Beyond the Sea

ALBUM REVIEW
BONNIE PINK - Thinking Out Loud

1. Gimme A Beat *
2. Broken hearts, city lights, and me just thinking out loud
3. Burning Inside
4. Nagusami Blue
5. Imagination
6. A Perfect Sky (Philharmonic Flava)
7. Lullaby
8. Sakamichi
9. Water Me *
10. Catch The Sun
11. Chances Are
12. Anything For You *

♦

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 BONNIE PINK’s 9th studio album and it was released on July 25, 2007. This album reached #5 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 97,918 copies.

I thought Gimme A Beat was a fantastic way to open the album. It’s an incredibly catchy and upbeat song that opens the album with a bang. This song was originally the B-side on the Water Me single.

I loved the atmosphere that the next track creates. Broken hearts, city lights, and me just thinking out loud opens with the ambient sound of a busy city crowd and brilliantly flows into a percussion intro with BONNIE PINK’s vocals right after. The jazzy electric guitar chords in the song are excellent and reminded of the songs from the beginning of her career.

The opening synth of track 3, Burning Inside, reminded me of the songs of her last album Golden Tears but some electric guitar comes in a little bit latter. Just like many of the songs on this album, it’s very catchy.

Unfortunately, Nagusami Blue is my least favorite song on the album (but that’s not saying much). I had no problem with the music but actually BONNIE PINK’s vocals. The chorus has a part where she sings blue, blue, atari wa blue and I didn’t like it all because it seemed that she was really straining her voice. During this part, she is also singing at a higher pitch than what she normally does. However, the music more than makes up for it because I thought the constant percussion beats were awesome and the piano solo during the bridge was beautiful.

When I first heard the next track, I instantly thought of the song Surprise! (her 2nd single back in 1996) because it shared many of the same elements. Imagination features BONNIE PINK singing at a lower pitch and furious, edgy electric guitar riffs. This song is also the first of only 2 English tracks on the album.

Track 6 was definitely the biggest surprise on the album. The new version of A Perfect Sky totally blew me away. The ‘philharmonic flava’ in the title actually means that this is an ORCHESTRAL version of the song. Instead of the fast paced synth of the original, the song opens with a dramatic string section. As the song progresses, elements of the original version begin to come in little by little until it actually becomes the original. At this point I was completely stunned. Finally, towards the end, the strings reappear and blend in with the original’s pop synth arrangement. This is by far one of the best album remixes I have ever heard.

Track 7 is the soothing Lullaby. This is a gentle song with a nice percussion beat that eventually progresses into the explosive chorus. The song still maintains that gentle atmosphere despite all the band instruments.

This album just keeps getting better and better and the next track doesn’t disappoint. Sakamichi is a fast paced song with quick riffs and percussion. This is probably the most rhythemic song on the album because it keeps the same pace throughout the entire song and it never lets up.

There is one thing I have to say about Water Me: AMAZING. Everything about the song gives me goosebumps because it excels in musical arrangement, lyrics, and overall vocals. The mix of piano and strings really add to the haunting and almost depressing atmosphere of the song. The electric guitar solo during the bridge was a nice touch as well.

Catch The Sun is my favorite of the album’s new tracks because it so damn cute. The clapping rhythm in the song is infectious and background vocals that sing catch the sun are very catchy. Overall, this a very friendly song that is easy to get into.

The other English song on the album is Chances Are. The lyrics are very thoughtful and along with the strings in the background, the song is gorgeous. It’s a shame it’s under 3 minutes making it the album’s shortest song.

I really liked the fact that the album ends on a positive note with Anything For You. Even though it’s my least favorite of the album’s previously released tracks, it closes the album quite well, especially with the song’s ending synth.

What I liked the most about Thinking Out Loud is that mixes the old with the new. Many of the new album tracks are reminiscent of her earlier ‘rock’ style (Broken hearts, city lights, and me just thinking out loud, Imagination, Sakamichi)  while the others showcase her more modern sound (Gimme A Beat, Burning Inside, Anything For You). Every song is brilliantly and carefully crafted and I was amazed at each song’s production value. Everything is top notch and I enjoyed this album more than her previous one (the almost as good Golden Tears). I totally recommend this album because it appeals to both sides of her fanbase. Veteran fans will enjoy the return of the older rock sound and newer fans will like the more modern songs that they are more familiar with.

Overall Rating

5 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BONNIE PINK - Water Me

1. Water Me
2. Gimme A Beat
3. MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
4. Water Me (instrumental)
5. Gimme A Beat (instrumental)

This is BONNIE PINK’s 23rd single and it was released on June 6, 2007. This single reached #7 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 31,269 copies. The title track was used as the theme song for the drama Watashitachi no Kyoukasho.

I absolutely loved Water Me. The song reminds me a lot of her 2003-2004 works because it has a melancholy alternative sound similar to past songs like Last Kiss. The piano is such a great addition to the song and it has a nostalgic feeling to it. The chorus is definitely the best thing about the song and BONNIE PINK’s vocals are very heartfelt. Another thing about the song that is unique is the blaring electric guitar solo during the bridge.

The B-side is the extremely catchy Gimme A Beat. The song is very upbeat with a lovely chorus. At certains points in the song, the instrumentation seemed to overpower BONNIE PINK’s voice. With that aside, this is an excellent B-side and I’m glad she included it on her latest album Thinking Out Loud.

The 3rd track is a cover of The Beatles’ MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR. The main thing that I didn’t like about the cover is that it is way too rushed and the overall sound of the song is just plain strange. BONNIE PINK should have picked a different Beatles song to cover because this one did not suit her well.

Overall Rating

4½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BONNIE PINK - Anything For You

1. Anything For You
2. Love Song / m-flo loves BONNIE PINK
    (UC a.k.a DJ UPPERCUT REMIX)
3. Anything For You (Instrumental)

This is BONNIE PINK’s 22nd single and it was released on March 28, 2007. This single reached #9 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 19,900 copies.

Anything For You is another electronic pop inspired song produced by Burning Chicken. I didn’t find it as good as A Perfect Sky because it lacked a certain spark and polish. Don’t get me wrong, this was still an enjoyable song but the synth was a little grating this time around. I thought the chorus was very catchy and the guitar arrangement was excellent though.

The B-side is a remix of Love Song, a song that she originally performed with m-flo in their popular ‘m-flo loves’ series of singles. I don’t really like m-flo and even with the greatness that is BONNIE PINK singing alongside them, I still didn’t like the original version of Love Song. The remix is a LITTLE better but nothing spectacular. When I mean by better, it doesn’t sound as annoying.

Overall Rating 

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BONNIE PINK - A Perfect Sky

1. A Perfect Sky
2. Free
3. interlude -siesta-
4. A Perfect Sky (Instrumental)

This is BONNIE PINK’s 21st single and it was released on June 28, 2006. This single reached #5 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 133,315 copies. The title track was used in advertisements for ANESSA hair care products.

Ah, A Perfect Sky…the song that turned me into a BONNIE PINK fan. This song is just plain awesome. The chorus is extremely catchy and the music is upbeat with great beats. The song itself is just very serene and light-hearted with lyrics about having fun and looking for the right person (the “a perfect sky” lyric is what this refers to).

The B-side, Free, has a great drum intro and the song is jazzy and relaxing. Her vocals are relatively calm and breezy as well. It’s a great follow-up song.

Not many singles have interludes, but interlude -siesta- begins right where Free left off. Free ended with the sound of rushing ocean waves and the interlude consists of just a simple acoustic guitar with the waves remaining in the background. This transitions into the instrumental of A Perfect Sky.

Overall Rating

5 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BONNIE PINK - LOVE IS BUBBLE

1. LOVE IS BUBBLE
2. Orange
   (2005.9.27 Live at Shinsaibashi CLUB QUATTRO)
3. Do You Crash? (2005.9.21 Live at SHIBUYA-AX)
4. LOVE IS BUBBLE (Instrumental)

This is BONNIE PINK’s 20th single and it was released on May 10, 2006. This single reached #28 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 13,608 copies. The title track was featured in the movie Memories of Matsuko where she had a supporting role.

If you are a diehard BONNIE PINK fan, then LOVE IS BUBBLE will totally knock you off your seat. What makes this song completely different from ANYTHING that she has released in the past is the fact the music is 1940s / 1950s big band swing. The brass and percussion section play a huge part in this song and it never lets up. This is an extremely fun song with awesome English lyrics: Money for me, pleasure for you and But I could be lovable if you pay me double. Like I said before, you will find this song to be really surprising because it is reminiscent of American swing. It’s definitely her most unique song in my opinion and I love it.

The next two tracks are live versions of older songs she performed in 2005. The first one is a live version of Orange, her debut single from 1995. The BGM is pretty much the same as the original studio version and BONNIE PINK is one of the few artists that actually sings as good, if not better live compared to the studio recordings.

The live version of Do You Crash? is amazing as well. This song was originally her 3rd single from 1996 and her voice in this live version still maintains the low pitch of the original recording, so it sounds almost identical. The fast paced verses are exceptionally well done and this live version is superior to the original 1996 version because of the use of electric guitars. The ending is simply amazing and I really felt I was right in the audience.

Overall Rating

4½ stars

ALBUM REVIEW
BONNIE PINK - Golden Tears

1. So Wonderful *
2. Paradiddle-free
3. Coast to Coast
4. Addiction
5. Mirror
6. Nichinichisou
7. Robotomy
8. Monster
9. Rise and Shine
10. Cotton Candy *
11. Nocturne
12. You Got Me Good
13. Believe

♦

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 BONNIE PINK’s 8th studio album and it was released on September 21, 2005. This album reached #12 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 42,058 copies. The album also celebrates her 10th anniversary in the music industry.

The album opens with So Wonderful, the only single that was released for this album. Many of the songs on the album feature the synth pop style of this song.

However, about half of the album also has a laid back acoustic pop sound and Paradiddle-free is the first of the songs. This song is completely in English and I thought the lyrics were really clever: Don’t be sad, we’d better not make noise, bang bang bang. We’d better not say a word, a word, a word.

I loved the groovy vibes of Coast to Coast. The acoustics and light percussion are very nice and the melody of the chorus is infectious.

The music of Addiction is a little bit darker but it includes unique R&B undertones. The verses are in Japanese but the chorus is in English: Wanting to be something that is never yourself, it’s called addiction. Let me be the first to regret.

We are treated to another English song with track 5, Mirror. This song is more laid back with light but constant acoustic chords. BONNIE PINK has a gift for writing in English and she’s one of the best lyricists out there.

Track 6 features the same synthesized strings heard previously in So Wonderful. Nichinichisou has an extremely catchy chorus with lovely vocals.

Track 7 is the original version of Robotomy. This version is slower and more acoustic and percussion based. I prefer the Flaming feathers mix that was on the So Wonderful single because its use of aggressive synth. Compared to the remix, this take on the song is rather boring.

Monster is definitely one of my favorite songs from the album because it’s very upbeat with excellent synth and I absolutely love the lyrics: I created a monster, I’m the one to blame, I’m the one who’s failed, and it screams and cries for help like a fool, I created a monster, lucky me. This song is completely in English as well.

I thought the next track was okay and nothing special. Rise and Shine only felt like filler material for me, but that’s okay.

Track 10 is Cotton Candy, a song that was originally on the So Wonderful single. This song was produced by Tore Johanssen, a long time producer and friend of BONNIE PINK.

Out of all the synth tracks on the album, I thought Nocturne had the oddest arrangement. This song is laid back and features acoustics as well.

You Got Me Good was a breath of fresh air for me. The mix of light electric guitar and blaring percussion is awesome and the chorus is very fun. The way BONNIE PINK mixes Japanese and English lyrics together in this song is another unique aspect about her.

The final track on the album is probably the most sinister sounding song as well. The synth arrangement of Believe is relatively dark and I thought the low key strings were an excellent touch to the song. This song was used as the main theme for the Hong Kong movie Velvet Rain.

Golden Tears is another high quality album from BONNIE PINK and it doesn’t disappoint. This album does contain her most unique material because of its use of synth thanks to producer Burning Chicken. I also believe that the album contains her best English material because songs such as Paradiddle-free and Monster had something a lot of American songs are missing these days: DEPTH. While I thought some of the songs weren’t as memorable as ones on previous albums such as Even So or Present, it doesn’t denote the fact that this is still a great album.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BONNIE PINK - So Wonderful

1. So Wonderful
2. Cotton Candy
3. Robotomy (Flaming feathers mix)
4. So Wonderful (Instrumental)
5. Cotton Candy (Instrumental)

This is BONNIE PINK’s 19th single and it was released on August 3, 2005. This single reached #46 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 7,077 copies. The B-side was used as the ending theme song for the anime GUYVER: The Bioboosted Armor.

I really liked the direction that BONNIE PINK took with So Wonderful. She collaborated with producer Burning Chicken (the same person who arranged future songs such as A Perfect Sky and Anything For You) to create an extremely fun and catchy song that mixes unique synthetic strings and beats. The chorus is completely in English and is the focal point of the song: So wonderful, you’re soaking wet, so what? You’re so wonderful.

The next track follows the style of most of the new tracks on the Golden Tears album. Cotton Candy has a nice acoustic guitar alternative feel to it and compared to So Wonderful, it’s pretty laid back. The acoustics and gentle electric guitar riffs are soothing and this is a worthy B-side.

I absolutely love the 3rd track, which is the Flaming feathers mix of Robotomy, a song that later appears on the Golden Tears album. This is Burning Chicken’s version of the song and it is a lot better than the album version in my opinion. The synth beats are great and the aggressive, but short electric guitar riffs are an excellent touch.

Overall Rating

4 stars