From Left to Right: RiotBecki, Rosay, and Gwenno

The Pipettes - We Are The Pipettes (2007)
North American Release Shown

Released October 2nd, 2007

1. We Are The Pipettes
2. Pull Shapes
3. Why Did You Stay?
4. Dirty Mind
5. It Hurts To See You Dance So Well
6. Judy
7. A Winter's Sky
8. Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me
9. Tell Me What You Want
10. Because It's Not Love (But It's Still A Feeling)
11. Sex
12. One Night Stand
13. ABC
14. I Love You
15. Dance And Boogie
16. Baby, Just Be Yourself

The first thing I looked for were their names. Gwenno, Becki, and Rosay. Easy enough! Also, not nearly as confusing as those super-groups in Asia especially since each of them were completely unique from the get-go. I think the first music video I bumped into was for Pull Shapes and was blown away with how much awesome was in that track: the dance, the style, the music, the everything. I definitely got a Beatles and Monkees from the 60’s kind of feel from the musicality. The lyrics, though a bit more modern, still had that playfulness and child-likeness to them which makes this kind of music so easy to listen to. The trio really takes advantage of each member with their harmonies and different layers of vocals.

But anyway, they were to be playing at a small restaurant and my friend and I called in the day before the show asking if there were any tickets left but sadly, there were none. We still ended up going downtown that day. I was kinda hoping that we’d bump into them but we didn’t and ended up watching 300 at the Scotiabank Theatre. It didn’t take them too long to come back and give me the opportunity to see them live. I do believe it was June 1st, 2007 and again on November 18th of the same year. 3 visits to Toronto in a year. We were spoiled. With the first visit, I got them to sign my UK release of “We Are The Pipettes” that I got shipped. On the second, I got them to sign my NA release. Also, RiotBecki said she remembered me. But then they kinda disappeared for a bit and said they were going back to the studios. Then Rosay and Becki left. Then two new girls came, then one of them left, and now I don’t know what’s going on with them more. :( I did manage to pick up that vinyl in LA while down there for my cousin’s wedding in the winter holiday season of 2007-08.

But on with the album commentary. I’ll be using the US release for this “review”. While writing the above, I’ve sat through the album twice already. It clocks in at just shy of 40 minutes, including the bonus tracks that weren’t included in the UK release. The longest track clocks in at 3 minutes and 8 seconds, “A Winter’s Sky“. Overall, it’s quite easily one of my favourite albums of 2007.

And in no particular order, my favourite tracks and a little commentary on each. Pull Shapes would have to be my favourite, not because of the music video or because it was the first video I saw of the girls, but because of its simplicity and the makes-you-want-to-dance factor. Dirty Mind’s lyrics make me lol. Also, dance factor. Judy features Rosay and her awesomeness. ‘Nuff said. ABC is just cute and energetic and again with the dance factor. I Love You is more of a sentimental song for me but is still completely danceable. Dance And Boogie makes me want to dance and boogie. There’s not that much more to it than that.

If you’re looking to enjoy some music reminiscent of the swingin’ 60’s with some girly attitude, check out this album. It’s sad though, you won’t be able to experience this group of girls live anymore. I do look forward to if the Pipettes of new end up visiting Toronto.

And just thought I’d add this in because it’s cute…

Hamasaki Ayumi - & (2003)
Click Image for CDJapan Product Page

Released July 9th, 2003

1. ourselves
2. Greatful days
3. HANABI ~episode II~
4. theme of a-nation '03
5. ourselves (Instrumental)
6. Greatful days (Instrumental)
7. HANABI ~episode II~ (Instrumental)

Welcome to a time when I actually listened to Ayu. Didn’t everyone start off listening to Ayu anyway?

This single holds a very special place in my heart since it was the first Japanese CD I ever purchased. Actually, it was a split gift between myself and the girlfriend I had at the time; we were pretty big Ayu fans back in the day and also kids who had no money. This was back when Pacific Mall had Music Headquarters right by the Up escalators; it’s a clothing store now but oh, the memories. I think I have one more FML article planned with a CD from that store. 2 actually.

Checking up on when this single was released on her wikipedia discography article, it was released during the last era of Ayu’s that I actually cared about her music. The Memorial Address mini-album was the last thing I ever remember loving to death. After that, I just fell off the Ayu train all together.

While giving this single another spin, I realized that ourselves, HANABI ~episode II~, and the theme of a-nation ‘03 were forgettable tracks. I remembered what they sounded like after the 3-5 second cue of the start of each track but besides that, you could toss them into the pile of songs that you know the names of and confuse with the rest of the discography. This reminds me of a conversation I had with a few #wotachat-ers trying to identify an old Ayu song. It turned out to be Independent+ which we forgot sounded nothing like Independent. Ah well. We scratched our heads for a while on that one… I digress.

The only memorable track on & (and only one I haven’t mentioned yet) for myself would be Greatful days. It’s happy and summery and just reminds me of good times with friends. Also, wasn’t this the PV with the random alligator?

Yup, it was.

A song this catchy deserves to live on. I can’t remember if I found a translation to this song. Frankly, I don’t really care since the song is awesome regardless. Though, I just wonder if the lyrics have anything to do with the PV…

Oh hey look, a translation.

Nothing to do with the PV. I lol’d. Alligator. :3

I guess most people know of Tamaki Nami from Gundam Seed. I’d mention something about her Greeting album but that’s an article for another time. I was linked to her Realize and Believe PVs from friends who watched the series and totally dug them. It even got me watching the series, though, I didn’t follow through with Destiny. Oddly enough, I enjoyed Nami’s contribution to it and was listening to this album for the entire summer of 2005. At the start of said summer, my sister and I attended a cousin’s graduation at UC Berkeley. Yay California!

While sightseeing in San Francisco, we made a stop in Nihonmachi (Japan Town) and found a music store. I still have the map that I got from one of the stores. I remember walking in and having that kid-in-a-candy-store kind of feeling. Back home, we didn’t really have a Japanese music store back then, though, now, we have Broadcast at Pacific Mall and their Taiwanese version albums and not that much of a selection outside of the popular stuff. Anyway, I looked all over for the Make Progress CD that just released but couldn’t find it on the racks. I asked the man behind the counter if they had any and he thought for a second and told me to hold on as he went to the back. He came out after a few seconds holding a box and opened it and told me a new shipment of stuff just came in. At the top of the pile of stuff in the box was the Make Progress CD+DVD and all its shimmering glory. I remember getting giddy. I maybe did a little happy dance.

But anyway, this whole album makes me do a happy dance. That’s my favourite aspect to this album – it’s full of high-energy songs from start to finish. “You” is the only ballady song on the album. I know it’s not an actual genre of music but I like to think that Tamaki Nami’s music is textbook “action anime” music, chilling with Shoko-tan and momo-i who cover other sections of the anime field. The only difference is that Nami doesn’t do voice-acting.

After taking a re-listen to the album, I’d have to say that I can’t say ONE track is my favourite since, although they’re pretty similar sounding, they all do different things for me. Though, for the happiness they radiate, Daybreak, Daitan Ni Ikimashouu, Fortune, DreamerS, and Distance are great. -Fly Away-, Reason, and Heroine are the “action anime” tracks which are just so energetic. Though, special mentions go to Future Step for the glitchy percussion and heavy bass. I didn’t notice at the time and just notice while looking for translated lyrics but apparently Nami wrote DreamerS and You. It also appears that, after a quick skim-thru, all of her songs are about love, determination, or both. Though I’m not usually one to comment on lyrics, I might just have a sit down with this album and the translations one day.

Considering that the album is already 4 years old, it’s held up pretty well for me. I don’t listen to it much anymore but I’ve had it in my iTunes library for a while. A few songs pop up every now and a while. The memories and emotions they bring back just make me smile all-around.