Shimatani Hitomi [Heart & Symphony] (Fifth Album)

Sky High
Falco
真昼の月 (Mahiru no Tsuki; midday moon)
沙羅双樹 (Sara Souju; sal tree)
Salvia
Garnet Moon
Mona Lisa
kokoro (heart)
Mermaid
太陽神 (Taiyou Shin; sun god)
voice
フレーム (Frame)
Viola (crossover version)

The album starts off with the exhilarating Sky High. I’ve always thought this was a great song and with the exception of Flare Shimatani always manages to start her albums off with a bang. This song is quite refreshing and gives you such a high feeling of flying through the sky, or free falling. The arrangement is classical laced with techno and the result was rather flashy and engaging, because I paid attention to it more than Shimatani. Ah, Shimatani’s vocal performance was nice, no complaints there, I definitely loved it when her voice seemed to fade as she got into it, it always leaves an impression when artists do that. This was such a good start to the album.

The next track on the album is the somewhat suspenseful Falco. I say that because this is the type of song that should make your blood rush and your heart race, but it never quite manages it. The arrangement sounds like whooshing air, I’m serious. I’d say it should be the theme to a game series, but I’ll regulate it to some sort of fantasy anime, since ’sky high’ sounds more like a game theme. Its an all right arrangement, it just doesn’t leave much of an impression. Shimatani’s vocal performance was decent, but I recall hearing it mostly during the chorus, which was suppose to sound climactic, but I wasn’t moved. I don’t know, this isn’t a bad song, but it could have been so much more, it tries, but doesn’t quite succeed. I did like the chorus though (maybe it’ll grow on me).

The next track on the album slows things down with 真昼の月 (Mahiru no Tsuki; midday moon). Ah, what a gorgeous song. It made me think of Maaya’s ‘afternoon repose’ as it just moves through you and makes you smile. The piano arrangement is lovely and the added sparkle sounds were a nice touch. Shimatani’s vocals are beautiful in this, so warm and full of love. I just really enjoyed listening to this, its like ‘take me home’ all over again.

The next track on the album continues the slow pace with 沙羅双樹 (Sara Souju; sal tree). I have no clue what a ’sal tree’ is. This track is just as gorgeous as the last, but sounds a bit more ancient. The arrangement is rather quiet in simple, it doesn’t flow out at you, but moves through you, so its felt. Shimatani’s vocals were very soft and placating and it was just a nice vocal performance all around. This is another good down-tempo track from her.

The next track on the album is the light Salvia. I actually had to listen to this song twice, because it didn’t really do anything for me the first time. The second time it played a bit better. The arrangement is rather gorgeous, it sounds like a traditional flute and makes me think of Fushigi Yuugi and cold nights. Shimatani’s vocals are a bit heartbreaking to me, but I think that’s because of her tone and because despite how calming this song is, it does give off an adept feeling of longing and loneliness.

The next track on the album brings the pace back up with Garnet Moon. The title is quite pretty, though it does make me vaguely think of Princess Garnet from Final Fantasy IX. Its like a different more up-tempo version of the previous. The arrangement sounds like something you’d here in an arcade, only with a lot more class. Shimatani has done better vocal performances, but it was decent. This track isn’t really all that interesting, but maybe it’ll grow on me.

The next track on the album is Mona Lisa. This song plays a bit like ‘garnet moon’ and ’salvia’ combined. The arrangement is pretty dramatic at the start and somewhat throughout and it kind a made me think of horse back riding ala LOTR’s style. Shimatani’s vocals are good, as usual. Hmm? This song didn’t turn out quite like I expected it to, because it caught my attention, but didn’t really succeed in engaging me. I still like it though and I feel as if it will grow on me.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo kokoro (heart). You can toss this into the typical ballad pile, but its a rather nice one either way. The arrangement is a simple and elegant piano and violin piece that made me think of the Disney instrumentals. Shimatani’s vocal performance was soft and lovely and definitely kept the pace of the track at a serene flow. This song doesn’t stand out and she has way better ballads than this, but I liked it for what it was.

The next track on the album brings the pace back up with Mermaid. This is a pretty dramatic and somewhat dark song. The arrangement at the beginning is some truly Transylvania type organ music and then she goes right into the beat, which manages to keep a creepy Halloween type vibe throughout especially with all the ghostly ‘oh’ing’. Shimatani’s vocal performance was pretty much on point; pretty hard-hitting. I think I expected this song to be more flowing, but I like the twist and how it invokes an atmosphere of dark water crashing against a foreboding and rocky cliff. This also makes me think of Vampire Knight.

The next track on the album is 太陽神 (Taiyou Shin; sun god). I don’t know, with a title that translates to ’sun god’ I think I just expected more. The song isn’t bad, but it just doesn’t really stand out much at all. The arrangement sounds a bit techno, or bass-driven, but I like the freshness of it. Shimatani’s vocal performance was also nice. I guess I liked the flow of it, but there’s not much to say in regards to it as it doesn’t sound any different from ’salvia’, ‘garnet moon’ or even ‘mona lisa’.

The next track on the album brings on the ambiance with voice. This song gives off such an atmosphere of fantasy. The arrangement is pretty sweet, I really liked how folk and Irish and mildly epic it sounded. It also gave me the impression of a woman dancing barefoot wearing a flowing white dress. Shimatani’s vocals are gorgeous, because they always are, even so I liked the arrangement more. This track would have been perfect as the intro to a fantasy anime movie, or movie in general.

The next track on the album is the inspirational sounding フレーム (Frame). This played like the obligatory thank-you song and its pretty refreshing as it doesn’t sound like anything I haven’t heard before, but it has enough going for it to keep it interesting. The arrangement was nice, though it did play like one of those insert scenes to a climactic part in a movie. Shimatani’s vocal performance was good as well, she seemed really into the song, I especially loved when she would say: ‘arigatou’ Hmm? This track does seem to fade, but its likable and would have been a good ending to the album.

The last track on the album is the bonus Viola (crossover version). This song played a lot smoother than I thought it would and so I will assume that the original is a tad bit quicker than this in pace. The arrangement is rather simple, but fitting, I mean it doesn’t particularly jump out and grab your attention like most of her arrangements, but its a decent listen. Shimatani gave a nice and rather safe vocal performance. This track is pretty mild and mellow compared to the original, but they both offer pretty much the same in quality.

-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars

Shimatani Hitomi’s fifth album Heart & Symphony was pretty good, but pretty safe at the same time. Its almost like you’ve heard it all on ‘love letter’ so by the time you get to this the novelty has worn off. That doesn’t mean that this isn’t a good album, if you ignore ‘flare’ Shimatani does not have a bad album and they always have enough variety going for them to keep you interested. I enjoyed the more down-tempo tracks more than say the up or the mid-tempo’s, because its just something about Shimatani’s voice that makes them sound so good. I would have to say she does her more up-tempo tracks a lot more justice and that’s the sound I would like to hear from her more often than not, but on this album with the exception of ’sky high’ they all just seemed to bleed into each other and sound the same. I mean I honestly expected ‘falco’, ‘garnet moon’, ‘mona lisa’ and most definitely ‘mermaid’ to play a bit better than they did and be a lot more memorable than they were. Heart & Symphony is a nice listen, but its her most safest and average album since ‘papillion’.

Shimatani Hitomi [SMILES] (30th Single)

SMILES
Stay with me

Shimatani Hitomi’s 30th single starts off with the a-side SMILES. When I first heard this song I wasn’t too impressed with it, hearing it again on the single, I’m still not impressed, but its an all right song. I like the casual-ness of the guitar in the arrangement, it does manage to create a lot of atmosphere and reflects the video. Shimatani’s vocals are nice, it really sounded like she was content and that made the song a somewhat enjoyable listen. I mean it doesn’t stand out at all and plays like an insert song, but I like the calm and regular mood of it.

The next track on the single is its b-side Stay with me. This is a lot more interesting and memorable than the a-side, if only because of the pop-y and sparkly arrangement that plays so nicely in the background. Shimatani’s vocals are lovely. This is just one of those mildly catchy and rather sweet tracks that you can’t help but fall for.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: ** stars

Shimatani Hitomi’s 30th single SMILES was pretty nice, I actually found myself enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. SMILES is not all that stand-out of an a-side, but its endearing. Stay with me is the more memorable track and a very sweet one to boot. Shimatani started this new era off on a rather safe note and it was a refreshing change from the typical Shimatani fare, but I do hope she goes back to making epic music.

Shimatani Hitomi [Gate~scena III~] (Third Album)

overture ~Perseus
太陽のワナ (Taiyou no Wanna; the sun’s trap)
C’est la vie!
トラキアの女 (Torakia no Onna, Thracian Woman)
赤い砂漠の伝説（ (GATE Version) (akai sabaku no densetsu; legend of the red desert)
HARVEST MOON
Mirage ~BOY, I am a girl~
bella flor
Take me home
元気を出して (Genki wo Dashite, Cheer up)
月影のエデンへ (Tsukikage no Eden E, to a moonlit Eden)
J.U.M.P.
いつの日にか・・・（GATE version） (itsu no hi ni ka…, someday)
Perseus (HEAVENS WiRE vs. TRI-HEDGE RMX)

The album starts off with the sweeping overture ~Perseus. No matter how many times I listen to this song, I always think its an intro and then when it goes into the song, it just never fails to blow me away. The arrangement is so lively and fresh, and succeeds in keeping you interested and engaged. Shimatani’s vocals are great, she brought such life and personality to this song. It just gives you such a feeling of being free. This was a really good start to the album.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo 太陽のワナ (Taiyou no Wanna; the sun’s trap). This is such a lively song. The arrangement has such a Spanish flare, and that really makes it stand out, because there’s just so much variety and it stays consistent and up-beat. Shimatani’s vocals were great, I never really have a problem with her voice, and she certainly carried this song. I also loved how she seemed really into it, especially during the chorus.

The next track on the album is the light C’est la vie!. This is a pretty tame song, I actually expected it to be more grandiose than it was, but I think it played just fine. The arrangement was very festive, and fills you with such a good feeling that makes you want to go out and have a good time. Shimatani’s vocals were pretty mild in this song, but she sounded so good, singing this song in such a casual and free way. This was a really nice track.

The next track on the album is the not really down-tempo but somewhere around there, トラキアの女 (Torakia no Onna, Thracian Woman). This song was pretty light, just like the previous track was, but the difference is this song is a lot less interesting. The arrangement is nice, appropriately sparkly but nothing that ‘wow’s’. Shimatani’s vocals are quite pretty. The best part about this song is the chorus, which is really nice on the ears.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo 赤い砂漠の伝説（ (GATE Version) (akai sabaku no densetsu; legend of the red desert). This is another song that has a nice Spanish flare to it. The arrangement isn’t all that interesting but its fitting. Shimatani’s vocals were nice, but she sang this song in such a straight-forward way, and I wish she would have played with it more, or at least sounded like she was enjoying herself. The chorus is the best part, but the verses aren’t bad either.

The next track on the album is the lively HARVEST MOON. This was a pretty fun song. I really liked how quick the arrangement was, and of course like the majority of Shimatani’s music is, very Spanish-flare-y. I also love the variety, there’s so many things going on in the arrangement to keep you interested. Shimatani’s vocals were very light and casual and sounded like she really enjoyed singing this and that certainly bumped the enjoyment factor up. This song can get annoying, and honestly I don’t know why, it just depends on what mood you’re in while listening to it.

The next track on the album is the kick-ass Mirage ~BOY, I am a girl~. I love this song, its my favorite Shimatani song, hands down. The way the song starts an ends was such a nice touch. The arrangement sounds so Western and it made me think of being lost in the desert. Shimatani has such attitude in her voice, and I love when she says: ‘boy! I am a girl!’ At certain points in the song, when her vocals speed up a little, it sounds like she’s singing in Spanish. This song is just the love.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo bella flor. I don’t know why I find myself so indifferent towards this song. Though it could be because I expected in to be more Beauty in the Beast a la Hunchback of Notre Dame-ish. I mean, sweeping, elegant… beautiful. The arrangement is very dramatic in a festive sense, it had a lot going for it and certainly kept my interest. Shimatani’s vocals were fine, I like how she seemed to get into the song during the chorus, but its not a vocal performance from her that particularly stands out. I wish this song would have went a different, more sad ballad or everlasting love type route, but I found that I still quite enjoyed it.

The next track on the album slows things down with Take me home. I really adore this song. I love how it started of f with the birds chirping, it gave off such a peaceful air. It goes into the rather sorrowful guitar arrangement, that gives you a feeling of adept loneliness–that feeling of isolation that comes from the arrangement and Shimatani’s wistful vocal performance really gives you the feeling of wanting to go home. ‘Take me home, take me home’ when Shimatani sings that, I find that I can really connect with her, because she puts the right amount of emotion into her voice to make you feel what she is saying. Underrated track (like most of the songs on here). I love how it ends with the piano.

The next track on the album is  元気を出して (Genki wo Dashite, Cheer up). This isn’t an overtly interesting song, but I think I just like the way Shimatani chose to sing this song. The arrangement is rather fitting, and I kind of liked the horn? solo towards the middle of the song. I thought it was a saxophone at first, but it wasn’t. Shimatani’s vocals are nice, she sung this song in a casual ‘get happy’ type way, and it really made the song stand out in a sense, even if does intend to become a little draggy as it goes along.

The next track on the album is the atmospheric 月影のエデンへ (Tsukikage no Eden E, to a moonlit Eden). I really got a ‘moonlit’ vibe from this song, if that makes any sense. I mean I can just picture Shimatani singing this with her back to the moonlight, it makes for some gorgeous imagery. The arrangement is pretty interesting, quick in a sense but consistent and fitting. Shimatani’s vocals were nice, she sung this song in a very sure way and it gave me the impression of someone singing lead in a play or opera. I didn’t too much like this song at first, though I thought it was good. I’m still not very sure, but I’m almost certain it’ll grow on me.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo J.U.M.P.. This song is really quite annoying. The arrangement is very fast-paced, which based on the title, isn’t really all that surprising, but its so frenzied that it makes you feel like you’re on some sort of acid-trip. Then when it doesn’t sound wonky, its grating to the point of making your ears bleed. Shimatani’s vocals are fine, they’re actually the best part of this song, but its just all so contrived, and at points Shimatani sounded a bit uncertain. Her voice just doesn’t suit sugar-high songs like this.

The second to last track on the album is the festive いつの日にか・・・（GATE version） (itsu no hi ni ka…, someday). This song sounds a bit airy, and has the tendency to become annoying, but I think its a decent song. The arrangement is interesting in a bland kind of way, and seems very loud to me for some reason. Shimatani’s vocals were good, though I just found her voice to be a bit much. This song is good in its own right, but I find that I can’t really be bothered with it. I listened to this song three times, and not once did it manage to hold my attention.

The last track on the album is the annoyingly pointless Perseus (HEAVENS WiRE vs. TRI-HEDGE RMX). This remix was so unnecessary and messed up the whole flow–terrible way to end such a good album.

-GRADE: A
Rating: *** stars

Shimatani Hitomi’s third album Gate~scena III~ is quite possibly my favorite Shimatani album. I’ve loved it from the first time I ever listened to it, and I still love it now. Shimatani is one of those rare artists who always come out with top-notch albums. I mean not one album from her has disappointed me, well Flare was a pretty downer of an album. It just seemed like her heart wasn’t in it, which was a shame, because that could have been a good album. This album made me think of a Western, I mean the whole vibe of this album was Old West, and it was just such a good listen. Shimatani has some incredible and epic songs under her belt, so it just blows my mind that she’s not a good seller. It just reinserts my belief that people just don’t appreciate good music. I loved the majority of the songs on here. It started on a strong note, and unfortunately ended on a pretty weak and forgettable one. Gate~scena III~ is a great album and the only reason why I didn’t give it an A+ is because its a little on the safe side. Shimatani usually comes more grandiose than this, but in all truth she has some great up-tempo, mid-tempo and down-tempo songs, stand out being Mirage ~BOY, I am a girl~. This (and Shimatani in general) is for those who like to hear something a little different every once in a while.

Shimatani Hitomi [Ōsaka No Onna (Woman From Ōsaka)] (1st Single)

Ōsaka No Onna (Woman From Ōsaka)
Kaze no Machi

Shimatani Hitomi’s first single starts off with the a-side Ōsaka No Onna (Woman From Ōsaka). This song definitely sets a mood. I didn’t like this song when I first listened to this single, honestly I don’t even think I really listened to this song, but I had no idea then that it was an Enka song, so that must be why I didn’t really pay attention to it, because at that point, it just sounded way too weird for me. I’ve been getting myself acquainted with this genre of music, and find that I really like it, if sung right, because it really plays like opera, and you either like it or you don’t. The arrangement is very powerful in a quiet way; the violin, the drums, base, it all comes to together to give off the impression of something infinitely sad, moving and so very touching. Shimatani’s vocals as well, which just blew me away, they were so good. It reminded me of one of those openings or endings you might hear on one of those old school animes like Candy Candy or 3,000 Leagues In Search of Mother. This song could really bring you to tears, because it is just so beautiful in its poignancy.

The next track on the single is the b-side Kaze no Machi. If the a-side sounded like an opening theme, this is definitely the ending theme. They also sound similar, but the difference is in the tones. I didn’t get such a sad vibe from this song, its sad, but not as sad as the a-side. It sounds like a, ‘i can let you go but i’ll always love you’ type song. Shimatani’s vocals were great, she really has the voice for this type of music, and I really wish she would have done more with it, maybe go back to this genre sometime in the near future and let us see what more she can do with it, because these two songs really blew me away.

-GRADE: A
Rating: *** stars

Shimantani Hitomi’s 1st single really blew me away, I mean really blew me away. Ōsaka No Onna is gorgeous in its melancholy and Kaze no Machi is gorgeous in its nostalgia. I’m a bit disappointed that this single didn’t take off, thus forcing her to drop the whole genre all together, but at the same time, I’m not surprised.

Shimatani Hitomi [Flare] (Seventh Album)

Heavenly
Start
Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo (雨の日には　雨の中を　風の日には　風の中を; In the Rain When It’s Raining, In the Wind When It’s Windy)
Dita
Shinku (深紅; Deep Crimson)
Nakitai Nara (泣きたいなら; If I Want To Cry)
Dear…
Taiyou no Flare (太陽のFlare; Sun’s Flare)
WAKE YOU UP
Shake it up!
Neva Eva
Marvelous
Ai no Uta (Strings Version) (愛の詩＜Strings version＞; Poem of Love)

The album starts off with the mellow track Heavenly. I expected this song to be a little more than what it was, and as it stands its a pretty weak album opener. The song despite it being rather breezy and charming, is also very bland and seems boring even though I didn’t get bored once while listening to it. The arrangement is sub par compared to what I’m used to from Hitomi, usually her arrangements are very creative and majestic, this one is pretty basic and lamely sparkly. Hitomi’s vocals were good, but they seemed very uninspired to me. I do like this song, for some reason its easy-going-ness is very appealing to me.

The next track is the odd Start. This song just really confuses me, because I want to like it, but I really just can’t. The arrangement is nonsense, its really all over the place and so are Hitomi’s rather bored vocals. I mean for some reason this song just came across as very off-key to me, like the arrangement was moving quicker than her vocals and vice versa it was all very strange. I expected this song to be a lot more, but just like the previous track it played like some generic soap opera music from the 90’s.

The next track is the song with the longest title ever, Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo (雨の日には　雨の中を　風の日には　風の中を; In the Rain When It’s Raining, In the Wind When It’s Windy). The length of this title is really just absurd and every time I look at it, I want to ask why she felt the need to make it so lengthy? Anyways, this track is like the epiphany of generic 90’s summertime pop, at its most average. I thought the arrangement was nice, very windy and easy-going, its the type of beat that a make you smile for no good reason. Hitomi’s vocals were very light, she sounded free to me and a little sad. I did like her vocals in this though. I mean, this song is painfully mediocre but I like it, its a really charming song in my opinion.

The next track is the lovely Dita. I did not really pay much attention to this song when I first heard it, but its actually quite a good song, and a very danceable one at that. I mean it has a lovely Caribbean like flare to it, that makes you think of clear skies and a blue, blue sea. I could just imagine myself dancing across a ballroom floor in a beautiful, long flowing off the shoulders dress. Hitomi’s tones were light as well in this, but they fit in perfectly giving the song a very easy and enjoyable sound.

The next track on the album is the very adventure RPG-sounding Shinku (深紅; Deep Crimson). I first heard this song a while back, a long while back actually, and I remember I really liked the song but I hated the video. I thought the arrangement was a bit dark and very old-timey in its Spanish flare. It gave me the impression of a Spanish Western. I love Hitomi’s vocals in this song especially during the chorus, it seemed like she was really getting into the song and feeling it and it was like ‘this is the Hitomi i’m used to hearing!’

The next track is the down-tempo Nakitai Nara (泣きたいなら; If I Want To Cry). When I first heard this song, I thought it was boring and refused to listen to again. I did, and I actually found myself enjoying it the second time around and absolutely falling in love with its accompanied b-side. This song is very anti-climactic and still very boring. It never really goes anywhere, and it gives me the impression of ‘beige’ its just there. Hitomi’s vocals are nice but I did expect a bit more. The arrangement was OK, but just like her vocals I didn’t too much like it. The beat never drew me into the song, but for some reason made me feel cold. I still like this track though, its a decent listen.

The next track is the light-sounding Dear…. We’re presented with yet another down-tempo track and one that I surprisingly found myself enjoying this second time around. Yes, its srill quite a boring and mediocre song, but its mellow and crisp flow really make it interesting. The arrangement is very Hitomi typical, but a little watered down. It gives you the atmosphere of being somewhere infinitly beautiful with the one you love and I like that. Hitomi’s vocals were light and warm. I thought this was a nice song, even if it isn’t very memorable.

Next up is the albums title track Taiyou no Flare (太陽のFlare; Sun’s Flare). Well, its close enough. I actually expected this song to be a lot more epic than what it was, but I did enjoy it a lot more this second time around. The arrangement was very airy and breezy, it was almost like stepping through a sheen of water and the wind hitting your face soon after, its a very exhilarating feeling. Hitomi’s vocals were rather warm and light, but nothing really special. This is an average yet decent song.

The next track is the generic WAKE YOU UP. At least Ame… was somewhat enjoyable, this song is just annoying. I can’t believe Hitomi thought this was good enough to release as a single, but its no surprise seeing as how all her Flare era singles were weak with the exception of Shinku. The arrangement is forgettable throwback 90’s trash, and Hitomi’s vocals are grating and uninspired. The only thing I liked was the backing vocals, which made this song a tad bit interesting, or intriguing enough to keep me from pressing the ‘next’ button.

The next track is the mid-tempo Shake it up!. I actually expected this song to be a lot faster than what it was. I can not believe I went from not caring about this song to actually finding it mildly enjoyable. I mean nothing HAPPENS! It stays at the same pace arrangement wise and vocal wise. There’s no rise in the beat, no tone changes, nothing. I just think its a very simple song, and I think that’s why I find myself somewhat liking it.

The next track is the lack luster Neva Eva. I really dislike this song, its just so bad. Its takes everything about Spanish music that Hitomi made good and turns it bad, and I’m not really sure how she managed to do that. The arrangement is all over the place, I couldn’t even be bothered to care about it, it sounded like some amateur salsa party music or something. Hitomi’s vocal performance was forgettable and grating. This song just fails on every conceivable level.

The second to last track is the plain Marvelous. I don’t like this song, but I do like the arrangement. It has a very somber vibe going for, but at the same time its also a very inspiring and hopeful beat. Hitomi’s vocals aren’t really my cup of tea, but it wasn’t a bad performance. I just felt that she should have put more emotion and feeling into this song, it just didn’t seem like she cared. I like this song more as an instrumental, the song really does nothing for me.

The last track on the album is a bonus, Ai no Uta (Strings Version) (愛の詩＜Strings version＞; Poem of Love). I really did love this song when I heard it as the accompanying b-side to Shinku and I still love it now. The strings add more depth and emotion to the song, making it a sweeping ballad of longing and love. This is really a gorgeous song, and Hitomi’s lilting vocals really did this song justice. A very nice album closure.

-GRADE: C/C-
Rating: * star

Shimatani Hitomi’s latest album Flare is a huge disappointment. I’m not exactly sure what was going through her mind while she was doing this album, (or releasing the singles for that matter) but it obviously wasn’t on the music. Prima Rosa was a solid album, and I thought it could only get better, since I can’t recall once being disappointed with a Hitomi album even if I didn’t so much like Prima Rosa when I first heard it. Everything about this album from the arrangement to her vocal performances was uninspired, lazy, average and ultimately forgettable. I found myself liking this album a lot more during this second listen, because when I first heard this, I absolutely loathed it, now I just simply dislike it. Flare does not emit that majestic Hitomi air that I’ve grown to associate with her music. The ballads weren’t sweeping jewels, but boring lumps of coal. The up-tempo tracks weren’t epic, infectious and highly danceable, but lank and lacking emotion and drive. I guess it has something to do with the fact that Hitomi isn’t really selling at all, which I think is a shame because before this she was making some top-notch music–I guess along with her sales, her passion for making creative and memorable music has died also. I do hope to hear the old her again.