Voice of EARTH was alan’s debut Japanese studio album. It was released on March 4, 2009 and reached no. 15 on the Oricon Charts with 11,056 copies sold. In all it has sold over 17,296+ copies. This album released in two versions, a CD edition and a CD+DVD edition. It features alan’s first two Japanese singles as well as her 5 Elements Campaign and her latest single Gunjou no Tani. The song Liberty was used as the theme song for the drama Hikon Doumei.

Tracks:
1. Tennyo ~interlude~
2. Ashita e no Sanka
3. Sore Uta
4. Natsukashii Mirai ~longing future~
5. Hitotsu
6. Kaze no Tegami
7. BRAVE
8. Yume no Garden
9. Gunjou no Tani
10. my friend
11. Liberty
12. Tsuki ga Watashi
13. RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~
14. Megumi no Ame
15. Together

Tracks:
Beginning alan’s debut album is Tennyo ~interlude~ lit. Celestial Maiden. I really wouldn’t call it an interlude as it’s more of an intro, but it’s certainly one hell of a beginning. It’s over three minutes long and features various Tibetan elements. Throughout the song you can hear alan singing in Tibetan, just like sign. There’s a great use of the percussion, strings, and the various beats. The wailing at the beginning was pretty good too, made the whole thing seem somewhat ominous and ancient almost. A spectacular opening.

Next is her debut single Ashita e no Sanka. It’s somewhat old being released over a year ago, but it’ still amazing. Her vocals are what really impress me, especially how she holds those long notes. The oriental elements are really strong, namely the strings and percussion. Now that I look back at it, it doesn’t seem as amazing as it did a year ago, but it’s still mesmerizing.

Continuing with the oriental / enthic sound is Sora Uta. It was originally released as her second single in the 5 Elements Campaign. And it’s obvious that this song represents the sky, especially with it’s name. This song was her first step into mainstream pop you could say, it’s not a ballad. Instead it’s more up-beat and features various elements of pop and ballad. The music isn’t heavy enough for pop, yet not solemn and epic enough for a ballad. Anyway, the strings during the chorus sounded so oriental and went great with alan’s vocals. Overall despite it being rather mid-tempo, it’s catchy.

And now we come to the song that brought alan into the limelight. Natsukashii Mirai ~longing future~ was alans first single to chart in the top 20 as well as her first single in the 5 Elements Campaign. The theme was earth and it holds true to the theme. This ballad features the harmonious strings, epic piano chords, and even the er-hu. alan’s vocals were really spectacular, such power and strength. And I just adore the melody, it’s not overly infectious yet it’s still memorable, just right for this ballad. I personally think it was the best single from the campaign.

And time for the winter ballad Hitotsu. It’s a magical ballad that’s rather mediocre in terms of melody but it’s great in the vocal department. The strings arrangement is astounding, the piano chords are enchanting, and the accordion was unexpected yet incredible. I honestly love this song for the vocals, that first line is just so powerful. It’s a great listen for anyone that loves exotic ballads.

This is really alan’s first true dip into the world of pop music. Kaze no Tegami is one of the best songs that she’s released, then again I love most of her songs. It utilizes various synth riffs and beats alongside the electric guitar and percussion. It’s still pretty unique compared to all her music, but I still think it’s great. Despite all the criticism it received I still love this song, it’s equally catchy as it is unique.

The first real new song on the album is BRAVE. The first thing that drew me to this song is the fact that there’s some English. But besides that there is the whole exotic factor going on. The strings sound really foreign and different yet it’s amazing. There are some synth elements as well as some distortions. The chorus is by far the catchiest thing, the synth riffs are just awing and the vocals are impressive. There’s even the hint of the electric guitar, channeling Kaze no Tegami are we? I especially loved the distortions with the ad-libbing at the end of the chorus. It has that epic quality and it’s a fairly good song. It’s worth a listen.

And yet we have another unique song following, this time it’s Yume no Garden. This song is mid-tempo and it still features some rock elements, but with the strings and the guitar riffs it has an oriental sound to it. The vocals weren’t all that impressive but the melody sounded great and the song itself was epic. The instruments really made this song which isn’t saying much about it. It sounds nice, but it’s not single quality.

Picking up the pace is the aggressive yet passive Gunjou no Tani. This was the last single prior to the album and honestly it’s the best yet. It’s more of an aggressive ballad with some great strings and percussion. alan’s vocals were strong and intense and the music was so epic. And the chorus is just unforgettable. Truly an epic song for the ages.

We now come to one of the only acoustic songs on the album my friend. It has such a different feel than the previous songs. It’s more gentle and more laid back for sure. The acoustics are wonderful despite being so soft and innocent. While it might not be catchy it’s still almost magical and enjoyable. I wouldn’t classify it as A-Side material, but it’s pretty high quality.

Another new track appears next, this time it’s Liberty. Honestly it’s not all that mesmerizing yet it’s still a lovely song. The strings are the primary driving force along with the occasional guitar. This song seems to have an almost magical quality to it, it must be the bells and the piano. The bridge was surprisingly epic with the mellow guitar riffs. And towards the end it did get better. There’s some potential in this song, too bad it doesn’t use it.

One of my favorite new tracks on the album is Tsuki ga Watashi lit. I am the Moon. The beginning starts off like a ballad, very gentle and piano driven. Yet when the song begins to pick up and it takes up more of an oriental vibe. The music suddenly becomes filled with the sounds of the oriental stings, bells, and the classical strings. It has that great oriental flare and it’s really spectacular. alan’s vocals might not be all that strong but they’re absolutely magnificent. This is definitely one of the best new tracks on the album.

Making an appearance finally is RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~. This song is the epitome of epic and regal. It’s an astonishing ballad that’s as epic as it is powerful. It’s a rather strong ballad filled with a heavenly arrangement of strings. It’s no wonder that this is her best selling single, it’s certainly her best ballad. It’s traditional yet it keeps getting better after you hear it. What was the real treat were the vocals. There was just so much power and strength, which really made it spectacular. It’s an epic ballad that’s worthy of alan.

Rounding up the old tracks on the album is Megumi no Ame. It’s a string driven ballad that while might not be as epic as the previous track it’s just as profound. It still has that epic feel during the chorus with the strings playing in harmony. The er-hu is the signature instrument as well as the piano, giving the song an Asian sound. This isn’t her best ballad, but it’s pretty high up there.

Ending the album is the brand new track Together. Not only is this song a first press bonus track but it’s also alan’s first composition. This song is another ballad, no surprise there. Yet this is by far very different. It’s faster paced and even with the strings it sounds different. The percussion is softer and the various bells and strings really mesh well together to create a unique sounding song. It’s no shock that alan’s vocals are impressive as usual, they’re pretty loud. I don’t think you could say that it’s very catchy, but at least it’s memorable.

Overall Review: Voice of EARTH was oriental ballad goodness! Honestly this album was a little messy in terms or arrangement, it’s not as cohesive as I would’ve liked. And maybe if there was an interlude to separate the ballads from the pop songs it would have been better but it’s still impressive. I loved the singles from this album even though there were so many. Most of the album tracks were outstanding and really sounded incredible. Sure it would’ve been better had there been some variety but overall they were great. I just wish that alan would experiment more and move on to genres other than ballads. Overall this is a fair debut, it’s not all that riveting, but it’s certainly lovely. And the cover is so beautiful, I mean the earth for eyes, genius.

Final Grade: 93B+

Megumi no Ame was alan’s 7th single. It was released on November 12, 2008 and reached number 30 on the charts with 4,007 copies sold. In all this single has sold over 5,422+ copies. So far this single has her highest first week sales of any single without a tie-in. The theme of this single was water, along with love and peace. This is also alan’s final single in her “Five Elements Campaign” as well as her debut Era.

Tracks:
1. Megumi no Ame
2. Namida
3. Megumi no Ame (Instrumental)
4. Namida (Instrumental)

Review:
Still solemn and very profound is alan’s final song in her five elements campaign, Megumi no Ame lit. Blessed Rain. Although this song is amazing, it’s not nearly as powerful as Ashita e no Sanka or even RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~, but it’s still a beautiful song nonetheless. The instrumentals consist of the piano, cello, violins, and the er-hu; it’s basically a ballad arrangement, fitting as the song is a ballad. Anyway, with all of the instrumentals, the tone is pretty much set for a sad, yet epic ballad. The vocals are as beautiful and as strong as ever. I loved how her vocals became stronger as the song progressed. The strings were perfect and very classical during the chorus. It might not have been as dramatic or as royal sounding as her previous single, but it’s memorable nonetheless. I have to admit though that right after the bridge the song was probably at the climax, it was so powerful and the vocals were at the peak of perfection. Not to mention that the instrumentals were incredible. I was surprised that she didn’t use her mountain vocals, but that’s just fine.

Still a bit on the heavier side is Namida lit. Tears. It’s heavier in the fact that this ballad is a little darker, and sadder. The music is a mixture of the strings, piano, traditional instrumentals, and some lovely bells. Although the verses aren’t all that interesting, the instrumentals sure are nice. But the chorus makes up for it all. The climax was just phenomenal. I guess I’m just a sucker for the strings, and some of those traditional instrumentals. But besides all of that there were some amazing claps and snaps, that were mid-tempo. That and the vocals, although they weren’t as strong they sounded just as good. I must admit though that the melody of this song is better than Megumi no Ame, that being said, I think this song is a little better.

Overall Review: Megumi no Ame was ballad bliss. Despite not living up to its predecessor, this single is still lovely and magnificent. The theme this time was water and I felt that the single exemplified it very well. I loved how both songs were ballads, and how both were so amazing. Her vocals were just as good, if not stronger. The only problem I had was the fact that I liked Namida more than Megumi no Ame. It just seems somewhat lackluster after RED CLIFF. The instrumentals were very similar, and I loved the traditional instruments, they were incredible. Not her finest single, but still a memorable and profound way to end her debut era.

Final Grade: 100A+

Kaze no Tegami was alan’s 5th single. It was released on September 10, 2008 and reached number 34 on the charts with 2,812 copies sold. In all this single has sold over 3,914+ copies. This single is also her 3rd single in the five-elements single. The theme of this single is Wind. It is also alan’s fifth single in her new, or first, era.

Tracks:
1. Kaze no Tegami
2. Kagome
3. Kaze no Tegami (Instrumental)
4. Kagome (Instrumental)

Review:
alan has done it again, but this time with a rock number entitled Kaze no Tegami lit. Letter of Wind. I guess AVEX is trying to find her right genre besides ballads because it’s different from her previous works. Instead of being a ballad, it’s more rock and features the electric guitar, which makes for a flawless combination with her vocals. Now despite it being very rock oriented, it does feature a few ballad influences, like the violins and mid-tempo feel. The opening was very mysterious sounding, but then you hear alan singing and it sounds so amazing. Needless to say, after that the guitar and keyboard along with the synthesizer began to take over. Those are the main instrumentals and they’re actually very good, just perfect for this rock song. And although the verses aren’t really all that impressive the chorus more than makes up for that. The instrumentals are so incredible, the guitars, violins, drums, and keyboard. And despite the chorus not sounding so infectious, it sounds beautiful and somewhat catchy, memorable is a better way to describe it. As for the bridge, it was pretty aggressive with the raging guitar, but alan’s calming vocals seemed to smoothen it all out. It seems that alan’s new songs seem to get better each time, and this one used a little English too!

Keeping with the whole rock vibe of the single is Kagome lit. Bamboo Woven or apparently Girl In A Cage. The opening is a little interesting with all the instrumentals, still rock for the most part, and a little soft too. Anyway, alan again exhibits her amazing vocals in this song. The one thing I loved was how during the verses the song was very soft and light-sounding, that and the traditional Asian instrumentals. Now when the chorus came along, it got a little more aggressive, well just really more rock. The vocals were still amazing, but this time the music was a lot better; not as powerful as the previous track but good enough. And it was actually catchy, well in the melody department. Despite this being a B-Side, I actually liked it, hopefully it’ll be featured on her new album.

Overall Review: Kaze no Tegami was pure rock passion! For once I’m glad that alan is experimenting with new music, it seems that it’s working. I loved everything about this single! From the graceful cover, to the rocking music, and finally the PV, this single was just what alan needed. This high quality single is her best single yet, and it’s not a ballad either, we know she can handle other genres now. The electric guitar was the perfect new instrument to make alan’s songs sound so new and refreshing. You couldn’t have asked for a better song from alan, well maybe her new water single will be better, either way we’re in for a treat.

Final Grade: 100A+