AAA - Break Down Banner

Hey people, what’s up? I know, I know… I’ve been slacking off from reviewing stuff for the better part of the year and a half. Since that’s the case, I figure I’ll add some reviews that I’ve been meaning on writing. The first of the series is AAA’s “Break Down/Break Your Name/Summer Revolution” single. This single was released on July 29th, 2009 and it is AAA’s 21st single. Considering that I personally haven’t heard anything by AAA for a while, this is a nice refreshing change of pace in what I’ve been listening to lately (non-Japanese music).

So what’s new with this single? Nothing much breaks (no pun intended) from the typical AAA sound. It’s the same Japanese dance-pop music with techno influence for instrumentals. It’s good stuff though, don’t get me wrong. The beat is prominent and catchy and the vocals are excellent. No slow songs for this single, so for those people that love those lovely AAA balads, too bad. The instrumentals are good for all the songs, but I’d say it doesn’t stray from what has already been done before.

Instrumentals: 8.7

Although the instrumentals and the dance beat along with the techno feel makes this song sound like something from the 90s, I’m not very impressed. I like how well it is blended and mixed, but much of it is too similar to what I’ve heard before from T.M. Revolution and even Two Mix way back when. Everything is crisp and clear with little muddiness. The breaks in the music don’t interrupt with the flow and rather add effect to what otherwise may be boring. In terms of what is used for instrumentals, it’s synthesized beats and computer sounds along with sirens. All of which I think AAA has used before. The effects are fairly typical of the techno and trance genre.

Vocals: 9.5

Everybody sings well in all three songs. Every note sung is sustained well. There is some nasally sounds coming from both the girls, but that is just how they sing. The vocal parts and arrangements were produced and performed well in all three of the songs. Nobody seems to over sing.

01 Break Down

First off, it sounds like “brak down” in the beginning, but they actually sing “break down” in the parts where there isn’t any mixing involved with the vocals. If you can get past that, the rest of the song is pretty good. It definitely is a techno/dance mix with good vocals. The effects are reminiscent of things I’ve heard in the 90′s. I guess you could call it a throw back, but AAA has pretty much been in this area of music since their creation. The rap sections are combined pretty well with the singing portions. The blending between the two is well done. There isn’t much variance except when the rap comes in periodically throughout the song.

02 Break Your Name

This is a guys only song. The instrumentals are pretty much the same from the last song. You could say it keeps with the dance/techno theme of this whole single. The sirens are well incorporated into the song. It’s a fast moving song with a pretty good melody. The beat is strong and mostly in the midrange. Good balance and little break in the music between transitions from section to the next section.

03 Summer Revolution

This is the girls’ song. It keeps with the dance/techno theme of the whole single. It has lighter instrumentals than the guys’ song. The melody is the typical JPop sound rather than the hip-hop rhythms that are rather popular with artists now-a-days. I would say that nothing is really exciting about this song.

Overall:

All of the songs are fast beat and rather good, but not exciting or different from most Japanese dance/techno beat music. You could say it’s a take on JPop in the late 80s and 90s. If you think of it that way, it’s a good retrospect on music, but for the current trend in music it is a little dated. I think AAA could stand to be a bit more creative.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 8.7
Vocals: 9.5
Replay Value: 7.0
Quality: 9.0
Overall: 8.55 (Great)

And we are back after  a long break because of school and an awfully short vacation. I noticed my viewership is about the same and I thought it was about time to start posting again. When thinking of my comeback post, I thought long and hard about what I should do. Should I introduce a new section or feature to the site, or should I try and bolster what I have? As you can see, I decided to go with the latter.

I’ve been a continual fan of GLAY for a couple of years now. Their music has always lifted my spirits and added variety to my mostly stagnant collection on my computer and iPod. For this review, I’m going to analyze GLAY’s “I am XXX” single. If you haven’t noticed, many of my reviews are based on my first listen through and I write what ever comes on my mind and what I like in the songs. I hope this single is as good as the other music I’ve heard from GLAY.

Instrumentals:

A bit heavy on the bass, but it added good instrumental effect. I liked the incorporation of the electronic effects on the instruments. There seem to be more personality in the music outside of what you typically hear from GLAY. Drums were loud, but solid.

Vocals:

Strong as ever and very clear.

01 I am XXX

This song introduces a bit more synthesized and effects driven instrumentals than what I’m used to with GLAY. “I am XXX” is also a bit heavier in the instrumentals as well. In a way, this song is more like art rock with plenty of experimentation with their sound. It doesn’t have the same rhythm as their past music, which makes “I am XXX” interesting. Good song, and worth a listen if not a couple more.

02 冬のエトランジェ (THE GREAT VACATION-extra- Live ver.)

Great melody and I love the effects done to the vocals. The song has a distinct beat that is heavy and slow, but it is fitting to the feel of this song. Again, a great experimentation with GLAY’s sound that doesn’t carry much of the familiar feel of their past ballads. The piano is very nice and complements the rest of the instruments and ends this song well.

03  I am xxx (Instrumental)

04 THE GREAT VACATION VOL.1 (予告編)

Blast from the past?

Overall:

Good experience overall. I like this single for how different it sounds from past GLAY works. There are some moments that I felt were a little slow or didn’t meld well in “I am XXX” but it was good in the whole sense. As for replay value, I’m peculiar and will let anything play again at least two or three times depending on what comes up on my computer. If you aren’t like me, you may want to take a step back before getting this single and consider how much you like GLAY. It’s a good single, but if you don’t like the difference or if you’re stuck on how GLAY sounded for the last two albums, reconsider.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 8.9
Vocals: 9.0
Replay Value: 8.6
Quality: 9.0
Overall: 8.875 (out of 10, great single)

Did you guys miss my reviews of ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION? Wait, there aren’t any for some reason. I was sure I reviewed them at least one or two times. Anyway, there are some songs that I seem to like from this band, but there are others that keep me away at a distance. I found that much of their work consists of the same old stuff that mirrors from one song to the other. One other band that is subject to this is UVERworld. Let’s see if this album does anything different from what we’ve heard before. (continue reading…)

Someday is a Korean album released by Younha on September 9, 2008. I finally get more music from Younha. It’s a great album with tons of different sounds and styles. I was excited to get this in the mail, and now I’m very excited in reviewing this and perhaps letting you have some samples. Of course, like with all of my other album reviews, they are only streaming samples. I have always thought Younha had a great voice and I still do. It was a little discouraging not seeing much new activity from this artist for quite some time, but when I found out this album was released, I was ecstatic.

(continue reading…)

‘Sup people? Here’s another review for you all. If you like UVERworld, and I know many of my readers do, then you’ll be glad that I decided to review their new single. The A-side is used as the opening song for Gundam 00 Season Two. When I heard it for the first time, I thought that I needed the song. UVERworld has such a distinct style that you can recognize out of any rock band. Hanakaku mo Towa no Kanashi marks UVERworld’s 12th single according to Wikipedia (as wiki.theppn.org is down) and was released on November 19, 2008. (continue reading…)

Being as busy as I am right now, it’s amazing that I can bring myself to do a review of a single. I should really be studying right now, but hey, this is a music review! If you’ve been a regular reader here, you must know that I am a fan of Glay. Their music is always creative, high in quality, and never tiring to listen to. It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed or even listened to Glay.

“Aka to Kuro no MATADORA” is Glay’s 41st single released on September 10, 2008. (continue reading…)

I’m glad to review another Porno Graffitti single since I’ve grown to like them quite a bit. They have a unique sense of music. It’s also interesting how they have a certain style, but change it and blend it with other musical elements. Perhaps that is why I constantly want to listen to their music and wait for new material. This single observes their very experimental nature in music. “Love, too Death, too” would be their 26th single released on October 8, 2008.

At first I was taken aback with the style and weird nature of the A-side, but I could hear that perhaps it takes a couple more listens to like it. Great quality and definitely different from what I’ve heard from Porno Graffitti. (continue reading…)

It has felt like forever since I have heard Laruku. It’s a rather refreshing experience since I have been listening to just about the same thing everyday on my iPod. This single was released August 27, 2008 and marks their 35th single. Wiki.theppn.org states that NEXUS 4 was used for a Subaru Legacy commercial and the song SHINE was used as the opener for the anime Seirei no Moribito. It is a two song single with instrumentals like many of Laruku’s previous singles.

Somehow the sound and the tone of these songs give L’Arc~en~Ciel a U2 -like feel. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing, but if you like Laruku’s music then you won’t mind the blandness. There are some interesting things to notice in the music. It’s a rather tamed single and wish it had a bit more excitement like their other singles before this.

Instrumentals:

Good quality and loud. Great volume and clarity. The mixing the arrangements are nice with a decent amount of intricacy. Is it me or does their instrumental sound continually sound similar to Glay’s? The synthesizers used sound typical of techno-beat like stuff, but it quickly moves back into Laruku’s typical instrument arrangements with guitars, bass, and drums accompanied by synthesizers.

Vocals:

Great as always. Strong and not too dramatic like in the past couple singles that I’ve heard. No dropped tones from what I’ve heard. Plenty of passion and emphasis on the beat.

01NEXUS 4

Great bass in this song. The beat in the background sets a fast paced and exciting mood to NEXUS 4. There are certain elements of the song that makes it sound very much like Glay would have. The rhythm guitar and the synthesizers used are Glay in style. It’s a good song and blends different sounds well. I felt the guitar solo was more of an afterthought rather than a natural extension to the song. Pretty short, good, but a little underwhelming.

02 SHINE

Dramatic beginning with synthesizers and very techno-like instrumentals. The guitars and drums come in after the introduction and set the tone for the rest of the song. Very ballad-like. Great rhythms and arrangments in the background. The vocals are strong and clear. In this particular song, there are some points that sound much like U2 used in their music. The beginning in particular was very much U2 in nature with the sounds of the guitars moving into the main melody. Good guitar solo that actually matches the song well. It reminds me of something from Laruku’s past music, and the best part is that it is decently long. Though a good song, nothing much goes on but not to the point that it is repetitive.

03 NEXUS 4 [instrumentals]

04 SHINE [instrumentals]

Overall:

Good single from Laruku, but a little underwhelming in my honest opinion. Some may not like the fact that Laruku is using many styles from other bands and sources, but that’s the experimental nature of their music. It definitely still holds their own sound, but it is well mixed and blended with the previously mentioned material. I would go as far to suggest anyone to spend money on this, I would probably wait for an album in the future to hear these songs.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 9.8
Vocals: 9.8
Replay Value: 7.9
Quality: 8.9
Overall: 9.1 (Excellent)

Hello, hello people! It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed SOMETHING, so let’s start out with something good. You all know by now that I like Porno Graffitti even though I only have one of their albums. Their style is unique and musical arrangements are great. I haven’t heard any two of their songs sound too similar. Let’s just say, I’m glad they decided to put out a new single.

Itai Tachiichi is Porno Graffitti’s 24th single and features three songs, but no instrumentals. Upon hearing the first notes and the vocals of Okano Akihito I immediately got into the music. This single sounds very different from the songs in their album Porno Graffitti. It’s a refreshing blend of new instruments and rhythms. The vocals are nice and the melodies are interesting. You’d be insane not to like this single just for the musicality of Porno Graffitti. Sometimes I wonder where they get their creativity from. The arrangements are nice, and you can’t forget about a decent guitar solo thrown in.

Instrumentals:

Great rhythms, volume, and blending. I really enjoyed listening to the different instruments used in each song. I like how they incorporate things other than the typical rock ensemble. I don’t believe I heard any instrumental arrangements that sounded similar to other songs made by Porno Graffitti.

Vocals:

Great vocals. Clear and strong from what I heard. The mixing was well done, with great balance with the instrumental parts.

01 Itai Tachiiichi

Starts off with a wailing jazz-like saxophone and the first verse starts immediately. Great blend between the jazz-like instrumentation and the rock sound. I like the echo effects on the drums at certain parts throughout the song. The guitar part repeats a distinct rhythm section in the background throughout the song. Great arrangement between the vocal parts and the instruments.

02 Summer Page

Like many other songs I’ve heard, this starts with ambient noise and the music comes in right after. This is a nice summer ballad. Soft vocals and island beat instrumentals in the background. I like how Porno Graffitti can take other types of music and combine it with their unique sound. Great chorus, I suggest this song to everybody that likes Porno Graffitti.

03 Night Train

Starts in a rough guitar riff that sounds similar to what I’ve heard in a Styx song. It’s a heavy song with a decently fast beat. The chorus is great and I like the instrumentals, too. Great use of rhythms and the guitar solo is pretty good and decent in length. I just wish it were a bit longer. Great blend between verses from the heavy sound to smooth sections before the chorus. This would probably be my favorite song of of this single.

Overall:

Great single, I suggest you to listen to the songs. I honestly would wait until the album to get these songs though, but you should really do that for any single. Often times I find myself liking most of this band’s music on their album.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 9.8
Vocals: 9.8
Replay Value: 9.5
Quality: 10
Overall: 9.78 (Excellent!)

We are back with another HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR single called HOT LIMIT. Released on June 25, 2008, this marks COLOR’s 13th single. I believe my previous reviews of their other recent singles gave them a hard time. With this new single, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR regained my confidence in their music. It’s full of new sounds and creative output from the band. HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR did a really good job with this single and I hope it continues for a while.

This single is definitely different from what I’ve heard from this band. It explores newer regions and blends new with old. I enjoyed listening to all three of the songs from start to finish without skipping through. The sound quality and arrangements are much better this time around as well. For anybody that is new or familiar to HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR, I would highly suggest that you listen to the three songs in this single.

Instrumentals:

Great choice of instruments and synthesizers. I find this single to be among the most clear from their previous work. Balance is pretty good as well, everything can be heard. There are interesting things to listen to in the guitar parts.

Vocals:

Strong vocals and great melodies. All three songs don’t follow the same formula, meaning they are unique in their own right. The melodies and rhythms are also pretty different from other singles by HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR.

01 HOT LIMIT

This has to be the most creative song I’ve heard from HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR. It has a 80s flare with synthesizers and techno-like sound similar to what TWO-MIX had. Good guitar accompaniment and remains clean and clear so the other instruments can be heard as well. HOT LIMIT has a deep beat and bass sound that pushes the song along. It’s a great song, please listen to it.

02 Kira Kira SUMMER

Sounds sort of like a take from SUNSHINE or some summer song by AAA. It’s a great song and has that summer feeling. Kira Kira SUMMER has a great melody, arrangement, and great incorporation of ocean sounds in its instrumental break. Good use of light voice filters and harmonizing vocal parts give this song some backbone, otherwise it probably would not sound just right.

03 Mirror

Fantastic guitar opening and blends into the first verse well. I like how they kept the guitars clean so you can hear the vocals and other small things going on in the background. Mirror follows the HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR formula of music, but the way it is put together and how different the melody is makes this song very different from their past music. I think it is due to the fact that the instrumentals are more intricate and has much more depth than what I’m use to hearing from this band. Great song and worth a listen.

04 HOT LIMIT (instrumentals)

Overall:

Great improvement in instrumentals and effort in changing things up. I always like to hear something new from music artists and I’m glad HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR chose to step from their usual boundaries. This single holds three great songs and I think this would be a worthy addition to anybody’s collection.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 9.6
Vocals: 9.7
Replay Value: 10
Quality: 10
Overall: 9.83 (Excellent!)