Macross - Music discussion (Part 2)

[-Antares-]

Woo, more Kaname mains! I'm kind of excited for JUNNA's Diamond Crevasse, but I worry she won't be able to pull of the softer parts. Freyja's cover of Seikan Hikou doesn't interest me at all, though. She may sound similar but she lacks the depth in her voice that Megumi Nakajima had, so it just sounds airy and I don't think it will sound good.

I have absolutely no clue why they chose to do solo versions of Bokura no Senjou. You've practically already got that in the standard song depending on the chorus/verse. And I get that the Freyja/Mikumo covers chosen were probably their audition songs, but I'd rather get serious covers for each member of Walküre. Imagine Mikumo singing Information High (Macross PLUS), Kaname singing Seventh Moon (Macross 7), Freyja singing Feel Universe (Macross 7) greenlesbian singing Pink Monsoon (Macross Fronter) and I guess pinklesbian could sing Yanyan (Macross Zero) or Watashi no Kare wa Pilot (SDF). Or the two lesbians (come on, they totally are) could do a duet of Universal Bunny. That song always seemeed like it should be a duet.

... And maybe a bonus track where May'n and and Yoshiki Fukuyama sing the duet version of Holy Lonely Light, my favorite song from Macross 7. I will never stop dreaming for that. I need to listen to their song.

[ippus]

Originally Posted by -Antares-

... And maybe a bonus track where May'n and and Yoshiki Fukuyama sing the duet version of Holy Lonely Light, my favorite song from Macross 7. I will never stop dreaming for that. I need to listen to their song.

This. This forever.
That being said I feel May'N singing with any hot blooded singer always ends up as a belting match. Same happened with her and Nana Mizuki. It's not BAD but Holy Lonely Night was nice cus it had really different voices working together.

....Still want it though.

[MichiNekoChan]

New Album out for thoses who know how to grab it

EDIT:
quick verdict

Freya Seikan Hikou - I dont think she can hit the notes right? seems a bit off to me

Mikumo Diamond Crevasse - Trying to hard?????? Like it doesnt sound right either.

I can only assume ive been so seeped in with Sheryl singing hers and Ranka singing hers that anything else sounds weird???

[KongaKonga]

Minoringo hit Seikan Hikou perfectly..same as I imagine it would be..I read somewhere this suppose to be Freyja audition song

yeah i do agree Junna a bit off..must be because her deep voice...but eh!! I thinks overall is ok maybe we used to hear those May'n "angelic" Diamond Crevasse

Kaname ver of Giraffe Blues ....Messssseeeer!!!
Walkure Ga Tomaranai good ..I thinks this type of song perfect for anime op

[endlessabyss]

This is my verdict of the songs I listened so far. I have to listen to them x more times to get a more conclusive verdict.

1. Youkoso! Walkure World e - Decent, but why is the instrumental filler 1:50 or 2 minutes long and at the very beginning? It is annoying/tiresome to skip/wait to the good part of it (the start of the actual song). I heard one person's theory for live concerts which is understandable, but to have it on an album? Either remove or shorten it.

2. Namidame Bakuhatsuon - with Claire: Decent.

3. Seikan Hikou - Freya Version: Good, but it's literally Ranka 2.0 so I'm somewhat disappointed. It doesn't help that Minori Suzuki's vocal color is replicating Megumi Nakajima's which I'm hearing more of the latter in this song. I was amusingly thinking that Megumi is featured in the album. Lol. What would have been better is if the child-like voice version is used instead to help differentiate the song from the original.

4. Bokura no Senjou - Freyja Solo: Good.

5. Diamond Crevasse - Mikumo Version: Okay/good, but I think Junna needs more experience/training to refine her singing. She can be a bit off at times, especially in previous songs. On the plus side, the song is different than being a straight copy like Seikan Hikyou - Freya Version, although I still prefer the original.

6. Bokura no Senjou - Mikumo Solo: Good.

7. Giraffe Blue - Kaname Solo Requiem: Good.

8. Walkure ga Tomaranai: Good. The ensemble song is catchy, not overcrowded, and the vocal colors/singing is cohesive/connected/very smooth/not off-pitched. It might be even be the most well executed ensemble song (within the three albums). This would have made a great OP. It is more polish/solid than the ones used in the TV series.

[Tak]

Seikan Hikou is a cute song, a moe song. Most members of Walkure could pronably pull it off.

But Diamond Crevasse? Sorry, thats something else. Being hard-associated with Sheryl Nome also renders it rather unimaginable for anyone else to attempt the feat.

- Tak

[ImperialPanda]

Originally Posted by MichiNekoChan

New Album out for thoses who know how to grab it

Grab it like this you mean?

I was never a huge fan of May'n. But I also thought the covers of Seikan Hikou and Diamond Crevasse were kind of disappointing, compared to the originals.

I always knew Kaname is best girl.

[Tak]

Listening to Frejya Hikou is indeed very Ranka 2.0. She also sounds the part. Though the song was never on my top list for Frontier, Frejya's version brought back memories...

- Tak

[Gravitas Free Zone]

As expected, someone has mixed Sheryl and Mikumo.

[HirouKeimou]

Originally Posted by Gravitas Free Zone

As expected, someone has mixed Sheryl and Mikumo.

You know, I wondered if it's wrong or not to like a fan mix more than original versions and now... I don't care if it's right or wrong anymore.

For one, for all May'n has in her vocals, Diamond Crevasse is a song I always felt had a lackluster chorus because of its background vocals. And I'm also a person who, rightfully, could complain about how there is no proper duet to this version of the song for May'n and Nakajima in the Frontier days (no, the 50/50 does not count here!). And while I'll never have an official duet for May'n and Nakajima, I don't care now because of this fan mix. It's all I needed, to be honest.

Now, I'm not saying it's perfect (god no), and sometimes JUNNA sounds off or misplaced; however in the chorus, their voices compliment each other. You can tell (if it were not a fan mix) that it's a duet without either person overshadowing the other! And considering how hard it is to do any mix without an accapella version of a song (even if this song likely has one for May'n at this point), I hold this person in high regards for a good job because it's quite good in terms of skillfully handling who has which piece and neither singer overshadowing each other in the chorus (which is something I notice people in Delta's fandom complain a little bit too much about considering it's common for singers in a group to have this issue!).

Also, in regards for Seikan Hikou, and for Minori; you know, I said it eons ago either on here or for friends how Minori and Nakajima really sound alike, especially while singing, and it's no surprise how she's able to pull off Seikan Hikou like Nakajima did. I really don't get the gripe on her singing skills here at all...

The new ballad for Giraffe Blues is so beautiful, and sad, and... kind of wish this version had been in episode 10... Walkure Does Not Stop is okay but it's chorus is artfully done because it's so catchy. The newer version of Namidame Bakuhatsuon is... I'll gripe a little bit here: I like it; however, because it's basically a group cover of the original and is not sung by everyone in the series itself... it's kind of unnecessary; don't know if it's longer or shorter than the original though.

The single/solo versions of the songs are good, too; specific credit for the Freyja solo of Our Battlefield, because it's the version I really loved (episode 3!!! accapella intro).

The rest of the album; however, is... god, I really don't like the new song... I don't even know how it's said right now in either English or Japanese and I don't care. The instrumentals do not kill it like the vocals themselves. I don't know, I guess sometimes there has to be that one song on an album which... doesn't belong in the slightest...

[BetoJR]

Originally Posted by HirouKeimou

For one, for all May'n has in her vocals, Diamond Crevasse is a song I always felt had a lackluster chorus because of its background vocals. And I'm also a person who, rightfully, could complain about how there is no proper duet to this version of the song for May'n and Nakajima in the Frontier days (no, the 50/50 does not count here!). And while I'll never have an official duet for May'n and Nakajima, I don't care now because of this fan mix. It's all I needed, to be honest.

Now, I'm not saying it's perfect (god no), and sometimes JUNNA sounds off or misplaced; however in the chorus, their voices compliment each other. You can tell (if it were not a fan mix) that it's a duet without either person overshadowing the other! And considering how hard it is to do any mix without an accapella version of a song (even if this song likely has one for May'n at this point), I hold this person in high regards for a good job because it's quite good in terms of skillfully handling who has which piece and neither singer overshadowing each other in the chorus (which is something I notice people in Delta's fandom complain a little bit too much about considering it's common for singers in a group to have this issue!).

Jeebus... That's your opinion, but... God, no. Just... No.

There's a version of this song, called Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse (you can look it up on Youtube or elsewhere) that is just, for lack of a better word, perfection. No fan mix or whatever can ever come close, I'm sorry to say. That's also my opinion, of course, it goes without saying, but that's the original performer and all...

My personal preference, as well. I still listen to it, whenever the mood strikes, to this day.

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by ImperialPanda

Grab it like this you mean?

I was never a huge fan of May'n. But I also thought the covers of Seikan Hikou and Diamond Crevasse were kind of disappointing, compared to the originals.

I always knew Kaname is best girl.

Or this. Could be cheaper for some

Anyway I've been listening to the previews on iTunes and overall I find this album more interesting than the majority of the second one. That new song is... not really what I was expecting but not bad, just not amazing like most of the first album was for me.

Freyja doing Seikan Hikou sounds pretty damned good as expected but yeah, I'll agree with most folks here that JUNNA just doesn't make Diamond Crevasse work (also thanks BetoJR for calling my attention to that particular May'n version. Absolute freaking beautiful! ).

To be fair what I really wanted out of JUNNA was her covering Sheryl Nome's more high paced songs like "What 'about my star?" or "Iteza Gogo Kuji Don't be late". (let me keep my delusions! )

Overall I might bite on this album. I skipped most of the previous one aside from "God Bless You" and "Absolute 5".

[HirouKeimou]

Originally Posted by BetoJR

Jeebus... That's your opinion, but... God, no. Just... No.

There's a version of this song, called Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse (you can look it up on Youtube or elsewhere) that is just, for lack of a better word, perfection. No fan mix or whatever can ever come close, I'm sorry to say. That's also my opinion, of course, it goes without saying, but that's the original performer and all...

My personal preference, as well. I still listen to it, whenever the mood strikes, to this day.

The version you're talking about is not really up for debate here because it's basically similar to how everyone else (majority) on here are complaining about new solo versions of songs basically redoing the song without changing anything, and while this version is a little bit changed, it's only in her accapella beginning and how the song ends upon the last lyric. Everything in between only has a new tone for like a minute and then it's old school Diamond Crevasse.

And again, I'm talking about background vocals in the chorus (since no one can read, obviously), and how a general lack of an official duet to the original version of the song is a big disappointment. Bear in mind how May'n is basically supplied background vocals from who I can only guess is Sheryl's VA (Endo), and I don't know if you recall but their singing voices are drastically different.

The reason this duet is good is because while JUNNA is off key in the main portion of the song, their voices in the chorus mix nicely wherein May'n and Nakajima could be said to sometimes not deliver on this in their duets (Lion comes up here because while renditions of it in the medleys is good, the original song itself during chorus could be called a "war zone" of who is loudest).

Then again, sometimes I believe people are not willing to listen to new things because nostalgia clouds their judgment. And I'm a person who does not like covers of songs but is defending one...

[BetoJR]

No, mate, sometimes new things just aren't up to snuff. And Diamond Crevasse isn't even that old, is it? And it sure as hell didn't need to be a duet, at least in my opinion. Not every song does.

[endlessabyss]

HirouKeimou, if you have something to share, that's great. However, I think some words to be said it bit more nicely, in particular with the phrase "since no one can read, obviously". Not everyone is able to analyze every subject/topic or read between the lines. Also I'm pretty sure there are those who tried listening to something new/different, but it doesn't fit their tastes.

[ippus]

....She's Off Key...?
What.

I'm sorry, The Junna version of Diamond Crevasse it's a lot of things but Off key? Do you even know what that means?

This is what Off key sounds like: https://youtu.be/xzgcLhzo_dU?t=2m30s

That entire part of this scene with them singing the first opening, from the moment Freyja starts singing to the atrocious sound Junna makes when Mikumo joins in. THAT'S Off key.

Also the idea that a song can only be good by drowning it in backup vocals is just >___>

[raile]

Junna is a great singer but her Diamond Crevasse isn't great. The original arrangement seems to work against her I dunno.
Minori's Seikan Hikou sounds like every other cover I hear. XD

Diamond Crevasse as a duet? Pass.

[HirouKeimou]

Originally Posted by endlessabyss

However, I think some words to be said it bit more nicely, in particular with the phrase "since no one can read, obviously". Not everyone is able to analyze every subject/topic and have a discernible ear like you have.

No, I legitimately said "background vocals" from the beginning; so I'm quite justified in pointing out how said person who responded did not read it.

Originally Posted by endlessabyss

Also I'm pretty sure there are those who tried listening to something new/different, but it doesn't fit their tastes.

It's not about taste here; it's about not giving things a chance in general; and I feel like people who dislike Delta in general are not giving its music a chance at all at this point and that is where I really draw the line. It's not bad music; it's not life-changing or spectacular, but neither was anything out of Frontier. To place Delta's music on a level of "failure" is discounting all the talent there is in these singers in general; and I really dislike people who do that so of course I'll object opinions here.

Originally Posted by ippus

....She's Off Key...?
What.

...Maybe you need to listen to the fan mix.
Because it's clearer in how she is off key in the bridges of the song. The lowest bit of the song is in how she is trying a little too hard to match May'n in the bridge, her low vocals sounding strained vs. her good voice in songs like Destructive Purity.

The chorus is fine; in fact, she's on key for a majority of it (special mention to her loss of this in the final chorus because the build up to the second half is a little lackluster compared to May'n); and I especially love the second chorus (it's the highlight for her in the song).

Thing is, in between the second and third chorus, there's a dip in the quality of her voice while singing the bits May'n did so beautifully in the original which really shows. For one, while May'n sounds emotionally attached to the song she is singing (like Minori did for Seikan Hikou), JUNNA does not? So her "endless tears" area (you know "why won't these tears stop overflowing") of the song sounds really off key...

The thing is, her version also does not have any background vocals for the chorus (like May'n had someone supposedly saying "cry" in-between her verses). Her track sounds like a solo and is solemn; however, she is not matching this "aspect" in tone. And while I could also chop this up to "it's what they're going for", I don't think a song like Diamond Crevasse, which is about losing a loved one and cherishing said person in their memories, is deserving of a cover like this. JUNNA could display emotions similar to Sheryl by channeling the loneliness and longing for someone via Mikumo; however, she did not, obviously; and it's shallow in my opinion.

---

And for people who believe I really don't like Frontier's songs; I do. In fact, Macross is a franchise I love more for its music than anything else at the end of the day. So if someone's going to tell me Delta's music is awful or bad, I'll of course argue how your favorite series is no better; at the end of the day, they're all only music and of course will fade as a new generation comes along. And I know a number of you fans on here are oldies people who were around for the first Macross. I know it's hard for you to grasp but I believe Delta's music is aimed at a newer generation and that's why it's not your cup of tea. That's no reason to hold such distaste/hatred towards it either...

[endlessabyss]

Originally Posted by HirouKeimou

No, I legitimately said "background vocals" from the beginning; so I'm quite justified in pointing out how said person who responded did not read it.

I have no problems with that, but how you said it in which I viewed the phrase in a negative tone. I suggested saying in a nicer way.

Originally Posted by HirouKeimou

It's not about taste here; it's about not giving things a chance in general; and I feel like people who dislike Delta in general are not giving its music a chance at all at this point and that is where I really draw the line. It's not bad music; it's not life-changing or spectacular, but neither was anything out of Frontier. To place Delta's music on a level of "failure" is discounting all the talent there is in these singers in general; I really dislike people who do that so of course I'll object opinions here.

Ah, but I talking about the music in the general, not the show: Those who did give it a chance, but still didn't like it because of their musical tastes.

[Tak]

...

Every now and then, I am tempted to post my own attempts at Diamond Crevasse, but I often exercise caution/sanity and stop myself from doing so. Ya'll have not heard off-key until you heard me sing.

Consider yourselves blessed.

- Tak