Nearly a month ago, the tracklist for Berryz Koubou’s upcoming ‘best of’ album titled “Berryz Koubou Special Best Vol.1″ was posted on Hello! °C-ute, and I was quite interested to see what exactly ended up on this best of compilation (which is releasing a week from today). I have to admit that I haven’t been particularly tickled by Berryz Koubou’s latest releases (excluding their 5th album, which I highly enjoyed), but a lot of their older releases are gold.

The regular edition cover

Upon first glance, I was both excited and disappointed for this release… However, as I mused on this tracklist, the disappointment began to outweigh the excitement. Here, let’s take a look at the songs on the album:

1. Otoko no ko
2. Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai
3. Piriri to Yukou!
4. Semi
5. TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY
6. Yuujou Junjou oh Seishun
7. Koi no Jubaku
8. Special Generation
9. Nanchuu Koi wo Yatteruu YOU KNOW?
10. Sabori
11. Jiriri Kiteru / Kakumei no Etude
12. Waracchaou yo BOYFRIEND
13. Omoitattara Kichi desse! (Chinami, Maasa, Kumai)
14. Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi
15. Dschinghis Khan
16. Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance
17. MADAYADE
18. BE

The limited edition cover

The opening track is the one new song on this album, and I’ll be interested to hear it once the album is released. I know there’s a radio rip of it somewhere, but I’m not a fan of the quality of radio rips.

Now, let’s take a look at the other tracks on this album. Of the remaining 17 tracks, 11 of them are former singles. That’s not particularly surprising… I mean, on Matsuura Aya’s best of album, 12 of the 16 tracks were former singles… Though, we must also keep in mind that fans were able to vote on which songs be on the album (which I did not realize until I looked up her album for this article).

One huge irritating factor regarding the former singles on this album: THE LAST 4 SINGLES ARE IN THIS TRACKLIST!! Why in the world would they do that? As I already mentioned, I’m not particularly fond of what Berryz has been releasing lately, but that wouldn’t normally cause me to get upset over a tracklist like this one. What DOES bother me is that only a few short months ago, Berryz released their 5th album, and on that album, the singles “Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi” through to “Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance” were featured. Who in their right mind would put those same songs onto another album less than 6 months later? I can understand MADAYADE being on this album, for it wasn’t on 5(FIVE).

To add insult to injury, while these less than stellar releasedsget 2 album features in less than 6 months, one of Berryz Koubou’s most popular singles does NOT make it onto this best of compilation… Seriously, how can you have Berryz best album and not have “Munasawagi Scarlet”? It’s like… blasphemy. Yes, people may be tired of that song (along with “Special Generation” which, THANK GOODNESS, made it onto the album) in concerts and whatnot… But not having “Munasawagi Scarlet” on this album is like… not having Love Machine or Renai Revolution 21 on a Morning Musume Best album.

As for the other former singles on this release, those are actually some of my favourites (minus “Waracchaou yo BOYFRIEND”), though my top two Berryz singles did not make the cut – those being “Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba” and “VERY BEAUTY”.

Now, let’s take a look at the lesser known album songs which made their way onto this compilation. First off, I have to say that when I saw “Semi” on the tracklist, I nearly had a heart attack. I absolutely ADORE this song!! I first heard this song when I watched Berryz Koubou’s stage play “Edo Kara Chakushin ~Time Slip to Kengai~”. It was part of their mini-concert at the end of the play, and I immediately fell in love with the song.

Following that song is another from Berryz’s fist album, “TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY”. Now, I may be biased (duh) but my favourite performance of this song comes from Berryz Koubou’s 2005 Aki Concert – Switch ON!, where Miyabi does a duet with Risako. Aren’t little Miya and Risako so cute? XD

With the exception of “Omoitattara Kichi desse!” (which just so happens to be my brother’s favourite song from Berryz Koubou’s 4th album), all the album songs (and the one c/w – “Yuujou Junjou oh Seishun”), and half of the previous singles, are much older releases… What would have absolutely sold this album for me would have been if these songs were re-recorded so that we could hear the girls as they are now singing these classic songs. Yes, we see them in concert, but a studio album is so much more refined. I mean, I’ve seen people say that they love “Semi”, but wish someone other than Berryz Koubou had released it. It’s a beautiful, melancholy song… But the girls were very young when they recorded it… Risako was 10 years old! I think it would be wonderful to hear the maturity and interpretation the girls could bring to this song with 4 more years of experience under their belts.

However, seeing as none of these songs have the lovely brackets with a year and “version” [ie. (2009 Version)... Or even (7-nin version) - for keep in mind, Maiha was still there for up until the 10th song on this album (excluding the 1st song, of course)], I don’t think that will be happening. *Sigh* Thus, my lack of excitement for this album…

Well, I guess I’ll just have to ride out my love for their 5th album, and hope that their upcoming single (due to be released in March) won’t disappoint me as the most recent singles have… Here’s hoping for something as awesome as Munasawagi Scarlet or Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba!