[Album] Do As Infinity - Eight

Tacklist:

1. Track Listing
2. Baby! Baby! Baby!
3. Special
4. 1/100
5. Hand in Hand
6. Wonderful Life
7. Boku ga Egaiteta Boku
8. JIDAISHIN
9. Everything will be all right
10. Fly to the Freedom
11. Dear memories
12. 1176 Jikan
13. Kimi ga Inai Mirai

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1. Baby! Baby! Baby!

Starting off DAI’s album, I can already tell this is going to be a much more fun album to listen to.  Unlike their last album’s opening track, Then energy from Ryo’s guitar-playing, the brass fusion and Van’s powerful vocals with touches of
English actually surprised me a whole lot since the last time I’ve heard this kind of fun was basically “1/100″.  I love the atmosphere and the excitement the duo pulled off was extravagant, what an awesome way to open the album.

2. Special

Keeping up with the upbeat atmosphere for their next song, Special focuses a little more on the melody of the song and Van isn’t so much doing her yelling that she did in the first song which is a solid change.  I still feel like getting up and dancing to the song since it’s just that much of a feelgood song.

3. 1/100

Being the main song from the “∞2″ single, 1/100 was definitely a nice change after the “ETERNAL FLAME” and “Kimi ga Inai Mirai” single.  While it’s definitely slightly more serious than the previous two songs, the PV wasn’t definitely not like what I was expecting from a song like this.  Van’s vocals are so good in a rock setting and it really stood out, especially with the flute having a big part as it did.  Strong song for sure!

4. Hand in Hand

Being the album’s promotional track, I wasn’t expecting a ballad to have taken that place.  Of course it’s great that “1/100″ made the bridge from the peppy and fun songs to the more serious Hand in Hand.  Also making such a strange setting is that Ryo has lines in the song and he sounds really good for some reason.  Talk about getting it going, I love the song…sounds very strong for DAI.

5. Wonderful Life

Moving along on the album, we get into Wonderful Life and it feels like it definitely has a Western feel to it since it’s a lot of acoustic guitar, electric, bass, and lighter percussion.  To me, Wonderful Life doesn’t exactly do much after the songs the precede it.  I mean it’s alright for a mid-tempo kind of track, but otherwise, I feel the impact out of this song was more dull for me.

6. Boku ga Egaiteta Boku

At least the next song tries to pull me back into liking things again haha.  I love the control Van has over this song and she has that spark that makes songs so lively and emotional.  I think this is what “Wonderful Life” should’ve gone for an exceptional song.  I thought this was a nice pick-me-up after the two songs so I’m happy with this.

7. JIDAISHIN

Being the last single released in the era, JIDAISHIN represents as the bands 11th Anniversary together and IMO, I would’ve had expected this song to be placed closer towards the beginning since it’s upbeat and has a solid rhythm throughout that is kind of catchy in a way.  I thought it was a solid song for sure and while I’m not sure where it stands on the best A-sides, it’s a fun and strong A-side for sure.

8. Everything will be all right

If we missed DAI with songs like “Baby! Baby! Baby!”, be prepared with one of the B-sides from the “∞2″ single.  While it’s not as festive, loud, and party-like in its atmosphere, Everything will be all right is still actually the best choice to have included from the single since “HARUKA” might have tooken up the album fully with the epicness and “Pile Driver” might’ve broken the mood of the album.  So this song’s lightheartedness beat out those two.  I pretty much enjoyed hearing this song again and was nice to be placed after “JIDAISHIN”.

9. Fly to the Freedom

I love the strings and the cool guitar riff that opens up our next new song and I kind of like the whole mid-tempo situation going for it.  I was so surprised at Van’s vocal performance throughout especially how she tackled the chorus by well…kickin its ass to the curb.  I thought it was one of the album’s standout tracks and in a good way…good track!!!

10. Dear memories

Seems our next track seems to slow down quite a bit and starts off with only acoustic guitar and Van singing before the rest of the instruments come in afterwards.  Kind of like “Wonderful Life” it kind of just passes over my head after a while since it’s nothing exciting or anything we haven’t heard before because I feel this song would’ve fit better on “ETERNAL FLAME” or something.  I mean the middle of the album slightly gets better, but by then I’m kind of wantin to move on.

11. 1176 Jikan

Being the last new song on the album, I was wondering what we were going to get and 1176 Jikan seems a bit of an oddball on the album.  It feels like it wants to be danceable, but the kind of loungy, synthy weirdness kind of just doesn’t rub me the right way.  Then again, the producer is the same guy that did “Pile Driver” which makes me shake my head in confusion.

12. Kimi ga Inai Mirai

Ending off the album is their first single of the era which was also a special release since it was the InuYasha single.  To me it still feels like more of an “ETERNAL FLAME” song moreso than an EIGHT track.  I love the anime-esque sound it has and has one of the strongest arrangements to be honest.  I still enjoy this song everytime it comes on so it should say that they had another hitter with this track…though it’s a bit odd to have it close the album though…

Source: Thx to Uploader