Utada Hikaru - First Love [album]

Look at how young she was when she debuted in the J-pop scene.

She had a different voice! She had a different sound! She provided music that was new and defied the standards of the J-pop scene of the day!

Meet Utada Hikaru.

My older sister spent a semester studying abroad at Kansai Gaidai Unviersity and came back to the America bringing gifts of musical discoveries. Her host sister was a street team promoter and gave my sister a copy of this album as well as the Wait & See -risk-, Addicted To You singles. I was hooked when I heard her sing. she's a couple of months older than I am and I think I had received my very first celebrity crush.

I love this CD and often play it to cheer myself up. So many memorable tracks, but B&C -album version- is my favorite!

I'll never forget karaoke a few years later in college where my sisters, our Japanese exchange friend and roommates sang these songs late into the night! So many good memories are associate with this album. I can't hate it.

True it's not her strongest CD, but she was 16, you can't hold that against her.

Utada Hikaru - Distance [album]

Hikki's second album.

not much to say about this ablum except, it was a good seller.

Hikki remained in her R&B roots as she continued to grow and experiment with different sounds.

This isn't my favorite, but I still like this one.

Noteworthy tracks: Wait & See ~risk~, Can You Keep A Secret?, Distance, HAYATOCHI-REMIX

Utada Hikaru - Deep River [album]

I think that this is Hikki's strongest album. The entire CD flows from the beginning to the end.

Many of the fan favorites are on this album, and it's no surprise many call this effort their favorite of her releases.


A slew popular singles (Sakura Drops, traveling, Deep River, Final Distance, and Hikari) helped make this album a best seller.

The booklet contained some of the most beautiful photographs of Hikki we've seen yet! Ultra Blue photographs don't hold a candle to the artistic fine art portraits of Deep River. The images are so stoic and strong...they are just breathtakingly beautiful.

Everything that I complain about other artists and albums are not found in this one. Although some tracks are as polished as those released as singles, they hold their own to make this album a worthy listen.

Utada - Exodus [album]

When I first heard Hikki was recording an English album I was extremely thrilled. I was excited because I seriously thought she had a great shot at having a great career in the North American market.

Just like many others, I was surprised when Exodus finally hit stores. The sound that was Exodus was completely unexpected! I didn't at first find a nice niche for me to grab a hold of.

I don't want to say I was disappointed, because I knew this album would be different.

As an experimentation, I found the album interesting. Hikki explored new sounds and new subjects. I was happy with the growth the album showed in her musical career. But would the American public appreciate it as well?


Many people blame the marketing, but I don't think that's the entire problem as to why this album didn't sell in America. The music on this album was not radio friendly. Singers in North America have to have a strong foundation of fans in the states before they can produce an album that's not radio friendly, especially if the artist is trying to break into the pop scene. Hikki's fan base in America isn't as large as we would like to believe. Yes, lack of promotion didn't help, but the music itself needed to be more American friendly. (my opinion)


Do I think that Hikki lost her chance of making big in the North American market? No, not at all. I think that a second go would be a great opportunity to really dive into the American Music scene. She's made a ripple....all she needs to do is make some waves.

Utada Hikaru - Ultra Blue [album]

Ultra Blue is the fourth Japanese album from this mega star. I think I was among the few who felt Hikki had been struggling with producing songs.

Several of her more recent singles felt completedy different. Whether they were for the better or worse then was not known.

At my first listen, I was kinda left thinking whether or not I enjoyed it. The feel of the album is different. The song selections have some real gems, but the over all collection feels like the Distance album. Some tracks shine brightly, while others seem to fill in space. Some songs just didn't feel right being together....namely the tracks Colors, 誰かの願いが叶うころ (Dare Ka No Negai Ga Kanau Koro), and Be My Last seemed out of place with the new sound set by the newer tracks. The flow of the album was not as cohesive as the flow in her First Love and Deep River albums.

Then I started to listen to it more, and the strangest thing happened. I started really enjoying it. (except for 海路 (kairo) this track just doesn't go anywhere) The tracks I find myself repeating are Keep Tryin', This Is Love, Making Love, Wings, and Eclipse.


Many may disagree with me, but Passion (although a great theme for the Kingdom Hearts II game) is not her best song. I appreciate that she likes to experiment, but I thought that the song was lacking musical structure evident in other songs. (my opinion) The drums were the most consistent aspect of the arrangement and composition. Without that constant drum beat, the song would have fallen apart. I still like it, but it doesn't hold together enough for me to make it a favorite.


Over all, the quality of this CD is on the high end. I just wished that the songs flowed into each other more and didn't feel like they were thrown onto this album. The difference between the older songs and the newer ones is terribly evident in how they sound, but never the less it's still a good CD.

Utada Hikaru - Colors [single]

Definitely one of my favorites songs from Hikki. She was my first favorite Japanese singer/songwriter (she's still in the top of my faves though), and I was totalling in love with this song when it was released.

Colors - This song was a long awaited release after a pretty lengthy break from the music scene. I love the atmospheric sound created within the layers of this track. The strong melody and entrancing chorus makes for a highly polished and professional product. I loved the PV as well as I think it's one of the few I believe is almost bordering conceptual video fine art. Truly amazing.


Simple and Clean - The English song used as the theme song for the international release of the game Kingdom Hearts. It's funny because I have been listening to Hikki since the First Love album days and as soon as I heard a clip of this song in the Kingdom Hearts commercial on my TV 4 or 5 years ago, I knew it was her. I immediate looked up the game and found out she wrote the song and sang it! I was excited not only because I recognized her voice, but also many of my friends were able to hear it also. Good song. Sharing the musical composition with the Japanese song, Hikari (Japanese theme to Kingdom Hearts) is just great.


Simple and Clean -PLANITb Remix- For all you dance club people. This remixed version of the song is perfect for you crazy ravers. A strong beat is the backbone of the song, and the enhanced speed of the singing helps keep up the energy...excellent for dancing. not a bad remix...this is coming from a guy who doesn't really like dance mixes.

Utada Hikaru - ぼくはくま (Boku Wa Kuma) [single]

This single probably surprised a lot of people. Hardcore Hikki fans probably threw a fit as it was the follow up to Passion and Keep Tryin'. I could have heard them saying,"what the hell is she thinking? It's a children's song! This isn't at all like Passion! Has she lost her mind?"

I find it humorous to realize that this single out sold both Passion and Keep Tryin'.

Anyways, putting the children's song aspect aside, this song has got to be one of her most catchy tunes yet. After listening to the melody and watching the PV, I often found myself singing the chorus over and over again without getting annoyed. I like this song. It's a perfect song for children and it's good enough for adults to enjoy, if they can let go of their overly inflated adult egos and enjoy a fun tune.

Angela Aki - One [mini-album]

Angela's Japanese Indies Release under the Virgo Music label. This collection of tracks is the reason why Nobuo Uematsu has selected her as the vocalist of "Kiss Me Goodbye."

The CD consists of 6 tracks in which Angela's vocals and piano are the only heard. The words I come up with to describe this mini-album are: pure, true, and honest.

We're All Alone - The first track. Her vocals are what carry this song. The piano serves as background support, keeping beat and tempo, but work well to push her voice and not over power. A nice opening to the CD.

Rain - Also included in her major album release Home, this track is the wonderful. Youtube has a live performance of this song, either as a live performance or playing on my Itunes, the song never fails to catch. I always sing along with it. I prefer this version to the one on the album. It think it is perfect in this form.

A Song For You - originally written and performed by Leon Russell in the 1970's, Angela Aki has covered it and wrote the Japanese lyrics to this classic. This definitely shows she's capable of song writing whether it's in Japanese or English or crossing the language barriers. She's tackled a song that has been covered by many other artists before her...in my opinion, she stands strong among them without fear.

Warning - The most upbeat of this six songs, Angela sings completely in English. Being both Japanese and America she easily flows between languages. Warning is a great song and is my favorite of this CD. A must listen too.

Never is a Promise - Angela Aki is often compared to other piano mistresses such as Sarah Mclachlan, Fiona Apple (maybe even Tori Amos - but I personally don't hear this comparison). Fiona Apple is one of her influences and cover a song is understandable. I actually think that she did a great job with this song. The original is what set the standard, and I feel Angela has performed it in her way and it's just as good as Fiona's. Although, fans of Fiona I know personally have told me Angela has done a great job. I agreed after listening to the original.

愛するもの (Ai Suru Mono) - This song ends this mini-a.bum journey and leaves me wanting to listen more. It's a good thing I had gotten this CD after purchasing her four singles. This track is just beautiful. Many people find it boring, but its the simplicity of the song that I find attractive. It's not trying to be something greater or lesser. It's just a song, and I appreciate that. It was featured in a Sony DVD camcorder commercial and it was very appropriate for the commercials concept. She performed this during her Concert at Budo-kan a capella and it blew me away. It was so mesmerizing.

Angela Aki - 孤独のカケラ (Kodoku no Kakera) [single]

Angela Aki's first J-drama theme. This is the theme song for the drama, 孤独のかけー愛しき人よ (Kodoko no Kake - Itoshiki Hito yo). I believe in an interview or something, it is revealed that Angela Aki has written this song as a response to having read the script of the show.


孤独のカケラ (Kodoku no Kakera) - The song opens with a simple piano intro and develops into another complex arrangement built with layers of information. The medley here is rather solemn and a bit sad, but the beauty I've become accustomed to still remains strong. Angela Aki doesn't make music just to please others. She writes for herself and every song she sing is a part of her being. Whether it's conveying a strong emotion or having fun ( as in her covers of the Blue Hearts' "Train Train" or Queen's "We will Rock Your/We are the Champions") she always preforms from the heart.

孤独のカケラ (Kodoku no Kakera) - piano version - A much shorter version, with just vocals and the piano. Again she proves that only a piano accompaniment is all that is needed when she sings....although an entire orchestral back up doesn't hurt either....this piano version is Beautiful.

Solitude - This track is a solo piano piece. In truth, this version of track one is a reinterpretation and really showcases Angela's piano playing. There's a reason why she says the piano is an extension of her body when she performs. This track definitely makes that seem plausible. It's the most emotional track on the single and by far is my favorite of the three featured here.

Angela Aki - サクラ色 [single]

I think for the first time I've come across a single that opens and closes with tracks that seem to speak to one another.

サクラ色 (Sakurairo) - The song opens with a nice piano medley that sets up the full arrangement of the piece. I immediate found myself drawn into the intricate layering of strings, drum, and piano. It's almost like the entire song was performed by a choir, just replace human voices with voices of musical instruments. The song is passionate, yet gentle and builds up the tension just to let you gracefully rest at the end. *constant repeat on my Itunes*

On & On - this is a nice intermission. It's catches the ear and doesn't let go. highly addictive.

Power of MUSIC - I was hesitant at first. Why would my favorite song on the HOME album need a dance beat. Although, I still don't think it needed a dance beat, it's not a bad arrangement. New lyrics help in the listening process as well.

HOME (piano version) - the perfect ending, and best compliment to Sakurairo. the bit of the chorus in Sakurairo ties nicely to this version and made this single perfect. I prefer this to the studio version. Angela Aki's voice with just a piano is golden.

Angela Aki - Home [album]

My younger sister went to Japan and spent the summer of 2006 staying with a friend of ours. As a great sister she is, she traveled to three cities in Japan in search of a copy of this album the week of release. She not only found a copy, she also grabbed me a copy of the first press release which included a DVD. The DVD contains all of the music videos released to this point in her career. I appreciate this gift a lot!


What can I say about this album, that doesn't need the words: amazing, spectacular, stunning, beautiful.

As the first major album release, I was completely blown away by the amount of evidence Angela Aki provides to her musical talent.

The composition of the songs through layering and the push and pull of melody and harmony grabbed me and hasn't' let go. Her voice is powerful, but not overbearing. I like that she doesn't present herself or her music as some pop idol.

The album is just "honest". There are no lies attached to marketing or the music. The honesty behind is makes me consider it as worthwhile. Worthwhile music is always a welcome change.


People complain about her covers, but I like that she has a signature look to her covers. I immediately know it's her work and I appreciate the subtle changes that are present. She doesn't need flashy photoshop imagery to sell her music. Her music sells itself.


Favorite tracks: (must listen to - in my opinion)

track 04: Music
track 07: 宇宙 (Uchuu)
track 08: Rain -album version: new arrangement; originally on Indie release, ONE.
track 12: HOME
track 13: Your Love Song

Angela Aki - This Love [single]

Info: Third ending theme to the anime, Blood+.
Although the anime isn't good, and the ending sequence visuals were crap, this song still remains strong.


This Love - I have spoken with my sister about this song, and we both agree that it is track we consider the "Awe-inspiring" song. It's so emotional, and professional, we just can't help but be awe-struck when we hear it. Powerful vocals are backed by equally powerful music.

自由の足跡 (Jiyuu no Ashiato) - a nice follow up track. Holds it's own against "This Love" but it doesn't have the same "umph". still a rather impressive song in on it's own.

Kiss From a Rose - I was having a hard time deciding if this track was just as good as "This Love." I think it falls shy of "This Love" only because it is not entirely original.Nevertheless, it does sound amazing. Definitely worthy of being on this single. Seal would be proud (I assume of course).

Angela Aki - Kiss Me Goodbye [single]

Nobuo Uematsu picked her as the vocalist of this song for a reason.

Kiss Me Goodbye - The theme song to the popular Final Fantasy XII video game, it is of no surprise that it's a ballad. I think it's ranks up there with 素敵だね (Suteki Da Ne -FFX) as my recommended Final Fantasy song. the vocal prowess and power really adds to the layered orchestral composition of the song. As the game continues to take hours from my life, the track continues to be in rotation on my Itunes. This track was released as the single and has Japanese lyrics written by Angela Aki herself.


Santa Fe` - The star track on this single, and I agree with someone, that it would have made an incredibly killer single by itself.

A Whiter Shade of Pale - Be still my heart. Honestly, I often get lost in this women's voice to really pay attention to this track. All I remember is that I like it and often listen to it.

Kiss Me Goodbye [featured in Final Fantasy XII] - This track includes English lyrics, a composition that is thinner than the Japanese version. It's not as strong a song to be a single, but the quality of this version was perfect for the ending FMV of Final Fantasy XII.

Over all, it's still a great selection of songs.

Angela Aki - 心の戦士 (Kokoro no Senshi) [single]

I think this is probably the weakest single, but that doesn't mean it's sub-par. As a whole, I think that it still ranks among the top of my list.

心の戦士 (Kokoro no Senshi) - features the same strong vocals and passionate music, but something about it lacks the "umph" I've heard in her other releases. I can't seem to explain it, but I can feel it. Technically, this track lives up to the reputation set forth from her "HOME" single.

空はいつも泣いている (Sora wa Itsumo Naiteiru) - although this song would hold up as being a single by itself, it is a welcome b-side. It's upbeat, although I think the lyrics don't really sketch an overly positive image. (It's been a while since I heard it). It serves as a nice break from the very dramatic "Kokoro no Senshi".

TODAY - The biggest shocker, I was not prepared for - in a good way. I like this version. I didn't recognize it at first, but once I did, i relived the days when I was really into the Smashing Pumpkins. A good cover of the original.

Eyes on Me - As a fan favorite from Final Fantasy VIII, I never really like the original. Angela Aki makes the song tolerable, but doesn't make the song great. There's no hope for saving this song from the depths of mediocrity.

Angela Aki - HOME [single]

As the first Major single release from Angela Aki, I must say I fell in love with this lady's music.

HOME - The idea of the word "home" pervades the lyrics and music of this track. You don't have to understand the language to understand this song. it's powerful in that it has the ability to trigger the listeners memory and engage thoughts. This the perfect single to open a career with.


Kiseki - This track doesn't make as much of an impact as the lead track, but as a b-side, I find it rather fitting. It is upbeat and keeps my attention for the duration of its playtime.


Will You Dance? - This is just a great title. I love this b-side and I think it works well as the closing for this single. If you had the chance to dance with Angela Aki would you? I think I would.

In the beginning...

I always find myself reading other people's blogs when looking up music of my favorites artists.

I guess I just wanted a place to post my own opinions. whether or not other people read my thoughts is not a goal for this blog. It's just a place for me to keep my thoughts.


The following reviews are on the discography of Angela Aki, my favorite singer/songwriter. Several of the reviews are taken from the CDJapan as I have written them there, but I have edited them for this blog.