Genki Rockets I -Heavenly Star- - Genki Rockets
ONE - Crystal Kay
Voice - Eri Nobuchika
Kaze no Tegami - alan
SOME BOYS! TOUCH - Maki Goto
Yami no Kuni no Alice / Hamon - D
Sketch for Summer - Eri Nobuchika
CROSS SEASON - Nami Tamaki
Sing to the Sky - ayaka
Secret - Maki Goto
PRECIOUS - MEG

Well not all of them are female vocalists. One of them is just a group that looks like female vocalists. I’ll leave you to find out for yourself which one it is.

Ethan doesn’t find any of the releases particularly bad, so most of the stuff on this list are worth trying out if you have the time.

Glass no Pumps - Maki Goto
Okaeri - ayaka

Ethan has a very interesting viewpoint on Maki Goto’s Glass no Pumps single, even if it’s only because we veer down different paths in regards to her later H!P work. Anyway the write-up is relatively short, but I guess it’s easy to get into.

An earlier post sees Ethan reviewing ayaka’s Okaeri, and the A-side is supposed to have a nice arrangement, even including the dreaded bagpipe. The B-side has a more lively rock element about it, but it doesn’t really hold much on the instrumentation.

CLAP & LOVE / Why - ayaka
Sora Uta - alan

Ethan reviews the two editions of ayaka’s CLAP & LOVE / Why single, gives a little history behind the releases, and does his usual breakdown of the tracks. Oh, and as the title would suggest there’s supposedly a lot of hand clapping in the feature song. I hope so, because you can never have too many hand claps.

A pervious entry sees Ethan reviewing alan’s Sora Uta, and aparently it breaks away from her ballads. I’m not too sure how it all plays out though, but the cover reminded me of Gomaki. I think it’s to do with alan’s attire and long hair.

Kuma Korner
ayaka - Real voice
Tamaki Nami - Realize

Kuma Korner is a review blog that is run by taelin. It has been around for a few months now. The style is track-by-track reviews with and overall rating at the end. Some recent reviews are of ayaka and Tamaki Nami. Regarding Real voice, a 2006 single by ayaka. taelin is not satisfied with the single, calling it a “major letdown.”

ayaka - Sing to the Sky

Lex has a long and winding review of Ayaka’s latest album, Sing to the Sky, where most of the tracks are discussed in a fair amount of detail. Admittedly, I had a hard time sticking with it due to my nonexistant fandom for Ayaka and the actual length of the write-up in general. If you stick with it though, Lex does a good job of describing the album as being a bit of a winner. Sing to the Sky certainly sounds like it has a bit of everything.

I Believe (GoldHikari)

GoldHikari’s expresses his love of ayaka’s “I Believe”. He sees some flaws to this sensational debut ballad by ayaka. But states that these small flaws are a simple nullity when compared with ayaka’s deep vocals, the originality of the song and the how much heart is in this ballad. GoldHikari also takes a quick glimpse at her b-side, Yume no Kakera. GoldHikari concludes with,

Anyways this single is a MUST HEAR, it’s just so powerful and so phenomenal.

Ladies and Gentlemen, GoldHikari is not lying.

ayaka - Sing to the Sky

Recommended reading. amaiyume at Amai Wana has the most in depth track by track review of ayaka’s latest album. She analyses each song with great interest and explains quite thoroughly on how she feels about each track. There is a lot of praise for all the tracks, and I wasn’t surprised either. Ayaka has pulled an amazing album which clearly has exceeded expectations. As amaiyume clearly states,

ayaka certainly brought everything she had with Sing to the Sky and it certainly paid off

Everyone knows ayaka’s ballads such as “Mikazuki” and “I Believe” but after hearing her non-ballads on “Sing to the Sky”, it’s no wonder how much she’s grown since “First Message”. Mind you, she hasn’t forgotten how to sing beautiful and heartfelt ballads.

MTV VMAJ 2008

Snarky, and just downright mean at times, as can be, Raid goes over the outfits on the red carpet at MTV VMAJ 2008. I’m very glad that Amuro Namie didn’t wear something hideous. As for the others, well, some of them can be quite atrocious. I laugh at the idea of Hidaka Mitsuhiro from AAA being dressed by his parents, because part of me believes it is true.