25 Days Of Christmas Countdown Day #13: Top Morning Musume

Now that I've had 24 hours to process the news of 13th gen, I'm just somewhat ambivalent towards them. They need to release something for me to have any interest in the new girls. I do think people are being a little unnecessarily harsh towards Kaede though. I don't particularly care for her because I don't think that her voice is good like people say it is. It's a deeper voice which draws people to it, but I don't find her a good singer. As for her supposed attitude problem, I don't follow the Kenshuusei close enough to even know what people are complaining about. With Reina, I'm really thinking she would make a good double center with Maria. MM needs faces to lead the group. Keep the Sakura/Mizuki/Masaki lead singer trio, but put Maria/Reina front and center to push them into the minds of the general public.

With MM this year, I feel like they just coasted through it. Two singles a year for the most popular group of H!P is not a good business plan Up-Front. They even have a bunch of new songwriters so they can't use the excuse that Tsunku has too many songs to write. They need to have an album next year and at least three singles. If they want the new members to gain traction, they need to start shoving them onto as many music, variety, internet, cooking, or alien theory shows as possible. Anything that they can get them on is the point really. Now is a great time to start with the buzz from new members.

Musically, MM was once again the group with the best releases (with maybe the exception of Juice=Juice this year). Their first single was a bit blah, but Utakata ended up being fun & Tokyo to Iu is still awesome. I like to pretend The Vision doesn't exist. The entire Sexy Cat single was pretty solid in my opinion. I like Sou Janai the least but it's still cool. Mukidashite (? I can't spell to save my life this month I swear) is freaking amazing. Sexy Cat is quirky and fun. Something different for the group in it's current incarnation. Hoping next year's single exceed this year.

#10

Yuugure wa Ameagari (2015) (NEW)

#9

Onna ni Sachi Are (2007) (-2)

#8

Only You (2011) (+2)

#7

Ai Araba It's All Right (2004) (+1)

#6

Do It! Now (2001) (-1)

#5

Renai Hunter (2012) (+1)

#4

Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game (2010) (-)

#3

Fantasy ga Hajimaru (2010) (-1)

#2

Osaka Koi no Uta (2005) (+1)

#1

Watashi wa Watashi Nanda (2014) (-)

25 Days Of Christmas Countdown Day #16: Top H!P/48G songs (From acts other than the current main groups)

I know, I know....I missed another day. I was doing so well with being on time for things (even having some things typed up early!). I will try not to fail for the few days I have left lol.

This pretty much covers any former group, subgroup, and soloist of HP/48G. So essentially none of the current main groups. Of course the vast majority of the list is Hello Project, mainly because I haven't heard much from the subgroups and soloists of 48G yet. They just have SO MANY songs to get through lol. The list was pretty difficult to come up with because of the massive amount of songs to pick from, but I think I like the way the list is. Maybe next year I'll have more 48G representation.

#10: Koharu Kusumi - Balalaika (2006)

#9: High-King - Kioku no Miero (2008)

#8: SDN48 - Tengoku no Door wa 3kaime no Bell de Aku (2011)

#7: W - Ai no Imi wo Oshiete! (2005)

#6: SDN48 - Kodoku na Runner (2010)

#5: Def.Diva - Suki Sugite Baka Mitai (2005)

#4: Country Musume - Uwaki na Honey Pie (2003)

#3: Aya Matsuura - Good Bye Natsuo (2003)

#2: Maki Goto - Ai no Bakayarou (2001)

#1: W - Samishii Nettaigyo (2004)

Enjoy! What do you think of the past groups of 48G & Hello! Project?

25 Days Of Christmas Countdown Day #13: Top Morning Musume Songs

This list was SO DIFFICULT. It's no secret that Morning Musume is my favorite group of all time. I've never heard a group where almost their entire discography is listenable for me. Unlike with all of the other groups on my countdown, I've actually heard all of Morning Musume's songs which just made this ranking all the harder. I'm kind of glad I've been too lazy to listen to 48G stages or Berryz albums, for example lol. This is also probably the only list of I've done where all of songs might not be ones I like to listen to the most, but songs that have a lot of meaning for me & my following of Morning Musume. Like how Onna to Otoko is the first MM song I ever heard, or Only You is the song that made me from a casual listener to a fan, or Renai Hunter which turned me from a fan to someone who actually cares about the actual group itself and not just the music. As much as I love Hello! Project & 48G, as a whole they just have good songs. Morning Musume is the only artist that I've ever connected to on the level that I have.

#10: Only You (2011)

#9: Say Yeah! Motto Miracle Night (2000)

#8: Ai Araba It's All Right (2004)

#7: Onna ni Sachi Are (2007)

#6: Renai Hunter (2012)

#5: Do It! Now (2001)

#4: Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game (2010)

#3: Osaka Koi no Uta (2005)

#2: Fantasy ga Hajimaru (2010)

#1: Watashi wa Watashi Nanda (2014)

Enjoy! What's your favorite Musume track?

25 Days Of Christmas Countdown Day #12: Top Berryz Kobo Songs

Ah Berryz. One of the first J-pop groups I was ever introduced to and one of the first J-pop group disbandments I've witnessed. I've decided to include them in my countdown this year as they were still a group in the beginning of this year and I think it's only fair to mention them. The fact that it's been almost a year since their end is mindblowing.

#10: Jiriri Kiteru (2006)

#9: Love Together! (2015)

#8: Dakishimete Dakishimete (2009)

#7: Motto Zutto Issho ni Itakatta (2013)

#6: Koi no Jubaku (2004)

#5: Heroine ni Narou ka (2011)

#4: Rock Erotic (2013)

#3: 1oku 3senman Sou Diet Oukoku (2014)

#2: Nanchuu Koi wo Yatteru You Know? (2005)

#1: Ai no Dangan (2011)

Enjoy! What are your thoughts on Berryz?

Music Discovery Mondays (September 28, 2015)

So this week's MDM is a little dark. Not like "UZA is a dark song" kind of dark, but in actual lyrics and themes lol. It's just the type of songs that first came to mind for this week.

Track #1: Within Temptation - Angels

This isn't an unknown song by any meaning of the word, but because it's over 10 years old I think it's okay to put here lol. I remember being in late elementary/early middle school & a good friend of mine showed me this song. I was into rock music at the time and this was really the first symphonic rock track I'd heard and it just blew me away. Even though I'm not too into rock nowadays, symphonic rock will always be something I go back to. It's just beautifully powerful music.

Track #2: Halsey - Control

I had been hearing about Halsey for the past few weeks and hadn't had any reason to check her out until a couple days ago. The reason is kind of stupid I guess but any reason to find a new song is a good one lol. I follow a certain Dragon Age blog on Tumblr & they posted a text graphic gif thing with some lyrics from this song and I thought that the lyrics were cool so I looked them up. I wasn't too sure what I thought of the song at first but now I really like it. It's composed in a way that you feel what the mind of the singer is going through. So cool.

Track #3: Akina Nakamori - Jukkai

I've been looking around everywhere for 80s Jpop playlists & videos because I find myself so interested in exploring lately. Came across this song last week on a playlist on 8Tracks & I really like it. I don't know if it's "dark" like the other songs as I can't speak Japanese, but it does have that UZA feel to it. I've read good things about Akina Nakamori before so I definitely need to check out more of her material. Anyone got any suggestions?

Enjoy!

W - Robo Kiss

After Morning Musume, I'm almost positive that W is my next all time favorite H!P group. There was something really special about the music of this group and I wish that UFP would release any unreleased stuff they recorded. I realize that's probably impossible, but it would be so cool.

The title track of the single is Robo Kiss. This was the very first song I ever heard from W. At the time, I was using the H!P wiki to listen my way through the history of H!P by using the list of H!P concerts. I know that doesn't seem right because this wasn't W's first single and they probably had done songs in H!P concerts before this, but I got bored by like 2003 and started only looking up songs that sounded interesting to me. Robo Kiss sounded interesting so I looked it up. I really wasn't expecting what I got. At the time, the video seemed so stereotypical to me because it was so weird and there were girls singing in high pitched voices. Needless to say, I passed on it and didn't really start listening to W until I heard their cover of Samishii Nettaigyo. Today, I really love the song. Sure their vocals can be a little annoying like this, but the song is so catchy. The video is also pretty hilarious. I like this type of random over stuff like Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. Also check out mini Berryz lol. They're all so tiny! I've also never understood why they tried to do the twin thing with Nozomi & Ai. When they were younger, yeah I guess they kinda looked alike, but by the type they were W they look so different that it seems like a silly concept. 5/5.

The B-side to the single is Sexy Snow. Not sure what's so sexy about snow, but ok. This song is really a 180 from Robo Kiss. Where Robo Kiss is the upbeat poppy cute track, this is the sexy cool track (well, for W that is). It really reminds me of another H!P song, but I can't put my finger on it right now. 4/5.

This single isn't my personal favorite from W. I'd be more likely to recommend Ai no Imi wo Oshiete over this, but it's a solid single and a great stable of their discography. 4.5/5.

Song Recommendations (February 8, 2015 Edition)

Hi everyone! I was not thinking of doing another song recommendation post for a while....but then 4Minute just released the best K-pop song since 2NE1's Come Back Home so yeah. Here we go!.

4Minute - Crazy

I haven't liked a 4Minute song since the release of Volume Up back in 2012. This is INCREDIBLE. Pretty sure I've played it 10 times by now and it's only been out for an hour and a half.

Yoko Oginome - Dancing Hero

So I've been slowly trying to get into some J-pop songs that are older. This one is from the 80s. Catchy stuff.

Doll Elements - Kimi ni Sakura Hirari to Mau

I hate myself for getting into more girl groups. It's too expensive of a hobby. Haven't heard anything else from this group, but I like traditional sounds in the song.

Ayami Muto - Parallel World

This was supposed to be in the first recommendation post, but I forgot to put it in before I published it. She kinda reminds me of a solo Perfume (cause the song reminds me a lot of Polyrhythm).

W - Samishii Nettaigyo

Just shoving this in here for good measure. I don't care if this is a cover. It's probably one of my absolute favorite J-pop/H!P songs ever. It might even be one of my favorite songs ever. Putting this here cause I finally bought the album it's on so I'm so excited to get that in the mail. The real version is by Wink and was released in 1989. I like the original too, but I heard W's version first so in my head I like it better.

Enjoy!

Morning Musume - Best! Morning Musume 2

What a weird album to begin my very first review on the new blog of my favorite group haha. Well I guess it is kind of fitting, have a compilation album first (even if it is ten years old). So thanks to Hello! Project being awesome and actually uploading their videos to YouTube, I'll have all the videos at the end of this post in a playlist for you to listen to as embedding them all separately might cause someone's computer to die xD This will be an incredibly long post though....so for those of you that dislike reading, scroll to the end to listen to the songs.

So a Morning Musume introduction.....to be honest, they have WAY more info than is possible to talk about in a brief intro paragraph so I'll just give a couple highlights. Morning Musume began as a five member group in 1997 after the five original members were the runner ups in a vocalist contest put on by Sharan Q. The five were given a chance to form this group and continue if they were able to sell 50,000 copies of their debut single, Ai no Tane, in five days (which I believe was more like event sales, not buying in stores or anything) and it was accomplished and they became Morning Musume and the rest is history. Currently, Morning Musume has 13 members (excluding Sayumi Michishige who is graduating next week): Mizuki Fukumura (9), Erina Ikuta (9), Riho Sayashi (9), Kanon Suzuki (9), Haruna Iikubo (10), Ayumi Ishida (10), Masaki Sato (10), Haruka Kudo (10), Sakura Oda (11), Haruna Ogata (12), Miki Nonaka (12), Maria Makino (12), and Akane Haga (12). [The girls are separated into generations here, the numbers after their name depict which generation they are in. There have been a total of 12 generations in Morning Musume so far].

At the time of the release of this album, the members were much different, with only Sayumi Michishige from the current line up (until next week) being part of this release. Because this is a best album, I'll put in each review which members participated in what since the lineup fluctuated a lot during this time period.

Just a disclaimer: For the most part, I enjoy all of Morning Musume's music so this is going to be the most biased review ever xD But the point of my blog isn't so much reviews (it's just a way for me to write about things), but more about hoping to spark some interest in listening to something new you might have never heard before, or getting back into a song that you haven't listened to for awhile. So above everything else, I hope you enjoy the music!

Track #1, Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~: This was the second song to be released with the sixth generation girls. Although this song is enjoyable, it's also very forgettable. I personally never remember it's existence, probably because it's release is in between two of their best singles: Shabondama and Ai Araba It's All Right. The interesting thing about this single, however, is that there is no solo lines at all. All of the lines were sung by the groups that you can see in the music video. I wish they would do a song like this now, since everyone seems to fight about who gets solo lines and whatever anymore. Even though it's not a Christmas song, it feels like one. I'm guessing it's the feeling they were going for since the release was in November of 2003. So I was originally going to say that this video was pretty good compared to some of their other earlier videos, but then I re-watched it and was reminded of those awful soccer (yes, I'm from the USA. My family is really into the NFL so in my head I can never say football for soccer cause I grew up around everyone calling the NFL football and soccer was practically nonexistent xD I know, very off topic...sorry xD) shots that have no business being in this video. I'm guessing that when it was released, it was some kind of support song for a soccer team or that Gatas Brilliantes thing that H!P used to have or still does.....idk I don't like sports so I never researched that lol. But now, it just looks so tacky and out of place. They should have released two versions of the video. 4/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1), Mari Yaguchi (2), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4), Ai Takahashi (5), Asami Konno (5), Makoto Ogawa (5), Risa Niigaki (5), Miki Fujimoto (6), Sayumi Michishige (6), Eri Kamei (6), Reina Tanaka (6)

Track #2, Do It! Now: It's always been incredibly difficult to rank my favorite MM songs because there's so many great ones, but I would say that Do It! Now would be in the top 5 if I were to sit down and actually make a list. I had first heard the song when I was going through some of their older ones to see if there was anything interesting. As I was not a big fan at this point, nothing was really sticking out to me until I came to this one. I was so shocked with how good it was and really it helped to fuel my love for the group because it got me interested in not just what was being released by Morning Musume in 2011, but also what was being released during the earlier years of the group (When I first started looking into them, I had no idea about the concept of the "Golden Era", the "Platinum Era", the "Colorful Era" or whatever else fans label these "eras" as, but I viewed everything pre-Kanashimi Twilight as "the early years".) The video for this song is pretty fantastic too. It seems to me that for Morning Musume, the videos from I Wish to Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari are their best in terms of quality. Almost all the videos pre that are either awful or incredibly dated and everything after that tends to be either very formulaic (most of them) or just plain BAD (The Manpower, especially). Also, random, but doesn't anyone else think that Kaori Iida and Haruna Kojima are strikingly similar in terms of looks? I do xD. 5/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1), Kei Yasuda (2), Mari Yaguchi (2), Maki Goto (3, final single), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4), Ai Takahashi (5), Asami Konno (5), Makoto Ogawa (5), Risa Niigaki (5)

Track #3, Koko ni Iruzee!: This song was one of those that was just meh to me....until within the last few weeks. Something finally just clicked and I really love this song now, especially the end where it starts talking about "lonely boys and girls". Maybe it was from listening to it without the video (which although good, is just kind of weird). The video had never really made a lot of sense to me. The rainbow part reminds me of chimney sweeps who joined a circus or something and then the other part shows them as like miners and other random jobs involving....dirt? I guess. As someone whose Japanese doesn't go much further than "Arigatou" or "Konnichiwa", I'm guessing I just don't get it because I'm sure it makes more sense with the lyrics. Maybe I should start learning Japanese one of these days. 5/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1), Kei Yasuda (2), Mari Yaguchi (2), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4), Ai Takahashi (5), Asami Konno (5), Makoto Ogawa (5), Risa Niigaki (5)

Track #4, Ai Araba It's All Right: I already mentioned earlier that this was one of my favorite songs by them (which I have a lot of....it's really not a special classification), but the reason I love it is because of it's ultra sing along nature. The final chorus is it's ultimate point and I would LOVE to see this done live with EVERYONE singing along. It'd be absolutely amazing. The video really isn't anything special though. It's probably one of their weakest between the videos I mentioned earlier. 5/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1, final single), Mari Yaguchi (2), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4), Ai Takahashi (5), Asami Konno (5), Makoto Ogawa (5), Risa Niigaki (5), Miki Fujimoto (6), Sayumi Michishige (6), Eri Kamei (6), Reina Tanaka (6)

Track #5, The Peace!: It's probably bad for me to say that I prefer the Updated version of this song to the original isn't it? It probably is, but I do. I mean, I like this song a lot, but I just like the Updated version more. Personally, I don't think the song works as well without the video. I'm not one to think that the video makes a song or anything, but The Peace's video is just so crazy and fun that it makes the song more enjoyable than it actually is. If anything, just watch the video and enjoy the crazy. Probably one of my favorite MM videos. 4/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1), Kei Yasuda (2), Mari Yaguchi (2), Maki Goto (3), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4)

Track #6, Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~: This song I'm not too keen on. I love the big band feel to it, but only Hitomi can really pull off the male vibe. Maki just sounds silly and Natsumi....well I've never really cared for her to begin with so she's just there. I also find it incredibly interesting how Risa gets the opening line and Makoto is super prominent in the video. Back then were they designated as the "aces" of gen. 5? Because that has always confused me how in gen. 5's debut single the two of them got the most spotlight. To be honest, I wish Risa had become the "ace" of gen. 5. I've always preferred her singing voice to Ai's. 3.5/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1), Kei Yasuda (2), Mari Yaguchi (2), Maki Goto (3), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4), Ai Takahashi (5, first single), Asami Konno (5, first single), Makoto Ogawa (5, first single), Risa Niigaki (5, first single)

Track #7, Shabondama: This is my favorite song of the Best Album and also my favorite song of the pre-Platinum era Morning Musume. Even though I can't speak Japanese at all, when I was in high school I learned all of the lyrics to this song and could sing it by heart....even the monologue xD That's how much I was in love with this song. I'm weaker at remembering the lyrics nowadays (as it's been about 3 years since my "Insane fan" phase when I first began to get really into them), but my love for the song hasn't stopped. The video is another of the weaker ones from the era, but it's not bad. 5/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1), Mari Yaguchi (2), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4), Ai Takahashi (5), Asami Konno (5), Makoto Ogawa (5), Risa Niigaki (5), Miki Fujimoto (6, first single), Sayumi Michishige (6, first single), Eri Kamei (6, first single), Reina Tanaka (6, first single)

Track #8, Souda! We're Alive: I cannot figure out what I really think about this song. I like it, but the shouting parts get annoying after a while and the structure of the whole thing is nuts. It's like "fight song", then the music sounds like a remix/mashup of their really early material, then into the verse which sounds very Renai Revolution/Do It Now (yes I realize Do It Now was released after this), chanting, "fight song", generic idol pop, back to the verse style, more annoying chanting, then the bridge turns into a weird Koi no Dance Site feel, then back to generic idol pop, then the final annoying chants. It seriously sounds like 5 separate songs.....but thanks to it being a Tsunku production it works. The video is equally as strange and disjointed as the song. I'm wondering if Tsunku meant it to sound like a combination of their past songs....especially since 2002 would have been their 5th anniversary. Hm. Interesting to think about. 4.5/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1), Kei Yasuda (2), Mari Yaguchi (2), Maki Goto (3), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4), Ai Takahashi (5), Asami Konno (5), Makoto Ogawa (5), Risa Niigaki (5)

Track #9 As For One Day: I've really never thought about the existence of this song very much. I think before today I had only listened to it in full once before. The song and the video both remind me of an earlier Naichau Kamo. It's a pretty good song though. Not sure why I never paid any attention to it. 4/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1), Kei Yasuda (2, last single), Mari Yaguchi (2), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4), Ai Takahashi (5), Asami Konno (5), Makoto Ogawa (5), Risa Niigaki (5)

Track #10, Morning Musume no Hyokkori Hyoutanjima: So. This song. I don't hate it, it's just....a glaring difference in their discography. I truly mean I don't hate it, it's actually kinda catchy (and the only MM single I truly hate is Roman), but I also really wish it wasn't in MM's discography. It's like a MiniMoni song. Very childish. MM's done crazy and cute songs before, but this is just overly childish. I know it's a cover of some old Japanese kids' show theme song, but why? I really don't understand why they released this. Why not as an album song? The music video's cute though. I'm guessing it has something to do with the old TV show? 3/5

Performing Members: Kaori Iida (1), Natsumi Abe (1), Kei Yasuda (2), Mari Yaguchi (2), Rika Ishikawa (4), Hitomi Yoshizawa (4), Nozomi Tsuji (4), Ai Kago (4), Ai Takahashi (5), Asami Konno (5), Makoto Ogawa (5), Risa Niigaki (5)

Track #11, Dekkai Uchuu ni Ai ga Aru: So this song is actually not a single, but the B-side of The Peace! I have no idea why it seems to be on all of their early releases. Seriously. I own three copies of this song from three different CDs and when I buy their first Coupling Collection I'll have four! I'm guessing it was a huge concert crowd pleaser. It seems to have the same feel as Ai Araba, so it does seem like a crowd pleaser. It's certainly not as good though. 3.5/5

Track #12, Yah! Ashitai!: This is the only new track on this release. Today was the first day I listened to this song and I really enjoyed it. It sounds like it could fit in with their music today. 4.5/5

Sorry Souda is last...I accidentally forgot to add it to the list at first and I don't know how to move videos.

So I apologize for this incredibly long post, but I hope you at least check out some of the songs in the playlist above! For the release as a whole, it's an incredibly strong showing for their singles during this time period. 4/5.