My Girl might not win you over, but the B-side might.
Arashi is no stranger to love songs, but their 28th single could have used a little something special.
My Girl is a warm, simple, mid-tempo ballad that is a bit predictably paced. The nice, rolling melody makes singing along easy, and there aren’t any difficult pitches or keys to trip up karaoke-goers. It’s sweet and tender, and possibly made more memorable by its association with the drama Aiba Masaki was in - “My Girl” - but otherwise, it’s not very memorable. It’s a song you’ll be happy to listen to while it’s on, but you won’t miss it once it’s gone.
The second track, Tokei jikake no umbrella, kick starts things with an accordion intro playing an edgy tango melody. A sharp beat quickly cuts in, and it sets up the song’s darker, sexy Latin vibe. While it’s not very fast, it’s great to dance to and has more attitude: fun and just a bit seductive. The chorus, in particular, is extremely catchy. The famous “Sakurap” is well delivered, and with its hot rhythm, Tokei jikake no umbrella is the better of the two songs so far.
The regular edition, besides the instrumentals of all the songs included, also contains a third track: Super Fresh. It starts like a Western pop song and features the boys singing in a lower pitch. The simplified instrumentals, with the melody in the background, cast the focus on the vocals. This makes it easy to hear how well the boys harmonize and gives the song a relaxed, intimate feeling. The beat is moderate but the lyrics are speedily sung, creating a nice contrast, and the addition of trumpets is a nice touch. Super Fresh is indeed a refreshing change from over-glitzed pop songs and is the second best song off this single, making Tokei jikake no umbrella number one after all.
Two and a half out of three isn’t bad at all, although Arashi has done better. Let’s hope their music in the coming year will be more innovative.
