Kamikyokutachi

Album Review

While AKB48 release a large number of singles, the method of choosing those comes from their regular shows in the Akihabara district of Tokyo. The most popular performances on-stage become single releases, and the singles in turn get compiled into full-length albums. Kamikyoku Tachi collects singles from 2008 to 2010, displaying the group in all its 48-member glory. The set acts as something of a best-of, but doesn't assemble its tracks from any preceding major full-length release. Instead, what appears is a set of A-sides and a handful of more interesting B-sides. The music delivers very little outside of the hyper-stereotypical girl group sound. These are idol singers en masse, and the result is a somewhat simplified sound, arranged to allow as much chorus singing as possible. The individuals may step out for small solo runs, but they quickly hand off to one another and fall into a chorus again at each opportunity. Fans of the group should be thrilled to have the singles collected here, but those outside of AKB48's existing fan base will likely only have their stereotypes of J-pop confirmed by hearing this.