hana Moyou is a nice try at the more serious side to their group dynamic.  I still do think the chorus is a bit strange to my ears, but the song is still decent to me.

16. Teion Yakedo

Which brings us to the other serious song, Teion Yakedo and I still feel like it’s a great track, fixing the problems I had with “Hana Moyou”.  The chorus definitely gives me an anison sound, but it’s a strong and powerful chorus which I appreciate the most here.  While it was technically released digitally in 2017, it was the primary A-side of the first single they released this year and it still beat out most of the other songs (maybe except “Kon’ya Dake Ukaretakatta”).  It’s still a pretty damn good track overall!

17. Happy Cracker

As the last two tracks are new, I was kind of wondering why they placed this one back here as it’s pretty hyper and loud (especially coming after the cool “Teion Yakedo” and the ballad-like “Furisake Mireba…”.  Though the song does feel like an encore song for concerts because it’s happy-go-lucky and just fast-paced…think of a sugary take on C-ute’s “Iron Heart” or even their “JUMP”.  For me, it’s a bit too wild for me, but I do appreciate they have a song like this to really get the crowd excited!

18. Furisake Mireba…

The first disc closes out with Furisake Mireba… and unsurprisingly it’d be a softer song sung by the group here.  I mean, I do love the piano opening things up which is a totally different mood versus the rest of the album.  I do like the bouncy rhythm it gives me and after a third of the way, the song adds more odd things like beats/snaps and some flute-like thing.  It’s strange because it goes in and out of the arrangement, making it sound more kiddy than I thought it would.  It’s a decent closer, thought it was going to stay piano-only, but the added extras kind of made it cute and youthful.

CD2

1. Hitorijime

CD 2 begins with Hitorijime (which was the leading A-side off their 3rd indies single), now if you were coming into this hoping that the 6 indie tracks were resung to fit in Mao, Mizuho, and Saori, then you’ll be disappointed.  None of the tracks were edited so we still have the original recordings with the 6 members.  I’ve always thought Hitorijime was so oddly timed because the 2nd Gen members were added shortly after this single released (and it had a PV to go with it too).  Granted, this song was a bop and it really showcased Kishimon’s vocals up-front next to Risamaru and Kiki’s vocals as well (as originally those 3 were kind of used as the main vocalists).  The tune does kind of remind me of Platinum era Morning Musume but in a good way.  Definitely a nice track for them!

2. Kedakaku Sakihokore!

Though if I had to choose, their 2nd indies single was my favorite of them as it was straight EDM and they had vocal filters, a rap line between Kishimon & Risamaru and just a powerful sound that was sorely missing in their debut.  I also kind of wonder what a 9-nin version of this song would sound like…  Either way, this track was a great song to really push them forward and I’m happy they brought all of their indies work to the album.

3. Seishun Manmannaka!

God, it feels like it’s been forever since I’ve actually listened to this track and it feels so foreign to me because it was their debut!  I really wanna hear what current Tsubaki would sound like redoing this track.  It doesn’t quite have as much punch as “Kedakaku Sakihokore!” does being a little more technopop than a club bopper and considering that the vocals aren’t quite as stable as they are now…it was an interesting song to debut with.  I’ll take it though because it’s still can be an earworm.

4. Watashi ga Obasan ni Nattemo

The next two tracks were released in their indies days too, but these two are different because they’re covers of classic Chisato Moritaka tracks!  The first of them was found as the secondary A-side to “Hitorijime” and it is a little rough coming into these because they’ve been electro’d HEAVILY versus the originals.  I think this one felt more strongly messed with, but I do like how it’s toned down more than “17sai” was.  I still like it and hearing the girls sound happy in this track is just nice too.  Very fitting as an A-side!

5. 17sai

While “Seishun Manmannaka!” was their first official release as a group, this Moritaka cover was the first song they performed as a group!  Like I said with the track previous, 17sai was also heavily altered to more of an electro song (not quite like the DDR version) but it’s more upbeat and the synths are more grittier although the only qualm I have is that weird synth splash in the 2nd verse right after Risa’s line.  It’s a simpler song too and it gave all the members the same time to shine.  It’s still a good cover, but likewise…how did they switch it up after adding 3 members since they still perform this!

6. Cabbage Hakusho ~Haru-hen~

Of course they couldn’t leave out this track which was the only new track off the “SOUND + VISION Vol.1” mini-album they did.  This cover of the SATOYAMA group, Peaberry’s song is pretty basic I’d say as things go…a LOT more interesting than the original two-takes from Peaberry, but I still have issues with it.  I mean it’s nothing of Tsubaki’s fault luckily, but I still hate they shoved “Furusato” up in it after the first chorus and kind of throwing off everything (I know why it’s there, but it’s still distracting nonetheless).  Without that glaring mess, I’d say it’s a nice cover and it felt better having more members involved than just Riho and Ayaka.

7. LET’S LIVE!

So the rest of Disc 2 has new covers (a thing that Hello! Project has been seeming to do a LOT with albums recently ala Juice=Juice & Kobushi Factory).  Kicking things off is probably one of two surprises and this is a cover of a B-side from v-u-den’s 2007 single, “Koisuru♡Angel♡Heart”.  I mean considering we tripled the amount of members to fit here, I was curious to see what it’s like and it definitely has the Hello! Project of yore with the synth horns and nostalgic H!P vibes.  It’s a peppy track and hearing the girls in a higher range is interesting.  I dug it!

8. Jiriri Kiteru

Of course it was initially shown that the Factory groups were kind of like Berryz & C-ute so it’s not surprise that Tsubaki would cover a track from both groups!  Since none of the arrangements were touched, I was happy to see Jiriri Kiteru covered since the original Berryz cut had more of younger vocals.  Then again I can argue that Tsubaki sounds just as young as them.  I don’t think it sounds as raw as the original, but they handled it pretty well vocally.  It’s just that I expect Momoko, Miyabi, and Risako and they aren’t here LOL.

9. Tokai no Hitorigurashi

Interesting they decided to cover this song as it was one of the more recent C-ute songs.  I mean, I don’t think it’s the group’s signature song, but it’s nice they were given more of a peppy song to cover like “LET’S LIVE!”.  Tsubaki’s take on Tokai no Hitorigurashi isn’t going to sound quite as womanly like the original (remember C-ute was like hitting their 20’s at this point).  It’s decent, but I think I’ll stick to the original cut this time.

10. Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi

Another Berryz cover?  Another song I wasn’t expecting to be covered, this one was only 5 singles after “Jiriri Kiteru”.  While it wasn’t one of my favorites when Berryz was active, I did like how upbeat they were and it’s kind of a silly song almost.  Tsubaki sounds fitting for a song like this, almost a bit cuter than the original, but it was almost because Berryz was going through their vocal changes (puberty).  It’s a good cover overall and I’d maybe rank it as the best cover (not including the previous released covers).

11. ENDLESS YOUTH

Ending off the 2nd disc, we close things out with a Melon Kinenbi track (an album song from their first album, “1st Anniversary”).  An odd choice indeed because of the arrangement, but I dug they chose it for the lyrics here.  I also like how it showcased the group vocally too!  Like “LET’S LIVE!”, it just brings nostalgia to me for older H!P songs and closes this album off in a nice bow.  Everyone sounds nice and the feeling is still there after the original quartet of the Melon’s sung it.

Tracks Recommended

• Shuukatsu Sensation
• Hatsukoi Sunrise
• Yuki no Planetarium
• Kon’ya Dake Ukaretakatta
• Waratte

 

• Kedakaku Sakihokore!
• Watashi ga Obasan ni Nattemo
• Hitorijime
• Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi
• 17sai

Song of Avoidance

• Just Try!
• Cabbage Hakusho ~Haru-hen~

Wow!  We’re finally here at Tsubaki’s first album!  This was definitely crammed with a lot of material (like Juice=Juice’s sophomore album earlier in the year) and it seems like I ended up really enjoying a LOT of this album despite only having 6 new tracks and 5 covers on top of the already released stuff.  A lot of their releases have kept me excited for this album (maybe not so much the 2 singles they released this year).  first bloom has a lot of interesting things going for it and it’s worth a listen!