LOVE-GUN
Hero
MonStAR
Ashita no Prism
Breakthrough (Album Ver.)
Bōken Desho Desho?
Aimai Scream
YOROKOBI no Uta
Maybe I can’t good-bye.
NEOPHILIA
Harmonia Vita
For you
Hōshi no Kakera
RIOT GIRL
The album starts off with the spastic LOVE-GUN. This song is a head-ache in the making. I was sitting listening to this song and wondering why my ears hadn’t started bleeding yet. The arrangement as well as Aya’s vocals and the backing vocals sounded so H!P it nearly blew my mind. I can understand how a lot of people can get into music like this its energetic, up-beat, cute and pretty all right in a loud boisterous way. I on the other hand am more of a serious person and though I like my rare amount of songs like this I just can’t get into this song, its just too chaotic and all over the place for my taste; lively start to the album though.
The next track on the album is the upbeat Hero. This is a cute song, but honestly… not my cup of tea. The arrangement… haven’t I heard this steady drum beat and bass before? Oh yeah, a whole lot of times since its pretty typical for songs like this. Aya’s vocals sound like she had reverted back to a twelve year old girl. The verses were crazy and the chorus: ‘i love you!’ sounded like she was trying to be coy and it just came across as so wrong. This is an all right track and I found myself pretty into it towards the end of the song, but that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t really care for it.
The next track on the album is the mid-tempo MonStAR. (sigh) I hope this album picks up at some point. This track had potential, but Aya’s vocals are fail. The arrangement was typically sparkly and easy on the ears, it was the only thing about this song I found myself paying attention to. Aya’s vocals are quite juvenile. I mean she’s a year older than me and she sounds like my eight year old sister singing Disney bop tunes. Its an all right song, but I just don’t like Aya’s vocals they ruin the song in my opinion.
The next track on the album is Ashita no Prism. Four songs in and I haven’t been impressed with one yet. This song carries the same formula as the previous track: generic arrangement that we’ve heard a thousand times before in better and eight year old vocals. Well, her vocals weren’t as kiddish in this song as they were in the previous, but still unbearable. This song is also forgettable.
The next track on the album is the high-energy Breakthrough (Album Ver.). I think I’ve finally come to a song I somewhat like. The arrangement is very light and airy, but in a very fun and youthful way. Ando’s vocals are still on the kid side, but I found her vocal performance endearing. I got such a H!P vibe from this song, but I really enjoyed the chorus I was almost tempted to sing along with her.
The next track on the album is the mid-tempo Bōken Desho Desho?. We finally come to a song that doesn’t threaten to burst my ears. Its still not as down-tempo as I would like, but I guess its close enough. The arrangement sounded like maraca’s or whatever instrument makes a swishing noise. It was fitting but nothing memorable. Ando’s vocals were a lot more tolerable in this song than they have been, it was still on the child-like level but it held a softness that kept the interest of my ears.
The next track on the album is the exuberant Aimai Scream. I had to listen to this song twice and though it’s as annoying as all the other songs on here I still find that I liked it a little. The arrangement is the best part, light and twinkling and it also makes me think of fun summer days. Ando’s vocals are still on the kiddy side of course, but I found it bearable though, when she said: ’scream’ it sounded like she was saying: ‘ice cream’
The next track brings the pace back down with YOROKOBI no Uta. This song had the potential but its plays so blandly. The arrangement is pretty much there and I just kept thinking of Ando singing this on a rocky western mountain or something. Her vocals were decent in this, more controlled and less high, but she sounded so awkward and uninspired in this track. I guess she likes her up-tempo’s, because this was a downer.
The next track on the album is the rock-laced Maybe I can’t good-bye.. This song isn’t all that bad, but I found that I didn’t really care for it. The arrangement is chaotic rock, but not all that chaotic its just the best word I can use to describe it because it sounded a mess. Ando’s vocals were all right she went with a deeper tone, but it didn’t save this song from being forgettable. I thought the hook was the best part, but this song is terribly uninteresting and went completely over my head.
The next track on the album is the pretty half and half NEOPHILIA. This is a nice little rock track, I really found myself into it at the start of the song, but then Aya starts singing and her voice though not as bad as I’ve heard on this album is still a bit of a chore. This is one of the best songs I’ve heard on so far, but I really can’t see myself listening to it again and actually enjoying it.
The next track on the album is the edgy Harmonia Vita. This is another one that had the potential to be a good song, but fails because its such a train wreck. The arrangement is dark and moody, but it seems so chaotic and clunky and after a while I just found myself ignoring it. Aya tries to put some edge and possibly bass into her voice, but its still too high and it just comes across as so wannabe. This song is confusing and I really don’t get it to be truthful; its so impossibly messy.
The next track brings the pace down a tad with For you. I really liked this song, it actually managed to absorb me like no song on this album has done yet. The arrangement is pretty typical nothing new or that I haven’t heard before, but its really quite fitting and gives off an youthful air. Aya’s vocals were actually pretty strong in this and gone were that high child-like voice and or uncontrollable wannabe vocals, replaced with that of a sure tone and she certainly hit her mark. This is definitely my favorite track off the album.
The second to last track on the album is the somewhat down-tempo Hōshi no Kakera. After the bombardment of fast songs it was good to finally hear something a little down in the tempo, too bad its not a very good down-tempo track. The arrangement gave me that standing on the edge of a cliff while the wind is blowing harshly feeling. The drums and the random guitar sounded dead and a bit awkward, but for some strange reason it fit. Aya’s vocals were a lot controlled in this as in her voice wasn’t high or child-like at all, but really, she just sounded like she was trying to out sing the arrangement and it didn’t make any sense at all. In the end I just got exasperated and a little bored with this track. I mean it has potential, but it was executed all wrong.
The last track on the album is RIOT GIRL. …I like this. I’m actually quite shocked, because this song really does nothing new, but I guess I just really like the energy of it. The arrangement is the drums pounding at a steady and consistent beat and I must say this is one silent riot I wish she would have came harder than this arrangement wise. I thought Aya’s vocals were pretty good they matched the whole flow and vibe of the song and I actually found myself getting into it and bopping my head to the beat and her haphazard vocals, mildly. This is a weak title track, definitely and not a very good ending to the album, but its a decent song.
-GRADE: C
Rating: * star
Aya Hirano’s first album RIOT GIRL was… not of my taste. I can really understand why a lot of people would go for this album the majority really seem to like the pepped up songs this offers, because they’re fun. I on the other hand found them annoying and I wish she would have done more to even them out. I like my up-tempo’s just as much as my down-tempo’s, but when they come right after the other seemingly more louder than the last it’s too much for my poor brain and ears to handle. Aya’s vocals were also very all over the place, I mean, its like she couldn’t settle on one tone so she chose several. I mean are you going for something a bit more on the H!P side or are you leaning more towards the rock side? because its like she couldn’t make up her mind on which one she wanted to represent so she just went for both. I liked a total of five songs, but the one that stood out the most was For you I found that I really liked that song and if she brings it like that for her second album I may just consider following her music otherwise, I might have to discontinue her, because I just can’t get down to spazzed out music of this degree. It just had no balance. RIOT GIRL is fine for people who like there music at a high messy volume, I’m more of a quiet person myself.
Namida NAMIDA Namida