:yes

I don't understand what makes people think this song is good lol Sure you can like it, but no one with a competent mind would think it was anything other than "average".

And, not "average" for hikki and her Japanese-music-that's-not-going-to-sell-in-the-states, "average" for the American music industry.

But whatever. I hope only the best for her and her career.

I guess it's good 94.9 will be playing the song...I hope they try to find a balance between not playing the song enough and overplaying it...our radio stations never seem good at that.

I do think the new song is nice, but I think it's a shame how after the excellent HEART STATION she releases a song as generic as this :o

I think song has a decent production, but the problems are just the way too cheesy lyrics.

I realize that this sort of music has a better chance for success in the US, but I don't see why she has to compromise so much on her musical style. I think she could expirement a bit more, especially since the album is bound to sell close to a million atleast in Japan no matter what she does. and most likely flop in the US no matter what too ...

I wish they would too, but for a different reason: she has clearly stated that Utada and Utada Hikaru are different artists. I'm amazed that some seem not to have caught on by now. Even up 'til a couple of days ago, I read a post somewhere that wished it would be "more Hikki and less Utada". Well, if she wanted to do this, she would just release it all under Utada Hikaru. Obviously. Some people will never get it.:rolleyes

That didn't stop IDJ from OKing and releasing Exodus. I agree that the song is generic and has a killer hook (I've had it on repeat since it was made available), but it's only because StarGate got their untalented hands on it (most likely). Oh, and StarGate definitely =/= A+ production. This song would be way less generic if Utada had arranged it herself. It reeks of their lameness (tinny drums, stupid electric guitar, strings and synth you can barely hear). I can say as a fact that Utada is a better producer than they will ever be. StarGate has been the biggest contributor to this same sound you hear all over the radio. Most of the insanely popular songs some regard as "mainstream crap" for the past two years or so has been provided by them. I'm actually really angry she produced even one track with them because her work is so much better than anything they have done or ever will do. I hope they stayed far away from the rest of the tracks (and yes, this includes Apples and Cinnamon, which I was actually partially excited about despite its having anything to do with StarGate -- now I just get really anxious if I even see the title). Have you read her MUSICA mag interview? Utada talks a lot about her thoughts on the direction the second album and her experience making Exodus. You all should read it if you want to understand why CBTM is the way it is and know what's gonna come next.:innocent I know it's really long, but it's free over at UtadaUnited, so there's really no excuse not to read it (you're raising a lot of questions she has already answered -- a year ago).


Oh, and a tip of the hat to the "manga-obsessed loser weaboo community/S&C/Sanctuary" comment and the people who pointed out the "musical elitism" of Americans who listen to J-Pop. So true. :D;) I delurked just to agree. I hope this gets through...!

at least Come Back To Me is not sexually suggestive like some of the songs in EXODUS :dead2

We don't know if 94.9 is gonna play it. Just that it would be great if they did because they have the largest coverage in the US.

What is wrong with a sexually suggetive song? Especially from Utada. Unlike BoA, whom I've never seen do anything with any man on this planet, Utada was married so she had to have gotten busy before. AND she married a much older man. :innocent Is it an asian racial stereotype thing? We don't want Asian women to come to the states with anything sexual because that's a stereotype?

Utada posted a blog post with some soup, is that octopus?. I hope she eats something a bit more filling. She's 25 years old and she seems so much older.

I think the real reason why she's just "Utada" on her western releases is just not to weird out people not accustomed to foreign names. it's just a catchier stage name too.
I don't doubt she has herself stated that, but back when she released Exodus every article/interview she was one made it obvious that she was this multi-million selling japanese superstar releasing her first english album, instead of just presenting her as a "new" artist.
I bet it's going to be the same this time around too, if she does any promo.




I sort of agree with you about StarGate, while I think a lot of songs by them are great but especially their mid-tempo work is starting to sound very much the same.
Utada's "Come Back To Me" is a "Take a Bow" by Rihanna or a lot of Ne-Yo songs like "Mad" with just a new set of lyrics :P

That too. It's a new name and a new identity -- or at least she originally intended it to be. And I don't know why her promotion team keeps pushing the "Big in Japan" thing. I don't think very many people will give a crap whether or not she's popular in Japan. But, just you wait -- the chorus of "She's the Japanese Britney Spears (a comparison neither complimentary nor accurate)/(insert whatever popular American artist)!" will start up soon. It's a combination of laziness on the part of writers (they have to have some gimmicky angle to shore up any writing, about music or otherwise) and her promo team even volunteering the sales numbers in the first place.


I have to disagree (opinions are so much fun...!). I think they're one of the worst things to happen to mainstream music in the past few years (among many others, of course). Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, the StarGate clone songs came marching in. "Come Back To Me" is actually melodious and tolerable (my opinion, of course). It seems as if her voice fills out the track (thankfully the lame production is slightly less noticeable than say "Take a Bow" or "Mad").

I'm sorry I even listened to a second of "Mad" -- but, sure enough, the same tinny drum loop is used in "Come Back To Me". As in all of Stargate's "productions". :grumpy:headache:puke

Mainstream music does not have to be bland!! :(

Unfortunately DDD, it is going to happen. No matter how much I agree with you (and yours) on the subject.

I think the biggest thing you fail to recognize is that there are people who are speaking of the quality of music rather than the style of music. That's a difference that should be brought up. Her prior works seemed to have been written with feeling rather than with a produced track and some lyrics put on them.

Utada has proven herself a musically inclined force of great proportion. Therefore, after listening to Come Back to Me, it's safe to say that this is not up to par with the talent she pocesses. It leads me believe that she may be toning herself down after Exodus being too strange for us US music fans.

Since you have such a large understanding of the American music industry you could appreciate the fact that there are amazing singer/songwriters out there who are successful and popular. They don't need to have beats and producers named to make up for the lacking.

Unfortunately, again, some people can't grasp that concept and immediately try to dismiss the people. I wouldn't want her Japanese music here, I would cringe if I heard an English version of Boku wa Kuma, let alone an English version of Heart Station.

By the way -- Paula DeAnda is a bubblegum pop singer who drenched her CD cover in pinks with purples and shiny stuff. I'm more than certain you will find a few of her songs appealing if you love this new song by Utada. Check her out!

me too I wouldn't want that to happen at all & frankly it wouldn't work .

What might work in the Japan market might not necessary work in the US market & vice versa

This is like the definition of tl;dr :rolleyes

Okay, first of all, I don't think any of us could produce this at home. I find it funny that you say that when this is 100 times more complex than anything she's produced in the last 3 years.

And Stargate IS A+ production in my book. These are the same people who did "So Sick", "Irreplaceable", "Hate That I Love You" "Unfaithful", Chris Brown's "With You", "Tattoo", "Take A Bow", "Miss Independent", etc. etc. etc. This is some of the best hit-making that a label's money can buy.

I honestly don't understand what planet you're from if you think "Sanctuary" would be a bigger hit in the United States. If you didn't notice, US radio seems to eat up songs like these, which is why I have a lot of confidence in this song. I honestly have to question your logic with statements like that. :rolleyes

:rolleyes

Please. The song aint that bad. In fact, not at all. Who cares if it's generic. It has a great beat and nice hook. Besides, it's not like Utada hasn't done songs like these before. Umm Hello. She's an R&B/pop artist. Some of First Love and Distance had songs similar to CBTM especially Distance. Not only those two but most of Exodus had mostly R&B songs. Heart Station had Prisoner of Love and Kiss & Cry and they were generic but general public liked it. Just get over the shock of her doing a song like CBTM. The song has potential success and fame but promotion is a big keyword here.

The fact that it's average makes it good. Let's be serious. Who wants to hear a song that puzzles their brain all the time? :rolleyes Not me that's for sure. Americans like songs that they can relate to/understand and of course dance too. You're trying to put in the Japanese way but you can't do that simply because they're two different markets that cater to 2 different fans. There are hardly any artists in America that have deep lyrics. If you were to ask me, [some] hip-hop artists and soul artists are the only ones who I can say have the deepest lyrics.

And since when was average so bad? IMO, no music is original. Just about every singer has done the same music as each other.

I agree with some of what you said but you can say how bad those Stargate songs are all you want be the general public likes these types of songs. Blaming them for making music thats constantly getting artists #1 singles or in the top 20 or 30 isn't untalented nor easy at all. Even the generic songs crash and burn.

Also, I don't think Hikki producing is that good. It's great that she can even produce but I don't think it's top quailty just different. IMO, even tho I luv Exodus death, it wasnt that experimental. She had only like 4 tracks that were experimental but the rest was just good mainstream songs. If she had arranged this song, I think it would've been similar as to the Stargate arrangment for the simple fact that About Me has the similar vibe as to CBTM.

^I agree 100% with you. :yes

This is so ridiculous. Obviously if someone likes it they think it's better than average, so people who like this song don't have a competent brain? :rolleyes

Also I'm guessing that the people who think Hikki needs to go back and make more ~experimental songs~ like in her Japanese career are completely forgetting about the stuff from First love and DISTANCE. Those were 100% American R&B/pop.

No. She said that she got to do everything she wanted to do with Exodus and in her current state of mind she does not want to do another Exodus; she thought it would be okay if the second album didn't have "her colors as thick as they were" on Exodus. Seriously, she has talked about all of this already. You'd all save a lot of speculation if you read her own words! I'll even give you the link: http://utadaunited.com/blog/?page_id=307

This is 100% truth.

Yes. But I think that's only because we've heard them in Japanese -- the English version would clash with what we've already heard.

Umm how long have you been a Hikki fan? 10 seconds?!

Do actually think the casual American music lover would choose Sanctuary over a song like Come Back To Me? If you said yes, please don't ever be a Hikki fan nor listen to American music. I really think you should just stick to being an Ayumi Hamasaki fan.

Btw, I luved how you are laughing at rate of the song production when you worship Green aka worst/most generic song of 2008. An ant could produce Green and not make it crap.
Thank you!!!!! :clapclap
Exactly. I luv how some people are completely shocked that she's doing an R&B song when her last single was an R&B song. Not only that it was an R&B ballad. Seriously, are we like the only two real Hikki fans here? Gawd this is just sad. :rolleyes

This one big gross generalization. There cannot be possibly one type of fan or one type of artist for every nation. That's beyond ridiculous! Please, look outside Top 40 radio, then think about this. And, of course you threw in the obligatory "some" qualifier for hip-hop. Again, look outside of Top 40 radio. Yeesh.


Okay, so I blame the public and StarGate. I still think that what they do can be accomplished on a laptop by anyone with a sense of rhythm and the right setup.

All of this really comes down to opinion. About Me, IMO, does not have a similar vibe at all. I'd say 8 of the 14 tracks were experimental in their own ways (Opening, The Workout, Tippy Toe, Hotel Lobby, Animato, YMMWTBAM, Crossover Interlude, Wonder 'bout). Pop does not always equal mainstream. Top 40 radio is mainstream. I cannot imagine any of those on the radio (which doesn't mean they couldn't be on radio... from my perspective, they just wouldn't fit). Also, as for her producing, it says a lot when the only standout of Timbo's tracks on Exodus was the one he remixed (going off of her ideas!). She (and Teruzane) produced everything on Ultra Blue, and she produced Heart Station entirely. Those songs pale in comparison to anything ever done by StarGate in terms of overall quality and musicality. But this is opinion. Round and round we go...

All of this posting and quoting is making me dizzy, but it's really nice to have an actual discussion going.

@kang daesung & Luv ~Venus~: how many reading lessons have u skipped back in Elementary school? - I said that THIS UTTER CRAP will flop the same way Sanctuary WOULD if it was released as a single, and not that it would DO ANY BETTER even tough the song WAS A MILLION TIMES BETTER.

@Luv - Honey, I've been a Hikki fan since 2002 (back when Kingdom Hearts was released). And please stop telling me what to do ^^ (comparing any Ayu songs with this is pretty dumb coming from you, and you can't provoke me that way). Please restrain from quoting me in the future, as you're annoying me as hell, and even if you do so, please ask someone to properly read my post for you and make sure you U N D E R S T A N D what I was saying.

@kang daesung - imo, all the songs that you've mentioned are idiotic, all the people who sang them should be shot/stabbed to death.

Even if you do LOVE/LIKE the song, it doesn't mean people can't think it SUCKS. She doesn't need to experiment with her music but she doesn't need to write boring songs with really plain lyrics and primitive arrangements as we have enough of those already. But hey it seems that some people would be like "OMG this is PURE ART", even if Hikki was just crapping during the whole song.

Beh I am not going to argue anymore, as it won't make me like this any more than I do.

Thanks for clearing this up! I'm a casual listener, of hers, so I went with speculation. :]

I do agree whole heartedly that there is a stigma here that concludes American music to just the Top 40 of Hip Hop/Pop. America is blessed with how diverse our music genres are, and how accessible even low key artists are these days. It's sad to see some people just generalize it and make it seem so one dimensional.

Makes one believe that those who claim to understand the American music industry really do not understand it at all. To those people I really suggest you research into American artists and you'll easily find songs that have true music and art attached to them.

The gift of excellent music isn't defined or supplied by one country or language.

I don't agree with this statement completely; I do see where you're coming from with it though. I think that to get proper attention one shouldn't have to just follow the trend. Proper attention comes when someone is noticed for breaking the mold and daring to be different (which is very hard, I admit).

DDD, seriously, that boat of sass has sailed. Get new material. It's a discussion, why must you constantly act so arrogant?

I know we are the two biggest Hikki stans, but you'd think there'd be at least a few other people who realize that a.) she is an R&B artist at heart, b.) Hikki =/= Utada, and c.) going mainstream is the only way that she is going to get any proper attention.

That is not what you said but if that's what you meant, okay. Howver, I don't agree at all. I think "Sanctuary" has no potential to be a hit in the US, unlike CBTM. In addition, you seem to like to complain about CBTM's lyrics, but "Sanctuary" has some of the corniest, cliched lyrics I've ever heard from her. Just because it's abstract doesn't mean it's good.

Okay, if you're going to be immature and childish like this, I'm not even going to reply.

Nobody said you can't dislike it, and nobody said it's ~pure art~. In fact, I called it generic, but it is exactly what is needed for Hikki to have a successful debut. Just because something is mainstream you guys think it's automatically crap, and that's just ignorant.

I'm getting a little sick of these music elitists who think anything Western and mainstream is awful. I really don't think a lot of people here are in touch with American music enough to even understand what it takes to be big here.

I love that you think that I don't know that there is music outside of Top 40. Get a clue, Hikki wants to be a mainstream artist, and she's signed to Island Def Jam, one of the largest mainstream R&B labels out there :rolleyes She doesn't want to sell like the artists you are talking about, omg.

Also, my name isn't DDD, and get over yourself.