More fun from the Japanese supergroup...
ewomack | MN USA | 01/01/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Japanese pop music scene differs in many ways from the USA's. In Japan, sponsorship means prestige. The more sponsors, the "better" and more popular the group. Not so in the USA where sponsorship usually equates with "sell-out!" - with some exceptions, of course. Groups in Japan also form differently. Morning Musume formed by a bet or a contest. "Asayan", a tv talent show, challenged the group to sell 50,000 CDs in only five days. Well, of course they accomplished this and went on to JPOP stardom. And they still arguably retain Japan's top spot for pop groups. Biographies often cite Morning Musume (or "Momus") as "the most popular group in Japanese pop music history."
The group's size has also fluctuated with time. In 1997 the group comprised five girls. Soon after it expanded to eight. A few years later the group burgeoned to thirteen members, but has apparently shrunk back down to ten. Members come and go with age or with ambitions for solo careers. At the time of this CD's release, the group found itself at its recent maximum of thirteen members. The cover art and CD booklet depicts a huge group of happy teenage Japanese girls. Every photo looks a little crowded. And not only does identity crisis afflict members, but the girls are not allowed to have relationships. In early 2005 one member had to leave the group after news leaked of her relationship with a young actor. She was only twenty-two. This group means business in more than the monetary sense.
This volume picks up where 2001's "Best! Volume One" left off. It has all of the spontaneous energy of its predecessor. And songs that will bounce around in listener's heads until near madness ensues. The first track, "Go Girl", starts the CD off with a real wallop. With shouts of "Victory", "Far Out!" (now somewhat of an anachronism in english), and "you go boy" the song may even cause the most cynical to bop about happily. Track three "???????" can only be described as a wild sugar high. The beat approaches the ecstatic and overwhelming levels of ska. A strange militaristic distorted march begins track five, "?[star]???", before it morphs into another happy dance song. Track 8, "???? We're Alive", also has a harder driving chorus that saliently stands out. Much of the music here epitomizes happy pop music. Just try to not seep happiness while listening to the bouncy tracks 10 and 11.
Morning Musume receives a lot of criticism as an untalented creamy sugary pointless group for prepubescents. That's probably true to a point (it's mass-produced pop music, after all), but many of the group's songs contain so many catchy hooks that anyone who appreciates fun in music may find themselves helplessly sucked in. It contains a spontaneity and a fervent happy-go-lucky attitude absent in much of today's American pop. This music never takes itself too seriously as it strives towards the fun end of the spectrum. And those willing to drop their serious world-dragging-on-sandpaper attitudes towards music for an hour or so will have fun. And a lot of it."
Morning Musume FOREVER! :)
Scott Bender | 03/17/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Morning Musume is a popular J-pop group from Japan, and I listen to their music on a daily basis. They're not for everyone, but I love them! They currently consist of 12 members, but for most of these songs they had 13 members. Maki Goto doesn't sing in some of them since she left the group to pursue a solo career.
This Best of Vol.2 has some of their best songs on it in my opinion, especially As For One Day, Mr. Moonlight, Go Girl Koi No Victory, and Shabondama. I personally like them all. I can't comment on the lyrics as my Japanese still isn't to the point of being able to understand most of it, but the music itself is very catchy, with pretty high energy for the most part. I consider it 'fun' music. :) Some might consider it cheesy, but I don't care, I likes it! :)
Also if you can find it, check out their TV show Hello! Morning. It's alot of fun! :)"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1