Berryz Koubou x C-ute - Amazuppai Haru ni Sakura Saku
1. Amazuppai Haru ni Sakura Saku
2. Tanjyun Suginano Watashi... (Berryz Koubou Version)
2. Kirai de Kirai de Kirai (C-ute Version)
3. Amazuppai Haru ni Sakura Saku (Instrumental)
Source
First in the collaborative releases from last fall was Berry Koubou and C-ute's Amazuppai Haru ni Sakura Saku, the theme for a horror mystery movie the two groups starred in (or rather, Airi from C-ute and Yurina from Berryz starred. The rest of the girls formed victim fodder.) It's happy and generic, but I think it works well in context. It's a cheesy and ironic theme for a movie where only a few survive at the end. And I think it could make good background music for a playlist of happy songs to raise one's spirits. The music video has a basic graduation theme. The girls are pretty in their kimono, but the video itself is dull, so not really re-watchable. Re-listenable, though, yes.
Tanjyun Suginano Watashi..., the b-side on the Berryz version, is a classy sounding ballad. Its sound is soothing, but just that. It fits with the a-side as a relaxing song.
The C-ute version's b-side, Kirai de Kirai de Kirai, is a bit more interesting. It's darker, cooler, and more powerful. It's not upbeat enough to imagine a dance accompanying it, except maybe a slow rhythmic one with backdancers while the current singer belts out the powerful bits. But it doesn't sound like a ballad either (power ballad? I'm sure that's the wrong term, though.) It's a mood setting song, and probably would have made a logically better theme song for a horror movie (but not a cheesy one, like most idol horror movies are.)
Rating: Forgettable. Unless reminded of the song in concert setlists or re-listening to the groups' discography, there are just too many better Berryz Koubou and C-ute songs to listen to.
Buy the single from:
iTunes (US): Berryz Koubou Version, C-ute Version
YesAsia: Berryz Koubou Version, C-ute Version
CD Japan: Berryz Koubou Version, C-ute Version
Amazon Japan: Berryz Koubou Version, C-ute Version
* There are also limited versions available with different cover photos and DVDs.
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Mobekimasu - Busu ni Naranai Tetsugaku
1. Busu ni Naranai Tetsugaku
2. Moshimo... (Regular and Limited A Version)
2. Kacchoii Uta (Morning Musume Version/ Limited B Version)
2. Kacchoii Uta (Berryz Koubou Version/ Limited C Version)
2. Kacchoii Uta (C-ute Version/ Limited D Version)
2. Kacchoii Uta (Erina Mano Version/ Limited E Version)
2. Kacchoii Uta (S/mileage Version/ Limited F Version)
3. Busu ni Naranai Tetsugaku
Source
Mobekimasu's single, Busu ni Naranai Tetsugaku, like its predecessor "All For One & One For All" by the H.P. All Stars, is a snapshot of the current Hello!Project's music trends. Instead of being light and full of happiness and cheering like the late Golden Era, Mobekimasu focuses on being mature and cool. Two incidents can hardly be considered a pattern, yet this still fills me with hope since both songs defined an era, both musically and through active groups and members. Ends are tied neatly for a new era begin, one that has already started with Morning Musume's "Pyoko Pyoko Ultra." There's going to be a variety of songs, but I can't wait to see what will emerge as the new "sound" of the Project. The sound that will be used in the third collaborative single years form now, sung by a few nostalgic old hands (perhaps remnants of Berryz Koubou and C-ute), grown up versions of today's new generation, and a bunch of new generations and groups. The future is bright.
But this song, while being decent to listen to, doesn't grab me or make me nostalgic. "All For One & One For All" had a logic to it, starting with founding members and working their way down to the newbies, showing how far the Project had come from 1997-2004. In Busu ni Naranai Tetsugaku, everyone is tossed together as equals. Unless they are a front girl of their respective group, that is. Then they might get a solo or duet line (but only some of the most popular members in "All For One & One For All" got solo lines, so there's no difference there.) But Busu ni Naranai Tetsugaku lacks the historical element that appeals to my nerdery.
Also, Busu ni Naranai Tetsugaku's sound does not appeal to me. The chorus sounds like whining. The funk sounds all right in the beginning, but once they start whining, it turns me off.
The music video fits the song and it's nice that each girl gets screentime in a close-up and twirling pose. But I was disappointed that not all the girls got a funny face or regular close-up. It would have been nice to see both sides, or, as that would take too much screentime, to focus on just one so as not to get one's hopes up (like if one wanted "x" to do a funny face and instead she did a regular close-up.) I love funny faces, but those could have been omitted due to the tone of the song. Though they do add a nice irony given the song title ("Philosophy of Not Becoming Ugly.")
One of the b-sides, Moshimo... was less annoying to me, even though it was probably substantially more annoying to a lot of other people. It takes some of the most polarizing voices from each group and they all sing a sweet little ballad. We have Morning Musume's wallflower Mizuki Fukumura, Berryz Koubou's helium-inhaling Momoko Tsugunaga, C-ute's nasally Saki Nakajima, H!P's bland soloist Erina Mano, and S/mileage's screechy Ayaka Wada. Fukupon, Momo, Nakky, Mano, and Dawa. If they were the last girls left in H!P, most people would quit for the safely of their ears. This is like when the worst singers of Morning Musume sung a song on the Hello!Project Happy Marriage Song cover album.
Yet they all sound really cute together and the instrumental is nostalgically H!P. It totally wins for me.
Finally, on each group-specific version, instead of Moshimo..., there is a group-specific version of the song Kacchoii Uta. In my opinion, this is the best thing about this release. The groups may not work together like in the other two songs that include the whole Project or group ambassadors, but we get to analyze the unique points of each group because they sing the same song (the control in this experiment.) I can't decide which one is best. We hear Morning Musume's variety of voices, Berryz Koubou's unique blend and front girls, C-ute's strong harmony with each others' voices, Mano's lone blandness, and S/mileage's adorable chipmunk voices. It's really a matter of preference.
It's a cool rock anthem, with high energy, and the vocals contain an interesting way of singing some of the non-chorus parts. I think I mean the vocal technique? Well, the sudden changes from high to low in a single line sound really cool to me. I think this could have had a cooler music video than the title track, but they would have had to make five of them, which would have been expensive, or a collaboration, which would have ruined its gimmick. Oh well, still a cool song. If you like a group, you'll probably like their version.
There should have been a Buono! version, though.
Rating: Classic. It didn't really appeal to me that much, but someday it will be nostalgic to fans of the 2005-2011 era. It's something to look back on when the H!P Kids graduate, Morning Musume only has members from this decade, and S/mileage mutates even more. Also, Kacchoii Uta may become an H!P concert staple and fan favorite.
Buy the single on:
iTunes (US): Regular, MM Version, BK Version, C-ute Version, Mano Version, S/mileage Version
YesAsia: Regular, MM Version, BK Version, C-ute Version, Mano Version, S/mileage Version
CD Japan: Regular, MM Version, BK Version, C-ute Version, Mano Version, S/mileage Version
Amazon Japan: Regular, MM Version, BK Version, C-ute Version, Mano Version, S/mileage Version
* The Limited A, not listed here, has a different cover and a DVD.
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Bekimasu - Makeruna Wasshoi!
1. Makeruna Wasshoi!
2. Makeruna Wasshoi! (Instrumental)
Source
The last of the H!P shuffles was originally released digitally during the summer concerts and was re-released physically this winter. It lacks Morning Musume, being just Bekimasu. Also, the S/mileage is pre-mutated S/mileage.
Makeruna Wasshoi! is a mix of electronic and traditional music. Lots of energy, perfect for the concert setting it was designed for. It sounds fun, but to be honest, it just makes me want to listen to similar H!P songs like "Sukiyaki" and "Dancing! Natsu Matsuri" instead. The bug costumes the girls performed in are super cute, though.
Rating: Forgettable. It's similar but not better than other H!P modern-traditional-style songs and some of my favorite members (Momo and Kanyon) didn't get solo lines so BAWW.
Buy the single on:
iTunes (US)
YesAsia
CD Japan
Amazon Japan
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