Reviews written by Mara
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Umiyuki (Japan Version)
January 27, 2009 Beautiful enkaI must say, I am already a substantial fan of modern enka, but I think that even if you don't have a preference for the genre, you can still appreciate the beauty of this single.
Jero was invited to the Kouhaku Utagassen this past New Year (2008-2009), and he sang Umiyuki there. It was just so moving. The sound of this song is mostly traditional, but its incorporates an upbeat, modern twist. Jero's deep vocals are lovely; very smooth and soothing to match the lyrics about a sad love.
The B-side track, Touzainanboku Hitori Tabi (East-West-South-North Solo Journey) is closer to traditional enka, with higher vocals. The flute in here is great, and it does sound like a traveling song. It's faster-paced than Umiyuki, and a fun, cheerful contrast to the solemn tone of the former. Karaoke of both songs are included.
All in all, I definitely love this single. I never liked enka as a child, but now I enjoy young artists like Jero and Kiyoshi Hikawa who have put their own nice flair into traditional music to make it into something that's enjoying and fun to listen to.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
sweet morning KARUTA (with CD)(Japan Version)
January 27, 2009 Quick Explanation ^^Just a quick explanation, in case anyone is debating on buying this but hesitant because they want to know what it is.
"KARUTA" is a Japanese children's card game in which picture cards with characters (usually hiragana) are spread across a table. There are poems included, with the first syllable from each poem matching one of the circled characters on a card. A reader reads out a poem and the players must latch on to the first syllable they heard spoken from the poem and quickly search for the card with the matching character, then pick it up before somebody else does. Each card in this set (as you can see in the preview of the item, above) has a picture of Morning Musume on it, and in the top-right corner, there is a hiragana character with a circle around it. You repeat this process until all of the poems are read and all of the matching hiragana cards are picked up by the players. The one with the most cards in their possession wins.
Basically, this is the Morning Musume version of that game. I don't own this personally, but based on what trant said, the included CD is there to act as the "reader." You are, in a sense, playing this game along with the girls. You could play with multiple people, but this way, you can also play by yourself, just listening to the CD and practicing finding the corresponding character quickly.
This is actually a great way to study Japanese. It helps you to hear and register the sound of the hiragana, then test yourself in finding it quickly. Also if you're a Morning Musume collector, this is a cute, fun game to have. I hope this helps in case anyone else is baffled, since Yesasia does not include a translation of the Japanese description.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Mamoritai Mono (Japan Version)
Mamoritai Mono (Japan Version)
(1)Our Price: US$12.99Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:January 27, 2009 Great single!Aoyama Thelma has really surprised me this past year. I first began listening to her in summer of 2008 and was immediately drawn in by her album, Diary, particularly the song, Last Letter. Within a few months, I tried to catch up with as many of her releases as I could, and I've enjoyed every song I've heard from her so far. I love the soft R&B style of Thelma's music, but most of all her voice is one of the best.
Mamoritai Mono (Something I Want to Protect) is no different. The title song is very gentle, and quite similar to what Thelma had going with Last Letter. The melody is sweet and catchy, and given the theme of the song, I think it will be a great match as the song for Team Batista no Eiko, a medical drama.
The B-side, Madonna, is supposedly based on Madonna, the singer, and is an upbeat combination of pop/hip-hop that does indeed echo Madonna's style. While this B-side is not one of my favorite songs by Thelma, it's still fun to listen to.
Aoyama Thelma's great success has only started pretty recently, but she deserves every bit of it. Mamoritai Mono is a song that is just as great, if not greater than her previous hit, Soba ni Iru ne, and if she can continue going at this pace, there is no doubt that Thelma's career will only continue to rise.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
White X'mas (SINGLE+DVD)(First Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
White X'mas (SINGLE+DVD)(First Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version) DVD Region 2
(7)Our Price: US$20.99Related promotions:3 people found the following helpful
January 27, 2009 Beautiful new singleWhite X'mas is the first ballad single KAT-TUN has released since Bokura no Machi de, and it is a song definitely reminiscent of Christmas. The vocals are really passionate and sweet, to match the song's theme of lost love. The melody is slow in comparison to their most of their usual songs, but nice to listen to nonetheless.
The First Press LE comes with a booklet and DVD with the PV and making of video. Also, the case isn't the normal plastic case, but rather a very pretty cardboard-like cover that unfolds with the title and lyrics printed in silver on the inner flap. The booklet is really quite small, the size of the lyrics booklets that come with CDs, and each member has two individual pages: one for a close-up shot, and one for a body shot; plus, the middle of the book has a fold-out page that includes all 6 members in a group body shot. The discs themselves are very beautiful and decorative pastel colors (purple and pink--and silver for the RE), with snowflake patterns. On the whole, very pleasing visually.
Most of KAT-TUN have new hairstyles for this single, and the PV, set on a lonely street during the winter, matches the mood very well. The making-of is funny as always, and we see an interesting new development in the age-old factory skit they always do.
Despite that the single has only one song (even for the Regular edition, there is only the karaoke version of the title song), this single is absolutely worth the price. For me, this has been their most enjoyable release since Keep the Faith, maybe even surpassing that song. The nice thing about KAT-TUN is that although their music style is predominantly hip-hop and rock, they do have their share of gentle ballads that can be just as catchy and gripping as their faster, more aggressive songs. In spite of its name, White X'mas is a song that you will be able to listen to at any time of the year, though its beauty and warmth are definitely magnified during the romantic winter season. Very much recommended.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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