Matsuura Aya’s last album as a Hello! Project artist was released on January 21, 2009. My copy arrived today (or rather yesterday now, since it’s past midnight) and I happily opened up the album (which I had already listened to) to browse through the beautiful lyrics booklet. I have to say that the photos within are wonderful and Aya just looks absolutely stunning… Thus, I scanned all the pages with photos and posted them here. I would have just borrowed off of the H!O picboard, but the scans I saw were kind of grainy, and with pictures as lovely as these… Grain is not allowed! So, even if you’re not too interested in what Aya’s been up to musically, I’d recommend the eyecandy of her lyric booklet.

*Note to RSS readers: There are audio embeds with each song I reviewed, but there isn’t a note like my flvs have on the RSS. So if you want to listen to the songs, feel free to visit the actual site!*

I’ve listened to it a few times already, and I have to say it’s a beautiful album to go with a beautiful lyrics booklet – or should it be the other way around? I expected nothing less from Aya. That’s not to say this album is for everyone, and anyone looking for poppy, bouncy, energetic music is looking in the wrong place. I know many of Aya’s fans have not liked the way Aya’s career has progressed, and wishes she would go back to her pop idol image. This new mature style of hers is too “boring” for many Hello! Project fans. Well, not for me! Aya has an absolutely beautiful voice, and I think this more mature style suits her quite well.

A ballad by Aya is absolute win in my books… And this album, particuarly the title track (which we’ll get to) displays this quite nicely.

Omoi Afurete is an easy listening kind of album. Aya’s album was the topic of discussion in wotachat recently, and Murr ofTsuyoki de Yukoze! classified it as a light jazz kind of album. Now, I’ve always been very bad at figuring out genres of music – the whole “alternative” genre just boggles my mind, and I lump a lot of things into that genre when I truly have no clue what it should sit under. Anyway, I’m not quire sure if I’d call this album light jazz, but when I think of the songs on this album, I picture myself sitting in a small lounge-type venue, with Aya sitting on a barstool and musicans behind her providing the instrumentals. A relaxing atmosphere, with no chanting wota… From what I can gather, Aya’s already done a few shows like this, and CK of CK’s H!P blog attended one of these shows. I’m so jealous!!

The following is the tracklist of Omoi Afurete:
1. Kekkon Shinai Futari
2. Nanakai Utau to Ii Koto ga Aru Uta
3. beautiful day
4. Boomboomboom
5. Omoi Afurete
6. Rescue! Rescue!
7. Chuuou Kaisatsu
8. Shinju
9. Fallin’
10. Kizuna

Unlike my prior album reviews, I’ll only be going over certain tracks from the album, rather than going track by track. With that said, here we go!

1. Kekkon Shinai Futari
I absolutely adore this album. However, I have to say that the opening track doesn’t do much for me. I’m glad that I didn’t let this song turn me off to listening to the rest of the tracks (like one song would stop me from listening to an Aya album), because this opening track is my least favourite song on the tracklist. Adding to that, this track also happens to be the longest track on the album, clocking in at 6 minutes… Just a little bit too long for my liking.

Unfortunately, all albums can’t be like Buono!’s “Café Buono!” or Hanson’s “The Walk”, where I enjoyed every single track, I’d have to say that I enjoyed the rest of this album with varying levels of love for each song. So, 9 out of 10 tracks is still pretty good in my books.

2. Nanakai Utau to Ii Koto ga Aru Uta
With that being said, the second track quickly altered my mood, for I love this song. Nanakai Utau to Ii Koto ga Aur Uta (… long title XD) has a wonderful instrumental track filled with a beautiful piano line, soothing acoustic guitars, and a nice mix of woodwinds, horns and strings to round out the rest of the instrumental. I love the trills of the woodwinds. They make me want to pull out my flute and play my old high school band pieces. The melody is quite catching as well. The verses are calm and relaxing, leading into a more energetic chorus. I can’t quite describe what it is about this song, but it reminds me of something… I have been trying for days to figure out what it is about this song that is triggering this strange sense of nostalgia for me, but I have been terribly unsuccessful.

4. boomboomboom
Upon first listen through this album, I pegged this song as my favourite of the album. With a few more listens, it’s not quite the top of my list, but it’s definitely a nice upbeat number. It makes me want to start dancing everytime I hear it. With the constant whistles, I get the feeling of a carnivale kind of dance, but I keep wanting to salsa to this song.

Can I just mention how absolutely GORGEOUS Aya looks here? I mean, all the photos in her lyrics booklet are beautiful…. But WOW

6. Rescue! Rescue!
Keeping up with the upbeat songs on this album, Rescue! Rescue! is a fun number with an engaging melody. The verses are like those in Nanakai Utau to Ii Koto ga Aru Uta in that they’re slower and lead into a more uptempo chorus…. So this is a half-upbeat song, I guess. XD But still, a lot of fun.

09. Fallin’
You know, I’m just completely in love with Aya’s voice. It’s obviously no secret. Again, it’s the chorus that pulls me in for this song. That coupled with, once again, lovely woodwinds and strings bring it together nicely for me.

And again… GORGEOUS

05. Omoi Afurete
Now this song is absolutely gorgeous! The piano, the strings, the bass, the…. everything is just absolutely win! Aya’s voice is heavenly (though that’s not surprising)…. BUT I noticed something today during my drive home, that I wish I didn’t… You know how you notice that ONE THING in a song that once you hear it, it’s the ONLY THING THAT EXISTS? Well, I found it in this song. And I’m trying to drown it out because I love this song outside of that one thing. I don’t want to mess with the song for anyone who hasn’t noticed it… And maybe I’m just a little bit crazy (a little bit you say? o_O) and it only bothers me, but I’m going to “spoiler” this tibit out just in case. I hate the shaker in this song!!! It’s everywhere and doesn’t stop! It needs to die! Anyway, like I said, I’m going to try and ignore it… And here’s the song for your listening pleasure, because it’s beautiful and you should totally listen to it!

So, all in all, I highly enjoyed Aya’s last album as a Hello! Project artist. The title track is definitely the highlight of this album for me, even considering my newly found problem with the song. Although it hasn’t sold well in it’s first week, I wish Aya all the best in her future endeavours and hope that maybe out from under the Hello! Project name, she will be able to flourish more with this mature style. And don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about her last H!P single which is due out in a few weeks… That’s on pre-order for me. It will be coming with my Buono!2 album. I can’t wait!