Tracklist

[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]

Review: Perhaps it is the irreplaceable vocals of the singer, the repetitive structure of J-pop or the limited number of instruments in songs, that there seems to be a rather small collection of J-pop instrumental arrangements. Pure -Aquaplus Legend of Acoustics- is one of the few of its kind, setting the standard by showing that instrumental arrangements of songs may turn out so well that they not only match up to the vocals version, they may even surpass it.

Heart to Heart
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Of the many difficulties in creating an arrangement album, matching the level of expression of the singer through the instruments may be among the toughest. In this case, the problem is overcome with both the instrumentalists’ skill and also the arrangers’ knowledge of what works well with individual instruments. In a track like “Heart to Heart,” whose lyrics celebrate the joy and anticipation of meeting one’s friend, the feeling is brought out by having a somewhat lonely cello solo near the beginning joined by the warm melodies of the violins. The violins get plenty of fast measures which give listeners the image of petals dancing in the wind, bringing across the feeling of excitement expressed in the lyrics.

Each to Their Own Future
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
However, there is yet another problem when arranging songs into instrumental tracks: the song’s repetitive melody line. With the vocals and lyrics to entertain listeners, repeating the chorus 3 times or more is not much of a problem, but for an arrangement album, it can spell disaster. The arrangers avoid this by either varying the instruments around or relying on the instrumentalist to express the music appropriately. In tracks like “Each to Their Own Future”, where the melody is only played by one instrument for whole stanzas, the structure is kept intentionally simple so the soloist can express the music the way he wants. In addition, the periodic switch from the flute to other instruments like the piano or guitar also help keep the piece varied.

For Eternity
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Pure also goes beyond just the basic woodwind and strings instruments. Taking “For Eternity” as an example, the composer correctly noticed that the melody line is rather Eastern, and uses the erhu for the main melody. The erhu possesses a much wider range than the voice, and it takes advantage of that to work in octave jumps used to bring out the feeling of resolve in the chorus. While the melody in this piece is solely taken by the erhu, the piece is far from bland as the background instruments helps direct one’s attention to the important bits.

Powder Snow
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
And the final bonus for Pure is in getting Suara to provide the vocals for four of the tracks. Suara’s strong yet gentle voice goes together beautifully with the acoustic instruments. And because there is as much emphasis on the vocals as on the instruments, the level of expressiveness is just breathtaking. In “Powder Snow,” Suara brings out the beautiful season of winter, as well as the yearning for one’s love. Coupled with the gentle accompaniment of the piano, acoustic guitar and cello in the background, the whole track comes across as warm and serene.

While those are the reasons which explains why I like this album so much, they are by no means the only ones. Indeed, I doubt I’ll ever stop trying to analyse every bit of this album, because it is just so intriguing and beautiful. And finally, though a really unprofessional act on my side, bonus points for having such a pretty cover.

Rating: Excellent

It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? I think the last one was about a month ago. Now taking bets as to whether I finish this before the year’s up!

Anyways, 2006 has been hailed by quite a few as a banner year for anime, where many of the shows I watched still managed to stick within my memories surprisingly well. It does help that this year saw the appearance of heavyweights like Haruhi, whose impact on the anime scene can’t be emphasized enough as we’re still living with its repercussions. No fad has managed to supplant it to near-universal appeal like Haruhi did, and like it or not, it’s going to be a major part of what makes up the fabric of 2000s anime fandom.

That said, most of the musical offerings that I really love from 2006 do not come from this franchise. The celebrated Haruhi songs like “Bouken Deshou Deshou,” “Hare Hare Yuukai,” “God Knows,” and “Lost My Music,” have become overplayed to the point that it’s lost that sense of uniqueness even if they are pretty awesome when they first came out on the scene. It’s like how pieces like Final Fantasy X’s “To Zanarkand,” Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and “Fur Elise,” and, of course, Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” were enjoyable at one point, but I can’t stand to listen to them nowadays. Not trying to knock all of those mentioned above as bad because they aren’t; it’s just been overplayed and since my tendency is to seek out fresh and new stuff that’s underappreciated, I’m not going to bother with Haruhi for this column! There’s more stuff that’s worth one’s time at any rate!

So with that in mind, there’s a lot of good stuff from 2006. I’d be hard-pressed to put my finger on my favorite soundtrack from that year since there are no less than three soundtracks competing for that slot and each of them have something to the that I really like. As usual, clips are in their entirety and youtube videos are spoilered. With that, read on!

Ouran High School Host Club
Squaring off for the number 1 spot will be none other than Ouran High School Host Club. When I remember watching the first few episodes of this series, I was completely dazzled by the music. Yoshihisa Hirano’s compositions are really enjoyable in the way they mix various genres of classical music into a really nice package. Sure, if you were super serious about your classical music, you can gripe about how some of the pieces are just too short and Y. Hirano glosses over opportunities to develop the track further, but I was never bothered by these issues. On the whole, Hirano taps into the whole elegant/pretentiousness vibe associated with the Ouran school and its Host Club through tracks like the “Ouran Concerto” and the “Sinfonietta,” which are among many of my favorites. While Haruhi’s stuff is “been there, done that,” Ouran’s soundtrack still remains fresh and enjoyable to this day.

Ouran Concerto for oboe 2 horns violin and string

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Sinfonietta C-dur

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Bartender
Bartender is also going to compete for that top spot. You could classify many of the tunes from this soundtrack as being nothing more than elevator music, but it sure is damn good elevator music! Its jazzy soundtrack takes us into the soothing atmosphere of Eden Hall, run by Ryo Sasakura, where one can relax and rejuvenate oneself through his concoctions. The mood that “NO NAME ~Kami no Glass~” sets through its piano and percussion really work alongside the narration in the anime and I’m also drawn in to the calming aura that “CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE ~Kiyoshiko” brings to the table with its arrangement of “Silent Night.” The soundtrack as a whole is wonderful and if this is the kind of music you dig, you’ll be in good company with the rest of the music here. I only wish that its composer, Kaoruko Ohtake, would compose more music for anime.

NO NAME ~Kami no Glass~

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE ~Kiyoshiko

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Red Garden
And of course, the last contender would be Red Garden’s soundtrack. I’ve already labeled this a masterpiece, and it’s not hard to see why through its emotional fare coupled with KOKIA’s vocals towards the end. I really do listen to this too much, but that’s fine since it’s still not gotten old and the melodies that I love from it continue to raise the hairs on my neck because of how beautiful they are. Also, I’m too lazy to switch it out with something else and so, it’s an album that seems to have a permanent spot in my car’s CD player.

Sumire ~ You to Tomoni

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Paprika
So yes, those would be the big three, but there’s something to be said about the huge diversity of stuff that’s made their appearance beyond just the pretty music that I love so much. Satoshi Kon’s Paprika movie also came out in 2006 and the soundtrack, composed by the old standby of Susumu “I ain’t Yui” Hirasawa, took me awhile to get into. It was bizarre listening to the bevy of sounds assault me for the first time, but once I watched the movie, all that cacophony somehow made sense. No, I’m not even going to try to explain it since it’s an experience you’ll have to encounter for yourself. Now, I’ve come to love its depiction of chaos through standbys like “Parade” and “The Girl in Byakkoya – White Tiger Field.” Its style may be jarring to those used to quieter fare, but give this one a few chances and it’ll grow on you pretty quickly.

Parade

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

The Girl in Byakkoya – White Tiger Field

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Asatte no Houkou
Asatte no Houkou is one underrated gem, both from the music and the anime front. At its core, it’s a story about how two people’s wishes go awry, but along the way, the characters learn to be a bit more empathetic and understanding, resulting in a sweet story all around. The soundtrack by Shinkichi Mitsumune of Rozen Maiden fame also adds to the languishing feel of summer while sticking in a good dose of soft piano drama music to make things roll. The medley that starts the soundtrack covers most of the show’s musical themes and should prime your expectations as to what the rest of the soundtrack delivers upon. It’s delightful. Maybe not to the degree that some of the others are since it’s mood is rather subtle and I’d hardly classify this as being energetic, but I do listen to it quite a bit, most likely because it starts with the letter A and shows up when I scroll through the list of albums to tune into.

Kumikyoku [Asatte no Houkou]

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Le Chevalier D’Eon
I don’t know how many people have seen Le Chevalier D’Eon, but it certainly was an engaging anime series with its mystery and intrigues that viewers can unravel. Also, conspiracy theorists may find the cultists angle and their goal of controlling Europe’s major powers to be a fascinating bit, especially when names like Robespierre pop up. Michiru Ooshima’s compositions are often overlooked and even if they’re not quite as good as Fullmetal Alchemist or Sora no Woto’s soundtrack, they still demonstrate Ooshima’s ability to depict a European setting. One of my favorite pieces is “Cafe – Paris no Kensou,” which paints a relaxing scene as you sit in a cafe and looking at people walk by the Seine. The other tracks, like “PSALMS” hits the mood rather nicely with those tension-filled melodies that hint at the impending conflict.

Cafe -Paris no Kensou-

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

PSALMS

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Renkin 3-kyuu Magical? Pokaan
Renkin 3-kyuu Magical? Pokaan is completely silly. I’ve already remarked about its misleading OP theme elsewhere since this series is all about a bunch of girls from a different environment trying to get used to modern-day Japan. The comedy isn’t exactly top-notch, but it does have its moments. The music, composed by Elements Garden’s Noriyasu Agematsu, matches the silliness for the most part, though his “seasonal” tracks using the Magipoka themes are the highlights along with the easygoing character themes. Well, assuming you like laid-back my-pace type music, which fits in with my tastes. So Magipoka wasn’t a particularly great, but its music was enjoyable and the whimsical tracks make for a great listen.

Magipoka Theme – Spring

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Magipoka Theme – Summer

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

My-Pace Yuuma

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Yeah, this is a lot of stuff, but it’s no surprise given all the good shows that came out along with the scores which are downright excellent. The OP/ED section is similarly long, so on to Page 2!

Voting Thread

Unjustly or no, J-pop does have a tendency to be viewed as a genre that’s rather homogeneous because there’s very little diversity within the set of works out there. Sturgeon’s Law seems to hold a pretty strong grip, but the folks over at the MAL music club did manage to get a hold of some rather enjoyable tracks out of this supposedly inane genre and I was quite pleased with the selections. So let us take a look at what people thought merited a listen after the jump:

Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen – Kanjite Knight
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I have no complaints with starting things off with a rock track as a means of preventing the stale air of J-pop from getting too strong of a hold right off the bat. JAM Project and Lazy work together to unleash a torrent of energy that fits right into the whole old-school giant robot genre as they sing with a great deal of PASSION. Very awesome, though with all the picks that we’ve had this week, there are other tracks that catch my fancy just a bit more, but this one is not bad by any stretch.

White Album – Glass no Hana
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I’m going to say lazy on this one to excuse myself from having to write up something of substance in praise of this track because from the time I wrote this entry until now, my opinions of the song have not changed. (+2)

Macross: Do You Remember Love? – Ai Oboete Imasuka
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Now to get to the real stuff, starting with a piece that has quite a bit of history behind it though I can’t really claim to like it as much since Mari Ijima’s delivery here doesn’t age quite as well as I had hoped. Mind you, I have no issues with the melody or the way the song is executed; rather, my issues stem from Ijima’s voice in that it doesn’t seem powerful enough to project the sort of emotions that this track is capable of delivering through its poignant melody. Compare this performance to Megumi Nakajima’s version on Macross Frontier to note the differences and to see why I prefer the later version much more than this one.

Top wo Nerae! 2 Diebuster – Groovin’ Magic
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Oh god, this track is so campy but oh so sweet. Seriously, the “Ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh Oooooh ooh oooh ooooh” part just gets me every time because of how ridiculously catchy it is that I can’t seem to let that out of my mind. ROUND TABLE feat. Nino has always been outstanding with their music, producing excellent tracks like the Chobits OP as well as several EDs for ARIA. And in this performance, they’ve created an incredibly catchy pop piece that manages to win me over with its pacing as well as it’s ability to put a smile on my face through its cheesiness. Needless to say, I love it! (+1)

Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~ – Michishirube
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I really do like this track because it fits my reserved tendencies. It’s soft and quiet, with an air of subtlety that’s really gentle. I think the piano and acoustic guitar parts in the background along with Yuumao’s rhythmic delivery is what secures this piece as one of my favorites since it allows a feeling of calmness to wash over you while you examine your feelings. Yuumao, in particular, helps in that area by dispensing with the subtle sense of longing well when she sings. A very solid track overall!

Kimikiss ~Pure Rouge~ – Wasurenaide
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I figured someone would nominate this track since it’s definitely Suara’s strongest performance as she pours forth a large amount of emotion backed by the piano which complements the song nicely. Her delivery is just so beautifully done that one can’t help but be swept away by the music as a whole. Of all the tracks selected this week, this one is my favorite because of how the vocals and the instrumentation just combines together to feel just right, making it an enjoyable track from start to finish. (+2)

Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~ – I do!
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Of all the tracks selected, I think this one is closest to pure, unadulterated pop. In light of some of the pieces we have at our disposal, this one also comes off as being closest to generic, as nice as it sounds. The singer’s voice is pretty soothing and the chorus part does work as far as being catchy goes. This track is something that I can see myself listening to once in awhile, but it’s not likely to become a mainstay in my audio player.

Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto ~Natsu no Sora~ – Fly Away
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
A victory for diversity in the form of THYME who delivers a track that has an impeccable sort of pacing that makes for a contagious listen because of how you get sucked into the opening chorus section. The electric guitar and THYME’s voice complement each other well throughout the chorus and even if I’m not as thrilled with the main verses, I really do enjoy the way it builds itself back up to the chorus part. In addition to providing variety as far as the week is concerned, this song also has its own internal variety throughout each verse’s execution, which keeps the song engaging and fun. The shift in the key does feel a bit bizarre as you close in towards the end, and I think that’s the tiny dinger that makes this track lose out on points just barely.

Tsukuyomi ~Moon Phase~ – Neko Mimi Mode
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
What. OK, my objective side tells me this should not get any points at all, but how can I not? It’s so moeeeee that I’m going to die from the sheer cuteness overload. No, I have not seen Tsukiyomi Moon Phase, so I’ll have to picture this in mind with Chiwa Saito’s other characters: namely Rebecca Miyamoto. Seeing Miyamoto-sensei put on cat ears while indignantly saying those lines in the song just conjures up imagery that’s just far too hilarious that I can’t stop laughing in delight. It becomes even more adorable when she starts making those cat noises which grab at your attention and make you go “dawwwww,” a feeling that gets enhanced when she makes that pouting, whining noise. I gotta give it to this track for being able to keep me entertained… and for getting into my head. I can’t stop putting this song on repeat! I’m in DESPAIR!!! (+1)

Code Geass R2 – Masquerade
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I’m apparently not quite as knowledgeable about this artist, but I can say that this track doesn’t catch my attention at all. There’s a sort of airiness that I really don’t dig and the Gothic feel that this song pushes forth doesn’t really sit well with me unlike Ali Project’s Rozen Maiden fare. I just don’t like Hitomi’s delivery. Sorry.

So there you have it! My point distribution can be found below. Week 6′s theme will be based on traveling, so if you want to get a head start, feel free to start digging into that week’s selections. A voting thread will be created once I compile all the music together, but I look forwards to giving them a listen! And I also hope to see some new faces turn up!

(+2) White Album – Glass no Hana
(+2) Kimikiss ~Pure Rouge~ – Wasurenaide
(+1) Top wo Nerae! 2 Diebuster – Groovin’ Magic
(+1) Tsukuyomi ~Moon Phase~ – Neko Mimi Mode

Review: If there was ever a time where I’ve questioned my taste in music, listening to “Maiochiru Yuki no You ni” would qualify because this song has been described as being fairly bland and after going through it a few times, I’d have to concede that it’s true to an extent. For those of us who enjoy soft, mellow tracks, “Maiochiru Yuki no You ni” makes for a delightful listen in the way it conveys a sense of peacefulness and tranquility through Suara’s soothing voice, but otherwise, that’s about all it offers.

From the start, Suara breaks the stillness with her serene voice combined with the piano accompaniment which together, takes a rather gentle, mellow tone with a twinge of the melancholy thrown in. The soothing melody feels nostalgic as it brings forth memories of a winter morning from long ago where the snow is falling gently and the air is really still as the world is draped in a soft blanket of snow. It’s a serene image that fits well with Suara’s voice because of the way it draws you in without being particularly overbearing while the background instruments ease you along with the music’s flow through its euphonic rhythm. Beyond that, there isn’t much more to say because the tranquil feeling that this piece exudes is done really well and if you don’t mind slow-paced pieces, “Maiochiru Yuki no You ni” will be right up your alley.

“Koi no Yokan” contrasts with the previous track through its upbeat introduction which possesses a sort of energy that’s somewhat reminiscent of “Musou Uta.” In fact, it’s not a stretch to say that both songs are stylistically similar melodically. From the beginning, the upbeat introduction gives way to Suara’s staccato delivery that succeeds in conveying a sense of joy from having experienced love. This feeling of optimism in the beginning is tempered somewhat in the transitory section around 0:48 because the way she sings sounds as though she’s trying to keep her hopes from going so far to the point that it cannot be fulfilled. Finally, the chorus part comes in at 1:05 and here, this piece bursts forth and the melody continues to be joyful, though it’s definitely more guarded than before. I detect a bit of nervousness in her staccato delivery as though Suara feels some doubt creeping in, indicating that reality might have taken hold and that while she’s idealistic, it isn’t full blown like it was before. On the whole though, her enthusiasm is only dampened slightly as she conveys the sense of joy in her willingness to move forwards to explore this new relationship.

After writing this out, it’s become evident that both pieces have a sort of superficial quality to them that makes them enjoyable to listen to, but makes them woefully short in the depth of analysis that can be rendered. While this album is definitely worth checking out because the songs are fun to listen to and Suara’s performances are always solid, the shallow nature of the songs means that its staying power is somewhat suspect. So in the end, enjoy the melodies for what they’re worth, but don’t expect to remember much about it 6 months down the road.

Rating: Good

Ending – Maiochiru Yuki no You ni

Review: Blue Drop’s gorgeous animation and character design are certainly a reason to watch the series (as are the sci-fi elements, mecha, and naturally, the yuri, but I digress). But for whatever reason you may have had to watch it, it’s hard to deny that one of the most captivating parts of this series was the OP and ED themes, both of which are performed by Suara.

My first bit of exposure to her works had been through Utawarerumono’s OP theme Musouka, which proved to be a very enjoyable listen. There’s something about her vocal qualities that lends itself well in almost any sort of setting though I find that I like her more energetic works (like the aforementioned Musouka) just a tad more. In any event, when I heard she’d be doing the opening and ending themes for Blue Drop, I knew it was something I’d have to check out.

“BLUE’s” melody and vocal qualities are in a word, majestic. The song starts out rather subdued and subtle as the violins and the harp play in the introduction and relegate themselves to the background when Suara begins to sing. Once her voice enters the mix, the song begins to grow just a bit more forceful as it slowly meanders its way towards the chorus while maintaining a serene atmosphere. Once the chorus hits, you really hear the strength and power of Suara’s voice that is both controlled, yet overflowing with emotion at the same time. The background instruments complement the vocals by providing the song a sense of direction while putting forth an uplifting feeling that, while not quite optimistic, comes pretty close to it. The song succeeds in being simply grand, and once it gets on that track, it doesn’t let go until the very end. Definitely a memorable track that showcases Suara’s vocal talents.

Because “Tsubomi -blue dreams-” was going to be Blue Drop’s ending song, I didn’t think the second track syndrome would apply here. Furthermore, Suara’s music tends to be good, so that was another reason to expect that this song would be enjoyable. The opening piccolo solo gives this song a more Eastern feel and as soon as Suara comes in, it becomes clear that this song is more upbeat than the slow and majestic “BLUE” even if it maintains a hint of subtlety and mystery which help keep the listener attentive. As the song continues, the tempo moves more forcefully and the whole atmosphere of the piece feels as though she’s trying to tell a story with her entrancing voice until it reaches the point where she pours forth all of her emotions through the lyrics. The melody continues its due course and keeps itself from being too repetitive with a rather interesting electric guitar solo which serves as a nice way to blend the traditional and the modern together, followed by a restoration of the traditional in the form of an interesting piccolo solo. Throughout this song, Suara’s voice and the background instruments keep you hooked and needless to say, it wasn’t disappointing in the least.

Few OP/ED albums reach this level of consistency in both tracks, but this one manages to do so on the strength of Suara’s vocal talents as well as the background instruments which complement the mood of the song and her voice nearly flawlessly. By delivering an enjoyable melody in both tracks, this album comes highly recommended and becomes a must-get if you’re a big fan of Suara’s.

Rating: Excellent

Opening – BLUE

Ending – Tsubomi -blue dreams-