RETRO REVIEW
Princess Princess
The Greatest Princess
Review by David Cirone
1996 compilation album The Greatest Princess was a cool find in my local CD shop. Super-popular in the late 80’s, Princess Princess was the first all-female band to headline Tokyo’s Budokan in 1989.
Even though the synth-pop guitars of opening tracks “19 Growing Up” and “Go Away Boy” sound totally outdated to modern ears, Kaori Okui’s vocals still show more guts than most current female rock vocalists. It’s really no wonder that so many Japanese rock bands still do Princess Princess covers in their live shows.
The early tracks on this compilation hold up the best, and classics like “Diamonds” and “Sekai de Ichiban Atsui Natsu” remain karaoke mainstays. “Get Crazy” features great guitar work from Kanako Nakayama — you’ll want to give this track the full-volume treatment.
The ballads are the real nostagia test, and hits like “M” and “Tomodachi no Mama” require a time machine of musical taste. “Julian’s” warm melody retains its beauty, and if ever a perfect J-Rock prom song existed, this is it.
The collection closes out with a pack of catchy numbers like “SEVEN YEARS AFTER,” “Pilot ni narikute” (with a solid bass/drum groove), “Guitar Man,” and the soaring chorus of “Fly Baby Fly.”
17 tracks might feel a little long if you’re not already a die-hard fan, but The Greatest Princess offers a healthy assortment for you to pick and choose some Princess Princess tracks to call your own.
Note: “The Greatest Princess” is out of print, but you can pick up the *new* greatest hits release:
Buy Princess Princess – The Rebirth Best at CDJapan