ZARD Album Review: "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita"

Nothing is forever and I feel a certain sense of sadness as I approach the end of ZARD's albums which
also tracks to the end of Izumi Sakai's life. Three years after "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" she passed away. I do start looking at the arc of her career as this project winds down. What I find myself thinking is her earlier albums I have a lot more excitement for. However, I would also say her vocals have improved as she had matured as an artist.

Maybe the album title which translates to "The clock that had stopped has now started moving again" has subtle meaning. Perhaps it is Sakai hoping the pause in her career is over. In hindsight perhaps in her death the clock did stop only to start moving again when discover her music is beloved and timeless thus the clock started moving again. Perhaps these two things are both true.

I go into these albums with a sense of contentment and not dread, a very similar feeling to what I had leaving her grave when I visited. Anyways here are my thoughts about "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita."

Track 1: "Ashita wo Yume Mite" (明日を夢見て, album mix version)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Satoru Kobayashi
Vocals 4.50 / Music 4.00 / Production 4.00

A hopeful upbeat song, perhaps a response to her own health issues? Izumi is very on point with her vocals and solidly hits her range. Music and production following close behind. The synth elements of the song were about the only tell for the track being one from Aika Ono and it is musically impressive. This is a great open for the album.

Track 2: "Toki no Tsubasa" (時間の翼, completed version from album Toki no Tsubasa)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Satoru Kobayashi
Vocals 3.00 / Music 3.00 / Production 2.75

Perhaps "Toki no Tsubasa" appearing for a second time says something about the prior album. It definitely sounds different, but I am not sure for the better. Sakai's vocals are fighting with the music tracks. Her vocals are not quite as polished here not sure if the same one's were used across both versions they sound slightly different to me, the imbalances here might have something to do with it. Looking back on my last review, I liked that version a lot more. Perhaps less is more.

Track 3: "Motto Chikaku de Kimi no Yokogao Mitetai" (もっと近くで君の横顔見ていたい) Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Daisuke Ikeda
Vocals 4.00 / Music 4.25 / Production 4.00

The tracks starts slow, but gains some momentum. This is a very ZARD song and that's great. A track doesn't have to be anything phenomenal. Aika Ohno's music on the track pairs well and is interesting in and of itself. You can feel Daisuke's steady hand in the arrangement and later production.

Track 4: "Pray"
Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Satoru Kobayashi
Vocals 3.75 / Music 3.75 / Production 3.00

To me a very melancholy song. Sakai's vocals are nice. Akihito Tokunaga's music is good. Production is a little odd. There are some backing vocals literally in the back, either bring them up or push them out. Production I think drags the song down a little, its just a bit all over the place.

Track 5: "Deai Soshite Wakare" (出逢いそして別れ)
Izumi Sakai / Michiya Haruhata / Michiya Haruhata and Daisuke Ikeda
Vocals 3.00 / Music 2.75 / Production 2.75

Opening with an Arabian Nights feel that sort of reminded me of the "Ihoujin" she did with Tak Matsumoto, but dialed way back. This sound threads through "Deai Soshite Wakare" but to me this feels like a song from a couple decades prior. The voice ovver in the middle I am not a fan of. Sakai's vocals are fine, but it feels like she is fighting with backing vocals. Music itself outside of the Middle Eastern flare doesn't hit. Production is a bit uneven.

Track 6: "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" (止まっていた時計が今動き出した) Izumi Sakai / Yuri Nakamura (Garnet Crow) / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals 3.25 / Music 3.00 / Production 3.00

The title track of the album is a upbeat break up song. Definitely a harder edge here musically and Sakai's vocals are dialed in. The song feel a little dated though. Notable that Yuro Nakamura was the composer for the music and would later help bring "Glorious Mind" to release. This is a decent song, if it came up on rotation, I'd listen but I also would not put it on a play list.

Track 7: "Hitomi Tojite" (瞳閉じて)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals 3.25 / Music 3.25 / Production 3.50

This song starts off as a slow ballad then does an instant 180 into a peppy pop song. Some interesting music by Aika Ohno, I could not have told you onfirst listen this was her composition. I suspect Tokunaga has some influence here. Its a pretty engaging song and interesting song.

Track 8: "Sawayakana Kimi no Kimochi" (さわやかな君の気持ち)
Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Dr.Terachi & Pierrot Le Fou
Vocals 3.75 / Music 3.25 / Production 3.25

"Sawayakana Kimi no Kimochi" opens differently and Sakai's soothing vocals kick in. A bit of a love song, you can feel Sakai's warmth. This track hits different, I guess this is due to arrangements being helmed by someone I do not think had been involved with ZARD before. There is a little bitof fighting between Sakai and the music, I thinkt h emusic was a little too assertive. Overall pretty good track to build up an album.

Track 9: "Ai de Anata wo Sukuimashou" (愛であなたを救いましょう)
Izumi Sakai / Seiichirou Kuribayashi / Masao Akashi
Vocals 2.25 / Music 1.75 / Production 2.00

This feels like the open for "Black Velvet" and that's not a song I liked then and it aged like milk. Seiichirou Kuribayashi wrote other ZARD songs I like quite a bit but this isn't one of them. Sakai's vocals don't even help this song much. Not a bad song, more like a disappointing one.

Track 10: "Tenshi no Youna Egao de" (天使のような笑顔で)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals 3.50 / Music 3.50 / Production 3.50

High energy love song and I would have had a tough time detecting Aika Ohno wrote it as for some reason I expect more synth heavy music. Some change ups in delivery which are interesting mostly good. The song itself feels dated now and thinking back to when it was released I am not sure it would have felt much more contemporary. Well arranged and again Akihito Tokunaga pairs well with Ohno.

Track 11: "Kanashii Hodo Kyou wa Ame de mo" (悲しいほど 今日は雨でも)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Satoru Kobayashi
Vocals 3.75 / Music 3.50 / Production 3.50

I think this ZARD-y love song track has a lot going for it maybe a little more than my grading. I like Ohno's music on this one, Sakai's vocals are nicely dialed in and she hits some high notes well. Arrangement is decent and Satoru Kobayashi is someone different than the pink film director, FYI. A nice song to end "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" with.

Overall I do like "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" and it heads in a softer direction that is a bit abrupt... Where prior albums had more diverse songs, here the tracks stay within a defined musical box. It certainly is a somewhat different sounding album with Aika Ohno doing much of the musical heavy lifting. For the most part where the album suffers is on tracks where neither she or Akihito Tokunaga are involved. I still cannot understand why "Toki no Tsubasa" was on this album, this version was inferior to the original.

Overall Scores
Vocals: 3.45
Music: 3.27
Production: 3.2

Overall Score: 3.31

Adjusted Score: 3.31

No adjustment to the score, there was northing egregious or remarkable.

I would say "Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita" is an okay album, nothing more. Based on sales it wasn't one fans or new listeners were drawn to. Perhaps this was due to her hiatus from health issues and perhaps that too changed what she wanted to sing about here. The problem with an album like this is were it bad it would have gotten more attention, instead it pulls back from greatness and settles into a semi-forgetful average album. I'd be hard pressed to put any of the tracks on my play lists, but probably would not next if the songs came up in a random rotation.

With this review completed, there is one left. I am emotionally ready for the next review, this deliberate trip through ZARD's career has been a rewarding experience even if I have to say farewell to it in a week or two.

ZARD Album Review: "Toki no Tsubasa"

Marking a decade after "Good-bye My Loneliness" is ZARD's ninth album and two years after "Eien."
By any measure ZARD is now an established and legendary artist, after a decade does Sakai break new ground or give us more of the same? That is the question I ask myself as listen to "Toki no Tsubasa" front to back.

This was the final album to top the Oricon charts but also the first since "Mō Sagasanai" to sell significantly under a million albums. Likewise the five singles that partially formed the album also were down in sales. This was the start of a trend for ZARD as she enters the back third of her shortened carreer.

For several reasons I made the decision to review the 30th anniversary re-release instead of the original album. First being the production of the original "Toki no Tsubasa" was rough for a ZARD album, it sounded off. Secondly if I have the opportunity to eliminate re-mixes, I'll do it. Lastly it was not just remastered for the ZARD's 30th anniversary it was rearranged. I am not 100% sure if new recordings were made or they dove back into the cabinets of masters. This effort gives "Toki no Tsubasa" another chance to be in its (hopefully) best form.

Track 1: "Get U're Dream"

Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Takeshi Hayama
Vocals: 2.75 Music: 2 Production: 2

A very synthy open, then Sakai's vocals come in and I think they're a little too back. There is a dated sound to this happy love song. Sakai's vocals are fine, but Aika's music misses the mark. The production is not especially good. Sakai probably saves this track, but not by much. It's not a song I would throw on a playlist and strong odds I would hit next if it came up on rotation. I get this is probably contentious.

Track 2: "Kono Namida Hoshi ni Nare" (この涙 星になれ)
Izumi Sakai / Yuuichirou Iwai / Hirohito Furui
Vocals: 3.25 Music: 3.25 Production: 3

A pretty aggressive opening but it settles down and again the song feels a little dated but not in a bad way more like a retro future. It's a break up song, Sakai vocals emote a very matter of fact recollection and she's really on point. Music is pretty good. Production is not bad and though there is dated sound it works. The end evokes a cyberpunk feel for me.

Track 3: "Promised You~with P-edition~"
Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Cybersound
Vocals: 3.25 Music: 3 Production: 3

...and the album slows down into a ballad tinged with a little power. This feels like a paint by numbers ZARD song, given I very much like ZARD that's just fine. If it came up on rotation, I'd let it play though. Sakai's vocals are nice and clean. Music is nothing special. Production is a bit forced and music tracks could stand to be pushed back a little.

Track 4: "Itai Kurai Kimi ga Afureteiru yo" (痛いくらい君があふれているよ)
Izumi Sakai / 4D-JAM / 4D-JAM
Vocals: 2.0 Music: 1.75 Production: 2.25

Slowing down a little more "Itai Kurai Kimi ga Afureteiru yo" also has Sakai rapping a little. Objectively it's not bad, but also it doesn't work. I seem to recall this being a thing around this time frame, but I could be wrong. Music is pretty simple maybe a little too much. Production is not bad, but given the song structure it did not require a lot. The song does not work well at any level.

Track 5: "Mado no Soto wa Monochrome" (窓の外はモノクローム)
Izumi Sakai / Yuuichirou Iwai / Yoshinobu Ohga
Vocals: 3.25 Music: 3 Production: 3.25

A very interesting open to the track. A love gone sideways song, Sakai's vocals are nice here and feel personal. Music has a lot going on, though the synth percussions feel like their fighting the song a little. Production is solid, Sakai's vocals are at the front albeit barely.

Track 6: "Omohide" (お・も・ひ・で)
Izumi Sakai / Hiroshi Terao Furui and Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals: 3.5 Music: 3.25 Production: 3

A pretty song that has the open feeling of Mt. Omuro. Feels like love fondly remembered. Everything generally works on this track and what one would expect from a ZARD song.

Track 7: "Ashita Moshi Kimi ga Kowaretemo" (明日もし君が壊れても
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals: 3.25 Music: 3.25 Production: 3.5

I could tell this was an Aika Ono song without looking at track info. Feels like another past love song. Overall this track is good and very on brand, but also not distinctive. Also I think the production is a little better than the music and vocals.

Track 8: "Sekai wa Kitto Mirai no Naka〜another style 21〜" (世界はきっと未来の中)
Izumi Sakai / Yuuichirou Iwai / Akihito Tokunaga & Yoshinobu Ohga
Vocals: 4.5 Music: 4.5 Production: 4.5

The album jumps into a fast peppier love song. Absolutely everything works and it should have been the album's opening track and not languishing near the end. A couple spots Akasi is definately flexing her vocals skills and that's great. She is the star.

Track 9: "Hero"
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Yoshinobu Ohga
Vocals: 4.75 Music: 4 Production: 4

Shifting gears into a ballad, "Hero" shows off Sakai's vocals very well and I'd argue it might be her best performance on "Toki no Tsubasa." Music is good and Ono has a lot of sneaky synth parts in the back. Production is very solid and everything is arranged in a balanced way. I like this song maybe a little more than I though I would when it started.

Track 10: "Toki no Tsubasa" (時間の翼)
Izumi Sakai / Aika Ohno / Akihito Tokunaga
Vocals: 4.25 Music: 4.25 Production: 4.25

Feels like "Toki no Tsubasa" might have been a leftover from "Eien." Certainly the lyrics touch on the concept of forever. Its a nice song and Ono and Tokunaga pair well here.

The rearranged "Toki no Tsubasa" is a better version of the original album, which I thought suffered in the production process. Aika Ono generally pairs well and that gives me hope that she, as a much younger woman than Sakai, provides a different energy and hopefully more cohesiveness. That is where I think "Toki no Tsubasa" suffers, I do not think the album has much of an identity to itself. It is a very paint-by-numbers ZARD album. No track it outright bad on this album, but "Itai Kurai Kimi ga Afureteiru yo" and "Get U're Dream" are right on the line.

I would say that Sakai's vocals are as good if not better than they have been. An upside to this album is we can hear the quality of her vocals which is reflective in my scores. Conversely, I feel like third time was not a charm for Sakai as producer and it feels like turning a corner into a new ZARD. After a few listens, I am unsure if that is for the better.

End result is "Toki no Tsubasa" is an decent album and nothing more than that. It is an album that fans (like myself) will think well enough of. It is also and album I could not see it attracting new fans then or now. Of all her albums to this point this is the one i would suggest people exploring her music avoid. These comments might explain why sales dropped significantly and why it say in a fugue state for years, if I recall it was out of print for a period.

Overall:

Vocals: 3.55 Music: 3.35 Production: 3.33

Overall Score: 3.3

Adjusted Score: 3.3

No adjustment, there is nothing that warrants a shift either way. ZARD met expectations here.

ZARD Album Review: Eien

"Eien" is a word that comes up with Izumi Sakai, maybe because of this album as it does mark the end

of a musical chapter.  Perhaps the enormity of her as a person and artist.  It is also the word inscribed on her grave at Yokohama Midori no Sato (which I made a trip to in 2023, I have things to write about that...).  This is a hard album for me emotionally as so much of who Sakai was is captured on "Eien."  Yet this album gives me joy, which I felt after that visit to her grave. I felt my grief for her evaporate and that is what I feel about this album.  

I'll note this is the last album in what I would call ZARD's prime, as it does mark the end of her million selling albums. Combined her next three studio albums will not sell as much as "Eien."  This is no reflection on those albums as I have not listened to them with a critical ear and I endeavor to treat each album individually.     

Did something happen with "Eien" that triggered the downturn of her album sales?  I do not think so, but what I would say is perhaps Sakai's strenuous avoidance of media appearances combined with encroaching health issues were more of contributing factors.  That said, I wound up enjoying "Eien" considerably and would say it is one of her best albums because it is so consistent. 

End result is seven singles were generated from the album which marks the most from (or to as Japanese labels released singles before albums) but also these spanned about a year and a half which is also by far the longest period for a single album of ZARD's.  Like "Today Is Another Day" Sakai is the producer, which likely at the time a female artist producing her own work was more rare. I will also say this album in particular feels personal, which I ascribe to her expanded role on the album as the producer. 

Track 1: "Eien"

Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Akihito Tokunaga

Vocals: 5 Music: 4.5 Production: 5 

"Between you and me I wonder if we could see forever" is such an amazing phrase and this song starts of at a slow clip but comes up to speed.  Sakai's vocals are very much at the forefront but the arrangement and music is not overwhelmed by her. There is a depth of sound as well that is really nice. It is hard not to say this is Sakai at her best.

Track 2: "My Baby Grand ~Nukumori ga Hoshikute~"

Izumi Sakai / Tetsurō Oda / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 4.25 Music: 4 Production: 3.75 

I'll be honest "My Baby Grand" is a song I have had many feelings about over the years.  But end of the day this love song won me over and I think it is a good bridge song back to ZARD's earlier songs, but with very solid production.  The piano work is definitely a signature of Oda and his music is complementary of Sakai's delivery.  Maybe the only thing on this track is the music is just a touch too forward, not to the point of fighting with Sakai but it is close. 

Track 3: "Wake Up Make The Morning Last ~Wasure Gataki Hito he~'

Izumi Sakai / Hiroya Fukuyama/ Hirohito Furui

Vocals: 3.25  Music: 3 Production: 2.75 

There is a bit of a 70s throwback to the track and that's not bad, but the horns are a little too much.  Backing vocals don't work great for me, but I think Sakai is doign her own backing in parts which is uncommon.  Kind of a melancholy song to me, but just kind of average.  

Track 4: "Brand New Love"

Izumi Sakai / Masaaki Wanatuki /Akihito Tokunaga

Vocals: 5 Music: 5 Production: 4.75

The lyrics on "Brand New Love" are voluminous and structured.  Sakai's vocals are absolutely top notch and she hits some notes really well that maybe she could not have before.  The music is dialed up with a Japanese metal feel, but counterbalanced with Sakai's vocals.  Backing vocals are really good. Its definitely a song with a lot of emotions, but even anger comes off differently with Sakai. 

 

Track 5: "Unmei no Roulette Mawashite"  

Izumi Sakai / Seiichiro Kuribayashi / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 3.5 Music: 3.25 Production: 3.25

There is a musically deep opening to the song, then it jumps to Sakai almost alone.  It figures itself out but it is an odd song musically. I do not mean that negatively, it just hits the ears differently.  Sakai's vocals have a couple of spots that maybe she should not have tried for that high note.  It is a probably more interesting than great, but I would not mind it if it came up on rotation.

Track 6: "Tooi Hoshi wo Kazoete"

Izumi Sakai / Masato Kitano / Hirohito Furui

Vocals: 4.25 Music: 3 Production: 3 

A slow love song.  Sakai's vocals are really great, backing vocals are not great in parts.  Musically it is pretty simple, very piano and synth focused. Production is on point, but maybe backing vocals should have been push back a little at points. This is a song I score fairly well, but not a song I'd seek out, but might not skip if it came up in rotation either.

Track 7: "Atarashii Door ~Fuyu no Himawari~"

Izumi Sakai / Masato Kitano / Hirohito Furui

Vocals: 4.25  Music: 3.75 Production: 3.25  

Opens and end with a poppy fun sound, then the middle shifts into a more serious tone.  The back minute of the track feels like a bit of padding, the song would not have suffered being removed. This kind feels at odds. I think its a song about a love that was and going on alone.  Sakai's vocals are really good here, I wonder if this is one of her personal songs versus something a friend experienced?  Music is good and is assertive or more passive as it needs to be but if Sakai is singing it definitely gets pushed back.  Production is good though like the music there is a slight dated feel to the overall song. 

Track 8: "Good Day"

Izumi Sakai / Masaaki Watanuki / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 4.5 Music: 2.75 Production: 3.75 

I am not sure this is a good day... feels like a one night stand and walk away.  Musically this is very 80s/90s rock in sound and a little overwrought. Sakai shows a lot of range on this track though.  Arrangement and production is great, everything is well balanced against Sakai. For me, this track is a little bit of a guilty pleasure, I like it a little more than my numbers would suggest. A bit of padding in the back minute of the song, the album is hefty there is not a lot of air. 

Track 9: "I Feel Fine, Yeah!"

Izumi Sakai / Makoto Miyoshi / Hirohito Furui

Vocals: 4.75 Music: 4.5 Production: 4.25 

A happy, peppy throwback love song.  I'll be honest this song is so different from the tracks on the "Eien" and what Sakai has sung in the past that it is a perfect choice.  Everything is dialed in very well, though Sakai's vocals could have been brought up a quarter notch.  There is also a couple bits that backup vocals get a little echo-y.  Too bad this did not make the 35th anniversary collection, it is distinctive and a significant re-master would have been amazing.  For me this is the surprise track on "Eien." 

Track 10: "Shoujo no Koro ni Modotta Mitai ni" 

Izumi Sakai /  Aika Ohno / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 4.75  Music: 4.25 Production: 4  

Opens with a chirpy piano, then more serious.  Befitting a love song for sure.  There is an odd sound in the music, I know it is deliberate but comes off sounding like a hiss.  Sakai's vocals are very good here.  Given the piano focus, pretty easy to tell it is an an Aika Ohno song, which is great as Ohno has always felt a little under celebrated (note she's the only B-Gram talent that was on the orchestral memorial concert).  Ikeda's arrangement is good, though the guitars don't feel completely right. 

Track 11: "Iki mo Dekinai" 

Izumi Sakai / Tetsuro Oda / Takeshi Hayama

Vocals: 5 Music: 5 Production: 5 

This is a perfect song and absolutely everyone delivers this power pop masterpiece.  The song structure is something else, to me is is chorus leading into another chorus and it is very different than what Oda had done before with Zard. Sakai's vocals are powerful and tinged with sweetness, but I guess love is complicated.  If I had to pick the most distilled Zard song "Iki mo Deinai" would be a contender.  My favorite track on the album and I would be hard pressed to name a song I love more. 

Track 12: "Kaze ga Toori Nukeru Machi he"

Izumi Sakai / Tetsuro Oda / Daisuke Ikeda

Vocals: 3.75 Music: 3 Production: 3 

A very busy opening with some talking in the background.  This is definitely a throwback song with modern production.  Sakai's delivery is a tiny bit off, mostly issues with her high notes, when she goes a little deeper with her unique delivery its nice.  A few parts feel like music is fighting with her vocals.  They could throw the flute bit into Tokyo Bay and not miss it... A track to fill out the album and its hard to stand next to "Iki mo Dekinai," which is a ridiculously great track. No real issues with the song its fine and I would not hit next.  

Track 13: "Photograph"  

Izumi Sakai / Akihito Tokunaga / Akihito Tokunaga

Vocals: 4.5 Music: 4 Production: 4 

A touching love song and I think the perfect track to end "Eien."  Sakai's vocals are really strong and objectively this is one of her best.  A shame this did not make the 35th re-master, its a great song.  Tokunaga helming music and arrangement does a really nice job here.  

My opinion of "Eien" might be different than others.  I am listening to ZARD's album sequentially and can only compare against what I have heard thus far as part of the exercise.  Even without my spin, "Eien" is arguably her best overall album, every track earns a place on the album and none are fillers.  This is ZARD (really Sakai) at her best and most refined. Likewise there are enough tracks that sound different that I would suggest she was still discovering herself musically, which after eight albums is remarkable.  The shift to her being producer of her albums shows.  I can comfortably give this album nearly a half point bump as an adjustment, everything works and is better than the sum of its parts. 

Overall:

Vocals: 4.36  Music: 3.84  Production: 3.82

Overall Score: 4.01

Adjusted Score: 4.5

Cross Posted on Reddit: here...

ZARD Album Review: "Today Is Another Day"

Going into this review, it shocked me (and should not have) that "Today Is Another Day" is ZARD's seventh album and by this point would the magic of Sakai have worn off? I say no, this is very much akin the the ZARD albums we have heard before and barring a few tracks delivers exactly what I expect and need from her albums. Also, no more than that.

Two tracks in particular I think were critically weak points in the album, specifically "Sayonara wa Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu" and "Nemurezu ni Kimi no Yokogao Zutto Miteita." Notably neither had Oda and Ikeda contributing, which can also be said for the track "Mitsumete Itai ne" which was just a mid level track and acceptable album filler. "Today Is Another Day" would have been a fine album of a nice length without the above mentioned tracks. I know "Sayonara wa Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu" charted for 8 weeks, topping off at #1 to start which at the time the song was maybe a better fit with the times.

Also what makes "Today Is Another Day" interesting is Sakai elected to self cover four tracks originally recorded by Field of VIew and Seiichiro Kuribayashi, to which as noted above three worked out well. I always wonder how the original artists feel about this on one hand it validates that they had a worthwhile song but on the other they now have to share that song. I certainly think of ZARD when I hear "Dan Dan..." even though I know Field of View's original is good too.

Also of note the cover shows Sakai on a pier crowded with boats in Monaco, yet somehow we alone in that process. It is a striking difference to other albums before on since.

Here is the track by track break down.

My Friend (マイ フレンド)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

A syth opening setting up very clear vocals by Sakai which sets the tone for the track, a love song. Sakai is front and center. The layers of tracks for the most part is simple and everything is well balanced against her. The song ends a little busier in regards to production.

Vocals: 4.5, Music: 4.5, Production: 4.5

Kimi ga Ita kara (君がいたから)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

Taking it down a notch, "Kimi ga Ita kara" is a slower love song definitely highlights Sakai as a vocalist. I wonder if this is proving she is a great singer? The music is good and like "My Friend" is well balanced with Sakai's vocals and absolutely does not cross any line. Production is alright if my assertion is boosting Sakai's vocals.

Vocals: 4, Music: 3.5, Production: 3

Sayonara wa Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu (サヨナラは今もこの胸に居ます)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Seiichirō Kuribayashi
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

An upbeat breakup song. The music and production feel upside down and wrong, not really a fan of the heavy piano through the track. End result is the music tracks feel like they are fighting with the vocals making for a muddled end result. Sakai hits the edge of her vocal range, which maybe should have been dialed back a notch. "Sayonara wa Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu" is a track good enough to fill out an album, but it would never be on rotation. I acknowledge that Japan in the 90's disagrees with me here as this track did chart at #1 and charted for 8 weeks.

Vocals: 2.5 , Music: 2 , Production: 1.5

Love Nemurezu ni Kimi no Yokogao Zutto Miteita (Love 眠れずに君の横顔ずっと見ていた)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Seiichirō Kuribayashi
Arranger: Masao Akashi

A honky tonk piano opening and a suggestive song... then it kinda moves into a more pop sound then back to honky tonk. There is odd synth percussion in the mix too. The music is not great on this one. Backing vocals are odd. Production is a mess. Rarely will I say a ZARD track is bad, but here we are. "Love Nemurezu ni Kimi no Yokogao Zutto Miteita" is bad.

Vocals: 1.5, Music: 1, Production: .5

Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku (DAN DAN 心魅かれてく)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Daisuke Ikeda

And... we're back. "Dan Dan" is a great ZARD song Like a few tracks on "Today is Another Day" this is a self cover from a Field of View song and it is 100% a matter of preference, but I prefer ZARD's version. The music is well balanced and the production gets back in line and there are a fair number of layers to the song. The guitar solo is a little overlong and kind of takes over the end of the track. Sakai is way upbeat here, which is nice.

Vocals: 5, Music: 4.5, Production: 5

Nemuri (眠り)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Izumi Sakai
Arranger: Daisuke Ikeda

Sakai's song in both lyrics and composition. It is an interesting inspection point for what she writes for herself. It is a very different song, I am not sure she knew how to integrate guitars into music as there is a little bolt on feeling to them. Backing vocals are interesting on this track. Overall this is a good song but I think it is more interesting for what went into it.

Vocals: 4, Music: 3, Production: 3

Kokoro wo Hiraite (心を開いて)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Daisuke Ikeda

It is hard bordering on impossible to say this track is anything but perfect. Maybe the piano is played a little hard? Sakai's vocals here are absolutely on point and the backing vocals are also impressive with how many parts are actually being sung. I'd argue this is one of ZARD's top songs.

Vocals: 5, Music: 5, Production: 5

Totsuzen (突然)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

A bit of a slow start, but "Totsuzen" picks up speed fast. The pace is interesting and I think plays well with the lyrics which have a frantic love quality. I think there are some parallels to how Oda wrote the music for "Kokoro wo Hiraite" so I think these tracks compliment each other greatly. It is a very solid song.

Vocals: 4, Music: 4, Production: 4

Kyō mo (今日も)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

Sakai's vocals are a little more husky here. "Kyō mo" is definitely a very ZARD song in this part of her career, but also I don't feel there is a timelessness to the song. I think it was probably a better song at that time and place. I think the production is a little busy and maybe had it been a little stripped down it would have complimented the vocals and music a bit more. Not a bad song, I'd certainly like it if it came on during a rotation.

Vocals: 3.5, Music: 3.5, Production: 2.75

Today Is Another Day
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Tetsurō Oda
Arranger: Daisuke Ikeda

A kinda sad song but upbeat, ah Japan you confound me sometimes. Sakai is subtly powerful in her delivery, you can feel her fill the mic. Oda's music is well paired. Production is well balanced across the board. There is also a speed to the song too, its faster than other ZARD songs. The back 30 seconds of the song feel like a bit of padding and could have easily ended with Sakai's utterance of today is another day.

Vocals: 5, Music: 4.5, Production: 4.5

Ai ga Mienai (愛が見えない)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Masazumi Ozawa
Arranger: Takeshi Hayama

Oh boy is this a breakup song of breakup songs. There is a nuanced fierceness to Sakai's vocals, she stays in a higher pitch in her delivery which I think is more akin to her speaking voice. Ozawa delivers a change of pace is the music which is a good choice and honestly maybe should have been pushed into an earlier part of the album. There is also an interesting balance between harder rock and pop here that meshes well. Even thought his was a single (#15) I have overlooked this one, its a heck of a song and I like it a little more than the sum of its review parts.

Vocals: 4.5, Music: 4, Production: 4

Mitsumete Itai ne (見つめていたいね)
Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Composer: Seiichirō Kuribayashi
Arranger: Masao Akashi

Now we shift into a slower song pretty abruptly, its very melancholy. Sakai's vocals are fine here and she absolutely does not push her range which works. Music sort of feels like it is fighting her vocals. The piano is way too turned up and the underlying music tracks are a little at odds. The real bummer here this is a good song brought down by the arranger.

Vocals: 4, Music: 3.5, Production: 2.5

Summary

In summary I thought "Today is Another Day" when Oda had his finger print on songs had great tracks, double so when Ikeda was arranging. At this point in ZARD discography, Sakai had done seven albums and keeps delivering. Many bands never get more than a few and maybe one of them is great. Overall I enjoy this album and it is a solid effort.

Overall scores:

Vocals: 3.96, Music, 3.57, Production 3.44

Overall Score: 3.66

Adjusted Score: 4.05

My adjusted score is that I think the two songs that, to me, dragged "Today Is Another Day" down were more isolated compared to what I enjoyed about the album which has a number of powerhouse tracks.

ZARD's Tape Vault

Something I have thought about for a while is what is in all the tapes that have been shown that Zard did over the years? 

I previously thought there was songs that never saw the light of day for whatever reason as Sakai spent copious amounts of time in the studio. Not every song recorded is used was my hypothesis. I think I am wrong and below are some data points as to why.

Daiko Nagato said some time ago that for the Zard 25th Anniversary (I think...) collection that everything he could use for a Zard album he did. The tank was dry. Makes sense as we have not seen anything come after directly from Zard since the posthumous and heavily assembled "Glorious Mind."  After that Sakai's writing was used for Sard Underground songs since then, which is an achievement as well but not a song she (that we know of) sang.

Reading an article about her recording process, she was exacting and a perfectionist. She would sing the same song many times to get it right. So the cabinet of masters are not unreleased songs, I think they are a mountain of takes for the songs we have already already heard. Maybe the one case where whatever was in the vault was viable was the remix for the re-release of "Toki no Tsubasa" as I have read was remastered from other sources. Which to me sounds like other potential recordings in the vault or re-recording everything but Sakai's vocals. I have seen it reported both ways, maybe one of you has a solid lead here. Likewise Yueru Omoi on the Zard Blend I album was also from another take.

Lastly as noted above, if there were even slightly viable songs they would have released or completed them like her posthumous singles. Being likes money and doling out singles or to juice a greatest hits I think would have been done beyond her posthumous singles. Would I love to see slightly different takes to show how a song evolved or sounded different, yes I would.

P.S.  I wound up cancelling my Tokyo trip for a variety of reasons, so no Puffy show review I am sad to say.