[Koda Kumi] The 186th Thread - 60th brand new single on the way

[thinkingoutloud89]

^I feel the same and I get even more upset when you try to address the matter. To say something is good or something is bad, you need to back it up, like "the sound quality is bad", "the lyrics are bland" and so on. Other than that, it is just a feeling a person has and that only comes down to "not my cup of tea" but actually does not make the song bad in any way.

[Corvina]

@Zeke
You've already said that, but to be honest, can't you just try to be more sensitive to other people around you who aren't your friends? I'm a pretty emotional person myself and I did got offensive in the past here in the forum to other artists myself, but I tried to learn to restrain my emotions and just post after I calmed down again. And I'd say it worked (not all the time, but I hope it shows, lol).
And to be rather blunt with you, over at the Ayu sections of the forum, you are posting differently (at least nowadays most of the time) and you're doing longer posts stating your opinion in a elaborate and civilized manner.
Why can't you do that in the Kuu thread?

[orbitalaspect]

Originally Posted by Corvina

@Zeke
You've already said that, but to be honest, can't you just try to be more sensitive to other people around you who aren't your friends? I'm a pretty emotional person myself and I did got offensive in the past here in the forum to other artists myself, but I tried to learn to restrain my emotions and just post after I calmed down again. And I'd say it worked (not all the time, but I hope it shows, lol).

There is so much wrong with this post that I can't even... I just can't even. Corvina, you seem like a nice person, so I'm real confused about why you think people need to be sensitive to people who are pretty emotional and get offended easily? Aren't your emotions your problem? If you can't look at or ignore something with a healthy attitude, isn't that your responsibility?

For one, Zeke's post had nothing to do with you -- it had nothing to do with anyone specific on this thread or their opinion. It was Zeke saying, hey, I think Koda's music has turned to sh~t. And somehow, you read that and thought, Zeke is calling ME a piece of shit because he called Koda's music shit. Even if Zeke had explained in full detail why he thinks Koda's music is now shit, you would have been just as offended -- because it's not that Zeke has a reason for his opinion, it's that you believe Zeke came here to post that opinion because he knows it hurts your feelings, because he somehow knows you can't manage when someone says something bad about something you think is good.

I swear we'd have to start a super secret thread that no one would find out about just to have a balanced discussion where no one feels censored because one or two people don't take accountability for their emotional control.

I guess because it's absolutely obligatory now, I'll post my Koda comment that aligns with what you think is appropriate:

OMG KUU NEW SINGLE! I CAN'T WAIT. I'M GONNA BUY LIKE 60 COPIES. BECAUSE I KNOW IT WILL BE SOOO GOOD. KUU = BEST EVA! KUU 4 LYFE. TOO KUU 4 U. LUV KUU! <3 ;D

[oaristos]

It's too bad so many people appear to agree that her most recent releases aren't as good as the old ones. I agree that the way they're organized are a complete mess (I really think that compilations like Summer of Love, Winter of Love, etc. are a huge BS), but WALK OF MY LIFE is, without a doubt, one of the best, most interesting and mature albums she has ever released and I'm very proud of being a fan of hers when I listen to it.

[Corvina]

Btw. I really want to know, why some of you guys think the quality of her material is worse than earlier?
I mean, if I think about her peak everybody seems to love that much... thinking about her 12 singles project e.g.- just half of the songs are actually good for me. For example Ima sugu hoshii is quite repetetive, the live arrangement made it so much better. Isn't that maybe much of nostalgia for most parts? Or people just liked the way it was marketed that much?
Kuu certainly did changes in her music over the years. She stopped doing (overly) cute songs and performances, she stopped having sappy love ballads as she herself said it with Bon Voyage (she only did love ballads towards her fans in the last two years). Well, there was Kimi Omoi, if you want to count it as sappy love ballad, but it wasn't intended as a proper release.
So saying she didn't evolve just isn't true. If you like it or not is something totally different
But as a random notice, I was quite surprised, how many recent songs there were at those Top 15 songs list some people posted here.
Just shows, that her current work isn't as badly received as it seems to be sometimes.

And btw No.2.
Maybe someone wondered, that I said I like every song on WOML even though I said in the past I didn't like HOTEL. As a standalone track I still think HOTEL is quite weak (lyrics and her husky voice in the verses mainly), but it is catchy and has a positive atmosphere, that I can listen to it in the album. It doesn't bother me that much there.

[oaristos]

Originally Posted by Corvina

Btw. I really want to know, why some of you guys think the quality of her material is worse than earlier?
I mean, if I think about her peak everybody seems to love that much... thinking about her 12 singles project e.g.- just half of the songs are actually good for me. For example Ima sugu hoshii is quite repetetive, the live arrangement made it so much better. Isn't that maybe much of nostalgia for most parts?

My thoughts exactly. I remember being a huge fan of hers back in the day (more than I am today), but I realized I don't listen to these old songs as much and, when I do, they don't sound as good to me. There are still a lot of gems in her past releases, of course.

[KarenPang]

I disagree that Kuu doesn't have great songs after her music peak . In fact some of the songs she released in recent years , I find myself listening to them a lot more considerably than her older works

I dislike Kingdom but I like TRICK . UNIVERSE to me was bad (the way it was packaged/marketed together with a best album didn't helped) , Deja Vu was OK but I enjoy JAPONESQUE , Bon Voyage & WOML tremendously

WOML had tons of dislike when it was 1st released but I'm the rare few that really like it when I 1st heard it & like what Marika said , this's 1 Kuu album that I never skipped a single song from start until finish

Also unlike other people , I don't agree that everything Kuu release in her discography is flawless/perfect . I wouldn't sugarcoat things if I feel she released something that's not to my liking but I'm not to the extent that I compare it with literally crap that's accompanied with 'colourful' language

Whether you're a moderate fan / super fan / stan fan , the very most you can do when you post on here is behave/post in a civil manner . You don't know how at times words really do hurt other parties intentionally or not

[ahtka-chan]

^For me, her material until KINGDOM/TRICK was very unique and inovative (in terms of japanese market). She had different songs from what we used to listen back then in the radio, and a diverse yet hamonious range of songs.

Now, the impression I have is that she buys demos in a bulk from whatever western producer, writes some random lyrics and record just to perform live. She's always been a concert oriented singer, but it seems that she cares much more about the stage now than the music itself.

I really like SHOW ME YOUR HOLLA, for example, but go to Christina Aguilera's discography and you'll find like three songs like that. She managed to sort of release music that resembled her past colors in JAPONESQUE, but even there we had generic stuff like LAY DOWN.

If I want to listen to the types of songs she releases now, I can turn on my radio and hear any Calvin Harris, Rihanna or Ariana Grande track (with a proper English pronounciation).

That's the issue for me, personally.


I respect that you guys like WOML, but from UNIVERSE to WOML, I still find the later her weakest release. And I really like Ima Sugu Hoshii, and I don't find it repetitive, just think it would've been benefited if she had include a proper rapper in the track. (Lies is repetitive, but it's still nice).

[ALfromHELLSING]

I use bad language to express myself quite often, jokes my friends & I make among each other many will find mean and I don't get upset / offended reading comments like that, I'm not 12 that's sooo not the point here. Anyways. I guess I'll just have to learn better to skip someone's comments - be like I dodged the bullet, bullet, Baby boy, we're gonna pull it. lol

As for her new material, when I first listened to WALK OF MY LIFE I was like wtf it's her worst album ever! I want my good old J-Pop back! lol Almost a year later after replaying it again it's now one of my top 5 fav albums from Kumi. I didn't like new material from SUMMER of LOVE either the first time I've heard it, however, it was On And On that made me fall in love with her new music direction / style and made me wanna give another try to WOML & SOL. I effin' love this song & lyrics. Now I definitely see her new material as strong as her old if not stronger and the evolution of her music. I personally don't miss kawaii songs, I can live without new With your smile songs but I still want my cheesy ballads.

[Luck16]

I still appreciate her latest releases but it didn't have as much impact on me as her older ones. I didn't listen BON VOYAGE (it's probably her worst album for me) or WOML that much, they were pretty meh imo

Her voice tends to get nasal really easily and it seems in some of her newer songs she loses control of her voice and it really distracts me. I love DITR for example but everytime she screams RAAAAAAAAAAIN I get chills down my spine lol when she "talks-raps" she can get really nasal too (and she's being doing it a lot also in her latest songs).

I love her voice, specially her lower tones, falsettos and vibratos (unlike Ayu's which can bother me at specific times too). Songs like Kiseki, WALK OF MY LIFE and hands are masterpieces because she doesn't go off with her voice there. To me that's where she truly shines.

[Corvina]

Originally Posted by Luck16

I still appreciate her latest releases but it didn't have as much impact on me as her older ones. I didn't listen BON VOYAGE (it's probably her worst album for me) or WOML that much, they were pretty meh imo

Her voice tends to get nasal really easily and it seems in some of her newer songs she loses control of her voice and it really distracts me. I love DITR for example but everytime she screams RAAAAAAAAAAIN I get chills down my spine lol when she "talks-raps" she can get really nasal too (and she's being doing it a lot also in her latest songs).

She's definitely exploring how she can use her voice, that's true. But for me it seems she's doing that on purpose and not that she's losing control.
In DITR she IS screaming in the chorus. But imo it fits the strentgh and anger, literaly screaming her sadness she's singing about in the face. It's at least not unpleasent to listen to.
Sometimes her experimentation works (also e.g. in Lippy), sometimes not ( e.g. in HOTEL).
But I can totally see, why it is off putting for some fans.

[a❤martian]

I do agree that her albums became less cohesive over the years. But, I would credit that to her growing and wanting to try new sounds. She has been going to hit makers to get these different sounds, but you know she puts the effort into making them her own. Re writing lyrics, producing basically everything. Her effort and enjoyment are obviously there. Her happiness and resulting confidence are all over everything she does.

[Corvina]

Hm?
I don't know, what you're reading there in my post?
Maybe I took some wrong phrases.
Cause I'm not personally offended and I also never said that. I just want people here to look out how they discuss something. As I really appreciate a nice discussion about anything, liking and not liking. So yes, I'd have liked to hear from Zeke, why he thinks that.Even though I prefer it without swearing as it's just not necessary. And no, there won't be a big problem, when Zeke or anybody else posts is strong language, even if I don't like it.
Actually it doesn't really affect me long after I've read it. It's just a forum.
But yes, it took some time to get to that point for me.

(And btw. calling Kuu a queen or going over how awesome she is an so on in an exaggerated way is also something I don't fancy that much, if we're at it
)

[orbitalaspect]

Originally Posted by Corvina

Hm?
I don't know, what you're reading there in my post?
Maybe I took some wrong phrases.
Cause I'm not personally offended and I also never said that. I just want people here to look out how they discuss something. As I really appreciate a nice discussion about anything, liking and not liking. So yes, I'd have liked to hear from Zeke, why he thinks that.Even though I prefer it without swearing as it's just not necessary. And no, there won't be a big problem, when Zeke or anybody else posts is strong language, even if I don't like it.
Actually it doesn't really affect me long after I've read it. It's just a forum.
But yes, it took some time to get to that point for me.

(And btw. calling Kuu a queen or going over how awesome she is an so on in an exaggerated way is also something I don't fancy that much, if we're at it
)

You said in the part I quoted that you're a pretty emotional person and have been offended in the past, and asked that someone be sensitive to other people who aren't friends (meaning people who aren't used to the way Zeke words things). Whether I read that wrong or it was worded poorly, it read extremely self-centered and fragile. You don't come off like the type of person that expects everyone to think of you before they share an opinion, so that's why that whole quote caught me by surprise. And I don't want to see the people on AHS who are over-sensitive and self-centered feel encouraged to gang up on Zeke or anyone else, as they frequently do, because they feel entitled to decide how opinions are shared. I've shrunk back so much from sharing my thoughts on AHS, and so many people have left AHS altogether, because of this hypersensitive nonsense.

Sure, it's rude to call Koda's music complete shit. But it's still an opinion that has nothing to do with you, or me, or anyone who feels otherwise. So, even if it's derogatory, or uses language you don't feel is necessary, it's not a statement targeting you or anyone. It's just an opinion, expressed with whatever emotions Zeke or whoever else has at the moment. I could agree if someone posted about Koda being a whore or a slut or making other personal attacks, but I'm so exhausted with the circle jerk of people who think the world has to be sensitive to their feelings. It doesn't. It's not going to be, either online or offline.

As long as we're on the same page with that, I'm fine. I just think it's ridiculous to see the outrage over an opinion people don't like. It's so infantile, so childish, and just damn immature. And we're all adults! That's the worst aspect of this whole shebang!

[Zeke.]

Here we go.

I can understand the frustration behind stating your opinion but not providing the thought process that got you to that point. I'm the same way when it comes to praise; it's not enough for me to hear someone say they like something - Hell it's not enough for me to even accept that fact that I myself like something, I always run somewhat of an analysis on every aspect of a track when it makes a positive impact on me, and reference those details when marveling over it in public forum or real-life discussion.

However, I don't derive as much satisfaction over detailing everything about a track that I dislike, because it's usually for rather simple reasons (whereas my reasons for liking something I feel are often-times complex). Diving into the reasons why a track is good is much more fun because I always feel like I am trying to point out the things that I've discovered in a piece, helping to give recognition to what might otherwise go unnoticed. In that sense, I feel you can ease someone into liking a track, almost like opening the veil hanging over their eyes that prevents them from "seeing" the song clearly (I'm especially pushy in this way when it comes to tracks i used to hate, because there have been tracks I have despised in the past, or felt had little to offer, but upon "seeing" portions of the track I never saw before, I come to enjoy it, and often feel if I can reveal those portions to others, they will come to like it too.) On the flip side, no matter what I "point out" about a track someone else likes that I despise, they will never come to suddenly dislike it for the very same reasons. So I tend to compress all my hate for it into a short and decisive statement.

Originally Posted by Corvina

I'd have liked to hear from Zeke, why he thinks that.

As for my reasons why I feel so disappointed in her music since ages, ahtka-chan pretty much said it all:

Originally Posted by ahtka-chan

She had different songs from what we used to listen back then in the radio . . .

Now, the impression I have is that she buys demos in a bulk from whatever western producer . . .

If I want to listen to the types of songs she releases now, I can turn on my radio and hear any Calvin Harris, Rihanna or Ariana Grande track . . .

I'll go one step further and add that the type of music Kumi seemed to excel at in the past (R&B, urban, etc.) was the type of music I completely loathed in America. Despite it being all over the airwaves at the time, I could stomach the stuff Kumi released; it was different - not merely a copycat of what I was being bombarded with over my home-country's radiowaves, so in that sense it felt very fresh to me. Then she started releasing energetic-dance songs, which I have had a love for since early childhood, and of course I felt drawn to those tracks as well. On top of that, I love her cutesy songs - for me, these "happy-go-lucky" tracks, when released by Kumi, were better than any other J-pop artist's attempts at tackling similar songs. She really had it all for me.

Now, as mentioned, her tracks are just very poor renditions of what's heard on American mainstream radio, which I really have a strong disliking for. So really, her stuff is worse than the stuff I already hate.

[Corvina]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Here we go.

I can understand the frustration behind stating your opinion but not providing the thought process that got you to that point. I'm the same way when it comes to praise; it's not enough for me to hear someone say they like something - Hell it's not enough for me to even accept that fact that I myself like something, I always run somewhat of an analysis on every aspect of a track when it makes a positive impact on me, and reference those details when marveling over it in public forum or real-life discussion.

However, I don't derive as much satisfaction over detailing everything about a track that I dislike, because it's usually for rather simple reasons (whereas my reasons for liking something I feel are often-times complex). Diving into the reasons why a track is good is much more fun because I always feel like I am trying to point out the things that I've discovered in a piece, helping to give recognition to what might otherwise go unnoticed. In that sense, I feel you can ease someone into liking a track, almost like opening the veil hanging over their eyes that prevents them from "seeing" the song clearly (I'm especially pushy in this way when it comes to tracks i used to hate, because there have been tracks I have despised in the past, or felt had little to offer, but upon "seeing" portions of the track I never saw before, I come to enjoy it, and often feel if I can reveal those portions to others, they will come to like it too.) On the flip side, no matter what I "point out" about a track someone else likes that I despise, they will never come to suddenly dislike it for the very same reasons. So I tend to compress all my hate for it into a short and decisive statement.

As for my reasons why I feel so disappointed in her music since ages, ahtka-chan pretty much said it all:


I'll go one step further and add that the type of music Kumi seemed to excel at in the past (R&B, urban, etc.) was the type of music I completely loathed in America. Despite it being all over the airwaves at the time, I could stomach the stuff Kumi released; it was different - not merely a copycat of what I was being bombarded with over my home-country's radiowaves, so in that sense it felt very fresh to me. Then she started releasing energetic-dance songs, which I have had a love for since early childhood, and of course I felt drawn to those tracks as well. On top of that, I love her cutesy songs - for me, these "happy-go-lucky" tracks, when released by Kumi, were better than any other J-pop artist's attempts at tackling similar songs. She really had it all for me.

Now, as mentioned, her tracks are just very poor renditions of what's heard on American mainstream radio, which I really have a strong disliking for. So really, her stuff is worse than the stuff I already hate.

Ah, alright, so you're unlucky she got more urban again in the past years. Which is interesting, as I can't imagine songs like DITR or WOML or even HOTEL being played in the radio here. But I'm from Germany and even though we are influenced by the american market, we also have British and German pop, electronic music and rock bands making big impact.
Besides I don't listen frequently to the radio and so I'm pretty slow with adapting new music trends here, so most of the time I don't even know that well, what's mainstream here. Which definitely is an advantage over you guys, when I hear that's your problem with some music.
But I think it's funny - some say Kuu got too western mainstream with electronic dance songs, some say she's too mainstream with urban. She's a pop artist, she is a mainstream artist. She always was a western influneced artist, she herself loves urban the most. And that's also a personal preference for her fans, what they like most from her as she's so versatile.
But thanks for answering, Zeke!

@thinkingoutloud89:
It's stylized as feel, so probably no.
And no. 4 most probably is Lado Go! as it's so popular. She likely didn't perform it last year as it's not an a-side on Moon. But not surprised people wanted to see it.

[ahtka-chan]

Originally Posted by Corvina

She's a pop artist, she is a mainstream artist. She always was a western influneced artist, she herself loves urban the most. And that's also a personal preference for her fans, what they like most from her as she's so versatile.

I don't agree with your point here. It's not because an artist is mainstream that he/she has to release music that mimics the current trend. She always has been a mainstream artist, but back in the day she had a good performance critic/chart wise and didn't need to release western sounding songs. We had Get It On, Koi No Tsubomi, Color of Soul, this is not a love song, Heat... songs from different albums that show a huge versatility, color and not something we heard on music channels and radios.

Kyary is a huge artist and her discography in no way resembles what we listen to the radio nowadays. Bjork is another good example. For me, Kumi going to the westen urban/pop route is her losing her uniqueness.

[kaled kalil]

@sora-kara I don't remember this performance, do you have an idea of in what year it was? For some ballads she does take the ear piece off, but it's usually for shows like MUSIC FAIR and others that have the speakers in front of her.

[VegetaLove]

Random misc question:
Does anyone know a site/forum/whatever where I can watch or download KK PVs? I'd been using jpopSuki but it's been down

[kumis]

Originally Posted by VegetaLove

Random misc question:
Does anyone know a site/forum/whatever where I can watch or download KK PVs? I'd been using jpopSuki but it's been down

What do you mean JPS is down? It's been working perfectly for me