Single

• Anime, Japanese, Reviews

  My “Hearts Grow” Three Sizes After Listening To This Single: Sora (Review)

  January 9, 2010 | Patrick Gann | 1 Comment Share this My “Hearts Grow” Three Sizes After Listening To This Single: Sora (Review)

  

  I hope everyone appreciates that Grinch pun.

  My little brother introduced me to J-Pop act Hearts Grow a few months ago. See, the younger Gann sibling happens to be a *huge* Naruto nut. When Hearts Grow got their song “Yura Yura” played as an opening theme for a new season of Naruto Shippuuden. So he showed me the music video for the song, and I was hooked.

  So hooked, in fact, that I needed to hear more. That’s why I got this single for “Sora,” which also serves as the opening to a TV anime. Birdy the Mighty DECODE, an anime I’d never before heard of, uses the song “Sora” as its season 1 opening (note Jayson already reviewed the ending theme “Tane” from no3b). After the jump, check out my review for the Hearts Grow single “Sora.” (more…)

• Japanese, Reviews

  You’ve Met Japanese Gender Benders, Now Meet The Genre Benders! Midori – Swing Single (Review)

  December 20, 2009 | Patrick Gann | Comments Off on You’ve Met Japanese Gender Benders, Now Meet The Genre Benders! Midori – Swing Single (Review) Share this You’ve Met Japanese Gender Benders, Now Meet The Genre Benders! Midori – Swing Single (Review)

  

  I know, as I’m sure you also know, a lot of big-name, reaches-the-surface J-Pop and J-Rock stars out there. So it’s nice to dig beneath that now and then and hear something really… different.

  The Japanese band “Midori” is a self-described jazz/alternative fusion band. I had no idea what that would sound like; but I had a feeling they’d have to be very intentional and very blatant about merging these two genres. Drums and piano can go together fine, but then put in an angsty female vocalist who isn’t afraid to scream? I just don’t know what to make of it.

  But I’ll do my best to sort it out in this review of the “Swing” single (catalog number AICL-2003), after the jump. (more…)

• Japanese, Reviews

  Does JUJU soar in her single, Sky? (Review)

  August 30, 2009 | Don Kotowski | 1 Comment Share this Does JUJU soar in her single, Sky? (Review)

  

  I’m going to be honest. I am not really familiar with JUJU, however, I liked the samples on the website so I decided to review this single. The only thing I knew about JUJU, prior to this single, was that she was the vocalist for “No Matter the Distance…,” which was one of the vocal themes in the game, Valkyria Chronicles. She also seems to have a few singles to her name.

  Check after the break for my thoughts on JUJU’s Sky single! (more…)

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