Ballads and Bows

ARCHIVED HTML - Brilliance

Dark Sailor Mercury - Ilse

Tone/mood

It makes me somehow think of those Spanish songs. When I reviewed Sakura Fubuki and Mi Amor, okay, those are definitely Spanish, but I also hear some Spanish thingy's in this song. May be because of the intro. Enough about Spanish thingy's let's get to business. This is a different stile than her other songs. I just don't get why the other pgsm actresses didn't more albums or singles. They just stopped with their talent. Talking about idiots. Brilliance's melody is fantastical!

Placement

On Brilliance of course!

Memorable

Memorable, I think that's the hardest section in a review. What is memorable? In this case, I like it so, it's memorable :P.

Lyrics

It's okay to set your hands free
It's too late to regret things from the past
After this I'll taste the flavor of time
Because you can't see it, I'll try to teach you

You're shined on by my brilliance
It mysteriously glitters
Telling you my wishes is useless
When your lips are so close

Okay It makes me think of a dance party and someone is dancing and says what's in the lyrics. They aren't really "perfect" but they are okay. A bit like miracle dance night!

Overall rating

What do you think... 5 HEARTS!!!!! I like Kawabe Chieco soooooooooo much! GO FOR IT GIRL!!!!!!

Sailor Mercury - Topaz

Tone/Mood

the mood of "Brilliance" it very determined/ It reminds me of a movie and you in the middle just before the big event like a show or the mission after training for a long time. It's nice and very strong sounding. the way the singer sings really makes the music flow nice

Placement

N/A

Memorable

Brilliance is not really very memorable. It just blends to much to me. It does not have anything that makes it jump out at you.

Lyrics

THe word are a bit confusing to me. What I get from them are that she was the bight light of the two. But really the other person is who gave her that bright shine. She wants that other person to step in to their own light.

Overall Rating

I give this song a two. Its just a so so song.

Zoicite - Ephie

Tone/Mood:

...is it just me, or are you reminded of Celine Dion? Not that it's necessarily a bad thing, it just really threw me off. I do like the style of the music, though, very upbeat, "seen the light" kind of music, with guitar and exotic synth sounds galore.

Placement:

You know the drill, lovelies. It's on her CD.

Memorable:

I wouldn't remember this one, I know that for sure. It's just not different enough for me, but it is good, I think.

Lyrics:

After the past few reviews, this is a very nice change. It doesn't tell a story so much as I'd said I'd like to see, but this one is more put together. When she asks, with that creepy whisper "Don't you get it, fool?" it gives this feeling that she's about to smack him upside the head, which puts a smile on my face. Also "'I don't want to lose you' is what you really want to say" puts a smile on my face as well. I like hearing things like that, putting words in their mouth, making them say what you want them to say.

Overall rating:

This one gets a 3. I like the random guitar sounds and the lyrics make me giddy in places. But while the music is nice, it doesn't give it that extra mile.

Kuroki Mio - Kara

TONE/MOOD:

This has that same club sound that Chieko seems to be enjoying when it starts, but it breaks out of that after the initial verse. The heavy drums at the end of the chorus are a nice touch, too. In spite of the synthesized sound of this, it has a very strong, almost triumphant sound to it that wins me over. Chieko's voice has always been amazing, and this lets it shine.

PLACEMENT:

Kawabe Chieko's 'Brilliance' album.

MEMORABLE:

There's a warm, straightforward sound to this that makes it a lot more memorable than things I'm heard from Chieko previously.

LYRICS:

They really seem contradictory at first, and that bothered me.

It is the time for my brilliance
You are the one who shines the most

But this is a love song in a much more straightforward sense. This is a bold love song, and it's the sort Chieko really shines at. The forcefulness of the lyrics matches the music nicely.

OVERALL:

4 out of 5 hearts. I wish she'd get off the club sound, but there was such feeling to this song that I can't help but be won over by it.

Sailor Pluto - Ciao

Tone/Mood

It's a dance song that makes me wanna get up and rock da boot-ay. Unfortunately it's 3.01am *laughs* so I can't blast it like the song deserves. The tone is positive, almost assertive. The more I listen to it, the more I like it.

Memorable

I will easily remember this song. I think that it's going to be one of my favourites of her songs. I'll have to get this album and have a copy in my car. It would make for great road trip music. *smiles*

Lyrics

The lyrics are really positive without being in-yer-face. I like the part:

It is the time for my brilliance
Kimeiru kagayakeba
Watashi wo "mitsumetedai" sou iuwa kitto
hisoi na dori wa

where she's telling her s/o how she feels about him, and the feelings she gets from what he's saying back to her. It's almost as if she's also letting him know she's not gonna sit back and be a minor player in the relationship. Good for her *grins*

Overall Rating

You can tell she's grown a lot with this album. It's not so cutesy-kiddie type pop. It's more grown-up, dance style pop. I think I'm starting to become a huge fan of hers *grins* and my son is already a fan. I'll give this a 5/5. Very well done Kawabe-san!

Sailor Neptune - Ruth

Tone Mood

I can sum it up in two words: Hip Hop! ^_^ Most of Chieko's songs are hip hop with a few exceptions. Anyway, did anyone else think that at the beginning it sounded a little too much like Celine Dion's "That's the Way it is"? Then it has it's own beat... I don't know why but whenever I hear the first 10 seconds of 'Brilliance' I think of Celine's song. @__@ The song is upbeat and catchy and one will find themselves singing along. Well I do anyway. LOL! I can see this song used frequently at a karaoke or a (jr.) high school dance. Something the youngans can dance to.

Placement

Not used in PGSM.

Memorable

Honestly at first, no. I didn't really care for the song. However, after listening to it for four times, the song grew on me and it has become a close song to my heart. Gotta love Chieko for having the ability to change one's mind over a song. ^_^

Lyrics

"I want to hold those
Shifting eyes of yours hitting
This body demands to be the only one you'll hold
Feeling like this is home

It is the time for my brilliance
You are the one who shines the most
"I dont want to loose you" is the things you're saying"

As some of the lyrics don't make sense in English (big surprise there), this part of the song catches my eyes. To me, she's saying that she doesn't want the feeling to end and she is telling him that she is the ONLY one for him to look at. And it appears that he's telling her the same thing by "I don't want to loose you" bit. How romantic!

Overall Rating

I give this song a 3 out of five. A song that does grow on some but it's not that good to me. I still have my favorites! Though I better hide from throwing objects from people scoring this song a 5. *hides*

Sailor Luna - Emo-chan

Tone/Mood

OOOO it sounds a little latino or spanish. The beat is very happy-sounding and has a cool, dancing feel to it which I like a lot.

Placement

N/A

Memorible

I think this is a cute song, and it does have a decent remembering value!

Lyrics

I like the words to this song. It matches the beat and the feel of emotions that are expressed.

Your brilliance shines like drops of water Don't you ever get it, fool?

I think that's my favorite part of the song.

It is the time for my brilliance You are the one who shines the most "I dont want to lose you" is what you really want to say I hope to see Your brilliance

The words are vrey pretty and they ound like a love letter, which I enjoy.

Overall

A 4. I liked the song and the dance beat it has. Go Cheiko!*cheers*

Tuxedo Mask - Kero-chan

Tone/Mood:

This song has such a potent sound; it reminds me of a "Flamenco" Dance. It has a Spanish touch that makes the melody sound different from others. Chieko is really experimenting with different sounds and tunes for her songs and I like that. I think that Japanese have something for Spanish/Latin rhythms, and when they fuse them with their music style, the results are pretty good (for example: Brilliance! XDD).

Placement:

You can find this song in "Brilliance".

Memorable:

I think it is going to be memorable to me, I like ballads and dance songs (and pretty much every song of Chieko Kawabe XD) so this one definitely goes to my top 5! (I'm thinking I'm going to make my top 5 in a top 20 XD). The instruments used in the song, Chieko's voice and just the Spanish feeling make the song hard to forget. I remember that the first three times I heard the song, it took me a week to take it out of my head (or I could say that this song was taken out of my head by Pink!3).

Lyrics:

Definitely, my favorite two parts are the: "Don't you ever get it fool" where her voice sounds so great, mature, and in a "Don't ever play with my heart boy!" Also, I like the beginning of the song:

It's okay to set your hands free
It's too late to regret things from the past
After this I'll taste the flavor of time
Because you can't see it, I'll try to teach you

Chieko's song lyrics are so good, it is for sure that she is going to have a good career. She has the voice, the feeling, the passion and the fans (to support her)! XD

Overall Rating:

5! 5! 5! Five stars for my brilliant Chieko!!!

Sailor V - Jessica

Tone/Mood

The mood isn't very upbeat, but somehow has a tone of bitter frustration to it, yet not quite bordering on angst. The pace isn't too fast and it doesn't crawl either, so it doesn't really throw a listener to either extreme of hyper or thoughtful. Its almost something you can listen to without having to pay too much attention.

Placement

None in PGSM

Memorable

I don't mind it a particularly memorable song, but it's good enough to warrant is being the title track of the CD. I remember it for being rather bitter and the sudden, "Don't you ever get it, fool?"

Lyrics

It is the time for my brilliance
You are the one who shines the most
"I dont want to lose you" is what you
really want to say

The lyrics can be a little confusing, but they seem to be about a relationship that's more one sided. She's already said her piece and loves him, she's just frustrated and waiting for him to demonstrate some of the same behaviour.

Overall Rating

4/5

Princess Sailor Moon - Kaitlin

Tone/Mood

Ooo I like how upbeat this is. I feel a bit like I'm back in Mexico. Something about it is kinda... latino? She sounds sexy too! Really into this song. This song makes me feel really uplifted and kinda... empowered? GIRL POWER or something... It's a really enjoyable song.

Placement

On her CD

Memorable

Only if you're a fan of hers ^^

Lyrics

These are actually well done lyrics. There are a few funny bit...

"I want to hold those
Shifting eyes of yours hitting
This body demands to be the only one you'll hold
Feeling like this is home"

Not quite sure what it is exactly those shifting eyes are hitting. When I first read that I sure didn't read shifting though... ><

"Fixing slender things" is a favorite of mine as well. Those slender things... always needing fixin'.

At the very end for some reason "Anata nara Minuku brilliance" Sounded like "Ana Banana Minuku Brilliance" to me. I think I'm losing it.

Overall Rating

4 - an excellent song!

Nephrite - Frosted_Rain

Tone/Mood

Am i in Mexico again? The opening tone has a bit latin beat like Mi Amor of Chisaki Rika (or Hama). It's loud and has a vibrant energy. A good wake-up song (especially the chorus part). A very good title for a waking song: Brillance.

Placement

Brillance Album of Chieko.

Memorable

BOOM!!! What a nice way to wake up sleepy people from their work. Very memorable with its slight latino beat and loud energy and emotion from the song and meaning.

Lyrics

It is the time for my brilliance
You are the one who shines the most
"I dont want to lose you" is what you
really want to say

Oh, such powerful lyrics for this song. Probably one of the best lyrics i've heard from her songs.

Overall Rating

5 hearts!!! Brillance is a brillant song for her album yah! Too much energy, whoa! So powerful!

Princess Serenity - Elly

Tone/Mood

This song is so happy and bright. It can really cheer you up if you're down. It's upbeat but has a slower pace to it.

Placement

Brilliance by Kawabe Chieko

Memorable

A lot of people like this song. It's their favorite on the Brilliance CD, and since it's the title track, people remember it even more. To me, this song is less than stellar. I mean, it's alright, but it doesn't stick out in my mind the way Hoshi Ni Negai Wo or Be Your Girl does.

Lyrics

It is the time for my brilliance
You are the one who shines the most
"I dont want to lose you" is what you
really want to say

These lyrics are alright. They flow better than the lyrics of Pink!Pink!Pink! and some other songs we've reviewed. As far as I can tell though, this song is about nothing in particular.

Overall Rating

3/5 : It's an alright song, but I don't like it nearly as much as other songs by Kawabe Chieko. Be Your Girl and even Pink!Pink!Pink! are better than this...

Sailor Saturn - Miri-chan

Tone/Mood

My first impression - WOW. The song itself starts out in a very lively, spicy style, if you will. It reminds me of a festival or dancing competition. If Kawabe Chieco ever performed it on stage, there would lots of flashy lights. In a sense, that's what the song is like. It's very peppy and flashy. Not happy, nor determined, nor anything else. More like an eyecandy song. It's there just for the purpose of being "brilliant"! I especially like the plinking piano sounds towards the end, in the second-to-last chorus.

Placement

Kawabe Chieco's CD single "Brilliance". Not much to say here, except it's a good song to be the main focus of the single.

Memorable

Although it's an awesome song, there's nothing in it that really stands out and screams, "Play me again!" Not very memorable, except for the opening.

Lyrics

My favourite part of the song is the second to last chorus segment, which runs:

You're shined on by my brilliance
It mysteriously glitters
Telling you my wishes is useless
When your lips are so close

The lyrics seem to match the song so very well. Tempting, and leaving you wondering what she will say next... I especially like the part when she sings "You're shined on by my brilliance". The loss of background beat really adds to the effect, and her pronounciation of "brilliance" is so smooth.

Overall Rating

I'd have to say 3 out of 5 hearts. It may be a sparkly, upbeat song, but as I said above, there's nothing that really stands out. I do like the fact that it's a different style from her other, more melodic songs like Be Your Girl or Hoshi ni Negai wo

Sailorasteroid - Sailor Pluto

Mood:

Well, for the title track of her first album, Chieco put some effort in and got some backbeat and some variance in the register of the vocals. It's still pop though, just as much of the rest of the album is. It's also quite short at 3:22.

Placement:

Title track of the album. Which is a good thing. I really don't like self-titled albums or ones without a song with the same name as the album.

Memorable:

The bass line will let you identify it from the other songs on the album, but that's not saying much.

Lyrics:

Kawabe reaches the height of her Engrish here, butchering whole sentences. I wouldn't have said this song had a single English word. I thought the choral line was along the lines of "yua shai nabama biesu" and not "You are shined on by my brilliance." Sign her up to do the songs for the next Vib Ribbon game.

Overall:

I have hope that, after finishing this album, Kawabe Chieco will take her time, do some idol appearances, make money, and then really push to make a good single. Because this is not what she needs to be, sounding like some second rate Morning Musume castoff. She's got Sailor Moon under her belt and a voice in her throat. Put out some good songs. Failing that, my offer of marriage still stands.

Oh, yeah; the song. Two.

Queen Beryl - Molly

Tone/Mood

The song "brilliance" by Kawabe Chieco seems to be a very upbeat song. Me, being a fan of pop, quite like the beat of the song. This is the first time I'm actually hearing this song. I'm actually loving it.

Memorable

I'm on the second loop of it playing on my playlist, and now the song is officially stuck in my head. I'm at the point where I can sing along to it. If this doesn't count as memorable, I don't know what does.

Lyrics

I think that the lyrics of the song fit to the music. The only problem I really see with the lyrics is her engrish, so it sounds like somehting completely different when it is supposed to be english. I like the imagery the lyrics put forth, as seen here

"You're shined on by my brilliance
It mysteriously glitters
Telling you my wishes is useless
When your lips are so close "

Overall Rating

I give the song overall a 4 out of 5 hearts. I minused one heart, since her engrish is very obvious at certain points in the song, like when she says "You're shined on my brilliance" It sounds like something almost completely different.

Sailor Saturn - Miri-chan

Tone/Mood

Placement

Kawabe Chieco's CD "Brilliance". Not much to say here, except it's a good song to be the namesake of the CD.

Memorable

Although it's an awesome song, there's nothing in it that really stands out and screams, "Play me again!" Not very memorable, except for the opening.

Lyrics

My favourite part of the song is the second to last chorus segment, which runs:

You're shined on by my brilliance
It mysteriously glitters
Telling you my wishes is useless
When your lips are so close

The lyrics seem to match the song so very well. Tempting, and leaving you wondering what she will say next... I especially like the part when she sings "You're shined on by my brilliance". The loss of background beat really adds to the effect, and her pronounciation of "brilliance" is so smooth.

Overall Rating