AYH First Impressions
Okay so I recieved my album (which is a big deal considering usually CDJapan hates me for some reason, maybe for living in Australia) much earlier that I would have expected much to my estatic surprise. So natually I stopped all my frantic exam studying and jotted down my first impressions of Are You Happy? :
1 DRIVE:
The intro is perfect. This song is such a great start to the album, I love the catchy riffs and I absolutely cannot wait to blast this song in my car at night. Its the perfect amount of electro-upbeat with an Arashi flair. I love the bridge too, that build-up though!!!
2 I SEEK:
Loved it when it came out and still love it. The pv is simply precious <3 And I love the SekaMuzu memories this song brings.
3 UPS AND DOWNS:
Soild brassy intro coupled with breathy puffs, then just a decent ass song! I was grooving along to this one hardcore.
4 SEISHUN BOOGIE:
This song sounds more old school, almost more Japonism-esque (or Japonesque if you will) but its probably the high-excitement beat that makes it fit snuggly into this album. I really like how fast-paced it is, especially the bridge part (sweet jesus they can sing fast!), and the instrument arrangement is on point.
5 SUNSHINE / Sho Sakurai:
It's so happy!! I'm really into the postive vibes in this song, and the cute way he says 'Good Morning Everyone' which just sounds like a happy Sho coming down the stairs in the morning with a sunny smile will grabbing his bacon and eggs and orange juice with a toothy smile. And... that was super specific for some reason...
6 FUKKATSU LOVE:
A classic. I always imagine classy 'Suited-up Arashi' with this song. I will never not sing along with this song.
7 AMORE / Masaki Aiba:
My loverrrrrr~ AIBBAAAAA. I am in love with the song. We have sweet ballad-like English which then turns erratically into NANANANNANANAN Spanish-style catchy goodness. AMORE. I loved that I could intstantly sing along with this one while listening to it for the first time. The Nana parts are so much fun to sing out. This song is a shot of happiness to the heart, so absouletly Aiba. My close second favourite.
8 BAD BOY / Satoshi Ohno:
THIS SONG GIVES ME LIFE. THERE IS NOTHING MORE PURE IN THIS WORLD THAN THIS SONG. LIL OHCHAN BBY YES OF COURSE YOU ARE A BERRY BAD BOY <3 Seriously though probably my fave just for the pure unexpectedness of it (and for how sexy the song is). I also finally understand the tumblr pics I saw about this song <3
9 WONDER-LOVE:
I can hear the Nino vibes in this one. This songs is very Digitalian reminisent. The soft 'WonderLove' bits are so nice in contrast with the techno beats. Nino's long notes always catch my heart.
10 MATA KYOU TO ONAJI ASHITA GA KURU / Kazunari Ninomiya:
Okaeri Nino! I'm happy he wrote again for this song, the lyrics coming from him are so much more heartfelt and I always look forward to his songs (and their constantly long titles). I love Nino's isolated voice its so pure and emotional. But amazing skills from him, he's somewhat rapping in this one and I really dig that. also THE BREATHY BIT OMG
11 DAYLIGHT:
I really dug this song when it came out. I still prefer I seek to this one slightly more because of my preference for SekaMuzu (unpopular opinion?) but still a ripper song.
12 AI WO SAKEBE: Not a bad song, just has never been a fave of mine, sounds a bit too commercially produced for my taste (maybe a bit excessively sweet). Also the vid is just a Maroon 5 'Sugar' parody I swear.
13 BABY BLUE / Jun Matsumoto:
So sweet! The start has sort of a Indian musical style but then it changes to a brassy peppy groove track ^_^ Its nice to hear something a little softer from MatsuJun. The way he says 'Oh Baby Blue' is so sweet too <3
14 MILES AWAY:
This song honestly sounds like super modern day like alt-rock music you find all around Spotify and I love that. It doesnt feel that J-popy to me. I really like it. This song is a lovely calm down song in an extemely high-tension album, but not in a filler-song way. It totally holds on its own. Such a nice beat and arrangement. <3
15 TO MY HOMIES:
SHHOOOOOOOOOO. SEXY ENGLISH. OHNOOOOOOOOO. YOUR LAUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. RAPPING NINO AND AIBA. MATSUJUNS SERIOUS RAPPING TIME. THEN BREATHY SHO. I had to repeat it as soon as i heard it the first time. I'm so happy I heard the Power of Paradise secret talk about Sho figuring out this track. The end product is everything. This song is totally 'Arashi'. Like the you can hear the bond between them all and hear what makes them up as a group if that makes sense. I don't even know what I'm saying i just love it so so much okaY THIS SONG HAS BROKEN ME
16 DON'T YOU GET IT:
Beautifulness. So god dang catchy. Its basically impossible not to get up and dance along to this one. Again MSta and the pv are just ..beautifulness. How else can I put it.
CUUUURUUU JANAIIIIII~
17 TWO TO TANGO:
Sexy and Sultry vibes from this song, sort of on the level as PARADOX. Such a great extra song. It really feels like an integral part of the album. I really hope the concert performance also involves some incorporation of tango too ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°). Breathy Sho again. Why do you do this to us Sho.
OVERALL ALBUM THOUGHTS: I have a lot of love for this album. I'm so so happy it lived up to expectation and beyong!! Its feel-good, upbeat but not cheesy at all like I had somewhat expected given the album name. Every song is well thought out and different, there is absoultely no filler to be found in this album, and nothing is generic <3 Theres not a single song where I'd be okay with them leaving out. I love now we're seeing 'Mature Arashi'; their songs now are so effortlessly sexy and have changed a lot from their older stuff. Theyre going in such a good direction with everything theyre doing. People going the tour for this album will probably have such a fun time, I look forward to seeing what they'll do with each song! And omg the breathy puffs that were in most songs, yes, yes, more of this, yes, thank you.
Aaaand thats about it. i'm sorry about my rambling i just have a lot of feelings about this album #^__^#
1 DRIVE:
The intro is perfect. This song is such a great start to the album, I love the catchy riffs and I absolutely cannot wait to blast this song in my car at night. Its the perfect amount of electro-upbeat with an Arashi flair. I love the bridge too, that build-up though!!!
2 I SEEK:
Loved it when it came out and still love it. The pv is simply precious <3 And I love the SekaMuzu memories this song brings.
3 UPS AND DOWNS:
Soild brassy intro coupled with breathy puffs, then just a decent ass song! I was grooving along to this one hardcore.
4 SEISHUN BOOGIE:
This song sounds more old school, almost more Japonism-esque (or Japonesque if you will) but its probably the high-excitement beat that makes it fit snuggly into this album. I really like how fast-paced it is, especially the bridge part (sweet jesus they can sing fast!), and the instrument arrangement is on point.
5 SUNSHINE / Sho Sakurai:
It's so happy!! I'm really into the postive vibes in this song, and the cute way he says 'Good Morning Everyone' which just sounds like a happy Sho coming down the stairs in the morning with a sunny smile will grabbing his bacon and eggs and orange juice with a toothy smile. And... that was super specific for some reason...
6 FUKKATSU LOVE:
A classic. I always imagine classy 'Suited-up Arashi' with this song. I will never not sing along with this song.
7 AMORE / Masaki Aiba:
My loverrrrrr~ AIBBAAAAA. I am in love with the song. We have sweet ballad-like English which then turns erratically into NANANANNANANAN Spanish-style catchy goodness. AMORE. I loved that I could intstantly sing along with this one while listening to it for the first time. The Nana parts are so much fun to sing out. This song is a shot of happiness to the heart, so absouletly Aiba. My close second favourite.
8 BAD BOY / Satoshi Ohno:
THIS SONG GIVES ME LIFE. THERE IS NOTHING MORE PURE IN THIS WORLD THAN THIS SONG. LIL OHCHAN BBY YES OF COURSE YOU ARE A BERRY BAD BOY <3 Seriously though probably my fave just for the pure unexpectedness of it (and for how sexy the song is). I also finally understand the tumblr pics I saw about this song <3
9 WONDER-LOVE:
I can hear the Nino vibes in this one. This songs is very Digitalian reminisent. The soft 'WonderLove' bits are so nice in contrast with the techno beats. Nino's long notes always catch my heart.
10 MATA KYOU TO ONAJI ASHITA GA KURU / Kazunari Ninomiya:
Okaeri Nino! I'm happy he wrote again for this song, the lyrics coming from him are so much more heartfelt and I always look forward to his songs (and their constantly long titles). I love Nino's isolated voice its so pure and emotional. But amazing skills from him, he's somewhat rapping in this one and I really dig that. also THE BREATHY BIT OMG
11 DAYLIGHT:
I really dug this song when it came out. I still prefer I seek to this one slightly more because of my preference for SekaMuzu (unpopular opinion?) but still a ripper song.
12 AI WO SAKEBE: Not a bad song, just has never been a fave of mine, sounds a bit too commercially produced for my taste (maybe a bit excessively sweet). Also the vid is just a Maroon 5 'Sugar' parody I swear.
13 BABY BLUE / Jun Matsumoto:
So sweet! The start has sort of a Indian musical style but then it changes to a brassy peppy groove track ^_^ Its nice to hear something a little softer from MatsuJun. The way he says 'Oh Baby Blue' is so sweet too <3
14 MILES AWAY:
This song honestly sounds like super modern day like alt-rock music you find all around Spotify and I love that. It doesnt feel that J-popy to me. I really like it. This song is a lovely calm down song in an extemely high-tension album, but not in a filler-song way. It totally holds on its own. Such a nice beat and arrangement. <3
15 TO MY HOMIES:
SHHOOOOOOOOOO. SEXY ENGLISH. OHNOOOOOOOOO. YOUR LAUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. RAPPING NINO AND AIBA. MATSUJUNS SERIOUS RAPPING TIME. THEN BREATHY SHO. I had to repeat it as soon as i heard it the first time. I'm so happy I heard the Power of Paradise secret talk about Sho figuring out this track. The end product is everything. This song is totally 'Arashi'. Like the you can hear the bond between them all and hear what makes them up as a group if that makes sense. I don't even know what I'm saying i just love it so so much okaY THIS SONG HAS BROKEN ME
16 DON'T YOU GET IT:
Beautifulness. So god dang catchy. Its basically impossible not to get up and dance along to this one. Again MSta and the pv are just ..beautifulness. How else can I put it.
CUUUURUUU JANAIIIIII~
17 TWO TO TANGO:
Sexy and Sultry vibes from this song, sort of on the level as PARADOX. Such a great extra song. It really feels like an integral part of the album. I really hope the concert performance also involves some incorporation of tango too ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°). Breathy Sho again. Why do you do this to us Sho.
OVERALL ALBUM THOUGHTS: I have a lot of love for this album. I'm so so happy it lived up to expectation and beyong!! Its feel-good, upbeat but not cheesy at all like I had somewhat expected given the album name. Every song is well thought out and different, there is absoultely no filler to be found in this album, and nothing is generic <3 Theres not a single song where I'd be okay with them leaving out. I love now we're seeing 'Mature Arashi'; their songs now are so effortlessly sexy and have changed a lot from their older stuff. Theyre going in such a good direction with everything theyre doing. People going the tour for this album will probably have such a fun time, I look forward to seeing what they'll do with each song! And omg the breathy puffs that were in most songs, yes, yes, more of this, yes, thank you.
Aaaand thats about it. i'm sorry about my rambling i just have a lot of feelings about this album #^__^#