Okui Masami [Akasha] (Fifteenth Album)

Theme of Akasha
LOVE SHIELD
INSANITY
LOVERS
Shuushoku
Orange
Shape of myself
Melted Snow
TOTAL ECLIPSE
BLUE ~Noble Flame~
Akasha
Venus

The album starts off with the intro Theme of Akasha. Its starts off very sci-fi like, so I was kind a confused. Then it goes into a short of dramatic instrumental piece that sounds very familiar, but is nice on the ears.

The next track on the album is LOVE SHIELD. This is a nice track. I mean it sounds like an anime opening to a fantasy anime and I wouldn’t be surprised if it actually was. The arrangement is pretty typical, but I like the clear, crisp sound of it. Masami’s vocals were also good, especially during the chorus, which is this track’s highlight.

The next track on the album is the blaring INSANITY. This song seems to be more in my face this time around and also a lot more interesting, but I still find that I don’t like it. The spastic arrangement sounds very chaotic and futuristic at the same time which is neat and does kind a give off this feel of insanity. Masami’s vocals were also pretty strong, but I still find myself rather underwhelmed with it.

The next track continues the up-tempo’s with LOVERS. I definitely like this track. The arrangement is very airy and sparkly, typical for a song like this, but I love the consistent pace of it and how it makes me think of the sky. Masami also gave a good vocal performance, I really liked the chorus. This track makes me think of mecha anime and though I’m not really a fan of mecha, that’s not particularly a bad thing.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Shuushoku. This is a pretty nice song. I mean the arrangement is I believe that of a slow thrummed guitar and some bass, pretty simple, but nice nonetheless. I really liked Masami’s vocal performance, very genuine and it made this song almost pretty in a content and yet sad way. It made me think of people dancing.

The next track on the album is the rather upbeat Orange. I really didn’t expect this song to be so enjoyable, but it was. The arrangement is pretty lively and gives the song a very anthem like feel, though mild. Masami’s vocal performance was quite good in this track as well and she seemed really into it. The chorus is the best part. I think its just me, but this song also made me feel happy and sad at the same time.

The next track on the album is the same Shape of myself. I really wish that Masami would have just kept this track as a b-side. The arrangement is typically sparkly and very anime-ish and became overwhelming at certain points. Masami’s vocal performance was decent, but as typical as the arrangement, so I didn’t really care for it. This isn’t a bad song, but its not a very interesting one either.

The next track on the album is the dull Melted Snow. I liked this song a lot more on the single. I don’t know why this song is so boring to me all of a sudden, but it is. Its amazing how detached I felt from this track, despite liking the winter-y piano arrangement and Masami’s decent and somewhat emotional vocal performance. It was like, I just didn’t care.

The next track on the album is the sci-fi esque-ish TOTAL ECLIPSE. As I’ve said already on the single review of this, I liked this song a whole lot more than ‘insanity’ if only because its a lot more memorable. I thought her vocals were stronger in this and the arrangement a lot more interesting. It seems a bit underwhelming on the album though, but that’s not surprising.

The next track on the album is the psuedo-epic BLUE ~Noble Flame~. The title is pretty corny, but the song is all right. I thought Masami gave a pretty strong vocal performance, but the arrangement seemed to overshadow it, because I really enjoyed the guitar solo and found myself listening to the beat more than Masami’s vocals. This song is pretty hit or miss and kind a went over my head. Its not a bad track though and a decent listen, despite sounding very same and like an opening to some historical anime.

The next track on the album is the title track Akasha. I really hate that this song is so long, because its just unnecessarily long and plays like filler. The arrangement is pretty limp and I hardly cared for it, as it just seemed to be there playing rather blandly. It also seemed like Masami was trying too hard vocal wise and it just wasn’t working, because her vocal performance was weak to the point of being unbearable. This song seems to just drag on and on and on, for no apparent reason.

The last track on the album is the joyful Venus. This would be the perfect song to end a concert or tour with, because it just gives off such a good feeling, but retains that emotion of sadness, because you know this is the end. The arrangement is typically sparkly, but it just gives off such a festive and warm air that brings a smile to your face. I thought Masami gave a very charming vocal performance. It was a decent end to the album.

-GRADE: B-
Rating: ** stars

Okui Masami’s fifteenth album Akasha was pretty same. I don’t know, I haven’t heard many Masami albums, but this is definitely one of her worst. I say this because I am almost certain that there is nothing on this album that we haven’t already heard from her before and better. Despite my dislike of how average this album is I did like a few tracks on here such as ‘love shield’ and ‘orange’ so it wasn’t all bad. I don’t know, Masami has so much music its only natural for something to get lost in translation and we get an album like this. Its not bad, but we’re fifth teen albums in and its still the same song. I am not impressed.

Okui Masami [Melted Snow] (43rd Single)

Melted Snow
Shape of myself

Okui Masami’s 43rd single starts off with the a-side Melted Snow. This is a really average song, almost enough to bore me. I’m on the fence with this song, but I think I like it. The arrangement, despite being very simple is gorgeous and I love the subtle winter-y-ness of it. Okui’s vocals were surprisingly soft and they went well with the whole flow of the song, so I didn’t really have a problem with the vocal department either. The song is however too long to not offer much of anything and though it never really felt long I just had this sudden urge to go to sleep while listening to it. I’ll admit its a nice track though, but pretty safe for an a-side, even for a ballad.

The next track on the album is its b-side Shape of myself. If I thought the a-side was average, its nothing compared to this. Its like one of those insert songs you hear at some climactic moment in an anime, and I think it would sound better in that type of setting than on this single. Its so typical that its almost mind-boggling, from the arrangement right down to the vocal performance. I’ve heard ’shape of myself’ a zillion times before and better, this is a forgettable b-side and I really wish Masami would have kept it as just that.

-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars

Okui Masami’s 43rd single Melted Snow was all right, but I thought INSANITY stood out a lot more, even though I like this a-side a bit more. Melted Snow is a pretty ballad, but it plays more like a lullaby. Shape of myself is as cliche as its gets though, definitely.

Okui Masami [Crossroads] (Eighth Album)

Scramble
Love Locket ni Natte
Kimi to Boku ni Dekiru Koto
Happy Place
Strawberry Fields
Stillness
Mission
Necessary
Be Free
Bird
High High High
Iiwake (いいわけ, Iiwake)
Nemurenai Yoru ga Kureta Mono (眠れない夜がくれたもの, Nemurenai Yoru ga Kureta Mono)

The album starts off with the light Scramble. I thought this song was going to be a lot more frenzied than it was. I was thrown off a bit when the song first started, with some girls talking in broken English and British accents. I just couldn’t help but roll my eyes and groan, luckily the song picks up after that. The arrangement is very light and crisp, I believe it was a violin playing throughout, if so (or whatever string instrument it was) it was lovely on the ears. Okui’s voice was a bit grating for obvious reasons, I mean I like her singing voice, she really pulls off songs a lot of people wouldn’t be able to pull off, but I just wish it wasn’t so piercing, it really turns me off a lot of her music. I mean both Maaya and Megumi are seiyuu singers, but unlike Okui they have just beautiful voices.

The next track on the album is another light one, Love Locket ni Natte. I enjoyed this song a lot more than the previous track. The arrangement is very twinkly, and quick, but in just the right way and not to the point that its distracting or impossible. Its a really nice instrumental. Okui’s voice was a lot better this time around, since her voice sounded controlled, and not so high and piercing, it was actually quite enjoyable listening to her sing this. The song seems happy, but it does carry a certain undercurrent of wistfulness.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo Kimi to Boku ni Dekiru Koto. Okui got a bit aggressive with this song, I found that I really liked it. The arrangement was very anime-ish and old school, and I mean old school like Slayers or Nuku Nuku, it sounded like the opening to an old school 80’s action anime. I liked how controlled Okui’s vocals were, barely noticed the high an pitchy-ness of the first track.

The next track on the album is the annoying Happy Place. I’m thinking I should have saw this coming, but after the nice vocal performances from the last two tracks, I thought that it was only going to get better and better. Well we’ve hit a glitch. The arrangement is pretty irritating in its own right, it sounds like a guitar playing haphazardly and glaringly throughout, which is crazy for a song I was expecting to be a little more on the calm side. Then there’s Okui’s vocals, which were painful. She went back to that high-pitched sound of the first track, and it also didn’t help that she appeared to be yelling out the chorus. I’m just glad its over.

The next track on the album is the pretty rock-ish Strawberry Fields. I really have to stop assuming things, its getting me nowhere. I actually had to listen to this song three times, because I was on the fence on whether I liked it or not. the first two times I liked the arrangement, but not Okui’s vocals, the third time I liked them both. The edge in Okui’s pitched and strained vocals is endearing, and makes this song stand out. Plus the title is ’strawberry fields’ and strawberries are my favorite fruit, ’nuff said.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Stillness. This is the first real down-tempo track on the album, and its a pretty good one. The arrangement is a simple piano melody, that seems a bit assertive for a song like this. I thought Okui did a pretty good performance vocal-wise, her voice went along well with the whole flow of the song. I really liked the, ‘i love you, i love you’ parts of the chorus.

The next track on the album is the edge-y Mission. I really thought this was going to one of those songs that just blare out at you, like a true oldies anime opening, but its actually pretty calm and cool. The main instrument used in the arrangement is a guitar, and it sounds so Middle Eastern and raw, I really liked it, especially at the end when it was given time to shine, it creates such an atmosphere. Okui’s vocals were pretty slick in this, it seemed like her whole mind-set had changed and she was determined to get her point across. That’s the impression that I got from her singing, she seemed really into it. This track really surprised me, in a good way.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Necessary. This song is pretty half and half with me, but I’m inclined not to like it, because it just didn’t seem to accomplish keeping my attention. The arrangement has a bit of a twinkle in it, which sets a very sorrowful atmosphere, like that of tears falling into water. It was nice. Okui’s vocals were OK, but she did strain an awful lot, mostly during the chorus. This song doesn’t really ask for much, but I suppose she just wanted to put a bit more emotion into the song. I don’t know, I just can’t see myself listening to this again and enjoying it.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo Be Free. I really enjoyed this song, well, as it progressed. I loved the guitar in the arrangement, it really went right through me, especially when it got time to shine, it was such a lovely way to take out the song. Okui’s vocals were really good in this song, really went so well with the rock arrangement. It seemed like it would be more hard-hitting, but its pretty light.

The next track on the album is the airy Bird. This song had the potential to be a really good song, but its just when you get into the song it becomes nearly impossible. The arrangement is really nice, I like how smooth and peaceful it seemed, the piano really bringing a nice flow to the song. Okui’s vocals were good during the verses, pretty low. Then during the chorus, they rise, and its the return of the high-pitch, and it just becomes very annoying. The static sound at the end was pretty odd as well.

The next track on the album is the annoying High High High. I was really glad when this song finally ended, rather abruptly. Its a song that plays like you’re in the fastest car in the world, but you aren’t driving, no, you’re on the passengers side, slowly dying of shock. The arrangement is very everywhere, so I didn’t really care for it. Okui’s vocals were typical for a song like this, high and all over the place. Its safe to say, I didn’t like this song, not even a little.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo Iiwake (いいわけ, Iiwake). This song started off on a rough and forgettable note, what with Okui’s vocals being near unbearable. It picks up though as you go along, with a nice and hard-hitting arrangement, that plays aggressively but is actually quite the mood setter. Okui’s vocal performance got better, as she stopped trying to sing out of her limit and thus her voice stopped straining with it. This is an all right song.

The last track on the album is the lank Nemurenai Yoru ga Kureta Mono (眠れない夜がくれたもの, Nemurenai Yoru ga Kureta Mono). Well, this was a boring song. I guess its suppose to be down-tempo, but I never got that impression. The arrangement is weak, its a piano melody that is as simple as it gets, but not only that, it sounds like someone is just tapping the same exact key, to the make the same exact sound, over and over. Yawn. Okui’s vocal performance was forgettable, because it was so uninspired and dull and if I hadn’t of been doing something else, I would have fallen a sleep. Not a good ending to the album.

-GRADE: B-
Rating: ** stars

Masami Okui’s eighth album Crossroads was all right but by no means was it good. I’m glad to say that I actually got through this album at a pretty breezy pace, I didn’t find it hard to review at all, which was a relief. Otherwise I don’t think I would have included her as a permanent on my blog, which is why I ended up taking off all of the others that I was debating on doing, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to do them. I like Masami, so i’m glad I’m going to be able to listen too and review her albums without too much of a struggle. Anyways, this album was not very memorable in my opinion, in truth I can only vaguely remember: Scramble, Strawberry Fields, Stillness and Mission, but just barely. Crossroads wasn’t a bad album and is definitely worth a listen or two, if you can get pass the high-pitch of her voice on some of the tracks.

Okui Masami [INSANITY] (39th Single)

INSANITY
TOTAL ECLIPSE

Okui Masami’s 39th single starts off with the a-side INSANITY. Its pretty up-beat and energetic in a mild and serious way. The arrangement is a bit typical, it has a funny twinkling sound in the background that I didn’t quite get. It sounds like something you’d hear as a music clip in a fighting game. Okui’s vocals were good, went well with the song, and stayed consistent, but after awhile her tones got a bit annoying. Its not anything different or new, but it is an OK song.

The second track on the single is the b-side TOTAL ECLIPSE. I liked this a lot more than the a-side. The arrangement had a very dark feel about it, and was pretty edgy, I liked it. Okui’s vocals were really good in this and a lot more engaging than they were in the a-side. I also really liked how she seemed to get into the song. This was more a-side material if you ask me, because its a lot more memorable.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: ** stars

Masami Okui’s 36th single INSANITY was all right, but nothing really special. INSANITY was a nice song, but it just gets old and head-ache inducing, really fast. TOTAL ECLIPSE was a lot better, and sounded more a-side than INSANITY did.