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

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

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

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: 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

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

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

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

BoA - Lose Your Mind

Post Edit: January 8, 2008 to follow new blog standards

Title: Lose Your Mind
Artist: BoA
Single: Lose Your Mind
Released: December 12, 2007

Review

It's been a really long time since I listened to BoA. Luckily, my faith in her singing has been slightly revived as I listened to her new catchy song Lose Your Mind. However, I made a terrible mistake by watching the music video before listening to the song by itself. For her past few releases, I've been listening to the songs only, so I didn't find much that I enjoyed.

Some Praise...

1. BoA's English is good. If she continuously said "lose your mind" in terrible English, it would be torturous enough to break prisoners. I'll criticize the way she says "girls," since you have to admit that sounds a tad strange.
   
2. The vocals are decent and the song's hook is definitely the chorus. The chorus is addictive and energetic.
3. The electric guitar solo is a good break from BoA's voice.
4. BoA looks cute in her music video. She has a few styles, which will keep you occupied as you guess what she'll wear next. You might want to listen to the song first before you decide its quality, or you'll fall into the same deadly trap as me.
   

Things to get depressed over

1. With the exception of the guitar solo, the guitar playing is awfully repetitive. Is it really necessary to get someone from DOPING PANDA for this? While it does complement BoA's singing and create a nice atmosphere, a little variation would be nice.
2. If you remove the chorus, you'll notice that this song has almost no content. I love the chorus, it's well made, but I'm sure you can come up with something else for the other verses.
   

The verdict: I would definitely recommend this song if you are looking for good BoA songs, but BoA's voice still bothers me too much.

Lyrics

mitame no watashi wo suki datte hontou hoshii mono wa shiranai no
Should do, Be do you wanna betters and cosmetic
Material ja mou mitasarenai

LOSE YOU MIND futton jau gurai
MAKE ME WILD shigeki teki na WILDLY
BABY LOSE YOUR MIND "BOYS KNOW WHAT GIRLS WANT"
motto kimi wo muchuu ni sasetai LOSE YOUR MIND

doushitemo rikai fukanou 24/7 aitai no ni
Should do, Be do your like, music magic and dramatic
kokoro ni iku mono dake ga suki

LOSE YOU MIND amae chau gurai
MAKE ME WILD odorase teyo WILDLY
BABY LOSE YOUR MIND "BOYS KNOW WHAT GIRLS WANT"
nankai datte repeat shiteta LOSE YOU MIND


LOSE YOU MIND futton jau gurai
MAKE ME WILD shigeki teki na WILDLY
BABY LOSE YOUR MIND "BOYS KNOW WHAT GIRLS WANT"
motto kimi wo muchuu ni sasetai LOSE YOUR MIND

LOSE YOU MIND amae chau gurai
MAKE ME WILD odorase teyo WILDLY
BABY LOSE YOUR MIND "BOYS KNOW WHAT GIRLS WANT"
nankai datte repeat shiteta LOSE YOU MIND

Source: http://www.jpopasia.com/play/4797/boa/lose-your-mind-featyutaka-furukawa-from-doping-panda.html

Metadata

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

Yuna Ito x Celine Dion - A World To Believe In

Post Edit: January 10, 2008 to follow new blog standards

Title: A World To Believe In
Artist: Yuna Ito
Single: A World To Believe In
Released: January 16, 2008

Review

"A World To Believe In" is an excellent North-America-meets-Japan duet with the Canadian powerhouse Celine Dion and Yuna Ito. "A World To Believe In" is the 10th single from Yuna Ito and it shows off her excellent slow song skills. Yuna Ito is an excellent choice for singing Celine Dion songs because of her flawless English, smooth sounding voice, and her proven ability to switch between English and Japanese without breaking the flow. Overall a great song and a great tribute to Celine Dion, but I still prefer some of Yuna Ito's other slower songs, such as "Endless Story."

The verdict: a great slow song from Yuna Ito and Celine Dion. I recommend it if you like slow songs.

Lyrics

I've seen the tears and the heartache
And I've felt the pain
I've seen the hatred
And so many lives lost in vain

And yet through this darkness
There's always a light that shines through
And takes me back home
Takes me back home

Takai kabe no mukou
Nani ga attemo
Nigetakunai
Arukitsuzukeyou
Wasurenaide

You gave me a world to believe in
You gave me a love to believe in
Ai no tame ni
Tsuyokunareru
Anata ga iru kagiri

Namida de afureru kokoro
Yorisou yohou ni daite kureta
Kizukeba hitori de wa nakatta
Kaze no hi mo
Ame no hi mo

And I see for one fleeting moment
A paradise under the sun
I drift away
And I make my way back to you
Wasurenaide

You gave me a world to believe in
You gave me a love to believe in
Nando datte
Yarinaoseru
Ashita ga aru kagiri

Hito wa kizutsuku tabi ni
Hontou ni taisetsu na
Kotae ni chikazukeru kara

You gave me a world to believe in
You gave me a love to believe in
Ai no tame ni
Tsuyokunareru
Anata ga iru kagiri

You gave me a world to believe in
You gave me a love to believe in
Nando datte
Yarinaoseru
Ashita ga aru kagiri

Anata to iru kagiri
Anata to iru kagiri

Source: http://www.jpopasia.com/lyrics/7125//yuna-ito/anata-ga-iru-kagiri---a-world-to-believe-in.html

Metadata

Artist: Yuna Ito
Release year: 2007
Genre: Pop
Song speed: Fast
Dominant voice: Female
Dominant language: English and Japanese

Aya Hirano - MonStAR

Title: MonStAR
Artist: Aya Hirano
Single/Album: MonStAR single
Year: 2007
Genre: Pop
Speed: Fast Song
Languages used: Japanese

Review:
I am somewhat disappointed at this song since I didn't find this song to be as catchy as some of Aya Hirano's previous songs. There are parts of this song where her voice sounds terrible and the English chorus brings chills down my spine. The video shows Aya Hirano as a gang girl with a 1 million bounty. However, the "vault" holding all her bling seems rather empty, unless you count glitter curtains or items that you find in a garage sale to be valuable (I suppose sentimental value is priceless though...).

Aya Hirano's MonStAr Japanese lyrics can be found here.

Profile: Monkey Majik

Monkey Majik is my favourite Jpop group. I recommend them to all my friends because I think their songs are absolutely amazing. I have no idea how they make such good songs...it seems every new single keeps getting better and better.

Images of Monkey Majik members:



Instead of plagiarizing the hell out of the Monkey Majik Wikipedia article
I'll simply state who I recommend Monkey Majik for and highlight some of my favourite songs.

I highly recommend Monkey Majik if you like:

• Songs with lots of guitar
• Excellent background music. Most of their songs are really relaxing to listen to, so I always listen to their music when studying or doing homework :)
  
• Combination of English and Japanese lyrics. The two vocalists are Canadian (even better!) so they have songs with pure English, pure Japanese, and a combination of both
• Indie pop. A lot of their songs seem to fit the category of Indie pop. There is really distinct sound to it
• Songs that sound like North American songs! Some of their songs could easily compete against North American songs because the English lyrics and the beats are so good :) No high pitch squealing, cheesy beats, or Engrish here
  

If you are interested in Monkey Majik lyrics, visit my Monkey Majik lyric database by clicking here.

If you want to hear some of my favourite Monkey Majik songs, you can get the Monkey Majik Best 2005-2007 album I created here.

Song recommendations:

2005 Album - Eastview

• 1996 - an English song with excellent guitar.
  

2006 Album - Thank You

• Around the World - Probably their most popular song, since it was featured in a Japanese drama opening. Definitely a creative song.
• All By Myself - An English song, slower paced.
  
• Fly - The first song I heard from Monkey Majik. Almost entirely English, an excellent sampling song for anyone interested in Monkey Majik.
• Stay - A combination of Japanese and English. I really like the guitar in this song.
  
• Turn - A combination of Japanese, English, and interesting beats makes this song sound amazing.

2007 Album - Sora wa Maru de
I am a really big fan of Monkey Majik's Thank You album. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, they decided to release Sora wa Maru de which contained a lot of their new singles and is easily my favourite album of all time. It's rare for me to like so many songs on a single album. However, my most favourite songs are:

• I Miss You - A slow paced song with piano and guitar! Definitely a change in style and it works. This song is in English and nice lyrics.
• Long Shot Penny - Another amazing Monkey Majik song with their unique beats again. An English song with really catchy beats.
  
• Maybe - A fast paced English song.
• Mitsumoto - The chorus for this song is so catchy. This song is Japanese with bits of English.
• NO SNOW IN DECEMBER - Simply another great Monkey Majik English song with great beats.
• Picture Perfect - When I discovered that M-Flo was collaborating with Monkey Majik, I had to pinch myself. I didn't think that would ever happen but I was really glad it did. I am a huge fan of M-Flo collaborations, so I had some high expectations. Luckily, this song is really enjoyable so I wasn't disappointed. This song is a combination of English and Japanese with some rapping.
• Smile - A slow English song from Monkey Majik, which I find quite rare. Definitely a change in their usual style.
• Sotsugyou Soshite Miraihe - A collaboration with SEAMO. If you see the music video for this song you'll find this song slightly depressing. A mixture of Japanese and English with some rapping.
  

2006 Single - Around the World

• Falling - A really interesting song in English with some neat guitar.
  

2007 Single - Change

• Car Crash - I have no idea why Monkey Majik would hide such a good song as part of the Change single. Even worse, why they didn't add it to their recent album! This song is pure English and one of my favourite Monkey Majik songs.

Note: Profile last updated December 03, 2007.

For more information
Monkey Majik Official Site