Stunning.
Maki Goto is a strong woman. After her mother’s unfortunate passing, Maki was able to turn her personal tragedy into triumph. Instead of giving up, she stood on her own two legs and returned to the studio. This way, she could honor her beloved mother who supported her musical career with passion. If this isn’t love, then I don’t know what is.
I fell in love with 宝石 from the first few notes. It starts like a sweet lullaby and gradually adds sounds and beats until it evolves into a dance tune. This is like the perfect Maki song! The song makes me think of the fireworks you seen when you kiss the right person. ^_^
EYES is another dance song. A lot of people have complained that it sounds a little too juvenile for the mature Maki, and is like an unpleasant flashback to her H!P days. I think the song is perfect for Gocchin’s age, honestly. It’s fun to listen to while driving, as long as I don’t start doing disco moves and swerve off of the road. That could be bad.
I haven’t heard Maki tackle many (if any at all) acoustic-style songs so it was nice to hear something like わがまま. The sound of the song was a little dated for my tastes, but I’m not holding any grudges.
言えないけど was probably my favorite song other than 宝石. It’s another great dance song that dabbles in some techno sounds. It isn’t synth overkill which is probably a major contributing factor to my love of the song.
Finally, Maki closes out the mini-album with 華詩 -hanauta- a heartfelt ballad written for her dear mother. If you didn’t know the circumstances surrounding the song, it would just sound like a draggy, ordinary ballad. But, because I know what the song is about and why it was written, I can appreciate this song much more. I was overtaken by the loving emotion in Maki’s voice and I was nearly compelled to weep. A touching tribute indeed.
In Conclusion: Maki Goto intended to make her comeback big, not just for her fans, but as a way to honor her mother. I am touched and inspired by the fact that she has overcome so many obstacles lately all the while managing to keep a good head on her shoulders. This mini-album is an absolute success.
~Alisa~
