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Post by mirrorcle on Jan 21, 2012 21:34:31 GMT -4
I've seen stuff like this in other forums and thought it might work out here, too. The idea is to rate or give a review on an album you recently heard. Not one you've listened to x times, a really new one, no matter if you love or hate it. I don't wanna limit this to asian releases but it would be nice to mostly stick to that If you love Koda Kumi to death this might offend you so please don't read it haha I just downloaded Koda Kumi's Japonesque so I'll start with that... The album is really long and I'm too tired to give a song-by-song review so I'll write down my overall opinion: It's just what I expected. I don't like it. It feels like Kingdom/Trick/Deja Vu/insert another album episode 10 to me in not as good. For me personally she is on a very bad downward spiral. I already only liked 2 tracks on Deja Vu. All the same song styles, same arrangements, I'm a tad disappointed that the album theme seems to not be in the music itself at all. The first song that sticks out for being different than her usual discography in some way is IN THE AIR and I don't like the chorus of it. Also, someone tell her she's 3 years late for the autotuning trend. ESCALATE and Lay Down try to be new TABOOs I think but it just doesn't work... Overall there is one song I enjoyed. Slow. It's incredibly generic but I liked the melody and arrangement. I really missed artistic growth in this album. And it would have probably been better at around 10-12 tracks, being so long it just feels really repetitive and screams "much of the same to me" :/ I'll just hope for her to find a new style sometime and not do more of the same on the next album, whenever that will be. This is a 1,5/5 to me.
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Post by Sai on Jan 21, 2012 21:52:18 GMT -4
Hmm... I really enjoyed Deja Vu and absolutely loved Universe, and with all the praise being poured on this album I'm actually really looking forward to it xD But yeah, Kuu does seem to be relying on more of a formula for her past few albums, can't deny that. It's fair to say that it is "more of the same", which works for some and doesn't for others.
Haven't actually heard JAPONESQUE yet since I'ma be ordering it once the OS version is available, but IN THE AIR was my favourite track off 4TIMES and one of her best songs in general, so bonus points for liking it.
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Post by mirrorcle on Jan 21, 2012 21:57:28 GMT -4
I completely forgot Universe existed. I think I enjoyed 4 or 5 tracks on it...it really went down from album to album for me. On Trick I still liked around half the album. Now I have to force myself through her new releases. I guess I am just someone expecting change.
But I wouldn't rely on the praise, at least on AHS(that's the only place I really see Kuu fans) Kuu fans love everything she does, no matter what it is haha They are even worse than the Ayu fans...and that's on an Ayu forum haha
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Post by Sai on Jan 23, 2012 0:23:41 GMT -4
It's definitely true that Kuu fans are all over everything she does. As for the Ayu fans... well, if she does something too similar to something she's done in the past, they hate it, and if she does something too different from something she's done in the past, they hate it XD. But yeah, it's a general rule of thumb to take stans with a grain of salt However, I've pretty much loved everything Kuu's put out this year and even though Dejavu wasn't my favourite album, it was far from her worse and I enjoyed most of it - so I'm basically going on that to justify my excitement for JAPONESQUE ;D What was your opinion on No Man's Land? I haven't heard it yet, but a lot of people are praising it for her attempt at doing something different.
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Post by relmy on Jan 23, 2012 7:31:34 GMT -4
JAPONESQUE is sounding pretty good, I've only listened to a few songs here and there, not the whole album through yet.
No Man's Land is SO GOOD. Add me to the list of fans ♥ She finally pulled off a rock song. ♥ I didn't like Dejavu at all - Lollipop was the only really good soon, and UNIVERSE was a massive down step from TRICK too.
I'm a pretty big Koda Kumi fan though. ;^^ Think I might buy the OS press of JAPONESQUE just because the cover is SO GORGEOUS... and I want KO-SO-KO-SO on DVD...
I really liked the new Hilcrhyme album that came out just before the new year. I'd heard a few of their songs, but this was the first time I really listened to their album. It was really good, I liked 友よ (lol don't know the romaji, c+p) and TOKYO CITY. I have no idea which songs were singles, so I can't really comment how cohesive it was, but it was an enjoyable album.
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Post by Sai on Jan 26, 2012 13:08:17 GMT -4
Ahh, I really can't wait for JAPONESQUE D: Is there any word on when the OS version will be out? I want I want I waaaant.
The last album I bought and listened to was Goto Maki's Aikotoba(VOICE), and omg... so so so blown away. The main song used for promoting it, YOU, was... such an Ayu-ballad, omg. Everything from the name to the PV just screamed Ayu, it was... kinda more of an Ayu-ballad than any ballad Ayu's released lately, if that makes sense XD
The title track, Aikotoba, is my absolute favourite. She pulled off a really ambient rock song, it's honestly the first time I've gotten goosebumps from a Goto Maki song. The dance tracks, Get your way/What is LOVE/SCANDALOUS were great too, since those've always been her forte.
Overall it just made me really nostalgic for classic Kuu/Ayu albums - it honestly sounds like a mixture of both of my favourite artists, so I'm completely smitten <3
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Post by mirrorcle on Jan 29, 2012 16:48:04 GMT -4
Because I said not to restrict this to J-Pop...western music! I just bought Kylie Minogue's "Kylie - The Albums 2000-2010" boxset, which is a 20€ set of her last 5 albums in one neat little box. I'll just review her latest album "Aphrodite" from it though.
1. All The Lovers Really catchy midtempo electropop with some 70s and 80s pop thrown in. Nice background instrumental reminiscent of ABBA. But the chorus feels weak at times. 4/5 2. Get Outta My Way Getting more upbeat but staying in the same style. Very fierce track. Funk-guitar in the background. 3,5/5 3. Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) Awkward lyrics "All we need is love in this life,......it's true", but nice chorus, the second half of it is great. 3,5/5 4. Closer Very interesting instrumental. All her instrumentals on this album are interesting since they are melodies on their own more often than pure backings, beats or chords. And a sing-along-melody. Feels too short. 3,5/5 5. Everything Is Beautiful Very tacky opening, but it gets better. Weakest chorus and overall weakest track so far. 2,5/5 6. Aphrodite Can't get enough of this track! The studio version isn't as good as the one from her Les Folies tour but still really great and with incredible production except for one short part. 4,5/5 7. Illusion Another one of my favorites right here. It has a really different feeling from the rest of the album, it's really...soft. Yet there's a hard beat. 4/5 8. Better Than Today Sounds a tiny bit 60s and country. Not a big fan. Impressive vocals for a mainstream pop singer in this though. 2/5 9. Too Much Meh, autotuning...I'm indifferent towards this song. The chorus is REALLY good again. 3/5 10. Cupid Boy Another absolute album highlight and a really cute song. 4,5/5 11. Looking For An Angel Tacky but catchy 3/5 12. Can't Beat The Feeling Very, very disco. Not as good as the rest of the album 3/5
Overall 3,5/5, tons of really catchy and nice songs, but most are better live, many are too short and some are obvious filler material.
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Post by relmy on Feb 26, 2012 20:51:44 GMT -4
Lana Del Ray, Born to Die a.k.a winner of the 2011 troll award
No, seriously now, I actually really like the album.
I first heard her through Video Games, which was an accident. I heard a song in a shop that I really liked, no idea who it was (still no idea), so I thought "it must be on the charts if it's being played in this shop!", and she was the first artist who popped up who I didn't know about, so it could have been her.
Her personality it a bit irritating, and she is in denial about surgery big time, and her lyrics annoy me just a bit, but I really like the album. I don't know why, it's a bit sleezy, a bit sexy-trashy, it knows it has no class, it's her totally playing up her white-trash girl living in a rich world persona, which is almost the total opposite to what she is.
Nevertheless, I think Video Games is a really beautiful song. It's a very sad song too, when people say they find it romantic or something, it's a bit weird. The way she sings about this guy who she subjects herself to fully, the melancholy (and detachment) in her voice... it's really interesting and bizarre.
I really like how the first part of the album almost tells a story, from Born to Die up to National Anthem the album flows so well. Born to Die is about love, Off to the Races gives the perfect image of the character she is playing, she gets messed about in Video Games and Blue Jeans, and in Diet Mountain Dew she's all "I don't care if stuff is bad for me". Then National Anthem comes along, and even if the opening's similarity to Bitter Sweet Symphony irks me a bit, it's the perfect conclusion to her little story, she is nothing but materialism and the values of society personified.
Dark Paradise I like, but I find it a bit over dramatic, I think the album takes a shift here though. The dramatic storytelling of the first part is over. I really like Radio, but Carmen and Million Dollar Man do absolutely nothing for me. This is What Makes Us Girls is good, but it's nowhere near as good as Video Games, National Anthem or Off to the Races. I have to admit, I like This is What Makes Us Girls and Radio more than Blue Jeans, but Blue Jeans works so well because of it's placement on the album, so I don't skip it like Summertime Sadness and Million Dollar Man.
Out of the bonus tracks, I only really like Lucky Ones. Lolita annoys me and Without You is forgettable. I think Lucky Ones makes a strong ending to the album, while This is What Makes Us Girls is a good ending with it's nostalgic look on youth, Lucky Ones has her character finally finding some happiness and hopefully lasting love.
This album was a grower. The first time I found it a bit dull and contrived, but I listened to the few songs I liked, then generally just listened to the album as a whole and realised it's a lot better as a whole album. Seeing it as a story, plus some extra nice songs tagged on the end, made me like it a lot more.
I'd like to say it was an 8/10, because I really like the first half, and I also like Lucky Ones, Radio and This is What Makes Us Girls, but the second half just seems to fall apart a bit and has some really really really bland songs. Compromise on a 7.5?
This so rambly, I'm sorry.
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Post by relmy on Apr 18, 2012 22:51:26 GMT -4
Double post?
On Lana Del Rey (again) - I'm STILL listening to the album. I've enjoyed it so much that I bought it too. I like Carmen now, and I ADORE Summertime Sadness. I've been enjoying the title track a lot too. Really, I went from finding it stale, to it being the best album of the year so far, so congrats on that Lana.
On her, I've REALLY grown to like her. She makes mistakes, she contradicts herself a lot, is it image? Maybe. Under all that though, and I think it's clear in her music, she's really vulnerable, scared and shy. It comes across in her lives too, she's painfully lacking confidence, really, that is all that stands between her and giving a mind blowing performance. I ADORE her voice. I love how she changes the songs when she sings them live, the way she makes herself sound insane when she sings "you like your girls insane" in Born to Die. I am just... so in love with her right now.
Also, why did I never listen to MAA before? I've been jamming to her since the new year, and her music is so good. Her lyrics are crazy too, but you can relate to them too. The way she describes panic induced nail biting and fear in Mayday, it's so good. Mayday, Ballerina Brain Systems, KingQueen&Kiz and No Bra Sleepwalk are my favourites! More detail when I'm not lacking sleep~
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Post by Sai on Apr 26, 2012 21:35:11 GMT -4
^ I LOVE Ballerina Brain System and Mayday! They're so so good, and I love MAA's lyrics. She actually as a whole reminds me a lot of OLIVIA but as an electro artist.
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Post by mirrorcle on May 1, 2012 7:21:01 GMT -4
Getting back to Born to Die here...I can't say the album is a masterpiece to me, but there's certain songs that belong to the best mainstream pop has seen lately, especially Off To The Races. I just can't stand how fake and forced her persona feels throughout the album.
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Post by relmy on May 1, 2012 12:17:49 GMT -4
She's definitely fake, but I think that under all the manufactured persona, she's well... too scared to be herself. She gets so much shit, and it's all levied on "Lana Del Rey", which means, she, herself, is hiding away from criticism. At least, that's the impression I get, that she is genuinely terrified of her fame. I think she performs with a certain amount of honesty, even if these are embellished events and characters, they're like her fantasy world. I think she's just painfully insecure, it comes across that way. The way Born to Die talks about loneliness... she probably didn't go and get high, but you know what she means. The nostalgia and sadness in This is What Makes Us Girls... again, they probably didn't do all she says, but it's really easy to empathise with the way she talks about childhood female friendships. Maybe that's because I'm a girl, though? I... can't help but like her, I can understand why she's created this persona to present to the world. On another topic, I hate Girls Aloud, firstly, to set the context. Last year everyone went crazy over the ginger one (I only know Cherly Keeewl's name) releasing something ~awesome~ and ~edgy pop~. It's awful: www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_BG3n1q5KU. I think it would be tolerable if someone with a better voice, who you can actually hear, sung it. Same for all her songs really. And, eh, I'm disappointed with the new Marina and the Diamonds album, especially some of the lyrics, her first album had some really poignant songs. I think the whole American Dream theme rubs me the wrong way.... because she's Welsh lol It feels manufactured so she can make mainstream pop, rather than an honest criticism. I also hate Sex Yeah because of it's stupid pseudo-feminist commentary. However, I do love Bubblegum Bitch, it's so fun and catchy. Primadonna is amazing too. I like Teen Idle too, it's whole wasted youth thing, songs like that get to me. Valley of the Dolls I like too, if I ignore the lyrics. Fear and Loathing I really like too. Radioactive is amazing. I like the album musically, but ugh, some of the lyrics make me cringe. I agree with people saying it's a bit sell-outy.
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Post by hot0rikun967 on Jan 25, 2014 14:10:17 GMT -4
I actually have a blog dedicated to music releases. Although it's mostly consisted of western releases (I recently reviewed Beyonce's latest album), that's only because I recently started the blog and the later half of 2013 was a little barren in terms of Jpop. But I do plan on reviewing the upcoming Morning Musume single and, of course, Nana's next album in April. Here's a link for anyone interested: hotorikun.blogspot.com/
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Post by sevenpetals on Jan 26, 2014 14:11:46 GMT -4
wow @ Relmy,
I myself just got into Lana Del Ray, and those are some of the exact things I feel about her. She seems insecure, and the persona she gives off.. i think it fits her "voice" but the cute aspects of her voice are honestly just as appealing to me if as the fake soulful persona.... maybe because i like cute voices (cough japanese) xD
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Post by Sai on Feb 22, 2014 21:23:42 GMT -4
I know we've only got a handful of Kuu fans here, but I needed somewhere to gush about Bon Voyage, so here we go! First things first, I thought Kuu was an unstoppable machine of awesome during the UNIVERSE-Dejavu-JAPONESQUE era. She was really effin' on point and released some of my favourite songs, even if it was a kind of formulaic period in her music. Then after her hiatus, I was actually unimpressed with pretty much everything that she released. None of her singles got more than few listens out of me, and Color the Cover had some gems but as a whole didn't do much for me. So I decided not to buy Bon Voyage since I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was sorely hoping that she would deliver again. JAPONESQUE was awesome, and I really wanted to experience that kind of album again Bon Voyage had big shoes to fill. 1. Bon Voyage ~Introduction~2. SHOW ME YOUR HOLLASo catchy! I like the brass undertones, too, it sets it apart from the other super dance-y tracks on the album. 3. LOADED feat. Sean HayesSurprisingly I kind of love this. I haven't heard much buzz about it compared to other tracks, but I think it's extremely catchy. It reminds me of Boom Boom Boys meets Heat, and is honestly just a lot of fun. 4. Winner girlsKind of ambivalent to this track on first listen. It has some catchy parts. Winna-winna-gurl-winna-winna-winna-gurl is obnoxious and totally made to get stuck in your head. I think this'll be a really fun song live, it has a lot of energy. 5. ImagineTotally formulaic R&B ballad to fill the shoes of No Way/Okay/Passing By/Slow, but frig, I love these tracks so much. It's gotten to the point where I'd be genuinely upset if she didn't include at least one XD They're at least more interesting than her single ballads, especially Koishikute. Imagine doesn't quite meet the standards of its predecessors, but I still really dig it. The verses are gorgeous. 6. Koishikute...I tried so hard to get into this song when it came out but... yeah, no. It's a snoozefest. At least that piano bit at the beginning is really beautiful (which is infuriating because it always makes me feel like giving this song another chance, but it's really just... so boring). 7. LALALALALA This song on its own is OK, and I can really jam to it in summer, but otherwise it's nothing special. It's a less-fun Poppin' Love Cocktail or In/Outside Fishbowl. There's nothing wrong with it, but like Imagine, it's formulaic and fails to live up to its predecessors. 8. Let's show tonightUgh, this would have been so much fun as a full song! And it's only 1:21! That's only 10 seconds more than the interlude that follows it! But man, this song fits perfectly with the 'Bon Voyage' theme. But really, such a wasted opportunity. 9. Interlude ~Bon Voyage~10. TOUCH DOWNAnother song I was pretty much ambivalent to upon its release. It just does nothing for me. It fits in well at this point in the album though, building off the momentum of the Interlude, and it adds some variety to the overall album, but that's all I get out of it. 11. Crank Tha Bass feat. OVDSThis was... noisy. My least favourite new track so far. The strange vocalizations in the second verse don't help it. It's definitely different, at least, so I can't complain about it being too formulaic, but it's just not pleasant to listen to. Maybe the weirdness of it will grow on me, though. 12. LOLNot what I expected for LOL! I can't decide if it's really obnoxious or awesome. It's definitely catchy, and a nice compromise between being 'cute' and dancey. Man, I dunno, it's so strange! I think I'll end up liking this one, though. It's almost maniacal. Like a demonic Love Technique mixed with Lay Down. 13. Go To The TopAgain, some great placement in the tracklist. It fits in with the weird/edgy/crazy vibe set up by Crank Tha Bass and LOL. But yeah, there's not much that keeps me coming back to this track. The chorus honestly kind of drags and the song itself is pretty messy, so I never really took to it. 14. Dreaming Now!I do like this song, and it is really catchy, but I can't get over the fact that it's IS THIS TRAP with like 50 more wow-wow's. Otherwise, it's not a bad track. A bit too western for my tastes, but fun. 15. On Your SideA nice 'Ending' tune, and surprisingly not a straight-forward ballad or feel-good midtempo song. It still has undertones of pop and dance to it, but it's definitely a lot more mellow. I like it. 16. U KNOWAhhh! I love this track. I'd been seeing a lot of love for it, and I agree that it's one of the best tracks on the album. I like that we end on such an upbeat note, it's very representative of the album as a whole. It kinda reminds me of Namie's YEAH-OH or something. It's pretty western-sounding, but aside from that, it's a fun, energetic way to close the album. Such a great dance track. --- So overall, I think Bon Voyage is pretty solid. Nothing revolutionary, and there's a lot of JAPONESQUE'S influence in it, but more than anything it's extremely energetic. This is both fun and kind of a downside - it doesn't feel quite as diverse as JAPONESQUE or Dejavu, and I know I'm probably in the minority here, but I love Kuu's cutesy songs. Love Technique was my favourite track off JAPONESQUE, and I was similarly in love with songs like Bambi, Hey Baby!, SUPERSTAR, etc., Kuu just does them so well! The lack of some pure sugary pop on this album, as well as a bit of a weak ballad section, made the whole thing feel like a kind of crazed party from start to finish. Which, again, is fun, but it just lacks the diversity that I've come to love and expect from a J-pop album. Tl;dr: A fun album, but a bit too heavy with the dance tracks. My favourite tracks, at the moment, are SMYH, LOADED, Imagine, and U KNOW. After that, the tracks I enjoyed but found issue with were Winner Girls, LOL, Let's show tonight, and On Your Side. And lastly, I just don't care for Crank Tha Bass. Total mess.
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