“misono’s second full length album definitely marks an improvement musically and vocally since never+land. A pretty solid album overall!”
ARTIST: misono
ALBUM: 生 -say-
LABEL: avex trax
CATALOG #: AVCD-23623/B
DURATION: 56:06
RELEASE DATE: July 16, 2008
- 美苑味
- 挫折地点
- 二人三脚
- ギザギザLIFE
- black & white ～黒ã„サングラスã‹ã‘ãŸæ—¥ã‹ã‚‰ï½ž
- トライアングル
- ホットタイãƒ
- 夢幻期é™
- ãŠã˜ãƒã¡ã‚ƒã‚“ã£ã“ ãŠã°ãã¡ã‚ƒã‚“ã£ã“ ã²ãªãŸã¼ã£å
- ãƒãƒ
- å抗期
- å人å色
- ãŸã¾ã”
- ラストソング -生 ver.-
- 「å›ã¨ç§ã®ã†ãŸã€
DVD: Region 2, 4:3, Duration: 17 minutes
- 挫折地点 -BOX ver.-
- å人å色 -10 misono’s ver.-
- å¤¢å¹»æœŸé™ -Painting ver.-
- 二人三脚 -生 ver.-
Previous to the release of misono’s first album, my reviews for misono have been like a rollercoaster that culminated to a review of “never+land” and just being utterly disappointed with it. And to be truthful, to be disappointed in misono’s marketing and development.
Even when she was involved with day after tomorrow, she’s had this quirky nature but to push her as this rock artist, with so many Japanese female artists that can play an instrument especially the electric guitar, it really got on my nerves to see misono with each video carrying one and pretending to play one and even more frustrating is to see her go from serious rocker to quirky and goofy pop tart the next in her music videos.
Nevertheless, I gave her music another chance and similar to the beginning of being on a music rollercoaster of feeling the high and lows with her songs in general, I felt that the latest offering from her fifth CD single “Hot Time” (Rel. Feb. 2007) up to her tenth CD single “Ninin Sankyaku” (Rel. July 2008) has been solid.
Her music fortunately has taken more of a rock edge and with her latest CD single, I noticed a more serious edge and even a push to make her more edgy, rock star than quirky. And with her latest album, with awesome colloborations with J-rock bands, musicians and producer, misono’s second full-length album “Sei ~Say” features a good number of music. (Note: Sei means life, Say is the English word and used as a pun on the Japanese word “Sei”).
The first track “美苑味” (misono Aji) is a catchy short song that is less than two minutes long.  A fun track that shows off the cute side of misono.
The second track “挫折地点” (Zasetsu Chinen) is misono’s 7th CD single (rel. Sept. 2007) is actually a tracky that I really enjoy a lot. I think I’ve had this hard hitting rock track playing multiple times over and over. Really awesome production and musical work by Hinata Hidekazu (of STRAIGHTENER and formerly of Art-School).
The third track “二人三脚” (Ninin Sankyaku) is misono’s 10th CD single (rel. July 2008) and is the theme for the Nintendo DS “Tales of Symhonia” video game. The music has always been good with misono’s rock songs which has been electric guitar driven and a good dose of clanging percussion and bass.
The fourth track “ギザギザLIFE” (Giza Giza Life) was used as a coupling song to misono’s eighth CD single “Juunin Toiro”. This was a fun track and collaboration with rock trio Go!Go!7188 who produced and performed the instruments for the song.
The fifth track “black & white ～黒ã„サングラスã‹ã‘ãŸæ—¥ã‹ã‚‰ï½ž” (Black & White ~Kuroi Sunglasses Kaketa Hi Kara~) was a coupling song for Misono’s seventh CD single “Zasetsu Chiten”. This song is another collaboration with STRAIGHTENER’s Hinata Hidekazu. Another track which Hinata gives misono a dark, hard hitting rock edge. Another cool track.
The sixth track “triangle” is a song that starts out with churning guitars but musically transitions to a very cool rock track courtesy of Suzuki “Daichi” Hideyuki, a well-known producer and musician who has created music for Hello! Project, avex and tearbridge artists and anime series such as “Witch Hunter Robin” and “s-CRY-ed”.
The seventh track “Hot Time” is Misono’s fifth CD (rel. Feb. 2007) single featuring another collaboration with Suzuki “Daichi” Hideyuki and features more of a ballad and her theme song that was used as a theme for a show promoting her mandatory weight loss. The song is a ballad and a good dose of strings courtesy of Gen Ittetsu Strings.
The eighth track is “Mugen Kigen” which was misono’s ninth CD single (rel. Jan. 2008) and features a collaboration with TRICERATOPS drummer Yoshida Yoshifumi and well-known producer Tanahashi “UNA” Nobuhito (known for his work with Hamasaki Ayumi, B’z and his video game works for “Dead or Alive”, “Darius”, “Orphen”) for a light hearted rock song.
The ninth track “ãŠã˜ãƒã¡ã‚ƒã‚“ã£ã“ ãŠã°ãã¡ã‚ƒã‚“ã£ã“ ã²ãªãŸã¼ã£å” (Ojii-chankko Obaa-chankko Hinatabokko) featuring another collaboration with STRAIGHTENER’s Hinata Hidekazu. The song is more slow-paced than other Hinata-produced tracks for Misono but the song transitions to an electric guitar jamming chorus. An OK song but with the chorus really rocking, didn’t think the slower-paced misono vocals complimented it all that well.
The tenth track and misono’s sixth CD single “Pochi” features a track produced by UMU. The track is rock-based and fast-paced during the chorus but the most of the song features a slow bass groove and some experimental samples. A fun track overall!
The eleventh track “å抗期” features a track produced by PLECTRUM. Another fun rock collaboration that features a cool electric guitar and bass driven track.
The twelfth track “Juunin Toiro” is misono’s eighth CD single (rel. Nov. 2007) and features another song produced and music by GO!GO!7188. Another cool, rockin’ collaboration.
The thirteenth track “tamago” features a track produced by Kubota Kotaro (known for his work with Suzuki Ami and also collaborated with misono for the coupling song “Garasu no Kutsu” for her first CD single “Vs.”). A rock track with a pretty cool groove and overall a cool song.
The fourteen track “Last Song (Sei Version)” was the coupling song for misono’s ninth CD single “Mugen Kigen” and the Sei Version features an acoustic guitar version of the song and a message by misono after the track and transitions to the fifteenth track “「å›ã¨ç§ã®ã†ãŸã€” (Kimi to Watashi no Uta) which is another acoustic guitar based song but features misono singing and playing the electric guitar.
As for the DVD, the first DVD track features the music video for “挫折地点” (Zasetsu Chinen) and is a -BOX ver.- which just took the part where misono is inside a tunnel and just focusing that main part from the music video.
The second DVD track “å人å色 -10 misono’s ver.-” (Juunin Toiro) features each character that misono had to play in the music video and puts all ten together and features misono singing the song. If you think misono has the potential to be an actress, you get to see her in a variety of emotions from this video.
The third DVD track “å¤¢å¹»æœŸé™ -Painting ver.-” (Zasetsu Chinen) fetures just the paint portion of the music video which is a sideways video with misono with blue and yellow paint all over her.
The fourth DVD video track features “二人三脚 -生 ver.-” primarily on misono’s character which was her singing in front of the mirror and her crying and tearing (whereas the normal music video would show these clips and also clips from the “Tales of Symphonia” Nintendo DS video game).
The CD insert booklet features lyrics and production credits plus images of misono.
I was pretty impressed with this album. Unlike “never+land” which literally just featured her CD singles and coupling songs, it’s good to have a few new tracks on this album.
There are a lot of positive things working for misono and that is the decision to match her up with a variety of producers, musicians and rock bands to create rock music that suits her vocal style. Music that is hard hitting, fun, energetic and it worked!
The second thing going for her is an image change. She was like an idol being promoted as a rock star but yet maintaing the idol cuteness and quirkiness. With her newer music, it’s more promoting her sexiness and even showcasing her wide-range of emotions.
But the third thing which actually put a smile on my face was my largest criticism of her music. Being promoted as a rock singer while on her music videos with an electric guitar knowing that she doesn’t know how to play.
But I’ve seen artists such as hitomi who was a pop star similar to misono and managed to mature and take the acoustic guitar, learn to play it and playing it during her live concers. misono has her solo acoustic guitar track at the end of this album. If she has learned to play the guitar and can duplicate it during a live performance, then I’m glad that her A&R has definitely worked to change her image to a positive one.
There is only one other artist on the avex label who has come from the sugary pop image and has been transformed to a rock star and that is Hoshii Nanase who in her rocker form is known as “Seventh Tarz Armstrong” and the collaborations with various rock bands from overseas has really given her an awesome edge. This is the same in the sense that they have put her with some really cool musicians for her CD single and this album alone and I hope it continues.
Overall, a solid album and quite happy with how this one turned out!
BUY THIS ALBUM: