Uru - Orion Blue(オリオンブルー) Album Thoughts (J-pop/ballad)

  Uru is a Japanese singer that started her career by uploading covers of popular songs from Japan on to Youtube. She was then discovered and released her first album that was met with moderate success. She then continued to realize singles used for various media outlets that boosted her career slightly intake for her sophomore album Orion Blue. Currently the album debuted in the top ten on Oricon album charts and has stayed there for a couple of weeks.

01. プロローグ
02. 今 逢いに行く
03. あなたがいることで
04. space in the space
05. marry
06. 願い
07. Don’t be afraid.
08. 頑な
09. いい女
10. PUZZLE
11. Scenery
12. 横顔
13. remember
14. Binary Star
15. 3月9日
16. Funny Bunny
17. 白日

   I've been having thoughts cross my mind of who the next Ayumi Hamasaki will be…. No, not that a singer will replace her but who will be that female singer who is the next in line to get to the hight that Yamasaki was at once upon a time. Uru came to mind after I discovered her music on Youtube. She and Ayumi don't have the same sound vocally, which is very apparent by their musically choices. Still, Uru comes across a seasoned ballad singer even only on her second album. Her music is for smooth easy listening where a listener really sits back to hear the lyrics. One dynamic helping this processing being the fact that she herself creates songs that are pure. Almost like a place that can't be disturbed by anything negative. I felt this way when I first started listening to Hamasaki during her Dearest and Heaven eras. Not many vocalist have that power to construct such feelings by themselves. We haven't even gotten to the production yet that she eats up whole heartily as ballad singers do. Dramatic over produced violins have always been a thing in popular music from Utada to Namie, so why should producers stop now? At least Uru does try to add a bit more selection to choose from outside of the emotional song and dance. These tracks still feel smooth to the ears. Maybe even too smooth to the point that I started to want her to sing a bit off the beaten path. Also, her ballads run together as one big track to me at times. I still enjoy Orion Blue for what was given despite the fact that this album isn't one I would listen to everyday or throughout the week.

     Uru's vocals seem VERY cut and dry. They're very beautiful yet predictable. She sings so straightforward that Orion Blue has no real surprises vocally. You as the listener can appreciate the quality of her voice but thats about it. Japanese music can kinda be like that….. You sing a certain way for masses, otherwise they won't hear you. That's the vibe I get from her. Here's to hoping that she has a say in her career moves and doesn't end up running away from beng turned into an industry robot like Ayumi Hamasaki did.