Keiko's solo debut (after 2020)

[FJMaikeru]

So I bought the album on iTunes (hard copy on the way but I couldn't wait) and I've got to say I'm not disappointed. I loved Nanairo no Finale and to be honest I don't think there is a single skippable track on the album. I love the way a lot of the songs in the album feel different to each other, from the dark, sad-sounding Yuugao to the rocky Endroll to the ballads like Inochi no Hana and Akane and the anisong-esque songs like Be Yourself and Change the World's Colour. Maybe I'm just a bit of a fanboy, but I think Keiko has really achieved what she set out to do which is to show that she can sing in a range of different styles and produce good solo music and I hope the album does really well <3

 

[ritarudandoo]

I’ve said this before.
And I don’t know how popular my opinion is . . . .

But the hair is a no for me, and I pray that she is open to growing those bangs back.

Is this JUST an accentuation to the “new me” feeling that surely will come with a solo career? Or is she actually starting hair loss? Because it’s just NOT a good idea for me.

I’m so disappointed to have been that distracted because from my own auditory observation, that was a pretty damn respectable live performance.

This. The way she parted her hair is weird. It was definitely intended to be parted sideway but it's way too close to the middle. She should've styled her hair like the one on her twitter pp tbh.

The live performance is good and makes me appreciate 7iro more. Can't wait for my copy to come so I can blast Tameiki no Kieru Machi as i drive.

 

[Decretum]

So I’ve just listened to the whole thing twice. Keep in mind that I haven’t listen to the live performance yet. Here’s my Review:

Be Yourself: Ah, my dear guilty pleasure. I do find it pretty generic but honestly, generic can be good sometimes. I especially like how it‘s fast paced, but not so fast that it loses complete control. Overall, I like it a lot, though I don’t think it’s my favorite song on the album.

Nanairo no Finale: Okay, this one disappointed me. I don’t really like how Keiko’s voice flows with the synth effects and it goes on a little bit too long. It’s just not all that memorable.

Hajimari wa: Eh, not my style of song or singing.

Akane: I fell in love with it on my first listen. It kind of sounds like a crossover or Wakana’s Kinmokusei and Chiaki’s Rakurui. It’s just gorgeous.

Tameiki no Kieru Machi: This one took me two listens, but I appreciate it a lot now. It‘s got a very rainy atmosphere to it and just sounds really nice.

Ray: I love the way the verses start out, but then the pre-chorus kicks in and it just turns into a mess. There’s too many different styles going on and they don’t mix very well for me. I will say though that the instrumental is great.

Yugao: Like Akane, I fell in love with this one immediately. It’s so slow and depressing and I like songs like that. Kind of gives me Funeral/Haunted House vibes.

End Roll: Was not expecting to like this one as much as I did. It’s really catchy and the guitar parts are great. Very, very good song.

Change The World’s Color: Insane Instrumental + Deep Voice Keiko = Good Song. Though, I will admit that it is a bit on the anisong side.

Inochi no Hana: Loved this one since it came out. It’s got a rainy and melancholic vibe, kind of like TnKM, but there’s just something about this one that I can’t describe in words. Lovely track, and a great way to end the album.

I listened to it all on streaming so no review of Akane Acoustic from me (though I’m sure it’s fantastic). Overall, this was an experimental album for Keiko, and while I don’t like it as much as Wakana’s albums, it’s still pretty solid. I have a really strange grading scale that I’m not going to explain here, but I’d give Lantana a very high B.

 

[Lorde-Kowz]

Album is out at HikarinoAkari, including FLAC.

 

[ritarudandoo]

The album is also available on Youtube music.

Hajimari wa is still the biggest regret ugh Keiko why you sing it like that

Tameiki no Kieru Machi still the best song yes Keiko please release more songs like this. I guess i adore city pop songs like this and Wakana's Ruriiro no Sora. Imho this should be the leading song of the album instead of the half assed 7iro no Finale, but Keiko is the biggest Kajiura fan lol she would push anything Kajiura gave her forward.

Still really like Ray, but i like the live version more because Keiko's tone is more even on the live version.

Akane and Yuugao are also really good hmm yes despite the simplicity Yuugao is better than most Kalafina piano ballads. I still have some mixed opinion about the nobashitemo but it doesn't bother me all that much.

I'm liking End roll and change the world's color now that i can hear the instruments at full volume. Now that i listened to it again i think end roll has the weirdest audio mixing in the album because the instruments sounded inconsistent, like sometimes it's drowned and sometimes it doesn't. Idk how to phrase this.

Not on magic moment level but the album is still very enjoyable and i liked it a lot more than Wakana's debut album, though that mostly because I have issues with Wakana's vocals on almost every songs. There's also variety and the songs are not extremely anisong-ish like Hikaru's songs. I also find the audio mixing to be better than any Kalafina releases. Edit: the mixing is inconsistent lol but at least they don't sound like they're constantly drowned like Kalafina's releases.

 

[Decretum]

Keiko’s live will have two featured guests. The first has been revealed as Hitoshi Konno.

https://twitter.com/KeikoStaff/status/1334799686364884993

 

[Lorde-Kowz]

My guess is the other one will be Korenaga Koichi, unless the band is already confirmed?

 

[Saber]

Tameiki no Kieru Machi still the best song yes Keiko please release more songs like this. I guess i adore city pop songs like this and Wakana's Ruriiro no Sora. Imho this should be the leading song of the album instead of the half assed 7iro no Finale, but Keiko is the biggest Kajiura fan lol she would push anything Kajiura gave her forward.

Exactly my opinion on this. I love love love Tameiki, super chill track, no tryhard vocal belts, no cutesy voice, immediately fell in love on first listen. Also, finally a song by a Kalafina member that sounds like it was written in 2020 and not 2002.

Nanairo just isn't a good song. It's so bottom of the barrel even by Kajiura standards, and this is the same person who wrote Homura that's absolutely dominating the charts right now.

Overall it's an okay album. More misses than hits, the "fast pace" songs are extremely forgettable. The ballads are good, and the chill ones like are Tameiki are great. Hajimari wa could've been great if not for her singing style.

 

[Hoseki]

Does anyone has/wants to share the acoustic version of akane?? I can't find it anywhere

 

[Atlas Star]

Does anyone has/wants to share the acoustic version of akane?? I can't find it anywhere

I should be getting my copy the week after Wakana’s album is released!

Edit 12/7/20: Just got a notification that my package is being delivered to me 12/10 (Thurs)!! I'll rip it (and Wakana's album if it hasn't been leaked yet) once I get them @Hoseki

 

[Sania]

I've heard it somewhere ep.2
The first 6 seconds of 溜め息の消える街:
Me : This is Coldplay's "Viva la Vida"/Joe Satriani's "If I could Fly", isn't it?
Keiko: No, it's not

Me:

Then it moves to the chorus, the popular aforementioned chord progression keeps being played, and suddenly Keiko just sings "Maboroshi no mama ni" and escapes the trap. She got me with that.

I really like the song, it's my favourite piece from her solo work so far.

 

[Lorde-Kowz]

I really like the song, it's my favourite piece from her solo work so far.

Same. She really should go with city pop as her main genre.

 

[Sania]

Same. She really should go with city pop as her main genre.

100% agree. I feel she would be more than capable of doing some damn good covers as well.
"Yume no Tsuzuki" by Maria Takeuchi. IMAGINE Keiko singing "Baby baby close your eyes" with her deep voice. The boys would die from nosebleed...

Meanwhile in the alternate universe:

 

[Lorde-Kowz]

"Yume no Tsuzuki" by Maria Takeuchi. IMAGINE Keiko singing "Baby baby close your eyes" with her deep voice. The boys would die from nosebleed...

Keiko singing Namida no One Sided Love OOOOF.
I love you for that edit, lmao.

 

[ritarudandoo]

I just watched 7iro MV and i dig the aesthetic. Keiko is really pretty hmmmm Nanairo is really weird though lol i wouldn't say it's so bad because it's not that bad. It just... Doesn't know what it wants to be and i feel like on some parts the melody line doesn't feel whole, like if it's a Kalafina song there would be Kajiurago filler added. The arrangement is kinda all over the place and Keiko's the one to blame for that because she requested that guitar part lmao thank god Keiko's beauty distracted me and i can somewhat enjoy the mv

The interviewer for her article on Avex website sounds like they're not really impressed with 7iro but called Tameiki no Kieru Machi the hidden ace. To think that this song and Yuugao almost didn't make it to the album...

Keiko initially said that she wanted her album to be "dark" but decided to be against it because she thought that that type of music isn't what people wanted to hear on pandemic time like this. Hmmm Keiko why please push through with that idea for your next release or listen to how people loved tnkm and release more city pop songs.

 

[Saber]

I just watched 7iro MV and i dig the aesthetic. Keiko is really pretty hmmmm Nanairo is really weird though lol i wouldn't say it's so bad because it's not that bad. It just... Doesn't know what it wants to be and i feel like on some parts the melody line doesn't feel whole, like if it's a Kalafina song there would be Kajiurago filler added. The arrangement is kinda all over the place and Keiko's the one to blame for that because she requested that guitar part lmao thank god Keiko's beauty distracted me and i can somewhat enjoy the mv

The interview also stated that it's very different from Kajiura's original demo track and the arrangement was done by Nobuyuki Shimizu (he added the synths which are absolutely the worst part of the track). Wish I could hear what it originally sounded like.

 

[Atlas Star]

I actually freaked out when I saw the chocolates — I was like DIDNT I ORDER A CD. Just wow.

The packaging and presentation was phenomenal in my opinion. Nothing like any Kalafina product I’ve ever opened.

also the MV is widescreen like a movie!

 

[Lorde-Kowz]

Damn, that's a nice touch. Are the chocolates good?

 

[grunty]

Please tell me those are just printed, lol.
If I wanted chocolates, I would've ordered chocolates.

 

[Atlas Star]

@Lorde-Kowz @grunty fortunately it’s just the cover for the EP and are in fact not real