Kuraki Mai [FAIRY TALE] (Third Album)

Fairy Tale ~My Last Teenage Wish~
Feel Fine!
Ride On Time
Key To My Heart
Loving You
Winter Bells
Can’t Forget Your Love
Trip In The Dream
Not That Kind A Girl
Like A Star In The Night
Fushigi No Kuni
Fantasy

The album starts off with the bland but still OK Fairy Tale ~My Last Teenage Wish~. Ugh, why does the majority of Kuraki Mai songs sound so dull to me? I mean I had to listen to this twice because I was convinced I didn’t like it the first time. The second time, I realized I kind a did, but mostly the chorus because I can’t really recall the verses. There’s a moment during the bridge where Kuraki strains? This song is fair, but not the best opening, does she even have one?

The next track on the album is the somewhat up-tempo Feel Fine!. Oh, I really like this song. The arrangement is so mellow, its like the definition of a beach song and seems so throw-back, I want to say sixties, but I’m thinking fifties and even as far back as the thirties. It just has such an innocent appeal to it and makes you think of blue skies and sunny days. Kuraki’s voice meshed so well with the arrangement, I mean it blended right in and I really enjoyed the backing vocals. The high light is the arrangement, hands down.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo Ride On Time. This song is just really dull, but not dull as in actually dull, but this song just has nothing going for it. The arrangement is just there to give the song something to stand on, but not by much, because I barely noticed it and it played like air. Kuraki’s vocals are decent, but she wasn’t doing anything with them to make this song even remotely interesting. I’m thinking this song was suppose to be a bit more up in the tempo than this, but it just sounds like all her other songs like this and failed to capture my attention.

The next track on the album brings the pace back down with Key To My Heart. This song isn’t really all that interesting, because I have heard better down-tempo’s from Kuraki, but this was pretty all right. The arrangement is nice and gives off a warm atmosphere. Kuraki’s vocals are fine as well, a very light vocal performance and the backing vocals up against hers brought some much needed variety and extra interest to this track.

The next track on the album is the bland Loving You. I really find it hard to review Kuraki Mai songs, because they’re so everything else I’ve already heard and they seem to just get blander and blander, duller and duller. This song is really quite a bore and I kept thinking of Tohoshinki’s ‘lovin’ you’ which is a lot more interesting. Despite the fact that this track offers nothing but the typical Kuraki fare, I kind a like the flow and Kuraki’s vocals, mostly during the chorus. Its all right.

The next track on the album is the festive Winter Bells. I’ve never paid attention or even liked this song, because with most of Kuraki’s music I always tend to think they’re boring even when they really aren’t. This track doesn’t jump out at me, like say ‘24 xmas time’ but its a pretty nice little winter tune. The arrangement is appropriately sparkly and gives off the feeling of winter and bells and Kuraki gave a rather nice vocal performance.

The next track on the album is the somewhat down-tempo Can’t Forget Your Love. This is my favorite Kuraki Mai song and I’m trying to figure out why I never listen to this even though I can relate to it so bad. This is one of her best songs and the first I ever heard by her, her vocal performance is good as well and so was the backing vocals towards the end.

The next track on the album is Trip In The Dream. I’m guessing its suppose to be up-tempo, but it plays more like mid-tempo. This song is a bit odd to me and half and half. Its like when the song is regular its pretty all right and then it goes to some sort of watered down techno beat and then it has this guy popping up randomly to talk or something and I’m like… ‘what?’ and then it goes back regular, but by then the damage is done. I mean its an OK song, but I’ll never find myself actually enjoying it or even caring about it for that matter.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo Not That Kind A Girl. This song just did not end fast enough in my opinion, it really played like six minutes instead of four. The song isn’t really all that bad, Kuraki gives a rather all right vocal performance and I liked how she changed the pace a bit by making the song a little edgy (though I really can’t recall much or any of the arrangement), so that was nice, but it just does nothing for me.

The next track slows it down to near sluggish with Like A Star In The Night. This is pretty boring and doesn’t do much of anything, but I still find I kind a like it. The arrangement is pretty twinkly, no surprise. Kuraki’s vocal performance was all right, though I don’t recall the verses at all and can only remember her saying: ‘like a star in the night’

The second to last track on the album is the slightly mid-tempo Fushigi No Kuni. I’m actually a bit amazed at how interesting and un-bland this song is. The arrangement really has variety with all the sounds and I did like how it got a bit whimsical and fantasy like on most parts, especially towards the end. I also liked Kuraki’s vocal performance she seemed to be into the song. The chorus is the high light. I did notice –well in my opinion– towards the end it seemed to play a bit unnecessarily, especially with the ‘la,la,la’s’ and I was actually wondering when it was going to end. Though, other than that this is a pretty good track and managed to snag my attention, which is a feat for Kuraki.

The last track on the album is the down-tempo Fantasy. This is pretty typical for Kuraki, but it did manage to even itself out towards the middle half of the song because I was getting kind a bored. The arrangement is that of a guitar thrumming, I think? and that’s about it really. Kuraki’s vocal performance was nice though and I believe what saved this song in the end. Though, I still think its a rather quiet and forgettable end to the album.

-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars

Kuraki Mai’s third album FAIRY TALE is pretty same. It offers nothing we haven’t already heard, but does manage to deliver some pretty all right tracks such as Winter Bells, Fushigi no Kuni and my favorite Can’t Forget Your Love. I was expecting more, but got what I pretty much always get from Kuraki Mai… mediocre and average.

Kuraki Mai [Ichibyou Goto ni Love for you] (29th Single)

Ichibyou Goto ni Love for you (一秒ごとに Love for you, Love For You Every Second)
Zutto… (ずっと…, Forever…)

Kuraki Mai’s 29th single starts off with the a-side Ichibyou Goto ni Love for you (一秒ごとに Love for you, Love For You Every Second). I honestly wasn’t expecting the song to go like this, I kind a like the flow though. I think its growing on me, because I don’t recall liking this song when this single first came out and I actually forgot all about it, which tends to happen with the majority of Kuraki songs. I liked the soft rock of the arrangement, I don’t think I ever not like listening to the drums, what a kick-ass instrument, I wish I knew how to play them. Kuraki’s vocals were decent, but nothing to write home about. This is pretty underwhelming for an a-side, but its an all right listen.

The next track on the single is its b-side Zutto… (ずっと…, Forever…). I admittedly like this more than the a-side, I don’t know, the a-side has more going for it, but this song just seems more memorable to me and is actually a nice listen. The arrangement is typically sparkly, it suits the song though. I honestly really like Kuraki’s vocals in this, even if she did sound a bit awkward.

-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars

Kuraki Mai’s 29th single Ichibyou Goto ni Love for you is all right, but still pretty dull. Ichibyou Goto ni Love for you changes the pace a bit, compared to what Kuraki normally puts out, but its pretty forgettable, well to me. Zutto… is not all that better, but I really like the calm and warm flow of it.

Kuraki Mai [DIAMOND WAVE] (Sixth Album)

Diamond Wave
Ready for love
Best of Hero
Juliet
Growing of my heart
Aitakute…
Hologram
State of mind
Ima Kimi to Koko ni (今 君とここに)
Cherish the day
Voice of Safest Place

The album starts off with the upbeat Diamond Wave. This is a nice song, with a fun, light and carefree arrangement, that has a bit going for it to at least get you swaying and possibly singing a long. Kuraki’s vocals are nice, but nothing more. This is a pretty decent song, but its a weak opener to the album.

The next track on the album is the sort of mid-tempo Ready for love. This is a pretty all right song, but like most Kuraki Mai songs, its nothing memorable. The arrangement is simple, there’s really nothing about it that stands out, but it does go along well with Kuraki’s somewhat high, yet pitched and awkward vocals. I like this song because of the chorus, really.

The next track on the album is the bland Best of Hero. This song just irritates me like nothing else, I really dislike it. I’ve never cared about this song, everything about it is just so cheesy and generic, and its almost like every time I have the misfortune of listening to this, a part of my brain dies, because it is just so utterly forgettable. ‘Best of hero,’ oh gag, give me a break, please.

The next track on the album is the classy Juliet. This song is pretty all right, its still a pretty average song, but manages to snag your attention, chorus wise. The arrangement is typical for a song like this and Kuraki’s vocals were nice and fitting.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo Growing of my heart. This is a song that I tend to ignore when I go through this album, but I’m glad I actually sat down and listened to it. I think what really makes this song shine is Kuraki’s vocals, they were nice in this song and made it quite the enjoyable listen.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Aitakute…. This is a rather nice down-tempo track from Kuraki, I have to admit I’m really going to start listening to this more often. The arrangement is slow and soothing, and Kuraki’s vocals are really pretty. I mean this isn’t one of her more memorable down-tempo tracks, but its certainly one that shouldn’t be overlooked.

The next track on the album is the boring Hologram. Wow, how dull can a song get? Its almost like Kuraki is the master of dull songs, sometimes I wonder if she be in the studio thinking up ways to outdo herself. There’s nothing really going on in this song. Kuraki sings this track as if she’s in no rush, like she has all the time in the world and she sounds pretty content about that. At one point I guess she tries to liven up the song and add some clapping and background vocals, but the damage is done. This song is a awkwardly paced bore-fest that is ultimately forgettable.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo State of mind. I don’t know how Kuraki can make a song that seems so upbeat play so blandly, but she certainly does. This is an all right song, but with such a typical pop arrangement and passable vocals from Kuraki, ’state of mind’ is just a state of forgettable-ness. Its not so bad, but it fails because it has nothing going for it to keep your attention for long, or at all really.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Ima Kimi to Koko ni (今 君とここに). I really enjoyed this song, even if its like everything else on this album and is as unoriginal as it gets. The arrangement was interesting I thought, because it was a bit quiet and sounded like whispers, very nice. Kuraki’s vocals were good as well, I really liked how she used low tones, but her voice was still clear. This song is a lot of sad charm.

The second to last track on the album is the warm Cherish the day. I nearly yawned when I saw the title, merely thinking this was going to be another boring song that I couldn’t wait to be over. It still is in a sense, but it has enough going for it to at least keep you interested. I thought the arrangement sounded very Christmas-y, I could practically see the snow falling (can you tell I’m anxious for Christmas?). Kuraki’s vocals sounded nice, she actually sounded like she was feeling the song, with the way she partly got into the chorus’, brought a bit of personality to this track that was much needed.

The last track on the album is the snore-fest Voice of Safest Place. The very title made my eyes heavy. This song is just impossible, and nearly ridiculous. The arrangement is minimum, its nearly accapella with some sad choir or voices in the background, just there to limply give this song something to stand on. Kuraki’s vocals are high, like she’s singing lead in the school choir high, and it all just went over my head. Its just cheesy and a very weak album closer.

-GRADE: C
Rating: * star

Kuraki Mai’s Sixth album DIAMOND WAVE is boring in every conceivable sense of the word. Luckily I was listening to and reviewing this album in intervals, otherwise I would have been lulled into a bore induced coma. I don’t understand why Kuraki chose to shy away from rnb, what the hell is it some type of taboo genre of music? I mean she did it so well on her first album, and then after that I don’t know what happened. Anyways, the main thing that irks me about Kuraki is the fact that she is just so boring, there doesn’t seem to be anything interesting about her, no substance at all. Its like what you see is what you get and don’t expect anything more or anything less. Its like when I listen to her albums with the exception being If I Believe which I think is her best album at the moment, I just get this same ol’ same ol’ feel. Like why doesn’t she come out with something different or new and stop it with the lullabies already!? DIAMOND WAVE had a few good songs, the stand-out being Growing of my heart, but in the end it fails to impress and just leaves you tired and frustrated. I hope Kuraki does something soon that wows me, otherwise she’ll just continue to fade into the background and be ultimately forgotten.

Kuraki Mai [24 Xmas time] (30th Single)

24 Xmas time
All I Want
24 Xmas time (Remix)

Kuraki Mai’s 30th single starts off with the a-side 24 Xmas time. Kuraki is really coming out with such simple material, lately . I really didn’t expect to like this song, I really didn’t and of course I went into it with no expectations at all and came out a bit pleased. The arrangement isn’t anything special, its a bit light in the rnb department, but retains a very festive like air to it that is very Christmas-y. Kuraki’s vocals were light as well, and I found that I really enjoyed them, she sung this song the way it was suppose to sung and kept it very simple and warm. I really hated the rap part in this song, just what was the point of it? It almost ruined this entire song for me, luckily I can look past it, because this is a nice song.

The next track on the single is the b-side All I Want. Its down-tempo and I believe another Christmas song, because at one point I think I heard her say, ‘all I want for Christmas is you’. This is pretty underwhelming compared to the a-side, but it has a nice arrangement and good vocals from Kuraki. I’m inclined to like it, its not a bad b-side, its just not all that memorable.

The last track on the single is a remix 24 Xmas time (Remix). I find that I don’t really care for this remix, which is no surprise.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: ** stars

Kuraki Mai’s 30th single 24 Xmas time was all right. I was excited for this single a bit, especially after seeing the video to the a-side and finding that I really liked what I heard. That excitement is gone. 24 Xmas time was a nice and original Christmas song, but I felt that she could have done more in making it a bit more memorable. All I Want is nice for a down-tempo song, but nothing impressive. 24 Xmas time the remix was a bit pointless. This single was all right, but once you get through it, you realize its a bit dull.

Kuraki Mai [Delicious Way] (First Album)

Delicious Way
Love, Day After Tomorrow
Secret of my heart
Stepping oo Out
Baby Tonight~You&Me~
Can’t get enough~gimme your love~
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP
Stay by my side
Everything’s All Right
happy days
Kimi to no Jikan (Time with You)

The first track on the album is the up-tempo and wonderful, Delicious Way. This is such a great album opener, because it really pumps you up and makes you eager to hear the rest of the album. It’s not necessarily as up-tempo as I would have liked, but at the same time, it’s still a song you can dance too. I can picture this song being played at a small gathering among friends, and everybody really getting into the song and singing along. The arrangement is very fresh and makes the song really engaging. Kuraki’s vocal performance suited this song well, she went with high tones, and they really meshed in well with the whole flow of it. The chorus is really catchy, and the bridge is just love. This is the perfect concert opening, or even concert closing song. It’s just a lot of fun.

I absolutely love the next track, Love, Day After Tomorrow. This is one of the first songs I heard by Kuraki, and I’m telling you it’s a song I will never get tired of hearing. It has such a quiet strength to it, that works. The song stays about mid-tempo, normally I would be a little frustrated, because it should be more up-tempo than it is, but this song is perfect as is. I love Kuraki’s vocal performance in this, her voice stays high throughout, but it doesn’t strain or sound grating in the least, and works to this songs advantage. The arrangement is very light and crisp; one of my favorite Kuraki songs, definitely.

The next track is another one of the first Kuraki songs I ever heard, Secret of my heart. Actually in truth I believe this was the first song by Kuraki Mai I ever heard, but I can’t really remember if that’s so. In truth this isn’t a song that would catch your attention, it’s rather slow-paced, and in truth never goes anywhere. Kuraki’s vocals are good, but they don’t really do anything. What always catches my attention, and is the reason why I like this song so much is the chorus, most notably the, ’secret of my heart’ part. It’s just really engaging to me, and somewhat catchy.

The next track is the very rnb-ish, Stepping oo Out. This song started off rather slow, and I thought that it was going to be boring, since the repeated, ‘baby I’ in the beginning was hardly interesting. I’m glad that the song picked up a bit, and even became a little catchy during the chorus. The arrangement is very urban and I like that, it really pulled me into the song as well as Kuraki’s somewhat deep vocal tone throughout.

The next track is the first real down-tempo one on the album, Baby Tonight~You&Me~. I really like Kuraki’s slow and sure vocal performance during this song, it’s makes the song interesting even though it’s incredibly boring. The arrangement is basic, but it really does mesh well with her voice, which is what I focused on. This isn’t a song I would listen to all the time, as then it really would bore me, despite me actually liking this track. It’s a nice, quiet listen.

Next up is the rather bland, Can’t get enough~gimme your love~. I found myself hardly paying attention to this song, because it was just so monotonous and uninteresting. The arrangement plays like background noise, and her vocal performance was pretty uninspired and lazy. It’s just very lukewarm to me.

The next track is the airy, NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP. I really love the arrangement to this song, especially when the song first started. Though it seemed very depressing to me, actually this song in general seems rather depressing to me. I thought Kuraki’s vocal performance was straight but nothing to write home about. She doesn’t really do anything with it, or this song for that matter, but I really like the whole flow of this track and the, ‘never gonna give you up’. It’s a decent song.

The next track is similar to Can’t get enough~gimme your love~ in terms of it being bland. Stay by my side is a rather dry song that never goes anywhere, or does anything, and is just seems to trickle along at the same pace. However it does have charm, especially considering that I like Kuraki’s vocals in this.

The next track ups the pace a bit and reminds me a little of Delicious Way. Everything’s All Right, is a nice little song, that feels like it should be faster than it is but is actually perfect at it’s mid-tempo pace. I really love the chorus, ‘everything a be all right if you want to get down tonight, I can change the world, move the mountains for you’, it doesn’t really do anything and has the potential to become uninteresting, but it’s steady pace is really appealing and makes the song likable.

The second to last track is the somewhat forgettable, happy days. I try really hard to like this song, because it’s not bad and actually has a bit going for it, such as a nice vocal performance from Kuraki and an all right beat, that doesn’t play too much like background noise. Though that doesn’t say a lot, unfortunately. This is a rare case where I like the verses more than the chorus. The chorus is what ruined the song for me, because it sounds so uninspired and lazy. The song is like half boring, half decent. I’m more inclined to say it’s boring.

The last song on the album is the down-tempo, Kimi to no Jikan (Time with You). The first time I listened to this for this review I thought it was boring and was going to file it away as just that, but I felt like I was being unfair and decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. I’m glad I did. This song really offers nothing and is your typical standard down-tempo ballad, but it has a touching arrangement and a wonderful vocal performance from Kuraki, and was a really nice way to end the album.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: ** stars

Kuraki’s Mai’s debut album, Delicious Way is actually a pretty decent debut, though nothing spectacular. A majority of the songs are pretty average, but this is still one of my favorite Kuraki albums and the first and last to feature such a clear cut rnb sound from her, as to where her follow-up albums are more pop oriented. Kuraki does sound similar to Utada in a lot of ways on this album, and though people may say it’s a rip-off, it actually works. This is her highest selling album to date, and that has to mean something. There isn’t really much I can say besides the obvious, this album is a nice debut, but it doesn’t have much variety and it’s pretty basic and predictable. You know how the high songs are going to go, as well as the mid-tempo songs and the down-tempo songs, so it’s no surprise. The only song on this album that actually separates itself from the rest is Love, Day After Tomorrow, and the rest seem to follow the formula of the rest. For example, Delicious Way, NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP and Everything’s All right all sound similar, just mixed up a bit. Delicious Way cannot compare to Utada’s debut Japanese album, First Love but it’s definitely a good listen.