Perfume 4th Album JPN tracklist and covers revealed!

Hi guys! I’m SO excited about everything Perfume is doing right now! As opposed to most fans who hate what they’re doing now, I absolutely love them more with each release, I love that they are growing up and so is their music, and they are becoming this super stylish classy group!

Part of the reason why I love Perfume so much as of late is the fact that AKB is driving me up the wall with their stupid marketing strategies and mediocre music. Ugh. Anyway, let’s move on to the bog news!!!

Perfume’s 4th album, JPN, their first album in 2 years is going to be released on November 30, and here are the covers and tracklists!

First up, the promo pic:

First of all, I love the color scheme! The outfits sort of remind me of their Tokyo Dome glow in the dark numbers, but they’ve definitely given them a little traditional japanese twist with the pattern in Nocchi’s shorts and A~chan and Kashiyuka’s belts. I kinda hope Kashi goes back to the straight bangs for nostalgia’s sake, but the truth is that she looked ultra sexy with the swept to the side bangs as well (why is she such a perfect queen? *___*) my ultimate favorite, A~chan, looks as great as always and for the first time in Perfume history, she has the best outfit of the three IMO! Yay! And Nocchi really needs bangs or something this hairstyle is very unflattering on pretty much any human being in the planet and she’s no exception. Her hair looked better in Spice, where it was a bit poofy and wavy, it made her look young and innocent, but this straight onigiri hair with no bangs is just bad IMO.

Here’s the cover of the regular edition:

Yuka, why are you so otherwordly hot? Anyway, I love A~chan’s legs and Nocchi looks like a HBIC so all’s good! I think the letters are a bit too big, or maybe this picture is too small because I can’t see their faces clearly. In any case, I think it’s good that GAME had the girls in black while Triangle had them in white and now we have them in colors! (I’m omitting Complete Best because that one was largely monochromatic too ayway )

Here we have the limited edition:

I get what they were trying to do here but uhhh… yuck? I like the bright pink, and the girls look really pretty from what I can see (at least Kashiyuka and A~chan, because I can’t see much of Nocchi, only an eye xD) but I feel like they are covering their faces up way too much… I hope that this is a slipcase and you slide it and can look at the pretty girls under it Especially because this is the version I’m buying…

Now on to the tracklist!

1. The Opening: I’m guessing this is some kind of intro a la Take Off. That title reminds me of SNSD somehow lol

2. Laser Beam (Album Mix): I know I stand alone on my undying love for everything about the Laser Beam single, but I can’t wait to hear it remixed!!! I hope it’s badass but still somehow retains a bit of the bouncy quirky flavor that made it a favorite of mine

3. GLITTER (Album Mix): We were all expecting Spice and it’s “B-side” to make it on the album, so at least it’s good that it’s a remixed version. I think it’s weird that they put the two remixes next to each other but maybe they’ll have a nice transition. I want this one to sound tribal like the stripped down second to last chorus <3

4. Natural ni Koishite: <3 I love this song! It kicked off a fantastic era, maybe my favorite era from Perfume The album is sounding pretty bright so far!

5. MY COLOR: First proper new song! Hopefully it’s something super energetic!

6. Toki no Hari: Another new song! I wonder if it’s a play on words with tokei no hari which means clock hand, but instead of Tokei it’s toki (time). Definitely an interesting title anyway.

7. Nee: Hi there favorite A-side of the era! <3 quirky, playful, stylish, this song sums up the JPN era perfectly IMO

8. Kasuka na Kaori: The song everybody hates but me Lovely transition from the kind of sweet Nee to the sugar high KnK <3

9. 575: Hands down the best B-side of the era, but I think it’s really surprising to have it in this list in an unaltered form. If anything, I would’ve bet on FAKE IT being remixed and included here because let’s face it, that’s one badass song, and it’s been performed a lot lately! Regardless, it’s a great song, and works great next to KnK

10. VOICE: And now we go in crescendo upping the tempo with 575 A-side. Great song (even greater PV!)

11. Kokoro no Sports: Sports of the heart? Weird. Sounds like an idol song title tbh.

12. Have a Stroll: I hope that this is a normal length track, not an interlude like Speed of Light…

13. Fushizen na Girl: One of the most solid A-sides from them IMO.

14. Spice: Works well as a closing number, but I think I would’ve preferred KnK here xD I really really love this song though, so I’m glad it was included. I wish it was remixed like Negai was (granted, that one was a B-side and I seem to want everything remixed in this album lol)

The DVD tracklist had been revealed before, but here it is again:

1. Spice PV

2. Natural ni Koishite PV

3. Laser Beam full PV

4. Kasuka na Kaori PV TV version

5. Kasuka na Kaori PV

6. Fushizen na girl/Natural ni Koishite TV spot

7. VOICE TV spot

8. Nee TV Spot

9. Laser Beam/Knk TV Spot

10. Spice TV Spot

So may TV spots lol. Still disappointed at that, ngl. But super super ultra mega excited for the album!!! And it’s almost here already after so much waiting!!! *hyperventilates*

On the other hand the first day sales of Spice have taken a drop when compared to everyone’s least favorite but actually a masterpiece, Laser Beam :s Maybe it’s not such a good idea to release a single 3 weeks before of the album that has the same songs in it anyway.

I still really loved everything about the Spice/GLITTER single (but honestly, the only thing I’ve ever come close to dislike from them is One Room Disco and even so, I jam to it like there’s no tomorrow xD)

Expect a review of the Spice single soon (and I’ll see if I get around to finish my post about Kpop ) And don’t forget to buy Perfume’s album, I assure you that they are fantastic and you will not be disappointed!

And just a little something I wanted to get off my chest: LEAVE KASUKA NA KAORI ALONE It’s a fantastic song, and anyone who says that it’s completely pop and 0 electro has not listened to the instrumental or sung along to it. Yup.

Just kidding, hate whatever you want, I’m just sad that one of my favorite Perfume songs get so much hate for reasons that don’t make sense to me

Morning Musume 12, Smart Album Release

Hi everyone, here I am with another review. I’ll be honest, ever since Fujimoto Miki was out of MM I wasn’t much of a fan anymore, I didn’t mean to, but their songs started sounding so similar and their static line up and lack of a decent TV show didn’t help at all. However, I’ve still been kind of a casual fan, randomly checking to see if thy make any music I like, and I have to say I absolutely loved their 10th album, while the 11th was just really bad IMO. There were a couple outstanding amazing songs there, but the rest was super lackluster and felt rushed.

I’m really excited now that their back to their audition / graduation system, so of course I’ve been checking out their stuff closely and rooting for Riho, my favorite 9ki I’m so vanilla!

First things first, just like last time I reviewed anything MM related, have a mini member review so that you know what to expect:

Aichan: I like her, but I’m over hearing only her voice in songs.

Reina: I like her voice so I’m ok with her. I’m not a big fan of her personality though.

Niigaki: Used to be my favorite, then she got increasingly more tragic haircuts that made her look like a mom and her face is all weird now… I think she plucks her eyebrows too much or something. She’s letting her hair grow longer again, thank god, and she’s looking much much better in the recent Mobekimasu single. Oh, I love her voice in recorded stuff, she tends to growl live and I’m not into that.

Sayu: Amazing being of perfection. She can do no wrong.

Aika: I dislike her.

Kanon: Cute, adorable, interesting, finally someone with a personality other than Sayu in the group! Let’s hope she doesn’t fizzle out like Reina and Risa did.

Erina: Cute. And awkward but happy, I love that in an idol.

Fukumura: Gorgeous, I love her voice.

Riho: She cracks me up with her huge ambition and how people freak out at it. She’s a fantastic performer and I’m glad she’s the new center of MM pretty much.

Alright, so with that out of the way, let’s review this album!

I like the covers. The angel thing is a bit stupid as are all the costumes IMO (catpeople, santa outfits, well, you get the point) but it was done beautifully and all of the girls look great (including Aika who doesn’t have an awkward facial expression going on for once). I’m not crazy about the green, I think the blue background of the RE was better, but it’s definitely one of the best efforts in MM covers in the late years (or in all times, let’s be honest, covers have never been their strong point).

What I don’t like is the title: Originally it was supposed to be Kakusan Kibou which sounded nice and fitting for Aichan’s last, and then they decided to go for Smart? What the hell does that even mean xD Oh well.

Let’s start this review!

1. Give me Love: Piano plus techno beats sounds very reminiscent of pretty much everything they did in the panda era. However, this is one of the songs that takes advantage of that sound and works it. I love the main vocals while the others provide support, Riho’s voice sounds so young next to Ai and Reina’s though, it’s kinda funny. Overall, I think this is one of the best representatives of Emo Musume, and I like the longing feeling on the girl’s voices. Shame for the lack of 9kis

Rating: 4.5/5

2. Only You: This is my favorite MM single since Naichau Kamo I just adore this song, it sounds different from what they had done, but still keeping some of their flavor. The weird song structure was also amazing to me, and the powerful beats. Ahhh I just really really love everything about this song.

Rating: 5/5

3. Silver no Udedokei (Reina, Riho, Risa, Aika): That rapper at the beginning was hilarious, it reminded me of Memory Seishun no Hikari. Anyway, Reina is sounding amazing, but Riho sounds like a certain whiny C-ute member. Yikes. Risa has always been good at rapping and I can’t for the life of me hear Aika in this song, but I’m not too familiar with her voice so it might be my bad. I think the song itself is pretty good, I’m getting Indigo Blue Love vibes from it, too bad that Riho can’t deliver yet, maybe with time she’ll learn to control her voice better and stop sounding so whiny and bad :s Her choruses seem to be fine, it’s just the high notes that sound super nasally, I’m not going to give up hope just yet although H!P has a track record of becoming even whinier and more nasally as time goes by… Let’s hope she also learns how to put more emotion into her singing, although it’s unfair to expect her to be perfect right off the bat, and when she’s paired with the major lead singer of the group.

Rating: 4/5 Reina earns a golden star.

4. Suki da na Kimi ga (Sayumi, Mizuki): This. song. is. perfection. It sounds like something out of an I’ve Sound album and I LOOOOOOVE that. We all knew that techno agrees a lot with Sayu’s particular voice, but I didn’t know Fukuchan would be such a good match as well! The chorus is super fun, and the verses are bouncy but still flirty and yeah, this is a freaking masterpiece. People have complained that they can’t hear Mizuki, but she’s just the pleasant sounding lower voice xD I think it’s awesome that she got a duet because that’s a ton of lines right there!

Rating: 5/5

5. Kaiketsu Positive A: Funky music! The verses are fun and the rolled Rs are funny xD Sounds like it would be a great song to watch performed. The downside is that the chorus sounds a bit generic to me, like not too memorable. And I really don’t know what they’ll do to perform this without Aichan’s powerful deep voice xD Maybe Kuduu and Zukki have to step up and cover for her absence.

Rating: 3.5/5 The trumpet gets old fast.

6. Kono Ai wo Kasanete (Risa, Ai): I hate the synth x_x It’s actually one of the reasons why I didn’t bother anymore with MM’s music, the overbearing synths irk me. The girls sound lovely, but this is a forgettable song, musically speaking, which is a shame, but kind of expected since their duets have been mostly ballads AFAIK.

Rating: 3/5

7. Kono Chikyuu no Heiwa wo Honki de Negatterun da yo!: Disco music! Tsunku seems to have an obsession with it xD I have to admit that I didn’t like this song much when it first appeared, I thought it sounded too similar to stuff they had done in the past, but after listening to it a million times I like it a lot more. It’s just groovy, and the chorus change of pace is very refreshing and overall cool. I approve.

Rating: 4/5

8. Kare to Issho ni Omise ga Shitai: You know, after seeing the complete and utter ReinAi domination of every single song in the past 4 or so years I never thought I’d see another single lead by anyone else, and especially not by Sayu This song is awesome <3 It makes full use of the silly lyrics Tsunku writes (that made me facepalm so hard when coupled to his “serious” sounding songs) and Sayu is simply a ball of charisma and starpower, you can’t deny that! Pretty much everyone gets to participate in this, and while it’s a wacky song (with the best PV I’ve seen for MM since like, Mikan or something) it manages to still be cute and catchy. I just love it. I also like how they didn’t give Aichan her usual share of 70% of the songs lines, to give people a taste of what MM might sound after her graduation.

Rating: 5/5

9. My Way ~Joshiko Hanamichi: The melody sounds recycled for some reason… But I like how rocking and energetic it sounds. The chorus sounds generic again, but I’m sure this one will really shine when performed live. Sounds like a reject Buono album track, but I love Buono, so that’s ok xD It drags on a bit though, that detracts from it (that and the horrendous synth solo. Ew.)

Rating: 3.5/5

10. Otome no Timing (Aika, Kanon, Erina): I don’t want to be mean, but does everyone who get grouped with Aika lately is stuck being in the background with her forever? I hope that’s not the future of Zukki and KY, as I really like them. This one is a cute little song and Aika sounds really good and pleasant, which is always a great thing to hear, since I don’t like how she strains her voice sometimes. This song is ridiculously generic and forgettable though, it sounds like a bad anime ED. A shame, but I’m happy for Aika and her new pretty voice <3 The synth also made a horrible appearance here…

Rating: 3/5

11. OK YEAH!: When I saw that title I cringed, I hate the nonsense in H!P stuff unless it’s backed up by a nice wacky setting or something like that, but I figured since lately they are so “grown up” it wouldn’t be like that. But I was wrong! And I’ve never been happier to be wrong in my life. This song sounds like a genkier version of one of my favorite MM songs of all times, Say Yeah, Motto Miracle Night!. I love the fast beat, and the DDR feeling it has, and the call and response thing makes it perfect for lives, which are MM’s thing lately. Amazingly perfect song <3

Rating: 5/5

12. Majidesukasuka!: I love this sooooong <3 I was anxious about what they’d do with the 9kis, but it turned out to be a great song, happy without being too sugary, and with the fairest line distribution in H!P in ages. This song just puts me in a great mood whenever I listen to it!

Rating: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.2/5

This is a great album, and a huge relief for me after the trainwreck that was Fantasy Juuichi. I feel like I can listen to most of it, and while the typical MM songs can get a bit formulaic, they are wonderfully done for the most part and are capable of conveying that energy MM is known for on stage.

Reina is the star of the album for me, she’s really a fantastic vocalist and her performance in Silver no Udedokei blew me away again (she always does that whenever I hear her or see her performing anything xD).

Listening to this album made me realize how much I’ve loved Aichan all of this time even though I was sick of her being 60% of every MM song with Reina being 35% and the other girls getting the leftovers. Aichan’s one of those idols that are born only every hundred years, like Akimoto Yasushi would say, her talent is undeniable and she will be remembered as one of the most iconic MM members for everything she did for the group, now it’s time for her to move on, and the group is already starting to change and sound different and exciting!

Some things will never change, like AiGaki getting a slow song or Mitsui getting the throwaway song, but I’m still happy about what they accomplished with this album, and it’s such a fantastic send off to Takahashi!

I won’t say that I’ll ever get on board of the MM train again, but they definitely have piqued my interest more than they had in at least 5 years, and I’m really looking forward to where this new direction takes them, musically speaking.

Perfume new single “SPICE” tracklist and covers out! Plus, more info about their JPN album!

Hello everyone! I’m super excited today because some of the most important news I’ve been waiting for are out!

Perfume’s new single “SPICE” is going to be released in November 02, here’s the gorgeous promo image for it:

Isn’t it amazing? And colorful? And stylish? And omg A~chan looks so sexy! As do Yuka and Nocchi, of course. My favorite outfit is Kashi’s (as usual) but all of them look absolutely stunning!

The tracklist for both editions is:

1. SPICE

2. GLITTER

3. SPICE (Instrumental)

4. GLITTER (Instrumental)

And the limited edition comes with a DVD with the PV for Glitter! Also, first press bonus is an amazing poster (I still don’t know what the poster is going to look like, but if it’s anything like the promo pic then I love it already!)

Here are the covers for the regular edition:

Oh my. Kashi why are you so sexy gurl? I just love everything about her, the hair is lovely, the pose, she’s just exuding confidence and sex appeal! Nocchi looks adorable, and they found a way to make her very awkward onigiri hairstyle look cute xD I’m loving her belt (but I like Kashi’s more. Ok I’ll shut up about my Kashiyuka love now) And A~chan. Wow. No words, really. Her hair is absolutely perfect and her outfit is realistically the only one I’d wear in real life. I also love her expression and just guh… this is amazing ;_;

And here’s the limited edition cover:

Hold me, I might faint right now. When I saw this picture it was incorrectly labeled as regular edition, and I freaked out so much! I thought I would have to order a regular edition of the single as well because HOW COULD I POSSIBLY LIVE WITHOUT THIS AMAZINGNESS IN MY COLLECTION? *faints* This picture is ridiculously lovely. Kashiyuka is the most perfect human being to have ever walked on the Earth, and Nocchi looks a bit awkward, but isn’t it cute anyway? A~chan looks so slender, and her clothes are so pretty *__* And the light coming through the circle thingy, isn’t it amazing? I love everything about this picture, the movement, the outfits, the make up. I especially love Kashiyuka. Damn it. A~chan is supposed to be my favorite but I’m more and more drawn to Kashi every day <3 I’m a closet Kashian lol

As if this wasn’t enough, some news about their JPN album, being released in November 30 also surfaced:

Apparently, there are 13 tracks in the album, and even though we don’t have the complete list yet, we know that it’s going to include Fushizen na Girl, Natural ni Koishite, Voice, Nee, Laser Beam and Kasuka na Kaori. I really really hope that they don’t include Spice/Glitter in it, because then the number of new songs would be disappointingly low, and I want plenty of new songs…

Besides what’s the point of releasing a single so close to the album if the songs are going to be in the album anyway? Wouldn’t that be like shooting yourself on the foot? I’m glad there are no B-sides, because really, I want album tracks. Perfume’s album tracks have never disappointed me so I’m super excited this time as well. The album is really long overdue though, 2 and a half years have passed since Triangle after all, and I can’t say I’m happy about it, because thanks to that (and the double A-sides…) we have almost no room for new stuff, but I’ll keep the faith!

Maybe next year they can actually come up with a better release schedule tbh. But eh, I’m digressing. What I was going to tell you guys is that the DVD tracklist for the limited edition of “JPN” is out and here it is:

1. Spice PV

2. Natural ni Koishite PV

3. Laser Beam Full Version PV

4. Kasuka na Kaori PV

5. Kasuka na Kaori PV TV Version

6. Fushizen na Girl / Natural ni Koishite TV Spot

7. Voice TV Spot

8. Nee TV spot

9. Laser Beam TV Spot

10. Spice TV Spot

Hmm… Yay for the Spice PV <3 I love owning their PVs in physical copies so I’m thrilled that they’ve included Natural ni Koishite here, but omg so many TV Spots! It looks like they were just trying to cram stuff in the DVD so that people wouldn’t complain, but I seriously doubt many people care about CMs…

On the other hand, there’s fishy stuff: Spice PV included but the song not being part of the CD? It’s making people suspect that Spice/Glitter are going to be part of the album (especially because in the dance contest that’s going on right now they state that Glitter is included in JPN…) and I really really am wishing with all my might that this isn’t the case. I don’t have money as is,especially not to be spending it in a compilation CD when I already own all of the singles :/  Let’s wait and see.

Another fishy tidbit is the appearance of a full Laser Beam PV. If you remember, when the single was released they said they couldn’t film the whole thing because of the earthquake, which is why they included jacket photoshoot footage to make up for the short PV, however, here’s a full version! Did they go and re record the missing scenes? Is it just going to be more dance scenes? What happened with the guy and his briefcase (we knew the girls got it because it can be seen in the KnK video but how did that happen? Will they elaborate on it?)

And then there’s Kasuka na Kaori, not only once, but twice For the least popular Perfume song ever with the western fanbase, I can already hear the whining from a kilometer away. I for one absolutely adore the song, I think it’s gorgeous and that most of the people who say it’s just random Jpop haven’t really taken the time to thoroughly listen to it, there are amazing and subtle electronic elements in it, and all without taking away from its ethereal, dream like lovey atmosphere.

Overall, I’m excited, very very excited. This news have totally brightened my really depressing week, and I’m hoping for the best. It might be because I’m a mindless fan or maybe because I really adore everything about the group, but they’ve never disappointed me, and I’m hoping to keep that up.

The Morning Musume Popularity Conundrum

I stumbled upon a blog discussing why they didn’t like the Golden Era of MM, and in the comments somebody asked why was it that MM isn’t on TV as much as they used to before. I tried to reply, and then it got ridiculously long, so I figured I’d blog about it instead (BTW, this is all MY OPINION, you’re free to disagree)

So why did MM stop getting as much promotion and TV time as it did before. I will probably say harsh things but I swear I don’t mean it in a bad way, just thought I’d state that as a disclaimer.

The first and most obvious reason why they don’t appear on TV is because they’re not popular anymore. Sure, they have a core fanbase and they sell well enough, but they aren’t appealing to the mainstream media almost at all. You could argue that some of them do modeling work and some of them have gotten roles in TV dramas or whatever, but that is just being in denial, they just don’t have that mainstream favor anymore.

Which leads to the second reason: Most people in Japan have moved on to different things. I agree that the current MM is a completely different animal than the one in the Golden Era, but that was the one people knew and fell in love with. When people started watching their favorites graduate, they simply stopped caring, precisely because the whole group changed as well in time. Before they had average girls next door who were interesting, outgoing and eager for screentime, which obviously made for good television (as any reality show producer would tell you) they sang silly fun songs about love and bounced around happily. The current MM is NOTHING like that, now they are a group of polished performers singing dramatic techno influenced pop songs about heart break or women or whatever. And on TV they just don’t have the same spark.

Takahashi Ai is super shy, and she’s never one to stand out off stage, Niigaki Risa got quieter and quieter as years passed, Reina’s yankeeness washed away, Aika is bland, Eri was weird and hilarious but only when she had warmed up before, JunLin were amazing, but they weren’t given much chance to show it, and then there’s Sayu who’s the only one that can stand out in this way.

They are certainly superior than the former members (not the original girls, but the ones from 4th gen which was the ultimate golden generation) on stage, but off of it they just can’t play the idol part anymore, because none of them (except for Sayu and now Zukki) has that outspoken personality that is larger than life and makes for good TV.

There’s also something else that is very important to understand this, I think the idol label doesn’t do MM any favors and they probably should just ditch it. An idol as a concept in the japanese popular mentality is someone who embodies an ideal of youth and pureness (kiyoku tadashiku utsukushiku are the ideals they are based on after all) and for them talent has become a secondary trait. They just have to be cute, sweet, appealing and do interesting things on TV.

Japanese people as a general rule aren’t looking for idols to be amazing singers or performers, they turn to real artists for that, as idols just make emphasis on their youth (which is greatly valued by the japanese) and all the traits that come with it. MM can’t play in this field anymore, however, they seem to have realized this and are trying to make up for it by bringing in amazing girls who are potentially very interesting in 9th gen. But really, when you analyze the stagnant era of MM you’ll realize what I’m talking about: All of them were very good performers (well, except Koharu and Aika, but they weren’t bad either) delivering heart felt performances and being very polished at everything they did, but where was the outrageous personality? where were the silly antics? the meaningless basking in one’s youth and indulging in it that chracterizes an idol? All those things were gone, they were artists, not idols. You could compare them much more easily with Amuro Namie or SNSD than with Momoiro Clover or Idoling!!!

If UFA is trying to make MM go back to their roots and become full time idols again, especially now that they seem to be trying to ride on the idol wave, they are going to start rotating graduations a lot more, like it was back in the day, this is with the purpose of not keeping the group static and also changing the group’s dynamics so that there will arise interesting conflicts and such between them. They seem to have realized that their “artist” phase wasn’t very productive. Their fanbase is loyal, so they also got dormant and started releasing cookie cutter stuff, they didn’t need to impress anyone because fans would buy it anyway, they didn’t care about lack of exposure because their business was self sustainable.

But seeing small groups like MomoClo break through (in a way ofc) and AKB selling literally millions woke them up and made them realize that they could be doing things better, which I think led to their re thinking of the idol model.

I think UFA has done great this year, they are changing things up with MM and all of their other groups as well, and maybe with time they can find the right girls again (it isn’t that difficult, really) to make MM silly and fresh like it was before to earn the mainstream media’s attention. The quality of their music will probably nosedive, of course, because unfortunately idol-y music, which is the one that sells best isn’t as complex or deep. But that’s what it would probably take for them.

Granted, I haven’t said that this is the only good way to handle things, and they could also go the other way and keep doing their thing their way until their loyal wotas finally get completely bored and move on or pass the torch to new fans, without the help from the media. This is not an invalid choice, and it certainly works for a lot of acts in Japan. I really wish H!P fans would stop complaining so much about how little they sell, how they aren’t number one or how they don’t have the same recognition they had back then. Everything has changed. The only thing that has stayed is the Morning Musume name, and even though some girls were present in the golden era, the feel of the group is different as well.

UFA will take both paths into consideration and decide which one they think it’s more convenient. As a fan of many many acts whose releases don’t even chart in Oricon, I’d say enjoy what you like, and don’t bother much with what the media says.

Back from the dead!

Hello everyone! Is anyone still reading this? lol I’ve had a very very rocky 2009 and early 2010 hahaha but… I finally graduated from uni which means that I’m working and actually making money to finance my jpop obsession and I also have more free time xD I’m trying to take my mind off of real life, so i thought I should do some reviews I love reviewing stuff <3 I hope you guys don’t mind it Ok, so, first of all, what I’m going to review today is…

Sakamoto Maaya – everywhere CD

Sakamoto Maaya released her third Best Of Album to commemorate her 15 years of artistic career. This album is old news by now xD since it was released in march, however, I just happened to get a hold of it (and actually finding out about its existence altogether) when I went to New York in october and found it casually laying around in Kinokuniya. Sakamoto Maaya is hands down my favorite singer in the whole wide world. I love her so much that even my parents know her name, which is really odd because they don’t bother with anything I like xD I’ve been her fan ever since I was like 10 years old, which means that I’ve been a fan for 13 years It’s quite a lot of time hahaha However, I’ve only recently started working, so I wasn’t able to buy what she released until now. I actually used  the money I was given as a present in my uni graduation to buy this because Maaya is very important for me <3 She was my first introduction to Jpop itself, and all of the songs she sang meant something important for me back when I was growing up and now too. I can remember going through difficult times and being uplifted by her music or just feeling happy when listening to some of her songs. She’s definitely a very important part of who I am even now, because of her music.

Ok, all of this rambling aside, I’m going to review the songs individually.

Disc 1

1. I.D: The first song is the laid back guitar driven I.D. This is an album track out of Maaya’s second album “Dive”. I think it’s a good opener because it’s a song with very personal lyrics, so its kind of a way of saying “This is me”. Music wise, while I.D is a good song in its own right, I feel like there are better tracks on Dive, however its probably this one that got chosen because of its topic. I love the little instrumental break, and while the verses are kind of samey, the interlude is definitely powerful with nice strings and gives you a “soaring” feel when you listen to it.

Rating: 4/5

2. Mameshiba: OMG I was so obsessed with this song back in high school xD I remember when this song was released 10 years ago :/ Anyway, I’ve always really loved this song, the melody flows beautifully and Maaya’s voice sounds great! Also, the cute and simple instrumental actually helps showcase her voice more, the bridge still sends chills down my spine, the sudden transition to the almost a capella section makes for a great effect, and I also love the ending when the song becomes more fast paced to reflect a sense of urgency. Worth nothing is the fact that while the lyrics talk about running to meet the person you care for, the PV featured a doggy running to meet Maaya <3 How sweet is that?

Rating: 5/5

3. Birds: I was so so SO happy to find this song here! I… really… there are no words <3 This is the last track of her 2001 mini album “Easy Listening” And it’s an amazing song that doesn’t get enough love. Ok, I’ll try to be coherent about it. I love the bagpipes that play throughout the song, and while the verses are sung slowly and in a lower tone they build up in the chorus, which is absolutely beautiful! Not to mention the bridge where she sings full of emotion and is also one of the songs that showcases her vocal abilities best. The lyrics are probably my favorite part of the song though, they are about asking your loved one to show you even their flaws or their negative points, because if you love them you can embrace all of that no matter what.

Rating: 5/5

4. Uchuu Hikoushi no Uta: The first track of her Shounen Alice album. This song is so pretty <3 It’s very simple, with only a piano accompanying Maaya’s voice. It definitely sounds like some beautiful song meant for children The lyrics are sweet, about a dream the singer had where she was an astronaut while her loved one was a farmer xD It’s so quirky and just adorable.

Rating: 5/5

5. Yubiwa – 23 karat-: The version of her “Yubiwa” song included in the Nikopachi singles collection, it’s called 23 karat version because Maaya re recorded it when she was 23 years old. When I first got into Maaya this song was like SUCH a big deal xD Everyone was going on and on about how this was the most beautiful song they had ever heard in their lives, and tbqh I didn’t get it hahaha. Must be because I was like 11 at the time and didn’t understand the lyrics, but listening to it now it acquired a completely different meaning. Not to mention that I’m 23 right now which makes me feel old lolol. Ok, onto the song, Yubiwa is a slow ballad with a subtle instrumental kind of reminiscent of R&B but mostly driven by Maaya’s soft vocals. The lyrics are about how the singer will wait until the day she can meet the person she loves again.

Ratings: 5/5

6. Kiseki no Umi: This song which was the opening team of some Lodoss War OAV xD is actually my favorite Sakamoto Maaya ever. I deathlooped this song like crazy and it was cemeted my love for Maaya. It’s a beautiful song, however, it does sound a bit ehh… Fantsy-ish? The music is kind of tribal sounding or something… I love the rhythm it has because it makes me want to stand up and dance to it. Anyhow, again, what I like the most are the lyrics, which talk about the sacrifices people make when they are in love.

Rating: 5/5

7. Hemisphere: This song which is a Rahxephon theme song, was Maaya’s 9th single and one of her best selling singles. In contrast to most of the other songs in the album so far, this song is more fast paced and has a less acoustic feel. It’s also the second song so far that doesn’t talk about love but about finding the meaning of being yourself. I love it, it’s sung in a very fast pace and it definitely conveys a sense of needing to find an answer, if that makes any sense…

Rating: 5/5

8. Koucha: This song, which was an album track in Lucy, was a surprise for me xD I thought it wouldn’t be included since I haven’t seen it being featured in any important way so far hahaha. This is a pretty mid tempo song with an R&B feeling, and a kind of repetitive instrumental that works surprisingly well at conveying the melancholic feeling. This song is about a girl who is reminiscing about her first boyfriend.

Rating: 4/5

9. Kaze ga Fuku Hi: Waahhh blast from the past! xD I was never into Escaflowne and its ugly character design with huge noses, but the music from that anime is simply beautiful. This song is very pretty, and it has a nice clarinet intro that sticks in your mind. I like how it also seems to build up dramatically from the verses into the full blown chorus.

Rating: 4/5

10. Gift: And we finally get the happy upbeat quota of the album with this lovely number This is a theme song for the old anime “Clamp Campus Detectives” and it’s simply, incredibly upbeat and cute without being sugary. It’s one of those songs that make you want to sing along. I love how there’s so much going on in the instrumental, I can even hear a lot of tambourines xD A song about how its very important to believe in yourself.

Rating: 5/5

11. Pilot: Another album track off of Dive, I love this song <3 it’s my little underdog song of choice hahaha. I love the feeling this song has, it’s somehow kind of airy, with the backing vocals overlapping with the main track and the beautiful acoustic guitar! <3

Rating: 5/5

12. Tune the rainbow: I remember thinking this song had the most beautiful instrumental ever xD Well, I don’t necessarily think that anymore, but it’s definitely very nice and pretty, and a little R&B oriented. What stands out the most to me is how vividly I remember the lyrics even after all these years… it’s really nice sometimes to listen to a simple love song about how you will be there for the one you love regardless of what happens.

Rating: 5/5

13.Kazamidori: I already reviewed her kazamidori album a million years ago xD This track is still as beautiful as ever, and we can definitely hear how she has grown as a vocalist and also how she has a distinctly different sound now. The pizzicato at the beginning of the song definitely gets me every time. Also, I love how it begins with almost no instruments in the background and gradually has more and more going on for it. This song is simply beautiful.

Rating: 5/5

14. Yakusoku wa Iranai: Of course, no compilation would be complete without her first single ever included. Yakusoku wa Iranai was the opening of the tenku no Escaflowne anime, and Maaya sang this when she was 15. I think it’s interesting how they placed Kazamidori, out of her latest album right before this one. There’s like a span of 15 years between the 2 songs xD But I think that’s what the album is getting at anyway. So here we can compare how much her voice has evolved, but I still feel like this song will always have a special place in my heart hahaha even though Maaya is much more skilled as a vocalist now, there is something very appealing about the “raw” quality of her voice when she was just a teenager. Not to mention that musically, I really really like this song. It sounds fantasy-ish too, with some dragons or something flapping in the interlude or something but it’s still lovely, especially the chorus.

Rating: 5/5

15. Loop ~Sunset Side~: The famous theme of the Tsubasa Chronicles anime gets a special remix here. I love the original version, but I can definitely appreciate this one as well. This version is almost completely acoustic, with a guitar and some light percussion accompanying Maaya’s voice. And I was surprised at how much this changed so easily from pure pop to easy listening somehow xD It’s lovely and lets us appreciate Maaya’s voice a bit more than the original.

Rating: 4/5

Ok so that’s the first Disc, I’ll get back to the second one soon I promise!

Chill people, chill.

It’s been like a year since I last updated this LOL But I really wanted to make this post. I’ve given up on posting ANYTHING H!P related on my main blog, possibly because people will just assume that I’m hating on them because I like AKB. Sure thing, I’m way more of an AKB fan than a H!P fan, but I’ve never seen them as competition because their concepts are SO different that I think of them as two completely different things. That’s why I don’t see Idoling!!! in the same league either, they have another concept entirely. AKB is a theater based group, H!P is comprised of several music only groups and Idoling!!! is all about the comedy. That’s how it is in my mind. 

I’m a bit tired of the wota flamewar going on in the internet as well, I wish that we could all just realize that this is idol pop we’re listening to, there’s no need to CHARGE or stuff like that. Let’s just enjoy whatever we like for what it is and call it a day, I think.

With that said, another thing that does annoy me very much is how some people purposely try to get in other people’s faces. Like, there’s no need for an AKB fan to show up at a H!P fan blog and post a comment that goes like “LOL AKB IS BETTER BAI” and viceversa. Why can’t we just live and let live?

The Hello!Blog Poll

 

Wow. This was a very difficult ranking, actually, but I enjoyed it a lot because I’ll miss the elder club like crazy and I’m glad I could vote for them. After they are gone, my H!P fandom will be greatly decreased, I think. Which I also find funny, because when ranking the members there was no doubt in my mind that Wonderful Hearts would take the first spots, and the Elder Club’s releases I don’t really like that much at all to begin with, so why do I feel like when they leave I’ll be a sad wota? I don’t really know, but that’s maybe a question for a different entry. Right now I’m going to do a brief analysis on why each girl holds the position they are in.

10. Suzuki Airi: Airi reminds me a lot of AKB’s Watanabe Mayu, and since Mayu has grown on me a lot, I think Airi has done so too XD I still don’t like C-ute, and I don’t think I ever will, but Airi is simply adorable. She’s a great performer and she’s super cute. Buono also helped A LOT for her to pop up in my top 10, despite my dislike of her unit.

9. Michishige Sayumi: Words can’t express how much I adore Sayu. She’s all I’d like to be if I were an idol (minus a good voice XD) I love how she’s vain and egocentric but still manages to be caring and helpful to the other members, I love her honesty and most of all, I love her sense of humor. She’s just hilarious when she makes jokes about herself, proving that she doesn’t really take it all that seriously and that she’s a great sport. Eri should be sharing this spot with her XD They’re inseparable in my mind.

8. Matsuura Aya: Say what you may, I hate Ayaya’s new releases as much as anyone else, but she’s a freaking STAR and you can’t deny it. She’s got an amazing voice with great range and control, she’s a great performer and she’s also the best MC of H!P’s history. Ayaya is truly one of a kind when it comes to idols, and in my mind she was the image of what H!P always was about. Not anymore, of course, but still, her talent is overwhelming.

7. Fujimoto Miki: I’m not all “Miki-sama punish me” like a lot of other people, but I love my Mikitty very much! She’s a perfect Tsundere, and while my favorite moments of her involved Aya, she was incredible as an idol in her own right. I’m guessing that after she gets married she’ll just quit show business, but I enjoyed her a lot while she was at it. Also, I’d loved if she had never been part of Momusu but grown as a soloist instead, and she would’ve enjoyed it much more as well But now it’s not the right time to mourn about such thing. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WEDDING MIKITTY!!! Everyone is getting married… I’m feeling old lately because of this XD

6. Tsuji Nozomi: LOL I was never a fan of Nono when she was part of H!P, I thought that she was cute and funny, but I honestly saw her always as the lesser half of Aibon, whom I adored. But after she left and married Ultraman and started that blog, I fell in love with her, so to speak. I read all of her entries, I want to cheer for her and send her all my love, and I’m really happy to see that she’s happy with the life she has now. I wish I could become a pretty bride too, but that’s a stupid dream I know So she’s my hero right now XD

5. Yaguchi Mari: Mari was always my favorite MM member, when she was kicked out I freaked out majorly. I don’t get giddy over her blog as I do with Nono’s but she’s still a very fun person to read and interesting too. She’s proven to be more entertaining than almost all of the Wonderful Hearts line up together, and that’s very important. Also, she’s a hard worker, and I admire her for that.

4. Shibata Ayumi: Ayu <3 She’s my melon of choice. I adore her group with all my heart, and even though everyone says that she doesn’t fit in with their cool image and that her voice isn’t as good as Masae’s, I have a soft spot for her. First of all, I find her the most beautiful girl in H!P, I love her chipmunk teeth (see, Oshima Yuko, my favorite AKB girl has chipmunk teeth too. It’s a fetish!) and I love her carefree and clueless attitude. That Hello Pro Hour episode with her and Sayu is still my favorite ever. 

3. Natsuyaki Miyabi: I have no idea of how Miya ended up this high, as I’m not particularly fond of her or anything, but I just think that she has lots of style and a great voice. And that largely makes an idol for me. Sure, having a big flamboyant personality helps a lot, but when it comes down to performing, that’s what they should excel at. That’s why I don’t hate on Aichan either BTW. Buono skyrocketed Miya to the top 3.

2. Kumai Yurina: My Yurina. I adore this girl, you have no idea. She has the power of making me happy instantly whenever I see her, and that’s why I’ll never stop adoring her. You can say that she’s an airheaded bad singer but I don’t care at all, she’s the most amazing kid ever in my eyes, and that will never change.

1. Niigaki Risa: I’m not as crazy about Risa as I used to be, but I still look for her avidly in any H!P concert. She never disappoints and always puts up a great show. I also love how she’s become a gorgeous girl and the driving force behind MM when she started out as that awkward pig tailed kid. Gaki is my favorite because she represents that dreams can actually come true, and that you can live them too, if you work hard for them. 

That was interesting! With that out of my system, I have to say that I want a new Yurina PB. Her PB was the best H!P has ever produced, and I won’t be told otherwise!

Why OH Why??!!!

When my dear beloved Yurina finally gets a subunit… She has to share it with Mitsui and Nakajima???? WTH is wrong with the world???????

 

Seriously. Why. 

 

Risako is fine by me, even though she’ll probably do all the singing while the others just backdance stupidly, but Mitsui? Mitsui can’t sing! At all! (and this comes from a Sayumi fan) they should just stop pushing her and give the pandas a solo release! Nobody is going to become a fan of hers just because they shove her in our faces all the time!

And then… Nakajima????? Oh dear… Her voice makes me cringe. And her smile scares me. 

WHY WHY WHY????

Platinum 9 Disco Review

Hi people! To be honest, it’s been a while since I’e cared about MM’s music, but I felt curious and listened to their latest album.

Here’s the cover:

Tiny pic is tiny. But yeah, just to get the point across… I’ll do this review by writing my thoughts as I listen to each song, so it won’t make a whole lot of sense, but it’ll be an honest first impression and I think it should be fun

Also, keep in mind my Momusu member ranking:

Takahashi Ai: Like. If not overexposed.

Niigaki Risa: Adore.

Kamei Eri: Love

Tanaka Reina: Like. If not overexposed.

Michishige Sayumi: Adore

Kusumi Koharu: Like. If she doesn’t open her mouth.

Mitsui Aika: Not really.

JunJun: Meh

LinLin: Like.

Ok, so now, without further ado, let’s review!

1. SONGS: Stupid title. Oh look, a boring ballad -_-  Oh wait, here comes the cheap keyboard! And then the hip hop… Ok, I don’t get this song. I only hear Aichan.. And there’s Reina too. Lots of Reina. This song has multiple personalities, but I can hear Risa and Eri so I’m happy. I guess that this should be interesting to watch live, with all the dance moves and stuff, but right now it’s just a ReinAi fest. The distorted vocals are funny, but I really don’t understand this song at all. Ok, so they get points for singing something upbeat and a little bit edgy and not just sugar pop. I feel that the music is pretty good on its own, but there’s too much going on with the arrangement of it, so it sounds weird.

Rating: 3 out of 5

2. Resonant Blue: If this song hadn’t been sung entirely by Reina and Ai alone with Koharu butting in at times, it would’ve been my favorite Morning Musume single. What a shame.

Rating: 4 out of 5

3. Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai no Darou: I remember hearing this song before, and EVERYBODY was hyping so much about it! It didn’t really stand out to me… Maybe I’m used to the choir concept because I’m an AKB fan, but it didn’t really impress me all that much on the first listen. Now that I’m listening to it again, I have to admit that it’s a very well made ballad. The instrumentation is very nice, especially the piano and strings. It’s the best ballad in recent H!P history, but I don’t really like ballads. Sorry! They get special brownie points for letting Junjun and Linlin sing at last. That’s the best part of the song, even if I don’t understand a single word XD

Rating: 4 out of 5

4. Take off is now! (Takahashi, Niigaki, Tanaka): The title reminds me of Ambitious! This would be an instant skip for me (I like both Reina and Ai but I’m sick of seeing them get all the lines in every song) but my Risa is in there <3 Weird intro! But I’m loving this song! It tries to be hip hop and tropical in a very cheaply instrumented kind of way XD But it still sounds fun! I also think that this will be better with the choreography that goes with it. Ok, wait I just checked out a performance of the song and the dance is disappointing as hell… They just stand there and shake their heads during all the verses D:

Rating: 3,5 out of 5

5. Naichau Kamo: I really love this song <3 It’s dramatic and cool and has some rock thrown in it! Everyone looked great in the PV and all! I really really like this a lot! I hope that MM keeps up a string of cool songs!

Rating: 5 out of 5

6. Watashi no Miryokuni Kizukanai Donkan na Hito: Long ass title. Mittsi is my least favorite MM member, and I really don’t understand why she got a solo instead of Risa D: And it’s techno too? Aika needs to improve her vocals, especially because this song would’ve sounded great if Eri or Reina sang it… But Mitsui struggles too much, doesn’t hit all the notes, and just sounds flat sometimes. Argh. I’ve gotta give it to her though, the girl knows how to appear on stage and pump up the crowd. And she also doesn’t sound worst live than on studio, which is a good thing. I’m sure that if she keeps working on her voice, she will get better and better.

Rating: 2 out of 5

7. Guruguru Jump (Kusumi, JunJun, LinLin): Hyper! This song I really like! Which is weird because I usually can’t stand Koharu’s voice, but here it doesn’t sound extremely screechy or high pitched so I like it! I’m also loving the hyper music and even though I wish that this 3 girls would get something different in style in order for them to prove themselves as vocalists, they fit perfectly with the mood of this ultra happy song! Instant favorite (and first non-single song that I like in this album so far…) See, this is what I meant when I said that Koharu CAN sing whenever she wants to <3

Rating: 4,5 out of 5

8. Mikan: I must be the only one, but I love this song, and I also really like how it goes after Guruguru Jump, to keep the happy mood going on for a bit longer. I’m still bitter over the fact that one of my favorite recent MM singles was the one that sold the worst

Rating: 5 out of 5

9. Jounetsu no Kiss wo Hitotsu (Takahashi, Niigaki, Tanaka): RnB sound, and it sounds very sultry with the spanish guitar in the background! I really like this one, it’s a great step up from Take off is now, and how cheap it sounded XD. This one sounds like something Gocchin would’ve released as a single when she was still in her H!P heyday. GO Risa!! Her voice is so perfect for this song!

Rating: 4,5 out of 5

10. It’s You (Michishige): Oh Sayu! How I love you! I might also be the only one who likes her voice, not because it’s beautiful, but because it’s the biggest improvement in the history of MM for sure. I also love how she didn’t get a ballad, but a ridiculous sounding 80s song. Her speaking voice at the beginning is so fail that it ends up being WIN. Is anyone seeing a new Ishikawa Rika here? I LOVE how corny this song is! I hope that Sayu gets to perform it in a shiny miniskirt and do some sexy poses while she’s at it XD

Rating: 3,5 out of 5 (although the LOL value is like 100 out of 5)

11. Onna ni Sachi Are: I loved this single too! Great dance music! Even though the golden outfits and yellow feathers weren’t exactly pleasant on the eyes…

Rating: 4,5 out of 5

12. Kataomoi no Owari ni (Kamei): It’s so typical of Eri to get a ballad <3 And it’s so typical of me to love it to death even if I usually hate slow songs… Oh wait OMG I’M IN LOVE THIS IS JUST OMG ERI I LOVE YOU SO MUCH MARRY ME NOW! /end fangirl attack. This isn’t really a ballad, but it’s still on the slow side. Eri’s voice is so sweet and lovely! And this kind of song brings me back to the original idols of the 80s with their beautiful voices, and puffy dresses and cute little dances… <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 x 1000. This CD is so worth buying only for this song!

Rating: 100000 out of 5 ok, not really, 5 out of 5 then

13. Kanashimi Twilight: It’s been a LONG while since I heard this song for the last time. It’s still as awesome as ever! I think that MM needs to add more members whoa re a bit more aggressive and have powerful vocals, or else, their all going to end up sounding the same! Here’s the last of Mikitty as a badass, before she became an old lady who sings only for old people XD

Rating: 5 out of 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Wow! I seriously didn’t think it’d rate that high!

Highlights: All of the singles included here are great! Also, Jounetsu no Kiss wo Hitotsu and  Guruguru Jump are very good songs! Kataomoi no Owari ni and Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai no Darou are the ebst songs quality wise IMO, and while there were some WTF moments (Sayu solo LOLOLOL) and some not so good vocals (Mitsui) it’s quite a good album overall!

BUY BUY BUY!!! Ok, see you next time!

It’s been a while XD

I know it’s been a LOOOONG while, but my real life has been hell, so I can finally have some time to update this poor neglected little blog! I’m sorry for the wait :X

Ok, so the Perfume Superlive in Budokan DVD is finally going to be released! Yay!! It means, of course, that we finally get to see Edge, Plastic Smile, Jenny wa Gokigen Naname and some more songs! And wow, for those of you who could watch the TV special, the stage was just… AMAZING! And all of the lasers and special effects were absolutely superb! This one is definitely on my MUST BUY list! And it should be in yours too

So, in order to tease you all and make you buy the DVD, here are a few of the amazing Budokaaaaaaaaaaaaan! Superlive performances

PLAY THE GAME!!!

Dream Fighter!!! *_*

Puppy Love!! Tsunderetion FTW! I adore this song, and the choreography is absolutely cute and awesome, like everything related to Perfume!

Wonder2… ONe of my favorite songs, and the most emotional performance. Also, comments of all the girls about the experience of performing in Budoukan :3 Very cute. I love A-chan!

Ok people, so you know how it goes, order the DVD, enjoy it, watch it a 1000 times and keep supporting Perfume because they are amazing!!