音楽ー愛

Naichau Kamo - PV review

2009-01-19T01:30:00.001-08:00

Since I wrote my short thoughts on the preview, I thought I'd better talk about the PV now that it's been released.

Okay, so first, I still think it lacks "oomph". ...but the PV is really really impressive! UF have obviously gone all out to get the PV to match the mood of the lyrics, with lots of rain, and lots of tears. Also, for the most part, all the girls look smokin'. Especially JunJun. And boy does she get the screen time to represent that.

The PV has three parts to it. The typical dance shots and close ups, as well as shots of the girls standing in the rain. Sadly, these parts are my least favourite. I think the rain looks far too fake, and in some of the parts it really just obscures the girls, which is what you don't want in a video that's trying to help sell their group. But on the bright side of things, the close ups are stunning. The lighting is great, the girls look sad, and yet attractive, and the rain looks real. The dance shots are also really well done, with some nice camera work, a background that is fitting and clean, and the main costumes are just plain sexy.

So, screenshots ahoy! With more in-depth comments as well.

See what I mean about the background? I think the umbrellas are a really nice touch, and the choice of colours is well thought out - the whole set just evokes the feelings its meant to. Also, are they dancing on water? I'm sure Reina or Sayumi said something like that on one of the radio shows? If so, that's so awesome.

But these are the parts I don't like. Sigh. I mean, I know they're meant to look like they've been standing in the rain and crying, but it's not a good idea to make your idols look unattractive. They could have done it in a more arty manner, I guess?

This is part of the instrumental dance. They have a funky hula thing going on, but I like it. And Koharu is owning the centre. Go Koharu.

Eri and Ai get lots of paired lines, and boy do they sound good. I want more of these two singing together. They also look amazing, too. But I swear that's not the only reason I want them as a duo!!

JUNJUN RULED THIS PV. OMG YES.

AND AIKA YOU TOO.

Ai does some really convincing close ups. There is one at the end where she looks like she truly is crying, so yeah. Kudos to her for getting into character for the whole setting! And I love the new haircut.

Gaki... not so much. But I love her anyway, and seeing her sad would just be weird. XD

Reina just ends up looking pouty all the time, but some people do do that when they're crying.

Sayumi does her solo lines really well, but I couldn't get a good shot of her in this part. But take my word for it: she's as beautiful as always.

Eri looking stunning. And she does do the sad thing well, too. <33

Koharu is looking gorgeous, and she doesn't seem to be struggling with smiling all the time, too. Which is good to see, as I was worried she'd be all smiles like she was in Resonant Blue.

Why does Aika get stuck in the old woman clothing?? Oh well. I love you anyway, Aika.

ARGH. LINLIN. I feel so sorry for her. She got next to no screen time, and when she does, she's wearing... well.. THIS. I want to shoot the costume department.

And lastly, JunJun. Wow. Just wow. And as one of the oldest before she joined, her sadness looks like it might have hints of reality in it... I guess she understands the lyrics better than the rest of them?

But even in the shots that make everyone else look bedraggled, JunJun keeps the sexiness going. Damn, JunJun. You go girl.

"Ah... the days of my youth, like the scent of fresh lemon."

2009-01-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

The Idol is an elusive creature. They give us snatches of their true selves, make us feel like we are so close to them, and then run away, giggling with the knowledge that we’ll never be able to touch them.

…Okay, maybe not quite. But it is true that to be an Idol is a unique job. And for some perverse reason, we find ourselves completely enthralled in their world. But why? What is it that attracts us to a group of singers who, in reality, have little talent compared to many great artists?

I’m going to take a step back to eight years ago. I was ten, just starting to become interested in Japanese society, and had internet. In one of my long trawls through the hundreds of geocities websites, I found a website by a girl who was talking about her exchange to Japan. Throughout the entry, she kept mentioning one thing. “Love Machine”. She talked about her friends performing it at school with her, how it was such a dorky but catchy song.

I was intrigued by the notion of Japanese pop, so I flicked open Kazaa, and searched. Surprisingly, the song was found, and through the pain of a 56k modem, I downloaded my first taste of Morning Musume.

The song was wonderful. I remember listening to it on repeat so often that my parents went crazy, though my mother thought it was a good tune. It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later that I got the idea to search for more songs from the same group. Then I moved onto PVs, and finally, I stumbled onto Hello! Morning.

I couldn’t understand a thing they were saying, but I didn’t need to. They were funny, bouncy, and seemed to have no fear of making fools of themselves. I quickly fell in love with the strong attitude of Yuko, and to a lesser degree, Yossie. By the time I’d gotten around to seeing them live, any issues in their performance were forgotten. I knew their favourite colours, foods, their funniest skits, the words to their songs. In one year, I’d become a wota.

I fell in love with them because they showed me themselves. I was a tomboy who was known for my taking control of situations – in Yuko I saw the woman I wanted to become. In Yossie, the girl I already was. They were people I would want to know in real life, to be friends with.

And that’s, to me, the magic of an idol. The attachment they create with you isn’t just of a fan enjoying a song, but more of an emotional bond. You feel like you know those girls, that you have a personal investment in their growth and wellbeing. You’re with them for so many years, you see them grow and change into beautiful adults from dorky teenagers who don’t even know how to walk.

For example: I’m not a huge Risako fan, per se, but when I saw some of her recent lives, my heart swelled with pride to see how much she’s improved her singing. I just wanted to give her a hug and let her know how well she was doing. Even the ones who seem to be already the prefect performers change in their own ways. Having being a Takahashi Ai fan from the beginning, it makes me happy to watch how she’s become such a strong and confident woman.

I have been with H!P for many years now. Even when their music went through a period of me disliking it, I stayed with the groups and continued to support them. Why? Because I loved seeing the girls be themselves, and learning more about them. It was no longer about the music, but the Idols.

I am an Idol fan because I like knowing the people behind the voices. I like feeling like I'm a part of their world. And while some of it might be an illusion, I don't really mind. Because they've managed to find a spot in my heart which I don't think they'll ever vacate.

2008 Singles In Review

2009-01-01T13:32:00.000-08:00

Top 3 H!P Singles

I found this easy to pick, surprisingly. I knew exactly what I thought had succeeded and what I really loved.

Honourable Mention: 'Minna no Tamago' - Shugo Chara Egg
Catchy upbeat tune, impressive vocals for a first debut, and it sounded exactly like it was supposed to: A kids song for a kids show. I find myself humming the tune all the time, and the lyrics are so sweet! The only reason they didn't make it on the top three is because there were so many other strong releases this year.

3. 'Resonant Blue' - Morning Musume

Resonant Blue really shocked a lot of people, in both a bad and good way. I don't think anyone was expecting Momusu to take that direction after Mikan, and to do it so well. Sure, the line distribution was nil, and the PV was just a dance shot, but it worked. Had any other girl group released this song, I believe it would have become a smash hit.

2. 'Rottara Rottara' - Buono!

When I first heard Rottara Rottara, I hated it. ...so when did it change? I listened to the whole song, with the PV. Once, twice, three times... And I was hooked. The preview had not done it justice in the least. The instrumental near the end is great, and I love the little "Hontou?" and "Nande?". I thought they were a great addition, just to add a little extra flavour to the song.

1.Edo no Temari Uta II' - C-ute

Well, it seems even Japan agrees that this song is wonderful! Winning so many awards is just great for C-ute and their recognition, and the song deserves all the compliments it's been getting. The Jazzy feel, the melody... Ah. Pretty much this song makes me speechless.

Top 3 Johnnys Singles

Same deal as with above. ^^ And no guesses as to who tops my list.

Honourable Mention: 'Musekinin Hero' - Kanjani 8
Just as silly as I've come to expect from them, Musekinin Hero is just such a fun song to listen to. With all their silly voices and not taking anything seriously at all, their attitude makes them a real pleasure to watch and listen to.

3. 'DON'T U EVER STOP' - KAT-TUN

Did anyone else feel the Michael Jackson aura from this single? Because I certainly did. It has a very old school pop feel to it, even down to the dance steps. The tune itself is quite upbeat, and Koki's rap is damn sexy. And the "Are you ready? Hell yeah." line is just.. love. My only gripe is that I have no idea what the PV has to do with the song. Random crystals that freeze people. Okay!

2. 'Happy Birthday' NewS

This is the kind of song that you listen to on a warm summer day, relaxing on a deck chair without a care in the world. It's peaceful without being a ballad, and while the lyrics are kind of goofy, I can see what they're trying to put across. I'd like to have someone sing this to me on my birthday, that's for sure.

1. 'Ai Ai Gasa' - Tegomass

This song fulfills my romance quota, for oh, I don't know, the next TEN YEARS. Tegoshi and Massu's voices just fit together to create this soothing romantic feeling, and I find myself feeling very sappy after hearing it played even once. It's a good example of how a song doesn't have to be really upbeat to be catchy.

Top 3 Misc. Singles

This section was the hardest for me to choose, mostly because I wanted to select people who I knew didn't really deserve it. Kuraki Mai, for one, released nothing good in 2008, but my undying love for her won't let me admit it so easily. Shakkalabbits weren't so up to their game either, and am I the only person who didn't like 'Tsume! Tsume! Tsume!'?
Anyway. Here are the results.

Honourable Mention: 'Hi no Hikari Sae Todokanai Kono Basho De' - Miyavi
It's a nice song, if not a little all over the place in terms of its genre. But that's Miyavi for you, so I can't really call him on that. What I can call him on, however, is his shocking appearance in the PV. Yup. Down from 3rd because of that. I'm sorry, Miyavi, I really am. Get a better stylist, and then we'll talk.

3. 'Heart Station' - Utada Hikaru

Heart Station is a wonderful piece of music. Utada has worked really hard to create the whole package, both song and PV, that slot together beautifully. I actually enjoy Heart Station more than any single from the album that shares its name, and certainly more than anything off Ultra Blue. The whole song flows from section to section, with nothing that seems out of place. A true work of art.

2. 'Hitohira no Hanabira' - Stereopony

(I could only find a picture of one of them, unfortunately.)

What a wonderful debut! I first heard this song because I have a friend who is a Bleach Addict, and he was watching it in the background while I was at his house. The song came on, and I dropped everything because I had to know what it was. With the opening the song plunges straight into the chorus, catching you immediately and pulling you into the beat. (Excuse the terrible purple prose) I love the lead singers voice, and can't wait to see where they go from here.

1. 'Jesus' - Gackt

I'm so predictable. ^^ But he deserves this. Jesus, even though it's no Returner, is a solid single that showcases the darker side of Gackt. When it first reached the part with Gackt doing the death metal screaming, I just about squealed with happiness. It sounded so raw, so destructive. He really puts this across well in the PV, with a slightly psychotic expression on his face. Even the construction of the song is almost discordant, and the whole piece seems to rush to the end.

So, my overall number one single? Jesus, hands down. Keep on singing, Gackt, and I shall keep on loving.

Tegomass

2009-01-01T00:16:00.000-08:00

I have a serious post planned, because I actually have people reading this now. >.O But for now, two very sexy pics from the NewS Pacific Tour which I only just got around to seeing.

WHY YES TEGOSHI YOU ARE A SEXY BEAST.

Massu just made me splode from cuteness. For real. This whole song is probably the cutest thing ever.

Okay so only one of those was sexy. BUT YOU'LL LIVE. Serious post tomorrow. I promise. :D

I just might cry~

2008-12-31T16:06:00.000-08:00

Morning Musume's new single has just been uploaded to the internet, and I must say, I'm enjoying it. The song has a quite a dancy feel going for it, but still manages to sound mature in its execution. There is this lovely section at the start of the last chorus which just sounds plain awesome, too.

I also really like that Sayumi, Eri, and Risa have been given a chance to shine with some very nice solo lines. Go you three! I really think they've improved so much, and deserve this chance.

That said, I'm not sure I really like the way the song moves into the chorus, and I think maybe the repeating of "Nai chau kamo" three times every chorus was a little too much. I guess it's meant to be the catchy part? I'm also worried that while the song is nice, it's nothing that will stand out. It's certainly, for me, not as good at Resonant Blue. It doesn't have that energy, that tune that hits you at first listen.

So, final evaluation? It's a nice song, but lacks... strength. I just hope Japan disagrees with me. Or that the PV is amazing and blows us all away.

An introduction, a new beginning!

2008-12-31T15:57:00.000-08:00

I went and deleted the previous posts on this blog. They were terribly written, and had no format. Besides, I need a proper intro post!

I'm Serenity. I'm a J-music addict, currently starting my second year of Japanese at university. My home is little old New Zealand, and my guilty pleasures are H!P and the Johnnys, though my all time favourite singer is Gackt. ....*hearts*

This blog will probably just be me rambling about whatever I feel like. Which will probably be me ranting about Tsunku and the actions of his creations. XD Because somehow I get more passionate about them than anything else. (An Idol effect, perhaps?)

So. I hope someone finds my blog, and I begin to have people to write to! ^^