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!

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!

Sakamoto Maaya – Kazeyomi Review

Hello! I couldn’t resist myself after listening to this beautiful CD, I just HAD to review it! Absolutely.

First, a small introduction, Sakamoto Maaya is a singer born in 1980, who first debuted in 1996 as the voice actress for the character of Hitomi in Tenkuu no Escaflowne, and also sung the opening theme of said anime, the very famous (back in my day, hey, I’m old school, baby!) “Yakusoku wa Iranai” after the relative success of both the song and the anime she continued to sing many theme songs for it, and also recorded her first albums, with the aid of famous composer Kanno Youko. Recently, the Sakamoto – Kanno partnership broke, and Maaya went on to work with different people. Her latest full album, “Kazeyomi” or Wind-reading, is a beautiful return to her old sound, and it was highly expected by all of her fans (such as myself).

Sakamoto’s voice can be best described as sweet and soft. She sings in a high range, and most of her songs are pop but influenced with very interesting elements that can give the songs an ethereal or surreal feel. I’ve been a fan of Maaya ever since around 1999 or so, and she’s still one of my absolutely favorite singers, hands down. I’m not into anime anymore, but even so, I always manage to trace all of her releases, because I absolutely love her original style.

Ok, so with that intro, let’s get into the album!

First of all, I LOVE the cover! It’s absolutely beautiful, and dreamlike, even, with that weathercock in her hand, which isn’t even a cock but a beautiful golden dove with a star in its beak. Also, the road climbing up the hill, is very surreal, and I like it.

Ok, so let’s start with the songs, finally!

1. Vento: I don’t have a clue of what language this is in, but it’s reminiscent of Maaya’s old anime work in a way, because its sound is so ethereal and peculiar that it doesn’t really fit too well in Jpop, but it’s still a beautiful song in its own right. At first, I thought that it was an instrumental intro, like the one in her Lucy album, with beautiful strings and a subtle piano, but around halfway, her soft dreamy voice starts singing in a language unknown to me XD I guess it might be portuguese or something like that. This is a very beautiful song indeed, and a great opener that gives us a taste of what we’ll find in this album.

Rating: 4,5 out of 5

2. Triangler: It’s not that I’m crazy about Kanno, really, but I was very excited to listen to this song when it was first announced! I wanted to hear Maaya’s classic sound, that I’d fallen in love with, but Triangler is none of that XD Actually, most Maaya fans HATE this song to death, but I frankly don’t understand why, I think that it’s a wonderful song, very powerful and beautiful. I also love how Maaya pushed her range a lot, it sounds quite difficult to sing, but she still manages to get it right! Well, click on the song’s title, watch the Pv and listen to the song and you’ll get your own opinion about this one…

Rating: 4,5 out of 5

3. Kazemachi jet – Kazeyomi Edition-: The second single included in this album, is Maaya’s title song for the “Tsubasa” anime, Kazemachi jet. This song, unlike Triangler, which was left just as is, was completely rearranged for the album, and it sounds even better than the original! It starts with a capella lines, which make me melt, and then the guitar and the fiddle kick in, and they sound beautiful! The difference from the original are largely this instruments, and the bridge with the fiddle solo is lovely! This version sounds more laid back and personal, which works great for it, without losing any of its fun. Kudos for making an amazing song even better!

Rating: 5 out of 5

4. Remedy: I love this song! It’s the second original after Vento, and it sounds very much like the old Maaya we learned to love. It’s simple, guitar driven and sweet. But that works so well for it! Definitely a song that can bring a smile to your face, no matter what. I’m glad to hear this kind of songs again on a Maaya album, after missing them from her 2 previous ones.

Rating: 4 out of 5

5. Ame ga Furu: Maaya’s latest single. I really like this song, because it sounds very nostalgic, just like the rain. The PV is also very pretty and kind of dark. This song starts with a beautiful harp and a haunting feel to it, but it builds in the chorus, when it sounds a little angry. I like the totally random electric guitar bridge XD This song is all over the place, music wise, but in a great way! It’s like it needed all those elements anyway, so it sounds very good.

Rating: 4,5 out of 5

6. Get no Satisfaction!: This song begins very upbeat, reminding me of some of her perky works from the “Shounen Alice” album, it retains that atmosphere, but it lacks something, IMO. It’s the only song so far that I’ve found sounding generic. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, only I wish it had a bit more spirit. It sounds like an anime opening XD

Rating: 3,5 out of 5

 7. Ao no Ether: This song is a cover. Maaya wrote the lyrics and the song was originally performed by Nakajima Megumi, but Maaya still said that she had put so much work in those that she wanted to make her own rendition. Here’s the original for you to compare click me! , Nakajima has a beautiful super sweet voice, but she lacks a bit of emotion at times. Maaya’s version sounds very raw and emotional, instead, the minimal instrumental also adds to the overall feel of the song. One of my favorites of the album, despite is ballad nature.

Rating: 5 out of 5

8. Shitsuren Cafe: I love this song! I’ll probably skip it to death on a daily basis because it’s not the type of music I listen to anymore, but it’s so much fun! If you’ve heard her song “Paprika” from Yuunagi Loop, this sounds a lot like that, only even more upbeat and danceable! It has lots of latin elements, and I love the tambourine <3. This makes me want to stand up and dance, without a doubt!

Rating: 4 out of 5

9. SONIC BOOM: That sounds like the title of a KOTOKO song, right? Anyway, here’s another kind of upbeat number, although it sounds remarkably less generic than Get no Satisfaction, this one has the pretty violins that help give it a somewhat different flavor. Apparently, it’s the theme song for the OAVs of the “Tsubasa” anime. All of the songs from said series sound kind of the same to a point. So yeah, it doesn’t really make me super excited, but the lyrics sound pretty, and the music overall doesn’t sound half bad… I’m not sure about this one, it might grow on me later, who knows?

Rating: 3,5 out of 5

10. Peanuts: This song begins with an amazing instrumental made of a clear music box kind of sound and pizzicatto strings. Then Maaya starts singing in a fast way, the song builds in the same adorable and quirky way, and it sounds very cute and cool. The chorus makes for normal happy pop, and then there’s clapping and the pizzicatto returns for the next verse <3. It’s a very dynamic song, and it also sounds very original! It’s definitely something you can’t get bored of!

Rating: 4 out of 5

11. Saigo no Kajitsu: Another Tsubasa song, and another Maaya single. I’m not a fan of this song, but it’s quite pretty. The guitar driven instrumental is accompanied by some dramatic strings here and there. And Maaya sounds very good and emotional. This is a sad little ballad that builds into a hopeful sounding chorus. But not my thing, sorry!

Rating: 3 out of 5

12. Colors: This song is the theme for a Planetarium program Maaya narrates. I love planetariums for some bizarre reason, so I was really looking forward to this song, and it didn’t disappoint at all! It’s the only english song in the album, and it brings me back memories of way back when all her albums included stuff in english. Maaya doesn’t have a perfect pronunciation, but she still sounds beautiful. And the “new age” sounding background works surprisingly well with both the vocals and the song’s overall feel. I love it.

Rating: 4,5 out of 5 

13. Kazamidori: Without a doubt, the most popular of the new Maaya songs, the pizzicato is back, but this time, to give the song a dreamy atmosphere. Then lovely strings join in, and Maaya sounds wonderful. There isn’t really much that can be said about this song, if anything, Maaya is the queen of “simple is better” musically wise, at least. Her less elaborate songs are the ones that tend to sound absolutely beautiful and give her a special sound.

Rating: 5 out of 5

14. Guitar Hiki ni Naritai Na: With a title like “I want to become a guitar player”, it’s very easy to guess what this song sounds like. Again, it’s soft, and absolutely beautiful. It’s largely defined as a medium paced song featuring only Maaya’s voice and a beautiful acoustic guitar accompanying her and driving the song. A great close to the album, and a very nice song to just listen to and relax for a bit!

Rating: 4,5 out of 5

OVERALL ALBUM RATING: 4,3 out of 5

Well, what can I say, this is an amazing album, and I’m really happy to hear Maaya doing great music again. Some songs in the album I found to be pretty forgettable, and, of course, I would’ve very much preferred having the lovely C/W to “Ame ga Furu”, Praline, over Saigo no Kajitsu, which I find to be a quite forgettable and unremarkable song, but yeah, things are what they are. I’ll probably review all of Maaya’s albums some day or even, all of her songs, because like I said, she’s one of my favorites ever since I was a kid, and she always encouraged me with her songs, or she made me dream with her music and I love her for that. If you haven’t heard her music yet, I highly recommend that you at least check out the samples I provided, don’t dismiss her because she’s “just another anime singer”, because she’s takes her music very seriously and writes beautiful lyrics that usually go with great music.

Ok, that’s all from me right now! Please remember to BUY the CD if you liked what you heard! And congratulations to Maaya for making it to the #2 spot of the Oricon ranking in the first week of sales of “Kazeyomi”!!!

Perfume ~Complete Best~ Review

Hello! Welcome again to Macaroni-i! Today I’ll be reviewing Perfume’s debut album, ~Complete Best~. I became a fan of Perfume back in 2006 when this was released, so I <3 it! I thought of reviewing GAME, but I’ll probably do it later anyway.

This album complied Perfume’s releases ever since they debut, A-sides and B-sides included too.   The reason why this particular album is so special to me is because it’s what made me their fan. Back in their indies times, they were quirky and cute, and very idol-like! As they grew up, their music did too, it became a little more complex without ever losing the fun in it, which is why I love them so much!

1. Perfect Star Perfect Style: This was one of my first favorite Perfume songs. It caught my ear immediately! The “Perfect Star – Perfect Style” sung through the whole song are what makes it so catchy, I think. I like how the song is upbeat and lively even though it’s about a break up XD This song never fails to make me dance in my seat whenever it comes up!

Rating: 5 out of 5

2. Linear Motor Girl: This song was Perfume’s major debut single. I’ve never been a huge fan of it, but it’s very “Perfume-like” since quirky is probably the best word to describe it. It’s playful even from the beginning, with the “girl” in Linear motor GIRL! line sung in a high pitched girly tone. It sounds very computer-esque too XD the lines have some sort of monotone or dissonant quality to them that makes them sound almost like a machine. This is a song that you could listen to in a videogame! The thing that I find the must funny about this particular song is how I usually skip it whenever it comes in my playlist, but then when I listen to it I remember how much fun it is! Lots of cute computer sounds in the background and my favorite part is when they start counting, it’s just so random XD

Rating: 4 out of 5

3. Computer City: This has always been my favorite Perfume song, and I’d be lying if I said it was for anything other than its lyrics, actually. This doesn’t mean that I think it’s a bad song, musically speaking, because I think in this aspect is one of Perfume’s best ever! But I just feel like I can connect so much to those post-apocalyptic love song lyrics XD The chorus is beautiful and sticks in your head without fail, but it’s actually the verses that I find the most memorable, with the synth melody backing them up.

Rating: 5 out of 5

4. Electro World: The album version starts with a subdued chord and then the cute blips and beeps. But this isn’t a cute song. The first verse is almost a capella, and then the whole instrumentation builds up for the chorus. I like how there are electric guitar riffs in this song, it makes it musically interesting and adds to the heavy synth beats in the background music. This is probably Perfume’s best single, in my opinion, its sung beautifully and manages to convey a certain unsettling but powerful emotion. Musically its very interesting, with its constantly changing melodies and beats, making this song a great start for anyone who wants to become a fan.

Rating: 5 out of 5

5. Inryoku: Another quirky song! I quite like Inryoku, it’s cute and fun without being too much. It starts with the overlapping voices of the girls singing the first phrase sweetly, and then goes into the verses, which are less interesting but still cute. The background music is the usual cyber techno stuff, but this time there’s a tiny piano like sound (tiny piano XD I suck at reviewing Perfume LOL) which drives the song. The “Pa pa pa pa” in the background music are fun, but I find the girls voices kind of monotonous at times, which is why the beeps and stuff help the song’s mood so much.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

6. Monochrome Effect: This song has a way of clinging in my brain forever, especially the beginning of the verses! This is an old indies single, and Perfume were all young and cute when they sung it (not that they aren’t cute now, they’re just, you know, older and cute XD). This one has just hints of an electronic sound, so it’s not as techno influenced as the more recent singles. Also, the girl’s voices aren’t computer distorted, which is a nice change of pace every now and then! I’m sick of listening to people say that we will never find out if Perfume can sing or not, I mean, come on! Their earlier singles didn’t have so much vo coder in them, and the girls have performed them live lots of times! Anyway, back to the song, fun and bouncy with lots of cute elements into it, I love it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

7. Vitamin Drop: I don’t know why, but in this song the girls voices sound in the lower range, which gives it a different overall feel than the rest of Perfume’s usual work. It has the usual blips and synth background, which sound somewhat dissonant because of the quality of the voices here. I like the short pizzicatto like fragments that accompany the verses, they sound cute. The best part of the song are the solos halfway through the song, because of their use of only soft delicate sounds that help make the sometimes dull background music more enjoyable. Yeah, not the best Perfume song out there, but if anything, it’s worth listening only for how different it sounds from what we’re used to hear from them.

Rating: 3 out of 5

8. Sweet Doughnuts: This is Perfume’s first indies single, and I really like it. It’s quite upbeat, with the mix of electronic sounds with a very poppy tune ends up sounding refreshing and exciting. Very catchy! It’s also fun to listen to it now that they’ve grown up and sound a bit different, it never loses its fun quality!

Rating: 4 out of 5

9. Foundation: This is a medium paced song, and it sounds “hip” I don’t know how to describe it well, but it’s like something you could hear in a classy bar or something like that. I like the effect created by the random whispered words, it makes the overall mood shift from “laid back” to something a bit more mysterious and elaborate.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

10. Computer Driving: I have a soft spot for this song. I constantly find myself humming it and doing the little dance that goes with it. It has a very distinct melody, like a sequence of beeps that seriously  sticks to your head. In contrast to this, the verses are sung with little voice distortion and are very melodic, which makes for a great balance and an enjoyable song to listen to.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (I might be the only person in the world to rate this song so high, but I find it simply addictive and beautiful all at the same time)

11. Perfume: I thought it was funny to have a song named after the group, but this reflects what Perfume is about, in essence (no pun intended XD) which is why I like it. It’s an upbeat and cheerful song, very poppy and with a repetitive bridge that makes it very catchy (although it can get quite annoying after a while XD). I have to say however, that you can appreciate this song a bit more when you watch it performed live. The girls of Perfume make sure that any performance of this is full of energy and taken to the max!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

12. wonder2: This song starts with etereal background music and haunting la la la’s that go with it. It’s a slow song, sung with quite distorted vocals, which make it wound even more surreal. I like the prechorus especially, it flows nicely. You know, I wanted to name this blog Wonder2, I really like this pretty ballad, but that username was taken and I had already thought that Macaroni-i was a cute name for a blog anyway so I kept that. I don’t know why I like the most unpopular Perfume songs either, but I just do XD

Rating: 4 out of 5

Overall Rate: 4 out of 5

The Complete Best album is a wonderful compilation of various styles that takes us along Perfume’s musical history in a fun ride. I think that it’s also a great start for people who like the group, because its a display of the range Perfume have as a group, I mean, they can sing serious songs, pure techno, idol pop, 8bit sounding songs… all without losing their own personal style, which is what makes them so remarkable, especially in a changing market like Jpop!