Kokia [Songbird] (First Album)

Watashi wa Utau Kotori Desu; I’m a little songbird
Soyokaze Ga Sougen Wo Naderuyouni
I Catch A Cold
Shiroi Yuki
River
Hirusaragi no Toki
You
Live Alone
Arigatou
Erika
Aishiteirukara (Sincerely Version)

The album starts off with the lovely Watashi wa Utau Kotori Desu; I’m a little songbird. This is such a beautiful song; its so peaceful and washes over you in a sea of calm. The arrangement is just the piano and plays sparingly and is very appropriate. Kokia’s vocals are quite lovely, its like you can just sit there and listen to her sing solemnly all day. I love the whistling towards the end, such a nice touch. This song makes you smile from the heart.

The next track on the album is the just as calm Soyokaze Ga Sougen Wo Naderuyouni. This song really seems like a part two to ’songbird’ because they both play so similarly. The arrangement is the piano yet again, nice and fitting and makes you think of nature and the sun. Kokia’s vocals are a bit more clear in this song and still just as good. This is a nice track, which also makes you smile genuinely.

The next track on the album is the piano-driven I Catch A Cold. This is such a cute song, I mean, wow, its really cute. I really love the innocent and simple playing of the piano, I wonder if Kokia was playing it while singing, because it really sounded like she was, especially when she let out that cute sneeze and the playing abruptly stopped and when she let out that little sigh. Kokia’s voice was just so ‘kawaii’ I had to use that word, because it was. It just sounded like a little girl singing about her dolls or something and the, ‘i catch a cold’ parts just kill me.

The next track on the album is the somber Shiroi Yuki. This is a really good song, I’ve never really paid any attention to this track which I find very strange. Its driven by the guitar and its so effective, because it snags your attention right from the start and doesn’t let go. Kokia’s vocal performance was one of the best I’ve ever heard from her, and she doesn’t warble or do any of those opera notes she’s so fond of, but she sings this song in a straight-forward, low and somber way and it just really captured me. This is definitely one of my favorites.

The next track on the album is the soothing River. This is one of the first songs I heard by Kokia, in fact I believe its the second. This is a really gorgeous song, lead by the tinkle of the piano and it just washes over you and makes you feel relieved and content. Kokia’s vocal performance was one of her most endearing, she really put her opera prowess to good use. This is one of my favorites.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Hirusaragi no Toki. This song is pretty slow and doesn’t really offer much and actually seems like an alternate version to ‘river’ well to me for some strange reason. The main instrument is the piano and its nice and so are Kokia’s vocals. I mean its a quiet song, and a nice listen, that’s really it.

The next track on the album is You. This song is a bit odd, because I’m not sure if its meant to be down-tempo, because of the arrangement or mid-tempo because of Kokia’s high vocals. I’ll go for its a little bit of both. This is a nice song, but not one I would listen too often from Kokia if only because of her vocals. I mean they sound good, of course, but they’re a bit sharp and its very obvious, it takes some of the enjoyment away from the song. Plus, the arrangement plays a bit awkwardly along with Kokia’s vocals, this song just didn’t play or really sound right to me.

The next track on the album is the rather good Live Alone. This is another one of those songs I’ve never really paid attention to and when I first listened to this album it didn’t really leave an impression on me. It sounds like an alternate version of ‘river’ or maybe that’s because I was thinking about that song while listening to this. The piano arrangement is really nice and makes me think of the forest in winter and a flowing river. Kokia’s vocals are the usual, but I really love how soothing and sad she sounds. This is a good song.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Arigatou. This is I believe the first song by Kokia I ever heard and I’ve loved it ever since. This is actually my favorite song from her and it use to always touch me. The arrangement is pretty minimal, I believe all I heard was the piano. Kokia’s vocals were a bit somber, but content at the same time and I just love when she says: ‘arigatou’

The next track on the album keeps the down-tempo’s coming with Erika. I never really liked this song and it just never seemed to do much of anything, and use to always go completely over my head. It’ll play and I’d retain nothing, that’s still pretty much how it is now. I mean nothing about this song stands out, or is memorable for that matter, but I’m inclined to like it. I like Kokia’s soft vocals and the chorus.

The last track on the album is Aishiteirukara (Sincerely Version). This was a rather nice song to end the album on. The arrangement is of course the piano, but its nice. Kokia’s vocals are pretty content sounding, it really gave the song a warm and even sweet atmosphere. It leaves the album off on a good note.

-GRADE: A
Rating: *** stars

Kokia’s first album Songbird is good, though its one of the best albums I’ve ever heard, I find that I’m not as awed by this album as I once was. Its a pretty quiet listen and it offers some great tracks as well as a few of Kokia’s best vocal performances. It started off on a great note and ended pretty good as well. I Catch A Cold is one of the cutest songs I’ve ever heard, I love it. River is quite moving, it really is, I always love listening to it and the stand-out track is definitely Shiroi Yuki. This album also as I’ve stated has my favorite Kokia song on it, Arigatou. This is a gorgeous album, one of her best if not her best album, its such a good listen.

Kokia [Follow the Nightingale] (16th Single)

Follow the Nightingale
say goodbye & good day

Kokia’s 16th single starts off with the a-side Follow the Nightingale. This is quite a unique song, I mean its nothing I haven’t heard before really, but Kokia puts such a nice twist on it. I can’t even really pin-point the arrangement since so many things seem to be going on in the background it just made me think of night and lights and fireflies and people conversing in whispers. It gave the song a sort of mystic. Kokia’s vocals are soft and slow during the verses, as if building up suspense and then her voice and other voices rise during the chorus and it gives you a feeling of chaos as the chorus just seems to come at you in a rush of sound. This was a good a-side. Its hard not to become completely absorbed in it and a little awed.

The next track on the single is its b-side say goodbye & good day. This song is much more mild and tame than the a-side, but still pretty good. The arrangement is simple, a piano I believe, though I didn’t really pay attention to it all that much. Kokia’s vocals are good. The high light is the chorus; this isn’t the most stand-out b-side, but its still a nice listen and a bit on the sweet and content side.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: ** stars

Kokia’s 16th single Follow the Nightingale was a rather interesting single and by that I mean the a-side. The b-side doesn’t stand out that much and compared to the a-side is pretty forgettable, so it kind a brings the single down, its still good though. I wasn’t going to review this, but well, I like the cover art…lol.

KOKIA [Remember Me] (Third Album)

Prologue “Remember me”
Watashi no Taiyou (私の太陽; My Sun)
Different way
Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~ (かわらないこと~since1976~; Unchanging Things)
Happy birthday to me
With music
Anshin no Naka (安心の中; In Relief)
Sora (そら; Sky)
The Power of Smile
Clap your hands!
I believe ~Umi no Soko Kara~ (~海の底から~; From the Bottom of the Sea)
Daiji na Mono wa Mabuta no Ura (大事なものは目蓋の裏; Important Things are Behind Your Eyes)
?
Sigh
Remember the kiss (duet “KOKIA & Piano”)

The album starts off with the intro Prologue “Remember me”. Its a spoken-word intro, in full English, slight accent and some soft hums in the background. Its actually quite poignant: ‘…so i hope that many people will hear this song and feel something stir in there hearts…’

The next track on the album is the odd but moving Watashi no Taiyou (私の太陽; My Sun). This is a very interesting song, with a very interesting arrangement. At one point she let it shine and it sounded so third-world, I really enjoyed it. Kokia’s vocals are just really out of this world, she sounds so strange, but so right. At times it can become a bit taxing, but you got a love her for having such a unique and inspiring voice.

The next track on the album ups the pace a bit with Different way. What a transition. Kokia seems much happier on this track than she did on the last one, and even sounded like she enjoyed singing it. This track also seems more fluid and natural. The arrangement is very airy, but fitting. Kokia’s vocals as usual are good. I thought the verses were nice, but not all that memorable. The chorus is what really makes you pay attention to the song.

The next track on the album is Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~ (かわらないこと~since1976~; Unchanging Things). Its a bit similar to Watashi no Taiyou in terms of music. The arrangement was nice, I really liked the piano and how it sounded very natural. This is another track where the verses aren’t really all that interesting, but the lovely chorus makes up for it. I adored Kokia’s tone in this, the high lilt of her voice brought such charm to this song.

The next track on the album is the wistful Happy birthday to me. Like ‘friend’ songs and ‘music’ songs, I seem to always love ‘happy birthday’ songs. All the birthday songs I listened to is the artist singing happy birthday to ‘you’, but Kokia is singing happy birthday to herself. The arrangement is very minimal but it fit so well with Kokia’s soft and fragile vocals. Her voice is so tiny in the beginning and then she adds a bit of base in her voice, but not much, because you have to strain, or turn the volume up just to hear her. ‘Happy birthday to me’ its just so sad how she sings that one line, but its really quite powerful. I mean when its just you, whose there to sing it for you? So, you sing it to yourself.

The next track on the album is the boring With music. I love the message that Kokia is conveying with this song in regards to music, but it just came across as so long-winded. I can’t really remember the arrangement, but just like in the previous track it was fitting I suppose. Kokia’s vocals were nice, and I think she was talking at some parts and singing on others–you can tell that I hardly paid attention to this song, because I don’t really know what to say because its so long-winded and forgettable.

The next track on the album is the soothing Anshin no Naka (安心の中; In Relief). This song was appropriately titled, because it really does give you this feeling of relief. Its kind of strange in a sense. The arrangement is very simple, but nothing really impressive or memorable. Kokia’s vocals in this song had a weak sort of strength to it, but all in all I thought it was a nice performance. This is another song where the chorus really makes the track.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Sora (そら; Sky). I was under the impression that this was going to be a instrumental, but I’m kind a glad that it wasn’t. The piano arrangement was really lovely, but I really didn’t like it so much at the end, because I was waiting for the song to be over, and its like it kept stopping and starting, it was a bit irritating. Kokia’s voice was very soft in this, and definitely gave you the feeling of sky or blue, because the atmosphere of the song was just so calm and peaceful.

The next track on the album is the familiar The Power of Smile. This song sounds like another song I’ve heard from her, in fact this isn’t the first song I’ve listened to on this album that didn’t sound like something else. I thought this was a pretty good song, I liked that Kokia had a bit of bass in her voice in this song, it brought a lot of personality. This song isn’t boring persay, but it doesn’t really have enough going for it to keep your attention for long. Still, its a nice track.

The next track on the album is the odd Clap your hands!. Did I expect this song to go this way, no, well, not a song entitled ‘clap your hands!’ i expected it to be a bit more upbeat in the veins of Different way. This song played like something that should have been on her Ai ga Kikoeru album, because of how this song just completed separated itself from everything before on this album and got pretty weird as the song went along. I enjoy the variety and eccentric-ness that this song exudes, but Kokia just does it in such a strange way that it just really turns me off and I like strange and weird, so I don’t really understand where Kokia goes wrong. I think its her tones, the tones that she uses in songs like this just always comes across as sounding very alien, I think that’s why in the end I didn’t enjoy this track.

The next track on the album is the inspirational I believe ~Umi no Soko Kara~ (~海の底から~; From the Bottom of the Sea). I really enjoyed this song, from the uplifting arrangement, to Kokia’s wonderful, wonderful vocal performance. She really did a good job with this song, to make it quite the inspirational and lovely track. The only thing I didn’t like was the end when Kokia went ad-lib crazy, and sounded way off-key and annoying. Other than that its a solid song.

The next track on the album is another down-tempo track Daiji na Mono wa Mabuta no Ura (大事なものは目蓋の裏; Important Things are Behind Your Eyes). This track is very unmemorable in the sense that I didn’t really care for the verses or the vocals, however Kokia’s voice does shine, and the arrangement is gorgeous.

The next track on the album is the simply titled ?. I’m questioning whether I like this song or not, to be truthful. I love the pace of it, it seems very quick, but its really not, and its almost like it washes over you. Kokia is singing in her high, somewhat opera-ish tone, but in such a hurried way, like she has to get this message through as quick as possible, it was a nice change from the slow wails of the previous tracks. I however don’t like that though Kokia’s voice is good, it got a bit irritating and I found my interest waning a lot. I did like the chorus, but this song really doesn’t stick.

The second to last track on the album is the lilting Sigh. This song plays a bit similarly to the previous track, only with a lot more ‘oomph’ I pretty much enjoyed this song, even if it did have the tendency to go completely over my head, which is why I had to listen to it twice. I’m still not sure if I like this song, but I’m inclined to it.

The last track on the album is like the umpteenth version of ‘remember the kiss’, Remember the kiss (duet “KOKIA & Piano”). Kokia sure does have a lot of versions of this track, but I don’t mind, I always enjoy listening to this song, particularly the ‘remember the kiss’ parts, very heartwarming. I liked the whole duet with the piano it was very nice, and moving. It was a good ending to the album, though one that makes you feel like its not over.

-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars

Kokia’s third album Remember Me isn’t very memorable, but its not a bad album. I think I really enjoyed this the first time I listened to it, but of course that was back when I was first getting into Kokia’s music and thought practically every song I heard by her was amazing. Kokia’s voice is awesome, but it has a tendency to sound very annoying, or strange depending on what she decides to do with her tones. I suppose its because she was a former opera singer, so a bit can be forgiven, but not in all cases. I liked the majority of the songs on here, but though they had their differences they sounded pretty same to me. The only songs that really stood out were: Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~ and Happy birthday to me. This was a pretty boring album to listen through, and a pretty hard one to review for, because sometimes I found that I didn’t quite know what to say about a particular song, but I managed. I get a little exhausted when I get to artists like Kokia, because even though she always brings something new to the table, it just always ends of sounding like everything else she’s done before it. Remember Me is just not as memorable as it should be.

Kokia [Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi (たった1つの想い; Only a Single Memory) ] (17th Single)

Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi (たった1つの想い; Only a Single Memory)
Umaretate no Shiro (生まれたての白; Newborn Purity)

Kokia’s 17th single starts off with the a-side Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi (たった1つの想い; Only a Single Memory). Wow. I don’t think I really listened to this song when it first came out, because it really blew me away. The arrangement is a bit different from what I’m use to with Kokia, it had a nice rock and experimental edge to it that really made it stand out and capture your attention. Kokia’s vocal performance was very spot on, and I loved her tone changes, especially during the chorus, it really kept you absorbed and made you feel like something was going on, something dark and beyond your control. I’m really disappointed that she didn’t put this on her latest studio album, it would have fit right in.

The next track on the album is the b-side Umaretate no Shiro (生まれたての白; Newborn Purity). Kokia went back to her roots with this song, and really blew me away. The arrangement is of course very simple, but so very beautiful at the same time. Kokia’s vocals were the highlight though, she hit such gorgeous high tones in such a way that it sounded like she was speaking a language other than Japanese but still one in which I could not understand. It gave this song a very surreal and unearthly quality, that really made it quite the lovely little track.

-GRADE: A+
Rating: *** stars

Kokia’s 17th single Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi was really just a great and solid single from her. Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi just blew my mind with how dark and atmospheric it is. Umaretate no Shiro was just gorgeous and a really nice couple track.

Kokia [Ai ga Kikoeru (Listen for the Love)] [Fifth Album]

Itsuka Dareka wo Ai Shita Toki (Anthem Version) (いつか誰かを愛した時; Someday When You Love Someone)
Uchuu ga… (宇宙が…; A Universe is…)
Ahiru no Kokoro (アヒルの心; Hope of an Ugly Ducklin’)
Futari no Musume (二人の娘; The Story of Two Daughters)
Kakusei ~open your eyes~ (覚醒; Awakening)
cocoro (Heart)
HUMANITARIAN
so sad so bad
Yasashikusareru to Yasashikunareru Hana (やさしくされるとやさしくなれる花; A Flower Blooming Under Tenderness)
Nukumori (listen for the love) (ぬくもり; Warmth)
why do I sing?
Atatakai Basho (あたたかい場所; Cosy Place)
Remember the Kiss ~World Ver.~
Inori ni mo Nita Utsukushii Sekai (祈りにも似た美しい世界; Music Like a Prayer)

The album starts off with the boring Itsuka Dareka wo Ai Shita Toki (Anthem Version) (いつか誰かを愛した時; Someday When You Love Someone). This song just trickles by, but not like a stream or a friendly tortoise, but like a snail leaving a trail of slime behind it; it’s so boring it becomes unbearable. Kokia does absolutely nothing with her voice but annoy she’s singing almost acappella, because there is no arrangement other than those unimpressive tribal sounds in the background. Kokia does a lot of off-key high notes which really irritates; the song is also way too long to be so boring and as the first track it makes you nearly wary to listen to the rest.

The next track is the acid induced Uchuu ga… (宇宙が…; A Universe is…). It’s one mess of a song. Nothing on this track made a lick of sense. I couldn’t tell where the verses ended and the chorus began, because it seemed like a whole mesh of ad-libs. The arrangement is none existent and plays like air and Kokia’s vocal performance was tragic she sounded like she was at some sort of ceremony and had gotten possessed by the spirit of her ancestors, because her voice hits these weird tones that sound almost alien and absurd. Terrible and forgettable song.

The next track is one of the most ridiculous songs I have ever heard, Ahiru no Kokoro (アヒルの心; Hope of an Ugly Ducklin’). Every time I listen to this album I expect to like this song, because what a touching title an I’m sure the message is very heartwarming, but the approach to the song was done all wrong and it just makes every thing so stupid and pointless. It begins with a quaking duck, which is laughable, then it goes into the song? The arrangement is very basic, very. Kokia’s vocals are even more glaring in this track than they were in the previous I can’t even remember the verses, but the chorus was awful. Kokia does this odd little wail with her voice and it just makes you cringe and wonder why she insists on butchering her voice in this way. This song is just terribly bad.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Futari no Musume (二人の娘; The Story of Two Daughters). The first track on the album so far that I actually like and as the fourth song that is not a good thing. I’ve always liked this song from the first time I listened to this album to now. Its so calm and peaceful and sounds really inspiring. When Kokia sings this it really does sound like the story of two daughters and it’s almost heartbreaking in a sense, especially considering the cracking tones Kokia hits. I believe this is my favorite track.

Kakusei ~open your eyes~ (覚醒; Awakening) the next track is very similar to Itsuka Dareka wo Ai Shita Toki as to where it never goes anywhere and just bores. I’ll admit this is a bit more interesting than the first track, but at the same time it’s anticlimactic even towards the end when Kokia was just barely holding that note it was just embarrassingly unimpressive and had me wishing the song would hurry up an end. Its just so long-winded and after a while just becomes unbearable, because Kokia goes through so many tone changes which seem unnecessary because the arrangement just goes along at the same windy pace.

The next track is the down tempo and entirely too slow cocoro (Heart). I wanted to give this song the benefit of the doubt, because even though Kokia insists on doing that irritating wailing call with her tones its still a pretty decent song when you think about it. However, I really can’t, because it’s entirely too slow-paced to the point of it being impossible. It’s just way too boring and Kokia does absolutely nothing with this song it just keeps going at the same pace throughout, making it just impossibly dull.

Finally we pick up the pace a tad making things a bit more livelier with the next track HUMANITARIAN. After the lag of bad down-tempo songs it was refreshing to hear one a bit more up in the tempo, however, it all falls to the wayside when you catch on to the very basic arrangement and the fact that it seems like Kokia is saying the same thing over and over again like some sort of monotonous loop, the repetitiveness is enough to drive you crazy.

The next track is very similar to the previous track, so sad so bad starts off on a very weird note with Kokia saying what sounded like, ‘is this a creature?’ or something and it’s almost like she’s trying too hard to be spiritual and it comes off as very absurd. The beat is basic just like the previous, but it’s like a constant thrum, then comes the repetitiveness and weird becomes very dull and uninspiring.

We go into the next track which is the very slow and down-tempo Yasashikusareru to Yasashikunareru Hana (やさしくされるとやさしくなれる花; A Flower Blooming Under Tenderness). The vocal performance from Kokia was nice and the arrangement was very slow and though uninteresting it still did it’s part. This is a nice song, but it’s just so long-winded and seems to go on forever. I mean it’s like Kokia was trying to make a point, which was what I perceived by the touching title, but it’s like it never gets to that point and just trickles along at the same pace never going anywhere.

Kokia keeps the down-tempo tracks coming with the rather soothing Nukumori ~aigakikoeru~ (ぬくもり ~aigakikoeru~; Warmth ~Listen for the Love~). Finally, I come across another song I actually like on here the last song being The Story of Two Daughters. This song is very warm and I really like that, because it brings meaning to the ‘warmth’ in the title. Kokia’s vocals are very laid-back almost casual an light. I’m glad she didn’t do a whole mesh of high tones like she’s done for most of these tracks otherwise it would have ruined a good song. Nukumori ~aigakikoeru~ is still not very impressive, but it brings me back to the Kokia I’m used to hearing and it’s a nice listen.

The next track is the underwhelming why do I sing?. A song that is sung entirely in English and not very bad English either. I actually thought I was going to like this song, because the lyrics are very touching such as her saying that music is a gift from God and she believes that he gave her this gift to sing and touch people. The arrangement is that of a piano and though the piano is my favorite musical instrumental the composition in this is very unimpressive. Kokia pauses a lot in this song and I don’t know if it was meant for emotional intensity to let her words soak in or if she was trying too hard, but it dragged this song down and made it dull and impossible.

The next is the very boring and oddly long Atatakai Basho (あたたかい場所; Cosy Place). This song is so grating because it plays like one that you feel will never end and you’re just wishing that it will. Kokia’s vocals seem to drag and that makes this song incredibly dull and an absolute snoozer. The arrangement is somewhat nice, but it plays dryly and in the end like Kokia’s vocal performance offers nothing. This song is forgotten as soon as it ends and I should know, I had to listen to it three times for this review.

The next track is another version of one of my favorite Kokia songs Remember the Kiss ~World Ver.~. I don’t too much like this version Kokia doesn’t really do anything to it to make it stand out or wow. I was expecting a lot more from the ‘world’ version of this, but instead it sounds like every other dull song on this album.

The last track on the album is the semi-all right Inori ni mo Nita Utsukushii Sekai (祈りにも似た美しい世界; Music Like a Prayer). I’ll admit it’s a whole lot better than why do I sing?, but at the same time it’s forgettable. I can’t recall anything and this album ended the way it started: bad.

-GRADE: F
Rating: 1/2 star

Kokia’s fifth album Ai ga Kikoeru (Listen for the Love) is in my opinion her worst album to date. I’m guessing Kokia was going for spiritual and enlightenment with this album, but in the end it came off more as alien and strange. Ai ga Kikoeru is insanely boring, it really blew my mind. I mean these are all new tracks, no single tracks, no b-sides, but all new and fresh material an out of all fifth teen tracks I only cared for two. Kokia does some awful things with her tone that really ruin the majority of the songs on here and all the arrangements were terribly basic making nearly every track on here mediocre and grating. This odd album is nothing unusual for Kokia since this is how she approaches her music. At the same time though she did everything wrong this fifth time around and I’m hoping she never does this again. This album was absolutely terrible and the only song worth listening to is The Story of Two Daughters and that is just sad. I’d recommend this to no one, because not even die-hard Kokia fans would get this album or what Kokia’s intentions were while going into this. However, I’d say this is for the die-hard fans who want to listen to an album that has nothing but new tracks on it and a completely warped and out there take on her music; casual fans I’d say skip this you’d most likely wonder if Kokia was on something, because this album makes NO sense.