I prefer Apple Music as well! I wonder how soon it'll be till the album shows up there, as I won't be able to order my copy for some time.

You can have a free account there.

This is from instagram, is a battery charger if i'm not wrong. Anyone know how to get it? (I need one and if is the WFACE one is better!!) Maybe is a gift from the bar themed with WFACE.

https://s12.postimg.org/9f5pps6ql/20170306_005653.jpg


This is from instagram too, CD Only holded by the actress of the On My Way dorama song.

https://s23.postimg.org/s017kfxqz/20170306_005802.jpg

It's from the karaoke room. I wish I could have the glasses, they are neat.

Curious to see if there is another cover inside like a slipcase, or it's just a digipack.

^Thank you! Maybe wil be on Yahoo Auctions in the future. Is a, slipcase, I wonder if there is another cover for the booklet like in Bon Voyage too.

Since it just started in Japan I was hoping they would use it as a promo tool. "Join Spotify Japan and get early access to Koda Kumi!!". Totally random, I know. But, a girl can dream.

The latest we will have the album is 12 am Japanese time on Wednesday (4 pm on Tuesday in Germany), cause then it's officially up on iTunes Japan.

^I got a new GFriend song to keep me company until then <3

not worth it - in that case I would grow my own collection. (Which I'm still doing)

No leaks!!!

@Isicio Yeah, probably. The posters are there already, so it's a matter of time for the charger to be available.

Ultraviolet PV - 1080p
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bw...WthekktT25qWTA

^damn! don't get me excited!

It's only available at the karaoke bar through lottery. Just like the folders, the glasses and other stuff. Just check the news I posted only a site ago. Here at the end of the site:
http://jankara.ne.jp/campaign/koda/
Only 20 people get the charger in total, so I don't think it will pop up at Yahoo auctions at all.

I don't know if Spotify is worth it, as I have a free premium account with my mobile service provider. For free, I think it's great! I do wish there was more J-Pop, but it seems to be growing.

Besides being free I see a great appeal of Spotify in its playlists - as someone who tends to hear those over full albums, I think it's great to have playlists for my moods and some genres I like that are always updated once in a while.

Plus I don't have an iPhone :laugh

^but it is all tagged wrong and so out of place. The free thing is cool of course, and I would also take it if I would get a free premium account - but apple music really just is so much better. And it has better playlists too (since it has more music)

@gustavo: don't get offended, but i nerver understood why people do that. A album is a piece of art that shouldn't just be shredded apart.

Yeah, the wrong tags are such a turn of. I tried both and Apple Music is the better (and was also faster with Japanese music). You don't need an iPhone, it's available fo Android as well (I'd never use Apple products).
But personally I don't need streaming services at all I noticed. I prefer having all my music with me on card or player and don't have to use internet. And if I search for something or wanna listen to something I don't know or have , I use Youtube. Works fine.

I never had problems with tags in Spotify, and it's great considering it's free (at least for me that don't have a premium account).

Apple Music is really elitist imo and it's not as accessible as Spotify.

I think if she was AKB48 or Namie, maybe that would be possible...

I get your point. Some albums I also prefer listening to as a whole, mainly my favourites from ayu and also BASTILLE and Anberlin stuff, but there are also a bunch of artists out there with albums that are no more than a collection of stuff they thought as cool sounding, there is not a strong concept and such, so I tend to listen to these songs more in playlists than the whole thing at once. Plus some artists have tiring albums to listen to as a whole, usually cause their stuff sound too much the same or too intense.

i used Spotify for years, but changed to AM very quickly because the tagging is so annoying, the songs mostly change back to it's origin form all the time or have the wrong covers from a soundtrack because it was on one...
and i like to have my stuff organized like B-Sides and Remixes added as Disc 2/3 to their album era's with the covers i want.

only thing i really like about Spotify is they have separate sections for albums and singles!

i wish more people would pay for premium which is just 9,99/month
with apple music i use the family option for 14,99/month because i can add up to 5 people to use it as well :heart

but why do you use ready-made playlist then? I make them myself. But oh well, nothing I'm mad about - it seems to be a thing, otherwise it wouldn't be popular.

@Gubsi: we are also using the family thing. its great. But apple itself is really custumer-unfriendly (as we recently experienced). i wish they wouldn't be so snobby about themselves and their products. I love apple music though <3

Aww and so there was nothing for Monday :(

I just need to say that I agree with everything you said here.

I don't use Apple Music though, I use iTunes and download my songs and put them on my iPod. I can create my own playlists and adjusts tags and album covers etc.

Thank you very much!

so if we don't get a leak, we'll get it with the iTunes release tomorrow in 24-26 hours lol

@thinkingoutloud really? a friend had issues with the battery and it didnt got fixed so she got a brand new iPhone lol
i heard much more horror stories from samsung like my co-worker who hasnt seen his smartphone since 7 months lmao :dead2

^@gubsi: My bf has problem with is ID - he can't answer his security questions (although he knows is PW) and their solution is to delete everything - which means to reconfigure your macbook. he also got a new, used iphone, and since he already played his ID on there, but can't access the apple store, he needs proof that he bought it to redo anything - but that would not solve the main-problem to start with XD

Kuu is going to be at Uta Con again on 03/14:

http://imageshack.com/a/img924/2256/BbxaPC.png

Info from her Japanese FC, pic thanks to a_iluv93.hiro on Instagram

I received an e-mail from Spotify saying that W Face was released and I freaked out but its was just two songs from each album lol I really thought for a second that they would do some kind of special release on Spotify...

I prefer Spotify because I find Apple Music is very slow to load the songs. There's always an awkward gap between each music lol I don't know it's a problem with me but I didn't like that. Spotify is nice because I can listen to Kuu while at work without having to connect my phone or ipod to the computer.

I also don't have to connect my phone? i have my whole music collection with my on my iphone and ipad?!

60th single is going to be a collaboration with the #1 singer in Japan - the one and only PIKOTARO. Can't wait. jk

From KK France Facebook
https://scontent.fykz1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...b0&oe=592ABB91

I'm not worried about leaking, I can wait till Wed or Friday to get the whole album on Spotify. No more downloading! :D Yay!!!

Also with Spotify I don't have to fill my phone memory with musics. :P

^yeah you dont habe to do that with itunes either, but you can :)

still no leak?!

People are getting the album today, so maybe will leak in a couple of hours.

I wonder how many people will buy all 6 versions to get the rehearsal tickets.

60th single a collaboration with the guy who sing Pineapple pen? Is a joke? I mean, this men is not a singer and Pineapple pen is not a song. I don't know why this men have success.

SHIBUYA TSUTAYA promotion: https://www.instagram.com/p/BRUXnlxlZML/

♥

Get that promo, Kuu! :heart

Not real please. Please.

lol relax guys, that was a joke. no collabo is happening. there's no way.

Some of the prizes form Karaoke rooms are on Mercari: https://item.mercari.com/jp/m94646267555/
They sell out fairly quick. I'm yet to see the power bank there. I also don't think that you can import power bank or any kind of battery from Japan.

That was wrong info. You don't need to buy all 6 versions. There's a code as FP in the album and you have to type that code into a special site and then you can win the rehearsal.

Two appearances at morning TV shows announced for tomorrow:
Info from LINE.
She's going to perform a new song in the first show.

First people on Baidu actually got the album.
No rip yet, but I'm not surprised, with people and sites tending not to credit where they got their rips and info from.

Btw. previews for ALL songs are up on amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/W-FACE~outs...g=otodokecd-22
https://www.amazon.co.jp/FACE-inside...KTSEZEE87JTWWG

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800...924/J1HyGV.png

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C6TTlx7VMAEFs4b.jpg:small

https://twitter.com/KODAKUMINET/stat...29354818514944

TSUTAYA Shibuya

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C6TdR96VUAAZ_QS.jpg:small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C6TdR97UwAA9Nd5.jpg:small

https://twitter.com/shibutsuta_tr/st...38749069606912

meh...be uploaded already?!?

so guys... ready for the sales??? lol

https://media.giphy.com/media/vO8F4fYQd39h6/giphy.gif

Although, at this stage, if it is on Spotify at midnight I quite like the idea of this being the first Jpop album it's possible for me to legally listen to on release day.

Thank you!! They are sold out fast yes and there is one with the price of 19.999 that's crazy. I don't know if I can import battery but anyway I don't think I will find one with a normal price.

ARGHH I can't wait any longer!

W FACE ~inside~ CD + DVD

https://s29.postimg.org/w5eddp59j/14...zpwoh27628.jpg

https://s29.postimg.org/augt9fn53/14...j9q4327628.jpg

https://s29.postimg.org/zdiuqqrjb/14...erml227628.jpg

@Corvina: That's better, it would be quite expensive get all the versions even tho the rehearsal ticket is a nice gift for it.

Loving the kanariya feel in these pictures with the crystals! And YAY jewel case. ♥

I would try to get the W FACE glass from mercari, but I'm 100% that the brazilian mail would shatter the whole thing.

I forgot to mention how surprised I am in seeing how much TV promotion she's doing for this album, and even the tie-in that it's getting. Last album we had this much TV promotion was Color The Cover with a couple of Lovely performances and Ongaku no Hi. I'm hoping for a Music Station performance next week, since she will do some promotion next week as well with Utacon.

Still from today's episode of Good Time Music where Kuu will perform Ultraviolet & Promise you

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C6UIuLbU4AMwh4m.jpg:small

http://natalie.mu/music/news/223646

omg she looks amazing!!

all these photos are teasing us too much

She looks great in these pics from inside, oh my :heart

That dress for Good Time Music tho..............

you read my thoughts... that dress is awful!!!

I really hope that TOUR outfits are going to be great as always... (except Japonesque ballad outfit, lol)

Here it is: http://tieba.baidu.com/p/5011774250 :)

YASSSSSSS like right after i stepped out of my house =.=

Thanks so much!

I'll wait for a mirror link, baido doesn't work well with me xD

I can't read chinese, how to download on Baidu?

I'm uploading on Google Drive, it will take a while tho.

I can wait so thanks :love

Thank you

Hey Kaled, I've already uploaded. :D

DOWNLOAD: KODA KUMI - W FACE ~INSIDE AND OUTSIDE~ • 256kbps AAC • CDRip
http://goo.gl/Yf3luL

Ouaaah thank you :luv2

I created a thread as well, no problem. :)

I listened to the previews from cdjapan and OHH MYY GOOOOD W FACE -outside- is her best album ever!!! I'm AMAZED :happy1: I'm thinking to not download the album and wait till I receive my copy, but I have to wait longer, like 2 weeks or more, I hope the delivery will be earlier u.U

Heartless: is great, I don't like her voice in the chorus but the verses are great.
Bassline: is fire.
Damn real: the verses are great but the chorus is a bit weird for my taste.
Insane: is pop rock/edm/dubstep/r&b.
W FACE: is fire, that male voices are cool as hell, is the best track of the album with Shhh!.

Stand by you: reminds me to other kuu ballads mixed in one song.
Kimi Omoi: I only give it one listen to it when it was released but is good.
On my way: I like the chorus, is fantastic.
Promise you: great, a very good track.
My fun: I'm very surprised, is a calm and soft song, that kids on the background sounds weird but well, I didn't listen the chorus but the prechorus looks great.

For me the -outside- side wins, but the -inside- side have great songs. I don't like too much Bring It On and What's Up, is the typical kuu rock songs and doesn't sound good, I like LALALALALA more than this two tracks.

Overall the two sides album are great and better then WALK OF MY LIFE, miles away BETTER, but WALK OF MY LIFE have some gems, anyway, and miles away from Bon Voyage, JAPONESQUE, Dejavu, Universe, Trick, Black Cherry. The only ones good as hell like this albums are BEST ~second session~ and Kingdom :yes

Chara is doing the background vocals for My fun! This is clearly a Chara song, for sure.

I'm completely in love with Heartless, already one of my favorites in years. ♥

Any 320kbps mp3 yet?

You should use Format Factory to convert the files to any file specs you want

That's what I do all the time . I don't like 320kpbs as the file size is too huge (no way I can have everything HQ in my tablet that has limited space capacity)

That said , thanks to all who uploaded both joint albums , I look forward to hear all the songs and for once , no opening + interludes

outside >>>>> inside by far
I only like BRIDGET'S SONG, On My Way and Kimi Omoi form inside.
I appreciate My fun, promise you and maybe suki deshite. The rest is a snooze after the first listen.

Someone please UP W face (the song) on any streaming thing (soundcloud...) I can listen to it through my phone cuz I will be home so laaaate and I need to hear that song lmao

It's up on facebook already: https://www.facebook.com/TeamKumiFra...4050682319028/

-----

All the lyrics are out: http://www.uta-net.com/artist/2261/

The fact that it is YASS BITCH on W FACE, I'm dead.

You made my day - THANK YOU! :)

I had a lot of positive thoughts just from listening Amazon previews but after giving a fast listening to the full thing I have to say I'M LOVING' IT (except "Cupcake" which is just...). Some tracks sounds like "old-Kuu", other continue "modern" direction started by WOML and few giving us some fresh sound (I could say "experimental").

I will return to ~outside~ more often because in general I'm not that big fan of ballads and mid-tempos.

Thank you so much! This is exactly what I needed after a long day at school :laugh

I'm reading the booklet now and surprise: Some of the "special vocals" for My fun are from Kuu's son!

http://i.imgur.com/C6igWkB.jpg

Thank you so much! I'm listening to W FACE~outside~ now :heart

Aw man, that's adorable.

I loved all the previews but listening to the full album... it's not doing anything for me. It feels like something is missing?

It's not what I expected. To be honest, I'm kinda dissapointed.

really? I'm pleasantly surprised. I expected it to be more noisy.

OUTSIDE IS AMAZING!
There's not a track I'd skip, even Ultraviolet which imo is the weakest track there, and it flows so well. I love how it starts all badass and turns into jazzy and ends in trap again.
Now to inside :D

Yes. It feels like something's missing for me.

Maybe I just need to listen the songs a few times :shrug

I thought I was going to be bored with what W FACE ~inside~ had to offer but there were still some pleasant surprises

The song credits for My Fun which Kaled posted , it's real sweet that Kuu's son is credited for doing the background vocals with others

I still wished Yorokobi no Kakera had a PV made though =(

As for W FACE ~outside~ , Insane is awesome & is it me or did Kuu said the F word in the song ? :eyebrow

I really like Heartless , I seldom get emotional if I heard a song for the 1st time but Heartless stuck a chord in me

And W FACE literally slays . Just like Yorokobi no Kakera , it would have been nice if Kuu made a PV for it =x

Cupcake freaks me out cos I heard cat meowing sounds in the background ? o_O O_o

At the end of the day I like W FACE ~outside~ more than W FACE ~inside~ but for Kuu to do something like this , you get to pick what music side of her you prefer , instead of nitpicking/skipping songs as sound consistency was the main problem I had with her past albums (except for WALK OF MY LIFE)

When listening to Heartless it took me about 60 seconds to go from "wth is this warbling" to "omg I'm in love with everything about this song". Outside is definitely the stronger of the two albums and probably the only one I'll buy.

omg this so sweet :love

I'm really in love with Outside, but both albums are amazing :luv2

In my opinion, this album isn´t progress...
she had two years for this, W Face isn´t „finished“. You know?

For years...new Album comes out: i think „ok, not good :/“ than a new album comes out and i think „ok, the last one was good!!“... but now, i think „2 new albums and no new album is suprising or balanced - tha last ones are fantastic, individually“

W face is „Ok“ - but not suprising or something special (for me)...


But I am happy for all who like it ! :)

Liked inside way more than expected when it was announced. The song skippable song is What's Up, but it's not as tragic as some other fun songs she has. Stand by you, Yorokobi no Kakera and My fun are my favourites <3 Love the work with Chara, it sounds like Chara stuff indeed but still Kuu owns it. Plus I was surprised by the instrumental of Bring It On, the rock instruments are more evident than I expected.

Where are te MVs?????????

My fun is sweet. :luv2 Chara :luv2 I'm glad that Kumi did a colab with her.
From my first listen to W FACE ~outside~ W FACE caught my attention the most and Heartless is probably my least fave.

I just listend to inside on my iphone and omg what is that damn song with all the bell noises in it? i hate that! Was it "Stand by you"? - urgh why do people do this "glitter" sound in songs, so tacky -skip!

Just came home from work and just started listening to the albums.

But Good Time Music already aired and Kuu performed Promise you and Ultraviolet, not On my way.
Here's some progressing videos of both, starting with Promise you and going right next to Ultraviolet:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRWDekYDHGf/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRWDl6rjdiD/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRWDrpJjCWd/

Thanks to the uploader.
Streaming link isn't up yet.

I guess here's my review of the two albums, track-by-track:

W FACE ~outside~

01. W FACE - 8/10

I think this is one of Koda's strongest opening tracks for an album in years. I like the atmospheric feel and then it shifts quite nicely to the drop.

02. Ultraviolet - 7/10

A very hot track that honestly suffers from being too long by almost a minute. This should have been a MONEY IN MY BAG-length track. It would have packed a lot more punch that way.

03. Insane - 7/10

I like the hip-hop-rock style of this track. The production is very tight.

04. Damn real - 5/10

This song is long by like two minutes. But it's an excruciating two minutes. Like W FACE and Ultraviolet, it packs a lot more punch if it were shorter.

05. Heartless - 3/10

I'm sorry. I know some people are in love with this song. I've now listened to it twice, and I can't get over what is otherwise a really nice melody being shouted over. Perhaps the lyrics can save this, but not enough for me to think that Koda could have just brought down the shouting on the chorus... by a lot. I also feel like the music is negligible here, as though we could easily just have the music or the voice and the song would be better off. In fact, I'd probably be less spiteful toward this track if it were just Koda singing acapella.

06. Bassline - 6/10

Considering I hate saxophones, I'm surprised I think better of this song. (I tried to set that hatred aside.) I like the hip-hop-jazz feel. Unfortunately, at this point in the album I'm already tired of these style tracks. I had a fear that separating songs by style would be the greatest fall of these two albums. It's coming true.

07. Shh! - 7/10

My score is more affected by how worn out of this style I am at this point in the listening process. Otherwise, I love Shh! It's a fun song that I tend to find myself singing in the car at random times.

08. Bangerang - 5/10

My score is now heavily affected by how worn out this song sounds at this point in the album. It's still tight, but feels heavily recycled.

09. Wicked Girls - 2/10

This is mind-splitting. I've never heard a song that so much needs to be a forgotten b-side on one of Koda's singles. At this point, I'm so sick of hearing this album, but to end it on this note, Cupcake will need to be a fucking song written by God and produced by Heaven to save my interest in this album.

10. Cupcake - 2/10

I can't in good conscience rate a Koda track 1/10. That said, this is another perfect example of a track that should be a forgotten b-side on one of Koda's singles.



OVERALL SCORE: 5.2/10

W FACE ~outside~ just dropped the bomb. This album's saving graces are W FACE, Ultraviolet, Insane, and Shh! These are all tracks that I think would stand out much more if they weren't drowning in similar sounding songs over 32 minutes.

Now, on the positive side, I would have preferred almost any of the first 8 tracks to replace tracks like Mercedes and Lippy on WOML. So, I think Koda has clearly tightened up her production, lyricism, and snap. What's missing on this album is something that makes you want to get out of your seat like BE MY BABY, House Party, or Loaded. It's genuinely suffering from not having that ONE song everyone will want Koda to play on tour every year.




W FACE ~inside~

01. BRIDGET SONG - 8/10

My immediate concern is that this is not the song I'd want to open an album with. It's too laid back, too casual, too relaxed. I'd want something stronger with more of a statement than this. Otherwise, it's a nice song that reminds me of tracks like IN THE AIR and stuff she used to do on Black Cherry / TRICK / UNIVERSE.

02. Bring It On - 7/10

It's nice to hear something in the same vein as LALALALALA and Poppin' love cocktail. Still, this isn't how I would have opened the album. It's just not enough of a standout track to say, "You'll want to keep listening." I also feel that it starts to suffer from being too long at around the 2:10 mark.

03. Yorokobi no Kakera (lit. Fragment of Pleasure) - 7/10

This song will be a nice mix in a ballad selection if played on tour or on a ballad collection. There's nothing too memorable about it thus far. The string sections, however, are gorgeous and evoke nostalgia. The ending is a real nice touch too.

04. Stand by you - 4/10

Before I even hit a minute into this song, my first thought is a six minute Koda ballad is four minutes too long for anyone. I hope this doesn't feel like the eternity of Ayu's Anything for You. ... And it is. Just boring. Way too long for a Koda ballad.

05. Sukideshite (lit. I Like It) - 4/10

At almost the same exact point, I'm getting bored of this album. This is a cute song, but it's one of those para para tracks for me. I just can't see her performing this except during an encore, where nobody cares about the song and they're all just hoping to catch a t-shirt. :\

06. Kimi Omoi (lit. My Thoughts) - 9/10

What a classic J-Pop ballad. Such a throwback. And this is the track I would've opened this album with. It's just enough of a statement that you know what you're getting, but it's a sound we haven't really heard from Koda in several years.

07. On my way - 6/10

It follows well in Kimi Omoi's footsteps. The low score is because it's too similar in style to warrant being RIGHT AFTER Kimi Omoi. But it's still a nice, relaxing, cruising ballad.

08. What's Up - 4/10

Like Wicked Girls and Cupcake, this should have been a b-side on a single. It's nice enough to MAYBE make an album, but this isn't my idea of a song that should make a Koda album if you can find a better track or afford a shorter track list. At least this song is leagues ahead of Wicked Girls and Cupcake in tolerance.

09. Promise you - 8/10

I would have given this production more similar to you. I think this song would sound better with more ethereal sounds filling out the space around that piano. Or even some stomping drums like Kelly Clarkson's Already Gone or Rachel Platten's Stand By You. The beat on this just sounds cheap. But it's a strong ballad. I would have placed this as track two. Too late in the album, it doesn't feel like it stands out as much as it should.

10. My fun - 2/10

Oh my god. Those kids sound like a Resident Evil soundbite. This should have just stayed a demo. It doesn't even need to be a b-side. Just make it stop. It's still not bad enough to warrant a 1/10, but it's probably less tolerable than Cupcake or Wicked Girls. I had to turn it off before the half mark.



OVERALL SCORE: 5.9/10

W FACE ~inside~ is just a slight step up from dropping the bomb. Kimi Omoi, Promise you, and Bring It On would have stood out much better if combined with the better tracks from W FACE ~outside~. What honestly kills both these records is that these songs are not only nothing to really tell all your friends about, but they're drowning on two discs with songs that sound just like they do.

On a positive note, I think Koda did nail a few of these songs. I like that she still can have fun on an album. However, that isn't shining through except in little cracks of sunlight on these two albums. I just can't hop on these albums the same way I could even somewhat hold WOML up when it was released. What's worse is that these albums don't have a track like WALK OF MY LIFE to save the rest of the album. They just have a slightly better than mediocre track or two to carry the rest.

It's been enough time, but I would have preferred more time than these two albums as they are. I think she's got at least 7 or 8 songs for a damn good album. The rest are disposable, save a few that could be b-sides. And My fun is just a Resident Evil soundbite. I'm more uncomfortable from that song than any other feeling.


SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:

Alive still remains my favorite Koda ballad ever. Koishikute is a close second. I would have absolutely loved this whole project more if she managed one song in the same vein as either of those two. So, I'm a little extra sad that with so much opportunity to make each record something truly authentic to her, she didn't bother to write more diverse tracks for either album. Koda's done a lot of work across many genres. I think ~outside~ really should have showcased Koda doing hip-hop, EDM, rock, and other really upbeat tracks. And I think ~inside~ needed the diversity of songs like you, No Way, You're So Beautiful, Kimi Omoi, and Alive. I just think she dropped the ball on both records in such a deep way that they're both more of a stain than a next step.

Just listened to Outside with my friend and dear god, we loved this album so much!
I have no words for W FACE this song is perfection!
I loved Insane and Bassline, such an awesome song *___*
Heartless is beautiful.

I already liked Ultraviolet, Wicked Girls and Shhh! I think Cupcake and Bangerang are the ones I like but not so much.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. For me, it's not that the songs are bad, but something seems to be missing/lacking?

I'll listen to them again tomorrow, maybe that'll change my mind about some songs :laugh

After 2 listens each I can give an opinion, but I won't do a track by track review as it still is too fresh.

I do love outside a lot! I had some worries with the previews, but most of the tracks are strong.
The weakest on outside definitely is Heartless and probably Ultraviolet. Other than that I like every song.
Insane is surprising. I suspected this song to like the least. The lyrics are a bit.. well, insane, but they are like a comment on how crazy this world is or that you should go crazy to stand it.
Overall most of the songs progresses in ways I don't expect them to and that's a strong point for the whole album. And it is produced really well as well.
And I laughed so much at the end with Cupcake and the cat meowing, that really amuses me. xD

Inside has some weak (or better generic) tracks I don't fathom. Stand by you and Kimi Omoi mainly. Probably will never listen to those songs (well, already never listen to Kimi Omoi, lol).
But songs like Promise you, Yorokobi no Kakera and BRIDGET SONG are outstanding. Also really like What's Up, that's the pop-rock song I want from her.
And My fun - well, it is different for Kuu and it's sweet she uses her son and his friends on it, but it does sound a bit strange with the kid's voices.
But perfect ending song and maybe I gonna get used to it.

Overall strong lyrics on both albums with some exceptions.

After a first listen of each albums, i've to say i'm happy with both albums.
I still consider Kumi as my favorite artist but i was disappointed with her releases in 2015 & 2016 with some exceptions (Like it, WALK OF MY LIFE, Dance in the Rain).
I love the concept of the release, it brings me excitment again (last time was for JAPONESQUE release i think)... The hype was well made with previews of one song each day.

W FACE -outside- : I love it as a whole. In fact i think all songs have good parts, some of them have some weird instrumental moments but i will be used to them. Glad to have urban songs for which i don't feel they're rejected demo of western artists, even if so, Kumi made them her style in much better way than her previous album.
My fav : W FACE, Bassline, Damn real, Bangerang, Insane, Heartless.

W FACE -inside- : I love most of the ballads. It's less impressive as a whole compared to outside but i like the complementarity of both albums.
My fav : Promise you (i'm so in love with it), On my way, 喜びのかけら, My fun (good surprise)

Thanks for the reviews guys! I'm expecting to feel similar to how I felt with WOML with these two albums when I get to listen to them. Which means severely disappointed at first but at the end of the day I will take away a few tracks I like from it.

Going forward I'd love another album like Best ~Second Session~ and Japonesque which are two of my favourite Kumi albums. They have a variety of genres which are all done well - two great pop albums IMO.

The song W FACE is so lifeless. I just can't wrap my head around what draws you in? There's no energy there! Like compare to a track like BE MY BABY that like hypes you up and then blows the roof off... W FACE has decent verses but there's no "HERE WE GO" moment. I hate that.

She has tried to mirror the trap-style too literally with this album, and that style is just too gross for me. It's like music for thots to throw their legs up on a wall and twerk and pop their clam to.

Insane had potential but it's still a little off kilter.

I also agree with the comparison of there not being a track everyone will wish her to perform on tours for years to come. That's the feeling I miss. She needs to really work on those tracks that drive it home in the chorus.

iTunes rankings worldwide:
http://kworb.net/itunes/artist/E5809...E86E69CAA.html

For recochoku we only will know by tomorrow.
But interesting note, recochoku is promoting outside on the main page. Not inside, outside.

I wasn't really expecting something a-la BE MY BABY, or what I remember being your favorite, Driving. Thanks for siding with me on this. I just don't hear anything that's going to be worth looking back at in five years and generates a response even close to something like BE MY BABY from fans. (I don't know if she ever will get another song out that gets as massive a response from an entire arena years later like BE MY BABY.) I just think she missed a chance to really showcase how she would have done styles like TABOO, Driving, BUT, JUICY, LOL, Ecstacy, and others today. I think if these albums represent who she is outside and inside then she's a pretty damn bland person.

I also agree that a lot of this seems like thots-twerking-their-cellulite-in-hooker-boots style songs. One or two is fine here and there, but outside is just loaded with these songs. And it's a bit tacky for someone of Koda's caliber, even on her worst days.

Edit: I also just get the impression that most of these 20 tracks are barely touching the quality of her older albums' intros and interludes. I hear a lot of similarities, for example, between any song on outside and the intros and interludes for Bon Voyage and JAPONESQUE. The songs, however, just seem underwhelming compared to those interludes.

I'd also like to see Koda write a 2 minute ballad at some point. If she can do it with an upbeat song, I'd like it in ballad form too, please.

I guess JAPONESQUE will be the last album I like from Kumi, the new albums are really bad. W OUTSIDE is horrible. I wish she stop with this urban nonsense, she does not make it justice.

I swear. Kuu has always been urban. She's just changed with the genre as it changed. I can see how some people don't like it, as a fan of hip hop I definitely have my frustrations these days. But just as Ayu is never going to make another Evolution, Kuu's not gonna be the same as she was in the past. Both have really just settled for making the kind of music they want. I like urban music as a whole, so I don't mind the direction she's going.

what can i say bout W FACE 〜outside〜
if i would be a teen again i would piss myself how much i love this!
after Bon Voyage and WOML this is finally an amazing album.
with Namie doing Dance and Ayu doing Rock i think this is were Kuu belongs!
i mean she's a R&B artist since her debut lol

W FACE is literally an all time fave already, great song and it shows the album concept very well with the agressive beats and the mellow verses!
Ultraviolet kinda reminds me of JUICY in terms of being chaotic and messy with first listens, but after you get used to it you know how it works! still one the weaker songs.
Insane i'm surprised this really good... i thought this will be my least fave! love the rap parts, love her attitude
Damn real is like my 2nd fave song off this. the summer-ish but melancholic feel, THAT bridge and i love the messy beats! but i can understand if people don't like this.
Heartless is kinda amazing and tragic at the same time... love the verses and the Heartless/it's killing me part, but i wish this was just an 2min song and the chorus is a bit too dramatic
Bassline is so sensual and sexy urgh. i went from i hate the instrumental preview to i love this so much!
Bangerang/Wicked Girls both really fun easy to listen. love 'em
Cupcake feels a bit flat at first, but i love the song and the demon bg voice during verses and the moaning cat sounds are giving my life :hornycat

overall it's an amazing album for me and what i wanted from her this time!
i love the flow of the album and her attitude here!
W FACE 〜inside〜 on the other side is really weak and forgettable!

BRIDGET SONG wonderful, as an Angela Aki lover it's totally my thing
Bring It On is so not good and those damn horrible horn sounds i can't unhear since the short instrumental preview :dead2
喜びのかけら loving the verses/bridge/instrumental of this, but the chorus is so schmaltzy lmao
Stand by you like @thinkingoutloud89 said
好きでして is really cute, love this! but like 喜びのかけら it's a mood thing if i'll listen or not.
On my way is amazeballs! :heart
What's Up it's miles better than LALALALALA and i kinda like this, but nothing too special, chorus is meh
Promise you love this, such a gem
My fun with CHARA it's so precious and magical! :cry

i know it's early but outside will probably be one of my fave kuu albums ever with JAPONESQUE, Kingdom, Black Cherry and BEST 〜second session〜 :heart

if i would do 1 album out of both records it would look like this: