Tracklist:
1. Let it Go
2. Happy Days
3. Let it Go (Instrumental)
4. Happy Days (Instrumental)
Yuna Ito’s 14th single was released on November 11, 2009 It reached #36 on Oricon and sold 2,858 copies. The A-side was used as a theme song for the film 天使の恋 (Tenshi no Koi).
Looking very Lee Hyori there, Yuna. But classy. I like the classy.
~
I was pleasantly surprised by Let it Go – it has a nice rockish feel, but in a less poppy, more folk-y way. This is pretty different from the bulk of Yuna Ito’s singles so it took a play or two for me to wrap my head around the idea. The nice acoustic guitars are sound really pleasant and breezy, and Yuna’s voice is pretty strong, although it sounds a bit too diva to mesh with the music 100%. On the whole I felt this song was a nice change of pace, and I prefer it almost completely over some of Yuna’s other songs, like Koi wa groovyx2.
Happy Days plays with a more upbeat pop feel, with a clapping rhythm, layers of guitars and some piano too. The English lyrics felt kind of random, but that’s neither here nor there. I especially liked the strings that come during and after the chorus because they’re very uplifting. The vocals during the verse aren’t anything special but they really shine during the chorus. My only real bone to pick with this song is how it ends on a sort of random lyric, but I’m not too bothered by it since I think Happy Days is something of an improvement over Yuna’s other B-sides.
Summary: When Yuna Ito tries to do upbeat, it normally is a hit-or-miss affair, and I think this one actually works on all the levels that matter. Both songs combine pleasant arrangements and vocals that are nice, though not spectacular. It’s clear that Yuna is trying to break away from her perceived image as a “ballad singer” by experimenting with new genres, and I think that’s natural. Whether or not Let it Go’s type of soft rock will become Yuna’s new niche remains to be seen, but I’d like to see her to some more searching. You’re getting there, Yuna!
Single Grade: B+
Filed under: *Uncategorized | Tags: ayumi hamasaki, you were.../ballad, 浜崎あゆみ
Ayu, I love you. -sniffle-
Tracklist:
1. Y.O.U
2. Ring Ding Dong
3. JoJo
4. Get Down
5. SHINee Girl
6. 내가 사랑했단 이름 (The Name I Loved)
SHINee’s third mini-album was released on October 19, 2009.
~
Okay, I really like this cover. Red and black is always a great combination and this is no exception. I don’t know the proper photography term, but I also like the starkness of the colors, like the photo was taken with a common flash bulb.
Y.O.U is a very strong opening track. It starts off with a slow electronic drumbeat, which then gives way to some polished synths and quick-paced vocals. The chorus consists largely of the word “you”, but the ease and laid-back quality of the vocals provide a nice contrast to the high-speed lyrics of the verse. The harmonies are pretty spectacular as well, sounding seamless and never anything less. This song definitely puts the listener in the mood to hear some more great music, which is exactly what SHINee gives them.
Here it is. THE single off of this mini-album, Ring Ding Dong, is so hot it’s practically steaming. Did you ever think that, hey, congo drums and electric synths would sound great together? Well, they do. The vocals here sound very smooth, probably a result of the noticeable, though not excessive, Auto-Tune effects. Even so, the guys sound great, Jonghyun in particular. The rap sections sound really cool too. The lyrics may not be deep or thought-provoking, but I challenge anyone to listen to this song and not get the phrase “elastic fantastic” stuck in their head. In short, this is a MASSIVELY catchy song and it works on virtually every level.
JoJo, a softer but still upbeat R&B song, takes things down a bit, but not much. The most prominent feature of this song music-wise is the strong use of rippling, almost trance-like synths. Like the previous track, JoJo uses its title as a simple but highly effective hook that’s very likely to get stuck in your head even after just one listen. The rap verse is fairly short-lived, but it has a low, seductive quality that contrasts the rest of the song nicely. Definitely another great track.
With Get Down, we basically have a rap battle happening between Key and Minho. It’s got a very contemporary sound with a combination of blaring synth and even brass horns. The disembodied female vocals in the background also sound really bizarre. I’m not sure if I really care for them or not yet. In truth, the rapping gets a bit repetitive towards the end, but thankfully the song ends around the 3 minute mark.
SHINee Girl keeps with the theme of R&B and heavy use of synth, only with some interesting 8-bit elements. It’s very uptempo and definitely catches the listener’s attention. I like how the music never loses steam throughout the song, and the danceable beat remains catchy until the very end. This is yet another fairly short track so it doesn’t drag out too long.
내가 사랑했단 이름 acts as the perfect compliment to Y.O.U, a lovely way of bringing the mini-album to a close. A simple, traditional ballad with acoustic guitar and piano, the boys’ vocal performance is unembellished and genuine. After 5 largely manufactured-sounding tracks, the simplicity and beauty of this ballad really shine through, and its placement at the very end is brilliant.
Summary: I love K-Pop. The music is well-produced and slick, and nine times out of ten the artists in question have actual talent to dish out. SHINee definitely have both of these things going for them, and it couldn’t be more clear while listening to 2009, Year of Us that they’re not just any boy band. What’s really nice about this mini-album is that, at only six songs, its conciseness gives way to a distinct lack of “weak” tracks. This is pop music at its best and I have the utmost respect for the music that SHINee have given us.
Album Grade: A+
Tracklist:
1. もっと．．．(Motto…; More…)
2. missing you
3. Dear My Friends
Kana Nishino’s seventh single was released on October 21, 2009. It reached #6 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and sold 17,956 copies.
~
Nice covers! Her facial expression looks a little blank and deadpan, but the rose and flower petal accents are pretty.
もっと．．．is a really nice midtempo R&B track that features some classy strings and piano. I was still getting used to Kana’s voice back when I first heard this song, but she does a really good job of keeping the nasal-ness to a minimum. It sounds like she’s singing in a more comfortable key and it really makes a difference on the song as a whole – in fact, she sounds more mature. The music really suits her as well. This is a very classy single.
Even despite its flaws, missing you is just the kind of charming and pretty song a young girl like Kana should be singing. It’s obviously a ballad, with piano and strings to last for days. The piano intro is arguably my favorite part of the song – before Kana comes in of course. It tends to stay on the predictable side and even sounds kind of dated, although Kana herself sounds nice. I do think she should stick to Japanese, though, because about 90% of the English lyrics in this song sound very accented. At least she’s trying, though.
Dear My Friends serves as the requisite cute, girly track on this single. There are some blipping, bleeping synths in there and Kana gives an honest effort at delivering a solid vocal performance, but there was no magic spark to connect the two and make a memorable song. Also, the English. Her accent sounded better but it was the actual words that were the problem.
Summary: I’ve hopped on the Kana bandwagon! xD
All right, in all seriousness, I am starting to really take a liking to Kana’s style more now that I’ve heard a few more songs by her. She has a very polished, well-produced sound and her vocals are beginning to sound a little less girlish and a little more womanly. This gets a thumb up from me. However, I do think she needs to work on her English more before she continues to use it as much as she has been (her talk of “frashbacks” produce more stifled giggles than she’s probably aiming for). She’s definitely on the right track, though, and I can appreciate that.
Single Grade: B
Tracklist:
1. COLORS ~Melody and Harmony~
2. Shelter
3. COLORS ~Melody and Harmony~ (Less Vocal)
4. Shelter (Less Vocal)
The first single by Jejung & Yuchun, a side project of the K-Pop and J-Pop group TVXQ was released on September 30, 2009. The first song was used as the image song for the 35th anniversary of Hello Kitty.
~
What nice, relaxing covers. I like the gentle splashes of color and the fact that the two versions are essentially direct contrasts of each other.
It took me a while to arrange my thoughts on COLORS ~Melody and Harmony~ because it’s just so danged different from the stuff that Jaejoong (Jejung) and Yoochun (Yuchun) normally make with TVXQ. Even though this is true, I just can’t help but love this song so much. It’s a simple, relaxed R&B love song that has your typical ballad characteristics but never gets boring. Jaejoong and Yoochun’s voices sound great together and boy, can these guys harmonize. There’s even a small section of Yoochun rapping in what sounds like English – it’s hard to tell, since he’s speaking so softly and he has a bit of an accent. However, these are only small flaws in a song that works in all the right places.
Shelter is a mournful R&B song, with prominent English rapping sections once again by Yoochun and strong electronic elements. It’s interesting how this song takes almost the direct opposite route as its predecessor – there’s a distinct sadness to the melody and music, and the combination of soft piano and the sounds of the rain can’t help but make the listener think of a dark, rainy day. The part of the boys’ vocal performance that stands out most on this track is the belting sections, which are terrific. Overall it’s a very touching and emotional song.
Don’t let the titles mislead you - COLORS ~Melody and Harmony~ (Less Vocal) and Shelter (Less Vocal) are instrumentals.
Summary: Ah, TVXQ. To be honest, what with the whole SM contract debacle between three of the members of the group, I wasn’t expecting any kind of activity from any of them. But I’m so glad I was wrong. COLORS ~Melody and Harmony~ and Shelter ended up being emotional, lovely, and all-around great songs courtesy of Jaejoong and Yoochun’s beautiful voices and careful composition. I hope we hear more from this duo in the future, because I like what I hear now.
Single Grade: A
Tracklist:
1. It’s all too much
2. Never say die
3. again ~YUI acoustic version~
4. It’s all too much ~Instrumental~
YUI’s fourteenth single was released on October 7th, 2009. It reached #1 on Oricon and has sold 75,047 copies. Both songs were used in the live-action film Kaiji.
~
I actually really like these covers! I think they’re interesting and unique. The floating cards sort of remind me of Alice in Wonderland, which is pretty cool to me.
It’s all too much is an upbeat, driving prog-rock tune, not unlike YUI’s previous single again only not quite as in-your-face. Even though it’s definitely a rock song, I enjoyed the occasional ballad-esque elements that were added in like strings and light piano. I thought these were pretty cool. I also got more of a chance to appreciate YUI’s vocals since she’s not spitting out a thousand words a minute like she was in again. Overall, I feel like It’s all too much is a really well-put together rock track and I enjoyed it a lot.
The next song, Never say die, is a LOT more pop than its fellow A-side. It retains the same rock feelings but it has a bouncier beat and a sunnier overall sound. For these reasons, I’m not a huge fan of the song as a whole, but from a vocalist’s standpoint I really dig YUI’s control over her voice. I normally wouldn’t describe it as being cute, but the whole vibe of the song combined with YUI’s upbeat performance make it seem that way.
For those who liked again for what it was, again ~YUI acoustic version~ is probably not the best. However, if the original’s forceful bluntness was not your cup of tea, I highly recommend this version. It’s basically what the title infers, plus some new, more reserved vocals from YUI. The result is very pretty and feminine-sounding.
Summary: By this time in her career, YUI has established herself as having a brand of pop-rock that’s all her own. In this single, we get the best of both worlds: a cool song that leans decisively toward YUI’s rock tendencies (It’s all too much) and the oh so rare but nonetheless nice-to-hear-from-time-to-time pop song (Never say die). The only B-side, an acoustic rendition of YUI’s rousing prog-rock single again, is a great addition to the single as well. However, I can’t help but feel a bit unaffected toward the single after hearing it – in other words, it was unmemorable. Next time, I’d like to hear something truly spectacular.
Single Grade: B+
Tracklist:
1. もしも願いが．．．(Moshimo Negai ga…; If My Wish…)
2. 好きやで ~愛しい人へ~ (Suki ya de ~Itoshii Hito e~; I Love You ~For My Darling~)
3. MAGIC
4. もしも願いが．．．~Instrumental~
Nami Tamaki’s third single under the Universal Japan label was released on October 14, 2009 and reached #16 on the Oricon Daily Chart. The A-side was used as the theme song for the video game Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga. The single was released in a regular version and two limited edition versions, one normal and one CD+DVD version.
~
The only thing that can really be said about these covers is NAMI, YOU ARE GORGEOUS. Prettiest single covers this year? Quite possibly.
As her first venture into the R&B genre, もしも願いが．．．has restored my faith in Nami Tamaki. This charming love song features an unassuming piano riff and several layers of electronic drumbeats, not to mention Nami’s strongest vocal performance in a very long time. It’s a bit long by typical Nami standards but thankfully it never grows repetitive or boring. Also, as with most of her more recent songs, the English sections really stand out because her pronunciation has improved significantly. This is an absolutely fantastic song, and I really hope Nami decides to stick with this genre because she’s never sounded better.
好きやで ~愛しい人へ~, the answer song to the original by ET-KING, is a rather diminutive pop song and sounds a bit like a throwback to Nami’s Greeting-era B-sides. Nami does a rather cute, charming job of introducing a female sensibility to a rough-sounding hip hop song. The male vocals, copypasted straight from the
original, are pretty cool since they provide a direct contrast to Nami’s feminine vocals. I’ve been very impressed with the B-sides on Nami’s singles lately and this song is no exception.
The theme of this new album has got to be nostalgia or something, because I’ve never seen Nami take such an active interest in covers. MAGIC is a cover of the 1999 single by Tina, and although Nami’s version sounds similar enough, it’s a great cover because it brings Tina’s rather dated-sounding original into the 21st century with layers of synth. Nami also exhibits a high degree of control over her voice when switching between the lower register in the verses and higher register in the chorus. I’m not even going to comment on her English anymore since it’s been sounding consistently great and I’m just going to assume from now on that this is her new standard.
Summary: After two slightly disappointing singles in which the B-sides exceeded their A-sides in just about every way imaginable, I was seriously beginning to doubt whether Nami Tamaki’s move from the Sony music label to Universal Japan had been a wise one. However, this single introduces Nami to a genre that’s entirely new to her and, in my opinion, just might be the one that sticks. The technopop and bubblegum were cute, and the attempts at rock and hip-hop were admirable, but R&B brings Nami to a whole new level both musically and vocally. In case you can’t already tell, I highly recommend this single to anyone and everyone.
Single Grade: A+
Tracklist:
1. Angel’s Song
2. Greatful days
3. Because of You
4. Ourselves
5. Hanabi ~episode II~ (Fireworks ~episode II~)
6. No Way to Say
7. forgiveness
8. Memorial address (take 2 version)
Ayumi Hamasaki’s first and only mini-album was released on December 17, 2003. It reached #1 on Oricon and has sold 1,062,297 copies to date.
Even from the first few seconds of the first track on this album, Angel’s Song, we can tell that we are about to embark on a J-Pop journey in the style of Ayumi Hamasaki. Boastng a majestic opening that leads into a song that is distinctly pop – the cascading synths are simply heavenly (pun definitely intended) – but whose melody carries a hint of melancholy just strong enough to remind the listener of who they’re listening to. At the risk of rambling further, I’ll simply say that this is pop music at its best.
Greatful days is, at least in my opinion, the weak link on this particular EP (referred to here as a mini-album), and though it’s not horrible or anything, it’s nothing special either. This is the very epitome of the “summer song” – we’re talking break out the beach balls and bikinis, we’re heading to the beach-type summer. Mostly, it tries to prolong the high brought on by the previous track, but instead falls short. That said, the music is as one would expect, and Ayu’s cutesy vocals often waver between endearing and irritating. And although the chorus is catchy, the verses are… uncomfortably not so. More often than not, I end up skipping this one.
Whoever decided on placing Because of You at this juncture in the mini-album has made himself an ally. With a startling rock arrangement, Ayumi weaves a dark and obsessive love story, the lyrics reading like a one-sided fairy tale gone wrong. The harmonies in this song are top-notch - layered over crashing guitar riffs and twinkling piano, the result is equal parts haunting and gorgeous. It can’t be anyone but you, Ayumi cries. Oh, but Ayu, don’t you know we feel the same way about you?
Ourselves keeps with the same basic feeling, bringing us into a world where it’s okay if no one else in the world understands – only you and I have to know about “us”. A beating of a hollow drum and distant piano create an atmosphere of isolation, when Ayumi croons over a winding melody. The only thing that has meaning in the end, she insists, has got to be love. The chorus repeats hypnotically for several more times before the song comes to an end. A very satisfying listen.
Of all of Ayumi’s “paired” songs (Friend & Friend II, Powder Snow & P.S. II, HANABI & Hanabi ~episode II~), the Hanabi couple probably wins in overall quality. In HANABI, Ayumi is in a state of constant remembrance – now, in Hanabi ~episode II~, she wants only to forget. A rock song, Ayumi’s vocals are wistful and heartbreaking, soaring above guitars and accompanied by peculiar but brilliant male background vocals. Interestingly enough, this is also the only song of the two whose lyrics make actual mention of fireworks. Better than the original, you ask? Quite possibly.
On every album ever released by Miss Hamasaki, there is at least one wintry ballad. At this point in her career, this is practically a rule. That’s where No Way To Say comes into play. It’s an unassuming ballad by Ayu standards, with the requisite twinkling keyboards and a melody so predictable it borders on boring. Her vocals are pristine and simple, avoiding the gratuitous vibrato that would come to plague her later recordings (I’m looking at you, “Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~”). The good news is that, while No Way may not exactly be the cream of the crop amongst Ayu’s ballads, in no way is it bad. It’s also the closest any song on this mini-album comes to being filler. Score.
Forgiveness keeps with the ballad trend, offering what might be Ayumi’s most poetic foray into English lyrics since everywhere nowhere. Beginning with a diminutive piano line and some strings, Ayu’s voice is virtually a whisper, and a beautiful one at that, something her more recent ballads could only dream of. Beginning in the pre-chorus is a buildup that expands into a grandiose chorus and beautiful bridge that’s only in English. The lyrics, “War and destruction / Crime and desire / But I wanted only keep my love”, are pure poetry, showcasing Ayumi’s talent for lyrical expression no matter what the language. If you skip any songs on this mini-album, do not let it be this one.
The final song and title track, Memorial Address, is one of the most emotionally-driven songs Ayu has ever recorded, even to this day. The first half consists solely of Ayumi’s voice and a piano, putting the lyrics center stage. At approximately the 1:35 mark, a full rock band is introduced, causing Ayu to damn near scream to be heard over it. It is a perfectly flawed performance. The song ends poignantly just as it began, with just Ayu and her piano.
Summary: With some of her recent releases that sometimes border on over-indulgent and gratuitous in their complexity, Memorial Address serves as a reminder of the time when Ayumi was once able to release something short, sweet and above all, concise. The upbeat tracks are uplifting, the rock songs driving, and the ballads moving. For first-time listeners, this is a great example of Ayu’s capabilites as a lyricist and vocalist, offering up virtually every genre she’s ever tried. As the best-selling mini-album ever in J-Pop, one can rightfully doubt if Ayu, let alone anyone will ever be able to replicate the success of Memorial Address. But it will forever go on as one of the last shining moments of the apex of Ayu’s career.
Album Grade: A+
Filed under: *Announcements
OMG YOU GUYS!
Two days ago, a song for xx reached 10,000 views! Can you believe it? I couldn’t! xD
I want to thank all my visitors so much for the support and for making this happen. Your views and comments keep me going!
That said, rather than doing a needless feature, I really want to know what you guys want to see more of in this blog. Everyone’s opinion will be taken into account, so seriously, speak up!
In addition, I’m going to start doing retroactive reviews of some albums on which I’d like to share my opinion. My first will be Ayumi Hamasaki’s Memorial Address mini-album, so keep an eye out for that one.
So long, and thank you so so so much!
~askjeevas
Tracklist:
1. Bitter & Sweet Intro
2. Kiss Kiss Kiss
3. ずっと二人で (Zutto Futari de; Always Together)
4. 恋焦がれて (Koi Kogarete; Longing for Love)
5. 抱きしめて feat. Dohzi-T (Dakishimete; Hold Me)
6. Anything Goes!!
7. stardust
8. KIRA☆KIRA☆
9. GO ON
10. 信じさせて (Shinjisasete; Make Me Believe)
10. nice & slow
11. STAY
12. Beautiful World
13. もう二度と．．．(Mou Nido to…; Never Again…)
14. Kiss Kiss Kiss (DJ HASEBE REMIX)
BENI’s debut album under Universal Japan was released on September 2, 2008. The album peaked at the #5 position on the Oricon Weekly Chart and sold 29,581 copies.
As far as introductions go, Bitter & Sweet Intro is kind of hard to nail down. We’ve got BENI singing how it’s her “time to shine“, some obvious R&B flavorings, and even the sound of a thunderstorm in the background. I’m not exactly sure what to make of this intro, but it sounds nice, so I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt.
Kiss Kiss Kiss is one of the most American-sounding non-American pop songs I’ve ever heard. BENI’s vocals are so smooth, and the thumping beats and finger-snaps sound like they were ripped straight out of some top ten hit on Billboard. Even though I was practically waiting for Kanye West to pop up at any time during this song, BENI sounds truly great and the simple, yet repetitive hook does half of the work for her. Definitely a standout track.
Up next we have BENI’s most recent single, ずっと二人. Although it still sounds like a winter song to me, this track has really grown on me. Regardless of the season, this is just a really pretty song, and the control BENI has over her voice, especially the vibrato, is quite admirable. She tends to get kinda smudged on the pronunciation at times, but it’s nothing too serious. At the very least, this is a very enjoyable song.
恋焦がれて is another lovely R&B song with a very laid-back atmosphere to it. Once again, BENI’s voice is pitch-perfect, tailor made for this genre and this song shows it. I guess the only complaints I have are a) again, BENI, you’ve got to watch that pronunciation. You can give a strong vocal and pronounce everything correctly at the same time, and b) the music itself is a little on the generic side. I enjoyed it, but I will admit that it does get a bit stale after the second listen or so.
Taking things down a notch, we have 抱きしめて. The arrangement is notably different from that of the first few songs, leaning more toward the jazzy side of the spectrum than to straight-up R&B. BENI’s voice, with the whole sleepy feeling of the song, sounds a bit pillow-talkish and very sultry. Reinforcing this sentiment is the rather buttery sounding rap section courtesy of Dohzi-T, which fits in snugly with the hazy, flowy sound.
Anything Goes!! tries to bring us right back into the swing of things with some upbeat synths and vocals. Unfortunately for BENI, this rather obvious filler track does little to quell the listener’s desire for something, anything that can be considered special. Listening to this song, I honestly felt kind of bored. Here, it’s totally acceptable if the listener acts on the urge to press skip.
One of the B-sides from BENI’s latest single, here we have stardust. I still pretty much feel the same way about it as I did when I first reviewed it, but I must say that it sounds light-years more catchy and interesting next to the lackluster previous track. Whoever was in charge of this placement decision deserves a pat on the back.
KIRA☆KIRA☆ brings us yet another knockout dose of boring. I mean, I’m sure BENI thought she was being cute when she decided to write about some guy making her world go all sparkly “kira-kira”, but really? That’s just silly. It’s a shame, since the hook would actually be really good if the lyrics weren’t so darn stupid. If you’re going to listen to this song at all, let it be for the soothing music and not for the words.
What a relief it was to hear GO ON and actually like it. I enjoyed the fact that it has a nice pop song, which BENI did very well (not that that was a surprise). The lyrics, written by BENI herself, were, I believe, dealing with the topic of moving on from a defunct relationship. This too was a pleasant change. Overall, I approve of this track and recommend it.
信じさせて brings us back to the R&B. It sounds a bit filler-y, and there’s just something missing between the vocals and the music that would make the whole picture stand out in my mind. BENI sounds pretty, and the somewhat spastic synths during the verse were entertaining, but I found myself forgetting this song a few minutes after I listened to it.
This is more like it. nice & slow could not have been given a better title – the beat is calm and relaxed, and the rippling effect of the synths make you feel like you’re sitting in a dimly lit club. Lucky for the listener, BENI doesn’t overplay the vocal here, sticking to the theme of relaxation and chilled-outness. The English lyrics, like Move your body close to me, are a nice touch and don’t feel out of place. This one was very nicely done.
Next, we have STAY.
I am yawning here, BENI. Yawning. The only truly entertaining thing about this song were the incredibly American-sounding interjections of ” ‘Eyyy!” during the chorus. That is it. I promise.
My chances of enjoying the rest of this album were looking pretty shot, but to my utter surprise and relief, Beautiful World ended up actually sounding kind of…worldly. I don’t know if it’s the unnamed, uncredited male singer in the background or the slightly ethereal sounding music, but there’s something interesting and relevant about this track. Not to mention the fact that BENI sounds very strong during the chorus, like she’s actually giving a little bit extra. A round of applause for this one.
もう二度と… brings us back to the beginning of the Bitter & Sweet era, BENI’s first single under Universal J and her new name. Despite largely sounding like most of the songs from this album, this track in particular sounds a lot less like BENI is trying too hard, which I can appreciate. Her voice also sounds absolutely fantastic and she manages to inject the perfect amount of sentimentality into her performance. Very, very nice.
Kiss Kiss Kiss (DJ HASEBE REMIX) is a somewhat lame way to close the album, as it sounds pretty similar to the original but for a handful of changes. The listener needn’t feel obliged to listen to this one, although it is certainly decent. Just not great.
Summary: Suffice it to say that BENI’s singles off of this album were some of the nicest, prettiest, most enjoyable I’ve heard in recent months. There wasn’t a single one that I didn’t enjoy listening to on some level. That’s why I was more than eager to give this album a listen, but a bit disappointed when it started to fall ill to the dreaded same-ness syndrome. Like most albums, this one has its highs and its lows, some brief glimpses at excellence and minor dips into mediocrity, but all in all it was a very coherent and pleasant listening experience. Hopefully in future efforts, BENI will find it in her to branch out and explore some genres that lie outside of her comfort zone, but for now this is more than sufficient.
Album Grade: B+
