9 November 2013

ClariS - Colorful

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica The Movie III : Rebellion OP

Tracklist:

1. Colorful
2. Surely
3. Pieces
4. Colourful - Instrumental -

1. Colorful

After a quick and playful music box intro, bells start off and unravel into a routine anison arrangement, complete with violins and acoustic guitars, with the bass quietly heard in the background, making the track a bit different from their usual electro-pop style. Fortunately, their vocals here are, instead attempting cuteness, more mature and deep sounding, like proper grown-up singers, but still provide energy to the catchy chorus. Although the song is a pleasant listen, and has a nostalgic tone to it, it's nothing special or quite original, and, in character, unfit for a series such as Madoka Magica (though, the problem with an unfit opening was present ever since the first anime episode).
Rating: 7

2. Surely

Clara's and Alice's vocals begin in unison, in a calm, broad arrangement, and becomes a song very similar to Colorful, except the focus is more on the acoustic instrumentals and the mid-tempo rather than full anison. With the song being relatively generic J-pop, the fact that it was a chore listening to it because it can be quite boring at times, and that there are very little differing elements to describe in the actual review, it doesn't earn any higher status than a scapegoat B-side.
Rating: 5

3. Pieces

Yet again, another completely unimaginative affair, barely differing from the previous two songs except for a slight change in the melody lines.
Rating: 1

I'm not having a fit of writer's block, but I am thinking of employing Konno's method for all such generic releases, since track-by-track reviews are almost always fruitless. As with livetune, ClariS will not get reviewed here anymore, despite the fact they get pretty big tie-ins.
My overall rating is: 4
Will I return for an another listen: No.

The comment box doesn't bite; be careful when feeding it, though.

6 comments:

  1. Wow, poor B-sides, I see. Especially the one that's rated a 1 out of 10... wow... ouch. I'm so glad I'm not the one reviewing this on my blog, hehe :3

    To acknowledge the termination of ClariS reviews on Japanese Melodia, what is your favorite ClariS song, and what is your least favorite? (Would the least favorite be Pieces, lol...)

    To conclude this comment... ClariS is not exactly my thing either, haha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've always tortured myself with uninteresting stuff just because they're mainstream ( ≧Д≦)

      Anyways, my favourite and perhaps the only one I really enjoyed would probably be (had to Google because little ClariS knowledge) Connect, the first Madoka OP. As for the least favourite, their albums probably have a ton of songs like those, but sure, I'll go with Pieces \(☆o◎)/

      Delete
  2. Wow is that the first 1 you've given? I'd better listen for lols.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Uh, probably, unless I went crazy somewhere back in my amateur days xD

      Delete
  3. The ClariS fanboy in me would like to have a word with you, Japanese Melodia (LOL xD)

    On a serious note though, I agree with the last phrase of your review of Colorful. While personally I like the song and their discography as a whole, the cheerfulness of their music can contrast with the darkness of the series (which is I consider Kalafina's music to be the main themes to the series). I think this was done because, the first two episodes of Madoka were of a lighter feel and people thought it would just be another magical girl series (those two episodes didn't even have Magia; the BD/DVDs used a light song by Aoi Yuuki as an ED), and it's not until episode three (which was the first episode with Magia) that the series' true colors showed. The shock factor worked there, but I think this time they're only kept ClariS because they're already associated with the series, and it would be awkward to get another musical act. Overall, ClariS is an acquired taste, and though I like them, I've seen a lot of people (including you) who don't. To each his own I guess.

    Since you're not reviewing anymore their music, just asking: did you like their Oreimo stuff? Their Oreimo music is more fitting to the series they open, and the musical style is quite different from the likes of Conenct, Lumious and Colorful.

    Finally, are you reviewing the ED by Kalafina?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've always wondered why Kalafina can't do an opening theme, if they're already an established act for the series + they do fitting music, but oh well.
      If you search through the ClariS tag on my blog, you'll see I actually reviewed the Oreimo 2 OP; it got a much better grade (8) than Colorful :''D
      And, yes, of course I'll review Kalafina's new single, you can look forward to it in the following week or two :3

      Delete

9 November 2013

ClariS - Colorful

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica The Movie III : Rebellion OP

Tracklist:

1. Colorful
2. Surely
3. Pieces
4. Colourful - Instrumental -

1. Colorful

After a quick and playful music box intro, bells start off and unravel into a routine anison arrangement, complete with violins and acoustic guitars, with the bass quietly heard in the background, making the track a bit different from their usual electro-pop style. Fortunately, their vocals here are, instead attempting cuteness, more mature and deep sounding, like proper grown-up singers, but still provide energy to the catchy chorus. Although the song is a pleasant listen, and has a nostalgic tone to it, it's nothing special or quite original, and, in character, unfit for a series such as Madoka Magica (though, the problem with an unfit opening was present ever since the first anime episode).
Rating: 7

2. Surely

Clara's and Alice's vocals begin in unison, in a calm, broad arrangement, and becomes a song very similar to Colorful, except the focus is more on the acoustic instrumentals and the mid-tempo rather than full anison. With the song being relatively generic J-pop, the fact that it was a chore listening to it because it can be quite boring at times, and that there are very little differing elements to describe in the actual review, it doesn't earn any higher status than a scapegoat B-side.
Rating: 5

3. Pieces

Yet again, another completely unimaginative affair, barely differing from the previous two songs except for a slight change in the melody lines.
Rating: 1

I'm not having a fit of writer's block, but I am thinking of employing Konno's method for all such generic releases, since track-by-track reviews are almost always fruitless. As with livetune, ClariS will not get reviewed here anymore, despite the fact they get pretty big tie-ins.
My overall rating is: 4
Will I return for an another listen: No.

The comment box doesn't bite; be careful when feeding it, though.

6 comments:

  1. Wow, poor B-sides, I see. Especially the one that's rated a 1 out of 10... wow... ouch. I'm so glad I'm not the one reviewing this on my blog, hehe :3

    To acknowledge the termination of ClariS reviews on Japanese Melodia, what is your favorite ClariS song, and what is your least favorite? (Would the least favorite be Pieces, lol...)

    To conclude this comment... ClariS is not exactly my thing either, haha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've always tortured myself with uninteresting stuff just because they're mainstream ( ≧Д≦)

      Anyways, my favourite and perhaps the only one I really enjoyed would probably be (had to Google because little ClariS knowledge) Connect, the first Madoka OP. As for the least favourite, their albums probably have a ton of songs like those, but sure, I'll go with Pieces \(☆o◎)/

      Delete
  2. Wow is that the first 1 you've given? I'd better listen for lols.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Uh, probably, unless I went crazy somewhere back in my amateur days xD

      Delete
  3. The ClariS fanboy in me would like to have a word with you, Japanese Melodia (LOL xD)

    On a serious note though, I agree with the last phrase of your review of Colorful. While personally I like the song and their discography as a whole, the cheerfulness of their music can contrast with the darkness of the series (which is I consider Kalafina's music to be the main themes to the series). I think this was done because, the first two episodes of Madoka were of a lighter feel and people thought it would just be another magical girl series (those two episodes didn't even have Magia; the BD/DVDs used a light song by Aoi Yuuki as an ED), and it's not until episode three (which was the first episode with Magia) that the series' true colors showed. The shock factor worked there, but I think this time they're only kept ClariS because they're already associated with the series, and it would be awkward to get another musical act. Overall, ClariS is an acquired taste, and though I like them, I've seen a lot of people (including you) who don't. To each his own I guess.

    Since you're not reviewing anymore their music, just asking: did you like their Oreimo stuff? Their Oreimo music is more fitting to the series they open, and the musical style is quite different from the likes of Conenct, Lumious and Colorful.

    Finally, are you reviewing the ED by Kalafina?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've always wondered why Kalafina can't do an opening theme, if they're already an established act for the series + they do fitting music, but oh well.
      If you search through the ClariS tag on my blog, you'll see I actually reviewed the Oreimo 2 OP; it got a much better grade (8) than Colorful :''D
      And, yes, of course I'll review Kalafina's new single, you can look forward to it in the following week or two :3

      Delete