Arashi - 「Untitled」 [review]

It's that time of year again! A new Arashi album has been released! My thoughts?




1. Green Light
Damn, this song is a jam, right from the beginning. The basic instrumental sounds like it could be a DDR song and if you need to know anything about me, it's that I fucking love DDR. And then they start singing holy SHIT I love this song??? What the fuck?? I love how they're mostly singing to a lower register throughout most of this song. If anything, the chorus is like... the least interesting part to this song because they go higher for it. This is such a dance song though. Can you not hear the DDR vibes? Cause I can and I freakin love it. Overall this song gets an 8/10 - I love it, but the chorus takes away from it in my opinion.


2. つなぐ (Tsunagu)
If you don't know this yet - let me just say, I can't stand this song. In fact, I can't stand the entire Tsunagu single in general. The song is a fucking mess and not in a good way. What annoys me even more is that the beat is actually really catchy so it gets stuck in my head, but when I listen to the song it just sounds like noise. NOISE. The best thing is that jazzy bit right before the rap. Anyway /skips. (I don't even know what I'd rate this song.... :|)

3. 未完 (Mikan)
See. This is song is what I wish Tsunagu had been. Experimenting with different genres in a way that actually sounds good? The hilarious thing though is that I've heard people who love Tsunagu say they hate Mikan. Music sure is an interesting thing isn't it? But anyway, I love the piano keys in the back, the trumpets, and their voices sound so much better in this song than in Tsunagu. And I even like the electronic aspects to it, because it blends in well. And then there is the classical music part and honestly, adding classical music into anything is the fastest way to get me to love a song - but it adds an epic-ness to the song that just gets my heart beating a bit faster. If Arashi doesn't do this song on stage with a live orchestra I will be sorely disappointed at the missed opportunity. Solid 9/10, it doesn't blow me out of the water, but it gets pretty damn close.

4. Sugar
Oh damn I love this song too. LOL. Fuck. I LOVE THIS SONG??? I have no words for this. I just. I don't even know where to begin with why I like it - I just... EVERYTHING. The falsettos everywhere? This sounds like it could be a Hoshino Gen song. Hnnnnng. I didn't even last 30seconds before I decided I wanted to replay it again. My mouth is literally just hanging open right now, I fucking can't???? This song legit just gives me life. 10/10. Fucking adore this song.

5. Power of the Paradise
Okay, secret fact. I don't really like any of Arashi's singles that are on this album but - BUT - this actually sounds pretty nice following Sugar. I think as a single I wasn't impressed with this song, if it had been a B-side, or like this in an album, it's alright. Not the best, not the worst. It's one of Arashi's usual "ganbare, aim for the skies and do your best" songs and there's nothing wrong with that. Also, Ohno's voice at the end and the whole "You got the power now" that they do in their performances for this song, not going to lie, I love that xD 6/10 for this song I guess.

6. ありのままで (Ari no Mama de)
Wow, I was not expecting something like this. I think I saw the "ari no mama" and automatically thought of Frozen and had assumed it would be a ballad (don't ask). It's clearly not. Do I like it? Yeah. It's a cute song (^_^). Makes me feel happy and reminds me of sunshine and cute cottages on a grassy hill. Where does it fall in the grand scheme of things? If Sugar got a solid 10/10, I guess this gets a 7/10?

7. 風雲 (Fu-un)
And now we've hit the rock&roll track. They're rolling going across the music genres with this album. I like rock music, but idols doing rock has always been really hit or miss for me. Calling was great, this... is okay? The way they're singing is still a bit too "pop" to fit the background instrumental - which, by the way, I find incredibly sick. Hmmmmm....... I guess I would probably give this a 6.5/10. I was going to say 7, but I definitely like Ari no Mama De way more than this so.... 

8. I'll be there
This single disappointed me so much. Like. I love jazz and I loved the opening to this song and then they start singing and it just falls apart. But, in the overall scheme of the album, it fits because this album has been eclectic as fuck, and the mess of this single definitely fits into that eclectic sound they're clearly going for. But yeah, so much potential to this song, but it falls into the same trap that Tsunagu does it that it just sounds like a bunch of noise to me? The trumpets are just loud that it drowns out everything else and things just don't blend well at all. Do I hate it? No, but do I like listening to it? Not really. Catchy as fuck though, I'll give it that. So. Just for that, 7/10.

9. 抱擁 (Houyo)
Okay, honestly, none of the songs have sounded like what I thought they would sound like based on the title. Yo, this song is sweet though. Is this R&B? I learned from a friend who likes music that I seem to like R&B a lot and I guess this fits? I really like songs where you can kinda snap your fingers to it. There are a few moments where I wish they'd got a bit more daring on the vocals (the falsettos shows up sometimes, but give me MORE). But overall, a nice low-key and chill song. Definitely really like this. 8.5/10. Again, if they'd thrown it a bit more vocal gymnastics it would've been an easy 9. 

10. Pray
 Ah, I can of guessed the flow of the album based on what we got of Green Light -> Mikan -> Hikari -> Song for you, and it seems like I was more or less correct. Newer EDM heavy experimental sounds to some lower key fast beat, still experimental but more fun songs, and then slowing down to the slower ballads and classic 'Arashi' sound from the good ol' days. This sound really reminds me of 2006 Arashi and their ballads from that time, like Futari no Kinenbi and Love Parade. Two songs which I have always liked. 7.5/10 for now. Classic old-school Arashi. I can't hate it and I know that if I'm in the right mood, this song would absolutely be a jam.

11. 光 (Hikari)
I can't stand this song. I'll agree with everyone - Ohno and Nino's voice in the opening sounds amazing, but I can't stand the gospel choir in the background at all. And they start singing before he does, which just ruins the entire song for me before it even starts. Ugh. I wish I could like this song, I really do, but then the gospel choir returns and AGGGGH. In general though, this sounds like it could be a Disney song (which isn't a diss, I love Disney music). But seriously, how does a song start from experimental EDM, Mikan-level stuff to Disney music? xD 4/10. I wanted to give this a 5, but I just... like. Ugh. I can't. Another song I'm skipping.

12. 彼方へ (Kanata he) 
This song has a very... epic feel to it. Wait. Why the fuck do I keep thinking everything sounds like a Disney song right now. Okay, never mind, it doesn't sound like a Disney song anymore. LOL. Hmmm.... again, this has a very classic Arashi-feel, but I'm getting vibes closer to 2012/2013-Love and Popcorn era of ballads. Interesting. Also, not my most favourite Arashi era. But I really do love that sort of ... epic feeling? 8/10. It's nice. I like how it gives you the impression that they're just... singing into this giant open empty stadium and really belting it out. I like that sort of imagery. In fact, just based on that imagery, I bumped this song up to an 8. It was at a 7 earlier, but by the time I hit the end I was like... nah, I would definitely like to listen to this song again.

13. Song for you
Okay, how the hell did Kingdom Hearts/Disney seep it's way into an Arashi album? I am loving this opening though because of the Kingdom Hearts/Disney feel. I can literally imagine a Kingdom Hearts opening cut-scene to this. WHY IS THIS SUCH A DISNEY SONG? FUCK YOU ARASHI. NO. NO NO NO NO NO NO. (I love Disney music if you didn't know). WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS TO ME???? Now I'm just imagining doing this insane Disney inspired 10min sequence to this song like from a Disneyworld/Disneyland stage performance. I HATE IT WHEN ARASHI DOES THIS TO ME. Is this song 10min? I could honestly listen to this all day. I love stuff like this. And the brief bits of Arashi singing help to make this song not be really boring too. 8.25/10. LOL. I feel like it's not an 8, but it's not amazing enough to be an 8.5. But I still love it, don't get me wrong. But imagine if it had even been more epic Disney, like grand orchestra-level shit? I was hoping for that. So I am a bit let down, but I love it anyway for what it is, so I'll take it.

14. Kanpai Song
So... I guess this is the new Energy Song then? That's all I can say, these songs are always fun, but they're not songs I would listen to outside of a concert. But I can definitely see this being amazing in concert. Kanpaaaaai. Also I think it's so cute oh Ohmiya are like "we should go home..." and Jun is the one saying "LET'S DRINK MORE!! LET'S GOOOOO". Like oh god, I can already see that being a ridiculously cute part during the concerts. ^_^. No rating for this song cause, like I said, this is clearly purely a concert song. =D
Unit Songs

Bazuri Night (Aiba/Ohno/Sho)
Funny story with this song. Literally everyone was saying it sounded like a DDR song, and when it started, I was still surprised and like... HOLY FUCK IT IS SUCH A DDR SONG I CAN'T???? I LOVE IT. xD OMG. It legit makes me want to take out my DDR dance mat and play the game. Can someone please make a stepmania upload of this song because holy fuck, this song DESERVES to be in the DDR hall of fame. WHAT THE FUCK??? Just for being a DDR song it gets a 10/10, I cannot hate this song. It's physically impossible for me to dislike it. And it's also impossible for me to give it anything that is not a 10.

Yoru no Kage (Ohmatsumiya) 
This is literally what I expected from Ohmatsumiya and they did not disappointed. YES YOU GUYS. They all sound amazing in this song. People saying they wish it was just an Ohmiya song, are you freaking kidding me? Jun adds so much to this song. Oh fuck. I can't. Like. AND OMG I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE TO THIS SONG??? I think I just died for a moment. Hnnnnggggggg. Ohmatsumiya dancing to this. Oh my god. OH MY GOD. Yo, this also gets a 10/10 cause what the fuck.

UB (Aimiya)
Aimiya are a bunch of trolls and I hate them. This song is so sweet though. Even thought they're singing about being a freaking UNIT BATH. Okay, but so far all the unit songs have been awesome? Like, forgetting all the trolling and the DDR, this is just... such a nice song? What the hell Aimiya. I hope they perform this dressed up as a bathtub and toilet and hold hands the entire time, because this song deserves the maximum amount of trolling. You know what, just cause, this also deserves a 10/10 so troll-tastic amazingness.

Come Back (Sakumoto) 
Oh god this song is a mess. Oh god I cannot STAND this song, what the fuck? Sakumoto. You two had so much potential to do the sexiest song ever and you chose to do this absolute tragic mess? WHAT THE FUCK? Holy crap I am never listening to this song ever again. Oh. My. God. Like. This is up there with Tsunagu in terms of, I don't even know what to rate this oh god this is terrible.

---Overall Thoughts---

I was honestly holding my breath for this album. I knew it was going to be different, I knew it was going to be all over the place, and I was worried that it would be a bit too crazy. Especially after Nino played Hikari on baystorm and that has got to be, hands down, my least favourite song on the album besides Tsunagu and the Sakumoto song that I will never speak of after today. 

But I really like this album. I've always wanted Arashi to break out of their shell a bit more and really try their hand at new stuff, and it's true, I haven't liked everything, but I appreciate them for trying, and I think they really hit their mark with this album. And I love what this albums hows about Arashi as well. They talk about it a bit in the Making Of view (that was less making of and more just interviews), but I think this is something that really could only come out of everything Arashi has experienced so far. What I love about Arashi is their constant steady pace. They never jump the gun, and that might make people think they're "safe" but, if you look at what they've done from their 15th anniversary onward, they really haven't been playing it safe at all. The Digitalian, Japonism and Are you Happy are all entirely different, and their concerts and their image to match that have all been different. And then they reached this point and I feel like it was such a natural transition?

Sure you can pride people on taking leaps and jumping off edges, but I think what I like best about Arashi is how they are content to take their time. As Sho (I think? or Jun) said. With The Digitalian and Japonism, they were trying their edge at something new, but really confining it. They were dipping their foot in and seeing what they could do here, and what they could do there. And then they took what they learned, added that on with what they already knew and produced Are You Happy, which was - to me - a great representation of the classic genki and happy Arashi-sound with a more modern edge. And finally we get this album, which, in the grand scheme of things is really just another step away from Are You Happy. It's not a big step either, but just a natural step. It's diving a bit more into that modern sound, diving a bit more into that experimental sound, and I love that they were able to do this step, by step, by step. Sure, it took time, it took hits and misses, but that is how Arashi works and I appreciate them so much for it. 

I feel like if Arashi had taken this leap into this sound... 5 years ago - like if they had just dropped everything and turned to this, I would've loved and hated it, because where would they have gone after this? I love how within this album you can actually track how Arashi grew to fit the image of this album and to really own this sound as their own, and not just as something they were "trying out". This is Arashi really taking this sound and going "we can do this" with confidence and I think that confidence is what makes all the difference. 

And the album absolutely shows this flow to. Like I said, it starts off with really experimental, EDM stuff via Green Light, Tsunagu, Mikan, and then it chills out a bit, but still remains different and varied with the genre changes from Sugar to Houyo. Seriously, they hit almost all the bases, from R&B, to pop, to funk(?), to rock. And then they really slow the sound down and start to return to their roots with the slower songs. And it amazes me how Pray, Hikari and Kanate he, despite all being slow songs, remind me of entirely different areas of Arashi from new, to old. That is impressive and I think is a great way of showcasing just how much they have grown throughout the years. And then there is Song For You which is still fantastic to me. 

And the unit songs. Oh my god, I don't even know where to start. I know there was some fandom drama about it when it was announced there was no solos, but I was always excited for these. Don't get me wrong, guessing the solos has also been my most favourite part of Arashi albums, but solo songs sounds even better because you get to see how two members blend together in their own specific ways. And boy did they not disappoint. Bazuri Night is a DDR love song and the DDR fanatic in me LOVES THE SONG TO PIECES. And then Yoru no Kage is everything I wanted and more, like... seriously, leave it to Ohmatsumiya to meet ALL MY EXPECTATIONS. And Aimiya are such trolls and UB is just so cute, as a song it's cute - not my most favourite, but it's so troll-y I couldn't not give it a perfect score. 

...wait, you're saying there was a fourth unit song? What? I don't know what you're talking about /runs. 

*cough*. 

So yeah. In general, I really love what this album says about Arashi. I think it really does show how far they've come in a different way then "Are You Happy". That album was about showcasing Arashi are they are, at their core. This album is about showcasing the Arashi that still has room to grow and that has grown through all the experience they have amassed throughout the years. This is Arashi showing that they have what it takes to reach out of their borders with the same firm, steady pace that they've been sticking with through their 18 years. And you know what? It might be slow, it might be frustrating and people can say Arashi have stagnated or that they're boring... but I dare you to look at the Arashi today and the Arashi from 2010 (which is when people started saying Arashi have been 'phoning it in') and tell me that you see the same people. 

This is what I love about them. That they truly embody the notion that change isn't always immediate. That it's not always about doing a complete 180 degree and getting slapped in the face. Sometimes, change is slow, steady, and it's only when you stop and take a look back that you realize how much has really changed since you started out. Slow and steady has been Arashi's way since they started and the funny thing, despite all the criticisms.... slow and steady clearly has worked.