Track Reviews...

Name: "Duvet" Artist: BOA Type: opening The opening theme to Serial Experiments Lain, and pretty much the reason I'm posting a British band to a Japanese music site. The title, "Duvet", means comforter. Of course, that's what Brit's call their BED comforter, but here I guess it's sort of the OTHER comforter. Anime fans really embraced this song when Lain was first brought over, but I rarely saw any other BOA songs on request sites at the time. Grade: A

Name: "Twilight" Artist: BOA Type: vocal The album's title song. It's not my favorite on the album, but it's still pretty interesting. The singer says she's in love with someone, but they are in love with another girl. The singer wonders what it would be like if she were the other girl and maybe her love would love her, since her love's love interest isn't interested... or... well, that's not the whole song. There is also a lot of mention of being the twilight, but that's beyond my comprehension. Grade: B+

Name: "Fool" Artist: BOA Type: vocal I think I read that the Rodgers family were half Asian or something like that... so this song is maybe Jasmine Rodgers', the lead singer, personal expression. Parts of this reminds me of Hindi music for some reason. Grade: B+

Name: "Rain" Artist: BOA Type: vocal "Friend of mine, sex is child inside," "Rain, suicide is rain in pain," "adored by that sex, soaked in wine".... it's no wonder these kids sold albums in Japan with lyrics like those. This is probably one of their stranger songs, but I usually only really listen to the chorus and focus mostly on the music. Grade: B+

Name: "Elephant" Artist: BOA Type: vocal The title is bizarre and irrelevant to the song EXCEPT for one line where she mentions a trunk. She means a traveling trunk, but this group seems to favor using the alternate meanings in their titles I guess because they like confusing me. I actually think it's really interesting, and it's sort of fun to try to figure out why they chose a certain title on some of these songs. This song is about taking a journey, and it's pretty nice. I forget I like this, heh. Grade: A-

Name: "Scoring" Artist: BOA Type: vocal A song about abuse. I think this is actually my least favorite song on the album, but the lyrics are pretty good. I'm just not overly fond of the music for this. It's still good, as there really aren't any BOA songs I DON'T like. Grade: B

Name: "Deeply" Artist: BOA Type: vocal I thiiiiink this was the coupling song with "Duvet" on it's single release in Japan. This later appeared on a special Serial Experiments Lain vocal album featuring BOA. This happens to be one of my favorite BOA songs, with it's slightly edgier sound... I also used to think she sayed "erections now" instead of "your actions now", and with this title I always though this was a really sexual song. Ha. Wrong. It's about talking to people when you've got a problem. Oh well, it still SOUNDS cool. Grade: A

Name: "One Day" Artist: BOA Type: vocal This track surprised me because it's the only track NOT performed by Jasmine Rodgers. Instead, her brother Steve takes over lead vocals, and I think it's kind of refreshing. Girl girl girl girl... boy. A bit of variety is always welcome. This is nice, I like this quite a bit, but now I have to wonder what it would sound like with Jasmine's voice. Still, Steve pulls this off nicely. Grade: A-

Name: "Welcome" Artist: BOA Type: vocal Back to Jasmine, this song is a bit... psychadelic? It certainly reminds me of that kind of music, and the lyrics don't sway my opinion of that. Battle of the confused sexes. "No man can save the world, it takes a woman. No woman can save the world, it takes a man." I'm getting mixed messages. Oh well, I still think this is really interesting. Grade: A-

Name: "For Jasmine" Artist: BOA Type: vocal This was actually written by a woman named Jasmine Henderson. So which Jasmine is it for? Or maybe there is a third Jasmine... this song would seem like it was written about a child. It encourages innocence and curiosity requesting that you never stop learning. But who is this about? I need to stop asking questions. Ha. I just read that. Grade: A-

Name: "Anna Maria" Artist: BOA Type: vocal A party song. More of that West Asian vibe, for some reason with a little bit of Spain thrown in. I really like it, since it's pretty unique to this group. The ending is nuts! Crazy lyrics, and once again I am baffled by the song's title. I never came close to finding an answer to this riddle. Grade: A-

Name: "Duvet" (Accoustic Version) Artist: BOA Type: opening/remix The Lain opening gets the accoustic treatment, which seems to change the mood of the song completely. A more relaxing, melancholy version, I think this was featured on one of the Serial Experiments Lain soundtracks. I could be wrong though. Though I'm not usually a fan of accoustic guitars, I do really like this and sometimes can't decide which version I like more. Grade: A

Name: "Little Miss" Artist: BOA Type: vocal A song from the Serial Experiments Lain album mentioned earlier... I think the album was called Tall Snake or something snakey. This song is really really interesting with lyrics that, for once, are completely clear. A guy and a girl, the girl loves the guy and the guy doesn't want this. But he can't help but feel something for her, which doesn't sit well with him and so he tries to make himself think of her as nothing but a sexual object. I don't know why, but I always feel like this is about a prostitute. A reformed one. Winner for best lyrics on the album. Grade: A

Name: "Drinking" Artist: BOA Type: vocal The final song. This is about an alcoholic and how it breaks the heart of the singer to see him like this. I like the line about how she feels sorry for his future children, if he ever has any. Really sweet, sincere lyrics about a man slowly destroying himself and hurting those who care. Grade: B+