Last week I added two new albums to my idol collection:
7 Berryz Times and Sakura Gakuin 2010 Nendo ~message~
But it cost me a lot to get them >o< For one thing, I bought the albums from the Japanese HMV page, where shipping costs around 1500 yen (19 dollars), but I chose to “split shipping” so I had to pay 2 x 1500 yen (37 dollars) total for shipping X_X
And last but not least… both packages were collected on delivery, because they had surpassed the maximum limit of money you are allowed to spend outside the EU borders :'( So I had to pay additional 87 dollars to get both my packages at the post office… (T – T) Usually they only collect the bigger packages – but of course I had to be THAT unlucky Dx
You could actually say I paid around 110 dollars for each album! ( ; _ ;) Good grief…
But now to the good stuff! :D I will start with a review of the Berryz album ;)
First the songs ♪
- Icchoume Rock! (一丁目ロック!)
Really nice and uplifting idol-rock song to start off the album with ^_^ I like that you can hear crowd cheering Oi! Oi! Oi! and other cheer sounds in the background music to this song! :D
- Heroine ni Narou ka! (ヒロインになろうか!)
This song is just plain awesome ♥ I love it so much. Definitely my favorite Berryz song since Otakebi Boy WAO! (much better than Shining Power and Maji Bomber!!) The background beat is just mesmerizing and the vocals catchy as hell xD Can just listen to this song on repeat nonstop without getting sick of it :P My favorite part of the song is when the girls pitch their voices a little higher in the last chorus of the song ^O^ ♥ OMG – Epic!
- BOMB BOMB JUMP
This song is very humorous with the “bomb bomb bomb” parts in the start of the song. Sounds pretty catchy too ;) I love that Chinami, Maasa and Yurina get to sing all the solo verses in this song; practically you could say it’s their song ^o^ Yay~ So this album is not completely without shuffle groups :) The song is really happy too – happy songs = pure win~! x3
- Masshiroi ano kumo (真っ白いあの雲)
The first ballad song of the album. My opinion in short: AMAZING! I just love love love Berryz ballads in general (so maybe I’m a bit biased xP) but this song is really great. I think their voices are in perfect harmony plus the music is nice and calming.
I’m in love ♥
- Maji Bomber!! (本気ボンバー!!)
I don’t have a lot to say about this song. I think it’s okay, but it’s definitely one of my least favorite songs on the album. I think the girls’ vocals are really powerful, but the song is just boring to me >_<; I like it performed at concerts though :)
- Joshikai The Night (女子会 The Night)
This songs is COOL :D Sounds like a MM song in the beginning of the song (before the singing starts xD). Miyabi and Risako lead this song and I really like the whisper parts, they sound sekushii :P But I think it’s fine there’s only one song of this kind on the album, because it made room for more awesome ballads xD (lol)
- Girls Times (ガールズタイムス)
This song is nice and cheery and it’s the song with the most Momo lines, so of course I like it xD Some of the “yeah yeah” parts remind me of Gaki – so this song also gives me a MM feeling (heh) ^^ Maybe this is not one of the most remarkable songs on the album, but it’s good nonetheless ; )
- Onna no Pride (女のプライド)
The last ballad song on the album. This song is just pure Berryz. I don’t know what it is, but the style of the songs really reminds me of early Berryz, which I just LOOVE! ♥ *Kya* I actually think this song is my favorite song on the album :3 Just amazing – Wow.
- Shining Power! (シャイニング パワー!)
Yurina rocks this song~ and if I have to describe this song with one word, it would probably be FUNKY. It’s a song you just can’t stop bopping your head to ^o^ (lol) I like it – but it just can’t beat Heroine *_*
- Magical Future! (マジカルフューチャー!)
This song is kind of different from the others. The sound and feel is different, but I’m loving the beat ~♪ ^O^ Somehow it just feels wrong as an ending song for the album – like you think “huh?” when the album ends. I like it better when albums end with ballad songs xD Even though I know the last Berryz album ended with an upbeat song as well ^^; (Heh)
The DVD content~
Really great extras this time! :O There are included both a concert performance, dance mix version and a solo dance version with each member of Heroine ni Narou ka on the DVD – plus the making of the album jacket. Wow! That’s really something xD Really great content for the money (if you look away from my case >_>)…
The jacket/cover~
I love the black dresses. They make the girls look more like their actual age (which is saying a lot in Momo’s case – lol!) As for the hair I think I like everyones’ except Yurina’s. For a long time she has just had that same hair style: hair hanging loose on her shoulders. Seriously! Couldn’t they make it a little less plain? I just find it really boring. Even though Maasa’s hair is hanging loose too, hers is at least a little wavy and it’s rare her hair is loose like that. But why does Yurina always have to have that same boring hairstyle? It’s really tiring… Sorry ^o^; I think the girls’ jewelry is pretty, but maybe Risako’s huge pearl necklace is a bit over the top. Otherwise great cover, even though I think they should have left out the tape marks on the member pictures xD Looks totally wrong (too school-like) O_O Jeez
Conclusion:
I find this album the strongest Berryz album since 4th Ai Nanchara no Shisou – there aren’t really any weak songs on this album, not even Girls Times. It’s not like I didn’t enjoy their last albums, I just think this album has a stronger quality and I love the flow of the album (even with the little too upbeat ending song – lol) ^o^ I’m happy I bought it, even though I would have done that anyway (because I support Berryz no-matter-what).
Now to the Sakura Gakuin album :D
The songs~
- FLY AWAY
I love the first song on the album ♥ A lot of Suzuka solo lines, an upbeat and happy feel and a rockish melody- could I ask for more? xD Definitely one of my favorite songs on the album ;3
- Hello! IVY
This is one of my favorite Sakura Gakuin songs and probably the song that got me really interested in the group :D The “wow wow wow” parts sound like “vov vov vov” (wuff wuff/wan wan dog barks in my Danish ears xD lol) which I find really cute ♥ All the girls’ voices just go together really well in this group and that’s really something you notice with this song :)
- Chime (チャイム)
This song has a lot of solo verses and I just love when the girls sing solo! ♥o♥ The song has a nice and fresh feel and somehow makes me feel more confident and brave – like you won’t ever be afraid of tomorrow. It has that kind of power. Just an amazing song ^^ People should make more songs like this ;)
- Cooking Club Mini Parti – Happy Birthday (ハッピーバースデー)
This is a cute song, but I’m not that crazy about it. It just feels a little repetitious at times, like it could go on forever, which is just too bad. I’m also a little disappointed neither of the members got solo lines, not anyone you notice anyway. I hope Mini Pati’s future songs will get better >_<
- Go Home Club sleepiece – Medaka no Kyodai (めだかの兄妹)
I like this song better than Happy Birthday, but I still think the song lacks something compared to the other album songs. The song has a cute and fun melody, but is also pretty repetitious. There aren’t any solo lines in this song as well *Buhuu* :(
- Baton Club Twinklestars – Dear Mr. Socrates
Now to a song I LOVE! ♥ \(^o^)/ This song is really charming and cute. All the girls have solo lines, but of course Ayami gets to sing a little more (because her voice is so good xD). The melody is lovely with happy “papapa” chants in the background – makes one giddy and entertained throughout the whole song ^_^ Twinklestars is definitely one of the strongest units from SG and currently the only sub unit that has released their own single. I look forward to their second single being released the 6th of July! :3
- Newspaper Club SCOOPERS – Brand New Day
This song is pretty cool – not amazing, but I have a feeling it will grow on me. I like the rock-feel and I think Ayaka’s and Airi’s voices mix well together :) I also think it sounds cute when they sing “hello hello” ♥ Look forward to more Scoopers~ ^^
- Heavy Music Club BABYMETAL – Doki Doki☆Morning (ド・キ・ド・キ☆モーニング)
No doubt the best song on the entire album xD I’ve never heard an idol song like this ever. Amazing Suzuka singing to Moa’s and Yui’s young childish voices with metal-like rock music in the background just sounds freaking awesome! And I must not forget to mention I love the song’s intro going from cute idol-like innocence to hardcore rock style in less than 10 seconds xD Just too epic for words *o* I can’t wait to hear more BABYMETAL songs – this sub unit is just the best thing ever created! (lol) ♥
- Yume ni Mukatte (夢に向かって)
This song is really catchy and has that same “fresh” feel like Chime has. This is also the group’s main song on their first single and has a lot of energy ^^ I love it when the girls pull out the SG flag in the dance routine of the PV (I actually love it so much I bought the flag myself xD yes that’s right) ;P
- message
The one and only ballad song on the album, so of course I love it xD I’m just a sucker for ballad songs, but this songs is actually really good and not the typical ballad song. It has a sort of school choir feel – really nice ♥ I love the solo verses in the end of the song and the “lalala” parts – sounds fantastic~ Also one of my favorite songs on the album :)
The jacket/cover~
I love the cover art for the album, it simple but really lovely ♥ The girls’ uniforms are so cute (want one myself!) and the cover art on the discs themselves are really creative with the girls’ silhouettes in movement ^o^ I’m so happy I got the BABYMETAL additional cover (a HMV novelty) it’s soo cool~ *o* and the Mini Pati photo card it okay with me too :)
The DVD content~
There were a lot of nice special features on the DVD, like an interview with BABYMETAL and SCOOPERS, the message PV + making of and a school class drama act. The drama act was really funny and I was surprised to discover that Ayaka can introduce herself in Korean! :O Wow~ すごいね.
Conclusion:
Even though some of the songs disappointed me, the awesomeness of the BABYMETAL song totally makes up for it xD And most of the songs I already knew and loved, so nothing new there. I think this is a pretty strong debut album for a group with such young members (it’s definitely much stronger than Super Girls’ debut album – lol). I just can’t wait for new releases from this group, which I find myself immensely interested in x3
SG fighting!
Holy cricket! They have done it again, BABYMETAL o_o I’m completely in love with this weird mix of tecno, rock, rap and pop!
a rap part to the madness – lovely! ♥o♥ I think it’s cool when girls’ idols rap; it’s such a nice contrast to the sweet girly image they always have to maintain ^o^ And the dracula capes in the beginning of the video was just an epic intro (haha). Wuaah~ I really can’t wait for the release of this single!
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