Hirai Ken - Fakin' Pop (Korean Version)

In fact, it's the sentimental ballads of the album that prove to be the most successful tracks. Ken stands out in the pop world because of his instantly recognizable high-tone, near-falsetto singing voice which puts him apart from other Japanese male pop voices that tend to be deeper. Furthermore, his vocal tone lends him an air of sensitivity that makes him a perfect fit for sentimental ballads like Canvas (Track 4), a bittersweet 6-minute examination of a lost past. The song simply relies on Ken's strong composition and smooth vocals instead of complex arrangement to carry across its feelings. The same goes for Utsukushii Hito (Track 8), which features only a piano, some backing vocals, and Ken's voice to deliver a beautiful ballad that would melt the heart of any woman on the receiving end of the song.

While most ballads on fakin' pop are gentle and sentimental, the best ballad of the album is also its darkest one. The theme song for the film Love Without End, Elegy (Track 9) is a powerful ballad about forbidden love with an intense vocal performance from Ken, as well as a affecting arrangement that makes this the most emotionally-charged song on fakin' pop. Other ballads on the album are also solid, including Itsuka Hanareru Hi Ga Kitemo (Track 12) and Shashin (Track 13). Both feature simple arrangements to bring out their respective compositions and give the album a satisfying, albeit anti-climatic conclusion. In fact, there isn't a weak spot amongst the ballads on fakin' pop, quite a feat considering that they make up half the album.

The fast-beat cheery dance songs on the album are more of a mixed bag. The album opens with the energetic Pop Star (Track 1), a fun bubble gum pop song with an addictive hook. However, most of the fast pop songs, such as Twenty! Twenty! Twenty! (Track 10) and Bye My Melody (Track 11), belong squarely in the "bubble gum" category, making it hard to distinguish one upbeat pop song with another. The most interesting of these upbeat pop songs is Kimi Wa Su.Te.Ki (track 2), a pulsating dance track with an arrangement so overactive that Ken sounds as if he's spending half the time trying to catch up. However, it's also the most strangely engaging song on the album because nothing else on the album sounds like it. On an album that offers only two previously unreleased songs (this not being one of them), it can use all the surprises it can give.

Over the past few years, Ken has gradually placed less R&B tracks on his albums. On fakin' pop, R&B is virtually non-existent, with fake star (Track 6) being the closest thing to the genre. However, the arrangement moves the song a few beats too quickly to give it the smooth rhythm a successful R&B song needs. Even Pain (Track 5), whose melody seems to be written for a slower and more somber R&B ballad, is misfit with an arrangement better suited for a mid-beat pop ballad. While some fans may be disappointed by Ken turning his back on the genre he's best known for, some may appreciate that Ken is adapting to a changing market. Perhaps like the title suggests, Ken may have just been faking his way as pop songwriter for the last 3 and a half years. If that's the case, he's pretty good at it.

Recommended Tracks: Pop Star (Track 1), Kimi Wa Su.Te.Ki (Track 2), Canvas (Track 4), Utsukushii Hito (Track 8), Elegy (Track 9), Itsuka Hanareru Hi Ga Kitemo (Track 12), Shashin (Track 13)

by Kevin Ma