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Eriko Imai | My Place
The blue skies and white clouds of the adjoining CD booklet are spectacular indeed. Looking at the booklet though, you wonder if the people who designed it ever questioned themselves whether it would be extremely untidy or troublesome to handle the collated pages. I certainly found it a chore to fold the pages properly!
Now a little trivia on the singer. Formerly known as Eriko With Crunch, Eriko Imai used to be a member of J-Pop girl group Speed. Eriko has had a good report card the past year, having participated in theatre, Japanese soap Rouge and countless commercials. Now with the release of her debut album “My Place”, she has one more credit to her already embellished career.
Of the tracks in the album, Eriko has put on her thinking cap to pen the lyrics for the song “Darlin”. Surprisingly, “Darlin” is not half-bad. Obvious alternative back-up and screeching guitar sounds (think Jimi Hendrix) make this worth a listen. Apart from the catchy and chirpy hit “in the Name of Love”, most are love songs (however with a tinge of R&B and soft rock influences).
Take note of the shadows of Speed. If you were a Speed fan, this album will no doubt satisfy your J-Pop cravings.
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Faye Wong | Separate Ways
It is funny how little is said about the music rather than the musician, no matter how adamant
she is about her privacy. By adopting an aloof persona, Her Highness Faye Wong has attracted
attention nevertheless, even if her intentions suggest otherwise. Well, it must work well for
the artiste then - free publicity and still, the power to wield her prima donna status.
She never quite fades behind her music, does she? You might have heard of her less-than-typical
love life with a certain young stud. Or how big her baby girl has grown. Now she is in the news
again - as the lead of Japanese soap opera Usokoi. What would you know? Faye also happens to
sing the theme song “Separate Ways” hence the release of this EP.
This EP contains the original version and also, the 128-beat mix
of “Separate Ways”. Although it is evident that Faye's grasp of the Japanese language is uncertain, the song still carries her usual ethereal feel and as such, makes it soothing to listen to. It also brings with it an upbeat atmosphere, which may remind you of summer. The other tracks are recycled from previous albums, including the airy “Eyes On Me” featured in the role-playing game Final Fantasy VIII and the Mandarin track “Xiang Nai Er”.
Nice songs -- perfect if you want it for relaxation. Comforting.
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Ayumi Hamasaki | A Best
The chameleon of J-Pop never ceases to entertain with her multiple images and incessant ability to shock. 3 years into her reign as one of the queens of the Japanese music industry, Ayumi Hamasaki has assembled some of her best-selling songs into "A Best" -- a greatest hits album. Some may say that this release is timelier than anything to combat the coincidental release of competitor Utada Hikaru's fresh new album "Distance". Faithful fans will tell you that Queen Ayumi is on firm footing of her status. Why? Because Ayumi always knows how to tease the audiences. "A Best", for instance, features 16 of her best-selling hit songs from her third album "trust" to last year's "M". In addition, she has re-recorded "A Song for XX", "Trust" and "Depend on you" to give a fresh feel to these otherwise exhausted hits.
Ayumi never runs out of inspiration to garnish her music. Along with a famed high-pitched voice (which can prove rather exasperating on occasion) and a pair of eyes which remind me of the fish balls I had this morning, she always has a way to titillate the senses with her attention-catching album covers. A simple black and white, the cover picture features Ayumi's distinctive doll-face and a tear under her smoky eyes. It has a nostalgic feel to it; perhaps signifying the trials and tribulations Ayumi has faced in the past 3 years. But well, trials of stardom are over for this shining star as her legion of fans will always be there to snap up every copy of her albums in support of their darling ayu. Besides, it is well known that of all her 21 albums, most are hits because they are either commercial jingles or theme songs for Japanese soap operas. Therefore fear not, Queen Ayumi is here to stay - at least for while - and this album will definitely score with her throng of admirers who have probably grown accustomed to her brand of cutesy Japanese pop.
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