Koda Kumi's 7th studio album, TRICK — A Review

Amidst from all the controversy that swirled around her last year, Koda Kumi continually manages to be one of the top acts in Japanese music. Her 7th studio album, TRICK is in all accounts a danceable record — with the exception of 4 ballads.

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℃-ute's 4th Album, ④Akogare My STAR — A Review

While I’ll keep it short as my review for Koda Kumi’s new album comes right after this, I do quite like this new album by ℃-ute. It’s worth noting that while I wouldn’t put it too high of a regard; it’s, however, their best well-rounded album to date over their previous work. And much like Berryz Koubou, a few of the tracks are performed solo (Yes! all my family by Airi Suzuki, Seishun Song by Yajima Maimi), duet (Aishiteru Aishiteru by Saki Nakajima and Kanna Arihara) & a trio (One’s LIFE by Erika Umeda, Chisato Okai, and Mai Hagiwara). Those tracks do hold on their own plus it’s a great way to show the individual members what they’re capable. On the structure of the 3 singles released (Namida no Iro, FOREVER LOVE, and Edo no Temari Uta II), they do compliment the other non-singles well, making it a well-balanced album from start to finish.

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Reflection.

I’ve been thinking of a line on how to start this post, but at this point it wouldn’t seem appropriate. It’s definitely not how I (or anyone) wanted 2009 to start; Last Friday evening (16th), we lost a friend and fellow co-worker, John Oldewurtel to a fatal accident. What’s surreal is that we had gathered for a meeting that morning; I was talking to him about Rock Band, old school hockey video games and the usual Canucks updates of all things. Upon hearing the news that day, I just thought of the time when we lost our cousin nearly 2 years ago. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Right now, being so far away from home and your family, where all you want is just a hug, you confide with the friends you have to lend support.

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Ayaya's 6th studio album, Omoi Afurete — The Review

This is quite possibly the last studio album Aya Matsuura will have under Hello! Project, with the impending mass graduation of the Elder Club in late March. In the past 7 years, dating back to her debut album First Kiss (ファーストKISS), there has been a gradual transition from upbeat and genki tunes to nice and soft ballads; with the major shift in transition from her 4th album, Naked Songs, Aya seems to have found a nice balance with her new album.

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Almost broke? Solution: watching lots of anime!

A week back to work after a lengthy holiday break, shaking off the rust and going in head-first with teaching again. And with the recent Osaka trip draining all my money; leaving, oh, less than 15000円 (at least 13000円 committed to travel alone) until the 23rd or so. Apart from work and casually learning the ins and outs of DSLR photography, I’ve found another thing to occupy my free time: anime. I’m on a current rotation of 7 different anime series — needless to say, I’m quite hooked. More after the break.

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SNSD weekend performances..in case you missed it

The weekend has come and gone, not before the Girls had their comeback performances. The perfs from MBC Music Core and SBS Inkigayo both used Way to Go and Gee, making for a lot of SNSD to watch; as far as which network had the better performance, I much preferred the latter. No word yet on their next performance(s) (which includes the comeback stage on KBS2 Music Bank). With the dawn of YouTube allowing HD content, the SNSD experience got a whole lot better. Videos after the break

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Girls’ Generation Mini Album – Gee: The review

With their comeback performance held until the 10th — possibly due to the condition of Sunny earlier in the week. Saturday’s performance on MBC’s Music Core went off without a hitch as the Girls had the honour of the last performance of the evening; combining the title track, Gee, as well as the second track 힘 내! (Way To Go). The Girls are off to SBS’ Inkigayo next (11th) to continue their comeback track.

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Girls' Generation Mini Album – Gee

With their comeback performance on KBS not till the 9th, the album itself evidently came out a couple days before. Courtesy of Twisted Stars on WordPress, the entire mini album is available for preview. As such, do support the Girls by ordering your own copy (via YesAsia). The Tower Records in Kanazawa is my best bet in obtaining the mini album on the 9th; and I do like the chances. Tower is currently selling their 1st album as well as the repackaged version of said album (‘Baby Baby’) as well as albums from fellow SM group SHINee among others. No doubt the distributor (or co-publisher, take your pick), Avex Trax, a familiar name in Japan has a part in this. I’ll give it more listens to add a review. If all goes as planned, by Saturday at the latest. SNSD is back! wat wat! keep listening.

READ♪

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Shokotan shines her Magic with 2nd album

A sophomore album can really make the difference in where you are as an artist, and it appears Nakagawa Shoko ( 中川翔子 ), or Shokotan ( しょこたん ), is doing all the right things. Her 2nd full album, titled Magic Time, is a vast improvement as a whole over her debut album Big Bang. The whole album keeps up the pace, every track is full of energy with up tempo instrumentation — similar to seiyuu Mizuki Nana. The last track, a new mix of Sorairo Days ( 空色デイズ ) has an interesting mash-up with the chorus from happily ever after, off the Big Bang album; which I find to be a nice twist — one of my favourite tracks of this album.

One other notable nitpick has nothing to do with the music itself, it’s the choice of using a full-sized obi-strip (backside spanning entire length of jewel case) which I do find annoying (generally only covering the spine), it can’t be folded within the jewel case itself, which is more a possibility of it getting lost.

Tracklist: (tracks noted with an asterisk are favourite/recommended tracks)
1. your “Magic Time”
2. Spiral
3. through the looking glass
*4. 続く世界 (Tsuzuku Sekai)
*5. シャーベット色の時間 (Sherbet Iro no Jikan)
6. マカロン□ホリディ (Macron Holiday)
7. Brand-new day
*8. Shiny GATE
9. 冬の遊園地 (Fuyu no Yuuenchi)
10. 綺麗ア・ラ・モード (Kirei a la Mode)
11. Ivy
*12. 空色デイズ -天元突破EDITION- -bonus track- (Sorairo Days)

Release date: 2009-01-01
.zip file; 73MB (all files @ 192kbps)
mp3 files properly tagged w/ album art
link via MF

YesAsia:

CD+DVD
CD

That’s all for now. Keep listening.

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A list of things (that don’t go right) + a retrospect of the trip thus far

I thought I learned by now that watching what I say (or type) can instantly come back to haunt me. If my last post is of any indication, I have the worst of luck. A friend of mine said his pet peeve would be people commiting to something and don’t act on it. So I’d say this situation is similar; but in a way, I’m at fault too (only for benefit of the doubt). I’m told to come to Osaka on New Year’s Day in the hopes of actually meeting [my friend]; that almost sounded too good to be true…and it was. Then again, I tend to believe drunken broken English @ 3am on Christmas morning; but I digress. Needless to say, the wait will continue but will it be worth it next time I’ll be led on? (yeah, pessimistic here). So much like Tokyo in November, I end up more miserable than when I came in.

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