The Klassic Note Review 2014.03 Issue 2: Latest From Shelf To Shelf

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Hi guys. Yep I didn’t have to wait long, not longer than today, at least. IT’S HERE!!!

I swear I got too excited from taking it, and forgot about posting it up on the official Twitter. If you came here from Twitter, you’re probably on the right track. Let’s start shall we?

THE KLASSIC NOTE REVIEW

(Audience: Huh still following this format?) (Then you think what?)

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

Toyosaki Aki – Delight [Single]

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

Origin: Aki-chan has been one of my personal (not recommended) favourites ever since she started singing in Anime “K-ON!”. But she has came a long way. This is already her 10th single ever since her debut in October ‘09, and she’s still going strong. With her regular cast of various notable composers supporting her release including Rie fu (yeah…) and vocaloid composer sasakure.UK, she sure is getting the best out of her career.

(1) Delight
Hmm… initial impressions are alright, but kinda deterred by the lyrics, like “SOS” sounds weird to me, and the unusually high pitched notes in some parts of the song. But then listening to the lyrics make you understand that this is a wonderful song about farewell, to welcome spring, which you guys should know is not far in front of us. Composed by someone who I’ve at least heard her write for Aki-chan once is Tamurapan-san (it’s her stage name, and the song is from the 2nd album “Patapa”), who does write decent melodies with relaxing style of music, which is shown in the song. And I like the song, because it’s a soft song of farewell.

You know something? I thought for once when looking at the title that Aki-chan maybe going for her wildest single yet. I’m terribly wrong…
Rating: 4 stars (Average) (Pretty damn good)

(2) Osanpo no Uta
Eh those who don’t desire to go back or even recall your childhood please stop here. Because this song is definitely only audible for kids under elementary school. Nevertheless, the simple folk-song style melody does make the song sweet yet catchy to listen to, especially with Aki-chan at the vocals. Reminds me of Yui in K-ON!, when she was a kid. This must be her theme song back then, haha. Not recommended for matured audiences, but it’s worth a listen. Surprisingly, what I heard on the radio preview is the same as the full song as it’s a little short over 2 minutes.
Rating: 4 stars (Average) (Delightfully cute)

Conclusion: If you liked Aki-chan, I bet you are one of those bastards who took the pre-order from somewhere in which the special gift I wanted to get. Or else, if you don’t mind Aki-chan’s irresistably cute voice and her average singing, please give the songs a listen. The composers at least did a good job doing up the songs. *silence* That’s as far as I can convince you guys to listen, I guess.

AS IF AKI-CHAN IS NOT ENOUGH!
(Audience: Must it be like this every time?)

THE KLASSIC NOTE REVIEW
Horie Yui – The World’s End
Haha. Link is above. I don’t wish to type twice. Lucky I checked it beforehand.

The source? This time it’s TOWER RECORDS (Oops I guess no one bothers about this then. I’ll keep it short), and it’s as troublesome as Animate Online Shop. No EMS, and the packaging is as un-protective as ever. Let’s say it’s “basic” instead of “minimal”, huh. Besides, the gifts are making me happy already (haha), so I guess that doesn’t matter…

I guess that’s all. If you wonder why I took a few hours before doing this up, it’s because I’m enjoying playing SimCity. OFFLINE. I’m not 伍佰 anyway; I don’t enjoy playing ONLINE…

[P.S.: News of Mina-chan’s new single sure spread far and well, if you guys don’t know yet. It’s “Believe x”, confirmed from the official website, and the jacket artwork if out. If it’s like her first single, I don’t mind. I see familiar names in the composition too, like Hoshimura Mai, who impressed me with a BLEACH ending and one song from Mina-chan’s first album, This, is going to be something to look forward to.]

The Klassic Note Review 2014.03 Issue 1

(This is an imported post. For the original post please refer to this link.)

Today we have two, one (supposedly) released this week and the other… well I just listened to the CD a few days ago. So shall we?

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

Satou Satomi – Mirai Night [Single]

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

(Always remember I only possess the Regular Edition because… put in short, it’s too high a price to pay and DVDs are not widely standardised from where I come from) (Which means I’m clearly not from Japan or anywhere near it)

Origin: News appeared as early as three months ago from its release, in December last year where Satomi-chan proudly released her artist debut as a singer! Congrats for her during that time, and her debut live performance is (really) times better off Kana-chan when she had hers two years ago. But anyway, it’s a lively rock band that she wants to create on her singing career, thus her effort of waiting this long (after reading many reliable sources) to start and how she intends to start guitar learning in order to show us her dream on her own live in the near future. Probably a year later, I suppose…
(I can write longer from where she was singing in K-ON! as Ricchan, but I guess that’s a little far…)

(1) Mirai Night [Future Night]
As the title suggests, this is definitely a lively and simple rock piece to listen to, and I swear I took a liking to it (and her) the first time I heard it. I guess that’s what everyone wants to listen in a song, and this has everything. Lyrics also mean something too, with the inaccurate English sung by her is definitely not as important as her expressing this song in a positive light. PV-wise… it’s for you to decide. Though it’s not the considering factor to listening to this though: It’s rather unnecessary too… It’s pretty good on its own. Simple and upbeat: just how you guys would also like it.
Rating: 4 stars (Above Average)

(2) Brave Morning!
This… apparently is more of a cheerleading song than a rock song, but also has the rock style. And listening to it makes me think this song is not as bad as the first one too. Why the title? That I don’t really know, but from what I read online sources lead to the song written the morning of her debut performance as a singer, thus the inspiration, and this upbeat style. It also carries the band rock that Satomi-chan wants in, but put in a little more cheers in between. Overall, a very lively song, and not losing to Tomacchan in this case.
Rating: 4 stars (Average)

Conclusion: If you like her, you’ll like her song. Because from singing upbeat character songs in Anime, this is another fresh approach but this time, she is serious about it. Like all-out band, and her playing the guitar –sort of thing. And this single represents everything in it. I personally think this is great, but as the best this year… If you guys know my ranking standards yanaginagi would win her by one track here… Not my point. DO give her a listen if you like upbeat songs, as this has a little of everything: pop, rock and a little cheer.

~Kaineng, on the Klassic Note

ALSO!

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

Horie Yui – The World’s End [Single]

(If you want me to put the hearts in you've got another thing coming)

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

(What is SOOOOO interesting about the Limited Edition is IN it’s music video, where clues are in to access a website with a code that lets you in to solve a mystery within the 5-minute video. Unique, but unfortunately I don’t get it, so…)

Origin: If it’s Anime songs you know well then Hocchan barely needs any introduction. Sequel to her first set of theme songs given to the Anime “Golden Time”, this is so referred to the theme songs for the ‘2-cour’ Anime length (ie. second half), as hearing from the songs. Unfortunately, this gets plenty of Anime boost, which is mostly negative in many cases. Let me tell you why below. Really, the first set of theme songs (last year) did better than this…

(1) The World’s End
How to say this… Eh… It’s very different? Yeah, I guess. No wonder they took so long just to release this. They (production) probably don’t know how to make this into a full song too, haha. Turns out they did, and come out trumps, as I guess this is the most counter-intuitive song I guess I hear from such a cute voice, but that goes to show listening to Anime songs gives a certain level of uncertainty from what you may be hearing, and from the start this has not been good. Upon close inspection things to rather surface, but nonetheless the style of this song is rather rough on the outstanding-character side, similar to what she acts on the show as Kaga Kouko, a rich lady who is possessive of her lover. (Oops spoilers for those who haven’t watched?) The PV gives another side to this song’s impression, as a mystery surrounds the house, apparently not a crime, but about a black cat and… pretty much everything else I don’t understand, but doesn’t seem to look like love already. I don’t know how to put a clear verdict to this, but if this isn’t your taste, you should very well turn away. Or else, give creative/restricted songs a chance, yes?
Rating: 4 stars (Average) (Anything higher would be ridiculous)

(2) Haneikyuuteki ni Aishite yo [Loving (You) Semi-Permanently]
I initially hoped for this song to turn the tides to the impression of this single, but… I guess the composers wrecked this completely, huh. Reading till here, if you guys don’t intend to hear this single, then you can stop reading here. Comparing to her previous single “Golden Time” it consists of two short (rather short) songs written short and simple, yet impressive. In this case, it seems that dragging the song and bringing out the mood of the song seems to be the focus here, as I catch the little familiar melodies as much as I can to make it feel like I’m hearing a nice song. You know, this could well be a short 3-minute song, but I guess the first two minutes are so deliberate I start to feel I’m being an idiot listening to it. But no, I’m not giving it 3-stars just because it has a good melody. Just… just… production problem, just like the show itself initially. Go read the comments online. I don’t even want to comment on it anymore…
Rating: 4 stars (Below Average) (Anything lower I won’t even pre-order this)

Conclusion: Eh… Can I don’t give one? If you liked Hocchan ever since she was 20 or if you watch the Anime, please give this a listen by all means. Or else, leave it alone. Unless you like to test your endurance of brainwashing (which I apparently did) while listening to songs that are in imperfection. Period.

~Kaineng, on the Klassic Note


Been rather moody these days. I know I should’ve gotten this out like… Monday. I’ll get better, hopefully. When I see my future has some direction. Not miwa. Not VELTPUNCH. Not SPECIAL OTHERS. No music would help that for now. Until next time, people.