Filed under: Features!
After America, Japan has the biggest music industry in the world. So just for fun I have composed a list of Japanese artist who I think are similar to some of the people in the English/American music industry. Of course this is just for fun and the matches won’t be all that accurate, they just might happen to share a few similarities.
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Angela Aki & Sara Bareilles
Both of Angela Aki and Sara Bareilles use the piano to the best of their ability and make repetitive, yet catchy songs. In pretty much all of their songs piano is main instrument, however Sara Bareilles also uses guitar as well.
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Koda Kumi & Britney Spears
Possibly the biggest resemblance between a music artist in Japan and a music artist in America is Britney Spears and Koda Kumi. Kuu is pretty much a spitting image of Britney Spears (not literally, but you get my drift…) and both share the same sexy image, and it helps when both of their newest album releases have a circus theme. Was this on purpose or was Kuu just being a Trickster? We’ll never know…
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Namie Amuro & Rihanna
Okay so Namie and Rihanna may not share all that much resemblance, however both have R&B roots and in recent albums have taken a more mainstream pop direction.
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Leah Dizon & Paris Hilton
Undoubtedly Leah Dizon has much, much more talent than poor old Pairs, however they both are models trying to make a statement in the music industry, and both of them have voices that leave more to be desired. Leah has had mild success, while Paris’ attempt was a total fail.
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Rie fu & Colbie Caillat
Rie fu and Colbie Callait share the same laid back, acoustic feel to their songs. Both at some stage have had a flower in their hair for a photo shoot and both have made a duet with an artist, Rie fu making a duet with Leo Imai and Colbie Caillat making a duet with Jason Mraz.
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Crystal Kay & Beyoncè
Heeeeeeey their names rhyme! As well as this, both Crystal Kay and Beyoncè have a distinctive R&B sound which is unique in both of their industries. In recent years both Crystal Kay and Beyoncè have branched out into the realm of pop music, rather than R&B.
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ayaka & Gabriella Cilmi
ayaka reminds me of the Australian singer Gabriella Cilmi. Both have amazing voices (ayaka’s is better than Gabriella Cilmi’s, however both of their voices are above average) and both ayaka and Gabriella Cilmi make addictive mid tempo pop/rock tracks, plus they both are amazing when performing ballads.
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KOKIA & Lisa Mitchell
Lisa Mitchell is a young Australian artist who was in the 1st season of Australian Idol. She came 6th in the competition, however a few years later she released her first EP Said One To The Other and like KOKIA’s music it’s folksy and alternative and unique. Like KOKIA, Lisa Mitchell has a distinctive voice.
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JYONGRI & Jordin Sparks
JYONGRI tends to remind me of Jordin Sparks because their public image is squeaky clean and in my opinion have mildly similar voices.
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Genki Rockets & Gorillaz
Both these bands are virtual meaning they are made up of fictional character(s). Both bands have a unique techno sound which isn’t matched by any other band in their respective industry.
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Well there you have it my first feature! I hope you enjoyed it, even if I did post some stereotypical and opinionated views.
Filed under: KOKIA | Tags: KOKA The Voice, KOKIA - The Voice, The VOICE Review, KOKIA The VOICE Review, KOKIA Review, 吉田亜紀子, 吉田亜紀子 - The Voice, KOKIA - The VOICE Reviews
Track list:
1. Odoyaka na Shizukesa
2. Follow the Nightingale
3. Ave Maria
4. Todokimasu You ni
5. song of pocchong ~Shizuku no Uta~
6. Gomen ne.
7. Lacrima
8. Nani mo Kamo ga Hoshi ni Natte
9. il mare dei suoni
10. everlasting
11. Chiisana Uta
12. Watashi ni Dekiru Koto
The VOICE is KOKIA’S 6th studio album and was released on the 20th of the February, 2008. It reached number 42 on the Oricon Weekly charts and sold a total of 7, 765 copies.
It seems like KOKIA has finally found the genre that she belongs to. KOKIA was never destined for the pop roots of her past. Her previous albums Remember Me was decent, however it never felt like she truly belonged, because KOKIA was just a bit too alternative for the “pop” genre.
Then KOKIA comes along with The VOICE that begins with an
experimental song Odoyaka na Shizukesa which sounds natural and organic, KOKIA’s voice is better than ever before, and that’s evident from the beginning note of the album, which is adlibbing. KOKIA carries on this experimental edge with possibly her best single yet Follow The Nightingale which starts out as a peaceful song, but soon becomes a full blown forte, experimental song.
After the first burst of energy KOKIA decides to take a softer approach with Ave Maria, the cover of a famous well known song. The first two energetic songs on the album have been a success, but does KOKIA deliver on softer songs? You bet! Ave Maria is a fantastic cover. KOKIA varies her amazing voice this time and uses an operatic voice. Things stay laidback in the gentle and carefree song Tokdokimasu You ni. Besides song of pocchong ~Shizuku no Uta~ and il mare dei sunoi songs are soft throughout the rest of the album. Where others would get boring KOKIA succeeds. Why? Well because of her amazing voice. I have already stated many times throughout this review KOKIA has a truly amazing voice and she uses every bit of it to assist her in her songs.
Soft arrangements suit KOKIA, and unlike a lot of artists she does not have to rely on the arrangement of the song to make the atmosphere interesting. KOKIA’s vocals have improved immensely since the beginning of her music career and even since her previous album Remember Me. KOKIA has chosen soft, European arrangements to compliment her voice, which is a clear success. And it seems that KOKIA likes the European edge, because she even released a European version for fans in Europe.
KOKIA’s English is improving too. This is evident in everlasting which is a song that is sung entirely in English. KOKIA loses that cute English pronunciation and this time opts for a more serious voice, however she does come back to her cute English speaking in the bridge where she says heartfelt lines “Our father in heaven, I truly thank you for giving me a feeling of love. From the bottom of my heart, I wish this word to be wrapped with eternal light.”
KOKIA provides a breather from the ballads with a Nani mo Kamo ha
Hoshi ni Natte which is a raw song consisting mainly of percussion and a keyboard. Even though this song has percussion, KOKIA has made the percussion soft and subtle, so it still retains the gentle sound which is present throughout the entire album.
Guitar and piano both share a generous amount throughout the album. In the middle of the album Gomen ne and Lacrima show KOKIA’s guitar arrangements and towards the end we get to hear her piano arrangements. KOKIA gets personal with the last two tracks which is just her the piano, and some percussion thrown in for extra stability. These songs never get boring, because the rawness of the piece really adds an emotional touch to the album and once again KOKIA’s voice never fails to impress. The VOICE starts on an energetic side, and ends showcasing a softer side of KOKIA.
The VOICE is appropriately named, as all of the tracks on the album showcase her strongest gift. Arrangements are minimal compared to her other albums, and lose the pop feel about them and venture into alternative areas, which is perfect for KOKIA as she was never destined to be a pop star, instead she was destined to be an artist who relies on her voice to convey a message. In The VOICE KOKIA finds herself and the music that she was almost meant to make. KOKIA’s voice is showcased amazingly through The VOICE and in my opinion KOKIA has released the perfect 6th album.
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Hits:
Odoyaka na Shizukesa | Follow the Nightingale | Ave Maria | Todokimasu You ni | song of pocchong ~Shizuku no Uta~ | Gomen ne. | Lacrima | Nani mo Kamo ga Hoshi ni Natte | il mare dei suoni | everlasting | Chiisana Uta | Watashi ni Dekiru Koto
So-so:
N/A
Misses:
N/A
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Overall Rating:
5 stars
Filed under: Miscellaneous
Hey.
If you’re wondering why none of the images are showing up on my page (or is this just on my computer?) well that’s because of Photobucket. For some reason my account is going haywire and I can’t even seem to log onto it. Hopefully this will resolve itself, however if this is not fixed I will have to upload them onto my WordPress account which is a real pain because that doesn’t work 100% for me either. Luckily I have only recently changed to photobucket so not many reviews will be effected, but hopefully it will fix itself… a little optimism can never get in the way… right?
So, I’m sorry that the images aren’t fixed and if this issue does not resolve itself soon then I will upload the photos and replace them on a another host.
(I can’t put my signature here because of Photobucket either!!!!)
Seems to have fixed itself now (:
Filed under: BoA
Track list:
1. AGGRESSIVE
2. Sweet Impact
3. My Way, Your Way [Featuring WISE]
4. be with you.
5. LOSE YOUR MIND [Featuring Yutaka Furukawa from DOPING PANDA]
6. Girl In The Mirror
7. Happy Birthday
8. Diamond Heart
9. LOVE LETTER
10. BRAVE
11. Gyappu ni Yarareta!
12. Style
13. Smile again
14. Beautiful Flowers
15. Best Friend
16. Hey Boy, Hey Girl [SEAMO featuring BoA]
THE FACE is BoA’s 6th Japanese Studio album. It was released on the 27th of February, 2008 and climbed to number one on the Oricon Weekly Charts selling 185,388 copies.
Just over one year since the release of MADE IN TWENTY (20) BoA comes out with her 6th Japanese album. The album opens on a happy note with the lines “Let’s say I love you, it’s so easy” which is the beginning of the optimism and fun which is carried throughout the majority of the album.
BoA is the perfect example of a pop star who releases album after album without much personal input; however this changes with THE FACE. BoA has had more creative input and even wrote a song herself: Gyappu ni Yarareta! BoA’s attempt is quite good and better than Koda Kumi’s first attempt with the song Milk Tea.
Just to make things more interesting BoA has collaborated with WISE, Yutaka Furukawa and SEAMO to create an urban effect seen throughout some of the songs in the album, and once again BoA succeeds quite nicely. My Way, Your Way in which BoA collaborates with WISE is a nice mid tempo song, in which WISE really adds to the romantic feel of the song. In LOSE YOUR MIND BoA collaborates with Yutaka Furukawa from the band DOPING PANDA to create a unique pop track with less synth and more authentic instruments, creating a genuine sound. The bonus track Hey Boy, Hey Girl which can be found on the CD+2DVD edition of the album is a nice collaboration, however BoA only features on this track and the majority of the song is SEAMO rapping which is not necessarily a bad thing.
THE FACE is full of upbeat fun and catchy pop tracks, and BoA even takes it one step further with songs like Girl In The Mirror and Style which could even be described as dance tracks. Other pop tracks such as AGGRESIVE and Sweet Impact are also performed with energy and impact. However about half-way through the album things start to get slightly hazy with Happy Birthday and Diamond Heart which tend to get on the boring side because of unoriginal arrangements and corny lyrics.
Despite THE FACE having a big track list, only a few of the songs on the album could be called ballads. be with you. LOVE LETTER and Smile again are examples of the types of ballads that BoA performs best. be with you. can sometimes falter because of its bland arrangements and slow vocals however LOVE LETTER and Smile again both manage to succeed. LOVE LETTER is a full blown, dramatic pop ballad with nice vocals from BoA’s end. Smile again is a more laid back in terms of arrangements however when it comes to vocals BoA is at her best. While BoA’s vocals may not be the best in the industry they still are nice on the ears, even if sometimes they tend to lack emotion.
In terms of production THE FACE performs well. Most of the arrangements are unique and original, which is what makes the album
interesting. BoA worked with a large range of producers to bring a variety of the album, which is not seen on some of her previous albums, especially OUTGROW. The arrangements on the album show BoA’s softer side on tracks be with you. and Best Friend, however they also do a decent job parading BoA’s edgier side in tracks such as Girl In The Mirror and Style.
Besides Diamond Heart and Happy Birthday being next to each other, the flow of the album is nice and each song seems to fit with the next song nicely, however because of above average arrangements they never seem to merge into each other.
THE FACE is BoA’s most creative Japanese album yet and shows great variety throughout while still maintaining that cutesy-good-girl BoA feel to it. It’s a shame that this album didn’t sell nearly as well as her previous albums, because when it comes to comparing her previous albums with THE FACE it becomes quite clear that THE FACE has more Style, AGGRESSION and impact, plus it also shows a sweet, beautiful and BRAVE side of BoA, after all this album is meant to display the many faces/sides of BoA.
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Hits:
AGGRESSIVE | Sweet Impact |My Way, Your Way | LOSE YOUR MIND | Girl In The Mirror | LOVE LETTER | BRAVE | Gyappu ni Yarareta! | Style | Smile again | Beautiful Flowers | Best Friend | Hey Boy, Hey Girl
So-so:
be with you. | Diamond Heart
Misses:
Happy Birthday
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Overall Rating:
4½ Stars
Filed under: Koda Kumi | Tags: Albums, Koda Kumi, Koda Kumi - TRICK, Review, TRICK, 倖田來未, 倖田來未 TRICK
Track list:
1. INTRODUCTION FOR TRICK
2. TABOO
3. show girl
4. Your Love
5. stay with me
6. This is not a love song
7. Driving
8. Bling Bling Bling [Featuring AK-69]
9. That Ain’t Cool [Featuring Fergie]
10. Hurry Up!
11. Moon Crying
12. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
13. Joyful
14. Ai no Kotaba
15. Venus -Bonus Track-
TRICK is Koda Kumi’s 6th studio album. It was released on the 29th of January, 2009 and reached number one on the Oricon Weekly Charts and sold 380,334 copies.
With an opening as good as INTRODUCTION FOR TRICK my expectations on Kuu’s new album were high. Kuu has taken the circus theme approach, and no doubt it was inspired by western artists such as Britney Spears and P!nk. TABOO and showgirl delivered and I had my hopes high that this was going to be a great album, however like many artists Kuu has shall we say saved the best for first and showcased her best tracks at the beginning of the album. Track four (Your Love) is the turning point, as it displays a weak and mediocre attempt at a ballad, Kuu lacks emotion in her
voice which brings a ballad to life. stay with me is a better attempt at a ballad however it still lacks oomph that is much needed. Kuu’s vocals aren’t bad; however they don’t work well with ballads. Even though her English, or Engrish has improved it still leaves more to be desired. Things get more redeeming with This is not a love song where Kuu pleads her listeners that this song is not a love song, and indeed it’s not. It’s a dance track which Kuu executes with style and I think it’s safe to say the Kuu should stick to these type of dance tracks rather than her sappy ballads seen earlier on the album. Driving is another upbeat fast dance track which is what Kuu was designed to sing. Without her producers we can assume Kuu would not be the Britney Spears of Japan like she is today. Driving is the perfect example of songs that Kuu should stick to. Bling Bling Bling is just laughable with lines like “Baby all I want is a bling bling bling and a car car car…” What are you talking about Kuu? You’re one of Japan’s biggest J-Pop artists you’ve already got enough money to buy some bling and a car, and you don’t need to write a song with poorly pronounced English and make a fool of yourself! Nonetheless it does provide an entertaining listen, however in the wrong way. Hurry Up! was somewhat corny, but it did have some interesting elements however ironically by the end of the song I really was wishing that it would hurry up!
Kuu manages to just pull through with Moon Crying, which is an okay ballad, however having said this there is way too many ballads and as I have said before Kuu should stick to what she does best sexy dance tracks. Just The Way You Are is a decent track, much thanks to the interesting arrangements. Her vocals don’t aren’t too hard on the ears either and the “I like you, you’re my best friend” lines seem to be easily said by Kuu. And just when all was looking joyful for the albums progress Joyful started playing, and left me feeling extremely indifferent. However once again she manages to pull through with the only truely great ballad on the album Ai no Katoba a piano driven ballad that is easy on the ears. 
Once again Kuu’s vocas aren’t anything stellar however they are full and Kuu seems to be able to reach low notes with ease. The album ends on a… decent note with the remake of Venus, however whenever I hear this song I can’t help to think of the shaving razor brand with the same name and the same theme song. This is Kuu’s first attempt at a song fully in English and she actually does a decent job, however as some reviews have already stated, there is a definite “B” sound instead of a “V” sound for Venus however that’s because of the Japanese language and the fact the B’s and V’s sound exactly the same according to native speakers.
An interlude would have been nice for TRICK as it seemed that tracks were placed here and there, we had ballads next to each other, which could have easily been separated, as this would have evened out the good and the bad bits of the album rather than having them all in one spot. Dance tracks such as TABOO, show girl, This is not a love song and Driving were brilliant and gives us a clear indication of where Kuu really excels at. While That Ain’t Cool wouldn’t necessarily be described as a dance track, but it still ticked all the boxes, even though the majority of it was sung by Fergie, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE could also be described as a semi-dance track and Kuu performed it semi-brilliantly. Some of the ballads presented on the album weren’t all that fun to listen to (mainly Your Love) however stay with me and Moon Crying were acceptable and Ai no Katoba was above average – for Kuu anyway. Venus was an example of an above average sugar coated pop whereas Bling Bling Bling was an example of a listenable one (mainly because of the humorous and stupidly funny English lyrics). However Joyful was just a pain on the ears.
TRICK lacks the flow of Kingdom and in terms of transitions reminds me of Black Cherry, however it manages to pull through. Kuu may not be the most talented girl in the industry, however she matches the criteria when performing upbeat songs and seems to be able to perform these with such ease, which is why she should stick to this kind of stuff. To be quite honest I would love a Koda Kumi album with dance tracks invading the album and maybe one or two ballads to check on her progress, however in the mean time she has given us TRICK which is an acceptable album with awesome dance tracks, acceptable cutesy songs and a few nice ballads. So above all I think Kuu has made some progress and I commend her for that.
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Hits:
INTRODUCTION FOR TRICK | TABOO | show girl | This is not a love song | Driving | That Ain’t Cool | Ai no Katoba wa
So-so:
stay with me | Bling Bling Bling | Hurry Up! | Moon Crying | JUST THE WAY YOU ARE | Venus -Bonus Track-
Misses:
Your Love | Joyful
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Overall Rating:
3½ Stars
Filed under: Beyoncè | Tags: Albums, Beyoncè, Beyoncè - I Am... Sasha Fierce, I Am, Sasha Fierce
Track list:
[Disk One]
1. If I Were A Boy
2. Halo
3. Disappear
4. Broken-Hearted Girl
5. Ave Maria
6. Satellites
[Disk Two]
1. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
2. Radio
3. Diva
4. Sweet Dream
5. Video Phone
I Am… Sasha Fierce is Beyoncè’s third solo studio album. It was released on the 8th of November, 2008. It reached number one on the American Billboard Charts.
For her third studio album Beyoncè has been original and conceptual by splitting her album into two parts, which span two disks. The I Am… part of the album shows Beyoncè’s softer side, which is portrayed through the ballads on the first part of the album. Part Two features sexier side, portrayed through her alto ego Sasha Fierce. Splitting the album into two parts was a clever idea, as having one half ballads and the other half upbeat songs means that there is variety throughout.
I Am… starts off with If I Were A Boy, much like the name suggest Beyoncè sings about if she was a boy and how much better it would be, because of less pressure, etcetera etcetera. Somewhat stereotypic al views are expressed here, and in the latter part of the album Beyoncè contradicts herself with the song Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), which is also full of gender stereotyping. Halo, Disappear, Broken-Hearted Girl, Ave Maria and Satellites also show the sweet and sincere side of Beyoncè. Halo is definitely the most aggressive ballad on the album with Beyoncè using her powerhouse vocals to bring the song to life. Disappear and Satellites show a softer side of Beyoncè with sweet and soft vocals. They have sweet lines throughout such as “We exist in our own space. We have all the love we need and when we’re apart I cannot breathe” found in the song Satellites. Ave Maria is a beautiful song which showcases an almost operatic side of Beyoncè. I Am… is the softer side and conservative side of the album.
However, things heat up quickly with Sasha Fierce which starts with the upbeat, fun and catchy Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It). Beyoncè has female backing vocals to enhance her voice. Arrangements on Sasha Fierce are retro and upbeat 
and range from mid tempo songs such as Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) and Video Phone, to fast songs such as Radio and Sweet Dreams. Diva is the best example of retro, reggae pop found on Sasha Fierce. Diva is one of those rare few songs where the repetitiveness of it makes it that whole lot better. Here she chants the lines “Ima Ima Ima a diva, Ima Ima Ima a diva. Nah nah nah nah Diva is a female version of a hustler, of a hustler” with style. Video Phone shows Beyoncè’s sexiest side yet with provocative lyrics and singing. Video Phone along with the rest of Sasha Fierce shows a new fresh side of Beyoncè that isn’t seen on previous albums. Beyoncè is the main proucer of the album however she worked with some other famous producers and songwriters such Toby Gad and Ryan Tedder which helped showcase a more profound sound through a careful mix of instruments and synth to exhibit the sassier side of Beyoncè through her ego Sasha Fierce.
Both halves are well produced, catchy and well written. The two halves of the album are a great listen and provide music for every occasion, whether you’re in a quite mood or a partying mood. Beyoncè has pressed all the right buttons and created an album that is versatile and durable. Her music on I Am… Sasha Fierce is designed to withstand many listens without getting old, which is rare in the American music industry these days. Beyoncè has showcases a more mature sound on I Am which gives the album depth, however she has not overdone this and has balanced it out with catchy dance tracks on Sasha Fierce which will satisfy pop fans. In a nutshell I Am… amazed by this high quality album, however I can’t say I’m surprised because this diva just can’t place a foot out of line at the moment!
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Hits:
If I Were A Boy | Halo | Disappear | Broken-Hearted Girl | Ave Maria | Satellites | Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It | Radio | Diva | Sweet Dreams | Video Phone
So-so:
N/A
Misses:
N/A
_______________
Overall Rating:
5 Stars
Filed under: Beyoncè | Tags: Albums, Beyoncè, Beyoncè B'Day, Beyoncè B'Day Review, Beyoncè Knowles, Review
Track list:
1. Déjà Vu [Featuring Jay-Z]
2. Get Me Bodied
3. Suga Mama
4. Upgrade U [Featuring Jay-Z]
5. Ring The Alarm
6. Kitty Kat
7. Freakum Dress
8. Green Light
9. Irreplaceable
10. Resentment
11. Check On It [Featuring Bun B & Slim Thug]
B’Day is Beyoncè’s second solo studio album. It was released worldwide on the 4th of September, 2006. It was released on this date because it marked Beyoncè’s 25th birthday, hence the name B’Day. It reached number one on the American Billboard charts.
B’Day was originally scheduled for release in 2004, as a follow up to her debut solo album Dangerously In Love, however due to other commitments such as the movie Dreamgirls, which she starred in, this album was two years late. However it was well worth the wait! B’Day shows a more profound and sassier side of Beyoncè which could not be seen clearly in Dangerously In Love. From the first track on the album, Déjà Vu it is immediately noticeable that Beyoncè’s vocals have greatly improved, and aren’t drowned out by the arrangements, like they were in some songs on the album Dangerously In Love.
Beyoncè has developed a unique style, which is present throughout all the songs. While she has variety in all the songs, they all have the same feel about them which makes the album feel personal. It really feels like Beyoncè has given part of herself to us in B’Day. For the first half of the album Beyoncè asks her lover to “give me some sugar mama” and other sassy “I want you” messages. In Get Me Bodied Beyoncè chants “We can skip small talk, lets get to the chase. A little sweat ain’t gonna hurt no body… get me bodied. You want my body won’t you get me bodied”.
For the second half of the album this mood changes dramatically where the main subject matter is taking a stand and not having a lover. In Kitty Kat she complains that her lover is not coming home on time and she’s “not feeling it” and even goes as far to say “your sex ain’t all that.” In Freakum Dress she tells her lady followers that sometimes they just need to go out and have a fun time without being tied down by a man. At the end of the song she sing-talks the lines “every now and then you’ve gotta go back to the closet and put you Freakum
dress on.” Green Light depicts her lover telling her leave (i.e Green Light to leave) and in Irreplaceable she asks her lover to go and put his possessions in “a box to the left.” Resentment has the same subject matter as all of the previous songs on the second half of the album, however it lacks power and attitude like the other songs. The album ends on a happier note with Check On It, which was featured in the 2006 remake of The Pink Panther.
B’Day is executed well, much thanks to Beyoncè’s powerful and unique voice. It features a variety of different music styles while maintaining the same musical underlay throughout. The albums messages contradict each other, however the lyrics pretty good, except for one extremely corny line in Kitty Kat where Beyoncè tattles the lines “I’m taking back the things I got from you, you and that includes my sweet little nooky too, too.” In the words of the diva herself “If you’ve got it flaunt it”, Beyoncè clearly has it and she’s flaunting it with style.
_______________
Hits:
Déjà Vu | Get Me Bodied | Upgrade U | Ring The Alarm | Kitty Kat | Freakum Dress | Green Light | Irreplaceable | Check On It
So-so:
Suga Mama | Resentment
Misses:
N\A
_______________
Overall Rating:4½ Stars
Filed under: Utada, Utada Hikaru | Tags: Albums, Hikaru Utada, This Is The One, This Is The One Review, Utada, Utada Hikaru, Utada Hikaru This Is The One, Utada This Is The One
Tracklist:
1. One And On
2. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – FYI
3. Apple And Cinnamon
4. Taking My Money Back
5. This Is The One (Crying Like A Child)
6. Automatic Part II
7. Dirty Desire
8. Poppin’
9. Come Back To Me
10. Me Muero
This Is The One is Utada’s second English album (third including her Cubic U album), however overall it is her 8th album. It was released on the 14th of March, 2009 in Japan. In America it was released digitally on the 24th of March, 2009 and physically on the 12th of May, 2009. This Is The One reached third on the Oricon charts with debut sales of 77, 832. In the States it did not perform as well, managing to reach 178 on the Billboard 200, however despite this it did have high digital sales reaching number nineteen on the iTunes charts.
Five years and three albums later Utada Hikaru releases her second English album under the family name of Utada. The half decent opening of On And On gives us a taste of the
Americanised lyrics splattered throughout the album. Arrangements throughout are relatively straight-forward especially for Utada, whose previous English album Exodus is known for its experimental edge. Interesting arrangements can be seen in Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence – FYI, which is a remake of the Ryuichi Sakamoto’s instrumental song MerryChristmas Mr Lawrence, Taking My Money Back, Dirty Desire, Poppin’ and Me Meuro which when translated into Spanish means “I’m dying”. Although being Utada’s least experimental album we do see a new, previously unseen side of Hikki. Dirty Desire shows a sexy and naughty side which is rarely seen with many Japanese artists.Suggestive lines can be heard throughout the song such as “When I’m alone at night, I sit and fantasise” and “I’ve gotta make you mine, can you feel my dirty desire, dirty desire…?” Poppin’ shows a partying and clubbing side of Hikki with the lines “I wanna see the bottles poppin’” and the hilarious line “oops did I turn you on?” Me Meuro shows a suicidal side of Hikki with the lines “Now and then I’m suicidal” which will have her diehard fans worried.
This Is The One also shows a more sensual side of Utada with the beautiful R&B ballads; Apple And Cinnamon, 
This Is The One (Crying Like A Child) and the lead single Come Back To Me. All these ballads showcase a different and deeper side of Utada, which is seen in earlier albums, however never in previous English albums. Apple And Cinnemon is a song about what could have been, if Utada and her ex were still together. This Is The One (Crying Like A Child), which is easily the best song on the album, is a heart breaking ballad, with simple acoustic and R&B elements. With sentimental lines such as “How could I ever love another? How could you say you don’t remember? God knows I’d give anything for just one more night together. Today I miss you more than ever. How could you say you don’t remember, this ones for the happy days, I’ll be wishing you forever.” It’s pretty hard not to like this song. However the mood is quickly killed by the following song Automatic Part II which had fans wrongfully excited. When it comes to music Utada releases songs that sound fresh and loveable, however Automatic Part II rebels this trend, being one of Hikki’s most annoying and unlikable songs.With recycled pop beats and robotic like vocals, its an automatic reaction to instantly dislike this song. However it does have on catchy line: “Hello my name is Utada like dadadada” In Taking My Money Back Utada stands up for herself and is strong; “Now I finally see, that you were using me and I’m taking my money, my money, my money back.”
Tracks are thoughtfully placed, however without an interlude, there is a big jump in atmosphere, especially between This Is The One (Crying Like A Child) and Automatic Part II. The majority of the album sounds fresh and is likable and in my honest opinion is a lot better quality than a lot of the other leading American R&B artists.
So the big question. Is this really the one? Well yes and no. This album is not the one if you are looking for Hikki’s experimental style found in previous albums. However it is the one if you are looking for a feel good American pop record, with quite good, yet at times strange lyrics. After all Utada stated in an interview that all she wanted to do is create a good American style pop record and I respect her for that.
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Hits:
Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence – FYI | Apple And Cinnamon | Taking My Money Back | This Is The One (Crying Like A Child) | Dirty Desire | Poppin’ | Come Back To Me | Me Muero
So-so:
On And One
Overall Rating:4½ Stars
