author: anna

After releasing a full album in February, Kra has returned for a summer release. The CD covers for their latest single, Love Lab, are as cute and colorful as the band.

The single begins with the title track. Easy guitar riffs ease listeners into the first verse, where Keiyuh’s voice is beautifully smooth. The rest of the song follows in much the same fashion: it’s gentle, sweet and light, and unfortunately, that’s also its main problem. The chorus gets rather repetitive after a while, and there aren’t any surprises to the song, and even Mai’s guitar solo feels contained. The main melody also sounds suspiciously close to the bridge from Marry, Kra’s release off their album Life ~Today is a very good day to Die~. All in all, Love Lab is not a bad song, but it’s not great either.

The second song, Ryuuseiaika, is a definite improvement over the first. The opening guitar line creates a bittersweet sort of atmosphere, and Keiyuh’s singing – though still soft for the most part – shows longing and hopefulness. Though a mid-tempo ballad, it’s much easier to get lost in the rhythm, and Ryuuseiaika is sweet without being sugary. This would be a perfect background song for a romantic drama, and it’s sure to be more memorable to listeners as well.

The regular edition of Love Lab includes a third track: Sekai de ichiban tayorinai koi no uta. The opening alone sets it apart from the previous ballads; sharp guitar playing and complex drumming introduce the pop-rock track, and the vocals bring a lot of energy. Keiyuh sings in a stuttering, cascading manner that is playful and fun, and Yuhra is more prominently featured as the bass line slips in between thrumming guitar chords. Sekai de ichiban is an energetic closer for the single and makes the regular edition worth purchasing.

If Love Lab had only contained the latter two songs, it would have been a very good single. However, the title track could have been better, and Kra fans will just have to settle for two out of three.