Ichigori

Moving to J-Riff

2008-06-13T04:52:00.001+08:00

Hey everyone. For various reasons, I've decided to set up a new blog on J-pop at http://jriff.web44.net . Hope to see you all there! ;P

Rift moving out then!

9nine again

2008-06-04T05:48:00.001+08:00

[Single] Show TIME
Artist: 9nine
Release: 04/06/2008

Tracklist:
1. Show TIME
2. Show TIME [Cho-nori★Instrumental]
3. Hyouryuu Shoujo ~Roudoku(漂流少女 ~朗読)

Buy: Only available from Tower Records apparently...

[Album] second 9
Artist: 9nine
Release: 09/07/2008

Tracklist:
1. awake
2. sky
3. Hyouryuu Shoujo ~Roudoku(漂流少女 ~朗読)
4. Cherry
5. MONSTER
6. Merry-Go-Round (メリーゴーランド)
7. Suna no Shiro (砂の城)
8. koi Hana (恋花)
9. Show TIME

Preorder: CDJapan || YesAsia

Some time ago, Amethyst did a write-up on this lesser known group. I hadn't realized they were still active at all till I recently came across this new PV of theirs, which features the song "Show TIME" from their latest single which is out...well waddaya know, today.

A little more edgier than their last batch of songs, I'll give them that. And I like some of the background effects they had going on there. Still, I find them pretty mediocre. Dancing looks half-assed. The girls look almost expressionless. I mean c'mon, put some heart into it!

What I found nice about their first album was how light and happy it felt. Not overly so (H!P-style), but in moderate doses. It was a nice change. In comparison, "Show TIME" comes across as a weak attempt at trying to gain some attitude like some of the more popular J-Pop artistes these days.

Ah well, I bet some people still wouldn't be able to say no to a bunch of cute girls though lol.

So Hot, you'll get hooked!

2008-05-24T05:07:00.001+08:00

[Single] So Hot
Artist: Wonder Girls
Release: 03/06/2008

Tracklist:
1. So Hot
2. This Time
3. You're Out
4. Tell Me (Rap Version)

Preorder: YesAsia

As I always say, spice is the variety of life. If it doesn't make your eyes water and smoke come out of your ears, it ain't worth it. Yes, I'm addicted to anything hot and spicy.

Likewise, it's hard not to get addicted to the Wonder Girl's upcoming single even if you don't buy the whole seemingly superficial theme and lyrics. I say superficial because well...just watch the video below.

At first glance, it looks and feels like what you see on MTV these days. But reading the subs and noticing the humorous spin they're putting on it, it's more like they're poking fun at the theme. A parody, kinda like Ayumi's Startin' PV (now THAT was overkill though).

And it's really been the style I've come to associate with the Wonder Girls ever since I got hooked on their songs Tell Me and Irony. Catchy tunes, stylish dance routines, a dose of attitude and a good dollop of humour.

I'm also looking forward to the Tell Me (Rap Version) included in this single, which was technically the original song, since it was the one shown in their PV. Curse them for editing it out later. The song just isn't the same without that rap bit. And coming from a person who doesn't even like rap, I think that's saying something.

Tanaka Reina takes over my phone!

2008-05-12T04:50:00.006+08:00

What you see above are screens for the modified main menu on my Sony Ericsson k810i cellphone. I had to replace the default menu.ml file with one that I 'borrowed' from a PSP-lookalike menu, and later modified to get rid of PlayNow and to add KD Player, VideoManiac (video player), and Opera Mini to the main menu. It offered the functionality that I wanted: a serial navigation rather than the default SE grid navigation. The iPhone buttons I ripped from an iPhone menu and altered the colours to match Reina's different outfits. I still think it'd be even cooler if I could find appropriate Reina pictures for each of the options, e.g. Reina holding an envelope for 'messaging'.

Now it's actually fun to scroll through my menu just for the heck of it.

ayu-mi-x 6 - Casserole remixes anyone?

2008-05-12T01:57:00.004+08:00

[Album] ayu-mi-x 6 GOLD
Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Tracklist

Buy: CDJapan || YesAsia

[Album] ayu-mi-x 6 SILVER
Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Tracklist

Buy: CDJapan || YesAsia

And here we have the two latest remix albums from the J-Pop goddess herself, aptly subtitled GOLD and SILVER. I guess Ayu must have liked the BLACK and WHITE concept from her A Best 2 albums so much, she decided to use it again. True enough, if you examine the tracklists, GOLD follows WHITE with a collection of brighter, happier songs whereas SILVER follows BLACK with songs of a darker and more sorrowful nature. Still, being remixes, you can expect a more upbeat tempo and tone from the tracks on either of the two albums. Which is nice and all if you wanna get your groove on to some Ayu music.

Problem is most of the remixes are crap.

Yes, I'm sorely disappointed to say this, but no words can fully describe how aghast I felt listening to how they brutally mangled Ayu's wonderful songs into something less than stellar, less than ear-appeasing even. It's almost as though they just generated some random dance riff and slapped Ayu's vocals onto it, without caring what the result would actually sound like. A casserole remix. Yeah, that's the word. Casserole.

This is true for all but a few of the remixes. Notably for me, ourselves (COLDCUT remix) and HEAVEN(DAISHI DANCE remix). My most favourite remixes among the lot. The remix of ourselves is like a sped up version set to a simple clubbish tune. As for HEAVEN, the remix was done very beautifully, alternating between classical sounds of the piano and violin with thumping dance beats, seamlessly blending them at times. Other remixes worth listening to are fated (Makoto remix), JEWEL (STEPHANE POMPOUGNAC remix) and part of Me (CARL CRAIG remix). Unfortunately (for me, that is), my all-time favourite songs, Moments and GAME didn't get a decent remix. Pity really.

Results
ayu-mi-x 6 GOLD:

Only reason it gets even one berry is because of ourselves. Otherwise, major minus points for screwing up Moments and the rest of the songs.

ayu-mi-x 6 SILVER:

One up against GOLD simply because it has a few more decent remixes, especially HEAVEN. The rest are still either too bland or jarring enough for it to miss getting an overall average rating.

Kanon Wakeshima - a lolita girl and her cello

2008-05-11T03:14:00.007+08:00

Name: Kanon Wakeshima
Age: 19
Blood type: A
Musical instrument: Cello
Favourite cellist: Jacqueline du Pré
Favourite musicians: Emily Simon, Lily Chou-Chou, Mayumi Kozima
Favourite composer: Claude Debussy, Erik Satie
Favourite painter: Alfons Mucha
Favourite author: Mayumi Nagano, Hiroko Taniyama
Favourite colour: Red
Other talent/hobby: Painting

Kanon Wakeshima started playing the cello since she was only 3 years old, after the advice and encouragement from her parents. In middle school, she played in string ensembles and by the age of 15, participated in various music performances, recitals and joint concerts. Towards the end of middle school, she started writing her own music, and performed for her first time as a vocalist during her high school's cultural festival.

While in high school, she became a member of the music club and desired to express herself more through her music. Her chance came when she applied for an audition sponsored by Sony Music Entertainment and was selected as a finalist. She then signed a contract with Sony's DefSTAR Records. Produced by Malice Mizer/Moi dix Mois guitarist Mana, her debut single 'still doll' is due to be released this May 28th.

Source: http://www.kanonweb.jp/

I've been meaning to blog about this girl for a while now, ever since Lianne showed me the PV. Kanon Wakeshima is an upcoming new artiste who's set to take the J-Pop world by storm with her own style of music, combining her well-honed skills on the cello with her sweet, sultry voice. She loves dolling herself up in lolita clothing, enjoys painting and classical music (Debussy, baby!), and if her picture diary is anything to go by, has an apparent fondness for cats and everything cute. In short, she's a woman after my own heart.

Speaking of which, DO check out her picture diary. The girl's just as talented with her art as she is with her cello. It's updated about once a week I think. So far, there's a few really beautiful pictures of girls in lolita, dresses, fairytale characters (Alice and Snow White in particular) and as I mentioned earlier, cats.

[Single] still doll
Artist: Kanon Wakeshima
Release: 28/05/2008

Tracklist:
1. still doll
2. Kuroi Torikago (Black Birdcage)
3. still doll (Orgel/Music Box Version)

Preorder: CDJapan || YesAsia

As far as her music goes, you can watch the PV below and judge for yourself.

Deliciously goth loli. Beautiful and haunting. I love it.

Buying J-Pop

2008-05-10T23:30:00.002+08:00

When it comes to purchasing J-Pop products out of Japan, two of the most popular online shopping sites are namely CDJapan and Yesasia.

Now personally, I've never actually bought anything from these stores before, much less anything online for that matter - lacking a credit card and feeling it too much of a hassle with the inconvenient cheque/money order options. So I can't comment much about their services first-hand.

What I can do though is inform you about the differences between these two sites in terms of the amount of $$$ you're gonna have to shelve out on your much badly desired J-Pop product and shipping charges. Though as true J-Pop fans, there's another issue other than pricing that might affect your decision (more on that later).

Product Pricing
To compare, I've picked a CD and a DVD, Morning Musume's Resonant Blue (Regular Edition) and Ayumi Hamasaki Countdown Live 2007-2008 Anniversary respectively. On a side note, I find it hilarious how CDJapan lists Resonant Blue as Reasonable Blue. :P

Morning Musume - Resonant Blue (Regular Edition)
CDJapan: 1,000 yen (US$ 9.54)
YesAsia: 1,314 yen (US$12.49)

Ayumi Hamasaki Countdown Live 2007-2008 Anniversary
CDJapan: 4,800 yen (US$45.79)
YesAsia: 5,341 yen (US$50.75)

At first glance, CDJapan would save you a few bucks for your trouble, right? Right. Now let's take a look at the shipping charges.

Shipping Charges
CDJapan's site has a detailed guide on estimating your shipping charges based on the number of items you bought, or the total weight (which is the actual method by which they determine your fee). Though really, I suggest you just try purchasing said items and see what the estimate is yourself before finalizing your order. Much easier that way.

The shipping charge also varies depending on your shipment option of choice and region.

Shipment options (cheapest to most expensive):

Economy Air (SAL)

Air Mail

Registered Air Mail

Express Mail Service (EMS) (online tracking available, recommended)

Regions (cheapest to most expensive):

Asia

North America/Central America/Oceania/Middle East

Europe

South America/Africa

Unless you opt for the cheap-ass Economy Air, expect to pay roughly the price of a CD single for your shipping charges with CDJapan. Well, actually more than that if you're buying more stuff...

On the other hand, YesAsia offers free international shipping as long as you meet the minimum purchase requirement:

US, Korea, Taiwan, UK & Europe, Asia-Pacific - US$25

Canada - US$39

Hong Kong - US$12.83

Other countries - US$99

Not a bad deal at all really. Otherwise, YesAsia charges you per shipment and per unit. There's Standard and Express Service. Standard's cheaper, but Express is much faster, though more costly.

For a clearer comparison, let's say I'm gonna order the two aforesaid items. Here's what it's gonna cost me (inclusive of shipping charges) through both sites.

CDJapan - US$62.49-US$69.83
YesAsia - US$63.24

In conclusion, as long as you qualify for free shipping, YesAsia would be a slightly cheaper option than CDJapan (except with their cheap-ass Economy Air).

Oricon - Making your purchase count!
Online sales through CDJapan, along with HMV Japan, Amazon Japan and JBook does count towards the Oricon charts. So if you're a real stickler about that, I'd suggest you stick to buying your J-Pop goodies through any of those sites.

YesAsia unfortunately does not, as far as I know. Unlike CDJapan and the other mentioned sites, YesAsia is not based in Japan but in Hong Kong.

In the end though, it's really a personal choice where to do your online J-Pop shopping. Some people would have had either good or bad experiences with any of the sites I mentioned. God knows how many times I keep hearing people on forums getting really impatient with their expected shipments from one service or another.

Previously, Amethyst only provided YesAsia links for any of the new releases she posted up. In the future, I'll be providing both CDJapan and YesAsia links where appropriate for you to choose from. I might also go back and edit the old posts to reflect this new change...I know some of the cover arts needs resizing after the layout change.

Anyways, happy J-Pop shopping!

A Little Notification

2008-05-08T02:07:00.002+08:00

Well, one thing led to another and now it seems Amethyst has vanished, so to speak. My ninjas report that she was last sighted riding a golden chocobo due east, exclaiming that she was going to be the next 'miracle member'. Hmm...

I then discovered I was granted admin rights to this blog, along with a short message.

'Hihi! I'm gonna be busy for umm...well I dunno for how long exactly, so that's why I'm leaving Ichigori in your hands, k? Do what you want with it cuz I'm not sure when I'll be back, or whether I will actually lol. Just don't break it while I'm gone lol, or you die. =D Cyaz!!!!'

So expect a revamp of sorts soon as I hop back onto the active J-pop blogging scene. Ichigori live on!

Rin' - Traditional Japanese Pop

2008-04-03T23:13:00.004+08:00

Now this is what I call authentic Japanese! XD Rin' is a group that blends elements of J-Pop with traditional Japanese instruments such as the koto, jushichi-gen, biwa, sangen and shakuhachi.

The result is a truly breath-taking experience of listening pleasure. Seriously, I love this trio! ~<3 If you're tired of the usual fare of hyper-genki or R&B-ish J-Pop, and want something a little more traditional, you can't go wrong with Rin'!^^

Profile

Sample Downloads:
Sennen no Niji
Asaki Yume Mishi

YouTube vids:

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sakura sakura

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Sakitama

Happy! Style - Confirmed new unit!

2008-04-03T22:05:00.002+08:00

Okies, so it's official. Happy! Style's a new unit, not a clothing line. Still, the idea did have merit, no?

Anyways, they'll be performing live performances of famous idol and anime songs...kinda like a cover group, I guess. Their first one will be on May 6th, called Happy! Style Communication Circuit.

The members:
Noto Arisa (group leader) from Hello! Pro Egg
Abe Asami (no relation to Abe Natsumi), Nakayama Nana, Iwashima Manami and Suma Ai from Hello! Pro Kansai
Aoi and Yui, the 2 rookie trainees

No clue whether they'll be part of H!P. Still, it's a pretty good start for these young talents, especially for newcomers Aoi and Yui.

Source: Official Site

Happy! Style - Still no idea what it is

2008-03-28T08:09:00.002+08:00

This is REALLY starting to get on my nerves. First they show a bunch of a silhouettes, then they start adding faces to them, then they added yet MORE silhouettes and faces. Now there's 6 of them and we still don't know who they are for sure or what this whole Happy! Style thing is about. Grrr....~_~

The popular speculation is that they're H!P Eggs. Hm...maybe..

But the way they're slowly introducing the silhouettes and faces though, makes it look almost as though they're a new unit, rather than a new clothing line.

Meh, guess we'll just have to wait and see. ^^;

Resonant Blue Covers

2008-03-26T19:43:00.004+08:00

Limited Edition A

Limited Edition B

Normal Edition

I personally like B, just because you get a closer view of the girls. A's the only one you actually get to see those sexy fishnet stockings on Reina, Ai, Aika and Linlin though. And the normal edition's not bad either, having some of the girls in pretty sweet poses.

Content-wise, A will have Another Version of the PV, whereas B will have the Lesson Studio Version. Your guess is as good as mine what they mean by 'lesson studio', though I'm guessing it could be that first PV of Resonant Blue we've already seen (I mean the setting does sorta look like an empty studio..).

The return of Gocchin's blog

2008-03-26T19:11:00.004+08:00

Guess what. Gocchin's blog is back up, updating us once again on what's really going on in her life. About goddamn time too. I was starting to wonder whether you were gonna get back into showbiz, Gocchin. We all missed ya!

So she apologizes for all the inconvenience, including the case with her brother back then. And it seems she's still determined to work hard towards her dream. Which is a good thing. Only, it's still not clear which recording label she's planning to sign up with. For obvious reasons, she can't possibly go back to H!P. Well whatever it is, I hope she'll make the right choice that'll allow her to pursue her career and dreams as she had envisioned. Ganbare, Gocchin!

Hm, but what's she doing in LA anyway? She hasn't really let up why in her blog. So far, she's been having dance and vocal lessons in addition to just having fun in LA. Sounds like she's having a good time, heh.

Well at least now, we can put an end to the speculation of her future with this blog of hers. A comeback is definitely in the works. Only question is when and how. I suggest keeping a close eye out on her blog updates. I know I will.

Gold Goddess Gocchin Goodness!

For full translation of Gocchin's blog entries: Hello!Online

Enjoy your Happy "Live" Style!!!

2008-03-24T15:28:00.003+08:00

Amethyst-chan crashing in with something mysterious afoot at UP-FRONT STYLE.

Naturally, we'd assume it's something to do with Hello! Project...but the question remains...WHAT IS IT?????

The popular theory: a new clothing line - If that is who I think it is in the blue picture (Reina =D), then this would be a kick-ass idea! If there's one thing I like about Reina in particular, it's her sense of style.~<3

But then looking at the company profile, UP-FRONT STYLE seems to be involved in stuff like:
-artists, talent, voice actors in the development, management and promote business and casting
-music, video production and sale of software project
-cartoons, movies such as production, sales
-Live, concerts, and events, planning and production
-other business overall production

So maybe a new unit/sub-unit? I don't think so. Not with Milky Way and Manoeri graduating soon.

And then there's this older image...

What's the deal with 'SAVE THE IDOL POPS' anyway???? If it were a clothing line, yeah that's a real snazzy tagline. Save the idol pops, buy our clothes!! XDXD

Okay, so my other theories:
1. Movie!! Save the Idol Pops does sound more fitting for a movie, or at least a TV series anyway, yes?^^
2. Reality TV show. This is taking the Save the Idol Pops thing literally. Maybe it's gonna be a reality TV show ala _______ Idol, where viewers get to vote the girls off the show. I can imagine it being a hit with whatever wota fans left in Japan...

But then, going back to the 'Enjoy your Happy "Live" Style!!!'. That sounds more like a clothing line, and actually I think so too. But I think my other theories are pretty fun if they were true, don't you agree? ^^

Sources:
JpopMusic Forums
Happy-Style-
UP-FRONT STYLE

Analyzing: Resonant Blue PV

2008-03-14T06:21:00.004+08:00

Rift here. Amethyst is asleep I think. In any case, when I discovered that the PV for Resonant Blue was already out, I fully expected an influx of reactions to it after all the hype around the song last time, so I lost no time in starting a review post. And boy, do I have a lot to say! As for Amethyst, screw her. I'm doing the review this time! XD

Watch the PV:
Dohhh UP!
YouTube
[Note: I notice how whenever Amethyst embedded a YouTube vid in her post, it kept messing up the formatting of the text after. So till I figure out how to get around it, we'll be just posting up links to the videos if needed.]

On first impressions, I loved it. The outfits were similar to how I imagined it would be, something cool and stylish to go with the song. The blue lighting was a nice touch. Coupled with the girls' dark outfits, it really gave the video a sensual and almost mysterious feel.

Speaking of the girls, there's no better word to describe my lovely Reina here other than simply drop-dead gorgeous!

All right, those were my first impressions. But then as I continued to watch the video, three things dawned on me:
1. There's no scenery. Nada. Zip. Nil.
2. This should be a dance shot vid. Seriously!
3. Some girls were clearly given more focus than others.

Background issues
This isn't anything new in Morning Musume really. There've been a few PVs before which had no real scenery in the background, eg. Iroppoi Jirettai and Osaka Koi no Uta. Other times, they just use some blue screens, like in Mikan. And let's not forget the empty white room of SEXY BOY and cheap studio of Kanashimi Twilight.

Okay, so maybe I'm just bitter that this video didn't have the girls strutting down a cold, moonlit street in the deep blanket of the night, cue shots of them lounging on benches and around lamp posts, looking all cool and deadly. Hey, a fan can dream, right?;P

I guess you could say that the background is a good example of a minimalist approach. Lots of static space to give more emphasis to the girls. And I do actually like that bit of reflection of them on the polished floors.

Dance shot anyone?
I really thought it was a dance shot, the way they did it. I mean, they didn't even bother doing close-ups for every girl on the team or some scenes where they're NOT dancing, like all their other previous PVs. Now if it turns out that Tsunku was just plain being evil and crazy (as he so often does) by releasing this PV first just to throw us off, and it turns out that it IS the dance shot, well it's really not bad at all. Highly unlikely though.

My point though is that despite my complaints, the dancing here is top-notch. Nothing short of awesome work. It's definitely a step above the previous ones. The dance actually looks a lot more choreographed and a lot less random flailing and steps.

Which is your favourite?
If it's Reina, Ai-chan or God forbid Koharu (just kidding!), then you're in luck. Because just as we've heard from the song, they're just as heavily centered in the PV. Notably AiReina moreso. Now Reina's my most faved, so on a personal level, there's no problems with me here. However, I'm also a fan of Sayu and to some extent, Gaki.

Did I mention how gorgeous Reina is?

If I didn't know any better, I'd have almost thought that all those girls in full black were backup dancers. Yes, I know how hurtful that sounds. But seriously though. The only times the camera was truly centered on a girl was either with Reina, Ai or Koharu. Oh sure, there were a couple of times when Gaki-Kamei came together in the center, and the camera did veer to the sides showing the other girls occasionally. But whatever happened to the infamous so-close-I-just-wanna-stare-into-those-pretty-eyes individual shots?

Take a good, long look at the 8th gen girls here at the beginning of the PV. Because chances are, you're probably not gonna be able to spot them well enough for the next five or so minutes.

Overall
Still, don't get me wrong. It's not that I HATE this PV. True, I wish it could have been something more. I also wish I could marry Reina and we'd live happily in my luxurious mansion with our 3 kids.

It might have suffered from cheap-ass production, but working with what they had, the girls really did shine with their striking good looks and well presented dance moves.

And besides, I can't really say no to Sayumi when she goes "Help me!" here.

first9 from 9nine

2008-03-10T20:48:00.007+08:00

9nine - first9 album

Preview: Download zip file (Credits to Berryz Fields@HelloIsland)

Amethyst here with a little berrylicious discovery to share!=D 9nine (pronounced 'nine' not 'nine nine'....well of course not, that'd sound silly XP) is a 9 unit female group formed under LesPros entertainment....some talent agency I guess, not sure but then again the only one I'm familiar with is H!P anyway. XD

Their music is a mixture of light, easy tunes and simple, bubbly melodies from what I've heard from their debut album first9, the first and only album so far released last year on 21/3. I like it.~<3 Give 'em a shot! If that's not enough to convince you, then consider the PV below.

White Garden

Kawaii, ne?^^ My most fave track on the album.<3 I love all the echo effects at the start, makes it feel so dramatic.XD

For more about 9nine and the individual members, visit Wiki.theppn-9nine and 9nine Special Website. Till next time, Amethyst crashing out!;D

I Loved Yesterday. Me too, Yui. Me too.

2008-03-10T06:37:00.002+08:00

I LOVED YESTERDAY by YUI
Release: 9/4/2008

Album+DVD

Album only

Track Listing
CD
1. Laugh Away
2. My Generation
3. Find me
4. No way
5. Namidairo
6. Daydreamer
7. Love is all
8. I will love you
9. We will go
10. OH YEAH
11. My friend
12. LOVE & TRUTH
13. Am I wrong?

DVD
1. Good-bye days
2. I remember you
3. Rolling star
4. CHE.R.RY
5. Live at Budokan (19/11/2007)

Source: YUI Official Site

I reaaaaaaaally need to start listening to YUI more. I'm still stuck on her old song, Tomorrow's way, lol.>_< Great song btw, but think it's about time I check out some of her new stuff.

It's a Mirrorcle World!!!! ~<3

2008-03-10T00:44:00.005+08:00

Mirrorcle World by Ayumi Hamasaki
Release: 8/4/2008

Mirrorcle World(Single+DVD/Jacket A)

Mirrorcle World(CD only/Jacket B)

Mirrorcle World(Single+DVD/Jacket C)

Mirrorcle World(CD only/Jacket D)

Track Listing 1 (Jacket A&B)
CD
1. Mirrorcle World (Original Mix)
2. Life (Original Mix)
3. YOU (10th Anniversary edition) *special track
4. Mirrorcle World (Instrumental)
5. Life (Instrumental)
6. YOU (10th Anniversary edition -Instrumental-)

Track Listing 2 (Jacket C&D)
CD
1. Mirrorcle World (Original Mix)
2. Life (Original Mix)
3. Depend on you (10th Anniversary edition) *special track
4. Mirrorcle World (Instrumental)
5. Life (Instrumental)
6. Depend on you (10th Anniversary edition -Instrumental-)

DVD (Jacket A&C only)
1. Mirrorcle World (Music Video)
2. Mirrorcle World (Making Clip)

Preview: Mirrorcle World.mp3

Hweeeeel!!! Amethyst here with the new single by none other than the lovely Ayumi Hamasaki!!!~<3
Source: Ayumi Hamasaki Official Site

Gocchin, you're back!? Wait a minute, you're not Gocchin...

2008-03-09T03:42:00.000+08:00

False alarm, people! Sorry! But really, when you look at her in the picture, doesn't she remind you of a younger Gocchin? XD The resemblance sure struck me when I first looked up the latest H!P sensation that is Mano Erina.

Obligatory Profile Thingy
Name: Mano Erina (真野恵里菜)
Nickname: Manoeri (まのえり)
Birth date: 11/4/1991
Birthplace: Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Blood Type: B
Hello! Project Groups: Hello! Pro Egg (2006–2008)
Ongaku Gatas (2007–2008)
Concert Units: Elder Club (2008–)
Other: Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–)

She recently graduated from Ongaku Gatas on 2/3/2008 and will graduate from Hello! Pro Eggs on the 29th this month - my birthday! ...what? Imaginary friends can't have birthdays now? Well hmph.XP Anyways, back to Manoeri...

Okie, so I'll admit I'm taken in by the fact she reminds me so much of Gocchin lol.^^; I hope she sounds just as good. Never actually listened to any Ongaku Gatas songs before, so just now I gave Yatterezou a try. Pretty cool song actually ~! But Manoeri's lines didn't really impress me all THAT much. =(

I kinda doubt Tsunku would risk taking a H!P Egg member and train her to be a soloist unless he knew what he was doing. Then again, maybe he's banking on the fact she actually resembles Gocchin? I knew it! Tsunku misses Gocchin just as much as we do! XD Well in my opinion, you can't replace Gocchin!

Then again, I only listened to ONE song where Manoeri only had like what...2-3 lines? So I'm not really one to judge. Maybe with some training, she can make it. Well, we'll see in times to come I guess.

For now, all we can do is check her out in action in past Ongaku Gatas releases and this lovely collection of high-res pics. I've already went through them and saved a few faves, so I'll just be checking out the Ongaku Gatas stuff now.^^

Amethyst crashing out!

Oh, and Manoeri has a message for you...

=D

[Release] Morning Musume - Resonant Blue

2008-03-07T00:32:00.007+08:00

CRASH!! I'm back again. After nearly a whole month too. Well that's the trouble really. Being an imaginary friend, you tend to fade off once in a while lol.;P But this was one release I just couldn't ignore!=D

Resonant Blue
Release: 16/4/2008

Limited Edition A(CD+DVD)
Limited Edition B(CD+DVD)
Normal Edition(CD only)

Covers: Resonant Blue Covers

Preview:
Resonant Blue.mp3 (Full version PV rip)
Resonant Blue.mp3 (Tanaka Reina's FIVE STARS radio rip)
Resonant Blue.mp3 (Gaki-Kame radio rip) [full version minus intro]

PV + Review by Rift:
Analyzing: Resonant Blue PV

Well this is one case where we actually get to hear a preview of the song before even getting the covers. On Reina's radio show too, haha! Well it figures really, I mean she got a whole lot of lines in this new single.XD

Their covers these days rarely if ever reflect the outfits or even tone of the single. Remember Aruiteru? Or Kanashimi Twilight? Or Onna ni Sachi Are? Mikan's cover was kinda related I guess, I mean...mikan = orange --> new year --> festive feel. So I'm gonna guess that the cover for Resonant Blue would be something umm...kick-ass since the song kicks ass! (but not necessarily blue)

And this song is a really long time coming for Morning Musume. I mean, I loved their previous singles - you Mikan-haters can shut up, that was a super genki song! - but they lack errr...I'm struggling for a word here. A timeless quality?

So major plus points of Resonant Blue:
1. Genki, but not excessively so
2. Catchy, upbeat feel!
3. It feels less 'generic' than the recent singles before, comparatively!

Okies, but I know a lot of fans despite all that, are unhappy about the line distributions. Fortunately for me though, I'm not one of them...my faves vocally are Reina, Ai and Gaki anyway. XD But yeah, I can see their point. And I think Tsunku had better pay attention if he doesn't want to start losing those fans (notably Eri, since I think she has one of the larger fanbases).

So um yeah, can't wait for the real thing. MORNING MUSUME FOREVER! ~<3

[Release] Best of Tanaka Reina (Fan-made Album)

2008-02-07T01:13:00.000+08:00

Before you jump to any conclusions, no, our beloved wonky queen hasn't actually released her own album...yet. XD

This was actually something cooked up on the Hello!Online forums quite a while ago, just before the GIRL PB came out. Full credits goes to HarD- for coming up with the idea and uploading all the songs.

This fan-made digital album is basically just a compilation of all of Reina's solo works (with the exception of Yaruki! It's Easy which was done with a couple of other girls from C-ute and Berryz Koubou). So I thought it'd be nice to share it here. Just click on the individual song titles below to download.

Best of Tanaka Reina
Release: 22/9/2007

Cover A - made by turbos86

Cover B - made by Whiteshade (me)

Cover C - made by yelloman

Tracklist
1. Aisha loan de (愛車ローンで, A Beloved Car on Loan) - 3:19
2. Kira Kira Fuyu no Shiny G (キラキラ冬のシャイニーG, Kira Kira Fuyu no Shainii Gāru) - 4:48
3. Memory Seishun no Hikari (Memory 青春の光, Memory: The light of youth) - 5:00
4. Iroppoi Onna ~SEXY BABY~ (色っぽい女～Sexy Baby～) - 3:11
5. Yaruki! It's Easy (やる気! It's Easy, Motivation! It's Easy) - 2:50
6. ~Tsuiteru ne Notteru ne~ - 2:47

[PV] Utada Hikaru - HEART STATION

2008-02-05T01:07:00.000+08:00

This song kinda grew on me lol. PV's kinda boring though. Hikki sporting a pair of white headphones is sitting in a crowded train and umm...yeah that's about it really.XP I still like the song though.~<3

[Release] Utada Hikaru - HEART STATION (updated)

2008-02-04T16:12:00.000+08:00

Some new info on Hikki's new album is out!=D I can't say much for the album cover. It's the standard slap-my-face-on-the-cover kinda thing. On a plain white background, with some ho-hum text font. Actually, wasn't Koda Kumi's anytime single like that too? XD Sheesh, they should like get ME to design the covers or something lol.

Well enough ranting about boring album covers. Not much is revealed about the tracklist, but I'll update when I get new info.

Ooo, and according to the official site, if you pre-order, you'll get a B2-sized original Utada Hikaru poster. I think. Google translate says 'first subscription privilege', so I guess that means 'pre-order'.^^

In any case, you can check it out by clicking on the album cover below, just like any of the other releases I've posted about before.

HEART STATION
Release: 19/3/2008

Tracklist
-I will leave
-Flavor Of Life
-Beautiful World
-HEART STATION
+9 other songs for a total of 13

[Review] Buono! - Renai ♥ Rider

2008-02-04T03:04:00.000+08:00

Crash! Hihi! Been a while since I posted, but I see Rift started his Reina Revolution thingy here already...<_< I wonder when he's gonna get round to continuing that PV review series of his.

Neways, I got to listening to Buono's latest single, so here's my 2 cents on it.

Review
Renai ♥ Rider
The song is so hyper-genki! I mean, compared to their first single, this song has a way faster beat. But still, I don't quite like it. o_o I dunno why really. I mean, hey, I'm all for the hyper-genki goodness, but this song simply did not hit home with me. In fact, at some point I actually felt that Renai Rider was a little too...umm..noisy. XD

Janakya Mottainai
When I first listened to this, I nearly thought I wasn't listening to a H!P song. I mean heck...that's way too rockish for H!P. o_O; Don't get me wrong though. Rockish can be good. Like Roman~My Dear Boy~. Gotta love that song!~<3 But in this case though, it was still a little disappointing. Cuz while Renai Rider sounded like these girls were force-fed with ten gallons of concentrated glucose, Janakya Mottainai ends up sounding comparatively flat.=( I still like the beat though.

Overall
Mm well...like, what can I say? I definitely preferred the first single over this one. Both Honto no Jibun and Kokoro no Tamago were catchy, and had this feel-good thing going on for them - especially Kokoro no Tamago if you know the real meaning behind the lyrics.^^

On the other hand, both the songs on this new single weren't as catchy and didn't leave as much of an impact on me.

So yeah, frankly I think this single sucks and sounds like some boring generic anime soundtrack.

Hm? Oh right...Rift said I should give some sort of rating when I do a review..umm let's see.

I give 2 berries out of 5.

[Perf] Tanaka Reina Solo Performances

2008-02-03T02:07:00.000+08:00

Tsuiteru Ne Notteru Ne

Aisha Loan De

Kira Kira Fuyu no Shiny G