Search - Mika Nakashima :: Love

Much like Sarah Brightman in terms of versatility

Ana Rivera | Somewhere where Yankee Stadium isn't too far away | 05/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"God forgive me for saying this, but...as an already loyal Nakashima Mika fanatic, I put it past myself not only to get her first two albums, but also to throw some of her singles into the mix as well. This 13-track assemblage will literally blow you away, just like it did to me! I didn't expect Mika to attempt Miles Davis style on 'Love Addict,' which is clearly reminiscent to the slow jazz stuff Sarah Brightman attempted on her cover of Billie Holiday's 'Gloomy Sunday,' taken from her 'La Luna' issue.



Another AMAZING thing about this album is that Mika crosses over to many different types of music, just like Sarah B has done. (I hesitate to mention Sarah B because this is a J-Pop issue.) In addition to the Davis jazz bit on 'Love Addict,' Mika could be doing Bob Marley-style reggae with strings ('Seppun'), Ayumi-style love balladry ('Find the Way,' the 'Mobilesuit Gundam SEED' theme), or Earth Wind and Fire style ('Venus in the Dark').



One song I don't like on this album is 'Aroma,' because I consider it a bit boring and not one of her most convincing non-single tunes. But 'Resistance' is her best up-tempo song to date, making references to angels in love. The most deeply influential song on this album, in my opinion, is 'Yuki no Hana' (Snow Flower), whose melody brought tears to my eyes.



And the rest of the album supports Mika's gorgeous vocals just the same...ESPECIALLY given that she co-wrote a lot of the pieces.



In short: you almost HAVE to like Asian music like J-Pop to have appreciation for someone like Nakashima Mika, but I suppose those who like Ayumi, Misia, Morning Musume, Hitomi, Do As Infinity, and the like will like her as well.



I must agree with the Houston reviewer who said her other albums were supposed to be better. Her first album is True, and having that in my house, I must say THAT, like this one, ranks among the best music of the millennium so far (but then so do her other albums, Music,The End, Yes, and Best). In other words, since this one gets five stars for its amazing versatility Sarah Brightman-style, buy this one as soon as you can! (But buy it and, if you wish, her other albums at YesAsia to save money.)



Also recommended: An album like Andrea Bocelli - Amore because it's one of those foreign-language albums that I thought closely connected with this one."

A Pleasant Jpop Experience

albertus | Houston, TX USA | 04/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album features jazz, pop, and ballad-type songs that are catchy and pleasant to listen to. "Yuki no Hana" is a nice ballad, for example, while "Love Addict" is a lively jazz song.I haven't heard her other albums but they are reputed to be even better. This one, however, suits me fine after hearing the tunes over webcasts."

Very highly enjoyable

AM4LIFE | USA | 04/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My older daughter has told me again and again about this Japanese actress and singer. When she played one of her songs for me (not on this CD), I was convinced that this woman stands out among a lot of today's singers, especially here in America. Her voice and especially the music aren't only beautiful, but also exceptional: when you compare her to people like Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears, Mika's voice and music make theirs sound even more overrated than they already are. The music itself is a well produced mix of 'easy-listening' ballads and rhythmic jazz songs, which might bring to mind songs from the 1980s and even as early as the 1940s. Thus, my children and I agree that this is an exceptional recording."