[Utada Hikaru] ʕ•̫͡•ʔ Upcoming 2018 Album and Tour in the 57th thread ʕ•̫͡•ʔ

[Akutenshi]

Originally Posted by hayasaki

^It surely does feel like it. The whole image i get from the song feels like Hikki is scattering her mom's ashes in the sea. This song is so sad

Exactly. I almost feel like this song specifically should have been on Fantome because of how it would have fit brilliantly with it's theme and mood.

[ShiniTakashi]

This is a really solid effort all around! It doesn’t grab me the same way Fantome did at first listen, but I can see it growing on me! The last half of the album is where it’s at!

[Zeke.]

I can’t see this album having a lot of replay value. At least for me.

Whenever I put on her other albums, it’s usually proceeded by a thought such as “I want to go to that place.” This album doesn’t construct something unique enough for me to want one travel there.

[Michan]

Originally Posted by Baco__

I disagree 200% haha I would rather not have the rapping part in too proud.

When the choir sing hold me tight and never let me go, everybody needs sometime alone (of that's what they're singing lol) I feel like crying haha

I hated Too Proud too. The rap part makes me cringe.

[ahtka-chan]

Originally Posted by summerain

Is it just me or some details of "Too Proud" arrangement reminds Kyary Pamyu Pamyu songs? Besides, if Nariaki was involved in something at "Hatsukoi", it could be probably that song, it fits so much with "Bunriha no Natsu" material.

It seems Nariaki helped in Pakuchi no Uta.

Kept listening to Too Proud and Hatsukoi all day long <3

[hayasaki]

Originally Posted by Akutenshi

Exactly. I almost feel like this song specifically should have been on Fantome because of how it would have fit brilliantly with it's theme and mood.

Yes it does feel it'll fit nicely in Fantome. The lyrics has gotten me sad all morning. There's a part where she sings like "as to not drop it, i embrace it tightly. You're body that has become small."

[summerain]

Originally Posted by ahtka-chan

It seems Nariaki helped in Pakuchi no Uta.

Kept listening to Too Proud and Hatsukoi all day long <3

Makes sense, that brass section in the end is all about Nariaki.

[prussian blue]

Hatsukoi is so grand and majestic, the melody is so melancholy and contagious, and the orchestra strings really exaggerate the whole emotion of the song. Unfortunately, putting the song on the third track is kinda overshadowed by the other. I feel it should be put on the last with an interlude in front of it (just like how eclipse and passion).

PS: and the fake orchestra in Play a love song's chorus, is... urrggh i hate it so much why can they let a real orchestra do the part? I'm sure it will sound much deeper with real strings.

The album track on the other hand has not grow on me yet, I feel they are kinda bland and too much murmuring, just exactly like Fantome, which I agree with the other that it is more like a funeral music. I hope she will make some dreamy and catchy songs like in ULTRA BLUE and STAY GOLD.

[bluegie]

Oricon 2016.06.26:

初恋 - No. 1 - 78,948 copies

Not bad, I was hoping for at least 60K . While it's lower than Fantome's first day, but gotta consider that Fantome had the advantage of being her first album after hiatus.

[DeepRiver]

Originally Posted by bluegie

Oricon 2016.06.26:

初恋 - No. 1 - 78,948 copies

Not bad, I was hoping for at least 60K . While it's lower than Fantome's first day, but gotta consider that Fantome had the advantage of being her first album after hiatus.

I think its really good. There is no promo beside this poster in Japan. No Album CM ... nothing!

[Chibi-Chan]

I don't know... I find this album to be a bit boring? There is nothing that really stands out in my opinion and even though Hatsukoi could have been a great song with a very interesting melody, the "I need you" is so annyoing I just can't listen to it.

[Baco__]

So, people were asking about the tickets for the tour. I guess you can check for yourselves the crazy bureaucracy that is to get our hands in those tickets hahaa if you thought getting tickets for Namie was difficult, wait until you see what they are asking for her concert hahah

http://ticket-hikaruutada20th.com/mp/uh2018-ph-english

I received the cd today, ran to the website to do my application and my ~thing~ is still waiting for approval haha so I guess maybe tomorrow? haha

[aliceshields]

^ good luck!

[Corvina]

Originally Posted by DeepRiver

I think its really good. There is no promo beside this poster in Japan. No Album CM ... nothing!

She has billboards and ads up, she has a documentary airing today centered about the new album, her single songs have tie-ins, the album has a ticket application card for her new tour... promo and gimmick is there.
The numbers are nice for these days.

[Baco__]

I agree the promotion is nothing near Finally, but I've seen pretty big billboards in shinjuku when I was in Tokyo this weekend that were promoting her album. One of them was repeating a real long promo, including excerpts from all of her singles basically. And the fact that she is touring for the first time in TWELVE years is gimmick enough to make people buy the album, I hope hahaha it sold just a little less then Fantôme. I believe in Hikki haha

[Meat Pao]

Originally Posted by prussian blue

PS: and the fake orchestra in Play a love song's chorus, is... urrggh i hate it so much why can they let a real orchestra do the part? I'm sure it will sound much deeper with real strings.

Haha I know what you mean Many times the presence of synthesised instrumentation in Hikki's songs gets really jarring for me, especially with drums — the ones in Nokoriga and Fantome's Kouya no Ookami sound like generic Garageband drum loops straight out the box lol. Some of her older works sound like Garageband instruments that had at least been tampered with in some way.

[summerain]

I like the synthetized works of her. I understand the disliking of these aestethics (when I was young, I really hated most of 80s music because of that), but nowadays I'm in peace with it.

I love those "noises" during second part verses of "Play A Love Song", everything is on place for me.

Oh, talking about sales, here is Fantôme's first week performance on Oricon Charts:
Day 1: 87,088
Day 2: 49,728
Day 3: 27,782
Day 4: 25,038
Day 5: 28,889
Day 6: 32,065

Total : 250,590

[ahtka-chan]

I love those weird chants/backing vocals near the end of Play A Love Song. But that's the only thing I like in that song. I could've lived without this song.

Some interesting facts about the songs in the album, according to Hikki herself:
- “Chikai”: Utada received an offer to write the theme song for Kingdom Hearts III not long after releasing “Fantôme”. While Utada initially thought she was on-empty post-Fantôme, she was surprised at how easily ideas came bubbling up. “Chikai,” “Oozora,” “Forevermore” and “Anata” were all written during this creative spurt. famed drummer Chris Dave and “Chikai”: Upon the theme song trailer release for KH3, Utada heard reaction saying “I don’t understand the rhythm” and “what kind of beat is this?” Made Utada realize that something which seemed like a very simple + normal groove line for her wasn’t necessarily heard that way by others. Feels like if Chris Dave hadn’t been involved, the song would not have have succeeded since the beat was so tricky and nuanced

- “Pakuchii no Uta”: Utada had been stewing on it for around 10 years. She believes it was written around the same time as her iconic “Boku wa Kuma”

- “Yuunagi”: The song was originally to be included on Fantôme but Utada wasn’t happy with the writing. Debated whether or not to omit on “Hatsukoi” as well. Utada took herself back to the mindset of “Ningyo” in order to complete the track. “Yuunagi” contains allusions to the sea, and she considers it as a sequel of sorts to “Ningyo”.

- “Shitto saserubeki jinsei”: Because the track came out with such scale and weight, Utada wanted to write lyrics about a “Supreme Love”. Utada considers it a personal yet fictitious sort of novel. When thinking about a “Supreme Love,” she landed on the idea of a love that ends in death

- “Nokoriga”: Utada struggled a lot with the lyrics, so much so that she thought of giving up on Japanese and writing it in English. The breakthrough came when she thought of the line “kata wo sagasu” (For your warm shoulder, I search) whilst taking a bath

- Overall, Utada considers this to be an album about beginnings and endings. She thinks it carries a different sort of weight than Fantôme, but thinks it’s her most power-filled album yet

From: Ublog

[Mr. Talkin2myself]

Originally Posted by Chibi-Chan

I don't know... I find this album to be a bit boring? There is nothing that really stands out in my opinion and even though Hatsukoi could have been a great song with a very interesting melody, the "I need you" is so annyoing I just can't listen to it.

Yeah! I got the same impression. The album in its whole is very monotonous. I don’t dislike the songs, some stand more out to me than others, but I feel Fantôme was way stronger!

[Maemi]

This must be her most boring album in the whole discography... for some strange reason, everything sounds - lifeless? Haha it's weird.