Today, four reviews were released by The Japan Times which put a spotlight on albums that were of note this summer. Two of the reviews were for albums that were big commercial successes, while the other 2 were for albums that were more important from a musical standpoint. I was in charge of one review from each column.

For my commercial success album review, I chose EXILE TRIBE’s “HiGH&LOW ORIGINAL BEST ALBUM.” LDH is on a mission to join Johnny & Associates and the 48 Family as the third member of the idol triumvirate. They’ve made a big push in this direction with their multimedia project “HiGH&LOW.” The 2 CD set is mostly a EDM affair, but it does hold some surprises.

For my musically important album review, I chose Suiyoubi no Campanella’s “UMA.” The group has spent the past few years making a name for themselves as an indie act, and they released their major label debut this summer. The promo schedule for “UMA” saw Suiyoubi no Campanella appear on mainstream television shows such as Music Station, SMAP x SMAP, and THE MUSIC DAY. While “UMA” doesn’t live up to their final indie release, last year’s “Zipang”, the future does look bright for them.

My full “HiGH&LOW ORIGINAL BEST ALBUM” review can be read here, while my “UMA” review can be read here. While at The Japan Times site, check out the other two reviews released today, for Nishino Kana’s “Just LOVE” and Snail’s House’s “Love Story”, written by my colleague Patrick St. Michel.