Sakamoto Maaya (坂本真綾) – Shounen Alice Unplugged (InterFM Broadcast) February 6, 2004
	1. tune the rainbow 2. DANIEL (ダニエル) 3. Makiba ALICE! (まきばアリス!) 4. Yoru (夜) 5. KINGFISHER GIRL ~The Song of Wish You Were Here~ 6. Hikari Are (光あれ) 7. Uchuu hikoushi no uta (うちゅうひこうしのうた)

Back in 2004 when Sakamoto refused to do live stage performances of her own songs, she would once in a while grace us with an infrequent live event. This was possibly one of the first full lives I heard from her and I was so impressed. This was done shortly after she released her two albums in 2003. It was broadcasted on the radio station InterFM, and it featured a full band, and of couse, the only and only Kanno Yoko on piano/keyboard. (Just to note, there is a full broadcast that exists with talking and interviews in between, but I’m only going to review the songs).

The broadcast starts off with tune the rainbow, one of my favourite songs by Sakamoto. The unplugged arrangement brings an more endearing quality to the song, and it was already sweet to begin with. I love the light percussion and bass part to this arrangement and it softens the sound. The violin providing the counter-melody is also quite lovely. Next to those two, the guitar and piano mix are the main source of the accompaniment, although I have to say the acoustic guitar enhances the feeling of this song even more. Sakamoto does a wonderful job with the vocals in this rendition and she’s practically spot on in comparison to the recording. The most notable quality, again is that endearing feeling. The original recording has a bit more power and runs at a slightly faster tempo, but I like this lighter version the amount of emotion it carries.

Already with the second song, Sakamoto is giving us some excellent acoustic entertainment. I actually like this version of DANIEL more than the original because it has a fuller sound and not as dry. In contrast to “tune the rainbow”, this live version is more aggressive than the recording and I think I prefer it this way. Sakamoto sings out more to keep up with the accompaniment and does a good job as well. The change of percussion to the bongos(?) really helps keep the drive of the song going, backed with the powerful guitar strumming. (The other instruments are still there, fyi.)

Makiba ALICE! has always been a fun song to listen to, and I was quite interested to hear how they would translate to a fully acoustic song. It’s surprisingly quite good. The amount of editing the finished recording contained made it seem difficult to translate into a live performance. Needless to say, there are some details that couldn’t be fully recreated on this setting, but the performance was still strong. I really like the upbeat quality of this song and the arrangement captures that well. Sakamoto’s vocals are a little bit wilder here, and she misses a few notes once in a while, but overall it’s quite good. I really love the musical interlude, it’s definitely worth listening to just for that.

Yoru was basically carried by electric instruments, and with that in consideration, this acoustic remake is quite amazing. All the instruments are equally as aggressive and definitely prove that acoustic instruments can create amazing sounds as well. Kanno’s excellent piano playing is very evident here. She gets an amazing sound out in the midst of everything and her tone is very rich and full. Sakamoto sounds just as good as she does on the recording as well.

If you wanted a nice acoustic song from Shounen Alice to be performed, KINGFISHER GIRL was definitely a good candidate. If you thought the English “DANIEL” was good, Sakamoto shines even more with this one, holding her notes with more strength and control. I love the lilting character of this song and the violin really brings that out here (that used to be the orchestral countermelody). The mandolin still characters this song more or less, and along with the violin, together they embellish from the original. If there was such a thing as a more sexier version of this song, this would be it.

I was ecstatic when I found out Sakamoto decided to include Hikari Are in her performance list. It’s a cleaner, simpler version overall, but the message is still delivered well. It feels a little empty because the background vocals, other instruments and especially the more prominent string section are all missing, so it definitely gives it more of a raw feeling. Sakamoto has a tendency to sing sharp, particularly when she has to make all those leaps, but she’s quite solid all the way through nonetheless. She does a wonderful job building towards the end starting from the repeated “Hikari are” phrases.

To finish off the program, Sakamoto and Kanno decide to do a piano and vocal duet with Uchuu Hikoushi no Uta. There’s really not to much else say about this song, because they basically sound exactly as they do in the recording, which was sweet, and quite perfect in its own little way.

Case in point, I’m so glad Sakamoto has decided to do more live concerts in recent years. I’m just sad that I happened to miss them all. T_T Also, if you ever get a chance to listen to this broadcast, I say DO IT. DO IT NOW.

Favourites:
Yoru, tune the rainbow

Artist: 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
Album/Single: かぜよみ (Kazeyomi)
Release Date: January 14, 2009

1. Vento
Sakamoto begins her 2009 release (almost 4 years since Yuunagi LOOP – and almost as long as LW has been open!) with a beautiful short number. The first half of the song is made up of just the acoustic piano and strings. The strings are playing a very smooth beautiful line while the piano a gentle part full of ornamentations. When Sakamoto joins in with a vocal part that seems more like a choir than a soloist, the instrumental part starts to depend more on solid chord progressions while retaining the ornamentations to a lesser extent. This is absolutely beautiful, and it`s a shame it`s only a minute and a half (though if we had Hamasaki Ayumi here, she`d follow it up with an extended single version XD).

2. トライアングラー (TRIANGLER)
The moment we`ve all been waiting for is finally here – the return of Kanno Yoko! Truthfully, for all of 2008, I had a very difficult time getting into this song. I think I was expecting something along the lines of the fantastic pop songs released 5-6 years ago when the last collaborated. Instead, this song has a very “anime theme song” feel to it (it was a Macross OP after all), but I spent a few nights listening to it when I first got the album, and as with all Kanno songs, I started to notice little details that I’ve come to expect from Kanno. First of all, the accompaniment seems a bit hectic, but if you really listen closely to how everything is laid out, it suddenly seems to all fall into place. Sure if you listen to the frantic string section alone, that’s exactly what it is. However, the light programmed beat beneath it helps to move some of those instrumental section. Speaking of programming, in the second verse, there’s an unconventional echo that follows Sakamoto the entire way through, but you only notice it during the parts when she’s not singing. I think having the echo take place throughout was clever and to further promote the idea that it was just a blur of sounds, it cuts off as soon as the main melody is finished in that section. Also notably, the percussion and bass are rhythmic and fantastic as well. Lastly, Sakamoto’s vocals start off in a bit of a squeak, because I assume she’s trying to sing with a lot of emotion, and went overboard just a little bit. When she finally settles in, it sounds much better. No doubt, it’s hard to be belting in that range (most people I know end up sounding operatic anyway), so it’s a win-lose for her here.

3. 風待ちジェット~kazeyomi edition (Kazemachi JET)
There are two versions of this song that I really love, which are the original and the acoustic version she performed in promotion a few years back. This version is different from the mostly in the new accompaniment, and new arrangement for the song. The song has a few new sections. It starts off with an additional line taken from the verse before the fully getting into the song. There is a modified bridge and a slightly extended final chorus. All these changes take a bit getting used to (but I still prefer the original version probably because I`m used to that). The accompaniment emphasizes on the violin solo, which I love, backed by your typical drum, bass and guitar to give it a more typical pop-rock feel (though staying far from that style). Sakamoto`s singing is less energetic and bouncy in this version, which is something I miss because I love the energy she originally had. This song is definitely the more “beautiful” of the two, but there’s no contest; I prefer the spunky original version.

4. Remedy
solaya is a new composer Sakamoto started working with a couple years back, and this is their second collaboration. I love solaya’s more pure pop style, and it suits Sakamoto quite well (or the other way around). I love the piano part of this song, and the echoing of the main theme with the instruments. Actually, the verses repeat the theme a few times, but it’s so pretty, I don’t even think twice about it. The melody is smooth and beautiful and complemented by Sakamoto’s lovely vocals. There is an ease about her singing lately as a sign of more improvement. I adored the first “Kurogane no LINEBARREL” OP, but somehow I love this one more.

5. 雨が降る (Ame ga furu)
Speaking of the first OP stated above, look what we have! In contrast to the calm and beautiful nature of the previous song, this one is more powerful and dramatic. The opening lines start of with a gorgeous harp line, but then the bass and drums quickly join in with the harp and strings acting as accessories. Sakamoto’s singing in this song is so strong and impressive, even during the key change. She sings with a lot of emotion, and love how she tackles the descending lines in the chorus. The descending lines was a clever choice. Great use of word painting, because the “ame ga furu” (if you didn’t know yet, “It’s raining”) lines start off on those descending lines. One thing I think could have been done better was if they didn’t make it sound very quiet in the verses and then let it rip by the time the first chorus came by. It was a bit of a shock. It worked well later on, because it continued to build as the song progressed, but the bass was a bit heavy the first time through. I still love this song though (and the PV for it was beautiful too)!

6. Get No Satisfaction!
Normally, I would be complaining when Sakamoto returned to something more perky and happy, because it reminds me of some the songs I didn`t quite like in “grapefruit”, but this was actually very well done. It has a bit of “hashiru” in it, with the very majestic strings, against the rest of the energetic instruments. The consistent bass and drum lines drive the song from beginning to end in this song again. Sakamoto’s bright singing was another highlight. She was a little less controlled here with some notes going wild in her attempts to give a highly energetic performance. Most of the highest notes could have been done better, but despite her vocal performance, her energy was great and everybody seemed to be on the same page here.

7. 青のエーテル (Ao no ETHER)
Originally Nakajima Megumi’s song from Macross FRONTIER, it featured Sakamoto as the lyricist. As with most fans, I was pleased to hear Sakamoto providing a self-cover because it meant yet another Kanno Yoko contribution. The arrangement is a little different from the Macross version, as it is only a piano + vocal duet. It really brought out the beauty of this song, and I will never pass up a chance to hear Kanno on a piano either. I like Sakamoto’s version more because it was a little less mechanical than the original. This is a classic Kanno + Sakamoto collaboration, so there were a lot of expectations for this song, but they definitely surpassed them.

8. 失恋カフェ (Shitsuren CAFE)
I get the feeling Sakamoto likes the light jazz songs with the big band feel, because she put another cute one for this album. Next to “Yuunagi LOOP”, this has a more slick feel to it, but I can definitely imagine a few top hats involved. Again, this is closer to some of her earlier works when her music used to be very cutesy, but Sakamoto’s growth as an artist shows here. It’s just as bubbly, but the sound is definitely more mature. I like it when you can pick out subtle differences like that in an artists music, because you can tell they matured as a person and musician (in her case, it’s a difference of over a decade, so we would hope to notice). I wouldn’t say there is anything particular to point out (except maybe the moving bass line), but the entire song was really enjoyable, and relaxing of course. ;D

9. SONIC BOOM
Don’t hate me because I have a certain affinity to anything that touches “Tsubasa (Resevoir) Chronicles”. This song has a very typical pop-rock nature (though leaning more towards pop). I adore everything from the beautiful violin part, to Sakamoto’s strong interpretation and the harmonies provided by the background vocals. Sakamoto’s vocal performance in this song is also solid, nailing everything including the chromatic line just before the chorus begins. The switches from the minor to major key and back are very smooth, and I love the Picardy Third (it ends on a major chord) at the end of the piece. Essentially, this song is pretty much along the same lines of “Ame ga furu”, with less going on, but the whole performance of this song draws me in. I think the melody is what got me hooked.

10. ピーナッツ (PEANUTS)
Going from a heavy sound to an incredibly lighthearted one, Sakamoto delivers a song that’s really cheerful and bright here. It’s based mostly on programming, with some light handclapping as well. This is a more rhythmic number, but still manages to have a very adorable melody. Sakamoto really sings in character throughout, but she probably sang with more flow, instead of hitting those high notes with so much emphasis that they sound out place. She does get some of the lines with the right amount of accenting, so she’s not way off. Anyway, if you miss adorable Sakamoto Maaya, you won’t after this.

11. さいごの果実 (Saigo no Kajitsu)
I said I liked anything that had to do with “Tsubasa” earlier right? Okay, so I might have fibbed just a little. This song really starts off nicely, with a heartfelt verse, which you can hear from Sakamoto’s performance. The chorus is also quite pretty too, but put them together, we have another Suzuki Shoko song that doesn’t flow that well. This song in particular has nice individual parts, but they just don’t fit together. Suzuki’s lack of transitions into each section really serve as a weakpoint in this song. The bridge is kind of messy too, with the random sound effects that certainly don’t belong. Sakamoto’s singing here can be beautiful, particularly in the verse. She gets a bit breathy in the chorus though, breathing after every single line, eliminating any phrasing she could have had. She doesn’t quite hit those final notes in the chorus either, ending up a bit sharp (sometimes flat). Since they’re held notes, they’re really noticeable too. You can even hear her correct herself with through the multiple change of chords supporting that note.

12. Colors
Sakamoto singing in English is a treat, since we haven’t gotten a full English song from her since 2003. After hearing her in “Saigo no Kajitsu”, it’s really nice to hear her sing with more flow again. She’s still taking a lot of breaths in between, but it’s not as noticeable. Her tone isn’t totally airy either, having some really nice moments throughout. The song is over 4 minutes long, but the vocal sections are relatively short. It has a long instrumental introduction and ending, I really like the light programming that was used throughout. The song gives off a ,calming beautiful sound, but it doesn’t stand out very much. I hate to say it, but between the dullness and dreamy feeling, it usually makes me sleepy more than anything else.

13. カゼミドリ (KAZEMIDORI)
We’re getting an overload of ballads towards the end of this album, but this one is very pleasing to the ear. It’s completely different from the past two ballads, and it’s more along the lines of the rest of the album. I really like the addition of the cello, giving an addition deep supporting line despite it playing a countermelody. Sakamoto is singing a bit too light here, with her usual good moments standing out. The high notes are somewhat strained and could use more flow again, but the song itself is very pretty and moving.

14. ギター弾きになりたいな (GUITAR hiki ni naritai na)
Finally, Sakamoto closes the album with a simply guitar, percussion and vocal performance. It’s again, very calming and pretty. I like the simplicity of this song, and the sound the plucked guitar strings give. This song is very quiet, to the point where I wish Sakamoto’s voice had a more resonance and stood out. She sorts of blends in with the rest of the song. It’s not necessarily a bad thing because the accompaniment is super quiet as well, so the balance is there. You can hear that she does have a bit more of a fuller tone to her singing than an airy sound, but she could have just pushed it a tiny bit more without compromising the quality.

Overall -
Favourite Track: SONIC BOOM, Ao no ETHER
I think I’m beginning to get pickier with my criticisms, but I’m only doing so as acknowledgment that she’s improved significantly. Amongst all my comments, there is no doubt that she has improved yet again from her last album. Everything about Sakamoto’s says that she’s more experienced and has matured in every aspect of her life, and it definitely shows in her music. Where “Yuunagi LOOP” sounded rough on the production side, tmf & maaya have worked out the kinks and produced a very solid release here. Each track was well thought out and full of character, no matter what direction they took. A great effort from Sakamoto Maaya.

Artist: 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
Album/Single: 夕凪 LOOP (Yuunagi LOOP)
Release Date: October 26, 2005

1. Hello
I absolutely adore this opening track. It always gets me thinking of waking up to a fresh early morning and getting your day started. I suppose the windchimes help with that effect right at the beginning. The accompaniment is truly like waking up as each individual part starts off and joins up with the rest of the song, leading up to the full upbeat chorus. The melody is just simply pleasant to listen to. Just think of a person you know that is simply likeable, and you can’t help but be cheerful around them. This song gives the same sort of feeling for me, and Sakamoto’s performance makes the whole thing irresistable. She has a truly lovely angelic voice, and it really shows here.

2. ハニー・カム (HONEY COMB)
Moving into some significantly more upbeat and cutesy, it sounds like Sakamoto really had some fun with this. Between this song and the previous one, the style of the album is pretty much set. I like the idea of this song, but I didn’t like the parts between each section. Somehow I don’t like what h-wonder did with those strings. The amount of layering involved in the programming seems like a bit overdone. Sakamoto’s singing is solid again, but a tad too gentle and reserved. I think she could have let loose just a bit more to really capture the child-like nature of the song.

3. ループ (LOOP)
Despite what seems like a complicated song, it’s actually quite simple. There is a fairly consistent beat throughout that switches between syncopated rhythms and regular beats during the verse and chorus respectively. It’s actually helps to keep the song going, and definitely plays a part in keeping my interest than keeping the same the rhythm throughout. The accompaniment otherwise would have been incredibly repetitive, and while the melody is very pretty, it certainly isn’t enough to steal the show. Nevertheless, this is a lovely, uplifting but simple pop song to listen to. It’s nice, just nice, and thus, may be uninteresting to some.

4. 若葉 (Wakaba)
Sakamoto defines her album by this point, as we are presented with another laidback pop tune. This song has the feeling of relaxing on a beach, or in a park, etc. I really like the way Sakamoto sings here. She maintains a light quality in her voice, but not getting into the light, airy quality that she used to go into so easily. It marks a significant improvement in her singing, and makes her resonate against the rest of the song, even though it’s quite simple in nature. I really like the guitar interlude in the middle of the song, right before the key change. When the key change hits, Sakamoto sounds brighter, almost as if lighting up a room. Although relatively similar to “LOOP” in feeling, it lacks the literally, “looping” feel from the beat, so I don’t mind having “Wakaba” right after.

5. パプリカ (PAPRIKA)
Just to change things up a bit (a tiny bit, because we’re still relaxed here), Sakamoto gives us an adorable bossa nova flavoured song. The song itself is more jazzy than pop, particularly the verses, but the choruses get into more of the pop stuff. I half wish Sakamoto could do jazz, because it would have been awesome to hear a longer improvisation section (and maybe having her scat along). A pleasant song overall, but unfortunately, because I prefer the verses over the choruses, I find it a little difficult to keep my interest the full way through. Sakamoto is a tad bit off right at the closing of the song as well.

6. My Favorite Books
Definitely not one of Sakamoto’s better songs in my opinion, it possibly has the most awkward verse. I don’t like the heavy beating during the first section either, which just add choppy-ness to her already awkward sound. The second section gets a bit better, with the heavy bass contrasting the regular beats. This doesn’t quite follow the typical verse-chorus form, but with the first part sounding awkward, and a second section that doesn’t stand out, I find myself zoning out for the most part.

7. 月と走りながら (Tsuki to hashirinagara)
Let’s celebrate because halfway in, we get our first album. With this album sounding so mellow already, it sort of makes you forget that you haven’t heard a ballad yet, which is a little surprising because this album is the perfect vehicle for them. What can I say about this song, it’s a really cute ballad, with a lovely melody, which is mostly all of the tracks so far. Sakamoto hits a few rough notes here and there, not quite holding them steady where she should, and also ending up a little bit flat at times too. On the flip side, she gets some very beautiful notes, but you have to listen carefully for them.

8. NO FEAR / あいすること (Ai suru koto)
We finally get one ballad, but no wait! She decides to put two back-to-back. However, they are polar opposites when it comes to ballads, so it’s nothing you’ll note. I really like the way Sakamoto sings this song. It’s not quite the ballad, but she delivers it so dramatically that you wonder why it isn’t. It’s a very simple piano and vocal duet, and the Suzuki Shoko (the composer) does a great job with the accompaniment. The melody is very nice, especially with the dark and light contrasting personalities of the song. Sakamoto does a fantastic job getting into character throughout this song, especially during the uplifiting choruses. The best moment has to be the slight rubato she does (slows down ever so slightly) halfway through the first verse. The one thing I wish was done better for this song was the rather weak transition going from verse to chorus. It was kind of abrupt and interrupted the momentum of the song. The key change didn’t happen definitively so it sort of jumps out at you. Otherwise, a beautiful ballad.

9. ユニゾン (UNISON)
I thought, as most people who have heard this song, that this was a nice relaxing piece again, but then Sakamoto shocks us all with the incredibly fast middle section of the piece. Essentially, the format of this song reminds me of “Park Amsterdam” from “Shounen ALICE”, forming more of a sandwiched type of song. With the way this song progresses, it’s as if she was telling us a story. Each section has it’s own obvious identity. I really liked the fast sections much more than the slow sections of the song, partially because the arrangement was quite interesting. The guitar solos were a bit out of place, but they never last long. I also find Sakamoto slightly out of tune and subdued in the slower sections, so sometimes I skip the song instead of waiting until I get to the more exciting parts.

10. 冬ですか (Fuyu desu ka)
For Sakamoto’s first self-produced (well technically half), I think she decided to have fun with it, because I love the brass instruments in this song. They give a big band feel to this cute pop song, without actually making the song any less pop than it already is. It just adds more character overall, which is nice. The bass is playing a more standard jazz line, but again, doesn’t make the song more jazzy, just more fun. Sakamoto’s performance wasn’t bad here either, but she’s singing in her relaxed, calm manner, which is a bit out of character against the very energetic accompaniment. Still, I find myself bouncing along to the beat, and even if her singing doesn’t quite fit, the melody is a perfect match.

11. 夕凪 LOOP (Yuunagi LOOP)
Sakamoto hasn’t had a vocal title track since her DIVE days, and boy was I pleased with this. All she did was take her singin for “Fuyu desu ka” and transfer it here and we get a perfect Sakamoto Maaya song. She sings with more musicality in this song, which really does wonders for interest values. The instrumental solo of this song is actually more jazz than anything else on this album, so it’s kind of surprising considering how pop this one is. In any case, I’m mostly listening to Sakamoto during the choruses because she sounds so bright and cheery, I can’t help myself. She could have used a bit more flow in those higher notes though, adding a bit of vibrato to help her sound (considering she is has a very nice mezzo soprano voice). Despite all that, I find it hard not to like this song.

12. a happy ending
“a happy ending”? More like a “perfect” ending. This is the most heartwarming song I’ve ever heard. Of all the songs I have a hard time describing, I’m surprised this is one of them. It’s again a simple and cute tune, backed by programming and keyboards, but mostly based on the piano. Where Suzuki Shoko lacked in “NO FEAR” with the awkward transitions, she had none of that here. A few of Sakamoto’s high notes could have used a bit more flow and power (to not sound so restrained), this was otherwise, picture perfect.

Overall -
Favourite Track: Hello, a happy ending
Sakamoto’s first album without any presence of Kanno Yoko was, well, more easy listening than “EASY LISTENING” itself. XD On a more serious note, I can’t say it is one of Sakamoto’s more popular releases, but I don’t think it was as bad as people perceive it to be. I found that it possibly showed more of Sakamoto’s personality because she had a hand in co-producing it. Sakamoto really learned a lot about producing a solid album from Kanno Yoko, and it definitely translated well on this album. There were a few blips in the album, but at the same time, there were equal number of gems too. I think anything Sakamoto could have released anything after “Shounen ALICE” and it would have been difficult to follow no matter what (that album was just that good). Even though it is easily not one of her better albums, I still find myself putting this album on quite often, so something must be drawing me in. I’m giving you a heads up right now though: some may find this album very boring if pop isn’t really your thing, and not where I would start if you’re giving her a try. However,  if you really want an album to relax to, this is what you’re looking for.

Artist: 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
Album/Single: 少年アリス (Shounen ALICE)
Release Date: December 10, 2003

1. うちゅうひこうしのうた (Uchuu hikoushi no uta)
I’m getting excited just by the thought of finally getting to review this. Anyway, this album starts off with a mellow piano and vocal duet (predominantly). There are a few other instruments and sounds that occur throughout to change the sound a bit. Sakamoto sings very gently and tenderly here and there’s just something about her singing here that really draws you in. I really like the fact that she doesn’t feel the need to belt in order to convey her emotions. I wish she had just a bit more dynamic variation, but it’s a very pretty ballad nonetheless.

2. ソラヲミロ (SORA WO MIRO)
Have you ever thought what Sakamoto Maaya would sound like if she was edgy? Well, this probably would do it. Her singing in this song is strong and powerful. I love the control she exercises throughout. You can really hear the difference in her voice here. On another note, this song really gives off a strong pop-rock band type of feel to it. For all you longtime fans, this song still has all the techniques that were used in her previous albums, like dramatic strings and challenging and leaping melodies, but it features much improved vocal work from Sakamoto which is the highlight of the song.

3. スクラップ～別れの詩 (SCRAP~Wakare no uta)
Sakamoto is really not letting up on her newly discovered edgy pop-rock voice, because this is much in the same vein of “SORA WO MIRO”, and possibly more darker and edgier. There’s a certain amount of intensity in this song that really catches my attention, and Sakamoto’s ability to captivate that sound and deliver is what really makes the sound. There isn’t strings featured in this song, and it’s more dependent on the guitar, bass and percussion. This isn’t to say that this is just another pop-rock song, it’s strong in many ways and I applaud both Sakamoto and Kanno for not putting just another generic song out there. Highly enjoyable stuff here.

4. まきばアリス! (Makiba ALICE!)
Sakamoto is really a chameleon in this album, and showing us that she’s able to tackle many different genres in this album. I guess the closest I can describe this song is acoustic pop, but it’s not like her usual acoustic pop songs (e.g. VECTOR, ALKALOID, etc). This is a really bright song and you can tell by the way it’s performed. It’s incredibly upbeat, but it’s one of its attractions. The chorus is really upbeat and catchy, it’s hard not to want to clap or sing along. One of my favourite parts here, the call and echo effect in the middle of the song, right before the very awesome instrumental interlude.

5. 真昼が雪 (Mahiru ga yuki)
Next, Sakamoto decided to give us a really sweet song, which matches the timbre of her voice perfectly. The sound of this song is really quite expected of Sakamoto, but it’s not quite the expected sound of any pop song. The accompaniment is pretty light, but it’s the excellent flow and arrangement of the song that really sets it apart. The harmonizations really work well to accentuate the melody even more. In the past, Sakamoto might have opted to sing this type of song in too much of a cutesy tone, but that isn’t the case here. She gets a good balance between sweet and substance, making it one of the more creative pop songs out there.

6. KINGFISHER GIRL (The Song of “Wish You Were Here”)
Showing us another side of Sakamoto again, here she sings in English, in possibly the best English song of her career (along with “gravity”). Kanno challenges Sakamoto this time with a difficult melody, and she’s challenged some more from the lyrics by Chris Mosdell. Sakamoto graces us with a wonderful performance. I think you can hear her voice actually lilting at some moments, adding even more character to the song. I adore the way she enters each chorus on those first two notes. She really handles them well. Until this song, she hasn’t recorded one where both her lower and higher register are really well done, so I’m really impressed and pleased by how this turned out.

7. ヒーロー (HERO)
This album has been going so well up until this point, and it totally pains me to say that I’ve never liked this song all that much. Kanno decides to give more challenging work for Sakamoto, but I find the lack of solid accompaniment hurts Sakamoto a bit in terms of tuning (she can be a bit too sharp at times). Her singing is somewhat breathy and relatively unsupported. There is something I would like to point out though. Sakamoto does show us that she can sing softly and still be well supported, because she does manage to get out some really nice notes that carry through. Though the song wasn’t that strong, it was still a good attempt.

8. 夜 (Yoru)
Of the three pop-rock songs on this album, I thought this had the most standard pop song to it. That doesn’t mean I like it any less than the others though. Much like tracks 2 & 3, Sakamoto gives us a solid vocal performance, all the while feeding character into this song. Kanno once again decided to throw in some really unconventional passing lines, which Sakamoto nailed, surprisingly. Her performance throughout the verses and contrasting choruses were fabulous. The arrangement really helped bring the song along as well, with mostly just quick strumming in the verses, and then slowly building up until the band goes all out for the choruses. The light piano work also helps to add unique sound to the overall production.

9. CALL TO ME
I don’t really know what to think of this song. It’s quite beautiful in its own little way, but sometimes it does take a bit of time for me to get settled into listening to it. Sakamoto’s enunciation isn’t as good as she has been in recent days (it’s sung in English), unfortunately. I also found that she’d put a lot of energy into the beginning of her phrases, and then die down much too quickly, taking away from the momentum of the song. I do like the way she’s singing here though. She’s showing the deeper and smoother undertones of her voice, which we don’t always get to hear when she’s singing in Japanese. The bridge is my favourite part of this song, when she sings and echoes “Hello, there you are”, etc.

10. 光あれ (Hikari are)
In 2003, Sakamoto really created a lot of new “favourites” for me, and this is definitely one of them. This is another amazing pop creation by Kanno and one that Sakamoto’s musicality was the selling point. On a musical stand point, Kanno did a great job with the composition, featuring many variations throughout the song but linking each section to each other. The arrangement is too good to be justified just by words. Probably the most noticeable feature of the song is the switches between simple and compound time. I love the effect it creates, and even though Kanno makes the change very quickly, it’s great how she still kept the flow of the song, and only taking the breaks where she needs it. Between the verse and the chorus, even though they were both written in simple time, they also have a differentiation in the overall feel of it. The choruses are more smooth and lyrical, whereas the verses are more involved in the rhythm. Even so, the entire song is very lyrical and possesses a challenging but beautiful melody. Sakamoto herself was very impressive, able to keep up with something like this, and she made this song believable. She added her own touch to the creation process by providing her own lyrics, which probably helped with the inspired sound she has in her vocal performance.

11. ちびっこフォーク (Chibikko FOLK)
It is possible to be pained by such good music? Another very strong composition by Kanno, and a breathtaking performance by Sakamoto. This song is only accompanied by an equally beautiful acoustic guitar part. (I know nothing about guitars, so I’m not sure if there’s another instrumental part here, so sorry if I’ve missed something else.) I also like the background vocal parts that provide a support for the main melody. As the title hints, this song has a very folk quality to it, and Sakamoto’s ability to sing out to her audience really plays a key role in this song.

12. Park Amsterdam (the whole story)
We got a little taste of this very optimistic song from Sakamoto’s “gravity” single, with just the opening and closing sections, but this “whole story” version has an entirely new middle section which is distinctive from everything else. The beginning and end of the song are pretty simple and calm, but the middle section contrasts that sound, to give an idea of an adventure taking place. I forgot to mention in “KINGFISHER GIRL” that Sakamoto really painted a beautiful picture as she sang, and she does it again here. I always found it fun that I could basically imagine everything that was happening in this song, and believe me, it doesn’t happen with every song out there.

13. 03
To explain myself better, I think part of the reason why I don’t like “HERO” that much, is because it starts off really similarly to “03″. Ultimately, I like “03″ much more. Sakamoto’s singing in this song is far more superior, and even though it’s a really bare song, especially in the verses, it has a mysterious beauty to it. I really love the choruses though. There are more instruments featured in the choruses, and it helps to build towards the end of the chorus. Sakamoto’s sense of phrasing is really superb in this song as well, and she nails that high note and descending line following it. I’ll admit this song isn’t for everybody, but if you have enough patience to listen to this all the way through, it is a beauty.

14. おきてがみ (Okitegami)
Sakamoto ends off her 4th studio album the way she began it: a piano and vocal duet (and this time without the minimal programming in the back). There isn’t much to comment here, but I mean that in a good way. I like the piano accompaniment and the melody is a very sweet one, very suitable for Sakamoto. A lot of times, when an artist ends with a ballad, it can be very underwhelming. That is not the case here. Sakamoto delivers her A-game in a relatively simple, but incredibly charming song.

Overall -
Favourite Track: Hikari Are, Chibikko FOLK
I had a very hard time picking favourites off of this album, much like NIKOPACHI. Even though I was able to list them this time, it doesn’t mean I like the rest of the album any less. Megumi and I both agree that this is Sakamoto’s best album to date. There is a blend of artistry, maturity and technical improvements throughout this album. This is the last full length album where Sakamoto fully collaborated with Kanno Yoko, and it was a masterpiece. The compositions were challenging and superb, but Sakamoto showed us that she can put out a solid album, independent of her work with anime. Again, I love the improvement that she showcased in this album, and I’m very impressed. Between this release and NIKOPACHI, it’s no wonder why 2003 was my favourite year of Sakamoto releases. Fan or not, if you really like your pop, then I highly recommend this album.

Artist: 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
Album/Single: ニコパチ (NIKOPACHI)
Release Date: July 11, 2003

1. 夜明けのオクターブ (Yoake no OCTAVE)
Almost two years after Sakamoto’s previous solo release (in album form), she begins her second collections album with a very short, but incredible cute song. Even though this song was never used for its purpose, I’m still very happy that Sakamoto decided to include it in this album. This song follows a typical ABC form, with each section broken up with spoken parts. I love the piano work that goes along with it. There’s a lot of variation within this song that helps keep my attention all the way through. Even though it’s one of those typical “cutesy” songs, I still find it really clever and a nice, lighthearted welcome back from Sakamoto.

2. ヘミソフィア (HEMISPHERE)
Next, Sakamoto presents us with what I think is one of her best works to date. The programming is top notch, clean and well thought out, with strings weaving throughout the piece. The strings also provide a more powerful transition between sections. I really like the way Sakamoto starts out with a more gentle approach in the verses, and slowly builds up to the prechorus (separated by a very effective break with only the percussion leading for a beat), and then straight into the big chorus. I love her singing throughout, and the harmonizing is beautiful. Everything about this song is fantastic. Sakamoto makes it sound so easy to do, but this song is very quick and there isn’t much room for her to take a breather. I’m surprised I’m not hearing her gasp for air in the middle of the chorus. My favourite part of the song is when she comes in with the original chorus the very last time, with minimal accompaniment. Again, sounds easy, but quite difficult to keep from rushing significantly with such a light accompaniment behind her. It makes it all the more impressive to hear her on beat with the rest of the song, and then go right into the big variation of the chorus, where the average tone is much higher and harder to maintain. Lastly, the outro of the song is gorgeous, even though it’s just a lot of descending lines. Kanno really outdid herself musically, and Sakamoto really stepped up her game to deliver.

3. ダニエル (DANIELLE -or Daniel, I don’t know-)
Slowing down a lot, Sakamoto continues to ride on her wave of strong material released within the last 2 years. This song is very touching, and Sakamoto really sings out to the audience here. She’s claimed that she doesn’t understand English, and I always find that difficult to believe, especially when she sings with all the nuances of somebody who is fluent (maybe even better). I do like the acoustic feel to this song, and probably makes it great to perform in lives, but it’s Sakamoto’s musicality that really sells this one.

4. バイク (BIKE)
This is definitely a throwback to her “DIVE” days, but refined. I feel that Sakamoto’s level of performance has really went up a notch, and she can handle a song of this calibre better than she has in the past. She really opens up at the beginning of the chorus in such a lovely way. She does have a few rough spots though, mostly in the high notes in the chorus. The bridge of the song is really strange, and a nice break. The dry beat against the accompaniment actually contrasts the smooth, surreal sound the rest of the song has, but then blends in to bring the song back into the original sound by the end of the section. Just another one of Kanno’s awesome composing techniques. The arrangement of this song is really well done. I’ve been going on about how much Sakamoto has improved, but the same could be said about Kanno Yoko.

5. しっぽのうた (Shippo no Uta)
Another incredibly cute song, but it’s a nice break from all the very serious music Sakamoto has been putting out (not that we needed a break)! I personally like “Yoake no OCTAVE” more, possibly because of the strong piano accompaniment in it, but this is just as enjoyable. It’s not just limited to piano and vocal, but the piano is still very prominent. In order to add more spice to the song, there’s a lot going on with the programming, like random sound effects (but I’m sure they weren’t meant to be random), and even voice filters over certain sections of Sakamoto’s singing. It’s just a song that’s meant to be fun, and that’s exactly what it is!

6. 指輪－23カラット－(Yubiwa -23 karat-)
This is one of my personal favourites (I have a lot of those when it comes to Sakamoto), but it is one heck of a ballad. Again, Sakamoto delivers this ballad in such a touching way, it’s hard not to like it. The chorus is absolutely fantastic, and I find that Sakamoto shows most of her emotion during that point of the song. The melody is just plain beautiful. I thought Kanno made a good choice in using a AABCBD (D being the outro, or chorus extension if you will) form. Sakamoto also doesn’t go a second go to waste, taking care to express every moment. There are no words to describe how beautiful the song really is.

On a side note, this differs from the original in its programming, with less emphasis on the beat, and giving it a more ethereal sound. It also sounds like Sakamoto re-recorded the song. The original has a lovely guitar intro to it though, so you should give that a listen as well!

7. 音楽 (Ongaku)
This song starts off with just two notes alternating, and chimes to emphasize certain beats (mostly the first beat of each bar with a few exceptions). Some of those chimes are omitted and it gives Sakamoto a bit of trouble keeping the time. Once more of the accompaniment (with strings being the most prominent) comes in, Sakamoto is put back on track. The rhythm in this song is really just kind of strange. I’m not a big fan of those alternating tones because I feel they break up the song a bit too obviously and interrupts the flow of the song too much. I like the second verse and prechorus though, with the dramatic strings accompanying Sakamoto instead. The melody of this song is really nice, and Sakamoto does a good job delivering once again. The accompaniment might have not been the cleanest thing out there, but overall, it’s still a lovely song.

8. みどりのはね (Midori no hane)
I was a little surprised to find out this also had a “Napple Tale” tie-in, because it’s not really along the cute vein as with the other two songs. Actually, this song is more like a soothing ballad, with lovely harmonization. I really, really like the accompaniment though, especially the guitar. The strings against the acoustic guitar really give it a unique sound, because they sound so majestic whereas the guitar gives the song a more folk-like sound.

9. シマシマ (SHIMA SHIMA)
Earlier, I said “BIKE” was a throwback to “DIVE”, well, the style of this song is fitting for something off of “Lucy”. There isn’t much acoustic-pop written into it, as it depends more on electric instruments, but the melody is similar to something like “Mameshiba”. It’s really upbeat, and fun to listen to. What really attracted me to this song is how you can hear how far along Sakamoto’s voice has developed. I always found her lower register stronger than her upper register, but you can really hear how much more control she has in her comfort zone now than before.

10. キミドリ (KIMIDORI)
Again, this is something very “Lucy”-ish, but even if it wasn’t, it’d still be amazing. The opening is really something, with just the guitar and its syncopated rhythms. Sakamoto’s melody line is also rhythmic and she does really well with it, hitting each beat. She was on the verge of rushing but pulled back enough so that she wasn’t. Once the rest of the accompaniment kicks in, she gets into gear and without fearing that she’ll runaway with the melody, she sings more confidently and brings out the true character of the melody with her stylistic interpretation.

11. tune the rainbow
Four tracks ago, I said “Yubiwa” was a personal favourite of mine, but I semi-lied. I have a very big soft spot for ‘tune the rainbow’, and it is possibly my favourite ballad from any artist. I don’t usually comment on the lyrics, but I can’t help but mention how beautiful they are here. Not only that, the lyrics of this song work so well with the composition, it was as if they were made for each other. There is something about this song that always surprises me as well. I can listen to this song multiple times, and find something new and interesting each time. There are so many intricate details of this song, but Kanno makes it sound so effortless, as if there was nothing going on in this song. Moving onto Sakamoto herself, her interpretation of this song is spot on. Her singing in this song is very clean and appropriate, really feeling the music and bringing out the nuances of the song (yes, I had to use that phrase again because it’s so damn good). Technically, it’s not a difficult song to sing, but Sakamoto doesn’t make it sound like “this is an easy song, so I can cruise”. It’s one of the qualities I like about her as a vocalist, she takes on every song with effort, regardless of the level of difficulty, which allows her to really sell the image and sound she’s trying to create.

12. Toto
Just like “Danielle”, Sakamoto is able to sing this song with a lot of emotion even though her understanding of English is questionable. Vocally, she sort of pinches her sound a bit in this song, making her sound a bit screechy at times, and her lower notes a bit flat. On the other hand, I don’t think I’ve ever heard her tackle a song in such a high register as cleanly as she has done in this song. I’m not a big fan of the keyboard sound that Kanno picked out, but I guess she did it for the ringing effect it leaves behind (because the sound really does linger). There a whole bunch of instruments here and there too, but I usually only pay attention to the percussion and the keyboard.

13. Here
In contrast to the previous song, this one begins with a gorgeous acoustic guitar solo, and then Sakamoto joins in with what sounds like another guitar. Sakamoto has a rough start, taking a bit of time to settle into the key, and I suspect it’s because some of those notes are slightly out of her range or harder for her to reach. She does settle in eventually, and just in time to sing her heart out during the chorus. She does an amazing job singing out. The way she sings “another scar” is powerful and lovely. I really prefer the acoustic sound of this song over “Toto”, but Kanno still manages to steal a moment to keep the ethereal theme during the instrumental interlude. This entire song is just breathtaking.

14. ベクトル (VECTOR)
I really like “VECTOR”, but I can’t help but like it a little less when it has to follow “Here”. Both are acoustic-based songs, but the strumming in this song in comparison to the previous track just doesn’t seem as special. Sakamoto’s vocal work is better here than “Here” (XD), but it’s mostly because she’s sitting in her comfort zone, which allows her to focus on all other aspects of the song. She does hit the really low notes in the verses a lot better than she did one track ago. Most of the song has some strong singing from her, but the end could use a bit more vibrato and flow at the held notes. Otherwise, if you really give this song a good listen, it’s a solid acoustic-pop song, with some nice strings to support the chorus and end off the song. I really do feel bad for “VECTOR” being sandwiched in between two very awesome songs. It just makes it seem less worthy, even though it’s good in it’s own respect (see next track).

15. The Garden of Everything ~電気ロケットに君を連れ~ feat. Steve Conte (Denki ROCKET ni kimi wo tsurete)
I fell in love with this song the minute I heard it. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how impressive it really is. It starts off with gentle chording on a keyboard (I think), and Steve Conte. He has a really smooth tone and I love the timbre of his voice as it suits this song perfectly. The second verse features Sakamoto doing a bit more background vocals. Once you get to the first chorus, the accompaniment get busier, but still very calm and gentle. You’ll notice immediately Conte continues with the English melody and Sakamoto gets to sing this stunning countermelody sung in Japanese (it’s a melody taken from an opera, “Prince Igor”), paving way for more of a duet for the rest of the song. The song picks up yet again in the next verses, still in two part harmony. When the verse repeats again, it is the first and only time you’ll hear Conte and Sakamoto singing in unison (an octave apart). Most often, you’ll hear a huge clash of voices, and tuning problems everywhere, but I have to hand it to these two because they blend so well together. I can’t even describe it. After that, we get into the really awesome part with the programming becoming upbeat and remaining that way for the rest of the song. Everything is still the same, but the atmosphere changes complete, with Conte sounding more powerful and Sakamoto, more dramatic. Point being, this song is a blend of perfection. This song really makes me think Kanno is an absolute genius.

16. gravity
If I wasn’t mistaken, I would’ve thought Sakamoto just put out an English mini-album. She closes this collection with what I think is her best English song she’s recorded. I love the chord progression of this song, because it will build and then settle, and it repeats this way. The credit goes to Sakamoto for being at her best once again. She really nails those accidentals nicely, all the while, giving a musically pleasing performance.

Overall -
Favourite Track: Is it possible to list the entire album?
I was really blown away by how amazing this album was. Both Sakamoto and Kanno returned with some of the best work they’ve done together, and it surely doesn’t disappoint. Everything about Sakamoto changed, and it’s very noticeable with this album. You can even hear the evidence of her massive improvement as an artist just by listening to “VECTOR”, which was recorded back in 2000, and then “gravity” which was recorded in 2003. Ok, I’ll stop. This review is already too long because I was obsessing over it. I’ll let the album speak for itself.

Artist: 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
Album/Single: Easy Listening
Release Date: August 8, 2001

1. Inori
Sakamoto’s first EP begins with an ethereal type of song. I kind of like the way Sakamoto changes the way she sings the chorus and verses. During the verses, it sounds like she’s the only one there, but in the chorus she sings it in a way that makes her seem like it’s background vocals. I think the chorus sounds very beautiful and haunting. On some of those held notes, Sakamoto does fall a bit flat before she gets on pitch. This song can get (or be) a bit boring sometimes, but it’s a very good listen if you’re up for it. I will say that for this type of song though, it does get a bit on the long side.

2. Blind Summer Fish
The start of this song really doesn’t sound that promising, especially with the atypical sounds for the accompaniment. That twanging sound only comes up interludes though. Despite that, I still like how the programming is balanced with Sakamoto’s voice so that nothing is overtaking the other. The highlight of this song is the melody though. I love the way it sounds and how it flows. Continuing on Sakamoto’s vocal improvement from “Lucy”, she’s still singing with more confidence and substance. In this song though, technically, she needs a bit of work. She has a few nice notes here and there, but I would still like to here her support herself better and not strain as much on those high notes.

3. Doreddo 39
This album is beginning to feel like a bit experimental in terms of style and sound. Here is yet another song with some unique sounds in the accompaniment that we’re not used to hearing from Sakamoto. I’ve always found this song fun to listen to, even if I feel that it’s a bit on the busy side. On a good note, I think the fast-paced accompaniment really serves to push Sakamoto to sing out more. She does a good job of that and actually, the way she sings this entire song is great. She’s full of energy and not letting the heavy accompaniment direct the song, but is bringing the song from beginning to end on her own terms. My favourite part of the song has to be the bridge though. The only thing that surprises me a bit is that it doesn’t quite fit in with the “Easy Listening” theme.

4. Afternoon Repose
We finally get to slow down with the first real ballad of the EP. Right away, you hear Sakamoto singing in vowels (which turn out a little flat right at the beginning, but it gets better). Even in this seemingly simple ballad, Sakamoto is challenged by the higher level of English she’s singing in. At this point, this is probably one of the harder English songs she’s tackled. I really love the accompaniment of this song. It’s a nice blend of programmed sounds and acoustic instruments, and they both work together to bring out the other. Vocally, this song is pretty slow, and has a number of held notes throughout. Sakamoto gets in the habit of falling flat here and there (especially in the chorus), probably because of those long notes. She still does manage to phrase quite nicely though. With all the critical stuff aside, this is still one beautiful ballad.

5. Bittersweet
You’ll hear me complain a lot about generic midtempo songs and how boring they get, but this song doesn’t fall into that category. I don’t know what it is, but this song is great to listen to. I like the sounds they chose in the programming. It varies enough to keep your interest, but not so much that it sounds like they were just sounds randomly selected and thrown together. Everything was very well-planned and crafted. The melody is quite nice, but unfortunately here, I wish Sakamoto had sung with a bit more substance. She took on a more light and breathy tone that doesn’t compliment the full tones of the deep programming.

6. Another Grey Day in the Big Blue World
Where “Afternoon Repose” was a gentle and serene ballad, this is a more powerful and moving ballad. This would be the first time that Sakamoto sang two full songs in English. Once again, you can hear her struggle with the English a bit, in the midst of the challenging vocal work she’s doing. Unfortunately, she’s not enunciating as well as she usually does, so it’s sometimes hard to hear what she’s singing. The chorus is very awkward sound (intentionally). Personally, I don’t mind because the chorus holds a bit of dissonance in the harmonies, not uncommon to 20th century music (and I’m a very big fan), so I’m liking the sound it produces. Sakamoto’s struggle with those very high notes is quite noticeable though. The highlight of the song for me is the arrangement and instrumentation. The piano is played quite well, helping to bring the song along, and the instrumental solo/interlude was very well done.

7. Birds
This is a wonderful way to end off this album. Sakamoto definitely was saving the best for last. I really like how the song progresses. The chord progression is interesting, but along with the melody, flows very, very well. I love how different instruments are featured throughout, but each one of them does their part to strengthen the song. Once the chorus breaks out, Sakamoto gives out a solid and strong performance. I love the couple of lines preceeding the chorus though. The way Sakamoto sets herself up for the chorus is fantastic. She does miss some of those ornamentations, but when she gets them, they sound great. I love how she tackles the melody though. It’s a gorgeous part for her, but there are a number of leaps in chorus which she handles very nicely. The verses are a bit uncharacteristic from a typical melody. It creates an interesting sound, but once again, provides more challenge for Sakamoto than she’s normally subject to. Nonetheless, this song was a job well done, and they really sold it to the listeners.

Overall -
Favourite Track: Birds
It was really hard to just put down “Birds” as my only favourite track from this album, because after that song, about 4 others follow in very closely. EPs are often used as a vehicle to explore new things in an artists career, and while this album might not go far beyond Sakamoto’s comfort zone in terms of style of songs, there are plenty of other areas where they experimented. The performance level and difficulty certainly went up with this album, and I like to hear an artist be challenged with something new or more difficult than they’re used to. It really felt like this album helped her grow as an artist. The production was also quite different than what we’ve heard for the last three albums she put out, and it felt like there was more focus on the programming. I really liked the overall product and much like her second EP (30minutes night flight), it’s definitely worth it to pick this up.

Artist: 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
Album/Single: Lucy
Release Date: March 28, 2001

1. Lucy
I love this short opener for Sakamoto’s 3rd album. I find this piano solo incredibly cute, but incredibly pretty. The strings really add a nice touch to it as well. I just adore the overall sound to this little piece.

2. マメシバ (MAMESHIBA)
The first vocal song of this album begins with a very acoustic feel with the acoustic guitar strumming throughout. Most of the other instruments overpower the guitar though, so the guitar isn’t as prominent as one would think, but it still serves as the basis for this song. The melody of this song is sweet and strong. I like the uplifting feel to it. The entire song sounds impressively cohesive with all the parts and sections of the song woven into the other. It’s one of those songs that you hardly notice when the chorus rolls around, but you find yourself singing along anyway. Just to toss things up a bit, the bridge slows down and gives a more majestic feel to it before the piano brings it back to the regular sound of the song.

3. ストロボの空 (Strobe no sora)
Once again, this song gives a strong acoustic feel, especially with the piano and guitar supporting Sakamoto the most. Even for Kanno, her pop works are evidently improving with the production of this album. I really like the flow of this song, even when it stopped a bit just before the chorus. It was the perfect build up into the chorus. Sakamoto’s vocals sound a bit strained during the chorus, but cleaner than they were in her previous two albums. The harmonies really are quite well done in this song as well. Although pleasant, this song is lacking a bit, so I find it hard to keep my attention all the way through sometimes.

4. アルカロイド (Alkaloid)
I really like the opening of this song, before it moves into something more funky, and eventually cute. Not surprisingly, Sakamoto manages to pull off the cute thing with style. It gives me this really cute bouncy feeling (especially during the chorus), but with some maturity. Actually, it makes her sound totally mischievous. She provides great character and entertainment, and Kanno provides more well thought-out arrangements. The ending is kind of unique in the sense with its descending lines and heavy harmonies, but great work producing such an enjoyable listen.

5. 紅茶 (Koucha)
Sakamoto shows off her growth as an artist and person through this lovely number. Her singing here demonstrates the development its gone through. In the past, when Sakamoto would sing with tenderness, it would turn out really light, airy and unsupported, but here, there’s a lot more substance while she still maintains the gentle feeling she wants to portray. I really like the arrangement with the programming and strings to add a nice touch to it. The programming is not overdone like a lot of songs are these days. It’s very clever and works together with the rest of the song, not sounding repetitive (which it actually is) or stale.

6. 木登りと赤いスカート (Kinobori to akai Skirt)
As much as I adore this album, I really could never fully get into this song. I think it’s a step up from her previous recordings of similar songs, but this song always proved to be more annoying than entertaining. The way it’s sung makes it feel more like a children’s choir than Sakamoto due to the heavy layering of background vocals. I’ve never felt this song moved beyond the “cute song” status, because that’s what it basically is. There isn’t much movement or anything special about it particularly. If you enjoyed Sakamoto’s earlier works, this is a throwback to that sound, but I personally was enjoying the tracks prior to this song. I have to say that it probably works well for little children though.

7. Life is good
Moving on, Sakamoto gives us yet another cute song, but not in the lines of the previous track. I love the pop-rock sound this has, and Sakamoto is showing off her improved English here. I really like how she sings this song, because it’s as if she’s inviting everybody along to go waste time. By this time, you might be able to pick out certain passages and techniques Kanno has been using throughout this album, but I would say she made particularly good use of them here by blending in them into what would be a simple pop song otherwise.

8. Honey bunny
Mischievous Maaya is back! Only she can sing “Honey bunny” in a way that isn’t cute (I mean that in a good way). The instrumentation is pretty light in this song, and usually it would probably come out dry, but Kanno infuses it with a lot of substance that keeps it from that. I really like the piano solo in between the first two sections. Sakamoto does a great job moving from one section to the next and was really bang on with her interpretation.

9. Tシャツ (T-Shirt)
I’m really impressed by how Sakamoto is putting out stuff like “Honey bunny”, which vocally isn’t particularly impressive in anyway (because it wasn’t meant to be), but she’ll turn around and deliver a great vocal performance such as this one. I love how this song really builds up, and Sakamoto keeps up. There are a couple of notes that get pretty high, but Sakamoto doesn’t let them affect the rest of her performance, easily transitioning from them to the lower notes. I like the tone she’s using here. Much like “Koucha”, it has more substance than what we’ve heard in the past. The underlying sounds of this song sound familiar to the material off of “DIVE”, but upgraded to “Lucy” style. No doubt, not only has Sakamoto’s level improved, but so has the production level.

10. 空気と星 (Kuuki to hoshi)
Never discredit Sakamoto from producing a stunning ballad. Her voice isn’t as strong as it was in “T-shirt” or “Koucha”, but still quite lovely. The simplicity of the song really adds to the atmosphere and beauty of the song. The accompaniment remains pretty quiet and gentle, and the strings in the background add a nice touch to the sound, but their obviously not the focus of the song.

11. Rule ~色褪せない日々 (RULE ~Iro asenai hibi)
Now this is a song that embodies the overall sound of this album. It has just about everything: improved and great singing from Sakamoto; a cute but refined sound; acoustic pop; cohesive composition by Kanno. This song is very enjoyable and fun to listen to. Individually, all the aspects of this song don’t stand out, but the way they were brought together created a unique and strong product.

12. 私は丘の上から花瓶を投げる (Watashi wa okano ue kara kabin wo nageru)
To end off Sakamoto’s 3rd studio effort, she presents to us a pop-rock ballad. The melody is pretty standard, but it’s the arrangement that sets it apart. It’s not something you would usually here in a pop-rock ballad, but it does feel overly experimental either. Something about the arrangement of this song has always caught my attention, despite it’s initial lacklustre impression. The song certainly gets better as it progresses. I really like how Sakamoto sounds for the most part, minus those really high notes that she doesn’t quite hit. Nevertheless, it’s a very nice way to close the album, and I don’t skip over it for that reason.

Overall –
Favourite Track: Koucha
Sakamoto’s third album was no doubt, a major improvement from “DIVE”, and it remained one of my favourite albums for a while (until I heard “Shounen Alice”). In this album, she took a more active role by writing the lyrics to majority of the songs. Her effort also didn’t go without notice, as it was her first studio album to break into the top 20 on the ORICON charts. What I really liked about this album was the fact that it was a standard pop album, but with a unique twist. On the surface, it’s all been done, but Kanno is very good with putting in subtle nuances that make you appreciate even the most basic song out there. I’m also very happy with Sakamoto’s improved singing, having some very nice moments in most of her songs. If you like pop, you’ll love this album.

Artist: 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
Album/Single: Hotchpotch
Release Date: December 16, 1999

1. 約束はいらない (Yakusoku wa iranai)
When I first reviewed it, I just pointed out some of the more obvious points, but something I failed to mention was that Sakamoto really handles herself well in this song. After her first and second album, it’s quite clear that she does struggle as a singer and she doesn’t sound great in everything she does, but this is not the case here. She has pretty good tuning throughout, nailing all of those accidentals that Kanno threw into this song. It’s quite an intriguing sound too. For the first song Sakamoto released, this was done very well with extremely solid singing.

2. ともだち (Tomodachi)
There’s something about how Sakamoto sang all of the songs with an Escaflowne tie-in. Sometimes I wonder if she sang it as “Hitomi Kanzaki” or as “Sakamoto Maaya”. Either way, it worked for her, and it was a great result. This original version is much better than her English rendition, and I find that it has a certain tenderness to it that was lacking in the English version (possibly because of the language barrier). Sakamoto’s tone is a tiny bit heavy, and not as good as it was in “Yakusoku wa iranai”, but she still does a good job to complement Kanno’s beautiful, yet simple arrangement.

3. ボクラの歴史 (Bokura no rekishi)
What I like about this song is that it has a certain level of spunk to it, but it’s still very cute, and very much like the early Sakamoto Maaya sound. Sakamoto shows off a nice lower range whenever she sings “bokura no rekishi nara”. I really like how bright Sakamoto’s voice sounds when she sings this song. Some of the higher notes could have been cleaned up a bit, but her overall performance was still quite good.

4. Gift
Even though we’ve only moved onto Sakamoto’s 3rd A-side, you can really hear her voice developing into something much more mature. Much like “Bokura no rekishi”, it’s still very cute, but with a different spin on it. I find that the accompaniment was arranged in the same spunk and cuteness as her other songs, but the melody and the way it is sung shows off a more mature side of things. It’s still quite enjoyable and upbeat though.

5. 君に会いにいこう (Kimi ni ai ni ikou)
I can’t say that I like the B-side to “Gift” as much unfortunately. Sakamoto returns with a full out cute song, but this type brings out a really light tone from Sakamoto that isn’t well supported. She doesn’t really change up the way she sings and thus lacks phrasing and dynamic change throughout, making it too robotic, particularly in the chorus. If you like cute music, this might be for you, just don’t expect to be blown away.

6. 光の中へ (Hikari no naka e)
I absolutely adore this song, from the beautiful accompaniment to Sakamoto’s fabulous intrepretation. The piano serves as a very prominent instrument in this song, and I love how it has taken its own character in this song, often providing countermelodies. The other instruments that were worked in with the piano are just where they should be, and they create a lovely sound altogether. The melody itself is very strong, working well with the lyrics and message of the song. I find that it brings out the best in everything, including Sakamoto’s performance. On the technical side of things, Sakamoto is a tiny bit on the light side, and I wished she has a bit more substance in her tone when singing this, but otherwise, everything else is just so darn good.

7. Light of Love
I don’t know how this song manages to get away with being nearly 8 minutes long (especially when the intro is a pretty standard half minute). Sakamoto is singing out some more here, and the ever-changing accompaniment does seem to distract her too much. I love how there are very dramatic strings going on throughout. I really like how the “Light of Love” harmonies sound, even though they aren’t always spot on, but when they are, they sound fantastic. After the instrumental interlude, the song changes pace and there’s a great outro for the track, with a less dramatic but more uplifting sound. Needless to say, this song certainly does feel lengthy, but amazingly doesn’t sound 8 minutes long (it feels like it only lasts about 6).

8. 奇跡の海 (Kiseki no umi)
I wouldn’t have imagined this song to be Sakamoto’s best-selling single for 10 years (until Triangler came along), especially because it never even cracked the Top 40 (note: many of her later hits made it into the Top 20, some even in the Top 10). I love the overall sound of this song. It has a lot of character, and a flowing melody to go with it. I found Sakamoto’s technical performance for this song was just ok, and definitely doesn’t showcase her best singing. It’s certainly lacking a bit of power and believe me, this can be a powerful song. Despite that, it’s evident that Sakamoto isn’t bored when she’s singing, and despite some technical problems, she is demonstrating a lot of character. The accompaniment is fantastic once again, with clever integration of vocal calls, strings, and an addicting beat from the percussion (which sound like bongos or congos to me – something along those lines).

9. ACTIVE HEART
“ACTIVE HEART” has never been anywhere close to the top of the list of favourites from Sakamoto. The verses are pretty standard and nice as they usually are, but the chorus can really drive me up the wall sometimes. The don’t really like how each section flows into the other. They aren’t bad transitions, and in fact, they’re pretty good and run pretty smoothly throughout, but I always found this song kind of awkward sounding for some reason. This song is pretty typical for Sakamoto, but it’s not one of the better ones, nor does it contain her best singing, so I end up skipping it most of the time.

10. パイロット (PILOT)
I’ve never understood why Sakamoto decided to include this song in her singles collection. Perhaps it’s a personal favourite of hers. Maybe it’s here to take the place as a representative of her second album. It’s not really out of place, and actually it fits in with the rest of the songs on this tracklist, I just don’t think represents her that well. If it is supposed to represent her second album, I can’t say I would be convinced to purchase “DIVE” just by this song alone. Everybody has a point in their careers where their singing kind of takes a bad turn, and it seems that the songs released in 1998 are basically that.

11. プラチナ (PURACHINA)
Moving along, we’re now in 1999, and it was almost a year before Sakamoto released anything musically. Luckily that mini-hiatus really seemed to renew her interest in her music. PURACHINA (a.k.a. Platinum), is a great song on its own, but Sakamoto really breathes new life into it. I like the string addition to the song, and gives it a different flavour than if they had not been present. I love the upbeat and optimistic sound to this song, and it really matches Sakamoto’s personality, which is evident when you listen to her sing it. She lacks some vibrato in her higher register, which would have make the song sound cleaner, but it’s very clear that she’s developed more power in her voice.

12. 24
I would say this cute acoustic number isn’t as good as the dramatic “Platinum”, but there are some key notes that need to be pointed out. First of all, Sakamoto’s English has improved immensely, and you’re basically able to make out virtually everything she sings. She still has a noticeable accent, but she pronounces some words remarkably well for somebody who doesn’t know English. The second point is that her lower register has developed quite well too. This entire song hovers around the lower notes and Sakamoto sounds quite comfortable there (and sounding pretty good too). I personally like the character she’s putting into the song, and it doesn’t sound as deadpan as “MY BEST FRIEND” from “Grapefruit”.

13. 恋人について (Koibito ni tsuite)
If you listen to Sakamoto enough, you begin to realize she’s one of the few people who can take incredibly cute music and still manage to make it sound nice (as opposed to sickeningly cute). It probably has a lot to do with Kanno’s clever arrangements, and the incorporation of beautiful strings in the background probably help too. In this song, there are a couple of layered voices under Sakamoto’s as she sings the melody. It kind of clashes, and by the way she’s singing, it’s not always perfectly in tune, but (and I don’t say this often), it oddly works with the song. Wouldn’t say it’s my favourite though. ^^;

14. ポケットを空にして (POKETTO wo kara ni shite)
Leave it to Sakamoto to win me over with this song. That’s all she has to do – stick this anywhere in an album and I’m suckered in. My opinions of this song haven’t changed since I’ve written the review of it from her first album, but then again, my opinions of this song haven’t changed in the last 7 or 8 years either, so it’s really no surprise. Quite the enjoyable listen, and even though it was meant as an Escaflowne insert/image song, I found that never kept Sakamoto from making it her own.

15. CALL YOUR NAME
There isn’t much to say about this song. It’s quite simple and a quiet song. The melody isn’t particularly complicated and is a bit repetitive. The chorus is kind of strange sounding. I think Kanno and Sakamoto were going for a more mystic feeling. The accompaniment does build in the middle, but for the most part, the keyboard is the main instrument played. Sakamoto’s singing is a bit undersupported, in her attempts to match the quietness of the song. I liked how it ended off the album, as it provides closure after the infectious “POKETTO wo kara ni shite”, but it isn’t a great standalone song.

Overall –
Favourite Track: POKETTO wo kara ni shite, Hikari no naka e
Sakamoto’s first compilation album is a great representation of her music since her debut. It also brought together her hits from the Escaflowne franchise spread across several OSTs, so it’s a great album to have if you’re a fan of Sakamoto or Escaflowne. Sakamoto usually is good with putting together singles collections that are worth your money to buy, especially in terms of value, unless of course, you are one of those people that collect just about everything. Save for a few tracks that I just simply didn’t like, this album is quite solid and definitely one to have if you’re a casual, or hardcore fan.

Artist: Sakamoto Maaya
Album/Single: DIVE
Release Date: December 14, 1998

1. I.D.
A year and a half after her debut album, Sakamoto returns with her sophomore album, sounding slightly more mature to start off. She still has some of her cute little notions when she sings in a serious but uplifting song, however, she sounds like she’s picked up a few musical tricks working with Kanno over that time. It seems as if she is beginning to develop her own sense of the music, with a few nice moments coming out naturally. The outro is very pop, and allows her to get back into her comfort zone after having a go at something she’s not very used to. I think this song is an improvement over the opening track of her debut album, but still in the same style. The strings really add a nice touch, but I didn’t like the fade out effect at the end that much.

2. 走る (Album Ver.) (Hashiru)
I don’t think I’ve ever been able to pinpoint the difference between this version and the single version (possibly because I might actually have the same version labelled differently). Anyway, I love how the strings open the song, and I especially like the part where it builds and the rest of the strings join in. Kanno really did some awesome work with the arrangement and rhythms. That little whistle right before Sakamoto sings is kind of annoying though. Otherwise, this song quickly becomes an upbeat, acoustic song. In comparison to the opening track, Sakamoto’s vocals sound a bit lacklustre here. She doesn’t sing with much tone, and she’s kind of flat throughout. Other than the instrumentation, I don’t really like it because Sakamoto fails to make this song interesting in her performance.

3. Baby Face
The opening of this song is so cute, but sneaky. Again, Kanno is doing a great job with the arrangement, using a variety of instruments and placing them well. It’s a great accompaniment, especially during the opening and verses. I love the double bass work with the piano. The chorus opens into a more typical pop sound where Sakamoto gets a little too comfortable and drops her performance level from her good interpretation during the verses. I can’t blame her too much though, because she probably doesn’t even know what she’s singing about. I’ll say her English has come a long way since “grapefruit”, and she sounds a bit more into it. A bit of a hit-or-miss in terms of Sakamoto’s performance, but not a bad song overall.

4. 月曜の朝 (Getsuyou no Asa)
I don’t even know how to classify this song. I’ll say it’s pretty spastic when it comes to the arrangement, but kind of cool. I love the synthesizer work in the explosive choruses. The verses are kind of subdued with a consistent keyboard backing Sakamoto up. She doesn’t sing with much emotion throughout the verses, but her performance eventually picks up as the accompaniment becomes more interesting. I wouldn’t say her phrasing is the best in this song, but it somehow worked out with this type of song that I hardly noticed until I started writing this. The song overall has a very haunting feel to it, but it’s also unique..

5. パイロット (Pilot)
Sakamoto’s first ballad on this album is a bit disappointing. It’s not very interesting overall, so sometimes I have to be in the right mood to actually listen to it. I actually like the verses because it’s soothing to listen to, as Sakamoto sings over mostly an acoustic guitar. The chorus gets a little strange and starts to give off a surreal feeling to it. She doesn’t necessarily get the notes, especially the higher ones, and they end off awkwardly.

6. Heavenly Blue
Following the slightly awkward ballad, Sakamoto presents us with a funky number. I really like the nice touch that the brass instruments add to the song. It really brings in more character to the song, especially because there isn’t very much in the accompaniment asides from the brass instruments and random programming. The base of it all seems to rely on a bass line and a constant percussion beat. I find this song quite pleasing to listen to, and it’s the type of optimistic sound that Sakamoto carries with most of her music. Suits her quite well.

7. ピース (Peace)
Bringing on another funky song, this one moves faster than “Heavenly Blue”, and it’s just as enjoyable to listen to. I love the bass line to this song. The consistent percussion and brass section are present, much like its predecessor. The singing isn’t anything particularly special, but I find that Sakamoto sings with more character here though. It sounds like she was challenged to sing this song well, allowing her to express herself more and grow as a singer.

8. ユッカ (Yucca)
Next, Sakamoto moves on with a more pop-sounding song, but still keeping with the cute image that she usually upholds. I really like how she performs the chorus. She has a nice vibrato throughout it, and she’s singing in a lovely way throughout those passages. The verses sound like the may need a teeny bit more work, but they’re fairly well done nonetheless. I feel that Sakamoto could have used just a bit more energy throughout. She’s singing well, but a little on the bored side.

9. ねこといぬ (Neko to inu)
Slowing things down tremendously, Sakamoto presents us with a simpler song with the keyboard being her main accompaniment. It does feature light percussion and strings as well with the strings building as the song progresses though, giving a more muddy sound. I’ve always found this song a bit awkward to listen to. The melody doesn’t work all that well with Sakamoto’s singing, nor does the accompaniment. The feel of this song is supposed to be very surreal, but Sakamoto’s voice doesn’t blend in with the rest of the song. To me, this sounds like an awesome 20th century type of piece, and the sound is very Kanno Yoko-like, but maybe a bit too much that it doesn’t show much of what Sakamoto Maaya is like.

10. 孤独 (Kodoku)
Kanno showing more versatility here, and composing a track that suits Sakamoto more than the former, we return to the typical acoustic pop stuff that’s within Sakamoto’s comfort zone. I really love the set up for the chorus, which makes it sound like a very optimistic pop song, but when the chorus rolls around, it gives off a sound that has a certain hardship to it. Sakamoto sings with a lot of musicality here, but her actual singing isn’t as good as it could be, with her tone sounding somewhat dull and on the flat side. Nonetheless, I still enjoy listening to this song, as I find it was a solid effort put in by her. I also love the guitar solo right at the end – very lovely.

11. DIVE
The beginning of this song starts off with sounds as if you were in a submarine underwater – kind of fitting don’t you think? Eventually, the strings come in for the intro followed by a gentle acoustic guitar to accompany Sakamoto. I find this is another song that suits Sakamoto quite well, although her singing here is a bit rough in comparison to the overall atmosphere of the song. Although it’s not an overly challenging song to perform, it does contain a lot of long notes, and Sakamoto’s inexperience at this point makes this a difficult song for her to perform. I feel like her singing doesn’t flow as well as it should in order to really put across the beauty of the song (which the strings do quite nicely actually). It’s evident she lacked a lot of vocal technique, including that elusive vibrato to warm up that sound. It is a beautiful song, although a bit too challenging for her at this point.

Overall –
Favourite Track: 孤独
Only a year and a half since Sakamoto put out her first, very cutesy, debut album, she returns to the music scene with an album that is much more mature and pleasing. While her first album contained songs that were easily categorized into the “anime-pop” sound that many voice actors/actresses adapt to, Sakamoto decided to move away from that and deliver a more mainstream pop-friendly sound. She still has the cute sound she’s adopted, but not sickening like some of her songs from the first album. Sakamoto also dabbled in a few more different styles of music, showing her as a developing artist, and allowing Kanno to be a bit more experimental (evident in the accompanying parts of the songs). Her singing still has a long way to go, as it was very rough and even scratchy at times, but similar to her album material, her singing has also matured. The album as a whole though is kind of lacklustre though, with nothing that makes it really stand out. That being said, as with all of Sakamoto albums (and especially when you have a producer like Kanno), the album does contain a few gems of its own.

Artist: Various
Album/Single: Tsubasa Chronicles Best Vocal Collection
Release Date: December 20, 2006

1. BLAZE / キンヤ (KINYA)
There has always been something about this song that I never particularly liked, and I’ve never been to put my finger on it. I think it might be that KINYA opted to go for more of a pop sound than a rock sound, despite the obvious call to the rock side of this song. It doesn’t have enough kick to it to keep my interest for the entire song. The melody is just alright. It’s not bad, but also not good (although leaning towards the awkward side). I also can’t help but feel that KINYA sounds less-than-inspired when performing this song, so it’s pretty dull to listen to.

2. tsubasa / FictionJunction KAORI
Getting into one of the more recognizable songs of the actual series, we’re graced with a very “Kajiura Yuki” sound. The song is sung completely in English by KAORI, but her English isn’t that impressive, however, her singing is quite the opposite. She’s a little monotone, which is expected since she’s singing in a language she’s unfamiliar with, but she still carries through quite nicely. I really like the uplifting sound of the chorus, especially that first line. KAORI honestly sounds like she was made for Kajiura’s compositions because her interpretation and performance work well in this song. I wouldn’t say this is the best song I’ve heard, and certainly not by Kajiura Yuki, but it’s not bad either.

3. ループ (LOOP) / 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
Here we have no stranger to the anime world. This is yet another creation by the ever famous seiyuu-turned-singer, Sakamoto Maaya, and she delivers yet again. This would be the first song she released post-Kanno Yoko era, and she definitely managed to hit some success with it. h-wonder doesn’t necessarily create compositions that are as intricate as Kanno, but he certainly knows how to play to the artists strengths. I was quite surprised by his versatility, because I recognized his name from working with Koda Kumi, so I was very impressed by how he was able to adapt to Sakamoto’s style quite easily and create a song that suits her perfectly (and the strings add a nice touch too). Sakamoto is right there with him too, with great interpretation. I like how she carries through phrases fully, and not only that, she creates a nice full and strong sound here.

4. つきのしじま (tsuki no shijima) / 牧野由依 as サクラ (Makino Yui as SAKURA)
There’s something about Kajiura Yuki and adding in the choir to open a lot of Makino Yui’s callborations. It provides a huge contrast to Makino’s light, high pitched voice. For a relatively young artist, she’s alright (and it’s safe to say that she does improve massively later on). I’m not quite that impressed with her singing here, because it’s very light and slightly uncontrolled. The flow of this song isn’t as good as it probably could have been, with a lot of abrupt moments occurring throughout, especially with the starting and stopping of the programming. I find that most of the song is lost through Makino’s interpretation though. There’s a great line (the third one) in the chorus that I think Makino could have definitely done much better in terms of singing with emotion, but it came out a little bit mechanical. It sounded like she had the right idea, but didn’t quite commit to what she wanted to do and came up a bit short.

5. 風の街へ (kaze no machi e) / FictionJunction KEIKO
What can I say about this song? Everything about it is just absolutely stunning. KEIKO has a different timbre to her voice than the usual (Japanese) artists that Kajiura tends to work with, but what a wonderful vocalist she is. Her ense of the music is amazing, and I love the way she makes use of dynamics and how she phrases throughout this song. She definitely is a mixture of grace and power. The composition is top notch, and not without the usual chorus Kajiura likes to include, but it’s not out of place. It actually meshes in quite well with the rest of the song. The programming is simple and gives off a pure atmosphere. This against the strings just adds the final touch, with solos and countermelodies by the cello and violin. To top it all off, Kajiura incorporates a strong piano base to hold the song together. Nothing short of perfection.

6. 斬光 (Zankou) / 稲田徹 as 黒鋼 (Ineda Tooru as Kurogane)
Is it wrong that I totally thought of some random Street Fighter background music when I first heard the opening? XD Ineda is by no means the greatest vocalist, but he seems to have better control over his singing. He does struggle with some of those held notes, falling out of tune whenever he gets them, but he sounds pretty decent elsewhere. There’s something about the melody of this song that catches my attention. I find the programming terribly cheesy, but many parts of this song remind me of a regular Jpop song, which is good. In any case, if you’re a Tsubasa fan, and you’ve always wondered how Kurogane would sound if he sang, you can be rest assured that he’s not completely hopeless.

7. キズナ (KIZUNA) / 入野自由 as 小狼 (Irino Miyu as Syaoran)
Again, this isn’t as cheesy as it could be, so it sounds like a regular Jpop song, especially one that comes straight from a boyband (e.g. V6). Irino is probably the one that did the best singing job with his song out of the rest of the feature seiyuu. He has decent control, and a fair bit of power despite his higher register. I like the dramatic strings during the non-vocal parts of this song. The electric guitar also gives the song more of an edge, helping to carry it through. Amazingly, I think this tops Ineda’s “Zankou”.

8. IT’S / キンヤ (KINYA)
Finally, we’re back to a better sounding KINYA. This song moves much faster, but it has a lot more character to it than “BLAZE” did. I like the little variations (although slight) that KINYA decided to include in this song. He doesn’t sound as one-dimensional as he had in BLAZE, so it helps make the song much more interesting. I find this song has a better balance in style, not a rock song attempting to sound overly pop. Everything about this song fits together well, so it flows much better. There’s a great upbeat melody that keeps you pumped all the way through. KINYA also sounds more comfortable singing this song, so I feel more willing to listen to this all the way through.

9. dream scape / FictionJunction KAORI
I’m not sure what it is about this FictionJunction project, but I just simply don’t like the work that came from these two. This one though, is a much better turn out than “tsubasa”. As I suspected, KAORI singing in her native tongue allows her to phrase better and more naturally, so she definitely brings in a beauty factor to this performance. Even though I don’t particularly like this song all that much, I definitely like KAORI’s interpretation here. I feel she added character to the song, made it her own, and prevented it from being just any other Kajiura Yuki song.

10. ring your song / 梶浦由紀 feat. 伊東恵里 (Kajiura Yuki feat. Itou Eri)
I absolutely adore this main theme from Future Soundscape IV. The piano provides a strong accompaniment next to the majestic melody played by strings. Itou adds a bit more finesse to the song itself by providing it with her beautiful vocals. She sings with a very lovely and lilting voice. She doesn’t always hit her notes immediately, causing her to swoop into the right notes, and I find that kind of distracting at times, but when she’s on, she’s on. I love the quality of her voice and tone. Simply gorgeous.

11. smile / 浪川大輔 as ファイ(Namikawa Daisuke as FAI)
It hurts me to have to sit through this after such a lovely performance. I’m sorry Fai, but as cute of a character you are, your voice actor should stick to only acting you out. Namikawa can barely hold his own through this song. He obviously is not made for singing, evident by the lifeless, toneless performance here (though I am slightly impressed that he managed to hit the descending line in the chorus fairly accurately). The composition of the song isn’t very impressive either. It’s too cheesy for my liking, and believe me, I can handle quite a bit of cheese. It has a nice guitar solo but that’s about it.

12. you are my love / 梶浦由紀 feat. 伊東恵里 (Kajiura Yuki feat. Itou Eri)
My first impression is that Itou doesn’t capture my attention as easily as she had done with “ring my song”. For some reason, she’s singing a bit differently here, with a much lighter and unsupported tone. I’m also noticing that she’s singing in a breathier tone as well. She still manages to hit some beautiful notes, but she doesn’t carry through as well as she did previously. A big difference here is that she is only supported by the guitar, and it’s pretty scarce in the entire song run, drawing more focus to Itou’s singing. It’s a good song as a whole, and very cryptic, but I can’t help but feel that it could have been done much better.

13. 旅の途中で希望の歌を歌おう (tabi no tochuu de kibou no uta wo utaou) / 牧野由依 as モコナ (Kikuchi Mika as MOKONA)
I haven’t particularly liked any of the songs sung in character so far, and unfortunately, not even the cuteness of this little thing could change my opinion. I actually like the melody quite a bit, and this song is insanely cute to match MOKONA’s character personality, but there’s really nothing special about it, nor does it set itself apart from any other image character songs. I also don’t really like the slower moments of the song because I find them to be out of place, but the little jazzy instrumental interlude and drum solo really stand out. Kikuchi does a nice job portraying MOKONA here, but otherwise, I can’t say much about the song.

14. 風待ちジェット (Kazemachi JET) / 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
I understand the idea of finishing off this album with the 2nd closing theme, but it feels more like an album opener than closer. This song really pushed Sakamoto’s singing a bit more than what she usually does. I love those lines during the chorus. I think Sakamoto nailed them, and her singing for the verses was actually better than the chorus. I felt she did a nice job overall and gave the song a unique character to it, even though the song itself was unique to begin with. Her singing wasn’t always on though, and you can hear her struggling with the higher notes of the song. She lacks some flow in her vocal performance that she had with “LOOP”. What caught my attention the most though, was the programming and instruemntation. I liked how each instrument served an important to the song, and I definitely like the feel that the violin solos gave. My favourite part of the song was right as the end when Sakamoto finished with only the staccato piano accompaniment, immediately after all the big fanfare of the other instruments stopped. It was a very nice contrast.

Overall -
Favourite Track: Kaze no machi e
This album certainly gave me mixed feelings. I don’t think I could sit through it in full again, only because there were too many songs I didn’t like as much as I had hoped (especially those character image songs). Some of the seiyuu did surprise me by how good they turned out (while others equally surprised me by how badly they turned out). Looking past that, it’s a nice collection of opening and ending themes, and insert songs. Some of these songs are simply divine, and many others are very strong and quite enjoyable to listen to.