Album review: Thelma Aoyama - Diary

Album review: Thelma Aoyama - Diary | Random J Pop

After enjoying success with a number 1 single on the Oricon charts, Thelma Aoyama is here with her debut album Diary. I was a bit sceptical of her after seeing her wholly immature image: A 19 year old Japanese girl dressed like a 12 year old black girl in the 1980's. But I decided to give her a chance given I liked her voice and I was pleasantly surprised.

Diary is very much a Japanese R&B album. So throw all thoughts of an album chock-a-block of empty, throwaway, bubblegum songs aside. Diary starts off mid-tempo with "Soba ni iru ne" which sounds very much like a Brian Michael Cox production (think Mariah Carey's "We belong together", Mary J. Blige's "Be without you", Danity Kane's "Ride for you") with its predominant piano driven melody and sparse drums. A nice song, but nothing special. Things switch up with the playful "One way" and "My dear friend". "My dear friend" reminds me of a Leah Dizon song, which is NOT a compliment. "Last letter" is the albums' typical Japanese pop ballad. The song is hardly a re-invention of the wheel, and other J-Gals have worked this sound loads of times before. But regardless it's a nice song which would make a great winter single or a theme for a J-drama.

The tempo picks up with "Rhythm", which bounces along nicely with its punchy bass lines and soft piano tickles, all rounded off by Thelma's soft vocals. "Higher" has Thelma delving into club territory, with a crunk like sound that sounds like a rip off of something Lil' Jon would do. The song is annoying at first, but Thelma carries off the style well - far better than I've heard the likes of Kumi Koda and BoA do on their recent musical endeavours. It's definitely a grower. "Paradise" sweeps in with its strummy guitar and has 'Summer single' written all over it. A great song and nice contrast to the edgy sounds of "Higher". "This time" is a nice laid back R&B jam which is ruined by its Christmas overtones which creep up on you as the song progresses. It's only 2 minutes in you realise Thelma's mentioned Christmas a couple of times and that there's a jingle bell that's been ringing in the background since the start. A nice song with a hot chorus, but the Christmas shit should've been left out and saved or an EP or a re-release at the end of the year. If you can overlook the Christmas vibe you'll find a hot song here.

As the album winds down it rolls out four ballads back to back: "Kono mama de", "Anata ni aete yokatta", "Mama e" and "Diary". All of these songs are beautiful. With "Kono mama de" and "Anata ni aete yokatta" flowing along with their stripped down melody consisting of just a piano and a guitar and "Mama de" and "Diary" towing the same winter Japanese ballad line as "Last letter". Fans of BoA will like "Mama de" as it sounds very much like "Love and honesty". And fans of Crystal Kay ballads will find something to like in "Diary" as it's very much like something she'd do and has done.

Album review: Thelma Aoyama - Diary | Random J Pop

On the whole Diary is a nice album, but the problem with it is that it lacks punch. Even the songs that initially sound as though they're going to bring something to the table such as "Higher" and "This day" go nowhere and just coast for 3 minutes. Given Thelma's public image and single "One way", many may have been expecting a loud, energetic album that they can crank up loud and bubble to. But instead, Diary is very much mid-tempo and ballad heavy. Those looking to Thelma Aoyama to bring an album full of club ready uptempo's to the table may be disappointed. But if you're cool with something a bit more sedate, you'll find a fair amount to like here.

Diary is a good debut. Thelma Aoyama shows promise and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on her. Hopefully her management and record label will place her in the hands of the right producers and song writers for future albums and market her correctly, because it would be a shame for her to just fade into obscurity.

Diary isn't an amazing album, but is a pretty solid debut and a nice listen.

RATING: 6.5 / 10

Album highlights:
■ Last letter
■ Rhythm ★ J's fave

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