Buono!

For some time now, I have been a rather huge fan of the J-pop all-girl band, Buono! Not only was I impressed with their dancing, vocals, and the all around sound of their music, I’ve been in love with the three girls: Airi Suzuki, Miyabi Natsuki, and Momoko Tsugunaga.

So far, the band has had the following singles:

1. Honto no Jibun
2. Ren’ai Rider
3. Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!
4. Gachinko de Ikou!
5. Rottara Rottara
6. Co-no-Mi-chi

Their seventh single is titled, “My Boy” – the ending theme to the popular shoujo anime, Shugo Chara! is announced to be released on April 29, 2009. However, the usual PV (promotional video) of the normal one (where the clips cut from the girls’ dancing to what seems to be clips of them being spies) has been released, along with the dance-shot version (where the video is aimed the whole time on the girls while they dance and sing) and the close up version (showing the girls from the shoulders and up, while they sing. It involves no dancing, as we cannot see their bodies moving. The most they usually do is bob their heads to the beat).

After typing in Buono! On YouTube a few days ago, I was more than happy to see that there was a new dance shot. Immediately I clicked right away on it.

To my surprise, a harder guitar beat different from their usual songs started up, making me feel a little disappointed. The music then seems to turn into more of an electro-rock beat, with some high techno notes mixed into the guitar strings.

The first time I listened to it, I felt like it was too different from the Buono! I remembered. Their single, “Gachinko de Ikou!” had a catchy, cute beat – not to mention cute dance movies and cute outfits.

But this however seemed to be Buono! with an edge. But being a big fan, I decided to give the song a second chance. I had to tell myself that changing a different tune in one’s music was not always terrible. This time I paid closer attention to everything: from their dancing, to their clothes, to the beat, to their singing.

To my amazement, I could feel the song warming up on me. Hey, it’s rather catchy! It may not be super girlie or cutesy, but nothing wrong with adding an edge, right? By the time I had played the song a third time, I was instantly hooked. If fact, I was thinking of how their music should sound more edgy and less... Cutesy.

To sum it up, people who have been fans since the release of “Honto no Jibun” might find this to be a disappointment in comparison of their old music, but give it a second (or third) try. You might actually love it like I did.