KAT-TUN - Real Face [Single]

Release Date: 22 March 2006

Tracklistings:
1. Real Face
2. GLORIA
3. Will Be All Right
4. Real Face (Instrumental)
5. GLORIA (Instrumental)
6. Will Be All Right (Instrumental)

KAT-TUN 1st Single

Since I've been updating all about female singers, I guess it's time to let the guys shine. I'll start with this ever popular idol boy band from Japan, KAT-TUN formed under Johnny's Entertainment.

This single totally rocks. I love every single song they have in this single to bits. 'Real Face' is a really powerful song with strong beat and rock genre. It's a song which has its pace accelerating as it goes by.

'GLORIA' is more towards the pop side with fast tempo. You are sure to like it if you like 'Real Face'. 'Will Be All Right' is my favorite track in this single. It has a combination of pop, rock and hip-hop all in one song! Rock verses, hip-hop pre-chorus, pop chorus. And it really blends well, I'm telling you. Unique song!

Rocking single! You definitely ought to have this single!! High recommendation from me :)

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Erika - Destination Nowhere [Single]

Release Date: 28 November 2007

Tracklistings:
1. Destination Nowhere
2. ESCAPE
3. FREE (overrocket 101007 mix)
4. Destination Nowhere (Instrumental)

Erika 2nd Single

Despite the exceptionally weird and ugly album cover, 'Destination Nowhere' is quite a nice song actually. I guess this is where you put the saying 'Don't judge a book by its cover' into practice. This song is a medium-paced song with great vocals.

'ESCAPE', like 'Fantasy' in her previous single, is a song which will never be in my playlist. Techno-stylish digitalized voice is a big no-no to me. But if I were to compare this with 'Fantasy', I'd have to say that this is slightly on the better side. It's not as monotonous as the latter.

I usually despise remix versions of songs. So the remixed version of 'FREE' is not an exception. I'd say to go for the studio version.

This single is no better than the previous single but 'Destination Nowhere' is my favorite Erika song in these 2 singles. What say you? :)

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Erika - FREE [Single]

Release Date: 4 July 2007

Tracklistings:
1. FREE
2. Fantasy
3. Time to go home
4. FREE (Instrumental)

Erika 1st Single

Sawajiri Erika's (沢尻 エリカ) 1st single under her name, after the success of her previous single under her alias, Kaoru Amane for the Jdrama 'taiyou no uta' (タイヨウのうた). This single actually peaked #1 in the Oricon Singles charts on the day of its release, and it sustained its spot for the weekly charts.

'FREE' is quite a nice song sounding like pop rock. I believe Erika's voice actually improved since her previous single. Must have underwent loads of training since then *chuckles*. It's either that, or the noisy background music actually covered for her mistakes.

I don't quite like 'Fantasy'. Anything which sounds techno style is out of my playlist. And this song is one of them. It's too techno style, Erika's voice was digitalized throughout the whole song. I wonder, is that a tactic to cover for her not-so-professional voice? Another thing is that I can't actually distinguish between the verses and chorus. Monotonous song, if you ask me.

'Time to go home' also is more towards the pop rock genre so it's a green light for me. But I still find 'FREE' a little better than this song, though. Yet again, perhaps it's just a personal preference thing.

Definitely an improvement from Erika so you guys can give it a try if you're a fan of hers or if you liked her previous single :)

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Kaoru Amane - taiyou no uta [Single]
Kaoru Amane - タイヨウのうた

Release Date: 30 August 2006

Tracklistings:
1. taiyou no uta - タイヨウのうた
2. Stay with me
3. taiyou no uta (acoustic version)
4. Stay with me (acoustic version)
5. wish (original instrumental)
6. taiyou no uta (instrumental)
7. Stay with me (instrumental)

Since I mentioned Sawajiri Erika (沢尻 エリカ) in my previous posts, I now present to you Erika's debut single under her alias in music industry, Kaoru Amane. I must say, Erika's first step into the music industry was a really huge leap, after starring in the Summer 2006 J-drama under the same title, taiyou no uta (タイヨウのうた). It topped the Oricon singles, positioning #1 for the daily, weekly AND monthly charts. It went into the #10 spot for the yearly Oricon singles chart, which was definitely a good start for a debut single, coming from someone who had no background in music.

Moving on to the review, 'taiyou no uta' is a real good song, I must say. Erika's voice may not be all that good, but since the composition of the song was fabulous, no one was really bothered by the fact that she did not hit the correct notes at times throughout the whole song. It's a song which would definitely make you addicted to it from the very first time you listen to it.

'Stay with me' is not as good as 'taiyou no uta' but it isn't half bad. Yet again, Erika's voice wasn't really that enchanting, but it's fair enough :)

Nothing much to comment on the acoustic and instrumental versions of those songs. Why don't you judge them for yourselves? :)

P/S: In case you didn't know, these songs were used in the drama she acted.

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YUI - MY SHORT STORIES [Compilation Album]

Release Date: 12 November 2008

Tracklistings:
1. I'll be
2. Help
3. Last Train
4. Winter Hot Music
5. Jam
6. Skyline
7. Free Bird
8. I wanna be...
9. Oh My God
10. Cloudy
11. Driving today
12. Understand
13. crossroad
14. It's happy line
15. Why me

YUI 1st Compilation Album

As mentioned just right above, this is YUI's 1st compilation album, comprising of all B-side tracks from her past singles, as well as one new track, 'I'll be'. With that said, I guess there's nothing much more to comment as I've done so in my previous entries.

Regarding 'I'll be', I think it's not really that fantastic of a song till you'll actually splash money to get this whole album if you already have a collection of her singles and studio albums. I'd give it a so-so rating.

Besides liking the CD cover, as a YUI fan, this album was a real letdown to me. I may be wrong. What about you? :)

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YUI - SUMMER SONG [Single]

Release Date: 2 July 2008

Tracklistings:
1. SUMMER SONG
2. Oh My God
3. Laugh away (YUI Acoustic Version)
4. SUMMER SONG (Instrumental)

YUI 12th Single

What about this single? The title says it all. 'SUMMER SONG' sounds really special with it's summer-like genre. I just love the way YUI picked the guitar in the song, especially right before the chorus. This cheerful song really makes one think of summer season :)

'Oh My God' sounds a little ordinary compared to 'SUMMER SONG' but listening to it still does bring back nostalgic summer memories in Japan somehow. Perhaps the influence of the title of the single? I don't know :)

Acoustic version of 'Laugh away' sounds very much like the studio version so there's nothing much to comment about it.

A really special single from YUI released during summer, dedicating happy summer holidays to YUI fans out there!

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YUI - I LOVED YESTERDAY [Album]

Release Date: 9 April 2008

Tracklistings:
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?

YUI 3rd Album

This album is so cool, I can hardly name you a song which I don't like. But of course, a review won't be a review without some comments, no? :)

I feel that this whole album is so totally YUI's style, it's her genre. There's basically no slow songs which would put you to sleep, although there is one particular song which I don't find that amazing. That has got to be 'We will go'. I can't really describe why I don't like it, I suppose it's just a personal feeling *chuckles*.

I love the song 'No way' the most, but sadly, it spans only over a minute. If only she had made it longer, I would listen to it everyday till my eardrums burst! :(

Conclusion? What are you waiting for? This album is a definite must-have!!

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