Review: Zoey - ZOEY

Released: Jan 7, 2004

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Artist: Zoey

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As of late, the mainstream Japanese music industry rarely produces a pop album that I deem respectable, let alone good enough to merit writing a review that does more than tear apart the typical sounds of a wannabe idol. Zoey is one such artist.

Zoey’s phenomenal self titled debut album was released in January of last year. (2004) Though it was ignored by Japanese music communities on both sides of the pacific, it has musical gems that far outshine the bubbly, pop-rockish, screechy sounds of her pop counterparts. Her brand of pop is one that’s much more mature than what the industry is used to, but is also accessible enough for anyone to enjoy.

The album opens up with Shiroi Chizu (White Map) a mysterious, mid tempo song driven by Zoey’s soft vocals. It’s obvious from the start that Zoey is not your typical Jpop vocalist just by her sounds alone. Although she may not have the best voice in the world, she certainly isn’t afraid to use what she has. Her vocal style is heavy on vibrato, something I would normally find annoying and distracting. In Zoey’s case, however, it seems as if she can control it in such a manner that remains unique, but reasonable.

Other songs of mention include Kagami no Naka no Asa, (In the Mirror of Morning) which is similar to Shiroi Chizu in its element of mysteriousness, but carries an aura all it’s own, with an exotic drum and bass line that help add to the general tone of the song.

A song that deserves notable mention is My Love, the album’s third track. I was taken by this track immediately after hearing the sample on her website. The live feel and strong vocals of the song demonstrate what Zoey can do. Even though her voice may not be as strong as, R&B superstar Misia’s, she can hold her own, and what she doesn’t have in power she makes up in versatility. My Love is the second best song on the album and would be a great place to start for those interested in her music.

The best song on the album is one that had the most potential to be the worst. For her debut single Zoey covered Bjork’s 1993 hit Venus as a boy. As any Bjork fan knows, the moment someone says (insert random artist here) is going to, or has covered a Bjork song you cringe, mostly because the artist will usually try to sing like Bjork. This isn’t the case with Zoey. She stays well within her range while maintaining that quality that is expected when covering a song by such an eclectic artist. The music has been updated as well, creating an original, yet familiar cover of Bjork’s popular hit.

The album does have some rough spots though. Her second single, Fake Smile is one of them. Coming off Shiroi Chizu this song seems rather plain. Not to mention that Zoey repeatedly saying “Put on a fake smile” at the end. Usually that would be ok, but since this song is rather mediocre that’s the only thing that sticks with you after the first few passes of the song.

Ai wo Oshiete (Teach To Love) is another issue on the album. Even though this beautifully done acoustic track is pretty good, Zoey’s resonating voice slight turns me off to it. She did a very good job on the song overall though. You Make Me feel is another rough spot for me. It’s obviously supposed to be a sensual song, but comes off as if Zoey were whining, totally destroying the mood of the song.

Overall this is a good album. It has a few rough spots, but nothing that’s unbearable. Her unique sounds make this an excellent album for those who want to escape the bubbly, poppy sounds of Japan’s most popular idols. Even though this album was ignored by the general industry, it shines in its own light in a league all its own. I’d definitely recommend this album to anyone who’s interested.