October/November J-Music Releases (part 1)

Two whole weeks without writing anything, I had to do a big entry !

Here are new songs (except Nana ;D) I’ve listened released in October and November. Hopefully I’ll do a second part of this entry tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

Part 2 is available here.

YUI – It’s all too much / Never Say Die

Her precedent single, again, was just awesome. This time again, YUI doesn’t disappoint me, but I have the feeling that she’s currently lacking creativity : her songs are starting to be very alike. So, there’s no need to describe It’s all too much and Never Say Die : if you like YUI, you will like this single ;D (no I’m not doing my lazy guy) However, the YUI acoustic (played and sang by YUI) of again (third track) is awesome.

Rating : 4/5

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May’n – Styles

The “first album” (it was actually a mini-album) of May’n was so-so : only her solo version of Lion was interesting, but the one featuring Nakajima Megumi is way better. What’s about of Styles ?

Well, it’s a really good album, but clearly pop oriented, with some hip-hop at some points. First track, Get Ready, gives the tone : “get ready cuz the feeling’s right, get ready we can take all right”. Fortunately, May’n is pretty good in English. The track is heavily pop oriented, but that doesn’t make a bad track, and we are already given a good sensation at the start ! キミシニタモウコトナカレ (Kimi Shini Tamou Koto Nakare) and standing bird are quite similar, less pop oriented, darker, more calm but they remain quite dynamic. XYZ is even more peaceful, and according to May’n, after A B C comes X Y Z ! ;D *joke* Let me be myself is an excellent track, even more peaceful, less synthetic, more pop-rock than pop. Deep Breathing is the ballad of this album, with only acoustic instruments (piano, drums…) and chorus. Very restful. Welcome to My FanClub’s Night! -Styles ver.- is probably my favorite track with Get Ready, because it starts with a good violin solo, then follows up with a guitar solo, and the combination of them both during the whole track is excellent. Lyrics are all in English, and we realize that May’n is really good in English, as opposed to some other anison artists ! XD Strangely, the further you go into the album, the lesser the songs are interesting : h@e me? h@e you! is allright, but パラノイア (Paranoia), and YOUR ROCK don’t have anything special. M-Revolution is somewhat the happy-song of the album, andHeart & Soul is an acoustic guitar ballad, in an American feeling.

To conclude, it’s a good album, you shall listen to it if you’re either a anison fan, a pop liker, or a May’n fan !

Rating : 3.5/5
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Hirano Aya – Speed Star

Aya is really really far from being an excellent singer (yes, you fanboy, clean your ears !) : her voice is really high-pitched, not very original (in her songs, I mean), and she wastes way too much energy when she sings. And yet she’s an amazing seiyuu, with a huge potential and an amazing versatility in her voice (we could only experience with Konata though, I admit). I was curious about that new album of her, so let’s taste a bit of it.

stereotype~inst~ is… err… a sort of techno track, with mainly “instruments”. Not what I really like. Super Driver is the opening of Suzumiya Haruhi second season. I hated the anime (to some extent), and… I hate this song too. Her voice… well, it’s Haruhi singing. =/ Sing a Song!, Kiss me and アイシテ！ (Aishite!) are as weird : when Aya hits high notes or long syllable, it just goes wrong. Oh my darlin’ is completely surprising, a “kawaii” (it sounds fake actually) that we aren’t given to hear often. At some times, you really wonder if it’s Aya. 8D The track is peaceful, really likeable since she doesn’t scream. XD I really liked 水たまり (Mizu Tamari) and あの花のように (Ano Hana no youni), which are two calm and acoustic tracks.VOXX is really pop-rock oriented, with notable electric guitar and a voice nearly “diva”. A darker track, but a really good one ! Set me free is alright as long as we don’t hit those particular notes. This time again, it’s pop-rock oriented, featuring drums, guitars… pretty common, but the song globally is good. Lock-On sounds like VOXX, but in a more synthetic way. スピード☆スター (Speed☆Star) is very similar to Super Driver, maybe a bit less exaggerated in the screams. Finally the album ends with an old single, Unnamed World (ending theme of Nijuu mensou no musume, a really good anime btw), which is an alright track, still very pop-rock.

To conclude, it’s Hirano Aya. Globally, the songs remain in the high-pitched domain, with some exceptions here and there. I wonder if Aya will sing back songs like Doushite… or Rule DE MY Chisujo… ;_;

Rating : 2/5