Those of you who have read my review of CoCo Lee's "True Lover~YOU & ME" know that I am not the world's biggest R&B fan. However, that being said, I really do like Utada Hikaru's music an awful lot. She was one of the first Jpop artists I discovered, and I've been a fan ever since. DEEP RIVER is Hikki's latest full album, and has become a huge success. I'm anxious to see what kind of score this album gets (no, I don't already know. Sometimes albums I like get bad scores, and vice versa). Now, let's get down to business!

1. Sakura Drops
Or, DORAPPUSU if you prefer straight romanization. This is an interesting way to start the album. Usually you pick an upbeat, energetic song to kick things off, but this song is pretty mellow. It has a pretty typical beat, made interesting by some chimey-bell things (I never know what to call them.) Once Hikki starts singing though, things get pretty strange. There is hardly any accompaniment to the verses, with some muted caliope sounds and not much else. In a strange way, it reminds me of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever." The melody is also less mainstream sounding, and Hikaru's voice has definitely improved over time. Even though her singing is quiet, there is a lot of underlying power. The verses are much louder and melodic, but still restrained. I really recommend this song a lot. It has a great Japanese flavor while remaining true to the R&B genre.
Rating: 9 out of 10

2. travelling
This is probably the song I would have started the album with. It is nice and upbeat, with some neat techno sounds in the background. Hikki's voice is good, but really the best thing going for this song is its fun mood. There are a couple places where I wish Hikaru would use a little more emotion, or vary her singing style, but it's a minor complaint. This would be a great song to karaoke to. The chorus in this song is instantly memorable, and you will find yourself singing it at odd times during the day. This song clocks in at 5 minutes, which is strange for pop music. But then, so did Sakura Drops. Did I mention she says "travelling" a lot? ^_~
Rating: 9 out of 10

3. Shiawase ni Naroo
This song starts so quietly, you think for sure it will be a nice, soothing ballad. Don't let it fool you. This is a nice, middle tempo R&B song with some great singing by Hikki. I love the attitude she has during the chorus. I also like the huge difference between the verses and the chorus, oh and the little piano fillers. This is certainly one of my favorite songs on the album, which is strange because this is a more "hard-core" R&B song than others. I like songs that make me happy, and this one does (because it's about being happy?!). It's also another relatively long one at 4:47. At least Hikki doesn't cheat us on the song length!
Rating: 8 out of 10

4. Deep River
The title track. I always expect title tracks to be reather exceptional and standout. This is a pretty quiet ballad from Hikki. I always like her ballads better than other Jpop singers because her voice naturally lends itself to the style. Her singing is top-notch in this one. I could do without the porn-music sounding background effects (don't worry, you really have to listen for them.) This song has a very laid-back atmosphere. It may not stand out as one of the best songs on the album, but it is certainly worth listening to. As long as we're keeping track, this one also comes in over four and a half minutes long. Looking at the track list, I see there are no songs under 4 minutes! Wow. I'm impressed.
Rating: 7 out of 10

5. Letters
Another song that starts out quietly, but with much more interesting percussion. There are some neat congo drums going on here. Also, the choral harmonies are a notch better than in some of Hikki's other songs. The chorus breaks into a much more upbeat, Latin type rhythm, and its really good! What is it with Latin-style Jpop songs lately? I seem to have heard a lot. I wish there was a little more depth to the verses in this one, but honestly its a really good song, especially if you like R&B. Hikki's singing is very good, her usual quality, but pay attention to the backup singing in this one. I think it's quite good, even if they only get to say "Da da da" a lot.
Rating: 9 out of 10

6. Play Ball
The beginning of this song reminds me a little of "Addicted to You." It's that harp, I think. Hikki sings in her lower range for the verses in this song, which makes me really happy. There aren't enough altos in pop music. Anyway, the chorus in this one has some faster lyrics, which will help those of you being lulled to sleep by this albums mellow mood. In fact, the chorus is quiet catchy, and I like it more everytime I hear it. There's also a nice electric guitar solo, which temporarily satisfies the J-rocker in me. This may be one of my favorite songs on the album.
Rating: 9 out of 10

7. Tokyo Nights
Okay, Hikki, time you get a 10! This is another more upbeat song, with some neat synth strings and sound effects in it. The verses have an almost Latin feel, but the chorus is more electronic... actually, I don't know what it is, but it's fun. There's a lot of things going on here, as compared to the somewhat sparse accompaniments of the other songs. The chorus hits you all of sudden, even when you're expecting it. Hikki's voice has a good bit more power here, which I also appreciate. She has a tendency to be breathy, but that's cut to a minimum here. I'm not sure if nights in Tokyo really sound like this, but I wouldn't mind a bit if they did. Hikki, you've earned your first 10!
Rating: 10 out of 10

8. A. S. A. P.
I'm sure other R&B songs exist that have this title. Oh, well. It starts with... church bells?! Yes, that it does. They give this song a nice dark feel. Combined with some strings and relentless percussion, it's almost menacing. Whoo. This is a change from our usually happy Hikki. It's still R&B, but the sound is very distinct. The chorus has a more conventional feel, but it's very enjoyable and catchy. There is an element of seduction here, but I wouldn't call this song sexy. This song is actually better than Tokyo Nights, and probably the most likely for me to put on repeat. I hadn't realized how much I liked this song until now.
Rating: 10 out of 10

9. Uso Mitai Na I Love You
What's this?? Electric guitar? It's almost... rock!! Yes, this is definitely a rocking song from Hikki. Even though her voice during the verses is pretty quiet, the guitar continues to add exclamation points to every phrase. The beat is R&B, but not overtly so. THe title is something about not lying about love, but my Japanese isn't good enough to translate it. Hikki's singing in the chorus is great, and her voice makes the jumps very smoothly. I'm starting to wonder why all the really good songs are toward the end of the album. Oh, did I mention all the false endings to this song. You never quite know when it's over. Hee!
Rating: 10 out of 10

10. FINAL DISTANCE
This is certainly the standout ballad on the album. Those of you looking for something similar to "First Love" and "Eternally" won't be disappointed. This song features Hikki singing over a piano accompaniment and a few strings. Her voice is wonderfully emotional, and sweeps through the chorus beautifully. There is a slight quaver in her voice that expresses pain so perfectly. This is such a sad song. I hear Hikki has signed to do an album in the states. If she keeps making songs like this, it will be a huge success. I can't think of much else to say, simply because this song is so elegantly beautiful. If you listen to one song from this album, make it "Final Distance."
Rating: 10 out of 10

11. Bridge (Interlude)
Every R&B album has one, whether you like it or not. This one starts with a heart-beat sound, then some traditional sounding violin (?) It reminds me of a techno/R&B version of something from "Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon." It's really pretty cool, I must say. Too short though.
Rating: 9 out of 10

12. Hikari
This song is not only a single, but the theme song for Squaresoft's/Disney's new RPG, "Kingdom Hearts." You may have heard the (very different) English version on commericials for the game. This song starts, oddly enough, with the chorus. Hey, no complaints, it's a great chorus. The verses are great too, with Hikki singing at her best, and lots of variations in tempo and volume. The chorus, of course, is the payoff to all this, and brings the song together perfectly. The bridge elevates the song another level. This is high-quality songwriting, and a perfect way to wrap up an excellent album. Whether or not you think this song is overplayed is up to you; its still one of Hikaru's best.
Rating: 10 out of 10

Overall Rating: 9 out of 10