06. POSSIBILITY (1984.10.10)

01. Southern Wind

From Singles 1982-1991: "While I certainly love all of her previous singles, this is where I think Nakamori comes alive. Southern Wind is an excellent, excellent song. The thing that really strikes me about this one is balance. The music is hard and heavy, but not overbearing. The vocals fit perfectly. Southern Wind is a wonderful example of finally getting it all right."

We're off to a great start!!

02. Aki wa Pastel Touch

For whatever reason...I absolutely adore this song. It's just so damn sweet and overly 80s. It isn't even that good. The singing is uncharacteristically shaky...but it all kinda comes together to make this fantastically catchy song with some great guitar work. If you know this song, you probably think I've lost my mind...but this is probably my favorite song on the album. Well...besides Southern Wind. There is some tough competition ahead as well...

03. October Storm -10gatsu no arashi-

Another great song. I think the early 80s turned into the mid 80s between tracks two and three of this album. I may have actually pinpointed the exact moment in time...

Anyway. While this song is an incredibly catchy and upbeat rock song, it isn't without it's flaws. The reverb is a bit much and the ending just falls on it's damn face. The great guitar work in the middle can't even save it. The ending of this song just kinda...happens.

04. Refrain

From Singles 1982-1991: "Refrain itself is another slow ballad.".

I intended to flesh out my review of this song, but I really don't have much to add. How this ended up on both a single AND an album is beyond me...

05. Chiheisen

I don't really know what to make of this one. It starts off sounding like it's going to be a ballad and eventually turns into...the theme song from The Godfather? Regardless, it's a decent song that suffers from a minor identity crisis.

06. Aishuu no Midnight

A well-polished jazz track. While her previous jazz tracks only seemed to follow the gist of what smooth actually is, this one actually lives up to it. I wouldn't call this one of my favorites, but it's definitely one I dig. Considering this album gets a  lot of play from me, I hear it quite often.

07. Jikkai (1984)

From Singles 1982-1991: "Again, another flippin' great song. Jikkai (1984) is just as surgically tight as Southern Wind. In fact, everything I said about Southern Wind applies here. This is pop song perfection."

Awesome song, but it doesn't entirely feel at home on this album. Ah well.

08. Shiroi mayoi

It sounds like an upbeat version of a future hit, Nanpasen. The structure is incredibly similar. It isn't nearly as much of a bummer.

09. Blue Misty Rain

While we still have one more track, this is technically where the album ends. Damn. This song is not only great, Nakamori sings quite a bit of English in it. Without skipping too much ahead (just you wait...) English has been fairly prevalent in her songs for the past thirty years. It kinda started here.

It's hard to say what I like this most about this slick jam, but it's great way to end our normal broadcast.

10. Dramatic Airport -Kita Wing Part II-

You read that right. Kita Wing........Part II!

If you don't remember, Kita Wing was Nakamori's seventh single. It has a super-memorable hook and is beloved by all. It would be incredibly risky to slap it's name on another song and call it a sequel.

You know what? It works. Musically, this song nails the whole follow-up thing. It has just the tiniest lashes of Kita Wing sprinkled in. It has the DNA, but is it's own separate thing. The whole thing is kinda fascinating to be perfectly honest.

They pulled it off. Well done. It sounds great, too!

OVERALL: This album, in my opinion, is where things really start to get serious. It's only fitting that the lead track is the single where my opinion is shared (let's face it, Nakamori had two careers in the 80s--selling albums and selling singles). She had really come into her own.

The only issue is...her singing is way less than perfect on this album. I don't get it. The imperfections scattered throughout almost seem intentional. This is the oldest of her albums that I listen to almost weekly. It's incredibly good in an a mysterious kind of way. This album was the start in a long and consistent string of excellent albums. From here on out every album manages to establish some that was dreadfully lacking in the past--identity.

PREVIOUS: ANNIVERSARY
NEXT: BITTER AND SWEET

HOME

05. ANNIVERSARY (1984.05.01)

01. Asylum

Such a well-made song. Lots of horns, but not over-bearing. It also has a quasi-tropical feel to it. This kinda makes sense since the album was partially recorded in the Bahamas. I can't help feel that this song sounds just a little bit familiar, though. The only thing that kinda holds it back is the "I Love yoooooooou. Foooreeeeveeeerrrrrr".

A great, if not weird opening to this album.

02. Mabushi futari de

The melody sounds incredibly familiar on this one as well. Huh...weird. Great song, though. It's a ballad that tends to distract me through it's familiarity whenever I listen to it.

03. Easy

There is just a little bit too much happening with the music in the song. The song as a whole is a great upbeat rock song, but it's a just a little bit all over the place. So many ideas, just one song.

04. Yume o mi sasete...

If I'm not mistaken, this is the first song that Nakamori has written. How about that?

It's another ballad, and I'm going to venture a guess that it *wasn't* recorded in the Bahamas. It's a good song, but it doesn't stand out all that much from her other ballads of the era.

05. Kita Wing

From Singles Box 1982-1991: "Of her early singles, Kita Wing has to the be one of the ear-wormiest of them all. "Love is a mystery". I really enjoy this one even if it's a little basic."

Now that I'm reviewing her albums, I can say that in a weird way...I'll be revisiting this song again when I cover her next album...

06. 100°C Vacation

What...in...the...hell??? First off, why would you want to vacation somewhere with a temperature slightly cooler than the surface of the sun?

This is just a weeeeeeeird song. It starts off sounding kinda trancy like twenty years before that was actually a thing in music. Once it realizes it's error, it becomes a bizarre vacation song without a hint of beachiness to it...and it even has wave sounds in it. You may want to skip forward a few years to her Dear Friend single for the song CARIBBEAN.

07. Natsu hazama

A ballad that kinda escapes evaluation. It certainly isn't bad, but it doesn't stick out much more than it's creepy piano work toward the end.

08. Melancholy Festa

This has to be another song from the Bahamas. Disco's days are numbered at this point, but it's nice to get these upbeat songs with horns up to the very end. The singing is SUPER-tight, especially toward the end.

09. Ballerina

Surprisingly this song isn't as slow and dreary as you might gather from the title. It's a slow-medium ballad. Ha! Bet you didn't see that coming...

10. Shut Out

Ohhhhhh yeah. Slick as hell. Remember what I was saying about the ending song being as important as the intro? Prefect. Even the title is definitive. SHUT...OUT... This is the smooth type of song that was popular in JPOP from the era, but somehow largely missed Nakamori. I suppose this is her one song. Fantastic way to go out...

OVERALL: When I first dreamed up this project I had my reservations about getting burnt out quickly on Nakamori's early albums. This album really marks the end of her "debut" phase in my opinion.

Did I get burnt out? Surprisingly I didn't. As I mentioned previously, this is my first time listening to her albums chronologically. While there is quite a bit of filler songs on her first five albums, a lot of those filler tracks have a certain memorable charm to them. ANNIVERSARY is a great album. It's the album where everything started to really click.

PREVIOUS: NEW AKINA Ètranger
NEXT: POSSIBILITY

HOME

04. NEW AKINA Ètranger (1983.08.10)

01. Sayonara ne

Great, great start to the album. This song may be a little more on the neutral side, but it certainly is a better start than how Fantasy started. Sayonara ne is a well put together song.

02. Venus tanjo

Sweet is possibly the best way to describe this. Slow and sweet.

03. Sukoshidake Scandal

OK, how was this one not a single?

This is one of those power songs that could have easily mopped up the singles chart with little extra effort. Not to mention, it does flesh out Nakamori with a little more dimension that was lacking in her work leading up to this. The only thing I think it has going against it is that if it were a single, it may have been just a little bit too predictable...

04. Kanshou Kikou

A ballad that is actually a very good production. The piano work is incredibly catchy and there are some incredibly subtle effects mixed in. The singing doesn't let it down at all, but it's probably the least notable thing about it. I say that in the nicest way possible.

05. Renaissance -yasashi-sa de kaete-

The guitar work is sooooo dreamy. An incredibly catchy synth-heavy song that really pushes the edge of normalcy. If you ever have the opportunity to hear this song, you might be at a loss for words as well. It's a damn good song, though. Weird, yet incredibly normal.

06. Mon amour (Glass ni hanbun no tasogare)

The first in a seemingly endless line of song with the word "amor/amour/amore" in it.

It's also pretty bad. The music really lets this down. It genuinely sounds like they just pressed the DEMO button on a lone keyboard...and the ending is DREADFUL.

07. Stripe

A fairly standard filler song. It's a middle of the road synth-rock song. I don't really have an opinion one way or another on this one. You know what's in the middle of a road? ...........a Stripe.

08. Wa kuruba iro no kaze

A great little soft song. The singing is incredibly steady and the music is very well done. It might be easy to accuse it of being generic, but this is good if you really listen closely to it.

09. Tokiniha annui

Kinda reminds me of Joken Hansha from Prologue/Slow Motion. Weird, but not weird considering that was only a year prior. It's very good, but I suppose we can now call her early voice "Serious Akina".

10. Kakugo no aki

I kinda wish they would have swapped this with Tokiniha annui...or why not go weird and end with Renaissance?

This song is a largely standard ballad. It's mostly dominated by an acoustic guitar, but it does have some moments of activity. Come to think of it.......this album should have ended with Renaissance. I might just have to update my playlist to make this happen.

OVERALL: Her singing just keeps getting better and better. While I've owned these albums for a long time, I don't think I've ever listened to the chronologically. It certainly gives me a new respect for her talent. The nerves have been thoroughly shaken down by this point and her new trick for this album is her ability to play with her voice as needed. To this day, she has this uncanny ability to squeeze her way into basically any song perfectly.

However...we're barely over a year into her career and we now have four full albums and five singles. Get some rest, huh? Especially when you consider that this album is completely devoid of songs from singles. Ten brand new songs...wow. Great album, though. At this point I really think I enjoy Prologue the most, however.

PREVIOUS: Fantasy [Gensoukyoku]
NEXT: ANNIVERSARY

HOME

03. Fantasy [Gensoukyoku] (1983.03.23)

01. Akina kara.......

Uh-oh.

As far as intros go, I tend to love/hate ones that are spoken-word. This one is a dictated message, as the title would suggest, from Akina. Nah, I don't like this one.

02. Ruri-iro no yoru e

A nice dabbling into that new-fangled electronic music. I love the mix of dreaminess and clarity in the music. It may be a little on the basic side, but the vocals are spot-on to what little she has to work with.

03. Aventure

I thought that Akina Nakamori would have missed out on the tropical-sounding yachty songs that were all the rage prior to her debut. It makes more sense that I give it credit for, though. We're only a couple year away from her lighting up the charts with a certain Pop-Samba fusion...

04. Nigiwai no kisetsu e

The first, but definitely not the last ballad of this album. It's sung incredibly well, but the music is just a little bit off. Especially the drums toward the end.

05. Kizu-darake no love

I can't say this track stands out all that much, but I dig it. It's a mid-range rock song.

06. Me o tojite ko ryoko excursion

Outside of the baffling intro, this song is a sweet little track. Yeah...that intro. It's double the Akina. If it were just a single set of her vocals, it would have improved the song dearly. Oh well. It's not bad filler if you can look past that.

07. Second Love

From my review of Singles Box 1982-1991: "Second Love is a slow ballad...and a very good one at that. I'm normally not a fan of ballads, but this one kinda captives me. Make a song a ballad and usually it turns a four minute song into ten for me. I don't get that here. It's a very quick song and very well produced. The vocals seem to peak-out at times, but otherwise this is fantastic."

08. Shishunki

The title makes me bristle, but...at least the song is totally listenable otherwise. It's good to have on in the background, but I try not to analyze it much further than that.

09. More motto koishite

This song isn't terribly unique, but it's still a good listen. The singing is as on-point as usual, but it also features the weakest keyboard solo I've ever heard in my entire life.

10. Aitsu wa Joke

Ending something is far more difficult than starting it. During her years at Warner, Akina Nakamori usually had a strong start and equally as strong ending. This is the first album with a song that really leaves a lasting impression. That said, it may be a strong song...but it isn't so much a "goodbye" song. It's one of my favorites from the album...and I'm a firm believer in saving the best(ish) for last.

Like I said, this one kinda sets the pace for several albums that follow.

OVERALL: I never really dug this album. This is the third album from Akina Nakamori in less than a year. Her debut was just that, while her second album was a showcase of her vast improvement. I'd be lying if I said this album wasn't a further improvement of her abilities, but it just seems like the well was running dry for what her management was attempting to do with her.

This was her first number one album.....so what do I know?

PREVIOUS: Variation [Hensoukyoku]
NEXT: NEW AKINA Ètranger

HOME

02. Variation [Hensoukyoku] (1982.10.27)

01. (Introduction)

-Classical Instrumental-

02. Cancel!

Seemingly a energetic hold-over from the first album. Heh. Someone definitely got over their microphone jitters. While her singing isn't quite at it's peak, it's a vast improvement over anything from the previous album. Not to mention, it's only the first (real) track! Right out of the gate, there is a major change.

03. Moroi gogo

A nice mid-range song that is sung in a mid-range kind of way. I dig it, though it may be a little bit generic.

04. Aishuu Majutsu

Another well-produced upbeat track. It has lots of layers and the addition of background singers--something noticeably absent at this point. This could have been a single...or even a B-side...and still have been fairly successful. Alas, the big breakout single is on this album...and it ain't this.

05. Sakihokoru hana ni......

This is the earliest song of hers that I can call "sweet". The blend of breathy vocals and lively orchestra make for a pleasant track. The music is a little bit on the aggressive side...if that makes sense.

06. Yokohama A•KU•MA

...and this is the earliest song of hers that I can call funky. Sure she's had some disco tracks prior to this, but this one has it all. Also...that title. I think every album has to have one fantastic title. This is is Yokohama D•EV•IL. Hahaa. Does it beat Ginga Densetsu? Who can possibly be the judge of that?

Definitely a great song. This one gets a good amount of play from me.

07. Meruhen Location

This one is a little too sweet...especially as a follow-up to Yokohama A•KU•MA. I like the song just fine, I just question it's location on the tracklist. Granted, I am listening to this on CD...I think this may have been the first song on Side B in reality. Hmmm... Sometimes you have to remember that albums were engineered just a little bit different in the past.

08. Shojo A

From my review of the Singles Box Set 1982-1991: "While Slow Motion could be considered the soft debut of Nakamori, Shojo A is the song that catapulted her to stardom. Considering how little time passed between Slow Motion and Shojo A, it's kind of bizarre how different it is. Nakamori's voice is much, much deeper. This is basically what she would sound like from here on out (well, you also have to factor in time+smoking). To be perfectly honest, though, I'm not in love with this song. It's certainly a very good song...but it's just a little too gimmicky for me. This single peaked at #5, but I think the controversial lyrics helped give this song a bit of a bump (as this type of thing tends to do). Listening to this song is a lot like riding in a boat through waves. Does that make sense? There are peaks and valleys everywhere and the lyrics are shot out in long strings."

09. Dai nana-kan (Setiemu sansu)

Another mid-range groove. This one is dominated by that awesome bass line, which gives it an extra layer of enjoyment.

10. X³ Lulluby

This one has a good deal of energy, but it kinda sounds like a darker Shojo A. It has some good things working for it, but kinda lags elsewhere. It's not terrible, but I can't say I've listened to it a whole lot. The parts where the music cuts out and leaves the vocals hanging are really cool, though. For that...this song is at least memorable.

11. Catastrophe no amagasa

A ballad that just...misses. This one may have been juuuuust a little bit too heavy for her to take on. Not to mention, the music has some noticeable edits in it. Maybe not the greatest way to go out, but hey... No. This song just isn't good from any angle. I tried to give it a positive spin. It had to have been recorded early on, because this is a big leap backwards. Plus it never seems to want to end.

12. (Ending)

-Classical Instrumental-

OVERALL: While this album is undeniably better than Prologue in just about every way, I think I've listened to Prologue more than Variation at a ratio of about 5-to-1. Everything is better this time around, but sometimes an album doesn't quite match up with the sum of it's parts.

This album is the natural successor. I mostly found myself wondering why in the world I don't listen to it more often. It could be that Catastrophe no amagasa is almost enough to derail it, but maybe it's just I have to be in the mood to listen to Shojo A to want to give it a spin.

PREVIOUS: Prologue [Jomaku]
NEXT: Fantasy [Gensoukyoku]

HOME

01. Prologue [Jomaku] (1982.07.01)

01. Anata no Portrait

The very first song of the very first album. I don't think it's really received too much fanfare outside of it's appearance here...but you know what? It's a great little song. It lives up to the album's name because her work for the next couple of years falls in line with this. Rich instrumentals with a somewhat flat, yet very talented voice. It was the right move to jump off with this rather than her debut single Slow Motion.

02. Bon Voyage

A perfect song to have on in the background and just chill. The early 80s did this type of music perfectly, but I can never put my finger on the name of it. Yacht Rock? Wait a minute.....Bon Voyage??? Of course this is Yacht Rock. Duhhh, CC. I seriously just made this revelation...

03. Image no kageri

The first slowish song. The only thing that sticks out is that even when the music slows down a little bit, Nakamori's vocals are still skating along at the same pace as the previous songs. Again, she was a great singer out of the gate...but this one could have used a little range in the vocals.

04. Joken hansha

I reviewed this song previously in my review of the Singles Box 1982-1991 as it coupled with Slow Motion. Great, great song. Again, the vocals are more of the same except louder. Regardless, it's a favorite of mine from this album.

05. T Shirt Sunset

While "Prologue" is the most fitting name for this album, "Potential" is right behind it. Yeah, yeah. This time around, the thing that sticks out is the bizarre arrangement. What's going on with the music here? It sounds like two songs randomly stitched together at some points.

06. Ginga densetsu

First off...the title. Galaxy Legend. Yes. You gotta remember that disco was in full swing in 1982 and this is probably the most disco of them all on this album.

07. Slow Motion

Ahhhh yes. Slow Motion. From my previous review: "Slow Motion is such a solid song. I imagine it can be both a curse and a blessing to debut with a song that would be a mainstay of your career. This song is 35 years old...and I can't imagine there was a single concert where this song didn't make an appearance. A lot of the early 80s JPOP seemed to originate from Los Angeles. This is no exception. I really don't think this song would have had the same complexity had it been recorded in Japan. There is a certain dreaminess too the instrumentals that kinda bring me to the beach every time I hear it."

In the context of this album, it is easily the stand-out track. The vocals shine through more than any other song on this album. It's the complete package.

08. A-Type Melancholy

Another really good song, but during an album listen it does seem to blend in with other tracks. That said, it is noticeably jazzier than the other tracks.

09. Hito kakera no Emerald

A slow song...the slowest, in fact! In retrospect, it's a bit trifling that this album is so upbeat. Nakamori's biggest selling single to date is Second Love. A lot of her early successes tend to rely heavily on the slower songs. Thankfully she branched out quite a bit. It isn't unusual to find a fan of her's who will talk about their favorite era of hers.

10. Downtown Sto~ry~

One last track to rock out to. This one is similar to Joken Hansha, but not quite as good. I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it, though. It's catchy enough that it could have been a single on it's own.

OVERALL: I'm sure my thoughts on this album are fairly obvious at this point. Akina Nakamori was the real-deal right from the start. At the age of sixteen she was signed to one of the largest record labels in the world and sent to America to record her debut album in a blistering five-day session. The flatness did come up every once in this review, but she otherwise didn't miss a note. There are dozens and dozens of singers out there who are mediocre to terrible that I still dig for one reason or another.

The aim of this project is to prove that Akina Nakamori is the complete package and continues to reinforce that to this day.

PREVIOUS: Introduction
NEXT: Variation [Hensoukyoku]

Akina Nakamori Month Introduction

Welcome to a CCLemon99 Special Project! I have officially lost my mind. In my never-ending quest to review every single CD I own, I felt the need to branch out just a little bit more. It started as a desire to review a select handful of albums of one of my favorite singers, Akina Nakamori, and kinda spiraled out of control from there. I realized that I had never listened to her albums chronologically...and that I never really revealed why I had a sudden renewed interest in her a few years ago. I guess I am killing many birds with a single stone...or thirty stones depending on how you look at it.

I can't imagine these posts will get many initial views, but hey...if you were on the fence about picking up any one of these albums, hopefully I helped out just a little bit. I wouldn't call myself the greatest writer...and despite what you may see below, I don't even think I'm a Nakamori superfan. I'm just a chucklehead with a website. 

That said, here is the table of contents of what you can expect during the next thirty days. I will be reviewing every song from every album. There are a few bonuses sprinkled throughout (The Fushigi breakdown was a lot of fun...as was her most recent cover album Cage). If this format proves popular, I plan on carrying it over to my normal reviews...so let me know what you think.

Day 01: <Introduction>

Day 02: Prologue [Jomaku] (1982.07.01)

Day 03: Variation [Hensoukyoku] (1982.10.27)

Day 04: Fantasy [Gensoukyoku] (1983.03.23)

Day 05: NEW AKINA Ètranger (1983.08.10)

Day 06: ANNIVERSARY (1984.05.01)

Day 07: POSSIBILITY (1984.10.10)

Day 08: BITTER AND SWEET (1985.04.03)

Day 09: D404ME (1985.08.10)

Day 10: Fushigi (1986.08.11)

Day 11: Fushigi Part 2 - Wonder (1988.06.01) & MEGATREND (1987.03.25)

Day 12: CRIMSON (1986.12.24)

Day 13: Cross My Palm (1987.08.25)

Day 14: Stock (1988.03.03)

Day 15: Femme Fatale (1988.08.03)

Day 16: CRUISE (1989.07.25)

Day 17: UNBALANCE + BALANCE (1993.09.22)

Day 18: la alteración (1995.07.21)

Day 19: SHAKER (1997.03.21)

Day 20: SPOON (1998.06.17)

Day 21: will (1999.12.01)

Day 22: Resonancia (2002.05.22)

Day 23: I hope so (2003.05.14)

Day 24: DESTINATION (2006.06.21)

Day 25: DIVA (2009.08.26)

Day 26: FIXER (2015.12.30)

Day 27: Akina (2017.11.08)

Day 28: Cage (2017.11.08)

Day 29: true album akina 95 best (1995.12.06)

Day 30: Top Seven Favorite Akina Nakamori Albums

I hope you'll enjoy this project! I also reviewed Akina Nakamori's 1982-1991 Singles CD Box Set [Part 1, Part 2] if you're interested in more reading.

Take Care! 

-CC