Beyond the Sea

ALBUM REVIEW
ayaka - Sing to the Sky

1. POWER OF MUSIC
2. Ai wo Utaou *
3. Sky
4. Jewelry day *
5. Good Night Baby
6. For today
7. Why *
8. Gold Star
9. Mahoutsukai no Shiwaza
10. Te wo Tsunagou *
11. Ai mo Uso mo Shinjitsu
12. CLAP & LOVE *
13. Kimi ga Iru Kara
14. Okaeri *
15. Konya mo Hoshi ni Dakarete…
16. WINDING ROAD * / ayaka × Kobukuro
17. I believe <English ver.>

♦

Note: Songs with a (*) at the end of their titles have already been reviewed. Click on the links to see their reviews.
Songs in bold are new tracks and will be reviewed.

♦ ♦ ♦

This is ayaka’s 2nd album and it was released on June 25, 2008. This album reached #2 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 473,427 copies.

Beginning with a “1,2!” intro, the album opens with a inspirational track. Featuring some small hints of gospel, POWER OF MUSIC is a cheerful tune filled with upbeat piano chords, blaring brass, and soulful vocals. You could tell that ayaka and the band in the studio were having fun while recording this song. During the clapping sequence of the bridge, cheering can be heard in the background. Even though the music is a little on the laid back side, this is a great way to start things off.

Another upbeat track follows and it’s the wonderful Ai wo Utaou. The mix of strings and electric guitar is great and I really liked the powerful chorus. On the Te wo Tsunagou / Ai wo Utaou single, I thought that this was the better song since I found it more interesting.

I guess you could say that this is the album’s pivotal track. Sky is a pleasant song but what stood out for me was the vibrant chorus. It begins with ayaka belting out Fly to the sky  followed by strong vocals. The acoustic pop arrangement is pretty average compared to what’s on the rest of the album though.

The gorgeous acoustic ballad Jewelry day is next and I still haven’t gotten tired of it. This is such a sad song and it’s built on top of a very heartfelt vocal performance. Further into the song, the strings come in and just emphasize on the raw emotion of ayaka’s voice. The ending always gets to me with its beautiful string ensemble.

A cute, bouncy number is up next. Good Night Baby has a nice rhythm and drum beat, but it stays pretty calm for the most part. It’s not until the ending when ayaka’s power vocals show up and the electric guitars begin to elevate. Being barely over 3 minutes long, this is a short and sweet song.

The next track isn’t exactly new. It’s actually kind of old but I didn’t review it because it’s a digital single and you know me. Anyways, For today was released back on November 14, 2007 and it’s an extremely upbeat pop rock song. It’s like a high octane version of her 3rd single Real voice but with even more powerful vocals. ayaka just belts it out in her lower register throughout the entire song while being accompanied by thumping drums and screeching riffs. It’s fun, but it took me multiple listens to start liking it.

Here is a song that I’m still iffy about. Why has grown on me a little, but I still find it kind of boring. The somber lyrics and ayaka’s vocals are great, but the music is what gives me mixed feelings. It’s not a ballad nor is it upbeat, but rather stuck in between. I will say that the song does take a turn for the better towards the end when the adlibbing sequence occurs.

Gold Star does show a more edgy side of ayaka on this album. Her vocals are more aggressive and the electric guitars definitely take the spot as the lead instrument. What makes this song better than Meiro (the B-side from the Okaeri single), which was also dominantly rockish in nature, is that it’s way more upbeat. The faster paced music of Gold Star better suited her voice.

Now the album slows down a bit for the next 3 tracks. This phase begins with the very charming Mahoustukai no Shiwaza, a piano based song. I loved the gentle, yet playful piano chords and ayaka’s vocals go with the flow. Because the song is short like Good Night Baby, it acts like an interlude between Gold Star and Te wo Tsunagou, which are two radically different songs.

It took me a while to really start appreciating Te wo Tsunagou. Even though I still wish the first half of the song could be more interesting, ayaka’s vocals are fantastic. When the bridge arrives, the tempo changes a fairly good amount with the addition of electric guitars and drums. The final chorus is amazing though.

The next track is pretty interesting because it borrows some elements from blues and jazz. Ai mo Uso mo Shinjitsu has ayaka singing in her lower register again and she sounds surprisingly good. The verses are calm and smooth, but the chorus has those incredible power vocals. I also liked the bridge with its use of upbeat guitar chords.

I honestly love the arrangement of CLAP & LOVE because of the awesome combination of clapping beats, vocoder, and deep electric guitar. I also love ayaka’s husky vocal performance and insanely catchy adlibbing sequences. I think the music is quite offbeat compared to the rest of the album because it lacks any kind of percussion instrument and the clapping is what keeps the beat instead. Add the background vocals and frequent riffs and you now have something unique but very good at the same time.

Okay, so I already think that all the new tracks on this album are good, but ayaka delivers one of her best upbeat songs to date with Kimi ga Iru Kara. It’s also my favorite of the new tracks too. Right from the beginning there’s a flurry of guitar riffs and strings and I was hooked. The chorus is definitely what makes this song shine and I loved how uplifting it was. It’s bound to put a smile on your face.

Now we have the heartwarming Okaeri, the last single released before the album. This is such a sweet song and ayaka gives a gentle, yet assertive vocal performance. I’ve gotten over the bagpipes, but it would have been nice if they WEREN’T there (they seemed sort of unnecessary to me). That’s just a minor detail because I absolutely love this song.

Before the bonus tracks, Konya mo Hoshi ni Dakarete… makes for a beautiful ending to this album. There’s not enough words to describe how gorgeous this piano ballad is. Everything is so well done but what I liked the most about this song are the English lyrics that ayaka sings in the form of stunning high notes. She sings the lines What I need now is you and You made me what I am with such grace and feeling, especially at the end. As far as I’m concerned, this was the perfect final track for the album.

Now let’s move on to the 2 bonus tracks! The first one is ayaka’s hit collaboration with Kobukuro, WINDING ROAD. Her and the 2 members of Kobukuro make such great harmonies during the chorus and also during their respective solo parts. The only part that bugged me was the bridge because everyone goes a little overboard with the adlibbing. Other than that, this was a great collaboration and I can’t wait for their next one titled Anata to which is out in November.

The 2nd bonus track is the English version of I believe, her debut single. She has sung full English songs before at concerts, but this is currently her only one to be recorded in the studio. Her pronunciation is easy to understand at certain parts, but difficult during others. I think the song sounds good in English and the lyrics are nice for the most part.

Sing to the Sky MIGHT be my favorite album of the year so far. It’s a big improvement over her debut album First Message, especially when it comes to the new tracks. I also felt that Sing to the Sky had more variety as well. The only problem that I noticed with the album was with the placement of certain tracks. The flow is sometimes choppy in some areas and songs like CLAP & LOVE and Jewelry day could have been better placed. However, that’s an extremely small nuisance when you compare it to the grand scheme of things. I thought every new track was executed very well and I even enjoyed the songs that I didn’t like back when they were singles. If you liked her debut album, then you are definitely going to love this one.

Overall Rating

5 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
ayaka - Okaeri

1. Okaeri
2. Meiro
3. Te wo Tsunagou
    <2007/12/20 Nippon Budokan Live ver.>
4. Okaeri <Instrumental>
5. Meiro <Instrumental>

This is ayaka’s 9th single and it was released on May 14, 2008. This single reached #6 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 28,868 copies. The title track was used as the theme song for the drama Zettai Kareshi.

Here is another high quality track from ayaka! Okaeri is just plain gorgeous and one of her best songs to date. The bagpipes did kind of bother me at first, but I quickly got over them since they get overpowered by the drums and strings and they appear infrequently anyway. ayaka’s vocals are more laid back compared to previous songs, however, she shows great control and a gentler demeanor within her voice (when it comes to her A-sides at least). Even though this song doesn’t have the power vocals like we would normally expect from her, she still performs it quite beautifully.

The B-side is a rockish track with more assertive vocals. In Meiro, ayaka’s vocals sound rougher than usual when she sings with her lower register, especially during the chorus. Because of these rougher vocals, her voice sounds sloppy, which is the song’s main flaw. I did like the upbeat, yet edgy mix of electric guitar and drums though.

Also included on the single is a flawless live version of Te wo Tsunagou. I’m still not really a fan of this song since it takes too long to get good, but I can’t deny how well it was performed. Now I really want a recorded live version of Jewelry day or Okaeri now.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
ayaka - Te wo Tsunagou / Ai wo Utaou

1. Te wo Tsunagou
2. Ai wo Utaou
3. Mikazuki
    <2007/12/20 Nippon Budokan Live ver.>
4. Te wo Tsunagou <Instrumental>
5. Ai wo Utaou <Instrumental>

This is ayaka’s 8th single and it was released on March 5, 2008. This single reached #7 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 38,280 copies. The first track was used as the theme song for the movie Doraemon Nobita to Midori no Kyojinden.

Te wo Tsunagou was a slow burner for me. Initially, I thought the song wasn’t really all that special but it has grown on me on a little bit. This is probably because nothing really happens until the bridge where the music gets progressively louder and more interesting when thumping drums and electric guitar enter. Before that, it’s mainly just simple acoustics. The one thing that remains consistently good are ayaka’s powerful vocals. I’ve got no complaints there.

The 2nd track, Ai wo Utaou, is a lot more exciting to say the least. Take the 2nd half of Te wo Tsunagou, make it more upbeat with some piano, and you’ve got this song. This isn’t a bad thing at all because I found this song to be a lot better. The mix of uplifting lyrics and an overall catchy melody make this an inspiring track that’s bound to make you feel good.

Oh ayaka, why are you such an impeccable live performer? This live version of Mikazuki performed at the Nippon Budokan just blew me away. It’s PERFECT and I applaud her for such an excellent job.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
ayaka - CLAP & LOVE / Why

“CLAP & LOVE / Why” (normal) edition
1. CLAP & LOVE
2. Why
3. Peace loving people <Live ver.>
4. CLAP & LOVE <Instrumental>
5. Why <Instrumental>

“Why / CLAP & LOVE” (CD+DVD) edition
1. Why
2. CLAP & LOVE
3. Peace loving people <Live ver.>
4. Why <Instrumental>
5. CLAP & LOVE <Instrumental>

This is ayaka’s 7th single and the normal edition was released on September 5, 2007 while the CD+DVD edition was released a week later on September 12th. This single reached #5 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 67,157 copies. CLAP & LOVE was used as theme song for the drama Jigoku no Sata mo Yome Shidai, while Why was the theme song for the Square Enix video game CRISIS CORE -FINAL FANTASY VII-.

On the normal edition of the single, CLAP & LOVE is the first track. The most surprising thing about this song is ayaka’s lower pitched vocals. I know that her voice is naturally ‘husky’, but it’s even huskier in this song. I did like that it does make her voice sound more soulful though. As for the music, it’s very poppy and it mixes clapping sounds with upbeat electric guitar. The song’s use of the vocoder to create an artificial voice at the beginning and end is also a very cool addition.

On the limited CD+DVD edition, you get Why as the first track. I guess my expectations for this song were a little too high since it was the theme song to a Final Fantasy game. The song sounded very average and bland compared to CLAP & LOVE. However, ayaka still delivers an excellent vocal performance.  

On both editions, there is a live version of Peace loving people, the B-side from the Real voice single. This song has somewhat become a staple at ayaka concerts because she always performs it near the end and always does a little talk before singing it. She also talks during the instrumentals of the song and you can hear the audience clapping in the background. That’s exactly what you get in this fantastic live.

Overall Rating 

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
ayaka - Jewelry day

1. Jewelry day
2. I’m alone
3. Start to 0 (Love) <Acoustic Ver.>
4. Jewelry day <Instrumental>

This is ayaka’s 6th single and it was released on July 4, 2007. This single reached #2 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 73,290 copies. The title track was used as the theme song for the movie Last Love.

Despite the criticism that Jewelry day has received by others, I think it’s a beautiful song. Sure, the guitar and string arrangements are very simple, but the song itself definitely focuses more on the sad lyrics and ayaka’s vocals, which are FANTASTIC. Along with Mikazuki, this is one of her most emotional driven songs to date. The thing I loved the most about the song was its ending. The acoustic guitar is completely replaced by a full blown string ensemble and it sent shivers down my spine the first time I heard it.

The B-side is the more upbeat I’m alone. Even though it is more upbeat, it still has the melancholy atmosphere that Jewelry day had. This is an extremely well done B-side and definitely one of her best (along with the awesome Yume no Kakera from her debut single I believe).

The next track is an acoustic version of Start to 0 (Love), the first track from her debut album First Message. I personally loved the original and the acoustic version doesn’t disappoint. There are a few small problems here and there, but it’s pretty much just a slower paced, simplified take on the original.

Overall Rating

5 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
ayaka × Kobukuro - WINDING ROAD

1. WINDING ROAD
2. WINDING ROAD (Instrumental)

This is a duet single between ayaka and Kobukuro (a popular folk band on the same label as her) and it was released on February 28, 2007. This single reached #2 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 350,657 copies.

WINDING ROAD features one of the best acapella sequences I have ever heard in a song. ayaka and the two male vocalists of the band Kobukuro sing so well together and their individual solo performances during the verses are wonderful as well. Although I thought they went a little over the top with the freestyling vocals during the bridge, especially when Shunsuke Kuroda of Kobukuro does that falsetto of his. As for the music, this is a really upbeat song that combines brass, percussion, and piano. For being a duet song, it’s very good and uplifting and I would love to see ayaka perform a solo version in the future.

Overall Rating

4 stars

ALBUM REVIEW
ayaka - First Message

1. Start to 0 (Love)
2. Real voice *
3. Sha la la
4. Blue Days *
5. I believe *
6. Stay with me
7. melody *
8. Kimi no Power to Otona no Furi
9. Eien no Monogatari
10. Toki wo Modoshite
11. 1・2・3・4
12. Story
13. Lailalai
14. Mikazuki *
15. message

♦

Note: Songs with a (*) at the end of their titles have already been reviewed. Click on the links to see their reviews.
Songs in bold are new tracks and will be reviewed.

♦ ♦ ♦

This is ayaka’s debut album and it was released on November 1, 2006. This album reached #1 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 1,145,798 copies.

ayaka is more well known for her ballads, but this album contains only 2 ballads (I believe and Mikazuki) and the rest are pop / rock songs with the occasional slow acoustic track. The first of these songs is Start to 0 (Love), probably my favorite out of all of them. It’s a very carefree song with a catchy chorus. ayaka’s vocals are amazing and I love how she can change the quality of her voice to match the style of the song.

The next track is Real voice, ayaka’s 3rd single. This song is only above average compared to the rest of the singles but it’s still pretty good.

Track 3 is the studio recording of Sha la la (the live version was released first on the melody ~SOUNDS REAL~ single) and it opens with old fashioned piano chords with low pitched vocals from ayaka. The high notes during the vocals are great and I love the ’sha la la’ sequence during the bridge.

Track 4 first appeared as the B-side on the melody ~SOUNDS REAL~ single. Blue Days is a slower-paced acoustic guitar based song. Once again, ayaka does an amazing job reaching those high notes during the chorus.

Track 5 is ayaka’s debut single and the song that put her in the spotlight. I believe is a dramatic ballad with a sweeping string arrangement.

The next 3 tracks are all upbeat pop songs and the first one is Stay with me. This song is pretty good, the trend continuing with melody, ayaka’s 2nd single and then with Kimi no Power to Otona no Furi, another personal favorite of mine off the album. All of these songs are done very well but there isn’t really a distinct difference between them.

Track 9 plays as a short intermission on the album. Eien no Monogatari is only a 2 minute long acoustic song but despite its length, it features impressive vocals.

I did find track 10 to be a little different from the rest of the new songs on the album. Toki wo Modoshite has a darker atmosphere and the chorus has more aggressive vocals. I also liked the strong brass in the background.

Tracks 11 and 12 are also upbeat pop / rock songs. The bridge of 1・2・3・4 is great because of the distorted vocals and Story has an extremely infectious chorus and its overall mood is very light-hearted.

Track 13 was only average for me. Lailalai is pretty short but I liked the bridge and ayaka’s use of the phrase ‘lailalai‘ that echoes every now and then is very catchy.

ayaka definitely saved the best for last with Mikazuki, her 4th single and the main reason why this album has sold so well. What else is there to say? It’s a very beautiful song and ayaka gives one of her best vocal performances in it.

The final track on the album is the simple yet effective message. It features no music but a short verse of ayaka singing acapella. I think it’s the perfect way to end the album after Mikazuki.

First Message definitely didn’t disappoint in my opinion. Sure, most of the new songs sound similar but it doesn’t matter if they’re all crafted exceptionally well, which is the case for this album. I enjoyed every song, especially the ballads, and this has got to be one of the best debut albums out right now. I highly recommend it if you like high quality music with a lot of heart and soul.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
ayaka - Mikazuki

1. Mikazuki
2. Kimi no Kiss de…
3. Yume no Kakera ~Live Version~
4. Mikazuki (Inst.)

This is ayaka’s 4th single and it was released on September 27, 2006. This single reached #1 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 243,133 copies. The title track was actually released before her debut single I believe as a PV and was finally released as a single (a new PV was shot too). Her debut album First Message was also postponed so that this single could be released and that was a really smart move on her label’s behalf. Without this single, I honestly think her debut album wouldn’t be the huge success that it is now.

Mikazuki is my favorite ayaka song and for a good reason: it’s AMAZING. It’s one of the best ballads I have ever heard because the overall BGM is beautiful and epic. The high notes that ayaka reaches during the chorus are simply breathtaking as well. I especially love the ending because I really felt that she put all of her heart and soul into the lyrics. The closing piano chords end the song gracefully and with a lot of emotion.

The B-side kind of has a Spanish guitar vibe going on and it’s rather unique for an ayaka song. Kimi no Kiss de… still wasn’t that memorable for me but I thought it was great in the fact that ayaka tried something a little different when it comes to her upbeat songs (which normally have a upbeat pop / rock sound to them).

The 3rd track is a live version of Yume no Kakera, the B-side from the I believe single. Despite being a newcomer to the J-pop industry, she already sounds like a seasoned veteran when she sings live. I mean, her live voice sounds almost INDENTICAL to the studio recording. That’s pretty damn unbelieveable in my opinion but she pulls it off very easily.

Overall Rating

5 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
ayaka - Real voice

1. Real voice
2. Peace loving people
3. Real voice (Inst.)

This is ayaka’s 3rd single and it was released on July 19, 2006. This single reached #11 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 51,121 copies. The title track was used as the ending theme for the drama Suppli.

Real voice is another upbeat pop song with great vocals, like her last single melody ~SOUNDS REAL~. I like the percussion beat and opening piano keys, but aside from that, this is an average song. It’s good, but I know ayaka can do better.

Strangely enough, I kind of liked the B-side Peace loving people. It’s a little laid back and I thought the song was well made.
I would have liked this single more if it had some live versions of Real voice and Peace loving people because I absolutely loved the lives on her previous single. Her next single Mikazuki also contains a live.

Overall Rating

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
ayaka - melody ~SOUNDS REAL~

1. melody
2. Blue Days
3. melody ~Live Version~
4. Sha la la ~Live Version~
5. Blue Days ~Live Version~

This is ayaka’s 2nd single and it was released on May 10, 2006. This single reached #14 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 24,466 copies. The B-side was used as an insert song for the drama Suppli.

ayaka did a complete 180 with this single because it’s quite the departure from I believe. melody is a really upbeat song that includes several band instruments including drums and electric guitar. The chorus is the most memorable aspect of this song.

The B-side, Blue Days, is a calm acoustic song with awesome vocals from ayaka. Despite having a naturally lower pitched voice, she reaches high notes with amazing ease.

The last 3 tracks on the single are live versions of melody, Sha la la, and Blue Days.
The actual studio recording of Sha la la appears on her debut album First Message, but for the time being, the live version of the song is incredible. ayaka is an amazing live singer and she has great control of her voice.

Overall Rating

4 stars