Graves Posted January 19 Author Posted January 19 Whew this constructive discourse. Some of y'all better start hosting your own J-Pop rates after this. I need the push to fully get into Ayu and those other girls
Cruel Summer Posted January 19 Posted January 19 If I had to take a stab at it… 1. Bad Mode 2. Deep River / Fantôme 3. Heart Station 4. Distance / First Love / Hatsukoi / Ultra Blue (still taking shape as I reevaluate them now that I’m older and probably not wiser) If I had to choose one to keep, though, it would be Fantôme even though I think Bad Mode is better. I just think Fantôme is real neat! And while this is kind of regressive of me, I’m definitely guilty of not always seeing either English album as “real” Utada albums because, well… the bar is in hell but they’re down there too and they’re great at doing the limbo 2
Suilen Posted January 19 Posted January 19 7 minutes ago, Curaga said: Whoa, ruthless! I think he’s great! Loved their collab on the Sheena Ringo tribute album too Well it was generous of Shiina to let them cover it 2
Taste of Honey Posted January 19 Posted January 19 How I'm feeling today for her Japanese albums. Pretty much all of the top 6 could switch in and out of any space: Heart Station Distance Deep River Bad Mode Hatsukoi First Love Ultra Blue - This one is weird for me. I will say that I think "This Is Love" is one of her best singles and I feel has always been overlooked. Fantôme - Never really connected with this one. And I love Hatsukoi which is very similar so I don't know. 2
Graves Posted January 19 Author Posted January 19 idk, Exodus is a gem! Easily the most punk album of their collection! Like, imagine signing with a record label who obviously just want you to just make English versions of Addicted to You / Automatic / Time Limit for some easy R&B radio fodder, but choosing to make... that! And being talented enough to do so! And didn't Hikaru pretty much hole up in their studio for 8 months and make the album by themselves? Only pulling in Timbaland when the label pretty much insisted they had to use at least one American producer Thinking of a board meeting where the executives were expecting a First Love-esque ballad but Hikaru came in and played The Workout for them instead. Whatever the case, I wouldn't want to live in a world without Kremlin Dusk, Hotel Lobby and Animato! 3 1
Suilen Posted January 19 Posted January 19 11 minutes ago, Subomie said: Whew this constructive discourse. Some of y'all better start hosting your own J-Pop rates after this. I need the push to fully get into Ayu and those other girls I feel like Utads is probably the only jpop artist to garner enough interest and attention for a discography rate, unfortunately. We had singles rates for Ayumi and Namie (in which I had my part), but it wasn't easy rallying the people, and the Namie rate was connected to her retirement to boost the participation. And some people active in the jpop community have left since then. Maybe a city pop/Showa era rate could be appealing to non-jpop enthusiasts, but otherwise I have no idea how to shake this swamp
Graves Posted January 19 Author Posted January 19 6 minutes ago, Suilen said: I feel like Utads is probably the only jpop artist to garner enough interest and attention for a discography rate, unfortunately. We had singles rates for Ayumi and Namie (in which I had my part), but it wasn't easy rallying the people, and the Namie rate was connected to her retirement to boost the participation. And some people active in the jpop community have left since then. Maybe a city pop/Showa era rate could be appealing to non-jpop enthusiasts, but otherwise I have no idea how to shake this swamp How unfortunate I still see Namie get a surprising amount of love from random users on here, but I suppose dropping a comment is a lot different than committing to rating 200 songs Maybe doing what Popjustice do with their discography rates and segmenting them into different parts would help? Rate Ayumi's first five/six albums in one rate rather than doing all ~20 at once... idk!
Curaga Posted January 19 Posted January 19 5 minutes ago, Subomie said: How unfortunate I still see Namie get a surprising amount of love from random users on here, but I suppose dropping a comment is a lot different than committing to rating 200 songs Maybe doing what Popjustice do with their discography rates and segmenting them into different parts would help? Rate Ayumi's first five/six albums in one rate rather than doing all ~20 at once... idk! And Ayu’s albums are so long A lot of them are ~70 min 1
Ewan Chaos Posted January 19 Posted January 19 I'd love any excuse to listen to JPOP artists outside of Godtada in regards to rates! Feel like they're the only JPOP artist I know more than like one album of (well also Tommy february7 & Perfume I'm familiar with now).
Suilen Posted January 19 Posted January 19 8 minutes ago, Subomie said: How unfortunate I still see Namie get a surprising amount of love from random users on here, but I suppose dropping a comment is a lot different than committing to rating 200 songs Maybe doing what Popjustice do with their discography rates and segmenting them into different parts would help? Rate Ayumi's first five/six albums in one rate rather than doing all ~20 at once... idk! If something like that can be arranged, then why not, but I'm struggling to come up with a meaningful division now, eg if take her best albums as demarcations, we'll end with 3 pre-A Best albums and then like 6 pre-A Best 2 albums Messy. And Namie still being off the streaming services hurts her rate situation unless people are willing to go the jps store Utada is really in that golden middle with everything being available and a nice number of albums. 1
Graves Posted January 19 Author Posted January 19 5 minutes ago, Suilen said: If something like that can be arranged, then why not, but I'm struggling to come up with a meaningful division now, eg if take her best albums as demarcations, we'll end with 3 pre-A Best albums and then like 6 pre-A Best 2 albums Messy. And Namie still being off the streaming services hurts her rate situation unless people are willing to go the jps store Utada is really in that golden middle with everything being available and a nice number of albums. It's definitely easier to split Namie's discography into parts, but then none of that is on streaming anymore so I found myself referring back to these rates a lot when I first got into the J-Pop divas! The Namie ones are especially good! Shame about the image links being dead tho. Also the fact that the girls' rates are both split into three parts each, but each part still has like ~80 tracks These mammoth discographies. Utada's discog stays simple and clean. 1
willmcclure9 Posted January 19 Posted January 19 Yuunagi out.... oh we have tasteless girls in here i fear
Meloetta Carey Posted January 19 Posted January 19 3 hours ago, Cruel Summer said: But it’s also so heavily composed of synth-pop that isn’t exactly dated, but that still sort of feels “of its time,” that I think it doesn’t quite hold up as well as some others do. That specific era of late 00s synthpop or whatever is mostly miss for me (see: This Is the One + "Halo"). Heart Station does it well and that kinda makes me like it more as a whole. OT: Deep River does not do it for me as a whole but it's really consistent, unfortunately.
willmcclure9 Posted January 19 Posted January 19 WINGS..... what the hell its one of my fave songs on UB Idk why but it sounds so nostalgic
Curaga Posted January 19 Posted January 19 1 hour ago, Hey Dude said: What about a Hikaru Utada music videos rate? oooh, I’d be down for that
Reverie Posted January 20 Posted January 20 (edited) 5 hours ago, Subomie said: Now, for such a funny joyous bop, would you believe that the subject matter concerns Hikaru LUSTING for her friend's man? Like dang, you're that kind of friend, sis? The kind of magic he'll be experiencing during this one night? My favorite line in this messy-ass song has to be the one where Hikki questions what kind of music the couple listens to in the car, and then insists that she can give him a CD that's more interesting. nnn yas, self promote a bitsy. Oh this changes things, now I can add it to both my snow playlist and my slutty playlist Love the bridge especially and the little key change Edited January 20 by Reverie 1
Reverie Posted January 20 Posted January 20 (edited) 4 hours ago, Subomie said: I assume that Tetris event was advertised as being a Utada thing, right? Imagine if it wasn't The poor gamers. Imagine turning up to a Smash Bros. tournament and your opponent is Christina Aguilera, holding her Gamecube controller. I would show no mercy, I'm picking the most annoying character possible and going for every edge guard. If I lose I'm grinding the matchup for 100 hours. She must go down Edited January 20 by Reverie 1 1
Taste of Honey Posted January 20 Posted January 20 3 hours ago, Subomie said: idk, Exodus is a gem! Easily the most punk album of their collection! Like, imagine signing with a record label who obviously just want you to just make English versions of Addicted to You / Automatic / Time Limit for some easy R&B radio fodder, but choosing to make... that! And being talented enough to do so! And didn't Hikaru pretty much hole up in their studio for 8 months and make the album by themselves? Only pulling in Timbaland when the label pretty much insisted they had to use at least one American producer Thinking of a board meeting where the executives were expecting a First Love-esque ballad but Hikaru came in and played The Workout for them instead. Whatever the case, I wouldn't want to live in a world without Kremlin Dusk, Hotel Lobby and Animato! In a perfect world, I wish she could've crossed over around the Distance era. Honestly that's probably the time when she most served conventional "Pop Star". We'll never know though. 2
Aria0327 Posted January 20 Posted January 20 9 hours ago, Subomie said: not her best song on hatsukoi out already
poki Posted January 20 Posted January 20 (edited) What if we did a rate for music with lyrics that were featured in popular Japanese video games? Or a rate for music with lyrics from well known Japanese anime movies / shows? I'm about to host a Lilith Fair rate soon but I think around April I may be able to host one of these. Edited January 20 by Hey Dude
Graves Posted January 20 Author Posted January 20 I'm afraid no big updates today my loves, weekends are awful busy for me. A couple of strays to keep you girls fed, perhaps? HIGHEST SCORE: 10 x 1 (confide in me) LOWEST SCORE: 5.2 x 1 (Meloetta Carey) MY SCORE: 8.5 They made this one for the R&Btada lovers. Yeah, this is a great track, and one that comes with a snappy backbone to it. I'd go as far as to say that those drums are the star here, but special mention to the way that Hikaru riffs along with them using their voice. It's a super pleasant melodic experience, dahling. I adore the breathy way that Hikaru delivers the "forevermore"s in the chorus. The song ends with them crooning along with the instruments, giving something of a jazz vibe to the track. I really like it! It's neat, and a nice change of pace from the opening suite of Hatsukoi. As the second single of Hatsukoi, released in July of 2017, Forevermore made for a decently sized digital hit. More surprising than that: it actually got a music video! It's just Utada doing some choreo in a dimly light sound stage, but it's better than nothing. A lot better than another "recording in the studio" video! It's kind of neat, Janet Jackson vibes. Forevermore was also the theme for the drama series Gomen, Aishiteru. How prestigious! Honestly, as far as late-career Utada single packages go? This might be as good as it gets. Good song with a decent video is a low bar to clear, and we're barely crossing it... Hatsukoi was a rough era! Curaga is a **** for some strings: "Love the strings in the opening. Not my fav hook, but not bad. Love the double vocal." 2
ayanda Posted January 20 Posted January 20 Deep River is a timeless classic and First Love is good but the production is outdated but the songs overall are very good. 1
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