Ongaku Cafe (The 2000s): AKB48 - TEAM A 1st Stage “PARTY ga Hajimaru yo” (2007)

AKB48’s music is very catchy and enjoyable and for idol music fans, they either love the idol pop genre or love the girls behind the music.

GROUP: AKB48 (Team A)

ALBUM: チームA 1st Stage「PARTYが始まるよ」studio recordings

LABEL: DEFSTAR Records

CATALOG #: DFCL-1351

DURATION: 49:59

RELEASE DATE: March 7, 2007

01. Overture
02. PARTY ga hajimaru yo
03. Dear my teacher
04. Doku RINGO wo tabesasete
05. Skirt, Hirari
06. Classmate
07. Anata to Christmas Eve
08. Kiss wa dame yo
09. Hoshi no Ondo
10. Sakura no Hanabira tachi
11. Aozora no Soba ni ite
12. AKB48

The following was reviewed back in April 2007:

March 7th was the big release day for AKB48 (Akihabara 48) who released a total of six albums.

For many of you, you may be wondering who is AKB48? They are the latest project of Akimoto Yasushi, who was involved in producing the very large idol group Onyanko Club in the 80’s and inspired Tsunku to create Hello! Project (Morning Musume and many other sub-groups). But what makes this different compared to Hello! Project and Girl’s BOX activities is that AKB48 is a theater group of young female performers.

Each who have auditioned among thousands of girls to be part of this theater group and perform once every day and twice every weekend at the 8th floor of Don Quixote in Akihabara.

Because these girls are young, go to school and can’t perform everyday, thus the reason for so many girls. And to group them on their skills, their are thee groups. Team A, K and B.

And with each CD single release, unlike other idol groups, every release features may feature different girls, different number of people performing and so forth.

Not sure if the AKB48 project will be successful without a TV tie-in but their fanbase is growing

The six albums released on March 7th features three albums spotlighting music from Team A and Team K.

With that being said, “TEAM A 1st Stage “PARTY ga Hajimaru yo” features songs from the AKB48’s first two CD singles “Sakura no Hanabiratachi” (DAKAKB-101, rel. Feb. 1, 2006) and the coupling song “Dear my teacher”. Also, “Skirt, Hirari” (DAKAKB-102, rel. June 7, 2006) which was coupled with “Aozora no Soba ni ite”.

With the first album nearly identical for both teams, 2nd Stage and 3rd Stage is where each album tracks differ and feature songs performed
at their shows.

AKB48’s music can be described as similar to idol girl’s pop from the 80’s. Where many girls sing in unison for the complete song, where most
idol girls group, each member has a certain part in the song.

AKB48’s music is very catchy and enjoyable and for idol music fans, they either love the idol pop genre or love the girls behind the music.