AMIYUMIDAS - PUFFY AMIYUMI

New Puffy Single! "Moyers"

2026-07-17T22:50:18.644-06:00

Last week the new single "Moyers" by Puffy dropped.

Many thoughts about this one, but it feels like a Puffy song which is good. I will encapsulate in a review next week. No rush, their pace these days doesn't require it. :)

P'FES Final Line-Up

2026-05-15T08:43:17.544-06:00

I will give a lot of credit to Puffy here, this is a great line-up of a two day festival to celebrate their 30th anniversary. In all likelihood a one off, but stranger things have happened. More details on the official P'FES page.

A huge plus is that Ami and Yumi will be front the festival in a really big venue: Tokyu Dresser Todoroki Arena. It holds about 6500 people in a normal configuration, so likely a bit more with floor seating. It is a sports venue first, so sound quality might be a bit echoey. I cannot recall the last time they played this big of a venue. The arena is located in Kawasaki, so due south of Tokyo, which by train is about an hour from Tokyo Station or Shibuya Station. Seems like most festivals Puffy have done have been very remote relative to Tokyo so there is no barrier here for fans.

Tickets are 130,000 yen each day or a combo ticket is 250,000 yen. Pretty reasonable considering the line up. Unicorn and GLAY provide a good foundation for the other acts and Puffy as the headliner. Neither are particularly surprising. Ami's husband is in GLAY and it would seem strange they they not play here. Likewise Given Tamio Okuda's closer relationship with Puffy since the start assured Unicorn would be there. The surprising person not on the festival roster is Nanase Aikawa, who is very close to Yumi. You never know, sometimes there are surprises.

One thing I think will be interesting is how the show finale shapes up. I would be shocked if it were not the festival line up collaborating for "Asia no Junshin." Lots of possibilities.

Given a host of various issues I cannot see a way I can jet out for the festival so I will have to likely find show reports and build an article off of those.

Lastly, if Puffy does wind down this year, this is the kind of thing that it a great capstone to a legendary career.

ZARD Album Review: "Kimi to no Distance"

2026-05-08T10:00:00.002-06:00

Originally, the title for “Kimi to no Distance” was "Sayonara Made no Distance" which translates to “A

Distance as Far as Goodbye.” Given this album marks the end of Izumi Sakai’s prolific career, it would have been the better title. Of course there was no predicting the future, she had no idea. We all know this now though she is gone it is hard to say goodbye.

Melancholy is how I would describe my feelings as I work through reviewing “Kimi to no Distance.” Maybe that's why I have been putting this off for so long. Why I have listened to this album ore than others to review. Over a dozen times. What am I looking for? While Sakai did release some singles posthumously, this really is goodbye.. Yet, I also know that Sakai wanted her music to be a standard that lived forever. So here I am twenty years after its release talking about it. Perhaps she achieved the forever she wanted..

“Kimi to no Distance” is a nicely put together album from a CD perspective, the cover photo is one of my favorites and shows Sakai well. Perhaps the last time we see her in good health. With the below noted people in each handling arrangement and music composition the album is very cohesive, which is a trend I feel started after “Eien.” Whether this is a choice by Izumi Sakai or not I do not know, I also I think it works well here.

“Kimi to no Distance” contained three singles that were released from June 2004 to April 2005 with the album being released in September 05 2005. This is not uncommon in Japanese music where artists release singles and eventually an album follows. Thirteen months is a long time, but then again we have no idea what was going on in her life.

Aiko Ohno factors heavily on the album with eight tracks as the composer. Hard to tell if she contributed much to the album, I think she does appear on eight of tracks. Perhaps one of the best pairings with Sakai for backup vocals. Ohno deserves a lot of credit for both quality work but also providing a variety of music. Akihito Tokunaga factors in again in composition and production. Takeshi Hayama also handles a lot of the production work.

Interestingly "Anata to Tomo ni Ikite Yuku" is a very old self-cover from 1993 that was originally sung by Teresa Tang who passed away in 1995 due to a sudden illness. Teng in some ways paralleled Sakai as her popularity was tremendous and she also died young. This track also marks Tetsurō Oda’s final contribution to ZARD, which given his early to middle influence is nice to see.

Here we are at the end of the line for ZARD’s studio albums, follow along and see how it goes.

"Natsu wo Matsu Sail no You ni" (夏を待つセイル(帆)のように)

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Takeshi Hayama

Vocals: 4 Music: 3.5 Production: 4

The open for “Kimi to no Distance Review” of reminds me of the same style used in “Eien” but maybe not as good of a song, but perhaps more upbeat. Not a bad thing, "Eien" is a tremendous album and the prior two albums were not quite as good. Sakai is sounding good as ever here. Ohno's music is a little up and down and the synth portions of the track I think distract a little. Production and arrangement is solid, particularly going into the chorus.

The issue is that it winds up being compared to an incredible one. That is not to say this is a bad song, far from it. The track was also used in a Detective Conan movie, the 2nd time Sakai’s music was used as a theme song in the franchise which by multiple accounts she was a fan of.

2. "Sayonara Made no Distance" (サヨナラまでのディスタンス)

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Takeshi Hayama

Vocals: 5 Music: 4.5 Production: 5

An electronic open with an admixture of 90s synth hits and Sakai’s heavily filtered singing. It somewhat reminded me of a Pink Lady song to start. Her vocals settle into her normal delivery. This is a delightfully throwback track and everything comes together. There is a bit of a fuzzy sound design in the music which maybe matches the theme of a relationship about to end. Honestly, I like it and Ohno’s composition here is very good and Hayama’s production is really great. I think this is one of those tracks that could be loved because it was not a single. Were it a single I am sure it would not have worked out because it would be compared to other songs that were more her style. This is my favorite song on the album.

3. "Kakegae no Nai Mono" (かけがえのないもの)

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Satoru Kobayashi

Vocals: 2.5 Music: 2.25 Production: 2

A song about gratitude and love, I think had it been stripped down and simplified it would have been no less than an okay song. It falls a little short of that. I don’t feel it is Sakai’s best vocal delivery. Aika Ono’s music is alright, but I think less would have been more. The production is not great, I think it is a song trying to do too much.

4. "Kyō wa Yukkuri Hanasō" (今日はゆっくり話そう)

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Akihito Tokunaga

Vocals: 5 Music: 4.5 Production: 5

The prefect storm that is Sakai, Ohno and Tokunaga for a really nice love song of sorts. "Kyō wa Yukkuri Hanasō" has an energy all its own and Sakai’s vocal delivery is really exceptional here. A lot can be said for the backing vocals, they are among the most complimentary backing vocalist Sakai sang with. This is my second favorite track on the album and maybe had I heard it first it might have gotten that number one rank.

5. "Kimi to no Fureai" (君とのふれあい)

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Takeshi Hayama

Vocals: 3.25 Music: 2.75 Production: 3

A tender and personal song, driven by piano. It's a run of the mill Zard track. I had to listen to it a few times while writing this to figure out if I like it. I kinda do, the chorus is fabulous. I think had Sakai delivered in a lower pitch it would have been better, but where she does go low is to good effect. That said backing vocals are light so this track does highlight Sakai.

6. "Separate Ways" (セパレート・ウェイズ)

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Hirohito Furui

Vocals: 3.75 Music: 3.75 Production: 4

Sakai’s vocals come off a little husky in parts and then goes high. It is a melancholic to heartbreaking song that is complimented by her vocal delivery. Not a huge fan of the trumpet solo, it felt a little out of place. Musically everything else is good with some nice layering and keyboards poking out in interesting place. It is a nice standard sad Zard song and that is enough for me.

7. "Last Good-bye"

Izumi Sakai / Yoshio Tatano / Takeshi Hayama

Vocals: 2.5 Music: 2.25 Production: 2.25

There is a feel to the opening of the track that is very intermixed with the 80s and 90s, then Sakai’s vocals kick in and they sound a little more retro. I don’t think this, a Zard breakup song, aged well. It is interesting on an emotional level. “Last Good-bye” was originally performed by Field of View and was released as a single in 1995 and a self-cover. It is an okay song, but more album filler than anything.

8. "Hoshi no Kagayaki yo" (星のかがやきよ)

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Takeshi Hayama

Vocals: 4 Music: 4 Production: 4.25

The piano opening conveys a void and then everything else kicks in to fill that space. It is neat. Sakai’s uplifting vocals are dynamic and Ohno’s music follows suit. Production is really good there are very distinct and defined layers. This is a song that needed to be delivered with precision and it was.

9. "Tsuki ni Negai wo" (月に願いを)

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Satoru Kobayashi

Vocals: 2.75 Music: 2 Production: 1.75

A song with an interesting pace, which to me kinda sounds like circus music in regards beat. It is playful and perhaps reflective. Where the last track was layers with precision, "Tsuki ni Negai wo" is a bit more muddied. Sakai’s delivery is not really the problem, she sings well… it is everything else.

10. "Anata to Tomo ni Ikite Yuku" (あなたと共に生きてゆく)

Izumi Sakai / Tetsurō Oda / Satoru Kobayashi

Vocals: 3 Music: 3 Production: 3

"Anata to Tomo ni Ikite Yuku" is a self cover originally sung by Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng in 1993. It is very much a dedicated love song, which you can feel from Sakai’s vocal delivery. Teng and Sakai sing this song differently, but there are some similarities. It is right that Tetsurō Oda had a contribution to Zard’s last album,

Teresa Teng, like Sakai, passed away at an early age (42). She was on vacation and suffered a severe asthma attack which led to heart failure.

11. "I Can't Tell"

Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Takeshi Hayama

Vocals: 4.25 Music: 3.5 Production: 4

Opens up as a jam and keeps an up tempo pace. Sakai’s vocals are really good and convey unspoken feelings and the difficulty of sharing true emotions. It is a good song and better than a track meant to round out an album. I like it and would be quite happy if it came into a song rotation, I’d be happy. Originally recorded in 2003, this track supposed to be on the prior album “Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita.” That album’s loss is this album’s gain.

12. "Good-night Sweetheart"

Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Takeshi Hayama

Vocals: 2.5 Music: 2.5 Production: 2.5

Here is the quandary. There is nothing wrong with any of the components of this playful sentimental track, everything is well executed but I do not especially like it. The backing vocals are a bit off and it sounds like Sakai provided those.

13. "Kimi to Kyou no Koto o Isshō Wasurenai" (君と今日の事を一生忘れない)

Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Akihito Tokunaga

Vocals: 4 Music: 3.5 Production: 3.25

A brooding opening and becomes a bittersweet track. Perhaps it is appropriate to end Zard’s studio career here. It is the right song. Cherishing memories and ensuring they are not forgotten make this final track poignant. A very Tokunaga ballad and I think Aiko Ono contributed to the backing vocals.

Overall “Kimi to no Distance” is a good album but falls short of great. "Sayonara Made no Distance" and "Kyō wa Yukkuri Hanasō" are not just great tracks on the album, they are solid entries which wound up wrapping up Zard’s career. I think it is a more listenable album than the sum of its parts, it flows nicely and I can listen to it in a sitting. It is a shame this was Sakai’s last album, it felt like a turning point in her evolving sound after “Eien”. We’ll never know.

Final scores

Vocals: 3.54, Music: 3.21, Production 3.39 for a final score of 3.38

No spin from me in this review.

Puffy 30th Anniversary Release

2026-05-01T10:03:00.006-06:00

Saw this come through the Puffy e-mail newsletter, they will be releasing a compilation album for their

milestone 30th anniversary. From the update you can see that this is a member selected set of songs, so hopefully that is Ami and Yumi and not the staff (which is a complaint of mine for a similar ZARD greatest hits album shortly before her passing). Expect this to drop May 13, I have not seen it appear on Amazon Music's US site, but that is often the last in line for releases.

I'll be perfectly honest here, for a landmark anniversary this is underwhelming. I expected more and for me about half the tracks are ones I would like to hear. Everything else not so much. The album art is also not great unless found thrift store art is your thing (which is coo, just not for me).

The physical CD also costs ¥5,000 (~$32), which is not out of the norm for a disc these days. If you pre-order you can get a free digital wallpaper which is the album art in a different dimension. Again, the lowest possible effort for a milestone release.

As a note, the Japanese music industry is notorious for repackaging and then repackaging again artist's greatest hits so this is not out of the norm. Being a ZARD fan I have still acquired her compilation albums, mostly because the track lists are strong with songs are ridiculously good. Judge for yourself, here is the track list:

1. Asia no Junshin | Lyrics: Yosui Inoue / Composition & Arrangement: Tamio Okuda

2. Kore ga Watashi no Ikiru Michi | Lyrics, Composition & Arrangement: Tamio Okuda

3. Nagisa ni Matsuwaru Etcetera | Lyrics: Yosui Inoue / Composition & Arrangement: Tamio Okuda

4. MOTHER | Lyrics, Composition & Arrangement: Tamio Okuda

5. Ai no Shirushi | Lyrics & Composition: Masamune Kusano / Arrangement: Tamio Okuda

6. Boogie Woogie No. 5 | Lyrics, Composition & Arrangement: Tamio Okuda

7. Hi Hi | Lyrics: Puffy AmiYumi / Andy Sturmer / Composition & Arrangement: Andy Sturmer

8. Kuchibiru Motion | Lyrics, Composition & Arrangement: Kazuya Yoshii

9. Dareka ga | Lyrics & Composition: Yusuke Chiba / Arrangement: Kenji Ueda

10. All Because Of You | Lyrics & Composition: Butch Walker / Avril Lavigne Arrangement: Butch Walker

11. Bye Bye | Lyrics, Composition, Arrangement: Masahiko Shimura

12. Go Baby Power Now | Lyrics, Composition, Arrangement: Jon Spencer

I guess the big question is Puffy going to retire on this anniversary which they have previously stated might be the case. But we also heard that for other benchmark anniversaries.

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P.S. Life has been remarkably complicated as of late so expect posts to happen but like Puffy not at an aggressive pace. No surprise its been like that for years now.

Reflecting On What Could Be For ZARD's 35th Anniversary

2025-07-26T09:15:00.007-06:00

As we approach ZARD's 35th anniversary we're seeing some things like the 35th remastered greatest hit
and the acoustic shows. Likewise it is almost assured that we'll see memorial concerts in Tokyo and Osaka. I suppose what I am about to say could easily be applied to a 40th celebration too, which is not too many years off. That said the core ZARD fan base is not getting any younger and time remains undefeated. Likewise for the people that manage ZARD's affairs and her family who likely inherited her IP.

What I would like to see for the next hallmark ZARD anniversary:

A re-release and re-master of "Cruising & Live." What Birdman West did with the 35th Anniversary compilation is nothing short of amazing and puts to shame any prior re-masters. This would likely take a different shape as I deeply suspect, though this is conjecture, there are two recordings of the concert live in front of a crowd and a run through before hand. However what can happen with the new technologies available for re-mastering (hardware and AI) I think it could make a difference. Sakai should never have been ashamed of this performance, it is inarguably her best of the few she did.
Taking note on what Birdman Mastering did for ZARD's greatest hits, he applies the same methodologies to all her albums. His re--mastering hits different and I think better. I would buy them all without hesitation, my bank account will suffer greatly. Truth be told this might be more appropriate for the 40th, but I'm talking a world of ideals and hypotheticals.
A tribute album. SARD Underground has been there to carry the ZARD torch forward, but I am absolutely willing to bet that there would be groups and artists lined up to do this as Sakai's impact across Japanese music was palpable. THe forever problem here would likely be getting rights and permission for people to work with B-Gram. In my opinion this would only be cool if it were mostly artists outsize the B Zone label umbrella.
A re-release of her MTV special she did which pretty much has everything you want out of ZARD in a video format.
A proper documentary about her entire life; personal and professional. Izumi Sakai was an intriguing person and what I calla complex personality. It really is time we got to know her for who she was, which by all anecdotal accounts was a genuinely nice person.

Those are my thoughts, what do you have to add or comment on?

Puffy's Interview For Houyhnhnm Northface

2025-04-11T23:17:00.003-06:00

Image via houyhnhnm.jp

A very nice interview with Ami and Yumi for what I think is a promotion for Houyhnhnm Northface.

My impression is there is a song as well.

You can read it here, starts with a pictorial then page 2 is the interview.

ZARD Album Review: "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita"

2025-03-26T22:42:00.004-06:00

Nothing is forever and I feel a certain sense of sadness as I approach the end of ZARD's albums which
also tracks to the end of Izumi Sakai's life. Three years after "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" she passed away. I do start looking at the arc of her career as this project winds down. What I find myself thinking is her earlier albums I have a lot more excitement for. However, I would also say her vocals have improved as she had matured as an artist.

Maybe the album title which translates to "The clock that had stopped has now started moving again" has subtle meaning. Perhaps it is Sakai hoping the pause in her career is over. In hindsight perhaps in her death the clock did stop only to start moving again when discover her music is beloved and timeless thus the clock started moving again. Perhaps these two things are both true.

I go into these albums with a sense of contentment and not dread, a very similar feeling to what I had leaving her grave when I visited. Anyways here are my thoughts about "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita."

Track 1: "Ashita wo Yume Mite" (明日を夢見て, album mix version)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Satoru Kobayashi
Vocals 4.50 / Music 4.00 / Production 4.00

A hopeful upbeat song, perhaps a response to her own health issues? Izumi is very on point with her vocals and solidly hits her range. Music and production following close behind. The synth elements of the song were about the only tell for the track being one from Aika Ono and it is musically impressive. This is a great open for the album.

Track 2: "Toki no Tsubasa" (時間の翼, completed version from album Toki no Tsubasa)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Satoru Kobayashi
Vocals 3.00 / Music 3.00 / Production 2.75

Perhaps "Toki no Tsubasa" appearing for a second time says something about the prior album. It definitely sounds different, but I am not sure for the better. Sakai's vocals are fighting with the music tracks. Her vocals are not quite as polished here not sure if the same one's were used across both versions they sound slightly different to me, the imbalances here might have something to do with it. Looking back on my last review, I liked that version a lot more. Perhaps less is more.

Track 3: "Motto Chikaku de Kimi no Yokogao Mitetai" (もっと近くで君の横顔見ていたい) Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Daisuke Ikeda
Vocals 4.00 / Music 4.25 / Production 4.00

The tracks starts slow, but gains some momentum. This is a very ZARD song and that's great. A track doesn't have to be anything phenomenal. Aika Ohno's music on the track pairs well and is interesting in and of itself. You can feel Daisuke's steady hand in the arrangement and later production.

Track 4: "Pray"
Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Satoru Kobayashi
Vocals 3.75 / Music 3.75 / Production 3.00

To me a very melancholy song. Sakai's vocals are nice. Akihito Tokunaga's music is good. Production is a little odd. There are some backing vocals literally in the back, either bring them up or push them out. Production I think drags the song down a little, its just a bit all over the place.

Track 5: "Deai Soshite Wakare" (出逢いそして別れ)
Izumi Sakai / Michiya Haruhata / Michiya Haruhata and Daisuke Ikeda
Vocals 3.00 / Music 2.75 / Production 2.75

Opening with an Arabian Nights feel that sort of reminded me of the "Ihoujin" she did with Tak Matsumoto, but dialed way back. This sound threads through "Deai Soshite Wakare" but to me this feels like a song from a couple decades prior. The voice ovver in the middle I am not a fan of. Sakai's vocals are fine, but it feels like she is fighting with backing vocals. Music itself outside of the Middle Eastern flare doesn't hit. Production is a bit uneven.

Track 6: "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" (止まっていた時計が今動き出した) Izumi Sakai / Yuri Nakamura (Garnet Crow) / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals 3.25 / Music 3.00 / Production 3.00

The title track of the album is a upbeat break up song. Definitely a harder edge here musically and Sakai's vocals are dialed in. The song feel a little dated though. Notable that Yuro Nakamura was the composer for the music and would later help bring "Glorious Mind" to release. This is a decent song, if it came up on rotation, I'd listen but I also would not put it on a play list.

Track 7: "Hitomi Tojite" (瞳閉じて)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals 3.25 / Music 3.25 / Production 3.50

This song starts off as a slow ballad then does an instant 180 into a peppy pop song. Some interesting music by Aika Ohno, I could not have told you onfirst listen this was her composition. I suspect Tokunaga has some influence here. Its a pretty engaging song and interesting song.

Track 8: "Sawayakana Kimi no Kimochi" (さわやかな君の気持ち)
Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Dr.Terachi & Pierrot Le Fou
Vocals 3.75 / Music 3.25 / Production 3.25

"Sawayakana Kimi no Kimochi" opens differently and Sakai's soothing vocals kick in. A bit of a love song, you can feel Sakai's warmth. This track hits different, I guess this is due to arrangements being helmed by someone I do not think had been involved with ZARD before. There is a little bitof fighting between Sakai and the music, I thinkt h emusic was a little too assertive. Overall pretty good track to build up an album.

Track 9: "Ai de Anata wo Sukuimashou" (愛であなたを救いましょう)
Izumi Sakai / Seiichirou Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi
Vocals 2.25 / Music 1.75 / Production 2.00

This feels like the open for "Black Velvet" and that's not a song I liked then and it aged like milk. Seiichirou Kuribayashi wrote other ZARD songs I like quite a bit but this isn't one of them. Sakai's vocals don't even help this song much. Not a bad song, more like a disappointing one.

Track 10: "Tenshi no Youna Egao de" (天使のような笑顔で)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals 3.50 / Music 3.50 / Production 3.50

High energy love song and I would have had a tough time detecting Aika Ohno wrote it as for some reason I expect more synth heavy music. Some change ups in delivery which are interesting mostly good. The song itself feels dated now and thinking back to when it was released I am not sure it would have felt much more contemporary. Well arranged and again Akihito Tokunaga pairs well with Ohno.

Track 11: "Kanashii Hodo Kyou wa Ame de mo" (悲しいほど今日は雨でも)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Satoru Kobayashi
Vocals 3.75 / Music 3.50 / Production 3.50

I think this ZARD-y love song track has a lot going for it maybe a little more than my grading. I like Ohno's music on this one, Sakai's vocals are nicely dialed in and she hits some high notes well. Arrangement is decent and Satoru Kobayashi is someone different than the pink film director, FYI. A nice song to end "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" with.

Overall I do like "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" and it heads in a softer direction that is a bit abrupt... Where prior albums had more diverse songs, here the tracks stay within a defined musical box. It certainly is a somewhat different sounding album with Aika Ohno doing much of the musical heavy lifting. For the most part where the album suffers is on tracks where neither she or Akihito Tokunaga are involved. I still cannot understand why "Toki no Tsubasa" was on this album, this version was inferior to the original.

Overall Scores
Vocals: 3.45
Music: 3.27
Production: 3.2

Overall Score: 3.31

Adjusted Score: 3.31

No adjustment to the score, there was northing egregious or remarkable.

I would say "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" is an okay album, nothing more. Based on sales it wasn't one fans or new listeners were drawn to. Perhaps this was due to her hiatus from health issues and perhaps that too changed what she wanted to sing about here. The problem with an album like this is were it bad it would have gotten more attention, instead it pulls back from greatness and settles into a semi-forgetful average album. I'd be hard pressed to put any of the tracks on my play lists, but probably would not next if the songs came up in a random rotation.

With this review completed, there is one left. I am emotionally ready for the next review, this deliberate trip through ZARD's career has been a rewarding experience even if I have to say farewell to it in a week or two.

ZARD Album Review: "Toki no Tsubasa"

2025-03-08T09:24:00.011-07:00

Marking a decade after "Good-bye My Loneliness" is ZARD's ninth album and two years after "Eien."
By any measure ZARD is now an established and legendary artist, after a decade does Sakai break new ground or give us more of the same? That is the question I ask myself as listen to "Toki no Tsubasa" front to back.

This was the final album to top the Oricon charts but also the first since "Mō Sagasanai" to sell significantly under a million albums. Likewise the five singles that partially formed the album also were down in sales. This was the start of a trend for ZARD as she enters the back third of her shortened carreer.

For several reasons I made the decision to review the 30th anniversary re-release instead of the original album. First being the production of the original "Toki no Tsubasa" was rough for a ZARD album, it sounded off. Secondly if I have the opportunity to eliminate re-mixes, I'll do it. Lastly it was not just remastered for the ZARD's 30th anniversary it was rearranged. I am not 100% sure if new recordings were made or they dove back into the cabinets of masters. This effort gives "Toki no Tsubasa" another chance to be in its (hopefully) best form.

Track 1: "Get U're Dream"

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Takeshi Hayama
Vocals: 2.75 Music: 2 Production: 2

A very synthy open, then Sakai's vocals come in and I think they're a little too back. There is a dated sound to this happy love song. Sakai's vocals are fine, but Aika's music misses the mark. The production is not especially good. Sakai probably saves this track, but not by much. It's not a song I would throw on a playlist and strong odds I would hit next if it came up on rotation. I get this is probably contentious.

Track 2: "Kono Namida Hoshi ni Nare" (この涙星になれ)
Izumi Sakai / Yuuichirou Iwai / Hirohito Furui
Vocals: 3.25 Music: 3.25 Production: 3

A pretty aggressive opening but it settles down and again the song feels a little dated but not in a bad way more like a retro future. It's a break up song, Sakai vocals emote a very matter of fact recollection and she's really on point. Music is pretty good. Production is not bad and though there is dated sound it works. The end evokes a cyberpunk feel for me.

Track 3: "Promised You~with P-edition~"
Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Cybersound
Vocals: 3.25 Music: 3 Production: 3

...and the album slows down into a ballad tinged with a little power. This feels like a paint by numbers ZARD song, given I very much like ZARD that's just fine. If it came up on rotation, I'd let it play though. Sakai's vocals are nice and clean. Music is nothing special. Production is a bit forced and music tracks could stand to be pushed back a little.

Track 4: "Itai Kurai Kimi ga Afureteiru yo" (痛いくらい君があふれているよ)
Izumi Sakai / 4D-JAM / 4D-JAM
Vocals: 2.0 Music: 1.75 Production: 2.25

Slowing down a little more "Itai Kurai Kimi ga Afureteiru yo" also has Sakai rapping a little. Objectively it's not bad, but also it doesn't work. I seem to recall this being a thing around this time frame, but I could be wrong. Music is pretty simple maybe a little too much. Production is not bad, but given the song structure it did not require a lot. The song does not work well at any level.

Track 5: "Mado no Soto wa Monochrome" (窓の外はモノクローム)
Izumi Sakai / Yuuichirou Iwai / Yoshinobu Ohga
Vocals: 3.25 Music: 3 Production: 3.25

A very interesting open to the track. A love gone sideways song, Sakai's vocals are nice here and feel personal. Music has a lot going on, though the synth percussions feel like their fighting the song a little. Production is solid, Sakai's vocals are at the front albeit barely.

Track 6: "Omohide" (お・も・ひ・で)
Izumi Sakai / Hiroshi Terao Furui and Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals: 3.5 Music: 3.25 Production: 3

A pretty song that has the open feeling of Mt. Omuro. Feels like love fondly remembered. Everything generally works on this track and what one would expect from a ZARD song.

Track 7: "Ashita Moshi Kimi ga Kowaretemo" (明日もし君が壊れても
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals: 3.25 Music: 3.25 Production: 3.5

I could tell this was an Aika Ono song without looking at track info. Feels like another past love song. Overall this track is good and very on brand, but also not distinctive. Also I think the production is a little better than the music and vocals.

Track 8: "Sekai wa Kitto Mirai no Naka〜another style 21〜" (世界はきっと未来の中)
Izumi Sakai / Yuuichirou Iwai / Akihito Tokunaga & Yoshinobu Ohga
Vocals: 4.5 Music: 4.5 Production: 4.5

The album jumps into a fast peppier love song. Absolutely everything works and it should have been the album's opening track and not languishing near the end. A couple spots Akasi is definately flexing her vocals skills and that's great. She is the star.

Track 9: "Hero"
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Yoshinobu Ohga
Vocals: 4.75 Music: 4 Production: 4

Shifting gears into a ballad, "Hero" shows off Sakai's vocals very well and I'd argue it might be her best performance on "Toki no Tsubasa." Music is good and Ono has a lot of sneaky synth parts in the back. Production is very solid and everything is arranged in a balanced way. I like this song maybe a little more than I though I would when it started.

Track 10: "Toki no Tsubasa" (時間の翼)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals: 4.25 Music: 4.25 Production: 4.25

Feels like "Toki no Tsubasa" might have been a leftover from "Eien." Certainly the lyrics touch on the concept of forever. Its a nice song and Ono and Tokunaga pair well here.

The rearranged "Toki no Tsubasa" is a better version of the original album, which I thought suffered in the production process. Aika Ono generally pairs well and that gives me hope that she, as a much younger woman than Sakai, provides a different energy and hopefully more cohesiveness. That is where I think "Toki no Tsubasa" suffers, I do not think the album has much of an identity to itself. It is a very paint-by-numbers ZARD album. No track it outright bad on this album, but "Itai Kurai Kimi ga Afureteiru yo" and "Get U're Dream" are right on the line.

I would say that Sakai's vocals are as good if not better than they have been. An upside to this album is we can hear the quality of her vocals which is reflective in my scores. Conversely, I feel like third time was not a charm for Sakai as producer and it feels like turning a corner into a new ZARD. After a few listens, I am unsure if that is for the better.

End result is "Toki no Tsubasa" is an decent album and nothing more than that. It is an album that fans (like myself) will think well enough of. It is also and album I could not see it attracting new fans then or now. Of all her albums to this point this is the one i would suggest people exploring her music avoid. These comments might explain why sales dropped significantly and why it say in a fugue state for years, if I recall it was out of print for a period.

Overall:

Vocals: 3.55 Music: 3.35 Production: 3.33

Overall Score: 3.3

Adjusted Score: 3.3

No adjustment, there is nothing that warrants a shift either way. ZARD met expectations here.

ZARD Album Review: Eien

2025-03-01T16:10:00.005-07:00

"Eien" is a word that comes up with Izumi Sakai, maybe because of this album as it does mark the end

of a musical chapter. Perhaps the enormity of her as a person and artist. It is also the word inscribed on her grave at Yokohama Midori no Sato (which I made a trip to in 2023, I have things to write about that...). This is a hard album for me emotionally as so much of who Sakai was is captured on "Eien." Yet this album gives me joy, which I felt after that visit to her grave. I felt my grief for her evaporate and that is what I feel about this album.

I'll note this is the last album in what I would call ZARD's prime, as it does mark the end of her million selling albums. Combined her next three studio albums will not sell as much as "Eien." This is no reflection on those albums as I have not listened to them with a critical ear and I endeavor to treat each album individually.

Did something happen with "Eien" that triggered the downturn of her album sales? I do not think so, but what I would say is perhaps Sakai's strenuous avoidance of media appearances combined with encroaching health issues were more of contributing factors. That said, I wound up enjoying "Eien" considerably and would say it is one of her best albums because it is so consistent.

End result is seven singles were generated from the album which marks the most from (or to as Japanese labels released singles before albums) but also these spanned about a year and a half which is also by far the longest period for a single album of ZARD's. Like "Today Is Another Day" Sakai is the producer, which likely at the time a female artist producing her own work was more rare. I will also say this album in particular feels personal, which I ascribe to her expanded role on the album as the producer.

Track 1: "Eien"

Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Akihito Tokunaga

Vocals: 5 Music: 4.5 Production: 5

"Between you and me I wonder if we could see forever" is such an amazing phrase and this song starts of at a slow clip but comes up to speed. Sakai's vocals are very much at the forefront but the arrangement and music is not overwhelmed by her. There is a depth of sound as well that is really nice. It is hard not to say this is Sakai at her best.

Track 2: "My Baby Grand ~Nukumori ga Hoshikute~"

Izumi Sakai / Tetsurō Oda / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 4.25 Music: 4 Production: 3.75

I'll be honest "My Baby Grand" is a song I have had many feelings about over the years. But end of the day this love song won me over and I think it is a good bridge song back to ZARD's earlier songs, but with very solid production. The piano work is definitely a signature of Oda and his music is complementary of Sakai's delivery. Maybe the only thing on this track is the music is just a touch too forward, not to the point of fighting with Sakai but it is close.

Track 3: "Wake Up Make The Morning Last ~Wasure Gataki Hito he~'

Izumi Sakai / Hiroya Fukuyama/ Hirohito Furui

Vocals: 3.25 Music: 3 Production: 2.75

There is a bit of a 70s throwback to the track and that's not bad, but the horns are a little too much. Backing vocals don't work great for me, but I think Sakai is doign her own backing in parts which is uncommon. Kind of a melancholy song to me, but just kind of average.

Track 4: "Brand New Love"

Izumi Sakai / Masaaki Wanatuki /Akihito Tokunaga

Vocals: 5 Music: 5 Production: 4.75

The lyrics on "Brand New Love" are voluminous and structured. Sakai's vocals are absolutely top notch and she hits some notes really well that maybe she could not have before. The music is dialed up with a Japanese metal feel, but counterbalanced with Sakai's vocals. Backing vocals are really good. Its definitely a song with a lot of emotions, but even anger comes off differently with Sakai.

Track 5: "Unmei no Roulette Mawashite"

Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 3.5 Music: 3.25 Production: 3.25

There is a musically deep opening to the song, then it jumps to Sakai almost alone. It figures itself out but it is an odd song musically. I do not mean that negatively, it just hits the ears differently. Sakai's vocals have a couple of spots that maybe she should not have tried for that high note. It is a probably more interesting than great, but I would not mind it if it came up on rotation.

Track 6: "Tooi Hoshi wo Kazoete"

Izumi Sakai / Masato Kitano / Hirohito Furui

Vocals: 4.25 Music: 3 Production: 3

A slow love song. Sakai's vocals are really great, backing vocals are not great in parts. Musically it is pretty simple, very piano and synth focused. Production is on point, but maybe backing vocals should have been push back a little at points. This is a song I score fairly well, but not a song I'd seek out, but might not skip if it came up in rotation either.

Track 7: "Atarashii Door ~Fuyu no Himawari~"

Izumi Sakai / Masato Kitano / Hirohito Furui

Vocals: 4.25 Music: 3.75 Production: 3.25

Opens and end with a poppy fun sound, then the middle shifts into a more serious tone. The back minute of the track feels like a bit of padding, the song would not have suffered being removed. This kind feels at odds. I think its a song about a love that was and going on alone. Sakai's vocals are really good here, I wonder if this is one of her personal songs versus something a friend experienced? Music is good and is assertive or more passive as it needs to be but if Sakai is singing it definitely gets pushed back. Production is good though like the music there is a slight dated feel to the overall song.

Track 8: "Good Day"

Izumi Sakai / Masaaki Watanuki / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 4.5 Music: 2.75 Production: 3.75

I am not sure this is a good day... feels like a one night stand and walk away. Musically this is very 80s/90s rock in sound and a little overwrought. Sakai shows a lot of range on this track though. Arrangement and production is great, everything is well balanced against Sakai. For me, this track is a little bit of a guilty pleasure, I like it a little more than my numbers would suggest. A bit of padding in the back minute of the song, the album is hefty there is not a lot of air.

Track 9: "I Feel Fine, Yeah!"

Izumi Sakai / Makoto Miyoshi / Hirohito Furui

Vocals: 4.75 Music: 4.5 Production: 4.25

A happy, peppy throwback love song. I'll be honest this song is so different from the tracks on the "Eien" and what Sakai has sung in the past that it is a perfect choice. Everything is dialed in very well, though Sakai's vocals could have been brought up a quarter notch. There is also a couple bits that backup vocals get a little echo-y. Too bad this did not make the 35th anniversary collection, it is distinctive and a significant re-master would have been amazing. For me this is the surprise track on "Eien."

Track 10: "Shoujo no Koro ni Modotta Mitai ni"

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 4.75 Music: 4.25 Production: 4

Opens with a chirpy piano, then more serious. Befitting a love song for sure. There is an odd sound in the music, I know it is deliberate but comes off sounding like a hiss. Sakai's vocals are very good here. Given the piano focus, pretty easy to tell it is an an Aika Ohno song, which is great as Ohno has always felt a little under celebrated (note she's the only B-Gram talent that was on the orchestral memorial concert). Ikeda's arrangement is good, though the guitars don't feel completely right.

Track 11: "Iki mo Dekinai"

Izumi Sakai / Tetsuro Oda / Takeshi Hayama

Vocals: 5 Music: 5 Production: 5

This is a perfect song and absolutely everyone delivers this power pop masterpiece. The song structure is something else, to me is is chorus leading into another chorus and it is very different than what Oda had done before with Zard. Sakai's vocals are powerful and tinged with sweetness, but I guess love is complicated. If I had to pick the most distilled Zard song "Iki mo Deinai" would be a contender. My favorite track on the album and I would be hard pressed to name a song I love more.

Track 12: "Kaze ga Toori Nukeru Machi he"

Izumi Sakai / Tetsuro Oda / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 3.75 Music: 3 Production: 3

A very busy opening with some talking in the background. This is definitely a throwback song with modern production. Sakai's delivery is a tiny bit off, mostly issues with her high notes, when she goes a little deeper with her unique delivery its nice. A few parts feel like music is fighting with her vocals. They could throw the flute bit into Tokyo Bay and not miss it... A track to fill out the album and its hard to stand next to "Iki mo Dekinai," which is a ridiculously great track. No real issues with the song its fine and I would not hit next.

Track 13: "Photograph"

Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Akihito Tokunaga

Vocals: 4.5 Music: 4 Production: 4

A touching love song and I think the perfect track to end "Eien." Sakai's vocals are really strong and objectively this is one of her best. A shame this did not make the 35th re-master, its a great song. Tokunaga helming music and arrangement does a really nice job here.

My opinion of "Eien" might be different than others. I am listening to ZARD's album sequentially and can only compare against what I have heard thus far as part of the exercise. Even without my spin, "Eien" is arguably her best overall album, every track earns a place on the album and none are fillers. This is ZARD (really Sakai) at her best and most refined. Likewise there are enough tracks that sound different that I would suggest she was still discovering herself musically, which after eight albums is remarkable. The shift to her being producer of her albums shows. I can comfortably give this album nearly a half point bump as an adjustment, everything works and is better than the sum of its parts.

Overall:

Vocals: 4.36 Music: 3.84 Production: 3.82

Overall Score: 4.01

Adjusted Score: 4.5

Cross Posted on Reddit: here...

ZARD Album Review: "Today Is Another Day"

2025-02-11T11:57:00.003-07:00

Going into this review, it shocked me (and should not have) that "Today Is Another Day" is ZARD's seventh album and by this point would the magic of Sakai have worn off? I say no, this is very much akin the the ZARD albums we have heard before and barring a few tracks delivers exactly what I expect and need from her albums. Also, no more than that.

Two tracks in particular I think were critically weak points in the album, specifically "Sayonara wa Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu" and "Nemurezu ni Kimi no Yokogao Zutto Miteita." Notably neither had Oda and Ikeda contributing, which can also be said for the track "Mitsumete Itai ne" which was just a mid level track and acceptable album filler. "Today Is Another Day" would have been a fine album of a nice length without the above mentioned tracks. I know "Sayonara wa Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu" charted for 8 weeks, topping off at #1 to start which at the time the song was maybe a better fit with the times.

Also what makes "Today Is Another Day" interesting is Sakai elected to self cover four tracks originally recorded by Field of VIew and Seiichiro Kuribayashi, to which as noted above three worked out well. I always wonder how the original artists feel about this on one hand it validates that they had a worthwhile song but on the other they now have to share that song. I certainly think of ZARD when I hear "Dan Dan..." even though I know Field of View's original is good too.

Also of note the cover shows Sakai on a pier crowded with boats in Monaco, yet somehow we alone in that process. It is a striking difference to other albums before on since.

Here is the track by track break down.

My Friend (マイフレンド)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

A syth opening setting up very clear vocals by Sakai which sets the tone for the track, a love song. Sakai is front and center. The layers of tracks for the most part is simple and everything is well balanced against her. The song ends a little busier in regards to production.

Vocals: 4.5, Music: 4.5, Production: 4.5

Kimi ga Ita kara (君がいたから)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

Taking it down a notch, "Kimi ga Ita kara" is a slower love song definitely highlights Sakai as a vocalist. I wonder if this is proving she is a great singer? The music is good and like "My Friend" is well balanced with Sakai's vocals and absolutely does not cross any line. Production is alright if my assertion is boosting Sakai's vocals.

Vocals: 4, Music: 3.5, Production: 3

Sayonara wa Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu (サヨナラは今もこの胸に居ます)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Seiichirō Kuribayashi
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

An upbeat breakup song. The music and production feel upside down and wrong, not really a fan of the heavy piano through the track. End result is the music tracks feel like they are fighting with the vocals making for a muddled end result. Sakai hits the edge of her vocal range, which maybe should have been dialed back a notch. "Sayonara wa Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu" is a track good enough to fill out an album, but it would never be on rotation. I acknowledge that Japan in the 90's disagrees with me here as this track did chart at #1 and charted for 8 weeks.

Vocals: 2.5 , Music: 2 , Production: 1.5

Love Nemurezu ni Kimi no Yokogao Zutto Miteita (Love 眠れずに君の横顔ずっと見ていた)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Seiichirō Kuribayashi
Arranger: Masao Akashi

A honky tonk piano opening and a suggestive song... then it kinda moves into a more pop sound then back to honky tonk. There is odd synth percussion in the mix too. The music is not great on this one. Backing vocals are odd. Production is a mess. Rarely will I say a ZARD track is bad, but here we are. "Love Nemurezu ni Kimi no Yokogao Zutto Miteita" is bad.

Vocals: 1.5, Music: 1, Production: .5

Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku (DAN DAN 心魅かれてく)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Daisuke Ikeda

And... we're back. "Dan Dan" is a great ZARD song Like a few tracks on "Today is Another Day" this is a self cover from a Field of View song and it is 100% a matter of preference, but I prefer ZARD's version. The music is well balanced and the production gets back in line and there are a fair number of layers to the song. The guitar solo is a little overlong and kind of takes over the end of the track. Sakai is way upbeat here, which is nice.

Vocals: 5, Music: 4.5, Production: 5

Nemuri (眠り)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Izumi Sakai
Arranger: Daisuke Ikeda

Sakai's song in both lyrics and composition. It is an interesting inspection point for what she writes for herself. It is a very different song, I am not sure she knew how to integrate guitars into music as there is a little bolt on feeling to them. Backing vocals are interesting on this track. Overall this is a good song but I think it is more interesting for what went into it.

Vocals: 4, Music: 3, Production: 3

Kokoro wo Hiraite (心を開いて)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Daisuke Ikeda

It is hard bordering on impossible to say this track is anything but perfect. Maybe the piano is played a little hard? Sakai's vocals here are absolutely on point and the backing vocals are also impressive with how many parts are actually being sung. I'd argue this is one of ZARD's top songs.

Vocals: 5, Music: 5, Production: 5

Totsuzen (突然)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

A bit of a slow start, but "Totsuzen" picks up speed fast. The pace is interesting and I think plays well with the lyrics which have a frantic love quality. I think there are some parallels to how Oda wrote the music for "Kokoro wo Hiraite" so I think these tracks compliment each other greatly. It is a very solid song.

Vocals: 4, Music: 4, Production: 4

Kyō mo (今日も)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

Sakai's vocals are a little more husky here. "Kyō mo" is definitely a very ZARD song in this part of her career, but also I don't feel there is a timelessness to the song. I think it was probably a better song at that time and place. I think the production is a little busy and maybe had it been a little stripped down it would have complimented the vocals and music a bit more. Not a bad song, I'd certainly like it if it came on during a rotation.

Vocals: 3.5, Music: 3.5, Production: 2.75

Today Is Another Day
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Daisuke Ikeda

A kinda sad song but upbeat, ah Japan you confound me sometimes. Sakai is subtly powerful in her delivery, you can feel her fill the mic. Oda's music is well paired. Production is well balanced across the board. There is also a speed to the song too, its faster than other ZARD songs. The back 30 seconds of the song feel like a bit of padding and could have easily ended with Sakai's utterance of today is another day.

Vocals: 5, Music: 4.5, Production: 4.5

Ai ga Mienai (愛が見えない)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Masazumi Ozawa
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

Oh boy is this a breakup song of breakup songs. There is a nuanced fierceness to Sakai's vocals, she stays in a higher pitch in her delivery which I think is more akin to her speaking voice. Ozawa delivers a change of pace is the music which is a good choice and honestly maybe should have been pushed into an earlier part of the album. There is also an interesting balance between harder rock and pop here that meshes well. Even thought his was a single (#15) I have overlooked this one, its a heck of a song and I like it a little more than the sum of its review parts.

Vocals: 4.5, Music: 4, Production: 4

Mitsumete Itai ne (見つめていたいね)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Seiichirō Kuribayashi
Arranger: Masao Akashi

Now we shift into a slower song pretty abruptly, its very melancholy. Sakai's vocals are fine here and she absolutely does not push her range which works. Music sort of feels like it is fighting her vocals. The piano is way too turned up and the underlying music tracks are a little at odds. The real bummer here this is a good song brought down by the arranger.

Vocals: 4, Music: 3.5, Production: 2.5

Summary

In summary I thought "Today is Another Day" when Oda had his finger print on songs had great tracks, double so when Ikeda was arranging. At this point in ZARD discography, Sakai had done seven albums and keeps delivering. Many bands never get more than a few and maybe one of them is great. Overall I enjoy this album and it is a solid effort.

Overall scores:

Vocals: 3.96, Music, 3.57, Production 3.44

Overall Score: 3.66

Adjusted Score: 4.05

My adjusted score is that I think the two songs that, to me, dragged "Today Is Another Day" down were more isolated compared to what I enjoyed about the album which has a number of powerhouse tracks.

ZARD's Tape Vault

2024-11-22T11:18:00.003-07:00

Something I have thought about for a while is what is in all the tapes that have been shown that Zard did over the years?

I previously thought there was songs that never saw the light of day for whatever reason as Sakai spent copious amounts of time in the studio. Not every song recorded is used was my hypothesis. I think I am wrong and below are some data points as to why.

Daiko Nagato said some time ago that for the Zard 25th Anniversary (I think...) collection that everything he could use for a Zard album he did. The tank was dry. Makes sense as we have not seen anything come after directly from Zard since the posthumous and heavily assembled "Glorious Mind." After that Sakai's writing was used for Sard Underground songs since then, which is an achievement as well but not a song she (that we know of) sang.

Reading an article about her recording process, she was exacting and a perfectionist. She would sing the same song many times to get it right. So the cabinet of masters are not unreleased songs, I think they are a mountain of takes for the songs we have already already heard. Maybe the one case where whatever was in the vault was viable was the remix for the re-release of "Toki no Tsubasa" as I have read was remastered from other sources. Which to me sounds like other potential recordings in the vault or re-recording everything but Sakai's vocals. I have seen it reported both ways, maybe one of you has a solid lead here. Likewise Yueru Omoi on the Zard Blend I album was also from another take.

Lastly as noted above, if there were even slightly viable songs they would have released or completed them like her posthumous singles. Being likes money and doling out singles or to juice a greatest hits I think would have been done beyond her posthumous singles. Would I love to see slightly different takes to show how a song evolved or sounded different, yes I would.

P.S. I wound up cancelling my Tokyo trip for a variety of reasons, so no Puffy show review I am sad to say.

Puffy's "Collage" Streaming

2024-11-13T12:04:00.016-07:00

Via Puffy's official YouTube Channel their new single "Collage." I think it covers a lot of contemporary jpop ground, but there are some deeper Puffy things in it. I'll review it later.

P.S. Next month I will have a show review...

New Digital Single: Collage

2024-11-11T12:04:00.003-07:00

This news kinda missed me but read on Toky Tunes, that Puffy released the digital single "Collage" which was written and produced by Tooboe. The song is for the televised anime “The Story of a Girl Who Couldn’t Become a Wizard.” Jacket design is of the main characters, I have not heard of this anime so that's about all I know.

Digital was released on October 5, 2024, the physical single will be released on November 20, 2024. The physical single will set you back about $26 dollars or about 4000 yen. That feels a bit steep for a CD single, but as my friend in Tokyo put it physical sales are now more for collection... which may explain the elevated prices. Even me as a completist gives a lot of pause about picking up a physical cope.

JPop Fun with My New DisplayPad

2024-09-03T12:00:00.001-06:00

A couple weeks ago Amazon was running an Amazing deal on the DisplayPad by Mountain, its a device very much is the same vein as the Elgato Stream Deck. For the price (sub-40 USB) it is an amazing device.

First experiment was to create a custom profile when I run Music Bee (which is amazing in and of itself). But even with the media controls I need I had some empty buttons. Turns out I can add a graphic to the the button with no underlying functions. So of course I added some ZARD graphics.

Next we when the lock screen was on, I wanted to do something ZARD but given how the device is laid out it took a while. What I landed on was a print ad for "Today is Another Day." Generally speaking my love for the old school Japanese advertising aesthetic knows no bounds and played well with my even great admiration for Izumi Sakai.

Overall this has been a fun device that I will keep customizing, but for now I am happy.

ZARD Album Review: forever you

2024-08-29T18:12:00.003-06:00

At this point in ZARD’s prime we are hitting the back half and this album is definitely a surprise. I’ll also note not all surprises are good. After a couple of listen throughs there was only one track I was familiar with and was "Konna ni Soba ni Iru no ni" as it was one of the singles the others never stuck for me. That probably should have been a warning sign.

Izumi Sakai handled all her own lyrics. Tetsuro Oda and Seiichiro Kuribayashi split the album with Michiya Haruhata handling one track near the end. Masao Akashi and Daisuke Ikeda handled most of the tracks and collaborated one one with Takeshi Hayama tackling one (the same one as Michiya Haruhata).

Some odd bits of trivia. The album cover is a little funny too, it is from around the time of her third album. This was the last album to use the stylized Z with a wavy line. "High Heel Nugi Sutete" was a give away single in a lottery.

If I had to have a feeling after a couple of listening's, “forever you” feels like the tracks that could not make the cut for ZARD’s prior two albums. But is that still a cut above the JPop rest? Press on and find out!

Track 1. "Ima Sugu Ai ni Kite" (今すぐ会いに来て)

Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi (Lyrics / Music / Arranger)

I guess this is a love song maybe a little tongue in cheek? I could easily see "Ima Sugu Ai ni Kite" buried somewhere on the back half of an album as very nice filler. As the opening track for ZARD… I have questions about that choice. Sakai’s vocals do not really stand out. The music sort of matches the tone so it is a lighter sounding song, but it is also nothing special. I will give some credit the track is well produced.

Vocals: 2.5 Music: 2 Production: 3.2

Track 2. "High Heel Nugi Sutete" (ハイヒール脱ぎ捨てて)

Izumi Sakai / Seiichirou Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi

Getting back on track with "High Heel Nugi Sutete" which is a wistful love song which from what I can determine. Sakai’s vocals a quite nice on this track and very on point. The music is ok, maybe even a little dated for the JPop scene. The synth and sax portions are a little much, the rest of the music is a nondescript framework to hand Saka’s vocals on. Production here is again good, it is very clean.

Vocals: 3.25 Music: 2.25 Production: 3.25

Track 3. "forever you"

Izumi Sakai / Tetsurō Oda / Masao Akashi

Another very Sakai love song. Her vocal delivery is a powerful midrange accented by her low to high accents. This is definitely Sakai flexing her vocals. Tetsuro Oda’s arrangement is simple, but well matched until it gets guitar heavy which changes up the tone of the song. That is an interesting transition. Akashi’s production is nice, there are some subtle depths especially with the violins.

Vocals: 3.4 Music: 3 Production: 3

Track 4. "Mou Nigetari Shinai wa Omoide kara" (もう逃げたりしないわ想い出から)

Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi

The opening is dated and not in a cool retro style in this bittersweet former relationship song. Sakai’s vocals are okay at times, but they don’t land. Music is not great, though I will give some props to the bass, that is nice. It dives me crazy to say that the best part of the track is Akashi’s production.

Vocals: 2 Music: 1.75 Production: 2.5

Track 5. "Anata wo Kanjiteitai" (あなたを感じていたい)

Izumi Sakai / Tetsurou Oda / Tetsurou Oda

A wintery wonderland wistful love song. The track opens up ok, then steps up the pace with a synthesizer heavy part. There are also some really interesting changes of pace. Sakai’s vocals are pretty good here, but the high parts are definitely at her top range and maybe stays there overlong. This definitely feels like a Tetsuro Oda song, which of all composers pairs well. His production is also very good and completely different than Akashi. I have always though Sakai and Oda had a unique working relationship but no idea how true that is. End result is one of the better tracks on “forever you.”

Vocals: 4.25 Music: 4 Production: 4

Track 6. "Kiraku ni Ikou" (気楽に行こう)

Izumi Sakai / Seiichirou Kuribayashi / Daisuke Ikeda

Whoa, this track opens up very strong maybe more a song of the times and a touch dated. I still like it. A more straightforward Sakai love long. Seiichirou Kuribayashi’s music is great here. Daisuke Ikeda’s production is much less layered but its really good. Sakai’s vocals are on point and she keeps well within her range.

Vocals: 4.25 Music: 4 Production: 4.25

Track 7. "I'm in Love"

Izumi Sakai / Tetsurou Oda / Daisuke Ikeda

Kind of a slow intro to the song, then its way over engineered (even for Being) but picks up speed as a power poppy love song. Sakai’s lyrics are a little washed out, but she does deliver nicely and in spots very interesting. The backing vocals are a bit assertive. Overall music sounds dated and while I can appreciate we finally have more up tempo music… this could have been a better track.

Vocals: 3.5 Music: 3.25 Production: 2.75

Track 8. "Konna ni Soba ni Iru no ni" (こんなにそばに居るのに)

Izumi Sakai / Seiichirou Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi & Daisuke Ikeda

Sure it is heavy 90’s synth hits, but it works. Sakai’s singing is really good here, like a loving whisper in my ear. It’s definitely a sensual love song in mood. The music is interesting and different, the drums are assertive but not over so. Production is very good, though more Akashi or Ikeda? Not sure. Maybe a big of an egregious flex of a guitar solo. I’d argue this is the best track on “forever you” and an odd duck on an album I have some problems with.

Vocals: 5 Music:4.5 Production: 4.25

Track 9. "Just Believe in Love"

Izumi Sakai / Michiya Haruhata / Takeshi Hayama

Another starts slow to overwrought music then kinda fall into a loud mid tempo song. Sakai’s singing is alright but feels like she is fighting the music which means the production here is as much the issue. It’s kind of a mess of a track. Not terrible, just I know Sakai can deliver better.

Vocals: 3 Music: 2 Production: 2

Track 10. "Hitomi Sorasanaide" (瞳そらさないで, originally performed by Deen)

Izumi Sakai / Tetsurou Oda / Masao Akashi

A bit of a melancholy self cover. I think if you took Sakai’s vocals and married them to Deen’s music this would be a great track, but as is it is an okay ZARD song. In the context of this album it is one of the better tracks. The music is just kind of jumbled and uneven, not bad just how it is layered makes the sound a little muddy.

Vocals: 3.5 Music: 3.25 Production: 3

Overall Album Score:

Vocals: 3.47

Music: 3

Production: 3.22

Overall Score: 3.22

Adjusted Album Score: 3

I took it a tick down because the tracks that miss outweigh the few that hit.

“forever you” is a frustratingly average album. I guess I came into ”forever you” expecting more as this is in the heart of Izumi Sakai’s career and came away disappointed. Not so much so that I hate it, but it is not an album I would seek out. It contrasts interestingly with “Oh My Love.” Here it is mostly average songs that felt like leftovers from the prior few albums versus good songs that were left over. “Konna ni Soba ni Iru no ni" is definitely the strongest song. "Kiraku ni Ikou" and “Anata wo Kanjiteitai” were also songs I like.

ZARD Album Review: "Oh My Love"

2024-08-18T12:18:00.006-06:00

"Oh My Love" is ZARD's fifth album and her second in her prime sequence that runs from “Yureru Omoi” to “Eien.” This is an interesting album. It is approachable. With maybe the exception of Top Secret these are really solid tracks. Barring “Oh My Love” none of them hit crazy musical heights, but are all very good and most important listenable.

There are a few factors for why this album is very consistent. One thing that stands out is the maturation in Sakai’s vocal delivery and stays (mostly) comfortably in her range. Her vocals are on full display and she is very much a singer in her prime. Tetusro Oda and Seiichiro Kuribayashi handle all the music and for the most part it is hard to discern who wrote which song which speaks to the consistency across the album.

Masao Akashi arranged all the tracks and much as I have taken exception with some of his prior works he provides top shelf work on “Oh My Love.” Japanese albums cannot be counted on to have the same producer across all tracks, so this was an interesting experience. By and large he provides a consistent experience, though "Rainen no Natsu mo" is one glaring exception.

What I am expecting as I work through the album is a consistent album that is a very ZARD album. Let’s go to the review!

Track 1: "Oh My Love"
Izumi Sakai / Tetsurō Oda / Masao Akashi

This is such a strong opening track. Sakai’s tone shifts from subtly uncertain to very confident over the course of the song, all while being incredibly sweet. Where “Makenaide” might have been written for boys, “Oh My Love” I feel is a more feminine flipside. The music on the track is exceptional and perfectly paired with her. Production is also stellar, there are so many layers without feeling over produced.

“Oh My Love” is not just the best track on this synonymously titled album it might be one of her best tracks.

Vocals: 5
Music: 5
Production: 5

Track 2: "Top Secret"
Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi

It’s kind of a funny song, but “Top Secret” and Sakai’s vocals are very good and honestly on the balance carry the track. The music has a slightly dated feel and I am not a fan of the guitar work specifically. Production has a lot of layers, but tilt towards am overproduced sound (okay it sounds like a Being song).

Vocals: 3.6
Music: 3
Production: 3.3

Track 3: "Kitto Wasurenai" (きっと忘れない)
Izumi Sakai / Tetsurō Oda / Masao Akashi

A track about a love that once was with nice parts sweet and bittersweet. Sakai pushes her vocal limits in the high parts, but doesn’t cross a line. Her change of tone mirrors “Oh My Love” in that she sounds increasingly confident. Oda really does a nice job with the music here it is very complimentary to Sakai’s vocals. The backup vocals are also very well done. Akashi’s arrangement is top shelf, there are maybe not as many elements inside of the song but it's precisely put together and has energy.

Vocals: 5
Music: 5
Production: 4.75

Track 4: "Mō Sukoshi, Ato Sukoshi..." (もう少しあと少し…)
Isumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi

The opening to this track kinda tilts to overwrought, but Sakai’s lyrics kick in and they take a step into the background. Sakai’s vocals nicely reflect the bittersweetness of her lyrics. Kuribayashi’s music here is very dialed in and compliment Sakai, but not sure sure the sax parts were really needed, likewise the piano towards the end. Akashi started the arrangement with what I think is a stumble but reigns the song in and it has a lot of interesting layers at the end.

Vocals: 4
Music: 4.25
Production: 4

Track 5: "Ame ni Nurete" (雨に濡れて)
Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi

Opens up with a sax heavy sound, but this is a sneaky song it feels very mid tempo with Sakai’s vocal delivery but the music is telling a different story. Sakai definitely hits her upper range here, might have been better to dial her back. Drums are definitely assertive and feel a little programmed in spots as they sound a little too consistent, Backup vocals are very good, it sounds like Maki Ohguro. Production was fine, though maybe a little muddy for sound.

Vocals: 3.25
Music: 3.25
Production: 3

Track 6: "Kono Ai ni Oyogi Tsukarete mo" (この愛に泳ぎ疲れても)
Izumi Sakai / Tetsurō Oda / Masao Akashi

Vocals: 4.5 Music: 3 Production: 4.5

The opening very much flexes Sakai’s vocal delivery. There is a lot of depth in the production and deftly keeps the music there but one layer beneath Sakai. Sakai’s delivery is interesting here, it is not perfect but I think that works. The pace of the song starts a little slow and then picks up a faster pace with a very well placed guitar solo. Overall "Kono Ai ni Oyogi Tsukarete mo" is a very interestingly paced song about hopeful but struggling love..

Track 7: "I Still Remember"
Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi

Soulful breakup song. While this is not my favorite track on “Oh My Love” what it does is show off what Sakai’s best range as a vocalist actually was which is a powerful midrange that dips into a lower range. Music is very straightforward and a little more in balance with Sakai. Production here is really good until the back third of the song, then it is a little overwrought and begins to wash Sakai’s vocals a little.

Vocals: 4.75
Music: 3
Production: 4

Track 8: "If You Gimme Smile"
Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi

A zippy up tempo love song that is a lot of fun. A good changeup track. Sakai’s vocals are absolutely on point. Backup vocals a little too assertive at points, which is a production choice. Music is delivered well and paired with production that has a lot of subtle layers in the track. In some ways this song is Sakai being confident and having fun, which is maybe the version of her I like the most and never saw enough of.

Vocals:4.5
Music: 4.5
Production: 3.5

Track 9: "Rainen no Natsu mo" (来年の夏も)
Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi

Alright, this track slows things up but about 2/3rds of the way the sound picks up pace and has a different feel. It’s a bit startling, but I think works. Musically I am not a huge fan of the song, too many elements are thrown in. Synth and acoustic guitar then sax heavy, then a weird piano solo. Everything is just turned up to max, which I think is forced. I won’t say "Rainen no Natsu mo" is a bad track, but it might be the weakest on the album.

Vocals: 2.75
Music: 2
Production: 2

Track 10: "Anata ni Kaeritai" (あなたに帰りたい)
Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi

A very long acoustic guitar intro, not the greatest. But things pick up to get into a break up song with some conflicting feelings. Sakai sticks to her range so I like her delivery. Production is okay, but again like in the prior track Akashi turns things up a little high and I think that washed out Sakai a little. That said it is well mixed even if I do not agree with the choices. The guitar work feels a little out of place with the song, I don;t think power chords were the best choice. For the tail of the album,"Anata ni Kaeritai" is alright, it’s a decent track.

Vocals: 3.75
Music: 3
Production: 3.35

Overall Album Scores for “Oh My Love”:
Vocals: 4.11
Music: 3.53
Production: 3.67
Overall Album Score: 4.16

Adjusted Album Score: 4.25
(slight uptick as the good tracks outweigh the middling)

“Oh My Love” is a very interesting album and the numbers suggest that Sakai as a vocalist were the best delivered part of the album. I think here is where we see a maturation and comfort that comes with ZARD’s fifth album. This is a very consistent album, which I think benefited from limited composers and a singular producer. FWIW there are also Japanese albums that benefit form the exact opposite, but “Oh My Love” showcases Sakai and is the next album is a tremendous sequence.

ZARD Album Review: Hold Me

2024-08-03T15:00:00.001-06:00

Released in 1992 “Hold Me” is ZARD’s third album and maybe one people skip to when exploring ZARD. Within the context of my review series I think it is important to explore the entire body of work to see how the music evolves which gives perspective to where ZARD went over her entire career arc. It is notable though that this is the album where the ZARD sound is dialed in, specifically in Sakai's delivery which is very consistent throughout "Hold Me." That is not to say there isn’t a variety of musical styles in the go forward, just to say Sakai’s maturation starts here.

The bulk of the music on “Hold Me” was done by Daria Kawashima and Seiichiro Kuribayashi, which might explain some of the consistency. Likewise the majority of tracks were produced by Masao Akashi and Daisuke Ikeda. I had a lot of criticism of Akashi’s production “Mō Sagasanai” I think he fares better here.

The journey through ZARD’s discography continues. Please note all ratings are out of five.

"Nemurenai Yoru wo Daite" (眠れない夜を抱いて)

Vocals: 5 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 4.5 Music: Tetsuro Oda

Production: 4.5 Production: Masao Akashi & Daisuke Ikeda

Somewhere slightly above mid-tempo, the snythy percussion is very Japanese sounding and blends nicely into a more guitar driven song with nice synth support. Bass is definitely there. Drums are a little soft and could be a drum machine but with the above synth effects it combines nicely. Sakai’s delivery is very dialed in and in true form. Backing vocals are there and support nicely.

"Dareka ga Matteru" (誰かが待ってる)

Vocals: 3.75 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 3 Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi

Production: 2 Production: Masao Akashi

A sax lead in for a mid-tempo track. Sakai’s vocals are really nice her and backup vocals are very complimentary. Drums are kinda odd in this one, like synth drums which I am not a huge fan of. There is definitely sythisizers here, but they are not very pronounced, but maybe the ove ruse of synth drums make up for it. Like too much, they’re overbearing. Remember why I did not like Masao Akashi’s product in the previous album… same feelings.

"Sayonara Ienakute" (サヨナラ言えなくて)

Vocals: 4.5 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 3.5 Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi

Production: 4 Production: Daisuke Ikeda

Up tempo here. Sakai’s vocals are very pretty and convey a lot of emotion. Drums are a little heavy, but everything is balanced well. The guitar solo is a little egregious, perhaps a function of the times. There are some very interesting synthy percussions way in the background, which I like. The song feels a little dated, but I find myself enjoying it more like a fond memory and not outdated.

"Ano Hohoemi wo Wasurenai de" (あの微笑みを忘れないで)

Vocals: 5 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 5 Music: Daria Kawashima

Production: 5 Production: Masao Akashi

"Ano Hohoemi wo Wasurenai de" is pure magic. Absolutely everything is right, this is a perfection song.

"Sukina you ni Odoritai no" (好きなように踊りたいの)

Vocals: 4 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 4 Music: Kazuya Izumi

Production: 4.25 Production: Takeshi Hayama

Sakai’s vocal delivery is good and catchy, but there are a couple of notes that are at the end of her range that maybe should have been pulled back. I will say this track is very well produced. The music is good and a little different in structure but a couple of spots feel off. This is a good song and complimentary to the track before it.

"Dangerous Tonight"

Vocals: 3.5 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 2.5 Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi

Production: 2.75 Production: Masao Akashi

An overwrought lead in that doesn;t seem to find its feet. A lot of synth hits, which is a function of the times in Japanese music but don’t really add much. Sakai’s vocals are exactly what I expect, but there is a certain nuanced strength to her delivery that I enjoy. Holy wow is that an egregious guitar solo and what better than to have another right after to take us out of the track. Akashi’s production is okay here, the music itself is weaker with all the wrong things emphasized.

"Konna ni Aishite mo" (こんなに愛しても)

Vocals: 3.5 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai:

Music: 2 Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi

Production: 3 Production: Masao Akashi

I am not really sure the intro into the song with a noisy room filled with conversation really works, then synthy xylophone effect bring us further into the song cross mixed with the conversation… it is distracting. Sakai’s vocals are pleasant and solid but the music feels like it is fighting her. The backup vocals are a bit off. The production of the track is pretty good, but drum hits are a little loud.

"Why Don't You Leave Me Alone"

Vocals: 3.75 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 3.75 Music: Daria Kawashima

Production: 4 Production: Takeshi Hayama

The interplay between Sakai and the synt heavy music works well. Not a huge fan of the chorus on the track but everything else is very on point. Drums are pretty pronounced, everything outside of synthesizers perk up after the halfway mark.

"Ai wa Nemutteru" (愛は眠ってる)

Vocals: 4 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 3.75 Music: Daria Kawashima

Production: 3 Production: Daisuke Ikeda

A very chirpy lead in, then pretty heavy guitars take over. The music is bit too assertive for Sakai’s lyrics at times, but her delivery is good and she hits some high notes really well here. Production is the weak spot, it needed more balance between vocals and instruments. Overall I really like this track though and its kind of a subtle banger.

"Tooi Hi no Nostalgia" (遠い日のNostalgia)

Vocals: 4 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 4 Music: Eisuke Mochizuki

Production: 3.5 Production: Masao Akashi

A piano driven song and it is a good song, but also very much at home for the early 1990s. Sakai’s lyrics are very smooth. Drums are a touch over emphasized. Uhg needless scythe hits. It lives somewhere between mid and up tempo and has some neat structural elements.

"So Together"

Vocals: 2.75 Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: 2 Music: Daria Kawashima

Production: 1.75 Production: Masao Akashi

This feels like the last song on an album by how the intro plays out. It is… but gotta fill out an album. anyways Sakai’s vocals are really just okay here, not her best. The music is a bit unbalanced with the vocals, not much but noticeable to me at times then the chorus is a bit too amped up. Akashi, make up your mind!

Overall scores:

Vocals: 3.97

Music: 3.75

Production: 3.45

On the balance, do I like “Hold Me” as a complete album? Yes, I do. Sakai, I think, finds her feet as a vocalist which I think is its best quality. Does it hit consistently, no. What I feel here is this will not go down as one of ZARD’s best albums as I work my way through her catalog. I can say it feels like a ZARD album and I could not say that as much as her first two albums.

Zard Album Review: Yureru Omoi

2024-08-03T14:53:00.003-06:00

Following a slow burning fuze across three previous album "Yureru Omoi" explodes. To this point ZARD put out some nice albums and showed improvement as she matured as an artist, but would she have been beloved and the "it" female singer of the 9

Was this the perfect album I was hoping to review? Read on!0's? Probably not, maybe somewhere in the realm of Mannish. The great songs on the previous album "Hold Me" in retrospect told us where ZARD was going and she delivers here.

"Yureru Omoi" (揺れる想い)

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Tetsurō Oda / Production: Masao Akashi

"Yureru Omoi" opens so strong with drums and keyboards, then guitars and vocals are overlaid... it is breathtaking engineering. In a few seconds, you know exactly what you are going to get. Sakai powerfully fills the song with what I consider to be midrange vocals, its powerful but hits in a way that contrasts with almost every other jpop singer. What also cannot be overlooked in Maki Ohguro's backing vocals, which also contribute greatly to Sakai's lead vocals. Listen to love versions of this song and until the 30th anniversary concert you never knew what was missing live till Maki sang in that performance.

The punch with this track is the drums, live they never live up to this. Maybe "Cruising & Live" comes close. The rest of the music is also incredibly on point here. Tetsuro Oda's music is also very dialed in and more often than not her best songs are on the foundation he builds. Production is absolutely top shelf, Masao Akashi finally figures out ZARD and it pays off.

What I love about Sakai's delivery is I feel it subtly changes through the song as her confidence in this love grows. The progression of "in your dreams" to "in my dreams" to "in our dreams" illustrated this.

No secret "Yureru Omoi" is my favorite ZARD song. Not on this album, my favorite song of her's ever. It is without a doubt perfect on every level.

Vocals: A+

Music: A+

Production: A+

"Season"

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Arranger: Masao Akashi

A very Japanese vocal delivery to start this song and elements of it stick through the song making it capital J in Jpop. Sakai sticks to a higher pitch in her delivery, which maybe goes a little against her strengths in the middle or her very distinctive mid/low delivery. So a slight miss here, but they're still good. The music is pretty mid-tempo pop, its consistent. Production is solid. Feels like a song to break up the prior track and next, which is odd because "Yuero Omoi" and "Kimi ga Inai" pair incredibly well as heard in "Cruising & Live."

Vocals: B

Music: B+

Production: A

"Kimi ga Inai" (君がいない)

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Arranger: Masao Akashi

I always thought the opening to "Kimi ga Inai" set up the song well and it is an odd higher energy bittersweet song. Normally I am not a huge fan of synthesizer hits, but they work here and feel in place with the song. Sakai's vocal delivery is great and shows a lot of range. Production is consistent with the album thus far.

Vocals: A

Music: A

Production: A-

"In My Arms Tonight"

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Michiya Haruhata / Arranger: Masao Akashi

Leads off with a pretty heavy dose of guitars then kinda falls into a more relaxed guitart pop sound. Sakai's vocals are very breathy slow paced than the music. It is an odd song but not bad, though the synth hits are a little much. Izumi does have some nice vocal delivery here but there are a couple of high notes that are her max of her range. Is it a bad song? No. Is it a great song? No. Its just an odd duck.

Vocals: B-

Music: B-

Production: B-

"Anata wo Suki dakedo" (あなたを好きだけど)

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Arranger: Masao Akashi

Not going to lie the song opens up and it feels a little dated. Sakai's delivery here is nice and the best thing about the song, it feels more like she's telling a story which does match up with the lyrics. The chorus is great. The production is very clean and while sounds simple there are a lot of layers.

Vocals: B+

Music: B

Production: B

"Makenaide" (負けないで)

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Tetsurō Oda / Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

This is the song that transformed ZARD from an artist who had a few nice albums to a star that dominated 90's Japan. There is a reason why "Makenaide" remains timeless. Sakai's vocals are so good and hit with her signature overwhelming the midrange. Where she goes high is exactly at the perfect end of her range and goes low at the right time. Musically, the song transcends time and space it might be THE song of 90's Japan, but it still sounds different. The production with "Makenaide" is a marvel, everything is well balanced and complimentary.

Vocals: A+

Music: A

Production: A+

"Listen to Me"

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Daria Kawashima / Arranger: Masao Akashi

Did Little Glee Monster find a time machine? I don't mean that in a bad way, but they would probably sing this song better. The backing vocals are a little aggressive and feel like they are fighting the song more than helping it. I would argue this is the weakest song on "Yureru Omoi." It is not bad, but it is not a song I would seek out to play.

Vocals: B

Music: C

Production: B

"You and Me (and...)"

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Tetsurō Oda / Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

Sakai's vocal delivery is on display in "You and Me (and...)" though it might be a touch of a tropey sad song. Musically it is an okay song, but Tetsuro Oda worked this one so it will be technically fine. Production is good and Hayama brings everything together.

Vocals: A

Music: B

Production: A-

"I Want You"

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Arranger: Masao Akashi

With a lead in of two just okay songs, "I want You" cooks with gas. Sakai's vocal delivery is great and for lack of better words very "her." Kuribayashi keeps this a fast song and that works. Production is maybe a touch over processed but this is less a detraction and more of a description. There are a couple of odd choices in production like Sakai saying a breathy "I want you" that felt out of place.

Vocals: A+

Music: A

Production: B

"Futari no Natsu" (二人の夏)

Lyrics Izumi Sakai / Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Arranger: Masao Akashi

A bittersweet ballad. Like the last track Kuribayashi provided the music on this one, it maybe feels a little too big for what is a more intimate song. Piled on top of this is the production is very processed and maybe tips slightly in the opposite direction. Sakai vocals are good here and I feel she is pushing at her range, but she pulls up just a bit short before she passes her effective range.

"Futari no Natsu" is a good song and it being the final track of what is an exceptional album is a good choice. The prior three songs would not have worked.

Vocals: B+

Music: B-

Production: B-

"Yureru Omoi" Album score:

Album Score: B+ (3.37)

Overall Vocals: A- (3.5)

Overall Music: B (3.23)

Overall Production: B+ (3.38)

"Yureru Omoi" is such a strong album and set the stage for an incredibly successful run by ZARD through the end of the 90's. Would I call it a perfect album? No, I think it falls a little short of that mark. Relative to the very strong songs on "Yureru Omoi" there are a few tracks that are okay but drag the album down: "Anata wo Suki dakedo," "Listen To Me," "Futari no Natsu."

But make no mistake "Yureru Omoi" is a top shelf album and the ZARD we had been waiting a three albums to get to, to which four albums in two years is a very high level of production.

While I do these reviews to inform others, it also helps be understand ZARD in a more serious way.

Hoodie Fam + Puffy + Ai No Shirushi = Hilarity Ensuing

2024-05-18T13:55:00.005-06:00

An area I am not all that knowledgeable with is Japanese YouTubers in the funny dance genre, but glad I stuck with this short off of Puffy's YouTube channel. No real reason for it, I do not watch shorts with any regularity. Towards the end Ami and Yumi make an appearance and they're funnier than the funny dance guys doing yet another rendition of "Ai no Shirushi" which if you recall there was a bit of a splash on YouTube a while back.

While Puffy's output over the years has become a trickle, I am glad they are still a thing and seem to have embraced their modern state in Japanese music.

And hey, if anyone is actually reading this, leave a comment.

P.S. If you are looking how to embed YouTube Shorts, this is a helpful page.

New Single: SweetSweet

2024-04-22T17:03:00.002-06:00

Puffy has released a new single, "SweetSweet."

I'll do a review later, but first pass on it had an interesting effect on me.

Also, somewhat surprised to see "SweetSweet" as Puffy has not been super active beyond being in kinda maintenance mode for a long time. But with the summer season approaching I'd guess there will be the usual festivals and events they have been doing for years.

Zard Album Review: Mō Sagasanai

2023-12-24T23:12:00.002-07:00

“Mō Sagasanai” (もう探さない, I Won't Search Anymore) is Zard’s sophomore album and unlike “Good-bye My Loneliness” is helmed by a singular producer. Many people involved with its production, specifically Oda for music and Akashi for production, will become very influential in Zard’s music later. However here it is a very mixed effort and represents growing pains for Zard.

A singular producer should generate a consistent album, this can be a good thing but for “Mō Sagasanai” it feels like Izumi Sakai is fighting Akashi’s production. Where it doesn’t work I put on him, Sakai is always going to sing like herself which is part of what makes her timeless. My feeling here is Akashi’s production was aimed at an older audience.

“Mō Sagasanai” has some good tracks, so it is not a failure by any means.. "Sunao ni Ienakute" is the best track on the album, which is also one of two tracks that Sakai was most involved with as she penned the lyrics and music. “Forever” and “Lonely Soldier Boy” are also solid entries.

The cover of the album is stylistically very cool and very contrasting to Zard’s other albums with how Sakai is portrayed. We’re going to see a lot of this over Sakai’s career. She can pull off a lot of styles, looks and emotions. Here with a thousand yard stare, she looks young and fierce and I very much like that.

Here is the breakdown by track:

"Fushigi ne..." (不思議ね…)

Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: Tetsurou Oda

Production: Masao Akashi

Vocals: 4

Music: 3.5

Production: 3.5

“Fugishi ne…” starts out feeling a little dated with the synth, but about 30 seconds in it takes a little turn and feels like a Zard song. There is some interesting and busy guitar work here that contrasts well with the mid-tempo song. The song is very Sakai, barring the heavy synth at times you could drop this anywhere in her prodigious catalog and it would not be out of place. Also I do not think this is a distinctive song for that reason either, but that kind of Zard is a couple albums down the road.

"Mō Sagasanai" (もう探さない)

Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: Tetsurou Oda

Production: Masao Akashi

Vocals: 3.5

Music: 3

Production: 3

Sakai’s vocal delivery is really interesting, she comes off as a little lower and husky in parts and then clearer higher vocals in the chorus. It is an interesting contrast. The sax lead in is nice and through out the song gives some jazz elements. The synth work is a little heavy and busy, which makes the song feel a little mechanical, sometimes contrasting elements work but in the case here I think the synth and jazz elements are not complimentary. Oda will deliver better songs down the road for Sakai!

"Sunao ni Ienakute" (素直に言えなくて)

Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: Izumi Sakai

Production: Masao Akashi

Vocals: 4.5

Music: 4

Production: 4

I feel set up, the first two tracks were very mid-tempo and here "Sunao ni Ienakute" is a rock song. Notable that Sakai handled both lyrics and music, which even today is not common (esp for a singer now two albums in) but then much more unheard of for female performers. The synth work here is good and the guitars are great. Sakai’s delivery is clean with a little huskiness at parts. Her ability to go high/low within a syllable was always her signature sound and we get that a lot here. This is a really good song

"Hitori ga Suki" (ひとりが好き)

Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: Seiichiro Kuribayashi

Production: Masao Akashi

Vocals: 3

Music: 2

Production: .5

A very noisy intro to the song, which feels like a dated mess, which is "Hitori ga Suki" in a nutshell. This is entirely on Akashi. Sakai’s vocals are fine and on point. Drums are a little more assertive, which was missing to some degree in prior tracks. Guitar work is alright, though the bass is toned down. Like prior tracks the synth work is where "Hitori ga Suki" does not work, adding to that there is weird and pointless noise added just before the 4 minute mark.

"Forever"

Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: Daria Kawashima

Production: Masao Akashi

Vocals: 4.5

Music: 4

Production: 3.5

Sakai’s vocal delivery for ‘Forever” is really good. Backing vocals leading into the chorus are a little out of place (and sound like Kawashima). Guitars are very assertive. Drums can be felt. The synth work is better or at least pushed way back. “Forever” overall is a timeless Zard song and if you found it on a later album it would not be out of place.

"Lonely Soldier Boy"

Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: Kuribayashi

Production: Masao Akashi

Vocals: 4

Music: 4

Production:4

The prior track “Forever” sets up “Lonely Soldier Boy” very well. This is a hard rock song and while cemented in an early 90’s sound, it doesn’t feel stale. Sakai’s vocals here are really good and really show how she started singing higher better after her debut album. Guitar work is very good. Drum and bass are felt. The synth parts are pretty minimal, which is to the benefit of this track.

"Itsuka wa..." (いつかは…)

Lyrics: Izumi Sakai

Music: Izumi Sakai

Production: Masao Akashi

Vocals: 3

Music: 3

Production: 1.5

…and “Iysuka wa…” ends “Mō Sagasanai” on a slower note mid-tempo rock note. It is an interesting song and structurally very different than "Sunao ni Ienakute." I feel Sakai struggles a little in her high notes and sometimes is a little muddy, which her high/low vocal delivery is muted. I wish she would have sung more like herself. The production on "Itsuka wa…” is where the problems are, yet Masao Akashi is going to deliver some really exceptional songs for Zard down the road

Over all score: 3.48 / 5 Vocals: 4.3 Music: 3.35 Production: 2.8

Overall, I do not love “Mō Sagasanai” as an album. Not do I hate it. Nor would I seek it out as an album to listen to in whole. I am not sure how it will stack up against all of Zard’s other albums to come but it is a step back from “Good-bye My Loneliness” which in American parlance would be a sophomore slump.

Zard Album Review "Good-bye My Loneliness"

2023-12-02T16:15:00.008-07:00

The year in 1991 and "Good-bye My Loneliness" straddles a fine line of the music Zard was to shape in the decade ahead and the decade that preceded this, her debut album. It is a game changer, though at six tracks it maybe tilts a little more towards EP than LP, but I consider it to be a full album.

I am deliberately reviewing Zard's album in chronological order as I want toe xplore how her music changed over the arc of her prodigious career. I will give a retrospective of Zard's albums compared to each other much later (when...really depends on how much I write and how often). But stand alone,

"Good-bye My Loneliness" is a very good album and it could have been a great album but I think "Oh! Sugar Baby" and "It's a Boy" both hold it back from that.

Sakai wrote all the lyrics save for two which were penned by Daria Kawashima.

"Good-bye My Loneliness"

Music/Arranger: Tetsurō Oda / Masao Akashi
Vocals: 5, Music 4.5 Production: 4.5

A mid tempo track with a vibe that thanks to its drum and synth parts takes me a little further back to Brit New Wave for me. Without a doubt this is one of Sakai's best delivered songs, which is notable as she was still finding her own sound and vocal range. This makes it interesting because the vocals delivered very differently than the mountain of songs that were to come later. Also notable is I think the backup vocals are a dialed back to maximize Sakai's vocals. Anyways this is the song that started Zard and its really good, but the next track steals the show.

"Ai wa Kurayami no Naka de"

Music/Arranger: Seiichirou Kuribayashi / Hiroshi Terao
Vocals: 5, Music: 5 Production: 5

Where the opening track was mid tempo, "Ai wa Kurayami no Naka de" is gas poured on a fire. Backup vocals are very assertive and I can absolutely hear Maki Ohguro, who is very deft in this role. This is my favorite song on the album. It is a perfectly balanced song and much credit goes to Hiroshi Terao (who these days is kind fo the face of Zard via YouTube).

"Koi Onna no Yūutsu" (恋女の憂鬱)

Music/Arranger: Kawashima / Akashi
Vocals: 4, Music: 3 Production: 4.5

This song sounds like a bit of an 80's throwback and something you'd find in the closing credits credits. These are not bad things and as an album "Good-bye My Loneliness does straddle a line between the 80's and what Zard was instrumental in setting up for modern Japanese Pop/Rock. It is a fairly short song, was just starting to get into it and done.

"Oh! Sugar Baby"

Music/Arranger: Kuribayashi / Takeshi Hayama
Vocals: 3 , Music: 3 Production: 2.5

Oof... those are some heavy synth hits, probably at the time this was not a bad song but it encapsulates a sound of the early 90's that decades of time cannot shake off. At about the 1:50 mark it takes a weird turn. The guitar work on "Oh! Sugar Baby" is pretty good, drums feel muddy. Its just kind of a mess so far as production goes. All of this said, the song finishes better than it starts, with the exception of the weierd heavy breathing with about a minute to go.

"Onna de Itai" (女でいたい)

Music/Arranger: Kawashima / Hayama
Vocals: 4.5 , Music: 4 Production: 4

Another song that feels like it was from the 80s, but the good part of the 80's. Sakai's vocals are very emphasized and bring a lot of energy with Kawashima's lyrics behind them. That said everything is well balanced, it is definitely a rock song and a slightly more laid back than "Ai wa Kurayami no Naka de."

"It's a Boy"

Music/Arranger: Kuribayashi / Akashi
Vocals: 3.5 Music: 2.5 Production: 1.5

Being artists have a lot of engineering in their songs, for the most part it worked well for Zard... but not here. It is overwrought. Sakai's lyrics are actually really good, but get washed with everything else going on in the song. It is a feel good song though, but I guess there is a reason it is at the end of "Good-bye My Loneliness.

Overall grade: 4.0

Vocals: 4.25

Music: 3.75

Production: 3.75

"Good-bye My Loneliness" is a good album and while a couple of tracks I feel hold it back from being a great album it does a lot of table setting for jpop going forward from 1991, which Zard was a trailblazer. It might not be as great of a start as Puffy has with their self titled debut, but it certainly had more influence. Groups like Puffy almost certainly could exist because of Zard.

Were "Good-bye My Loneliness" the only thing Zard ever did, I think it would be an album people remember and wonder why we never more. Not the case, much more was to come!

Boring reviewer notes:

Hat tip to u/Fancy-Holiday5519 on reddit for their reviews which inspired me to follow suit.

My reviewing style is something I have used for years. For example, my notes in for each song are my thoughts as they are hearing it so it is deliberately displayed as my flow of consciousness through the song. Sometimes I add some researched notes to give some context.

My Japanese is not sufficient to judge the lyrics much, I am going purely on how good the vocals sound.

When averaging scores, I round to the nearest quarter percent that I think is warranted, so putting my thumb slightly on the scale....

I will refer to all songs in Romaji because I feel that makes the writing approachable to more folks and recommend it for anyone writing about Japanese music for an audience outside of Japan.

Asian no Juicy

2023-02-18T21:16:00.011-07:00

Image courtesy
of McDonalds Japan

Maybe it is the way of any long standing group or musician that their music is going to be repurposed for an advertisement... so "Asia no Junshin" is now "Asia no Juicy" to be the pitch song for McDonald's new sandwiches.*

Is it silly? Yes...

Does it make me a little sad? Not much.

Is the song actually pretty faithful to the original? Surprisingly... yes.

Replacing Ami and Yumi are Nanase Nishino and Marie Iitoyo. Nanase is a model, actress, TV personality and former member of Nogizaka46. Marie is an actress and model. No idea is the are actually singing, but the vocal delivery sounds very Puffy.

Truth is anything Puffy can do to stay in Japanese pop culture is a good thing as they are kinda in maintenance mode at this point.** If it is hucking McDonalds sandwiches, that's fine.

Honestly I think it is much more common in Japan to see musicians and artists pitching brands with their songs. If you YouTube Zard's ads, you are going to be watching for a solid half hour of commercials. Likewise Puffy is no stranger to this from Toyota to Pizza Hut.

Here is the long version:

Here is the short version:

No idea if anyone actually reads this blog any more. But if folks are still around, comment. I do want to hear from you.

* Truth be told the sandwiches are all probably delicious. Japanese McDonalds is really good.

** One below average album in a decade...

Puffy Launches Tiktok Channel

2022-11-05T10:25:00.005-06:00

Shows in the Twitter feed widget... Puffy has launched their Tiktok channel. The first thing they have done is a "Sign of Love" aka "Ai no Shirushi" dance challenge. I thought it would be a little cringe, but its actually fun and a crazy array of people doing it. Quite a few are younger Japanese female acts, which is a nice nod to the now matriarchs of jpop.

I thought "Sign of Love" was a weird choice, its not the first Puffy song that leaps to mind but it is one with a MV that has a pretty coherent set of dance moves. It is also dancing that is approachable as neither Ami or Yumi are dancers, so their routines as they have put it are choreographed for someone who might be drunk.

Really enjoying that they are branching out and trying new things.

Nana Mori Covers "Ai no Shirushi"

2022-11-04T21:54:00.003-06:00

What I like about Nana Mori's cover of "Ai no Shirushi" is that she keeps it sorta like Puffy's original. The video is a fun take that is a bit silly and not at all serious, which is in tune with the Puffy original which had a slew of babies for some reason (cupid?)

Worth a listen, it is good stuff.