Here’s today’s kawaii piccy, number twenty-one already!

Rina and her phone, with her awesomely cute Ayumi Hamasaki Arena Tour 2009 cell phone charm~ Picture thanks to LEECH at SCANDAL’s Sushi forum~

Todas las previews que han salido de You were… juntadas *=* (4 minutos y medio!!!)

La verdad es que suena preciosa. Es tan bonita. Por fin una balada rock preciosa (desde together when que no teniamos algo asi!!!).

Bueno, estoy maravillado. Ahora solo espero que BALLAD sea algo al estilo de Days para que se convierta en uno de los mejores singles de ayu (por cierto, el vibrato al final de la cancion <333)

Descargar

¡Comentar!

¡Comentar no lleva ni medio minuto!

Ya se han publicado los participantes del Kôhaku Uta Gassen 2009, y aquí están:

Equipo Blanco (Chicos)
Arashi
ALICE
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS
Masaharu Fukuyama
Akira Fuse
Porno Graffitti
Kenichi Mikawa
Shinichi Mori
Yusuke Kamiji
flumpool
Hiroshi Itsuki
EXILE
NYC boys
Saburo Kitajima
Takeshi Kitayama
Kobukuro
Jero
SMAP
TVXQ
TOKIO
Hideaki Tokunaga
Kiyoshi Hikawa
Takashi Hosokawa
Yuzu
Remioromen

Equipo Rojo (Chicas)
AKB48
Ai Otsuka
aiko
Ayaka
Ikimonogakari
Mika Nakashima
Ayumi Hamasaki
Perfume
Nana Mizuki
Kumi Koda
Sachiko Kobayashi
Fuyumi Sakamoto
Akimoto Junko
Angela Aki
Sayuri Ishikawa
Miyuki Kawanaka
GIRL NEXT DOOR
Mitsuko Nakamura
Ayaka Hirahara
Kaela Kimura
Natsuko Godai
Yoshimi Tendo
DREAMS COME TRUE
Kaori Mizumori
Akiko Wada

El evento tendrá lugar el 31 de diciembre a las 7:15 (Hora de Japón) y se retransmitirá por NHK.

Bajo el nombre de You were… / Ballad la artista nos presenta su nuevo trabajo.Estará a la venta el día 29 de diciembre,pero ya hay webs de compra online donde se puede encargar.Este sencillo aparece en 3 versiones:una regular y dos limitadas.

CD:

1.You were… (Original mix) 

2.BALLAD (Original mix) 

3.RED LINE -for TA- (Original mix) 

4.You were… (Music Box mix) 

5.Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ (Orchestra version) 

6.You were… (Original mix -Instrumental-) 

7.BALLAD (Original mix -Instrumental-) 

8.RED LINE -for TA- (Original mix -Instrumental-) 

CD+DVD Limitada A:

1.You were. . . (Original mix)

2.BALLAD (Original mix)

3.RED LINE -for TA- (Original mix)

4.You were. . . (Music Box Mix) (subject to change)

5.You were. . . (Original mix -Instrumental-)

6.BALLAD (Original mix -Instrumental-)

7.RED LINE -for TA- (Original mix -Instrumental-)

You were. . . PV

BALLAD PV

You were. . . making of

CD+DVD Limitada B:

1.BALLAD (Original mix)

2.You were. . . (Original mix)

3.RED LINE -for TA- (Original mix)

4.Sunset -LOVE is ALL- (Orchestra version)

5.BALLAD (Original mix -Instrumental-)

6.You were. . . (Original mix -Instrumental-)

7.RED LINE -for TA- (Original mix -Instrumental-)

BALLAD PV

You were. . . PV

BALLAD making of

De momento aun no hay previews ni pvs,pero cuando vaya apareciendo más información,editaré esta entrada.

المغنيه اليابانيه الشهيره Ayumi Hamasaki تحققت امنيتها عندما اختيرت اغنيتها You Were

للنسخه اليابانيه من فيلم ديزني Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

Tinkaberu to tsuki no ishi.

ولقد اختيرت Hamasaki لدور Tinkerbell لانها بشهره Tinkerbell في اليابان وتجعل من حولها يشعر بشعور جيد

ولقد قالت Hamasaki ” انني فخوره  بان اكون جزء من شئ محبوب في جميع انحاء العالم “

واغنيه اخرى لـ Hamasaki سوف تستخدم كاغنيه للواجهه لـ Sokyu no subaru

وكلا الاغنيتين سوف تباع في يوم 29 ديسيمبر

وسوف يفتتح الفيلم يوم 23 ديسيمبر

OMGI’MSOFRICKINEXCITEDNOTEVENHEALTHYATTHISPOINTCUZIMSPAZZING!!

AHHH!!!

Ok now that I’m back to being human after the inner fangirl in me took over I can explain calmly what has a occured.

See in the coming weeks the Holy Trinity will be coming back, two out of the three anyway lol.

The undisputed Queen

Ayumi Hamasaki is coming out with her 47th single (holy crapsicles…that’s a lot!) on the 29th of December. 

The cover art has just been unleashed for our viewing pleasure and I’m completely in love with this shoot and whoever photographed it (she should just hire this guy for the rest of her life lol). Especially after Sunrise/Sunset ~LOVE isALL~ …*SHUDDERS*

But enjoy:

BALLAD/You were… CD+DVD

1. BALLAD (Original mix)
2. You were… (Original mix)
3. RED LINE ~for TA~ (Original mix)
4. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ (Orchestra version)
5. BALLAD (Original mix -Instrumental-)
6. You were… (Original mix -Instrumental-)
7. RED LINE ~for TA~ (Original mix -Instrumental-)

DVD Tracklist

1. BALLAD (PV)
2. You were… (PV)
3. BALLAD (making clip)

You were…/BALLAD CD

1. You were… (Original mix)
2. BALLAD (Original mix)
3. RED LINE ~for TA~ (Original mix)
4. You were… (Music Box mix -retake version-)
5. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ (Orchestra version)
6. You were… (Original mix -Instrumental-)
7. BALLAD (Original mix -Instrumental-)
8. RED LINE ~for TA~ (Original mix -Instrumental-)

You were…/BALLAD CD+DVD

1. You were… (Original mix)
2. BALLAD (Original mix)
3. RED LINE ~for TA~ (Original mix)
4. You were… (Music Box mix -retake version-)
5. You were… (Original mix -Instrumental-)
6. BALLAD (Original mix -Instrumental-)
7. RED LINE ~for TA~ (Original mix -Instrumental-)

DVD Tracklist

1. BALLAD (PV)
2. You were… (PV)
3. BALLAD (making clip)

I cannot wait, I’m actually excited!! I thought I had given up after NEXT LEVEL, and then Sunrise/Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ but I really can’t. Especially when I associate great cover art with great music lol.

Now onto Namie Amuro’s new album, PAST<FUTURE, coming out on the 16th of December, less than a month away! And still no official album cover (which I’m totally psyched for since Namie is super photogenic). But we have the tracklisting in order. Can you believe it 10 entire new songs?? That’s if you count MY LOVE and COPY THAT, which I do.

1. FAST CAR
2. COPY THAT
3. LOVE GAME
4. Bad Habit
5. Steal my Night
6. FIRST TIMER feat.DOBERMAN INC
7. WILD
8. Dr.
9. Shut Up
10. MY LOVE
11. The Meaning Of Us
12. Defend Love

DVD Tracklist

1. FAST CAR (PV)
2. LOVE GAME (PV)
3. WILD (PV)
4. The Meaning Of Us (PV)
5. Dr. (PV)
6. Defend Love (PV)

Now the ladies are back to take back thier rightful spots on top of the Oricon charts come December!

Work it like Joon!

Ayu, I love you. -sniffle-

¡SIMPLEMENTE ALUCINANTES!

las mejores covers que ha tenido desde mirrorcle world!!! (L)(L)

I decided to do a little ranking list comprised of six of my all time favorite J-singers, all female of course. Those six are: Utada Hikaru, Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro, Koda Kumi, BoA and Crystal Kay. I chose them for obvious reasons; this has been floating around inside my head for a long time an I thought now was a better time than any to see where I stand with these six artists, because though I like them all immensely, I like them in different ways, sometimes I like one more than another and sometimes one goes down so much in my opinion that I wonder if my interest waning? I also want to see who I like the best and who I think excels in one thing as oppose to someone in another. These rankings are all based on MY opinion, so of course this is not something written in stone, but I just want to dissect the six and see what makes them so appealing to me, and why I like one more than the rest. I’m going to list them all from 6 to 1, with 6 not being the worst, but just not as great at the others in a particular field, and 1 being the best. I want to stress once again that this is all in my personal opinion, please don’t take this list seriously. This will be split into a series of parts that I’ll be posting whenever it suits my fancy, so I hope you enjoy this little mini series:

Girls On Top

BEST SINGER

A Unilever do Japão criou uma pesquisa sobre cuidados da pele para coincidir com o seu “Dia da Pele Saudável (ou Healthy Skin Day)”. Cerca de 600 pessoas entre homens e mulheres na faixa de 20 e 30 anos participaram.

Após calcularem os votos, a atriz Koyuki foi escolhida como a “celebridade que tem o melhor rosto sem maquiagem ”. Em segundo lugar ficou a atriz Kanno Miho enquanto o terceiro lugar foi para a também atriz Keiko Kitagawa.

A categoria “a celebribridade que eu mais quero ver sem maquiagem” foi para a cantora Ayumi Hamasaki e para Ai Haruna, vencedor do ‘Miss International Queen 2009′, concurso de beleza para transsexuais e travestis.

Na categoria casal, o prêmio foi para Hiro Mizushima e Ayaka. Quando perguntados sobre qual pele eles mais gostariam de ter, a escolha principal foi novamente a atriz Koyuki na categoria feminina, enquanto Takuya Kimura ganhou na categoria masculina.

Fonte: Mingpao, Traduzido por: sparkles_n15 @ asianfanatics.net

Creditos: Jstation

Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Release Date: March 8, 2006
Label: Avex Trax
Personal Rating: 3.5/5

1. Startin’ (original mix)
2. Born To Be… (original mix)
3. teens (acoustic version)
4. Startin’ (original mix Instrumental)
5. Born To Be… (original mix Instrumental)
——————————————————————————————
The Startin’ (original mix) is pretty upbeat for my taste. The introduction has a little hip in the beats that sounds a little out of place in the song since the vocals has a touch of agressive pop in it. This was probably the first A-side that Ayu’s vocals began to sound more mature but even so, I got pretty boredof this song quickly.

Born To Be… (original mix) begins with a choir singing “Born to be” until Ayu’s vocals enters in not soon after. Now, this is new Ayu material since her songs aren’t normally oriented this way. Plus, her vocals were flawless but the arrangement still didn’t go up a notch.

Finally, the teens (acoustic version) has more stings elements instead of the traditional guitar and piano. The overall melody was great since it’s claming to the ears but now I’m wondering, was there even an original version of this song?

Personal Rating: 3.5/5

Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Release Date: August 12, 2009
Label: Avex Trax
Personal Rating: 4.5/5

1. Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ (Original mix)
2. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL ~ (Original mix)
3. fairyland-glitter-BLUE BIRD-Greatful days-July 1st (Mega-Mash-Up-Mix)
4. Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ (Original mix Instrumental)
5. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ (Original mix Instrumental)
———————————————————————————————
When I first heard about this ayu release, I was like “what’s with the ‘~LOVE is ALL~” at the end of every song? And the cover; Ayu looks like she went to a tanning place.

The Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ (Original mix) brings us all the way back to her last album NEXT LEVEL with all of the new hardcore electronica elements with a hint of Summery influence. At least Ayu gives off a positive touch to her vocals.

Oh, so that’s why there’s ~LOVE is ALL~ in the titles. The Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ (Original mix) is the upbeat version of Sunset ~LOVE is ALL ~ (Original mix), which is the ballad version. The only down side is that some songs can’t really me made to a ballad once it’s already heard as a hardcore track. The elements that worked for Sunrise just doesn’t cut it for Sunset.

The fairyland-glitter-BLUE BIRD-Greatful days-July 1st (Mega-Mash-Up-Mix) is literally a mashed-up version of all five of Ayu’s summer songs put together into one song. I don’t think that this was the first time that she has done something like this…

Personal Rating: 4.5/5

I think Catcher In The Light is my favorite opening to an Ayumi album, I really do. I’ll admit I was a bit confused by the psuedo-rock in the beggining, but then that fades away and bleeds into a sort of synthy-fusion style that makes me think of light. I also thought Ayu’s sort of faded vocals sounded nice as well.

I was definitely impressed by About You which seems to be a pretty underrated song from Ayumi for some reason, because when you talk about her more rock tunes, this doesn’t really come up in conversation. It seems to come out of nowhere and just knocks you out of your seat, and I think that’s why I love it so much, because it forces you to like it, because its not bad. I think Ayumi’s voice is better suited for more edgier tracks such as this, because she put a lot of raw attitude into this and really made it stand out, plus the arrangement carries itself, despite not being anything original. This isn’t a song I listen to often, but its always a treat to my ears whenever I hear it, she should really take advantage of it more.

Game is a rock-goth track that is pretty hit or miss with me, because its probably one of the few Ayu songs that I actually like, but never really listen to. It reminds me of a more underwhelming version of Ourselves, and everytime I hear this I find myself wondering why I’m not listening to that one instead. I think my main problem with this track is how difficult it is and how it just goes out of its way to be different and weird. I thought the arrangement was creative and really gave off the atmosphere of being in a game and Ayu’s vocal performance was decent if not a little off-putting, especially towards the end when that note holding got a bit annoying. Its a good track from her, but its not one I’d find myself wanting to listen to, not really.

Its like Ladies Night, just less interesting. Don’t get me wrong, I actually really like my name’s Woman, but it just gets pretty boring and dull after awhile, because it seems to go on for forever, with no end in sight. The arrangement is the typical psuedo-rock fare, which was fine, I didn’t dislike it and it went well with the whole empowered women vibe of the track. I thought Ayu’s vocal performance was pretty sweet as well, because she had attitude and the chorus shun. This is a good tune to listen to every once in a while, when you’re particularly pissed at men who for some reason don’t seem to get that women are just smarter.

The first interlude on the album is perhaps my favorite from her Wonderland, because its so clever. I like how it starts out with the innocent and tranquil carnival music box music (that in its own right sounds creepy) and then as if someone has turned out the lights its because twisted and dark, like you’ve been transported from Wonderland to the Freakshow. I love it.

Liar is another pretty underated song from her, and maybe for good reason, because once you get over how seemingly epic-ly angry and bitter it sounds, you realize its quite the boring and tiresome track. The arrangement is one of Ayu’s most complex, so I really didn’t have a problem with it, because it carried itself, moreso than Ayu’s vocals did. I thought Ayu sounded good, but after a while your mind begins to wane and you’re wondering when the song is going to end. I’m not saying its bad, its pretty good and maybe Ayu should remember she recorded it and maybe do it for one of her tours, it would probably make a pretty good live, but as it stands this is a song to listen to every once in a blue moon, otherwise you’ll grow weary of it.

HOPE or PAIN is another track from Ayu that I like, but I never really listen to, because just like Liar it becomes boring, not tiresome, just boring. The arrangement is very melancholy and gives the track a very lonely atmosphere which reflects the title to a T. Ayu’s vocal performance was nice, but she doesn’t really do much with it, I was kind a expecting more passion or emotion, but it was pretty bland and didn’t offer much. This is an all right track, nothing much more than that.

This is a bit more like it, seriously. Happy Ending is honestly a song that just snuck up on me one day, because I never really paid much attention to it and use to (before obtaining the album) wonder what it sounded like and if it was any good. I believe the first time I heard this track was while watching one of Ayu’s concerts, perhaps her My Story tour and I remember being rather mesmerized by the sheer emotion this song exuded, it was pretty powerful in a quiet sort of way. I don’t listen to this track often, because it doesn’t really stand out like most of her other tracks of this caliber, but its always a good listen, I really just adore the chorus.

I didn’t always like Moments, I never really listened to it, thought it was pretty irritating and the video honestly weirded me out, and then I saw a live of this, which I’m almost certain is from her My Story tour, an I was so moved that I gave the song another listen and have loved it ever since. Its not only that though, the lyrics are precious and it just made me enjoy this song all the more. The arrangement is very dramatic, especially at the end when it goes out very eerily, its almost scary and makes you wonder what the hell happened in a to be continued type of way. I also adored Ayu’s vocal performance in this despite not being blown away; I liked how she sung the verses carefully and then went all out during the chorus, which in my opinion is the best parts and what make this song truly shine.

Ugh. I have never liked Walking Proud, despite it being some sort of positive tune or something, because its just not so much boring as it is uninteresting. I mean I just can’t sit and listen to this song without having the urge to change to a track more suited to my taste, or at least a song in which my mind doesn’t wander aimlessly, waiting longingly for the track to end so I can click on one a bit more interesting. The violin arrangement is pretty grand, but very dull at the same time. I didn’t think Ayu did bad vocal wise, but I just didn’t care for the performance. In a whole this track is just forgettable, utterly so.

I’m still wondering why Carols was a single and JEWEL wasn’t, I would just like that question answered Ayu, because as far as her ballads go, Carols has to be the most boring. I’ve been trying for years to like this song, kind of like how I’ve been trying to like Fly High and HANABI, but there you go. The arrangement is pretty, is gives off a sad, though festive and rather elegant atmosphere, but after awhile it becomes stagnant. Ayu’s vocal performance wasn’t bad, but it just wasn’t engaging, even when she kind of got into it I just couldn’t be bothered to care, because I was just waiting for the song to be over so I could listen to something else. I really hate that this song will never grow on me, becuase the lyrics are beautiful, seriously.

Kaleidoscope… I really like that word. This is an all right interlude, its like a cacophony of sound, its pretty weird and seems to leave me as soon as it ends.

I don’t know what is is about Inspire, maybe its that utterly engaging chorus, but I just really like this track. Ayu is pretty good when it comes to up-tempo’s and I have to say I really do love the sheer energy she put into this, chorus wise. The arrangement definitely reflects that odd dersert-y Arabian vibe of the video (I didn’t like the video) and it seems to reek of edge, and bad-asser-y, so the arrangement was pretty sweet, even if it isn’t anything ground-breaking or something I’d want to hear the instrumental to. I liked Ayu’s vocal performance more during the chorus, which just shun and is in my opinion the main reason why this track stands out so much to me. This is another one I wish she’d take advantage of more during her tours.

This next track is pretty sweet and one that I never really bothered to listen to until I of course watched her My Story tour and was kind a moved by it in a romantic type of way. I read that Honey was written for her then boyfriend at the time and that is probably why I connected with it and thought it was so sweet, even though I didn’t know Ayumi had a boyfriend until years later and they had hooked up in 2000! The only slight I have with this song really is Ayu’s rather cute-sy vocal performance, it was like she regressed all the way back to LOVEppears, so I thought that was weird. This is a charming, slightly fun little song that is full of warmth in love. Its one of those Ayu songs that you don’t quite associate with her, but just find that you like it anyways.

Replace is another one of those tracks you don’t associate with Ayu, but you love it anyways. I adore this song so much, I really do. The first time I heard this was during an My Story performance and I was moved to near tears when she sang this during the encore and was walking down and crying and you could just hear that her words touched her and everyone in attendance, because it certainly touched me. I couldn’t stop listening to it after that and its still one of those tracks I throw on when I was to just smile. Its one of those smiling through the tears types of songs that always makes for a lovely and rather inspiring listen. This is the perfect track to end a tour with, I wish Ayu would pick up on that.

Ayu has some sure gems in her discography and Winding Road is most definitely one of them. I never really paid attention to this, but this was during my earlier Ayu phase when I hadn’t really heard all of her songs and I came upon a fanvid of Queer As Folk (yeah, total fan of that show…) and it just meshed with the scenes so perfectly that I fell in love, seriously. This is a pretty underrated tune from her, its like almost never brought up when discussing her music and another song of Ayu’s that would fall into this category would be the poignant No more words. I wonder why she never bothers to sing this or even No more words live, because these songs are just so beautiful. I use to listen to it all the time, I just love it, because the arrangement is like a breeze, it really gives off the impression of walking down a winding road because its so fluid. I also adore Ayu’s vocal performance, because she put a lot of passion and emotion into this and it was so very felt.

I really just don’t get what Humming7/4 wants to be, I mean its starts off fine enough with the hard rock and Ayu’s vocal performance was pretty sweet, I was feeling it and then we get to the chorus which transitions into some sort of pop-rock tune that throws everything off and then it seems to never recover and just falls flat on its face. I use to like this, as well as the rather grundgy video and then a couple years later while listening to the album I realized how amazingly annoying it is and made a point to never listen to it, because its a shining example of a song that could have been pretty good had it been orchestrated right. It just seemed like Ayu was playing around and yeah it seemed that way with girlish to, but at least that track had charm, this? I don’t know what this is.

About You
Moments
Replace
Winding Road

MY STORY use to be my favorite Ayu album at one point, but then again Secret was my favorite album at one point too. I don’t know, I guess the novelty has worn off, because this album doesn’t really do anything for me now and is pretty boring if I was to be completely honest. I suppose I liked it so much because it was a new era of Ayu, equipped with a new more modern sound, as well as better vocals and it just appealed to me, but now, in all truth even though I hardly like (miss)Understood, the songs were much more memorable and stood out a lot more. This album is so-so, good for a nice nostalgic listen every once in a while, nothing more than that, really.

The Japanese musical business is always growing, and yet, there are certain songs we hold dear, and when it comes to J-Pop, a genre taken so seriously, meaningful songs turn out to be very meaningful, maybe because it came out in a drama, because it marked a certain period of the artist’s life in a very deep way, or simply because the lyrics express the emotions of the fan very well, there’s always a way for fans to relate to their favorite artists through music, even if they don’t necessarily speak the same language.

K – Only Human

This song is definitely a #1 for anyone who has watched 1 Litre of Tears or even came near its soundtrack. Only Human is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever listened to, and can have your tears pouring the second it begins, and by the chorus, you’ll be bawling and asking yourself how can this song be so sad and so genius all at once. You won’t forget it, and every time you remember, be sure it’ll hit your soft spot.

Utada Hikaru – 光

光, for many, was the crossover to J-Pop because of its popularity between listeners and gamers. It’s one of Utada’s best works, and possibly the song she’s the most known for, even if First Love is the best selling. This song is a must if you’re starting out listening to J-Pop because it’s a showcase of emotion and beautiful vocals. It (probably) won’t get you bawling like Only Human, but it’ll certainly make you feel good inside. The instrumentals and the vocals work perfectly in an emotional mix that is unforgettable.

Koda Kumi – you
(recommended by Junnior and I)

you is part of the compilation that truly kick-started Kumi’s career, and if it wasn’t, I don’t know what would, because it’s one of the most emotional songs I’ve ever heard. Initially, I found it to be quite boring and hard to listen to, but eventually, it grew on me (especially its amazing PV and the orgasmic ~piano version~), and now I see how beautiful a song it is. The instrumentals have a very unique flavor (like many of Kumi’s songs), and it’s a very original, sentimental ballad that means a lot to the fans and to Kumi.

Hitomi Shimatani – 愛の詩

愛の詩 is simply beautiful, it’s like a masterpiece. You start tearing up just listening to it, for no reason. It has a nostalgic feeling even if you’ve never listened to it before, and it’s very fresh and incredible. It’s 6 minutes long, and it’s not tiring at all. The instrumentals are wonderfully put together and everything is so intricate, and yet, so smooth and flows so beautifully well. It just makes you feel good, and it’s very original and bold, because it’s a very soothing ballad, and not very mainstream.

BoA – 永遠

I think this song has more of a meaning to me because it was released in a point of my life when I was trying out many new things and meeting new people, and this song has a bit of everyone in it, but it has a very nostalgic vibe even though it’s very upbeat. It marked a new era in BoA’s career, because it’s her last Japanese single before she began her American career. I really love this song, because it has feeling and is very upbeat in a bohemian way, it’s very enjoyable and certainly a highlight between BoA’s songs.

Ayumi Hamasaki – A Song for ××
(recommended by Adonias)

A Song for ×× is in Ayumi’s debut album, and even though it didn’t generate a single, it’s a fan favorite and made it to Ayumi’s first A BEST compilation, and remade with new vocals, even. It’s a very special song to Ayu, because it’s about the changes she went through in moving in Japan, and it truly is an unforgettable song that’s very unique, because it shows an Ayu that’s so different from that of today, but her vocals are still very impressive and it’s a very neat song, easy to listen to and the beginning of a phenomenon.

Namie Amuro – WHAT A FEELING
(recommended by Raphael)

After Namie’s sudden hiatus from the musical industry, she returned with 60s70s80s, a single full of edge that exposed her new image and announced that the queen of hip-hop was back! WHAT A FEELING brings on a very upbeat song, that’s sort of familiar, in a way that makes the song relatable, and its youth and brightness is very contagious, because she’s been active since then, it’s very meaningful to the J-Pop market, since Namie was very popular in her time and can still bring it nowadays!

Koda Kumi – Moon Crying

Koda Kumi, however, did not have a smooth comeback, and after the unnecessary overreaction scandal midst the promotion of her Kingdom album, Kumi took a break and released MOON, containing one of the best ballads she had ever done, Moon Crying. Not only is this song meaningful to the fans, but it also began a new phase for her, it was truly an unnecessary change, but she was able to pull through, and instead of pulling off a TABOO on her fans to make matters worse, she was able to show her emotion with this beautiful ballad.

Shiina Ringo – 本能

This song revolutionized fashion and proved just how strongly jazz and rock can come together. Not only is the song a masterpiece, but the whole single, and it turned Shiina into the jazz/rock diva she is today. 本能 is one of the best by her, her originality is shown with a mixture that no other artist is bold or experimental enough to make it work, and Shiina pulled it off. This song is impossible to forget and appeals to the masses in different ways.

Utada Hikaru – First Love

This song could not miss out, because it’s been touching people’s hearts ever since its release back in 1999, and until today, it shows up in compilations of the best love songs. It’s not my favorite Utada ballad, but it’s very memorable, and it’s showcased even in Brazilian radio! Even people who dislike Utada’s music have a soft spot for First Love, and to many, it’s yet another song to bawl for. Many people have different interpretations of this song, some find it heartwarming, others find it melancholy, but either way, it’s unforgettable.

What are your unforgettable J-Pop songs?

I hope you enjoy the selection, because each song is very precious and I’m sure you’ll enjoy every one! ♥

I decided to do a little ranking list comprised of six of my all time favorite J-singers, all female of course. Those six are: Utada Hikaru, Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro, Koda Kumi, BoA and Crystal Kay. I chose them for obvious reasons; this has been floating around inside my head for a long time an I thought now was a better time than any to see where I stand with these six artists, because though I like them all immensely, I like them in different ways, sometimes I like one more than another and sometimes one goes down so much in my opinion that I wonder if my interest waning? I also want to see who I like the best and who I think excels in one thing as oppose to someone in another. These rankings are all based on MY opinion, so of course this is not something written in stone, but I just want to dissect the six and see what makes them so appealing to me, and why I like one more than the rest. I’m going to list them all from 6 to 1, with 6 not being the worst, but just not as great at the others in a particular field, and 1 being the best. I want to stress once again that this is all in my personal opinion, please don’t take this list seriously. This will be split into a series of parts that I’ll be posting whenever it suits my fancy, so I hope you enjoy this little mini series:

Girls On Top

I’ll start with DANCING, who out of these six female J-singers do I think pops it the best:

06. Utada Hikaru – Of course Hikki is going to be at the bottom because not only does she not dance, but I don’t really think she can. I don’t know, maybe with a little training and practice she’d be able to do a little something, but as of yet, I haven’t seen it, plus, she doesn’t really strike me as the dancing type, so her never really dancing is not really a problem to me.

05. Ayumi Hamasaki – Oh, Ayu is kind a fail at this. I know she does a little something on her tours, but its mainly her dancers that do all the dancing and she just does a little filling in. I mean the first video I can recall her doing any sort of real dancing in is talkin’ 2 myself, but it was sadly only during the chorus, though when I first saw it I remember being floored, because, well… I’d never seen her really dance before, it was a sight and she wasn’t to bad at it. I think in future up-tempo tracks, or even not, she should do a little more and maybe she’ll rise a rank on the next one.

04. Koda Kumi – I’m sort of off and on when it comes to Kuu, because she can only dance some of the time, mostly on certain video’s like JUICY or TABOO, but the majority of the time, especially during concerts, she’s so fail and you can tell that she doesn’t have any rhythm to the point that I’m embaressed for her, because its like watching a white girl try to be down. The only reason why she’s higher than Ayu is because she does dance, but she’s four, because she really can’t dance, but I’ll give her an A for effort.

03. Crystal Kay – I don’t think Kuri gets the recognition she deserves, because believe it or not she’s a pretty good dancer. I mean I loved the choreography in Kirakuni and Anata no Soba de and her live choreography for Nobody from her Call Me Miss… tour was the love, so I’m at a loss as to why she isn’t as popular as she should be, especially in this department. I’m certain I’m not the only one who thinks this however, so I’ll just leave it at that.

02. Namie Amuro – Namie has been dancing for a long time and it shows, because sometimes she can flow into moves effortlessly and its like nothing to her. I mean her tall and slim body definitely works to her advantage, because she can make even the most tedious and repetitive dance moves and or choreography look neat, seriously. I don’t think Namie goes as all out as she should, or could, but from what I’ve seen she does a pretty damn good job of it.

01. BoA – I personally don’t think any female on that side of the world can touch BoA dance wise and I’m quite sure she can make a few man run for the money if she so chose to. It took a while for BoA’s dancing to grow on me, but honestly I never stop being amazed at how good of a dancer she is and anybody who think she’s not is honestly a hater, because, let’s be serious, BoA has been bringing it hard lately, starting with Eat you up (great choreography) all the way to her latest release BUMP BUMP BUMP, and it always seems to be something fresh, despite not being anything particularly new or different. I have to give it to BoA, if its one thing she excels at more than the others, its dancing, without a doubt.

BEST DANCER

Me gusto mucho apesar de que hay unas canciones recopiladas.

Tracklist

1. Bridge to the sky
2. NEXT LEVEL
3. Disco-munication
4. EnergizE
5. Sparkle
6. rollin’
7. GREEN
8. Load of the SHUGYO
9. identity
10. Rule
11. LOVE ‘n’ HATE
12. Pieces of SEVEN
13. Days
14. Curtain call

“descarga desde este link”:

 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=V1ZREC86

Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Release Date: November 30, 2005
Label: Avex Trax
Personal Rating: 4/5

1. Bold & Delicious (Original Mix)
2. Pride (Original Mix)
3. HEAVEN (House Mix)
4. Will (Wall5 Remix)
5. Bold & Delicious (Original Mix Instrumental)
6. Pride (Original Mix Instrumental)
——————————————————————————————-
I was definitely taken by surprise upon hearing the sudden “Yayayayaya gagagaga dadadada wowowowo” at the beginning of the Bold & Delicious (Original Mix). Sure it’s a little weird so during my first listen, I immediately changed the song to a more interesting Ayu track. But when I finally came back to listening to the song (this time the WHOLE song), I actually changed my impression. Well, I’ll say that it wasn’t really a stunning Ayu song but I really love how we could feel Ayu’s joy as she happily sang the delicious lyrics with a bold chorus. Quite a new arrangement wouldn’t you say?

The Pride (Original Mix) took a major contrast compared to it’s first A-side. At least with Pride, it’s a lovely ballad. I’m not going to lie but the arrangement isn’t incredibly special but Ayu could really synch her voice with the background chorus could easily manipulate the emotion that she puts into the song. There’s just something about this song that makes me want to listen to it over and over.

Personal Rating: 4/5

Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Release Date: August 3, 2005
Label: Avex Trax
Personal Rating: 4.5/5

1. Fairyland (Original mix)
2. alterna (Original mix)
3. STEP you (DJ TAKI-SHIT More Step Up Remix)
4. Fairyland (Bright Field mix)
5. Fairyland (Original mix Instrumental)
6. alterna (Original mix Instrumental)
——————————————————————————————
Wow. Rumors state that the PV for “Fairyland” is one of the most expensive music videos.

To be honest, the Fairyland (Original mix) was one of the first Ayu songs that I’ve listened to. (Aside from Dearest and Endless Sorrow.) The begining is a bit quiet with fast beats but with Ayu singing with a little distortion. Soon, the instrumentals explode into a Summer-pop oriented song, returning Ayu’s voice back to normal and singing at loud volume. The development of the chorus really made the song memorable but with a mixture of happiness and sadness. (You’ll understand when you watch the PV.) Probably one of my favorite Ayu songs.

The alterna (Original mix) has a similar opening but with a more agressive feel while singing the “heys.” The only downside of the song is that verses are the majority of the arrangement and doesn’t show much of a chorus builder.

Personal Rating: 4.5/5

Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Release Date: September 19, 2007
Label: Avex Trax
Personal Rating: 4/5

1. talkin’ 2 myself (Original mix)
2. decision (Original mix)
3. fated (Orchestra version)
4. talkin’ 2 myself (Original mix Instrumental)
5. decision (Original mix Instrumental)
————————————————————————————————–
I think that this was the single when Ayu began to add drastic changes to her style. (From pop to hardcore electronica)

The talkin’ 2 myself (Original mix) had a pretty cool introduction with all of the quick guitar instrumenals being played and a quick jump into the song. Ayu’s vocals take on the lower register but then it suits the mood of the song with all of the electricity flowing within the song. Perrsonally, I think it totally beats her last release, glitter/fated.

decision (Original mix) also jumps into the fast and aggressive mood of the song since the guitars still blares and Ayu still sings in a lower pitch. The genre still falls into the same category as talkin’ 2 myself but Ayu seems to sing with even more power here. (Possibly even more electrifying than the A-side?)

The fated (Orchestra version) sounded much more serene and gave off a graceful touch to Ayu’s style. Definitely worth a listen.

Personal Rating: 4/5

Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Release Date: April 24, 2002
Label: Avex Trax
Personal Rating: 5/5

1. Free & Easy
2. Naturally (Dolly remix)
3. Still Alone (Warp Brothers Extended Mix)
4. Free & Easy (Instrumental)
———————————————————————————–
Just to note, Free & Easy came out AFTER I am… so Naturally and Still Alone are considered older tracks on the single. (I still have to review the album, though. At least Ayu does not release any re-cut singles!) Free & Easy is the only original song as well as the A-side.

Free & Easy has a very serene and long introduction that makes the song stand out compared to her other phenomenal songs. I loved the parts when Ayu’s vocals would come out strong and loud and then gradually go back soft and quiet. Her vocals suited the arrangement really well and gave off a feeling different from her past releases.

Personal Rating: 5/5

Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Release Date: April 20, 2005
Label: Avex Trax
Personal Rating: 4.5/5

1. STEP you (Original Mix)
2. is this LOVE? (Original Mix)
3. STEP you (Instrumental)
4. is this LOVE? (Instrumental)
———————————————————————————————–
I just love the way the STEP you (Original Mix) sounds so addicting! There’s just something about it that makes me want to sing the song over and over again! Is it the synch in the background, the upbeat-ness or the ad-libbing that makes it so special? Anyways, this is totally “in” for Ayu’s style!

However, is this LOVE? (Original Mix) which jsut happens to be the second A-side beats the STEP you (Original Mix) by a landslide! Her vocals really blends in with the arrangement and the aggressiveness of the instrumentals makes the song more electrifying than STEP you!

Personal Rating: 4.5/5

Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve been on here! Damn you homework and college applications, who said being a senior was easy?? Erg.

 Anyway on to more important and pertinant topics. J-pop! Ok, so I assume that if you are into J-pop you know Ayumi Hamasaki, Koda Kumi, and Namie Amuro. In case you don’t, go find out,  simply putting it they are the “Holy Trinity.”

Each one sells a ridiculous amount and achieve constant number ones, more so for Ayu who is the undisputed Queen. The reason for this post however is not to enlighten on these marvelous women but instead talk about two of the three. Ayumi Hamasaki and Namie Amuro.

Ayumi Hamasaki is coming out with her 47th single, a double A-side by the name of, You were…/BALLAD. The single will also include another new song called RED LINE ~for TA~ , we all know how much Ayu likes her english titles. Insert sigh, lol.

But I’m kind of indifferent to this entire release. I’ll wait until the songs are OFFICIALLY out to make or pass any judgement but I honestly don’t want to go through another GUILTY, NEXT LEVEL, Sunrise/Sunset ~LOVE IS ALL~ level disappointment again. I don’t think I could stomach it.

Truthfully, I thought the Ayu I loved musically had come back with Mirrorcle World, the A-side’s lyrics were refreshing and brutally truthful something I fiercely admire from Ayu and the b-side Life had to be one of her most melancholic and touching rock ballads ever.

Then GREEN/Days came out. GREEN felt unique and unusual but once the chorus kicks in it’s typical Ayu, not that that’s necessarily a bad thing. Days was nothing special yet nothing horrible. I loved the video though. She then took a detour for electronica rock with Rule/Sparkle, I liked Rule despite some reservations about it but I couldn’t get used to the video-gamey sound of Sparkle. That’s when I fell off the bandwagon per se.

Yes, Ayu I get it. You ARE the Queen.

The woman can slap her name on anything and make it sell. She could sell the damn snuggie (that hideous blanket that looks like a full body sweater) in Japan and it would sell like hot cakes. When she released NEXT LEVEL, I liked it until I LISTENED to it. Once I listened it had to go lol. Then I waited patiently for her next single, hoping that it would not be NEXT LEVEL like. Oh how wrong I was. Sunrise/Sunset ~LOVE IS ALL~ was made for that damn album.  She didn’t even use different lyrics! The lyrics were basically the same for both songs except for the chorus I believe.

So I digress. I’ll wait until the single is actually out to judge.

On to Namie Amuro, the girl I have a love/hate relationship with. She’s huge at the moment, after her high-selling BEST FICTION compilation album, her hit 60s70s80s & WILD/Dr. single, and her DVD of her monster 6-month long tour. And admittedly I was excited for new stuff from her. But then I heard the songs from her new campaign for VIDAL SASSOON… 

I’m not exactly pleased. DAMN YOU NAMIE! I finally put my trust into her to continue making great chart-topping music but she gives me a repetetive song with little to no appeal or flow? WTF. Anyway I’ll wait until her full album is released in December to say anything, there must be something of WILD level quality up in there. I trust her taste in music.

And that’s the end of this post. I’ll update soon, I hope…