Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - [Utada Hikaru] ☆ Utada Hikaru: The 46th Thread ☆

Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/index.php)

- Artists & Bands (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=66)

- - [Utada Hikaru] ☆ Utada Hikaru: The 46th Thread ☆ (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113551)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahara (Post 2861582)

Did you guys ever think that she was just fufilling her contract obligations with TiTO? She has a pretty wicked sense of humor and I think that she was just messing around with that album. Yes, it would have been nice to have broken into the US market, but it's clearly no skin off her back.

I remember people talking about that when it came out lol to be a reason for the lack of...everything I guess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi (Post 2861553)

^1. I didn't take "some singles", as I said, all of her first two albums singles, that happens to be her best selling albums, traveling, Flavor of Life, Prisioner of Love and Goodbye Happiness. This is 11 of her 27 japanese singles, almost half. If we take Heart Station (that I myself don't find generic, but you do), Final Distance and Boku wa kuma we have 14 easy listening, radio friendly, low risk singles. This makes her any worst of an artist? Nops... it's just one of the oldest promotional strategies ever on the music industry. She is a pop musician, her music is meant to have heavy airplay, so, obviously, she will promote herself trough the most comercial stuff.

2 . You are mistaking Exodus reviews (mostly done by people with no knowlegment about her japanese work other than the fact that she was big in Japan) with TITO reviews (done mainly by people who reviews mainly japanese entertaiment and were expecting Deep River in english)

3. She actually said Exodus was infused with her quirk sense of humour... I can find the interviews, but it will take me some time (as I read them 8 years ago :P). I think I remember saying something about that during TITO promotiong too. I also don't think Hikki is sexually frustrated at all, she actually seens to be pretty... kinky by some of her personal blog posts and english interviews...

Again, looks like we disagree on what is considered generic for her Jpop releases, but I think most people would agree that Dirty Desire and Devil inside were pretty generic. And again, all the reviews I read for Exodus said more or less the same thing they said about TiTO; great production, questionable lyrics and delivery so feel free to share the links to the reviews only raining praises.

Re #3 I would really like to read this interview and certainly, I have never heard her say anything remotely kinky on any of her English interviews. She definitely has a quirky sense of humor, I can agree to that at least.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi (Post 2861555)

^I don't get what makes a humorous aproach less as effort as a dramatic aproach... Maybe it's the fact this is an Ayu forum after all...

Remember that you too are a member here before you go around being pretentious.

New Utada Single Preview

Spoiler:

Heard that a while back..sadly is a fanmade song :( but it was something I'd love Hikki to release for real!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yumsushi (Post 2861632)

I would never call Devil Inside generic by 2004... Since 2006, yeap, but in 2004 nobody was releasing songs like that on the mainstream.

She never said anything kinky, but implied some stuff from times to times... And I didn't find the interview, what can mean I missunderstood something she said, but I found a forum thread about the Exodus era with a compilation of reviews:

http://pulsemusic.proboards.com/inde...d=23052&page=1

Most of them are pretty good, some even praising her lyrics^^

There are a lot of Exodus interviews there too... That's why I'm questioning myself about the intention of being humorous, even if I still do get this feeling from her lyrics... nothing wrong about that IMO, 80s Madonna had a humourous aproach to a number of topics too, and a good part of those songs are pop classics today. It may be a interview done in the time Exodus was released on the UK (it was one year later +-? I remember she got new reviews and interviews back them)

I also don't agree that thinking Ayu's fandom lacks sense of humour makes me prententious or anything, but I do agree I can be pretty prententious a lot of times ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi (Post 2861692)

Devil inside's arrangement reminds me of NIN's Pretty hate machine and Bjork's Post, all pre 2000, so it didn't sound totally new to my ears, but the koto sound was cool and definitely unique to it. (interestingly, I think she's a NIN fan herself)
Thanks for the link to the reviews. I see most of the reviews praising the production and many questioning the lyrics, like TiTO, but I think that Exodus musically is much more progressive than TiTO thus the positivity in the reviews.
And that was pretty pretentious and presumptuous. Funny how you always harp on people using their opinions as fact but have no problem doing the same lol

Well, and here am I believing I overuse "IMO" to make sure it's clear i'm just stating opinions... :P And there was a quote of a post of mine admiting I may be wrong about something I said (you can find those all over AHS btw).

Anyway, neither NIN or Bjork can be considered mainstream artists, so, I don't really think this makes Devil Inside a generic song or even a easy to hit one. :P

For me, NIN is/was a mainstream artist. Bjork, not so much.

I see you guys are discussing about Exodus and TiTO, and in my opinion, Exodus is one of the best english albums ever.

Man, the lyrics are pure fun, and I didn't understand the point of "having a proper command of english language", I mean, to make songs like "Stupid Hoe", "Alejandro" and "Womanizer" (just to cite a few) you don't really need to have great knowledge of english. (But I like those songs, except for SH)

Don't compare the lyrics of english songs from 80s or 90s to what we have now, and lyric-wise I think Hikki did a very good job on Exodus. We don't see people that often singing about the life of a aging prostitute or how to teach a guy how to get down in the club.

TiTO was a regular american album. You can't say it's generic or stuff because I can imagine Mariah Carey or Rihanna singing those songs easily, and if they did people would probably call them masterpieces.

And, in the end, I love all her stuff (with exceptions) but I can't understand some songs, like traveling for example.

Wonder 'bout, Hotel Lobby and Tippy Toe will remain in my top 10 english songs forever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi (Post 2861841)

Anyway, neither NIN or Bjork can be considered mainstream artists

Two Grammys and over 30 million albums sold says NIN may not be as popular as Micheal Jackson, but Trent Reznor is not a nobody by any means. While Bjork is not as popular, The album in question, Post, went on to be certified Platinum in the US. Not bad for a nobody either!

Anyhow, I think we've derailed the thread enough. When I want music to make me laugh, I'll listen to Faith no more/Fantomas. Dirty desire will always just make me cringe. Hopefully she is working on something grand.

^I never said they are nobodies, just not mainstream... What just means they don't get massive radio airplay and have a pop image around them like... Madonna or Britney or Maroon 5. Even if they sell well and are pretty much successful, inspiring your sound on them is hardly an easy way to sound like everyone else does on MTV, what is the more generic anything can get. And I'm with you, let's just agree on disagreeing^^

I wonder what she is doing with her time though...just being lazy? Traveling the world? Hmmm

I'm so scared she's making babies.

^^I honestly think she's a lesbian. I guess she could still make babies though. haha

I dont think she's a full lezzie. I think she's bi.

Not heteroflexible. Bi. lol

^LOL you might be right. I just get that vibe from her for some reason.

She has a gay teddy, she might as well be bi :D

lol this is quite a fresh topic in hikki's thread. :P

Seriously? I can't possibly be the only one who has gotten that vibe from her. LOL

^Lol no you're not. She's tripped my bidar for quite a few years now. She just seems so laid-back about it that I wouldn't be surprised one day if she just went "yeah, I have a gf, parents are freakin' out but no1curr man."

I think she said she was going to do volunteer work and learn more languages during her time. Wonder how that's coming along.