Single

[single review] MEG - PRECIOUS

Tracklist:
1. PRECIOUS
2. CANDY
3. PRECIOUS [end of summer mix]

My opinion of MEG, when I first reported on her, was iffy but optimistic, but now is quickly approaching fanboy status. There’s something about her singles that makes everything better regardless of your mood before listening. I find her to be the happy medium between the supercuteness of Perfume and the clubby epicness of Suzuki Ami and quirky enough to be compared to Otsuka Ai. What a combination…

I only watched the PV once before the LE CD+DVD came to my doorstep, mostly out of my fanboyish loyalties but also since I’ve been busy with life. I must say, while I do miss the neko suits, the real cats were pretty freaking cute. The “special effects” were fun to watch and MEG’s just beautiful as always. Oh, and the dance version PV on the DVD is LOVE for obvious reasons.

As for the songs themselves, I just can’t repeat myself enough when I say MEG’s singles put permasmiles on my face. PRECIOUS is textbook MEG technopop. If you don’t have the ears for electronic music, this might sound like every other MEG single. But for myself, the kicks are nice and heavy as I come to expect with MEG now, and the snare is full without being over-bearing. The electric piano, which is now a staple to this type of MEG song, opens well while the various synths carry the song well. While I don’t find the bass line to be as prominent as from other songs, it still peaks out at times and provides that steady foundation for the rest of the song to be layered on top of. Like most her singles, the chorus is incredibly catchy and gets stuck in my head. What really pulled me in was the bridge and the way she holds those notes. The end of summer mix doesn’t really do much more to the song other than offer a beachy feel with the acoustic guitar and extra percussion. Also, the electric piano has more presence throughout the song.

CANDY is a slower, chill song… that is, until about half way when Nakata pulls out the big guns: deep, dark kick drum and fuzz bass. While the bass is quiet and the song is only 90bpm, it doesn’t fail to entertain me. MEG spends the whole song in her higher registers which I enjoy for this type of song. I don’t know about how much staying power the song has but I’m enjoying it for now. I just wish Nakata went with a tempo increase or a different drum line but that would change the song’s feeling all together. I guess what I’m saying is that CANDY has remix potential.

All in all, another great single by MEG. She’s cute and quirky and makes me smile. If you enjoyed MEG’s previous singles, she doesn’t venture too far from her comfort bubble but I’m quite happy with her style and hope she keeps on going for as long as she can.

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