嵐 ▪ 僕の見ている風景
Haven't done a review in a while, but this calls for it.
CD 1
01. movin' on - A catchy chorus, but rather uneventful.
Grade: B+
02. マダ上ヲ - The beginning is completely 'huh?' - like what kind of song is this? But once the violin starts, it becomes awesome. I would love to see this song in concert - with a violinist going all out in center stage. If I had a complaint, it would be that the violin suddenly stops! Why?! Sho's rap is rather awesome here, too. Just please forgive my lack of a vocabulary for not being able to pinpoint what style of music this is. (And what does this mean...? Mada ue wo?)
Grade: A+
03. リフレイン - Most probably the best song in this album. This is completely a drama song - as I call it. One of those melodramatic kdramas. I even created a plot for it - with a plot hint from Emkay.
The male and female protagonist have always been close friends since childhood and have always been devoted to each other. But as they go into college, the male protagonist suddenly stops spending time with the female protagonist and pushes her away. Hurt, she makes new friends and tries to forget him. But, the male protagonist actually has a fatal illness and he pushed her away so that she wouldn't have to bear his pain. So instead, he gazes at her from afar and watches her as she meets with another guy on a rainy night, his hair plastered to his head by the rain. He tries to stagger home, but the rain has exacerbated his illness and he is sent to the hospital. Our female protagonist, not knowing any of this, picks up a call from her mother, who finally breaks it to her that he had been sick and that he has been hospitalized. She runs to find him, only to be too late and can only recompense through her tears.
Grade: A+
04. Troublemaker - Fun all around. And with 'su-weet, su-weet', you can't go wrong.
Grade: A-
05. T.A.B.O.O - Sigh. This kind of song is just not my style. At all. Maybe after listening to it a hundred times... I really wanted to like Sho's solo. It would have been so much better if it were a full rap song like Hip Pop Boogie...
Grade: B
06. サーカス - Catchy, but kind of dark-ish. Just not fond of the 'rendezvous'.
Grade: B+
07. ギフト - Ballad. Really, maybe, the only one in this album. It' rather nice having it just be their voices without a strong instrumental to cover their voices. (At least at the beginning, that is.)
Grade: A-
08. Everything - It's pretty, but I don't think it really stands out. I've always like 'Season' better. ^^;
Grade: A-
09. Come back to me - Autotune... The chorus part with the autotune is fine. But... Just how many songs is this?! It sounds like at least three separate ones. The autotune does help Jun, though...
Grade: B
10. マイガール - It's rather sweet. And who can forget that music video. But the best part is probably the two percussion beats it starts on.
Grade: A-
11. Magical Song - Magicaru... banana! This is soo Aiba. A great 'lol' of a melody. (Does anyone else get DDR - Butterfly vibes?... Well, whatever. Konami should just include this song in their next DDR reiteration.)
Grade: A-
12 let me down - Not my style of song. I just feel no connection to it.
Grade: B
CD 2
01. Monster - Ohno needs to star in more dramas. His drama songs are always so delish.
Grade: A+
02. Don't stop - Decent chorus. I think with more listens it might get more likable.
Grade: B+
03. 静かな夜に - It's a bit weak compared to 'Take Me Faraway' as in in the use of Ohno's strong vocals. Ohno could have had a stronger song, but this one is nice to listen to.
Grade: A
04. むかえに行くよ - This song is rather beautiful in its own way. And in its own way, it's heartbreaking. Once it hits the chorus, the song just seems very reminiscent - as if we've forgotten something very important.
Grade: A+
05. 1992*4##111 - If you like jazz, you probably would like this song. Nino is rather talented, isn't he?
Grade: A-
06. 空高く - At least we can finally hear Sho's rap in full now! Haha
Grade: A-
07. kagerô - Now this is an anime song! For some reason I'm visioning space. Going off to fight battles and win! Um... yes.
Grade: A-
08. Summer Splash! - Fun summery song. Random female voice! (Have they ever had random female voices before?) Rap is fun! Especially if it's Ohno (and of course Sho) doing it. Let's all go to the beach! ...with Arashi! (And of course, Sho's 'hahaha', is great; it's classic.)
Grade: A-
Edit: Wait, so the first press edition with the booklet and the normal edition is the same price? I was so confused at Kino today when I only saw one version - the one with the booklet! I was trying to find the limited edition!
Anyway, it seems my local Kino has stopped stocking on the day before (dawn of release date in Japan), and is stocking the day of. But, they've also stocked up on nearly all other RE albums! Whoa... There is just TOO much Arashi in that store now.
CD 1
01. movin' on - A catchy chorus, but rather uneventful.
Grade: B+
02. マダ上ヲ - The beginning is completely 'huh?' - like what kind of song is this? But once the violin starts, it becomes awesome. I would love to see this song in concert - with a violinist going all out in center stage. If I had a complaint, it would be that the violin suddenly stops! Why?! Sho's rap is rather awesome here, too. Just please forgive my lack of a vocabulary for not being able to pinpoint what style of music this is. (And what does this mean...? Mada ue wo?)
Grade: A+
03. リフレイン - Most probably the best song in this album. This is completely a drama song - as I call it. One of those melodramatic kdramas. I even created a plot for it - with a plot hint from Emkay.
The male and female protagonist have always been close friends since childhood and have always been devoted to each other. But as they go into college, the male protagonist suddenly stops spending time with the female protagonist and pushes her away. Hurt, she makes new friends and tries to forget him. But, the male protagonist actually has a fatal illness and he pushed her away so that she wouldn't have to bear his pain. So instead, he gazes at her from afar and watches her as she meets with another guy on a rainy night, his hair plastered to his head by the rain. He tries to stagger home, but the rain has exacerbated his illness and he is sent to the hospital. Our female protagonist, not knowing any of this, picks up a call from her mother, who finally breaks it to her that he had been sick and that he has been hospitalized. She runs to find him, only to be too late and can only recompense through her tears.
Grade: A+
04. Troublemaker - Fun all around. And with 'su-weet, su-weet', you can't go wrong.
Grade: A-
05. T.A.B.O.O - Sigh. This kind of song is just not my style. At all. Maybe after listening to it a hundred times... I really wanted to like Sho's solo. It would have been so much better if it were a full rap song like Hip Pop Boogie...
Grade: B
06. サーカス - Catchy, but kind of dark-ish. Just not fond of the 'rendezvous'.
Grade: B+
07. ギフト - Ballad. Really, maybe, the only one in this album. It' rather nice having it just be their voices without a strong instrumental to cover their voices. (At least at the beginning, that is.)
Grade: A-
08. Everything - It's pretty, but I don't think it really stands out. I've always like 'Season' better. ^^;
Grade: A-
09. Come back to me - Autotune... The chorus part with the autotune is fine. But... Just how many songs is this?! It sounds like at least three separate ones. The autotune does help Jun, though...
Grade: B
10. マイガール - It's rather sweet. And who can forget that music video. But the best part is probably the two percussion beats it starts on.
Grade: A-
11. Magical Song - Magicaru... banana! This is soo Aiba. A great 'lol' of a melody. (Does anyone else get DDR - Butterfly vibes?... Well, whatever. Konami should just include this song in their next DDR reiteration.)
Grade: A-
12 let me down - Not my style of song. I just feel no connection to it.
Grade: B
CD 2
01. Monster - Ohno needs to star in more dramas. His drama songs are always so delish.
Grade: A+
02. Don't stop - Decent chorus. I think with more listens it might get more likable.
Grade: B+
03. 静かな夜に - It's a bit weak compared to 'Take Me Faraway' as in in the use of Ohno's strong vocals. Ohno could have had a stronger song, but this one is nice to listen to.
Grade: A
04. むかえに行くよ - This song is rather beautiful in its own way. And in its own way, it's heartbreaking. Once it hits the chorus, the song just seems very reminiscent - as if we've forgotten something very important.
Grade: A+
05. 1992*4##111 - If you like jazz, you probably would like this song. Nino is rather talented, isn't he?
Grade: A-
06. 空高く - At least we can finally hear Sho's rap in full now! Haha
Grade: A-
07. kagerô - Now this is an anime song! For some reason I'm visioning space. Going off to fight battles and win! Um... yes.
Grade: A-
08. Summer Splash! - Fun summery song. Random female voice! (Have they ever had random female voices before?) Rap is fun! Especially if it's Ohno (and of course Sho) doing it. Let's all go to the beach! ...with Arashi! (And of course, Sho's 'hahaha', is great; it's classic.)
Grade: A-
Edit: Wait, so the first press edition with the booklet and the normal edition is the same price? I was so confused at Kino today when I only saw one version - the one with the booklet! I was trying to find the limited edition!
Anyway, it seems my local Kino has stopped stocking on the day before (dawn of release date in Japan), and is stocking the day of. But, they've also stocked up on nearly all other RE albums! Whoa... There is just TOO much Arashi in that store now.