TAKUMA - Birthday Live 2007 ''26-27 Birth & Rebirth Party''

Wearing a dark suit for the occasion, Takuma performed last November for his 27th birthday. Though still young, the man has already been member to various rock groups as a bassist, and today Takuma concentrates on his solo career, which mainly uses his voice and guitar. Musically speaking, the tracks represent a calmer style; the vocals are the heart of these pop rock songs instead of sound amplified by a guitar dash.

Like the first DVD Acoustic Live Tour 2007 "if", this release was also finished like a documentary, with comments and backstage material cut in between scenes from the concert. Luckily, the work is smoother than before, and the only big downside is the bright lighting on the stage: every now and then it draws a regrettable amount of attention to itself. The actual performance radiates joyfulness that finds its peak with the happy swing tracks of simple tone.

The party gets a special highlight as Takuma performs a few carefully chosen Wyse tracks with his old band mates Kenzy "Sammy" Horikawa, Yoshihiro "Hiro" Yamamura and Masayuki "Mori" Moriyama. Before they begin playing, Hiro and Mori thrill the fans with their old moves, and it seems like just yesterday that the band was still together. The songs work as a contrasting reminder of how the older songs were finished with a thick rock coating - however, at the core of the tracks you find a lot of the same. From his solo songs, Takuma selected a glorious set of "Over", Akai hana and the moving hit from the first album, Eyes.

Birthday Live 2007 "26-27 Birth & Rebirth Party" leaves behind a relaxed and positive image without seeming too pompous, which is something you might expect from a filmed birthday concert. The stripped down sound, together with the streamlined performance, is probably best received by people with a more mature musical taste or are otherwise more interested in a sedated style of pop rock.