Beej's review: Here's the odd
thing - someone made a conscious effort to bootleg Pretty Cast?
I find that hard to believe! Anyway, I suppose this allows me to
do a review of their tracks, even though I'm not sure I want to.
Trust me, though - I do risk total tone-deafness by listening to
the entire song before passing judgement. Am I being to rough on
them? Probably. Maybe. Not nearly enough. Bet you
didn't know I had a mean streak, eh? ^_^
-
Moonlight Densetsu (Pretty Cast
jazz remix) - Hold onto your hats, boys and girls - this is
actually a good song! The vocals are . . . ummm . . . surprising?
No. Peculiar? No. A shock to anyone who is used to the
original? Yes. Despite this, it is incredibly catchy and infectious
- it'll get you snapping your fingers in no time. Just take "Moonlight
Densetsu" and twist with a swing jazz beat, add some accordion, toss in
some relentless b/g vocals, and you've got a wicked take on the classic.
-
Otome no Policy (Pretty Cast)
-
the same as the original, but the vocals leave much to be desired.
Sorry girls . . . it's managable, but I'm afraid it just doesn't work.
-
Moon Revenge (Pretty Cast)
- Listen, I'm tempted to write the same thing as above, but my creative
right brain refuses to let that be true. And as impossible as you
would think it, the singing actually made me skip this track in
my player! I'm too used to hearing Peach Hips hit those harmonies
as
proper chords to be swayed by this feeble effort.
-
Tuxedo Mirage (Pretty Cast)
- NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
-
Moonlight Destiny (Pretty Cast bossa
nova remix) - Some things you just shouldn't mess with:
a mother bear and her cubs, the sacred couple of Usagi and Mamoru, and
this song. While it was an interesting experiment, it should have
been tried on another song. The bossa nova beat is fun, but it spoils?
ruins? vomits on? the romantic quality of the original. Bonus points
for a sax solo in the middle but those high notes the vocalist hits are
way
too nasal . . .
-
Ai Dake ga Dekiru Koto
- a good song, with a standard pop feel. The instruments are standard
for a pop song - electric guitar, bass, drums, and a keyboard. There
are some nice things being done in this song, though, in regards to melody
and vocal harmony. It's good, but I have a tendancy to skip over
it in my CD player.
-
Suki to Itte - Fast,
sparse, and fun. Not too many instruments, and the vocals are light
and bouncy. A great song to cruise to (and sing along to . . .).
Besides, it's the only song I've found where I can get my non-Moonie friends
to clap along while I'm driving (at the correct points, of course).
-
"Rashiku" Ikimasho (Pretty Cast)
- Oh dear. She has nothing on Meu. The verses go fairly
fine, but once she hits the chorus, dive for cover. I will never
let my buddy Scott listen to this. His favourite senshi is Mercury
and his fave song is this track by Meu. I would hate for him to stop
enjoying "Ami-chan no Hatsukoi" after hearing this track . . .
-
Watashitachi ni Naritakute (Pretty
Cast) - this song is actually quite well done. You can
tell the difference between the original and this track, but she sings
well enough that it does not make much of a difference.
-
Sanji no Yosei (Pretty Cast)
- the flute player's theme from the SuperS movie and an very fun
piece! It's a kindergarten-style march, yet I bet most Moonies can't
get enough of it, despite the sugar overload you can have while singing
it.
-
Morning Moon de Aimashou (Pretty
Cast) - the ending theme from the SuperS movie. This track
has a bit of a Latin streak in it, but it's more of an orchestral theme
perfect for a movie. Pretty Cast does an excellent job singing, simply
because this song was written for them to sing. Lots of strings,
syncopated drums and rhythm, flutes, and even a bell tree sneaks in there
every so often. The track is quite upbeat and I always get a contented
feeling while listening to it.
-
Sunshine Moonlight (Pretty Cast)
- from the "Another Story" album. Again,
this was written specifically for Pretty Cast, so it sounds great.
It's a very understated pop ballad, featuring the trademark SM orchestral
complement - strings with a few brass and woodwinds. The drum beat
is syncopated and seems like a bossa nova. And bonus points for another
sax solo! ^_^
-
Fly Me to the Moon -
this is not the jazz classic that is now the ending theme of "Neon
Genesis Evangelion". The only similarities these two share are the
title. This is a upbeat J-Pop song, with all the orchestral accouterments,
which has nice vocals and has a catchy melody. I just wish they could've
used a different title . . .
-
Ai no Senshi -
Quite fast, with some low bass, a wicked melody, and some excellent singing.
I still can't believe how the composers could fit violins into this one,
but they did, and they did it great. As this was the fighting song
for episode 68 (Sailor Moon R) where the Sailor Senshi protect Chibiusa
from Rubeus and the four Uncanny sisters, it naturally is very urgent and
fast-paced.
What do I think? The CD starts out rough, but the gems
shine through after a bit of digging. I'm still a little pissed that
I bought this disc, seeing as how I already all the good tracks on other
discs (except for the Moonlight Densetsu jazz remix). Would it be
worth it for others to buy it? Hey, if you can find it anywhere,
let me know! I'd love to know if these are even available anywhere
else . . .
(c) Takeuchi Naoko, Koudansha, TV Asahi, Toei Douga
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