[Article] Time Out Tokyo's James Hadfield reviews Party Queen - Page 5 - Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai
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  #81  
Old 24th March 2012, 02:44 AM
emi♡ emi♡ is offline
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Originally Posted by Andrenekoi View Post
Well... I don't think casual listeners have any obligation to analyze in depth... I don't think a hardcore fan have any obligation of analyzing the album in depth (unless they are complaining they can't get it and the fact they can't get it makes it a bad album :B), I don't think anyone, not even the reviewer, has any obligation to like it...

But someone whose job consists of listening music albums (or watching movies, or appreciating fine arts) and objectively analyzing it and saying if it's good or bad should at least take a look on the whole material (lyrics included) and do some research about the context in what the piece of work was made. He is not a casual listener, he is not a random listener... He is someone being paid to give his impressions about it and say on mass media if it's good or bad, if people should buy it or not... So, IMO, the way he did it is pretty lazy.

If he said something like "she was trying to portray how lonely a party queen is and how much they strugle with their own lifes, but it ends being pretentions and empty" for example, I would disagree, but wouldn't find it either bad or lazy...
maybe. I mean, this review is like, so incredibly short and not very in depth at all lol It gave me the impression that his job is just, listening through an album once, and then writing a short summary/analysis of it.

I mean, if this was a positive review, where for example, he said the rock section was great and effective and emotional...instead of absurd, or whatever he said...would you still feel it was lazy?

He was hired to write a short review, and that's what he did.

Unless he just decided to make this one brief cause he hates the album and all his other reviews are super long

Then I'd be like..."okay the guy's an ass".
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  #82  
Old 24th March 2012, 02:48 AM
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Rolling Stone reviews are short and aren't this superficial, for example...
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  #83  
Old 24th March 2012, 02:51 AM
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This review is short, yet the majority of his sentences is filled with unneccessarily elaborate language that makes it have even less content and instead more plain judgement. At the same lenght he could go far more in-depth and talk about the actual concept.
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  #84  
Old 24th March 2012, 03:04 AM
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I guess lol meh. His elaborate language was quite successful in getting his points across to me.

Sorry, but I don't think it's as necessary for him to discuss the concept. That's just my opinion...and I guess he feels the same.

Maybe that's why he's not as big a deal as Rolling Stone reviews? But like I said, Im not really familiar with him. Other people seem to be idk. I'm not sure how much clout this review is going to have.
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  #85  
Old 24th March 2012, 09:18 AM
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I don't see how this guy is really pushing KPOP against Ayu and JPOP - what he says is true in the beginning.

KPOP focuses on catchy "hooks" in their songs, expensive and clean cut production values and gimmicks to sell craploads of music for 3 weeks, then the group goes on hiatus. KPOP is extremely fast, fickle, and is the "now" movement of Asian music. I like KPOP. Some of my favourite songs are from KPOP artists, but if I listen to my non-bias groups' songs, I find myself skipping to the chorus and listening to that only. I only like the hook in many songs after a few weeks. KPOP makes itself out to be fast pasted and savvy, and in comparison, JPOP is "slower, steadier and more boring". I still love JPOP, but once you've gotten a taste for some of the Korean chart-toppers, you can see what he means by JPOP looking dull by comparison, and to an outsider, in need of "saving".

The only thing that bothers me thus far is that he never mentioned the lyrics. Either he can't comment on them for lack of space, or understanding. However, he doesn't really talk about the vocal content. He mentions that songs are "absurd", but not whether the songs themselves are unusual, or if he feels the subject matter is the strange part. The word "absurd" isn't always used in the negative, maybe he's just using it in an archaic way?

Plenty of people on AHS judge songs based on snippets, radio rips, leaks, etc without knowing a word of Japanese - this guy should probably know better, but I can't see him criticising the lyrics or saying anything that is blatantly false.

Nobody who googles Falco for more than 5 seconds can dismiss his work and effect on the industry, but not everyone has to like what his work is. You can appreciate the legacy but not like his actual work that much. Disliking Falco's rapping doesn't instantly discredit someone as a reviewer.

I see this review as a standard review from a non-follower who's coming into Ayu knowing little background. His feelings reflect what a standard listener probably feels picking up the album expecting a fun, upbeat party album based on the title and alluring covers. Of course he's disappointed as the title and cover of the album is misleading to the uninitiated. Casual listeners won't bother to look for a deeper meaning. After all, it's a lot of work just to enjoy a roughly 1-hour album...

Not every reviewer will spend hours listening to the entire back catalogue to be able to write a 500 word puff piece on the latest albums coming out. Most likely, this guy turned up at work on Thursday morning with this on his desk and a note saying "plz rvw 4 tmrws ppr THX!".

You have to take reviews with a pinch of salt. I just view them as interesting opinions. A review in a paper has never made me go and buy an album without previewing or knowing 100% that I want it to support the artist (I only do this for Ayu, SNSD, B1A4, Gorillaz and Lenka) - has anyone here read an album review and gone an bought the album based SOLELY on the reviewer's thoughts?

Sorry for the scroller - as usual, didn't realise how much I wrote ;__;
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Last edited by kendelle; 24th March 2012 at 09:29 AM.
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  #86  
Old 24th March 2012, 10:02 AM
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I think he's bashing Jpop =]]
His review of Jpop album is bad =]]
http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/featu...rls-Generation
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  #87  
Old 24th March 2012, 10:02 AM
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Actually, I have no idea who this guy is. Does he really understand AYU's songs?
Ya, maybe now Japan has been kicked by the Korea songs, but still , I think AYU has been working on to progress herself in this album. Like, I've never heard she singing songs like Broadway style, I think it's great, a really different try for herslef, and the two songs "the next LOVE" and "Eyes, Smoke and magic" is really cute and amazing, why can't she sing like Broadway? Right?
And, I think he really don't understand the meaning of Return Road, this one is amazing, cuz I love AYU singing with chorus, especailly like opera style, why can't she try it? Only foreigners can sing opera and Broadway?(No offense, really, but in my idea i think this writer is too conservative.)
Anyway, he sounds to me that he doesn't understand AYU at all, maybe he needs to try to understand her more before writing this kind of articles to complain.
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  #88  
Old 24th March 2012, 12:34 PM
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Did he actually imply that Return Road is absurd and confusing? That's one of the simplest, honest and touching (albeit slightly rock) song I've heard from Ayu. Got me choked up, even. This guy....annoying.

To each his own, i suppose.
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  #89  
Old 24th March 2012, 12:38 PM
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^ Return Road is simple? o_o Melodramatic orchestration and choral vocals isn't my definition of simple...

I don't blame him for ignoring the context, even if he had lyrics, because it's still not that obvious. Loneliness has been a theme in all of Ayu's albums, why should he think it's any different and has something special about it in this one?

If I were reviewing PQ, knowing a little about Ayu, but not about the theme, I would see this album as her doing her same old thing, with a few new tracks on to give it a different concept. I kinda do see it this way. A bit like how RnRC is criticised for losing it's theme for 3/4 of the tracks.
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  #90  
Old 24th March 2012, 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by relmy View Post
I don't think he's lazy, he's doing his job, listen to the album how an everyday consumer would and say what he thinks, it's a sales review not an artistic album critique.
When I first got into ayu I didn't know any lyrics, so it's kinda weird that people are screaming that this guy should have read the lyrics etc. before writing review. It does not work like that, he was supposed to deliver a review from the point of a "commoner". How many non japanese casual listeners even care about her lyrics? I know WE do, but we are FANS. This review was kind of harsh, but I have give him credit that he gave 0 stars to AKB48, lol.
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  #91  
Old 24th March 2012, 01:37 PM
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^ I thought 0 stars for Koko ni Ita Koko was a bit harsh. The Girls' Generation album is better, but Koko ni ita Koko has Beginner, and while I found most of it to be filler, the singles are seriously catchy.

This guy does seem to have a bit of a problem with Jpop lol
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  #92  
Old 24th March 2012, 03:37 PM
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I basically disagree with everything this moron says. I don't find her attempt at portraying a lonely party queen pretentious or empty at all. wtf.
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  #93  
Old 24th March 2012, 05:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mecury2511 View Post
I think he's bashing Jpop =]]
His review of Jpop album is bad =]]
http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/featu...rls-Generation
From the article:

Onyanko's debut single carried the improbable title 'Don't Make Me Take Off My Sailor Suit', and contained couplets like 'I am a little scared / But it's boring being a virgin.'



I dunno, this guy is allowed to have his opinion about the album, and he doesn't even state it that rudely. I don't get why people even care so much, he's no one. And there are worse snap judgements that could be made.
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  #94  
Old 25th March 2012, 01:15 AM
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Would any of you be mad if I punched him in the mouth? LOL
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  #95  
Old 26th March 2012, 01:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN View Post
Would any of you be mad if I punched him in the mouth? LOL
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  #96  
Old 26th March 2012, 01:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN View Post
Would any of you be mad if I punched him in the mouth? LOL
yes, we should send him hate mails, how dare he say ayu's album is not heavenly made piece of astonishing art.
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  #97  
Old 26th March 2012, 01:13 PM
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One thing I agree and I would've been super happy is that the dance tracks should've been 5 and not 3

But yeah, whatever.
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