Maaya Sakamoto [Kazeyomi (かぜよみ, Wind Reading)] (Sixth Album)

Vento
Triangler
Kazemachi Jet ~ kazeyomi edition (風待ちジェット～; Jet Waiting for a Good Wind)
Remedy
Ame ga Furu (雨が降る, Falling Rain)
Get No Satisfaction!
Ao no Ether (蒼のエーテル, Blue Ether)
Shitsuren Cafe (失恋カフェ, Heartbreak Cafe)
SONIC BOOM
Peanuts (ピーナッツ)
Saigo no Kajitsu (さいごの果実, The Last Fruit)
Colors
Kazamidori (カザミドリ, Weather Cock)
Guitar Hiki ni Naritai na (ギター弾きになりたいな, I Want to Be a Guitar Player)*

The album starts off with the intro Vento. A gorgeous melody occupies most of this just over one minute track; I’m not sure if it was the piano, but the sound was nice. Maaya comes in with some high yet light vocals as well.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo Triangler. I was almost tempted to say spastic, but it never really gets to that point. I really hate when songs just start off with the artist singing it has always irritated me, because I’m not prepared and when the song started with Maaya singing in a high-pitched voice it scared the shit out of me. I think I liked this song better on the single, because I don’t too much like it on the album, though there doesn’t appear to be any sort of difference. The arrangement has a lot of variety, its very light, fun with a serious undercurrent and it stays at least somewhat consistent if not a little all over the place. Maaya’s vocals in this I didn’t too much care for, though they didn’t sound half-bad. Hmm? I don’t know, I just didn’t like this, this time around.

The next track on the album brings the pace back down with Kazemachi Jet ~ kazeyomi edition (風待ちジェット～; Jet Waiting for a Good Wind). Ah, this is quite a change from the quick-paced original. Maaya decided to slow it way down and its rather nice, though a bit weird. I still enjoyed it despite the slow pace and Maaya’s vocals seemed better as well. I do prefer the original though.

The next track keeps the down-tempo’s coming with Remedy. This is quite the gorgeous song and one of my new favorites. I didn’t expect to get so absorbed in this track, but the beautiful, soft plucking of the guitar and Maaya’s light and lovely vocals really just sold me. I honestly wish this had been released as a single. I also can’t believe this is the second ending to that godawful anime, ‘linebarrel’s of iron’

The next track on the album is Ame ga Furu (雨が降る, Falling Rain). I still like this song, though not as much. Maaya’s vocals are still wonderful, but I never noticed how semi aggressive the chorus was when I was reviewing the single.

The next track on the album is Get No Satisfaction!. I’ll admit, I was a little worried after I read the title, but honestly this is a pretty good song. The arrangement is typically sparkly, but in a sense it fits. Maaya’s vocals are light and she seems to be very into the song, I especially like when she says: ‘get no satisfaction!’ Though I did enjoy this song, I kind of wish she would have went for a more experimental approach in regards to it, maybe a little rock and edge element, the pure poppy-ness of this track just does nothing for me.

The next track on the album is the quiet Ao no Ether (蒼のエーテル, Blue Ether). This song doesn’t jump out at you and after a while it does become a bit boring, because it doesn’t really do much and can come across as very uninteresting. The arrangement is more on the acoustic side with Maaya singing alongside a slow churning piano. Maaya’s vocal performance was nice, but I felt it could have been better. I do like this song though, its all right.

The next track on the album is the half and half Shitsuren Cafe (失恋カフェ, Heartbreak Cafe). I really like the title and I actually expected this song to be more down-tempo than it was. The arrangement is the best part, it sounds so lounge and though it got a bit messy towards the end, I still thought it stood out, more than Maaya’s vocals anyway. Her vocal performance was very weak and that really put me off the song, I also noted some strain-age. I didn’t like the random break-down part as well either, it just came across as very pointless to me. This isn’t a bad track, so I guess like ‘triangler’ this a grow on me… maybe.

The next track on the album is the mild SONIC BOOM. I’m not surprised that a song called ’sonic boom’ is on an Maaya album, I am however surprised that it wasn’t an up-tempo mass of frenzied-ness, though I’m not sure why that is, especially considering how calm a singer Maaya is. The arrangement was rather pretty and Maaya’s vocals complimented said arrangement perfectly, the chorus I like the most. This is a nice track.

The next track on the album is the light-hearted Peanuts (ピーナッツ). I was unsure on whether or not I was going to like this song, but I guess after giving it a second listen it grew on me pretty quickly. The arrangement makes me think of an innocent yet coy love and Maaya’s vocals seem to reflect that. And speaking of Maaya’s vocals, I liked them quite a bit in this song. I mean this is a song that can come across as quite weird and its a bit off-putting, but its still an interesting listen.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Saigo no Kajitsu (さいごの果実, The Last Fruit). I’m not sure why Maaya decided to come out with this as a single, it plays more like an album track or a b-side. It doesn’t really jump out at you in an obvious way, but in a very subtle way. The arrangement is pretty interesting, I really like the water sounds throughout, well I only really heard them at one point, but I always like hearing the sound of water. Maaya gave a good vocal performance, soft during the verses and a bit high during the chorus. This is a song that’s always a nice listen, but not one that is particularly memorable.

The next track on the album is the airy Colors. This song really sounds like a windy day and that makes it quite the interesting listen. The arrangement is just very natural and seemingly spiritual in a way or maybe that’s just me. Maaya’s vocals were really gorgeous in this, but I can’t help thinking she sounded like someone whose name I just can’t put a finger on. It’ll come to me eventually, I think. Nice listen.

The second to last track on the album is Kazamidori (カザミドリ, Weather Cock). I’m not sure what a weather cock is or maybe I do know and am having one of my slow moments. The arrangement was gorgeous nice use of the violins? And drums. Maaya’s vocals were also quite lovely, put me in such a relaxed mood. Just a really nice and calming listen.

The last track on the album is Guitar Hiki ni Naritai na (ギター弾きになりたいな, I Want to Be a Guitar Player). I really like the title, gives off such a feeling of nostalgia and dreams. This song went pretty much the way I expected it to, driven by the guitar it gives the song a very acoustic vibe. Maaya’s vocals are nice and fitting. Its short a bit under three minutes, but its a nice listen and a pretty good track to end the album on.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: **1/2 stars

Maaya Sakamoto’s sixth album Kazeyomi was a pretty good album. I’m not really surprised, I always find that I rather enjoy Maaya’s albums, if only for their uniqueness and her voice. Its been a while since Maaya last released an album, the last Yūnagi Loop having been released way back in 2005. Is this better than Yūnagi Loop? I kind a think so, but I’ll give said album another listen before I pass judgment, because her most stand-out album to me is Shōnen Alice. I was kind a anticipating this album, if only because I was getting sick of all the singles preceding it. I thought it was pretty much worth the wait and the album only tracks played a bit better than the singles and I definitely took note of that. I mean who would have thunk I’d end up liking ’sonic boom?’ Not me that’s for sure. I was pleased that she included ‘kazemachi jet’ since that was released back in ‘06 and I actually thought it was going to be a single only release, I still like the original more, though the new version isn’t bad, it just doesn’t give me that free fall feeling that the original does. Kazeyomi is a good album, probably one of her best.

Maaya Sakamoto [Kazemachi Jet / Spica] (14th Single)

Kazemachi Jet (風待ちジェット, Jet Waiting for a Good Wind)
Spica

Maaya Sakamoto’s 14th single starts off with the a-side Kazemachi Jet (風待ちジェット, Jet Waiting for a Good Wind). This is an old song (it was released back in ‘06) and I was honestly wondering if she was going to put it on her next studio album or if it was going to be just a single release song. I’m glad she did, because I don’t think it’ll sound dated at all. I’ve never really noticed the piano in the arrangement, I’ve always just got a feeling of being lifted up by a current of air. It gives off a very airy feeling and it makes you feel light an exhilarated. Maaya’s vocals are lovely, but I hardly noticed the verses. The chorus is where the track stands out, especially when her voice goes high towards the end. This is one of my favorite Maaya songs and actually sounds like it should have been on her BEST albums Hotpotch or Nikopachi.

The next track on the single is its b-side Spica. This is the type of song that really just passes over you and you know you like it, but you can’t for the life of you really remember it. In truth that makes the song a bit unmemorable, because this is like the definition of one of those songs you just ignore. The arrangement is airy, so it couples nicely with the a-side. Maaya’s vocals are also quite lovely, but they only shine during the chorus which is nice and feels you with a feeling of warmth. This is an all right track, but its not one I would listen to often.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: ** stars

Maaya Sakamoto’s 14th single Kazemachi Jet / Spica is a decent single, but one that pretty much passes over me. Kazemachi Jet is one of my favorite Maaya songs, but the novelty has worn off, despite it still being a good and somewhat inspiring song. Spica is a nice song as well, but its pretty quiet and the a-side completely overshadows it making it a forgettable track.

Maaya Sakamoto [Grapefruit] (First Album)

Feel Myself
I and I
Grapefruit
Migi Hoppe no Nikibi (右ほっペのニキビ, A Pimple On My Right Cheek)
Pocket wo Kara ni Shite (ポケットを空にして; With a Pocket Like the Sky)
Orange Iro to Yubikiri ((オレンジ色とゆびきり, An Orange Color and a Pinky Promise)
Aoi Hitomi (REMIX) (青い瞳, Blue Eyes)
Yakusoku wa Iranai (約束はいらない, I Don’t Need Promises)
MY BEST FRIEND
Kaze ga Fuku Hi (Maaya version) (風が吹く日, The Day When the Wind Blows)
Sono Mama de Ii n’da (そのままでいいんだ, It is the Way to Call)

The album starts off with the peaceful Feel Myself. This is a very long song, nearly seven minutes long. It feels long, but you’re never ready for it to end, because it just plays so beautifully. The arrangement is like air, very gorgeous and sweeping air. Maaya’s vocals are so light and fragile, like a whisper over the skin. Its really such a soothing song. I love when she says, ‘feel myself, feel yourself’ it almost sounds sexual in a sense, but we know that’s not the songs intention. I use to love listening to this in school on my MP3 player, very rarely did the shuffle stop on this, so it was always a treat when it did.

The next track on the album is another, not exactly down-tempo, but light-sounding I and I. I never really pay attention to this song when I listen to this album, because it has always seemed very boring and forgettable to me. Listening to it now, not so much. I actually like how clear the arrangement sounds, and how Maaya’s vocals are lovely as usual. Its a pretty nice song.

The next track on the album is the title track Grapefruit. I would never think a song with the title of one of the nastiest tasting fruits in history could sound so sweet. The arrangement is very smooth and mellow, and maybe its just my rnb mind playing tricks on me, but a bit well… rnb with that constant thrum I heard, that brought much personality to the song. Maaya’s vocals were wonderful, as usual.

The next track on the album is the childish Migi Hoppe no Nikibi (右ほっペのニキビ, A Pimple On My Right Cheek). What an odd and rather disgusting title… Anyways, I didn’t too much like this song. I thought it was a bit too kiddy-ish for me, and I’m prone to go for songs like that, but not when they’re annoying. The arrangement sounded very carnival-ish, and its all rather creepy. Maaya’s vocals were nice, but I just didn’t like the light and cutesy tone she had throughout, or the fact that the song seems to just end.

The next track on the album is the whimsical Pocket wo Kara ni Shite (ポケットを空にして; With a Pocket Like the Sky). Wikipedia translates it to, ‘with and empty pocket like the sky’. I’ve always adored this song, the light, airy and un-hurried quality of it. Maaya’s soft yet sure vocals and how it rises during the chorus. It makes me think of walking down the street and whistling. Its such a nice song.

The next track on the album is the stagnant Orange Iro to Yubikiri ((オレンジ色とゆびきり, An Orange Color and a Pinky Promise). Okay, the title is a bit… WTF? But the song is even more so. The arrangement seems to have some sort of dark, electric rock thing going on and it clashes awfully with Maaya’s child-like vocals. I just after a while got so bored and irritated with this song, I just ignored it until it was over.

The next track on the album is the lovely Aoi Hitomi (REMIX) (青い瞳, Blue Eyes). I was a little wary of the remix in the title, but honestly if all remixes were this good, I wouldn’t loathe them so much. This song just seems to embody someone very beautiful and very innocent whom you love dearly and want only to protect. The arrangement, piano, plays like a dream that seems never ending, and Maaya’s vocals are just love. This is one of my all time favorites from her.

The next track on the album is a personal favorite of mine, Yakusoku wa Iranai (約束はいらない, I Don’t Need Promises) (another translation I got is: A Promise It Doesn’t Enter). This is one of my favorite anime songs of all time, top ten I believe. It just never gets old and plays like a classic, I love it. The arrangement makes you feel so free, and its just such an inspiring and lovely instrumental. Maaya’s vocals are as usual, so good it hurts. I just can never say this enough, but she has such a beautiful and light voice that carries songs like this to heights no other artist could achieve. Its like you never get tired of listening to her sing, because she just moves you.

The next track on the album is another favorite of mines, MY BEST FRIEND. Aw, I really just love this song, its so special. The arrangement is just so casual, and makes you think of long days with your friend just hanging around and doing nothing but laughing and just being happy to be in the others presence. Maaya’s vocal performance was very sweet and touching–I think she was singing in Japanese in the beginning but the rest is sung in carefully pronounced English. I don’t know why that doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the song, because her English isn’t really all that good. I guess I just over look that because I love the song so much. ‘You’re the one and only, my best friend…’

The second to last track on the album is the gorgeous Kaze ga Fuku Hi (Maaya version) (風が吹く日, The Day When the Wind Blows). When the song first starts, with the sad, somberness of the instrumental, it really makes you feel heavy and makes you think this is going to be one depressing song. It isn’t. Its a hopeful type of song. The arrangement picks up a tad, and Maaya’s voice is lovely and light, a bit wistful, but not sad. The chorus is definitely the highlight because it sounds so sweeping, that along with the arrangement just seems to carry you away. Its a really lovely song.

The last track on the album is the quiet Sono Mama de Ii n’da (そのままでいいんだ, It is the Way to Call). This song plays like that person in the back of the class who no one ever notices, but knows is there, and I think that’s where the charm lies in this song and why I enjoyed it, even though its a pretty boring and forgettable song. I honestly can’t really recall it, but I know that though the arrangement wasn’t much, it fit and though Maaya’s soft vocals don’t stand out as much as they usually do, she still gave a nice performance. It was a odd song to leave the album on, because when it ends, you’re wondering if it ever really played? It just sweeps past you like a swift breeze, felt but not seen.

-GRADE: A
Rating: *** stars

Maaya’s Sakamoto’s first album Grapefruit is still as good now as it was when I first listened to it. I think its even better. I just like the fact that its such a calm album, that showcases a lot of beautiful, lovely and wistful atmosphere. There were a lot of Vision of Escaflowne songs on here. Its seems like such a long time ago when I was watching that series, and simply loved it. Though I can’t recall ever hearing the songs, so I’m glad I’m able to hear them now that I’m older and can enjoy them for the gems that they are. Grapefruit does not disappoint, and is just exceptional for that of a debut album, that plays like an anime soundtrack. Its an album that can and should be listened too, again and again.

Maaya Sakamoto [Ame ga Furu (雨が降る; The Rain Is Falling)] (16th Single)

Ame ga Furu (雨が降る; The Rain Is Falling)
Praline (プラリネ)
Praline (1+1)

Maaya Sakamoto’s 16th single starts off with the a-side Ame ga Furu (雨が降る; The Rain Is Falling). What can I say? This is another gorgeous song from Maaya. The arrangement is really lovely, just so crisp and peaceful. I mean it gives you this feeling of what it sounds like after the rain has stopped, its very comforting, especially at the end. Maaya’s vocals are so good, she has such an incredibly fragile and light voice, it really brings such uniqueness to the her songs and this track is no different. Just lovely.

The next track on the single is the airy Praline (プラリネ). Oh, I really liked this, I believe even more than the a-side. The arrangement was gorgeous, and everything about it just made me feel so light and free. Maaya’s vocals were top-notch, its like her voice gets more beautiful with time, and she really gave this song such atmosphere, to make it sound just so pretty. Lovely times two.

The next track on the single, that comes after the a-side’s instrumental is another version of the b-side, Praline (1+1). It looks like I wasn’t the only one who wanted more. Maaya decided to include another version of her b-side, this time without the original arrangement and accompanied by a piano. I loved it. Maaya can do no wrong. I just wonder what the 1+1 is suppose to mean?

-GRADE: A
Rating: *** stars

Maaya Sakamoto’s 16th single Ame ga Furu is just what I expected it to be, lovely. Ame ga Furu is a beautiful a-side that displays contentment after the rain has fallen and gone. Praline is even better, washing over you and making you feel so airy and free. Praline (1+1) was good as well, and sounded so right accompanied by the piano. This single made me think of water, that’s just the feeling I got.

Maaya Sakamoto [Dive] (Second Album)

ID
Hashiru (Album Ver.) (走る Run)
Baby Face
Getsuyou no Asa (月曜の朝, Monday Morning)
Pilot
Heavenly Blue
Peace
Yucca
Neko to Inu (ねこといぬ, Cat and Dog)
Kodoku (孤独, Isolation)
DIVE

The album starts off with the nice flowing, ID. A song by Maaya in which I have never liked. I love Maaya Sakamoto’s voice, it is just so lovely and fragile and really makes her songs stand-out–she picked such a lovely light tone to sing this song in, and I did like how she picked up the pace and volume with certain parts, but at the same time the song really does nothing for me. I don’t really know what it is, because this is a nice fresh way to start off the album, and really makes you think of clear blue skies on a nice warm day–but I just don’t favor this song at all, and I find it rather forgettable.

The next track on the album is the airy, Hashiru (Album Ver.) (走る Run). This is a song by Maaya that I have always been rather fond of, because I love how carefree it is. The arrangement is just so breezy, with a wonderful violin stretch at the beginning and the end of the song, and though its kind of mellow it really brings the song to life. Maaya’s vocal performance for this song really shun, because she didn’t do too much, and staying at the same innocent tone, really gave this song a child-like appeal, that really makes it memorable.

The Next track on the album is the endearing but irritating, Baby Face. This is a cute little song, that really gives forth a positive message in believing in yourself, but it all get’s lost in translation when you notice that this song is very elementary. The arrangement is pretty basic, I can’t even really remember it and I’ve listened to this song I don’t even know how many times for this review, but though I can’t recall it when you listen to the song you’ll just know its there. Maaya keeps the same tone throughout the song (and she sings the entire song in English I believe, though it was hard to understand her at some parts), and her voice is very light and almost grating in a sense, because her tone in this song for some reason really annoys me and makes me hate this otherwise all right song.

The next track on the album, Getsuyou no Asa (月曜の朝, Monday Morning) is one I don’t really get; with a title like ‘Monday Morning’ you would expect the song to be incredibly slow-paced and calming; mellow. But for some reason the arrangement is strangely chaotic and weird, like it’s trying to be dark and experimental at the same time, but just comes off sounding rushed and un-balanced. Plus Maaya’s voice was very weak in this song, it was almost like she wasn’t even trying and the music seemed to overwhelm her, because I heard it more than I heard her vocals. This song is very forgettable and pointless in a sense.

The next song brings me back to Hashiru in terms of lightness. Pilot is the type of airy arrangement and light tone that I am used to from Maaya. There isn’t really much to say about this song, because it is pretty basic, and doesn’t really do anything other than what it should. And I like that. The song is very peaceful, and does give you the feeling of being a pilot and flying through the clear blue skies.

The next track on the album is the mellow, Heavenly Blue. The songs like this are some of my all time favorite Maaya songs, she really knows how to capture a mood, and this song really sounds heavenly all the way through. The arrangement is very crisp and fresh, and makes me actually want to listen to the instrumental. Maaya’s vocals are gorgeous and I really love the, ’seems too good, too good to be true’ parts of the chorus. Very nice and calming song.

The next track is the odd, Peace. I honestly thought this was going to be another Pilot and Heavenly Blue but it went more along the lines of Getsuyou no Asa, in just sounding very strange. Peace sounds almost displaced, and I can’t really connect with the song at all despite it being so quirky, because nothing about it is memorable at all. I can’t even remember listening to it, it’s just that forgettable.

Yucca the next track is very nice and light on the ears, but at the same time its not a terribly interesting song. The verses are pretty basic as well as the arrangement which just does what it should and nothing more. The chorus is the highlight of the song, but it’s just really simple and not catchy or fun. Yucca is a pretty boring song, but its a nice listen.

The next track is the down-tempo, Neko to Inu (ねこといぬ, Cat and Dog). I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this song, because it is just incredibly slow-paced, and I was thinking this is the type of song that would have fit perfectly on her 30minutes night flight mini album. The arrangement is really lovely, with these little twinkle sounds here and there that make it the perfect listen. Maaya’s voice is very low, but light enough that you can hear her clearly. Her vocals were very sorrowful to me in this song, but still very good.

The second to last track is the pretty down-tempo, Kodoku (孤独, Isolation). It’s a nice little tune, that doesn’t really offer much vocal-wise, but offers a lot in terms of arrangement, which I have to say is what made this song shine. It’s not an overtly interesting song, because though the arrangement changes, and then ends beautifully with the strings playing, Maaya’s voice does not. However her voice does blend in well to make this a nice listen overall.

The last track on the album is the gorgeous, DIVE. Ah, this song is really pretty, I’d have to say. One of my favorite sound effects is that of water, I don’t care if it’s falling, pattering, dropping, trickling, swishing, flowing–whatever. The sound of water period is just so moving to me, and I love how she incorporated it into the song. Maaya’s vocal performance was very light I thought, and it really made this song stand-out despite her not doing much with it tone wise. The same goes for the arrangement which doesn’t do much either but it still does its part. It’s a lovely song to end the album on.

-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars

Maaya’s Sakamoto’s second album DIVE is not as good as I thought it was going to be. Though I didn’t really have any expectations going into this album, it still let me down in a way. This album is pretty safe, I mean there’s nothing on here (with the exception of Peace and Getsuyou no Asa) that you wouldn’t already expect from her. I mean you have simplistic beats and mellow tones, nothing new and nothing original. There also is not a lot of variety on this album, and the songs all seem to follow the same mood: mellow, calm and peaceful. It’s all pretty boring. I did like a lot of the songs on here though, more than I originally thought I would and that’s a plus. I love Maaya’s voice, she really does have a gorgeous tone, and though her songs seem to follow a very basic approach, she does have a lot of songs that just leave you in awe, because they are so cleverly put together. This album unfortunately has none. DIVE is most definitely not a bad album, and is worth a listen for both Maaya fans and casual listeners, but even though its still a rather dull play through.