AZU – いますぐに… [5th Single]
AZU’s 5th single, entitled いますぐに…, was released on 01.28.09.
いますぐに… is a sweet love song. The song starts off with the chorus and AZU’s vocals are very light and pretty, supporting the music well although there is something missing that makes it really appealing. This continues onto the verses as her vocals are basically the exact same but there is just a certain element that holds the song back from being good. I think the biggest problem with this song is that the emotions don’t come strongly enough and AZU’s voice just remains too soft and sweet the entire time.
恋におちて -Fall In Love- is the single’s B-side, originally rumored to be the A-side. There is a relaxing and breezy atmosphere about this song and her vocals are much better supported. It shows a different side to AZU’s music and this tropical song should have been the single’s title track without a doubt.
In order to promote the single, a PV for いますぐに… was made. The video is extremely simple, featuring AZU writing the lyrics to the song and working. It’s so boring that it supports the atmosphere of the song.
Single Ranking: C
AZU falls flat with this uninteresting and unappealing song. It feels so generic and “done before,” only pushed to the worst by a lack of emotional presence. The B-side is a huge step up so hopefully she’ll bring something stronger with her next effort.
[Part Three] Artist Profiles
There have been so many artists this year that should be proud for putting out some fantastic music. From the boys to the girls, from the new artists to the veterans, they have made this Oricon Year one of strong music. Today, we’ll explore artists that have released this year (exluding those from Hello Project and Johnny’s Entertainment, who have already been covered).
Let’s start things off by covering one of my favorite genres, Japanese electropop. From Perfume to Aira Mitsuki to SAWA, there have been many different styles from electropop that stood out. But there is one producer who is the head of this genre: Nakata Yasutaka. And there is one person who reigns queen of J-Electropop 2008: Suzuki Ami. Nobody brought the heat like Ami. DOLCE was released at the beginning of the year and even though, it didn’t feature Nakata’s touch all over the album, FREE FREE and SUPER MUSIC MAKER were integral parts of that album. Then to commemorate her 10th anniversary, she continued to release. Both singles, ONE and can’t stop the DISCO, got me hooked on her. Even the B-sides, A token of love and climb up to the top, were extremely impressive and it made me really anticipate Supreme Show. I was definitely not disappointed because tracks like TEN, Mysterious and TRUE are twinkling jewels of the Nakata and Ami team. She brought something new to the electropop scene: sexiness. Let’s face it, electropop is more on the cute and quriky side but it’s nice to see something new and that’s what Ami is. She has her own style that makes her stand out against the other girls of electropop. She did a fantastic job this year and definitely deserves high praise. Perfume, also produced by Nakata, impressed me this year. After releasing a fantastic single, Baby cruising love / マカロニ (マカロニ still holding the title as best electropop slow song), the girls came with GAME. It was a strong album featuring many impressive numbers such as Butterfly and シークレットシークレット which made me really take notice of them. However it was the following singles, which cemented me in fandom. Love the world and Dream Fighter were two excellent singles that really have me anticipating another album from them. They 
definitely bring that electropop flavor well. Aira Mitsuki also had some memorable tracks come through to make me a fan of hers. Swallowtail D.A.N.C.E. (Cherryboy Function Version), Beep Count Fantastic (featuring Terukado), チャイナ・ディスコティカ and Rock n’ Roll Is Dead are all addictive tracks and she has a habit of getting the best tracks with a focus on instrumentation rather than vocals. With these kind of tracks, it’s no wonder that she stands out in the electropop crowd. I know MEG isn’t the most popular product of Nakata’s work but she has gotten some standout songs like SUPERSONIC, MAKE LOVE and the amazingly fantastic NATALIE <FM 16 MIX.> That last song is one of my favorite electropop songs ever so it’s clear she can bring the magic. Although Nakata is the king producer of electropop, his group capsule wasn’t as strong as I was hoping for. There were some standout numbers on their new album, More! More! More! such as Phantom and e.d.i.t. but overall, they were definitely not the strongest electropop members. Electropop certainly stood out this year and with the growing popularity of Nakata, I look forward to seeing what he brings us in 2009 (particularly for Ami and Perfume).
Let’s move onto J-Urban. The J-Urban scene has been pretty quiet this year with certain acts like EMYLI and m-flo not releasing anything but we did have some nice new songs. Newcomer, Shiraishi Kikyo, made waves with me. Both BLACK and again really hooked me because a new talented girl who was doing something upbeat with that sexy vibe was coming through. I thought she did a very good job and she should certainly be proud. Her third single was a little on the bland side but her fourth is already a step up. I’m not exactly sure why she’s changed to Nori Shiraishi but honestly, I think it’s kind of funny. I guess we’ll see what that does for her. Somehow, I still haven’t heard the full version of again and I don’t think a full PV was ever released (that’s nice guys…). I look foward to seeing what she’ll do in the future. DOUBLE stood out to me because she collaborated with superstar Amuro Namie for the sleek and catchy, BLACK DIAMOND. These two girls brought the heat on this new track and definitely set me up to see what she is going to do next. We also saw the Aoyama Thelma achieve massive success with second single, そばにいるね featuring Soulja (to my surprise and confusion). However it was her 4th single 守りたいもの (plus amazing B-side, MADONNA), which caught my attention. I know Thelma can make some very good songs but I’m hoping that her music will be more diverse in 2009 (how about some more upbeat numbers Thelma?). Crystal Kay had some enjoyable songs too as she released another album (Color Change!) and two singles (涙のさきに and ONE). 涙のさきに was pretty catchy and some of the songs on Color Change! were nice but I’m hoping next year, the music will be even better.
Now let’s talk about the boys of J-Pop (not including JE boys). It was obvious from the start that Tohoshinki would be 
the real standout guys of the year. They’ve released so much material that it’s ridiculous. They’ve released a total of 9 singles and an album (also a Korean album) so they’ve been really busy. How did they reach such a high number of singles? The TRICK project. The song TRICK from their album T wsa a mashup of five different songs and so the group released those five seperate songs as singles and added their own solo number as well. Some went very well (If…?! / Rainy Night [Junsu] and Runaway / My Girlfriend [Yuchun]) while some fell flat (Two hearts / WILD SOUL [Changmin]). Overall though it was an enjoyable project. In addition to those 5 singles, four others were released: Purple Line, Beautiful you /千年恋歌, どうして君を好きになってしまったんだろう? and 呪文 -Mirotic.- That last single was amazing as was Purple Line so the boys should be very proud. The other two were okay and could have been stronger but hey, they can’t all be hits. Their 3rd Japanese album, T, also featured some great songs like CLAP! and LAST ANGEL -Tohoshinki Version.- These boys did a fantastic job this year and I can only anticipate what they’ll pull next year. Their next single, Bolero, has already been announced for a January release. Jaejong and Yuhno also really caught my eye because they were absolutely sexy during the Mirotic promotional time. It was…wow. Just look at the Mirotic and Wrong Number PVs. Another group of guys who stood out this year was EXILE, who released quite a bit themselves: three singles, three BEST albums and one studio album (released at the very end of 2007 but believe it is counted in Oricon Year 2008). The singles weren’t as great as I hoped for but the album material was enjoyable from EXILE LOVE. The one amazing 
standout track was Make Love, a hot and sexy number that really shows the boys’ mature side strongly. Atsushi has some wonderful vocals so I’m happy that he’s been given the chance to shine. Newcomer Shimizu Shota also made waves with me as he was a fresh new face with some great vocals (i.e. HOME). He released an album and even though I haven’t gotten a chance to listen to it, I will do so soon. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s good looking. BIG BANG was quite active this year, releasing in both Korea and Japan. G-Dragon has become one of my favorites because there’s something about his voice that really catches my ear. WaT released two singles this year and they were okay, nothing that really made me go wow but I still think they have some nice voices and hopefully the music will be stronger in the future. Although Kobukuro have not been very active this year, they did release the single あなたと with ayaka, which really stood out to me. I look forward to seeing more material from these guys in the future. In the world of J-Rock, Miyavi and Gackt did some releasing although Gackt wasn’t particularly impressive this year in terms of music (but he did look hot). Miyavi was a little better, releasing his album This Iz The Japanese Kabuki Rock. His voice is nice though so maybe he’ll do something stronger in the future. Seamo also caught my eye even though his singles were a little bit iffy. Again, he released an album that I haven’t listened to yet but I do want to hear it soon. So overall, the boys had some nice music (particularly Tohoshinki) and I hope next year it will be even better (because let’s face it, Johnny’s Entertainment music was a lot better than the other guys’ music).
Now we go to the four female artists who I call my Fabulous Four: Koda Kumi, Amuro Namie, Utada Hikaru and Hamasaki Ayumi. There is absolutely nobody like Kuu. She’s fun; she’s free and she’s one of a kind. Kingdom was a fantastic album, filled with everything from sorrow to cuteness to sexy and it really showed how strong of an artist she is. Unfortunately, she made a comment about women’s rotting amniotic fluids which caused an extreme backlash. Contracts were cancelled and promotion for Kingdom was cancelled. Personally, I think the public over-reacted to the comment and it was totally undeserved for Kumi to go through all of that. But she continued to release in June with MOON, then TABOO. TABOO was just the song that make the public go Kumi crazy because it’s a return to her fun sexy dance side that we all love. stay with me will be released in a couple weeks (which will be counted on Oricon Year 2009 so I will not talk about that). I think she’s done a great job this year and I think next year will be even better. TRICK will be amazing and I know that from the bottom of my heart. Amuro Namie has had one hell of a year and everyone knows it. BEST FICTION was a smash hit, managing to almost take the crown of best selling album of Oricon Year 2008. Sadly it did not reach it but it’s okay because it was a million seller and it managed to stay at the number 1 spot for various weeks. Sexy Girl and Do Me More were amazing new tracks that made BEST FICTION worth checking out. She also released the hit single 60s70s80s, which achieved great sales, managing to outsell a slew of her previous ones. WHAT A FEELING was the star track on that single and it’s another one of Namie’s awesome tracks. I hope we’ll be getting some new material in 2009 but Namie deserves a nice long break so I hope she gets it. Utada Hikaru also had an amazing year seeing as HEART STATION is nearing the million mark and has outsold her previous album, ULTRA BLUE. There were some amazing new tracks on there like 虹色バス and Fight The Blues. The singleswere strong as well, which made me one of the most cohesive albums of 2008. Hamasaki Ayumi had a pretty good year herself even though she didn’t get wonderful sales. In fact, GUILTY became 
her first album to not hit the number one spot…ever. Nonetheless, the album was good featuring tracks like (don’t)Leave me alone, Marionette and MY ALL. Well this was Ayu’s 10th anniversary so I was hoping she’d release a little more but what we got was Mirrorcle World and another BEST album. Her new single is set to be released very soon but it will count towards Oricon Year 2009. I wonder when we’ll be getting her new album but hopefully there will be a few more singles before that. Of course, she’s had her troubles during the year too. She officially announced that she is deaf in one ear; she broke up with her boyfriend who she has been seeing for a while and her friend passed away. You know, Ayu is a fighter and it’s one of the reasons why I respect her so much. I hope she has many years of happiness to look forward to.
So let’s move onto the female veterans of J-Pop. Well the term “veterans” can be disputed but I’m coining the girls that have been a while as “veterans.” Which veteran knocked it out of the park this year? Well that’s none other than aiko. 秘密 was one of the strongest albums of the year with many wonderful tracks that showed off aiko’s laidback and relaxing style. She also released KissHug, which was used as an insert song for the Hana Yori Dango movie. It didn’t 
get the sales it deserved but I’m hoping she’ll have even more success in the future because her music is that good. Her talent is undeniable and that’s why she is “Veteran of the Year.” Kuraki Mai is incredible and if you want proof of that, just look at 24 Xmas Time. That was a fantastic wintery song that reached back to her old style. She released ONE LIFE, an album with some standout tracks such as ONE LIFE and Born to be free. She also released the following singles: 夢が咲く春 / You and Music and Dream as well as 一秒ごとに Love for you. They may not have been the strongest singles she’s released but they were actually pretty catchy. Mai will be releasing yet another album, entitled touch Me! in January so I can’t wait to see what she brings. Misia was another veteran who stood out this year. EIGHTH WORLD was a pretty good songs like 以心伝心 and Hybrid Breaks -Interlude.- She released various singles but none so addictive as digital release, Catch The Rainbow. It’s an absolutely fantastic track that will be seeing a physical release soon. Misia, good job this year for your 10th anniversary and I can’t wait to see what awaits us in 2009! BoA is definitely a force to be reckoned with. THE FACE was released early in the year and featured some new standout tracks like Girl In The Mirror, Style and AGGRESSIVE. Although it wasn’t as strong as her previous albums. She then released VIVID, which also was not up to BoA’s usual standards. However what makes her so strong is that she always tries new things. She’s 
now started her American career with the release of the hot single, Eat You Up. Her new song, Look Who’s Talking is even better and it makes me highly anticipate her debut album. Otsuka Ai did some nice releases as well. Even though ロケット スニーカー / One × Time was very forgettable (it ended up being the lowest selling single of her career for a reason), クラゲ, 流れ星 was a step up and already she’s set to release her 5th studio album, LOVE LETTER. It looks to be better than LOVE PIECE but I guess we’ll see when hits stores very very soon. Even though BONNIE PINK was largely inactive this year, she did stand out with the digital release of Ring A Bell and then physical release of its Japanese counterpart 鐘を鳴らして. Both songs were good (the English being the stronger version) and BONNIE should be proud of her accomplishments. I’m hoping she’ll put out an album next year because it feels like forever since Thinking Out Loud was released. Finally we come to Shimatani Hitomi, who could’ve been better. Her new album Flare did not live up to the hotness of its name but I’m hoping that next year, she will pull out the stops for her 10th anniversary.
Now we’ll talk about the newbies. These girls are still relatively new to the music scene but some of them have definitely taken no time in standing out from the crowd. Tanimura Nana has given us some fantastic music. Who could forget the incredibly addictive SEXY SENORITA or the smooth and sultry Ooh… or the catchy upbeat number 
Place of Love? She’s taking on the sexy image just right and with each release, she gets better and better. I’m really looking forward to her debut album and I hope that it will be coming soon because I can’t wait any longer. Actually any new release from her will be welcome. It’s been a while. ayaka released her sophomore album, Sing to the Sky, early in the year and it was a huge step up from First Message. Songs like 愛も嘘も真実, ゴールドスター and POWER OF MUSIC really made a fan of hers. Her voice is incredible so it’s no wonder that the album shined like it did. ayaka definitely has the power to make it big so I wish her all the success in the world. In addition to an awesome album, she collaborated with Kobukuro again for あなたと, a beautiful ballad that blows their last single out of the water. She’s had a great year and definitely will be shining even more brightly in 2009. Leah Dizon certainly had an eventful year. She released two singles, her sophomore album, got married and is expecting a child in 2009. Love Paradox was her strongest single to date and Vanilla (LOVE SWEET CANDY included) was another memorable single from her. Communication!!! was also a pretty good album with great album tracks like Nothin’ to Lose, Step into my World and BxKxRxxx. I was very surprised to see that she was pregnant but I’m happy that she has found somebody and I wish them all the happiness together. I also wish they have a happy and healthy baby and she will be back better than ever next year, ready to show Japan just how strong of an artist she is. Ito Yuna has really impressed me this year, particularly with miss you and 恋は groovy x2. BREEEEEZIN!!!!!!! (the B-side of miss you) is her best song to date and one that definitely cemented my fandom. WISH wasn’t a bad album either, featuring some memorable songs like Power of Love. Hopefully her next album will be even better, shining strongly for all the fans. Even Jyongri had her time to shine with Winter Love Story, her newest single. All the songs on the single convinced me of Jyongri’s power. Her album may have been pretty weak but it looks like she’ll be on the path for strength. One other newcomer that caught my eye was Ishida Yuko with her wonderful new single Changes, which featured an addictive title track, I’ll be sure to look out for her in the future. She has a cool image and a great voice, worthy of celebration. AZU has had her time to shine as well with standout numbers like VIOLIN. She has the voice and talent to make it far so I hope she has more succes in 2009. Other newcomers like Tiana Xiao, Nishino Kana and Takasugi Satomi have had some nice releases and even though they were not particularly engaging, I look forward to what they will do next year. Even Stephanie had some songs here and there.
Let’s go onto the girls who are neither veterans nor newbies. melody. has also done some nice work this year with the release of the beautiful and
calming Lei Aloha. The songs on that album really formed a cohesive one that emerged as one of the standouts of the year. I’m very sad to have heard the news that she will be retiring to focus on the fashion industry. I guess if she had to leave, I’m glad she left with a bang. Arashiro Beni has experienced some popularity this year with her collaboration with Dohzi-T. She also released three new songs for her BEST album, switched labels and starrred in a movie so she’s been quite busy. Mellow Parade was fantastic and hopefully she’ll do another song like this in the future. She has recently changed her name to BENI so I guess we’ll see how that goes for her. Other girls like Angela Aki, Nakashima Mika and misono have had their releases this year and it’s Mika who really impressed me with her most recent single, ORION. The B-side, FOCUS, stood out to me strongly and I have really got to listen to her new album.
Finally, we come to the groups which feature members of both sexes. To be honest, they haven’t been very impressive with the exception of one group: AAA. MIRAGE was absolutely addictive, featuring some Arabian sounds to push the track over the edge. Everyone sounded great on the track and it was really one to remember. Following a very unforgettable single, they released MUSIC!!! / ZERO. ZERO was wonderful, showing a dark atmosphere that the group really shined with. Other groups mihimaru GT, Aladdin and Every Little Thing failed to impress but hopefully they’ll step it up next year.
This year, some artists stepped up and some artists took a step back. But there are a lot of artists who should be proud for releasing such quality music. There is still one artist left though, an artist who will be crowned “Artist of the Year.” He/She will be announced in part 7 (the final part) of the Oricon Year 2008 Countdown.
AZU – AS ONE [Debut Studio Album]
AZU’s debut studio album, entitled AS ONE, was released on 07.23.08. The singles released before the album are as follows: CHERISH, JEWEL SKY, コイイロ and 時間よ止まれ featuring SEAMO.
INTRO is the album’s starting track. The song starts off with a very mysterious atmosphere that is driven by a very cleear beat, sticking out in the listener’s mind. As the introduction goes on, the instrumentation slowly becomes more diverse with new elements coming into the mix. It sounds great and as the first track, it really provides the listener with an incentive to keep listening.
Rainbow picks up where INTRO left off by beginning with the same cool and sleek instrumental, soon taking on a lighter pop sound. AZU sounds great here as her vocals show their power and sweetness as she sings the chorus. On the first verse, there is a more relaxing feeling that comes through as AZU’s vocals are somewhat deeper, still staying with the music perfectly. The pure instrumental section sounds absolutely fantastic as there is a jazzy feeling that really shines. Overall, Rainbow is a fantastic song and is a really strong continuation of INTRO.
SEAMO and AZU team up for the third song, 時間よ止まれ. Opening the song is a very sweet midtempo instrumental that reall solidifies a nice atmosphere that the listener can follow. AZU then comes in with the first verse as she delivers some very pretty vocals that move with the music very strongly. The chorus is nice although it doesn’t really pop as there is no real change in instrumentation or vocals. SEAMO’s rap seems a bit misplaced and it doesn’t really fit with the music. The music is very nice in this song and AZU has some good vocals but SEAMO doesn’t really connect with it as well, making this a somewhat forgettable track.
The fourth song is You’re My Only Shinin’ Star. Opening the song is a nice and calming midtempo sound that really is ear-catching. Then the first verse begins and AZU brings smooth and sweet vocals to match the soothing atmosphere set by the music. Instrumentally, the song becomes slightly more diverse on the chorus and the backing vocalizations are a very nice touch. AZU continues to sound strong and the final phrase, “I love you,” is sung with beauty as she holds her notes well. This is an excellent song and a very nice addition to the album as AZU brings very pretty vocals to a sweet and soothing instrumental.
The title track, As One, is next. There is a nice acoustic-guitar-centric instrumental that begins the song that doesn’t immediately cature the listener’s ear. AZU’s vocals during the first verse are very pretty and actually compliment the music very nicely. The chorus still doesn’t make the listener really experience a change that stands out because the music continues to be a little boring although her voice sounds great. Finally, the third verse is catchy as the guitar becomes a little stronger and AZU still sings with emotion and sweetness. Overall, it’s not a very memorable song but the third verse does stand strongly and the rest of the song should’ve kept a sound closer to that one.
最後の恋, which was a B-side on the last single, follows the title track. There is a very warm and sweet atmosphere that comes through the beginning instrumental. The first verse follows and AZU sounds absolutely fantastic as her voice smoothly compliments the music. She continues to sound beautiful on the chorus and the phrases that are pushed to the background are a nice part of the song as it almost feels like she is talking to the object of her affection. This song is one of the best songs on the entire album, definitely standing out to the listener with its sweet atmosphere and even sweeter vocals.
AZU’s debut single, CHERISH, is the album’s seventh number. The song opens nicely with an interesting pop sound that calmly transitions into the first verse. Her vocals sound very nice here and they work with the music in keeping an enjoyable atmosphere. There is a lot more sparkling energy on the chorus and because of AZU’s stronger vocals, it definitely stands out and makes the listener smile along. The saxophone that cmoes out on the pure instrumental section provides the song with a fantastic jazzy feeling that is extremely ear-catching. CHERISH finds its proper home on the album and is one of the album’s best tracks.
The next song is コイイロ. The song is another pop song but it’s one of the more forgettable numbers. There is a jazzy atmosphere that makes it a nice listen but the vocals aren’t as strong this time around, thus the listener can’t really become engaged with it.
VIOLIN follows. The very soft and delicate atmosphere that opens up the song through the instrumental is a strong introduction. Moving into the first verse, AZU delivers some very pretty vocals to match the smooth music. The chorus isn’t as strong but her vocals portray more emotion here, which does stand out to the listener. This one is another wonderful song that AZU brings to life with beautiful vocals, perfectly capturing the essence of the song’s atmosphere. She is also to show off her vocal range in this one as she hits the higher notes as well, which makes it really stand out.
The tenth song is JEWEL SKY, a fun pop song that is one of the album’s best songs. A sweet pop instrumental with a slight jazzy touch begins the song before the first verse starts. Her vocals are really pretty here and do a good job of catching the listener’s ear. It’s the chorus that really makes this song so memorable as she delivers stronger vocals that suit the music perfectly. She opens by singing the title of the song and it’s a real standout point in the chorus. The pure instrumental section pops nicely as the saxophone makes another entrance, taking the listener on a ride before the chorus is re-introduced. JEWEL SKY hasn’t lost any steam from its single release, serving as a perfect semifinale for the album.
Closing the album is FAMILY, which features Cartet, Shiruken Jet and Bridget. The light and breezy pop instrumentation that begins the song is very nice and nicely moves into the first verse, which begins with a rap sequence. Despite the cute lightness of the music, the raps are actually a really strong addition. The chorus is a little cheesy with the English as they sing “you’re my brother” and “you’re my sister” but it’s still really fun and cute. The various raps and AZU’s singing all make this song a really strong finish because all the artists all come together much like a family on this song.
Album Ranking: A
AZu definitely shines on her debut album. With songs like JEWEL SKY, VIOLIN, 最後の恋 and Rainbow, she proves that she can handle different sounds and still compliment the music. There are few mis-steps on this album, making it a powerful album from start to finish.
AZU – 時間よ止まれ [4th Single]
AZU’s fourth single, entitled 時間よ止まれ, was released on 07.02.08. The title track was used as the ending theme for the anime series Itazura na Kiss.
AZU teams up with SEAMO for the title track, 都会っ子 純情. The song starts off with a sweet and romantic instrumental that takes the listener into the world of the song before SEAMO comes in with a little rap. AZU then sings the first verse and her vocals are somewhat deep but smooth and go with the music nicely. The chorus is nice although there isn’t much instrumental variety and AZU doesn’t really show off any more vocal power than before so it doesn’t pop. SEAMO then comes in with his rap sequence and there is a certain poppiness to it that is nice but once again, it doesn’t realy catch the listener’s ear. Overall it’s a nice song but it doesn’t engage the listener as strongly as it should.
あなたのスペシャルになりたい is the first B-side. The song starts off with a light and upbeat intsrumental with a cuteness. AZU’s vocals during the chorus sound nice but it doesn’t sound like there is much power. Soon the first verse starts and AZU’s vocals are smooth and suit the overall atmosphere a little bit stronger. Much like the A-side, the song is nice but it doesn’t capture the listener and it begins to feel a little repetitive as the song progresses.
最後の恋 is the second B-side. A sweet instrumental starts off the song that immediately catches the listener and then the first verse begins. AZU’s vocals, which are somewhat deep, fit with the music perfectly here and really demands attention. The chorus allows her to bring just a little more vocal power but it does all the difference, keeping the interest high. This is the best song on the single and definitely has the potential to lead the single as the A-side.
Single Ranking: B –
This single’s biggest problem is the lack of leaving the strongest impression. Both the title track and the first B-side don’t catch the listener’s attention while 最後の恋 does a good job of maintaining the interest. Hopefully her future releases will bring that catchy factor.
Amai Wana 