OverView: Stereopony Music, Vol. 1

September is a very special month for us here at Very Good Days. It is the month of both AIMI’s and NOHANA’s birthdays, one month away from SHIHO’s own special day, and, to top it off, it is the month VGD chose to get back on track after going through a considerable period of slow news. Yeah, we are back on supporting our favorite girls on their new journeys!

We are also approaching the fifth anniversary of Hitohira no Hanabira, Stereopony’s debut single, as well as the one year mark of Stereopony’s disbandment. So, we decided to pay a special homage to our girls’ achievements by releasing a series of music reviews of their singles and albums. That way we can simultaneously remember how awesome their work was and get ready for when they officially release new songs!

So, this is how everything will work out. Every Monday, starting today, we plan on posting reviews of their CDs, following the order of their release. These reviews will be written by yours truly, wannasalad, and then a second opinion will be given the next week in another feature called “LookBack” by another VGD member and friend, Destonus. We will go back and forth until we have covered every official Stereopony release. We promise.

That is pretty exciting, huh? Alright, so let’s start.

Under that star-filled sky we made a promise to never forget

Stereopony’s debut single (released on 5 November 2008) was a success from the very beginning. “Hitohira no Hanabira” was chosen to be the seventeenth ending theme of anime series Bleach, ranking #25 on the Oricon Weekly Charts at the time of its release. According to AIMI, “Hitohira” was a product of intensive work, which they were proud of, considering SHIHO’s claim that it was one of their favorite songs to perform live.

Being the single’s leading track and an anime tie-in nonetheless, “Hitohira no Hanabira” is a pretty good song for a debuting artist. Its music and lyrics were both written by AIMI, as given in the credits, and it shows a certain youth quality that appeals to me. The chorus and guitar riffs are catchy, as well as the lyrics, talking about a relationship coming to an end from the perspective of someone who does not want to regret it. It is easy to relate to the lyrics. AIMI’s voice also matches well with NOHANA’s and SHIHO’s, who join in the chorus, and it is not too assertive as to come off aggressive, nor too morose, so the song still keeps its lively tune. All in all it is an enjoyable song.

“Nyamii” (or Near Me) comes next as a B-side to the single. Thinking about it, I feel like this is one of those songs you cannot help but smile while listening to. It brings me that warm feeling of summer days spent with your best friend doing absolutely nothing, but being content about it. And that is what the lyrics are apparently about too, if you choose to look at it that way. Both music and lyrics were written by AIMI, with her guitar being more pronounced than it was in the first track, which is something that pleases me because it sets the song’s pace nicely. AIMI’s vocals also give me the feeling that she’s smiling while singing it, and that thought in itself is enough to put a smile on my face too. As if I wasn’t smiling enough. Despite being a short song, it is a good one.

Bringing up the rear are “Yuukan na Funny Friends” and “Hitohira no Hanabira ~Instrumental version~”. “Yuukan” is by far the most energetic song of the single, considering its enthusiastic tune and AIMI’s vocal performance. SHIHO’s drums now dictate the pace, with AIMI’s guitar giving an edge to it. The lyrics talk about friends having fun, living in the moment, and pursuing their dreams without fear. It is a great song for that moment when you feel like you need something to cheer you up and keep going. Although AIMI’s vocals could use a little more enthusiasm to accompany the music, I still like how she delivered her performance here. Both lyrics and music were written by her, by the way.

Overall, Hitohira no Hanabira has proven to be an enjoyable single. The only downside I can think of is their mixing job, which made it very difficult to hear their instruments over the synthesizer. I also wish AIMI’s vocals were stronger throughout the songs, but considering her young age at the time of this recording, she has done a pretty good job.

About the author

wannasalad is a Very Good Days member from Brazil. Her “OverView: Stereopony Music” feature is published every Monday, beginning in September 2013 and ending at the end December 2013.