V6 – GUILTY [36th Single]
V6’s 36th single, entitled GUILTY, was released on 09.02.09. The title track was used as the theme song to the dorama Shin Keishichou Sousa Ikka 9gakari.
GUILTY is a pretty dance song. The song starts off with a very pretty instrumental, highlighted by the sounds of the harp. Then the first veres comes in and the vocals are very smooth, staying with the atmosphere of the music perfectly. The chorus has more of energy to it and is actually quite catchy despite the way that the boys break apart the words. The rap section fits in perfectly with the vibe of the song, particularly when it’s Ken’s turn to step on. Of course the pure instrumental section has a cool feel to it that also highlights the beauty of the music. It’s a great song to dance to so V6 brings the fire yet again, this time alongside a very pretty instrumental.
逢いたくて is the B-side present on all three editions of the single. It opens with some magical sounds with a clear beat before the song’s true midtempo instrumentation comes in, opening up another world. The first verse starts and the vocals fit perfectly with the music, conveying emotion and sweetness that will definitely get to the listener. When everyone comes together on the chorus, the vocals sound amazing, particularly when they sing the title of the song. The pure instrumental section is very pretty and definitely leaves a good impression. This is a strong compliment to the A-side because it also keeps a pretty instrumental but slows down the tempo.
Available only on the regular edition is Medicine. It begins with a sort of video-game styled instrumentation and then the first verse starts. The vocals are nice as usual although the music is somewhat distracting. The second person’s vocals sound a bit off, which doesn’t leave the best impression for the chorus. And unfortunately the chorus does keep that same low energy, not really exciting the listener. The vocals are good but they’re not stellar and the music is the main problem, not really carrying anything memorable. The song isn’t one that is really strong and certainly not a great incentive to buy the regular edition of the single.
蜃気楼 is also available only on the regular edition of the single. It’s a rock flavored track, which makes it nice to see V6 switching things up but it doesn’t really grab the attention like it should. Perhaps it’s just not their style but the track isn’t really exciting so it’s not particularly worth the listen.
In order to promote the single, a PV for GUILTY was made. The video is quite simple, just featuring the boys dancing and singing in suits, looking quite sharp while doing so. The lady dancer was quite un-necessary but it did add a little more sexuality to the video, better fitting with the lyrics. Having it in black and white also suited the song nicely.
Single Ranking: B
Well V6 delivered another enjoyable A-side but the B-sides fell a little flat this time around. Usually the group has one amazing track per single but there wasn’t really a track that shined like those songs this time around. Hopefully they’ll be delivering an album soon with some great dance tracks since that’s what they do best.
V6 – スピリット [35th Single]
V6’s 35th single, entitled スピリット, was released on 06.17.09. スピリット was used as the Waseda Academy CM song and theme song for Fuji’s TV’s program VivaVivaV6. The single was released in three editions, the regular edition featuring four songs. The 2CD version features a second CD with four songs, two from Coming Century and two from 20th Century.
スピリット is a sweet and cheery pop number sure to put a smile on the listener’s face. They kick things off with the chorus after a very interesting and technological sound, which is kind of misleading. Everyone sounds happy and cute on the chorus, with the instrumentation supporting that atmosphere perfectly. First up is the duo of Masayuki and Go. Their voices compliment one another but are different enough to stand out individually. On Inohara and Ken’s duet, the music becomes slightly more twinkling and sets up the listener for the chorus again. Their vocals sound great and go with the music very well. On the second verse, they split into trios and the attention is still captured. The pure instrumental section has more of a cool feel to it so that section really stands out from the usual sweetness of the verses. It’s cute and sweet, definitely worth a listen.
CHANCE! is the B-side that appears on all editions of the single. The song starts off with a fun and cool instrumental that immediately signals a happy beach atmosphere. And then is exactly what comes with the chorus, filled with great vocals and more fantastic instrumentation. It sounds particularly strong when the guys with the lower vocals have the spotlight. On the verses, the boys sing with a rapidity that will definitely catch the listener’s ear. The pure instrumental section sounds amazing and is one of the highlights of the song just because the listener can get an appreciation of how good the music really is. It’s an amazing song and could have been the A-side.
明日の傘 is a B-side present only on the regular edition of the single. The song opens up with a soft and natural instrumental that feels like it’s going to tell a story. Then comes the first verse and the vocals are very nice, staying smooth and complimenting the emotion of the music very well. The chorus has a magical feeling with everyone’s voices coming together to fuel that magic. It’s a very pretty song and it’s nice to see the group take things slow and still stay strong.
どうかよろしく。is the other B-side only present on the regular edition of the single. The song starts off with a very pretty summery instrumental that will be sure to give the listener that feeling of warmth. Then comes the first verse and they sound so happy and sweet that the listener can’t help but smile along with them. Things continue to shine on the chorus when everyone comes together and that happy warm feeling persists. The song has a slightly jazzy feel to it which also is ear-catching. It’s such a sweet song that is perfect for the summer season and it’s a strong incentive to get the regular edition of this single.
The second CD of the limited edition A version features two songs from 20th Century and two songs from Coming Century. 20th Century, comprised of Masayuki, Hiroshi and Yoshihiko, start things off with スタートライン. Beginning the song is a cool dance instrumental with various sounds to make it more interesting. Then once the song’s true sound comes in, there is a refreshing breeze that blows through to the listener. On the first verse, the vocals are very nice and smooth, complimenting the simple instrumentation. The chorus is nice although it would have been nicer if the music was a little different to make it stand out even more.
Cmong Century, consisting of Go, Ken and Junichi, gets the spotlight with their song, Desert Eagle. The song kicks off with a nice instrumental that doesn’t exactly connect with the listener as well as it should. Then the chorus comes in and the vocals are good and the English is a nice touch although the music still doesn’t demand attention. It was surprising to hear the guys rap and it actually sounds pretty cool, still fitting with the music. It’s an okay song although not as strong as hoped.
20th Century comes back with their second song, red. It’s a nice midtempo instrumental that starts this song off and it gives the image of walking through the neighboorhood. The boys perfectly understand that coolness of the music and its reflected in their vocals, really standing out. The chorus is actually kind of cute just because of the vocals that come together. However it still fits perfectly with the other parts of the song. For nailing the cool vibe on the head, the song is pretty nice.
Finally, Coming Century closes the single with Are you ready tonight? The song begins with a really cool instrumental that will make the listener want to dance along.It has a trippy effect that definitely stands out. The first verse then follows and the vocals are so cute because they carry a really fun feeling to them and one can tell that the boys are having fun with this one. The English lines like “Do you wanna dance?” really stand out and make the chorus addictive. On the second CD, this is definitely the strongest song so Coming Century should be proud. Ken sounds particularly cute on this song.
In order to promote the single, a PV for スピリット was made. The video is extremely simple, just featuring the boys on a construction site in front of a big metal orb. There is a scene where they climb onto the ball but otherwise, they just sing and look happy. It’s not the best video but seeing them look cute and happy definitely works with the song’s atmosphere.
Single Ranking: A
As V6’s first single of the year, they definitely had to bring something worth the long wait. They were successful with that, offering a total of eight new songs for the audience. The first CD [four on the regular edition] is definitely better featuring a sweet and happy V6. CHANCE! and どうかよろしく。are perfect for summer while Spirit has a cuteness that cannot be ignored. The second CD isn’t as strong although Are you ready tonight? is a very addictive song that Coming Century deliver flawlessly. Hopefully they will be more active for the second half of the year because they have the talent to deliver great songs.
[Part Two] From The Boys of JE
Without a doubt, the “Kings of JE” title belong to Hey! Say! JUMP. I have fallen for these boys and am amazed at how far they’ve come since their debut single in 2007. These guys have released three singles this year and each single got better and better. Dreams come true was a very catchy and upbeat pop number that really showed the boys’ personality and made it an enjoyable listen. After that, the boys really impressed me with Your Seed / 冒険ライダー. It was with Your Seed, that I really got hooked on this group as they showed that mature sound that they do so well with. Even 冒険ライダー featured a slightly mature sound while still having that regular boyband feel. It was a perfect single and I couldn’t have asked for any better. But then they released 真夜中のシャドーボーイ and I fell in love all over again. The song featured a Spanish twist to bring out the boys mature side yet again (I think it should be manditory for all JE groups to have a Spanish influenced song since it always goes well). Along with falling in love with the music, I fell in love with the members of the group. Yamada is my absolute favorite and I’m glad he’s been the center of attention. He’s a good singer, great actor and is really hot. Yabu is my favorite BEST member and he’s extremely sexy. Thanks to both Sensei wa Erai! and Scrap Teacher, I’ve fallen for Nakajima and Daiki as well and I look forward to seeing more episodes of Scrap Teacher with them. Chinen and Takaki have considerably grown on me as well. Basically, Hey! Say! JUMP has done everything right this year except for one thing…AN ALBUM! If JE does not give them an album soon, I will go crazy so here’s to hoping we get an album in the first three months of January…
Coming in second for the “Kings of JE” is one of my favorite boybands, NEWS. The boys have released three singles and one album this year, having their ups and downs. The boys’ first release of the year was with 太陽のナミダ, an absolutely fantastic dance song with Spanish and Arabian influences that sounds absolutely fantastic. Two of the B-sides on that single (バンビーナ and Lady Spider) also helped me fall for these guys, particularly Lady Spider. It is these types of songs that NEWS shines at so they really should continue exploring them. They followed up with SUMMER TIME, a sweet and cute summery number with that fun pop atomsphere that is perfect for that time of year. Once again, two B-sides (EASY COME, EASY GO and Liar) hooked me onto the single. Then came Happy Birthday, which was the weakest single from this era but still a nice enjoyable song. GAME of LOVE, which was the second B-side, was very strong and could have been the A-side. Then the album came and that’s why these boys don’t win the title of “Kings of JE.” After the amazing album, pacific, I was hoping that this album would be just as good, if not better. Unfortunately, this album was filled with forgetttable songs that just made me so disappointed. The one amazing new standout number was ケセナイ, sung courtesy of the man to your right, Tegoshi (Ryo and Shige were there too but it was Tegoshi leading). He definitely wins the “Prince of NEWS” title because he’s done everything right this year. He’s brought killer vocals to each song and he has looked since day one of this year until now (and before of course). I absolutely love Tegoshi and he’s one of my favorite members (alongside Massu) so it’s no surprise that he would deliver. Also the boys brought a concert DVD, which was absolutely entrancing. Certain performances such as SHOCK ME vs Devil or Angel. 愛のマタドール and ゴメンネ ジュリエット really made the DVD a perfect watch because the boys really bring the heat (i.e. see Yamapi perform his solo song…it’s…wow). I hope the boys are able to deliver strong material next year but I don’t doubt them. All the singles leading up to the album were fantastic so I’m hoping next time around, they put a little more effort into making the album as varied as the singles. On a related note, Tegoshi and Massu teamed up again as Tegomass and released their third single, 相合傘, which is a beautiful ballad about being unable to tell your feelings to the one you love while sharing an umbrella. It was an adorable single and I’m glad that they did this, which leaves me ready for an album from them next year.
Well I’m sure people will diasagree with this position but I give Arashi third place for “Kings of JE.” They’ve have been some very busy boys this year, releasing four singles and an album, which makes them the most active releasers of the year in Johnny’s Entertainment. They released Step and Go in February and that was my first taste of these guys and it caught my attention. It’s definitely the type of song that gets stuck in your head. Then they released Dream”A”live, an album packed with enjoyable uptempo numbers to keep the listener moving. It was pretty enjoyable and I would crown it “Johnny’s Entertainment Album Of The Year” (even though that may not be much of a prize seeing as only NEWS, SMAP and KAT-TUN were released an album besides Arashi but they get it nonetheless). But it was One Love, which really made me interested in these guys. This song is absolutely fantastic and is definitely the best song they have released thus far. It’s so pretty that it could even make me cry. Following was truth / 風の向こうへ, which everyone seemed to eat up. Honestly though, I didn’t really see what was so fantastic about it. Luckily Beautiful days was a step up and stood out to me. If you want proof that people love Arashi, just look at the sales. They have absolutely smashed the charts and stomped people out from the top spots. I was really surprised but I congratulate them and hope their success continues. My favorite member is without a doubt Ohno. The first thing I noticed about his him was his face and how it kind of had a sadness to it, at least to me anyway. I think he’s a good leader and look forward to see him grow and sing in the future.
It was a close call for third place but ultimately I gave it to Arashi. So fourth place (but still really close to taking third) is V6. The guys’ first single of the year was 蝶, which immediately caught my eye. Well it wasn’t so much the title track as the second B-side, SHOW ME, that made me fall for these guys. SHOW ME is amazing and fantastic, definitely worth being an A-side. It’s the real reason that I came to follow these guys music. However all the songs on that single were fantastic, including the two other B-sides (Keep a Chance and Twlight emotion). 蝶 was a great title track, taking on Spanish sounds to push the instrumentation over the edge. VIBES, a DVD single, was released soon after and it was kind of like a mini album since there were so many new tracks. VOLTAGE, サンキュー! ミュージック! and DIVE were the three standout songs on this single and definitely kept the group’s momentum of strong songs. Next they released LIGHT IN YOUR HEART / Swing!, which was a very catchy single worth listening to. I didn’t really get to know these guys very well but I’ve chosen my favorite member, who we can take a look at to our right. Let’s take a big thanks to Raid at Raid My Mini Bar for pointing out Ken Miyake to me. There is a picture of him on the website (a random picture in a group appears at the top) and that’s how I got introduced this very hot guy. I tried to find that picture but to no avail. I hope these boys will be putting out an album soon so I can see just how talented these boys are and I hope they continue to deliver hot uptempo tunes.
It was also hard to choose who would get the 5th spot for “Kings of JE” but I chose to give it to KAT-TUN. With three singles and one album under their belt for the year, KAT-TUN definitely had their share of releases. Let’s be honest, T∀BOO is the reason that these boys got this spot. They’ve released LIPS, DON’T U EVER STOP and White X’mas but none of those songs could hold a candle to that amazingness that is T∀BOO. It’s a sleek and sexy number that is not only one of the best opening tracks of the year but one of the best opening tracks ever. It is addictive and worth the listen if you haven’t heard it. QUEEN OF THE PIRATES was a nice album although a little too focused on rock and not strong enough ballads. Keep the faith was a strong follow up to the introductory track and was another album highlight. Who is my favorite member of KAT-TUN? Tanaka Koki of course. He always stands out to be when I watch their PVs and his voice catches my ear when I hear their songs. Plus he has such a different look from the rest of his bandmates, it’s hard not to see him. Even though the singles could have been a little stronger and a little more aggressive, I would say KAT-TUN did a good job this year with their releases and I’m excited to see what they bring next year. Also their tour DVD comes out next year and I’ll be waiting to see T∀BOO live.
The rest of the groups I’ll be counting down did not release very much in comparison to their counterparts so I’ll just review them as one paragraph. 6th place goes to Kinki Kids, who actually only released one single. But what a single it was…Both Secret Code, the title track, and the B-sides made me really fond of these guys. It’s such a shame that they only released one single because I was looking forward to hearing more. While Secret Code takes on the cool jazzy route, strategie uses Spanish influences with Fu Fu Fu and ビターショコラ following the jazz suit. Plus I found out about Domoto Koichi, who is hot beyond belief. Up next is Tackey & Tsubasa, who take 7th place. Much like Kinki Kids, they only released one single but it was pretty good. 恋詩 – コイウタ- was really pretty so it was worth the listen while PROGRESS was a nice uptempo number. The 8th spot goes to SMAP, who released two enjoyable singles: そのまま / White Message and この瞬間, きっと夢じゃない. These guys have some really nice voices so I’m glad I was introduced to them. They also released an album entitled super.modern.artistic.performance, which I haven’t gotten around to listening to but I will soon. Kanjani∞ comes in 9th, mostly for Wahaha. That single was pretty catchy although not the most memorable song I could have hoped for. This group is just okay for me so I hope they release some material to really make me like them because I think that it’s just their style / image that just doesn’t suit me very well. Finally 10th place is TOKIO, who only released one single, 雨傘 / あきれるくらい僕らは願おう. It was nice although it didn’t really catch my attention like the other groups. I hope that these groups (Kinki Kids in particular) will be more active next year so I can really experience what they’re like.
Johnny’s Entertainment certainly has the talent to back up their big name. Many people associate JE with boys who rely on looks rather than talent but that is absolutely not true. Of course these boys have the looks but they have extreme talent to match. Hey! Say! JUMP brought some amazing material this year, winning them title of Kings of Johnny’s Entertainment 2008. NEWS and Arashi also brought some very nice material and had NEWS made a stronger album, they might have taken the crown. Arashi had a very big year as the most releasing group of JE so I wonder what next year will have in store for them, seeing as it is their 10th anniversary. The other groups all had their own special touch even if some weren’t very active. I look forward to seeing what Johnny Kitagawa plans for in 2009…it better be an album from Hey! Say! JUMP at the beginning or I will be pissed.
V6 – LIGHT IN YOUR HEART / Swing! [35th Single]
V6’s 35th single, entitled LIGHT IN YOUR HEART / Swing!, was released on 09.17.08. LIGHT IN YOUR HEART was used as the theme song for the fantasy movie Great Decisive Battle! The Super 8 Ultra Brothers while Swing! was used as the Fuji TV program VivaVivaV6.
LIGHT IN YOUR HEART is a cool dance track. Opening the song is an edgy and addictive instrumental that is extremely ear-catching. Following is the first verse and the vocals here carry a sleekness with them that keeps the listener following the course of the song with the music remaining so interesting and strong. Strangely enough, the chorus features a more positive and happy sound and the way they sing “the light in your heart” sounds absolutely fantastic. That coolness is spotlighted during the pure instrumentation section where the guitar is put to the forefront. The song finishes with that sleek edgy instrumentation that leaves the listener wanting more, which makes it a perfect finish.
Swing! takes on a more jazzy sound as the second A-side. The song starts off with an upbeat jazzy instrumentation that sounds great and soon the boys come in with the boys doing a little singing. Their voices move well together and there is just a fun happiness about the music that the listener can’t not love it. The verses feature the boys doing a kind of rap thing and it really works well with the music. During the chorus, various English words and they actually pop nicely. Swing! is a pretty catchy track that is worth checking out from the boys.
BELIEVE is only present on the regular edition of the single as the third track. Starting the song off is a very sweet and pretty instrumentation that establishes an atmosphere very strongly. Then the first verse begins and the vocals are smooth, showing power and control. The harmonizing on the chorus is nice although it does feel a little slow. Perhaps its the instrumentation that is so simple but it’s hard to really fall in love with this song like so many of V6’s songs.
あの空 is the second B-side, present only on the regular edition of the single. The song begins with an uptempo poppish instrumental that immediately catches the listener’s ear. Next comes the first verse and the vocals are very smooth here, carrying with the music perfectly. The chorus actually has a kind of cuteness about it as the boys harmonize so well and the instrumentation really portrays a sweet happiness. Although the song is quite long, clocking in at just over six minutes, it’s enjoyable from the start to finish as the boys vocals perfectly compliment the happy uptempo music.
In order to promote the single, two PVs were made: one for each A-side. For the video of LIGHT IN YOUR HEART, the boys do some great dance sequences in front of a dark background as colorful lights present themselves to give it a performance feel. There is also a scene of the boys dancing and they use their fingers to draw silver lines in the air and that’s pretty cool. It’s an enjoyable video and it’s always nice to see these boys dancing. Much like the previous video, this video is set in a performance style again although it isn’t as interesting as the previous one as there is no real dance sequence or anything.
Single Ranking: A –
V6 brought another good single this time around with the edgy and cool LIGHT IN YOUR HEART being the best song on the single. Swing! shows them trying out a jazzy sound and the B-sides, although not as strong as the A-sides, are a nice addition to the single.
V6 – VIBES [DVD Single]
V6’s 1st DVD single, entitled VIBES, was released on 07.30.08. The single’s leading track, 常夏 VIBRATION, was used as the theme song for the boys’ show Gakkou e Ikou! MAX.
常夏 VIBRATION is the first song on the single. The single opens up with the sweet summery instrumental and the boys sound very nice on the chorus as they capture the breeziness of the song perfectly. The rap section during the first verse sounds great and the following section, which is sung is another great part. Both the rapping and the singing nicely capture the summer atmosphere of the song by spotlight a fun-ness that stands out to the listener. The pure instrumental section breaks things down nicely and highlights a prettiness before the happy chorus comes back in. 常夏 VIBRATION is an excellent song with the sounds of summer sparkling in the instrumentation. It’s definitely a great way to lead the single and stands out to the listener nicely.
The second song is the sweet jazzy song, プールサイド・マーメイド. The song starts off with the chorus, as the boys smoothly sing the lyrics and hook the listener over the jazzy instrumentation. Then the first verse begins and the there are continuous strong vocals that stand out to the listener. With the pure instrumentation sequence, the spanish guitar is spotlighted and then there is a smooth transition into the chorus again. Music along with a few vocalizations from the boys provide the song with a nice fade-out finish. The instrumentation is definitely one of the song’s biggest strengths as there are jazzy elements that direct the boys and their vocals follow suit perfectly with smoothness, power and control.
Up next is DIVE. The song begins with a fantastic and upbeat instrumentation with rock flares to really make it stand out to the listener. Soon the first verse begins and the vocals are smooth and fit with the atmosphere of the song perfectly. The chorus has a certain poppiness that makes it stand out and the instrumentation remains interesting and addictive. Coolness and sleekness are spotlighted during the moments of pure instrumentation and provide the listener for more addictive music. DIVE is a fantastic number with an addictive instrumentation that leaves the listener wanting more and is definitely a strong song to be put on this single.
The fourth song on the single is nostalgie. Opening the song is an interesting upbeat instrumental that fades softer and then grows louder again, directing the listener. The is a slight disortion on the boys’ voices and that sound really fits with the atmosphere created by the music. Once the chorus comes in, the boys give off more vocal power and it stands out as the distortion on their voices disappears. The relaxing feel of the song really emerges on the pure instrumental section and really captures the listener’s attention. A vibrating instrumental then finishes the song. notalgie is an excellent song and slows things down a little bit, which gives a nice change of pace from the previous singles.
The fifth track is 心からの歌. Powerfully, the chorus starts and the strong vocals go perfectly with the beautiful piano instrumentation. The emotions flow wonderfully and soon the tempo picks up. The boys then have smooth vocals that go with the midtempo atmosphere of the song very well. As the song goes on, the pure instrumental section is reached where both the softer elements and the more upbeat elements play together for an enjoyable experience. This song is another excellent addition to the single and really stands out to the listener.
VOLTAGE picks up the energy with an addictive instrumental. Opening the song is an aggressive pop sound and then the first verse starts. The boys’ voices sound absolutely great here and move with the music so well that the listener becomes addicted. With the chorus, the English phrases such as “shock wave” and “you’ve got my voltage” really pop nicely and help the chorus really stand out. VOLTAGE is a brilliant song and definitely one of the standouts on this single; a song definitely not worth missing out on.
サンキュー! ミュージック! is the single’s semifinale. There is a certain coolness and relaxing atmosphere that comes through the opening instrumentation that catches the listener’s ear before the first verse starts. The vocals are strong and go with the music so well. The poppiness of the chorus really stands out while the boys give more strong vocals to support the instrumentation and the English phrase “thank you music for my life” is a great way to open it. The relaxing feeling really comes out on the pure instrumental section and sounds great. It’s another wonderful song and another real standout snumber on this single.
The single’s bonus track is きっとよくなる. Opening the song is a nice guitar instrumentation and then the first verse starts. The vocals are smooth and keep the listener interested. Stronger vocals and more diverse instrumentation make the chorus the real standout part of the song. Although this is the weakest song on the single, it does give a nice change of pace from all the upbeat numbers on this single.
Single Ranking: A
V6’s new single features many songs and the collection of them make this one fantastic single. The three biggest standout songs are VOLTAGE, サンキュー! ミュージック! and DIVE. The other songs are all great numbers and are definitely worth listening for old V6 fans and new ones as well.
V6 – 蝶 [33rd Single]
V6’s 33rd single, entitled 蝶, was released on 05.28.08. 蝶 was for the theme song for dorama Keishichou Sousa Ikka 9 Gakari.
The single opens up with the song that gives it its name, 蝶. The song opens up with a Spanish interlude from a guitar before the beat comes along with a hot dance beat with the same Spanish guitar playing a role in the instrumentation. When the first verse starts, the vocals work perfectly with the music to create a fun atmosphere. The hook serves as a bridge as the instrumentation slightly changes to introduce it and that slight change is actually quite addictive. The chorus features some nice harmonization from the boys and some true power as well. The pure instrumental section is wonderful as it spotlights the beauty of the instrumentation. The fun atmosphere somewhat masks the sexual energy that burns in the song but it’s a wonderful song that shows off V6’s power.
Keep A Chance is the B-side that is present on all versions of the single. The song begins with a sweet and soft piano beginning before the more uptempo jazzy instrumentation. The vocals during the first verse work well with the sound to make the atmosphere of the feeling. Following is the hook, which consists of a fast-paced rap. It’s a fresh addition to the song that sounds great. The chorus sounds a little bit cheesy but overall it’s a nice addition to the song and is pretty enjoyable and the ending flows well into the second verse. The pure instrumental section is enjoyable as it puts an emphasis on the pretty and fun instrumentation. Keep A Chance is an enjoyable B-side and the boys do a great job of keeping the spirit of the song alive.
The regular edition features two more B-sides in addition to Keep A Chance, the first being SHOW ME. The song begins with a video-game like opening before blasting into an uptempo dance song. The vocals work well to create a very fun atmosphere perfect for smiling and dancing. The hook introduces a slight change in instrumentation and the vocal power becomes slightly more strong. The chorus is very enjoyable featuring some repeated words but some awesome instrumentation and harmonization. The pure instrumental section sounds great, spotlighting the fun and awesome instrumentation. Although SHOW ME appears as a B-side, it’s definitely A-side material. The song is fun and energetic and is definitely a reason to get the regular edition of the single.
The other B-side only present on the regular edition is Twilight emotion. The song begins with a very cool and sleek instrumentation before going into a more fun and poppy sound. As the first verse starts, the vocals match that sleek sound to make a great feel and sound. The chorus is a little cheesy with the English lines but still a great part of the sound that sounds great. The pure instrumental section puts a spotlight on the fun and happy atmosphere of the song to make an enjoyable listening experience. Twilight emotion is a fun and poppy song that is another definite incentive to buy the regular edition of the single.
Single Ranking: A +
V6’s 33rd single features four songs that all present an excellent uptempo energy that comes to life with the boys’ voices. The title track is an wonderful dance song with Spanish influences that makes it pop. Keep A Chance takes a more jazzy approach to get its feel across. SHOW ME has an out-of-this-world quality that keeps the listener hooked while Twilight emotion is the fun and poppy track. All the songs on this single combine to make a highly enjoyable single.