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.
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