Jpop Addict - Discovering Jpop Volume 1

Jpop Addict - Discovering Jpop Volume 1

Everyone has heard Ayumi Hamasaki, BoA, Koda Kumi, and Namie Amuro before. I decided to create an album with some female Jpop artists that are not nearly as popular (this statement is debatable of course), but still sound amazing. Most of these songs are slower paced and relaxing. I hope you'll enjoy this small sample. Feedback is always welcome!

Note: All mp3s are at 192kbps or higher

Track list:
1. [2006] YOSHIKA - nothing
2. [2005] Dream - Shine Of Voice
3. [2006] RYTHEM - Dear Friend
4. [2005] Sakamoto Maaya - Loop
5. [2005] Younha - Himawari
6. [2003] Mikuni Shimokawa - Sore Ga Ai Deshou
7. [2005] Hitomi Takahashi - My Answer
8. [2004] Double - You Took My Heart Away
9. [2006] Rie Fu - I Wanna Go To A Place...
10. [2006] Angela Aki - Kokoro no Senshi

Intended for sampling purposes only. Support your favourite Jpop artists.

The direct download link is located here (80.64mb)

AAA: Shalala Kibou no Uta and Shocking Truths

After watching every AAA music video and listening to most of their songs, I found that the music video for "Shalala Kibou no Uta" reveals a frightening truth about the group. If AAA ever lack funds, the music video shows exactly how the members will be kicked off.


We start of with 4 members standing behind the tree. There seems to be way too many members in this group. The whole group barely fits in this wide screen shot. Who's first to go?

Everyone starts walking through an alley. The camera rotates around and...gasp...only three members are left.

Three seems like a nice number. We got our two lead singers here and a guy in a toque (who sings well). To be perfectly honest, these are the only members I truly care about in AAA. Rather frightening how accurate this music video is getting. Can they reduce more? The music video reveals more shocking truths!


Now only the two lead singers remain. We got the handsome fellow Nishijima Takahiro and the cute Uno Misako. I could live with AAA being two people. I'm sure most people could live with that fact as well. However, in the end, AAA is a wonderful band that I hope won't ever break up. However, one female member, Goto Yukari, has already left due to health reasons. And yes, she was one of the first people to get kicked off the music video.


Of course, near the 55 second mark, the whole gang is together again dancing in the middle of a town. Hooray for AAA!

Sites for Downloading Jpop

Here is a guide to the best places to download free Jpop on the internet. Don't kill the messenger! This guide is to save you time from searching Jpop downloading sites that are already highly accessible on search engines.

Leave a comment if you have any additional sites to suggest.


A shelf full of unbought Jpop. Please remember to support your favourite Jpop artist if you like their music!

JPOPSUKI
URL: mullemeck.serveftp.org/jps_beta/
Download type: BitTorrent
Description: the god of all Jpop downloading sites. The community is huge, so there is an enormous selection and new Jpop is added incredibly fast. You can find albums, singles, music videos, concerts, DVDs, and basically any Jpop medium here. I basically check this site everyday to see what new stuff is coming out (or you can subscribe to the RSS feed). However, my ISP (Rogers in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) blocks everyone from accessing JPOPSUKI because it's such an amazing site. An annoying workaround is using a proxy to access the site so you can get the torrent. Furthermore, you have to force encryption for outgoing and incoming connections to avoid being disconnected. Even with that drawback, JPOPSUKI is still my favourite site for getting Jpop.

JPSEEK
URL: http://forums.jpseek.com/
Download type: BitTorrent
Description: JPSEEK is my alternative to JPOPSUKI. JPSEEK has albums, singles, PVs, MVs, and all the essentials. Typically, I will go to "Release" and see what's there. There is a wide selection, but I find music comes out relatively slow on this site. Usually music has already been up on JPOPSUKI for a few days before it's posted here.

Gendou's Anime Music
URL: http://gendou.com/amusic/
Download type: direct download
Description: It's very common for popular Jpop songs to be part of an anime. If you're looking for a particular song used in an anime, you can almost always find that song at Gendou's Anime Music. Typically, the TV size, full size, and instrumental is released for a given song. You won't find full singles or albums here, or any other Jpop medium other than songs. However, the selection is huge and updated frequently, so it's an excellent place to find specific anime songs. For example, some anime related songs are: "Life" by YUI, "Alones" by Aqua Timez, "DAYBREAK'S BELL" by L'Arc-en-Ciel, "Days" by FLOW, and "Ash Like Snow" by the brilliant green, "Believe" by Tamaki Nami, and "Ike Ike" by HINOI Team.

Too Fast To Live
URL: http://toofasttolive.blogspot.com/
Download type: direct download
Description: Too Fast To Live is quickly becoming one of my favourite sites because it features direct downloads of singles, albums, PVs, MVs, and more. Where JPOPSUKI and its lack of seeds fail, Too Fast To Live always has the download available (since it's direct). You can place a request if you're looking for something, which means the selection is just as good as JPOPSUKI (if not better).

J-Spot
URL: http://j-pop-rock.com/rotation/jpoprockmusicrotation.htm
Download type: direct download
Description: If you need just a song (not the entire single or album), J-Spot is a good source. This site is particularly useful if you are looking for an old song that probably has no seeds for torrenting.

Last Updated: January 25, 2008

Spotlight: AAA - ATTACK ALL AROUND!

I discovered the wonders of AAA (ATTACK ALL AROUND) three days ago and their songs have brought me to the brink of insanity. Their songs plays constantly in my head. I can't sleep, my productivity is down the drain at work, and I am slowly dying on the inside. Seriously, it should be a crime to make songs so addictive and exciting.

For quite sometime, I've been looking for a Jpop group to replace the guy/girl group songs that I once filled with the Korean "group" SMTOWN and even as far as the songs from High School Musical. Finally, the void in my life is filled, thank you AAA!

Perhaps it's a tad too over dramatic, but AAA does have really catchy songs. Also, as an added bonus, they also have great music videos. I "acquired" almost all their MVs yesterday. The reason for this behaviour isn't because the lead female singer, Uno Misako, is incredibly cute, but it's still a great incentive to do so :)

If you haven't heard AAA songs, what are you waiting for?

Here are some of my favourite AAA songs and music videos. Uno Misako looks so cute in all these videos!!!

Get Chu!

SUNSHINE

Kuchibiru Kara Romantica

If you'd like to download AAA's albums, singles, and music videos, the best place is at the Jpop blog Too Fast To Live which features direct downloads! JPOPSUKI also has an AAA discography available, but the music videos lack in seeds.

Namie Amuro: The Making of the Vidal Sassoon CM "New Look"

I've been completely obsessed with Namie Amuro's Vidal Sassoon CM "New Look." Namie Amuro looks very cute and the commercial is really well choreographed. Vidal Sassoon is building up their competitive advantage by hiring such a "kawaii" person for advertisement.

Naturally, I would dig around for more videos. Luckily, there is a collection of "making of" videos around. I hope I don't get sick of "New Look" when it gets released, since I've watched the commercial like 20 times. There is also a "making of" video for her other CM "Rock Solid," but I don't think I can embed anymore videos, since it'll take forever for the page to load :(

The Making of the Vidal Sassoon CM "New Look"

Song Review: Satori Negishi - Stargazer ~Hoshi no Tobira~

Title: Stargazer ~Hoshi no Tobira~
Artist: Satori Negishi
Single: Gundam Seed C.E.73-Stargazer
Released: September 05, 2006

The only full length "music video" I could find was this Final Fantasy VII fan video. It's annoying that Satori Negishi didn't make a music video for this song.

Review

"Stargazer ~Hoshi no Tobira~" is one of my favourite slow songs in 2006. I'm not sure how popular this song was, but I know it was briefly on the Oricon singles chart.

The first time I heard this song was the ending song for the anime "Mobile Suit Gundam Seed C.E.73." Satori Negishi has an excellent voice as she sings the song with a sad tone. The mood is depressing as hell and that's what I love about this song. The depression continues if you listen to the other songs on this single. The B-sides are just crap in my opinion. I wonder if Satori Negishi is ever going to sing any other songs in the future...

The verdict: Listen to "Stargazer ~Hoshi no Tobira~" if you want an excellent slow song! I highly recommend it.

It's probably hard to find this song now. Since it's an anime and the B-side sucks, you can download the full length song (and the TV size if you'd like) from Gendou. You can visit Gendou here.

Lyrics

Romaji lyrics for "Stargazer ~Hoshi no Tobira~":
Miageru sora
Kanashimi no
Aoki nageki no uta ga tada kikoeru

Yasashii shiroi matataki
Ubaisatta kaze... kanata

Nigenai boku wa kimeta yo
Kimi no nukumori soba ni kanjite

Me wo sorasazu ni
Subete kono mune ni
Sasaru shinjitsu naraba

Aruiteyukou
Yugami fusagareta
Hoshi no tobira no mukou...

Nari yamanai
Akai ame
Omoidasenai tsubusareta ashioto

Kimi no te sotto furetara
Kanjiteru yo sono kodou

Tsunaide mou hanasanai
Terashitsudzukeyou hoshi no hikari de

Nanika ga kawaru
Ryoute hirogetara
Sore ga shinjitsu dakara

Doko e mo yukazu
Boku no soba ni ite
Tobira wo akete ageyou

Me wo sorasazu ni
Subete kono mune ni
Sasaru shinjitsu naraba

Aruiteyukou
Yugami fusagareta
Hoshi no tobira no mukou...

Source: http://filer.case.edu/slc15/kashu/lyrics/stargazerhoshinotobira.html

Metadata

Artist: Satori Negishi
Release year: 2006
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Slow
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: Japanese

Toshinobu Kubota: Soul Music Master

Thanks to smallhow for telling me about Toshinobu Kubota by commenting in MyShoutBox.

smallhow: why [don't I] see Toshinobu Kubota here??!!! he is great!

Toshinobu Kubota (or Toshi Kubota) is a great male singer if you're a fan of soul music. The Toshi Kubota Wikipedia article (found here), says Toshi Kubota is a pioneer of soul music in Japan. Maybe I'm terrible at searching for songs, but it's really difficult to find Toshi Kubota songs (if anyone knows where to find his stuff, please leave a comment!). I really enjoyed some of his music by watching his music videos. His soul music is relaxing and can easily compete with North American songs. Someone mentioned that his song "Masquerade" was on BET. I'm not surprised, since I can't even tell that he's Japanese from hearing his songs. I'm not a fan of his earlier work in the 80s. I think his newer work is more interesting :). Soul music is one of many genres of music I like. Naturally, I'm happy that I was recommended to a Japanese soul music singer.

His music videos are quite limited in availability, but here are some that I like:

"Masquerade" from his 2000 Album "Nothing But Your Love."

"Nothing But Your Love" from his 2000 Album "Nothing But Your Love."

"Breaking Through" from his 2000 Album "Nothing But Your Love."

Japanese Hairstyles: Male Jpop Artists

Japanese people generally have some pretty neat hairstyles. Japanese female hairstyles aren't particularly interesting as they don't do anything crazy. However, males just go crazy with the wax or gel and come up with artistic and creative looking hairstyles. I'm fully aware that Koreans have amazingly cool looking hair...but this is a Jpop blog (the "J" is for Japanese).

Need some examples? Here are some of the wickedly cool looking hairstyles from some of my favourite male Jpop artists:

Tohoshinki


UVERworld


L'Arc～en～Ciel


Nightmare

I've never worked up the courage to try any of these hairstyles myself. But I have watched "How to" videos. Basically, the best source for Japanese male tutorials is from Gatsby. You can visit the Gatsby website here.

You need to navigate around to see the tutorials. After it fully loads, you should see a menu called "Ch 1 HAIR STYLING." Most of the videos of interest are in that menu. Browse around! Have fun!

For those of you who think these hairstyles are absolutely ridiculous, you might find these videos humerous. People do spend a lot of time making their hair look like that. If you want a few previews, you can always look around YouTube. Here are some interesting videos in case you don't feel like manually searching:







I actually watched all the videos on the Gatsby site and enjoyed it. The tutorials are quite detailed and somewhat addictive to watch. There are some other humerous videos on that site. For example, there is one video where they teach you how to wash your face. If you truly love Jpop, you would wash your face like an authentic Japanese person after all!!!

Blogger Template Problems

I'm not sure why my page doesn't show up with my custom template anymore, but I'll need to fix it. Since my page was getting hits up to 6:45 pm EST, I'm assuming they just made some recent change. Perhaps my template isn't compliant with the Blogger XML schema >_<.

For now, I'll need to keep the template like this until I can find time to fix the problem. Unfortunately, after programming and debugging code all day at work, I'd rather not find bugs in my blogger template. I guess I was asking for trouble when I chose a third party template.

I'm really excited that new releases are coming out frequently on JPOPSUKI. I could use some new Jpop to keep me busy at work.

Song Review: mihimaru GT - Diverge

Title: Diverge
Artist: mihimaru GT
Single: Diverge
Released: January 30, 2008

Review

"Diverge" is the 16th single from the hip-hop duo mihimaru GT. I had always associated mihimaru GT with hip-hop only songs and never expected such a wonderful song. I'm glad I heard this song, since I usually don't listen to music by mihimaru GT.

"Diverge" is (nearly) J-Rap free!
If you despise Japanese rap and you've heard some of mihimaru GT's songs, you might have strayed away from them like me. Whenever I hear Japanese rapping, I rarely keep listening. I usually find Japanese rapping to be cheesy and mediocre when compared to North American standards. I'm a fan of angry and poetic rapping, which I believe can only be attained through jail time and a few bullet wounds.

I honestly didn't think "Diverge" would last 20 seconds, since I've heard a few mihimaru GT songs before. However, when the rapping started at 2:46, it was already too late. I had already fallen in love with this song (figuratively speaking).

Now, what makes "Diverge" such a good song? The lead female singer, Hiroko, sings a mellow-sounding song with a classy string orchestra background mixed with the electric guitar. Hiroko's vocals are superb and kept me interested the entire song (she excellently uses deliberately off-key vocals too!). However, there is the problem with the rapping at the 2:46 mark, but I feel the rest of the song is too good for this brief rap to ruin it.

The verdict: "Diverge" is a wonderful song from mihimaru GT. I highly recommend this song.

Lyrics

Romaji lyrics for "Diverge" will be posted when it becomes available.

Metadata

Artist: mihimaru GT
Release year: 2008
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: Japanese

Song Review: Koda Kumi - Under

Title: Under
Artist: Koda Kumi
Album: Kingdom
Released: January 30, 2008

Review

"Under" is the 7th track in Koda Kumi's January 2008 album "Kingdom." Nothing screams quality like panting and heavy breathing in a song. Mix in some sensual vocals and you got yourself a classy hit. Such techniques are used by highly respectable North American artists like Britney Spears (try "I'm A Slave 4 U"). Amidst the thick sarcasm, there is some truth: the song is a hit. I hate to admit it, but "Under" does sound pretty addictive.

Even if you hate this song, you still have a highly suggestive video. I was pleasantly surprised at how much clothing Koda Kumi wore in this music video. Usually Koda Kumi's clothing starts disappearing as her song speed increases.

You know she's worked up a good reputation when fans expects her to be undressed and act suggestively in her music videos. What would be unexpected would be an innocent Jpop artist like YUI following in Koda Kumi's footsteps. I don't recall seeing YUI's bare shoulders (or shins for that matter) in her music videos. Yes, YUI is the model citizen for high school dress codes.

So what makes this song so addictive? The beats are undeniably addictive as is the chorus. The song does contain synthesized vocals, which I normally despise, but it works quite well in this song. It adds to the urban-style environment that is reminiscent of North American music. Even though her panting is distracting she doesn't keep doing it constantly, so it could be considered artistic. A really desperate justification indeed.

"Under" can get pretty repetitive since it's the same beats over and over again. The lasting appeal wears out surprisingly fast after about 7 or 8 times. I also think this song is too long. The ending is quite lazy when it repeats the same damn tune a million times. Just end it already!

The verdict: "Under" is a guilty pleasure that is good for a few listens

Lyrics

Romaji lyrics for "Under" will be posted when it becomes available.

Metadata

Artist: Koda Kumi
Release year: 2008
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: Japanese

The Softer Side of Koda Kumi

Koda Kumi is undoubtedly a talented artist who is well known for her urban style music. However, she's always found time to include her softer and gentler songs. I've always been a fan of her slow songs, as I believe that's when her voice sounds the best. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of her faster songs such as "I'll be there," "real emotion," and "Cutie Honey."

I've compiled a list of my favourite slow songs from Koda Kumi. I include the year, title, album/single name, and a music video (whenever the video exists). Enjoy!

2003 Album - grow into one

1000 no Kotoba - Koda Kumi really demonstrates her powerful and gentle voice in "1000 no Kotoba." I'm not sure why there isn't a music video for this absolutely excellent song.

2005 Album - Best ~first things~

Promise - Koda Kumi's voice is as smooth as honey in this song. "Promise" is a really beautiful sounding song.

2006 Single - Yume no Uta / Futari de...

Futari de... - Koda Kumi sings another great sounding gentle song.

2007 Single - Ai no Uta

Ai no Uta - Koda Kumi's super smooth voice is back once again! I really love the chorus in this song.

Last updated: January 13, 2008

Profile: HINOI Team

If you're a EUROBEAT fan and love Jpop, I highly recommend you check out HINOI Team. They are my favourite Japanese dance/parapara group. HINOI Team often do covers for EUROBEAT songs. Some examples include "Night of Fire" and "King Kong."

What I believe makes HINOI Team so appealing is their great voices and energetic songs. I often prefer their EUROBEAT covers over the original.

The leader, Asuka Hinoi, has a great voice as she demonstrates in her early solo career. She sings the highly addictive song "Wanna be your Girlfriend."

Naturally, not all their songs sound great, but I have some that I would highly recommend.

2006 Album - SUPER EURO PARTY

An absolutely great album with a wide variety of dance songs. If I had to buy a HINOI Team CD, "SUPER EURO PARTY" would be the one. The album would be better if that male comedian Koriki was excluded from the album. Koriki ruins some of the songs, but he does provide the EUROBEAT atmosphere. Here are my recommendations:

Recommended songs
The following songs are all energetic and addictive. There's no need to repeat the same description for each song. If I had to choose two, they would be "Just for Me" and "Yeah," since both have amazingly addictive choruses.

• Hey Mr. DJ
  
• Night of Fire (with Koriki)
• Play With The Numbers
• Sing Na Na Na
• IKE IKE
• Just For Me
• Yeah!
  

Here are some of their music videos for these songs:

IKE IKE

Night of Fire (with Koriki)

Yeah

2006 Single - Now and Forever

"Now and Forever" is an incredibly catchy song and a perfect single to follow "SUPER EURO PARTY." Currently, "Now and Forever" is my favourite HINOI Team song. Here is the music video:

2007 Single - Dancin' & Dreamin'

Another great single from HINOI Team. I recommend both "I'M GONNA CARRY ON" and "Dancin' & Dreamin'."

Here is the music video for "Dancin' & Dreamin'"

Lyrics

If you'd like romaji lyrics for HINOI Team songs, I recommend you visit http://www.hinoiteam.glt.pl/.

Song Review: YUI - Namidairo

Title: Namidairo
Artist: YUI
Single: Namidairo
Released: February 27, 2008

Review

YUI-syndrome
I hope I'm not the only one who suffers from YUI-syndrome. YUI-syndrome occurs when you are unable to differentiate certain YUI songs because they sound all the same. A deadly disease indeed. I feel that YUI has too many songs where she sings softly in a sad tone to an acoustic guitar. For those of us who don't understand Japanese, it's really depressing to not understand what she's saying. She's got some sad sounding songs, I want to feel her pain too. <3 YUI!!!

Feeling bored? Play the YUI game!
If you have an iPod, one of the "games" (used very loosely of course) is the "guess the song" game. A song is chosen at random with a short preview. Then you must guess the song from a small list. I recommend you try this song with YUI's two albums "Can't Buy Love" and "From Me to You." Remove songs like "LIFE," "CHE.R.RY," "Rolling Star," and "Good-bye days" since they are clearly differentiable. I cannot assign this game an ERSB rating since I don't understand Japanese. YUI could be secretly hiding intense profanity in her sad songs...just cursing this cruel world.

Moving On...
"Namidairo" is the 11th single from YUI. It's the typical heavily acoustic and sad sounding YUI song. Her voice sound relaxing since she doesn't do any "yelling," like the "Good-bye Days" chorus. However, this song is hardly differentiable from many of her older songs, so it doesn't stand out. It's great for relaxing background music, but hardly a top YUI pick for me.

The verdict: There's nothing addictive to "Namidairo," just a typical sad sounding YUI song with acoustics.

Lyrics

Here are the romaji lyrics for "Namidairo" so you can sing along:
Kirawareteiru you na ki ga shiteta kaerimichi
Miageta heya no akari ima donna kimochi de iru no darou?

Kenka ni nareba sugu ayamaru yowakute anata wa zurui hito

Namidairo koe ga kikoenai yoru wa
Komarasete shimau hodo wagamama ni naritai
Daijoubu sou itte mita kedo
Sonna hazu nai desho…

Mizu tamari ni utsuru kanashii kao minareteiru
Muri iwanai tsumori wakatteru kara kurushiku naru no

Yasashiku sareru to naketekuru yappari anata wa zurui hito

Namidairo koe ga kikoenai yoru wa
Komarasete shimau hodo wagamama ni naritai
Daijoubu sou itte mita kedo
Sonna hazu nai desho…

Anata no mae ja uso tsuki yo
Kizuite hoshii to omotteiru no
Sonna ni tsuyoi wake ja nai kara ne atashi

Namida kobosanai kimeteita no ni
Komarasete shimau yo ne? wagamama ni narenai

Daijoubu? Nante mata kiku kedo
Sonna hazu nai desho…

Source: http://yui-lover.com/index.php?showtopic=5802&view=getnewpost
Thanks a lot to the user "uchihamel" for posting the romaji lyrics so quickly.

Metadata

Artist: YUI
Release year: 2008
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: Japanese

The Best Jpop Song List

I will be uploading "Discovering Jpop" albums with songs from this list. The albums are located here.

A great thing about Jpop, is there's always something new out there that you haven't heard before. It is incredibly tedious to listen through an artist's discography to find excellent songs. After all, not every song can sound great, but there are always some that stand out.

I encourage you to leave a comment if you'd like to recommend some of your favourite Jpop songs (I recommend you follow a similar format to the list below).

I'll periodically update this list to include songs from the comment list and any new songs. You can suggest a new category if you'd like :D. Don't feel like you're restricted to those categories. Go crazy! Here's a list of of my absolute favourite Jpop songs, sorted alphabetically by category. I've tried to list as many artists as I could per category.

The Best Jpop List

Best Japanese slow songs

• [2000] Ayumi Hamasaki - SEASONS
  
• [2001] Ayumi - Hamasaki - Endless Sorrow
  
• [2006] Angela Aki - Kiss Me Good-Bye
• [2006] Angela Aki - Kokoro no Senshi
• [2006] Angela Aki - This Love
• [2007] JYONGRI - Lullaby For You
  
• [2003] Koda Kumi - 1000 no Kotoba
• [2007] Koda Kumi - Ai no Uta
  
• [2005] Yuna Ito - ENDLESS STORY
• [2006] Mika Nakashima - CRY NO MORE
• [2005] Namie Amuro - ALL FOR YOU
• [2005] Namie Amuro - White Light
• [2005] Rie Fu - I Wanna Go To A Place
• [2006] Satori Negishi - Stargazer ~Hoshi no Tobira~
• [2007] Utada Hikaru - Flavor Of Life
• [2007] YUI - Good-bye days
  

Best Japanese fast songs

• [2006] 20th Century - INNOCENCE
• [2007] AAA - Get Chu!
• [2007] AAA - Sunshine
  
• [2007] Aqua Timez - ALONES
• [2004] Ayumi Hamasaki - Winding Road
• [2007] ERIKA - FREE
• [2007] ERIKA - Destination Nowhere
  
• [2005] Do As Infinity - TAO
• [2004] DOUBLE - Life is Beautiful
• [2005] DOUBLE - You Took My Heart Away
• [2005] Dream - Shine of Voice
• [2005] FLOW - DAYS
• [2005] Hitomi Takahashi - Aozora no Namida
• [2005] Hitomi Takahashi - My Answer
• [2006] K - Brand New Map
• [2005] Ken Hirai - POP STAR
  
• [2003] Koda Kumi - real emotion
• [2007] JYONGRI - Hop, Step, Jump!
• [2007] JYONGRI - Romeo&Juliet
  
• [2005] Matsuura Aya - Ki ga Tsukeba Anata
• [2003] Mikuni Shimokawa - Sore Ga Ai Deshou
• [2007] Morning Musume - YES Nude
  
• [2007] Nakagawa Shoko - Sorairo Days
• [2006] Namie Amuro - CAN'T SLEEP CAN'T EAT, I'M SICK
• [2003] Namie Amuro - Four Seasons
• [2007] Rie Fu - 5000 Mile
• [2007] Rie Fu - Tsukiakari
  
• [2006] RYTHEM - Dear Friend
• [2005] Sakamoto Maaya - Loop
• [2007] Sowelu - Hikari
  
• [2005] SweetS - on the way
• [2004] Tamaki Nami - Be Positive
• [2007] the brilliant green - Stand by me
• [2004] TiA - Ryuusei
• [2007] Tohoshinki - Together
  
• [2006] Utada Hikaru - Keep Tryin’
• [2005] Younha - Himawari
• [2005] Younha - Houki Boshi
  
• [2006] YUI - LIFE
• [2006] YUI - Merry Go Round
  
• [2005] Yuna Ito - Journey
• [2007] Yuna Ito - Mahaloha
  

Best Japanese rock/heavy metal songs

• [2007] ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION - After Dark
• [2005] Do As Infinity - For the Future
• [2002] Hitomi - I am
• [2006] Hyde - SEASON'S CALL
• [2007] L'Arc～en～Ciel - DAYBEAK'S BELL
  
• [2005] Mika Nakashima - GLAMOROUS SKY
• [2007] Nightmare - Raison d'Etre
  

Best collaborations

• [2005] Chemistry and Crystal Kay - TWO AS ONE
• [2006] EXILE and Koda Kumi - Won't Be Long
• [2004] m-flo, melody., Yamamoto Ryohei - Miss You
• [2004] m-flo and BoA - the Love Bug
• [2007] Monkey Majik and m-flo - picture perfect
  
• [2005] Namie Amuro and Nao'ymt - Ups & Downs
• [2007] The Gospellers and Howie D - It Still Matters
  

Best indie-pop/acoustic songs

• [2005] Monkey Majik - 1996
• [2007] Monkey Majik - Car Crash
• [2006] Monkey Majik - fly
• [2007] Monkey Majik - LONG SHOT PENNY
• [2006] Monkey Majik - turn
• [2000] the brilliant green - rainy days never stays
  

Best Soul/R&B songs

• [2000] Toshi Kubota - Masquerade
• [2000] Toshi Kubota - Nothing But Your Love
  

Best punk songs

• [2004] ELLEGARDEN - Addicted
• [2005] ELLEGARDEN - Bored of Everything
• [2004] ELLEGARDEN - Perfect Days
• [2005] ELLEGARDEN - Star Fish
• [2002] ELLEGARDEN - Under Control
  

Best Parapara or dance songs

• [2006] Hinoi Team - Ike Ike
• [2006] Hinoi Team - Just for Me
• [2006] Hinoi Team - Yeah!
• [2006] Hinoi Team - NOW AND FOREVER
• [2006] KOTOKO - Face of Fact RESOLUTION ver.
• [2004] Tamaki Nami - Realize
• [2004] Tamaki Nami - Believe
  

Best English dominant song (a bit of Japanese is OK)

• [2003] melody. - Do you hear what I hear
• [2007] melody. - Glory of Love
  
• [2007] melody. - ONE DAY
• [2004] melody. - Over the Rainbow
• [2007] Monkey Majik - NO SNOW IN DECEMBER
  
• [2006] Rie Fu - 5 minutes
• [2005] Rie Fu - shine
• [2002] Utada Hikaru - Simple and Clean
• [2006] YOSHIKA - nothing

Best remixes

• [2007] Namie Amuro - Violet Sauce (Spicy)

Change Log:

1. January 11, 2008: Initial list created
2. January 18, 2008: Added Toshi Kubota's songs "Masquerade" and "Nothing But Your Love", various Rie Fu songs (I can't believe I forgot to add them the first time!), and Satori Negishi's "Stargazer ~Hoshi no Tobira~"
3. January 22, 2008: Added "Sunshine" and "Get Chu!" by AAA
   

Song Review: the brilliant green - ENEMY

Title: ENEMY
Artist: the brilliant green
Single: ENEMY
Released: December 12, 2007

Review

Question: what is the difference between Tomoko's vocals in "ENEMY" and a dying hospital patient? The dying patient has more energy. Is this a trivial answer? I think not.

"ENEMY" is the 16th single from the brilliant green. The song has a depressing tone that you'll feel deep in your heart. It's not the lyrics that make you depressed, it's the lifelessness of Tomoko's voice, as she sings for roughly 5 minutes. I suppose it takes skills to sound so consistently boring. Her poor vocals waste the excellent instrumentals, which has created a haunting atmosphere. Next time, someone needs to poke Tomoko real hard when she sings to get some tone variation.

The verdict: the enemy in this song is Tomoko's awfully boring voice. What a waste!

Lyrics

Here are the romaji lyrics:
aozameta sora kokuchou no retsu
hiai no te muragaru kage
susurinaku koe
mukuwarenai namida wa munashii

tsuki ni kagayaku tenshi no hashigo
sono saki ni kitai wo shite wa
nageku bakari
itsu made mo sou shite itai no?

nani ga kawaru wake ja nai
kiseki nanka okoranai

the Enemy lives inside myself
yeah I know...
tozasareta sora no shita de
furuete iru
I stand alone

amai dake no jibun ni kidzuiteta

yureru minamo ni koboshita namida
kakusenai fuan no toge
modoru nara ima
te wo nobashi dareka ga naiteta
kanshou ni wa hitaranai
nan no yaku ni mo tatanai

The Enemy lives inside myself
yeah I know...
ima wa mada koerarenai kabe demo
ii
mite mitai no
mukougawa ni hirogaru
aozora wo

ima wa chiisana hoshi dakedo
kagayakeru hi wo egaite
koko ni iru no
I stand alone

mune wo tsuku yokaze ga munashisa ga
oroka da to azakeru nara sore demo ii
mite itai no
sono mukou ni hirogaru
aoi sora

Source: http://www.jpopasia.com/play/4795/the-brilliant-green/enemy.html

Metadata

Artist: the brilliant green
Release year: 2007
Genre: Rock
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: Japanese

Song Review: Monkey Majik - fly

Title: fly
Artist: Monkey Majik
Album: thank you
Released: May 24, 2006

Review

What happens when you mix Monkey Majik, indie-pop, good English lyrics, and a touch of Japanese? You get my favourite track on the album "Thank You" called "fly." I'm especially a fan of the English verses before the first chorus. The lyrics are somewhat poetic and mimic indie-pop style lyrics. You might fool listeners into believing this song is a North American indie-pop song using the first quarter of the song. Of course, the song does have its flaws. I'm not a fan of the Japanese lyrics in this song. I wish the entire song was English since I enjoy the English parts the most.

The verdict: "fly" is an enjoyable authentic sounding indie-pop song from Monkey Majik. I highly recommend this song.

Lyrics

Here are the romaji lyrics for you to sing along with:
Leaving on that 7:30 train.
I don't know how far I'll go.
Round in circles just as long as I would tell you.
I am alone but we could be.

Tell me something I haven't heard before
except for when you shut me down.
Remember when we stayed up all night drinking whiskey.
I know that you've been waiting.
I'll see you on the other side.

Oh! We're better off alone.
I told you once before.
so don't knock on my door.
you'll see it if you will.
but I don't wanna know.
I'm feeling so resentful

Cuz' I wanna fly, Fly me up so high
Take me to the skies, I won't get by
itsu made mo kimi no koe ga boku no kokoro de hibiku
If you can't believe me, take me home

kimi no chiisana te wo semete ato sukoshi
tsuyoku nigiri-shimete-ita nara
yukkuri ashita wo matterareta no ni

namida no wake shitte-ita kedo
ima de wa mou oso-sugiru kara
sore wa sugi-yuku keshiki no you ni

Cuz' I wanna fly, Fly me up so high
Take me to the skies, I won't get by
itsu made mo kimi no koe wa boku no michi ni aru sa
If you can't believe me take me home

Everybody's talking always up and groovin'
come on up and join up with me yeah!
Always on and dancin' always on the move and.
come on everybody won't you come with me?

Cuz' I wanna fly, Fly me up so high
Take me to the skies, I won't get by
Everybody needs to go beyond the seas
If you can't believe me, take me home
If you can't believe me, take me home

Cuz' I wanna fly. I wanna fly.
Take me high.
Cuz' I wanna fly. I wanna fly.
Take me high!

Cuz' I wanna fly, fly me up so high
Take me to the skies, I won't get by
itsu made mo kimi no koe wa boku no michi ni aru sa
If you can't believe me take me home

Source: http://lyricwiki.org/MONKEY_MAJIK:fly

Metadata

Artist: Monkey Majik
Release year: 2006
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: English and Japanese
Dominant language: Japanese

Song Review: Monkey Majik - turn

Title: turn
Artist: Monkey Majik
Album: thank you
Released: May 24, 2006

Review

"turn" is an excellent indie-pop song from Monkey Majik with an addictive chorus and superb guitar playing. The chorus is a mixture of both Japanese and English with the catchy verse, "Oh.. It's still turnin' around" supported by percussion, bass, and guitar. The guitar melody is interesting and keeps me occupied, especially when the lyrics are in Japanese.

The verdict: "turn" is an excellent song and properly represents Monkey Majik's indie-pop style. I highly recommend this song.

Lyrics

Here are the romaji lyrics for you to see along with:
Wakin’ up asa me ga samete futto kanojo ga satte ikuyou na
tojiru to mieteiru monoga hirakuto mienakunaru genjitsu
nani mo sondeinaiyo, tada hito koto dake wonderfull wonderfull
Is all I need to hear me ni mienakute

Sometimes I feel like cavin' in nani ka ni semararete iruyouna
I wonder why? Ima made konna ni chisai jibun ni kizukenaide
subete o moto ni modosou toshite donna ni kako o sosuttemitemo
I'm right in yumede mite yume

Oh.. It's still turnin' around
It's so nandomo meguri meguru
Alright now
It's still turnin' around
demo ashita wa kittokurukara
Alright now

What if I'm the only one? hikari ga tashika ni ashimoto o tomoshiteite
sukushi zutsu sukushi zutsu dakedo shinjiteru boku no mukau beki basho ga
Is this really now the only way through? sokoni wa itsudemo kimi ga ite
kataku omoi kono tobira nokku suru yo

boku kara hanashi o suru yo kimi ga iwareru sono mae ni
furi kaeru to yoku mieru kara I can see all three sides from here.
mirai wa dareni mo mienai kedo kimi to futari nara yakusoku dekiru
I'm right in shizuka ni naraku

Oh.. It's still turnin' around
It's so nandomo meguri meguru
Alright now
It's still turnin' around
demo ashita wa kittokurukara
Alright now

Sometimes when everything's dark i take a lil' time and make sure it's all real
Sometimes when I'm alone I think about what the hell went wrong.
I look right out the door and see that all of this is turning.

Oh.. It's still turnin' around
It's so nandomo meguri meguru
Alright now
It's still turnin' around
demo ashita wa kittokurukara
Alright now

Sometimes I feel like cavin' in nani ka ni semararete iruyouna
I wonder why? Ima made konna ni chisai jibun ni kizukenaide
mirai wa dareni mo mienai kedo kimi to futari nara yakusoku dekiru
I'm right
Alright now

Source: http://www.lyricstime.com/monkey-majik-turn-lyrics.html

Metadata

Artist: Monkey Majik
Release year: 2006
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: English and Japanese
Dominant language: Japanese

Song Review: the brilliant green - Ash Like Snow

Title: Ash Like Snow
Artist: the brilliant green
Single: Ash Like Snow
Released: February 6, 2008

Review

"Ash Like Snow" is the 17th single from the brilliant green which will replace the opening theme for the anime Mobile Suit Gundam 00. I'm a fan of "DAYBREAK'S BELL" (the old opening), but the song isn't fitting for a Gundam opening. In other Gundam series, such as Gundam Seed and Gundam Destiny, the openings were dance songs from artists like Tamaki Nami.

When I think about a Gundam opening, I think about the main characters in their overpowered robots blowing up bad guys in their obsolete mobile suits. What sort of music matches these openings? Killer dance tracks. There is no need for depressing songs with the intention of creating sympathy for those poor, poor youngsters piloting those war machines. They are fully aware of what they signed up for. Now let's see some action!

With the title "Ash Like Snow," I wouldn't expect this song to be a dance song and that hypothesis is correct. I would describe this song as a fast paced rock song.

the brilliant green waste no time by starting off with energetic instrumentals via the electric guitar and bass. I anxiously wait for Tomoko's vocals and pray that it won't be disappointing. Luckily, Tomoko vocals aren't monotone. Tomoko is notorious for having some lifeless vocals, so I'm glad she didn't exercise that option for this song. I live for two parts of this song: the beginning and the 1:25 mark. Tomoko and the guitars start off quietly and begin picking up energy until you think something will explode. It's addictive and refreshing, exactly what I was looking for. The chorus is somewhat disappointing since it lacks any addictive elements, I almost forget that it exists in this song. The chorus just blends in with the rest of the verses.

One thing that made me shudder was the use of synthesized vocals. Around the 2:30 mark, Tomoko's voice is synthesized as she enlightens us with her lyrics. It seems unnecessary and really breaks the flow of the song.


One notable part of the music video is the two pandas attempting to snipe Tomoko, but fail miserably. How hard is it to snipe a member of the brilliant green in their music video? They don't dance like BoA or Leah Dizon would. They are stationary objects. Don't be greedy, don't go for the head shot.

The verdict: unfortunately, I'm only hooked on two parts of this song so it's not enough for me to highly recommend this song. The song is good, but not one of my favourites from the brilliant green.

Edit: January 12, 2008


Here is the actual Gundam 00 opening with the brilliant green's "Ash Like Snow" summarized in 1:30. I really like this version because the song's energy has been concentrated in 1:30 instead of stretching it out for 5 minutes. I'm looking forward to the anime length version when the Gundam 00 soundtrack comes out. As I had pointed out previously, the opening is a pity party as I had expected. From the few reviews I've read from anime viewers, they seem to like this Gundam 00 opening more than "DAYBREAK'S BELL," and I completely agree with them.

Lyrics

Here are the romaji lyrics for "Ash Like Snow" so you can sing along:
sora akakusomeru kokutan no yami
nomikomareta hoshikuzutachi
hakanaku furitsumoru hai no yuki

mitsumeta nageki no mado
I never dreamed
kooritsuku
there... I come for you

omoi wa sekibaku no yozora ni
maiagari kudaketa
kono sekai ga katachi o kaeru tabi ni
mamoritai mono o
kowashiteshimatteitan da

kokoro ni hishimeku haitoku no yami
kimi no koe ga masui no you ni
tsumetaku kankaku o ubatteku

mujyun o oikaketemo
owaranai
naze boku wa tatakau no?

tatoeba hikari ga kieusete
kono chikyuu(hoshi) ga ochitemo
wasurenai yo
sono chiisana negai ga
arubeki basho e to michibiku

there I come for you yeah
Ash Like Snow is falling down
from your sky
Ash Like Snow
Ash Like Snow
Ash Like Snow
Let me hear...
why? I have to fight

kono omoi wa sekibaku no yozora ni
maiagari kudaketa
yami o hiraku eikou to hikikae ni
mamorubeki mono o ushinattekita
(It's falling from your sky)
munashisugiru
(Baby I come for you)

kudakechitta kakeru ni kizutsuku tabi
tozasareta boku no kokoro o
tsuyokunaru koto o erande
koko made kitan da

Source: http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=1337112
Much thanks to "NominalBeast" for the post!

Metadata

Artist: the brilliant green
Release year: 2008
Genre: Rock
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: Japanese

Song Review: Utada Hikaru - Stay Gold

Title: Stay Gold
Artist: Utada Hikaru
Single: Stay Gold
Released: February 20, 2008
Here is the radio ripped version of "Stay Gold"

Review

I guess you can call it desperate, but I really can't wait for the music video or single to come out before I hear my first 2008 Utada Hikaru song. There are some low quality radio rips on youtube for your sampling pleasure. Also, JPOPSUKI has a 128kbps radio rip, which is significantly better in quality.

One great thing about Utada songs, is they sound great even when they are ripped from the radio and played at a 32kbps bit rate. I can guarantee (although not legally binding) that this ripped song will sound better than any Leah Dizon song ripped at 320 kbps. Why? Because Utada's voice is unquestionably powerful and versatile. No sound compression can suppress her vocal capabilities. Have I offended some Leah Dizon fans out there? If you're angry, I recommend you redirect your anger towards a more positive use. Viciously click on the google ads on my sidebar until your rage subsides.

Don't assume I'm biased towards Utada (I'm not an official member of the Utada Hikaru fan club), I do hate some of her songs with a passion.

Good News

1. The piano is undoubtedly the song's hook for me as I believe it is extremely well played. There is a nice piano solo at the beginning, middle, and end to keep you occupied. It's also interesting that the piano follows Utada's pace and pitch. When Utada sings quickly and higher pitched, the piano's pace speeds up and uses higher pitches. When Utada sings slower and lower pitched, the piano's pace slows down and uses lower pitches. I can only describe it as a duet.
   
2. English phrases, such as "My Darling, Stay Gold," "Good Night," and "Good Luck" are perfectly inserted into the song without breaking the flow. The English neither sounds strange or forced. A nice bonus for the people who don't understand Japanese and like to sing along.
3. I think it goes without saying that Utada's voice is incredibly smooth and relaxing. She varies her singing of words to prevent boredom (and I guess to show that she can do it damn well).
   

Bad News

1. Unless you understand Japanese there are times in "Stay Gold" when her singing can get rather boring when you have absolutely no clue what she's saying.
2. The piano really steals the show here. I don't think this song would be interesting if it weren't for the piano. Utada's vocals alone isn't enough to get the job done here.
3. The chorus isn't spectacular, the vocals sound pretty generic after some repetition. If you listen to this song a few times, you might start noticing this too.
   

The verdict: a great way to start 2008. "Stay Gold" is definitely an outstanding song from Utada Hikaru. I highly recommend this song.

Lyrics

Here are the romaji lyrics for "Stay Gold," so feel free to sing along:

Daisuki dakara zutto
Nannimo shinpai iranaiwa
My Darling, Stay Gold
Mujakini waratte kudasaina
Itsumademo...

Anata no hitomi no oku ni hisomu shounenn
Watashi no honnou kusugutte yamanai
Aah douka sonomama
Good Luck

Kanashii koto ha kitto
Konosakinimo ippai aruwa
My Darling, Stay Gold
Kizutsuku koto mo daijidakara

Daisuki dakara zutto
Nannimo shinpai iranaiwa
My Darling, Stay Gold
Mujakini waratte kudasaina
Itsumademo...

Shuushoku mo kimatte
Asondebakari irarenaine
Otona no joushiki ya chie mi ni tsukeru no mo ii
Aah Kyou ha konomama
Good Night

Kawariyuku no ga
Hito no kokoro no tsune dato iimasuga
Ne daarin Your Soul
Yasashiku kagayaki tsuzukeruwa

Daisuki dakara zutto
Nannimo shinpai iranaiwa
My Darling, Stay Gold
Mujakini waratte kudasaina
Itsumademo...

Daisuki dakara zutto
Nannimo shinpai iranaiwa
My Darling, Stay Gold
Mujakini waratte iraretara
Itsunohimo...

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HebpA4wkC8o

Metadata

Artist: Utada Hikaru
Release year: 2008
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: Japanese

News: 2007 Oricon Top 100

Besides breaking new year resolutions, one thing to look forward to is the Oricon Top 100 release (the full list can be found here). 2007 was a great year, since there was no shortage of excellent songs from talented artists.

From this list, here are some songs you should check out if you don't want to work your way through all 100 songs. For people that hate male vocals, you may want to look at this list since the Oricon charts reek of male singles. I've listed the songs which were some of my favourites in 2007.

Favourite Female Vocal Songs
#02: Utada Hikaru - Flavor of life
#20: Utada Hikaru - Beautiful World
#36: YUI - CHE.R.RY
#39: Ayumi Hamasaki - glitter/Ayumi Hamasaki - fated
#48: Namie Amuro - Baby Don't Cry
#62: Koda Kumi - Ai no Uta
#67: ERIKA - FREE
#81: Angela Aki - Sakurairo

I am depressed that JYONGRI's "Lullaby for You," ERIKA's "Destination Nowhere," and the brilliant green's "Stand by Me" never made it, as those were excellent songs. I'd say my favourite song from the list would be Koda Kumi's "Ai no Uta," which is a superb slow song with excellent vocals.

Favourite Male Vocal Song
#01: Akikawa Masafumi - Sen no Kaze ni Natte
#33: L'Arc~en~Ciel - DAYBREAK'S BELL
#61: EXILE - I Believe
#65: L'Arc~en~Ciel - Hurry Xmas
#76: EXILE - Michi
#82: Aqua Timez - ALONES
#98: FLOW - Answer

"Sen no Kaze ni Natte" is sung by the Japanese tenor Akikawa Masafumi. It's definitely elegant, classy, and unrivaled on this chart. That song has been on the charts for a very long time since it sold over 1 million copies.

Songs that will break your mind
#40: Aya Hirano, Emiri Katou, Kaori Fukuhara & Aya Endou - Motteke! Sailor Fuku
#43: Oshirikajiri-mushi - Oshirikajiri-mushi

"Motteke! Sailor Fuku" is pretty addictive and unique sounding. I believe Aya Hirano was created to make songs like this. "Oshirikajiri-mushi" is one hell of a disturbing song. It sounds like synthesized Alvin and the Chipmunks voices. How the hell did this song beat Monkey Majik on the Oricon top 100? If you have that special someone you hate, be sure to send this song as a gift of excruciating pain

Every year, the Oricon Top 100's always surprise me, as I realize how different my tastes are from the Japanese singles chart. Perhaps my music taste is still affected by years of emotional damage caused from North American music.

Where might you find these songs? You can check JPSeek or JPOPSUKI.

Song Review: Namie Amuro - Violet Sauce (Spicy)

Title: Violet Sauce (Spicy)
Artist: Namie Amuro
Album: PLAY
Released: June 27, 2007

Review

The song begins with Namie saying, "You know what? Who is hot?" Unless your ears are trained to understand poorly pronounced English, you won't find out what her answer is. The closest real English word that I hear is "Galatians," which is a book in the Bible. I suppose books in the Bible can be hot, but what Namie is actually trying to say is "collaboration" (thanks to the romaji lyrics). Although you may have missed that word, there's always more time to play "guess the English word" when listening to Jpop.

I hadn't even listened to Violet Sauce from Namie's other single White Light / Violet Sauce much because it didn't sound very interesting at the time. Luckily, Namie really improves this song by adding the electric guitar. The song's hook is definitely Namie's incredibly hot sounding voice (or as some others have said, sensual) and addictive beats.

I'm quite surprised that the English Namie uses in this song sounds decent (excluding the beginning). I guess she's been practicing. It's interesting that the lyrics are pretty dirty, but it's diluted using euphemisms. Either that, or I'm pretty perverted and I've clearly analyzed the lyrics incorrectly.

Of course, regardless of hotness, the song can get somewhat repetitive after listening to it a few times. After a while, the chorus becomes mind numbing and you'll look for safety in the verses.

The verdict: a hot and addictive remix from the queen of hip hop. I highly recommend it.

Lyrics

Here are the romaji lyrics for you to sing along with:
You know what?
Who is hot?
Collaboration
(C'mon Ah Ah Yeah)

Dip in the sauce (hey, hey)
Dip in the sauce (hey, hey)
Dip in the sauce (hey, hey)
Dip it in the violet sauce

tanjun na Rule demo kuse n' naru
sonna asobi shinai?
(You wanna know how to play)
mazu 2(ni)mai no Cards
"Joker" ga "Ace of heart"
ima kara nageru Coin no aizu de Start

*1 Show me your everything
I'll give you what you need
I know the way to please you, you, you
ato sukoshi kurai
kiken de Hot na Spice
ajiwatte mitai nara

*2 Dip it in the sauce
himitsu no recipe
Dip it in the sauce
Taste it and feel it
Dip it in the sauce
sugu ni itamitsuki
Dip it in the violet sauce
Dip it in the sauce
himitsu no recipe
Dip it in the sauce
Taste it and feel it
Dip it in the sauce
hora konna fuu ni
Dip it in the violet sauce

nani ga shitai no ka wakannai nara
koko de Join da game
(Everyone ain't need a ticket)
atatakakute Sweet na Trap
hamaritai nara
Burn it up, Turn it up kossori mimimoto de

*1, *2 repeat

yureru Candle lights
mawaru Hard knock life
marude kawaribae no nai hibi nara
Oh baby Don't worry
You ready? Come wit' me

*2 repeat 2x

(Enjoy my PLAY LAND)
koko kara sono Mind Control
doko ni mo nai himitsu no Toys
hoshii n' nara Knock My Door
saa Hear me say Oh Oh Oh Oh
zensai kara Cool na Course
jikkuri ajiwaeba dou?
shiage wa kono Violet Sauce
saa Hear me say Oh Oh Oh Oh

Violet Sauce
Violet Sauce...

Source: http://www.corichan.com/lyrics/albums/namie-play.html#10

Metadata

Artist: Namie Amuro
Release year: 2007
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: Japanese

Single Review: Monkey Majik - Around the World

Title: Around the World
Artist: Monkey Majik
Release date: February 22, 2006
Track list:

1. Around the World
2. Falling
3. everyone

Click on the track name to view the song review.

Brief description:
Monkey Majik's second single. With the exception of "Falling," there's not a whole lot this single can offer you, if you are a die-hard fan of Monkey Majik's indie-pop style. The best analogy for this album is a burger. In the centre (track 2) is a delicious, meaty track with all the flavours of indie-pop. However, the meat is surrounded by some stale buns (track 1 and 3), that doesn't quite work. Now, the staleness isn't enough to make me vomit profusely, but I still wouldn't buy this burger.

Song Review: Monkey Majik - Around the World

Title: Around the World
Artist: Monkey Majik
Single: Around the World
Released: February 22, 2006

Review

The song starts off with some attitude by saying, "I want to fight your brother, let's kung fuu!" I'll continue this attitude by describing why I don't think "Around the World" works. Perhaps it's because I've heard too many remixes of this song or the song itself doesn't sound too great to begin with, but I hardly think this song represents the godliness of Monkey Majik. I'll get to the point quickly:

Things that annoyed me

1. The instrumentals are awfully repetitive and sound horridly boring at times. Some more interesting guitar please!
2. Some vocals include higher pitched singing, which just ruins my mind. I'm not a fan of male singers using high pitched voices (and neither should you).
3. Maynard and Blaise Plant, please stop rapping. I will get people to sign a petition if I have to. Any attempt to do so with unpoetical lyrics just sounds lame. You've got a long way to go before Dr. Dre signs you.

Things I can live with

1. The music video for "Around the World" can be described as a drug trip. You can imagine how the quality of this song, when the complements are on the music video and not the song itself. If that appears strange, feel free to read some Leah Dizon song reviews.
2. The use of English and Japanese is smooth and natural. Unlike some other Jpop artists who insert English for seemingly no reason, Monkey Majik does this correctly.

The verdict: "Around the World" lacks the essential style of a Monkey Majik song. It just doesn't work for me.

Lyrics

Here are the romaji lyrics for you to sing along with:
Every night I look to the skies And wonder what we did
Always a naive point of view that breaks us in the end
If I could find the meaning of it all I’d take the chance
Maybe in time We’ll walk the mile and change it if we can

It’s now and always (How did we get this far)
Always (We’re making a brand new start)
Always (Nothing will hold me down)
Always (Wave goodbye to me!)

Around the world atarashii kotoni
Around the world fumidasu chikara de
Around the world sekai wa kawaru sa
But don’t run away ’cause if it’s not OK!
I’ll change that world Into something better honey!

Rettsu - kanfu!

hateshinaku hirogaru kono michi wo
bokura wa mata aruki tsuzukeru sa
subete no imi ga wakaru no nara ba
kono hitomi (me) de nani wo mitsumeru no darou

It’s now and always (How did we get this far)
Always (We’re making a brand new start)
Always (Nothing will hold me down)
Always (Wave goodbye to me!)

Around the world kimi dake no tame ni
Around the world sagashi tsuzukeru yo
Around the world kiseki no kakera wo
But don’t run away ’cause if it’s not OK!

And you know it’s gonna be raining
And you know it’s gonna be hard
As long as we trust each other
Nothing gonna break apart Oh No!No!
If ya wanna be somebody
Get up on ya feet and go
I know we’re gonna meet each other
Somewhere around the globe

Around the world itsu demo jibun ni
Around the world make te iru hitowa
Around the world nai mo tsukame nai
But don’t run away ’cause if it’s not OK!
But don’t run away ’cause if it’s not OK!
I’ll change that world Into something better honey!

Source: http://www.lyricstime.com/monkey-majik-around-the-world-lyrics.html

Metadata

Artist: Monkey Majik
Release year: 2006
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Male
Dominant language: English and Japanese

Song Review: Monkey Majik - Falling

Title: Falling
Artist: Monkey Majik
Single: Around the World
Released: February 22, 2006

Review

The song begins with a superb guitar intro that captures the essence of indie-pop. After some dissatisfaction with "Around the World," I'm glad the second track matches the unique style of Monkey Majik that I love. Without a doubt, the excellent guitar throughout the song is what makes this song addictive.

There is a hint of sadness in the vocals as the English lyrics are perfectly sung to a relaxing tune. Don't start analyzing the lyrics too much. It's hardly poetic like John Mayer lyrics, but at least you understand it and can sing a long. I suppose the lyrics are meant to be depressing, but I'm too busy listening to the guitar in the background.

There is a noticeable skip at the 0:22 mark, which I can only assume is there for artistic purposes (or everyone ripped this song poorly).

The verdict: indie-pop at its best. Another killer hit from Monkey Majik that is sure to please. I highly recommend this song.

Lyrics

Here are the English lyrics for you to sing along with:
The mission's only half way done
It's taken on a life of its own
I wasn't sure how they'd make it back home
I crawl when you need me to run
I know you think that I can't cope all alone,
but in time I can count on you there.

A little bit of time is all I want
A little bit of luck to turn me on
A little bit of something else all want these days

I'm falling off ways
Ain't gaining headway
Been left here on my own
A little bit of time is all I want
A little bit of luck to turn me on
A little bit of something else all want these days

It's knowin' that I had to change
(I'm) lookin' back on all the days,
(But) couldn't find anytime, that's the way that it is
It's hard to say the words I feel
(I) need to understand I'm still,
on my own, even when you are here my by side

A little bit of time is all I want
A little bit of luck to turn me on
A little bit of something else all want these days

I'm falling off ways
Ain't gaining headway
Been left here on my own
A little bit of time is all I want
A little bit of luck to turn me on
A little bit of something else all want these days

Source: http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Monkey-Majik/Falling.html

Metadata

Artist: Monkey Majik
Release year: 2006
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Slow
Dominant voice: Male
Dominant language: English

Song Review: Monkey Majik - everyone

Title: everyone
Artist: Monkey Majik
Single: Around the World
Released: February 22, 2006

Review

A pure guitar song with some generic English singing. The vocals are in a sad tone as he sings a love song. The downfall to this song is definitely the lyrics. The lyrics seem repetitive and moderately boring. Mix that with some guitar and you got yourself some background music at a bookstore. The futile attempt to be artsy with "La La La La La La La La" finishes of this song and the single.

The verdict: "everyone" is nothing more than background music.

Metadata

Artist: Monkey Majik
Release year: 2006
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Slow
Dominant voice: Male
Dominant language: English

New Year, Fresh Start

It feels like deja vu saying a fresh start again, as I had attempted to do so on WordPress these past two days. However, I did delete almost every post in Blogspot to start over again. I feel that the content on my old posts (when I started in December), lacked quality and needed to be improved.

It was difficult to manually remove approximately 65 posts, but in the end, it's quality that matters, not quantity. I will continually monitor google-analytics to determine what aspects of the site need to be improved.

As more song reviews are written and more metadata is added, the usefulness of this site will become more apparent. You can check out the "About Me" and "Purpose" tabs below the logo if you'd like to find out more about this site.

Thanks for visiting!

Song Review: the brilliant green - Stand by Me

Title: Stand by Me
Artist: the brilliant green
Single: Stand by Me
Released: August 22, 2007

Review

Kawase Tomoko begins by taking a deep breath to start the brilliant green's 10th anniversary comeback single "Stand by Me." I brace myself for disappointment or joy. Luckily, it's the latter.
Tomoko wastes no time by starting us off with an intro where her voice sounds an awfully lot like YUI. I fear monotone vocals for the first 30 seconds of this song but am relieved when her voice picks up energy for the chorus. Without a doubt, the chorus is the hook in this song. Whenever Tomoko sings "stand by me, akirame to negai no tobira no mae," the song's mood becomes so happy that I literally sing a long with it. The electric guitar and percussion complements Tomoko's voice perfectly in this incredibly addictive chorus.

The song's instrumentals are decent, nothing spectacular, but it gets the job done. Matsui provides a brief guitar solo as a nice break near the 2:44 mark.

Thankfully, Tomoko's English pronunciation for phrases like "yeah baby," "you're always on my mind," and "stand by me" don't sound terrible. I cringe at some of Tomoko's bad English in some of her previous songs, but I'm glad it doesn't kill this song. However, I was disappointed at Tomoko's typical neutral tone for most of the song. This song could have used more energy, but luckily the chorus saved it from destruction.

The verdict: "Stand by Me" has plenty of lasting appeal with it's incredibly energetic chorus. I highly recommend this song.

Lyrics

Here are the romaji lyrics for you to sing along with:
nagai ichinichi ga owari
kiete yuku kako e no tobira
kizutsuitemo ii sore yori
chigau jibun wo mite mitai

can I try? "Why should I?" togireta koe
kioku no hako ni nemuru 憶(omo)i
You're always on my mind so...

Stand by me
sabitsuita sekai ni
nani ga aru no? Show me stars again itsuka
demo mienai kirameki ga aru koto
kidzukasete kureta kara

kokoro wo nozoketa nara
imasugu ni raku ni naru kana...
dare no mono ni mo naranaide
katte na negai dakeredo

dakedo itsuka kowashite shimau
garasu no hako ni
furetara kitto modorenai so...

Stand by me
akirame to negai no tobira no mae
ugokenai zutto
kanau no nara tomodachi de ii kara
tokubetsu ni naritakatta

dareka no tame ni nakeru nante
wakaranakatta
omou dake de itoshikute
setsunaku naru no
Stand by me
Stand by me yeah baby

so Stand by me
(so Stand by me oh...)
yeah baby Stand by me
(you're always on my mind)
mada mienai kirameki ga aru nara
arukidaseru kitto
mitsuketai no anata to so...
Stand by me

Source: http://www.jpopasia.com/play/3626/the-brilliant-green/stand-by-me.html

Metadata

Artist: the brilliant green
Release year: 2007
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: Japanese

Top Songs

Note: There's not enough song reviews yet! So this page will look empty at the moment. As an alternative, you can check out a list of the best Jpop songs by visiting http://jpopaddict.blogspot.com/2008/01/best-jpop-list.html.

Click on the links below to jump to an artist's name. Click on the name of the song to view the song review. This list only contains songs that I highly recommend.

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mihimaru GT

• Diverge
  

Monkey Majik

• Fly
  
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Namie Amuro

• Violet Sauce (Spicy)
  

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the brilliant green

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