Nov 15 2007
Top 5 List- Cute, I choose you!
A note before I start this: Chisato is a really good singer, no, maybe the best singer out of all the h!p kids. I’m trying to spread the word. Here’s the classic example: her doing an impression of Miki from like 2 years ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-t2l9qJzgQ It’s too bad that she doesn’t look “idolly” enough to be promoted more. Oh, and sorry if it annoys you that I write it as “Cute”, but I hate to put extra punctuation in my group names or song titles.
5.Ooki na Ai de Motenashite- I’m not even sure if I really like this song that much, or if I’m just being influenced by it’s insane powers of getting stuck in my head, but here it is none the less. It certainly belongs in the top 5 Cute songs that stand out to me. There’s enough pink sugaryness here to make cotton candy jealous. At least it’s a pretty unusual song, and though chicken-like leg flapping bothers me, it seems that in this case, chicken-like arm flapping is kind of cute. The girls all look suitably adorable in the PV, especially Kanna and Saki. Ookina ai de motenashite sokontoko daiji na koto yo….
4.Meguru Koi no Kisetsu- You’ve got to love the energy in this song. It just screams genki-ness! It’s kind of repetitive, but it’s darn catchy. It’d probably rank higher, but for the weird, dissonant screaming thing at the beginning. As for the PV, it proves that cute and interesting PVs can, in fact, be done on a low budget. Finally, since I enjoy things being cheerfully shouted in the middle the final choruses of songs (see ai araba or koko ni iruzee) the shouted “Wow sono mama mou ichou!” is a great finishing touch.
3.JUMP- This song came as quite a surprise to me. I really didn’t care for Sakura Chirari at all, so, I’m ashamed to admit, I didn’t bother to check out its B-side. Then, it was performed at this Summer’s h!p concert, and wow! It’s actually a really good song! It’s kind of the ‘Yuujou Junjou o Seishun’ of Cute I think. At first glance it’s just another a simple and cheerful B-side, but it’s got a great melody, both verses and chorus, and the inclusion of electric guitar keeps it from being too cutesy. It really does make you want to jump up and down. Also, there’s a much more even line distribution than we’ve gotten in recent singles (<3 Chisato's lines). My favorite part of this song is the harmonizing "whoa whoa" over the repeated chorus at the end. I wasn't expecting that kind of thing from a Cute B-side.
2.Massara Blue Jeans- Here’s a relentless song for you. I’m kind of in love with this song rhythmically. As soon as the opening beat comes on I’m taping my foot. I’m really torn about the actual dance. I don’t approve of littl girls doing so much aggressive air humping… but it just fits the song so well. I just don’t know what to think. Dance aside, the “lovemelovemelovemeloveme” parts are great and original and that’s what really makes the song stand out. I want to do the air humping move right along with them during those parts… but I usually restrain myself. Maimi even does a good job with the bridge, which surprises me because I’m usually not a fan of her voice. Also, I love Airi’s falsetto, wherever it appears, and her falsetto line in this song is no exception. It’s such a shame that Massara Blue Jeans was never released as a real single. I think it would have done well.
1.Tokaikko Junjou- Cute’s latest single is undoubtedly their best. The song is super-catchy, and everyone’s voice is utilized well from picking Maimi for the mature opening monolog to using Mai and Saki’s kind of whiny voices on the plaintive ‘demo ne demo ne’ parts, to using Airi for just about everything else. Well, okay, it would have been nice to hear from the other girls too, but you can’t deny that the way the song is set up works. I especially love the dance. It’s hip and interesting, it fits the song well, and as far as I can tell there’s not a single cheesy awkward move (no knee flapping! Berryz, I’m looking at you). In fact, I’d say it ranks up there with my favorite h!p dances of all time. The costumes and the PV are hip and interesting to match. Chisato’s “wtf, why are you taking my ball?” expression made me laugh out loud the first time I saw the PV, and Maimi’s back against the sunset is a very striking shot. This is shaping up to be the song that makes the public sit up and pay attention to Cute. The real test now will be if their next song can keep up this kind of quality.