Beyond the Sea

SINGLE REVIEW
Crystal Kay - Namida no Saki ni

1. Namida no Saki ni
2. Girl Move On
3. Dream World SOIDOG MIX
4. Namida no Saki ni SOIDOG MIX
5. Namida no Saki ni INSTRUMENTAL

This is Crystal Kay’s 24th single and it was released on June 11, 2008. This single reached #42 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 3,144 copies.

For Crystal Kay’s standards, Namida no Saki ni is pretty different. I noticed the song’s use of electric guitars immediately and they actually play a pretty large role in the arrangement. The riffs are quick and sound good next to the various beats, but Crystal Kay’s vocals don’t seem to match that well with the music. Throughout most of the song, her voice sounds choppy and less refined. Despite that, the chorus is pretty catchy. At least this song is an improvement over the material from that horrible mini-album Shining.

The B-side is more like Crystal Kay’s style of music, but with a Hispanic twist. Girl Move On has a cool R&B sound with a distant electric guitar screeching in the background. The chorus caught my attention the most because of the Spanish lyrics and I thought she sang them well. Thanks to her lively and less awkward sounding vocals, I liked this song more than Namida no Saki ni.

The single also includes two SOIDOG remixes. The first one is of Dream World, the main promotional track from her previous album ALL YOURS. I must say that this remix is awesome because it gives the song a slick and edgy electro pop sound. I actually prefer it over the original since it is definitely more interesting.

After that is the Namida no Saki ni remix. Once again, the arrangement has been changed to sound more electronic with the addition of synth. I’m still not feeling those vocals, but at least the music sounds nice. It’s not as good as the Dream World remix though.

Overall Rating 

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
Anna Tsuchiya feat. AI - Crazy World

1. Crazy World
2. What you gonna do? / Anna Tsuchiya
3. Crazy World (FPM Hyper Society mix)

This is Anna Tsuchiya’s 8th single and it was released on June 11, 2008. This single reached #19 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 10,488 copies.

Anna Tsuchiya and AI collaborate once again for this strange rock and R&B hybrid. For those who don’t know who AI is, she is a well-known J-urban artist who sings as well as raps. Crazy World switches between the two genres at different intervals and I liked the song’s overall flow. The verses are calm but feature various synthetic sounds and beats with AI saying some random stuff in the background. When the chorus arrives, the music and Tsuchiya’s vocals become more aggressive and the electric guitars come into play. The bridge is also divided into two parts: there is a short electric guitar solo which is followed by a rapping section by AI. In the end, I thought that this wasn’t a bad collaboration.

The B-side is performed solely by Tsuchiya and it’s in English. What you gonna do? is definitely more pop than her previous works and it also has that light R&B sound previously heard in Crazy World thanks to the frequent beats. The chorus later adds some electric guitar and strings, adding a little more variety into the music.

The FPM Hyper Society mix of Crazy World is a dance club take of the original and it was remixed by Fantastic Plastic Machine. It is very heavy with the synth and the pace of the music has been taken up a notch as well. I thought this was an okay remix, but it was too long for my tastes (I get bored with almost any remix that’s over 6 minutes long).

Overall Rating 

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
Koda Kumi - MOON

1. Moon Crying
2. That Ain’t Cool / Koda Kumi feat. Fergie
3. Once Again
4. Lady Go!
5. Moon Crying Piano Version
6. Moon Crying Instrumental
7. That Ain’t Cool Instrumental
     / Koda Kumi feat. Fergie
8. Once Again Instrumental
9. Lady Go! Instrumental

This is Koda Kumi’s 40th single and it was released on June 11, 2008. This single reached #2 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 120,308 copies. The first track was used as the theme song for the drama Puzzle.

If you guys don’t already know, I’m a sucker for Koda Kumi’s ballads. 1000 no Kotoba, Promise, Yume no Uta, Ai no Uta, you name it. Much to my surprise, the first track on this quadruple A-side single is the bittersweet love song Moon Crying. Musically, I think the song is really ordinary and nothing special because it just has that standard sound you’d expect from a J-pop ballad. However, Kumi’s fantastic vocal performance makes this song more interesting. She has always put a lot of emotion into her voice and here is another great example of it.

The second track is the collaboration between Kumi and Fergie. That Ain’t Cool is officially labeled as “Koda Kumi feat. Fergie”, but it really should be the other way around. Fergie sings most of the song by herself and that includes the chorus, the focal point of the song (but that’s okay since I kind of like Fergie). I do have mixed feelings about the song because it has its high and low points. For one thing, the lyrics are a little silly, especially when it gets to Kumi’s solo verse, but I really liked the urban sound of the music at the same time.

The next track is a breezy, reggae inspired song produced by PUSHIM. Once Again is relaxing and very soothing to the ears thanks to the gentle violins and drums. As a whole, I thought the song as a whole was nice and Kumi performed it well, especially during the chorus.

The fourth track was no surprise since it’s similar to what appeared on Kumi’s 4 hot wave and FREAKY singles: the quintessential summer pop song. Lady Go! is average. but very vibrant from start to finish. At least it’s more varied than her previous summer songs because of the constant beats and recurring synth.

A more intimate piano version of Moon Crying makes an appearance as a first pressing bonus track. The piano arrangement by itself is very good and Kumi’s vocals still sound radiant. It’s a nice addition to the single.

Overall Rating

4 stars

ALBUM REVIEW
Perfume - GAME

1. Polyrhythm *
2. plastic smile
3. GAME
4. Baby cruising Love *
5. Chocolate Disco *
6. Macaroni *
7. Ceramic Girl
8. Take me Take me
9. Secret Secret
10. Butterfly
11. Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow *
12. Puppy love

♦

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 Perfume’s first studio album and it was released on April 16, 2008. This album reached #1 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 309,373 copies.

I thought that Polyrhythm was the perfect opening track for this album since it’s the group’s most popular song and it shows off a strong electropop sound. The song is the first of many fun and bouncy tracks that were all produced by Yasutaka Nakata. As you all know, he’s the mastermind behind this album.

The first new track is plastic smile and it quickly begins with distorted vocals followed by fast, bumping beats. I liked the cute vocals in this song, especially during the adlibbing sections where quick electric synth lines occur.

The album’s title track, GAME. was very surprising because of the deep and heavy synth that serve as the opening. This is perhaps the most “hardcore” song that the group has performed because it so aggressive with its overall arrangement. The vocals are few and far between and sometimes tend to get drowned out by the sheer loudness of the music. Aside from that, this song is awesome!

The slower and less chaotic Baby cruising Love is next. Along with Macaroni, it’s one of the more organic sounding songs on the album because of its use of piano. The electronic influences are still there but are toned down.

Something so repetitive has never sounded so good. Chocolate Disco is painfully simple with its lyrics but they so catchy when the chorus arrives…all two words! Once again, the music features deep bass synth in the background but with looping beeps as well.

The most unique song on the album is probably the jazzy Macaroni. It features a pop arrangement where the percussion takes center stage and the vocal manipulations are put to a minimum. The song is definitely reminiscent of the group’s earlier works which were more pop oriented.

Things being to pick up again with Ceramic Girl, a song that is similar to plastic smile. It’s very upbeat and the girls’ vocals have never sounded better. The music has a danceable rhythm to it and I really liked the instrumental sections that include quick synth riffs with distorted vocals chanting “ceramic girl”.

Take me Take me is an interesting song. It’s slower, yet still predominately electronic with the random beeps and it’s completely in English. Unfortunately, the lyrics are really repetitive and the girls mostly repeat the line Take me tonight and slight variations of that phrase. Being over 5 minutes in length, it starts to drag towards the middle.

Secret Secret is another interesting song, but in a different way. The sounds heard in it are far out and spacey, making it stand out compared to the rest of the album. What stood out the most for me were the elongated instrumental sections because they featured a wide array of notes, all done with cool synth of course. The chorus is catchy as well and I liked the harmony between the girls when they sang it.

The next track is odd because it uses electronic sounds to create a natural sounding atmosphere. The synth in Butterfly is strange with its constant overlapping and the girls are constantly repeating the word “butterfly”. This song is honestly hard to describe but it sounds quite ethereal.

Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow is more of a dance club song and the way it opens is great. It starts off a little slow then gradually accumulates to the fast paced chorus. The elongated “la la la” parts in the song still bother me though.

The final track has a somewhat chaotic introduction thanks to the random acoustics and percussion but it quickly smooths out when the vocals begin. I think what makes Puppy love a great ending is the “feel good” atmosphere of the music and the cute chorus. It was also nice to end the album on a upbeat note too.

I was pleasantly surprised when I first listened to GAME because I wasn’t expecting it to be all that great. Instead I was presented with a really solid album with a nice amount of high quality tracks. Compared to Perfume’s first album, the Perfume ~Complete Best~ compilation album, GAME is a much more electronic record. The only major gripe that I have with the album is that some of the tracks are too repetitive and just dragged on without any hooks. Take me Take me and Butterfly are the biggest offenders but it’s only those 2 songs that I had the most problems with. The album as a whole is a great listen and it’s a lot of fun. I recommend it!

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
Miyu Nagase - Akane

1. Akane
2. Joy
3. Akane (less vocal)
4. Joy (less vocal)

This is Miyu Nagase’s 3rd single and it was released on May 21, 2008. This single reached #21 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 6,705 copies. The title track was used as the theme song for the drama Mama no Kami-sama.

Akane is a simple song with nothing much going on, but I thought it was beautifully executed. Comprising of mostly acoustic guitar and ambient strings, this ballad relies more on its heartwarming lyrics and vocals instead. The lyrics are about the appreciation one has for his or her mother and Nagase sings this message in a calm, yet graceful style. She has made a very touching and thoughtful song and I applaud her for it.

The B-side is kind of funky, but it definitely has a bouncy attitude to it. Joy is very poppy and features short, single note electric guitar chords with light drums. Nagase sounds like she’s having fun while singing and her vocals are upbeat too. Even though I think this is her weakest B-side so far, it’s still nice. It just doesn’t have the same level of quality that Thanks to you or Haruka… had.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
JYONGRI - Unchanging Love ~Kimi ga Ireba~

1. Unchanging Love ~Kimi ga Ireba~
2. Trust & Try
3. YOUR SONG
4. Unchanging Love ~Kimi ga Ireba~ 
             / Instrumental
5. Trust & Try / Instrumental

This is JYONGRI’s 5th single and it was released on June 4, 2008. This single reached #12 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 15,715 copies.

At times, Unchanging Love ~Kimi ga Ireba~ sounded similar to JYONGRI’s last R&B infused pop ballad Lullaby For You. It’s less of a ballad than Lullaby For You though since it features faster vocals and a more upbeat rhythm. The verses are boring because the vocals sound a little dry but at least they transition into a vibrant chorus. This is where she begins to put some life into her voice and it’s a considerable change. In the end, this was another good A-side from JYONGRI but the B-sides…man, they’re bad.

Trust & Try is odd and a horrible combination of dance beats, electric guitar, and synth. The overall presentation of this song is just plain sloppy and it felt poorly put together. I had the biggest problem with the chorus because it’s a huge mess. It ranks with Romeo & Juliet as one of her worst B-sides.

There is one word describe her modern rendition of Elton John’s YOUR SONG: AWFUL. What ruins this otherwise okay cover is the rapper that blurts out random crap. It’s totally distracting and some of the things he says are just plain stupid (I wanted to punch him by the time it got to his “solo” part). I guess he was added into the song to make it more “urban” but it didn’t help one single bit.

Overall Rating

3 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BoA - Vivid

1. Kissing you
2. Sparkling
3. Joyful Smile
4. Kissing you (Instrumental)
5. Sparkling (Instrumental)
6. Joyful Smile (Instrumental)

This is BoA’s 26th single and it was released on June 4, 2008. This single reached #5 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 26,858 copies. The first track was used as the theme song for the drama 7nin no Onna Bengoshi 2.

This triple A-side single opens with my favorite song on it: the simple, yet catchy Kissing you. For BoA’s standards, the song doesn’t present anything new but I found it to be really charming and fun. The song is simple in nature and pretty much within the realm of upbeat pop too. Her vocals are lovely as well, perfectly matching the music’s lighthearted atmosphere and beats. Even though this song is quite uneventful, I still enjoyed it.

The 2nd track, Sparkling, is more of a dance tune and utilizes a synth arrangement next to some light beats. I thought this song was okay and not as good as Kissing you. Except for the catchy every me, every you line from the chorus, it’s unmemorable.

Up next is Joyful Smile, another cutesy pop track done in the same style as Kissing you. However, this song isn’t as interesting or as catchy. I know that this is a triple A-side single, but it felt like pure B-side material or something that wasn’t good enough to make it on BoA’s latest album THE FACE. This single felt rushed anyway since it was released to promote her tour.

Overall Rating 

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
Ai Otsuka - Rocket Sneaker / One×Time

1. Rocket Sneaker
2. One×Time
3. Sora to Kujira
4. Rocket Sneaker (Instrumental)
5. One×Time (Instrumental)

This is Ai Otsuka’s 17th single and it was released on May 21, 2008. This single reached #4 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 42,152 copies. The first track was used as the ending theme song for the drama Sanma no Manma.

I liked how Rocket Sneaker was a new approach to Ai Otsuka’s upbeat songs. The song is not too crazy or laid back, it’s just right and it works brilliantly. The music has a whimsical, yet assertive sound through its mixture of fast paced piano chords and electric guitar riffs. The same goes for the Otsuka’s fun vocals. For me, this was the best song on the single and a nice improvement over the songs from her previous single Pocket.

The second A-side is like a more mellow version of Rocket Sneaker. One×Time shares similar qualities, including a fluffy arrangement, but it is stronger when it comes to the strings and acoustics. In the end, this song compliments the previous track quite well.

The coupling track, Sora to Kujira, starts off boring and I didn’t find it all that interesting until the end. It’s a simple acoustic guitar song that eventually picks up with drums and electric riffs, but Otsuka has done better. The second half of the song makes up for the boring first half, but that’s not enough to save it.

Overall Rating

4 stars

ALBUM REVIEW
Maki Goto - How to use SEXY

1. How to use Loneliness
2. GIVE ME LOVE
3. SOME BOYS! TOUCH *
4. City Wind
5. Nee Samishikute
6. Glass no Pumps *
7. DAYBREAK
8. WOW Suteki!
9. Secret *
10. LIFE

♦

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 Maki Goto’s 4th album and it was released on September 29, 2007. This album reached #18 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 14,996 copies.

Wait a minute, I thought we were learning how to use SEXY, not Loneliness! Anyways, the album’s opening track is pretty hot. How to use Loneliness shows the full extent of Maki Goto’s departure from idol pop. The song is very heavy on the synth and I liked how it was combined with the ethnic string plucking from the guitars. Goto’s vocals are strong and full since she sings most of the song in a lower pitch and that went well with the aggressive music.

The synth gets taken up a notch with the next track, the fast paced GIVE ME LOVE. Almost every aspect about this song is fast and I liked the high energy of the music. From its speedy vocals to the endless looping synth, nothing ever lets up from beginning to end.

Things just get better with SOME BOYS! TOUCH, my favorite song by Goto as well as on this album. I just find it so addicting and catchy and like I said before: it’s the ultimate guilty pleasure. Unfortunately, this song ends the short, yet really awesome “synth phase” of the album as it dabs more into different categories of mainstream pop.

Goto slows down a bit for a song that’s laid back, but still on the sensual side thanks to great vocals. City Wind has a very relaxing lounge club atmosphere and I liked the ambient sounds that it incorporated. What I thought was the most interesting thing about the music was the thumping beat because it had a nice rhythm and it sounded unique.

The next track is kind of boring and pretty much just a less interesting version of City Wind. Nee Samishikute has nothing really going for it except for its gorgeous bridge which features calming strings and piano. It’s too bad the rest of this sleepy song doesn’t follow suit.

At least things begin to pick up briefly with Glass no Pumps, a nice jolt after those slow songs. It’s a heavenly piece of retro pop mixed with catchy lyrics and beats. Even though this song has that idol sound, it’s still very infectious and fun to listen to.

It was nice to hear Goto try out something within the realm of jazz and DAYBREAK is a great experimental track for her. It features a prominent use of brass but also great additional instruments like the several different kinds of percussion. Her vocals also go quite well with the music too and I was surprised by her overall performance.

The next track is VERY poppy and pretty much showing that lingering idol side of Goto. WOW Suteki! is upbeat and happy, but it did nothing for me. Musically, I didn’t think it had any substance compared to the rest of the album since this song is just a bunch of random synth riffs placed here and there.

The album is drawing to a close with Secret, a pop infused ballad. While having the normal strings and piano, the music also features different kinds of beats from bass to waterdrop. It’s a different take on the typical pop ballad so I thought it was well done.

Ending the album is another ballad, but of the orchestral variety. LIFE has a pretty arrangement and a sweeping string section, but the lyrics are what make this song shine. Goto’s vocals sound full and quite strong, but I thought the acapella sequence of the ending could have been better. It felt incomplete and choppy at the very end, despite the lyrics. Aside from that, it’s an effective final track.

I was incredibly skeptical upon first listening to How to use SEXY since it was my first album by a Hello!Project artist, but this album is not bad at all. There are actually some REALLY good songs on here, but not without the bad ones of course. I could have done without Nee Samishikute and WOW Suteki! but the rest of the new tracks are fantastic, especially the ones that open the album. I can’t quite say how it ranks compared to Maki Goto’s previous albums since I haven’t listened to them, but you might find yourself surprised wtih How to use SEXY. You might find something you like and then some.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
Aya Matsuura - Kizuna

1. Kizuna
2. Hitori (single version)
3. Kizuna (Instrumental)

This is Aya Matsuura’s 20th single and it was released on May 21, 2008. This single reached #20 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 7,623 copies.

Kizuna is another pleasant offering from Aya Matsuura, musically and vocally. The song is a little more upbeat than her previous singles so it’s not exactly a ballad. This is more of a light pop track because of the frequent use light percussion, chimes, and the organ. While the verses remain pretty laid back, the chorus is stronger when Matsuura’s vocals begin to elevate and a backtrack appears.

Originally appearing on her concept album Naked Songs, there is a new version of Hitori. It’s another gentle pop song that teeters on the edge of becoming a ballad. It’s similar to Kizuna in these aspects, but it features more organic sounds like strings and drums. I also thought Matsuura’s vocals were better in this song as well, especially during the enchanting chorus.

Overall Rating

4 stars