[2023.03.22] ANGERME - BIG LOVE

[Solarblade]

Announced in a YouTube video, ANGERME will be releasing their 4th album, BIG LOVE on March 22nd!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOdU0Ay18pw

[JPope]

You're fast, lol!

I'm really happy that Take-chan gets one last album to go out on.

[Solarblade]

You're fast, lol!

I'm really happy that Take-chan gets one last album to go out on.

XD it was only because I just got home and turned on youtube and saw that odd ANGERME video (looked suspiciously like an announcement) XD

[DonJuan]

I hope Takechan gets a solo on it, or at least a song dedicated to her.

[Solarblade]

http://helloproject.com/news/15513/ - So it seems the tracklist is going to be 15 songs from the singles and 8 new tracks (2 discs).

1. Watashi wo Tsukeru no wa Watashi
2. Zenzen Okiagarenai SUNDAY
3. Myouban, Galaxy Gekijou de
4. Kagiri Aru Moment
5. Mirror Mirror
6. SHAKA SHAKA TO LOVE
7. Hakkiri Shiyouze
8. Oyogenai Mermaid
9. Aisare Route A or B?
10. SHAKA SHAKA #2 LOVE Colorful Life-hen
11. Ai Mashou
12. Hade ni Yacchai na!
13. Aisubekibeki Human Life
14. Kuyashii wa
15. Piece of Peace ~Shiawase no Puzzle~


So this is assumption of what the first disc will look like!

[JPope]

I bet they include a couple or three single songs with the new ones to make more of a proper album.

[Solarblade]

Here's the cover art for Limited A

http://helloproject.com/release/detail/HKCN-50750/

[JPope]

I dig it. I'm assuming that Takechan did the calligraphy.

[Solarblade]

http://helloproject.com/news/15513/ - So it seems the tracklist is going to be 15 songs from the singles and 8 new tracks (2 discs).

1. Watashi wo Tsukeru no wa Watashi
2. Zenzen Okiagarenai SUNDAY
3. Myouban, Galaxy Gekijou de
4. Kagiri Aru Moment
5. Mirror Mirror
6. SHAKA SHAKA TO LOVE
7. Hakkiri Shiyouze
8. Oyogenai Mermaid
9. Aisare Route A or B?
10. SHAKA SHAKA #2 LOVE Colorful Life-hen
11. Ai Mashou
12. Hade ni Yacchai na!
13. Aisubekibeki Human Life
14. Kuyashii wa
15. Piece of Peace ~Shiawase no Puzzle~


So this is assumption of what the first disc will look like!

Tracklist is out!, First disc I almost got right (the SHAKA tracks were in different spots), but is edited


CD 2

1. Survive ~ Ikiteku Tame ni Yume wo Minda (Survive～生きてく為に夢を見んだ))
2. Bukkowashitai (ぶっ壊したい)
3. 23ji no Persona (23時のペルソナ)
4. Nekkara Playboy (根っからプレイボーイ) (Takeuchi, Kawamura, Tamenaga, Hirayama)
5. Top! (Sasaki, Kamikokuryo, Kawana)
6. Sister Sister
7. Maa, Iika! (まぁ、いっか！) (Ise, Hashisako, Matsumoto)
8. Forever Friend



1. Survive ~ Ikiteku Tame ni Yume wo Minda
Lyrics and Composition by Iijima Ken, Arranged by Sumikama Tomohiro

2. Bukkowashitai
Lyrics and Composition by Nakajima Takui, Arranged by Kondo Keiichi

3. 23ji no Persona
Lyrics by Kodama Ameko, Composition by Ohashi Riko, Arranged by Hirata Shoichiro

4. Nekkara Playboy
Lyrics, Composition, and Arranged by Mitsuki Tokuda

5. Top!
Lyrics, Composition, and Arranged by Yamazaki Aoi

6. Sister Sister
Lyrics by Kodama Ameko, Composition by Simon Janlov/MLC/Lisa Desmond, Arranged by Simon Janlov

7. Maa, Iika!
Lyrics by Hoshibe Sho, Composition by Shusui/Josef Melin, Arranged by Josef Melin

8. Forever Friend
Lyrics by Iijima Ken, Composition by Iijima Ken / Sumikama Tomohiro, Arranged by Sumikama Tomohiro




ALSO the other two covers are out! - http://helloproject.com/release/detail/HKCN-50750/


creds to Mr. A on jplop

[JPope]

Limited B


Regular Edition


I like all three covers a lot. Lim B and the regular edition both have a bit of the retro "classic album art" vibe that Anju's first several singles pushed, although the photos in LB would look better with a soft pink white point rather than straight greyscale. I dig the concept, though. The regular cover is damn near perfect, though, save for a couple of awkward poses.

I bet they include a couple or three single songs with the new ones to make more of a proper album.

Nailed it!

To be fair, I made this prediction based on the fact that this is how previous albums from Anju and J=J have been constructed. I have a feeling I'll be doing another "JPope version" of this to work a few of the singles into the 2nd disc to create a "classic" album tracklist.

[JPope]

It's Saturday and I have nothing better to do, so I fired up Photoshop to see if I was right about the Lim B cover.



It's subtle, but I think it's less harsh and more balanced. And since PS was already open, I wondered if a pop of red in the Regular Edition cover might work.



I like this a lot. Or, you could get artsy-fartsy and super minimal with it.



I think I like both more than the original, as it ties it together with the Lim B cover, but the original is fantastic as it is.

[JPope]

Here are the small unit songs:

Nekkara Playboy - Takeuchi, Kawamura, Tamenaga, Hirayama
Top! - Sasaki, Kamikokuryo, Kawana
Maa, Iika! - Ise, Hashisako, Matsumoto

No Takechan solo.

[DonJuan]

Now those are some pretty good covers. Really good for H!P standards.
Sad about no Take solo, though. Girl has been in the group for 10 years after all.

[Solarblade]

Also kind of sad to not see that redone version of Samui ne. either.... though makes me wonder....since the album is out soon and Takechan isn't leaving until the end of the Fall tour...think we'll get one more single?

[AquaChan]

Also kind of sad to not see that redone version of Samui ne. either.... though makes me wonder....since the album is out soon and Takechan isn't leaving until the end of the Fall tour...think we'll get one more single?

It's Fukumura that leaves in fall. Take-chan is graduating at the end of the spring tour, probably in June.

[Solarblade]

OH you're right XD....nevermind the latter statement then XD

[JPope]

"Sister Sister" preview.

[JPope]

"Forever Friend" preview:

[JPope]

So far this sounds like an awesome Juice=Juice album. Or Tsubaki Factory maybe.

[DonJuan]

Guess Anju has to find themselves again, too.
Just yesterday I was listening to Dondengaeshi and Desugita Kui wa Utarenai and thought how different it was from current Anju. Still very idol-like with idol-like outfits (instead of the coordinated fashion they're wearing onstage nowadays) and just, well, different.

[JPope]

Anju has had a formula for a while now -- some combination of hard, funky and dramatic. Almost all of their songs, regardless of style or tempo, fall into at least one of those categories -- often more than one -- and neither of these songs really do. I guess Sister Sister is kind of funky, but it's so much more slick and contemporary than anything they've ever done, and Forever Friend is just so pretty, lol. If I didn't know it was Anju and you asked me to guess the group, I couldn't answer because I'd be sure it was from some other company. "I dunno, Nogizaka46?" I like both songs, but they just don't fit my idea of what Angerme is supposed to be. I get that groups change, but this is stark, and it feels weird that they're doing it before Takeuchi peaces out.

[Shoujo Q]

I honestly have been noticing it now for awhile. Juice=Juice, Angerme and Tsubaki Factory have all sort of lost their image? They are now just getting stuff thrown at them but it's not really coming across as a H!P sound, more just a generic, let's see what will sell, sound. Morning Musume can get away with it, mainly because of their age and the fact Tsunku still has a big hand in how they operate musically. The other groups really don't have Tsunku and rely on the new blood in UF to push them forward and it's really beginning to show now.

I really noticed it with the last few Tsubaki and Juice releases and it seems Angerme is also falling to the trap.

[DonJuan]

I'm with Shoujo here. Not that I *need* themes with groups, but it's all gotten a bit generic. The only ones who still do their thing are Biyo and well, Ocha, kinda.

[JPope]

I think you could add MM to the "doing their own thing" group, it's just a thing we're all tired of, lol. Anju, J=J and TF all seem to be morphing into a mixture of each other, though. I personally prefer an overall theme or sound for groups, with deviations here and there to keep it spicy. I mean, what's the point of having three generational idol groups doing essentially the same thing in your stable?

Who knows, maybe these songs are the deviation for Anju, but it's just kind of jarring to me.

[AquaChan]

Finally gave this album a listen, as it was available today on Apple Music.

The groups songs are a bit like everyone mentioned, a bit all over the place and doesn't feel really ANGERME-ish. On the other hand, I enjoyed more the unit songs, except the one Ise/Hashisako/Matsumoto. Overall a bit underwhelming, but after Rinnetenshou, which I still listen on a daily basis and was a total banger, it's not that bad I guess.

[JPope]

Just finished my first run through the new songs, and yeah, this is a confusing album. The only judgment I'll make now is that I don't think it's as good as Rinnetenshou, and there definitely aren't any immediate heaters like "Akai Earphone" or "Mou Ippo." Beyond that, I'm gonna have to soak in it for a bit, because I think some of the songs are gonna grab me.

BTW, BIG LOVE debuted at 2 with 13,429 and took the top spot today with 2,724. In two days it has already surpassed the total sales of Rinnetenshou. It's around 400 shy of TF's 2nd Step total, although still 3K behind the 1st day sales of J=J's terzo.