Every Little Thing – Door (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)
November 4, 2008 by Dennis Amith
“Japanese pop group Every Little Thing’s eighth album ‘Door’ showcases the group’s confidence with their style of music on this album according to lead vocalist Kaori Mochida. I have to agree. I have to admit that this album has brought me back to enjoying the group’s music once again and almost a return to those late 90s-early 2000 years of when I truly loved their music.”
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BAND: Every Little Thing
ALBUM: Door
LABEL: avex trax
CATALOG #: AVCD-23478/B
DURATION: 54:22
RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2008
- GATE #8 (Instrumental)
- まさかのTelepathy
- キラメキアワー (Door version)
- パリの娘
- サクラビト
- WONDER LAND
- 冬がはじまるよ
- B.L.V.D. (Instrumental)
- NEROLI
- カラカラ
- 恋をしている
- gladiolus
- オフェリア_act2
DVD – Region 2, 4:3, Duration: 52 minutes
- Kirameki Hour – Video Clip
- Koi wo Shiteiru – Video Clip
- Kirameki Hour, Koi wo Shiteiru, Sakura Beat & Door – Video Clip, Photo Shoot and recording off-shot
- Koi wo Shiteiru – from X-Mas Live at IKSPIARI
- Sakura Beat – Video Clip – Mochida Solo Version
- Sakura Beat – Video Clip – Ito Solo Version
- Channel A feat. Every Little Thing
Every Little Thing returned in the Spring 2008 with their eight full-length album “Door” which features the duo’s 33rd CD single “Kirameki Hour” and their 34th double-A side CD single “Koi wo Shiteiru” and “Fuyu ga Hajimaruyo”.
During an interview with an English-based publication in Japan, Kaori Mochida spoke about how with this album, the duo started to feel more confident with their music since Mitsuru Igarishi left and the group started experimenting with certain styles of music but not until this year, did both feel confident about their own personal sound.
But I have to admit that their releases in 2008 have been quite solid. With the release of this album “Door”, I see a return to the basics. Not simple in terms of sound but the return of good music and passionate singing by Kaori Mochida.
From upbeat pop tracks such as “Masaka no Telepathy”, “Kirameki Hour” to “Fuyu ga Hajimaruyo” (a collaboration with popular vocalist and producer Noriyuki Makihara). And you get really beautiful vocals and music with songs such as “Koi wo Shiteiru”, “Gladiolus”, “Ophelia_act 2″ and “Sakura Beat”.
But the other songs that make up the album are also just as enjoyable and you do get a little something different with songs such as “WONDER LAND” which is a happy pop song but almost an 80s vibe to it. And then there is “NEROLI” featuring a rock song that has an interesting experimental vibe to it. And then you have a song such as “Karakara” which has a tropical Carribean vibe.
The CD+DVD version comes with a booklet with photos Kaori Mochida and Ichiro Ito. And inside are the lyrics printed in a very thin sheet of brown paper.
The DVD features a total of seven videos and you really get your money’s worth as the DVD features 52 minutes of content including music videos of “Kirameki Hour”, “Koi Wo Shiteiru” and solo Mochida and Ito versions of “Sakura Beat”. You also get live concert performances, behind-the-scenes footage of the recording, photo session and off shot of the group.
Also, cool to find on this DVD is a special “Channel A” episode featuring Every Little Thing which features Kaori Mochida visiting an herbal shop and trying a variety of blended beverages and then making pottery. As for Ichiro Ito, you watch him traveling through the forest and talking about his experience visiting what looks to be a monastery, learning to meditate and also learning to feed a deer. But it’s good to see non-music related footage of the group also included on the DVD.
But overall, at 52-minutes long, you get quite a bit of content with the DVD and so I can easily recommend the CD+DVD version.
So, all in all, “Door” is a well-balanced album that I did enjoy. In my personal opinion, this album is actually much better than a lot of the material the band has released in the past five years. I have to admit that my interest and passion for the music of Every Little Thing waned during 2001-2006, so to listen to “Door” and really enjoy the majority of the songs on the album was great. I really dig the music this time around as the album does feature a good number of musicians and everything comes together with Kaori Mochida’s vocals.
If you are a fan of Every Little Thing, you really can’t go wrong with this album which has plenty of cool music and a packed DVD. Check it out!
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