[Album] A.I. – DON’T STOP A.I.

~Tracklist~
1. INTRO
2. DON’T STOP
3. IT’S SHOW TIME!!!
4. INTERLUDE
5. BUTTERFLY feat. ANTY the kunoichi, ANNA TSUCHIYA, PUSHIM
6. ONE
7. I’ll Remember You
8. FEEL SO GOOD
9. MOVE
10. MY SWEET HOME
11. Ima
12. THE ANSWER
13. Taisetsu na Mono
14. GET UP -REMIX- feat. SPHERE of INFLUENCE, ZEEBRA
15. BRAND NEW DAY

~Album Review (Mini-size)~
“DON’T STOP A.I.” was released December 5, 2007, and debuted at number four on the Oricon chart. It should be able to sell over 100,000 copies before it falls off of the charts.

A.I. is well seasoned at creating well-polished J-R&B; that isn’t the issue here. The problem with “DON’T STOP A.I.” lies in the fact that the album relies far too much on mid-tempo R&B. What this reliance does is ruin whatever momentum the album has. Sparingly or scattered, mid-tempo R&B is a nice breather from ballads or harder, faster R&B. Here, however, A.I. turns what’s usually a respite into the focus of the album. That means that despite creating many well-done mid-tempo tracks, the album drags. And that makes “DON’T STOP A.I.” worse than A.I.’s previous effort “What’s Going On A.I.?” Although “DON’T STOP A.I.” has its moments early on with “INTRO” and “DON’T STOP”, the album begins to drag, losing its edge by “ONE.” Halfway through the album, “DON’T STOP A.I.” has lost any promise it held. Another problem arises late in the album, as the onslaught of mid-tempo tracks continues: despite being quality songs, many of them sound the same as others on the album, to the point where you could just ignore them and choose one to listen to and be happy. Perhaps it would have been most prudent to change the pace because if it had, this album could have easily been made into one of the better in the year. Instead, “DON’T STOP A.I.” falls back into the pack, occupying the endless tier of mediocre J-pop albums.

Although “DON’T STOP A.I.” is not amazing, some of the tracks do transcend the rest. For example, “DON’T STOP” has a lot of energy that makes it stand out. Other notable tracks worth a listen are the chill collaboration “BUTTERFLY,” the memorable R&B ballad “I’ll Remember You,” and the final track, “BRAND NEW DAY.”

80% B-

[Album] Aragaki Yui – sora

『そら』新垣結衣

~Tracklist~
1. heavenly days
2. orange (オレンジ)
3. hi no kageru oka (陽のかげる丘)
4. memories (メモリーズ)
5. hikari (ひかり)
6.Sign of the moon～interlude～
7. sutaa raito (スターライト)
8. pea ringu (ペアリング)
9. ai o shiri taku te (愛を知りたくて)
10. sora (そら)

~Album Review~
“sora” was released on December 5, 2007 and debuted at number 2 on the Oricon daily chart, a position this album is looking to maintain for the whole week. Over all, this album may be able to sell 200,000 units. This album gained popularity as a download, with “heavenly days” being heavily downloaded on Chaku-Uta. “sora” is Aragaki Yui’s first album, and first musical release; she has released no single before this, which makes the album’s success staggering. She, like ERIKA, is an actress turned singer.

“heavenly days” is a great song. It’s probably the best song on the album. For an acoustic sounding album, this song packs in a lot of emotion in the combination of the singer’s voice and the guitar, piano, strings, and drum. Despite her voice being weak, Aragaki Yui makes a great starting track to her album that has a memorable melody. The extro is a minute long as it emphasizes how well arranged this track is. Very impressive and probably a must listen. This is acoustic music done well.

“orange” starts out with a soft rock feel and a higher vocal pitch. The transition is fine, but the song itself isn’t amazing; that acoustic feel sticks to the song despite it being rocky. That ends up being a bit of a problem for the song, which is edging on fast paced. Add in high pitched vocals and the song could be better.

The next song, “hi no kageru oka,” slows the album back down; the synth / keyboard program used is the same as in “heavenly days,” but is surrounded by different over all instrumentation and layering of vocals. The verses feature excellent layering of Aragaki Yui’s vocals, leading up to a bridge that accents Yui as she sings and melds into the chorus before becoming melancholy once more. The song grows more as it reaches the second bridge, abandoning most of its instrumentation before ending the song well. Over all, a well rounded acoustic track that has so-so vocals.

“Memories” gives us yet another good transition: it’s a slow track with what sounds like a ukulele, which interchanges with the piano and string section. The song crescendoes well in the end, but I can’t help but feel like the track isn’t exactly anything special. By this point in the album, we’ve heard this same style done three times. What does help elevate this song above the pack, however, is the ending, which is somewhat stronger.

“hikari,” begins to sound the same as everything before, as well. The only real variety demonstrated by the song is a change in tempo and a change in instrumentation. This time we see strings take front and center alongside weak singing. At times, emotion shines through, but sadly, “heavenly days” does that better.

The interlude sounds quite nice. It’s the same instrumentation style heard on the album embellished a bit. If you love the other tracks, maybe take a listen, otherwise pass it up. As a listening experience, however, it adds to the song well.

The next song, “sutaa raito,” opens up slowly, creating a good transition from the interlude, but then it picks up the pace. This is the fastest paced track we’ve heard on the album, and the most powerful instrumentation we’ll hear. The glaring problem: Yui’s voice is not strong enough to compete with the instrumentation being much more than acoustic. Before the extro, she tries to sing among the climax of the background music, but her voice sounds edgy and raw. The track survives, but the track reminds one of the vocal strength of the person they’re listening to. Great ending and beginning.

“pea ringu” is lighter and about the same tempo as the last track, but it lacks the power and hook of the last song. The flute based instrumentation is a nice change, as is her style of singing, but her music is fading together into one acoustic piece.

“ai o shiri taku te” and “sora” are mediocre tracks, with “sora” winning out in the end for ending the album well on a mid-tempo note with a good hook. “ai o shiri taku te” doesn’t have that, so it ends up falling on its weak notes compared to the better song after it.

Musical artists today walk a fine line in between cohesion and repetition as they write, compose, arrange, and sing on their albums. Audiences expect top notch efforts and anything less is scrutinized. This album does not succeed at being exemplary because many of the tracks sound too similar. However, this album contains two great tracks worth listening to: “heavenly days” and “sutaa raito.” These two songs showcase Aragaki Yui’s vocals in the best manner, with great instrumentation and excellent extros. Considering the weakness in her voice, it’s a wonder she created these great songs. However this weakness, while crippling other tracks, presents a vulnerability here that lets these two songs transcend the rest. Over all, I’d recommend this album to fans of acoustic music, but otherwise, I’d pass “sora” by, only listening to “heavenly days” and “sutaa raito.” The album is only a few notches above average.

81% B-

[News] Ayumi Hamasaki’s GUILTY Covers Revealed

CD+DVD Cover

CD Only

Photobook Cover (a la “On My Way” from (miss)understood)

My initial reaction to the covers was indifference; personally, Koda Kumi’s “Kingdom” covers are much better, but these are still pretty.  It’s a bit unexpected for me to see covers that aren’t anything but amazing (most of her releases feature great schemes and themes). I wonder how the photobook will look. For that, I am anxious…

In other news, Ayumi Hamasaki wrote to TeamAyu, about the album “GUILTY”, the following:
“The album, which was made out of my being driven crazy by death,
Finally took shape and arrived in my hands today.

I listened to it.

For some reason I suddenly brimmed with tears and just couldn’t stop.
I think this might be the first time that’s happened.

I am truly glad that I was able to make this album…

I want you all too hear it soon. I want you to feel it.

I felt that so urgently.

Please look forward to lining up in front of the stores on Christmas.”

If Ayu put the same effort into creating GUILTY as she did with Together When…, this album should be her best in quite some time. Here’s to hoping. The covers, however, leave a little to be desired… Despite being released in 2008, expect to hear the album well before then. As Ayu said herself, the album officially hits stores around Christmas.

[PV] Yuna Ito X Celine Dion – Anata ga Iru Kagiri ~A World to Believe In~

『あなたがいる限り ～A World to Believe In～ 』伊藤 由奈 X Céline Dion

~PV Thoughts~
This PV is for the A-side, “Anata ga Iru Kagiri ~A World to Believe In~,” a duet between Celine and Yuna featuring Japanese and English parts. Originally, the song was found off of Celine’s latest studio album, but when Celine heard Yuna’s voice on the “My Heart Will Go On” cover, she wanted to work with her. The end product was this single, due out January 18, 2008.

The PV is simply studio footage, but it is nice to see the dynamic between Celine and Yuna forming right in studio. Even if that isn’t anything to write home about, the song is. It’s a powerful ballad with an excellent hook, great instrumentation, and a good combination of vocals. The power of both of these artists’ voices simply jumps out of the speakers. Take a listen – you might like what you hear.

[PV] Stephanie – Winter Gold

~PV Review~
Okay, so the PV sucks. A lot. I won’t lie about that. It looks like it had a one hundred dollar budget. Let’s see, they needed to pay the people to film and choreograph, add in physical effects, and blow around the fake snow. So why did I post the PV? Because I thought the song was actually one worth a listen. It’s due out in a week, so look for an actual review then. But I will say that despite sounding like some anime track, I found the song to be catchy. I listened to the song once and it stuck with me throughout a nap. I was quite surprised. A great effort from Stephanie on working towards producing fast paced tracks, at least take a listen or laugh at the poor production values of the PV. They are seriously on Utada Hikaru’s “Automatic” level.

[Single] MISIA – Royal Chocolate Flush

~Tracklist~
1. Royal Chocolate Flush
2. Taiyou no Chizu (太陽の地図)
3. Chandelier
4. Kiss And Hug!

~Single Review~
“Royal Chocolate Flush” was initially released as a standalone digital track single on digital stores such as iTunes Japan, where it peaked within the top ten. Now that it’s physical release has come around, it is accompanied by three B-sides, which probably helped it achieve the number four daily ranking it has held the past few days on the Oricon daily chart. Released on December 5, 2007, this single will MISIA’s last single before her next album, “EIGHTH WORLD.”

“Royal Chocolate Flush” starts out with an short, interesting intro, then the beat picks up, and MISIA counts down to the beginning of the song. Besides a beat, most of the song only features a few synthetic elements and MISIA singing, so you better hope you like her voice. She is backed up by background vocals and some more music during the chorus, but this song is a dance track. The verses aren’t very special, and the lead-in to the chorus, “Dancing in the moonlight” is one of the only hooks of the song. The final bridge is very fast-paced and winds back down with MISIA going “brrrr…” Thankfully, the ending is a step above the rest of the song. However, the lack of music for most of the song means the melody is hard to find at times, despite clear care with the production. It’s a great dance track, but I don’t know often I’ll find myself just listening to it. Still, MISIA hasn’t done anything this powerful in a while, so “Royal Chocolate Flush” is a nice change of pace. (The PV is also worth a watch)

“Taiyou no Chizu (太陽の地図)” is a soft up-beat song with a present guitar and string melody that works well with MISIA and her background vocals. The only really problem with the song? It feels a little laid back in some respects, which doesn’t really make the track stand out. The more glaring problem, then, is the Engrish throughout the song, and then when the English isn’t Engrish, it’s still not the best hook MISIA could have used. It’s a decent pop track and a decent B-side that will find its way into some listeners’ hearts.

“Chandelier” is a jazzy track that leads in with what sounds like a xylophone backing up the drums and keyboard. As more and more instrumentation comes in, the song hits its first chorus a bit anticlimactically, but still strongly. This B-side is soft but pleasant sounding. And let’s face it, it’s nice to hear MISIA expand her music a bit. The end of the song is more emotive than the rest of the of the song, and probably a lot stronger because of it. But the extro just drags out as MISIA ad-libs weakly. An interesting addition to the single.

“KISS & HUG!” is noticeably shorter than all the other tracks on “Royal Chocolate Flush.” But despite that, it features one of the best hooks on the single. How odd that the last and smallest song on the single has potential to be the catchiest. What stands in the way of it being the best on the single? It’s repetitive at times and the instrumentation sounds a bit like a watered down version of Chandelier + a small wind section. Over all, the track is exactly the way one should finish out a single.

No track on “Royal Chocolate Flush” is singularly amazing. However, each of the tracks on the single have a specific trait that make them a great listen; “Royal Chocolate Flush” is a powerful dance track, “Taiyou no Chizu (太陽の地図)” is a softer, well-produced pop track, “Chandelier” is a jazzy track with emotion, and “KISS & HUG!” is energetic and catchy. With such variety, it’s hard to mark down the single for not being perfect on any track. True, the lead A-side has errors, but because of the variety of music, I feel like there’s a lot of music to be found on this single. In the end, you’ll probably end up liking one of the songs on the single if you dare to listen, just don’t expect that song to be the lead A-side.

85% B

[single] CHEMISTRY SUPPORTED BY MONKEY MAJIK – Kagayaku Yoru

『輝く夜』

~Tracklist~
1. Kagayaku Yoru (輝く夜)
2. This Night (EQUIP Remix)
3. Kagayaku Yoru (輝く夜) (Less Vocal)

~Single Review~
CHEMISTRY peaked years ago. That’s the simple fact; musically, they haven’t been up to par since “TWO AS ONE” ft. Crystal Kay, and their sales have reflected that. It would appear that the R&B duo is ready to try new strategies to rediscover their demographic. Using a song produced by MONKEY MAJIK, CHEMISTRY sings a decent track on on this single, that debuted at number eight on the Oricon daily charts and has since risen to number six. It looks like this single will give them their best single sales in a while, but I feel like they are simply riding MONKEY MAJIK’s coattails.

“Yagayaku Yoru” is not a CHEMISTRY song at all; it’s not their style, it’s the style of MONKEY MAJIK. The acoustic sounding guitar, beat, and string section do not sound like CHEMISTRY’s normal R&B. And for most of the song, it’s quite a new experience hearing CHEMISTRY sing to this instrumentation. MONKEY MAJIK appears through the production, with an “Around the World”-like segment near the end. Over all, the climax and ending two choruses are the best part of the song, but otherwise, the song lacks something. CHEMISTRY has better songs in their discography, as does MONKEY MAJIK. Maybe that’s it; this single’s only real blessing is being different.

“This Night (EQUIP Remix)” is a very nice remix. It features a very smooth, modern atmosphere sponsored by synth and distorted vocals. I didn’t think the song would work this well as a remix, but it did. It’s a great addition to the single, and probably worth a listen for J-R&B fans.

The instrumental of “Kagayaku Yoru” basically just tells you how much MONKEY MAJIK this song is. Passable.

Over all, this single is better than CHEMISTRY’s recent efforts, but it will estrange some of their core fans because of the different sound. It might also sound better if MONKEY MAJIK sung the song…

80% B-

[Single] Ongaku Gata – yattaro u ze!

『やったろうぜ』音楽ガッタス

~Tracklist~
1. yattaro u ze! (やったろうぜ!)
2. sakaero habatake gattasu burirya nchisu H.P. (栄えろ羽ばたけ ガッタス ブリリャンチス H.P.)
3. yattaro u ze! (やったろうぜ!) (Instrumental)

~Single Review~
This single debuted at number six on the Oricon daily chart on its release date, December 5, 2007. A day later, it fell twelve positions, probably due to the idol nature of the song (see AKB48, among others).

This song is a bit on the juvenile side a times, due to the mixture of vocals, background vocals, and instrumentation. The song doesn’t take itself too seriously, but the frenetic beat and high pitched vocals are grating at times. With synth, piano, and guitar, the instrumentation is well produced, but over all, the song lacks some sort of polish. It sounds alright, but it’s not catchy beyond a childish manner. Those are really my only qualms with the song. If you like what Morning Musume. has recently put out, this song should tickle your fancy.

How to describe “sakaero habatake gattasu burirya nchisu”… well, let’s start with the juvenile nature of the song. It’s slow, but somehow manages to sound really childish through addition of sketchy background vocals. My assumption is that this single probably had a tie-in with a children’s program, but I have no way of knowing. I would say pass this light hearted ballad / inspirational sounding track. It sounds like a song a kid would sing.

The instrumental is nice, but I actually like the vocals accompanying it better. Oddly enough… Over all, I’d say for idol group adorers only.

82% B

[News] Utada Hikaru – HEART STATION / Stay Gold [2/20/08 OUT]

Utada Hikaru’s newest single, titled “HEART STATION / Stay Gold” will be coming out February 20, 2008 according to Hikki’s official site. The tracklist is as follows:

~Tracklist~
1. HEART STATION
2. Stay Gold
3. HEART STATION -Original Karaoke-
4. Stay Gold -Original Karaoke-

This will most likely be Hikki’s last single release before her new Japanese album, which has a confirmed release in Spring of 2008. As for news surrounding the present, “Stay Gold” will be made available on Chaku-Uta ringtone downloads on the seventh (tomorrow). Look for a preview on her website soon. (And may I be so bold as to ask for two actual PVs for this single? My personal prediction: we’ll get an actual PV, but it will just be one. We might not get any for Stay Gold).

[Single] AIDS Charity Project – RED RIBBON Spiritual Song ～mare kuru kodomo tachi no tame ni～

~Tracklist~
1. RED RIBBON Spiritual Song ～mare kuru kodomo tachi no tame ni～
2. RED RIBBON Spiritual Song ～mare kuru kodomo tachi no tame ni～ (Instrumental)

~Single Review~
This single was released November 28, 2007 and debuted at number four on the Oricon Chart with sales of 34,628. This single was written for charity, so that all proceeds would go to the AIDS Prevention Foundation. The song was written and composed by Kazumasa Oda and produced by Yanagiman. The song also features a vareity of artists, including Takuro and Teru from GLAY, ayaka, Ryo from Ketsumeishi, and Hitoto Yo. The song is a reggae inspired track that has recently gained popularity in Japan.

It’s worth noting that despite this song starting out slow, the song is not completely bad. True, the song drags with simple instrumentation and average vocals for most of the song (despite variety at all levels). It’s not until after the rap (which despite fitting splendidly with reggae, really drags) that the song picks up. By far the best part of the song is the ending, where you hear all of these voices come together. You hear ayaka’s voice soaring above a choir of voices, creating this emotive atmosphere, perfect for the topic of the single (considering it’s a minute, it really is a sizable part of the song). The ending saves the song from mediocrity, but unless you’re a fan of J-reggae or one of the artists listed above, you might pass this single. The song is quite interesting, but there are better songs out at the moment that you can find / listen to.

The instrumental is nothing all that special. Over all, it’s not a bad single, but it’s not the best I’ve heard this year either. I’d also considering youtubing or dailymotioning the video, it’s worth seeing the story that goes along with the song, watching a couple grow up. The PV is one of the better ones I have seen this year because of the seriousness of the matter and the skill with which it’s handled.

84% B

[Single] KOH+ – Kiss Shite

~Tracklist~
1. Kiss Shite
2. Kiss Shite (Original Karaoke)

~Single Review~
Shibasaki Kou teams up with Masaharu Fukuyama to make one of her best singles since “invitation.” The digital AND physical sales are markedly higher for this single, as well, as they single debuted with sales of 55K at number 4 on the Oricon chart, some of Kou’s best numbers. Most likely, this is due to the song’s tie-in: the ending theme of the popular dorama, Galileo (also highly recommended).

Kiss Shite is a love song with synth, guitar, and a great beat. I can’t really complain; the instrumentals are top notch throughout the song. The beginning and post chorus parts of the song are also great: the “chu-chu-chu…” is really catchy and features a great beat and background. However, Kou’s vocals are edited through the computer here, something that comes painfully evident as she moves into the first verse. Still – as the synth returns and she heads into the chorus – the song quickly wins me back. “Kissu Shite” makes an excellent hook for this light-hearted song. The final bridge gives us great instrumentation, and the extro of the song is just plain fun. For a light-hearted, witty drama, this song works perfectly. I simply think it features great music, with vocals that are artistically vulnerable / human at time. These vocals, however, may be grating to some.

The original karoake version of the track exemplifies the excellent production on the song. You really realize how well layered the track is when you finally hear it. Really, this instrumentation is the reason for this song’s strength.

Take a few listens to this track before you stop listening to it; it’s a grower, but once it’s grown on you, it won’t wear out for a while.

91% A-

[Single] Ayumi Hamasaki – Together When…

~Single Tracklist~
1. Together When…
2. Together When… (Instrumental)

~Single Review~
Ayumi Hamasaki has had quite a rough year. Post “BLUE BIRD” and post “Secret”, her sales have certainly taken a hit. Initial estimates for the combined sales of “A BEST 2″ were high – around 2 million – but sales fell short by a whopping .5 million, setting her sales tone for the rest of her year. “glitter / fated”, Hamasaki’s summer single, sold about 100K less than her previous summer single effort, and what’s worse, her next single “Talkin’ to myself” was her worst selling single in years. It’s no wonder that Avex, whose stock is currently plummeting, took this opportunity to release Ayu’s first full produced digital single, a ballad titled “Together When…” Was the choice a good one on Avex’s part?

It’s hard to tell. You see, “Together When…” is by far Ayu’s best single this year. Time and time again, Ayu has shown us what an incredible ballad artist she is (see: Voyage, Rainbow, Jewel, Moments, SEASONS… the list goes on). “Together When…” is no different. Ayu pulled out all the stops on this rocky ballad. The song starts out slow, with only a piano and strings until Ayu’s voice enters the song. By the chorus, however, the instrumentation has built, to the point where the song breaks out into an emotive chorus that is both catchy and incredibly endearing all at once.

“arigatoutte iitakatta
arigatoutte ienakatta
datte sore ja maru de eien no
sayonara mitai de kanashi sugiru kara”

(Translated)
I wanted to say thank you
I couldn’t say thank you
Because if I said it, it would be like
Saying good bye forever

The second chorus, and rocky bridge all peak in one moment where the guitarist ends the energy, leading us back into the soft ballad. But this moment is short-lived, soon enough, Ayu gives the audience her all, putting her heart into the music. And you can feel her emotion then. She’s done an excellent job with this ballad. The only bad thing I can think of is that it drags a bit in places, but then again, it’s meant to do so as a ballad, isn’t it? And those spots make the ending all the sweeter. If you haven’t gotten this song already, I suggest you do. It’s one of this year’s best.

The instrumental version just gives insight into the care taken in production of this song; I’d take a listen to just understand the ambience of the song. But if it comes down to purchasing it, it’s probably not worth your money unless you are head over heels for the single.

There… this single is one of the stronges Ayu’s put out since 2006. Japan is reacting to the song quite well, too, with the song quickly topping all the biggest download stores in Japan. Although Together When… probably would have been a physical success, it would have cost more money to go through the creation of the single, and let’s face it, digital revenue for this single will be very, very high – it might get to the point where it’s one of the biggest digital sellers we’ve seen since Utada Hikaru’s “Flavor of Life.”

Over all, this digital single is wonderful.

94% A