I thought long and hard before buying the new album by a Russian/American/Japanese singer, model, and actress Anna Tsuchiya (土屋アンナ).  Exactly how do you draw the line between a good rock abum and a not so good vocalist (*ahem* I am looking at my band)?  Call it a Japanese album when 98% of the lyrics are in English?  A half Japanese who is not fluent in English but yet deliver an album not in Japanese? It’s hard to draw the lines.

One thing for sure though: She is hot!

“Strip Me?” is a rock album, no doubt.  And since I love the rock genre, I can overlook the vocal ability of Anna Tsuchiya.  Her opening track “Zero” does remind me of one of my favorite Japanese star Aikawa Nanase.  Where is Aikawa these days?  I have no idea.

Japanese artists these days like to cover English songs.  Mai Kuraki (倉木麻衣) does “Over the Rainbow”; BoA does “Last Christmas”; Yuna Ito does “My Heart Will Go On”; Mika Nakashima does “What A Wonderful World”.  They all stick to the original arrangement.  Mika Nakashima does create an offbeat version of  “My Way” that is not necessarily pleasing to the ears, but it’s fun to listen to.  And what about Anna Tsuchiya?

Some may say she (and her band) murders the song “True Colors”.  OK.  At first listen, you may not like it.  I thought the arrangement is pretty refreshing.  A lot noiser I suppose.  But she is a rock star, no?

I have been listening to the slow song “Forever” on repeat for many times.  It’s just Anna and the piano and the song is so, sad.  Below is the video clip for “Rose”.  Now come I am not surprised to find out that this song is related to the Nana amime series?  “Strip Me?” comes with a 15 tracks CD and a DVD of 4 songs – one of which is from her previous album I suppose.  OK, the song “Slap That Naughty Body” is so so but video is anything but.