Pink iPod Of Doom: Angela - Voice of the Sky, Paranoia Agent, Gunparade March, Gungrave, Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~:Pine

By: Lauren Goodnight
Date: Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Welcome, Cult of the Pink iPod of DOOM! I've been travelling all around the East coast for con season, and this has given me a chance to review all sorts of music in a timely manner. It also has given me a chance to clean up my review pile. This is the first in a 4-part series of articles that will clear my official review pile as well as add in a few more titles that you definitely need to know about! As for the rest of the year, I'll be reporting for Animeondvd.com at Otakon, and I'll be a guest at Anime Weekend Atlanta and Anime South, so don't be shy! Come up and as about the Pink iPod of DOOM!!! It loves you, you know....



This time, we look at Angela's new release, as well as the soundtrack to a new fave series of mine, Paranoia Agent. Also, we're firing guns akimbo with reviews of Gunparade March and Gungrave. Lastly, nested in the middle, the review of something I desperately wanted to like, Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~: Pine.

Angela: Voice of the Sky

Geneon Entertainment



Immediately upon listening to the first track on this disc ('over the limits'), I wanted to draw a direct comparison to Shakira because the singer, Atsuko, uses that small gap between her true voice and her falsetto range in the same way the Latin wunderkind does: she jumps from one extreme to another with a technique similar to yodeling. And just think, Cher needs a vocal filter to achieve the same disjointed sound. There isn't much here that is original in and of itself, but the actual sound this group lends to the Japanese pop formula is innovative and fresh. This is VERY impressive, because there are so many people in the business of J-pop and each tries to stand apart from the crowd and get that consumer dollar. Angela seems to grab that golden ring with little or no effort. Every note feels like a labor of love, and that's the only labor I dealt with while listening to this!

Where I took it: I listened to the majority of this while sitting outside of a Cracker Barrel waiting for my family.

Where it took me: Instead of being transported to anime-land, I just wanted to get up and dance. In the middle of the outdoor rocking chairs at Cracker Barrel. Either I'm really strange, or this is really good stuff!

Standout track: Brilliant Road to Tomorrow! - This showcases the band's stellar guitar work while pointedly singling out the vocal gymnastics Atsuko is capable of.


Skip-it track: Ring of Miracle - Take all of the things that made Brilliant Road fun and then drain them of their creativity. Bored now.



Rating: 4 out of 5

Paranoia Agent

Geneon Entertainment



Hmm. Well, I have to wonder occasionally at the mindset of the Japanese when they create something so "out there" as the Paranoia Agent series. There are many many soundtracks that, upon hearing them several times before actually watching the series they were tied to, spoiled the whole experience. Paranoia Agent, however, did not do that. Instead, the unsteady mix of repetitive, nerve jangling tracks with calm, soothing, cheerful melodies is much like the series itself without giving away the game. This disc is emotionally packed, but I wouldn't recommend sitting down to listen to the whole thing all at once; you'll find yourself skipping half of the tracks simply because of their repetitive nature.

Where I took it: When I was in Houston, Fry's Electronics had a sale on this disc. So, I grabbed it and listened to it on the way to and from lunch out on the town.

Where it took me: I was here in my safe place, I was there in the fields of insanity, but I was always in Maromi's little world of paranoia.

Standout track: Dream Island Obsessional Park - This song is a wonderful mix of creepy and exhilarating. I can listen to this track over and over and over.

Skip-it track: Shadow - I can't listen to this track for more than 10 seconds at a time without having a terrible pounding behind my left eye. Take a moment, put your headphones on, and try to listen to the whole thing at once. MUCH SADNESS.



Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Ai Yori Aoshi -Enishi-: Pine

This release is a mixed bag in my opinion. I really liked the soft, sweet music that made me connect with the series' almost wholesome deep kindness. I was truly ambivalent to the long drama track and the commercial at the end of the disc. Playing this CD on random is a real trial because of these two features, but the rest of the disc is a welcome addition to the Pink iPod of DOOM. The music itself is extremely pleasant on the ears, with a mix of Pf (pianoforte, the kind of piano used in modern music), strings, and synthetic orchestration. Something about this album clicks very well, music-wise, and it becomes a solid package of relaxing music, mostly.

Where I took it: This is great for going on walks when you're super stressed!

Where it took me: I was somewhere that slowed down for my difficulties and remembered my sacrifices when it came time to help out.

Standout track: An Occult Girl - This was brilliantly cliché and delightful! I had a blast listening to this, especially when people are often divided on whether I'm a good, sweet person or super creepy.

Skip-it track: 'Action Results from Suppressed Endurance', 'Which Chef Wins the Bistro's Apron?' and 'Additional CM: Take and Ume' - Action Results is a very manic track and it seems out of place on the disc as a whole. Which Chef is the 21-minute drama track that Geneon requires you to go to their site to translate; BIG WASTE OF TIME. Take and Ume is a commercial in Japanese. When it comes to tracks I can take or leave, these three are hands down "leave" tracks.



Rating: 2.5 of 5

Gunparade March ~Spirit of Samurai~

Geneon Entertainment



I continue to be baffled by the super-short track. I greatly appreciate completeness, and I'm glad that the producers aren't simply wadding the smaller tracks all up into one bigger track like so many punks and children into a katamari, but sometimes, as a listener, it isolates me from the music. I should know this little snippet and I don't. Gunparade March suffers from this malady. There are a ton of great short songs, presented with a clear beginning and end, and I could see anyone who likes giant robot anime or space opera anime adoring this spirited disc. I especially like the songs that have a futuristic propaganda film flavor to them; it feels great, and I wanna go kick some alien booty!

Where I took this: I read manga to this disc, and the mood always felt pretty steady.

Where it took me: I felt the joy, sorrow, and exhilaration of the schoolchild crew.

Standout track: Shibamura, A Glorious History - Yes, I am enchanted by the 8-second track. I just cackle every time I hear this, and I love to smile. That love rubs off on the track itself. Pure silliness on my part, so please forgive me!

Skip-it track: Everything here fits. I'd not rearrange a single note, even though the short tracks are truly too short.



Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Gungrave O.S.T. uno "righthead"

Geneon Entertainment



The unifying theme in "righthead" is the use of string instruments. Violins, guitars, bass, mandolin, gypsy violin... you name it, chances are someone used it in this disc. That unifying element makes this disc, which should feel disjointed, feel smoother and more like a story in and of itself. What I found very interesting was that the lyrics for the opening song, Clue, were written and sung by the same man who sings 'Strangers' on the Wolf's Rain soundtrack, Raj Ramayya. I must find out more about this man, as his voice just keeps sticking holding on to me. It feels like destiny, a little bit. Either way, this is a fun album, especially if you enjoy stringed instruments or play one yourself.

Where I took this: I surfed the net while listening to this. It helped me resist the overwhelming power of eBay!!

Where it took me: I kept finding myself in a border town in the frontier lands, working hard and playing hard. Excellent imagery.

Standout track: Jester's Dream - This track was heavier on the soft ambient feel than any other, and so it stood out. It is lovely to listen to, and the Spanish guitar work here by Tsuneo Imahori is irresistible.

Skip-it track: Hit the Jackpot! - If any song felt out of place in this mix, it is the well-orchestrated but misguided 'Hit the Jackpot'. Its a pop instrumental among so many non-pop tunes.



Rating: 4 out of 5