Sakazaki Kounosuke no Momoiro Folk Mura NEXT 「Hitotsubu no Egao de, Arigatō no Present」
(坂崎幸之助のももいろフォーク村NEXT 「一粒の笑顔で、ありがとうのプレゼント」)
Momoiro Folk Mura 5th episode
Special Guest: Akiko Kosaka
As the first folkmura after the Christmas special and the first one of 2015, I was curious whether they would change up the format for the show, though from results it seems that not much has changed.
What is interesting is that this month’s episode featured a lot more of Momoclo songs than usual. Whether this is because lack of time to practice or difficulties in securing copyrights of songs is anyone’s guess. It was funny however, to see netizens commenting that they finally had a setlist where they recognized most of the songs (lol)
Perhaps as a result, the general mood of the program was very relaxed this month, with the performances leaning more towards the “fooling around” scale of things.
It makes for some pretty funny moments, but I do hope that they revert back to covering some lesser known/old songs, since I really enjoy them trying out different things.
The next episode will be aired on 2/19 at the same time, with the special guest being the talented Naotaro Moriyama (森山直太朗), whom Momoclo have crossed paths with numerous times.
I will be looking forward to their cover of his signature song 「Sakura」
M1 Momoclo「My Dear Fellow」Momoiro Clover Z
M2 Kanako×Shiorin「Single Bed wa Semainodesu」Momoiro Clover Z
M3 Momoka×Reni「Jimusho ni Motto Osaretai」Momoiro Clover Z
For those that have seen my song reviews before, I’ve stated that I don’t particularly enjoy these kind of songs…..it’s much more just to watch the girls fool around (lol)
Personally, my highlight for both songs would have to be Kanako…
First she threatens to disband Momotamai during their duet
And then she trolls Team Osaretai hard by barging in and singing “I’m promoted~I’m promoted” (A slight change of words from the original lyrics, which meant “want to be promoted”)
Got quite a good chuckle out of me.
Kanako caption: I’ve been promoted since forever~~lolololol
M4 Arin「Datte A-rin Nandamon☆」Momoiro Clover Z
Continuing on from the silly antics, Arin’s rendition of her solo song also had it’s fair share of laughs.
It was here that I again had to salute her professionalism……or rather, her very thick skin (Most definitely not because she ate too many cream puffs 😉 )
All jokes aside, it’s really amazing how she can do this stuff in front of the camera that is quite honestly, super embarrassing.
Even Kanako and Reni who are doing their best to cheer her on seem to on the verge of losing it.
Of course, I also have to give props to the rearrangement of the song. This acoustic style arrangement greatly lessened the general annoyance of the song for me, so I could instead concentrate on lmao at the performance.
Kanako during her best to hold it in
M5 Shiorin×Kanako「Kimi to Itsumademo」Kayama Yuzo
By this song I was convinced that this episodes’ goal was to troll people.
Jeez Shiorin, since when did you turn into a stud!
Even Sakazaki-san had to time-out to regain his composure.
As for the song……I guess it’s a nice showing of Shiorin’s stability in singing.
Even though it looks like she’s straining, her vocals are on point and in tune, with her power being stable throughout the song. How she constantly manages to do this is still a mystery to me…..
With that said, it was very hard to concentrate on the song among all the Kanako/Shiorin interactions.
Especially with Kanako’s newly cut hair…all I can say is that it was all sorts of awkwardness……
This honestly looks like a pervert molesting a little boy = =”
M6 Reni×Izumi Kato「Snow Bird」Kato Izumi
Here we come back to our staple soothing combo of Reni and Izumi-san
I wonder how many people started looking up her songs because of their constant collaboration? (lol)
Like songs they’ve sang in the past, this one is extremely suited for Reni’s voice, very gentle and brisk
However, I must say that Reni seemed pretty unsure of herself when she sang, probably due to lack of practice, and it showed.
Lots of her old problems resurfaced here, like inaccurate pitch or tempo, and instability hitting the high notes.
Overall it was still an ok performance, but I do hope Reni can continue improving and fix these problems, if only for her pride as a singer.
I’ve no doubt this will also help immensely in future concerts.
M7 Arin×Satoshi Takebe「Seifuku」Matsuda Seiko
Revenge performance! (Not that this costume has much to do with this song)
M8 Momoka×Satoshi Takebe「Ichigo Hakusho wo Mouichido」BanBan
And Momoka continues to wow me!
Although she was out for a few weeks due to the flu, once she was back up and running it really seems like nothing happened at all. Her singing is still as good as ever.
I’ve noted in my last review that I love when Momoka sings these types of songs that are lower in register, where she doesn’t have to overdo her voice, and instead sing more softly while still allowing plenty of emotions within her vocals. It’s a nice talent of Momoka that she can take good advantage of.
This is particularly showcased in the lower notes during the verses…..you’d almost get goosebumps hearing it.
For me, her performance in this song has already exceeded 「Nagori Yuki」
Two thumbs up from me!
(Also, I loved Satoshi-san’s piano here)
I’ve no choice but to declare her as MVP for this episode
M9 Sakazaki Kounosuke「Washira no Folk Mura」Yoshida Takuro
M10 Kosaka Akiko×Momoclo「Hitotsubu no Egao de…」Momoiro Clover Z
This performance seems to use the Momoiro Christmas version, complete with the mini musical at the start. I’m looking forward to how it actually went down once the Blu-Ray is released. (It’s long been a wish of mine to see Momoclo doing a musical)
As for the song….I’m of the opinion that they could use some more practice.
The harmonies from Reni, Momoka, and Arin were all a bit off.
The 5 person harmonies also suffer from an inequality in volume, which is to be expected since this is not a CD recording, where vocal volumes can be fixed in post-production. Kanako especially is a culprit of blasting out her voice.
I will say that Momoka performed admirably during her solo, with a very nice transition into the high notes.
M11 Kosaka Akiko×Momoclo「Gekkou」Momoiro Clover Z
Compared to the one above, you can really see the difference for this song, where the harmonies are much more on point.
Honestly though, even after looping this song many times, I’m still not feeling this song. I do prefer this folk mura arrangement to the the CD version though, particularly during the bridge, which has a much smoother transition.
Not much else to say except Kanako delivering a flawless solo.
M12 Kosaka Akiko×Momoclo「Tuxedo Mirage」Peach Hips
A bit off-topic, but my mind kept thinking of Momoclo x Sailor Moon when I saw this performance.
Momoclo have covered a number of Sailor Moon songs now, but I still maintain that their cover of 「Tuxedo Mirage」 is probably the best showing of their voices and capabilities.
It’s a shame really that the few remaining Momoclo live performances on Youtube were taken back in 2012, with the mediocre 「Moonlight Densetsu」cover being the basis of introduction for Sailor Moon fans.
They’ve come a long way since then, but unfortunately many SM fans still hold a grudge for their butchering of the song.
It would be nice if they could instead watch this performance, which is a pretty decent job in itself, and where no one can accuse them of lip-syncing.
M13 Kosaka Akiko×Momoclo「MOON REVENGE」Momoiro Clover Z
Ok, I’ll admit it. My opinion of Moon Revenge increased considerably once I saw this performance.
I guess the CD version went just a tad overboard with the post-production, making the vocals seem artificial and fake.
Here it sounds much more natural, and although you can hear the flaws in their voices, I think it’s a good tradeoff for being able to hear the raw emotions in the vocals.
The simplified arrangement doesn’t hurt either.
(Though to be honest, my favorite rendition would be how Kosaka-san sang it at the beginning)
M14 Kosaka Akiko×Momoka「Anata」Kosaka Akiko
M15 Go!Go!GUITAR GIRLZ「Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da」The Beatles
Wow, I didn’t think they would cover a Beatles song this fast!
………..Oh nevermind, it’s this song =_=
From what I could make out, it seems that Sakazaki-san chose a Beatles song because of what he heard during the special behind-the-scenes broadcast which covered Momoclo’s collab with KISS.
Specifically in one scene, the girl’s were asked whether they knew of any songs by the Beatles, to which they promptly answered “no”
So Sakazaki-san decided to take matters into his own hands and educate them (lol)
It’s kind of funny actually, since Kanako actually knows the names of the members of The Beatles, while Reni is a self-proclaimed rock fan and even hosted a radio show focusing on rock bands. I find it hard to believe that they don’t know any songs from The Beatles………but oh well.
Not much improvement guitar-wise this time, with them performing a simple 4-chord song.
Production-wise they did add a nice touch, showing the lyrics along with the chords on screen.
I guess they figured out that a lot of people are trying to learn guitar along with the girls, so they made things a bit more easier to follow.
This does mean however, that any mistakes the girls make, like fingering the wrong chords or not keeping up, are now even more obvious. And yes there is plenty of that.
Another cute(?) point is their English singing…..
I replayed it a few times, and I swear I’m hearing “Oh la di, oh la da, life goes on ~~~ la~~ lalalala life goes on” (lol)
M16 Kanako×Momoka「Kaerenai Futari」Inoue Yousui
Here we have our first MomoKanako duet!
Since these two are the most skilled in terms of vocal technique among the girls, I was very interested in what kind of performance they would bring.
As it turns out…….well, first off I think they could’ve gone with a better choice of song.
Kanako’s voice also sound out of place when paired with Momoka, so all things considered it might not be for the best.
It might even be why Kanako is always the lone one out when determining harmonization pairings.
M17 Sakazaki×Kanako×Reni×Shiorin「Cinderella wa Nemurenai」THE ALFEE
Hmm…..to be honest I actually never heard of THE ALFEE before I knew of Momoclo, but with all their constant collaborations I must say that Takamiy’s songs are increasingly easy to recognize.
He basically uses folk melodies as a foundation, while slapping on some rock elements and adding a dash of QUEEN.
To be fair, keeping a stable and simple style is probably one of the reasons why he’s been able to stay relevant for so long in the industry.
This song is no exception….here you just sit back and listen, here’s where you shout and scream, and here you should sing along….. it’s all divided into very obvious parts that makes it clear what you are supposed to do. I’ve got to say it works quite well (lol)
Honorable mention to Shiorin for taking the effort to change into her Takamiy clothes, even though this song mainly features Kanako/Sakazaki
These faces are seriously making me want to throw fruits at them, lol
M18 Momoka × Ito Chiyuri × Kato Izumi「Eien no Trinity 」Tenkasu Trio
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Ok, so this episode is pretty high up there in terms of entertainment value already….especially with Arin’s performance at the beginning………..but this part takes the cake.
Once I saw Kato-san wearing the Tenkasu Trio costume, I literally could not stop laughing.
I guess one could say this is a type of fan-service? (lol)
I’m 100% positive that all she could think of throughout the song was 「恥ずかしい!!!」
Still, pros are pros, and regardless of the situation, she handled the role flawlessly, as one would expect of a professional singer.
Momoka’s already performed this numerous times, so nothing unexpected there.
Instead, I have to give props to Chiyuri-chan. Even though this is her first time on this live broadcast, she showed good nerves and put on a good performance.
I guess it just goes to show how talented the members of Momoclo’s sister groups are.
Kato-san caption: I wanna go home >//<
M19 Momoclo「Arigato no Present」Momoiro Clover Z
Welcome back, Momoka!
Shiorin doll caption: Aha! I’m back! And this time with friends!!
Momoclo Plaza 
Great review. I agree Momoka is definitely the star of this episode but this format suits her the best in general. She really shines on this show. I usually always enjoy her solos because we get to see her show off her vocal prowess. There is a note she hits in her solo for Hitotsubu no Egao de that is gorgeous. Also, she has much better control and she has better transitions now. It was very evident in the latest episode of this show where she covered Haru yo Koi beautifully. She was amazing. I was so impressed with her display in general but that cover was exceptional. I’m bias but I think Momoka can really be something special. She clearly loves singing and she is clearly willing to put the work in. That’s not to say the rest of the girls aren’t hungry or as ambitious but I just think Momoka’s the most passionate and the most serious about performing. Plus, she has such conviction and power when she performs. I’m rambling but I love talking about music.
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Oh. I think Chiyuri is an exceptional singer as well. She has load of potential as well. I love her voice.
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In terms of raw skill Momoka is definitely the best out of the girls. Now whether or not this can translate to a good career as a pure singer is more questionable…her natural limitations clearly showed in the third episode of the series during the collab with miwa. Her voice projection is still spotty, and I’m still not entirely convinced that her change of method in singing after 2013 entirely fixes her problems- there are still many instances where I feel like she’s hurting her vocal chords by straining.
With that said, her potential is clearly there, and with some more work and the right songs, she can definitely go a long way. It’ll be great if they can each find their own niche that they’re comfortable with, and it’ll also help keep things fresh and interesting. I still have high hopes of them becoming an idol group with longevity, something which is all too rare nowadays.
I haven’t listened to the latest episode yet, but I’ll check it as soon as possible!
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Without a question, she needs work on on that. There are times where I visibly cringe. Her cover of Judy and Mary is a great example of that. I did not like that performance at all. I hated it actually. There’s definiltey time to improve. She’s still young so with time, practice and maturity she can really start to master her craft. Once she does that and maybe develop some more confidence in herself who knows? I just have this feeling in my gut about her. When I first got into Momoclo (albeit a couple of months ago) she stood out to me. It wasn’t her singing at first. It was her presence. We call it swagger. There was a certain swagger in the way she danced and even the way she sang that had me like “woah I like her.” It’s the same swagger that I see in a lot of known and up coming artists. I may be overblowing her potential but when you’ve seen so many artists come and go, you kinda get an instinct for superstar potential. It’s up to her to realize her potential just like it’s up to all the girls to realize their potential. They’re not kids. They all have to find their niche and master their respective crafts.
I’m really excited for them. I think the group as a whole can go really far but where is up to them. Are they destined to remain a steady force in Japan? How about Asia like many other groups? How about expanding into other markets like a lot of K-Pop groups? It can be done. Though I’m not a fan of their respective styles of Hip-hop appropriation, Psy and now CL are really starting to make names for themselves in the West. K-Pop acts in general are leading the way. Many of my colleagues and myself included are paying a lot of attention to this next wave of pop music because it’s already starting to affect our current landscape. Major names like Usher and Diplo are attaching themselves to these acts. There is a general excitement for Asian pop music so why can’t Momoclo exploit? There is definitely a market for Momoclo even with the language barrier. Ask the K-Pop groups who sell out in LA every year but how Stardust approaches other markets particularly the Western/American markets is crucial. I don’t know if the KISS collaboration was a way to test that market but if it is, I think there are more effective ways to do that. Anyway, It’s really up to them but they’ve got something that you can’t really teach and that’s charm. They’ve got that in abundance and that may be the one thing that sustains them for a long time. I mean considering my metal/punk background I never would’ve even considered listening to Momoclo let alone caring about them if they hadn’t charmed their way into my heart. I swear if I was heading their marketing team, I would have a lot of fun. There’s a lot to work with if you know what to look for. Here I go rambling again lol
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Lol, not a bad ramble actually.
It’s hard enough to find people who are willing to look at things more objectively without either fanboying/fangirling or coming across as a hater.
I agree with you on the swag part, though I guess it comes with the territory. She’s practically spent her whole life in this career and her work ethic is the best among the girls. She has every right to swag it up a bit (lol)
As for the future, to be honest the biggest thing holding them back is probably the very nature of Japanese business practices in general. Japanese are very withdrawn in regards to overseas markets, which is a problem across many of their industries. Another thing is that Momoclo are very “story-driven,” in the sense that they are like anime protagonists, except the setting is in the idol industry. By extension, this means that to truly appreciate them you have to have a basic understanding of Japanese idols in general, and parts of their sub-culture. Sure, they can also explode with a “WTF factor” a la Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, but I doubt that is what they want to be.
I’ll be honest, this KISS collab dissapointed me in more ways than one, but I guess we can view it as lessons learned and a stepping stone towards the future. Here’s hoping their DBZ single can make another impact on the Western world!
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I love discussing things with you especially as you’re well versed in the more technical and analytical of music criticism. It’s why I follow you because I know I’ll get a proper music review beyond the this was bad and this was great.
To your point, I hadn’t really considered their ‘story-driven’ branding. I’ll have to think about but you’re right about the anime sub-culture. If I was their international marketing strategist, I’d target the anime audience. My introduction to Momoclo was watching the Girl Factory 14 performance of ‘Moon Pride’. I was really impressed with the girls’ energy, the social engagement and how much better it sounded with live instruments. I often prefer the live version of their songs over the studio version especially NAITEMO IINDAYO” (there was way too much autotune and I don’t like how it distorts their voices). Watching that led to slippery slope I’ve yet to overcome (in a good way). Anyway, exploiting the West particularly America’s anime culture would be the best approach. The West loves to cultural appropriate (read pay ‘tribute’ by imitating) so I’m sure their are similarities between Japan’s anime subculture and Western countries’ like the US. ‘Weekend heroines’ would definitely resonate in the US. For many, anime is a coping mechanism and what better way to deal with your problems than lose yourself in world of ‘weekend heroines’ with their high energy, enthusiasm and ‘super-powered’ dance moves. That’s how I would continue to frame Momoclo. Beyond that, anything associated with anime whether it is fan merchandise or music will be attractive to that demographic. Anime is still a pretty big deal and it its subculture in the US definitely has a unique voice in our overall culure. We’ve got conventions, fan-stores and festivals etc. Their involvement with DBZ will surely get exposure in those venues. In short, Momoclo can totally generate buzz in the West now.
As for the KISS collaboration, it made sense from a purely marketing standpoint. If there was any band that would collaborate with a group like Momoclo, it would certainly be KISS. Their marketing strategy and the way KISS brands themselves as entertainers is similar to how Momoclo does it. However, musically it was interesting pairing too say the least. The hook is catchy enough and the bass is killer but it’s flat in other area. I was definitely expecting more in the Momoclo version. Maybe if they sung harder? I don’t know. I get’s Momoclo but it’s like a vintage rock song, ya know?
I’m looking forward to your thoughts on the last Momoiro Mura Folk and of course the singles.
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