BEST (and worst) of 2008, FIRST HALF! (Part 2: General)
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Ok to be completely honest, this post is like 1-2 months late. I fully expected to finish this by the end of June but unfortunately I couldn't decide on my favorite PV amongst some other stuff. I also could not decide on worst singers/groups because unlike JE or H!P, I can avoid them if I want to. JE and H!P is so INYOURFACE that I just.... have nowhere to hide. D:
That said, this is not really considered a full post. It might be fun to see if you're similar to me in terms of music taste, but other than that.... I'd say this post is pretty boring. xD
But no worries! I have a sort-of-funny post coming in two days. I'm still collecting data (you'll understand soon enough) so watch out for that!
Also, I'm still kind of busy with exams and all the end-of-semester crap, so I'm trying to space out my posts such that I don't disappear for too long. The last time that happened.... well it just didn't end well. xD
This is one long ramble. On to the post!
[Best Release Month]
Without a doubt - JUNE, which had these releases:
Starting from top row, left to right:
Shota Shimizu - Aishiteru
Although not as powerful and earth-shattering as his debut, this was still a decent second single for such a young and new singer.
YUI - Summer Song
YUI finally got out of her sad and depressing songs (if you don't count that horrible Laugh Away mess) rut and gave us a decent happy song for the summer! I'm actually addicted! Which has not happened for me with YUI since.... CHE.R.RY? And she smiles in the PV. Miracle of miracles!
Tackey & Tsubasa - Koiuta
The total opposite from YUI, Tackey & Tsubasa has finally stopped their never ending silly upbeat songs (not that I don't love them, but 2 years?!) and switched to a slow ballad. Surprisingly, they do it well too! Of course they do not forget to please their high-on-crack fans and gave them a B-side worth hopping around for - GLORY DAYS. What more could a fan ask for? The outfits were nice too, so I suppose that's a plus too.
Tegomasu - Ai Ai Gasa
Currently on repeat on my music player, Ai Ai Gasa sticks to what Tegomasu does best - harmonius ballads. Light, refreshing with two upbeat and happy B-sides, this will be a chart-topper for sure.
Arashi - One Love
A song with a catchy as hell chorus, it's kind of a pity that the PV is so horrible. At least the cover looks great.
AAA - CHOICE IS YOURS
I know my opinion is different from the majority of AAA fans, but I LOVE THE PV for Crash! The dance is great fun to watch, and Urata and Shuta both look great in it. The cover for the PV version looks great as well, so that's good enough for me. But recycled songs...? That's a bit of a downer.
Koda Kumi - Moon
Koda Kumi's comeback single! Very cleverly, she chose a song which she can cry and cry and cry a lot. She also did a collaboration with a big-time singer Fergie, although in my personal opinion that song was stupid as hell. Worth buying since the DVD comes with SO MUCH.
GLAY - VERB
GLAY keeps their high standards with their latest rock tune. Powerful vocals and music with a strangely addictive tune makes for a good listen and good buy. They are GLAY after all.
[Favorite group (non-JE/H!P)]
AAA
What can I say, I'll just blindly support them no matter what.
No honorable mentions.
[Favorite Female Singer]
Koda Kumi
Her lives are still the best, she's still bubbly as hell on TV, and she looks great as ever. You can't beat the slutty queen of Jpop after all.
Honorable mentions: YUI
Summer Song is way too cheerful for me not to like her.
[Favorite Male Singer]
Any frequent reader of my blog who doesn't know needs a brain check.
Hirai Ken
With a decent album out and still having the awesomest voice ever, it's hard for him to lose his top spot in my heart.
(Edit on 080808: I honestly don't like Shimizu Shota all that much now. Much can happen in a few months it seems.)
[Favorite Single]
Namie Amuro - 60s70s80s
3 hot tracks (oh ok, 2 for me, I hated ROCK STEADY) and the creepiest (in the good way) pv makes this single a must listen and must watch for EVERYONE.
So do you agree or disagree with any of my choices? A few of them are really biased, but I'd like to think I'm sort of objective when it comes to these things. So don't burst my bubble please? xD
Which is not saying much really, considering I've only started my Jpop fanaticism this year.
Aragaki Yui is familiar to many, what with her roles in numerous hits dramas such as My Boss My Hero and such. I've never really paid much attention to her though, until I saw her recently on a Music Station interview, where she was all shy and sweet.
Why are all Yui's so shy? Or the ones I know at least. YUI is well, shy, and now Aragaki Yui is well shy.
I'll name my daughter Yui and try to break this creepy chain of shy Yuis.
Back to the topic at hand. This album is honestly one of the best albums I've heard this year. I put off buying this album due to that horrible looking album art and the silly fact that the limited edition is the one that doesn't come with a DVD. But as soon as it is back in stock at HMV, I'll definitely buy it.
The whole album is generally very VERY mellow, which is not surprising really, considering how soft and delicate her voice is.
So here is my album review, done using my method of course.
[The Good]
heavenly days is a nice start to the album, with a soft melody that frames her voice well. She sounds like a little girl in this one, which is really fitting to her image of course. The melody gradually picks up ever so slightly, such that it doesn't overpower her voice. This is easily the best song in this album.
メモリーズ and ペアリング are pretty similar to heavenly days, but is definitely more upbeat in comparison, with ペアリング being the "noisier" one. The result is a refreshing light sound that relaxes you. If it were a drink, it would definitely be iced green tea with a hint of peppermint - sweet and innocent with a very slight cool attitude to it.
愛を知りたくて is another song that is worth mentioning. Light, soft and cheerful, this is a song you won't want to miss either. It is pretty easily forgotten on first listen though.
[The Soso]
The album generally follows the same formula as heavenly days, a soft melody that picks up towards the end. These are the songs that are nice, but would be mixed up pretty easily if you don't take a close listen to them. That is to say, they are pretty forgettable. The list of songs include オレンジ, 陽のかげる丘, ひかり and そら.
None of them are bad, in fact all of them are pretty good. It's just that they don't strike me as songs that would make me go WOW. Like I said, these songs are the ones that are forgettable. The kind of music you'd hear in a cafe and think to yourself "Hmm, that's a nice song", yet won't bother looking it up when you're back home.
[The BAD]
There's only one song that didn't sit well with me on this album, and it really isn't the song's fault, nor is it her fault. It's just bad when the two of them are combined together. That song is スターライト.
What is bad about this song is the overpowering melody squeezing Aragaki out of the limelight. It is pretty irritating after a while, with the lack of balance in the song. This song would suit someone like YUI (the one with the guitar) better. It needs someone with much more attitude to perform it, and sad to say, Aragaki just doesn't have it. This song was just a total flop. The cotton-candy voice of hers is really nice, but simply melts into nothingness in this overly glaring song.
Overall, this is the kind of album you would want to get for late night listening, or for chilling out. Light melodies and sweet voices await you in this really awesome album.
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