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Tracklisting
1) Waratte Waratte (笑って笑って; lit. Smile Smile (or) Laugh Laugh)
2) Bokutachi ni Dekiru Koto (僕たちにできること; lit. What We Can Do)
3) Happy Days
4) Waratte Waratte (Instrumental)
5) Happy Days (Instrumental)
Waratte Waratte is Oku Hanako’s tenth single overall, and the final single in the BIRTHDAY era. It was released on the 3rd of June, 2009.
Oku seems to be a real ballad buff, and Waratte Waratte certainly doesn’t break this trend, nor does it disappoint. Following on from my PV review a few days ago, I can safely say, this song has more sounds in it on the single (it has ambient synths and strings filling in the blank space behind the keyboard), and despite their nature, they really help fill the song out and give it a much friendlier sound, while also reinforcing the melancholy nature of the song. The tone with the cover makes me assume this is a song that possibly has something to do with the past or reminiscing, and the way she sings the chorus absolutely reinforces this point. It’s an brilliant, beautiful song, and I have to say that it definitely tops both Anata ni Suki to Iwaretai and Ashita Saku Hana in one fell swoop. There’s also this kind of slight traditional Japanese feel to it at times, though I doubt that was intentional.
The b-side, Bokutachi ni Dekiru Koto, follows the same suit, in that it gives us another piano (keyboard, if you want to be specific) ballad. It’s much faster thanWaratte Waratte, and also has a louder, slightly more epic sound to it, while losing the sentimental edge the a-side had over it, making it a rather even tie between the two songs. Something about it makes it seem a bit more b-side relevant than it probably should. It actually sounds a bit too much like a few other piano ballad songs of a similar nature that I’ve heard before… Which is probably why I got the b-side vibe from it. Either way, it’s a really nice compliment to the a-side.
But Happy Days is just downright fun. It’s a cheesy, campy, overly bright pop song, but in the best way popular. Don’t expect a high-speed, seiyuu voiced pop song, because it’s far from that. It’s nice to see such a stark contrast to the other two tracks here, and it’s nice to see it pulled off in such a great manner. I do have a few problems with the bridges, though, so it’s not exactly a perfect song, and it sounds a lot simpler and more b-side material than Bokutachi ni Dekiru Koto, so I can’t really try and fight its positioning here. But it’s a nice pick-me-up after two heartfelt ballads, and after a single like this, that’s all I’m really looking for. Thank you, Oku!
Single Score
A
Favorite Track
Waratte Waratte
Three fantastic singles preceeding an album? It’s definitely gotten me hyped up for BIRTHDAY. Not many artists can release such consistently brilliant material. Angela and BONNIE even have trouble with this sometimes. I highly doubt every era for Oku has gone this swimmingly, but either way, it’s nice to see that this one has gone so well for her so far! Now, bring on the album~ I’m getting impatient. But yes, if you like Angela Aki, I highly recommend you try Oku out at this stage. You won’t be disappointed, they’re extremely similar.
I’m still rather new to Oku Hanako and her music, but her last two singles were both fantastic. The previews for Waratte Waratte (literally means Smile, Smile) all showed a similar level of quality for the single, and I was VERY pleased to hear that my expectations were met with the a-side.
In its PV form, Waratte Waratte is a very bare-bones bittersweet ballad instead of something outright orchestral and foreboding like Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai was. It’s not an outright sad ballad, which was nice to hear, and I like the effect that her rather high vocals have with the lone accompaniment of the keyboard. This is where her similarities to Angela Aki really kick in, because both use a similar instrument and like to go for one-instrument songs every now and then. The appearance similarities is but a coincidence, though Oku wins out there, admittedly.
The song does seem to be a bit empty at times though. I do like the effect the vocals and keyboard have without the interruptions, but it just won’t be as epic as her last a-side if she simply leaves it here. I can’t remember whether the preview had anything more than these, but if it didn’t, I can easily call it a little bit of wasted effort. Really, it doesn’t mean much, because it IS a beautiful song. It just seems like it isn’t performed to its full potential in such a half-finished state, since the keyboard doesn’t have quite the presence the piano has.
Unfortunately, the video accompanying it is a bit bland. It’s simply Oku playing the song on her keyboard, singing into the microphone for an invisible or out-of-sight audience. It’s a live video of sorts, so don’t expect much from it. I do like the atmosphere the empty amphitheatre (well, the lighting makes it look empty) and odd lighting give the video, though. It’s very simple, but it’s not too bad…
Until you compare it to the PV for Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai. It’s not that that PV makes this one BAD, but… Both were live PVs. Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai was a studio PV, while this is a live PV. Honestly, does she REALLY have to do this? I’m certain she had proper PVs for previous songs. Why are we reverting to this now? I don’t even think this is how the actual song is going to sound now, especially since Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai sounded slightly different, too. I’m not sure what to expect, but at least the song was good.
Song Score
A+
PV Score
C+
Overall Score
B
There isn’t really much to say here. At all. Waratte Waratte is a beautiful song with just a few touches missing, with a PV that unfortunately isn’t very good, made worse by the PV that came before it. As long as the music’s good, I guess it’s okay, but a good PV is a nice way to draw in a bit of attention and maybe even a few fans if they’re more focused on things like that. I’m glad she’s keeping the quality of mer music up this era, though. BIRTHDAY has a lot of potential to be good as it is, so hopefully this single makes me even more sure of that when it comes out, because my hopes are high at the moment.
Tracklisting
1. Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai (あなたに好きと言われたい; lit. I Want To Say I Love You)
2. Panorama no Kaze (パノラマの風; lit. Panorama of the Wind)
3. Boku no Kurisumasu (僕のクリスマス; lit. My Christmas)
4. Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai (あなたに好きと言われたい; lit. I Want To Say I Love You) (Instrumental)
Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai is Oku Hanako’s 9th overall single, and the second in her latest era of releases. It was released on the 19th of November, 2008.
Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai opens the single with an emotional string arrangement that leads straight into Hanako’s vocals. Her higher pitch of vocals fit this emotionally charged song perfectly, and the mixture of strings, drums and Hanako’s keyboard/piano make a compelling mix. This is a ballad through and through, and one of the best piano ballads I’ve heard, including anything released by Angela Aki. Hanako’s voice could probably have a bit more emotion put into it to improve the song a bit, but she’s hitting notes while she’s singing, which is just as good. It’s a considerably better song than the previous a-side in this era, which is saying something, because that was a great song too.
Panorama no Kaze opens with a much simpler, piano-focused arrangement instead of the strings that opened the a-side. Hanako’s vocals are echoing as she sings once again, as they were in the previous single, and it has a similar sound to the a-side, with the twist of a ballad, and a lack of the epic yet cheesy arrangement sections. The acoustic guitar use near the end helps the song a lot, as without it, it could’ve been pretty boring if it consisted of almost five minutes of the lone piano.
The closing track of the single, Boku no Kurisumasu, fits the evident Christmas theme of the song well, with a simple orgel arrangement opening the track, followed by the sound of Christmas bells. This is an upbeat pop piano song, consisting of mainly the piano and Christmas bells. It has a sort of childish sound to the verses, which is charming at the same time, and the chorus is where the theme comes out in a much more evident manner, as the words “Merry Christmas” are used a large number of times continually throughout that section. The saxaphone (Or it’s some kind of horn, at least) and children’s xylophone usage near the end of the song was a surprising, yet welcome addition to the song, as they work well together and fit the overall theme of the song well. It’s a charming song that’ll make you smile, but if you aren’t a fan of Christmas songs, it might annoy you more than entertain you.
Single Score
B+
Favorite Tracks
Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai
While “Ashita Saku Hana” was a better overall single, Anata ni Suki to Iware Tai is easily the best track in this era so far, and currently ranks as a personal favorite of mine. While the emotion in the vocals isn’t as deep as it could be, the song overall depicts this theme well enough to make up for it. And while “Ajisai” and the “Kawaranai Mono (Live Version)” were superior b-sides, these two still have their charm, and aren’t bad tracks at all. I’d definitely recommend this single for the a-side alone, though.
Tracklisting
1. Ashita Saku Hana (明日咲く花; lit. The Flower That Blooms Tomorrow)
2. Ajisai
3. Kawaranai Mono (Live Version)
4. Ashita Saku Hana (明日咲く花; lit. The Flower That Blooms Tomorrow) (Instrumental)
Ashita Saku Hana is Oku Hanako’s eighth overall single, and the first in her latest era. The title track was the theme song to NHK’s Sekai isshuu! Chikyuu ni fureru. Eko dai kikou, or “Around the World! Touch the Earth Eco-Travelogue”. The single was released on the 23rd of July, 2008.
Ashita Saku Hana opens with a quick arrangement similar to the kind you’ll hear on many nature-related shows involving magic or something blooming. I’m not too sure how to describe it, but it quickly leads into Hanako’s singing along to her piano and a string arrangement. It sounds a lot like something Angela Aki would sing, but Hanako’s voice has a much higher, purer tone to it compared to Angela’s deeper voice. This song is one of Hanako’s more upbeat pieces, and it sounds fantastic. The echoing vocals of Hanako fit the sound of the song well, and while the arrangement can sound a bit cheesy at times with its string arrangement, it’s still enjoyable, especially when the marching band drums come in and play along with the rest of the instruments later on in the song. It all works well, and the song sounds brilliant, with no real standing flaws.
Ajisai starts with a slow, simple, spaced-out arrangement, with Hanako once again singing straight away. The song mainly focuses on the piano this time, with some more effects coming in after the first chorus to give the song a kind of lasting ethereal sound, which suits Hanako’s vocals well. I like the appeal the simple arrangement of the song carries, and while it may not be as grandiose as Ashita Saku Hana, it’s still able to hold its own as the b-side of the single.
The final track on the album is a Kawaranai Mono Live version. I’ve never heard the original version of this song, but it follows the suit of some of Angela’s lives, having nothing but the piano playing along. The arrangement of this song is absolutely beautiful, and Hanako’s vocals aren’t hampered when she’s performing live, which can be a problem for quite a few different artists. It’s nice to hear she can still perform powerfully on-stage.
Single Score
A+
Favorite Tracks
All
Yeah, I’m giving out another A+. I feel like I’m giving WAY too many of these out lately, but I really think Hanako’s single deserves it. The a-side of this single was absolutely brilliant, as were the other two tracks, including the live version. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more of her music, because what I’ve heard so far is fantastic. She doesn’t seem to experiment as much as Angela Aki does, but maybe that’s a good thing for her.
Okay, so, with recent Wiki troubles, researching this artist has been pretty difficult. But, I thought I’d put this here in case.
I only recently discovered miss Oku Hanako. Literally, it was this morning, when I noticed her latest single on Kyo Music City (And I think it came out on the 19th of November, too), and downloaded it out of curiosity.
Hanako has been in the music scene since 2004, when she debuted with the single “Hanabi” (Literally means Fireworks), starting as an indies artst and releasing an indies album in 2005 before being signed to a major label in the same year. She uses the piano a lot in her music, with piano ballads being the main style of music she uses. As such, she could be compared to Angela Aki, apart from her higher register.
So, I’m not sure about album era’s and small details like that, and I may change my mind before I actually feature her, so take this as a POSSIBLE feature. Some help with the name of her latest single (あなたに好きと言われたい, I can’t find it in Romanji or English), and maybe how her singles align with her albums would be great, but I’ll be looking for more info on her, anyway.
UPDATE: Thanks to Brett/solarblade, I now know that Hanako Oku actually has a wiki page; I was just searching with her name in the wrong order. >>
So, yes, the latest single is “Anata ni suki to iware tai (あなたに好きと言われたい), and I think I have to start with the single before it, since her previous single, “Ashita Saku Hana”, doesn’t appear on her latest album Koi Tegami.
A.K.A. I’ll most likely be starting from the single “Ashita Saku Hana”.
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