Morning Musume - No.5

Morning Musume's 5th album. Interesting thing about this album is that it has a song that features Maki Goto after she graduated from the group. I just think that's kind of cool, and to my knowledge the only time any H!P group did something like that. (Meaning a member comes back for a song....not that it includes a single from when they were in the group...)

Track #1, Intro: Just an intro. Doesn't really count as a song.

Track #2, Do It! Now: Review Here

Track #3, Top!: This should have been the album opener. As much as I love Do It! Now (and ignoring the intro) this would've been perfect as the opener. It's got that in your face feel that gets you pumped up for the rest of the tracks. I could go for a Morning Musume song nowadays with this feel. I think Makeru Kon'ya is the closest they've come recently to the feel of this song. 5/5.

Track #4, Tomodachi ga Ki ni Itteru Otoko Kara no Dengon: Typing that just now I noticed that this album has a couple songs with really long titles. Also, I apparently forgot to turn my iTunes off of shuffle because "Rock no Teigi" began playing & I was like "Wow this song sounds so modern for being released in 2003.....oh wait..." xD. For the actual song, it's just ok. Boring really. For an H!P song, it's pretty generic. 3/5

Track #5, Koko ni Iruzee: Review Here

Track #6, Suggoi Nakama: Hm. Maybe I take back my earlier comment on MM's 4th album that the albums were getting better. Well, actually that's not really fair. Their first two albums (and the third to an extent) were snooze fests, this is at least happy but this feels like their generic idol phase. Although the more the song goes the less generic idol pop it feels the more H!P it feels....really don't know what I think about this. Ah yes, the bridge shows Tsunku's genius. Maybe it's not as typical as I originally thought. 3.5/5.

Track #7, Tsuyoki de Yukouze!: Ah. Now we're back to H!P crazy. The guitars make the entire song. This could've been a great album opener too. I love the end where Mari? I think, says "Thank you!" and everything ends. H!P rock stars. 4/5.

Track #8, Megami (Mousse na Yasashisa): This song was used for a commercial. Generasia tells me it was a Pocky commercial, but I don't quite understand what Mousse has to do with Pocky....although I'm guessing Japan has a bazillion more Pocky flavors than you can get over here. Seems more like a razor commercial song though because this song sounds NOTHING like I'd ever associate with Pocky. Maybe it's a culture barrier issues. The song's pretty nice, not sure it makes me want to go buy Pocky, but I'd probably look up who the group was if I heard it in a commercial. 3.5/5

Track #9, Yes! Pocky Girls: Well this one is quite obviously from a Pocky commercial. I'm guessing that both songs were used in the same promotional campaign. Now I DO want some Pocky....unfortunately the closest store to me that sells it is 30 minutes from here...unless the Walmart around here sells it and I've just never seen it. Although this song makes MUCH more sense with selling Pocky, I'd rather listen to the Venus Mousse track. 3/5.

Track #10, Hey! Mirai: This song has a music video for some reason. I'm going to assume that this was meant to be a single because I've never seen H!P release a music video to promote an album before. Not a big fan of the song. It's just ok. The music video features adorable puppies. Should've been cats #crazycatlady4ever! (I swear I'll NEVER use a hashtag like that again xD I just had to xD I figure I'm the only one that will find that funny xD) 3/5.

Track #11, Ganbacchae!: This is the song that features Maki Goto. It also features the H!P Kids before they were Berryz & C-ute. Kind of sounds like Ai Araba. I found out there's a video for this too. The H!P kids look SO LITTLE! They're adorable!. It's actually a little weird saying that because I'm the same age as most of them. Mini Chisato & Mai are so adorable though. This song also furthers my stance that Risa should've been lead vocals for everything. 4/5.

Track #12, Sugoku Suki na no ne: Always appreciative of Tsunku's experimentation in songs. The one line of music that goes through the song (it's not the melody is it? The music at the beginning of the song & in the bridges that kinda sounds Christmasy) is so catchy. 4.5/5.

Track #13, Sotsugyou Ryokou (Morning Musume Tabidatsu Hito ni Okuru Uta): I was so ready to write this song off based off of the beginning. I was sad that MM was going down the boring predictable route on a song like this, but was pleasantly surprised with the pickup. 3.5/5.

This album is a step down from 4th Ikimasshoi, but it's not bad. Haven't heard their 6th album yet so I don't know how this compares in between both their 4th and 6th, but as a whole, I'd call this album the most idol pop they've done on an album from what I've heard. 4/5.