(Originally 28 March 2007)
Jeff is right. 30 minutes night flight is the stand-out track. The rest are of a generally slower pacing, which isn't necessarily bad, except they don't really have any direction and no stand-out characteristics, leaving a flat and uninspired impression.
30 minutes starts quiet and atmospheric, and my immediate impression was that it was opening like Ulrich Schnauss in open ambiance. This was followed by the impression that it had transitioned into Utada Hikaru's Keep Tryin' opening with the addition of a bit of dissonant noise-like effects. The fog clears with a consonant flourish, and a guitar motif is introduced thereafter, rhythmic and insistent. Maaya's vocal line mirrors this motif in rhythm. The bridge leads into the chorus with a ramp in strength. Throughout the song every point has a smooth transition and subdued, shimmering intensity is pervasive.
At the outro, distant modulated voice enters, saying "30 minutes, night flight." The introduction of this and the synthesizer in the instrumental passage add to that kind of flighty, refreshing, transcendental feel that is simultaneously intimate. I couldn't imagine this representing a red-eye flight unless I was one of 10 people evenly distributed along the plane (and man, that red-eye flight was sold out). This song is too cozy to be shared with so many other passengers, especially screaming babies.
Maybe not such an excellent choice for a night flight, but night train, night drive? All perfectly acceptable.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Sakamoto Maaya - 30 Minutes Night Flight
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Maaya Sakamoto FOR THE WIN
(Originally 29 October 2006)
No doubt about it, she can sing live. Classic song, excellently done. It made my yesterday.
There are 3 other performances from the same show, apparently a June TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting) documentary. I don't identify as much with the newer songs, No Fear and Kazemachi Jet. Maybe it's because I've heard Yubiwa (many times) and Platinum/Purachina (from her Hotchpotch album) way back in the day. Maybe it's because anime songs have a different feel and atmosphere (although this doesn't work for Kazemachi Jet which is an ED for Tsubasa Chronicles), at least the good ones tend to relate at least tenuously to the series they open or close for (or are image songs for the OST). Maybe it's the Yoko Kanno factor for these two older works.
I can't shut up about Yubiwa. One of the greatest credit/ED tracks I've heard. Although that's not saying much. Its atmosphere matches that of the Escaflowne movie, the lyrics are basically from the male lead's viewpoint at the very end, literally, it's got Yoko Kanno execution and Maaya Sakamoto's voice. Basically, nothing can possibly go wrong. Like I was blown away by KOTOKO's Agony for the ending of KnM (and Re-sublimity for the OP, and Suppuration -core- for the image track...), I was blown away by Yubiwa's class and power, all the more enhanced by watching A Girl in Gaea (it wasn't that bad, but I did think it was rushed like most everyone else). I think Yubiwa made the ending, essentially. There wasn't anything spectacular, there wasn't much action or any busy-ness; it was rather peaceful. The effect could have been lost were it not for a solid ED track.
I think I've said my piece for now. Yes, on to hurting myself, i.e. watching Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien.
