Reviews: 12/17 New Releases

REVIEWS: We're so close to the end of the year! I actually think this is the final week for the Oricon Rankings for 2008 (the weeks ending and beginning the new year are combined for 2 week rankings/sales). I don't think it will be my final reviews for the year, I'll hopefully find time to review next week. This week I'm reviewing Ayu's new single, Manoeri's latest offering and a really odd DJ OZMA track.

Days/GREEN Hamasaki Ayumi

It seems like a millennia since Ayu’s last single Mirrorcle World, released in April. It’s certainly been quiet 10th Anniversary for Ayu on the release front, granted she has spent a lot of the year touring around Asia. Anyway, to make up for the wait we get a double A-side but has it been worth the wait?


When I first heard Days I honestly wasn’t too impressed, but I blame that on it being a tiny little clip and I probably wasn’t really paying attention lol. It ended up being a very good track. It’s a beautiful, sweet ballad and Ayu sounds really good on it. The track grows really well and the chorus is particularly nice. While I’ve heard people rave about this track I beg to differ, it’s sweet but it’s not a knock out.

Now the next track is more my style. GREEN is another mid-tempo sort of song and its unusual instrumental wins me over this time. It has a really beautiful musical arrangement with some wonderful sort of Chinese highland type sound. I suck at explaining the intricacies of instrumentals so just give it a listen and call it what you will. The song itself is really nice, the chorus has a wonderful sound to it. Ayu’s vocals go vibrato crazy on this track which bothered me at first but I got used to it very quickly.

This whole release has a bit of a different sound for Ayu, she’s sort of dabbled in these styles before but it’s nice to get a single with 2 really nice, unique tracks – it makes for a refreshing single. I wonder if Ayu is moving away from the rock sound she’s been hooked on for the past few years. That’s one thing I do enjoy about Ayu, her genre and style is ever changing as she grows as an artist from pop, techno, dance, rock etc. I welcome anything new that Ayu wishes to bring to the table and thus, this single is great.

Rating: 8/10 and 9/10

Lalala Sososo Mano Erina

Oh hai Manoeri! Is it release time again already? I’ve been watching more Manoeri stuff lately and I’ve realised she’s not the devil-spawn demon child I thought she was. She’s pretty cool but that doesn’t mean I have to like her music and I don’t, sorry Manoeri.

Lalala Sososo isn’t as slow as ManoPiano and it’s not as fast as LUCKY AURA, it’s sort of a cross in between. Let’s talk about the song itself – it’s pretty much ‘meh’ to be honest. It’s not horrible but it’s not even close to being good. It reminds me of an early 90s British children’s show theme song. I can just see some horrible claymation characters strolling down the street XD Manoeri’s voice – erm. I’ve heard people saying “wow she’s improved” – I honestly don’t hear it; perhaps a very slight improvement. I still think she sounded yards better in Ongaku Gatas which defies all logic. It’s almost as if they told her to start sounding crap … although knowing UFA that’s a possibility. It’s not really Mano’s fault and I don’t blame her, UFA need to just get her some vocal training, which is something ALL H!P members should be receiving ALL THE TIME … even Takahashi.

The whole piano gimmick is stupid. Unless she goes out there and does some Alicia Keys piano work then there is no real point. Any person and his dog could be taught to play the routines Mano performs and I have no doubt that she can probably do much more difficult stuff. All in all Mano falls victim to UFA pushing her in the wrong direction. She needs to be doing fun, upbeat, dance tracks that suit her voice, instead she’s stuck doing … well this. Bland and boring.

Rating: 6/10

I RAVE U ravex feat. DJ OZMA

Ok so I have no idea what ravex is… I assume it’s some sort of rave themed project from avex? I RAVE U features DJ OZMA and his band of merry men and topless ladies (see infamous Kohaku performance).

I’ve heard DJ OZMA songs before and I know going in it’s gonna be a little over the top and unusual … but I wasn’t expecting this at all. It took me a while to even figure out what to make of it. To make things worse I heard the song for the first time while watching the PV (oh god lol). I’d hate to ruin such an experience for anyone else so check it out! >.<

This is one of those songs where I don’t know what to say about it, you kind of have to make up your own mind on it. You’ll either love it or hate it. I think I’m leaning towards love, it has spread throughout me like some awful plague. It's quite addictive.

Rating: 8.5/10