You know, I really dislike self-entitled albums. They kind of make mentioning them in a [band]‘s [album] format awkward. Moving on, despite being a fan of hyde, I was never really that interested in VAMPS. I mean, I adore hyde’s work with L’Arc~en~Ciel, and his one-time collaboration with Gackt for “orenji no taiyou” was also amazing, but his solo work leaves a lot to be desired (especially in his third solo album, Faith), and that’s what K.A.Z. had previously worked with him on. And as VAMPS’s debut US tour did not visit any city I was remotely close to, I felt even less compelled to familiar myself with the music.

Additionally, the overt-vampire references in all of this — in the band name, the album name, the label name, and pretty much all of the song names and imagery — kind of made me facepalm. I would expect it from Gackt, who only recently came out as a mere mortal and has a long history of vampire and goth sound and imagery. But, well, I guess it really isn’t that big of a surprise coming from hyde either… considering the fact that he’s acted as both a vampire and a ghost, songs like “Midnight Celebration,” various photoshoots, and a lot of his fashion and accessory choices. Well, whatever brings all the fangirls to the yard, right?

And in the end, hyde is hyde, and I knew it was only a matter of time before I eventually decided to pick this up. So here we go:

TRACK 01: BITE
Thirty-second opening track! Starts off with some very classic horror elements — swanky TV noises in the background, creeking door, clock striking, howling, a woman moaning sensually and a scream! Classy.

TRACK 02: LOVE ADDICT
Now some rockin’ guitar with a very catchy beat. hyde’s vocals start rough and excitedly, a welcome throwback to some of his older work. Lyrics are in Engrish and they are hilarious as usual, so I’m not going to try too hard to decipher what he’s saying. Melody is pretty negligent as the song progresses, but the guitars carry a steady beat, so there’s at least that to tie things together. End of the first chorus has a weird break before hyde comes back in slowly, in a lower voice. K.A.Z. (I guess?) providing some backup vocals here and there, but nothing really substantial or interesting. I think the repeated lyrics near the end are “right on time, let’s go,” but it could also be “let go.” It frustrates me sometimes that hyde has spent so long singing in English, but it rarely seems to get more understandable. Guitars fade out to the end. Not a good song, not a bad song.

TRACK 03: COSMOS
Rockin’ guitars again. Another sort of classy opening, takes it’s time getting to the vocals, which start… nostalgically. hyde’s vocal quality here reminds me a lot of SMILE-era L’Arc~en~Ciel though the guitars and melody are very different. I’m so glad he’s singing in Japanese here; I was afraid for a bit that the whole album would be Engrish. Some nice sustained notes in the first chorus, but the longer notes in the verses sound a little strained. Oh, a nice falsetto in the second chorus. Glad he’s not abandoning that talent of his. Some decent guitar and drums in the bridge, accompanied by distant vocal echos. Guitar leading into the final chorus are pretty nice as well. Still haven’t come across anything that’s wowed me, but this second track makes me more optimistic than the first. I really want something memorable and catchy; the first part of “BITE” was catchy, but it get too repetitive too fast. What were the singles leading up to this album?

TRACK 04: SECRET IN MY HEART
Spacey kind of intro; would have been more appropriate for the previous song. Guitars rock in very quickly and hyde’s lyrics are back to Engrish though they’re a little less haphazard. The vocals are rather relaxed despite the breakneck speed of the guitars… but both get lazier come the chorus. Vocals start feeling strained again and the guitars aren’t very impressive until the short break between the chorus and the second verse. The vocals don’t seem to compliment the guitars very well again — it almost seems like they’re fighting for the spotlight rather than working together. Gah, I hate it when that happens. Second chorus feels a little better, but now I’m starting to feel like the melody’s very pretentious. Not sure. Some parts of the melody are very reminiscent of classic vampire-themed music and there are some slight screeching sounds that promote that imagery. I guess I need to stop holding that sort of thing against this album though, since that’s obviously its theme. Outro is a bit too long for my taste. Ends with a whimper, not a bang.

TRACK 05: EVANESCENT (YouTube it)
Boring sort of intro. Opening vocals are rather plain as well. Lyrics are back to Japanese. A guitars in the back sound like they’re from another song I’ve heard whether from this band or another. They just aren’t distinct. I think if I were sampling this album at the store, I would have given up on it by now. Chorus and beginning of the second verse remind me of another song. I feel like I’ve heard most parts of this song before, just not pieced together like this. Just wanna zone out and do something else…

TRACK 06: VAMPIRE DEPRESSION
Back and forth guitars and some interesting synth and distortion work. Finally! Something that actually seems intriguing? Vocals start dark and dramatic; hyde’s voice is low and brooding. Lyrics are in Engrish. Oh, nice, a measure of piano for a really nice creepy effect. Chorus has hyde screaming melodramatically and it’s pretty hilarious, but not terrible. Still diggin’ the mix of guitars and distortion as we go into the second verse. It maintains a nice mood, even if it’s a bit over-the-top. It works. hyde’s screaming is less entertaining the second time around, but the guitars and drums carrying into the bridge make up for it. Dramatic lyrics before the final chorus are pretty nice sounding even if I still can’t make out what he’s saying. Screaming is even less amusing the third time around, but they don’t last long and we go back to the guitars and distortion for an outro that’s just the right length. Best song on the album thus far. Perfect timing too, after the tedious track before it.

TRACK 07: REDRUM
More dramatic guitar. Feels like a really awesome movie action scene should be starting right about now. Another Engrish song and hyde’s vocals feel very American as they start off, even if his pronunciation still leaves a lot to be desired — the style he sings in just feels very familiar. Guitars and drums are really going at it here; they do a good job keeping me interested in what’s going on here. Post-chorus guitars are especially neat. hyde’s doing a lot of sustained yelling in a rough sort of voice in the verses here; more singing in the choruses. After the last song, the yelling is borderline annoying, but once again, K.A.Z.’s guitar and their power chords are keeping things together. Haha, the bits of the lyrics I’m picking up are hilarious melodramatic, but I know I can’t expect anything else. Song ends rather suddenly, but it’s definitely on par with “VAMPIRE DEPRESSION.” If the rest of the songs sound like this, it’ll get a little repetitive, but at least it won’t be boring.

TRACK 08: DEEP RED
A change of mood for the intro — a twangy sort of beat and a more diverse mix of sounds. It’s the music leading into a chase scene. Vocals are dramatic but well-controlled. hyde seems like he’s holding something back though and… it doesn’t really seem to release in the chorus. Voice gets a bit deeper and rougher around the edges though. Lyrics here are a mix of Japanese and Engrish. K.A.Z.’s guitar oscillates between high-pitched lines and a steadier background accompaniment here; it compliments the vocals well though and it’s a good break from the hard rockin’ of the previous two songs. I think I’m finding the chorus kinda catchy actually — “something something in search of blood”? Bridge is pretty interesting as well, and I noticed the weird bass lines for the first time. Last two or three choruses go on for a while, but I don’t really mind. I think the reason I like the “blah blah in search of blood line” is because hyde’s vocals finally don’t sound forced or strained or too deep or too rough. They’re more natural and it’s nice.

TRACK 09: I GOTTA KICK START NOW (YouTube it)
Rockin’ guitar again. Sounds like the opening of another song I’ve heard on this album already? Vocals and the continued start and stop of the guitar remind me of some classic rock song I’m not familiar with because I’m not big on classic rock. Guitars aren’t too interesting, but hyde’s voice still sounds very natural here, more casual and less pretentious. Even with the Engrish lyrics, it doesn’t feel too unnatural — he’s just slurring all the words! That’s all! Some of the short pauses in the guitar feel awkward, but it does keep you interested in the beat because it’s somewhat unpredictable. Oh, guitars in the bridge are nice though. I had a brief vision of BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad. I go back and forth from feeling that “I gotta kick start now” sounds weird and feeling that it’s fine. Consequences of listening to too much Engrish. :P

TRACK 10: TIME GOES BY
Soft acoustic intro? Slow intro vocals and it feels like a ballad coming on. …Nope! Guitars come in harder and the melody picks up quickly; vocals somehow retain a “I’m singing to you under your balcony” sort of feel though. Really enjoy the little break between the chorus and the second verse. The mix of Engrish and Japanese lyrics is nice too. Second verse again starts off deceptively slow before picking up. Melody is reasonably catchy and I like the energy and feeling of sincerity in this song. And falsetto! I never know how much I miss it until it comes back all of a sudden! Lovely guitars in the bridge and a rockin’ return to the chorus — more falsetto! Outro makes me feel nostalgic again. This might be my new favorite song on the album!

TRACK 11: SWEET DREAMS (YouTube it)
Piano intro! Very unexpected. Falsetto opening vocals! Also unexpected. Difficult-to-understand Engrish lyrics! Not so unexpected, but hyde sings slow and sweet. A really mixed bag in the background accompaniment — it feels a little scattered, but comes together okay by the time we get to the chorus. Some self-harmony in the vocals sound a bit strange as well… Back to straight up falsetto for the second verse. Engrish sounds mad awkward for a bit, but then he thankfully swaps back to Japanese. Falsetto starts to feel a little strained, but it goes into the second chorus soon after that. Seems as soon as something starts feeling awkward in this song, it changes and goes away. Not bad, I guess, though it’d be better if it never got to the awkwardness in the first place. Random phone dialing and ringing in the bridge? What? Some generic sounding strings with a prominent violin… Tired of the chorus already, but we go back to the nice piano for the outro. Mixed feelings about this song; it’s all over the place.

TRACK 12: HUNTING
Some fun guitar rifts in the opening, but not that exciting… oh, wait, okay, it gets more exciting as it goes on. Punctuated yelling starts off the vocals. hyde sure does do a lot of yelling on this album. :o I think he’s saying “Hi! Ho! Let’s rock!” but I’m probably wrong… haha… What, is that it? Okay. A two-minute song of uninspired guitarring and hyde yelling. I mean, I guess it’d work okay for the intro to a concert to get the crowd riled, but as the second-to-last track of an album? Come on. Maybe it’d be too much to put it at the beginning along with the “generic horror sounds” track, but in that case, just pick one or the other? We don’t need both. :\

TRACK 13: SEX BLOOD ROCK N’ ROLL
Oh, back to the sensual moaning then. Fun-sounding guitars and drumming though. …Ew, distorted vocals. hyde, your Engrish is hard enough to listen to without it being distorted too! Eh, I can see why “HUNTING” would precede this track, but… blah, I’m so conflicted about this song. The guitars and especially the drumming are a lot of fun, but they’re not innovative or particularly original and the vocals are borderline pissing me off. Especially combined with the random noises and cooing and warbling. The chants of “sex blood rock n’ roll” are annoying as well and… then it’s over.

OVERALL: On one hand, I feel that maybe I wasn’t in the right sort of mood walking into this album. I should have known that there would be a lot of cliche and silly vampiric elements, but they bugged me all the same. I didn’t want to listen to unoriginal vampire-themed music. As always, I wanted to listen to everything that made me a fan of hyde’s voice in the first place, and that’s L’Arc~en~Ciel (though to be honest, Laruku’s most recent album also left a lot to be desired). VAMPS is not Laruku. hyde’s singing style and vocal quality is almost completely different from what he uses for his other projects and K.A.Z.’s guitar is certainly different from ken’s or hyde’s.

Listening to VAMPS while wanting L’Arc~en~Ciel is just a bad idea, but regardless of my bias, VAMPS still seems to utilize a lot of tired rifts and generic punches in the vocals. With a name like that and a debut album like this, I’m left wondering whether VAMPS will continue churning out songs with such forced themes and melodramatic ties to a specific subgenre. A few songs like “VAMPIRE DEPRESSION” and “DEEP RED” are energetic and fun in that they don’t seem to be taking themselves too seriously, and “TIME GOES BY” stood out to me for being very different from the rest of the songs on the album, but pretty much everything else is forgettable and disappointing.

This post isn’t actually about Engrish songs though. With Engrish as such a common element in so many anime themes and inserts (and indeed, Japanese music on the whole), it’s always a real surprise when you hear a song that’s in English. English! No mispronunciations. No sketchy grammar. Minimal or no accent. They’re a rare breed, but not all that difficult to find considering a number of very popular series include them. Sometimes they’re sung by native speakers and sometimes they’re still Japanese artists, but they’re always a real treat when you come across them:

8. “living inside the shell” – Steve Conte, Shanti Snyder, and Yoko Kanno (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG ED)

It’s a huge given that there’s going to be Yoko Kanno somewhere on this list. In fact, exactly half of the songs on this list are composed by Yoko Kanno, two of which are performed by Steve Conte. Few people would argue against Kanno’s astounding skills across all styles and genres of music. Blues, jazz, hip-hop, classical, orchestral, pop, folk, rock, electronic, whatever, you name it, she’s done it. Language? Japanese, Latin, Italian, French, Russian, some made up gibberish that sounds Latin-based, and of course, English. It’s hard narrowing down her extensive portfolio of works to a handful of songs, but “living inside the shell” is surely one of my favorites. SAC’s first season ending, “Lithium Flower” was also a contender, but I prefer Conte’s vocals to Scott Matthew’s and the lyrics I find better suited to the thoughtfulness of SAC’s themes. The spoken portion by Shanti Snyder also adds an eerie dimension to the mood of the piece.

7. “Duvet” – Bôa (Serial Experiments Lain OP)

You know, Lain is one of those series I’ve meant to watch for years and years and years and still haven’t gotten around to. I have a freakin’ poster of Lain and I haven’t actually watched a single episode. One of these days, eh? Regardless, I’ve seen and heard the opening of the series and though it kind of classes with my impression of it, it’s a nice song and pleasant to listen to. Bôa is a British indie-alternative band that was pretty much unknown prior to their involvement with Lain and pretty much unknown afterwards as well. That can probably be said for a lot of artists that only contribute one song to a series though. The vocalist has an odd desperation to her voice that I also find kind of apathetic, which clashes for a strange effect. Maybe that strangeness is what relates it to the series itself then?

6. “key of the twilight” – Emily Bindiger and Yuki Kajiura (.hack//SIGN OST1)

Maybe this one’s kind of cheating since it’s neither an opening, an ending, nor an insert as far as I know. It just shows up on the soundtrack though if I’m wrong, you can blame it on the fact that I found no real merits in .hack//SIGN beyond its music and therefore never actually finished the series. “key of the twilight,” like most of the other music for the series and much of Yuki Kajiura’s compositions in general, has a strong celtic sound and influence to it that helps tie it to the slightly mystical qualities .hack. It also features a lot of echoy canons and sustained notes, which I’m a huge sucker for. Indeed, the same qualities make “In the land of twilight, under the moon” my favorite song of the series. I would have included it on this list instead, but while the lyrics are all in perfect English, the vocalists occasionally have accents. (It’s more obvious here than in the studio recording assuming they’re the same people because I can’t seem to find any information on the vocalists of the song.)

5. “gravity” – Maaya Sakamoto and Yoko Kanno (Wolf’s Rain ED)

The second of four by Yoko Kanno. Maaya Sakamoto has some of the most impressive English for someone who doesn’t seem to have been raised at some point in an English-speaking country. “gravity” was my first exposure to her music and an instant hit. The clear quality of her vocals helped emphasize the crispness of her pronunciation as well as the gentle melody. It suits the series well enough, but I think it’s an especially great foil to Wolf’s Rain’s opening theme, “Stray,” which is performed by Steve Conte. The two songs’ contrast reflects the series better than either of the songs could do alone.

4. “The Sore Feet Song” – Ally Kerr (Mushishi OP)

This fact that this opening was in English really surprised me when I first saw Mushishi since the series seemed so steeped in traditional Japanese visuals and influences, what with the dozens of self-sustained villages scattered around the mountains. Ally Kerr is a Scott of little renown, but the calming nature of the song and the whimsical, far-off lyrics he sings really define the series, and it soon became clear that no other song could fit Mushishi as well as “The Sore Feet Song” does. Even the name of the song invokes appropriate imagery for the show and the accompanying animation for the theme drives that in. It’s awesome.

3. “kiri” – MONORAL (Ergo Proxy OP)

I haven’t seen Ergo Proxy either, but I’m planning to in the near future. Hell, the theme song’s name is “kiri”! It’s like it’s calling me. :P Seriously though, the song does have a beckoning voice to it and the style feels very Western. If Wikipedia didn’t tell me that both members of MONORAL were at least partially Japanese and signed by Sony Music Japan, I would have just guessed that they were American or British (or Australian or Canadian). Still, while the bassist/guitarist was raised in Tokyo, the vocalist/guitarist was born in London and raised in France — he’s also apparently fluent in Japanese, English, French, and Arabic. Wow. Ergo Proxy’s theme has a very desolate mood about it and the accompanying visuals suit it wonderfully; it’s definitely enough to make me want to watch the series. Curiously enough, Ergo Proxy’s end theme is by Radiohead (“PARANOID ANDROID”), but that’s really nothing alongside “kiri.”

2. “Call Me, Call Me” – Steve Conte and Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop insert/OST3 “Blue”)

This and the next song are probably exceedingly predictable, but certainly they’re predictable for a reason. I don’t actually remember if  “Call Me, Call Me” was ever actually used as an insert song or whether it only appeared on the soundtrack (that’s an excuse for another rewatch, amirite?), but regardless, it’s a wonderfully appropriate song for the near-end of the series and the character of Spike in general. Conte’s voice is sincere but not rough, and he turns rather simple lyrics into something very powerful, especially in those sustained notes. Most of Cowboy Bebop’s music is very memorable, but this one’s still up there.

1. “Blue” – The Seatbelts (Mai Yamane) and Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop insert)

Whatever you think about the end of the series, this song suited it. ♥

~

Annnd, here are a few others I thought about but took off for one reason or another.

Disqualified:

“Life is like a boat” – Rie fu (Bleach ED1) — I love this song and I love Rie fu, but only half of it is in English. :P Also, it’s gotta have the most boring PV ever.

“Wind” – Akeboshi (Naruto ED1) — I love Akeboshi and this was my first exposure to him; unfortunately, though he’s spent a bit of time in Britain, he still has quite the accent and is sometimes difficult to understand.

“Sakura Kiss” – Chieko Kawabe (Ouran High School Host Club OP, FUNimation dub) — This is one of the best examples of a dubbed over theme song I’ve ever encountered. The lyrics aren’t far from the original and the vocal quality is amazing. I have no idea who they got to record it, but the voice is both close to Kawabe to be reminiscent of the Japanese version and different enough to give it a life of its own. True, it does sound a little odd to hear the words in English because it’s so much more obvious how corny it is, but as far as capturing the energy and mood of the original goes, it’s perfect.

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.

RURUTIA is one of only a handful of artists that I wasn’t introduced to by the “usual means,” which are 1) exposure via anime or related media and 2) direct recommendation from friends. Until recently, I was so negligent of radio and other such random discovery tools that I only learned of new English-speaking artists via AMVs, which is kind of sad? Now that I’ve found a nice plugin to read in Pandora’s outputs into my last.fm (thus, satisfying my OCD), I’ve been giving that a spin, but that really has nothing to do with RURUTIA, whom I discovered on my own a few years ago. Though her style and genre is quite a ways apart from my usual rock, pop, and alternative, the mysterious quality of her music has always drawn me in.

The echoey ambience of RURUTIA’s voice is haunting and airy, perhaps other worldly; the emotion always feels very sincere, very innocent, very hopeful. Her melodies also have a lot of classical influence, which is always a huge plus for me. Unfortunately, I’ve only heard her first couple of albums, so I’m not sure how her style might have evolved over the years. The most recent album of hers I’ve heard is Meme from 2005, and I haven’t really been keeping up with her singles either. This should be interesting then, huh?

TRACK 01: Seirios (YouTube it)
Quiet, but dramatic, piano opening with electronic distortion in the tempo. Vocals are slow and eerie… every syllable is enunciated very clearly. Chorus picks up the pace and the sound is a lot more forceful, stronger, and very desperate sounding. Her pronunciation of “Seirios” is recognizable, which is kind of surprising since she doesn’t often sing in English (if at all?). Second verse echos the first, slow and haunting. It builds very steadily and the second chorus erupts really nicely from it. Ooh, really beautiful high notes here. The emotion is really touching; the melody is really awesome. This would be great music to accompany some kind of final struggle. There is no bridge or final chorus, but the outro is a quiet (but still dramatic) piano interlude with the distortion to keep you on your toes until it fades out to silence.

TRACK 02: サイレントプレイヤー(Silent Prayers) (YouTube it)
Brighter, more cheerful sounding opening. Twinkling sounds lead into more electronica and hesitant violins. Vocals start mysteriously; sounds more like speaking than singing, but that changes fairly quickly. Chorus is rather typical RURUTIA — lots of gorgeous high notes presented in a very airy way; it’s a very unique sound. Second verse has more of the speaking-singing, but it’s more forceful and pressing now. More urgent. Second chorus sounds more cheerful, but I’m not sure that that’s the right word. It’s more “bright.” I can imagine this illustrating some crazy colorful garden scene with a ton of butterflies, but I might just associate butterflies with RURUTIA in general since one of my first and favorite songs is “Lost Butterfly.” I don’t think it’s unfitting though. Bridge has more of that “bright” feeling — the melody has that “magical” air to it. It’s a nice instrumental. Final chorus leads out to the same instrumental, which ends without fading.

TRACK 03: Opus
“Opus” was a track on an album of the same name and a ballad version of (presumably) the same song also appeared on another album, but I haven’t heard either of them so I’m not sure if this “Opus” is the same song or related at all. Intro has some quick bass strings and then a haughty-sounding viola (I think? I’m bad at recognizing strings). Vocals are calm and slow, very casual-feeling, or as casual as RURUTIA gets. The chorus brings back the classic sound though: voice becomes very airy and there are some nice overlaps. Second verse feels a bit more forced and kind of confused, like it’s caught between the mood of the first verse and the chorus. Chorus feels more and more generic, like this could be the chorus of any number of RURUTIA songs. Oh, damn. Beautiful piano interlude! It’s very soothing and peaceful. A bit short, but the final chorus feels less plain because of it. Airy high notes fade out to the end.

TRACK 04: オーロラ飛行 (Aurora Hikou)
Very epic and dramatic-sounding intro. This would make a great movie theme of some sort. Vocals feel kind of misplaced at the beginning though, and the mood is difficult to pinpoint. An awkward sustained note leads into slower lyrics with no background music and a weird uncertainty. Verses and chorus are hard to pick out here, but what I assume is the first chorus brings back the epic/dramatic feeling from the intro. The mood feels like the end of the world now, perhaps before some big final battle where everyone is expected to die. The mood doesn’t really escalate though — the quiet desperation doesn’t change or grow, so the song kind of stagnants by the second chorus. Still, it’s all very pleasing to the ear. Like ALI PROJECT though, I think RURUTIA has a lot of songs that fall into the same sort of sound and feeling so it becomes difficult to distinguish between them. Also like ALI PROJECT though, I know there are plenty of gems amongst that heap; this just isn’t one of them. Still, outro to this is pretty unique, if a bit clashing with the rest of it.

TRACK 05: 流光 (Ryuukou) (YouTube it)
Generic violin opening. Awesome sustained note though… vocals start off brisk and confident. Tempo and background beat is very nice; fits in very well with the voice. This song apparently also previously appeared on the album Opus. First chorus sounds really awesome — energetic, but not over the top; not quite urgent, but still important-sounding. Well placed high notes too. I really love the melody and sound of the verses; it’s mysterious in a different way, like it isn’t really trying to be haunting, but is anyway. Lyrics are pretty interesting as well. Bridge sounds a little airy and a little desperate, but the confidence isn’t that far off either. It’s a strange blend. I love the “mada mada”s, but I’m a sucker for repetitions as long as it doesn’t get ridiculous. This might be my favorite on the album thus far, though Seirios was really nice too…

TRACK 06: 無憂歌 (Muyuuka)
Energetic piano opening, but it eases up gradually. Vocals start off nicely and make it sound like a simple ballad, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. Voice is very soothing and calming. Moves into the first chorus very smoothly; sounds and feels very much like an earnest love song. RURUTIA sounds particularly sincere here. There’s really not much to say beyond that, haha, but this really is a sweet song.

TRACK 07: LAST DAY
Moderate violin opening with a cheerful little keyboard in the back (or a pipe instrument? Hard to tell!). Vocals are… very normal sounding? That’s not meant in a bad way either, but I’m not sure how to describe them. The mood feels very much like a “this is a good day” kind of thing, if that makes any sense. Chorus is more familiar-sounding — urgency and quiet desperation and an airy, haunting quality. Eases up into the second chorus, but it retains much of the darker aura. By the second chorus, I feel like the theme of the song is trying to reach something but not being able to. Or protecting something, as I think the lyrics imply. Bridge has a nice melody and leads into a sincere-sounding interlude before the final chorus. Not a bad song overall.

TRACK 08: 氷鎖 (Hyousa)
Dramatic piano opening with hushed whispers in the accompaniment. This song apparently appeared on a mini album of the same name. Vocals start off simply, calmly, though it doesn’t take long for the desperation to creep back in. Dramatic pause before the chorus, which sounds particularly tragic at first, but eases into something rather generic-feeling? Second verse brings more of the same, but I like the piano a lot. I think I also actually like the pause before the choruses, but the chorus itself feels a bit out of place, like the melody doesn’t really carry between it and the verses. Bridge feels similarly strange, but the hushed voices from the beginning return for the outro.

TRACK 09: 夢蛍 (Yume Hotaru)
Trilly piano intro. Eerie and energetic (?) at the same time. Suddenly stops for some particularly haunting piano before the vocals begin. The off-keys in this song really accent the ghostly feel; the piano does a great job in helping as well. Chorus felt kind of weird, but the second verse is just as eerie as the first, though perhaps a little more cheerful? I think the main reason that the chorus is kind of disorienting is because it has more background music and a stronger tempo, which is kind of clashing. Bridge has some interesting guitar, which almost sounds out of place amongst the more classical instruments and distortion. Next chorus is less jarring and leads into a distant and echoy verse/chorus, which gradually fades out. Hm.

TRACK 10: VOID
Intro immediately makes me think of the ending of some kinda movie, perhaps a click flick or a family film — something with a predictably happy ending. Vocals immediately counter this thought by sounding completely unfitting for such a scenario. Lyrics are slow and RURUTIA’s voice is drawn out and rather awkward instead of eerie. Very hard to keep track of verses and choruses in this song; everything kind of blends together… oh, the second verse kind of sets itself apart there with a preceeding pause. Tone and everything sounds the same though; another one of those forgettable songs, perhaps? Lots of sustained notes, some pretty, some awkward. …Yeah, kind of a forgettable song, though I think the slower tempo kind of contributed to boring me.

TRACK 11: 星と羽 (Hoshi to Hane) (YouTube it)
Spacey kinda intro. Appropriate, I guess (“Hoshi to Hane” = “Stars and Feathers”). This is yet another song that’s also appeared on the Opus album in 2007. Vocals also start off kind of spacey. Some ooh-ing and soft sustained notes with a twinkling triangle or something in the background. And then, a piano! With purposeful static. Sounds rather nostalgic, but I have mixed feelings about it. Huh, piano goes on for quite a while. Vocals return rather abruptly along with the spacey-ness. Not really sure what the mood is supposed to be for the song, but everything feels very distant in one way or another. Ooh-oohs fade out gradually along with some odd percussion.

OVERALL: Seirios doesn’t feel all that different from the RURUTIA albums I’m familiar with, though I’m not sure I like the changes I do spot. The classical influences seem more diminished and I think there are less songs that really stand out and more that blend in with her general sound and vocal quality, which is particularly disappointing. I was surprised at the number of tracks that have apparently already appeared on previous albums, though none from the ones I’ve heard. Opus and Hyousa were both mini albums (though at eight tracks each, they’re really not that far off from full albums), but it does seem kind of cheap to have so many repeating songs. The title track and “Ryuukou” are definitely my favorites here; “LAST DAY” and “”Hyousa” probably follow that, but the rest are pretty plain. It might not be a bad album for newcomers to start off with, but those already well versed with RURUTIA’s sound might be disappointed.

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.

Usually my album reviews are labeled “first impressions” instead of “reviews” because I think it’s an interesting angle to compile my first thoughts on an album during my initial hearing of it; impressions of music are more prone to changing over time and a tenth hearing may very well be different from a second hearing. But that theme doesn’t really apply here as its a compilation album! HYDE’s first solo compilation album, uninspiredly entitled HYDE, contains all of his singles, as well as a few popular tracks from his four existing albums.

So that portion of his discography isn’t really isn’t something I listen to often. There are a few songs I like, sure, but the majority is kind of just “eh.” Still, compilation albums are a good way to revisit things, right? I figure, what the hell.

TRACK 01: Made in Heaven
As Faith is my least favorite HYDE album, I don’t remember this song very well at all. There’s a nice guitar opening; intro vocals are pretty typical of HYDE’s solo work, though a bit rough and forceful. This is in Engrish, but I can’t understand much beyond a word here and there. I kinda feel bad because it sounds like he’s trying so hard. The chorus doesn’t stand out much and sounds pretty awkward with the poor Engrish. It leads into the second verse with little pause; meanwhile, the music in the background isn’t very interesting as it isn’t changing up much. Most of this song blurs together for me, including the end.

TRACK 02: It’s Sad
Another song from Faith. Really neat guitar opening… opening vocals are again forced and rough, not my favorite style for HYDE, but the guitars remain interesting, uptight, and suspenseful. Chorus is a more typical sound, but I’m much more interested in the guitars at the moment. Vocals lighten up a bit in the second verse; the Engrish feels more casual and confident, but I still can’t understand most of it without a lyrics sheet. Bridge includes a female vocal mixed in with some speaking parts from HYDE and then another chorus. I find it more jarring than anything else though; HYDE’s goal with Faith was to stir some deep, soul-felt emotions, but I’m too caught up in the technicalities here. This is not HYDE’s best vocal work, and the guitars don’t really save it in the end.

TRACK 03: Evergreen [Dist.]
“Evergreen” from ROENTGEN is actually a solo song I like! And the Engrish version from ROENTGEN.english is actually mostly understandable. This rock version is also in Engrish and was first released as a B-side on the “Countdown” single. All the guitar distortion masks over the vocals though, making it harder to hear. Not sure if I like that, but it does give the guitars a solid limelight. The chorus guitars seem to be a little off from the vocals. …It really bothers me that HYDE doesn’t pronounce the “m” in memory… it’s kind of an important sound. There are some drawn-out sounds in the bridge and it fades into a nice guitar solo and then end. Ehh, neat, but not my favorite version of Evergreen. I’ll stick with the original.

TRACK 04: Jesus Christ (YouTube it)
Another one from Faith. I’ve always remembered this one as my least favorite from the album. The Engrish is also pretty understandable in this one, but that makes me uncomfortable to some extent since I’m not too fond of the subject matter. The vocals don’t seem to match up well with the music and there doesn’t seem to be much of a melody. The falsetto in the chorus is beautiful, but there’s still no melody. There’s a lenghty solo between the first chorus and the second verse, and then they add a nice piano tune. Unfortunately, the piano really just adds to the chaos of other sounds and still, nothing sounds particularly cohesive. Still… as we move into the second chorus and that lovely falsetto, the emotional power of the song starts to really seep through. HYDE is really into it and that shows. I’m not into religious music, but I guess it is somewhat moving to hear someone else invest so much energy into it.

TRACK 05: Countdown (YouTube it)
Next song on Faith. Geez, way too much of this album is stuff from Faith! D: This is the first song with Japanese in it though, so hurray for that. I much prefer HYDE’s vocals in Japanese because they sound infinitely more natural and therefore not distracting. That isn’t to say there isn’t still Engrish here, but it isn’t overwhelming… and because there is Japanese, we can pretend that his Engrish is still Japanese and not try to decipher his words. Vocals are pretty typical here and don’t change much as the song progresses. I’m not too fond of the music here; it’s like the previous song in its mish-mash of sounds without a distinct melody. Outro has some spoken parts that are out of place, then buzz out to end. I’m remembering why Faith is my least favorite album.

TRACK 06: The Other Side
Hey, I have no idea where this song is from! Hard guitar intro, though it still sounds muddied. Strong vocal intro, but the energy fades quickly. Melody is a bit clearer now though, and the first verse sounds pretty nice. Guitar and vocals match up nicely; lyrics are in Engrish, but fairly understandable (not quite up to Evergreen’s level though). Chorus is forceful and energetic, but I don’t like the music there until the vocals end and it’s a solo to the second verse. Vocals and Engrish are very clear at the second verse; I really like the rhytmn guitar here, but the lead is distracting. Second chorus is slightly less conflicting than the first as the music in the background matches up a bit better. Buzz out to end. Wish I knew where this song was from?

TRACK 07: Shining Over You (YouTube it)
Finally! A song from 666, my favorite HYDE solo album! (Is it too ironic that my favorite and least favorite HYDE albums should be titled as they are?) Awesome violin intro and sweet vocals full of falsetto. There’s a nice countermelody in the background music to match the main melody of the vocals. Verse is Japanese to counter the Engrish in the chorus, which is actually what the song starts off with, and there are some pretty awesome parts where HYDE is harmonizing with himself. Again, I enjoy the Japanese a lot more than the Engrish, and the Engrish goes back and forth a lot in this song — sometimes it’s pretty clear, and sometimes I have no idea what he’s saying. There are some neat bass lines in the verses too though. Bridge is kind of drawn out; slow outro and then fade out. Oh, hey, this thing is six minutes long, but I didn’t notice at all.

TRACK 08: Horizon
Another one from 666. Nice and calm intro with relaxed guitars and a strong voice; lyrics are in Japanese. I like the forcefulness of HYDE’s voice here — in songs like “It’s Sad,” I feel like he’s trying too hard, but here, he just sounds really, really into it. Verses have some gorgeous falsetto, and I really like the beginning of the chorus. Love, love, love the guitars in the bridge; the drums there are pretty fun too. The verse after the bridge is probably the best part of the song. There’s some vocal distortion and canon leading into the final chorus that’s pretty badass too. Not too fond of the repeating lyrics in the outro, but ah well.

TRACK 09: Season’s Call
Back to Faith. This is the fifth song from Faith and we’re only on track nine. Oh well. “Season’s Call” has a nice, soft guitar opening that leads into some more energetic riffs. Opening vocals are also good, energetic in that reserved kind of way. HYDE’s voice is really beautiful here; lyrics are in Japanese. Falsetto seems kind of random though, and I’m not too fond of the melody as we get halfway through the verse. It just sounds kind of awkward. Kind of blah chorus, but once we get to the second verse, everything’s spiffy again… until about halfway through! Oh, weird, random Engrish after the second chorus as we get into the bridge… the sounds in the background are getting chaotic again. It’s creates an uncomfortable, kind of itchy-scratchy feeling. Ugh, not fond of the continued Engrish. Kind of just want the song to end now… why is this five and a half minutes long.

TRACK 10: Sweet Vanilla
Back to 666. Rock guitars are rockin’ out. Oh, man, I love how the vocals in this open. It’s Engrish, but wonderfully understandable, and then it moves back to Japanese. The difference in sound between this and the previous are so obvious, and it’s the difference between the two albums. The chorus goes back to Engrish, but again, it’s understandable, and the lyrics are really sweet in that cute sort of way, which is particularly amusing since the Japanese portions of the verses are really badass sounding. The vocals in this song are pretty much everything I love most about HYDE’s voice. Everything sounds genuine. The “believe me, believe me,” are probably the best part. The guitar melody in the bridge isn’t really that interesting, but it’s fun and works well for the mood of the song. Final chorus ends on kind of a forceful note and the song ends soon after that, but I definitely remember this being a great opening track for 666. I still like it a lot.

TRACK 11: HELLO (YouTube it)
This is the second track on 666 and thus correct follows the previous song. Annnd… “Hello” is my favorite HYDE song overall. I love the energetic guitar intro and the mood it creates — it’s very nostalgic feeling. HYDE’s opening vocals really pick up that mood well; it’s forceful in bursts, but eases into more relaxed notes in between. The lyrics are in Japanese and just feel good. I love the way it moves into the chorus here~. <3 The melody in the chorus is also very memorable. The verses here really show off HYDE’s lower registers, so it’s a nice break from his falsettos. Second verse leads into a bit of distortion and some typical synth stuff, but it’s a nice intermission before we get to the build up to the final chorus which contains a bit of Engrish. The final chorus feels a little less energetic than those before it, but the sincerity of the voice doesn’t fade. Wind down, wind down. Ends with the name of the song.

TRACK 12: Hideaway
This is the closing track for 666, now we’re even with five and five for both Faith and 666. This opens with a really homely sound. Japanese and Engrish interchanged frequently; love the energy, liveliness, and sincerity here. Guitars are simple but effective. Some steady drums into the second verse. The Engrish is only understandable in bursts, but it isn’t very distracting. The overall feel of this song is very American punk rock to me. It has the same kind of challenge the world mood to it somehow, and honestly, the lyrics don’t make it seem that far off. Really enjoyable song overall.

TRACK 13: Prayer
Sixth song from 666 now, oh snap! Kind of an awkward opening: heavy guitar in between long silences. Then, consistent heavy guitars and a vocal intro you don’t really notice until several seconds in. Serious business kind of sound… at least until the next punctuated silence, then it just sounds kind of normal? Still lovin’ the vocal quality here, though the Engrish lyrics aren’t as nice as far as understanding go. Subject matter-wise, this song probably wouldn’t do too terribly on Faith, but the sound is much more classic HYDE than the rest of the stuff on Faith. The melody is solid and cohesive, though the guitars aren’t all that interesting. Really… even though HYDE’s vocals are pretty nice here, the rest of the song really bores me.

TRACK 14: Midnight Celebration
Seventh song from 666! As much as I do like 666, this is kind of silly since 666 is only a ten-track album! I’ve always found “Midnight Celebration” to be kind of a hilarious song because it’s just so stereotypically… vampiric. Still, it’s a fun and energetic song with a strong opening and very understandable Engrish lyrics. The chorus is my favorite part; it’s great ’cause HYDE sounds so darn serious, but the vampiric overtones of the entire song just make me laugh. Bridge is pretty typical, but the guitars are nice to listen to regardless. The energy throughout the last round of choruses wraps things up nice and neat at the end too.

TRACK 15: Unexpected [Dist.]
Rock version of the original song on ROENTGEN; similar to the version of “Evergreen” above, this version was released as a B-side on the “Season’s Call” single. Kind of a boring intro that leads into some awkward, distorted vocals. Vocals remain distorted and music remains boring — it’s really hard to even tell if the lyrics are in Japanese or Engrish, but I know them to be Engrish. Finally get to something resembling a chorus about halfway through the song; vocals become undistorted, but the Engrish is still difficult to understand. The vocals do have some nice energy here, but the music isn’t really helping. It slows down significantly again and almost seems to end, but then it leads on into the bridge, which sounds kind of odd because it actually has a decent melody. HYDE’s vocals echo through it, but the longer the bridge goes on for, the more boring it gets? Kind of just want it to end now, but it’s another five minute song. Argh. Outro takes forever to fade out too.

TRACK 16: The Cape of Storms
Third song from ROENTGEN, but not a later released rock version. Intro has a very classic feel to it. Lyrics are in Engrish and pretty hard to decipher except for a word here or there. Melody and vocal quality are pretty nice here, though I also find the melody to be kind of plain and uninteresting. Tempo slows significantly as we get into the first verse; mood gets very mysterious and suspenseful. There’s some interesting use of different instruments here as well, like harmonica and something that sounds kind of like a marimba? Chorus returns with the uninteresting melody; HYDE’s vocals are emotional and feel sincere enough, but it’s bordering on that “trying too hard” kind of feeling. Second verse is slow and I’m really getting bored. Five minute and forty-five second song is so long~. D;

TRACK 17: glamorous sky [English version] (YouTube it)
This is probably the song I was most excited about when I glanced over the track list. I love “glamorous sky.” I love Mika Nakashima’s vocals on it, but hearing HYDE sing the song was really interesting too. I didn’t know there was an English version of it though?? Excitement here! Intro is odd and disorienting for all of a moment, and then the vocals start. The sound is very, very different here — the music is much more rockish, the tempo’s faster, and HYDE’s vocals are weird! The lyrics are strange and I can’t understand anything that wasn’t already Engrish in the original. Well, I guess “ano” in the choruses turned into “I know” something, but beyond that is beyond me. The difference in the guitars in the back is really, really throwing me off — it sounds a lot more like a DDR song because the melody is so much more forceful. I have mixed feelings about the vocals; the quality really isn’t HYDE’s best and the lyrics continue to sound strange.

Haha, “nemurenai yo” turned into “I won’t be sleeping.” I guess that works out?? It’s always interesting to see how much of the original meaning carries over since they’re usually more concerned about preserving syllables than translation. The bridge sounds really weird this sped up; the lyrics get a little more understandable, but … not really. The parts that match up well with the original translation are the parts I pick up more easily. The last round of choruses are all right; the slightly slowed tempo doesn’t particularly help the awkwardness of both the lyrics and the guitars though. What a weird way to end this album. What I really want to hear now is Mika Nakashima singing this version of the song though… and perhaps we can wrestle some kind of duet out of them. That would be hot.

OVERALL: Really, I don’t know what the point of releasing this compilation album was… HYDE only has three albums to his solo name! This compilation was unnecessarily long and contains more than half of both 666 and Faith. Really, you might as well pick up those original two albums! It doesn’t have nearly as much as ROENTGEN, which might be legitimately harder to find, except that two of three included tracks were re-released rock versions, so that’s kind of a moot point? The only real point of interest was the last track, which would have probably done just as well released as a special single or as a B-side to another single. The timing of this release also feels weird — I mean, HYDE just got together with K.A.Z to make VAMPS and they’re touring, so why’s he reminding fans of old stuff instead of pushing his new stuff? (Oh, man, VAMPS cover of “glamorous sky,” why is this so awesome.)

Oh, well. It’s not a bad album if you’re looking to hear a decent cross section of HYDE’s solo work, but if you’re already familiar with his solo work, then there isn’t really a long enough history to reminisce over here.

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 don’t normally play the karaoke tracks by themselves, mostly because I get really self-conscious if I don’t have the original vocals to hide behind, but most of them will match up with the vocal version, so I can record myself alongside the original vocals, then trade the track for the karaoke to hear my own vocals. It works well enough. (Maybe someday, I’ll have something that’s decent enough to share here?)

Unfortunately, not all of the music I listen to and want to sing to provides karaoke tracks. I’ve noticed that most j-pop singers will provide them for their singles. Tommy heavenly6, angela, FictionJunction YUUKA, Nami Tamaki, Mika Nakashima, and Utada Hikaru all generally provide a karaoke track. ALI PROJECT usually has karaoke tracks (not like I’ll ever be able to sing their stuff anyway). L’Arc~en~Ciel, Gackt, and T.M. Revolution are also pretty consistent about including a karaoke version of their singles. But the further you venture from pop and the more into rock and alternative you get, the less likely there will be karaoke tracks.

I don’t expect -miyavi-, Dir en grey, or Maximum the Hormone to ever include karaoke tracks. Maybe it’s just because it’s much harder for the average person to sing along with their music, but that doesn’t stop them from appearing on karaoke machines in karaoke bars, etc, so clearly there’s some kind of demand for them. Most of the karaoke places I’ve visited have surprised me with the selection of music they have available. I don’t really know how the licensing on these things work, but I suspect that a lot most of the songs don’t feature “official” karaoke versions, only edited versions where someone has manually extracted the vocal track. Such methods usually leave a ghost voice, but at a karaoke bar, it’d be really hard to tell. This is probably how they manage to get karaoke versions of most English-language songs as well, ’cause really, when was the last time an American, Canadian, or British artist included an official karaoke track on their single or album?

It’s obvious from the word itself that karaoke originated in Japan, but I’ve always wondered why its popularity is so subdued in the States when it’s all the rage across Asia. I mean, it can’t be that only Asians like singing, right? If shows like American Idol can be so popular, why aren’t karaoke tracks more common on American musical releases? Why aren’t there more karaoke places outside of Chinatowns? The Asian population is Savannah is slim to none, which means there isn’t a karaoke place for miles and miles. This drives me crazy. I really want to go out to karaoke, but there’s no where to go!

I think the only English-language official karaoke tracks I have are for Disney songs. Everyone loves to sing Disney songs, I guess? Or maybe it’s because most of those movies are musicals? But if that’s the case, why isn’t there a karaoke version of every Broadway soundtrack? Why can’t I find karaoke versions of the songs from The Lion King on Broadway? Beauty and the Beast on Broadway? RENT? I would really love to see more official karaoke version of English-language songs since it’d spare me the trouble of making them myself. Plenty of songs are begging to be sung to, so come on.

Maybe lack of encouragement in the form of karaoke tracks can be my excuse as to why I know the lyrics to more Japanese songs than English songs. 8|