Rokugatsu Juu-san Nichi, Tsuyoi Ame
Happy
Mizutama
Utsukushii Hito
Unabara no Tsuki
Omatsuri -Fence to Utaou-
Hilly Hilly Hilly
Kane ga Natte Kado wo Nuketa Nara
Saisei
Tatoeba Kimi ni Uso wo Tsuita
Parallel
Bokura ga Tabi ni Deru Riyuu
Sayonara to Kimi, Hello to Boku
The album starts off with Rokugatsu Juu-san Nichi, Tsuyoi Ame. This was a rather slow start to the album. Minimal arrangement and a nice vocal performance from Ando. It may come across as boring or uninteresting to most, but I rather enjoyed the safeness of it and it was a pleasant listen and start to the album.
The next track on the album is the mid-tempo Happy. I don’t how its possible for me to like a song, but retain nothing. I really liked this song though. I mean the title is called ‘happy’ but I got a, ‘i may look happy on the outside, but on the inside i’m crying’ vibe. The arrangement and Ando’s quite lovely vocals made me think of those live footage video’s and I don’t know why but it kind of made me sad.
The next track on the album is the rather uninteresting Mizutama. I don’t know this isn’t a bad song, but it just comes across as rather purposeless to me. The arrangement is nice, but it seems to just be there, because you know a song has to have something to stand on, otherwise just sing acapella. Ando’s vocals were pretty good and she brought a little interest to this song by playing with her voice, especially during the bridge–but it just did nothing for me. I tried to pay attention to the song, but my mind kept wandering. Ugh. Its not bad, but its not all that good either. Its a pretty hit or miss song.
The next track on the album is the down-tempo Utsukushii Hito. The song started out pretty mellow with the drums, so I’m wondering why I thought it was going to be a mid-tempo, possibly up-tempo song. The arrangement is very soothing, carries a light jazz/blue-sy air to it that I found wonderful. Ando’s vocals are nice and smooth and really carries this song through to the end when it would have gotten boring long before it. I mean the song clocks in at a little over six minutes, but I hardly noticed because the song is just really so lovely and sad in a sense. A lot of people, but mostly those that don’t really care for ballads or slow songs, will find this track a bit of a chore. I on the other hand found it a nice listen.
The next track on the album keeps the down-tempo’s coming with Unabara no Tsuki. I can’t decide whether I like this track or not, but like always I find that I’m more inclined to like it. The arrangement is gorgeous and just full of despair and longing. I found it so good of a listen and I think its the reason why I like this song, in the end. Ando’s vocals are nice, but I got such a KOKIA vibe from her and though I love KOKIA its not necessarily a good thing, because after a while I found myself becoming very exasperated with the song. Its still a good listen though and with a few more, I’m sure it’ll grow on me.
The next track on the album ups the pace a bit with Omatsuri -Fence to Utaou- . It sounds so folk-sy, but in the most blandest and juvenile of ways. This song is pretty interesting and that’s a stretch. It made me think of being on a farm and how boring is that? (No offense to farmers, you guys are great!) Ando’s vocals are pretty childish and grating, because I’m not sure if she was being cute or serious, maybe a bit of both and well I just didn’t get it. This could have been a pretty cool track, because I like the variety, but it just does nothing for me and I found myself bored and impatiently waiting for it to be over.
The next track on the album is the dull Hilly Hilly Hilly. Ummm…? Can you tell this song was forgettable? I at least thought with a title like, ‘hilly, hilly, hilly’ this song was at least going to be a tad bit interesting, but it ultimately went through one ear and straight out the other. The arrangement is pretty nice, its a semi quick piano piece that is the high light, but becomes background noise towards the end of the song. Ando’s vocals are weird and I found I didn’t care for them, especially since she chose to sing this song in a way that made me wonder if she was on something. I can’t really remember this song, because I was too busy ignoring it.
The next track on the album is the down-tempo Kane ga Natte Kado wo Nuketa Nara. This song is pretty much forgettable, but I still found that I enjoyed it. The arrangement was simple and was that a harmonica I heard? Nice. Ando’s vocals were good, a bit on the sad and depressing side, but I suppose that was the point of the song.
The next track on the album is Saisei. This is without a doubt a nice song, but I listened to it twice and it seemed to just pass over me. That doesn’t mean its a bad song, it just means that it doesn’t have enough going for it to completely absorb me, but at the same time it has enough to hold my interest. The arrangement was very airy and natural and once again I got such a Kokia vibe from her, especially when she got to the breathy whimpers of the chorus.
The next track on the album is the down-tempo Tatoeba Kimi ni Uso wo Tsuita. This was quite the lovely little song. I mean it really pulls you in because of the sheer longing in Ando’s voice. I liked how smooth and serene the arrangement is made me imagine sitting in a bar nursing a nice drink and listening to someone sing pretty with my eyes closed. Ando’s vocals were gorgeous and she brought such emotion and atmosphere to this song. I always love songs like this, because they speak to me.
The next track on the album is the vibrant Parallel. I’ve already gushed enough in concerns to this song on the single review I did of it, but I still find it such a refreshing listen even on the album. It just has so much going for it that just ensnares you and makes you feel like you’re in another world, especially since Ando’s vocals are so freaking gorgeous. This is definitely one of my favorites from her.
The second to last track on the album is the long Bokura ga Tabi ni Deru Riyuu. This song had potential, certainly, but by the end of six minutes I found I couldn’t be bothered with it. The arrangement is simple and though nice it sounds like I’ve heard it before on this album. Ando’s vocals are good, she has a pretty good voice, but she does nothing with it and that made the song a bit of a bore. I’m not sure if this song is a feat. or what, but towards the latter half of the track her and some guy were singing together and though their voices meshed well it seemed to come out of nowhere. This is a decent listen, but it really offers nothing and is just unnecessarily lengthy.
The last track on the album is the down sort of mid-tempo Sayonara to Kimi, Hello to Boku. This sounds like one of those: ‘good-bye, i’m going on a journey, maybe we’ll see each other again’ type songs. The arrangement plays like melancholy mixed with nostalgia and I found it the only memorable thing about this track. Ando’s vocals were annoying for some reason, like I don’t know why she chose to sing the song in such a hi-tone, but whatever. This song is OK, but the arrangement is the only thing that stands out.
-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars
Ando Yuko’s latest album Chronicle was pretty good. I’m new to her, so going by what I just listened to, I’ll have to presume its nothing new and she went a pretty safe route, thus the B. I think Ando has a lovely voice and I found this album quite the enjoyable listen. I’m looking forward to hearing more from her, new-wise and old.
Parallel