tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post4789089833582666543..comments2024-01-31T08:46:53.696-08:00Comments on Electronic Music Critic: Utada Hikaru - Ultra BlueSykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-16685032744831003932019-06-30T22:26:23.192-07:002019-06-30T22:26:23.192-07:00Maybe not anything specifically, but certain chart...Maybe not anything specifically, but certain chart trends are noticeable (ie: Latin rhythms in <i>One Night Magic</i>). Perhaps I wasn't clear tho'. It's not so much raiding crunk or emo rock (or whatever was the hottest stuff on the charts back then), but doing what all pop music does, regardless of the genre of origin: sanding down the rougher edges to present itself as amicably to as wide an audience of possible. <i>That's</i> what's noticeable to my ears about music like this, which isn't necessarily bad thing, but doesn't do much to alight the hairs on the back of my neck either.Sykoneehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-1351466618245812512019-06-28T03:15:42.661-07:002019-06-28T03:15:42.661-07:00Thanks for the replies! One last question. I not...Thanks for the replies! One last question. I noticed this passage you wrote: "Which is weird to me because this all sounds like the same super-slick polished pop cribbing contemporary influences I've heard from mainstream markets for decades". <br />Are you sure Ultra Blue sounds like the typical U.S. or UK Top 100 album circa 2001 to 2006 (year it was released)? ;) <br /><br />-PhiloiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-57385303900337649672019-06-27T20:37:32.175-07:002019-06-27T20:37:32.175-07:001. I found it helped enhance it for my listening e...1. I found it helped enhance it for my listening experience, if only because I could understand more of a song's context without needed to constantly reference a lyrical cheat-sheet. Like, when she wistfully sings about "Christmas morning, candles burning", it's an instant mental connection there. As I've said, language barrier suffers.<br /><br />2. Good.<br /><br />3. No.<br /><br />4. I didn't feel they were sufficiently represented in the production, essential only token nods to such genres in favour of providing as polished a pop product in this instance. And really, 'j-pop' can be either 'electro-pop' or 'dance pop', just strictly intended for an Asian (mostly Japanese) audience.<br /><br />5. Not really, no.<br /><br />6. If they feel it's the best they've heard in that regard, who am I to change their opinion? I don't know what they figure a great interlude entails tho'. <br /><br />If you're after <i>my</i> opinion on its quality as an interlude... well, it sure ain't no Speedy J <i>Fill</i>.Sykoneehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-76456574812059405232019-06-27T03:44:46.187-07:002019-06-27T03:44:46.187-07:00Alright, waited a bit for this review, so not goin...Alright, waited a bit for this review, so not going to hold back on the questions. Hope it's not too much for one sitting ;)<br /><br />1. You've commented upon Utada's bilingual abilities on this album. Did the flipping between Japanese and English end up enhancing or damaging the album's musical coherence? <br /><br />2. Overall, how would you rate the "quality" of the album as a whole? good, bad, or mediocre/indifferent?<br /><br />3. Now, a trickier question: Did you find the album to be boring? <br /><br />4. I noticed you only tagged the album as J-pop and RnB, but not electro-pop or dance pop , despite it's fairly open EDM influences. Did you consider the EDM elements to be insufficient for it to be classified into an EDM genres/sub genre? <br /><br />5. I was greatly intrigued by the surprising connection you drew between the previous album Deep River and the Hed Kandi collection. For Ultra Blue, were you able to detect any interesting/unexpected influences from other artists/bands, especially from the EDM side of things? <br /><br />6. Totally a troll question: A random American music review blog, Wilson Alroy, claims track #12 Eclipse is somehow the "best" interlude they've heard since Earth Wind and Fire did their work: <br />http://www.warr.org/utada.html#UltraBlue<br /><br /> Do you agree or disagree with that assessment ;) <br /><br />Anyways, would greatly appreciate it if you can spare some thoughts to these questions.<br /><br />-PhiloiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com