Music Review: Blood on the Dance Floor – You Done Goofed
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*Yes, I know–I’m on a total BOTDF binge. It should be over pretty soon?*
Blood on the Dance Floor has returned on July 27th to take us by storm with their new single, You Done Goofed. With a slick slate-colored album art theme, “You Done Goofed” is the only single released since October ’09 that hasn’t been listed as part of their upcoming album, EPIC!
When I stared at the glaring five-minute, two-second track time on this song, I was excited for five minutes of bubble-gum, techno-pop goodness; however, this was not what I got. “You Done Goofed” is different from everything they’ve done thus far–from BOTDF’s debut albums Let’s Start a Riot! and It’s Tough To Be A Diamond In A Rhinestone World to their most recent singles, I’m What Dreams Are Made Of and Lose Control. “You Done Goofed” has a strong R&B feel to it, with a laid back pulse and Jayy’s “yeeeeeeah-eeeahs” and “ohhhhhs” echoing faintly in the mainstream pop instrumentation. This song opens with the sound of rainfall, Dahvie’s angsty narration, then explodes into it’s R&B tune. Dahvie raps through most of the verses, leaving Jayy to showcase his vocal talent in the chorus (Honestly–the way he sang in this song reminded me vaguely of Linkin Park.); he even gets to rap at the end of the last verse.
My opinion was VERY biased at first; I was expecting a fast-paced dance track, and got something completely different. Naturally, I didn’t like it that much. I had half a mind to believe that BOTDF was suffering from Ayumi Hamasaki syndrome–writing long, soulful ballad-like songs that mean more to them as artists than the general public as a song. I started to listen to it more and, needless to say, it grew on me. Now, it’s not a terribly boring song, but something I can listen to while riding in the car, or do a few good chest pops to if I’m feeling like it. (:
Rating:
4/5
Reason For Rating:
Though this song is pretty decent (a little more mainstream than I expected from them, though), it’s not the sound that BOTDF has tagged as their own. They branched out into a new genre and did a strikingly good job at it, but it’s definitely a sound I don’t like hearing from them. Musically, they did great–the song sounded wonderful. But despite this, I wish they would keep their music style closer to that of “Success Is The Best Revenge.” (:
Music Review: Hello, Astronaut – Paper! Snow! a Ghost!
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Paper! Snow! a Ghost! is the debut extended play from techno artist, Hello, Astronaut. This music is the brainchild of 18-year-old Fresno, California native, Jordan Palmer. With his debut in 2009, only two titles have been released from him. He is currently unsigned, but there isn’t a doubt in my mind that his career will take off soon.
Track List:
1. We’ve Got The Moves
2. Colors
3. Memories
4. My Best Friend
5. 7ate9
We’ve Got The Moves is the oh-so-catchy opener for this debut EP. The beats are super-infectious and bubbly, just like Jordan Palmer’s captivating voice, despite an apparent use of autotune. His lyrics are uber-sweet, and woould make any girl’s heart melt. The piano in the middle is lovely (and I’m not saying this because I’m a pianist), and it was a clever touch to add. My only complaint? It’s far too short for my liking! ^-^
Colors kicks off with a lovely piano section filled with good dissenence and resolution. The piano continues through the piece, joined by Jordan’s captivating voice and sexy electrobeats Singing the part of an apologetic ex, any girl would be willing to take him back in a heart beat.
Memories starts off a a little rougher than the early tracks, but explodes into a mixture of eighth-note electrobeats and piano. The singer’s story is that of a lonely boy remembering times with his old girl-friend. The song itself is very catchy, and I found myself listening to it four times straight before I realized it was repeating. My favorite part has to be the interesting drum machine break near the end. ^.^
My Best Friend is different from all other songs on the album, playing in a continuous loop with very few refrains. Jordan’s voice is much louder and much more boisterous than the other songs, and even belies a sense of passion about the words he’s singing. The song itself is about a boy talking to his best friend, and how much he doesn’t want to lose that friend; its’ one of the best songs on the EP.
7ate9 is the cutest song that this artist has ever produced. The guitar at the intro just radiates “adorable,” as does Jordan’s voice and the lyrics. The song is about a boy talking about how much that he loves his girlfriend–words that every girl would want to hear. “7ate9” varies in volume, with multiple crescendos and decrescendos,which adds a dramatic touch to the music, making this track my absolute favorite.
Rating:
5/5
Reason for Rating:
This EP is just an absolute treat–a great debut for an artist that has true potential. The songs are beautifully written and performed, and catchy enough to leave them in your head for days.
Recommended Tracks:
We’ve Got The Moves
My Best Friend
7ate9
Music Review: Ayumi Hamasaki – MOON/blossom
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MOON/blossom is the first single that “J-Pop Empress” Ayumi Hamasaki has released after her latest album, Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus. The CD contains A and B sides, with four different remixes depending on the purchased version, and two instrumentals. (NOTE: I DO NOT REVIEW REMIXES)
Track List:
1. MOON “original mix”
2. blossom “original mix”
3. Don’t look back “Reggae Disco Rockers remix”
OR
3. Microphone “THE LOWBROWS remix”
4. Last Links “Orchestra version”
OR
4. meaning of Love “Acoustic piano version”
5. MOON “original mix instrumental”
6. blossom “original mix instrumental”
Have I ever mentioned how difficult it is for me to listen to Ayumi these days? Her music is all starting to sound the same, and her new A-side MOON is no exception. The rock ballad style is something she’s been overdoing since the GUILTY era–and they’re not getting any better, with her “fated” song still being the best. “MOON” is VERY platonic and monotone, following all the rock ballad cliches–starting out soft and building up to some powerful instrumentation, only to quiet down at the verses and flare up at the chorus. Ayu stretched this song out for nearly six minutes–five minutes and forty eight seconds to be exact–and she did absolutely nothing with this song. Was this six minutes wasted? I do believe so.
blossom is the single’s B-side, and Ayumi’s chance to redeem herself from the catastrophe that was “MOON.” Did she? Well, only a little bit. It’s another rock ballad, just like moon was! Though it still followed one of the biggest rock ballad cliches (mentioned in “MOON”), it had a better chorus than “MOON,” and was much more high energy. It had a very good guitar solo, and was, overall, a better song than “MOON.” This song was what saved the single from totally bombing.
Rating:
2/5
Reason for Rating:
This single is, easily said, a step down from Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus.The two rock ballads are mediocre at best, and is turning Ayumi’s music into something I feared–extremely cliched and repetitive, something I was fearful for at the introduction of this rock style in the album mentioned above. If “blossom” hadn’t have been on this single, it wouldn’t have even been worth wasting your time to listen to.
Recommended Tracks:
blossom
Music Review: Blood on the Dance Floor – The Singles
Alright, so the boys by the names of Dahvie Vanity and Jayy von Monroe (and even Garrett Ecstasy to an extent) have absolutely captured my heart, forever and ever. I am IN LOVE with their music, and have been since I listened to that first song (actually, I can’t remember the first song I listened to by them). Though Blood on the Dance Floor has always been my guilty pleasure, I must say that they got SO much better after Jayy von Monroe replaced Garrett Ecstasy (and I’m not saying this because I think Jayy is better-looking). I’m saying this because I can actually tell where Dahvie stops singing and Jayy begins–did Garrett even sing, or was he just the screamer? But this being put aside…
Since October 2009, the boys have been releasing singles to the buildup of their newest album, Epic, in October 2010. When I first started listening to them in about February, I was VERY foolish, and believed that their December single, “Sexting,” was the first song Dahvie released with Jayy. But I was wrong (fortunately). And my incorrectness there led me to make this post a review of Blood on the Dance Floor’s singles from October 2009 to June 2010.
Track List:
1. Horrifically Delicious (October 4th, 2009)
2. Success is the Best Revenge (November 5th, 2009)
3. Sexting (December 16th, 2009)
4. Designed to Kill (January 14th, 2010)
5. Inject Me Sweetly (feat. Jeffree Star)(February 16th, 2010)
6. Candyland (March 30th, 2010)
7. What Dreams Are Made Of (May 15th, 2010)
8. Lose Control (June 1st, 2010)
October 2009
Horrifically Delicious is BOTDF’s October single from 2009. It was never a song I listened to much, since the build-up in the very beginning hurt my ears and my speakers (namely because I listen to their music WAY too loud). But despite this, it’s definitely one of my favorite songs by them. The chorus…is…heavenly. *fangirl faint* If there was ANY song that you could have introduced Jayy in, it was this. It definitely fits along with the new style they introduced in OMFG Sneak Peak and I Scream I Scream, so Jayy’s introduction flows in seamlessly with the current style of the band. Typically, when a new member replaces an older one, it’s noticeable, because their style changes. With BOTDF, there wasn’t the slightest change, and for me, I never knew that Jayy had even replaced Garrett until their March single. >.> But this song is just true artistry–you should definitely give this a listen.
November 2009
Success Is The Best Revenge is such a fun, bouncy song! I fell in love with it in the first three seconds, listening to it’s preppy beats. It sounds like something that I would be playing through a giant boombox if I ever decided to break into my best friend’s room at 1:00 in the morning. I especially love the part that goes F-F-FUCK YOU. I’m not sure why I like it so much; I just do. This definitely competes for my favorite single featuring Jayy von Monroe. >.<
December 2009
Sexting is definitely a doozy, with it’s X-rated lyrics and stated sexual themes. Obviously, the song is talking about the practice of sexting, or using cellphones and internet connection to deliver sexual favors to other people; some kids like this, adults are horrified by it. But either way, it was definitely the inspiration for BOTDF’s December single, and it was a sure-fire hit, ranking as their top song on iTunes. It’s catchy, pulsating beats that are very similar to Pac-Man are totally catchy. I could see people in the summer rockin’ out to this song, their windows and sunroofs rolled down, their hair being tousled in the breeze. But anyway, I digress. I do believe that it was the first BOTDF song I’ve ever listened to, and boy, do Jayy’s vocals stand out well in this song! I’m tempted to believe that Jayy’s in this band only because his voice direly contrasts Dahvie’s somewhat squeaky one. But it definitely showcases both of their talents in this song.
January 2010
Designed To Kill was a song that actually blew me away. In this song, Dahvie and Jayy actually sing instead of that “melodic rapping” (that’s what I call it) thing that they do in every song. There’s only one problem: if they can’t actually sing live, then this song will sound TERRIBLE. The actual melodic part of the is riddled with accidentals that would sound horrendous if the note isn’t hit accurately, and let’s face it: bad singers can’t hit those notes. But all in all, the recorded version sounds amazing, and Dahvie is like the rhyming king. I could sit all day and listen to him rhyme. This song is good in itself, but is probably the weakest of all of these singles. The good thing is, it can still be weak, but still be awesome. It’s hard to explain~ This means you need to LISTEN to it. 😉
February 2010
Inject Me Sweetly is their song featuring Jeffree Star; from what I had once read in an interview, a Jeffree Star concert is where Davhie met Jayy. But despite this, “Inject Me Sweetly” is along with “Designed To Kill” in the weakest tracks area. Jeffree and Jayy have voices that are so similar that they’re almost indistinguishable. The song itself isn’t that memorable, and it isn’t something that you’d hear in a club and try to look up to put on your mp3 player later. All in all though, it’s not that bad. The comparisons that are made in this song are unique: comparing sex to drug injections, sex addiction to drug addiction, and to an extent, orgasm to overdose. It’s a strange way of looking at things, but it gets the job done, nonetheless, and is one of their most interesting songs lyric-wise.
March 2010
Candyland is a fun-bopping song, a lot like “Sexting” in beat, rhythm, and sound. I love how Jayy gets to sing the chorus, and the lyrics make me giggle if I’m in a good mood. I love to shake my head to the song, especially when I’m wearing giant earphones. The whole idea of a song based around a sexual interpretation of candy is really interesting; it’s just more proof that BOTDF writes very intriguing songs (although sexual interpretations of candy are quite common). Though this song isn’t as powerful and straightforward as “Sexting” and has a more cutesy, poppy sound, it’s a nice release from them.
May 2010
What Dreams Are Made Of is BOTDF’s May single, and is just tons of fun wrapped up into just a few minutes! This song has more melodic aspects than the others, and showcases off the voices of Dahvie and Jayy excellently. It has a more mainstream pop sound than their other songs, and is reminiscent of something that Katy Perry would do. At the part where Dahvie sang na, na, na, nanana na na, I thought he was going to end it with a yeah, yeah, yeah, goodbye. >.< I can picture someone cruising through Hollywood, California blaring this through their stereo. The song has more of an “I don’t give a fuck” and “I’m better than you” vibe, and it’s really good to listen to when you’re doubting yourself and are in need of that reassuring word that people just don’t seem to know to give you. It’s a good pick-me-up track.
June 2010
Lose Control is my FAVORITE single out of all eight of these. It’s definitely got a rougher, more rock-ish edge than the others. It’s a lot like a techno-punk rock song, with good electric guitar and synthesizer use. The music and the vocals complement each other beautifully, and I swear, I’m going to set the chorus as my ringtone. It’s almost as though Dahvie and Jayy pulled out all the stops on thing song, and it’s fantastic. If EPIC! is anything like this song, I am going to be in love with the album. Form the BOTDF stuff I’ve listened to (I haven’t listened to the entirety of their two albums), “Lose Control” is completely different from their other work with it’s rock feel. In my opinion, they should do more of this~ It’s very, VERY good.
Rating:
5/5
Reason for Rating:
Blood on the Dance Floor is good–purely and simply good; these eight singles showcase what I do believe are eight of their finest pieces. Dahvie and Jayy are artists in their own right, even though some might see the music they produce as totally senseless. They’re an absolute joy to listen to, and if you can, give them a try. HOWEVER–these singles aren’t for the faint of heart. If you dislike heavy cussing or sexual themes, then these singles–or this group, for that matter–are not for you.
Recommended Tracks:
Horrifically Delicious
Success Is The Best Revenge
Sexting
What Dreams Are Made Of
Lose Control
Music Review: TEN – Cheer Up
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TEN is a Korean duet who announced their debut along with about 4 or 6 others after the debut of 2NE1 and 4minute. Some people have compared them to t.A.T.u., because of their implied lesbian-related content. One of their debut teaser videos contained two girls in their undergarments caught in a passionate embrace, and one of their promotional pictures contained them holding hands.
Cheer Up is their two-track debut single. Dismissing the fact of how they eerily looked like some girls I saw in Las Vegas this summer, I started my analytical listen of the album.
Track Listing:
1. Gollaboa (Right Choice)
2. Mollayo (I Don’t Know)
Gollaboa is the opening track of the single. I was intrigued by not only the man talking in it (very reminiscent of something Hinoi Team), but their nice, 60s-70s retro-funk sound at the beginning. As I continued listening to the song, it started reminding me of an Italian dance track, with an instrument that sounded something like an accordion playing in the verses. The rapper has the most distinctive voice of the two, for the other’s voice sounds a LOT like all the other female Korean singers in the media. But despite this, she does a VERY good job of hitting the high notes like a pro. “Gollaboa” has definitely got a dance feel to it, there is no doubt about that.
Mollayo is the second track, and oh no! It’s the talking man from, like, Hinoi Team again! (: Hopefully this single won’t curse them, and make that a standard for the rest of their songs. In all honesty, the talking man is very distracting from the rest of the song. But despite this, the song starts off relatively quieter than it’s predecessor, with the same driving tempo. But what’s this? Oh dang! The chorus in this song sounds eerily like that in Gollaboa. That can’t be a good sign! Just like they sang golla, golla, gollaboa in the opening track, they’re singing molla, molla, molla in this one! But despite this, the bridge is very, very good, and definitely shows off the singer’s impressive vocals. Through this single, you do learn that that girl can sing, even if the other girl’s rapping is distinctive, but not all that good.
Rating:
3/5
Reason for Rating:
It seems as though they’re just another girl group, trying to gain distinction with their somewhat controversial image. Their songs are repetitive, and sound very generic. Despite that, they’re pretty catchy. If they would have debuted at a different time, these girls might have been able to do well.
G-Dragon is a Total Trendsetter…
…for plagiarism, that is.
Upon the release of his first solo album, G-Dragon was slaughtered with plagiarism claims, the two serious ones being for his songs “Heartbreaker” and “Butterfly.” To make amends for this, G-Dragon re-recorded his song “Heartbreaker” to feature popular American artist FloRida, whose song (titled “Right Round”) G-Dragon was accused of plagiarizing. G-Dragon also opened for FloRida in some of his performances in eastern Asia.
After G-Dragon’s bout with plagiarism accusations, it looks like many other artists are following in his footsteps!
Lee Hyori’s fourth and comeback album H-Logic was hit with plagiarism charges for six songs off of the seven song track list! MNet and Bahnus (the producer) claim that her songs were taken from demos made by Bahnus four to five years previously–all of which had been sold. However, according to one of my sources, one of the six plagiarism claims have been confirmed. Hyori’s songs “Bring it Back,” “I’m Back,” “Feel The Same,” “Swing,” “How Did We Get,” and “Memory” are all accused of plagiarism. It’s kind of odd, since some of Hyori’s accused songs have the same title as the song she’s accused of plagiarizing (Jason Derulo’s “How Did We Get” – Lee Hyori’s “How Did We Get”, Melanie Durrant’s “Feel The Same” – Lee Hyori’s “Feel The Same”, Cookie Couture’s “Boy, Bring it Back” – Lee Hyori’s “Bring it Back.”)
Not only is it G-Dragon and Lee Hyori, it’s also popular girl groups WonderGirls (who have been working on their U.S. promotions) and 4Minute!
The WonderGirls’ comeback song, “2 Different Tears” is accused of plagiarizing Wham’s song, “Bad Boys.” Very little has been said about this claim, besides the fact that the comparison was made by a netizen, and the comment spread like wildfire. The claim was made due to a similar number of beats per minute in a certain section in both songs–but with this being said, it’s hard to tell whether this case is deliberate plagiarism; with all of the dance music coming out, there are bound to be similarities in beat at some point.
The title track for 4Minute’s new release, “Huh,” is being accused of plagiarizing the Paradiso Girls’ song “Patron Tequila.” I have been unable to listen to both of these songs for comparison, but I will update when I am able to. Nothing more than the two song names have been listed on this topic.
Well, to be frank, G-Dragon did desire to be a trendsetter–but for his sense of style rather than his management’s sense of bad business. 😉
Music Review: Blood on the Dance Floor – OMFG Sneak Peak
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OMFG Sneak Peak is the newest extended play from electronic group Blood on the Dance Floor. This extended play is pretty catchy, but also contains major explicit language and themes. Pretty much every song in this release seem to have the same theme in mind.
Track List:
1. Well Suck Me!
2. I.D.G.A.F.
3. Looking Hot, Dangerous!
4. It’s Happening!
Well Suck Me! is the first track on the extended play, and I’m gonna say this straight up: this song is damn catchy. Though I do have a problem with the lyrics “…suck my dick like an ice cream stick…,” it’s an overall good song–and it definitely should be a little bit longer. One thing about songs that belong to Blood on the Dance Floor is that there is very little that can be used to describe them.
I.D.G.A.F is the second track, and one of my favorites. The full title being “I Don’t Give A Fuck,” this song is catchy–I even have the first little bit of the song drawn on a poster in my room: “I do what I want, I say what I want, I get what I want, and I take what I want. I’m royalty bitch; never gave a shit. Relationships–fuck that shit!” And trust me–I can sing the whole thing through multiple times. Multiple. Times. On. Repeat. This song is by far one of their best–ever, in my opinion–and is a definite must-listen for all people who are interested in this group.
Looking Hot, Dangerous! is the third track, and another favorite of mine. And you know, I’ve noticed a recurring theme in the songs on this album–they all mention something about blow jobs! (i.e. “…suck my dick like an ice cream stick…” “…never gave a fuck so suck my dick…” “suck on my dick and lick my nuts…”) This stuff just gets kind of vulgar and gross after a while, but apparently, that’s just who these people are as lyricists. Either way, the song has that catchy beat that you enjoy dancing to.
It’s Happening! is a track that I’ve just recently started listening to (I downloaded the first three tracks like…months ago…and never got around to the last one…:p). It’s actually pretty good–not to mention the fact that it didn’t mention anything about blow jobs. However, there is just so much coarse language that I can stand in a single song. But then again–it’s their right as songwriters to write their song how they see fit. Personally, I think it has a good beat, and I can see people at a dance party on the shores of a beach jamming out to this, but then again, it’s not a song that I’d listen to.
Rating:
4/5
Reason:
All of their songs were just oh-so-super-duper catchy. However, I didn’t really like the lyrical material of the songs that much, and there are just sometimes when I avoid this album straight out–but that’s not often. Overall, it was a fun, entertaining listen, but it’s not for everyone all the time.
Recommended Tracks:
I.D.G.A.F.
Looking Hot, Dangerous!
Music Review: Ayumi Hamasaki – Rock 'n' Roll Circus
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Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus is the eleventh studio album by the Empress of J-Pop, Ayumi Hamasaki.
I’m just going to say this straight up–I believe that this is Ayumi’s comeback.
After her (miss)understood album, Ayumi seemed to have hit a slump in her music, and it just didn’t seem to live up to the tracks from some of her older works, and her songs seemed to lack genuine energy; however, this album seems to be a bit of a return to “the good old days.” (Well, not entirely, but figuratively speaking.)
It’s an obvious fact that Rock ‘n’ Roll Cirucs has a completely different sound from A Song For XX. Her debut-album-style is one that I’m not expecting her to return to anytime soon. Her rock-influenced sound and powerful, somewhat raw vocals are what’s working for her; the only problem that she needs to avoid in this case is songs that sound extremely similar. I think that Ayumi can pull off the pop-rock sound, as long as she doesn’t end up with something like Selena Gomez’s Kiss & Tell album, where almost all of the songs sounded the same (with the exception of “Naturally”). If Ayumi can produce a good rock-ish album without those disastrous results, she should be in the clear.
With all of this said, Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus is an amazingly entertaining album.
Track List:
1. THE introduction
2. Microphone
3. count down
4. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~
5. BALLAD
6. Last Links
7. montage
8. Don’t look back
9. Jump!
10. Lady Dynamite
11. Sexy little things
12. Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~
13. meaning of Love
14. You were…
15. RED LINE ~for TA~
*Note: I’m not going to review “THE introduction,” “montage,” or “Jump!” This is because I despise reviewing interludes and introductions.
Microphone is the second track on this album. The beginning of it reminds me distinctly of “Futatsu no Kodou to Akai Tsumi” by vocal duet ON/OFF, and sounds like something that belongs on Vampire Knight. But that’s just my opinion. The whole thing is bursting to the seams with heavy guitars and rock beats, along with Ayumi’s powerful and more energetic vocals. My only complaint with this song is the frequent “Tell me why, tell me why. I don’t know, I don’t know” part that’s laced in with every instrumental break between the chorus and verses. When I listened to this song, I thought “Hey, Ayu’s voice is back!” When I had listened to some of her songs from NEXT LEVEL, I really thought that she was straining her voice and having trouble singing; well, not anymore! This song is definitely a comeback for her, with the strong sound that continues through the piece, even in its slow parts.
count down is my favorite song on the album. Period. It kicks off with these really creepy guitars, and an even creepier piano melody that reminds me a lot of Eiko Shimamiya’s “Diorama.” Ayumi’s vocals at the beginning before the chorus are amazingly executed, and sound incredible. The chorus has been stuck in my head ever since I listened to it, and the whole song carries a quiet intensity that is mirrored by the low vocals, quiet guitar accompaniment, and the slow, mysterious piano part. The whole piece stays somewhat demure and docile, which is a nice contrast to the high energy and upbeat tempo of “Microphone.”
Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ will lure you in with its beautiful piano accompaniment that sounds like something from a Miyazaki film (particularly the opening scene when Chihiro’s family see their house as they try to get there in Spirited Away). The song makes me think of a summer morning with Ayumi’s soft, melodic vocals. Though this song may be beautiful, it can get boring quite fast; I was ready to change the track about 2 minutes into the nearly six-minute song.
When I noticed BALLAD, my immediate thought wasOh, great–another slow song. Ick. It starts off slowly with what sounds like traditional Chinese instruments playing the background (*coughMulan-eqsuecough*). In my opinion, this song is totally boring throughout, and is something that you should most definitely skip over.
Last Links starts off strong with a beautiful acoustic guitar/cello part, and begins to explode with some kick-ass percussion after Ayumi’s vocals have been in the song for a few measures. My head just naturally bobs to the beat when I listen to this–it’s pretty great, to be honest, and is one of the better tracks on the album.
Don’t look back has a more upbeat, Arabic, belly-dancer feel to it, and is pretty different from all of the other songs on the album. No, seriously–I want to belly dance to this song. Well…I would if I could. Again, this song is one of the more fun ones, which definitely makes it on the of the best. (Is it just me, or are all of Ayumi’s better songs quickly-paced?) Either way, this is more of a neutral song in terms of “should-I-listen-to-it-or-not.” It appeals to different people, and it’s sort of “meh” for me.
Lady Dynamite is the first of Ayumi’s more techno-pop songs that are on the album. However, this one doesn’t really live up to my expectations. It’s a little bit bland, and the synthesized sounds could have been a little crisper than they are. All in all, it’s another “meh” song.
Sexy little things is probably one of Ayumi’s first songs to mention something about sex appeal, from what I’ve seen so far. The synthesizers are great on this–which totally makes up for the lack of good synthesizer sounds on the previous track. I could most definitely picture contestants on Dancing With The Stars doing a quickstep to this song–Anna Trebunskya + Evan Lysacek to be specific. It also has sort of this…um…fifties (?) sound to it, along with something that should be in an old Disney movie. It’s one of the better ones on the CD.
Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~: I swear I thought my speakers were malfunctioning when this started playing. The only remotely good thing about it is the chorus. I mean, seriously–Ayumi’s become an older, more experienced professional musician, and her sound should be more mature than this song. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ is a much better song than Sunrise, and they’re like…the exact same lyrics, melody, and everything. I would definitely skip over this one.
When I heard meaning of Love, I thought, Good God. More slow songs? By now, you can tell that I absolutely hate Ayumi’s slower songs. The only thing I do praise about this song is the good melody, and the nice build up to the chorus with the suspended cymbal, light guitars, and other percussion equipment. That was definitely a good touch.
You were… is, again, a slow song. Damn you Ayumi for writing too many slow songs. But anyway! The piano part to this is lovely, and is something that I would love to play. Just like meaning of Love, this song has a great buildup to a very powerful chorus. This might actually be a slow song that I can listen to, because of the excellent instrumentation.
RED LINE ~for TA~ reminded me of a country song when I first heard it with its bouncy beginning. It’s very, very, very nondescript, but not difficult to listen to. Actually, I quite like it–a lot. =3 The acapella part at the end is quite good–I definitely recommend it.
Rating:
3.5/5
Reason:
This album was really good in a lot of ways, but it still had its problems. For one, there were way too many slow songs on it–and slow songs, to me, are just not her specialty. The more rock-ish, faster paced songs were what kept this album afloat. This album could have stood for a little bit more diversity, and one interlude instead of three.
Recommended Tracks:
Microphone
count down
Last Links
Sexy Little Things
RED LINE ~for TA~
PeachJam *LOVE* 