(no subject)
So, it's Yasu after all, not Yoko. D-uh. *happy bubbles burst*
Now, this is an overdue review of Kanjani8's 3rd album, KJ3 PUZZLE, released on April 15th, 2009. This was why I've avoided my f-listers' review posts! XD
Disc 01:
I'm skipping the single songs.
Ichibyou KISS - I was genuinely surprised when I heard the intro to this song. I started grinning non-stop and thought, boy if this is how good the rest of the album is going to be, then I.m in for a real wonderful treat! I really really like this song. It's catchy from the intro to the chorus to the end, and Ohkura does a good job leading the song. This type of song really suits his vocals. And of course, I.m crazy for the guitar solo!
Akai-Shinkirou - I couldn't believe I heard another song I really really like after the first one! The first 2 verses are less catchy than "Ichibyou KISS" but they're harder to sing and so it just shows off the vocals more, especially Subaru who leads this song wonderfully. And I must say this, the chorus to this song is one of the best in the entire album! It got stuck in my head a lot more than the first song definitely, at least for me. And I love all the 'fakes' Subaru makes every now and then, making the song more effective.
PUZZLE - I did not like "PUZZLE" at first listen. But it grows on me especially after watching the performances. Still, the song is not one of my favourites for a number of reasons. The song itself is fine but I'm not fond of the arrangement. It doesn't help that I don't always agree with Saito Kazuyoshi's works. Ryo kind of leads the song but I feel that Maru shines the most on his part. The weeping violin towards the end is beautiful though, but maybe Ryo shouldn't have sung that last part.
Kawaita Hana - Whoever thought of getting Subaru to sing the opening is a genius! It has since become one of my favourite openings ever, since "Osaka Romanesque" I think. I even have it as my current ringtone! Fangirling aside, the songs have many dynamics that I love, and the jazzy-pop feel of it is soothing. Besides, Maru sounds so good in this song! Also, I just have to mention the last part. If the opening is beautiful, then ending is just LOOOVE!! XD
Gori-gori - This is the song which reminds most fans of "Goujou ni GO" and it's totally a song made to be performed live, because the performance would be a blasting and energetic one. Yasu and Maru would be strutting with their guitar and bass respectively around the halls, Ohkura would get on the drums like crazy, and everybody else would be running in joy performing it. Oh I really like this song! And just like "Akai-Shinkirou", the chorus is one of the catchiest in the album. Imagine singing along to it while watching the concerts! :)
Rolling Coaster - Not exactly my favourite in the album. The song as a whole is a bit generic for my taste, but I imagine it's going to be a fun song to perform at 'lives'. And the chorus is quite catchy as well.
My Last Train - This is an old-ish, enka-ish ballad and sounds like it comes out from Kouhaku and other NHK shows I used to watch. I wasn't fond of Subaru's singing style at first but later I got used to it. The style is exactly like the kind of style most suitable for this type of song. Can't say I like it, but I don't hate it either. There's also something off with the second part. Hina's voice is stronger while Yoko's is much softer, making a not-too-smooth transition between those two.
Brulee - Love love the music! Love the vocals! The instruments are pretty heavy on this one and a little techno they threw in there works well without going over the top. They also chose the right person to sing the right verses. Overall, it's a cool, cool song! XD
Saite Ikiyo - This is the only song I downloaded when the radio-rip leaked, and I loved it at first listen! The whole anime-like atmosphere is refreshing and catchy. I love how everybody sings their solos in every verse. The beginning of the second part where Maru starts singing is really cool! The lyrics are uplifting and would put a smile on your face like what "Gori-gori" does. The chorus makes great ringtones too! XD
Giga-majimega Fight - This song is not that high on my favourites list but I must admit it has really good music! I love what Subaru brings to the song and making it his own, his is soulful and powerful. This is definitely another song which would be awesome performed live with the band at the background and everyone jumping and being energetic as associated with Kanjani8 concerts. And I have to add also, that the bass in this song sounds great!
Jounetsu Party - Out of all the songs in the album, this is probably the most typical of a Johnny's song and also my least favourite. There are some cool moments in the song though, especially the guitar solos. Ohkura mentioned of performing this song as a band in the tour, so maybe they could make this song a little more fun. The sound of police siren in the end is pretty amusing!
Donna ni Hanaratetatte Soba ni Iru kara - I love the country feel of this song! I feel that this song would make wonders if performed band-style, but if they do an acoustic version of this is fine with me as well because I believe it would turn out great! Everybody sounds good, and the lyrics somehow give this album a fitting end.
Disc 02:
words (Shibutani Subaru) - I was surprised when I heard the first note. I already knew it was going to be a piano-and-vocals only song but I did not expect this. It's refreshing what he did. Subaru said that they did this in only one take, and the result comes out raw yet lively. It's a fun song and listening to this makes you feel like you are already listening to the live version of it. I've a feeling that he will bring even more intensity to an already soulful song in the live performance. I'm already so excited to witness it, hopefully there will be a live DVD for this year! XD
no-no-no (Ohkura Tadayoshi) - This is another surprise package I must say. It's a fast and quite the Britney-esque song. I'm not fond of this at first, because it doesn't show what Ohkura is capable of. But the song grows on me, and the live performance should be interesting.
Airairo (Yasuda Shota) - Yasu proves yet again why he's a true musician. The dynamics in this song is outstanding, the instrumentals are well-thought. The boy writes songs suitable for his voice, unlike Ryo who usually writes songs he cannot really sing. "Airairo" comes out to be my favourite solo from this album, hands down.
One's shadow (Murakami Shingo) - The first thing I notice about this song is how different Hina sounds like. I think even Subaru would agree that Hina's singing voice this time doesn't sound like his talking voice. I admit that I like this side of him. This is one of my least liked solos and it's also mellower than 'Forward', but I think the live performance would be cool.
Wanshan Ronpin (Maruyama Ryuhei) - Honestly, this is the hardest song for me to comment! It's very Maru-ish, and somehow expected of him. But this song also reminds me of Katori Shingo's 'Ganbare Ouji', in a theatrical way. I must say that I'm looking forward to watching the live performance more than putting this song on the loop, and this is one my least liked solos as well.
*edit*
413man (Yokoyama Yu) - I missed this at first, when in fact it's one of my favourites out of the solos! This is another surprise for me, and somehow a mellow song like this works for Yoko's voice. I love the arrangement, and the lyrics was beautiful. As usual, when he gave out something from his life into his lyrics, it works amazingly and this sad, poignant lyrics is no exception. An ode to a grandfather has never sounded so pretty! :)
Half Down (Nishikido Ryo) - I almost fall asleep listening to this, truthfully. This is a bit un-Ryo and a bit boring, which means this song is my least favourite of all his solos. On a plus point, he finally writes something suitable for his voice without being over the top where he cannot handle. Ryo is lucky to have HIKARI's help with the arrangement, or else it would have been completely bland.
DVD:
I'm going simple with the comments.
Glorious (Shibutani Subaru/Nishikido Ryo/Ohkura Tadayoshi) - Mediocre song. I thought the bridge would have taken advantage of Subaru's powerful voice but that's not the case. Kudos though to them for singing in better, understandable English than Jin/Yamapi combined. Gorgeous PV, and everybody looks beautiful. Subaru is so, so pretty! XD
Kicyu (Yokoyama Yu/Yasuda Shota) - Adorable song (courtesy of talented Yasu)! My favourite song out of the 3 units. Cute PV, but I think Yasu should have listened to Yoko and put their faces in the PV, like 50% of it or something. The PV could get a bit boring without them in it.
YOU CAN SEE (Murakami Shingo/Maruyama Ryuhei) - What a cool, cool song! And hot, hot PV! They're smokin' hot in it! PV is tied with 'Glorious' as my favourites, and the song is second only to .Kicyu..
PUZZLE Disc 01 Ranking (there's quite some ties in this one!):
1. Kawaita Hana/Brulee
2. Saite Ikiyo
3. ichibyou KISS/Akai-Shinkirou
4. Gori-gori/Donna ni Hanaretetatte Soba ni Iru kara
5. Giga-majimega Fight
6. My Last Train
7. PUZZLE
8. Rolling Coaster
9. Jounetsu Party
To sum it all up, PUZZLE is a very solid album, a great one, and reflects what Kanjani8 can do when given the freedom to choose the songs they want for their album. I bet if one day they can put out their own compositions in an album, who knows how strong the album can be. This is definitely my favourite out of the 3+1 albums they've put out since 2004. There's not a song I really dislike in PUZZLE, compared to the previous albums. I know that I've mentioned the songs I like the least in PUZZLE, bjut I still like them a whole lot more than the songs I tend to skip on the previous ones.
For non-Eito fans on my f-list who are curious of this album, you can find individual links to the songs in PUZZLE over in this folder. Ballad lovers would probably like PUZZLE, My Last Train, Donna ni Hanaretetatte Soba ni Iru kara & Glorious. Kawaita Hana is pretty mellow with beautiful music, while the others are fast numbers with elements of pop, rock, and blues all mixed in.
If Nakayama Yuma really gets a drama series next season I'll be happy! XD
Now, this is an overdue review of Kanjani8's 3rd album, KJ3 PUZZLE, released on April 15th, 2009. This was why I've avoided my f-listers' review posts! XD
Disc 01:
I'm skipping the single songs.
Ichibyou KISS - I was genuinely surprised when I heard the intro to this song. I started grinning non-stop and thought, boy if this is how good the rest of the album is going to be, then I.m in for a real wonderful treat! I really really like this song. It's catchy from the intro to the chorus to the end, and Ohkura does a good job leading the song. This type of song really suits his vocals. And of course, I.m crazy for the guitar solo!
Akai-Shinkirou - I couldn't believe I heard another song I really really like after the first one! The first 2 verses are less catchy than "Ichibyou KISS" but they're harder to sing and so it just shows off the vocals more, especially Subaru who leads this song wonderfully. And I must say this, the chorus to this song is one of the best in the entire album! It got stuck in my head a lot more than the first song definitely, at least for me. And I love all the 'fakes' Subaru makes every now and then, making the song more effective.
PUZZLE - I did not like "PUZZLE" at first listen. But it grows on me especially after watching the performances. Still, the song is not one of my favourites for a number of reasons. The song itself is fine but I'm not fond of the arrangement. It doesn't help that I don't always agree with Saito Kazuyoshi's works. Ryo kind of leads the song but I feel that Maru shines the most on his part. The weeping violin towards the end is beautiful though, but maybe Ryo shouldn't have sung that last part.
Kawaita Hana - Whoever thought of getting Subaru to sing the opening is a genius! It has since become one of my favourite openings ever, since "Osaka Romanesque" I think. I even have it as my current ringtone! Fangirling aside, the songs have many dynamics that I love, and the jazzy-pop feel of it is soothing. Besides, Maru sounds so good in this song! Also, I just have to mention the last part. If the opening is beautiful, then ending is just LOOOVE!! XD
Gori-gori - This is the song which reminds most fans of "Goujou ni GO" and it's totally a song made to be performed live, because the performance would be a blasting and energetic one. Yasu and Maru would be strutting with their guitar and bass respectively around the halls, Ohkura would get on the drums like crazy, and everybody else would be running in joy performing it. Oh I really like this song! And just like "Akai-Shinkirou", the chorus is one of the catchiest in the album. Imagine singing along to it while watching the concerts! :)
Rolling Coaster - Not exactly my favourite in the album. The song as a whole is a bit generic for my taste, but I imagine it's going to be a fun song to perform at 'lives'. And the chorus is quite catchy as well.
My Last Train - This is an old-ish, enka-ish ballad and sounds like it comes out from Kouhaku and other NHK shows I used to watch. I wasn't fond of Subaru's singing style at first but later I got used to it. The style is exactly like the kind of style most suitable for this type of song. Can't say I like it, but I don't hate it either. There's also something off with the second part. Hina's voice is stronger while Yoko's is much softer, making a not-too-smooth transition between those two.
Brulee - Love love the music! Love the vocals! The instruments are pretty heavy on this one and a little techno they threw in there works well without going over the top. They also chose the right person to sing the right verses. Overall, it's a cool, cool song! XD
Saite Ikiyo - This is the only song I downloaded when the radio-rip leaked, and I loved it at first listen! The whole anime-like atmosphere is refreshing and catchy. I love how everybody sings their solos in every verse. The beginning of the second part where Maru starts singing is really cool! The lyrics are uplifting and would put a smile on your face like what "Gori-gori" does. The chorus makes great ringtones too! XD
Giga-majimega Fight - This song is not that high on my favourites list but I must admit it has really good music! I love what Subaru brings to the song and making it his own, his is soulful and powerful. This is definitely another song which would be awesome performed live with the band at the background and everyone jumping and being energetic as associated with Kanjani8 concerts. And I have to add also, that the bass in this song sounds great!
Jounetsu Party - Out of all the songs in the album, this is probably the most typical of a Johnny's song and also my least favourite. There are some cool moments in the song though, especially the guitar solos. Ohkura mentioned of performing this song as a band in the tour, so maybe they could make this song a little more fun. The sound of police siren in the end is pretty amusing!
Donna ni Hanaratetatte Soba ni Iru kara - I love the country feel of this song! I feel that this song would make wonders if performed band-style, but if they do an acoustic version of this is fine with me as well because I believe it would turn out great! Everybody sounds good, and the lyrics somehow give this album a fitting end.
Disc 02:
words (Shibutani Subaru) - I was surprised when I heard the first note. I already knew it was going to be a piano-and-vocals only song but I did not expect this. It's refreshing what he did. Subaru said that they did this in only one take, and the result comes out raw yet lively. It's a fun song and listening to this makes you feel like you are already listening to the live version of it. I've a feeling that he will bring even more intensity to an already soulful song in the live performance. I'm already so excited to witness it, hopefully there will be a live DVD for this year! XD
no-no-no (Ohkura Tadayoshi) - This is another surprise package I must say. It's a fast and quite the Britney-esque song. I'm not fond of this at first, because it doesn't show what Ohkura is capable of. But the song grows on me, and the live performance should be interesting.
Airairo (Yasuda Shota) - Yasu proves yet again why he's a true musician. The dynamics in this song is outstanding, the instrumentals are well-thought. The boy writes songs suitable for his voice, unlike Ryo who usually writes songs he cannot really sing. "Airairo" comes out to be my favourite solo from this album, hands down.
One's shadow (Murakami Shingo) - The first thing I notice about this song is how different Hina sounds like. I think even Subaru would agree that Hina's singing voice this time doesn't sound like his talking voice. I admit that I like this side of him. This is one of my least liked solos and it's also mellower than 'Forward', but I think the live performance would be cool.
Wanshan Ronpin (Maruyama Ryuhei) - Honestly, this is the hardest song for me to comment! It's very Maru-ish, and somehow expected of him. But this song also reminds me of Katori Shingo's 'Ganbare Ouji', in a theatrical way. I must say that I'm looking forward to watching the live performance more than putting this song on the loop, and this is one my least liked solos as well.
*edit*
413man (Yokoyama Yu) - I missed this at first, when in fact it's one of my favourites out of the solos! This is another surprise for me, and somehow a mellow song like this works for Yoko's voice. I love the arrangement, and the lyrics was beautiful. As usual, when he gave out something from his life into his lyrics, it works amazingly and this sad, poignant lyrics is no exception. An ode to a grandfather has never sounded so pretty! :)
Half Down (Nishikido Ryo) - I almost fall asleep listening to this, truthfully. This is a bit un-Ryo and a bit boring, which means this song is my least favourite of all his solos. On a plus point, he finally writes something suitable for his voice without being over the top where he cannot handle. Ryo is lucky to have HIKARI's help with the arrangement, or else it would have been completely bland.
DVD:
I'm going simple with the comments.
Glorious (Shibutani Subaru/Nishikido Ryo/Ohkura Tadayoshi) - Mediocre song. I thought the bridge would have taken advantage of Subaru's powerful voice but that's not the case. Kudos though to them for singing in better, understandable English than Jin/Yamapi combined. Gorgeous PV, and everybody looks beautiful. Subaru is so, so pretty! XD
Kicyu (Yokoyama Yu/Yasuda Shota) - Adorable song (courtesy of talented Yasu)! My favourite song out of the 3 units. Cute PV, but I think Yasu should have listened to Yoko and put their faces in the PV, like 50% of it or something. The PV could get a bit boring without them in it.
YOU CAN SEE (Murakami Shingo/Maruyama Ryuhei) - What a cool, cool song! And hot, hot PV! They're smokin' hot in it! PV is tied with 'Glorious' as my favourites, and the song is second only to .Kicyu..
PUZZLE Disc 01 Ranking (there's quite some ties in this one!):
1. Kawaita Hana/Brulee
2. Saite Ikiyo
3. ichibyou KISS/Akai-Shinkirou
4. Gori-gori/Donna ni Hanaretetatte Soba ni Iru kara
5. Giga-majimega Fight
6. My Last Train
7. PUZZLE
8. Rolling Coaster
9. Jounetsu Party
To sum it all up, PUZZLE is a very solid album, a great one, and reflects what Kanjani8 can do when given the freedom to choose the songs they want for their album. I bet if one day they can put out their own compositions in an album, who knows how strong the album can be. This is definitely my favourite out of the 3+1 albums they've put out since 2004. There's not a song I really dislike in PUZZLE, compared to the previous albums. I know that I've mentioned the songs I like the least in PUZZLE, bjut I still like them a whole lot more than the songs I tend to skip on the previous ones.
For non-Eito fans on my f-list who are curious of this album, you can find individual links to the songs in PUZZLE over in this folder. Ballad lovers would probably like PUZZLE, My Last Train, Donna ni Hanaretetatte Soba ni Iru kara & Glorious. Kawaita Hana is pretty mellow with beautiful music, while the others are fast numbers with elements of pop, rock, and blues all mixed in.
If Nakayama Yuma really gets a drama series next season I'll be happy! XD