There's something mysterious about people like Angela Aki - people who dare to take a chance with their music, people who enjoy what they're doing and make music that's moving and fun at the same time.
Angela's Recipe for Music!
1 Piano
1 Vocalist
Additional instruments if desired.
Risk of sounding repetitive, boring, and formulaic.
Simple. Minimalist. Beautiful.
Angela's independent mini-album, released only a matter of months before her major-label debut, takes this formula and beats the listener in the head with it. It works - for the most part.
We're All Alone (original: Boz Scaggs) opens the album with Angela's signature piano. The piece is mid-tempo and remains that way throughout the entirety of the song; Angela's vocal is good, but she borders on yelling in parts and a rather badly-navigated change in pitch late in the song is a bit cringe-worthy, but the positive points outweigh the negative ones as far as this song is concerned. It's pleasant, but not the best pick for opening track.
Rain, in this author's opinion, should've been the opener. The piece is more up-tempo and the opening piano solo is one of the best on the album (not to say that any of them are particularly bad). The melody line flows more smoothly than the previous track and Angela manages to control her voice much better here, although the volume gets turned up a bit in the chorus, which is repeated a few too many times for my liking. Much better than the previous, and one of the best songs on the album.
A Song For You (original: Leon Russell) opens with a backwards jaunt down the ivories from Angela and then develops into another down-tempo piece that refuses to liven up at all, although the reverse-scales make an appearance again later in the song and Angela's piano-solo in the middle breaks the song's monotony a bit. Angela's vocal here is a bit rough around the edges, but manages to be rather enjoyable. Unfortunately, the sheer monotone of the song makes this one of the weaker tracks on the album.
Warning opens with an almost waltz-like beat that provides the underscore for the song. This song is unique in that it's entirely in English, compared to the rest being in Japanese with a few English lines thrown in. Angela actually sounds more comfortable singing in English here - her vocal is paced, controlled, and enjoyable - and of course, her English is perfect (she's half-Japanese and half-Italian-American). This is undoubtedly the best track here.
Never Is A Promise (original: Fiona Apple) opens with what is probably the best piano solo on the album. Unlike the other covers here, this one varies in tempo and manages not to be near-boring. Angela actually varies her vocal performance here and prevents the song from dragging. The best cover on the album, for sure.
Aisuru Mono ("The Loved One") opens somewhat mournfully, but quickly changes when Angela's vocal kicks in. This is a laid-back, down-tempo number - until the bridge, where some more forceful and up-tempo piano enters and Angela's vocal gets slightly aggressive - but it quickly settles back down and brings the album to a calm, peaceful close.
Relying too much on one formula or instrument for one's songs can make or break an artist - if they do it well, it works. In Angela's case, there are a couple bumps in the road, but this mini-album manages to be a welcome introduction to a very talented young woman.
In Addition: HOME (Single), kokoro no senshi (Single), Kiss Me Good-Bye (Single), This Love (Single), Home (Major Label Debut Album)
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