Friday, October 31, 2014

Time Capsule Reviews: Beginner

So we meet again, AKB48. Fine. Let's do this.


What has AKB48 been up since I so callously put them on the Idol Blacklist? Their usual spiel it seems. Kokoro no Fortune Cookie- I mean Placard came out about a month ago, their next single is coming out soon, they're making more money than I ever will in my lifetime, nothing new. Because that aforementioned single will be released in November, that made AKB48 eligible for an October Time Capsule Review for the first time since their formation! So how did they fare? Well, of the 35 votes on this month's poll, Beginner got a whopping 22 of them. So yeah. Pretty easy win there. As nice as it's been not writing about AKB48's stuff, I am more than open to writing about their past releases that were actually worth talking about. And since the last day of October is a lovely Halloween, what a more fitting music video talk about than the nightmarishly violent Beginner? To think that now Beginner is four years old. Four years ago, I'd just barely gotten into idols... strange how much has changed since then. Or tragic seeing how much AKB48's changed since then. Just look at the main cover of Beginner: three of the four people featured on it are no longer in AKB48.

But let's go back to 2010, when Acchan was undisputed center and fans' heads were spinning over the music video for Heavy Rotation. Such a time 2010 was the start of a new decade, and the start of a new formula for AKB48. I'm sure you're all familiar with AKB48's five-songs a year formula: sakura song, summer song, Senbatsu song, fall song, and Janken song. Started in 2009, the formula became fully developed in 2010. In 2009, AKB48 released River, their first fall song. AKB48's fall song was meant to sound more serious, maybe darker musically and visually compared to their other singles of that year. Serious didn't always translate to better, but I liked a few of AKB48's fall songs. Beginner, however, remains the best of them. River isn't too far behind, but the other three songs fail to reach the level of quality Beginner has. Maybe because Beginner was a refreshing change in sound for AKB48. Or because Beginner is such an amazing song that none of the other songs could carry the momentum. I'm thinking a combination of both.

Really though, why is Beginner such an iconic song in AKB48's discography? It wasn't their first serious A-side; River came out the year before and was just as serious-sounding. Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru and Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou were also downright melancholic serious songs. I love all three of those songs, but I also think Beginner's a little different from them. While Beginner is a serious song, it has more of a dance sound than AKB48's previous serious songs. And I mean a hard dance sound, like a weird blend between idol pop and EDM. The beginning of the Beginner, Takamina yells "In your position, set!" then the song starts loud and it stays loud. The intensity of Beginner kind of a jarring turn, especially in comparison to AKB48's last single, Heavy Rotation. Most of the girls singing in Beginner sang for Heavy Rotation, yet the contrast in their voices is mind-blowing. Magic of editing I suppose! Still, it's editing I can 100% get behind, because the girls of AKB48 sound badass in Beginner. If they hadn't sounded so powerful, I don't think Beginner would have worked anywhere near as well as it did. A strong backing instrumental helps.

I don't just love the dance sound of Beginner; the lyrics are great. Beginner's theme is the familiar "Do your best and don't give up!" theme AKB48's used in many a song. Not a bad theme in my opinion, but hearing it multiple times can get tiring. Luckily, the theme totally works for Beginner. The first half of Beginner is very desolate and hard-hitting, talking about failure and the burdens of the past. But then the chorus encourages the listener to break free, with the energy building each time the chorus is repeated. Then after the second chorus, Beginner takes a turn for the triumphant. Listening to Beginner makes me want to revolutionize the world and start things anew. And Beginner was a revolutionary song for AKB48. In the days before UZA, this was their dance song, and it is an incredible one. I've already gushed about Beginner in my Top 20 AKB48 Songs, but gushing about it again is not a difficult feat. All I'll say more about the song is that Beginner lives up to the hype. If you only listen to one AKB48 song, make it this one.

The same statement can be applied to the music video as well! Something to note is that the music video I'm reviewing is not the one on AKB48's Youtube channel. That's the shitty rehearsal version they decided to promote because the real one was too violent. What's that? Too violent? How violent could an AKB48 video possibly get? That's what I thought many moons ago when I was just getting into AKB48. Today is Halloween after all; I think reviewing something horrifying is just the way to celebrate the holiday!


The PV starts out innocently enough with some Engrish-y instructions.


And we see some old faces practicing the choreography!


Shall we play a game?


Appropriately, Takahashi Minami's unnervingly blue eyes captain the game.


Notice how each letter type matches the surname of each idol?


Stepping up to the challenge is Player I Shinoda Mariko! Go Mariko!


Her opponent? The ball version of Sashihara Rino! Who will prevail? Let's see!


Mariko's doing well! She truly is-


Oh no. Well, it's just one hit, I'm sure she'll be fine!


Former idol and fashion model Shinoda Mariko just had her skull crushed. In an idol PV.


B-but... it's okay! Because Watanabe Mayu can win! She's won the Senbatsu!


Or not... holy shit.



Why do they have to show us up close and personal Mayuyu getting impaled from all sides!?



This game approaches death with the same cheerfulness of a Pokemon game.


Here comes Kojima Haruna... maybe she'll die mercifully and painlessly?


...that does not look merciful and painless.


That was not a merciful and painless death.


I scoffed at AKS choosing not to air this PV, but they might have had solid reasoning.


Somehow the unrealistic blood doesn't make Oshima Yuko's death any less painful-looking.


At least in the real world (or the not-game world), Maeda Atsuko's gaining self awareness!


Unfortunately, her game counterpart is getting impaled. In one of the nerviest places of the body too.


And shit's about to get real in three... two...


...one.


While the audience clutches their palms in pain, things look pretty awful for Acchan.


Luckily, Yuko is only mostly dead.


And because Yuko is just that awesome, she frees Acchan!


But the Big Bad Gaming System doesn't like that, and Yuko's about to be fully dead.


Honestly, nothing from here can top Haruna's endgame scene. Still, ouch.


But what's this!? Acchan's unplugged and back in the real world!


Naturally, she reacts like any sane person who got stabbed in the hand would.


So what does game!Acchan do? SHE RIPS HER FUCKING HAND OFF.



And then like the friendly idol version of the Terminator she gets a badass weapon!!!


And then she stabs the Big Bad Gaming System right back!!!


Then Jurina shows up and I'm not sure why and it's kind of pointless but at this point things are too awesome to even question that!


But look! They're breaking the game apart from the inside!


From here on, it's a gaming revolution. Everyone's breaking free!


Even the people who died in previous levels get new lives!


This is great! The game is off, everyone lives, and the players are all free from control!


...except Takamina.


But she can still be saved through the power of friendship!!


See? Yuko's alive and saving even more people because she's just that much of a quality person!


Damn right the game is over! And never to be played again!


With the last wire unplugged, the players are all free to go... somewhere! Back to the theater?


With one final kick, Yuko sends the last of the game literally bouncing off the walls.


Which leads to one final badass shot.

Now this is how you do a music video. I'm not saying that just because Beginner is violent and edgy. I know I have tendency to be biased toward those kinds of music videos... No, Beginner is an amazing music video because of it tells a story and it tells a story well. What do you need in any basic story? Conflict. You need a resolution to that conflict, and an exposition for it. Beginner has both, and with some excellent pacing, it has an excellent story. When I watched this video for the first time, I was invested. Did the plot make much sense? No. But that didn't matter because the stakes were raised so high that I was too busy wondering what would happen next. Watching this video for the first time is a shock to the system, especially if you go in not knowing what it's like and having a perception of AKB48 as an orthodox idol group. And while their 2014 music videos may lead you to believe that, Beginner is ruthlessly violent. Whenever one of the members died in this music video, it was like having the floor drop beneath my feet. Not because I didn't see the deaths coming, but because of how cold and merciless the deaths were.

And the deaths in Beginner are brutal. By idol standards, the manner in which some of the girls die is downright disturbing. I think without a doubt the worst one is Haruna's death. It would have been one thing to just slice her head off, but the bland cut right through the middle of her face. That simple shot of her body slumping to the floor with her upper head still above the blade made my stomach lurch. While Acchan may have avoided death, that closeup of her impaled hand made me squeamish too. Said squeamishness was only amplified when the PV cut back to the "real" world. Acchan's always been an iffy actress, but those screams gave me chillbumps. The deaths of Mariko, Mayuyu, and Yuko were hard-hitting too. Mayuyu's endgame was pretty gory too, even if the blood bursting out of her mouth was obviously synthetic. I can see why AKS decided not to include this music video with the single. I can't believe they even let the director of this PV get away with the concept. I'm happy they did though, otherwise we wouldn't have gotten this awesome PV.

The violence of Beginner isn't what solely makes this PV awesome. Like I said, Beginner has a tightly paced story. The conflict of this PV is engaging and makes the viewer root for the players of this twisted video game. The payoff comes from the turning point, when Acchan's hand gets impaled. From their is a chain of events: Yuko saves Acchan at the cost of her own life, Acchan goes unplugged, all climaxing into her game avatar ripping her hand off and growing a new weapon. From there, it's all uphill. Acchan defeats the game, with a little help from Jurina, and saves every other player who was plugged/enslaved into the game. The biggest payoff comes from Yuko hugging a still-plugged Takamina, thus breaking the last bit of control the game had. Watching the girls pull that last plug out is such a satisfying conclusion to the story. Then that last bit in the dance shot where Yuko kicks the ball and it ricochets around the room is like the cherry on top of the most deliciously violent sundae. Beginner is a violent wave of emotions and disturbing scenes, but that last shot makes the entire music video worth it.

Beginner not only has a great story but also a great atmosphere. I love sci-fi. Especially that sleek, polished looking sci-fi like the one used in Beginner. The setting of Beginner is simplistic, like an early-era video game, which I think makes the violence even more effective. I love the little touches the editors put into this music video. There's a lot of little things you need to pause to see, in both the text and the weapons. Like a lot of the opponents/monsters have the names of other AKB48 idols on them, like Sashihara Rino and Minegishi Minami. I'm not completely sure why they're in there, but touches like that only add atmosphere to the music video. The almost-cute cleanness of the music video also makes the deaths even more dissonant. Like when the text pops up saying "OMG!! Damage!!" It sounds so cheerful on text, which makes the violence even more nightmarish. And the girls all look amazing. The outfits for beginner match perfectly with the tone of the setting. I especially love the uncannily blue eye contacts the girls all wear in the "real" world.

To say I love the concept for Beginner is an understatement. I would watch a movie about this. Hell, I'd read a story. Someone novelize this music video! Beginner at heart tells a simple story that's been done in other media. But the execution and the fact that this is AKB48 we're seeing make that story stand out. The music video pulls no punches in showing violence (in fact, I think it held back considering how far it could have gone with some of the deaths). To see the Senbatsu of AKB48, who last music video were prancing around in lingerie singing about love, get so quickly disposed of is a huge shock. And that shock value makes Beginner an even greater music video. AKB48's always pushed the limit with some of their music videos in the past, like Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru and Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou. But Beginner was their first foray into science fiction, and it was a memorable one. I don't think AKB48 could ever replicate the same effect they had with Beginner. Considering the current state of the group, I don't even think I'd want them to. For me, Beginner's music video is the one that made me realize that AKB48 was more than just a generic idol group. They could be dark, they could be edgy, and they could make a damn fine music video.


Five freaking apples. One for each death in Beginner plus Acchan's impaled hand. And also because Beginner is an amazing song with an even more amazing music video. Beginner is definitely in my top 10 idol music videos. It's edgy, violent, and pushes boundaries for an idol group. Looking back on Beginner gets me nostalgic for the AKB48 that was... and makes me try to forget the AKB48 that exists now. Go watch Beginner if you haven't done so already and see what I mean.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Let's Talk about 14 Shou ~The message~

You know, for all the years I've been blogging on the Wonderland, I haven't reviewed a Morning Musume album. I think it's about time I amend that!


It's also been awhile since I reviewed an album. I can't help that the markets haven't been releasing much. What am I supposed to review? NMB48's new album? Yeah, I am not reviewing nearly thirty songs on an album. Luckily, Morning Musume graced us with an album! I'd think they would, what with Sayumi graduating and the addition of the 12th Generation starting in 2015. 14 Shou ~The message~ I suppose is a way to end the era Sayumi's lead. In this case, the era of electropop! Yes, it's been over two years since the release of One Two Three and Robo Musume is still very much here and very much disputed. Morning Musume's electropop singles have been very hit-or-miss. However, I do think that over these past two years, the 9th/10th/11th Generations have really developed into a group. I mean, compare them from 12, Smart to 14 Shou ~The message~. They've grown! Now has Morning Musume's music grown with them?

1. Tiki Bun (Album Version)

Sensibly, 14 Shou ~The message~ kicks off with Morning Musume's most recent song, Tiki Bun! Sadly, I do not care about this song, even with the cool little intro added in the album version. Tiki Bun's not a bad song, but it's more-or-less the kind of song you'd expect from the current Morning Musume. Also, Tiki Bun is a prime example of how Momusu's electropop kick is growing weary. The song doesn't really try anything new outside the realm of bleeps and bloops and generic electropop sounds. Even the ridiculous title isn't utilized. Seriously, I thought this song would be... I don't know, tropical electropop? That would be weird as hell, but at least it would stand out. Tiki Bun is catchy and easy on my ears, but I'm not going to remember or appreciate it as soon as I'm done writing about it. Also, the girls sound like they're singing "Cheeky Bun" which somehow sounds even more ridiculous than "Tiki Bun."

My Rating:


2. Password is 0

0 is a very weak computer password. Google would not approve. Well, after one A-side, we have another A-side! There are many A-sides on this album. I hope you like catchy songs, because you will have Password is 0 stuck in your head for at least a month! The thing is, you'll only have one part of the song stuck in your head: the title itself. The girls sing the title at least ten times, and that's not even counting the random vocal effects. The strongest assets of Password is 0 are its frightening catchiness and its energy. It's like Yasutaka Nakata got drunk, did a line of cocaine, then composed a song. Password is 0 is energetic to the point where it's almost abrasive (and a little annoying). I do like Password is 0, but I don't love it. The girls sound really robotic in this song. So robotic that I wouldn't be surprised if they'd been replaced with robots in the recording studio. Password is 0 is a catchy song, but I want to hear some new album material now...

My Rating:


3. Asu wo Tsukuru no wa Kimi

Ask and you shall receive! Taking a complete 180 from the electropop Tiki Bun and Password is 0, Asu wo Tsukuru no wa Kimi is a ballad. I guess Morning Musume has one for every album. As far as a ballads go, Asu wo Tsukuru no wa Kimi is all right. Of the many, many ballads I have listened to, Asu wo Tsukuru no wa Kimi won't rank as one of my favorites, but it's a nice listen. I do like that a majority of the song is sung in duets. The vocals in Momusu have gotten better since the 9th/10th/11th generations started out, but not enough to deliver an impactful ballad. Asu wo Tsukuru no wa Kimi sounds sweet, but like with Tiki Bun, there's not much to it. I do like hearing something besides electropop from the current Morning Musume, but Asu wo Tsukuru no wa Kimi is a bit too bland. The chorus is pretty, and the instrumental sounds nice. But there are lots of pretty choruses and nice instrumentals. Give me something with a little more bite.

My Rating:


4. Kirari to Hikaru Hoshi

Ask and you shall receive!!! It's almost like I knew before writing this review how the tracks all sounded... Kirari to Hikaru Hoshi is a duet between Sayashi Riho and Oda Sakura. If this song had come out a year ago, I would have indifferent at best. If this song had come out two years ago, I would have been livid. I was not (and still am not) a fan of Riho's voice, but I think she's sounded more tolerable in the past year and half. And she holds her own with Sakura! The two sound much better than they did in their last duet off of Help me!! Kirari to Hikaru Hoshi is an electropop dance song (big surprise there). The vocal arrangement works well here. Sakura and Riho sing in a lower range, which fits their voices much better. The song itself has that cool, edgy dance sound. Again, Kirari to Hikaru Hoshi's not breaking any new ground, but it's still a good song. So far, it's my favorite track on 14 Shou ~The message~. Unless the next one proves better...

My Rating:


5. Koibito ni wa Zettai ni Shiraretakunai Shinjitsu

Koibito ni wa Zettai ni Shiraretakunai Shinjitsu does not prove better. What... what the hell is even going on in this song!? The song starts out with a sample, which is kind of cool but makes no sense. The sample has a guy saying "What is this crazy rock and roll music!?" which would be clever if Koibito ni wa Zettai ni Shiraretakunai Shinjitsu was a rock n'roll song. But it's electropop. Also... this song is sung by Sayumi, Haruna, and Mizuki. And Sayumi sings quite a bit. Two of the three people singing on this album don't have very strong voices. Sayumi's Autotuned to hell, Haruna's trying her best, and Mizuki's basically the only one who sounds decent. Koibito ni wa Zettai ni Shiraretakunai Shinjitsu also reminds me a teensy bit of PyokoPyoko Ultra. And I adored that song. God, I still can't believe that song exists. Koibito ni wa Zettai ni Shiraretakunai Shinjitsu has some nice ideas, but poor vocals and an aimless arrangement bog the song down.

My Rating:


6. What is Love?

Okay, back to A-sides! That's a safe choice! And a boring one, but I can manage boring. Luckily, What is Love? is far from boring! Honestly, I kind of forgot about this song... Which is crazy because back when it was first revealed as the J-Melo theme song, I loved it. I want it to be an A-side, I wanted it to get a kickass music video, I wanted to hear the recorded version, I advocated for What is Love? up until the song was finally released as one of three A-sides. And then... it barely got promoted. Which is a shame, because it was favorite of those three A-sides. What is Love? is kind of a scattered song, but I like the jerky, fast arrangement. It's a short, sweet song without going 100 mph like Password is 0. And there's this nice swing to What is Love? The awesome choreography shows that! Other than that's, the song is more electropop as done by Morning Musume. Personally, I think it's one of Momusu's better electropop songs.

My Rating:


7. Watashi wa Watashi Nanda

Who wants more dance electropop? I hope you do, because there's plenty more to come! Watashi wa Watashi Nanda is the tried-and-true formula of this era (and the last album era). Of all the electropop songs on 14 Shou ~The message~, I do think Watashi wa Watashi Nanda is one of the better songs. Watashi wa Watashi Nanda offers little new material; it's a dance song that has a popping, catchy instrumental. I'll be the dance has many formations in it. The more I listen to Watashi wa Watashi Nanda, I realize that I shouldn't care about this song at all. It's basically Tiki Bun without the cheesy hook. Actually... maybe that's why I like it. Because at no point do the girls sound like they're singing "Cheeky Bun." Watashi wa Watashi Nanda also has all the girls singing individually, so it's a good song to hear all the current voices of Morning Musume. Everyone sounds decent, but that might be because of the genre. Overall, I like Watashi wa Watashi Nanda. And that's about it.

My Rating:


8. Waraenai Hanashi

Tsunku vocals... so many Tsunku vocals. I don't know why, but I have never liked Tsunku's voice. He always sound like the creepy uncle who still thinks he's 16 years old and can hang out with teenage girls without any creepy connotations. Is that simile too specific? His addition to Waraenai Hanashi is, in my opinion, unnecessary and unwanted. Then again, he is the only part of this song that stands out. Surprise! Waraenai Hanashi is... more electropop!!! Bet you never guessed it! After four dance electropop songs in a row, Waraenai Hanashi blends right in with them. Maybe this is a good song overshadowed by four songs that sound more-or-less just like it? I will never know. But Waraenai Hanashi doesn't stand out to me on this album, and 14 Shou ~The message~ needs an album song that will stand out. Waraenai Hanashi is still better than Koibito ni wa Zettai ni Shiraretakunai Shinjitsu, but it's still one of my least favorite tracks on 14 Shou ~The message~.

My Rating:


9. Egao no Kimi wa Taiyou sa

Back to A-sides! That's what a majority of the last third consists of in this album. Of the A-sides from this era, I don't care for Egao no Kimi wa Taiyou sa. In summation: Ego no Kimi wa Taiyou sa is to Colorful Morning Musume what Seishun Collection was to Platinum Morning Musume. There are a few cool parts in it, like the We Will Rock You-style opening. But those ideas are eschewed in favor of a bland vocal arrangement. I do like hearing Momusu doing a happier, less-EDM song, but Egao no Kimi wa Taiyou sa just sounds dull and uninspired. The additional electropop sounds sprinkled throughout the song don't fit well either. The chorus is my least favorite part of Egao no Kimi wa Taiyou sa; it sounds so boring. And the chorus doesn't fit with any other part of the song. Neither do the verses. Or the instrumental. Actually, the entirety of Egao no Kimi wa Taiyou sa sounds like different songs sewn together with the precision of cat paws.

My Rating:


10. Kimi no Kawari wa Iyashinai

Oh hey, this song! I forgot it even existed! I blame UFP releasing it as part of a triple A-side single. Kimi no Kawari wa Iyashinai was used as Japan Team's Winter Olympics cheer song. I don't know if that holds any reverence, but Kimi no Kawari wa Iyashinai definitely supports the Land of the Rising. The chorus has them literally cheering "Nippon! Nippon!" But then the rest of the lyrics don't really have much to do with Japan? They're more about boys and love. There's nothing really terrible I can point out with Kimi no Kawari wa Iyashinai, but I've never been able to get into this song. Maybe because Riho's trying to belt too much? Like with Tiki Bun, the song's all right, but it doesn't stand out. The song's enjoyable and fast-paced, so I'm sure it makes for a very good cheer song. I don't care about sports though. Kimi no Kawari wa Iyashinai is a pick-up after the strangely bland Egao no Kimi wa Taiyou sa, but it's not a highlight off 14 Shou ~The message~.

My Rating:


11. Otona ni Nareba Otona ni Nareru!?

One last album song with all the remaining members who haven't gotten their own songs yet! So that means Masaki, Ayumi, Erina, Kanon, and Haruka. Not a bad lineup, although Erina and Ayumi are definitely the iffier of the five singers on this track. Otona ni Nareba Otona ni Nareru!? is more electropop fare, but the song is catchy and fun. I guess any song featuring Masaki is bound to be hyperactively crazy. Otona ni Nareba Otona ni Nareru!? doesn't get too crazy, but I love the energy level. The song fits well between Kimi no Kawari wa Iyashinai and the final song on 14 Shou ~The message~. The vocals sound good. Haruka's voice leaves me baffled as to why UFP doesn't utilize her more in songs. Kanon and Masaki sound good, and even Erina and Ayumi sound pretty decent! I like the way all five girls' voices blend. Considering Otona ni Nareba Otona ni Nareru!? is all about becoming adults, I think it's a very fitting song for these 9th/10th Generation members.

My Rating:


12. Toki no Koe Sora no Koe

Saving the best for last, the album closes with my personal favorite single of this era. I love Toki no Koe Sora no Koe, even more than I did when I reviewed it. The irony is Toki no Koe Sora no Koe sounds like something Platinum-era Morning Musume would release. It's dramatic, moody, filled to the brim with angst, all the characteristics of Morning Musume singles from 2008 to 2010. But Toki no Koe Sora no Koe is so pretty. I love the violins and the piano, and the little bits of electronica in the instrumental work nicely too. I even like the lyrics. The song's all about how love transcends space and time; songs about space always appeal to me. Toki no Koe Sora no Koe sounds refreshingly melancholic for the current Morning Musume, without any of the hooks or high-sped dance songs they've been defaulting to. For that reason, I think Toki no Koe Sora no Koe is the perfect way to end 14 Shou ~The message~ along with this era.

My Rating:


The Verdict

You think Tsunku's getting tired of electropop? I kind of hope so... 14 Shou ~The message~ is more-or-less and electropop album with one or maybe two songs that aren't electropop. I am a happy passenger on the Electro Train, but by now, this is starting to a grow a little stale for Morning Musume. And that doesn't have to be how their electropop music is. Electropop is more than dance music; it's sort an umbrella term for a lot of different songs. But Tsunku seems to be stuck on creating catchy, energetic, dance songs then throwing in some bleeps an bloops then Autotuning the hell out of the entire thing. Sometimes, that works. Kirari to Hikaru Hoshi and Otona ni Nareba Otona ni Nareru!? fit that mold, and they were two of my favorite tracks off 14 Shou ~The message~. But then songs like Koibito ni wa Zettai ni Shiraretakunai Shinjitsu and Waraenai Hanashi show that this entire electropop phase is wearing down. Maybe Tsunku will get obsessed with a new genre. Jazz? Lounge? Hell, at this point, I'd even take vaporwave...

Overall, 14 Shou ~The message~ is a mix of good and bad. Even then, the bad songs are far from the worst music I've ever heard. The good songs are thoroughly enjoyable. The only two songs I'd say I really dislike are Koibito ni wa Zettai ni Shiraretakunai Shinjitsu and Waraenai Hanashi. The other songs? Like I said, a mix. Most of the songs are like musical popcorn: they give you something to listen to, but not something that's going to tide you over. I think maybe if Tsunku produced more new material, this might be a better album, or at least a more varied one. Half the songs on this album are A-sides. So six old electropop songs, five new electropop songs, and one semi-ballad make up for an album that doesn't stretch far from Morning Musume's current comfort zone. I can't point out anything specifically bad about 14 Shou ~The message~ but this is definitely not the best album I've listened to this year. And the albums this year have been shockingly mediocre. 14 Shou ~The message~ makes for a nice compilation of Morning Musume's singles, but beyond two or three songs, there's not much else this album has to offer.


Three point five apples feels like the appropriate rating to give 14 Shou ~The message~. Unless you're an electropop fanatic, the album is more-or-less the usual electropop I've come to expect from the current Morning Musume. If I want to get my electropop fix, I think I'll go listen to Curumi Chronicle.