Reviews written by Christopher
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Namie Amuro Play Tour 2007 (Japan Version)
Namie Amuro Play Tour 2007 (Japan Version) DVD Region 2
(8)Our Price: US$55.99Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:September 9, 2008 Playful all throughoutI've watched this tour many times already, and I still enjoy it very much. I do admit the energy in this concert is not as immense as Space of Hip-Pop, but I still found the majority of it to be entertaining. When people say Namie shows very little emotion when she performs, can you really imagine her smiling while performing songs like "WANT ME, WANT ME"? Personally I think that would be creepy. Considering the majority of her songs are now hip-hop, and some songs like "Put 'Em Up" have the girl power theme, I don't think smiling is necessarily appropriate. When she performs her older songs however, you do see her emotion and enjoyment. And the fact that she has to memorize over a dozen routines, dance in high heels, sing, and maintain a good overall performance throughout is highly admirable and reason enough to appreciate her as a performer. Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Destiny Line (ALBUM+DVD)(First Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
Destiny Line (ALBUM+DVD)(First Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version) DVD Region 2
(9)Our Price: US$45.25Related promotions:September 24, 2007 Destiny LineDespite Leah's generic voice and a great deal of popularity based on her looks, I don't think this album is one to be frowned upon. The single tracks are all decent ("Softly", and "恋しよう♪", except for "L・O・V・E U", that one's iffy to me). The B-sides from the singles "アイシテル～Love Story", "Everything Anything", and "Could you be that one?" are also on the album. I think the album tracks are generally better than the single tracks; usually it's the other way around. A great deal of the songs are up-tempo songs with nice beats. There are practically no ballads on the album, which is probably a good thing because I don't have faith in Leah singing ballads. This album could be much worse, don't let the stereotype of "all looks, no talent" prevent you from trying out Leah's debut album. Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
August 3, 2007 Little
Joey's past Mandarin albums usually didn't bear the same catchiness as her Cantonese albums; instead, the songs are usually very relaxing and easy-going, coupled with her soothing vocals. As far as her Mandarin albums go, this is definitely one of the best (much better than Jump Up). Tracks 1 + 2 are influenced by beautiful classical Chinese instruments. Track 1 reminds me of those really old Chinese folk songs that you hear seniors sing, but with Joey's wonderful vocals instead. Track 2 maintains similar instruments, but in the form of a ballad. As we progress through the album, the theme gradually changes to a Bossa/Renaissance mood. Other noteworthy tracks are 2, 5, 6, 7, and 10; all fantastic tracks. Tracks 4, 8, and 9 are just average in my opinion; Track 4 is the "fast" song on the album, but I find the chorus to be a little annoying. Track 8 is another Bossa-influenced song, but compared to the others it's not as catchy. Track 9 is quite relaxing, but a little slow to my tastes. For a while I thought Joey was going downhill, but "Little" restored my faith in her and reminded me why i fell in love with her music in the first place. 8.5/10 Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
4 hot wave (Ningyohime/With your smile/I'll be there/JUICY) (SINGLE+DVD)(Japan Version)
4 hot wave (Ningyohime/With your smile/I'll be there/JUICY) (SINGLE+DVD)(Japan Version) DVD Region 2
(21)Our Price: US$23.25Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:5 people found the following helpful
July 22, 2006 4 Hot WaveKumi has reached a very strong point in her career, and the hard work she has put into it has payed off. Kumi's sexual image may not appeal to everyone, but I hope people realize that it was necessary for her to become popular. I don't know much about the first stages of her career, but she was never really popular until an agent suggested the "ero-kakoii" image for her. Otherwise, AVEX probably would've kicked her out because of the poor sales of her releases. I think she's going to progressively gain more input in terms of her wardrobe and her songs. Whether or not she decides to keep the image is up to her, but without a doubt, Kumi has worked very hard to achieve the most popular female singer award, and I think she deserves more credit for it. Apart from Ningyo hime, the other three songs maintain similar styles to her past songs. Each song is quite decent in their own ways, and I don't mind Ningyo hime. I don't recall ever listening to a rock song from her, but I appreciate that she's experimenting with new styles. I've never really been interested in Kumi, but I think that's starting to change. Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Home (Normal Edition)(Japan Version)
Home (Normal Edition)(Japan Version)
(4)Our Price: US$34.25Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:June 25, 2006 Sensational!Angela is truely a gifted artist! Any artist that can make me fall in love with his/her music after first listen certainly deserves much appreciation and praise. I didn't know what to expect before listening to her album, but I was pleasantly surprised. Each song is worth listening to, some more than others, but you can tell she puts effort into singing each and every song. However, the style remains mostly the same throughout the whole album; lots of piano, strings, and soft percussion. But that's ok, because most of the songs are equally great. Just listening to the title track "Home" is enough to get you wanting more of her music. Definitely a nice addition to my music library. 10/10 Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
BLUE BIRD (Jacket C)(Japan Version)
BLUE BIRD (Jacket C)(Japan Version)
(13)Our Price: US$13.49Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:June 21, 2006 no 3x a-side, but still goodAfter all the rumors about this single being a triple a-side, and then it doesn't follow through, it does make the big 40 less grand. However, BLUE BIRD is a great single nonetheless. For die hard fans who plan to buy all three versions, it is a MAJOR disappointment that the covers vary so little, but the cover is very beautiful by itself. If you don't like BLUE BIRD and/or Beautiful Fighters at first listen, don't worry, I guarantee they will grow on you. BLUE BIRD is energetic, fun, and exhilarating; the perfect summer song for this year. The vocal mods in Beautiful Fighters are cute, even though I never understand what she says in english. I seem to like this track more than BLUE BIRD though. Also, the remixes make this single all the more reason to buy it! Ladies Night sounds so awesome as a rock version, and the Harderground remix of BLUE BIRD is one of her best trance remixes of all time. Keep it up ayu! Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Scandal (Deluxe Chinese Edition) (CD+DVD)
Scandal (Deluxe Chinese Edition) (CD+DVD) DVD Region All
(15)Our Price: US$18.49Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:June 12, 2006 Pretty goodForgive me for not being able to distinguish between Kangta's and Vanness' voice, because to me they sound similar, but I can probably guess who's who. That's asides from the point, they both sound superb. Scandal sounds very typical of a dance/hip-hop korean tune, but it's catchy nonetheless, and safe. The rest of the tracks are also very nice to listen to, and their rendition of Guang Liang's Dou Xi Ni is quite well done. The Chinese Deluxe version is worth buying as it appeals to an even wider audience, and it has a pretty decent price. Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Ultra Blue (Japan Version)
3 people found the following helpful
June 12, 2006 Truely unique and refreshingFour years in the making, and it seems like yesterday I was just listening to Deep River. Thank you Hikki for making such wonderful and original music. Up until now, her past three japanese albums have still kept me entertained and interested; now that's what music is all about! It seems to me that she's in what I call her "experimental" phase; trying to add a little twist to her music, making her new releases more special and different from your typical Japanese Pop. Although Exodus was a major flop for many people, ULTRA BLUE proves to be quite successful. "This Is Love" is a great opening song. Simple, with a nice beat, and effective. In "BLUE" Hikki shows off her incredible range, accompanied by beautiful strings and piano in the background. The drum effects also adds a nice subtlety to the song. "nichiyo no asa" also has a great beat, it's like a simplified hip-hop song. This song moves away from the overall genre the other songs offer, but her soft vocals and the catchy chorus make this song worth a listen. "Making Love" is uplifting and refreshing, and there's a part in the song that I found quite fun to listen to. "One Night Magic" is yet another cool song to listen to. Yamada Masashi's vocals matches this song quite well. "kairo" is slow-paced, and focuses more on the composition. The melody isn't outstanding, but the composition is very very nice. "Eclipse" is also worth checking out. Even though it's only an interlude, it's still quite good and has some pretty interesting effects. ULTRA BLUE has been well worth the wait! Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
EEG Dream Team - 2006 World Cup
2 people found the following helpful
June 7, 2006 wow...If you actually consider the songs they chose for this compilation, the majority of them are actually quite good. However, what do any of them have to do with the World Cup? There's no World Cup theme to this CD except for the first track. This album is just a rushed effort to promote the first song, and EEG's poor excuse to try to make money; hoping that people will buy it due to the hype for the World Cup. Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Ten Most Wanted (Version 2) (CD + Bonus CD+DVD)
Ten Most Wanted (Version 2) (CD + Bonus CD+DVD) DVD Region All
(3)Our Price: US$21.99Related promotions:May 29, 2006 should have waitedBeing an avid Joey, I usually can't resist buying her new albums right away when they're released. Sometimes the second versions aren't as great, but this one is actually worth it. The bonus CD is excellent. All three songs are high quality and Joey's vocals are top notch. Track 01 sounds quite magical and serves as the perfect theme song for her recent concert. She also hits a really high note; it's quite impressive and I don't think she's ever sang a note that high before. Track 02 must be an emotional song for her to sing as she duets with her teacher Roman Lo. And Track 03 is equally great. What irks me is that this version actually costs less than the first version, AND it comes with all the goodies, which makes me regret buying the first version even more. As for the original tracklisting, "red snow" and "the last juliet" are by far the best tracks, and two of her best songs of all time, followed by "tears vs tears" and "modern times". "the last flight" and "hibernation" are decent tracks, but they seem to lack substance. As far as the "fast" songs go, "treasure island" is very upbeat and somewhat catchy, but it's how she "whines" in some parts of the song which makes this song slightly annoying. "best man" isn't as catchy, but it's the chorus that redeems this song. "get fit with Jane Fonda" and "torned tongue" are probably two of the worst fast songs she's ever made. I envy those who waited for the second version... hahaha... 8/10 Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
1 people found the following helpful
May 28, 2006 DecentBianca's voice isn't bad, but she can still improve. She's much better than a few other female singles in EEG, such as Isabella and Yumiko. Despite her nice singing voice, this isn't a very strong debut. Quality overrules quantity, and I'd rather debut artists produce 4 or 5 good quality songs than go all the way and produce an album with 10 or more tracks. Track 01 is her debut song, and the song people currrently know her by. Not much to say about it; if this track isn't good, then you can bet the rest of the album would be just as bland, but luckily it has replay value! A couple tracks are Jazz influenced; personally I don't enjoy jazz as much, but if you're into the genre, tracks 02 and 03 are decent. Track 05 is currently my favorite. She sings with another guy but they didn't specify a name so I'm not sure who sings with her. A few techno elements are added into the composition, and creates a nice effect to the song. Bianca displays her skill best in Track 13. There's no music, just her singing. It's soothing and she hits all the notes perfectly. The rest of the album I've either haven't grown accustomed to, or the tracks are just not that appealing. 7/10 Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Lady in Red (Limited Edition) (CD+DVD)
4 people found the following helpful
May 21, 2006 okit's unfair to be so biased to this compilation just because you don't like miriam. Joey is probably not on this because she's not overly involved with TVB and she didn't sing any songs for any series. As for the Copy-Protected issue, it's natural for distributors to copy protect their CDs to prevent people from boot-legging their CDs and then selling them back out. Even though I don't like Copy-Protected CDs either, you can't blame them for doing it. If it bugs you so much, then listen to it on a cd player. Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
CAN' T SLEEP, CAN' T EAT, I' M SICK / Ningyo (Jacket B)(Japan Version)
CAN' T SLEEP, CAN' T EAT, I' M SICK / Ningyo (Jacket B)(Japan Version)
(8)Our Price: US$13.49Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
May 21, 2006 Great A-Side, weird B-SideIt's safe to say that all of Namie's hip-hop songs since Put Em' Up are all amazing, and this one's no exception. However, personally I actually prefer the remixed version over the original. While both versions are great, the remix has a way better beat to it and it's much more dancable. Ningyo is definitely a unique song. The melody is ok, but I think it's the composition that kills the song. The instruments just don't match that well. The single cover is also very nice; Namie looks fabulous on the CD-only cover. Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Hit Me (CD+VCD)
April 15, 2006 Not so good debutI shouldn't dub Jill's debut as "horrible", even though I'm very tempted to. The good thing about her album is that all the songs sound different, but that doesn't say much; unfortunately, the flaws completely outweigh the pros. When I listened through, I thought "Wow, no ballads!?", instead it's packed full of cheesy hip-hop tunes. Which is unfortunate because her voice is quite similar to Janice's and there's potential for her to sing great ballads. Some of the lyrics are absolutely cheesy and made me shake my head the moment I heard some of the lines. Each song has its own distinct sound, but it seems like each song is longer than it should be. Meaning, the tunes are just repeated a couple times, with no climax whatsoever. The album is quite american-esque, or at least Jill TRIES to make it like that. The rappers are just lame in my opinion. "Rarity Boy" reminds me of your typical american rap song-just one tune recycled and repeated over and over again. I'd rather listen to the latter anyday. "Wordy Rappinghood" is just beyond annoying. The "words" are quite special...if you know what I mean. There are songs that are "cute" sounding and good at the same time, but this song is simply horrible. "Axel F" should be the first song, not the last song. It sounds alright for an Intro track, and at least it would draw me into listening the rest of the album. Seriously...you made me listen through such mediocre songs and THEN you give me a track that I actually think is half decent? There are no rappers in this song and that's a bonus! There aren't really any recommendations because all the tracks are equally bland. "Be A Man" and "Lonely" are the only two songs I'd ever listen to again,despite the silly english lyrics in "Lonely". Better luck next time Jill. 4/10 Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Nanairo no Ashita - Brand New Beat / Your Color (Japan Version)
Nanairo no Ashita - Brand New Beat / Your Color (Japan Version)
(13)Our Price: US$13.49Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
March 22, 2006 Not too badWhat's the point of releasing singles? BECAUSE IT'S PART OF AN ARTIST'S CAREER. So why would anyone ask a question like "What's the point of releasing this single?". And since when does a single have to be her "best" to have to be bought? This single does not deserve a 1 star rating. It's not amazing, but it's not horrible. I think the covers are very neat and I like the contrasting pictures. Nanairo no Ashita is JUST ok. It's upbeat and very happy sounding, but the melody doesn't amaze me too much. It still has replay value nonetheless. Your Color is a typical ballad that I actually quite enjoy, but it seems to drag on longer than it should be. Overall 8/10 Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
February 26, 2006 Good, but nothing spectacular
As usual with most Joey CDs, the ballads are usually pretty decent, with one or two that are excellent and receive plenty of playback on the radio/tv. However, she really needs to improve the quality of her fast songs. I want something similar to "Solemn on Stage" or even Honey from My Pride, not the mediocre stuff she's producing nowadays. I've only just started liking her fast songs on Bi-Heart and they're not even that great in the first place (although Sing More Strongly was superb). The ones on this CD are about the same, in fact, I think they're worse. Yet I'll still support Joey regardless! Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
(miss)understood (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version)
(miss)understood (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version) DVD Region 2
(31)Our Price: US$46.75Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:2 people found the following helpful
December 26, 2005 Amazin!!People who say this album is bad have their standards set WAY too high. Honestly this album is one of her best to date. The single songs are great already, and almost all of the new additions are amazing. Ladies Night is quite unique; i've never heard anything like it before. (miss)understood well deserves the title track, everything about it is fantastic. In The Corner sounds a little funky, but the chorus somewhat redeems this song's replay value. Both interludes are well composed and worth listening through. Criminal is another rockish, and very powerful song; 2nd best to (miss)understood. Beautiful Day is alright, not as catchy, but still worth a listen. rainy day is rather repetitive yet the tune is very sweet and soothing. This album is a must buy for every ayu fan!! Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
1 people found the following helpful
December 17, 2005 ImpressiveIf you thought her debut album was good, My Love is definitely a step up from Big Brother. Before I listened to it, I was slightly afraid she might recycle another one of Leon's songs to sing; thankfully she didn't (it wouldn't be a smart idea anyway). Most chinese albums nowadays don't deserve a 10 out of 10 rating, but I seriously think My Love deserves it. Each song is unique in its own way; the fast songs are cheery and catchy, while the slow songs are all exceptionally good. Having a good voice doesn't necessarily cut it; Janice puts a lot of emotion into her singing, and performs each song with perfection. That is also what makes Janice stand out from the other newcomers this year. Keep 'em coming Janice!! Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Dakishimeru (Japan Version)
Dakishimeru (Japan Version)
(36)Our Price: US$15.49Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:November 2, 2005 Excellent!I haven't heard the other song yet, but Dakishimeru is very very catchy, definitely one of BoA's best songs to date. For a while I was becoming more and more disinterested in BoA's new releases, but "make a secret" and this single has gotten me back into listening to BoA's music. I'm definitely looking forward to her next japanese album! Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
(miss)understood (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version)
(miss)understood (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version) DVD Region 2
(31)Our Price: US$46.75Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:October 29, 2005 Go ayu!I don't know if this should be considered the GREATEST album by ayumi at the moment since it's not even out yet. However, it will include songs from her last couple singles, all of which are amazing! It's going to be released on new years day like "I am...", and it will make a great new years gift for every ayu fan! Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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