[ll moments ll]

ya'll ready with my review? i'm really sorry it's long as hell.
i'm just really...opinionated & have lots to say. lol.

KAT-TUN - Break the Records -by you & for you- (REVIEW) by Irene / ll moments ll :

Spoiler:

01. DON'T U EVER STOP : haha, it seems like BtR shouldn't have gotten this song since it was released as a single prior to KAT-TUN's last album, "KAT-TUN III -QUEEN OF PIRATES-" (its PV is even on the Limited Edition of the album, lol). but, nevertheless, it's on this album. i've always LOVED this song. it's hard, out there, very, very KAT-TUN. but it also sounds like Michael Jackson's "Thriller" too. 9.5/10

02. SADISTIC LOVE : here we have our very first album track. it's a rock tune, but with electric synths & beats added as well. it's very similar to the next track, "RESCUE" or the b-side to the RESCUE single, "7 DAYS BATTLE". however, this one is toned down & has delicate beats similar to "ONE DROP". it's a solid album track, IMO. & lol, Ueda getting most of the parts is A+. 9/10

03. RESCUE : RESCUE serves as KAT-TUN's latest single. it's their most English-infused single to date & it doesn't sound Engrishy! but that's probably due to Akanishi. xD i really like the tone & electro-influence in this song, but it doesn't lose that KAT-TUN flavor, that darker/edgier rock image they've always had. (the PV is pretty bossy too. haha) 9.5/10

04. WATER DANCE : this is the only song that didn't really leak (it only had a preview). so, it was surprising hearing the song in full! Nakamaru leads the song, like Ueda leads "SADISTIC LOVE". however, Kamenashi leading the chorus is, IMO, the best part of the song. and it was also very, very surprising to hear the leaked part near the END of the song, LOL. but it's the climax! i really, really like this song. it's not Japanese pop in every way possible. and i think this will be a personal favorite of mine. it's similar to "Splash..." off of KAT-TUN's very first original album, but this is 1000000x better. i want KAT-TUN to do more songs similar to this. 10+/10

05. ONE DROP : ONE DROP is another single that was released prior to the album. it's a pop-rock tune, with delicate & intricate beats. i honestly think "ONE DROP" isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. it's nothing ground-breaking or amazing. just KAT-TUN. of course there are oher rock type of songs i like better, but it's one of those songs that are nice to listen to every once in a while. & i like the details in the song, such as the wine/water drips in the beginning. 8.5/10

06. WHITE WORLD : now we get into the solo section of the album & we start off with the last member of KAT-TUN, Nakamaru. i didn't really like his last solo, "SMACK" (found in Type C of the "DUES" single). i think i just like Nakamaru with slower/ballad type of songs, tbqh (ie. "MY WEATHER" & "key of life"). "WHITE WORLD" is exactly that song. his voice sounds really good in this song. it fits with his register and i honestly think it's his best solo released physically! 9.5/10

07. care : AKANISHI! he really knows what type of songs to put on albums because i had a fangirl moment when i heard "care" was going to be on this album. if you've known Akanishi since debut, his solos have been American, Westernized stuff like "LOVEJUICE", "ha-ha" (OMG. off-topic, but i would've moved Akanishi Jin up my husband list if he released this physically, LMFAO), & "PINKY". "care" is reminescent of Junior Jin days were he was not...American Wannabe (but i love my Los Angeles Jin too). instead of wanting you to "*** TO MY ROOM" it's a very sweet, tender love song. AND I LOVE IT. 9.5/10

08. 1582 : i had no bigger shock than listening to this song. tbh, i was kinda getting tired with Kame being so "boring" lately (that was when i had my Akanishi Jin "phase" earlier, LMAO). his last previous song, "w/o notice??" was cute, but he had done the same thing before. and i didn't like the whole lounge-y/cutesy feel to it. that song still stands as my least favorite Kamenashi solo released. BUT THIS SONG. could not get any more different from his previous efforts. Kamenashi usually puts out sweet, awesome love songs. this song is...about....desperation...kind of like, obsession in a way. & the song itself is very different. it's experimental, has a dark electro-influence, & has a killer string instrumentation. this is one of the stronger songs on the album & i'm not just saying this as a Kamenashi fan. 10+/10

09. PIERROT : now we get Tanaka Koki's solo. if you've heard "PARASITE", this song is quite similar to that. a very hard rock song. i think the thing that set it aparts from "PARASITE" is the heavy amount of english in this. (everyone wants to be Jin, EH?! JUST KIDDING.) i really like this song since i like rock in general. and the rap in this is pretty good too. gangster, hardcore Koki is the best Koki. LOL. 9/10

10. Hana no Mau Machi : looking at the title itself....OH HAY THERE UEDA. quite the contrast from "PIERROT", isn't it? LOL. i really adore the piano introduction. it's beautiful. then it turns into a breezy, fresh pop tune. i love the solo, but it's hard to really love it when Ueda released "Ai no Hana" the year before. that song was just so....amazingly awesome & beautiful. but this song doesn't disappoint to much. and apparently the lyrics are similar to "Romeo & Juilet" (behold Shakespeare in a friggin' KAT-TUN album, LOL). Ueda continues to prove himself as KAT-TUN's best songwriter/composer, IMO. 9/10

11. WIND : oh Junno-bear. you know, i will be quite honest. this song's the weakest of the solo songs. however, i still think it's great that Junno went and tried to write & compose a song since he's the only member that hasn't done so. it starts off as a piano ballad, but then it goes into a jazzy, mid-tempo number. i will say it sounds better in high quality though. you start hearing things you couldn't really catch in the radio rip. 7.5/10

12. Kimi Michi : well.....i suppose every JE album needs that generic...pop ass song. LOL. & "Kimi Michi" is exactly that. if you need a comparison, "「un-」" off "KAT-TUN III -QUEEN OF PIRATES-". you know...it's exactly like that song now that i've heard it, lol. the only thing that i guess stands out are the English lyrics near the end. it's kinda cute. but nevertheless, one of the weaker tracks. 7/10

13. Shunkashuutou (HARU! NATSU! AKI! FUYU!) : initially, i was like great....another "Kimi Michi" when i heard the preview. but the full version is kinda awesome. Kame raps. LOL. it's a pop-tune, but it does have that Junior!KAT-TUN flavor to it, which is really nice to hear every once in a while! it's a blend of "I LIKE IT" & "YOU". KAT-TUN should do more lower-register stuff like this. it's soooo good on the ears, IMO. 8.5/10

14. White X'mas (Album Version) : i'm not a fan of KAT-TUN ballads, but "White X'mas" is one of their better ones, IMO (not like they have a catalog of ballads, anyway). LOL. the album version comes with a Koki!rap. it's pretty nice and it has the members singing in the background while he raps too. there isn't too much of a difference from the single version otherwise....though...is it just me or are the vocals louder? but w/e. 8.5/10

15. NEIRO : ......you see i don't like KAT-TUN ballads. lol. i think "NEIRO" is nothing too memorable. however, it's nice to hear it in higher quality than a lousy, noisy, fuzzy radio rip. i don't find myself repeating this in the near future too often. however, i will say that the vocals are quite nice in the song. though, it's mostly Akame & that's why it doesn't sound that bad. LMAO. but yeah, standard JE album ballad. 7.5/10

16. MOON (Normal Edition Bonus Track) : YESSSSSS. when you blend traditional Japanese music with KAT-TUN's rock-style...oh man, i love it. xD i have to say this is SO STRONG. KAT-TUN's bonus tracks never seem to fail with me. this is KAT-TUN's style at its best. i really hope they play this song for Dome Con with Samurai outfits. definitely an awesome, awesome track. 10/10

IRENE'S KAT-TUN ALBUM RANKINGS (THUS FAR) :

Spoiler:

it's hard. really hard. my gut is telling me to pick "QOP" since i was definitely more, more, more excited after listening to it. LOL. HOWEVER...there are things i need to weigh equally.

01. ??
02. ??
03. Best of KAT-TUN
04. cartoon KAT-TUN II You

-QUEEN OF PIRATES- vs. Break the Records

let's look at it this way. i truly think "QUEEN OF PIRATES" is a great album. i love it a whole lot. it's definitely the album that defines KAT-TUN. as a group. their image (pirates suits them~). execution of different musical styles. etc. the whole rock persona is in that album (you got "Keep the faith", "LIPS", "Yorokobi no Uta").

BUT...

Break the Records is incredibly experimental (& when i mean experimental...i know JE hired other musicians than their typical ones to do this album). "WATER DANCE" / "1582"...that isn't idol pop material. of course, there are still idol/JE elements (everything beyond "Hana no Mau Machi") in the album, but the difference is there.

there are 15/16 tracks in both albums. but look, QUEEN OF PIRATES is in actuality, a 11 track album if you disregard the bonus tracks & Break the Records is a 15 track album without "MOON". to be quite honest, "12 o'clock", "Ai no Command", & the holy grail that is "SIX SENSES" MADE that album what it is. i'm just glad i managed to grab a Limited Edition. i'll rank both according to tracks.

QOP
01. SIX SENSES
02. AFFECTION ~Mou Modorenai~
03. Keep the faith
04. LIPS
05. TABOO
06. 12 o'clock
07. Ai no Command
08. HELL, NO
09. OUR STORY ~Prologue~
10. DISTANCE
11. 「un-」
12. Yorokobi no Uta
13. SHOT!
14. Nannen Tattemo
15. MOTHER/FATHER

BTR
01. WATER DANCE
02. 1582
03. MOON
04. RESCUE
05. DON'T U EVER STOP
06. WHITE WORLD
07. care
08. PIERROT
09. SADISTIC LOVE
10. Hana no Mau Machi
11. White X'mas
12. ONE DROP
13. Shunkashuutou
14. WIND
15. NEIRO
16. Kimi Michi

i color-coded the bonus tracks. if i drop the bonus tracks & my least favorite 4 from "Break the Records" & compare both as an 11 track album..."Break the Records" wins just due to the tracks. but if it was that simple...LOL. it sucks that i have to weigh the solos along with unit album tracks, but in a way, solo songs, IMO, are some of KAT-TUN's strong points. their individual efforts are awesome. & the flow in BtR is MUCH BETTER than QOP. at least the tracks compliment each other well.

& too make it simplier for ya'll: "KAT-TUN III -QUEEN OF PIRATES-" is a great album due to individual strong tracks like "SIX SENSES", "TABOO", the singles....but "Break the Records" is the stronger ALBUM (IMO).

it's like NEWS pacific/color with me. "pacific" stands out with specific tracks, but "color" is a stronger ALBUM, IMO.

01. Break the Records -by you & for you-
02. KAT-TUN III -QUEEN OF PIRATES-
03. Best of KAT-TUN
04. cartoon KAT-TUN II You

but to be honest...the top 3 are just stellar. LOL.

you freaking deserve a prize if you read ALL THAT.
you have my love though~ xD

keep the opinions coming. i love reading them all.