V6

After a surprisingly long wait between albums (two years is a very long time in the realm of manufactured Japanese boy band material), V6's Voyager came out in 2007, the tenth full-length album from one of the longer-lived boy bands. The tone is as should be expected, with a mix of basic pop ballads and full dance tracks, with the boys harmonizing thoroughly throughout. The album opens with the title track, a straightforward showcase for the vocal harmonies and an audibly choreographed number. With the follow-up having some stylistic similarities to SMAP's "Bang Bang," the individual members get their obligatory solo lines in which to showcase their well-defined personalities. Something of a power ballad gets put forth in "Jasmine," followed by a rough attempt at a hip-hop anthem in "Rock the House." "Honey Beat" incorporates a small touch of ska into the proceedings, and "Rainbow" (a hit single) shoves an electronic beat into the course with the boys' vocals. A little touch of rock/ska guitar helps "Sugar Nightmare" build an identity, and the main album closes on a grandiose piece of stereotypical balladry. As an interesting note (and something of a theme in recent boy band releases), a second disc includes a single track from each member individually. By themselves, most of the singers have relatively light and soft voices, devoid of too much power. However, Hiroshi Nagano's "My Life goes" for a rock base, and Nagano manages to stretch his vocals just enough to keep up with the necessary power levels. Maybe not the most exciting album to be seen in the J-Pop world lately, and perhaps not even the most exciting boy band album, but the boys of V6 are capable singers, and when put in front of the right material (as they occasionally are on Voyager), they can produce some very nice work. Just not enough of it for this album. ~ Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide