It blows my mind how quickly Ayumi Hamasaki seems to come out with new music, especially considering the number of tracks she puts onto each album, the number of remixes on each of her singles, and her slew of remix albums (holy crap, this woman loves remixes). I first became a fan around when her Memorial Address mini-album was releasing and it seems not so long ago that My Story came out in 2004. Since then, I can’t say I’ve been very good about keeping up with her releases, partially because my interest shifted to j-rock and indie for a while, but her contribution to Dragonball Evolution piqued my interest again, even if I didn’t think Ayu had any chance of saving a destined-to-be-terrible movie. “Rule” was a pretty fun single, and I thought it suited the energy of the subject matter pretty well (or, well, it suited the source material). It wasn’t super impressive, but I think it was only a matter of time before I went and checked out this album. The name NEXT LEVEL is also pretty Dragonball-ish, don’t you think?

TRACK 01: Bridge to the sky
Calming intro for all of a moment, then an uprising steady beat that grows into an ensemble of various sounds backed by a nice techno beat. Lots of sustained vocals and a gradual crescendo seem to be leading into something big. The techno gets more pronounced and then– silence. Clearly, this is an intro track for the rest of the album. Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan of intro tracks because they’re awkward when you don’t play them with the rest of the album in album order (like when you put things on shuffle), but when you are listening to the album straight through, they’re pretty nice.

TRACK 02: NEXT LEVEL (Youtube it)
Starts off with a confident piano soon to be accompanied by keyboards and the stray guitar. Vocals start rather unimpressively and I’m kind of more interested in the background music than the lyrics or melody. Gets better as she leads into the chorus, which has some nice energy. I’m a sucker for when lyrics roll together smoothly, like there are no real breaks in between the words. Some nice keyboard and guitar in the break before the second verse. The beginning of the second verse is again less interesting, but it recovers faster this time. The melody for the chorus is definitely the best part of the song thus far, though I don’t think this is a good example of Ayumi’s vocal prowess; her voice sounds rather plain in this, honestly. Bridge and final round of choruses don’t change much — outro is the same piano, keyboard, and stray guitar, and it slowly leads to the end.

TRACK 03: Disco-munication
Weird buzzing intro followed by what sounds like a traditional Japanese instrument and video game noises, like you’re leveling up or something (lol, get it?). Lots of distortion and techno sounds: pretty fun stuff. I swear that’s the Mario leveling up sound. Oh, hm. Then it ends. This is another super short track (1:32) and is all instrumental. Kind of jarring really; I wasn’t expecting that. Okay.

TRACK 04: EnergizE (YouTube it)
Percussion intro accompanied by more video game and spacey sounds. Vocals start off in English — hey, Ayumi’s English has gotten a lot better since I last heard it! That didn’t sound nearly as accented and awkward as I remember! First chorus is very energetic and catchy and I like the tempo. Leads into the chorus really well. The cymbals in the chorus are a lot of fun; hell, the percussion and background in this is great in general. Hm, her vocals seem less energetic in the second verse, especially compared to the music itself, but it recovers in the second chorus. Bridge is a mishmash of electronic sounds and distortion — kind of a trippy, weird, even foreboding mood. Third chorus makes me think of DDR all of a sudden. This would be a good song to dance to. More English leading out to the end. Good song.

TRACK 05: Sparkle (YouTube it)
“Sparkle” was on the same single as “Rule,” but I don’t think I ever listened to it. Starts off slowly and rather menacing. Vocals are low and quiet before exploding suddenly with noise, power, and energy. Ayumi sounds particularly badass here: kind of awesome. Second verse is quiet again before next chorus, which adds more distortion and chaotic background noise. Actually, this would be a great song for some kind of action movie. Quiet portions remind me of cops or detectives sneaking around in the dark of a alleyway before everything explodes into a gunfight. Bridge is even more foreboding and the “no, no, no”s definitely add an extra punch. Just noticed that the lyrics in this song are pretty fun too. Wow, this is a pretty long bridge — can’t say it’s not awesome though. The extra distortion makes the lead-up to the final chorus even more exciting. Final chorus distorts some of the vocals as well and the “no, no, no”s carry it to the end.

TRACK 06: Rollin’
Quiet intro. Pause. Silence. Cue techno intro. Love the electronic sounds here, and there’s a howling rising in the back as well. Distorted vocals sound very robotic. Less distorted vocals sound oddly spacey. Chorus is buried behind lots more distortion and keyboards, but it sounds really interesting. The odd howling crescendos to the space between the chorus and second verse. Hm. This song is pretty hard to follow along and describe; the distortion is very strong throughout and goes back and forth between overlapping the vocals and diving under them. It’s a very sci-fi song and encourages very spacey imagery, like someone escaping an exploding space station or something while getting shot at by bots. I really like it. :P Weird outro!

TRACK 07: GREEN
Huh. I feel like I’ve heard the melody in this intro before. That’s weird. Classic Ayumi vocals start the first verse accompanied by oddly naturalistic percussion in the background. This song feels a lot more like her older works, I think, though the melody and her voice aren’t nearly as delicate feeling. Chorus feels like its narrating some kind of epic: some old guy climbing over a mountain to come home. Verses feel like they’re detailing the down portions of the story, all the little things before the final stretch. Bridge also gives a rather epic feeling. Third chorus is earnest but forceful, re-emphasizing the protagonist’s feats once more. Outro repeats one of the verses and fades out — nice and effective.

TRACK 08: Load of the SHUGYO
Kind of a menacing or dark intro. Percussion sounds like its punching someone. Brief silence… then some rockin’ guitars and a much more energetic melody, though its still rather “dark” feeling. I feel like we’re sneaking into some kind of ancient temple where warriors are training. More guitars. Then silence. Oh, it’s another short track. Man, these things really throw me off! I’m not really paying attention to track lengths, oi. Still, this track might me my favorite of the shorts thus far; it’s very exciting.

TRACK 09: identity
Creepy sort of intro, but it breaks very quickly into what I feel is video game music — classic arcade fighter. Specifically, it reminds me of Guilty Gear. Vocals are confident and forceful, commanding attention. Chorus feels like a challenge: very strong and well, challenging. More video game-sounding rifts lead into the second verse, which holds a swaggering sort of melody though there’s also a note of anticipation and unease. Bridge is electronic and distorted in a tensioned way. More electronic noises and vocal distortion lead into the third and fourth choruses. This really would make a good fight song, lol. Lots of loud, noisy guitars take us to the end.

TRACK 10: Rule (YouTube it)
Harsh sort of opening, this has. I’m not particular fond of the melody or the quality of the opening vocals, which sound kind of strained and airy. The distortion put on it in the first verse don’t really help either; I get the impression that she’s forcing it too much. Lead up to the second chorus (the song starts in chorus) is kind of flimsy as well though the energy is definitely there. Distortion in the second verse feels a little better. Build-up to the third chorus also feels more genuine… I think I just don’t like the choruses? They’re the weakest part of the song. Bridge is fun: lots of energy, feels like there’s lots on the line — definitely suits Dragonball. I’m fond of the guitars near the end, simple as they are.

TRACK 11: LOVE ‘n’ HATE
Odd intro… starts with a quiet, mysterious kind of mood then changes into a very distorted and kind of dark countdown that skips from seven to zero. Oh… really like the vocal intro though. It’s fast-paced and the lyrics are strung together very nicely. The electronica in the background is a lot of fun and mixes really well with the vocals. Countdown resumes before the second verse — really drives an uncomfortable (in a good way?) and urgent mood into the song. Bridge and ending choruses are really catchy if slightly repetitive. Countdown resumes again near the end and it fades out just before the very clear “zero.”

TRACK 12: Pieces of SEVEN (YouTube it)
Feels like another video game intro — a quieter stage. Reminds me of the hilly or creepy mystical levels of the classic, 2D Sonic games. Haha, actually, the title of this song suits that — seven Chaos Emeralds, amirite? Intro leads into some keyboards that sustain the mystical and mysterious mood. This is followed by some more electronic techno and more high-tech imagery; it starts getting more and more urgent and face-paced. Looks like we’ve leveled up to some of the roboticized and technologically conquered stages, eh? Ah, another fully instrumental track, though this one is the longest of the lot — probably the last of them also. Maybe this one will be my favorite over “Load of the SHUGYO” though the Sonic-related imagery I got might have something to do with that.

TRACK 13: Days
Calming sort of keyboard/piano intro.. leads into a more dramatic melody. Feels like one of those “end of the movie” tracks. Vocals are very sincere and urgent sounding. Lyrics are pretty sweet as well… I feel like I’ve heard this before, though I think it’s just that the feeling I get from the melody is very reminiscent of many other love songs. Not that that’s a bad thing, really — it’s just a very classic feeling. Reminds me again of the older Ayu songs I’m still so fond of. I like the word repetition in the verses: feels good. Bridge is conclusively dramatic; it definitely feels like the end of a romance, though I can’t tell if the it’s a happy or sad ending. It just feels conclusive, kind of bittersweet. The melody and vocals are really powerful, which is pretty different from every other song on this album, which is heavily electronic. Nice song all around.

TRACK 14: Curtain call
Another quiet piano intro accompanied by calming vocals that doesn’t sound all that much like Ayumi actually… might have something to do with the tempo. Even the previous song wasn’t this slow; it’s interesting. Piano is very prominent here and sometimes sounds more interesting than the vocal melody, which wavers a lot. Bridge and third chorus start getting more epic with a steady rise of sustained voices in the back. Piano and tentative vocals bring it to the end. I’m not sure I like the melody much here, but the mood and piano really was a great way to end an otherwise super energetic album.

OVERALL: This was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. “Rule” was the first Ayu song I’d heard in a long time and since it didn’t particularly impress me, I wasn’t expecting all that much from this album. But there are so many great songs here! All of the short instrumental tracks, while unexpected, were great and catchy, especially the latter two. Many of the tracks including “Sparkle,” “Rollin’,” and “GREEN” offered great imagery and were pretty darn exciting songs in themselves. Honestly, any of them would probably have made better movie theme songs than “Rule,” but I guess it’s just as well that a lesser quality song should accompany a lesser quality movie… not that any of Ayumi Hamasaki’s songs deserve to be compared to Dragonball Evolution. >_> NEXT LEVEL also rounded out things nicely with the last two tracks; “Days” and “Curtain call” were both sweet songs that balanced out the scores of techno and electronic in the other songs. It’s a good demonstration of Ayu’s two greatest strengths, and I’m glad that the whimsical love songs of old haven’t been drowned out completely by the distortion. Regardless of whether you’re an old fan or a new fan, I’d definitely recommend checking this album out. Totally worth it.

Sometimes I wish artists would come up with more interesting album names, but I guess this goes in perfect step with Yuna Ito’s previous two albums, Heart and Wish. Three singles were released ahead of Dream, but I’ve only heard “trust you” because it is one of my favorite theme songs ever. The second track, “今でも会いたいよ…” (“Ima demo aitaiyo…”),  is apparently an answer song to “今でもずっと” (“Ima demo zutto”) by Spontania feat. Yuna Ito, which I took the liberty of YouTubing before listening to this album, but that’s hardly enough to get a good impression of the duet pair and I doubt the fact that the second track here is an answer song will mean much to me. I’m more interested in finding out whether “love you,” “trust you,” and “miss you” will have any melodic or thematic relation to each other because that would be pretty awesome.

Anyway! First impressions, go~!

TRACK 01: love you
Very upbeat percussion intro! Vocals start off similarly perky and it doesn’t sound anything like “trust you,” lol. The melody sounds a bit haphazard and the transitions between Japanese and English don’t sound as smooth as they could be. The percussion is really repetitive and distracting, actually, and doesn’t fit every well with the vocals. The “I love you”s sound way casual and subsequently less meaningful. I really wish the percussion would let up — the drums are all over the place, there’s random bits of piano, and the cymbols kind of reset my train of thought every several measures. I’m having a really hard time distinguishing verses from chorus, which I only recognize from the haphazard “I love you”s. Bridge (?) slows down a bit, though the percussion doesn’t really let up. “I know you make me love you” just sounds incredibly awkward and Engrishy, which doesn’t fit since Yuna Ito’s English is generally very good. Song ends by fading away, kind of lame. Not a great way to start the album.

TRACK 02: 今でも会いたいよ．．．(Ima demo aitaiyo…) (feat. Spontania) (YouTube it)
Stars with energetic piano — a nice melody. Vocals start kind of typically… and with very typical-sounding lyrics as well. Tempo picks up though and Yuna’s voice is very sweet here. Spontania starts in with a steady support voice; I like it a lot actually. The high pitch of Yuna mixes really well with the rough rappish sounds of Spontania. Chorus sounds really nice; great, steady melody. Some nice lyricless vocals follows it. Second verse is sounding great too; lyrics are more interesting while retaining the same themes as before. Second chorus leads into a really great exchange between the two vocalists. This song actually sounds a lot better than the song its answering. Some beautiful sustained notes and piano accompanyment leading up to the ending, which is rather sudden.

TRACK 03: Brand New World (YouTube it)
Upbeat synth intro. I feel like I’ve heard this song before though I don’t think I have? Melody is very nostalgic and catchy — has a great beat to it. The background accompanyment reminds me a lot of Ayumi Hamasaki? Yuna Ito’s vocals are very unique though. The English and Japanese melt together much better here compared to the first track. This also feels kind of like a DDR song — the strong tempo beat in the back really compliments the vocals, which feel kind of relaxed despite the the pace. Bridge has a nice instrumental of the melody before Yuna’s vocals come back. Final chorus changes up lyrics a little and there are a lot of sustained notes and background vocals. Tempo slows slightly and music fades out very, very slowly to the end. (edit: this was apparently the B-side on the “trust you” single, so I have heard it before. Not sure why I forgot about it though; it’s a nice song.)

TRACK 04: Koi wa groovy x2
Sudden and perky mixed instrumental intro accompanied by “na na na”s. Vocals start off more demandingly — lyrics make a mention of “brand new world.” Chorus has more of the “na na na”s woven in between the lyrics; techno-sounding stuff in the back speeds up a little, sounds kind of chaotic. The intersperced “groovy”s sound a little odd, probably because it’s such an outdated term to me. Second verse has Japanese lyrics in the main vocals, but a lot of English in the backups: works pretty well. Bridge feels like the beginning of something big. “Na na na”s get kind of annoying in the last couple of choruses… I think this is a decent song, just not really my thing. Outro is nice though.

TRACK 05: trust you (YouTube it)
Same nice piano intro as the single version. I really love this melody. It’s very thoughtful and reminiscent. I love how smooth the lyrics flow together and the subdued feeling of Yuna’s voice until the chorus, which sounds particularly sincere. Hmm… tempo seems a bit sped up here though… Doesn’t feel as thoughtful or poignent as I remember. Track length is a second shorter than the single, but that can’t make much of a difference. Second verse sounds a little more delicate though. Despite my initial misgivings, the more I listen to the rest of this song, the more I like it. The lyrics still don’t flow as nicely as the first verse, but it doesn’t sound that bad anymore. The emotion is still very strong, especially at the end of the second chorus. The background echos in the bridge are kind of corny while the main vocals sound more meaningful. Third chorus is more of the same. Fourth chorus still features an awkward pitch change and the song is still on the long side… Ah, well. It’s still very pretty, and the piano outro sounds a bit longer!

TRACK 06: BAILA BAILA
Soft, melodic intro. Very odd to hear a Japanese song with Spanish incorporated in it. Vocals sound very playful, as does the music. First verse lyrics are English and Japanese. The chorus brings back the “baila baila,” but the rest is still English and Japanese. Everything blends nicely though. I feel like this song has the potential to be catchy, but I’m personally not getting into it that much. Sometimes the “baila baila” is followed by “hiya hiya,” I think… kind of corny-lame. Song slows down very quickly at the end and fades out.

TRACK 07: BREEEEEZIN!!!!!!!
Intro sounds beach-like. Oh, look, it’s a beach song. Very upbeat once the vocals start — sounds very playful and energetic. Lyrics flow together very well, English and Japanese are completely melted together. I’ll never stop appreciating when the languages blend so well that you can hardly tell at all. Chorus is cute; I don’t normally think of Yuna’s style as cute, but this song is cute. And happy. It’s a good beach song. Or party song. Or just feel good song. There’s a nice clapping beat in the background. Bridge has a bit of distortion, but it works well and the beat is still really nice and steady. Lyrics are cute. From the title, I wouldn’t have thought I’d like this song that much, but I actually really like this, lol. Outro has some nice background vocals and great guitar. Ending feels natural, if a bit sudden.

TRACK 08: miss you
Nice piano intro, tempo is on the fast side, but not too upbeat. Vocals sound passionate and thoughtful. Lyrics are kind of sweet. Once again, great interweaving of Japanese and English. Melody is very nice. Chorus feels nostalgic — this is a much better companion song to “trust you” than “”love you,” though I now doubt that they were written with each other in mind. Yuna’s voice is just really sincere and emotional sounding throughout and the piano helps maintain the mood. Gaaah, this chorus is awesome. Long Japanese verbs tend to sound really nice when they’re repeated and I think they work well lyrically as well. Beach sounds at the end. It this song is a followup to the previous one, then it works pretty nicely even though the moods are wildly contrasting. It tells a good story.

TRACK 09: LOVE MACHINE GUN
Interesting intro: upbeat and kind of forboding in an energetic sort of way? Vocals start off distortedly, adding to the darker kind of mood. Lead up to the chorus lightens up a little and vocals are no longer distorted though Yuna still sounds very demanding. Chorus lightens a bit more and is more lively; vocals feel forceful and strong. Second verse returns to distortion, but the mood stays lighter. Lyrics are more and more empowering and motivational. The progression is interesting, though admittedly, much of the beginning I didn’t understand. Bridge slows down and there’s a bit of acoustic — a good lapse before the final two choruses, which are predictably energetic. Last chorus changes pitch a bit, but it works really well. Sustained and overlapping vocals carry the song to the fade-out end.

TRACK 10: No one else
Acoustic intro! Very sweet. Lyrics start off softly and thoughtfully, a little typical, but not terrible. A steady beat makes its way into the background; vocals have some gorgeous, gorgeous sustained notes. Chorus has a really sweet melody, especially for the “no one else” part. Loving that guitar. It’s distantly reminiscent of the beach-themed songs, so it’s a nice connecting element. I’m sure I sound repetitive, but it really, really makes me happy when Japanese and English are woven together so smoothly in songs. It’s no wonder I tend to favor artists that are able to pull it off. Final chorus fades back into the acoustic with a few sustained notes. Very pretty.

TRACK 11: Body
Starts off with a lot of repeated “dance with me, come dance with me,” intersperced between clapping beats in the back. First verse starts with fast lyrics on the steady beat, kind of interesting. Chorus is hiphop-sounding. The tempo and the way the lyrics are sung in general are pretty hiphop-sounding to me, but I’m not all that familiar with the genre. It’s nice to listen to though; Yuna’s voice is pretty hypnotizing, and there are a lot of really nice overlapping vocals. Bridge is pretty relaxed and slows the tempo a bit. Outro is similar to the intro, though by that point it feels rather repetitive. Not terrible though — pretty okay song overall.

OVERALL: I’m not sure what I was expecting from this actually. This is the first Yuna Ito album I’ve heard as most of my previous exposure to her music has been through the various singles she’s contributed to anime, most notably the NANA live action movies and Gundam 00. Though Dream is a short album and there are a few songs I didn’t care for or were indifferent towards, I think it’s a good and well-rounded album overall. “Ima demo aitaiyo” and “miss you” really impressed me, and “BREEEEZIN!!!!!!” really surprised me. Yuna’s vocals are really gorgeous and her mix of English and Japanese is usually very well done. There’s a good mix of moods and melodies, and I feel like there’s something here for most everyone to enjoy. If you’re new to Yuna Ito, Dream is probably a good album to start off with.

Tommy heavenly6 is my favorite of Tomoko Kawase’s projects, followed by the brilliant green. I’m not all that fond of Tommy february6, though it kind of reminds me a bit of Nana Kitade. Sadly, all of Tomoko’s projects were recently dropped by Sony, along with a few other artists like Sowelu. Doesn’t make any sense to me considering the popularity of her numerous anime tie-ins (“Pray” for Gintama, “Paper Moon” for SOUL EATER, “Unlimited Sky” for Gundam 00), but whatever… business is business? Sowelu just signed with Avex, but no word on Tomoko yet as far as I know. I don’t really doubt that she has a lot of options though. Regardless, this album was the latest and last released by Sony in late April. I only just got my hands on it, but here we go~.

TRACK 01: Wait For Me There (YouTube it)
Distorted, kinda dark sorta intro. Vocals start plainly, but it picks up nicely — has a good beat. Some pretty awkward sounding Engrish, but Tomoko’s voice is confident and smooth. Sometimes I like to just pretend that she isn’t butchering a language she doesn’t know that well. The words become less important than the sound and the emotion, and this song has a very relaxed, feel-good mood to be. Did she just say, “Let’s have some tea”? Some interesting vocal overlaps in the bridge, though I don’t think this is her best example of harmony. Song ends as smoothly and plainly as it starts. All around not a bad go, but not all that interesting either.

TRACK 02: Leaving You
Generic opening. Quiet, contemplative vocal intro. Feels very thoughtful. Percussion picks up nicely, if a bit simply — really diggin’ the melody here. Ohh… not too fond of the sounds in the chorus. The pitch on the high notes feel awkward and almost unintentional. Thankfully, the chorus is pretty short. Second verse has the same innocent, thoughtful mood as the first, but it’s pretty short too. Back to the chorus… and a third verse? The mood the vocals make me visualize Tomoko strolling through a park or something. Bridge is really nice — nothing amazing, but nice. Next chorus sounds quite a bit less awkward. There’s minimal Engrish in this song; definitely feel like that’s a plus. Smooth outro, fading distortion.

TRACK 03: Do You Know My Heart
Can an intro be calm and upbeat at the same time? Feels like another “stroll through the park” song to me. Vocals are very cheerful, maybe relaxing. Kind of like… the first day of summer feeling. Chorus has weird Engrish… most of it is pretty decipherable, and there are no “don’t scary”‘s at the very least. Mood doesn’t really seem to fluctuate as we go though, and I’m starting to get tired of the carefree cheerfulness. Second chorus is just as awkward as the first. I have a hard time describing Tomoko’s Engrish as anything other than “awkward,” huh? Awkward Engrish leads into outro and it ends pretty quickly after that.

TRACK 04: Sad End To A Fairy Tale
A more sad kind of intro. Good. More of the thoughtfulness from “Leaving You.” I think the guitar in this. Like the bridge from the first verse to the chorus too, though the chorus itself was kind of short and plain. Hm, as nice and calm as the music is so far, I’m really getting bored quickly — there doesn’t seem to be very much in the way of real energy — just a lot of cuteness and coyness? Where is the forcefulness? Where is the spark? Bridge has more of the nice guitar and some pretty sustained notes. Bridge repeats the same kind of mood and lackluster energy; what I can understand of the lyrics are pretty uninspiring too. Slow outro, buzz out to end.

TRACK 05: Shut Up
More energetic energy… some more serious sounding vocals. Less cute anyway. Melody is catchy, but somewhat repetitive. Chorus brings back the happy j-poppy feeling. Second verse returns to the lower register, but it doesn’t last long. Does “lower” mean “more serious”? Not necessarily, but all of her higher notes and melodies are starting to blur here. The best thing about this song is probably it’s repetitive drill, which might get annoying after a while, but it’s at least memorable. This is a really short song though — only 2:36. Ends suddenly.

TRACK 06: Flower Crown
Neat bass intro. Another, kind-of-the-same-thoughtful vocal intro. Bass continues to be awesome. Vocals, melody, and mood, not so much. Well, okay, the mood is definitely darker than before. Makes me think we’re sneaking up on someone. Chorus has some awkward hooks in the tune, like the pitch is off again. Some of the Engrish leading into the bridge is kind of lulzy. Man, this tempo is putting me to sleep. I want need some of the much more energetic stuff, c’mon…

TRACK 07: Surely
Upbeat, but not upbeat enough! Vocals are soft again, happy and contemplative. God, I just want some variation. T_T These vocals are really cute though… chorus loses it, but the melody is calming. More strolling in a park music. Perhaps playing frisbee. Really, this song could be an insert to any cheesy, happy montage in a movie or series. It’s very charming in that way. I kind of wish it wasn’t so late in the album — I kind of think I’d be more happy with it if I weren’t so worn with this mood already. The bridge is really sweet. Reintroduction of the vocals don’t seem to fit that well, but gaw, Tomoko’s voice is so cute. D: I don’t even think she’s trying to be. Ending is kind of awkward and sudden…

TRACK 08: Gonna Change My Way Of Life (YouTube it)
Generic kind of opening, though it does have some interesting buzzing. Chorus has a lot of Engrish — automatically awkward sounding, though not too terrible, I guess. This song has a much more forceful melody, especially at the end. Nothing else to really say though…

TRACK 09: Playground (YouTube it)
Hm, immediate vocal intro. Much more energetic! The vocals still seem a bit on the tame side, but the emotion feels clearer. I like the tempo here a lot, and the lyrics string together very well! The Engrish is the best I’ve heard on the entire album, and for once, they aren’t awkward! They actually work pretty well and integrate neatly with the Japanese. Some nice guitar and sustained vocals leading into the bridge — bridge has a good guitar solo. Vocals ease back in nicely. Once again, the Engrish here is pretty decent. :O I think this is my favorite song on the album so far. Very well done. Sudden ending though.

TRACK 10: Things I Can Do
Seems like we’re keeping the more upbeat tempo — nice intro. Vocals come in rather energetically; tone is still quite upbeat and thoughtful, but she seems much more into it. The melody is pretty nice; Engrish goes back to being a little awkward, but there isn’t that much of it. Really enjoying how the rest of the lyrics string together — keeps a good beat. Verses meld into choruses really well too. Tomoko definitely seems more into this song than many of the others. Final chorus stands out nicely after the bridge; the energy remains steady… ending is again sudden though.

TRACK 11: You Should Live In The Sunny Light (YouTube it)
Dark, slow intro. Vocals seem haunting. Never really picks up though. Very steady and kind of boring. Feels like we’re at a funeral service. Damn, it’s been half a song already? Nothing ever seems to change, and the guitar is kind of boring too. On another day, I might like this a lot better — it does have a very distinct mood, after all, and Tomoko’s vocals seem sincere at least — but after an entire album of less-than-stellar songs, I just kinda want it to be over. There’s very little in the way of landmarks in this song. I’m not sure where the verses are, where the choruses are — it’s especially hard since I don’t have lyrics in front of me. It ends like it begins, and I feel nothing.

OVERALL: This was a pretty disappointing album… I only really liked tracks #9 and #10, but even they’re nothing super outstanding. The rest of I Kill My Heart just seems like the same thing over and over again, and none of the songs seem to have the drive and energy that attracted me to Tommy heavenly6 in the first place. I’m also not sure why “Unlimited Sky” didn’t make it on this album. Instead, it was released with Tommy heavenly6′s compilation album that released in February. I suppose it’s a decent strategy to release new stuff on a compilation album to get more people to buy it, but at the same time, it kind of contradicts the definition of “compilation” album.

Then again, “Unlimited Sky”‘s mood would have clashed a lot with this album since it actually has the energy I’m looking for. Tommy heavenly6′s first, self-titled album is still my favorite. I’m not sure how well this album did on the Oricon charts, but if its performance reflects my opinion of it, then I guess that’s at least a reason for Sony to let go. Disappointing.

I was a bit skeptical about this album. I wasn’t all that fond of Utada’s previous English album, Exodus, because I found a lot of the lyrics to be really awkward (“You’re easy breezy, and I’m Japanesey”?). In general, I’m much more fond of her older stuff than her newer stuff… I didn’t like her most recent Japanese album, Heart Station, all that much either. I didn’t listen to the “Come Back to Me” single when it came out, so I was walking into this album blind more or less. Here are my first impressions during my first run through of the album:

TRACK 01: On and On (YouTube it)
Very upbeat opening; I like the guys yelling in the background in addition to Utada’s voice, which is gorgeous. Steady beat continues into main melody, and it’s very energizing in that you-gotta-tap-your-feet-and-move-your-body kinda way. Awesome transition into the chorus via a sudden silence in the background, same with the transition into the second chorus. This song definitely has a very American feel to it, which I almost find surprising because I didn’t think Exodus was very American at all. I really love all the layers of voices in this — the guy in the background just keeps going and going, then there’s Utada’s voice, and at the bridge and end, there’s a second layer of Utada’s voice; it’s a very nice combination of sounds. What a great way to start the album!

TRACK 02: Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – FYI
Loud, commanding piano intro followed by another steady beat and Utada’s familiar “ah, ah, ah.” Lyrics sound Japanese for a moment, but gets clearer very fast. The repetitive nature of the lyrics goes really well with the continued beat. The lyrics themselves are pretty interesting — she uses a lot of modern elements such as “FYI” and mentions of mp3s. It’s very characteristic of Utada in a way. Some of the piano in the bridge feels very Asian… it’s kind of strange that mixed-culture elements seem to stand out so much in her music because it obviously makes sense. I mean, I find it less jarring when it’s as obvious as singing in both Japanese and English in the same song, but when it’s as subtle as the feel of the sounds, it’s almost disconcerting. Final chorus is as upbeat as ever, but then returns to the piano, just a bit slower, and fades.

TRACK 03: Apple and Cinnamon (YouTube it)
More upbeat piano and steady back beat. Really like this minor key. Opening lyrics aren’t very impressive, and the spacing of the words to fit the tempo feels a little forced… gets better though — I really love Utada’s lower notes; I think they sound much better than her higher notes, which are a little strained and airy. Chorus feels very mixed as far as the aesthetics of the sound. I like the repeated portions of the verses better; the flow feels more natural. Aw, man, I hate it when people sing with bad grammar: “I can’t believe that you and me…” It’s usually done for a rhyming reason, I know, but it always bothers me. I mean, if you can force “love” and “us” to rhyme, then surely you can find a way to use “I” instead of “me”…? That’s the grammar nazi in me though. Bridge has some interesting buzzing… back to the chorus, and some weird, airy “ah”s before the end.

TRACK 04: Taking My Money Back (YouTube it)
Starts with a very pretty piano accompanied with some distortion, not as upbeat as the others. Voice starts kind of suddenly, but it’s soothing and crisp. Lyrics seem startlingly familiar — I feel like I’ve heard all these words before in other songs by other people. I suppose the theme and sentiment of the song is far from original, but it’s still a little disappointing to hear that certain lines seem almost word-for-word from other things I’ve heard. I’m not particularly fond of Hikki’s “ooh, ooh, ooh, I, I, I~” for the chorus, though that does set the sound of the song apart from other things it might remind me of. The piano and beats in the background are pretty consistent throughout, and it fades out at the end. It’s not a terrible song, I just hope that the tired subject matter doesn’t come back for the rest of the album; then again, perhaps it’s this kind of subject matter that will sell her more albums in the States?

TRACK 05: This One (Crying Like a Child)
Beautiful guitar and soft drums for the intro. Whoa! Utada’s voice sounds really different at the beginning and slowly works into a more familiar sound. Some really nice piano starts working its way in also. Chorus brings in a deeper backup voice, but I can’t tell if it’s her or someone else. Lyrics have a nice ring and beat to them — subject is still a little on the cliche side, but much more passable — and the feeling behind the voice sounds great. The melody is very refreshing… the more I hear the chorus, the more I think I like it. Outro brings back more of the pretty guitar, then end.

TRACK 06: Automatic Part II
Whoa, really awesome intro — great bass beat and synth. Opening lyrics sound really strange and have a low echo. The background music remains good, but I’m really unsure about Utada’s vocals here. It’s particularly strange because the original Automatic is one of my favorite songs by her; to have it revisited now in such a manner is… disorienting? The lyrics being in English is strange enough, but the “yeah”s and “ah”s really throw me off too. It’s a bit better if I try to forget the original; I mean, it’s far from being a terrible song, and it isn’t exactly just a remix. It feels very Utada, anyway.

TRACK 07: Dirty Desire
Vocals start immediately, very ominous, but then the main melody starts and the steady beat starts up. Lyrics flow very nicely… except… did she just say, “I love you long time”? Wow. I don’t even know what to say to that. Chorus is very catchy; the beat is fun, and the song feels more American again. Hahaha, maybe part of it is just the subject matter though. Nice overlapping of voices for the chorus, full of Utada’s standard “ah”s. Bridge has some interesting synth action along with the beat. Outro/bridge #2 sounds really weird; other voices come in and the melody kind of departs from the rest of the song. Then it fades and ends. Man, I have such mixed feelings about this song.

TRACK 08: Poppin’
Spy music intro? Then the beat starts with a round of back and forth “hey”s and some very high-pitched vocals that I’m not so fond of. There’s a secondary vocal here that’s decidedly not Utada (it’s slightly British sounding?), but most of Utada’s vocals are in the high register, which I just don’t like listening to… so thin and airy. The background music really reminds me of this weird mix of spy and horror music… complete with howling wolves at some point. Bridge seems like it’s from a different song almost, but then it’s back to Utada’s high vocals. And weird distortion. I do think this is my least favorite song thus far.

TRACK 09: Come Back to Me (YouTube it)
Dramatic piano opening, but then it goes to a completely different sound — a very poppy, upbeat-but-sad kind of thing. Lyrics start out nice, but then she mentions “Photoshop[ping] all [her] bad memories,” and I can’t help but think that that’s ridiculously corny. It’s nice to see those modern references, but come on… Chorus is pretty though. Second verse’s lyrics aren’t terribly better, but there’s no more Photoshop at least. Second chorus extension is all in that high voice, ugh, but the beat is catchy. Chorus lyrics are pretty cheesy too, actually, but the melody is just awesome… final chorus has some nice canon action going on too, and I am a sucker for canons. Some pretty “la, la, la, la”s at the end… then fade out.

TRACK 10: Me Muero
This sounds like oldschool arcade music to start with. Specifically, I suddenly got visions of Streets of Rage 2 on Sega Genesis, haha. Lyrics sound a little forced at first, but it’s not that bad… there’s some nicely placed whistling; the background music is pretty soothing and lounge-like. It’s really weird hearing Utada trying to sound Latina though — her accent seems to change with certain words. Most of the song seems like the chorus, haha, and this song feels a lot shorter than it actually is because of that.

TRACK 11: Come Back To Me (Seamus Haji & Paul Emanuel Radio Edit)
Starts off like a DDR intro… and moves into a DDR-like song! The heavy beat works really nicely with the lyrics though; it’s a well done remix. I wouldn’t mind dancing to this, anyway, though it’s still a bit on the slow side. Hm, just realized that Utada goes from first to third to first person in the second verse — kinda weird? Final chorus has a resurgence of energy and it speeds up. I’d really like to hear an ultra-fast version of this song now… maybe this last track will do it.

TRACK 12: Come Back To Me (Quentin Harris Radio Edit)
Well, it sounds faster! Kinda? Hm, nope, first verse seems about the same tempo as the previous mix. Some neat distortion and random noises in the back though — is that a cow bell? I hear a cow bell. Still lovin’ this chorus, but yeah, not as fast as I’d like to hear it. Bridge sounds pretty different; it’s always good to hear more significant changes between remixes of a song (Utada did like a dozen remixes of Exodus ’04, but most of them sounded the same).

OVERALL: I’m definitely much happier with this album than I was with Exodus. The overall sound of This Is The One feels much more connected and cohesive, and I think it has a much more accessible sound for an American audience. Many of the songs still have a peculiar Japanese feel to them, but I think the less obscure subject matter along with the strong pop sound will push it a bit further in the States compared to Exodus. The mixed format release schedule should also help a little. The physical US release won’t have the two remix tracks at the end, which is fine, though I wonder why they also switched up the track order for the US release. They move “Come Back to Me” and “Me Muero” to the beginning and “On and On” to the end; the rest of the listing is the same. I guess it doesn’t really matter though, this album doesn’t really have any songs that lead into each other, so order isn’t that big a deal.

But yeah, pretty good album here. A few nice songs, a few less attractive songs, but it’s an altogether decent mix. I don’t see Utada Hikaru breaking into the US mainstream anytime soon, but she’s taking the right steps if that’s her goal. Unfortunately, it might be that going for a more American sound will sacrifice some of her Japanese popularity. This Is The One is Hikki’s first album to not top the Oricon weekly charts (it debuted at #3) since Precious — her first album. Meanwhile, it’s just broken the top 20 downloaded albums on iTunes.

I found myself listening to the song pretty often and counting the days until the single’s release. That’s the wonderful marketing ploy of it all. Anime themes are always singles, and they always debut on air a month or two before the single’s due to release. That’s a month or two that you have to sit around with a minute to minute and a half teaser of a beautiful song. It drove me nuts. I actually really love the TV cut version of “trust you” though; it’s easy to tell where things are abbreviated, but I thought it was pieced together very well. It’s obvious that the intro is probably longer and it feels like the first verse extends directly into final chorus.

Well, the single’s still not due out until March 4th, but the PV released a day or two ago, so I got ahold of a PV rip. Finally! A full length version of the song! …Why doesn’t it sound as nearly good as the TV Cut?

The piano intro is pretty, but I felt like it was too long now. The vocals start around :30, but they really could have started around :20. The first verse and chorus are pretty much the same right down to the “hanasanaide.” It then eases into the same piano melody and begins the second verse, which just doesn’t sound as polished as the first. There are more phrases were it seems like she’s trying to fit too many syllables into a short space. It’s particular noticable right before the second chorus: “tsunagatteru to, Im always by your side” just doesn’t sound as elegant to me as “mata aeru to, I’m waiting for your love.”

The bridge comes after that, and I really don’t like the bridge. The melody of the vocals don’t really seem to fit at all for one reason or another. Following the bridge, chorus is repeated again, but as we get to the fourth “I love you, I trust you,” she changes the pitch of the “you” in both lines and it sounds very awkward, like it’s incomplete, like there should be something else that comes with that note. The final lines of the chorus are then sung, and it’s really not so bad, but in contrast to the intro, I almost felt like there should have been more piano at the end. It’s still a decent song, but the full length version really disappointed me.

This isn’t the first time this has happened. I had similar feelings towards the full version of T.M. Revolution’s “resonance,” the first opening of SOUL EATER, where, again, the second verse just didn’t feel nearly as cohesive as the first and the bridge felt kind of awkward, though I don’t think it was as disappoint as “trust you.”

Sometimes the opposite happens: I’ll love the full version and the TV cut seems like an unskillfully chopped up version of a wonderful song. This was the case for me regarding “Life is like a boat,” by Rie fu, Bleach‘s first ending, as well as “READY STEADY GO” by L’Arc~en~Ciel, Fullmetal Alchemist‘s second opening. For both those cases though, I heard the full version before I heard the TV cut because I got into the series later. So is it just because I like the version I heard first better?

But for the vast majority of songs, both the TV cut and the full version sound fine to me regardless of which I heard first. I don’t have a problem with any of the TV cuts of Death Note‘s themes, and I love the full versions just as much. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei‘s themes are all brilliant, TV cut, full version, or otherwise. I didn’t have a problem with the TV cuts of “Daybreak’s bell” or “Ash Like Snow” by L’Arc~en~Ciel and the brilliant green respectively, the first and second openings of Gundam 00′s first season, even though I heard (and loved) both full versions before I started the series.

So what is it with these few songs? Just random chance that for a few songs, I’ll just stick to the version I heard first? It makes more sense for the full versions that sound better because I realize that the people responsible for mixing the TV cuts can’t be expected to create a perfect representation of the original song each and every time, but what’s up with the full versions that just aren’t as awesome? I guess in those cases, the TV cut creators should get a pat on the back for making an okay song better. Or does animation play a bigger factor than I realize? I love the accompanying animation for both “trust you” and “resonance” so maybe that’s a reason? But even listening to the song without the animation, I feel like the TV cuts are better than the full versions. And besides, I love the animations that accompany a lot of other themes too.

What do you guys think? Are you usually more drawn to TV cuts or full versions? Which happens more often? Why do you think that is?

I still look forward to the “trust you” single’s official release on the 4th because it’ll gain me a new karaoke track, but this isn’t the first time I’ve wished for a karaoke track for the TV cut version as well. (Well, okay, the first time I’ve wished this wasn’t because I liked the TV cut better; it was because the full version of Aya Hirano’s “Hare Hare Yukai” is just too damn long to sing and dance to simultaneously.)

I’ve not heard much about Kokia… most likely because I haven’t seen all too many series she’s done music for. She did a song for Origin: Spirits of the Past, but it must not have left a very big impression on me because I can’t remember it at all. In any case, I was looking for Christmasy music and came across this album, so I figure I’d give it a shot. I love my Christmas music, and I love my j-pop, so this has to be good, right? Here are my thoughts from an hour of just sitting and listening to music:

TRACK 01: Amazing Grace (YouTube it)
Kokia’s voice starts off eerie and soft, but it really does have a beautiful quality to it. Her notes are high and very sustained — her trademark ability, apparently — giving it an even more surreal quality. There’s a soft echo in the back, almost like a canon, but it fades out too quickly… oh, wait, there it is again after a brief silence. It still fades in and out, but it’s really interesting sounding when it’s there. Beautiful violin solo, keeps the mood nicely. It’s creepy, but it’s pretty soothing too. Good music for a quiet evening.

TRACK 02: Hallelujah (YouTube it)
Soft voice and piano intro. The lyrics are… in English? Very, very beautiful voice. Soft and controled. Wow, I’m really loving this voice. I’ve heard a good number of songs called “Hallelujah,” but this is definitely different from all of them. It doesn’t feel like a church song; hell, it doesn’t really even feel religious to me. Just hopeful. The piano melody in the back is really pretty and the general feel of the song reminds me of some American indie folk stuff… or perhaps even a less dramatic version of Regina Spektor? Kokia’s English is flawless as well. No stumbling, no accent. It’s gorgeous.

TRACK 03: I’ll be home for Christmas
Gentle piano and strings into, sounding more like traditional Christmas music now. English lyrics again, but her accent’s starting to show just a little. There’s still a pretty Western feel to the song though, and the accompanying music probably plays a big part in that. For some reason, I can imagine this song playing in time with an old 80′s or 90′s cartoon Christmas special. Something sweet and quaint. Or perhaps an oldschool Disney movie? Something out of Pinnochio.

TRACK 04: We three kings of orient are
Saxophone~. Familiar melody, familiar lyrics. I can’t get over how perfect her voice sounds. English is crisp, and if I didn’t know better, I’d just say it was an American singing. This is music to wait for Santa Claus to. It’s been a long time since saying up late was a rare occurance for me, but if I was going to fall asleep waiting for someone, this would be pretty damn good music to do it to. There’s a mystical kind of urgency to Kokia’s tone here; it works really well with the song. The sax and piano are great together, and I can imagine this being played in a classy lounge late at night, after most of the patrons have left. Don’t you love it when music gets you imagery like that?

TRACK 05: Christmas Medley
Hmm, starts with children laughter. Kind of creepy… oh, shit. Wow. Bouncy piano. Bouncy, cheerful singing. Quite a contrast! It’s still soft and kind of muted, but it’s definitely upbeat. Her accent seeps through a bit more for “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” but it’s not very distracting. Easing into “Let it Snow,” still very cheerful. Very cutesy, child-like voice. It’s almost disturbing how young she sounds here, but there’s a weird… lack of innocence kind of feel to her tone, if that makes sense? She almost sounds like a little boy in “The Little Drummer Boy”! My mind! It’s blown! “The First Noel,” has a nice echo/pseudo-canon in it, along with some sweet bells in the back… goes into “Jingle Bells,” rather abruptly. Definitely a subdued kind of tone to a normally very upbeat song — kind of weird, but it works with the rest of the songs here. Transition back to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” is a little better, but maybe because I’m expecting this weird, muted bounciness now. Pronunciation of “Santa Claus” is kind of like “Santa Clothes,” lol. …Or, she’s pronouncing it with a British accent, which I guess is completely feasible. o_o; “Silent Night” on a marimba or something now. Good ending, good collection. :3

TRACK 06: Teo Torriatte (Let us cling together)
Japanese lyrics for the first time on the entire album! Goes back into English again though. More and more I’m getting a British tintkind of feeling here. I like the steady piano beat in the background of this song though it doesn’t sound particularly festive… but then it disappears and her voice gets a little livelier, goes back to that hopeful kind of mood. Very pretty voice — love those sustained notes.

TRACK 07: Ave Maria
Kokia’s voice demonstrates some really strong, opera qualities here. Notes are clear and beautifully sustained. Piano and violin sound great in accompaniment. The general mood and feel of the music is similar to that of the previous song, but the vocal range is much more impressive. Can’t really tell what language this is in, but the song is supposed to be in Latin, right? Not all too familiar with it, but that seems about right to me. Her voice is fantastic regardless.

TRACK 08: It came upon a midnight clear
Funny thing. I’m having a hard time associating this song with “religious” just because I can’t really imagine this being performed at a church? Perhaps it’s just the solo nature of it. To me, church = choir. Kokia’s accent is showing again, but it’s easy to just focus on the music rather than the words. I’m not religious myself, so that’s mostly what I usually do anyway, lol. I always did like the melody to this song though. Kokia’s voice is somehow secularizing it even more for me.

TRACK 09: Seinaru Yoru ni ~holy night
Japanese lyrics return! And an oboe! I love hearing band and orchestra instruments that don’t usually show up in songs like this. :3 Kokia’s voice is very high for most of this song; this makes lyrics hard to pick out, so I think the overall sound is more important as a result. A variety of instruments definitely helps with that. I want to say there’s a harp in here too, but I’m not sure…

TRACK 10: Kokoro no Rouzoku
Soft piano opening. Quiet, almost indistinct voice. Reminds me a bit of how “Amazing Grace” opened. This doesn’t really feel seasonal or festive to me (the last song didn’t really either), but it’s still very pretty. I suppose I could imagine gentle snowfall to this song, but I might be trying too hard.

TRACK 11: Remember the kiss ~Dedicated to ‘new’ NY~
Very slow intro. Hm, this might be the first song that kind of annoys me… I dislike it when there are long pauses between words. I’m ADD and lose interest pretty past, so if thoughts are connecting in a timely manner, then I get bored. Song speeds up a little after a while, but even though the lyrics flow a bit smoother, there’s this lingering feeling of… “get on with it.” Kokia’s voice also feels a little plainer to me here — there’s an absence of high, sustained notes, just a lot of dragging words. A chorus rises up in the background at some points, but it never stays long, which is pretty disappointing. Ending is kind of repetitive, another pet peeve of mine. Don’t repeat a line more than five times!

OVERALL:
Since I didn’t have much of a previous impression of Kokia, I didn’t really know what to expect from this, but I was surprised all the same. The style and mood of Kokia’s music doesn’t really fit with what I think Christmas music should be like, but it’s still really, really beautiful. I really, really love her voice — it has a really pure quality to it that I don’t think I hear often enough. So! If you’re looking for some holiday cheer, this might be a bit too much on the somber and eerie (well, the medley track might pass), but if you’re just looking for some soothing vocals accompanied by deliciously haunting piano ensembles, then this is a great album for that.

First up is ONE OK ROCK, a rock band formed in 2006 with a pretty modern and Western-influenced style. They usually sing in Japanese but are partial to incorporating a fair bit of English into their lyrics. The English is heavily accented, but once you figure out what they’re saying, it usually makes sense, so in that regard, it isn’t exactly Engrish. Their general style and some of their subject matter reminds me a bit of ELLEGARDEN also, but they’re hardly a clone; in particular, their vocalists’ voices have very different edges to them. Taka’s vocal range is also a bit more varied, I think; he tackles a good range of notes and has some pretty nice falsettos (I’m a sucker for falsettos, yes?). They’re a really energetic bunch all around and have a lot of energy. They’re something good to listen to when you’re working or in a good mood.

ONE OK ROCK currently has three albums, three singles, and two mini albums out. I definitely recommend their first album, Zeitakubyou. “Etcetera” (エトセトラ = Etosetora) is my favorite single of theirs, though it’s pretty different from most of their other stuff in that it’s pretty emo, lol. I recently got ahold of their most recently album, Kanjou Effect, and will probably be writing up a First Impressions post when I find some time to sit down and listen to it.

ONE OK ROCK Official Website, MySpace, Blog
Recommended Album: Zeitakubyou
Recommended Songs: Borderline, Koukai Yakunitata Zu, Kemuri, Etcetera

Next is JYONGRI, a j-pop singer of Korean ancestry who is fluent in both Japanese and English and debuted with her first single in 2006. She also incorporates a lot of English into her lyrics, but as she has a much better grasp of the English language than the members of ONE OK ROCK, the mixing of languages is deliciously smooth — something that always scores huge points with me. Think of Utada Hikaru and Rie fu’s English/Japanese songs; they’re that smooth. Her Japanese is pretty unique too in that her pronunciation is a little quirky at times; she annunciates a lot of syllables that are usually dropped or de-emphasized in casual Japanese, such as the first “ku” in “yakusoku.”

Her style is very upbeat and energetic… sometimes a little coy. She as a really beautiful and powerful voice, and I love her sustained and higher notes. JYONGRI’s lyrics are a little lacking sometimes (and it’s more obvious because there’s a lot of easy-to-comprehend English), but the general emotion and feeling of her songs are sincere enough that that doesn’t matter much to me. “Romeo and Juliet,” for example, has some of the most cliche lyrics I’ve ever heard, but her voice is so pretty when she sings them!

JYONGRI has released two albums and five singles.

JYONGRI Official Website, Blog
Recommended Album: Close to Fantasy
Recommended Songs: Possession (Japanese ver.), Let Me In, Yakusoku, YOUR SONG (Short clips of many of her songs can be found on last.FM)

Lastly…Akeboshi. What? Seriously? But Akeboshi is the guy that did Naruto’s first and thirteenth end themes! “Wind” and “Yellow Moon”! How is he unknown? Really though, I don’t think enough people have checked out the guy’s other stuff, and I like his other stuff much better than the songs he contributed to Naruto. Akeboshi generally has a very mellow and down-to-earth style that people have called folk, but I don’t listen to enough folk to really say. I don’t know how to categorize this music, but I know it’s soothing and calms me down. Music for a rainy day or for the middle of the night. Occasionally, he’ll have more upbeat and even bouncy songs, but the quality of his voice still grounds the sound somehow.

Akeboshi also sings in a mix of Japanese and English, but though he studied in Liverpool for a while, his English remains heavily accented — a bit easier to understand than ONE OK ROCK, but not nearly as clear as JYONGRI? I love the variety of instruments that show up in his music though: piano, something that kind of sounds like a marimba, violin, harmonica, trumpet …bagpipe. Seriously, what was the last musician you listened to that used bagpipes?

It’s also a little off-topic, but I love looking at Akeboshi’s blog — there’s very little in the way of text, but the guy takes some really beautiful photographs. Akeboshi has released three albums, five mini-albums, and a single.

Akeboshi Official Website, Facebook, Blog
Recommended Album: Akeboshi or Yellow Moon (EP)
Recommended Songs: Akikaze no Uta, A Nine Days’ Wonder, Peruna, Along the Line