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!