Talk Talk
The Girl In The Letters
Cloudy Sky
Blossom Diary
Linsey de Butterfly
Slow dive
Walking in the rain
Hammurabi
Watashi to Pooru no koto
Kanashiki Tori
Tsutsun de Ageru
The album starts off with Talk Talk. This is a pretty intriguing song, yet sadly one that goes completely over my head. The arrangement is very strange, it features the drums that play a bit haphazardly and then there’s this tinkle that is very obvious thus annoying and some other pseudo sound-effects that seems to come out of nowhere. Its a bit unique but distracting at the same time. bice’s vocals were odd as well, I mean it was like she was sing-breathing or whisper-singing and it just didn’t make any sense to me. This song sounds very clazziquai and old-fashioned. I don’t really care for it, but its a pretty interesting start to the album.
The next track on the album is the wanton The Girl In The Letters. Ah, I really like this song. Its sung all in English, and though its not the best English I found that I could make out what she was saying most of the time. I thought the arrangement was nice, but just like the previous it made the song sound very old-fashioned, I’m talking thirties. bice’s vocals still have that sort of breathy quality to it, but it fit right in in this song and I found that I could connect with her: ‘i want to be all you need…’
The next track on the album is the airy Cloudy Sky. This is one of those songs that seem to breeze right by me, but I still found that I enjoyed it even if I couldn’t make out what bice was saying half the time. The arrangement is pretty laid-back, I love the guitar and how it sounds like the nineties. bice’s vocals are high and breathless and I’m wondering if she really does sing like this or she just knows how to control her tones and make them sound like she’s running out of breath. Its nice, but after a while is can become a bit old and taxing.
The next track on the album is the hazy Blossom Diary. I have to use that word again, but maybe daze is better. This is a song that if you aren’t into this type of eclectic music, it’ll drive you insane. Because is goes nowhere. I thought it was a bit mind-numbing, but I liked the breezy-ness of the arrangement and bice’s casual, though stuffy vocal performance. I’m really hoping that I don’t end up saying the same thing over and over again about bice she seems like a more out there version of YUI so far.
The next track on the album is the airy Linsey de Butterfly. This is one impossible song that I was five seconds away from completely ignoring because it was doing nothing to separate itself from the previous songs or catch and keep my attention. The arrangement is pretty flat and plays like air, seriously. bice’s vocals are nearly non-existent because she insists on breathing all over the place. However, I found this song strangely appealing and even comforting in a way.
The next track on the album is the dull Slow dive. This is quite an unmemorable song, seriously. The arrangement is very slow like the title entails but it makes me think of water and people swimming slowly and how very boring is that? bice’s vocals are intolerable, man her whisper breath vocals were just really getting on my nerves. I really wish she would change up her tones and give me some variety and difference vocal wise because I’m really getting sick of her sounding like she’s losing air faster than she can take it in.
The next track on the album is Walking in the rain. This song offers nothing I haven’t already heard from her–this album wise–I find that I’m inclined to like it though. The arrangement is interesting, though it of course sounds dated and old-fashioned and it makes me feel cold. bice’s vocals are a torturous loop of breathless whispers and its all so very impossible. The chorus saves this so though, since its mildly interesting.
The next track on the album is the somewhat different Hamurabirabu. Finally some variety, I was getting worried for a second, all the songs were beginning to sound the same. There’s really nothing spectacular about this song, only difference is its lead by the drums instead of all those windy, outdated and old-fashioned sounding instruments. bice’s vocals unfortunately don’t change and it nearly ruined the song. This track is pretty forgettable, but its a nice listen and offers something a bit different from the same ol same ol I’ve been hearing since track two.
The next track on the album is the slightly down-tempo Watashi to Pooru no koto. I had to listen to this song three times, but I think I like it. The arrangement made me think of walking down the street on a brisk day, the sun shining glaringly. It went well with the whole flow of the song. bice’s vocals weren’t as breathy or whisper-y as they normally are and I kind of liked how she sung the verses. The chorus is what nearly ruined the song for me, because it picks up a little and its kind of jarring, but after three listens I kind of got used to it. This song is pretty interesting, even if it doesn’t really make sense.
The second to last track on the album is the over my head Kanashiki Tori. I’ve been giving bice the benefit of the doubt, but I honestly have no idea what I was just listening to. The arrangement sounded no different from what I’ve been hearing, it actually sounded like a whole bunch of air. bice returns with the breathless vocals, and I’m wondering why she insists on singing like this, its really quite annoying. I don’t want to hear you breath, I want to hear you sing. This song is forgettable.
The last track on the album is the mellow Tsutsun de Ageru. This song is pretty slow and doesn’t seem to go anywhere. I had at first thought it was boring but as I gave it another listen I found it to be pretty all right. The arrangement is soothing, I like the guitar. bice’s vocals aren’t as annoyingly breathy and I actually found her vocal performance a pleasant listen. This isn’t a memorable song, but its a somewhat nice ending to the album.
-GRADE: C
Rating: * star
bice’s second album let love be your destiny is such an underwhelming listen, seriously. I like bice’s music, I can safely say that, I however don’t like how all the songs seemed to sound the same, it made this album very difficult to not only review but listen to. The arrangements were pretty OK even though they only seemed to have variety in two of the tracks: ‘talk talk’ and ‘Hammurabi’ which is a shame. bice’s vocals were a challenge, because she seemed to insist on singing in such a breathless whisper like she couldn’t help herself and it was oh so annoying. Chara can pull off the breathless whisper, its one of the main reasons why I like her music, bice on the other hand is pretty hit or miss and comes off sounding like a jock. The tracks on here, a few of them, were pretty good though, stand-out being The Girl In The Letters which was a bit unique. let love be your destiny had the potential to be a lot more than what it was, but you realize sooner rather then later that is offers nothing. I hope her other two albums and her mini albums are a lot better than this was.
