Ewan Chaos Posted January 18 Posted January 18 (edited) 33 minutes ago, Subomie said: Oh yeah! Eliminations! HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 1 (Ewan Chaos) LOWEST SCORE: 4 x 1 (Curaga) MY SCORE: 8.5 Man, the back half of Distance gets weird in places, huh? Following right after the insane Kettobase! is the equally deranged Parody. What can I say? Parody is a nice slice of lounge music with a fun chorus backing that devolves into a guitar-led rock interlude somewhere in the middle, all before jumping back on stage and closing out the song with some killer ad-libs. I wasn't sure what to make of this at first, but it's really stuck with me as I've gotten deeper into the discography. Off-kilter Utada is always a delight. Parody is a self-aware lambasting of Hikki's own life, by the end of which they vow to "read the sequel from here on". It was actually released to Japanese radio as promo in the lead up to Distance's release date. Imagine having this, Wait & See, Can You Keep A Secret? & Time Limit all blasting on the radio around the same time? The GP must've been wondering what kinda album they were gonna get... Answer: a fucken' banger. Curaga serves stunned speechless: "This song is very strange to me. I really don’t know what to say." What's wrong queen, has Parody GAGGED you to silence? Oh-oh-oh-ohohohohohoh... I was surprised to see the mixed reception for this one... and then I wasn't. Further proof of a deep generational chasm that divides ATRL into two camps; the twentysomething/thirtysomething pop sophisticates with 15 to 20 years of top-shelf pop consumption to their name, and an unruly kid crew with Final Fantasy avatars and tributes to last.fm in their signatures. It's not that the latter generation is a lost cause entirely, but they've clearly never heard an "Utada" — that is, they've never encountered a voice quite as distinctive as Utada's. "But I know Utada! Hatsukoi was the first album I bought!" First off, ask for a refund. And no, you don't know Utada, you know a very stilted and subdued version of the iconic performer. The Utada of "Parody" is Utada as Utada is intended to sound. They very skillfully vacillates between a range of tones; first nasally, then guttural, then grainy, then nasally again, then delicate. (And yes, that's how they're supposed to do it.) They're sultry. They're goofy. They sound slightly absurd. They're fully engaged. They're expressive in ways that "technically superior" vocalists just aren't. They are brilliant. You have no idea how brilliant they are. This is the probably purest attempt Utada has made to harness some of that ineffable charm that made her early work so irresistible. I adore it. Edited January 18 by Ewan Chaos 1 5
Graves Posted January 18 Author Posted January 18 HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 1 (gingguu) LOWEST SCORE: 2 x 1 (Hey Dude) MY SCORE: 9 Gender bending icon! Though initially intended as a "husbands and wives just can't seem to understand each other!" song, Hikaru has given interviews since this song came out explaining about how they feel masculine or feminine depending on the language they're singing in. Additionally, in 2021 Hikaru came out as non-binary. Given all of this supplemental info, I can't help but look at this track through a slightly more curious lens in 2023. Am I digging too deep? Or was there indeed always a sliver of gender non-conformity in You Make Me Want To Be A Man? Either way, the song knocks. I could certainly see people getting annoyed by the noisy production - I imagine those people would probably prefer the live performances that bring the guitar to the front of the mix - but I always found it quite charming. One of the earliest Utada songs I ever got into! In late 2005, for some reason, it was decided to try and launch Exodus in Europe and the UK - after the US launch had been more or less a failure. Keep in mind, Be My Last had already been released by now and Utada was ready to move on to the Ultra Blue era. Still, they gave it a shot. You Make Me Want To Be A Man was chosen as the new lead single and a video was shot. It's pretty cool, telling a biblical story through a dystopian lens. It sees an android Hikaru being created from the rib of a robotic Adam. There's probably more symbolism to it, but I never read the bible so... All of that, and it ended up charting at an abysmal #227 in the UK singles chart. Yikes. And for the record, 2005 was a pretty awful year for single sales in the UK, so that must've represented maybe... fifty sales? Surely nothing in the triple digits? To be honest, I don't recall seeing any media of Hikki performing the song in the UK, or even giving an interview there. So like... what were they expecting? Probably deserved better. Curaga is unimpressed: "Instrumental and melody are so irritating/grating. Same problem as Exodus ’04 where it’s just the same the whole time." It's a statement on the monotony of traditional gender roles! You wouldn't get it smh! AMIT wishes we could've rated some remixes: "the Bloodshy and Avant remix is superior, but the original is cute also." 1
AMIT Posted January 18 Posted January 18 32 minutes ago, Subomie said: Oh yeah! Eliminations! HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 1 (Ewan Chaos) LOWEST SCORE: 4 x 1 (Curaga) MY SCORE: 8.5 Man, the back half of Distance gets weird in places, huh? Following right after the insane Kettobase! is the equally deranged Parody. What can I say? Parody is a nice slice of lounge music with a fun chorus backing that devolves into a guitar-led rock interlude somewhere in the middle, all before jumping back on stage and closing out the song with some killer ad-libs. I wasn't sure what to make of this at first, but it's really stuck with me as I've gotten deeper into the discography. Off-kilter Utada is always a delight. Parody is a self-aware lambasting of Hikki's own life, by the end of which they vow to "read the sequel from here on". It was actually released to Japanese radio as promo in the lead up to Distance's release date. Imagine having this, Wait & See, Can You Keep A Secret? & Time Limit all blasting on the radio around the same time? The GP must've been wondering what kinda album they were gonna get... Answer: a fucken' banger. Curaga serves stunned speechless: "This song is very strange to me. I really don’t know what to say." What's wrong queen, has Parody GAGGED you to silence? Oh-oh-oh-ohohohohohoh... Amazing song! The rock part in the middle is so out of nowhere (but still great and doesn't feel out of place) and then it goes back to being a fun wholesome pop song, not many people could pull this off! 24 minutes ago, Subomie said: HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 2 (gingguu, Hey Dude) LOWEST SCORE: 1 x 1 (AMIT, Suilen) MY SCORE: 7 Literally translating to "A Bouquet for You", this track was the first (official) taste of Fantome that fans got. Arriving as the joint lead single in April 2016, Hanataba o Kimi ni represented the end of Hikaru's long-standing hiatus and a return to active album campaigns (and not just standalone singles). Of course, hype was high and the track charted at #2 on the Billboard Digital charts, selling over 750k copies and being certified triple platinum. A pretty resounding success as far as a comeback is concerned, no? The song got two music videos: a short animated papercut style video, released in April, and a more traditional video shot in black and white, released closer to the album in September. The latter video is quite pretty, and I'll certainly take a video like that over no video or one of the tragic in-studio videos from the Heart Station era, but... it's a little plain. Now, while this song is certainly pretty, I can't help but feel that it's a little... slight for a comeback single? I mean, they released two singles at once so perhaps it could've been paired with a more outwardly epic song or even an upbeat track (Michi?) to give some sense of duality? A Sasha Fierce chai, perchance? But nah, Manatsu no Tōriame, the sister release, is a pretty chilled song too, so it seems a weird release strategy to me. The best I can make of it is that the titular bouquet is a gift for the fans, thanking them for such a long wait... and telling them they'd have to wait just a little longer to get the good stuff. Idk tho! Curaga is a fan, through and through: "Pretty. Love the contrast between the tender, breathy moments and the rock drums coming back in." AMIT? Oh, we're in hater land now: "awful, completely killed my hype for the album although I still like the album. plus she had already attempted this sound (and better) for arashi no megami and even then it was just ok." her mom pop / Kelly Clarkson serve (if we can call it that, I don't) glad it's GONE, especially before anything from GOD RIVER 1
Curaga Posted January 18 Posted January 18 3 minutes ago, Ewan Chaos said: Further proof of a deep generational chasm that divides ATRL into two camps; the twentysomething pop sophisticates with 15 to 20 years of top-shelf pop consumption to their name, and an unruly kid crew with Final Fantasy avatars and tributes to last.fm in their signatures. You have left me completely fncking wigless Also, I’m older than you asldkfjaiusperoiajwe 1 1
poki Posted January 18 Posted January 18 5 minutes ago, Ewan Chaos said: an unruly kid crew with Final Fantasy avatars Huh I wonder who this is aimed at 1
AMIT Posted January 18 Posted January 18 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Subomie said: No, no, don't all comment at once now. How about we stop bullying good albums for a bit? HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 1 (scenekiller) LOWEST SCORE: 3.5 x 1 (Meloetta Carey) MY SCORE: 6.5 The title track for This Is The One, and really what should've been the lead single. ...Anyone else? I mean, I doubt this was gonna light up the charts either, but it does make for a better first impression than Come Back To Me, right? Low bar I know, but they are kind of aiming for the same sort of sound. See, I don't use this all that much, but I'll take what I can get on this record. For the standards of this album, it's a banger! Utada described this one as being "a bit more rock-poppish than the others, but it's a very unique song..." I dunno how unique it is, babe. I was hearing ten songs just like this on regular rotation throughout 2009-2010. Stargate sure were dipping their wick all over the place. While it's a little generic, it's nothing terrible. It does earn bonus points for the 'Blackberry' and 'JPEG files' lines, all delivered with 100% sincerity I'm sure. Curaga is more of a Samsung girl: "Oh this is the Blackberry song LOL. I was thinking this was pretty decent when that hit me. Dated lyric, but whatever. A hundred jpeg files fillin’ up my hard drive: *****, me too, the ****!" Ewan Chaos is stuck reciting their mantra: "Honey I got your ringtone on my... Blackberry... a hundred JPEG files... living in my hard drive..." Serving PTSD. One of the 3 decent to good songs on that album, and it stomping on Hanataba like this I have no choice but to STAN Edited January 18 by AMIT 1
poki Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Oh wait LOWEST SCORE: 4 x 1 (Curaga) Well the shoe still fits so... 1
Graves Posted January 18 Author Posted January 18 This one's for @Curaga! HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 1 (nostalgic) LOWEST SCORE: 2 x 1 (Curaga) MY SCORE: 6.5 If you wanted any proof that the Hikaru on Distance was a different beast than the Hikaru on First Love, this was it! While they were content to just croon over samples of old white rockers on the first album, for the sophomore release they decided to grab some guitars and become the rocker instead. A much appreciated change! About as melodramatic as a track named "Drama", written by an eighteen year-old should be! It presents a slightly more 'dangerous' view to the sweet girl that Japan had fallen in love with. Even the lyrics seem to threaten their lover that they could easily become enemies if they don't align right. #GirlBossing Now, I'm not as much of a Rocktada hater as some people, but I also don't get a whole lot out of Drama. A nice listen to be sure, but they've done the rockier sound better in other songs... including some on the same album imo! I do find the "tumbling, tumbling" parts quite catchy though, so I had to give it some bop points. Not a bad track, but not an amazing one either. Curaga is serving Simon Cowell on this panel: "Dislike the rock instrumental here. Weak melody and vocal." Oof. AMIT has the benefit of time on their side, however. "this one took some time to grow on me, I found it a bit grating at first, but now I stan." Stream time will tell! ...oop, wrong album. 2
Ewan Chaos Posted January 18 Posted January 18 1 minute ago, Curaga said: You have left me completely fncking wigless Also, I’m older than you asldkfjaiusperoiajwe The fact that I had to edit it because I forgot I'm not in my 20s anymore 1 minute ago, Hey Dude said: Huh I wonder who this is aimed at I only realized that after I'd made the post If you also gave Parody less than a 7 then your inclusion in the drag is DESERVED 2
Reverie Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Points for gender bending but kinda just grating on my ears after a while tbh
Ewan Chaos Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Drama is 100% the weakest on Distance... should have been first out from that album. Or at least behind Parody I'm still shook about that! You Make Me Want To Be a Man is good! For English Hikki at least.
Curaga Posted January 18 Posted January 18 1 minute ago, Subomie said: This one's for @Curaga! HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 1 (nostalgic) LOWEST SCORE: 2 x 1 (Curaga) MY SCORE: 6.5 If you wanted any proof that the Hikaru on Distance was a different beast than the Hikaru on First Love, this was it! While they were content to just croon over samples of old white rockers on the first album, for the sophomore release they decided to grab some guitars and become the rocker instead. A much appreciated change! About as melodramatic as a track named "Drama", written by an eighteen year-old should be! It presents a slightly more 'dangerous' view to the sweet girl that Japan had fallen in love with. Even the lyrics seem to threaten their lover that they could easily become enemies if they don't align right. #GirlBossing Now, I'm not as much of a Rocktada hater as some people, but I also don't get a whole lot out of Drama. A nice listen to be sure, but they've done the rockier sound better in other songs... including some on the same album imo! I do find the "tumbling, tumbling" parts quite catchy though, so I had to give it some bop points. Not a bad track, but not an amazing one either. Curaga is serving Simon Cowell on this panel: "Dislike the rock instrumental here. Weak melody and vocal." Oof. AMIT has the benefit of time on their side, however. "this one took some time to grow on me, I found it a bit grating at first, but now I stan." Stream time will tell! ...oop, wrong album. I’m kinda surprised that was all I had to say because this song really rubs me the wrong way. Can’t stand it.
Cruel Summer Posted January 18 Posted January 18 I have no strong feeling about any of these latest songs! But with just a couple tracks left for This Is The One, we better not see the best two on that album too soon. I can’t endorse Apple & Cinnamon negativity. This One is kind of great though, I really got into it on my final listen for this rate. 3
Graves Posted January 18 Author Posted January 18 1 minute ago, Ewan Chaos said: Drama is 100% the weakest on Distance... should have been first out from that album. Or at least behind Parody I'm still shook about that! You Make Me Want To Be a Man is good! For English Hikki at least. No... I think you'll find that Eternally is rightfully stuck about thirty places below the rest of the album. 1
AMIT Posted January 18 Posted January 18 1 minute ago, Ewan Chaos said: Drama is 100% the weakest on Distance... should have been first out from that album. Or at least behind Parody I'm still shook about that! You Make Me Want To Be a Man is good! For English Hikki at least. Not when Eternally exists. It was rightfully the first one OUT! But yeah Parody is better ofc.
Reverie Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Hating on the instrumentals and production on Exodus out of all things is a choice!
Reverie Posted January 18 Posted January 18 I mean you hear the guitar and think the song is gonna bang a little bit but then it's just kinda dull
Ewan Chaos Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Not me forgetting Eternally's existence It's better than Drama! By just a little but. It's still better!
Graves Posted January 18 Author Posted January 18 I wonder if what we did to this album constitutes a hate crime? HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 2 (Cruel Summer, nostalgic) LOWEST SCORE: 4.5 x 1 (Reverie) MY SCORE: 7.5 Ladies, gentlemen, and all others, I believe that this is what they call a 'basic bop'. A very 2009-sounding breakup bop. The titular line is a quirk little shout-out to a very flavorful mix of... flavors. I guess. It's meant to mirror the couple's chemistry, or something. Maybe the recipe went wrong in the oven. It's a metaphor for the album as a whole. ANYWAY this remains one of the few songs on This Is The One without any overtly cringe-worthy lyrics. Which is a big feat on this album. A fan-favorite (well, relativity and all - this is on 'that' album) right from the start, even Hikki noticed as much. In 2009 they noted that "a lot of people tell me Apple and Cinnamon is their favorite track out of the ones they heard. To my surprise, it's been received very well by hip-hop guys." It does have that earworm quality to it, eh? Curaga just can't vibe with the cinnamon: "Love the title/imagery, but this one doesn’t land all the way for me." She's an apple girl. Ewan Chaos is writing some fanfics: "I'm gonna use this song as the backdrop for my slash fic of the apple & cinnamon stick from the Apple Jacks commercials!" Ok, but where's the slash fic about Kuma??? 2
Graves Posted January 18 Author Posted January 18 5 minutes ago, Cruel Summer said: I have no strong feeling about any of these latest songs! But with just a couple tracks left for This Is The One, we better not see the best two on that album too soon. I can’t endorse Apple & Cinnamon negativity. This One is kind of great though, I really got into it on my final listen for this rate. Cackling at you posting this as I was doing the write up. My apologies miss girl. 2
Graves Posted January 18 Author Posted January 18 Started out so simple and innocent... SO SIMPLE AND INNOCENT! 3
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