Morning Musume Albums, In Order of Favorite, and Why
In my Platinum9DISC recap I had rattled off the order of my favorite Morning Musume albums, but unless you've heard them all, it probably sounded like I was calling the winning lottery numbers, except it was less exciting. Without having memorized them, it's doubtful that anyone would do the research necessary to figure out what I meant, anyway, so I guess I've got some explaining to do. For those who may be unfamiliar with (some or all of) the albums, read on, and maybe one will sound intriguing to you.
Now, they're called 'albums', although they usually lack a certain sense of cohesiveness that you'd find on, say, a Pink Floyd album, or even a Slayer album. Without exception, a Morning Musume album is compiled from several singles and the remaining songs are a mix of non-B-sides, re-arrangements, and remixes. It wasn't until just now that I've wondered why they would even put together an album at all, if they've promoted and sold singles by the truckload. I guess it's just something else to sell, but that doesn't mean they are devoid of any artistic merit. Oh, on the contrary...
Now, a typical American album is usually released either simultaneously with, or soon after, the first single. In Morning Musume's case, usually all the singles were released and then later inserted into the albums, so along my previous statements, they're usually a mishmash of old, new, and something strangely familiar. I'll point out the singles featured on each album but will mainly focus on what can only be found on the record. Oh, and this list will *not* contain Cover You or Platinum9. Deal?
For all newbies: every album title has a number in it that tells you what album it is. Sounds uncreative, but it's really a good way, in my opinion, to keep them all straight and as well provide a shorthand for naming each album, so you don't need to know the *exact* title to figure out which one somebody's talking about, just a number.
9th favorite: Ai no Dai 6 Kan (singles: Namida Tomaranai Hougaku, Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari, ROMAN ~MY DEAR BOY~
I guess I can't say that I have a solid reason for putting this album at the bottom of my list. It's not that it isn't good, but maybe more that it can (and does) get better than this. Two 'Kashimashi' songs on the same record takes some dedication as a listener.
COOL SONGS: Haru no Uta, Dokusenyoku, Koe
PERKY&QUIRKY: Sukiyaki, Chokkan (the 1st), Lemon Iro to Milk Tea
FILLER: Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari (the 2nd), SHIP! TO THE FUTURE, HELP!! (not the Beatles song)
8th favorite: Sexy8Beat (singles: Aruiteru, Egao YES Nude, SEXY BOY, Ambitious!)
Any album that begins with an ultra-awesome song like 'Genki+' is setting itself up to go downhill from there. It's a great way to start an album, but the rest needs to have that same bite. Not surprising that I would consider this one of the most forgettable albums from this group. One of this album's downsides, in my opinion, is that it just seems too short. Without the singles it might make a nice EP, but there's a lot of laid-back in those songs.
COOL SONGS: Genki+, Mirai no Taiyou, Haru Beautiful Everyday, Sono Deai no Tame ni, Takara no Hako (Rainbow Pink on a slow song!!!)
PERKY&QUIRKY: Shanimuni Paradise, Be Positive
FILLER: Aruiteru... It was already on 7.5, there goes another 5 minutes of your life. It's not that I dislike the song but wonder why it had to be so prominent amongst all the other *really good* material.
7th favorite: 7.5 Fuyu Fuyu Morning Musume. Mini! (singles: Aruiteru)
Not *technically* an album, but properly an EP; besides that damned 'Aruiteru', it's all otherwise unreleased material, with practically everybody, and then some, getting a chance to shine on their own, or in a small group. Hagiwara Mai and Okai Chisato get bit parts in Fujimoto Miki's song, and, dare I say, it makes the whole album worth listening to.
COOL SONGS: Yuki / Ai x Anata ≥ Suki, Kotatsu no Uta ~jyuken story~
PERKY&QUIRKY: Kira Kira Fuyu no Shiny G, Samui kara Fuyu da mon!, Merry Pin Xmas (the *yardstick* for all things 'perky' and/or 'quirky')
FILLER: Put 'Aruiteru' on one album, and that would've been fine, but it shows up *again* on #8? Why?
6th favorite: First Time (singles: Summer Night Town, Morning Coffee, Ai no Tane)
Just pure blasphemy to put the debut album this far down the list, huh? I attribute some of the unpopularity to the fact that it's one of their most unfamiliar albums, from my perspective. Although it's full of those great harmonies that made 'old-school-Musume' really good, there's some better music from this group. Can't say the first album was best, that would imply that they never got any better from there.
COOL SONGS: Yume no Naka, Wagamama, Mirai no Tobira, Samishii Hi
PERKY&QUIRKY: Dou ni ka Shita Doyoubi (a new 'classic disco song), Good Morning, Utsosuki Anta
FILLER: (really, there isn't any... reconsidering the rankings at this point)
5th favorite: 4th "Ikimasshoi!" (singles: The Peace, Mr. Moonlight, Souda! We're Alive)
Some really good album tracks on this one. All you hardcore fans will be waiting a while for my apology for ranking this so high. One of the most powerful 3-song-blocks ever recorded are on this record. Pump yourself up some morning on the way to work with the trifecta which begins with the title track.
COOL SONGS: Hajimete no Rock Concert, Ikkimashoi!, Densha no Futari, Honki de Atsui, Nanni mo Iwazu ni
PERKY&QUIRKY: Ii Koto Aru Kinen no Shunkan, Otoko no Tomodachi, Suki na Senpai
FILLER: Dekkai Uchuu ni Ai ga Aru, Renai Revolution (13nin version... same as the standard single with unfamiliar and weaker vocals where the graduated members' voices should be, I will *always* skip this version, because I've heard it once, that's enough.)
4th favorite: Rainbow 7 (singles: Manpower, Osaka Koi no Uta, Iroppoi Jirettai)
There's a certain magic to these recordings, and it's fairly obvious that they've hit their stride on this one. It closes with 'Kashimashi 3', not an original idea, but you haven't had to sit through another version to get to this one. Maybe it's the 'Kusumi Kusumi... Kusumi Kusumi' that keeps me entertained through the closer. The album gets you all messed up inside and releases all that tension by closing with a familiar ass-kicker.
COOL SONGS: HOW DO YOU LIKE JAPAN?, INDIGO BLUE LOVE, Mushoku Toumei na Mama de, Purple Wind (a tribute to Prince, apparently)
PERKY&QUIRKY: Aozora ga Itsumade mo Tsuzuku You na , Rainbow Pink (another yardstick for perky/quirky), Sayonara SEE YOU AGAIN
FILLER: Chokkan 2 (remix), Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari 3
3rd favorite: 3rd Love Paradise (singles: Love Machine, Koi no Dance Site)
This album is full of filler *and* songs I've heard a million times, but it's probably as cohesive as it gets. Is it my fault that two of these songs have been top-selling singles, and two of them have PV's despite not being singles? 'WHY' gets a great honorable mention for being the only MM song in existence (I think) where each individual syllable is sung by a different member.
COOL SONGS: Kuchizuke no Sono Ato, DANCE suru no da!, Omoide, WHY
PERKY&QUIRKY: Aisha Loan De, Harajuku 6:00 Shuugou
FILLER: Ohayo, Lunchtime, and Oyasumi... because they're mostly talk-tracks that bind the album together, and Suki da Yo... not necessarily filler, but the producer decided to put *just the rhythm track* on one side of the stereo spectrum and *everything else* on the other, it's very disorienting, especially with headphones.
2nd favorite: Second Morning (singles: Manatsu no Kousen, Memory Seishun no Hikari, Furusato, Daite HOLD ON ME!)
This album, in my opinion, took what the first had to offer and threw out the trash. Still plenty of cool harmonies, but I think they stepped it up a bit. Not much here to look down upon.
COOL SONGS: NIGHT OF TOKYO CITY, Suki de x5, Senkou Hanabi, Otome no Shinrigaku
PERKY&QUIRKY: Papa ni Niteiru Kare, Da Di Du De Do Da Di
FILLER: Koi no Shihatsu Ressha (album version), Never Forget (large vocal mix), just because I'm looking for something to fit the category. As individual songs, they serve their purpose, but on this album, mostly 'skippable'.
FAVORITE: No.5 (singles: Do It! Now, Koko ni Iruzee!)
I'll at least give an explanation for each song on this one, how can you not love it to pieces?
1. 'Intro' Do It! Now has an introduction of about 9 seconds, perhaps an early version, but just a clip.
2. 'Do It! Now', the proper version, perhaps as close to being 'American' in any of their singles, and never again to return. Maybe Tsunku was threatened with physical repercussions if he wrote another apt American hit. Not the strongest MM single by a longshot, but a good way to start the album. Hey Tsunku, can you cover 5 minutes or so with an entertaining song whilst we get the stage ready?
3. 'TOP!' without the roll call would be a good song. But it's got the 'roll call' of every member, and when they were performing, 'TOP!' was an understatement. Check *this* out, indeed!
4. 'Tomodachi ga Ki ni Itteru Otoko Kara no Dengon' Just try to skip this song, just try. Lots of 'HEY' and 'YEAH' to be yelled during this song.
5. 'Koko ni Iruzee' ...and you have no objections to my choice so far.
6. 'Sugoi Nakama' Any guitar player wishes he'd have written this cookin' line. On top of it is an ultra-poppy song which will stick in your head for days.
7. 'Tsuyoki de Yukouze!' Burn the barn *now*, ask the cows about it later.
8. 'Megami ~Mousse na Yasashisa~' The Venus Mousse song, very chill. Take a good 'cool' song, add Mari to the mix, and I'll be loving it from the start.
9. 'Yes! Pocky Girls' Oh no, please don't make me listen to a perky song about a popular candy product! This is totally not what I signed up for... oh wait, it's completely what I'm after. Don't ever listen to anyone who tells you that Morning Musume has sold out, because you can just turn this song on and drown out the obviousness of that statement.
10. 'Hey! Mirai' It's unfair to like a song just because of the video, isn't it? It's a great song, be assured, but the video makes it all the more awesome. Lots of closeup shots, where the girls line up single file, and take turns getting in the camera, literally shoving each other out of the way for their moment. *Love* the part where Mari strikes a pose and grabs her hair in a classic 'sexy beam' way (I'm yours, Mari, take me now!) Also enjoy the puppies they are snuggling, and I don't even like animals that much... which would come as a disappointment to 'dog enthusiast' Ms. Kayo Aiko, I'm aware.
11. 'Ganbacchae!' Not sure who all of the Hello Kids are on this, but despite the fact that this song is kind of monotonous, and also that it sounds like one of our church songs, it's cool to hear an early Berryz/Morning Musume-ish collaboration.
12. 'Sugoku Suki na no ni... ne' Kind of like 'Ganbacchae' without the kids. The instrumentation on this is pretty mesmerizing, synth horns and vocal syllables, and latin percussion and all.
13. 'Sotsugyou Ryokou ~Morning Musume Tabidatsu Hito ni Okuru Uta~' Sure, whatever it's called, it's 'the last song on No.5'. Although it really feels 'same-ish', it's a good way to end the record. And unlike Platinum9, where the only flaw I can find anymore is a decent closing song featuring the current members, this song closes up the record with no strange surprises.
Feel free to rip my choices apart as you see fit. I've gone from ranking my favorite idols to ranking my favorite records. At least I can see a reason to do this, it's a little less subjective. Some of these records are more cohesive than others. After listing No.5 (which is largely a collection of odds-and-ends) as my favorite, it seems that cohesiveness may not be the most potent of album traits, just whether or not there are good songs, and No.5's got that in spades. In fact, they all do, who am I kidding?
Now, they're called 'albums', although they usually lack a certain sense of cohesiveness that you'd find on, say, a Pink Floyd album, or even a Slayer album. Without exception, a Morning Musume album is compiled from several singles and the remaining songs are a mix of non-B-sides, re-arrangements, and remixes. It wasn't until just now that I've wondered why they would even put together an album at all, if they've promoted and sold singles by the truckload. I guess it's just something else to sell, but that doesn't mean they are devoid of any artistic merit. Oh, on the contrary...
Now, a typical American album is usually released either simultaneously with, or soon after, the first single. In Morning Musume's case, usually all the singles were released and then later inserted into the albums, so along my previous statements, they're usually a mishmash of old, new, and something strangely familiar. I'll point out the singles featured on each album but will mainly focus on what can only be found on the record. Oh, and this list will *not* contain Cover You or Platinum9. Deal?
For all newbies: every album title has a number in it that tells you what album it is. Sounds uncreative, but it's really a good way, in my opinion, to keep them all straight and as well provide a shorthand for naming each album, so you don't need to know the *exact* title to figure out which one somebody's talking about, just a number.
9th favorite: Ai no Dai 6 Kan (singles: Namida Tomaranai Hougaku, Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari, ROMAN ~MY DEAR BOY~
I guess I can't say that I have a solid reason for putting this album at the bottom of my list. It's not that it isn't good, but maybe more that it can (and does) get better than this. Two 'Kashimashi' songs on the same record takes some dedication as a listener.
COOL SONGS: Haru no Uta, Dokusenyoku, Koe
PERKY&QUIRKY: Sukiyaki, Chokkan (the 1st), Lemon Iro to Milk Tea
FILLER: Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari (the 2nd), SHIP! TO THE FUTURE, HELP!! (not the Beatles song)
8th favorite: Sexy8Beat (singles: Aruiteru, Egao YES Nude, SEXY BOY, Ambitious!)
Any album that begins with an ultra-awesome song like 'Genki+' is setting itself up to go downhill from there. It's a great way to start an album, but the rest needs to have that same bite. Not surprising that I would consider this one of the most forgettable albums from this group. One of this album's downsides, in my opinion, is that it just seems too short. Without the singles it might make a nice EP, but there's a lot of laid-back in those songs.
COOL SONGS: Genki+, Mirai no Taiyou, Haru Beautiful Everyday, Sono Deai no Tame ni, Takara no Hako (Rainbow Pink on a slow song!!!)
PERKY&QUIRKY: Shanimuni Paradise, Be Positive
FILLER: Aruiteru... It was already on 7.5, there goes another 5 minutes of your life. It's not that I dislike the song but wonder why it had to be so prominent amongst all the other *really good* material.
7th favorite: 7.5 Fuyu Fuyu Morning Musume. Mini! (singles: Aruiteru)
Not *technically* an album, but properly an EP; besides that damned 'Aruiteru', it's all otherwise unreleased material, with practically everybody, and then some, getting a chance to shine on their own, or in a small group. Hagiwara Mai and Okai Chisato get bit parts in Fujimoto Miki's song, and, dare I say, it makes the whole album worth listening to.
COOL SONGS: Yuki / Ai x Anata ≥ Suki, Kotatsu no Uta ~jyuken story~
PERKY&QUIRKY: Kira Kira Fuyu no Shiny G, Samui kara Fuyu da mon!, Merry Pin Xmas (the *yardstick* for all things 'perky' and/or 'quirky')
FILLER: Put 'Aruiteru' on one album, and that would've been fine, but it shows up *again* on #8? Why?
6th favorite: First Time (singles: Summer Night Town, Morning Coffee, Ai no Tane)
Just pure blasphemy to put the debut album this far down the list, huh? I attribute some of the unpopularity to the fact that it's one of their most unfamiliar albums, from my perspective. Although it's full of those great harmonies that made 'old-school-Musume' really good, there's some better music from this group. Can't say the first album was best, that would imply that they never got any better from there.
COOL SONGS: Yume no Naka, Wagamama, Mirai no Tobira, Samishii Hi
PERKY&QUIRKY: Dou ni ka Shita Doyoubi (a new 'classic disco song), Good Morning, Utsosuki Anta
FILLER: (really, there isn't any... reconsidering the rankings at this point)
5th favorite: 4th "Ikimasshoi!" (singles: The Peace, Mr. Moonlight, Souda! We're Alive)
Some really good album tracks on this one. All you hardcore fans will be waiting a while for my apology for ranking this so high. One of the most powerful 3-song-blocks ever recorded are on this record. Pump yourself up some morning on the way to work with the trifecta which begins with the title track.
COOL SONGS: Hajimete no Rock Concert, Ikkimashoi!, Densha no Futari, Honki de Atsui, Nanni mo Iwazu ni
PERKY&QUIRKY: Ii Koto Aru Kinen no Shunkan, Otoko no Tomodachi, Suki na Senpai
FILLER: Dekkai Uchuu ni Ai ga Aru, Renai Revolution (13nin version... same as the standard single with unfamiliar and weaker vocals where the graduated members' voices should be, I will *always* skip this version, because I've heard it once, that's enough.)
4th favorite: Rainbow 7 (singles: Manpower, Osaka Koi no Uta, Iroppoi Jirettai)
There's a certain magic to these recordings, and it's fairly obvious that they've hit their stride on this one. It closes with 'Kashimashi 3', not an original idea, but you haven't had to sit through another version to get to this one. Maybe it's the 'Kusumi Kusumi... Kusumi Kusumi' that keeps me entertained through the closer. The album gets you all messed up inside and releases all that tension by closing with a familiar ass-kicker.
COOL SONGS: HOW DO YOU LIKE JAPAN?, INDIGO BLUE LOVE, Mushoku Toumei na Mama de, Purple Wind (a tribute to Prince, apparently)
PERKY&QUIRKY: Aozora ga Itsumade mo Tsuzuku You na , Rainbow Pink (another yardstick for perky/quirky), Sayonara SEE YOU AGAIN
FILLER: Chokkan 2 (remix), Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari 3
3rd favorite: 3rd Love Paradise (singles: Love Machine, Koi no Dance Site)
This album is full of filler *and* songs I've heard a million times, but it's probably as cohesive as it gets. Is it my fault that two of these songs have been top-selling singles, and two of them have PV's despite not being singles? 'WHY' gets a great honorable mention for being the only MM song in existence (I think) where each individual syllable is sung by a different member.
COOL SONGS: Kuchizuke no Sono Ato, DANCE suru no da!, Omoide, WHY
PERKY&QUIRKY: Aisha Loan De, Harajuku 6:00 Shuugou
FILLER: Ohayo, Lunchtime, and Oyasumi... because they're mostly talk-tracks that bind the album together, and Suki da Yo... not necessarily filler, but the producer decided to put *just the rhythm track* on one side of the stereo spectrum and *everything else* on the other, it's very disorienting, especially with headphones.
2nd favorite: Second Morning (singles: Manatsu no Kousen, Memory Seishun no Hikari, Furusato, Daite HOLD ON ME!)
This album, in my opinion, took what the first had to offer and threw out the trash. Still plenty of cool harmonies, but I think they stepped it up a bit. Not much here to look down upon.
COOL SONGS: NIGHT OF TOKYO CITY, Suki de x5, Senkou Hanabi, Otome no Shinrigaku
PERKY&QUIRKY: Papa ni Niteiru Kare, Da Di Du De Do Da Di
FILLER: Koi no Shihatsu Ressha (album version), Never Forget (large vocal mix), just because I'm looking for something to fit the category. As individual songs, they serve their purpose, but on this album, mostly 'skippable'.
FAVORITE: No.5 (singles: Do It! Now, Koko ni Iruzee!)
I'll at least give an explanation for each song on this one, how can you not love it to pieces?
1. 'Intro' Do It! Now has an introduction of about 9 seconds, perhaps an early version, but just a clip.
2. 'Do It! Now', the proper version, perhaps as close to being 'American' in any of their singles, and never again to return. Maybe Tsunku was threatened with physical repercussions if he wrote another apt American hit. Not the strongest MM single by a longshot, but a good way to start the album. Hey Tsunku, can you cover 5 minutes or so with an entertaining song whilst we get the stage ready?
3. 'TOP!' without the roll call would be a good song. But it's got the 'roll call' of every member, and when they were performing, 'TOP!' was an understatement. Check *this* out, indeed!
4. 'Tomodachi ga Ki ni Itteru Otoko Kara no Dengon' Just try to skip this song, just try. Lots of 'HEY' and 'YEAH' to be yelled during this song.
5. 'Koko ni Iruzee' ...and you have no objections to my choice so far.
6. 'Sugoi Nakama' Any guitar player wishes he'd have written this cookin' line. On top of it is an ultra-poppy song which will stick in your head for days.
7. 'Tsuyoki de Yukouze!' Burn the barn *now*, ask the cows about it later.
8. 'Megami ~Mousse na Yasashisa~' The Venus Mousse song, very chill. Take a good 'cool' song, add Mari to the mix, and I'll be loving it from the start.
9. 'Yes! Pocky Girls' Oh no, please don't make me listen to a perky song about a popular candy product! This is totally not what I signed up for... oh wait, it's completely what I'm after. Don't ever listen to anyone who tells you that Morning Musume has sold out, because you can just turn this song on and drown out the obviousness of that statement.
10. 'Hey! Mirai' It's unfair to like a song just because of the video, isn't it? It's a great song, be assured, but the video makes it all the more awesome. Lots of closeup shots, where the girls line up single file, and take turns getting in the camera, literally shoving each other out of the way for their moment. *Love* the part where Mari strikes a pose and grabs her hair in a classic 'sexy beam' way (I'm yours, Mari, take me now!) Also enjoy the puppies they are snuggling, and I don't even like animals that much... which would come as a disappointment to 'dog enthusiast' Ms. Kayo Aiko, I'm aware.
11. 'Ganbacchae!' Not sure who all of the Hello Kids are on this, but despite the fact that this song is kind of monotonous, and also that it sounds like one of our church songs, it's cool to hear an early Berryz/Morning Musume-ish collaboration.
12. 'Sugoku Suki na no ni... ne' Kind of like 'Ganbacchae' without the kids. The instrumentation on this is pretty mesmerizing, synth horns and vocal syllables, and latin percussion and all.
13. 'Sotsugyou Ryokou ~Morning Musume Tabidatsu Hito ni Okuru Uta~' Sure, whatever it's called, it's 'the last song on No.5'. Although it really feels 'same-ish', it's a good way to end the record. And unlike Platinum9, where the only flaw I can find anymore is a decent closing song featuring the current members, this song closes up the record with no strange surprises.
Feel free to rip my choices apart as you see fit. I've gone from ranking my favorite idols to ranking my favorite records. At least I can see a reason to do this, it's a little less subjective. Some of these records are more cohesive than others. After listing No.5 (which is largely a collection of odds-and-ends) as my favorite, it seems that cohesiveness may not be the most potent of album traits, just whether or not there are good songs, and No.5's got that in spades. In fact, they all do, who am I kidding?
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