Peter's Japan blog

It has finally arrived, Hirano Aya's first album. After 6+ singles, during which many artist have already released 2 albums, she finally released her first. It wasn't until last year that she really started to focus on her singing career more. Besides still doing her job as a seiyuu for anime series which made her popular, she now also aspires a kind of idol career as well, releasing several photo books and already 2 dvds.
Click here for the full review:

Follow up:

Here's a review of all the songs on this album:
LOVE GUN is the first track on the album and is a good kick-off to begin with. It's still one of her better upbeat songs, that was a perfect start of her triple single release last year.
HERO is the first new song and is a fun song that sounds like girl friends having fun and talking about their new boy friends ;p
MonStAR: I always loved this song for its fun pop sound and catchy melody *twinkle*twinkle* ^^;
Asa no PRISM: was her third single and still sounds good ;p
breakthrough: Her very first single has been re-recorded with her current band (I presume) and it sounds very good.
Bouken Desho Desho? seems to have gotten a slighty new and remastered mix.
Aimai Scream is the second new song and has an upbeat poppy song and has a less rock feeling to it than the rest. She also uses a more cute and anime character voice for this one.
Yorokobi no Uta if one of the slower songs on the album, but nothing very special to me.
Maybe I Can't Good-bye: I already liked this song very much on her latest single, even though it was a B-track, it was better than the A-track and it therefore deserved a place on this album.
NEOPHILIA is a little darker song than the rest.
Harmonia Vita is another of the more darker songs, and sounds very different from her usual style. It also has heavier guitars than the other tracks on this album. I quite like it although they could have mixed her voice just a little bit louder.
For you sounds like a regular pop love song, not too much to mention.
Hoshi no Kakera is Aya's first real ballad, which I have been waiting for for some time now. Her sweet voice is just perfect for this song and the arrangement of the music is also very well done. She should do more ballads in the future. I love this song. It is also the longest song on the album begin almost 6 minutes.
RIOT GIRL: the album ends with the title track of the album, and is another fast upbeat and fun rock song.

Overall the album is going to be a success I think. It features many of her previous hit singles and some new material as well, with a notable mention of her first ballad "Hoshi no Kakera". It also seems like several of the older songs have been remastered giving them a fuller and fresh sound, which makes the album even more appealing. People who have been waiting for this album, not having bought any of singles, will not be dissappointed. I think the album captures Aya's personality very well too.

Also, don't forget to support Hirano Aya and buy this album!