[Koda Kumi] The 188th Thread - NEW DOUBLE ALBUM ► W FACE inside/outside - Page 19

orbitalaspect · #**361** 9th March 2017, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkingoutloud89

^you can't compare older music to newer...not necessarily because of the sound but because of the surrounding factor like: age, taste, nostalgic, friends and related memories.

It's rather unfair for the songs to have to keep up with that, but I get what you say. The whole thing is different for each generation fan. My go back to album is second session, if I remember correctly Corvinas is secret or before? and there are other whose is kingdom or even Japonesque.

I certainly can and will, especially if it's her last two albums. For me, it's hard to nail a go-back album for Koda. I've never considered any of her albums to be particularly strong from start to finish, but they've mostly been dotted with really memorable songs:

Black Cherry had JUICY, Cherry Girl, and tracks like Puppy.

Kingdom had Under, BUT, and FREAKY.

TRICK probably took the cake with TABOO, stay with me, This is not a love song, Driving, and That Ain't Cool.

UNIVERSE again with No way, Stay, ECSTACY, UNIVERSE, Physical thing, and my favorite Kuu ballad of all time -- Alive.

Dejavu had Lollipop, Passing by (even with that faux Michael Jackson nuisance), Anata Dake ga, and of course what is now Koda's Gangnam Style -- BE MY BABY.

JAPONESQUE takes the cake again with So Nice, VIP, IN THE AIR, ESCALATE, No Man's Land, Love Me Back, Love Technique, and Lay Down.

Bon Voyage had SHOW ME YOUR HOLLA, LOADED, my second favorite ballad by Kuu -- Koishikute --, LALALALALA, LOL, Go to the top, and my favorite interludes from any of her albums.

WALK OF MY LIFE had its title track, House Party, HOTEL, MONEY IN MY BAG, PIECE IN THE PUZZLE, and Fake Tongue.

So far, W FACE has W FACE, Ultraviolet, Shh!, Kimi Omoi, and Promise you.

And trust me, I'm not saying W FACE is complete trash. I'm just saying that W FACE yielded at least seven worthy tracks out of twenty. That's too few songs worth holding onto for a full album, especially when those songs would have sounded on orders of magnitude more impressive if presented as one album.

I think the concept as a whole sold the albums out from under me.

But it's also similar with Namie Amuro. I just don't find anything on _genic memorable because they were all the same song with a TLC Unpretty ripoff attached to the end of the album. Nowhere near the quality of PAST < FUTURE. But so worth comparing to recent projects because you just can't understand how an artist is evolving without those comparisons.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EndOfTheWorld

I can't with W Face. It's enjoyable until she starts with the, yas bitch yas bitch slay.

So, you made it to the 0:01 mark and started puking? lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedronekoi

I guess thru the years a lot of fans will be disappointed with her new songs... As someone said, its reminded him to Rihanna. In fact, Kuu is the Japanese Rihanna (if we could say that). She's going with the flow and trying new sounds and it seems that she is really enjoying that urban/trap/hip hop vibe (that she always followed and get stronger with WOML). I really like this direction and I think that's what will make her go further with her career. The songs does sound a lot like Western/K-Pop productions but for me they have soul! It's not just random lyrics wrote by another person and Kuu just singing it... Well, that was something I was thinking about for the last days and wanted to share here haha

I don't hate the direction. I hate that it's packaged in a boring way. If Koda wants to do twerk-your-vagina-in-hooker-boots music, I'm all for it. Just mix it up a little. Do some bangers, do some EDM, do some rock-influenced stuff. It's just hard to love any song when they all sound like they were built from the same template.

Quote:

Originally Posted by a❤martian

I agree with this 100%. I really like Western music and K-Pop, so I like it from Kuu. J-Pop has been uninspiring to me for a while, so I'm happy Kuu isn't following it.

I'm glad she isn't following it either. I just think she needs to diversify the Western / K-Pop sound a bit more. BoA's HURRICANE VENUS and Kiss My Lips are probably the most boring records she's done, but they still have a lot of diversity in the style from start to finish. W FACE is really just like a template over and over and over. And then you go to ~inside~ and get a lot of songs that don't sound like they were intended to be on an album at all.

Corvina · #**362** 9th March 2017, 06:01 AM

Recochoku first day positions, 03/08:

Album:
#3 W FACE ~outside~
#4 W FACE ~inside~
#82 Winter of Love
#83 BEST ~third universe~ and UNIVERSE

Hi-Res album:
#3 W FACE ~outside~
#5 W FACE ~inside~

SIngle/ Chaku Uta full:
#44 Kimi Omoi
#61 Ultraviolet
#74 Promise you
#94 Moon Crying
#95 BRIDGET SONG
#100 Yorokobi no Kakera
#101 On my way
#140 Shhh!
#142 Ai no Uta
#163 you
#166 Bring It On

Hi-Res Single/ Chaku Uta full:
#52 Promise you
#63 Yorokobi no Kakera
#64 Kimi Omoi
#90 Ultraviolet
#91 Bring It On
#92 BRIDGET SONG
#190 Shhh!
#191 Stand by you
#192 Suki deshite

Chaku Uta:
#16 Promise you
#17 Kimi Omoi
#19 Ultraviolet
#36 BRIDGET SONG
#42 On my way
#45 Shhh!
#69 Yorokobi no Kakera
#93 Cupcake feat. AKLO
#104 Wicked Girls
#105 Bring It On
#134 Moon Crying
#179 W FACE
#180 Stand by you
#181 What's Up

RBT:
#11 Ultraviolet
#15 On my way

Musicvideos:
#10 Ultraviolet
#28 Wicked Girls
#29 BRIDGET SONG
#30 Promise you
#56 Bassline

On Japanese iTunes both albums sit at #3 and #4 since they were released.
Kimi Omoi and Ultraviolet are charting in the Top 200 seperately as well.
BRIDGET SONG is charting in Taiwan (currently #74 and climbing).

This is the first album by Kuu we will get actual numbers, what it sold digitally with Oricon.

a❤martian · #**363** 9th March 2017, 06:44 AM

@orbitalaspect: I guess I'm not bothered by the "same template" because it's a genre that I listen to a lot, so I'm able to appreciate the subtle differences. And as a result they all sound drastically different to me. I would describe it as cohesive lol.

Honestly, at the end of the day, I like it and I'm happy I do. I'm sad that some people here don't, but since they are here I know that they just think Kuu is capable of better. And that is fine by me. Its not wrong to be critical of things you like.

AyuHamasaki01 · #**364** 9th March 2017, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corvina

@AyuHamasaki01:
Don't force yourself. If you don't like them, you don't like them.
To quote Kuu herself in Ultraviolet: " Don't let them tell you what you should like".

Thanks. The Kuu quote really helps

thinkingoutloud89 · #**365** 9th March 2017, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orbitalaspect

I certainly can and will, especially if it's her last two albums. For me, it's hard to nail a go-back album for Koda. I've never considered any of her albums to be particularly strong from start to finish, but they've mostly been dotted with really memorable songs:

Black Cherry had JUICY, Cherry Girl, and tracks like Puppy.

Kingdom had Under, BUT, and FREAKY.

TRICK probably took the cake with TABOO, stay with me, This is not a love song, Driving, and That Ain't Cool.

UNIVERSE again with No way, Stay, ECSTACY, UNIVERSE, Physical thing, and my favorite Kuu ballad of all time -- Alive.

Dejavu had Lollipop, Passing by (even with that faux Michael Jackson nuisance), Anata Dake ga, and of course what is now Koda's Gangnam Style -- BE MY BABY.

JAPONESQUE takes the cake again with So Nice, VIP, IN THE AIR, ESCALATE, No Man's Land, Love Me Back, Love Technique, and Lay Down.

Bon Voyage had SHOW ME YOUR HOLLA, LOADED, my second favorite ballad by Kuu -- Koishikute --, LALALALALA, LOL, Go to the top, and my favorite interludes from any of her albums.

WALK OF MY LIFE had its title track, House Party, HOTEL, MONEY IN MY BAG, PIECE IN THE PUZZLE, and Fake Tongue.

So far, W FACE has W FACE, Ultraviolet, Shh!, Kimi Omoi, and Promise you.

I never said you can't, I just said it is unfair for the songs to live up to that a few days after the release - more over, most of the songs you named were longtime promo-songs with videos she performed live a dozen of times. You just have a different feeling to those tracks and I think that this will probably change for some tracks on this album too over the years.

For myself I also noticed that it is harder for me to like individual songs when I get a full album instead of me knowing 1/2 of the album already through singles - but it usually also makes me listen the whole album more rather than stand alone songs.

abestfah · #**366** 9th March 2017, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oaristos

That's a ridiculous and extremely pointless argument. And I'm not even talking about downloading music illegally, but do you really think other people should praise it just because they "got it for free"? If the albums are bad, they're going to be bad regardless of how you got them.

I think "rudely" is the word i use for defining that kind of critic. I might not be used to harsh words, but when you have to exchange something and what you get is so terrible, you probably want to release with harsh words, it's not good but ok, however, i don't agree when you get them free or illegal.

Best regards,

VegetaLove · #**367** 9th March 2017, 08:06 AM

Does anyone have a place with lyrics translations yet?

KarenPang · #**368** 9th March 2017, 10:02 AM

2nd day sales/position

#1 - Outside ; 4,475
#2 - Inside ; 4,430

se7entheaven · #**369** 9th March 2017, 10:42 AM

OUTSIDE > INSIDE
IMO Inside lacks that oomph especially the chorus in some ballads, not grand enough.

All I can say is: Giddy Giddy Now Giddy Giddy Now

tenshi no hane · #**370** 9th March 2017, 11:31 AM

I really love this release

I love the songs, which is the most important, but I also love the covers and music videos etc. It's nice to like the whole package.

My favorites are Insane, Damn real, Heartless, Bassline, Ultraviolet and Promise you

I liked WOML, but I would've liked it a lot better without all the nonsensical Engrish lyrics. I'm happy she has better lyrics this time, minus a few hiccups. Makes me want to translate. Damn real is my fave.

Corvina · #**371** 9th March 2017, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkingoutloud89

It's rather unfair for the songs to have to keep up with that, but I get what you say. The whole thing is different for each generation fan. My go back to album is second session, if I remember correctly Corvinas is secret or before? and there are other whose is kingdom or even Japonesque.

Haha, yes, mine is grow into one, but mostly it's certain songs I go back to as well.

I just have to smile reading some complaints, cause it's often the opposite from the complaints before.
With her albums before people often said they're too messy with all the genres packed into it. Now both inside and outside flow very nicely cause of the concept, and now people say they're too same sounding. They're cohesive to say at least
Also there were often complaints about the songs being too messy and noisy in recent years. Now the only messy song is Ultraviolet and it isn't alright for some.
I know there will always be complaints, I just find that particular observation somehow amusing.

I do agree with oustide being totally western sounding. It is. But it is also her most urban album to date (and feeling like a natural progression after WOML, I agree here as well), so that's not a surprise. And personally I don't care as I like to listen to both, western and JPop sounding music. I actually love Kuu for getting both from her eith her whole dicsography.

A user over at JPC already translated some songs.
Gonna post it here. The Otenkiame blog is normally pretty fast as well, but they're not up yet.
And this time the lyrics are really worth it.

Corvina · #**372** 9th March 2017, 11:49 AM

Big thanks to Puta do Pop on JPC!

W FACE

Spoiler:

Insane

Spoiler:

Damn real

Spoiler:

Gonna post the rest later.

kaled kalil · #**373** 9th March 2017, 12:01 PM

Kumi writing W FACE:

Good to see the sales are steady, both albums are probably be in top 3. ♥

pedronekoi · #**374** 9th March 2017, 12:22 PM

W FACE is like a new version of POP DIVA. <3

I'm not very familiar with the J-pop agenda nowadays but I was very surprised with the promotion she's doing to this album (a looot of radio and TV appearences)! Is that something that J-pop artists are doing now or it's just Kuu?

KarenPang · #**375** 9th March 2017, 12:28 PM

Other artistes that I support/listen also do a fair amount of almost the same type of promo for their releases but what Kuu is doing is a lot more than the norm , especially when comes to radio & TV promo

For all the promo she's doing currently for W Face , I'm surprised she doesn't do any mini live & handshake events (where you buy 1 copy = you can shake her hand once that sorta thing) but I don't think it's an avex thing

She should do that , it wouldn't surprise me if fans will buy x amount of copies & kept shaking her hand in every possible chance they can get

kaled kalil · #**376** 9th March 2017, 12:52 PM

For radio she always do tons of promotion, it's usually her "go to" promotion every album but for TV it's the most promotion we're getting since Color The Cover, which was the last album to have more than one performance.

This time we're not getting magazine promotion, it was just one issue of Nail Max.

As far as others artists, I know Kana does a lot of promotion, but for those who are not selling that much Mika also does a little sometimes (Hanabata got a good TV promotion).

@KarenPang Kumi does mini lives, but usually for her summer singles, but as far as I remember the tickets are free and not require to purchase a copy of the release.

KarenPang · #**377** 9th March 2017, 01:02 PM

Other artistes that I know/support also does mini live performances for their releases (sometimes with and/or without a handshake event that runs co-currently) & yes you're right Kaled , you don't need tickets to watch it

Especially if the venue is open air and/or inside a shopping centre . You can just be a bystander and watch it casually from afar

But if you want to be in the front row , then you have to come early to queue up to get a priority ticket to be way out in the front

I think if Kuu were to do handshake events , it would help her sales . Those artistes that I know , they do that because they don't do a lot (in some cases do not do) of TV promo so this's 1 way of offsetting things

My friend told me a while ago that she knew of someone who bought 200 copies of an artiste's single in total and at that time , the handshake/mini live events were quite a lot so you can imagine

So essentially that person shook the artiste's hand 200 times

. My friend wasn't spared either (be it handshake/mini live events for an album + single) , LOL

I think single is still OK but wow buying so many copies of an album just to shake the artiste's hands numerous times , that's hardcore

pedronekoi · #**378** 9th March 2017, 01:02 PM

Thanks @kaled kalil and @KarenPang!

Its was a nice panorama of J-pop promotion hahah I'm so used to Ayu's promotion nowadays that I forgot what is like to promote a album.

freedreamer · #**379** 9th March 2017, 01:24 PM

Honestly the PVs of the album dont do the songs justice lol

ahtka-chan · #**380** 9th March 2017, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orbitalaspect

But it's also similar with Namie Amuro. I just don't find anything on _genic memorable because they were all the same song with a TLC Unpretty ripoff attached to the end of the album. Nowhere near the quality of PAST < FUTURE. But so worth comparing to recent projects because you just can't understand how an artist is evolving without those comparisons.

It's funny how opinions can be different. I think _genic is one of Namie's best albums ever. It doesn't take itself too seriously and the only purpose of it is to make people have fun jamming to it. I love some tracks from that album and I don't think the songs sound alike AT ALL, but when it comes to EDM people usually use that argument so...