Check out some Girl's Box music

In my post titled "Finding more Aiko..." I threatened to make the a☆girls song 'Tsuioku no Heroine' available for preview, so I've done myself one better and am making a number of Girls Box songs available.

Each song I've uploaded has three things in common: first, I enjoy these songs and think that some of you will enjoy them as well. Second, I'm not aware that any of these songs are widely available on the 'net, if you can even find a portion of them anywhere else. And third, each song has been modified so that you get most (but not all) of the song here; just enough to make you think that if only you had that extra minute or so, including the brilliant ending, your life would somehow be complete.

I'm not trying to encourage piracy, I just think you'll like them enough to search for them legitimately at some point. I'm just tired of shopping for music where you are *lucky* if you get titles, or any correct information at all. I'm also displeased with 30-second soundbytes that don't really give you any idea of the scope of the composition. I don't own the rights to any of this, and I'm not representing any company in doing this. Just getting it out there so that maybe someone else will pick up on it. I know Avex wants to sell this, and I know the retailers want to sell this. If you haven't heard these before (or, like me, you may be on the fence about some things), this will give you the chance to hear this music for what it really is. And really, what it is, is... awfully good. I've provided links to the albums at cdjapan, but now that you know what you're looking for, feel free to buy them anywhere.

So, if you're still with me, here's what I've got:

Girls Box ~Best Hits Compilation Winter~
(also available as CD-only)
There are 11 songs on this disc, and I am providing previews for:
Track 3: Hiroko Sato: "Can't Hide"
Track 5: a☆girls: "Tsuioku no Heroine
Track 8: Nanase Hoshii: "Fuyu no Opera Glass"
Track 9: Saito Michi: "Tooi Machi no Dokoka de"

Girls Box LOVERS HIGH Original Song Collection
(also available as CD-only)
There are 6 songs on this disc, and I am providing previews for:
Track 2: Nagasawa Nao: "To you"
Track 3: Kayo Aiko: "Runaway girl"
Track 4: Nanase Hoshii: "Dawn is standing on my back"
Track 5: Saito Michi: "HOLD ON"

Right, here is the collection for download at Mediafire. Please feel free to leave a comment or email me (see profile-->) with your thoughts.

Lots of links, Aiko style.

I just took a Mensa Practice Quiz which says I have a "good chance of passing the Mensa test," but if it only weren't for these two simple facts: one, I *hate* word and number puzzles, and two, I'm too busy doing Aiko research to care.  You'll all thank me for doing this, it took a little while.

Seriously, for now I'm done praising everybody else, so it's time for the issue at hand... wait, one more thing... I previewed SPEED's new single Ashita no Sora and it's *damn* good; almost made me cry to see them back together all these years later. I insist you check it out.

Okay, the issue at hand... Ms. Kayo Aiko.  Forget wikipedia, it won't tell you anything.  Rather, check out her blog (also linked above right), or the blog of fellow Kingyo Nao-chan, or the blog of fellow Cheer Up-pers TONO and Kyan Chiaki, where Aiko is bound to (and does frequently) make an appearance. She puts pictures of *them* on *her* blog, so expect the same from her contemporaries.

Also, see Aiko being a video game nerd for whatever the heck this game is called.  Right now there are 18 pages, all accessible from clicking one of the small pictures at the bottom of the main page.

Or, go to youtube for new concert footage, shot about May of this year at Shibuya-O Crest:

Aishite ne Motto

Kanojo wa Gokigen Naname (never seen her sing this live before)

Hitomi no Naka no Meikyuu

Still not impressed?  Keep reading.  Go to Google Maps and copy-n'-paste the following coordinates for your virtual Aiko tour.  Choose "Street View" and pretend you're there.  For extra realism, go there in person!

First, a holy shrine for all Kingyo lovers, Azabu West Studio, located at:

35°39'30.21"N, 139°43'30.56"E

the brown building with the recessed entry and Coke machine (and old guy on street) is where LOVERS HIGH was recorded.

Then, head to Fussa on the outskirts of Tokyo for a couple of Aiko landmarks.

The first is at:

35°44'6.52"N, 139°20'25.32"E

and the store called BIG MAMA is where the 'cosmic cosmetics' cover was shot. Took me a while to find this place, and the store is shuttered in the Street View, which covers up the oh-so-famous "American Antiques" wording featured so prominently on the cover.  Must've been Sunday when the Google people drove by.  But, that's the place.

When looking for that, by sheer accident, I found:

35°44'16.77"N, 139°20'20.19"E

The NICOLA sign (see picture above), which is a pizza place.  I have no idea why this was included, but again, there it is.  By the way, the caption on the Polaroid above reads "I'm happy even on cloudy day."  I would be, too, if I had some pizza!

Girl's Box LOVERS HIGH Review Part Two

My words wouldn't do justice to Nagasawa Nao's legendary hotness..  She stands out amongst the unbelievably cute cast as the girl who's been there and done that many times over.  You get the feeling that she'd use you up and move on to the next guy without any awkward long goodbyes.  (So, Miss Nagasawa, if you're taking applications...)

Picking up where I left off, Nao (as Nami) saves Yua from certain creepiness with a couple select hits to the creepy guy.  Beforehand he explains, "I'll go easy on you", and after a thorough ass-whipping, he falls to his knees and howls with laughter like any crazy masochist would (he's a good actor!).

As I mentioned before, even though Nami is a Lone Wolf type, she throws Yua an extra helmet (probably normally reserved for her 'catch of the day') and it's off to Girl's Box.  She shows Yua around, introduces her to Mama, and gets Yua hired on as a waitress.  Yua serves a table of businessmen whose behavior demands a little tweaking.  After they pat Yua on the butt (hey, that's MY job!) Nami points out the 'Girls Box Rules', which include "hands off the waitstaff" and "if you're not going to follow the 'hands off the waitstaff' rule, prepare to get slapped."  Already she's got to enforce both rules and she slaps the offender to the ground, to the amusement of his companions (and we, the viewers).  Nami has Yua practice up a little bit until Yua's technique also lives up to the bar's fine man-slapping reputation.

Nao first appears at the audition in full punk-rock dress and boy, does she rock 'em good.  The auditioners cut her off a little too soon and she replies with something like, "So you're looking for a few new girlfriends, is that it?  What a crappy audition!"

Nao does such a good job with her role in this film, maybe because she really is the no-nonsense type, maybe because she's got a lot of acting experience, maybe because she had it rough growing up, I don't know.  Her special talent here seems to be flipping people off, and she does so, twice!  Whatever we did to push you over the edge, Miss Nagasawa, we take it back.  Before that, you seemed like a really nice girl to take home to Mom, if Mom needed a few defensive karate lessons.

Nao has always been a darling of Girl's Box;  she has style, she has class, and somehow it seems that she'd be equally comfortable hangin' out with the boys.  You know:  spitting contests, poker games, working on beer number 40-something long after you pass out.  Every side of her comes off equally strong here, and although Nami doesn't really change from beginning to end, she certainly gives Mama and all the others a good example to follow of a chick who's truly 'with it' and keeps a 'real cool head'.

In summary, Nao may not be my favorite but she's gained more than a couple of notches with this role.  I had to watch her bring down the house on the Girl's Box Natsu-Matsuri DVD yet again last night.  Worship her -- or face her wrath!