6 posts tagged “music”
first of all, i want to state that there was nothing i was overly fond of on her previous american album, titled 'exodus,' and so i expected likewise of this one. which is why my jaw literally dropped when i started the first track all the way through to finishing the last, because this is so out of her normal style that just when i expect something of the regular variety from her.. well, you get the idea. and so, here goes:
1) On and On. a club track through and through. the beat does feel a bit recycled, but it's completely refreshing to be surprised by utada. it's also good to hear that her vocals (or maybe the mixing) is much improved. the heavy bass makes me want to pop, despite the repetitive verses. i'd be very surprised if she was really the one who produced this track though. 8/10
2) Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - FYI. this made me crack a grin from ear to ear, if only because the merry christmas mr. lawrence sample reminded me so heavily of the asianavenue days. add in the remixed beat and i'm thoroughly bouncing in my chair like a three-year-old on a sugar high. it being a thoroughly well-mixed track, again, only helps its case. as compared to her previous album, the lyrics are nowhere near as cheesy and amateur. there's also something about her diction that's much improved. 8/10
3) Apple and Cinnamon. a more dramatic sound to it with the piano underlay, and the beat adds an interesting mix. i don't really get what the song is about though? the whole apple and cinnamon line just makes me laugh, and i'm not sure that's the intention of the track, judging by the sound of the song. sounds also like this is about a breakup, and i'm just not getting the apple and cinnamon thing. hmm. 7/10
4) Taking My Money Back. okay this track is just silly. the only good part about it is the melody of the opening of the chorus. i'm just not too sure i like this track at all, but maybe it'll grow on me? there's a lot of electrosync sounds in the background, and i suppose that could sound pleasant. this one also has a piano underlay, and i'm beginning to see a bit of a theme going on here. 6/10
5) This One (Crying Like a Child). simply my favorite track of the whole album. a simple guitar riff with a rather simple beat, the sound is remarkably dramatic. this one sort of reminds me of her "deep river" days, especially when the chorus begins and she sings it so heartrendingly. i feel almost like this should've been the promotional single released, especially when the album is named after this track (and for good reason too). the electric guitar that comes in during the little intermission verse makes it sound that much more dramatic too. 9/10
6) Automatic Part II. i had no idea what to expect from a track named after one of her first singles, but i loved the first couple of lines. it's obvious she designed for this to appeal to her long-time american fans, and i get all fangirly just thinking about it. the beat is very simple, but her vocals do show some power, which really makes me happy. i feel like her vocal style really did change, and improve, through this album. other than those points, this is a bit of a drab track if you just listen to the sound and not the lyrics. for the fangirl factor, i give it 8/10
7) Dirty Desire. LMAO i modelled for a friend a couple of days ago and posed to this album as the soundtrack. once this track came up i just burst out laughing and it seriously took me a full 2 minutes to stop. it's certainly interesting to hear her talk with an attitude, since i wouldn't have thought she was capable of it. it's probably as close as she'll come to rapping, but imo it sounds kind of cool. the song in itself isn't all too impressive unfortunately though. 7/10
8) Poppin'. should i expect the pink panther to round the corner now? because that's how this track starts, with the whole detective film sound going. you'd expect flappers and bright red lipstick and bobs from hearing this track. and cigarettes. it's overall a pretty cute track, but after a while it does get a little repetitive. 7.5/10
9) Come Back to Me. this is her single for this album. honestly, it's decent, but it's nothing special, imo, and so i'm not sure what to make of it, because i feel almost obligated to like it simply because i loved the other ballad in this album so much. i feel like this is a song that someone has done before--it's nothing special, not even emotionally moving. if the piano riff was a bit more prominent maybe? oh well, the guy in the video was cute. 7.5/10
10) Me Muero. the beginning sounds like elevator music, lol. i really like the tropical sound she's got going through the track, and the melody sounds really happy-go-lucky. it's really easy music to get all feminist and strutty to, which probably makes absolutely no sense, but is the best i can do to describe this track. in general, it's a really nice track to close with. 8/10
in general, it's one of those albums i'd definitely have on repeat for a while to come. i still can't get over listening to track 5, and it's one of my regular repeats lately. i read somewhere that she admits to having made mistakes with 'exodus' and thinking good, but i also read that she hated the way they portrayed her in the last album? personally, if only her cover for this album was a bit more sexed up, she would definitely sell better. i don't really understand what the deal with the new album cover is, because i really don't like it. the uk version of her exodus album was perfect. when it comes to her image i think they didn't do too badly on her last album, but that's just my opinion. the music for this is definitely notches above exodus though, because her versatility really shines through when she tackles these other genres.
been listening to this album all day at work, so i may be a bit biased. i was really skeptical about this album initially (i mean, what kind of title is color change??) but i'm glad it proved me wrong. i was especially not sure what to expect since there were only 2 singles between this album and her last. here's a track-by-track breakdown:
1) Namida no Saki ni. i didn't realize how avril lavigne this sounded until mike mentioned it. this was one of her singles, and i would've liked the song itself a bit better if it wasn't for a very weird and somewhat crappy video. but either way, after giving it a few more listens, it's easier to warm up to this one. not what i'd choose for an album opener, but decent enough. 7/10
2) ONE. i keep having to ask myself, is this really a pokemon track? it sure doesn't sound like one, but it retains the preppiness from the last track--and makes it better. the tune is somehow better, and it's catchy as hell. i found myself singing that "You are the one" line to mike repeatedly in the car. it's awfully cute, but i have to wonder how they pull off that pikachu duet. 7.5/10
3) Good Times. the bass for this track is fucking crazy in the car, like so heavy that i can barely hear her singing. but that's the fault of the settings in the cd player, i guess, and in any case, i love the flow of the bass in the background throughout the song. only thing that was a bit weird is that the transition from the last track and this one is almost nonexistent. they just kind of throw it at you. the beat is nothing new, it's her usual generic thing. so what really carries this track for me is really the bass. plus, the interlude near the end between choruses is really catchy. it's just a great track to jam along to, especially when you're like me and stuck doing page proofs all day. 7.8/10
4) Help Me Out. heavy dance beat that makes me wanna pop my chest every time. nice tune after the first verse. the chorus seems a bit preppier than what it seemed like it would lead up to, but that's cool, since the tune is still relatively catchy. after a while though, this is more appealing as background music to play while doing something else. what there is of the lyrics in english doesn't make much sense, and i wouldn't have expected a song like this to have a fadeout at the end instead. 7.2/10
5) ITOSHIIHITO. very chill track. the beat and the music just cruises along, and it has this relaxing mood to it. the vocals and tune are nicely done too, and everything comes together beautifully. the chorus mainly comprises of repeating "itoshii hito" over and over, but it sounds soothing when done like that, rather than overwhelming. nice minimalist ending. 8.3/10
6) Kaerimichi. i have to wonder what this song means, because this really sounds more like something alan would sing. i find it surprising that crystal kay would sing songs that have this kind of asian flavor to it from time to time, since she does so much R&B i usually wouldn't expect it from her. the tune of this song itself seems to tell a story. i have no idea what the lyrics mean, but it sure makes me curious just hearing the awesome melody of this song. the chorus especially is well written; the notes fluctuate well and her voice makes the high notes sound crystal clear. the little piano parts in the back reminds me of some tracks from the final fantasy x ost, specifically. beautiful instrumental arrangement at the end, btw. 8/10
7) Toki no Kakera. it sounds really slow upon the opening and first verse. picks up a little bit after that, and i'd have to say this sounds more like a pokemon movie theme than track 2--there's something about this track that makes it feel like it belongs at the end of a movie. it feels kind of conclusive, almost, like everything's done with and let's recap what happened. but maybe that's just me. anyway, it's interesting to couple something that sounds relatively like a traditional ballad with a beat in the back, and i like it. 7.5/10
8) TIME GOES BY. this sounds like typical crystal kay again, but the tune is pretty catchy. this sounds like one of those songs where you talk about each day of the week and what you did, but i wouldn't know, i have no idea what the lyrics mean. this sounds like filler for the rest of the album, but it's relatively okay to use for background music, i guess? not sure what else i could say about this, since they were too lazy to do any proper ending for this track too (it was a fadeout again). 7/10
9) I Can't Wait. the beginning sounds fun. very tropical/preschool building blocks. i know, that doesn't make any sense. but then when she starts on the actual verse, it doesn't sound very interesting. the message of the song and the tune don't sound like they fit at all. the parts where she doesn't sing sound much better than the parts where she does--that's bad, right? other than the opener and those other random interesting bits of instrumentals, it's relatively repetitive/boring. much credit goes to the mixer. 6.8/10
10) Shining. cute track. it doesn't matter to me how out of place this track is after that last one, since i loved this track since it came out as a single disguised as a mini-album last december. i love that freeze before the chorus, and this sounds like a marathon song, or like it should be played during world sports events, or the olympics or something. something to cheer up morale? :D it just screams come on everybody let's go we can do it! to me. i also love how the slowed down bridge near the end sounds like a good night. don't ask me how that makes any sense, that's just what it feels like to me. 7.8/10
11) It's a crime. this sounds sooo european. the beat, i mean. the whole electronica fuse thing is the last thing i'd have expected from her. the chorus sounds really imogen heap, as mike said, and the funky sound effects add a nice touch. i don't care that the lyrics are high school, i only know that if i were walking down the street with this on my ipod, i'd be marching and making jerky motions to the beat. very cool. 8.5/10
12) History. ohh man. this so should've been her first track instead. the way it starts just sounds like a "get ready, i'm gonna rock your socks off" message. or a "get ready, you're not ready for what i've got." the message sounds like it's about a breakup though, which i feel doesn't match the beat nor the tune. but seriously, i'm just going to ignore what the words are, because this sounds awesome. the breakdown in the middle sounds great too, like a remixed blues vers. then again, if she started off with this track, i have no idea how she could end this album satisfactorily. 9/10
overall, this album completely surprised me. i didn't much care for her last album--everything sounded way too overdone, or maybe underdone--it's like she was doing the same track over and over again. there's actually something fresh from her coming off this album, and her versatility shows a bit more when she shows she can go between styles. the cover also makes me wanna try on wigs. and i've never noticed how WHITE her teeth were until i saw this specific promo pic. bottom line: if this album wasn't $30 friggin bucks, i'd buy it. damn me and my imported music!
wow. release date the same as the new l'arc-en-ciel single, so i'm sure this april 4th has got to be the best day to come along in a while. to top it off, an awesome cover, and i'm sure awesome songs too, so i'm seriously considering buying this. i think there were 4 singles released for this previously, and i liked most of them, so i'm sure i'd love this too. my ratings song by song:
1) LALALA. it doesn't sound like much to expect to begin with, since it starts off with a simple guitar riff with a simple beat. once the chorus hits in though, it's much catchier, and her voice is amazing as always. right after the first chorus though, this annoying dude pops up and starts "rapping," if you can even call it that. it's enough to make my ears bleed. but what's best is that even with this ass killing my ears, i still love this song regardless. now, if he wasn't there.. this would've been perfect. :) this dude comes back after every chorus, but what can i do. did i mention this was a LONG song? i think it's about 7 minutes long, but it's all worth it, for the final buildup of the chorus near the end. the beat changes and it's so FINAL. just very awesome. 8.5/10
2) 19 Memories. it starts with "I wanna be free, I wanna feel joy; I wanna be strong.." a lot of people love this song, and it's not that it's bad per say, because i rather like it too, but i think if i'd heard the song before i saw the video, i wouldn't have been that impressed, because the selling point of this song was definitely the pv. this song sounds really old school, like almost 90s r&b, but.. not quite. and i'm not really sure what the title is supposed to mean, if anything at all. her voice sounds awesome as always though, and i guess the song is rather catchy, but not quite as emotional as the first track. this was the last single she released before the album, and it was also sampled from amuro namie's "sweet 19 blues." 7.5/10
3) Better days -sweet love side-. this was originally a collaboration with tanaka roma and some other rapper dude, who i don't care enough to remember (because he really wasn't memorable, even though this was his song). the selling point of the song was definitely her voice though, even in the original, so i guess it would make sense that she rerecorded a solo version and used it as a track in this album. very catchy chorus, with a piano riff as a constant in the background, and a nice beat too. there's really nothing to complain about here, but again, i heard the original first, so maybe i can be relatively harsh. the ending more than makes up for whatever impairs this song in my judgment though. for some reason the piano riff reminds me of.. bleach? 8/10
4) You go your way. again, real catchy stuff here. there's a very summer breeze feel to this, like it should be in an advertisement for some soft drink at a beach. so far, it sounds like this album isn't as hip-hop-ish as her 2nd, which is kind of nice too. her vocals have improved too, though it's not very noticeable at first listen. this track in particular has a VERY catchy chorus; i found myself bouncing to it before i realized it. the title would imply it's a sad song though, which makes me wonder if she knows the meaning of the title (i assume she does since she is so obsessed with american music herself). i'm really imagining pineapples and coconuts when i hear this though--this could be because of the funky bongos in the back. i can totally imagine playing this song in the car while cruising around in summer. there's an abrupt point where it's completely silent, and i think the song's ended, but it hasn't. love that. 8.5/10
5) Kiss. people in the forums are raving about this song, but when i finally hear it myself, it seems like my expectations have been built up too much. the track uses a lot of the echo stuff in here, but at some points a lot of it reminds me of some other songs i've heard, so i didn't think it was anything special. i get really spacey when i listen to this, so maybe that's why too, but i think i'm spacey directly because of those echo effects in here, so not my fault really. her improvement in vocalizing is pretty apparent in here though. 7/10
6) Love is.... this was the ending theme for an anime called.. terra e or something? i haven't seen the anime so i can't judge if that was appropriate and whatnot, but this uses the classical piece canon as the background tune, and she sings over it--much like the way the classical piece was used in garden of everything (with maaya sakamoto and steve conte, which was absolutely genius).. for a slow song, i think this was pretty good, but the video totally weirded me out. her voice is so made for singing, is all i can say. regardless, i like her better in faster-paced songs. there's a certain strength i want to hear from ballads like this, that might be why. interesting ending, at the least. 6.5/10
7) Saigo no I LOVE YOU. very nice opening guitar riffs. it sets you up for the overall sadness throughout the song, and the way she sings the tune sounds really heartfelt too. there is really the sense of saying goodbye to someone you love. her adlibbing in here is really good too, and she comes off sounding really like she's longing for someone rather than whining like most artists tend to sound. i can definitely hear her admiration for mary j. blige through this track; this has got to be my favorite track so far into the album. 8.9/10
8) Just Wanna Have Fun. this track's placement was a little weird, since this is such an upbeat song. putting it right after a really sad song is a bit of a weird decision to me, but i guess it doesn't really detract from anything, so there's no reason for me to complain. her swings in her vocals are somewhat impressive--not hard, but she does so many of them, and still manages to make it sound fun. and they're so fastly paced! her singing sounds more like rapping in here, but it sounds so cool the way she does it i can't help but be impressed. the song itself is pretty empty though, since there isn't really a consistent tune, and it's basically repeating the same thing over and over to a beat. a really fast beat at that, but nonetheless just a beat. it sounds basically like it was written and mixed in about 2 hours. i'm not a big fan of repetition in anything. so since i'm judging based on how much i enjoy listening to these tracks, despite her impressive vocals, it's a no go. 5.5/10
9) TOUGH. this starts off.. really weird. well, maybe funky is more the word for it. it has a bit of a 70s/80s touch. i think if i can see a video for this and she's dancing along or something, i would probably like it more. as it is, it's not something that would be played very often by choice.. more one of those tracks i'd gladly skip, until that VERY interesting instrumental break in the middle of the song. and she sings on top of it after a round or two, and it's really cool; that's about the only thing i found really worthwhile in this track though. 6.5/10
10) Young Lady. very generic beat.. but i can't judge by that alone, i guess. the problem is, the first couple of verses don't sound very original either. i feel like this has been the same kind of tune i've been listening to throughout this album. but i'd counted on the chorus to be extra special, and unfortunately it fell short on that mark too. it seems the further along i got into this album, the least i enjoy it. this is one of those songs that might make good background music while i'm doing work though, so i'll give it at least that. her going "I'M SO STRONG, YEAH!" near the end really cracked me up--she should probably have consulted with someone who spoke english to make sure she wouldn't be laughed at. 5.5/10
11) Sayonara. well, since this song means goodbye, i'm really not surprised that it starts off with a solitary-sounding piano. the question is whether her vocals will create a nice enough mood? or, maybe the real question is whether the producers did a good enough job on the tune to call it something like "sayonara".. but i needn't have worried. the beat coming in after the first few verses created mood by itself. there's a real nightclub vibe going on, or that kind of thing where you expect her to be cradling the mic with a spotlight on her, and she's wearing one of those sparkly nightdresses. the tune during her bridge is a bit weird, but i got used to it after several listens. truth is i think this might be the best ballad into the album so far, beating "love is..." which was released as a single. i think a lot of it has to do with whether the song fits her singing style/voice range too. 7.5/10
12) U gatta understand. whoa. this starts off weird. with the whole oriental erhu sound to it too--really reminded me of "Cry no more" in her last album. but dammit, miliyah! it's spelled "gotta"! xD very funky/almost new age sound to it. i find i rather like it too. i think most of the credit goes to the mixer though, because everything else isn't all that impressive, but the thing is it WORKS. there's this quality of freedom to it, it feels really fresh. there are also many, many layers to the mix that i can't even begin to pick out. i'd say this must rank among my favorites in this album so far. 8.5/10
13) Ai wa Kawarazu. this was copied! but what's new, she samples pretty much everything. thing is this sounds soo similar to that other song i'm thinking of, but can't remember. i think the song i'm thinking of was in the rush hour soundtrack somewhere. bottom line, i think this song is good, but not fabulous. it's another song that would make nice background music for homework time. there's something very mellow about the effect of this song in general. 7/10
14) FUTURECHECKA. another track off one of her singles. it sounds very crappy and primitive at first listen, but after several listens it really isn't as bad as i made it out to be. i think it's that tinny beat in the back which really threw me off. it sounds very old school too; i guess now i know what her favorite genre of music is? and really, what does the title even mean? if anything, i'd like to hear miliyah rap again. taro soul isn't half bad, actually. he's got that attitude going, and he blends his raps with singing, which is nice. this would be an interesting song to see her perform. too bad miliyah doesn't even sing much in this track. 6.5/10
15) Tokyo Star. well, here it is. last track of the album, and the track the album is named for. surprisingly, this track was pretty good. not to mention it really reminded me of some of utada's old tracks, i don't know why. it sounds very dramatic with the strings going in the background as part of the beat. the bass is very heavy in here, and there is a distinctive rock-ish sound to it. the electric guitar in the back sounds REALLY nice. the ending was a bit abrupt though, but that's alright in light of how great the overall track is. this is a surprise of a last track, since the end of this album leaned more toward shabby tracks, and i wasn't expecting anything good after a certain point. 8/10
overall, i think this is a great album (and i have to, since i've been waiting so damn long for it), but it could've been better. a lot of really mediocre tracks could easily have been replaced by a lot of her extra tracks from her singles, which were AWESOME. or maybe it just hasn't grown on me enough yet. i'm sure after several listens in the car i'll grow to love it as much as i love "Diamond Princess," but the warming up process may be long in coming. a lot of very distinctive tracks i like already, but my opinion seems to be different from everyone else's so far. i wonder how many songs she sampled in this? and i would most definitely love to see her do a tour for this album too. at the core, it's decent enough material.
despite that i'm tired as, perhaps, all hell trying to peel my eyelids off, i'm still feeling restless and the day is quite a waste if i go to sleep, so upon just having done all the info and album art and all that junk and stuffed this album into my ipod, i have decided to do.. more typing! frankly, i forgot this album leaked and i downloaded it already. right now, despite vaca, i am doing ten million things at once, maybe also knowing that once school gets back i won't be able to do ANYTHING. but anyway. this album is surprisingly, pretty darn good, despite the fact that she churned out a shitload of material in less than a year. and i hear she's going to be releasing another album before the end of this year, so if music is her rebound after her split with her husband, i'm all for it. personal affectations track by track:
1) Fight The Blues. this track starts with something of a dance/hip-hop-ish beat, but completely changes the predicted style by somehow blending it with electronica, as is her wont. strangely, she likes starting her albums with these upbeat tracks that sort of undulate themselves. there's no other way to describe it. unfortunately, this also sounds a lot like many of her other tracks, so subtracted points for lack of originality. plus it's not too endearing a track. maybe it'll grow on me. i do like the part where she sings "i hate to lose.." but the parts where she wails "aiyeeyai" drive me a little crazy. 7.5/10
2) HEART STATION. already heard it since it was released as a previous single. i like it enough, but this track is completely eclipsed by the b-side in that same single, so i've never had it playing for too long. it also has a really catchy chorus, but unfortunately repeats it about 2,000 times before it dies. especially while watching her perform this track, i just want to reach out and strangle her by about the 7th time she sings this chorus. this is one of those rare songs where it gets overplayed even before the song ends, so that definitely detracts from my rating. nonetheless, there IS a catchy tune.. i hope i'm not being too harsh? 7/10
3) Beautiful World. how does this song not get played out? *smiles* this track also repeats everything a shitload of times, but i find that i like it. this may or may not have something to do with the fact that i first heard this song coupled with a new evangelion movie trailer, but regardless, there is a permeating air of longing and sadness that stands out, especially in the instrumentation, i think. the.. piano, is it?.. lends it at once an airy and tragic tone, and i get the definite image that something has happened that was unavoidable.. a tragedy that was part of fate? after repeated listening, i will conclude that it's definitely the loop in the instrumental that turned this song from something dreadful into something beautiful. and, unlike the last track, her vocals don't try to drown the instrumental--the two complement each other to perfection. i have noticed that she likes using echoing a lot though. 9/10
4) Flavor Of Life -Ballad Version-. mm, the hana yori dango theme song. umm, to be honest, i was never too fond of this song. the way it was mixed sounds fairly cheap.. i think that's not the mixer's fault though, but rather, the cheap sounding vocals in the back, and the really old-fashioned percussion. the string part actually sounds fairly balanced, but there's also the point in fact that the tune is just a bit too.. simple. 6.5/10
5) Stay Gold. ahh, the beautiful track that eclipsed heart station. why she named the album after that track is still beyond me. i like the pristine piano going on this track, a lot. maybe there's a pattern to what i like, eh? she sounds unassuming in this track, and unlike a lot of her other tracks that i could name, she really doesn't sound like she's trying too hard, at all. i think i'd have to say the same for this as for beautiful world--that her voice and the piano riff simply complement each other perfectly. if it wasn't for that piano riff and the catchy ass tune, this primitive-sounding beat would never have made itself work. 8.5/10
6) Kiss & Cry. AGGHH. i hated this song when it came out, hated it more when she performed it. it was only after singing it myself that i have any tolerance for it at all, simply because it's so damn easy to sing. somewhat catchy chorus. the adlibbing she does at the end is commendable. but damn it, the damn BEAT. urgh. it also sounds like too much trying to happen at once. 5.5/10
7) Gentle Beast Interlude. a definite sense of the orient going on in here. one of her better interludes, i think, where you can really hear the effort that's gone into making it. it's certainly more experienced in the mixing than her other interludes have been. what else can i say? it's an interlude. 7.5/10
8) Celebrate. wow, the interlude goes straight into this track! how cool is that? you don't really expect anything when this starts, but as soon as she starts singing she definitely arrests attention. once she gets to the chorus, though, i'm really thinking about martinis and the beach, and palm trees on some exotic island. the bridge into the chorus where she sings about DJs and sexy ladies definitely made me think of strobe lights in a dance club. very groovy track, but surprisingly it WORKS. certainly not a track to be listened to on repeat, but on passing it sounds pretty good. 8/10
9) Prisoner Of Love. this starts off sounding a bit ridiculously dramatic. the little sounds that sound like shutters closing, with really dramatic echoes, really made me laugh especially with her going "i'm a prisoner of love".. which is probably not the effect she was going for. in the chorus i thought the strings could've made themselves a little louder, so the beat doesn't sound so ridiculous and out of place. nonetheless, it IS a catchy tune.. and i'm sure it'll grow on me in time listening to it in car rides and such. besides, it reminds me of "play ball" from her deep river album. the end part, where she sings "stay with me" sounds surprisingly heartrending. 7.9/10
10) Take 5. i thought the title was very interesting, considering that was sort of the title of one of her video compilation dvds. this is definitely the most promising new track for this album, no questions about it. the mixing was gorgeous, the vocal effects immediately attention catching. however, i'd also heard from someone that the only reason this ends abruptly is because it's about death, and i can really hear it throughout the track now that i'm looking for it. the overall sense i get listening to this is an immense sadness, of wanting to change things, a lot of being helpless. that things are just the way they are, and there's no helping it. so i suppose this does apply to death, in the long run. her bridge leading up to the chorus is really pleasing in melody, and at the last few lines of the chorus, the tune gives me the definite image of a soul ascending. perhaps the end of something and the beginning of something else at the same time? most definitely impressive. there is also the point of the beat overall managing to sound grave and depressing at the same time, if that's possible. i still can't get used to the abrupt ending.. 9.5/10
11) Boku wa Kuma. okay, this track just sounds plain scary after a song about death and transcendentalism. it had a cute video though, but i wonder if the video was its main selling point. i wonder what the hell she was on when she decided to write and record this. the french part was definitely cute though, and i suppose other people might like it well enough. for me though.. not something i'd scroll to immediately on my ipod. 6.5/10
12) Nijiiro Bus. aggh, more primitive beats and relatively 90s-sounding musiccc~ frankly, i gave it a huge chance and listened until the damn second verse, but i had to give in. it was literally driving me insane. the bridge was, again, catchy, but the rest of it is like a drill in the brain. pass. 6/10
13) Flavor Of Life. umm.. gee, i really liked the ballad version better. she would have been better off putting her rendition of the frank sinatra song in here. this just sounds plain funky, and the melody and the damn beat don't go. i'm not even gonna listen till the very end. 6.5/10
ugh.. okay, the scores added up look really bad. huh. okay, thing is, the tracks are really either amazing or shoddy as hell. i know a lot of these would NEVER have been released as singles. nijiiro bus is a case in point. i wanted to clutch my head and scream by the time the first chorus had ended. regardless, the one gem i found amazing is still track 10, "take 5." i wonder what the meaning really is, and whether the title has some interesting significance behind it, but since i don't understand japanese, i'll just have to wait for someone's translation. still deciding on whether to buy this. in the meantime, this will be another one to go on my frequent listening pile while i wait for kato miliyah's next album.
i was reading for a while, got bored, so i decided why not blog? and especially since i've been hooked on May J.'s debut album, so it's a chance to add something to an extremely empty blog. another slice to add to my life, so to speak.
to begin with, i don't think i really liked her until seeing the pv for do tha do tha, and maybe it's something new with the way her makeup artist does her face, but she looks MUCH better. hate to admit it, but i'm a shallow bitch. someone with mediocre talents and a weird looking face doesn't stick in my mind long. so with the arrival of this new album, maybe i wasn't quite sure what to expect, and not having expectations definitely helped.
1) DO tha' DO tha'. her vocals don't impress me, in this track, but the beat is definitely catchy. although a little repetitive after a while (the PV had a dance break in there to even out the pace) it's still a good opening track, also given the consideration that this is her most recent (and probably freshest) track. 8/10
2) MY GIRLS. is this a revamped version? i have no idea. i don't even get what the general message is, but the beat is kinda cheap sounding. her vocals aren't very impressive here either, and i remember this is the video where her face looks akin to a mouse's. the catch-line "all my girls, alright alright" is kind of annoying too. for some people this is their introductory track into May J.'s stuff, but i'm just not seeing it. the big band horns in the back did sound nice for a while though, for the opening. 6.5/10
3) Destination (D.O.I. HIP HOP Mix). this a surprising track, because i didn't expect it to be so catchy. the bridge connecting the verses to the choruses are really catchy, with the "one step, two step.." and the chorus has this nice drone to it, like i just can't help but bounce to it. the rapper sounds a bit weird initially, but i really liked his voice after a while. or is he the DJ? honestly, i could care less, though i gotta admit he added a nice touch. it would be interesting to see a nicely made PV for this. i'm still wondering what the hell they're saying in the beginning and the instrumental bridge though, it sounds something like "can i get a back destination," which makes absolutely no sense. her vocals sound a lot better in here, assuming this is newly recorded, and she's improved? again, big band horns. i'm liking the theme. 9/10
4) Dear.... this one was her single before DO tha' DO tha', and i was pleasantly surprised after listening to it over. initially, i had brushed it off as just another average ballad, but the repeating verbs in the verses and chorus make it sound really pleasant to the ears. the arrangement was done very nicely also, has this nice remembrance feeling to it. her vocals still sound a bit strained in here, but i've tried singing the song and couldn't really manage the tongue-twisters, so i'll grudge her that. 8.5/10
5) why why why.... a weird beat going on, but very average song. maybe i'm just feeling a bit let down after "Dear..." but it still sounds like a half-ass imitation of an American song or something. the chorus is so repetitive it's killing my ears. 5.5/10
6) Baila Conmigo. really liked this at first. actually i'm not sure how i feel about it, even now. i think i liked it until mike pointed out it sounds like a shakira song, and i don't even like shakira. in fact this sounds like it's trying pretty hard to copy shakira's style of music, and i'm not sure how i feel about that. it's a catchy song otherwise. 8/10
7) HERE WE GO. feat verbal, if that means anything (to me it doesn't). i think it got a little catchier after i listen to it several times through. what's with her and addressing girls in her songs? i think the beat's decent, but sounds a little cheap too. verbal doesn't sound as nasal and obnoxious in here, but i nonetheless got annoyed at the "go! go! go!" at the end.. reminded me too strongly of 50 cent. the piano backing in the choruses are nice, though, and her rap doesn't sound half bad. 7.5/10
8) YOU. her vibrato in the beginning doesn't suit the orchestrated instruments, at all. the beginning is meant to be sung softly, and built up verse by verse, i think. not to mention, the setting up of the order of the tracks seems oddly out of place, with this following straight after "HERE WE GO"? okay.. her singing style is also a bit unrefined. she jumps straight into a note, making it sound rather vulgar at times. there is no control or refinement in her tones. 5.5?/10
9) Jealous Girl. very interesting beat in the beginning.. the "driving driving" part reminde me of amuro namie's song "drive." the notes seem a bit like they're written randomly, somehow. there's no.. harmony in there? the very crystally sounds in the back are very soothing though, which completely contrast with the way she attacks her words. can this girl harmonize at all? if she can sing softly, i'd like to hear it. nonetheless, a decent song. 7/10
10) Baby Eyes (DJ WATARAI Remix). this is a remix of a really annoying song i didn't like before, and certainly don't like very much now. the guy in the back sounds old and weird, and the "Baby close your eyes" part sounds annoying to me. the arrangement doesn't really help either. 6.5/10
11) Feel the Sunshine. sounds very.. ashanti? interesting with her voice. i like it though, it makes me think of sunny days and shopping and hanging out with friends in late spring. it sounds so tropical! i can so imagine beaches and palm trees with this. 8/10
12) Don't worry dear my boy. so preppy.. the beat is kind of recycled, but nice. why does this sound suspiciously like it's written by the same guy as the guy who wrote "Feel the Sunshine" though? her falsetto notes are decent. although i would normally listen to this track though, it sounds a bit weird right after feel the sunshine. 7.5/10
13) My Way, Your Way. the beginning piano parts reminded me so much of a ffx ost piece. more ballads? her and ballads don't really work, unfortunately. she's pushing her vibrato so hard, it just doesn't sound soothing like a ballad should. plus it doesn't quite hit the emotional string i want it to. she's trying so hard for power that i'm not hearing much else. this is better than "YOU" though, since it seems to be a better written song. 6.5/10
14) Love Blossom (FPM house mix). weird techno thing going on, then it goes into a happy jiggy piano, and back into the techno thing. a lot of layering of tracks. sounds VERY m-flo. honestly, i liked the original of this song much better. the message doesn't fit the pace of the song. 6.5/10
overall, i'd say this album, for a debut effort, isn't bad.. but there is absolutely no balance in it. some songs are so catchy i could almost love her, but some are so mediocre i swear to god the producers must've written them on alcohol poisoning. whoever her mixer is does a pretty job in most of them, that is if it's mixed by the same guy. she's trying really hard to break out club hits, but her dancing's gotta get better before i can regard her as such. that, or she can try to stop singing like she's gonna throw up. for a debut, much to improve on, but decent as it is. i can really smell the blood and tears her production team spent on her though. is that a good or bad thing?
YAY, FINALLY A NEW ALBUM FROM LARUKU!!! although i haven't been as obsessive with this album of theirs vs. AWAKE, i don't deny being overjoyed beyond description. my own rating of the tracks:
1) SEVENTH HEAVEN. very nice summer track, but i'd already thought that when it came out as a single. my only complaint about this track could only be the weird PV, and i could care less when it's on an album. 7/10
2) Pretty girl. a little harder on the rock on this track? everything sounds so boring until the chorus kicks in. and even with a nice tune going i'm not really a big fan of this track. so obvious that tetsu wrote this! 4/10
3) MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM. has to be my favorite of their single releases for this album. it touches me more than the other ones, and i'm a bit surprised that this is for a toyota ad rather than a theme for something. the riffs playing in the back are nice too, and there's something about the tune that makes it sound more meaningful.. gotta love the way it ends too. no complaints. 9/10
4) Sunadokei. starts off sounding like a xmas track--the ones that go "what do you want for xmas this yr?" but once it hits the bridge there's more going on. once it fires into the chorus, things speed up and it sounds AMAZING. it slows down for the second verse, and then ends with hyde belting the chorus over and over. i love the beat in this. just simply, awesome. 9/10
5) spiral. another one of those heavy rock ones. i thought the name was interesting since it seems so fitting for the guitar parts and the tune overall. the chorus reminds me of one of those "run for your money" scenes from a movie. sort of gives you that feeling, who can do it faster? hurry up! type. i'm kind of passive about this still. 6.5/10
6) ALONE EN LA VIDA. i was really skeptical about this track thanks to the title, which reminded me of ricky martin. it directly translates to alone in life, right? and there are several spanish instrumental flavors in the beginning. it sounds somewhat dramatic with the string orchestration in the back, but somehow the tune and everything doesn't seem to make it to a beautiful point of dramatization, and earns only a mediocre rating from me. 7/10
7) DAYBREAK'S BELL. another single, this one the theme song for the new gundam anime. i have to admit to not liking this initially, but it grew on me after repeated listens. i think it was the way hyde "danced" in the PV that turned me off to it, but after listening to only the instrumental, you can hear the piano chords in the back clearer--and it all really just sounds really pretty. very interesting tune also. 8/10
8) Umibe. very dramatic beginning, with the piano and hyde only. slowly speeds up into really hard rock. kinda feels like a slow descent into angst. i wonder what "umibe" means. i also love the way hyde's voice breaks during one of his screams in the chorus, it makes the tone sound so raw! the ending sounds kind of abrupt though.. 7.5/10
9) THE BLACK ROSE. interesting beginning, but the hard rock killed the song for me. 5.5/10
10) Link -KISS mix-. frankly, i can't tell there's a difference between the album vers and the original singles vers, but if you say there is, then sure, cool. i'll say the same thing about this as the single vers--it's a nice summer song, very unfitting for a movie like alchemist, but i guess whatever sells, right? very fun, very "hey let's go out and splash some water on each other"-ish. 8/10
11) Yuki no Ashiato. starts off kind of boring.. but the chorus sounds pretty :) not outstandingly so, but it's still sort of a nice prelude song for their xmas song. 6.5/10
12) Hurry Xmas. contrary to many fans, this just didn't do anything for me. i liked their more dramatic stuff better :T oh well. it's still pretty fun as a xmas song, but i really can't imagine listening to this all yr long--sorry laruku :( 7/10
overall, there is a pretty significant difference between this album and their last one. it's obvious that tetsu did a lot of production in this one, since he's the punk one--but i can also argue that it's because hyde is getting more into the harder rock stuff, especially since his latest solo, FAITH, also has a hard rock sound (but that was credited to KAZ doing production).. not to say that the hard rock isn't a nice change, but my favorite tracks remain the nice consistent ones.
