Morning Musume [Mikan (みかん, Mandarin Orange)] (35th Single)

Mikan (みかん, Mandarin Orange)
Bon Kyu! Bon Kyu! Bomb Girl (ボン キュッ！ボン キュッ！BOMB　GIRL)

Morning Musume’s 35th single starts off with the a-side Mikan (みかん, Mandarin Orange). What an odd title? Hmm? I really didn’t like this song when it first came out, I thought it was a whole bunch of noise, but its obvious that I didn’t listen to it, because personally I didn’t care too. I’m not a Momusu fan, but I do happen to enjoy their music, my favorite song being Mr. Moonlight. Anyways, I thought the arrangement was very light, pop-ish and cute. It had a friendly and warm air about it that was nice. The vocals were decent, I thought they had good harmony… considering. I mean the song can come across as very annoying; it touches the line but never crosses it. I thought the song was a bit long, and I admittedly was waiting for it to end. I did enjoy this though, a whole lot more this time around. It’s pretty fun and a bit catchy.

The next track on the single is the b-side Bon Kyu! Bon Kyu! Bomb Girl (ボン キュッ！ボン キュッ！BOMB　GIRL). This song is ridiculous. It sounds so Broadway, but not even that, but musical-like. It also sounds like something I would hear on an animated movie, like Cats Don’t Dance or something. Its just so quirky and cute, and seems pretty random. I mean different girls pop up and sing or shout some things, its really crazy. I mean the a-side didn’t quite get annoying, but this song certainly does. Its just too many things going on and though its endearing, I just found I couldn’t be bothered to care. If I was a fan I’d probably like this song, but I’m not, so I don’t.

-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars

Morning Musume’s 35th single Mikan was pretty OK. I found I really enjoyed the a-side Mikan, it was a fun and nice listen. The b-side Bon Kyu! Bon Kyu! Bomb Girl I however did not like all that much, and the title is just really… WTF?

fayray [EVER AFTER] (Second Album)

give it back
No, never (album version)
その愛のかたち (Sono Ai no Katachi; Pieces of that love)
All I Want, All I Need
If, I
tears
見て (Mite; Look)
約束 (Yakusoku; Promise)
shane
My Heart Belongs To Daddy
MY EYES

The album starts off with the rock-laced track give it back. I really don’t get this song. The arrangement is very rock-oriented, which isn’t bad, but for some reason it just sounds muffled, static-like and after a bit, very irritating. fayray’s vocals weren’t much of anything with this song, I barely cared for them and I love her voice. This song went clear over my head, and I listened to it twice.

The next track No, never (album version) is another one that went clear over my head. The arrangement was just forgettable, I didn’t really care for it, but I do know a bit was going on with it and that isn’t necessarily a good thing, because it felt like my ears were ringing. fayray’s vocals were decent, but this song just didn’t have much going for it in the ‘keep my attention’ department. I think she sung this in English and Japanese, or just bits and pieces of the chorus in English. I can’t really recall, this song did nothing for me.

The next track on the album is the mellow and cool その愛のかたち (Sono Ai no Katachi; Pieces of that love). This song is pretty acoustic, the arrangement is minimal, just a nice piano melody, that really shines when its given a solo spot towards the middle of the song. fayray’s vocal performance was gorgeous. I love how it sounded so live. The slow and sure way she sung this song really made it interesting. This is not a song that will appeal to everyone, it would most likely bore some to death. I liked it though.

The next track is the pretty messy All I Want, All I Need. The arrangement has some drums, base, all that–It has a nice vibe, a nice rhythm, but it just seems so empty to me. fayray’s vocal performance was decent, but lacking in anything other than her moaning about, ‘take my hand and kiss it…’ and whatnot. Its almost like she’s not even singing, but crying or wailing, in that deep sort of sultry voice of hers. Its all rather odd and annoying.

The next track on the album is the awful If, I. Er, what was I just listening too? The arrangement was the trash. It was like amateur rock night for the kiddies, it was just way too annoying and unnecessarily loud to be listenable or even tolerable for that matter. fayray’s vocals sounded way off, and it was like she was trying too hard to make this rock mess of a song work, and failed miserably. This song is fail in every conceivable sense of the word.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo tears. This is more or less the fayray I’m use too, and one of the first songs I ever heard by her. I thought the arrangement was very nice, the piano added a lot of substance to this song. fayrays vocals were good, the deep and jazzy timbre of her voice really made this song shine. It added a lot of interest that would have otherwise been lost. I thought this song had a light sadness about it. This is one of my favorite fayray songs.

The next track on the album is the semi down-tempo 見て (Mite; Look). This song started really weird for me, and I didn’t really understand what fayray was going for with this one and it nearly ruined the song for me. I’m glad she found her niche and delivered an odd but endearing song. The arrangement is pretty interesting, it doesn’t really sound like its there, but it is. I can’t really explain it. Its a nice arrangement though, if only because it sounds so different without doing much of anything. fayray’s vocals were interesting as well, but I found that I liked them, even if they sound just not like her to me. This song was pretty neat, that’s the only word I can think of. I also loved how it went out with the brief piano melody.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo? 約束 (Yakusoku; Promise). I like this song, but then again I don’t like this song, because it confuses me. The arrangement is fitting, but at a certain point in the song, the hook, where she holds the note before going into the chorus, the drums would sound and I kept thinking the chorus to her other song I’ll save you was going to play. fayray’s vocals are pretty nice in this song, she sounds like the fayray I’ve become a fan of, with that not so obvious deep set of her tone. This is a pretty decent song, I’m inclined to like it, even if I keep thinking I’m listening to two songs at once.

The next track on the album is a over two-minutes interlude-like song shane. I wonder what makes the name ’shane’ so significant that she would dedicate a short little song to it? Anyways, this song is a bit down-tempo, with a nice little guitar arrangement, that took a bit too long to start and had me thinking something was wrong with this song. I believe it changes to the piano once she starts singing. fayray’s vocals are nice and consistent, and made this song a bit memorable for it to be only half of a track’s length.

The second to last track on the album is the ultra jazzy My Heart Belongs To Daddy. This is another one of the first songs I ever heard by fayray. Its so interesting in the fact that the arrangement sounds way jazz blues, smoky lounge-club-like. Its such a nice arrangement. fayray’s vocals really mimic the music, to a T. I mean it made me imagine her singing this at the Cotton Club back in the 20’s. Then the whole, ‘my heart belongs to daddy’ is just really creative, in different. It always made me wonder if the song held a double meaning, like is she really talking about her actual daddy? I love when she says, ‘because my daddy treats me so well!’ and she holds the note in ‘well’, it just went through me. This song is so mellow and leaves me with such a feeling of contemplation and awe. I really adore this song.

The last track on the album is the somewhat up-tempo MY EYES. I thought this was a pretty interesting song, if only because of its mild up-beat-ness. I thought the arrangement was pretty quirky, it sounded strange like they were blowing through pipes or something, because I kept hearing this high sound, though of course it was most likely some sort of wood instrument, like a flute or something. fayray’s vocals were nice for a song like this, she certainly sung it the way it was suppose to be sung, but at the end of the day, though the vocal performance was fitting, her voice just isn’t suited for up-tempo. This was a weird way to end the album, almost awkward in a sense. I do like this track though.

-GRADE: C
Rating: * star

fayray’s second album EVER AFTER was quite the disappointment. I think I like this album even less than I did her debut album CRAVING. I mean I can’t remember any of the songs on here aside from tears and My Heart Belongs To Daddy, even the other four tracks that I did happen to enjoy including the interlude-song shane are unmemorable. There’s not much I can say about this album, since it clearly has no replay value whatsoever. I’m wondering why fayray chose to jump from genre to genre with this album in such a messy and uncreative way? EVER AFTER aside from a few tracks is pretty forgettable and a step down from her debut album, which I didn’t so much like, but it played a lot better than this one did. It could have been worse though, it could have always been worse. I’ll give it to fayray though, she’s one of those people that when they do good its great, but when they do bad its downright awful, this is a little bit of both.

Hinouchi Emi [Ai Dake ga (愛だけが; Only Love)] (7th Single)

Ai Dake ga (愛だけが; Only Love)
I Love You
Ai Dake ga (Demo Vers.)

Emi Hinouchi’s 7th single starts off with the down-tempo Ai Dake ga (愛だけが; Only Love). I was a little too geeked to find that Emi had come out with another single, because I really loved GOODIE MEMORIES and O’kay. The arrangement is just really heart-wrenching, the piano, the strings, the fragile power of Emi’s voice. I mean her voice was really quite good in this song. I mean she sings the verses so slow and sorrowfully, the effect really makes you give pause and listen. Then her voice rises during the chorus, and its just so emotional that you can’t help but feel everything that she is feeling. The way she is singing, makes you feel as if she is begging him to come back to her, and its really powerful. Its sad that it got so utterly ignored, this is one incredible and terribly underrated song from her.

The next track on the single is the beautiful I Love You. This song really always makes me sad when I listen to it, but content at the same time. The arrangement is similar to Ai Dake ga but its a lot more emotionally moving. The piano was the main instrument at play, and listening to it really makes me wish that she had added the instrumental to this on the single. Emi’s vocals were really just lovely, I thought her vocal performance was even better in this song. I mean you really connect with her, and it makes your heart just bleed when she sings: ‘I love you… I promise I’ll love you forever.’ it always makes me think she’s saying: ‘I love you, I just love you… I promise I’ll love you forever…’ This song really just breaks my heart. I mean it really makes me think of how much you can love someone, and how that person can just consume your whole being. I do like this song a lot more than the a-side, and its definitely one of my favorites.

The last track on the single is the demo version of Ai Dake ga. I’m really not sure what the point was in adding the demo version, it seemed pretty filler. I mean its a nice demo, but it just really takes up space for seemingly no reason.

-GRADE: A
Rating: *** stars

Emi Hinouchi’s 7th single Ai Dake ga is in my opinion her best single to date, and that’s saying much because its a ballad single. Ai Dake ga was a great a-side, it was a little weak, but it still managed to sway me. I Love You is one of Emi’s best songs, and it really tugs at the strings of the heart, in such a good way. The demo version of Ai Dake ga was good in a demo version sense, but it just seemed so, ‘why is this on here?’ I really wish she would have added the instrumentals to the a and b-sides, that would have made this single even more solid, and it would have most likely gotten an A+ instead of an A.

Faye Wong [Coming Home] (Fourth Album)

Romantic Storm
Miss You Night and Day
Fragile Woman
Blind Date
Put the Key In the MailBox
These… Those…
Happy Tears
Rekindle
Round and Round
Kisses In the Wind

The first track on the album is the mid-tempo Romantic Storm. This song is really just love, and though its not an up-tempo track, its a lot of fun to sing. The arrangement is pretty rnb, in a slightly up-beat, but still mellow way. It went perfectly with Faye’s wonderful vocals. The chorus was the highlight of this song, and I just adored how she held the note at the end of the chorus’. Also, the ad-libs towards the end, ‘don’t you storm me, storm me with your love!’ they make no sense, but I loved them. The arrangement as well as Faye’s vocals really gave me the feeling of a ‘romantic storm’.

The next track is a cover. Miss You Night and Day is a cover of the Babyface song Two Occasions, and one of his songs that I have a love hate relationship with. I thought Faye did a good job with this song vocal-wise, even if it can at certain points become boring and seem to drag on for far longer than it should have, because I don’t remember the Babyface version being so long. Still, she did a good cover of this song.

The next track on the album is the frigidly beautiful Fragile Woman. I really think that this was the first Faye Wong song I ever heard, and it is most definitely one that has always stuck with me. The arrangement is simple, and sounds very traditionally Chinese, which I liked. Faye’s vocals were brilliant, I love how her tone really gives one the feeling of a ‘fragile woman’. For some odd reason when I hear this song, I always think of a battered woman, but I think the song more accurately conveys the inner most emotions of a woman, and how those emotions rule her. Simply beautiful song, one of her best.

The next track on the album is the simple Blind Date. I say simple because it doesn’t really do much of anything. The arrangement is rather bland, but I suppose it suits the song. Faye’s vocals are good, of course, but there seems to be no personality displayed in this song, it was like she was just singing it to fill space on the album. Still, I like the chorus, it really makes this song worth a listen or two.

The next track on the album is the lovely Put the Key In the MailBox. This is honestly a song I didn’t expect to like, in fact I expected to be bored to tears by it, but the title gives it a certain appeal that makes you want to take that chance. The arrangement is very warm, and has a romantic feeling about it that brings a touching smile to your face. Faye’s vocals are beautiful, and makes you feel like she’s just waiting for the love of her life to return. The chorus is the highlight, and the song going out with the violin (strings?) instrumental was just gorgeous.

The next track is the appealingly dull These… Those…. This song is really quite the borefest, but I still like it! I’m kidding. The arrangement is pretty simple, but its fitting. Faye’s vocals are gorgeous as usual, she brought a bit of life and personality to this song, though it didn’t stop it from being ultimately dull. The chorus is really what makes this song trickle along, though not by much.

The next track on the album is the mildly up-beat Happy Tears. This is pretty oldschool rnb-ish. It sounds like rnb from the 80’s actually, and though I’m wary of 80’s music, I’m not adverse to it. Faye’s vocals were pretty good for a song like this, but nothing spectacular. This song is pretty hit or miss, its not too interesting, but its not too boring either. It seems flat, but it does have a bit going for it, namely the chorus.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Rekindle. This song is really quite moving, in a quiet sense. The arrangement is very warm, and intimate. I really enjoyed it. Faye’s vocals were gorgeous in this song, she chose to sing in a sort of light whisper, that really gave off the feeling of a rekindling love. This song doesn’t make you sad, but expectant of that second chance.

The second to last track on the album is the somewhat mid-tempo Round and Round. I actually thought this song was going to be a ballad. The arrangement is pretty odd, it has a mysterious vibe about it, but also has this flow to it that reminds me of the 80’s. Faye’s vocal performance was good, though this is the type of song that doesn’t really ask for much vocal wise. I thought this song was pretty decent, but I don’t like it personally.

The last track on the album is the down-tempo Kisses In the Wind. This song is actually sung in full English, some darn good English to, I didn’t notice a accent at all. Also, out of all of her songs, this is her favorite. The arrangement is pretty fitting, its a nice piano melody, that plays with an adept feeling of loneliness. It gives you this feeling of abandonment and lost love. Faye’s vocals are really gorgeous in this song, you could tell she was into it, and that really made me connect with her. When I first listened to this song, I was very underwhelmed and thought: ‘out of the hundreds of great songs she has this is her favorite one?’ now though, I see why. ‘Its just kisses in the wind…’

-GRADE: B+
Rating: ** stars

Faye Wong’s fourth album Coming Home is a pretty good album, but like the majority of Faye Wong albums it tends to be, pretty average. This was the first album in which I believe that Faye Wong really took control of her music and did it her way, or maybe that was her second album? Anyways, I still thought this album was good. I only disliked two tracks: These… Those and Round and Round, but even so I might find myself liking them given another listen. The stand out track on this album is of course Fragile Woman which is a classic. However, Faye really did her thing with the all English track Kisses In The Wind, its a nice track that really tugs at the heart-strings. I liked her cover of Babyface’s song as well, I thought she did a good job with it. No surprise though, her voice is incredible. Coming Home started on a good note, ended on a good note, and satisfied me in between, what more can I ask for from an album?

Kanon Wakeshima [still doll] (1st Single)

still doll
Kuroi Torikago (黒い鳥篭, Black Birdcage
still doll (Orgel Version)

Kanon Wakeshima’s 1st single starts off with the haunting a-side still doll. I first came across this song–like a lot of people–through the anime Vampire Knight, which I stopped watching after episode four due to lack of interest. I thought it was just the perfect ending, I mean they couldn’t have wished up a better ending than this one right here. The arrangement is like I said before, very haunting and dark, which makes it very atmospheric. It gives you this feeling of being trapped in darkness with only the silence to comfort you, still and afraid of what lurks in that silent nothing-ness. Also, this girl plays the cello, a cello! WTH!? Its so kick-ass; she plays it wonderfully. Her voice is really quite fragile, but I think that’s what makes it so beautiful and charming. It seems so light and high that its going to break, and that is the perfect type of tone for such a dark genre of music. I thought this was the perfect sound for her to debut with, it really is quite the impressive tune, and really sticks with you, I mean its really hard to forget such a creepy melody: ’still you do not answer…’

The next track on the album is the just under three minutes Kuroi Torikago (黒い鳥篭, Black Birdcage). This song is pretty brief, but I guess it gets its point across. The arrangement is pretty cool, I know cool, but that’s the only word I can think of to describe it. Her cello skills are really impressive and brought a lot of personality to this song. I mean the arrangement is still dark in a sense, but a lot lighter than the a-side. I heard a few sound effects as well, I mean at one point it sounded like a door opening all creaky like. It also sounded very sci-fi or horror anime or game like. Kanon’s vocals had a bit of base this time around, her voice didn’t sound so light and fragile. She really has a nice voice. This song isn’t really all that good, its actually a bit sub par compared to the a-side. I enjoyed it in a sense, but not enough to actually say I’d listen to it again.

The last track is the orgel version of still doll. Despite it being rather twinkly and pretty-sounding, its really nothing impressive and seemed like a waste. I would have rather listened to the instrumental.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: ** stars

Kanon Wakeshima’s debut single still doll was pretty darn impressive and by that I mean still doll. Kuroi Torikago was a nice track in its own right, but it is completely overshadowed by the a-side. It should have been able to stand on its own. The orgel track was forgettable. I hope Suna No Oshiro is just as good, or better.

Faye Wong [Di-Dar] (Twelfth Album)

Di-Dar
Vacation
Lost Track
Scandalous
Maybe
I Think
Like
One Half
Untitled
Comet

The album starts off with the intro-song Di-Dar. This is weird little half-song, which chorus consists of Faye Wong singing, ‘Di dar’. I’m nearly compelled to like this song because Faye’s vocals are so freakin’ good!

The next track on the album is the quirky Vacation. This song is really, just something else. The arrangement is very Island like, but I mean Island like banging congo drums like, it was pretty neat and stayed consistent. Faye’s vocals were very interesting, I really like how she chose to sing this song, because she sung it in such an odd way that you had no choice but to pay attention to it.

The next track on the album is the alien Lost Track. This song really gives you the scary feeling of being lost, I’ll give it that. The arrangement sounds so 50’s horror score, like a violin stretch you would hear in Psycho during the infamous shower scene. Its just so eery sounding, it also doesn’t help that Faye chose to sing this song in such a high whisper throughout. I mean her voice was nice, but it made this song almost impossible, plus I didn’t too much like the song going out with the instrumental.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Scandalous. Finally, we get a break from the quirky songs and go back to some form of normalcy. The arrangement is simple and nice, and Faye’s vocals are gorgeous.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo and mellow Maybe. This song comes across as incredibly sad to me. There isn’t much to say about this track, the arrangement is very simple, but fitting and Faye’s vocals are good.

The next track on the album is the weird I Think. I say weird because, the whole execution of this song is just very strange to me, and makes me feel short of breath for some reason. The arrangement makes you think of being held hostage, it really does, because its so dramatic in a simple in quiet way its really strange. Faye’s vocals are nice, but they mirror the arrangement. Its like she sing-stops, its really crazy. I don’t like this song, despite its weird uniqueness it has nothing going for it, and is a bit of a bore.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Like. I thought this song was really beautiful. The arrangement was so simple, there was a piano then a violin stretch, that just played gorgeously especially at the very end when she let it shine and take out the song. Faye’s vocals were really good in this, I definitely loved it during the chorus when she would stretch out the words. This song really tugged at my heart.

The next track on the album is the oddly titled One Half. This song does sound similar to a few of her other songs, but it could be because its so simple and all of her songs tend to be simple. This song gave me the feeling of being free, but very alone. Faye’s vocals were good as usual. There’s not much to say, like the majority of the songs on this album, this track was a nice listen.

The second to last track is the monotonous Untitled. This is a pretty lazy title, I just had to get that off my chest. The arrangement is pretty experimental and mysterious-sounding, but its all so dull that you don’t even care that its somewhat different. Faye’s vocals are good, because they always are, but her performance sounded so uninspired in lank. This song is just boring.

The last track on the album is the rather dull Comet. This song is really quite boring, despite it being interesting in a sense. The arrangement sounds a bit conspiratorial, as well as Faye’s vocals which sound a bit like an alarm or echo or something. This song just went clear over my head, and nearly put me to sleep. A very weak ending to a weak album.

-GRADE: C-
Rating: * star

Faye Wong’s twelfth album Di-Dar is WAY a disappointment. I know that I’ve never particularly liked this album, but I like it even less this time around. The only thing that separates it from Faye’s earlier albums is the lack of rnb and oh yeah, GOOD songs! The title tracks on this album were also very simply named, I mean we have titles like: Maybe, I Think, Like and most underwhelming of all Untitled. It just came across as very lazy to me, like there was no creativity involved at all, and I mean Faye Wong always has such simple titles, but these just really took the cake because it was like they just got together and started making up stuff, like: ‘who can think of the most blandest and boring title for a track!’ and then someone chimes in: ‘ooh! i got one… maybe!’ Its just sad. I did like the down-tempo tracks, they were really good and really brought me back to the Faye I was use to in concerns to her music. This album is terribly mediocre and forgettable, but tracks like: Scandalous or Like are worth a listen or two.

fayray [ZERO] (21st Single)

ゼロ (Zero)
Forever

fayray’s 21st single starts off  with the weeping a-side ゼロ (Zero). This song is really just hauntingly beautiful. The arrangement has a quiet appeal to it that makes you think of dark skies and cold nights, alone. The piano is the main, and it just plays so sorrowfully but surely, bringing forth an atmosphere of deep pain and infinite longing. fayray’s vocals were just gorgeous, and really brought forth all the emotions I’ve already described. Her voice was very deep and haunting, lilting and sounded weary, just incredible and powerful on this track. The song just sounds heavy, and gives you the feeling of being weighed down by burdensome thoughts, in a world in which you are truly alone.

The next track on the album is the b-side Forever. Its a cover of the late and great Marvin Gaye’s song, ‘Forever’. I thought fayray’s version was a lot sadder and a lot more emotionally moving than Marvin’s had been. I didn’t like how the song seemed to just end, it just made everything seem so unfinished. I did like this cover though, and thought fayray did a good cover of it. ‘Darling forever, forever…you can break my heart, forever if you want too/I’ll play the part of a fool, just to be with you forever…’

-GRADE: A
Rating: *** stars

fayray’s 21st and latest single ZERO is good, but that’s really no surprise. ZERO is a hauntingly beautiful song, that really makes you feel isolated and alone, but it plays like a surreal dream. Forever is a really good if not sadder version of Marvin Gaye’s classic, Forever. This was a solid single, and I really hope she puts out another soon, because as it stands she hasn’t released a single since July of ‘07.

DOUBLE [double] (Second Album)

Rebirth (Interlude)
Handle
Stay With Me
Untouchable
Floor
Home
What’s “double”? (Interlude)
Uh Huh
I’m In Love
U
Love of Mine
Angel ~Album Version~
Can You Handle It? (Hidden Track)

The album starts off with the intro Rebirth (Interlude). I’m not sure why it says interlude, when its basically an intro track, but whatever. Its pretty pointless and waste of a track, because it consists of a slow and very boring forty seven second instrumental.

The first full-length track on the album is the bland Handle. This song is pretty stale, but I still find that I like it. Its because rnb is my favorite genre of music and I can be very bias when it comes to it. The arrangement is pretty baseless and simple, with a synth beat playing dully in the background. The effect is just so static and boring. double’s vocals were fine in a sense, but I felt that she could have put a bit more effort into this song, especially during the chorus. I just sensed such a disinterest. This is a pretty nice song, its got a bit of rhythm to get your body moving and sounds like 90’s rnb.

The next track is the down-tempo Stay With Me. This song, this time around is pretty good. The arrangement is nice and urban, a pretty typical down-tempo rnb ballad, but it does its job. It is pretty boring and simple, but it stays consistent. double’s vocals are nice in this, she put a bit of personality into her voice, so she didn’t sound so disinterested and bland.

The next track is the somewhat mid-tempo Untouchable. This song is pretty interesting, and boring, but I still find that I like it. The arrangement is pretty typical, and is really just there to give the song something to stand on, because it doesn’t do much but what its supposed to. double’s vocals were pretty decent, though I’ve heard better from her. She did sound a bit into the song, so that’s a plus. What I find odd about this song is that she’s telling the guy in the chorus to, ’stay away from me’ but in the previous song, she was telling him to stay with her?

The next track on the album is the abysmal Floor. I have no idea what I was just listening to, but I’m fairly sure it was crap. The arrangement is awful, so basic and irritating with its constant beeps and wannabe techno, rnb lameness. double’s vocals are torture, because its almost like, ‘what are you saying?’ even in another language that I already can’t understand, I can’t understand it. This song makes no sense, and its like its just terrible for no reason. Why did double even bother recording this track, let alone putting it on her album? No effort whatsoever went into this song. Its just a waste of ‘a good song could be here!’ space.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Home. This song more than made up for the previous track. The arrangement is pretty mellow, longing, and your typical rnb slow jam fair, though it does its part. double’s vocals were nice in this, she put a bit of personality into her voice, and you could feel how much she really wanted him back. I like this song because I can really relate to it: ‘come back to me, i’m waiting for you’ Oh, I can so relate. This song really embodies a need for someone.

The next track on the album is the What’s “double”? (Interlude). Its twenty-three seconds of nothing.

The next track on the album is the ultra boring Uh Huh. Oh, wow. The arrangement was just very stagnant, generic and uninteresting in every sense of the word. If it wasn’t for that constant tinkling sound in it, you’d forget this song even had one. double’s vocals were as disinterested as ones vocals could possibly get, I wonder why she even bothered. This song is forgettable, and just bad for no reason.

The next track is the stale I’m In Love. This is monotonous at its most highest extent. I mean the arrangement is ‘blah’, too basic and does absolutely nothing but bore you. double’s vocals are no better, because she sung this song at the same boring pace throughout, her voice rising a tid bit during the ‘i’m in love’ parts of the chorus. This song just fails, because it offers nothing but an acute dullness that makes you wonder why you haven’t already clicked the song off. Then it got to the point where it seemed like she was repeating the title over and over. This song is just a monotonous, bore-fest of fail.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo, perhaps mid-tempo U. I was glad that at least a semi good song came after the awfulness that was the previous track. The arrangement is decent, a bit generic and bland but it worked. double’s vocals seemed a bit more interested in this track, she put some personality into this, and actually made me interested in the song instead of bored with it. ‘No matter what you do, i’m leaving, i’m leaving you’ I loved that line in the chorus. I got the jist that she was talking about a guy who had done her wrong, and no excuse he said was going to change her mind. I also really liked this line: ‘you lie right to my face, i’m breaking down everyday.’

The second to last track on the album is the down-tempo Love of Mine. This song suffers from the same thing that I’m In Love suffered from: a bland beat and the same sluggish pace. However, as where I’m In Love bored me to straight tears, this song on the other hand managed to keep my attention. Its nothing special, and its quite forgettable, but I love the warmth and charm it exudes. Its not as bad as it could of been.

The last official track on the album is Angel ~Album Version~. I’m not sure I too much like this album version, but its still good. This is actually my favorite double song, and the lone song that got me interested in their music. It was just such an incredibly poignant song, with a lovely arrangement and even lovelier vocals from double. This is definitely one of those songs you never get tired of. Its inspirational, emotional, a bit sad and most definitely felt.

The album doesn’t end there, there is actually a hidden track Can You Handle It? a mix of Handle. In all honesty there’s really no difference and maybe that was the intention, but I find that I didn’t so much like this version.

-GRADE: C
Rating: * star

double’s second album (and first without her sister) DOUBLE was just as underwhelming and awful as her debut album had been. However, I’d still listen to this, before I listened to Crystal. I know that double was going through a lot having lost her sister, and maybe that explains why this album came across as so dull and lifeless. It was like an Evil & Flowers all over again. Instead of channeling her sadness in a positive way like Namie Amuro did with Break The Rules and came out with a album full of sad, yet good songs, she channeled it in a negative way, and came out with another forgettable album. The only songs that really stood out and caught my attention fully were: Home and Angel. The rest were just semi-passable, and the others were forgotten as soon as they ended. DOUBLE is not a good album at all, and it fails in so many obvious ways. As it stands this is her second worst album, and thankfully the last one to truly disappoint me.

Faye Wong [Eyes on Me] (First Single)

Eyes On Me (featured in FINAL FANTASY VIII)
Acacia no Mi (アカシアの実; Acacia Fruit)

Faye Wong’s first single starts off with the absolutely lovely Eyes on Me. This song is so beautiful and poignant that I can hardly contain myself. Faye Wong is one of my favorite singers EVER and nothing I’ve ever heard from her has disappointed me… too much. The arrangement to this song is one of the most moving instrumentals I’ve ever heard. The arrangement is just so powerful in its simplicity it really is, the light and airy sounds adding depth and atmosphere. Faye’s vocals are one of the best I’ve ever heard from her, and she sings this song in full English, nice English if I may say so myself. This song is just so gorgeous and it moves me like few songs have, very rarely does a song touch me like that. It makes me think of a sad love, that just consumes me completely. Its make me think of parting with someone on good terms and smiling through the tears. ‘I kind of liked it your way…’

The second track on the single is the b-side Acacia no Mi (アカシアの実; Acacia Fruit). This song is really gorgeous. The arrangement is so slow and moving, easy on the ears and plays like a sorrowful dream. Faye’s vocals as usual are just beautiful. The low and mournful tones she used really brought out the despair and seeming longing or loneliness in this song. I mean I’m thinking this is suppose to be a fairly hopeful song, but it just comes across as very depressing in a beautiful way.

-GRADE: A
Rating: *** stars

Faye Wong’s 1st single Eyes on Me is just a really solid single with two beautiful and memorable songs. Eyes on Me the theme to the Final Fantasy VIII game, is just a wonderfully sad song of in my opinion, remembering love. Acacia no Mi is another beautiful song, that seems to pick up where Eyes on Me left off, but delivering a song of melancholy and loneliness. This is definitely one of the best singles I’ve ever heard.

Do As Infinity [DEEP FOREST] (Third Album)

Fukai Mori (深い森, Deep Forest)
Tooku Made (Album Version) (遠くまで, Distance)
Tadaima (タダイマ,I’m Home)
Get yourself
Tsubasa no Keikaku (翼の計画, Plan for Wings)
Kouzou Kaikaku (構造改革, New Foundation)
Koi Otome (恋妃, Girl’s Love)
Week!
Hang Out
Boukensha Tachi (冒険者たち, Adventurers)
Enrai (遠雷, Distant Thunder)

The album starts off with the phenomenal Fukai Mori (深い森, Deep Forest). This is the first ever song by DAI that I heard, mostly because it was the second ending theme to InuYasha, and that was back when I actually watched that show and anime in particular. The arrangement is just so majestic, the guitar adds such a depth and mood to this song that makes it felt, like to your very soul. Tomiko’s vocal performance was just incredible, especially when she got to the chorus, the way she sings it with such power, even though her voice is straining, just makes your blood rush and your heart race. This is a such a deep song, and my favorite DAI track.

The next track is the airy Tooku Made (Album Version) (遠くまで, Distance). This track really makes me feel like I’m soaring through the sky, the feeling is odd and nice at the same time. The arrangement like I said is pretty smooth and calm sounding, in a more fast-paced, and rock-based kind of way. It sounds very airy and sweeping. Tomiko’s vocals are really nice in this song, they’re low during the verses but they get high, and not so much strained, but a bit during the verses. It gives this song a lot of personality.

The next track on the album is the tame Tadaima (タダイマ,I’m Home). This song isn’t really engaging in terms of DAI material, but I do like the soft flow of it. The arrangement is a bit rock, but mellowed over. It gives you the feeling of understanding and comaderie. Tomiko’s vocals were good in this, I didn’t notice any strain, plus I loved the way she held the note at the end of the chorus’. This is a DAI song, where the chorus basically makes the whole thing come together and work. This isn’t an overtly interesting song, but its soothing in a sense and gives you this all right, everything is so routine anyways feeling.

The next track is the odd Get yourself. This song plays very weirdly to me. The arrangement is neat, a bit experimental, sounds like something that would play in a wet and abandoned factory like scene in a horror-alien movie, but it just seemed so disjointed. Like the beat would at certain, consistent parts sound like its stopped, but it hasn’t it just sounds like it has, and it makes everything seem so last minute. Tomiko’s vocals are good, but the beat is so wonky that it sounds like Tomiko is trying to fix her voice so that she actually sing along with it, instead of over it. I mean the song is called, ‘get yourself’ but I don’t really get this song. Its not bad, its a pretty decent listen, but I just don’t get it. Also, it just seems so brief to me.

The next track on the album is the slightly mid-tempo Tsubasa no Keikaku (翼の計画, Plan for Wings). Oh, I really liked this song. The arrangement is a bit of a acoustic guitar, which is really nice and fitting. It gets just so lovely during the parts where everything slows down and Tomiko holds the note at the end of the chorus’. I loved Tomiko’s vocals in this, they were really wonderful. The slight pauses in her voice, where they would be normal then get high were a nice touch and made this song really endearing, and quite the enjoyable listen.

The next track on the album is the head-splitting Kouzou Kaikaku (構造改革, New Foundation). This song had so much potential, but I just can’t do it. The arrangement was a bit interesting, it was very swing, big bang, jazz, throw-back to the thirties-sounding, and I really enjoyed that. It gave it a bit of variety and switched the pace up from the typical DAI guitar based arrangements. Then Tomiko starts singing, but she’s not singing, she’s yell-singing. Its almost like she’s trying to compete with the beat, and its just so grating, especially when we get to the chorus. This song is a mess. Its really unfortunate, because if Tomiko had sung this in a less than head ache inducing way, I would actually like this song, but as it stands, its impossible.

The next track on the album is the somewhat mid-tempo Koi Otome (恋妃, Girl’s Love). This song comes across as very stiff to me. The arrangement was nice, typical DAI and very simple. Tomiko’s vocals were good, but like I said before this song came off as very stiff. It makes you feel a bit and oddly uncomfortable. I mean this is not a bad song, I pretty much like it in a sense, but I just can’t shake off the fact that its very stiff.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo Week!. This is one of my favorite DAI songs. This is also one of the first DAI songs I ever heard. The arrangement is a nice rock, It seems hard, but its pretty much goes at a very mellow pace. It gives you such a feeling of nostalgia that really makes this song stick. I loved Tomiko’s vocal performance in this, how she sung the verses a bit slowly and surely, but sped up the pace a bit with the chorus. I do adore this song. Its one of those songs, that make you feel happy and melancholic at the same time. It also makes me think of friendship and youth, and just hanging out and having fun with your closest friends.

The next track is the down-tempo Hang Out. DAI brings the pace down with this nice and mellow rock number. I love the drums in the arrangement, they go at just the right pace, keeping the song consistent and not distracting in the least. Its also really nice on the ears. I enjoyed Tomiko’s vocal performance in this, there was a sad quality to her tones that brought a lot of personality to this song and really made it stand out and stick.

The second to last track on the album is the up-tempo Boukensha Tachi (冒険者たち, Adventurers). This is the type of song that gets really annoying, really fast. The arrangement is pretty rock, of course, in the DAI up-tempo and frenzied fashion. It did its job. Tomiko’s vocal performance was decent, but its just when the arrangement rises as well as her voice, it just got old, tired and irritating way too fast. It goes over your head. This track has a nice pace, and a pretty decent chorus, its a song a lot of people would like, I’m not one of those people.

The last track on the album is the down-tempo Enrai (遠雷, Distant Thunder). This song is really genuinely down-tempo, I love it. The arrangement is really mournful, and really gives meaning to the title of this song, because it really felt like that. This cold feeling of distance and isolation. Tomiko’s vocals were wonderful, I especially loved her tones during the chorus. She put a lot of depth and emotion into this song, but a deep melancholy as well. Its somewhat a depressing end to the album, but still a very good one.

-GRADE: A-
Rating: **1/2 stars

Do As Infinity’s third album DEEP FOREST was of course a good album, but I can’t help but think that it could have been better. With a title track as epic as Fukai Mori one would think this album was going to rival that of their great debut album, but no, this album is DAI as we know an love them, nothing more. Its not a bad thing, but the third time around it would have been interesting to hear something a bit more different. Its not much I can say about this album other than the obvious; DAI does not disappoint. I loved the majority of the songs on here, stand-out being: Fukai Mori, Tsubasa no Keikaku, WEEK! and Enrai which was an incredibly poignant ballad from them. DEEP FOREST was good like what we’ve come to expect from DAI, but I was hoping for great. They played it a little too safe and a little too routine this third time around.