金魚花火 / Otsuka Ai

11 January 2007

大塚愛 Otsuka Ai
金魚花火

18.8.04
5th single
AVCD-30613

tracklisting
1 金魚花火
2 ココ夏バケーション
3 金魚花火 (Instrumental)
4 ココ夏バケーション (Instrumental)

purchase date 11.12.06

review
"金魚花火" has always been my favourite song from Otsuka Ai and I purchase this single just to listen to the beautiful instrumental in detail. I got addicted to this ballad after watching her "a-nation '04" performance of this song. The beautiful melody was arranged using acoustic piano and numerous types of mallet instruments to replicate the style of traditional Japanese music. This works very well with Ai's mellow vocal. Fireworks is an essential element of summer in Japan and fireworks play a key role in the poetic lyrics of "金魚花火". A very unique part of the arrangement is the use of bass drum to create the sound of fireworks being ignited. The fireworks sound effects fit the desperate description of the lyrics and creates the lonely feel of summer night. The slow number picks up speed and power at the end of the bridge, exploding at the end of the last chorus, before calming down again before it end. The song also has a very beautiful pv which suits its theme. The full story of the pv is included in the DVD of her 2nd album "LOVE JAM".

The B-side "ココ夏バケーション" is Ai's usual whacky pop song similar in style to "GIRLY" from her 1st album. Unlike many artists who delivers B-sides of very inferior quality, this is not true for Ai as her B-sides are works of average to above average quality, just that these songs are not as catchy as the A-sides.

"金魚花火" is my favourite single for 2004 and one of the best in recent years.

recommending #1 金魚花火, #3 金魚花火 (Instrumental)
rating 8/10 good

Buy it here:
Kingyo Hanabi / Ai Otsuka
Kingyo Hanabi [CD+DVD] / Ai Otsuka

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