Album: Are You Happy? (Arashi/嵐)

BLESS THE DEITIES FOR THIS ALBUM! I'll talk about each track and, in keeping with the strongest solo in the album, will rate them on a scale of 1 to 5 Ninomiyas (what? I haven't been watching old D no Arashi episodes...).

DRIVE: This was such a chill start to the album. The title probably primed me, but I 100% want to be in an open car driving through some cliched freeway while this is playing. Like most of the songs in this album, it's upbeat, but at the same time it's pretty relaxed - the kind of music you play when you want to just lie back and not think much and not move much.
Rating: 4.5 Ninomiyas

I seek: Between this and Daylight, this is definitely the stronger single. It has more variety and it's much less boring to listen to. Of course, I might just be biased because it's the song for Ohno's drama, but... Nope, I just got to the bridge and last chorus, and this is definitely the stronger song. It's more layered and pop-y, which makes sense since Ohno's drama was a romcom-type thing. The PV for this was strange with all the natsot, but I didn't hate it!
Rating: 3.5 Ninomiyas

Ups and Downs: I really like this song! It's upbeat and happy, and it's typical Arashi fare in the best way ♥ Also, Ohno's voice!! At the bridge! Give me a moment tbh. I'm looking forward to this performance if only to see Ohno belting things out, haha. The chorus in particular is pretty catchy since it does that staccato thing with the beat. I'm about that!
Rating: 4 Ninomiyas

Seishun Boogie (青春ブギ\Youth Boogie): This is so old school, I kind of love it. The first time I heard it, I imagined it as the opening theme for an old anime about drag racing, complete with the art style of Voltes V. It grows on me exponentially the more I listen to it, so I'm pretty much bopping to it already at this point. There's something about the old school tone and production that makes me feel nostalgic even though I wasn't even around for old school J-Pop. (Must be all that V6 I've been listening to, lol.)
Rating: 4 Ninomiyas

SUNSHINE (Sakurai Solo): Very aptly named, given the general tone of the song. This is the kind of song you wanna wake up to - kind of like Nino's MUSIC in Japonism. As far as Sho's solos go, this is keeping in line with his tradition of upbeat music mixed with some rap, though I find it less repetitive than usual - probably because it's more cheerful, the beat flows better, and the melody actually works for Sho's vocals instead of against it (see: Yume de Ii Kara, which is a good song in itself but doesn't do much for Sho's voice). It's definitely one of my favorite Sho solos. It could be the theme for a morning show tbh, haha.
Rating: 4 Ninomiyas

Fukkatsu Love (復活LOVE/Resurrection Love): This is easily one of my favorite Arashi singles ever. I can listen to it any number of times and never get tired of it. Add Arashi's penchant for being able to dance to anything, and a smooth af music video featuring Ikuta Toma(!), and you've got yourself a winner. Now, I can't tell you what the heck this single was for (probably a commercial), but that doesn't matter because this is an insanely good pop song. I'm not a huge fan of the softly-spoken whisper parts, but I don't hate them. Also: the composers corrected their English pronunciation! Very good.
Rating: 5 Ninomiyas + 1 bonus Ninomiya because I love this single

Amore (Aiba Solo): The whole first verse of Aiba's solo is in English, which is... I mean, it's not bad, but it's not good either. I don't dislike the song in and of itself, but I think it's probably one of the more unique Aiba solos - which is saying something. Everything he's ever sung from Itsuka no Summer to Friendship to Hello Goodbye all legitimately sound and feel the same to me. (He lip syncs them all the same too HAHA okay let's not get into that.) DISCO STAR and Mr. Funk were actually very welcome breaks for me - like Aiba embraced his place in Arashi as the Shamelessly Over the Top One. This is a step down, definitely, but it's not necessarily a bad one.
Rating: 3 Ninomiyas, if I'm rounding down

Bad Boy (Ohno Solo); I'M WORKING SO HARD TO LISTEN TO THIS TRACK ALL THE WAY THROUGH FOR THE THIRD TIME, OHNO. If I didn't already hate the club vibe and the autotune, the repetitive (and frankly, cringey) singing of "I'm a very bad boy" already does it in -__-" I'm sure it's going to have a sexy/suggestive performance that will (hopefully!) make up for the mess of this track, but right now, this is probably my least favorite track in the album, and my least favorite Ohno solo overall. Why, management?? We had such a good thing going with Akatsuki, aka THE BEST SOLO OF ANY ARASHI MEMBER EVER. They tend to stick dance songs to Ohno probably so he can showcase his dancing, but ugh. Whatever. I don't necessarily hate this track, but it's down there. >__> Sorry, Oh-chan, pure cinnamon roll, light of my life.
Rating: 3 Ninomiyas, if I'm rounding up LOL

WONDER-LOVE: One of the slower songs in the album, but still with that upbeat vibe they all seem to share. I love that this started with solo lines, then it slows it down right at the chorus. Really keeps your attention! I'd rank this around top-middle in terms of my favorite tracks in this album. It's middling in terms of the slow-upbeat scale too - it can get your to bop your head, but it also slows you to a stop at some points. It's a little bit forgettable, but what you remember is that you like the song - which in the end, is what matters, lol.
Rating: 4 Ninomiyas, rounding up! More like 3.75 Ninomiyas. HAHA

Mata Kyou to Onaji Asu Kuru (また今日と同じ明日がくる/Another Day Like Today Will Come Tomorrow): Definitely one of Nino's best solos so far. This is in the same plane as Gimmick Game, but shows off Nino's vocal talent in terms of range and his ability to sing fast verses but still enunciate (lol). Nino's solos tend to be either emotional and personal (Niji, Konseki) or upbeat and impersonal (MUSIC, Himitsu). Gimmick Game is my favorite solo of his because it didn't fall under either category. This song falls somewhere in between, like a good mash up and summary of Nino's good points. Again, it has fast and slow parts that effectively keep your attention, and he whispers at one point which is like... hngg. I love this a lot, and I'm definitely looking forward to his performance!
Rating: 5 NINOMIYAS OKAY THIS RATING SCHEME WAS NAMED AFTER YOU

Daylight: I thought this was kind of weak as far as Arashi singles go, but it's not a bad song in and of itself. Its PV was boring as heck, and overall it exuded the exact same aura as Hatenai Sora - if you took the emotion out of Hatenai Sora (read: the emotion made HS work). When I first listened to this song, I legitimately said, "Meh, this would be better with a Sakurap," in the middle, and it had it in the end! So I mean, it's not a complete loss? But it feels like an obligatory single, and its PV feels like an obligatory PV, so... yeah.
Rating: 2.5 Ninomiyas?? Fine, I'll give it 3.

Ai wo Sakebe (愛を叫べ/Shout This Love): It didn't take much for me to like this song. The PV was cute as heck, and I'm a sucker for themed songs. This is a freaking wedding song marketed at groomsmen and the groom wanting to perform for the bride, which only makes it cuter. I've seen Arashi perform this in almost every live performance they've had since it was released, but it never actually makes me groan like "Not this again!" Probably because the choreography is cute as all heck - and they even did a whole chair routine in the last Music Station performance!
Rating: 4.5 Ninomiyas! I'm a sap, don't judge me.

Baby Blue (Jun solo): I'm not going to lie to you. Since I heard Naked in 2009 (that was a while ago!), I've felt predisposed to hate Matsujun's solos. The reason varies, but it's usually that I find his voice grating. The exception to this rule was his solo in Japonism and Digitalian, which I actually unironically enjoyed! And also Shake It! - but mostly for the same reason as I liked Disco Star and Mr. Funk by Aiba: more because they've embraced their place rather than objective like for the song. LOL. Baby Blue's actually a pretty decent solo, though! It's cute and easy to listen to, which is already more than I can say for many of Jun's solos.
Rating: 4 Ninomiyas for Exceeding My (Low) Expectations!

Miles Away: THIS MADE ME SO EMOTIONAL. And I didn't even understand much of it! The melody is incredibly effective, and I loved it to bits. It made me feel things. For an album that is more about the upbeat songs, this is actually a really good ballad. The bridge where they round robin a line building up is pretty great! And who would've thought Aiba had the highest reach of them all? Gahd, this makes me feel calm and emotional at the same time which is... how is that even possible. It sounds basic by itself as a song, but I dunno... Arashi works its magic on it and I just like it a lot okay. Stop looking at me weird!
Rating: 5 Ninomiyas if I'm rounding DOWN and also a bonus Ninomiya JUST BECAUSE

To my homies: HOW MUCH DO I LOVE THIS SONG? So much. Sure, it has a strange title (I'm looking at you, Sho), but it's probably my top non-single track in this album! (After Don't You Get It, probably, that is.) I need to listen to it on repeat until I can sing it without batting an eyelash, until I know every nook and cranny. It makes me want to lie down on a fine-sanded beach, by a bonfire at sunset, just chilling out with my friends in a freaking circle. This song makes me feel kumbaya about the world. I dunno. I find the gentle rap (lol) so calming, and the chorus just makes me want to sway and smile with my eyes closed. This is such a great song ♥ Simple but incredibly effective at making you feel that connection with it.
Rating: You get a Ninomiya! You get a Ninomiya! ALL FIVE ARASHI MEMBERS GET A NINOMIYA! And Sho gets an extra Ninomiya for overseeing this beauty... but also he gets -1 Ninomiya for that title. HAHA

Don't You Get It: I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS SONG, as literally everyone living with me will attest to. I watched the PV more times than necessary just to watch each member being dumb, the Music Station performance breathed life into me, and honestly the whole song is just akjfhsldf thank you. I can't. IT IS EVERYTHING I HAVE WANTED IN AN ARASHI SINGLE. I needed a dumb PV, something to take away the weird taste Power of the Paradise left (not that it's a bad song - it's just that the boring PV ruined it). This is probably the closest they've ever come to Happiness in terms of Arashi just being their weird selves on-set. That Ohmiya moment toward the end SLAYED ME, and the little dance they do outside the studio smh. Also, dog. My god. They hit every single one of my weak spots, and I can only love them for it.
Rating: IF I COULD MAKE IT RAIN NINOMIYAS I WOULD

TWO to TANGO: There's something about this song that is distinctively Masquerade and Tokei Jikake no Umbrella, and I am here for it. I love these darker(?) songs they have - it's a side they don't really show. Tbh, since Truth in '08 and arguably Monster in '09, they haven't really released a ~dark sounding single. Understandable given the title of this album, but it's nice that they stuck a track in, even if it's a bonus track.
Rating: 4 Ninomiyas! I'm about this!