You also can check it on jmusicstrike: https://jmusicstrike.wordpress.com/2017/01/26/review-acid-black-cherry-recreation-4/
Acid Black Cherry finally released Recreation 4. The album was a bit delayed, because yasu had once again problem with his voice, however as great he is, he delivered again something great towards us, after a long time of 0 CD releases.
TRACKLIST
01.流星のサドル （久保田利伸 / 1986年） ★ ★ ★ ★
02.星空のディスタンス （THE ALFEE / 1984年） ★ ★ ★ ★
03.輝きながら… （徳永 英明 / 1987年） ★ ★ ★ ★
04.三日月 （絢香 / 2006年） ★ ★ ★ ★
05.CLOUDY HEART（BOØWY / 1985年） ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
06.青空 （THE BLUE HEARTS / 1988年） ★
07.青春のリグレット （松任谷 由実 / 1985年） ★ ★ ★
08.私はピアノ （サザンオールスターズ / 1980年） ★ ★ ★
09.Forget-me-not （尾崎 豊 / 1985年） ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
10.フライングゲット （AKB48 / 2011年） ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
11.M （プリンセスプリンセス / 1989年） ★
12.Tomorrow never knows （Mr.Children / 1994年） ★ ★ ★ ★
Please also listen to the original songs, because then you also would understand why I wrote some things. However overall this album is nice and very much pop.
01. 流星のサドル – 久保田利伸 / 1986
I didn’t know the original song, I never did hear it before. This song is a pure pop song.
yasu tuned this song up with a bit more rocking sound, it’s a bit more heavy and also this song really fits his voice. He really beat the original with his own version.
02.星空のディスタンス – THE ALFEE / 1984
THE AFLEE is a very famous Japanese band. With many hits on their name. The original song is a nice mix of pop and rock sound, more to the pop side, but it really has a good vibe which sticks into your head and you never will forget that you have listen to this song once. yasu’s version has some newer elements inside which they didn’t add that long ago, which gives the song a totally 2017 vibe, also the way yasu is singing this song is also stunning totally fits it. yasu has put this song nicely into a new jacket.
03.輝きながら… – 徳永 英明 / 1987
While listing to the original first, damn that version already let me shiver, it’s so beautiful. How can someone even sing this greater? I doubt that it’s possible, however with a good voice with nice feelings inside it could turn into a great cover.
yasu’s voice is nice and high, so yes this song fits his voice. Also yasu’s version can let you shiver, however the original feeling I got while I did listen to the original isn’t that strong so I still do prefer the original version. But yasu’s version is also great!
04.三日月 – 絢香 / 2006
I really don’t like the original, this song has a beautiful lyric, but I really don’t like the way how Ayaka does sing this song, it totally doesn’t though my heart at all. However yasu’s version totally makes this sound great he created a cover how this song should have sound like. Also maybe it’s more a song which should have sung by a guy? So yes this song is a good choice to put on this album.
05.CLOUDY HEART – BOØWY / 1985
BOØWY is still one of Japan most famous artist. The original song has a nice catchy song and it totally fits the vocal, wasn’t this song one of BOØWY‘s most famous song? However the original doesn’t give you a shiver feeling. Still it’s really nice and easy to listen too. But the original is strong of melody, the melody of the guitar really can let though your heart. And that melody has been kept in the version of yasu. Also the way yasu sings this song gives the song also a more shiver feeling, he does sing this song with much more feeling. It totally fits his voice as he wrote this song himself.
06. 青空 – THE BLUE HEARTS / 1988
I love THE BLUE HEARTS because of the voice of the vocalist, his voice has an unique rawness. Which made THE BLUE HEARTS totally special and great beside their amazing written music. So yes I can imagine why yasu did choose this song. The lyric of this song is also beautiful and amazing and it has a catchy music. However…
yasu really does sing this song beautifully but the original feeling is totally gone. yasu tuned this song into a way too much pop song. Also yasu’s voice doesn’t fit this song because he doesn’t have that “raw” voice which this song actually need. For me personally it’s a pity that he didn’t tune this song into a more heavy song. It’s a totally different song now and the feeling has been gone which made this song originally “perfect”.
07.青春のリグレット – 松任谷 由実 / 1985
This song is original sung by a woman, which truly sounds amazing. Which gives me the feeling of that this song is only for “female” to cover. However since yasu has a high voice it also kinda fits yasu, but still I think this song doesn’t fit him. The melody is kind of the same only a bit more up-tuned. The song is nice, but surely not the best cover.
08.私はピアノ – サザンオールスターズ / 1980
The original song really sounds as a song of that time, a typical old pop song. Let’s see how yasu turned this song into a more song of this time, when you start this song you hear that it got mixed with elements of the past and elements of now. Also Yasu’s voice fits this song much better than the original female vocal. I also notice while listing to this song that yasu has definitely got some inspiration out of this song, which he used in some of his ABC songs. But yes, its a good cover, however not a really beautiful song.
09.Forget-me-not – 尾崎 豊 / 1985
Forget-me-not is one of words most beautiful song ever. The original is sung with so many feelings. Feelings which go deep into your own heart. The song even can let you cry easy. Beautiful from the highest level. To cover this song is one of the highest risks ever. However, the way yasu cover this song it’s as so good as you listen to the original. I still do prefer the original but yasu really put the feelings inside this song need, also he didn’t really mess up with the melody, which keep the power of this amazing song. From all songs on this album, this song is the best. It’s impossible for not liking this song.
10.フライングゲット – AKB48 / 2011
AKB48? for real Yasu? Okay, AKB48 have nice songs, but come on. This song is a typical happy shit female pop group song. One of the most annoying song of this girl band. It’s impossible to create a nice cover of this song or it should be tuned up into Heavy Metal or something more dark…. So let’s listen what you did….
And, yasu turned this song into a heavy ROCK song! The style really reminds me of Janne Da Arc. I’m glad that yasu did choose to put this song in a heavy rock jacket, because if he would have made this song into a pop song, I guess then I wouldn’t like it? This song still have it own original elements however the heaviness really tunes in this song into much more greatness. This is the most stunning cover on this album which really blow me away in a really good way!
11.M – プリンセスプリンセス / 1989
The lyric from this song is strong and heartbreaking, but melody wise it is a simply and a weak song which don’t really o into my mind, it’s a song which I would skip all the time.
yasu created a different kind of background melody, which still don’t sound good into my ears however it sounds better than the original, still it can’t keep my attention, however the way yasu sings this song is again beautiful.
12.Tomorrow never knows – Mr.Children / 1994
This song is very calm, I don’t even know if I like the original, however I do like many songs of Mr.Children, they are also one of Japans best band.
yasu’s version has a much strong beat which gives this song a much stronger vibe which also gives a feeling that this is a brand new song. Also yasu’s voice gives this song a stronger image, you can hear and feel much more feelings.
COVER STARS: ★ ★ ★ ★
PERSONAL TASTE STARS: ★ ★
yasu, really created again a strong cover all, his versions are also beautiful however not all though my heart and some of them are too soft for me to like. However I do love his voice and those who love more pop songs will surely love this album. Some of the songs yasu did cover I would play over and over again. I myself I’m more a heavy rock/metal fan, but I’m always glad if someone introduce me to older Japanese pop songs, because we often forget how beautiful those songs also are.
Favorite Track:
Forget-me-not followed by CLOUDY HEART.
Least Favorite:
M and 青空
Most stunning track:
フライングゲット
