Reviews written by Nono
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November 25, 2006 Smash hit!
Ai Otsuka's 3rd album, LOVE COOK, is a great album to buy! Depending on which version you buy, you get something special in it. I was lucky to buy this version at a very cheap price here! Anyway, this album is definitely powerful song-wise. There are many great tracks on the album, and some pretty decent ones too. Vocal-wise, this album isn't bad. If you don't mind high-pitched singing, then this is definitely a great album for you.
Neko-ni FUUSEN (track 6) is my favourite on the album. This nice, acoustic song has both a cute and inspiring feeling to it. The vocals during the song are very cute and fit the style of the song perfectly. Very cute song that is both slow and midtempo. Planetarium (track 10) is one of Ai's hit songs. One of the slower tracks on the album, this song doesn't show off Ai's cute vocals, but more of her mature sounding vocals, which shows another side to her. A slow, but beautiful ballad, it's a great song to fall in love with.
A great album with some amazing tracks and other good ones. Vocals fit perfectly with each song to match the themes and styles. Recommended to everyone.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Sweet 19 Blues (Hong Kong Version)
Sweet 19 Blues (Hong Kong Version)
(8)Our Price: US$17.99Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:November 25, 2006 Classy and niceJpop queen, Namie Amuro's first Avex album, Sweet 19 Blues is a good album, with some nice standout tracks. This album has some very good tracks, however, it also holds a lot of wierd instrumentals and some very boring songs. This album sorta've lacks in variety mainly because the style of the songs all sound the same. Namie's vocals are decent, though she does sound someowhat screechy at parts.
Chase The Chance (CC Mix) (track 8) is the best song on the album. This upbeat dance track is great to dance to and is also great to sing along with, especially at the "Chase The Chance" parts. It's fast paced and fun and outshines all the other tracks by a long shot. A great song and definitely one of the best Namie has ever released. I'LL JUMP is the best album track on this album. It's Lalalas at the beginning of the song definitely make it somewhat funny, but it's add a great flavour to it that gives it that awesome 90's spark. Nice vocals done by Namie. Great song that's great to jump along with.
So, this album is pretty good, though it's not her best. Like I said, vocals are decent, however they are not up to par with her vocals nowadays. Nice dance tracks, though a lot of the tracks sound the same, or have the same style, probably because the album was produced by TK. Recommended for Namie fans who enjoy TK's music or fans of dance music. Jpop beginners should head for her recent music.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Love, needing (Overseas Version)
Love, needing (Overseas Version)
(1)Our Price: US$9.49Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:November 25, 2006 Decent SingleMai Kuraki's single, Love, needing is a very nice and interesting single. All the tracks are well done and each has their own spark. However, the instrumentals for the songs are rather boring and the lack of vocalless tracks, does make it a single that isn't really worth getting considering 2 tracks are found on her FUSE OF LOVE album.
Love, needing (track 1) is a nice R&B track, though it lacks a little excitement. Mai's vocals are flawless through song, however her voice just keeps at the same pace and gives little surprise. Nice track and the best song on the single. Moon serenade, Moonlight (track 2) is a slow ballad that also lacks little surprise like the title track. Definitely the worst song on the single, however it isn't bad. Adding a little R&B flavour to the song, really gives it life. Once again, nice song, but definitely not great. Asu e kakeru hashi ~ballad ver.~ (track 3) is a slower version of her previous single by the same name (without the ~ballad ver.~ part). The song was already very nice to begin with, so this was also very enjoyable, however it does get boring once you get into it more. Like the others, it's not that great and is defnitely not as good as the original.
This single offers little surprise. Nice vocals, but somewhat boring tracks. Recommended for hardcore Mai.K fans because you can find 2 tracks on her FUSE OF LOVE album, with one of them being the better cause it's the original. Moon serenade, Moonlight isn't that great. Also, lack of instrumentals make this purchase useless.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
MY STORY (CD+DVD) (Limited Edition) (Overseas Version)
MY STORY (CD+DVD) (Limited Edition) (Overseas Version) DVD Region 3
(27)Our Price: US$21.99Related promotions:November 25, 2006 Inspiring AlbumJpop powerhouse, Ayumi Hamasaki has definitely made a fine album. From powerful rock tracks to inspiring ballads to upbeat and funfilled songs, this album has great variety. However, some songs do get boring and some do have the same sorta've style as others, though they lack the quality. Yet, the album also shows off the versatility of Ayu's voice by letting out her emotions through each song.
About You (track 2) is probably the best album track. This powerful track really shows off Ayu's rough edge, both through song and through vocals. She adds this edgyness to her voice throughout the song that fits perfectly with the style. A great track that will definitely catch your attention. Carols (track 11) was the last single released before this album was released. A beautiful and inspiring ballad, Ayu starts off slow and gentle, but gradually pours her emotions into the song, making is both dramatic, yet gorgeous. An amazing track and probably the best song on the album.
Though I am not a fan of Ayu, this is definitely a good album to get mainyl because of it's variety of songs. Though some songs aren't that great and might not surprise or even bore you, there are some really good standout tracks. Recommended for all Ayumi fans, Jpop beginners, or people who want a solid album.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Eternal Rain (ALBUM+DVD)(Hong Kong Version)
Eternal Rain (ALBUM+DVD)(Hong Kong Version) DVD Region 2
(3)Our Price: US$17.99Related promotions:October 29, 2006 Smooth album!International artist, Rain (bi), has finally released his first japanese album and what an album it is! Beautiful R&B tracks done by a great artist with asuch a great voice. Though Rain doesn't have powerhouse vocals, his voice is great for the style of songs he does. Most tracks are very entertaining and the dvd isn't that bad either.
Track 3 (Sad Tango) is a catchy dance track. With a spicy Spanish flavour added to the song, it really combines into one of the best tracks on the album. Rain's vocals are flawless here and it fits the song perfectly. Decent english done on the english version of the song. Track 4 (Move On), my favourite song on the album. A smooth R&B track that showcases Rain's vocals. Somewhat typical R&B sounding, the great falsetto and power showcased in the song really adds a flare to the song.
Amazing album with amazing tracks. Recommended for all fans and anyone who is really looking for something R&Bish to listen too!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
SAYONARA (CD+DVD)(Japan Version)
SAYONARA (CD+DVD)(Japan Version) DVD Region 2
(1)Our Price: US$20.49Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:October 9, 2006 Must get single!Juan is a rather unknown Jpop artist who debuted with this single in mid 2005. Though unknown, she had sure caught my attention. SAYONARA is a beautiful single with decent vocals and a nice, yet simple music video.
Track 1 (SAYONARA) is a lovely love ballad. Though it's not a stand out ballad with emotional vocals, Juan does a decent job of expressing what she wants to express in this song. A beautiful song to listen to when you are walking along the beach. Track 2 (All I Need) is an upbeat and catchy track that will definitely be stuck in your head for a while. Once again, Juan doesn't have the most outstanding vocals, but she has a rather enjoyable voice that fits perfectly with this style.
A beautiful single with decent vocals and 2 very nice tracks. Recommended for people searching for new artists.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
1 people found the following helpful
October 9, 2006 Beautiful albumWith Mika's beautiful voice, as well as her powerful songs, this album is great! The songs in this album lean more to ballads and jazz, like all of Mika's previous albums. However, the whole album (except for one track) has a very dark feel. Though it's great, it'd be nice to hear things that sound a little more happy, like Sakurairo Maukoro.
Track 1 (Sakurairo Maukoro) is a powerful and uplifting ballad about love and cherry blossoms. Mika's vocals are very emotional in this song and she grabs your attention right at the beginning. The best and most moving part of the song is at the end where she seems to go full out and delivers a phenomenol performance. Track 12 (Fed Up) is a really emotional rock ballad. This song definitely stands out among the others because it sounds rather dark and mysterious in the beginning, but totally surprises you and overwhelms you with emotion. I don't think anyone could perform this song as good as Mika. Her dark vocals definitely match this enchanting rock song.
A nice album with some very beautiful tracks, with some very beautiful vocals. However, the dark theme somewhat drags the album and I personally find some of the album tracks lacklusters because of that. Recommended for all.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Ultra Blue (Japan Version)
October 4, 2006 Pretty albumI already knew that this album would be different. I felt that the album was rather good, but some of the album tracks weren't that amazing, but were decent, however all the tracks showed some sort of maturity. Great vocals by Hikki. Her voice seems a lot more stable than it used to be which is a good sign. Nice album with some pretty really good tracks and some decent ones.
Track 1 (This Is Love) is a catchy song that was used to promote this album. It sorta've sounds similar to a lot of the songs on the album, but the whole feeling of the song is somewhat faster sounding than the others. The chorus is the strongest part of the song and makes the song shine as a whole because it's in your face, but gives a mystical feeling. Track 7 (COLORS) has been out ever since 2003. Though a lot of people complained about it being on the album before it was released, it really fits the whole theme and actually makes the album a whole. Though the verses sound somewhat boring, Hikki's emotion and power shine in the chorus, which also makes it the highlight of the song. Beautiful vocals and a beautiful arrangement.
Like I said, this album has some pretty good track, though I felt some of the album tracks lagged a bit, but I need to listen to this album more because I have a feeling that it will grow on me, the more I listen to it. However, for now, i feel as though it's a rather enjoyable album with a mystcal feeling to it.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
BoA - Love & Honesty
BoA - Love & Honesty
(34)Our Price: US$16.99List: US$23.99Save: US$7.00 (29%)Related promotions:October 4, 2006 Great album!Love & Honesty is honestly one of my favourite albums. It's an album that you could listen too from start to finish because of it's fresh style. The songs are mainly of the pop genre, with few (actually only 1) ballad and many upbeat songs. Vocals are flawless throughout the album and a lot of the songs showcase BoA's beautiful and controlled voice.
Track 6 (Be The One) is a very catchy pop song. BoA adds a lot of attitude into the song, which makes it in your face, but in a good way. With it's catchy chorus, you can just see BoA dancing along, or you might see yourself dancing along. Great track with strong vocals from BoA. Track 10 (Double) is one of my favourite BoA tracks. Once again, BoA adds a lot of attitude into this dance song that it fits in perfectly with the music. The song itself is rather powerful and is rather interesting sounding with it's added effects in the background.
A great album, with great tracks by a great artist! Highly recommended for anyone, from fans to Jpop beginners. A majority of the tracks in this album are all very good and have attitude, though you can still find a few that give that poppish feeling that was found in her previous albums.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
October 4, 2006 Ugh...
As a Namie Amuro fan, I must say that this was my least favourite album that she has ever released. This album was created between the time she started to get more into her current hip-hop sound, but she still had the sound of her dance tracks. I felt as though there were no standout tracks in this album and that a lot of the tracks sorta've missed something that make her newer songs so great. Her vocals were decent, but she still sounded somewhat scream-ish.
Track 3 (Respect The Power Of Love) is a decent track. Though it's not THAT great, it still has some similarities that her previous ballads had, such as Can You Celebrate?. This song is one of the songs that still sounds similar to her style with TK, so it does have some effect to it. Track 7 starts off sounding like it'll be a latin song mainly because of the guitar intro. However, the song is more of a mix between latin and pop, with pop winning. The chorus is nice and enjoyable, but once again not that surprising. Possibly the best track on the album. The vocals on both tracks were decent, but still had that screamish quality.
As I said before, I didn't really like this album because it had a mix between dance and hip-hop tracks. The vocals aren't bad, but not that great, as she hadn't found her soulful and powerful vocals, which she has now. Recommended for hardcore fans, but I do not suggest this to anyone who's checking her out or who just wants to buy a Namie album. I suggest her more recent albums.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Tomorrow's way (Japan Version)
Tomorrow's way (Japan Version)
(4)Our Price: US$15.25Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:October 2, 2006 Moving songsBoth tracks on this single are incredible. YUI has proven herself once again that she has the potential to be huge. This album has both a powerful ballad and a nice midtempo track. The vocals are flawless in both tracks.
Tomorrow's Way is a very nice and moving ballad. The verse might be somewhat slow, but the chorus speeds up a bit more and showcases YUI's vocals. This song is very powerful and is definitely one of the best tracks that she has ever made. Last Train is a great midtempo track, that gives a small Michelle Branch feeling to it. Vocals are flawless, though YUI does have a small accent while singing the chorus' english. Great track though.
Both tracks are great and are equal. If you are new to YUI, then I suggest this single because it has 2 amazing tracks.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Dong Bang Shin Ki Vol. 1 - Tri Angle
Dong Bang Shin Ki Vol. 1 - Tri Angle
(74)Our Price: US$13.99List: US$18.99Save: US$5.00 (26%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
October 2, 2006 Not bad, but not greatI think i'm the first to give this album a 7. Anyway, I felt as though this album was pretty good, but the whole feeling of it was rather bland. The album did however have some really good tracks, that showcased the vocals of the group. This group is highly talented, but I was hoping that the album would have a more, upbeat feeling, for it gave me something dark and somewhat sad.
Track 1 is possibly the best ballad that DBSK has ever sang (besides My Destiny IMO). With each guy being able to showcase their talent (except for Yunho...x_X), the song was really put together well. It has a very catchy melody that really blasts off when the chorus starts. Great vocals and the song is great itself. Track 3 is the title song and one of the only few upbeat tracks on the album, though I wouldn't really say that it's upbeat considering it's so dark. The track however does standout because it's rather catchy. The song also features BoA, and TRAX, who give stellar performances.
Decent album with some very nice tracks. However, the whole theme of the album is rather sad and can get somewhat boring. Recommended for fans, but for others, I would suggest another one of their albums.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
October 2, 2006 Gave me a fever
As a fan of A-mei's for 2 years now, this A-mei album is just incredible. Most of the tracks were outstanding, especially the beautiful ballads. This album features both upbeat songs and ballads, like most of her past albums. And once again, A-mei uses her powerful voice to make the songs shine and give each song its meaning.
Track 3 is a very nice ballad that is in A-mei's typical style. The song starts off very gentle and gradually steps up into a powerful and amazing ballad that gives you goosebumps. A-mei gives a great performance in the song, using her amazing voice. Track 10 is a favourite of mine. It starts off with A-mei singing in Taiwanese, but soon turns to Mandarin. Though it's in Mandarin, the song itself gives a very traditional feeling (or at least to me), which makes me remember that I am Taiwanese (well part) and I respect that.
Great album with exceptionally amazing ballads. Great for fans of A-mei or for people who need someone new to listen too. Highly recommended.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Lonely Without You
October 2, 2006 EnjoyableWhen I first bought this, I was unsure about how she would sound. However, this album is really nice and somewhat similar to something that Sun Yan Zi would do. CC has a very nice and stable voice that's cute, but perfect for the tracks on the album. With a mix of light rock, upbeat songs and relaxing ballads, this album is something that you could listen to on a train or while you travel. However this album has few, if not any stand out tracks.
Track 1 (越洋電話) is a short, relaxing ballad. Though it doesn't stand out, it's a good starting track because it gives you taste of CC's voice. This could be either good or bad, but it's a very nice ballad to listen too. Track 3(還是會寂寞) is a favourite of mine on the album. It's an upbeat light rock song, but adds a bit of pop to it. The arrangement is really funny, but is very interesting. The melody is really nice and might get you singing along. A very enjoyable track.
This album is full of good tracks that are great for a relaxing afternoon. However, it can get a bit boring with it's lack of outstanding tracks. Good for people who like nice, flowing music.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
1 people found the following helpful
October 2, 2006 Nice ballad album~Known for her lovely ballads, Jasmine has definitely hit it again with this album. Full of ballads, both upbeat and sad, the album is great for people who want to get away from the busy dance or happy pop music. However, this album might get on the boring side considering all the tracks are ballads, which causes some repetition. Vocals are great in this album though. She gives a very dramatic feeling in each of the songs, which is something that I enjoy when listening to her songs.
Track 3 (Yan Huai Dian, I think), is a dramatic ballad that gives you a heartbreaking feeling. Jasmine gives a stellar performance with adding an extra amount of energy and emotion into the song to give it a dark feeling. Powerful song, that catches your attention quickly. Track 4 (Jie Siong...sorry for my romanization, I'm used to the traditional way, so I'm unsure if I'm right cause that's what my cd says. xD) is a nice and typical sounding Cpop ballad. Though typical sounding, it's still a very good song with Jasmine's voice giving it a little spark, especially when you hit the end of the song.
A nice ballad album that has some very good tracks. However, like I said before, the album can get rather boring, so if you're not a fan of ballads, then don't buy this.
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Keep It Goin' On (Japan Version)
Keep It Goin' On (Japan Version)
(1)Our Price: US$12.99Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:September 18, 2006 Nice songsI really liked this single because both the a-side and b-side were catchy, upbeat songs. However, I felt that the lack of instrumentals sorta've hurt my recommendation for this single. Anyway, Keep It Goin' On is a nice, hip hop sounding track that gets you moving. The b-side is a great pop song that is both light and upbeat.
Both great tracks, though the single should've included instrumentals.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Love Hurts
September 18, 2006 Beautiful balladsI bought this album because I liked the cover. I never really knew what A-Sun would sound like, but I was going to find out. Anyway, this album is very slow sounding, but it does hold some beautiful ballads and acoustic songs.
Track 1, which was used as the theme song for the drama "The Rose", stands out the most. A-Sun's sounds very emotional during the song, especially at the end where it sounds like she's almost crying. Anyway, the song has a beautiful melody and showcases A-Sun's gentle voice. Track 4 is a nice song as well. More like a light rock ballad, it has a very nice melody as well that might get stuck in your head. A-Sun's voice is rougher than in track 1, but still gives a gentle feeling.
Relaxing album with nice ballads. However, it can get a little slow and boring.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
September 18, 2006 Good album
Coco Lee is one of my favourite Cpop artists, so I wanted to try to pick up some of her albums. This was one of them. The album is nice, though it has more slower songs on it which does make it a little boring. This also makes only a few tracks stand out from the rest.
Di Da Di (Track 2) is a catchy, jazzy sounding song. Though some might find the constant use of Di Da Di in the chorus repetitive and annoying, I personally enjoyed the song when I first heard it. Coco also shows off her smooth vocals. Track 4 is quite a funny sounding song. It's a little more upbeat than the other songs, it's more acoustic sounding than Di Da Di. Once again, Coco shows off her smooth vocals in this song as she goes back and forth from her chest voice to her falsetto.
Nice album, but the lack of more upbeat songs does make the album somewhat boring.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Park Hwayobi Vol. 5
Park Hwayobi Vol. 5
(4)Our Price: US$13.99List: US$18.99Save: US$5.00 (26%)Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:September 18, 2006 Surprised?Considering she's known as the Queen of R&B, I expected more R&B from her in this album. However, this wasn't the case and the album is full of ballads and jazzy songs, with a few exceptions. Nothing wrong with that though because this album was beautiful, but did get boring as you got to the later tracks.
The starting track is a beautiful and moving track that showcases Hwayobi's singing. The power she uses in this song always gives me goosebumps because she just seems to show so much emotion in her voice that it actually makes you feel something. Obviously beautiful vocals that were clear and husky. Track 2 is another favourite of mine. This track is jazzy and catchy, which made me enjoy the song after hearing it more. Though Hwayobi doesn't showcase her powerful vocals here, she does show us that her voice is very flexible.
Great album with some beautiful tracks, but can get on the boring side.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
First Album + I Am Woman MTV(CD + VCD)(Overseas Version)
First Album + I Am Woman MTV(CD + VCD)(Overseas Version)
(41)Our Price: US$20.99List: US$29.99Save: US$9.00 (30%)Related promotions:September 17, 2006 Eh, overrated?A lot of people like Kiss and think they are great, which isn't a bad thing, but I don't think they are. Vocally, the group was full of decent singers, no one who had a truly powerful voice, no one who really stood out, nor anyone who was really emotional sounding. Their songs are somewhat boring and plain, though there are some that stand out.
Track 4, the song that made them really popular because of the video. The song is a beautiful, sad ballad, with decent vocals performed by all the girls. Possibly the best track out of the album because it's different. Track 9 is another great song, with a nice and catchy melody. Once again, vocals are decent and it fits the style of the song. I wish they had more dance songs on the album.
Decent album, with decent vocals. Nothing too surprising, but nothing that's really that bad.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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