"KEI: AISHOKA"
It's hard to believe that in the thirty-three years since Pink Lady broke up, this new album by Kei is only her sixth, eight if you count two best hits compilations, her last being “Now & Then” some six years ago, but I think this release is one of her very best. A theme of sorts to this album which continues Kei’s longstanding adult contemporary genre of music is ’love’ which is in most of the titles of the tracks, beginning with “Love Is Born”, a soulful, bass heavy number with a 1980’s flavor that emphasized Kei’s deep and mellow voice, “Love is the Water” is a breezy and airy tune with some delightful piano work, “Love is the Mayfly” features more delightful piano work as Kei turns out a lovely ballad. “Favorite Song” (”Aishoka”), the title track is an elegant song with both soaring strings and soaring vocals by Kei, “Love Your Life” turns up the heat with a sultry enka-style slow jam while “Mistress” is light, bouncy and jazzy soft rock number, “Still In Love” had that sort of European style flavor that was both mellow and powerful, giving me chills. “Love Shining” is another light and cheery song that made me feel warm inside as I listened to it, next is “Ai Giri Giri”, a PL cover with a bouncy, Latin tinged beat, as good as it sounded by Kei, it sounded....different without Mie. “Say I Love You” was a delightful, Meditterrean styled soft pop number with a Greek flavor, complete with a mandolin, then there's “In Praise of Love”, a stirring ballad with just Kei and a piano player, marvelous and totally moving and was my favorite track of the album. Lastly was a brand new rendition of “Sparrow”, Kei’s first single release, and, for my money, I thought this was her best version yet. All in all, a wonderful album by Kei who continues to impress as a solo songstress and torch singer.
