'FLY AWAY' PV Preview - SWEET BLACK ft. Goto Maki

[Prinny Squad]

'FLY AWAY' PV Preview - SWEET BLACK ft. Goto Maki (Special Appearance by Yaguchi Mari)



It looks like they're breeding Maki to be the next queen of J-Pop. This isn't a bad thing at all, since I am loving the PV and the song to death right now.



Anyways, the song released as a cell-phone tune on 1-21-09, with the single (Which I assume will include Hear Me somewhere, unless they've changed her debut song) appearing soon. That with her and BoA's collaboration on RAVEX, and things are looking up for Maki!



Tokyograph's News Article: Maki Goto's return to music



[quote name='"Tokyograph (Thanks :Peach!)']Maki Goto is officially resuming her music career with a dance tune titled "Fly Away." This is her first new material since nearly a year and a half ago, when she voluntarily suspended herself after her brother Yuki was arrested for theft.



"Fly Away" is a collaboration with young author Hitomi Kanehara, who won the Akutagawa Prize for her 2003 novel "Hebi ni Piasu" ("Snakes and Earrings"). Both are participating in a Mixi-sponsored cross-media project called "SWEET BLACK." For her part in the project, Kanehara has written a short story titled "Mambo," which Goto used as the basis for the lyrics of "Fly Away."



The song, which is being released under the name SWEET BLACK feat. Maki Goto, goes on sale digitally through Recochoku starting on the 21st. Although there are currently no plans for a CD release, it is not out of the question. Goto may also collaborate with other authors in the future.



A preview video for "Fly Away" is now available on Avex's YouTube channel and on her newly updated website.[/quote]

[sadude]

Wow, that's really catchy and looks really good. Amazing what a budget will do. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... deways.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> Here's hoping she does well.



Is there no set date for the single or full PV yet?

[Prinny Squad]

[quote name='sadude' post='56949' date='Jan 19 2009, 02:41 AM']Wow, that's really catchy and looks really good. Amazing what a budget will do. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... deways.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> Here's hoping she does well.



Is there no set date for the single or full PV yet?[/quote]

All that's known is this is gonna be released for cell phones as far as release info. :Peach did link me to Tokyograph's article on it! I'll edit the topic and put it in.

[Infinite Loop]

Collaboration with an author? Interesting. I first heard the preview a few days ago but it didn't really stick - now it's growing on me. (The chorus dance I loved from the start though <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> ) I'm ecstatic that she's active. I had heard about her song with BoA, but this is my first time hearing "ravex". What is that? My best googling efforts (i.e. stopped at page 1) turned up this. Related?



No CD release sucks though. Future album track, I would hope.

[neshcom]

I love what I've heard of Fly Away so far. The dance looks so cool and she sounds really good. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /weeeh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



[quote name='Prinny Squad' post='56944' date='Jan 19 2009, 11:28 AM']That with her and BoA's collaboration on RAVEX, and things are looking up for Maki![/quote]

It looks like that may not be completely accurate anymore. According to NNN and JBook.co.jp (here), the ravex album is featuring plenty a collaboration with j-pop artists, so, if she is making an appearance there, (given the way I RAVE U was handled) it will most likely be just her with ravex. Still, she could possibly be amongst BoA, Tohoshinki, DJ OZMA, and other "big" "name" """stars""."

[peachgirldb]

[quote name='neshcom' post='56956' date='Jan 18 2009, 08:58 PM']I love what I've heard of Fly Away so far. The dance looks so cool and she sounds really good. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /weeeh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



[quote name='Prinny Squad' post='56944' date='Jan 19 2009, 11:28 AM']That with her and BoA's collaboration on RAVEX, and things are looking up for Maki![/quote]

It looks like that may not be completely accurate anymore. According to NNN and JBook.co.jp (here), the ravex album is featuring plenty a collaboration with j-pop artists, so, if she is making an appearance there, (given the way I RAVE U was handled) it will most likely be just her with ravex. Still, she could possibly be amongst BoA, Tohoshinki, DJ OZMA, and other "big" "name" """stars""."

[/quote]

Hrrrrrm, that album is slated for 3/11 though. Maki's got some kind of single coming out 2/18 which is supposed to be with BoA, although they may be singing on separate tracks.



Edit: Okay, here we go. 2/18: Believe in LOVE feat. BoA This single was supposed to have a b-side featuring Maki, but the Neowing page doesn't reflect that so I guess we won't really know until it actually comes out. But most likely these are the songs that will appear on the ravex album.

[AEUGNewtype]

This song is extremely boring and very generic-Avex sounding. The dance is pretty corny, too, so I won't be investigating too much into this.

[Hana]

[quote name=':Peach' post='56959' date='Jan 18 2009, 07:04 PM']Edit: Okay, here we go. 2/18: Believe in LOVE feat. BoA This single was supposed to have a b-side featuring Maki, but the Neowing page doesn't reflect that so I guess we won't really know until it actually comes out. But most likely these are the songs that will appear on the ravex album.[/quote]

It does say something about her participating, though (今作には何と後藤真希の参加も決定!), but yeah, it doesn't mention in what capacity, or which track.

[neshcom]

[jas]

Wow this is awesome!



I would've said best preview from H!P in FOREVER but it's not H!P and I never listen to the previews anymore anyways.

[Shoujo Q]

Despite the fact that I want to punch Maki in the face, she sounds loads better then she did in her later years in H!P so I'll give her credit for that. The song is okay, but nothing I'd go looking for. I hate how they've made Maki look, she appears almost cheap to me, like you could find her on a street corner trying to "hitch" a ride if you know what I mean. The eye make is definietly not working for her.

[Bri]

The full PV is up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEplYHflFaE...re=channel_page



Love this. Great song and the PV is awesome, better than practically everything she has done as a soloist in H!P and worth the wait in my opinion. She looks gorgeous too. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' />

[Prinny Squad]

[quote name='Mikan' post='57063' date='Jan 19 2009, 05:48 PM']The full PV is up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEplYHflFaE...re=channel_page



Love this. Great song and the PV is awesome, better than practically everything she has done as a soloist in H!P and worth the wait in my opinion. She looks gorgeous too. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' />[/quote]

Hot damn, this better get a single release.

[neshcom]

I think I don't like the song as much... The arrangement has a strange escalation and the verses are a bit strange. And the opening lines are...weird. Also, they used that "sheeeeew" sound from TABOO, so I keep thinking my phone is going off <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /noway.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' />



The PV is nice and Maki looks really mature. The dance is above average and the costumes are okay. It'd interesting to see a live.

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='The☆AEUGNewtype' post='56963' date='Jan 18 2009, 09:15 PM']This song is extremely boring and very generic-Avex sounding. The dance is pretty corny, too, so I won't be investigating too much into this.[/quote]



This is pretty much how I feel, though maybe not as strongly. I wouldn't go so far as to say "extremely boring," but it's definately generic sounding and nothing about it grabs me and makes me want to listen again. Different parts of the song don't really blend well together either. At some parts it's like a low-key pop song (the flyyyy away chorus parts), and then other's it's trying more to have a grinding dance beat (the verses, particularly the "nani ga shitai no, nani ga hoshii no" type lines). I really don't get what's up with her writhing around on the bed at the beginning like she's having an orgasm when nobody's touching her and she's not even touching herself. It's like trying to be sexy without having the balls to actually put a man there.



Her voice at least sounds good, so I'll keep an eye out for future stuff from her to see if I like it any better.

[Pi Mako]

I can't say I'm exactly impressed by this song either. The song would really benefit with a faster tempo. It's like, I want to dance to this, but I really can't because the tempo makes the song drag. It's not the most original sounding song, but I like that it's not some ultra-slutty thing like Kumi Koda would do.



And, perhaps the part with Maki having an orgasm has to do with her possibly having one while she is sleeping? Hence the masks?

[neshcom]

I've been humming the chorus all day today. FLYYYYYYYYYY AWAYYYY <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... omgwtf.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':sideways:' />

[Tsuki]

Meh. Not that impressed with anything about this, the PV has a budget yeah, but it isn't particularly interesting. All I'm seeing is "Hey look, here's Maki. She how much better she looks with expensive makeup, clothes, and camerawork?"



The song's tempo is too slow like Pi Miki suggests, and the chorus "hook" is forgettable. I lost interest in watching the PV halfway through and alt-tabbed to look at something else and didn't even really focus that much on the song itself.



Hopefully she'll make something more interesting, but I've never really been a big fan of Maki in the first place so I don't care if she doesn't~

[Tsujiji]

I totally agree with the generic Avex comment.



Not really feeling the song, but I think those krump lessons payed of. Her dancing has gotten a lot sharper.

[Jessui]

Wouldn't generic Avex be like... GIRL NEXT DOOR or something? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':sideways:' /> (Haha, not trying to knock them really, I don't mind them, but their sound is very AVEX-ish and quite unoriginal) I can see where the "generic" comment comes from for this song, but it actually doesn't sound like AVEX to me. That said, I do like the song, and the PV is all right.

[Melon]

The song and video have a split personality. It's like they couldn't decide which direction to go for her debut so why not do both?



One one hand you have "SExxY MaKi", who lies in bed writhing in pleasure, dresses in promiscuous outfits in the street while engaging in a mating ritual dance, and shows us closeups of her jubjublies. On the other you have "vulnerable maki" who wears different masks in an effort to portray someone she is not and secretly desires for us to love the naked her, without a mask or image. And then there is "STRONG MAKI" who wears a kickass jacket and stands in a weird set with shadows that look like tree branches while doing weird positions (or did they film a photoshoot for extra footage? HMM).



The song starts out with the club beat and becomes a pop song by the chorus and returns to a dance song after the chorus. Maki's voice sounds better now. And I will say that generic avex still pleases my ears more than generic H!P and leagues more than H!P trying to do the avex sound. Hopefully she survives the avex push.

[Falcon]

Also not feeling the song. I think they have managed her "avex-overhaul" fairly well but it seems to go in too many directions at once. I think she'll get better songs in the future so I'm not really concerned but this really isn't what I'd call hit material. It's lacking something.



As far as the Koda Kumi similarities go... yeah I can see them. I hope they make an identity for Maki other than Kumi2.



You know, a collaboration with Koda Kumi would be pretty awesome. They can feel each other up instead of themselves!

[jochin]

... does her nose look different or is it just me? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/huh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':huh:' />



Anyway yay comeback! I like this alot better than what she did by the end of her time in H!P.

[AEUGNewtype]

[quote name='Petit Melon' post='57163' date='Jan 20 2009, 09:54 AM']The song and video have a split personality. It's like they couldn't decide which direction to go for her debut so why not do both?[/quote]

Only you, Melon. Only you. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':huh:' />

[Pucchi-Mo]

[quote name='Girasol' post='57162' date='Jan 20 2009, 08:17 AM']Wouldn't generic Avex be like... GIRL NEXT DOOR or something? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> (Haha, not trying to knock them really, I don't mind them, but their sound is very AVEX-ish and quite unoriginal) I can see where the "generic" comment comes from for this song, but it actually doesn't sound like AVEX to me. That said, I do like the song, and the PV is all right.[/quote]

Just after listening to the melody of her singing and the pacing of each line, that alone makes it sound like Avex to me, without even considering the instrumentals yet. (which makes me think Avex as well) The only thing that is missing is ending with an English phrase each time.



Pretty much up until the FLY AWAY chorus, it sounds like undeniable AVEX. It sounds like Koda Kumi would be singing this song if Maki stayed in H!P. After the 0:18 part begins I just want to replace the 2nd line with I'MA LET YOU GET INSIDE <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' />



Well, maybe it sounds like Avex to those who have only heard a few songs from Avex, but people who know Avex better can get something non Avex from it? Maybe not quite generic Avex, but it at least uses Avex "methods". <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':huh:' /> Or is it Rhythm Zone specifically?



P.S. to the why writhing on the bed comment... Sweet Black must be the name of her vibrator. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/doh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':doh:' />



[quote name='Petit Melon' post='57163' date='Jan 20 2009, 08:54 AM']The song starts out with the club beat and becomes a pop song by the chorus and returns to a dance song after the chorus.[/quote]

Sounds familiar...

[Infinite Loop]

[quote name='PucchiBest' post='57177' date='Jan 20 2009, 12:07 PM'][quote name='Petit Melon' post='57163' date='Jan 20 2009, 08:54 AM']The song starts out with the club beat and becomes a pop song by the chorus and returns to a dance song after the chorus.[/quote]

Sounds familiar...

[/quote]

Thank you! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... umbsup.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':huh:' /> I was shocked that hadn't been brought up yet. I actually find this one more coherent than SB!T.



I've mostly been wondering how Avex Maki is setting herself apart from H!P Maki. Although I'm sure some of her reported desire to be able to have more artistic freedom was legit, mostly you've got to think this was an effort to get back in Japan's good graces (and rich. The mafia lifestyle isn't cheap!). Is slapping the Avex label across her releases alone going to move more product? As happy as this release makes me, I'm already a pretty big fan. Will marketing alone save her? Who knows!



Anyway, I like it much more now that I've heard the full song.