AAA - Attack

This first album from the Avex group is a debut effort that packs an adrenaline filled punch of energetic pop. For an eight-member pop group, AAA is pretty damn awesome.

The album kicks off in furious style with the single Blood on Fire. The frenetic pace and eurobeat sound combined with an aggressive rap provides an explosive opener. This is duly followed by another single, Dragon Fire, ensuring the early pace of this album does not let up. Dragon Fire is a fun song more in a rock style with a distinctive Chinese influence. The transition between styles demonstrates that AAA is more than a one-trick Avex dance band.

Welcome to this World marks a further departure from the hard and fast first two songs. It is lighter pop, although Misako Uno's oft-irritating nasally vocals are the main focus and it stands out as a weaker song. It is quite similar to this year's Get Chu! in terms of sunny appeal, but is let down a little too often by poor vocals. Kirei na sora is also a slighta let down; the introduction that slips into a minor key is a little uninspiring although the Rip slyme/ Dragon Ash inspired verses are lovely. It's a shame that it then gets let down by the chorus. The initial rush of energy that made the start of the album great evaporates with these slightly less impressive songs.

The album is saved from too great a depression during the weaker tracks by Taiyo, an exciting pop-rock track with an underlying funk beat that shows off the strong male vocals prevalent in AAA. There are few weak tracks on Attack, with AAA deftly handling a variety of musical styles. Saikyou Babe has a hiphop beat and decidedly laid back funky feel and Get or Lose is more inspired by 70s disco sounds with a catchy melody and powerful bass line. Meanwhile, Deai no Chikara is a touching ballad between Misako and Nishijima.

After the quiet lull of Deai no Chikara, AAA re-enters party mode with the aptly titled Friday Party and the more dubiously titled VIRGIN F. Both are more reminiscent of the start of the album: addictive eurobeat rock songs. Followed by the superb happy sound of Chikyuu ni kakarete, the album closes by turning up the energy before one final balladic bow out. Bokura no Te is a sweet and laid back RnB ballad. It is pleasant enough and works well as a closing note to the album but there is nothing too special to remark about it: the vocals are smooth with reliance on the male voices with a solid melody and no competition between the various elements of the song.

Attack comes highly recommended as an album of pure fun pop. There are a couple of weakness but they are outnumbered by the number of brilliant energetic dance tracks that fill the bulk of the album. As a debut album it is fantastic.