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.

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.

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

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.

Ooo, this one kinda slipped by me till I realized it's already out.<_<; Lol.

16sai no Koi Nante
Release: 16/1/2008
Release(Single V): 6/2/2008


Limited Edition CD


Regular Edition CD


Single V DVD

Tracklist
1. 16歳の恋なんて (16sai no Koi Nante)
2. 私の恋人なのに (Watashi no Koibito na no ni)
3. 16歳の恋なんて (Instrumental) (16sai no Koi Nante (Instrumental))
4. 私の恋人なのに (Instrumental) (Watashi no Koibito na no ni (Instrumental))

Watch the 16sai no Koi Nante PV

Review
16sai no Koi Nante
This is a very light and upbeat song! And catchy too.^^ An uplifting song that's not too hyper-genki like most of H!P's stuff. My preferred fave of the two songs on this single.

Watashi no Koibito na no ni
Another song that makes for easy listening. Compared to the first, the tone is more relaxed here. Suitable for listening to while driving back from work.

Overall
This collaboration by Abe Natsumi(former Morning Musume member and current soloist) and Yajima Maimi(from C-ute) marks the first H!P single of 2008! And I think it's a pretty good start for the new year.^^

The duo complement each other nicely. It's a very nice pairing!~<3 Both songs on the single represent two different moods, yet retain the light and easy feel. It's a good combination!=D

So yeah, I'm wondering whether there'll be anymore collaborations between these two girls.^^ Cuz I sure hope so!

Finally, a review! And for one of my best-loved singers of all time!<3

I've been a fan of Ayu since her album (miss)understood - though that was the one album I didn't really like from her! I've been following her ever since. There were some hits , her album Secret which I really LOVED and Talkin' to Myself.<3 And then there were some misses...Blue Bird, glitter / fated...bleh!>_<

Her album Secret had a good mix of ballads and upbeat tracks. But what I REALLY wanted was for her to release something more rockish. Edgier. Darker maybe.

When Talkin' to Myself came out, I was thrilled! It seemed like she was going in that direction. And now we have GUILTY. Here we go! =D

Mirror
The album kicks off with an intro that does well in setting the scene. It's like you're dialing in to the connection, complete with digital distortion sounds, then you're in! And then the song starts taking you along, lifting you, building up the scene and power, showing you what to expect for the rest of the album. Then it's done, it's finished, it's happy with its handiwork and takes you back down. It's not over yet though. This is just the intro. Take a breather and get ready. The show's about to start!

(don't)Leave Me Alone
The first song establishes the same feel to it as Talkin' to Myself did - dark and expressive. It doesn't want you. It's telling you to get away while you still can. But at the same time, it wants you to stick around. For there's more to come.

Talkin' to Myself
And here we have Talkin' to Myself! I love this song.<3 Did I repeat myself? It's a nice progression from the previous song as comparatively, this sorta builds upon it and takes it to another level. The song sounds like it's berating itself for telling you to leave it alone.

Decision
This song then starts. At first, you might think it's gone soft and sorrowful. But then it proves you wrong with a rebellious rockish beat that begins shortly after. Then the song intersperses both, starting out dejected and hurt only to rise with firm resolve again and again. Ayumi's not backing down just yet, people!

Guilty
We have a nice beat going here. It starts sounding even darker and morose here - fitting the title of the song very well. You can hear the regret in her voice. Over what? A lost lover? People wronged? Past mistakes? The pathetic state of the current world?

I dunno. I don't understand Japanese and I've yet to read the translation for this one.^^;

Fated
Heard ittttt. Don't get me wrong. It's a decent song. Just not that great. This song sounds hopeful. For things to be better one day. Or maybe it's just resigned to fate and content with life however it goes. Because she knows it'll turn out well somehow in the end. Hopefully.

Together When...
Now this is a lovely first-class ballad. Sounds like it's reminiscing over sweet memories shared with a special someone. And wondering when they'll ever be together again.

Marionette -Prelude-
Prelude! It's like Ayu wants to end the first phase of the album but then as an afterthought, she puts on this musical box. It's really a sweet little melody.^^

Marionette
And then she gets inspired for this song. You really have to watch the PV to get a real feel for it! Very curious stuff going on here. Ayu's always had a penchant for songs that portray her as just a puppet, robot or image of some sort. There's quite a few actually...Evolution, Real Me, Alterna.. So this song continues the same theme. A very dramatic song at that!

The Judgement Day
Interlude! And finally we've come to the end of the first part of the album. Really, the tune here isn't as scary as the title makes it out to be. It does start off with some ominous clock chimes and organs, accompanied by Ayu doing her trademark 'lalala' thing in a morbid tone. But then it quickly grows brighter and more upbeat, till it nearly reminds you of Fairyland. And now you know what's coming.

Glitter
I hates this song.>_< I mean, on its own, it's a nice happy song - very different from the songs in the first part of the album. Only oh I dunno...IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE! First Fairyland. Then BLUE BIRD. We really don't need another one, Ayu! XD I'm fine with you being bright and happy, but at least make it more original than all your previous songs.<_<

My All
Now this is slightly better in some ways. Still, the beat is pretty ho-hum and not very inspiring. It only picks up during the chorus, but even then it doesn't sound like Ayu's really giving her all here. Even Glitter sounds more persuasive. But I hate that song...<_<

reBIRTH
Another interlude? Weird...=/ I mean it IS a nice tune and all and does fit the title reBIRTH perfectly, sounding like you're observing the magical wonder of life itself. But still, I don't see what it's doing here...unless it's meant to bridge to the next and final song of the album.

Untitled ~For Her~
The title itself is curious. I'm guessing 'her' could be her mom. On the other hand, it could be referring to her own self. I read somewhere that Ayumi actually views herself as two aspects, one which is her personal self and the other which is her muse. Or something like that. That's why you see a lot of PVs where you see 2 different Ayumis.

In any case, this song sounds a lot like a tribute to whoever 'she' is. A nice way to wrap it up.^^

Overall
I love this album. X3 Even more than Secret. It's exactly what I wished for ~<3 (at least the first part) From what I can tell from the titles and feel of the songs, it sounds as though Ayumi is regretting over something, but will continue to strive ever harder towards the future, ever hopeful for the best.

Which bears resemblance to her message to her fans when she got deaf in her left ear:

Translation by HiruNoKaze:

My frank resolution for this year.

The truth is, last year, I had an ear check-up, my diagnosis being that my left ear has completely lost all function and that there is no treatment.

Even so, I want to keep being a singer.

That's why I'll keep singing as long as this remaining right ear works, to its limit.

I won't quit.

I won't make excuses.

As a professional, I will sing the best songs for you*.

I don't really like the word "ganbaru," but...

I will ganbaru**!!!!! At all costs!!!!!!!!!

Until that day, someday...

*Here she uses the word for "everyone," but I think it is better translated as "you." Also, the literal meaning is "I will definitely deliver the best songs to you." for reference.

**ganbaru means persevere or try hard, and it is a word very commonly used in Japanese. For example, as well as being used to mean "try hard," it is used in the same situations that "good luck" would be used in English.

Source: Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai

I'm probably wrong though and it could just be a coincidence.^^;

In any case GUILTY, a great album. I heard that it should be out here about now, so I'm definitely getting Rift to pick me up a copy! X3 You should get yourself one too!

Here's to more wonderful songs from Ayumi Hamasaki! =D