AAA - Get Chu!

AAA has been rolling out the singles lately like there's no tomorrow, with only a month between each release! Then again, when they are producing music as fun as this, who really cares?

Get Chu! is fantastically good fun. It is straight forward pop with a slight summery rock feel to it. The sunny melody is happy and infectious with a chorus that will stick in the listener's head. It is hard not to feel a little lifted after hearing this eight-strong band sing "chu chu chu chu" at you. (For those unaware, Get Chu! is a bit of a pun on the English phrase 'get you' with the cute Japanese expression for 'kiss.') The male voices of Urata Naoya and Nishijima Takahiro are both strong, and even female singer Misako Uno is really quite good.

This single is marketed as a double A-side, and happily the second track lives up to that marketing. She no Jijitsu is a little different than the previous song. The dance-pop melody takes on a harder rock edge with electric guitars and a bit more attitude. Misako's voice is weaker, but the boys are fantastic - it's just too bad she wasn't able to support them more. While it is not as catchy as Get Chu! and the chorus tends to be a little jarring, it is still a good pop song.

The final track is a remix track. Usually, remixes can make the heart sink as it often feels like a bit of a cop out on a single. This single's remix, however, is a good one. Mixing the traditional Japanese feel of the original Samurai heart - samurai tamashii with an up to date techno beat really works. Initially, it feels a little jarring on the brain, but once it settles in and builds to a climax that uses the original material to such fantastic effect, the quality of this remix becomes clear.

The single also contains instrumentals for the two A-side tracks, Get Chu! and She no jijitsu.

Get Chu! comes highly recommended, even for the most ardent bubblegum pop haters. Yes, it is bubblegum pop, so yes, it is a little cheesy, but cast aside pretension because AAA is just too much fun to miss.