Utada's back in town...

Madara · Post by **Madara** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:17 pm

I went to Best Buy in midtown Manhattan tonight after work to check out the anime shelf when what should I see posted on the glass doors on the way in but signs announcing that tonight's Utada event had been canceled. I didn't even know about it. I would love to have attended--if they'd held it. So I went in and saw a full display case right out in front offering her latest album, "This is the One."

So I bought one--for $9.99, just to support a mainstream outlet's choice to push some...well, I was about to say "J-pop," but since it's in English I guess it's not J-pop. Let's just say I want to support Best Buy's push of a Japanese performer (albeit one raised in New York). I asked why she had canceled and they said she was sick. They had a sheet you could write your address on with a promise that she'd send something autographed or something. So I signed it. I'll let you know if it yields anything.

I'm listening to the CD now. Pretty generic stuff. And it all sounds alike. And all pretty derivative of American pop. I like her voice, but I wish she'd sing something different. I don't care whether she sings in English or Japanese, I just wish somebody would write some good stuff for her. I have a few other CDs of hers and there's something about her that's good enough to keep me hoping she'll do something worthy of her voice, but I have yet not to be disappointed. At what point do I give up?

peachgirldb · Post by **peachgirldb** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:19 pm

Er... you do realize she writes mostly her own stuff, right?

Melon · Post by **Melon** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:37 pm

[quote name='Madara' post='64458' date='May 12 2009, 08:17 PM']I don't care whether she sings in English or Japanese, I just wish somebody would write some good stuff for her. I have a few other CDs of hers and there's something about her that's good enough to keep me hoping she'll do something worthy of her voice, but I have yet not to be disappointed. At what point do I give up?[/quote]

What Peach said.

I WISH she would get people to write things for her. Personally I thought she peaked with Deep River. What cds do you have?

We've already had our discussions of "YOU NEED TO SPEND MUCHO MOOLAH TO SUCCEED IN AHMURRICAH" and UTADA v BoA so I'll shut up now.

Fark it, here's another aside. Though her music side seems alright enough at times, she needs to get a damn lyricist for her english works.

neshcom · Post by **neshcom** » Tue May 12, 2009 7:40 pm

I agree with everything said here and here.

In the news department, TiTO's physical CD release will be identical to the digital release save for the remixes. Instead, Sanctuary and Simple and Clean (Passion and Hikari in Japan) will replace the Come Back to Me mixes. I'm not a psychic, but those two songs are the only reason people would even get the album. I'm not a particularly big fan of the songs (or Kingdom Hearts either), but I'd venture to say they're more decent than any of her US works. I'd be willing to stomach an album of just her Japanese works in English (though I agree, an outside lyricist could do more justice to them than her).

Now I'm all riled up <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nfused.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lesson:' />

Madara · Post by **Madara** » Wed May 13, 2009 10:24 am

[quote name=':Peach' post='64459' date='May 13 2009, 11:19 AM']Er... you do realize she writes mostly her own stuff, right?[/quote]

I've never been much of a fan of singers who write their own songs. The only one I can think of off the top of my head who was a genius at both was Bob Dylan. (And I'm one of the very few of my generation who prefers his version of "All Along the Watchtower" to Jimi Hendrix's.) Carole King was a great songwriter, but when she started singing her own stuff, I tended to like other singers' versions of it better.

Of Japanese singer-songwriters, I like Ayumi Hamasaki a lot, but someone else writes the music and I don't understand her lyrics. But I love the way she sings them.

neshcom · Post by **neshcom** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:06 am

[quote name='Madara' post='64478' date='May 13 2009, 01:24 PM']Of Japanese singer-songwriters, I like Ayumi Hamasaki a lot, but someone else writes the music and I don't understand the lyrics. But I love the way she sings them.[/quote]

Ayumi Hamasaki writes most if not all of her own lyrics, unless you meant composing. It should be noted that some of her most popular songs were composed by her as well <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... lesson.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' />

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