It's the second half of my CCLemon99 Song Collection Double Feature for September. If you haven't checked it out yet, I've also reviewed the strangely normal song collection for THE⭐ULTRAMAN. The theme this month? There is no theme...but now that I think about it... The Goggle V logo has a star right in it...maybe I subconsciously brought these otherwise unrelated series together this way?
I've always maintained that this song collection was woefully underrated. Sure, it has it's duds, but it isn't a overrated stinker of a song collection like Chodenshi Bioman (someday...someday you'll get my thoughts on that one). Maybe this one needs an advocate. When was the last time you thought about Goggle V? How many times in this review will I write Google instead of Goggle?
For this review I'll be listening to my copy of the Dai Sentai Goggle V Complete Song Collection from 1996. It has some nice little goodies at the end. I talked about this disc previously on this page.
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01. Dai Sentai Goggle V / MOJO, Koorogi '73, The Chirps
MOJO's second Sentai theme song and is my second favorite of the trio that he ended up doing. The energy is awesome and it's a genuinely fun song, but it feels like a giant leap backwards in style. The Sunvulcan theme was exciting and a big move into the new 80s style. Goggle Five's theme song just feels like a weird step back into the 70s...and somehow it sounds remarkably similar to the Sunvulcan theme song. This is such a confusing theme song. I like it, but it's whack at the same time. It also doesn't help that the final version of the song is kinda messed up. More on that later...
02. Goggle V Action! / Yoshiko Hidaka, Koorogi '73, The Chirps
A weird disco song that really doesn't line up with the title it was given. I like it, but 1982 was the last year that something like this would have been acceptable. The music is definitely the star here. I don't know anything about Yoshiko Hidaka outside of her more famous tune later on this disc, but nothing here really compelled me to look her up further.
03. Neppu Shadow / MOJO, Norinobu Sugai, Koorogi '73
Awesome song. I wouldn't even know how to accurately describe it. Disco...scatting? Listening to this, just remember that MOJO is the same dude who did the Segata Sanshiro theme song. Yeah...it's such a weird contrast.
04. Flash! Goggle V / MOJO
The build on the intro of this song is just so great. Whenever I hear this one I get fond memories of my early Youtube days. Before the dumpster fire that it became...
Yeah, this is a great song. It's fast-paced and a decent action song. I'd say that this one would be more fitting of the Goggle V Action! name, but then we wouldn't get the "Flaaash-Flash!". Love this one.
05. Goggle V no March -We are Goggle V- / MOJO, Norinobu Sugai, Koorogi '73
I typically hate songs with "March" in the title, but this one is actually a lot of fun. MOJO and Koorogi '73 are a great match here. The music is pretty interesting as well. Maybe the disco beat saves it from being a dud. I like it.
06. Electric Magic Comboy / Yoshimi Niikura, Columbia Yurikago-kai
Oof. Yeah, this song sucks bad. I don't have anything else to add. Ugh.
07. Dancing Goggle V / MOJO
Alright, we're back on form here. This is another great MOJO action track. I almost wrote "don't let the name fool you" but then I remembered that this is Goggle V we're talking about. Fighting style? Gymnastics!
08. Shutsugeki! Goggle Robo / MOJO, Koorogi '73
By this point I think the Sentai mecha theme song was officially a thing. This one has an awesome and quite memorable intro, but it's a smidge flat throughout. It's a great theme, but I kinda prefer pretty much every mecha theme that followed this forever and ever.
I think my number one gripe with this one may be Koorogi '73. They're pretty unnecessary here... Maybe I'd like this one more if it were a solo MOJO effort.
09. Moeru otoko Goggle Red / MOJO
Speaking of great MOJO solo efforts, this song rules. It may not be the most exciting song, but I am a sucker for the theme song for any Sentai leader.
10. Hanasaku Goggle Pink / Yoshiko Hidaka
Like I mentioned earlier, I'm not the biggest fan of Hidaka, but this song is actually pretty decent. It's a bit choppy and somewhat old-school sounding for '82. It's kinda like the theme song from a revenge woman film.
The horn is what sells it, though. It's undeniable.
11. Stop The Battle / MOJO, Koorogi '73, The Chirps
Speaking of undeniable horns...
This is the series ending song. I can never tell if I love or mildly dislike this song. It has some really good ingredients, but it just doesn't gel right for me. The bass isn't mixed in as well as it could be. Koorogi '73's humming is obnoxious, but they have value elsewhere in the song. It's good, but it isn't great. I know a lot of people love this one...but I only like it.
12. Dai Sentai Goggle V [Original Karaoke]
13. Goggle V Action! [Original Karaoke]
14. Neppu Shadow [Original Karaoke]
15. Flash! Goggle V [Original Karaoke]
16. Goggle V no March -We are Goggle V- [Original Karaoke]
17. Moeru otoko Goggle Red [Original Karaoke]
18. Hanasaku Goggle Pink [Original Karaoke]
19. Stop The Battle [Original Karaoke]
20. Hanasaku Goggle Pink ~Megumi Okawa Version~ / Megumi Okawa
Ehhh. The slooooooooow and terrible cover by Megumi Okawa. She can't sing. I know this is meant to be the sad version, but it's just sad in an unintended way.
21. Dai Sentai Goggle V ~Alternate Version~ / MOJO, Koorogi '73, The Chirps
OK, so this Alternate version of the theme song... I wrote about it in the past. The synth intro actually matches the synth outro that is still present on the normal version. Did you ever notice that the intro/outro don't match in the normal version? I did a supercut of what I feel is the best version of the theme song. (Matching intro/outro, omission of the "Goggle V, Go Go" in this Alternate version) and usually just listen to that one when I need a Goggle V theme fix.
It's nice that this was included so that I could make the CCLemon99 edit of the theme. Hehe
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Like I mentioned in the intro...I am quite fond of this song collection. I can't imagine it has too many fans, but what isn't to like about it? MOJO is on point and there is only one truly awful song. If you haven't given this one a go, I definitely recommend it. I always kinda feel bad for it since it's attached to a weird series.
One day I'll have to give my Dynaman disc a whirl for the site. It's practically the MOJO sequel to this one...so how does it stack up? That's for another time...
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That's all for now. THE⭐ULTRAMAN is waiting for you right now...so be sure to check it out.
Bye!
-CC
Enjoyed the review!
ReplyDeleteThe Goggle V song collection has always been kinda middling for me. Outside of the really three action songs (Neppu, Flash, and Dancing) I find most of the songs aren’t that interesting, especially when compared to Sun Vulcan and Dynaman. I kinda like how cheesily heroic the opening sounds.
Especially comparing this to Gavan from the same year, the Goggle songs seem really rote in comparison. Not that bad, but compared to the silky smooth production of Gavan’s ost it feels cheaper.
Although it’s funny that for both Sentai and Metal Heroes, 82 is sort of the last gasp of disco, 83 is this weird transition/holdover year, and 84 is when the 80’s proper kick off.
I feel like the three sections of the ending song don’t really match with each other. They try to use it as a fight song in the series like the Denjiman ending but it doesn’t work nearly as well.
I don’t think I agree with the Bioman assessment, but I’m interested to see your takes on them.
Also, even though it’s technically not on the disc, what do you think of that weird Super Sentai Banbaranan song.
Thanks man.
DeleteSuper Sentai Banparaban is pretty awful. The Karaoke version isn't bad at least. I was actually going to write something about Banparaban...there is an article in that song.
I kinda prefer Stars On Kamen Rider. Hahaa
Not too long ago, I was trying to listen to every Sentai song collection, because...well, I'm not totally familiar with a lot of the insert songs for the '70s and early '80s shows, and I feel like I've never given a lot of the '90s soundtracks much of a chance beyond their main themes. It was going to be fun! I was going to discover new songs to like!
ReplyDelete...hitting the Goggle V song collection kinda killed that little project. I find the OP theme lousy and the ED theme a tad generic, and everything else was just boring to me. But I think the Comboy theme is so '80s and goofy that I actually...kinda like it? *hides*
I can't say too much about The Ultraman's song collection. I only recently tried watching a few episodes of it, so I know of the themes. I usually like Sasaki, but the OP doesn't do much for me. I like the ED a lot, but it's weird -- it reminds me of Battle Fever's ED more than JAKQ's.
Super Sentai Banbaraban is overkill; am I wrong to think of Action Number 1 from Flashman as its more focused cousin?
You're the salt to my pepper. ;]
DeleteBetween all of the '82 theme songs...I don't have a favorite or least favorite. They all kinda exist. Goggle V is there, then you have Gavan which I can do without ever hearing again in my life. I don't hate it, but I think the X-OR theme is just a little more exciting since it's something else. It's the only French theme I've heard that comes close to embodying a genuine Tokusatsu theme song. Dragon Road was also that year... Weird times.
Action Number 1 and Maskman's Action Fantasy are these weird disco holdovers. Like...what's up? I dig the former even if the percussion was the worst choice on their drum machine. Holy crap is Action Fantasy outdated though...
I really need to get on to writing a full thing on Super Sentai Banparaban / Stars On Kamen Rider. Both songs are full of weirdness.
You should totally cover some of the various weird French Toku and anime themes.
DeleteLike the Saint Seiya, Dragonball Z, and Maskman ones in particular are so bizarre compared to the originals. Although out of the lot the only one I kinda like is the Spielban one.
I know some of them were also adapted for a lot of the other foreign Toku and anime dubs.
Honestly, the only joy I get out of the majority of the French theme songs are the batshit crazy videos that accompany a lot of them. The version of the Bioman video without the clips from the show is easily my fav with Winspector being in second. Can't stand the songs, though. X-OR is the only one worth listening to IMO.
Delete