J-Pop

[Loose]

Exodus was very good, agree. But TBH, I think that Timbaland's productions weren't the best. The other Utada record I own by myself is ULTRA BLUE. Not that strong as a whole record, but it contains a lot of very good material, including the single tracks COLORS & This Is Love, as well as album tracks like Kairo & Passion.

Haven't heard much of Namie Amuro's stuff, but I might change that. I once pre-listened her album Queen Of... (whatever it was) and I didn't like the sound of it that much. Same with Koda Kumi: I just like particular tracks of her repertoire.

[Loose]

Masami Okui ~ evolution

01. SOLDIER ~Love Battlefield~
02. zero-G-
03. Iteza no Tsuki no Koromo ni
04. Niji
05. Lunatic Summer
06. Kiba ~Tusk~
07. Shiranui
08. WILD SPICE ~TRANCE MIX~
09. Otome Kokoro Mugen
10. SOUL MATE

A new J-Pop record I've downloaded today! I was absolutely convinced about it from the first minute on! Very intense pop record... the beginning is VERY strong. I don't like the Trance Mix of WILD SPICE at all I have to say, but apart from that, the record is pure class! My favourites so far: SOLDIER, zero-G-, Iteza..., Shiranui and SOUL MATE.

great, GREAT, FANTASTIC!!!

[AyumiH]

^ Downloading that one ATM! Thanks for sending it BTW.

Exodus was nice but I think overall it was her weakest record to date.

Interesting info Volver, cool to hear you went to her high school though I thought in Japan it would've not have been as cliche, I guess that is actually the case afterall eh?

Anyways, I'll be looking through my favorites of Koda Kumi and Namie

[Loose]

I've been obsessively listening to Kaela Kimura's Scratch & Masami Okui's evolution lately. I will give a proper album rating later... so far, I'd rank the albums I have (roughly) like this:

Aiko Kayo ~ Pop 4

Ayumi Hamasaki ~ A Song For XX 7
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ LOVEppears 9
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ Duty 9
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ I am... 9
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ RAINBOW 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ Memorial Address 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ MY STORY 6
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ MY STORY Classical 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ (miss)understood 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ Secret 7

Hikaru Utada ~ Exodus 8
Hikaru Utada ~ ULTRA BLUE 7

Koda Kumi ~ Black Cherry 6

Miliyah ~ Rose 7
Miliyah ~ Diamond Princess 5

Kimura Kaela ~ Scratch ???
Masami Okui ~ evolution ???

[Tiger]

What?! I love Black Cherry! I'd give it at least an 8

[Loose]

What?! I love Black Cherry! I'd give it at least an 8

Nah, it isn't really that good IMO. Too much crappy fillers (especially uptempo songs) on it.

[Tiger]

Aww I think it's fun and lovely

[AyumiH]

I love Black Cherry too, although it does have 2-3 fillers, and 3 tracks I grew to love.

[AyumiH]

For me:

• Ayumi Hamasaki:
  A Song For XX - 9.2
  LOVEppears - 9.4
  Duty - 9.6
  I am... - 8.1
  RAINBOW - 8.7
  Memorial Address - 7.8
  MY STORY - 5.1
  MY STORY Classical 8.1
  (miss)understood - 7.5
  Secret - 7.3
  
• BoA:
  Listen To My Heart - 9.4
  Valenti - 9.8
  Love & Honesty - 8.7
  Outgrow - 9.5
  Made In 20 (twenty) - 6.4
  
• Utada Hikaru:
  First Love - 8.9
  Distance - 9.1
  Deep River - 8.6
  Exodus - 4.5
  Ultra Blue - 8.0
  
• Koda Kumi:
  Affection - 9.4
  Grow Into One - 9.1
  Feel My Mind - 8.1 (some of her best songs EVER and a lot of fillers)
  Secret - N/A
  Best ~Second Sessions~ (all new songs) - 8.2
  Black Cherry - 8.5
  
• Namie Amuro:
  Dance Tracks Vol. 1 - 9.5
  Sweet 19 Blues - 8.6
  Concentration 20 - 8.0
  Rest - NH yet

Those are the main five where I'm going to listen to their full disco. which spans over many years. I've heard other albums but I'll name those later.

[Fan]

Haven't heard much of Namie Amuro's stuff, but I might change that. I once pre-listened her album Queen Of... (whatever it was) and I didn't like the sound of it that much.

I love her song 'Baby Don't Cry' from her latest album 'Play'. So maybe you will like that one, too?

And the name of the album is 'Queen Of Hip Pop'

[volver]

Im going to check out Ayumi Hamasaki's (miss)understood today. Btw, why do a lot of Japanese artists have their titles in non caps form? For example if there was a song called 'Middle of My Heart' it would just be middle of my heart. Just wondering

[AyumiH]

^ Good question. I'm not sure really. They also do all caps sometimes, like with BoA, all her Japanese albums are in caps, and some singles are like "DO THE MOTION".

And if you need the album itself, just ask, I'll upload it

Okay now here's my short review for the album Loose was so kind to share with me.

Masami Okui: evolution

My personal favorites are bolded (basically the ones I rate over 9, which are ones I would put on repeat and lip to over and over again ) and will rate each out of 10.

01. SOLDIER ~Love Battlefield~ - 8.8/10
02. zero-G- 10/10
03. Iteza no Tsuki no Koromo ni 9.5/10
04. Niji 8.2/10
05. Lunatic Summer 9.6/10
06. Kiba ~Tusk~ 9.0/10
07. Shiranui 8.8/10
08. WILD SPICE ~TRANCE MIX~ 3/10 (skip everytime)
09. Otome Kokoro Mugen 10/10
10. SOUL MATE 8/10

I love this album a lot Overall it's very rocky, and she sounds a lot like Namie Amuro to me. I'd give it a 9.3. That boring trance track is the only weak song, without it I wouldn't have to skip once. Thanks very much Loose!

[Loose]

I've managed to download those two albums today.

Wait & See ~Risk~ (Wait & See ～リスク～, Wait & See ~Risuku~?) – 4:48
Can You Keep a Secret? – 5:08
DISTANCE – 5:30
Sunglasses (サングラス, Sangurasu?) – 4:46
Drama (ドラマ, Dorama?) – 4:36
Eternally – 4:45
Addicted to You (UP-IN-HEAVEN MIX) – 5:19
For You – 5:22
Kettobase! (蹴っ飛ばせ!, Kettobase!? lit. "Kick It!") – 4:31
Parody – 5:25
Time Limit (タイム・リミット, Taimu Rimitto?) – 4:55
Kotoba ni Naranai Kimochi (言葉にならない気持ち, Kotoba ni Naranai Kimochi? lit. "Feelings That Can't Be Put to Words") – 5:03
HAYATOCHI-REMIX (Bonus Track) – 4:10

SAKURA Drops (SAKURAドロップス, Sakura Doroppusu?) – 4:58
traveling – 5:14
Shiawase ni Narou (幸せになろう, Shiawase ni Narou? Let's Be Happy) – 4:46
Deep River – 4:37
Letters – 4:48
Play Ball (プレイ・ボール, Purei Bōru?) – 4:14
Tokyo NIGHTS (東京NIGHTS, Tokyo NIGHTS?) – 4:43
A.S.A.P. – 4:56
Uso Mitai na I Love You (嘘みたいな, A False I Love You?) – 4:49
FINAL DISTANCE – 5:38
Bridge (Interlude) – 1:09
Hikari (光, Light?) – 5:02

Haven't heard them so far, because I was busy burning them on a physical Compact Disc. Will do that later for sure.

[Loose]

Loose's J-Pop iPod Charts

TW LW TITLE/ARTIST
#01 --- Kiss & Cry (Hikaru Utada)
#02 --- Iteza no Tsuki no Koromo ni (Masami Okui)
#03 --- Otome Kokoro Mugen (Masami Okui)
#04 --- Kettobase! (Hikaru Utada)
#05 --- Time Limit (Hikaru Utada)
#06 --- Niji (Masami Okui)
#07 --- Beautiful World (Hikaru Utada)
#08 --- SAKURA Drops (Hikaru Utada)
#09 --- Wait & See (Hikaru Utada)
#10 --- DISTANCE (Hikaru Utada)

[Loose]

New album rankings added.

Aiko Kayo ~ Pop 4

Ayumi Hamasaki ~ A Song For XX 7
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ LOVEppears 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ Duty 9
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ I am... 9
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ RAINBOW 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ Memorial Address 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ MY STORY 6
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ MY STORY Classical 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ (miss)understood 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ Secret 7

Hikaru Utada ~ Exodus 8
Hikaru Utada ~ ULTRA BLUE 7

Kimura Kaela ~ Scratch 6

Koda Kumi ~ Black Cherry 6

Masami Okui ~ evolution 9

Miliyah ~ Rose 7
Miliyah ~ Diamond Princess 5

[Loose]

ALBUM NEWS: Chihiro Onitsuka

J-pop singer Chihiro Onitsuka will release her 4th studio album entitled LAS VEGAS on 31st October 2007. The new set features the previously released single tracks everyhome and bokura barairo no hibi and will be available in CD/DVD and CD ONLY edition.

everyhome (LIVE)
*YOUTUBE it!*

Chihiro Onitsuka @ MySpace
*Visit Her!*

[Loose]

New album rankings added.

Aiko Kayo ~ Pop 4

Ayumi Hamasaki ~ A Song For XX 7
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ LOVEppears 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ Duty 9
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ I am... 9
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ RAINBOW 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ Memorial Address 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ MY STORY 6
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ MY STORY Classical 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ (miss)understood 8
Ayumi Hamasaki ~ Secret 7

Hikaru Utada ~ First Love 7
Hikaru Utada ~ Distance 8
Hikaru Utada ~ Deep River 8
Hikaru Utada ~ Exodus 8
Hikaru Utada ~ ULTRA BLUE 7

Kimura Kaela ~ Scratch 6

Koda Kumi ~ Black Cherry 6

Masami Okui ~ evolution 9
Masami Okui ~ God Speed 9

Miliyah ~ Rose 7
Miliyah ~ Diamond Princess 5

[Fan]

I'm listening to Ai Otsuka's Greatest Hits and I really like it so far. I only know her song Chulip' so all this songs are completely new to me. I'm now listening to track #4 ( Happy Days ).

[Loose]

I've downloaded Ai am Best a few days ago. I must admit that I really dislike her earliest stuff (Love Punch & Love Jam era). There are a couple songs I adore though. Cherish for example is GORGEOUS! But my favourite Osuka track has to be Planetarium! This is just a fantastic and emotional ballad with a moving melody. Hope her newest album Love Piece (due to be released in September) contains similar efforts to those.

[Fan]

Those are defintely two great songs
And I didn't know her new album was coming out so soon. Thanks for the information.

[Loose]

Those are defintely two great song
And I didn't know her new album was coming out so soon. Thanks for the information.

There's an extra thread for Love Piece in the Pure Pop section.

[Tiger]

I've downloaded Ai am Best a few days ago. I must admit that I really dislike her earliest stuff (Love Punch & Love Jam era). There are a couple songs I adore though. Cherish for example is GORGEOUS! But my favourite Osuka track has to be Planetarium! This is just a fantastic and emotional ballad with a moving melody. Hope her newest album Love Piece (due to be released in September) contains similar efforts to those.

I LOVE Planetarium! What a weird title though

[AyumiH]

Haven't heard her music yet (though I do know who she is). I will check her out now!

[Loose]

Have downloaded Ai Otsuka's upcoming album just a few minutes ago!! I'll press it on CD now and listen to it throughout the whole night! *yay* Hope it's good.

[Fan]

I just heard Nami Tamaki's latest single 'Brightdown'. I quite liked it although I think it need to grow a bit on me. I'm not a big fan of the heavy guitars at the beginning and at the end.
Her song "CROSS SEASON" is much better imo. I still love it.