Ikimono-gakari [Hajimari no Uta] (4th Album)

Ikimono-gakari’s fourth album starts off with a track somewhere between down-tempo and mid-tempo and though I prefer my albums to start off with a bag Hajimari no Uta ~Tooi Sora Sunde~ My first Song ~Clearing the distant sky~ wasn’t half-bad. In truth I thought it was going to bore me to the death and it kind of did in the beginning and then as the song went along I actually found myself warming up to it, and I can safely say I like it. Kiyoe’s vocal performance was really nice and the whole feel of this song is pretty nostalgic.

Is that a harmonica I hear? I don’t know what is about harmonica’s, but they always bring an all to familiar zing to the rare amount of tracks they are featured it and when it comes to Yume Kendai Daydream it really made this stand out, because even if I didn’t like the song I’d like it all because this arrangement is so lovely, it really just sparkles and adds so much color to this track. Kiyoe’s vocal performance was pretty nice, which is a feat, because she has a tone that can be quite boring, but I enjoyed the variety, even if the chorus was a bit annoying and almost put me off, I think the hook saved it though. I like this.

The next track Joyful brings the pace up, rather annoyingly I might add, to up-tempo and I didn’t like this song on the single and I certainly don’t like it now, because as I’ve just mentioned, its a pretty annoying and distracting song. I can appreciate the quirky-ness of it, but it really just leaves me exasperated… and confused.

Hearing the third single of the era’s tracks back to back, its really quite the snoozer. YELL is up next, and I don’t get why that’s the title and the song is down-tempo, unless there is something I am missing. Everything about this song is terribly boring, from the plain arrangement to Kiyoe’s simple and rather uninteresting vocal performance. I don’t get why they released this and Joyful as a double a-side single, seriously.

I thought Nakumonka I Won’t Cry was as boring as the death when I first heard it on the single, hearing it now on the album, it doesn’t sound so boring or bad. I can appreciate the nice smooth arrangement, which doesn’t sound as bland as it originally did and Kiyoe’s vocal performance, though nothing special, was pretty nice. Its not a song by them I’d really listen to, but its all right.

Mahiru no Tsuki Midday Moon is another down-tempo track from the group and its a pretty nice one, a lot better than Nakumonka as it seems more sincere. The arrangement is pretty traditional and makes me think of those period piece anime’, like the one’s that focus on Edo Japan or something like that. Kiyoe sounded pleasant, that’s the best word I can use to describe her vocal performance as she sung it in the same tone throughout. This was a nice soothing listen.

The harmonica returns briefly in Hotaru no Hikari Light of the Fireflies the groups second single of the era, too bad it isn’t as good as Yume Kendai. This track is pretty baseless, as its typical pop-rock fare and I found that I hardly cared for it. The arrangement was average and Kiyoe’s vocal performance was same, I only liked it during the chorus when her voice went high towards the end, that was the only time this song stood out, otherwise it went completely over me.

Cosmos brought on some much needed edge and it looks like Ikimono-gakari likes the harmonica as much as I do, because its a lot more prominent in this track than it was in the last. I’m kind of on the fence with this, because the only time I found myself interested in it was during the chorus, especially when Kiyoe would sing i just say yes, she brought a lot of attitude to it and it really caught my attention and kept it. This isn’t a bad track and I’m sure with a couple more listens, I’ll like it.

I never did listen to the first single of the era, I’m not sure why really, I had been meaning to, but just never gotten around to it. Futari -Album Version- Two of Us is I suppose a new take on the original, and though I’m not 100% sure, that could be a good thing as I like this. I’m a sucker for ballads and though this pretty much bored me in the beginning, and I seriously thought I wasn’t going to like it, it grew on me rather quickly. I really like the nice soothing flow of it.

This next track Tenohira no Oto The sound from my palm was pretty darn interesting as instead of it just being Kiyoe singing, the other two guys in the group added there two cents, and they have mild, rather pleasant voices, it really made this song stand out to me. I love songs where the artist holds the notes for more impact and gives the arrangement time to shine, it for some reason always makes me feel nostalgic.

Ugh. How to make it is even worse than Joyful, at least that song had the potential to be fun, this was just annoying. Clapping in tracks is always pretty hit or miss to me, since they have the tendency to either make the song really annoying or really catchy, just guess on which one I thought this track leaned towards. The arrangement was loud and pointless and I didn’t really care for Kiyoe’s limp vocal performance, in fact at one point I blocked this song out completely.

I was five seconds away from saying I’m glad they decided to slow it back down, but after listening to Mirai Wakusei Future Planet I revoke it. This song had the potential, I suppose, but its pretty much wasted on an weak and generic arrangement and a rather annoying vocal performance from Kiyoe, mainly during the chorus.

The last track on the album is a pretty boring one and ends the album on a sour note. Ashita he Mukau Kaerimichi The path back towards tomorrow had the potential to be pretty decent just like the previous track, but falls into that category of forgettable blandness that plagues ballads of this nature.

Hajimari no Uta ~Tooi Sora Sun de~
Yume Kendai
Cosmos
Futari -Album Version-

Oh wow, I liked Hajimari no Uta a lot more than I thought I would, because I seriously thought I was going to hate it and kind of stalled on reviewing it. I’ve been out of the Ikimono-gakari loop for a while, as I haven’t even listened to their third album and can’t remember their second one at all, though I do recall liking it. I enjoyed their first album the most and this has really put me back on track with them, since they’re a pretty good group and I’m going to be following them more closely from now on. I’m not really a fan of music such as this, but I can appreciate it. This could have been a much better album, I think so, but it offers some pretty good listens, definitely.

Mariah Carey [Daydream] (4th Album)

The original version of Fantasy has really grown on me, which is a feat, because there was a point in time in which I wouldn’t even touch this track, I just thought the remix was so much better and though I still do there is just something so innocent and youthful about this version, that seems to be missing in the more Urban-sounding remix. Its seems to embody a fresh faced love, untainted by the world and it really just brings a smile to my face, that and you have to love Mariah’s vocal performance in this, it is just the love.

Underneath The Stars is a track by Mariah I never really paid attention to, because it always came across as really boring to me, though that’s probably because of how slow-paced the arrangement is and Mariah’s rather un-hurried vocal performance. This is like another version of Forever as it has the same vibe, just less about the lost love and more about the one you love. The atmosphere is very romantic and soft, and its such a soothing listen. Its not one of her more stand-out listens, but its a nice one none the less.

I love how the arrangement sound uplifting and melancholy at the same time, it really brings home that whole life after death thing this track had going for it. I think my dislike of One Sweet Day was justified, I wasn’t to into songs such as this when I was little, that and like I already said, this song was played to the death, even after the fact. I wish that Mariah and Boyz II Men would have collaborated again, or would at some point in the now, because they meshed so well together, both sides exhibiting an vocal prowess that is evenly unmatched. This is such a sweet tune, and I always love how Mariah softly takes it out on such a poignant note.

I still don’t think Mariah should have released Open Arms as a single, but when I listen to it now, I can’t help but think that it is such a gripping song and really gets the whole, letting go of the past and moving forward type message I think it conveys. This is a nice song and Mariah’s vocal performance is definitely emotionally felt.

Ah, mere words cannot describe how much I absolutely adore Always Be My Baby and that instrumental, especially when it first starts out, just gets to me every time. This track is pure nostalgia in pretty little wrapping paper, it makes me feel both happy and sad at the same time, because no matter what, love goes on, even when you don’t.

I Am Free is one of those songs you just ignore, because it doesn’t have enough going for it to make an lasting impression, in fact it went completely over my head. The arrangement was nice, but very sparse, even for a track like this and played a lot like air. Mariah’s vocal performance was good, because its almost like when is it not? but it wasn’t enough to really bump the interest factor up this time around. This is all right, because the lyrics are very relevant and inspirational, but I don’t know, this isn’t really a song I’d listen to, just to listen to it.

This next track has captured my heart completely and it did so on just one listen. When I Saw You is a song that I listen to like burning, because its so painfully beautiful and one of the best songs about first love I have ever heard. My best-friend introduced me to this and I remember I had tears in my eyes, because it was so true and it touched my heart like nothing else, especially that chorus when she utters when i saw you… when i saw you… its just so much emotion behind it that you can’t help but be touched and moved by it. The i’ll never be the same part… gets to me every time.

… Long Ago surprised me a bit, because I didn’t really expect it to be so rnb-oriented, I actually expected it to be another soft, longing ballad of lost love, or something along those lines. I got tired of this track rather quickly as it has absolutely nothing going for it, and sounds like something that should have been on her debut album, because its just that forgettable. The arrangement was generic and repetitive and Mariah’s vocal performance was pretty boring.

Melt Away in my opinion is what Long Ago should have been, as this surprised me in a completely different way, its kind of like how So Blessed surprised me really. This is another more rnb-oriented track, so in truth I connected to it more and found it to be a bit distracting as it sounds so familiar, like she sampled some other rnb tune that’s on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t quite think of what it is at the moment. I loved Mariah’s rather deep, almost sensual vocal performance in this, the chorus is the best part.

I love Forever, boy do I love this song. Why is it so breathtakingly beautiful? I just want to weep every time I hear it and yet after every listen my heart always feels so light and free. Its like even though the two of you will never be together again, that love with live on forever in your heart and so it will never die. Its such a great and painfully underrated song from her, that and her vocal performance as I’ve said is one of her absolute best and emotionally moving.

The Daydream Interlude is pretty typical interlude fair, except Mariah is singing daydream and some other nonsensical stuff over and over, over a rather haphazard and boring arrangement. Its pretty forgettable and with a lot of tweaking here and there could have possibly been turned into a full track, like Music Box and Emotions before it.

The track that Mariah chose to close the album out on his a pretty weird one and one that is so underrated its amazing. Looking In is one of those Can’t Take That Away tracks Mariah is so fond of, but its pretty heart-breaking at the same time and has managed to climb up my list of favorites from her. Its like one of those songs of the outsider, misunderstood and ostracized because of it and though she says they’ll never get the best of her, you can still feel her pain, mostly in her voice. The, they’ll never know the real me, really aches.

One Sweet Day
Always Be My Baby
When I Saw You
Forever

Daydream is the album in which I think should have been the one to sell twenty-eight million instead of the previous Music Box as it boasts way better quality, as well as an up in classic Mariah tracks, that and this album has a slew of her best songs on it, the only ones I didn’t like being the boring Long Ago and that pointless Daydream Interlude, otherwise this was a pretty solid album from Mariah and could quite possibly be my favorite one to date, but the jury is still out on that one.

MAY J. [Sing for you] (1st Digital Single)

May J. finally decided to come out with another single after such a long time, and its a duet single with MAY’S an artist who I may or may not add to my blog. I had no idea this had come out and found it by chance, but since May J. isn’t an artist who releases material frequently or at all really, I don’t keep up with her, especially since her last album FAMILY which she released quietly wasn’t as good as her first album. I had to listen to the a-side Sing for you three times and each time it went completely over my head in the most swiftest of ways, seriously. I think the two of them were singing together and they actually sound good, since May J. has a nice voice and so does MAY’S, I guess, so they blended together well, its just the song was boring and doesn’t stand out at all. Its a miss this time around.

The b-side Kimi Ga ite is more up-tempo, but more underwhelming than the a-side. The arrangement is pretty shallow, generic and painfully plain, I was wondering how she could have listened to it and possibly thought it was a good enough sound to record a song over it. May J.’s vocal performance was pretty lackluster and after around I seriously just turned my brain off and waited for it to end.

This is strange as Family feat. DJ KAORI, Diggy-MO’, Clench&Blistah as it was on her latest album Family as the first track. I’m guessing that May J. liked it just as much as I did and decided to include it on the single as its the best song I’ve heard so far and adds so much color its nearly refreshing. This track also makes me think she sampled Mary J. Blige’s Real Love as the arrangement sounds very similar, just a lot more pop oriented. I adored May’s vocal performance, seriously, she really sucks you in and its great that sings this with so much passion. The featured artist’s were also decent, I have no complaints, I always love listening to this.

The single comes with two remixes of the previous track, the first being Family (CLASSIC HOUSE NATION) / May J. x DAISHI DANCE and well I like DAISHI’s remixes, because his remix of her song Crescent Moon is one of my favorites, but I’m not feeling this one too much, as its sped up, so it makes the song annoying, distracting and for some strange reason, really stiff?

Garden _Euphoric AK REMIX_ ends the single off on a pretty all right note, as its not a bad remix, but after awhile it does get a bit exasperating as it never seems to end. I almost wish I had never accidentally stumbled upon this single and I’m kind a mad she pimped out Garden.

Garden feat. DJ KAORI, Diggy-MO’, Clench&Blistah

MISIA [JUST BALLADE] (9th Album)

I didn’t really like Sukoshi Zutsu Taisetsu ni much, I mean I did think it was an all right ballad, but I also thought it was pretty boring at the same time. Listening to it now I find that my previous opinion of it has changed completely and I can now say that I enjoyed it. I do wish she would have started her ninth album off on a bang like she did on Eighth World with Ishin Deshin, but this soft number is quite nice as well. I thought Misia’s vocal performance was gorgeous and that chorus is the love.

Unlike the previous track which has grown on me I can’t for the life of me spare the energy to care for Aitakute Ima I Want to See You Now, because its just boring. The arrangement is typical and stagnant and though MISIA gives a pretty solid vocal performance, it just sounds so long winded and after awhile I was just exasperated with it and this track to be honest.

Boo… why is Work It Out so short? Its always the interlude-song tracks like this that always seem to get the short end of the straw, because I found myself really into this and then it just ends. I was wondering why I thought it was so short… the first album only track has to be two minutes and forty-eight seconds long.

I wanted to like this next one, Chiheisen no Mukou Kawa e Distance To the Horizon, especially considering its one of the few album only tracks on here, but its pretty boring. Its not a bad ballad as I did like it a tad bit more than Aitakute Ima, but it just goes completely over me and I also thought MISIA’s vocal performance was a bit stale.

MISIA takes it back a bit with this next track Call Me Love Me as it sounds very Bossa Nova which should have been pretty sweet, but in this case its not as the song is very bland. MISIA does nothing with it and I found myself bored with her simple vocal performance and the rather stagnant arrangement almost immediately.

I believe So Beautiful is a b-side, because it sounds like one of those boring b-sides I had to endure on her later singles of this era, I’m too lazy to find out whether or not I’m right, but I’m quite sure I am. Anyways, this isn’t really a bad ballad, but just like with Chiheisan no Mukou Kawa e and the previous track really, it just has nothing going for it and it ultimately boring, that and it goes completely over my head, seriously. MISIA’s vocal performance was pretty nice though.

Kuchibiru to Kuchibiru Lips and Lips was a track in which I was skeptical of, but now that I’ve listened to it, I’m pretty impressed. Its another ballad, but unlike the ones I’ve listened to, its not boring at all, in fact the rather sluggish pace works to this songs benefit, because it gives it a very smoky and old-timey air. MISIA’s vocal performance was gorgeous, she totally sucked me in and made this quite the enjoyable listen. This is one of those tracks that does nothing, but immerses you completely.

Its looks like the album is picking up and going in a good direction as I’m completely in love with Baobab no Konoshita de, what a nice song. I love the I don’t know, Island-y smoothness of the arrangement, it just washes over me in the most wonderful of ways. It was almost like sighing. MISIA’s vocal performance was quite lovely, it just flowed, fluid like water and I was hanging on to her every word like a thirsting woman. This is another ballad, but it plays so, if I shall repeat myself, wonderfully.

The string of ballads continues with one of the many a-sides of this era, Yakusoku no Tsubasa The Promised Wings. Its not one of my more preferred ballads from MISIA, but it does have a nice arrangement and her vocal performance isn’t half bad either. I did like it a lot more on the single though.

This next one Boku no Kimochi bumps the pace of a tad, somewhat breaking the ballad-thon that MISIA had going on. Its not a bad song, but its not really a good one either. I thought the arrangement was all right, but I didn’t really like the repetitiveness of it. MISIA’s vocal performance was fine though. I think I’m inclined to like this because it has a charming kind of catchy-ness to it that is appealing.

… Why did MISIA put Yes Forever (Piano Version) on here instead of the way more incredible original version!? Ugh, this version is so boring.

The ballads continue with the, for some unknown reason, last single of the era (in which I’m not going to review, because its pointless and the cover art for it is awful), Hoshi no You ni… Like the Star… is a pretty typical ballad from MISIA, only difference is she’s had better, way better, like SNOW SONG and Everything for instance. Its not bad though and maybe it’ll grow on me, once I get past how blandly average it is.

Ginga Galaxy is another single that I think I liked a lot more on the single, but I’m not sure and don’t really want to think back that far. Its another pseudo power ballad that sounds pretty decent in the beginning, but starts to taper off towards the end and become long-winded. I don’t dislike this though, and maybe I’ll get over how artificial it sounds and actually start enjoying it, like say Sukoshi Zutsu Taisetsu ni.

Its the a-side that’s an interlude. Itsumademo Forever is rather pretty, but awfully short. It was a nice track to take the album out on, though I will never understand why such a short song was an a-side.

Sukoshi Zutsu Taisetsu ni
Work It Out
Kuchibiru to Kuchibiru
Baobab no Konoshita de

I now get why the album was called JUST BALLADE because there is nothing but ballads on this album. At first I didn’t get it and I was forlornly wondering why the awesome Catch the Rainbow was omitted and why the piano version of my favorite single of the era Yes Forever was included and not the original, which is like a million times better, now that I do know, I’m pretty disappointed. I don’t dislike this album, as its not bad, because though there is nothing but down-tempo’s on this I never found myself bored and that may be because MISIA has a wonderful voice and she switched it up a bit to keep the album from dragging, too much. I do think this is a step down from EIGHTH WORLD, if only because there are no up-tempo tracks and the album plays more like a lullaby if anything. Its an all right listen for those in the mood for something more love-oriented and slow, the tracks are pretty good. I do hope she picks it up for her tenth album however, and gives me more up-tempo’s, seriously.

Mariah Carey [Forever] (17th Single)

Forever is beautiful, I mean it is such a beautiful and emotionally moving song from Mariah that never fails to tug at my heart-strings. The arrangement is so lovely and it just washes over you like a sad breeze; it also gives off a very old-fashioned black and white feeling that’s very nostalgic. This is without a doubt one of Mariah’s most poignant vocal performances to date, I mean the smooth and melancholy timber of her voice, how the words just drip from her lips so naturally; softly powerful, never fails to get to me, especially when the song reaches it climax. Its like glittering tears along your lashes, beautiful in sad, all at the same time.

Mariah has really been on the roll with these lives as b-sides, but like the others Forever (live) is just as emotionally moving as the recorded version. This track really needs to get more love, it embodies lost love like nothing else.

Forever

Chara [CAROL] (11th Album)

Chara’s latest album starts off with the intro song Gift and I was pretty into it, so I’m a bit disappointed that Chara didn’t regulate it to a full track, because this was a great and almost exciting start to the album. It starts out slow and then Chara’s voice becomes very high, like a raspy falsetto and at first I thought it was going to make the song annoying, but it actually did the opposite and made it stand out. The arrangement also makes me think of sunlight, a very bright sun.

I didn’t know what to think of breaking hearts when I first heard it on the single, all I knew is that I liked the title and the song was a bit exasperating. I like the music box melody of the arrangement, its really soothing, so no complaints there. Chara’s vocal performance was decent, but those ad-libs were just overkill and very, very distracting. This track has grown on me a bit though, because I definitely like the chorus.

When it comes to Kataomoi Unrequited Love I feel a bit different as it isn’t hard to like, but a lot of people will probably find the airy quality of it a bit exasperating. Its almost like Chara never quite gets to the point and it makes for a rather frustrating listen. I do like this though, a bit more than breaking hearts and honestly I don’t know why, maybe its quiet pace sold me.

I’ve listened to Chara so much I guess I’ve finally gotten use to her unique voice, because I just love it and it really shines in this next track Hikoukigumo Contrail, it really does. This is one of those songs that I wouldn’t normally like, but Chara adds so much variety to it I actually found it to be quite the interesting and once you get in to it, engaging listen. Those bell chimes in the background were a nice touch, and seemed old-fashioned to me for some reason, though in a good way.

What? I actually like Elegance? Yes, this was a pretty nice one, I have to admit, I’m almost tempted to listen to it again. I didn’t expect to like this as much as I do, because it started out on a rather slow note, but eventually became its own and pretty much suckered me in. The arrangement is very light and airy and gives off a very ordinary feel, I definitely like the acoustic rock sound of it, really made it stand out. I love when Chara plays around with her wispy vocals, it always adds color to what could be an otherwise dull track.

Nigakute Amai Bitter Sweet keeps the rockin’ flow Elegance started, but kicks it up a notch and actually sounds pretty mainstream if I was to look at it that way. I mean it really sounds like some pop-rock from over here arrangement wise and it definitely kept me engaged throughout and made me think of Ellegarden and maybe The Fray a bit. Chara had a bit of attitude vocal wise with this track so that was the love.

Er… I’m thinking Chara already has a song called Lemon Tea on one of her earlier albums, or maybe its Lemon Candy… I know its lemon something. This is a pretty energetic track, seriously. When it started out with the drums I was thinking distantly of the we will rock you song and then it climaxes and kind of never comes down. The song in itself is pretty interesting, I really loved Chara’s use of her hi-notes (Chara’s vocal range is tragically overlooked, because she can really get that raspy voice of hers to do some amazing things), but this just went completely over my head. I listened to it twice and both times I found my mind just wandering. Its not bad, but I think I’ll pass on the tea, lemon isn’t really my flavor of choice.

Mister Lonely is a nice track, a sort of pseudo ballad that isn’t bad, but it just seems to go over me. Its like one of those songs that you like, but you’d never really listen to. The arrangement plays like air, wispy and thin air, so it was pretty weird, though atmospheric at the same time. Chara’s vocal performance was decent, but pretty average and those hi-notes or what have you were only so-so this time around. I guess this will grow on me at some point.

This next track has an interesting title, LiLiCo, too bad the song is boring. I normally go for the more slow-paced windy sounding tracks from Chara as they prove to be pretty decent and always manage to put me in a relaxed mood, but I just found this to be the dullest. Chara does nothing with her vocal performance which just drug the song down even more despite her not really sounding bad. This track just doesn’t stick, and I really wanted to like it, the title sure made me think I would.

This was nice and thankfully I miss you came after the dullness of LiLiCo so it got me right back on track with this album. There’s nothing really new or different about this as the arrangement doesn’t stand out, but Chara does a lot with her voice to make the song come alive and it really made me enjoy it, especially those echoes when her voice would come in and out.

Just like with the intro Nagametai I Want to Gaze at You is pretty short, though unlike the a-side I’m actually glad it was short as from start to finish it just rubbed me the wrong way as I didn’t get it. The arrangement played like air, but I didn’t have a problem with that it was Chara’s breathy and rather grating vocal performance, it just annoyed me and took me out of the moody atmosphere of the song. Its also pretty dull too, she’s had better intro-songs than this, like This Is My Car for instance.

The last track on the single is its title track CAROL and I’m really digging this as it kind of reminds me of her previous closer track call me, which was also good. I didn’t expect Chara to sing this in all English, but though there’s the obvious Engrish and sometimes its pretty hard to understand what she’s saying it wasn’t as bad as say Kuu’s English tracks. I also like the positive nature of the lyrics, a very nice way to take her latest album out, definitely. It leaves you feeling good inside.

Hikoukigumo
Elegance
I miss you
CAROL

Chara is an artist who doesn’t really have a bad album as they’re all pretty good, but she has really been delivering from UNION right on down to CAROL, because I didn’t expect to like honey, but that was a pretty good album and if I’m going to honest be with myself offers more than this latest effort from Chara. It doesn’t mean that this album isn’t good, far from that, its a pretty nice listen as Chara never disappoints so I found that even though this isn’t an album I would just listen to like say Junior Sweet or even Sweet, I’ll still find myself coming back and enjoying certain tracks. The two single releases were pretty weak especially when compared to Cherry Cherry, Boku no Koto o Shitte and TROPHY from her last album (I really wish she would have included the b-side to breaking hearts), but they were all right and different so they’ll grow on me, and perhaps this album will too. Its refreshing to hear a decent album, I haven’t heard one in a while.

Mariah Carey [Always Be My Baby] (16th Single)

Boy do I remember the days of Always Be My Baby if there was ever a song by Mariah I loved it is this one. Its my favorite song by her ever and has officially replaced My All for the top spot. I use to love watching this video when I was younger and hoping that someday I’d have an innocent love like that boy and girl in the video. Plus, I loved the whole camp setting, it matched the tone of the song perfectly, and Mariah was so cute on that tire swing. The opening, when it first starts out always makes me feel so nostalgic and a little wistful; its a gorgeous arrangement and one of my all time favorites, its just so lovely. Mariah’s vocal performance is one of my favorites as well and when she gets into it and is ad-libbing all over the place and really feeling herself I just feel my heart swell and I’m so glad she didn’t overdue it. The natural feel and pace of this song is just so soothing to me and this is a classic Mariah track that never gets old. I just adore the lyrics, especially the no matter what you do, baby, lol.

Jermaine Dupri produced some good music back when I don’t know what’s going on now, but Always Be My Baby (Mr. Dupri Remix) is an example of producing done right. Its slowed down and giving a more rnb feel which makes it rather chill and though I wasn’t into it the beginning as it went along I found my liking it. I guess Xscape (who were way hot in the nineties, musically and lyrically) just did the harmonies with Mariah during the chorus. Da Brat did a verse and though I’ve never really cared for her, she was all right back then. This is a pretty good remix, though it cannot hold a candle to the original.

Always Be My Baby

JUJU with JAY’ED [Ashita ga Kuru Nara] (10th Single)

JUJU’s tenth single starts off with the a-side Ashita ga Kuru Nara orginal duet version and it features an artist in which I am not familiar with, one JAY’ED. Hmm? This track sounds a lot more underwhelming to me the second time around, but I’m still inclined to like it because of that chorus. I don’t consider this much of a duet as I don’t recall hearing JAY’ED that much, it almost seemed like he was backing up JUJU and only adding input when needed, but from what I heard he sounded pretty nice. JUJU has a nice voice and though I like PRESENT a bit more, its a solid a-side, that may grow on me given a couple more listens.

This next track is Ashita ga Kuru Nara ballad solo version and because of that alone I see why the pace of this was dumbed down so much to the point of it dragging. Its not a bad version of the original though as JUJU sounds pretty good, but its just not as interesting as the one with JAY’ED and comes across as very boring.

I love, love, love The Rose by Bette Midler, I’m serious, its one of my favorite songs of all time. The slow sweeping pace of it always melts my heart and the lyrics are just absolutely beautiful. JUJU just like with the Ex-Factor did a good job on this, her voice and her has officially won me over.

The last track on the single is Sunao ni Naretara RYLL 90’s flava remix which I am assuming is a remix of one of her previous songs. It actually makes me want to listen to the original since it isn’t half bad for a remix.

The Rose

Mariah Carey [Open Arms] (15th Single)

I’ve never really cared for Open Arms and as far as Mariah covers went it was Without You and Against All Odds all the way. I mean I never really took the time aside to just sit down and take it in, despite the fact that my best-friend is always blasting it. I think its a pretty amazing song and though it isn’t originally Mariah’s she took it and made it all her own, bringing a lot of emotion and heart to it to make it felt. The best part was the chorus when she really got into it, her vocal performance was just very sincere and it does in a sense make you a little emotional. Its not one of my favorites, but I definitely like it, though should she have released this as a single? not really.

The b-side on the single is a live of her first single Vision of Love, which always makes for a great listen, especially that ending, it never gets old.

Open Arms

Shimizu Shota [Kimi ga Suki] (5th Single)

Shimizu finally decides to release another single and the a-side Kimi ga Suki is all right, but I had to listen to it again because it just didn’t stick the first time and I didn’t really feel all that hot about it. The single continues Shimizu’s penchant for soft ballads, which I don’t have a problem with, because his voice is more suited for the down-tempo. The arrangement is a rather nice melody that doesn’t really stand out, but the gentle sparkly-ness of it really makes for a pleasant listen. Shimizu’s vocal performance was as it always is, very sweet on the ears, I just never get tired of his voice. I like this, but I think I’m going to listen to it a few more times so it can grow on me. Its a pretty average a-side and cannot hold a candle to that of HOME or Aishiteru.

I liked the b-side Family a lot more, definitely. Its still pretty much on the down-tempo side, but it stands out more and it didn’t take me long to be completely into it. I’ll admit I wasn’t too enthused with it when it first started, it seemed pretty typical, especially by Shimizu’s standards, but he put his own little spin on it and it actually became a pretty warm track. I thought the featured artists KEN THE 390, SHUN and COMA-CHI (capital letters, much?) did a pretty decent job as well, I guess, though the only person I heard was a female vocalist who I’m assuming is SHUN, her part was pretty sweet.

I’ve always rather adored One Last Kiss, as its just such a sweet and romantic song that really embodies love and it sounds good on the ears, because Shimizu’s voice is just easy… like Sunday morning, lol. This is an acoustic version of the original and it was pretty nice, I enjoyed it, though that rap, even if it wasn’t bad, has gotta go. This was an all right single, definitely a step up from the previous one, now I’m just waiting for the second collab single with him an Miliyah.

Family feat. KEN THE 390, SHUN & COMA-CHI