Search - Kotoko :: Second Album

A good mix of fast and slow songs

Y. Ching | Hong Kong | 07/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Overall: Very nice CD. It has a selection of nice songs, just like the last CD. Nonetheless, I don't like some of the songs/arrangements, but the same goes for the first CD, so no complaints ^v^ The bass of the CD is a little bit on the weak side -- I'd like to have it stronger, but I guess it's because of playback artifacts...

I prefer to listen to it with some EQ on, just boosting the bass, then a little bit of KOTOKO's voice.



Comments on the individual songs:

1. RETRIEVE

Not as strong a start as "Asura" is from the first album. Did not give me such a strong first impression of the album, which I think should be the point of the first song. It is a very typical trance pop song from Takase Kazuya, the melody is smooth and appealing, with a hint of darkness. Not fantastic, but not bad either.



2. Wing my Way

Ah, the good old song that first introduced me to I've sound. Nice, upbeat song @v@ I really like this song, with its depth and layers of melodies, BUT I don't think including it in this album is such a great idea. Plus, after listening to the old version, I think they didn't re-record much of it. That's a disappointment :( A nice happy uplift from the slightly heavy first song though.



3. Oboetete Ii yo ("It's good to remember")

Even more upbeat than Wing my Way, but the emotion is a mixture between happiness and sadness. I like the layers of instruments they have in this song. It's so upbeat that it's probably good when you're feeling down. Nice guitars in the middle, but in terms of KOTOKO's singing, it's not as emphasized as other songs, maybe because it's a fast song afterall?



4. Tameiki KUROOBAA ("Sighing Clover")

I don't like the start, like how they stretch the chorus out and how KOTOKO sang "CLOOOOOOVER". But once it gets into the first verse, it is very very nice. I really like how the melody goes. It's still as upbeat as the previous song on the album, but with a sadder atmosphere.



5. Meconopsis

The name is very interesting, it's actually a kind of blue flower. Nothing fancy but that's the attractiveness of it. This song is the same. I like the little scales that run beneath the melody, I like the occasional "ooh" and "aah" in the lyrics, which stresses emotions. The piano usage in this song is very, very nice. It is not master-skill piano showoff, but it supports the melody line well. The only down side, is the start of the 2nd verse after the 1st chorus, the drums seems a bit too much to me right there @_@ The pace is slowing down from the last song, and the mood stays sad. So far my favourite song out of the first five.



6. Sasakure

Have to go check up the translation of the name later...I had an idea what it means but can't say it =p A more whinny KOTOKO song, I'd say. A bit more upbeat than the last one, but still in a sad mood. This sounds more like a trance-ish R&B, I'd say. Not much to say about it -- don't like the ending much, it's too abrupt.



7. Kohaku ("Amber")

Finally slowly down, and the song has a hint of hope. The song has a nice little melody and lyrics. But being one of the middle songs, I guess it is just born to be average ;)



8. Re-sublimity

The opening theme of the anime "Kannaduki no Miko", whenever I listen to it, the pretty images of Himeko and Chikane just appears in front of it. I really like the introduction of this song (probably reinforced by the anime opening movie), with the underlying fast moving beats but the tense small melodies. A very upbeat song, with beautiful lyrics, and nice use of breaks and rests before rising to the climax. The end repetitions of the last line of the melody is just too much in my opinion though.



9. GARASU no Kaze ("Wind of Glass")

Instead of the usually long introduction that Takase Kazuya loves, this song starts right away with singing. It's about nostalgia -- "some day I would return to the town where I said I love you", and it's laid out in exactly the right mood. Smooth and slow(er) song, with a nice ending. It's the song that bears the album's title -- comparing to "Hane" ("feather"), it is not as striking, instead it has a kind of peace that "Hane" does not possess. They both set a pace for the albums -- the first album is more fierce and attacking while the second one is more relaxed and laidback (at least, comparing to the first one -- since trance pop is fast comparing to other genres anyway =p)



10. 421 -a will-

First off, you hear (in English), "Thank you for your sincere engagement". Hrm, another example of some weird english usage in a Japanese song -- the grammar is right but it doesn't make much sense. The song is another typical pop song, fast and upbeat, with a nice trance touch underneath it, but nothing too unique and special about it.



11. Free Angels

Geez, you wonder, another song with the word "Angel" in the title? But the mood of this song is not so angelic. If I really need to make a comparison, it's closer to the mood of Dido's "No Angel" before it gets into the chorus. It is actually very nice, the chorus has some thoughtful lyrics laid out. It has less supporting layers in contrast to the other songs, but it emphasizes KOTOKO's voice more, which is what's appealing in this song. The slightly creepy feeling and the pause before the ending is just great :D A much nicer fade-out used in the ending comparing to other songs too.



12. Beta-Nendo no Wakusei ("Planet of Beta-clay")

Weird name, yes, but it's about our very own Earth. This is a song composed for the live concert tour of KOTOKO, right after the release of the first album. The layers of voices in the chorus is the best part of the song, I think, as well as the miscellaneous SFX in the song. The lyrics are worth looking into too. I wonder how it sounded like during KOTOKO's live concerts -- must be pretty awesome if they could reproduce these subtle layers of voices!



13. Akai Tama, Aoi Tama ("Red Gem, Blue Gem")

Very slow, smooth and pleasing song. After all these upbeat trance pops, it's a surprise to see this waiting for you at the very end of the album. With only minimal accompaniment (piano, guitar, drums...and some more during the chorus), it calms you down at first, then slowly put you up to the climax. It is so touching when KOTOKO sings "Sayonara, sayonara"...a good ending song, nonetheless :)"

A little unsure what to rate this...

Ocean_villa | 08/29/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Pros: The instrumental compositions are beautiful, Kotoko adds variety to the songs and vocals.



Cons: Sometimes the singing is over-the-top. There are times where she sounds too desperate, as if she's unsure of her audience and tries too hard to draw them in.



The Bottom Line: A nice CD overall, when Kotoko uses her range well and doesn't go overboard.



In all honesty, I hung back for a while on reviewing this CD. It's not because I hate it, it's just that this is one of those CDs that gives me mixed feelings. It's not amazing enough for me to warrant a four, nor bad enough to warrant a three rating. Now, you're welcome to give me a negative thumbs down for going against the grain on this CD (most people find no fault with it, from what I've seen). But, for the objective reviewer out there, I want to point out both the good and the bad. So this review is for you.



Now, I do like the CD as a whole. Please bear that in mind. Glass no Kaze (Wind of Glass) is a very interesting CD. It combines pop, with some techno, a little folk (albeit not much, but it is there), and classical elements together. In one case, the song Retrieve, begins with sirens, giving the listener a sense that an accident has taken place. It's a different approach because it works very well in integrating the audience into the song. The instrumentals as a whole, I have no problem with.



However, when it comes to the singing, there is a problem. Let's get the negative out of the way first: Kotoko doesn't seem to stay within her range on several songs and this can be very damaging. Although Retrieve is a good song, Kotoko goes so high within the first few seconds that her voice cracks. When this happens on the first song of a CD, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It makes Kotoko sound desperate and unsure of her audience. When a singer comes off that way, it bothers me. Especially, when Kotoko seems to be straining for a sound that will make those listening love the music. It's a bad thing to have as it throws me out of a song.



Unfortunately, this is present on several songs such as Wing My Way, the chorus of Oboetete ii Yo, Glass no Kaze, and Red Jewel, Blue Jewel (to give some examples). I find I may listen to a verse, like in Oboetete, and love the song; but when the chorus hits, Kokoto's straining range limits irritate me to the extent that I cannot enjoy the song as intended, only the verses. I just wish she would use her range in a better manner. It would make these songs far better.



That's not to say that she doesn't know how to use her range at all. I am just referring to the negative aspect of her singing. Kotoko sings beautifully when she doesn't sound desperate. You see, there's a fine line between singing with power and going overboard. Re-Sublimity is a perfect example of this: Kotoko hits some very high notes here. Yet, it is never irritating to listen to because she manages to sound emotional, powerful, and within her range, whilst complimenting the instrumentals. Similarly, Sighing Clover is another wonderful example of her singing ability: strong vocals and emotion to interest an audience. I can actually imagine her singing live in front of an audience on this one. For me, the song actually combines a lounge-singing style, mixed with a techno-disco feel, making it very relaxing.



Meconopsis has a similar feel, giving off a very relaxing, nostalgic atmosphere. Kotoko sings lower than usual on this one, which compliments the song extremely well. This experimentation in singing works perfectly. Meconopsis. It's done in more of a ballad style, despite fast instrumentals.



Other highlights: Sasakure and 421 - a Will, with very catchy, fast pop choruses. Both demonstrate Kotoko's ability to sing at a higher speed. Another ballad, Kohaku, is very well done. A soothing song. Free Angels is another song that is sung beautifully.



Overall, the CD is worth a look into, if you like pop infused with techno. Just be aware that there are some songs brought down by this "desperation-singing" aspect. It's not an album killer by a long shot; but it can be irritating. However, it's far more likely that you will remember the high energy, fun songs over those.



Happy listening.



Recommended: If you like techno-pop music or Japanese music in general."