the official thread 12 "utada hikaru

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by GRACE

This era, in my opinion, had one too many double A-sides, it really bogs down the album with tracks that the listener has already heard. One is fine, but 2 was pushing it. Stay Gold wasn't A-side material, it should have been a B-side on the Heart Station single, and not included on the album, after all, what purpose is there to buy the single if the tracks are just going to be on the album? It was a stupid marketing strategy.

1. Out of 4 singles, there are only 2 double A-side. So I dun think there're too many. On the other hand, we can say there are too few album songs this time.

2. I guess you dun really remember. She put all her B-sides into albums. B&C, Kettobase!, and even Hiyatochiri (except it's a remix version). Therefore, even if she had treated Stay Gold as a B-side, she would eventually put this song into HS. It's not a stupid marketing stretegy. It's more likely the artists' preferences.

[Luv ~Venus~]

^I think she should have broken away from her usual 12 to 13 tracks rountine. =/ After just really thinking about, she DID release too many songs for the album. She should just released Stay Gold or added a couple of new tracks+DVD to at least give an extra incentive to buy her album. LORD knows, she should have released a DVD with Deep River and ULTRA BLUE.

[bluegie]

No, I think it's more stupid to put 2 FOL in the album instead. If she didn't include the original version, then we would be given 6 new songs (instead of 5). Honestly I think 6 album songs are acceptable. Looking at her past releases, she always have around 5 or 6 songs already included in the album.

Also, like you've mentioned, I think people may not complain that much if she separate the single songs instead of piling them together. But then I haven't listened to the album yet and I have a feelin that the order she put the songs makes the album flow better..

Interesting I find out that if people like ULTRA BLUE, then they dun really like this album.

So I guess I will like this album, since I dun like UB... LMAO (well hopefully it's true.. cuz UB to me is quite boring).

Originally Posted by Ayulover_06

But you know, I used to say the same thing, that interludes were pointless and were just taking up space on the album, but I learned from fellow users that they serve as transitioners and are very important at times. Besides, some of them have very groovey sounds to them

It's funny that I love most of hikki's interlude (except Eclipse..), but I hate ayu's interlude. I always know these music melodies serve as transitioners. At the same time I find it's weird to see hikki put the interlude to the very end of the album. Except this latest album, we hear Interlude just before Give Me A Reason, Bridge before Hikari, and Eclipse before Passion. What is so important about the transitions between the second last and the last song in hikki's world?

And I only like ayu's intro, not interlude... but all her interludes sound the same to me..

[Luv ~Venus~]

^I luv you! Don't get me wrong, I like ULTRA BLUE but it was her worst album to date. I mean, I like some of the tracks (I DESPISE KAIRO! ) but I really have to be in the mood to listen to that album. UB makes me sleepy too. O: I just was all into Ultra Blue overall tho. It was too big of transition from R&B/pop to Etheral/pop to me. I have a feelin' that when I hear the album, I AM GOING TO BE ADDICTED TO IT!

[[kokoro♥]]

If she does a "Heart Station" tour instead of an "American Second Album" tour I'm going to be pissed.

[Luv ~Venus~]

^Oh! She said that she is considering of doin' a HEART STATION tour after she finishes her english album. I can't wait. hehehehe

[[kokoro♥]]

^ I'm not Japanese. Like I'm going to see that tour D=<
I WANT HER IN AMERICA PROMOTING THAT NEW ALBUM.

Come play me a personal Show Hikki T^T

[Luv ~Venus~]

I know what you mean. I think she did a showcase in New York when she was promoting Exodus. I don't know how that faired and I'm suprised that no video of the showcase has yet to surface on the internet. All there was, was a pic of her singing in a black dress which was F-U-G-L-Y! Strange.

[AyUta]

^ LOL I remember that. It looked so funny She was like, RAWR!!! with her hand raised at her sides xDDD

Originally Posted by [taskin.ayu]

It's a decent album. I quite like the new tracks. The things that bother me are the huge SLAB of single tracks. It's kinda annoying. I think ALL artists, (not just Utada) should stop with the double a-sides. What happened to albums where there were more album tracks that single tracks? O_O

I agree with you there. They were all put together in one big part and I had to skip through four tracks(I think) to get to the newer ones. That's why I personally like the American system better because they have so many new songs on their albums when they are released. But then again, I don't like how slow it is here in American I think Ayu spoiled me rotten xD

All artists should stop placing their singles on their albums! ><; Maybe one or two but not all kinds...

I definitely agree with everyone about block of singles stuck together. I think it would've been a more interesting listen if they were broken up more. Of course I've already made a new track listing as well as a new cover for my iTunes :

宇多田ヒカル
HEART STATION

01. Fight the Blues
02. Nijiiro Basu
03. HEART STATION
04. Prisoner of Love
05. Kiss & Cry
06. Stay Gold
07. Gentle Beast Interlude
08. Celebrate
09. Beautiful World
10. Flavor of Life -Ballad Version-
11. Boku wa Kuma
12. Teiku 5

I also edited "Teiku 5" so that it just slowly fades out instead of the abrupt stop. It sounds much better that way! And I think the album flows much better the way I've put it together!

[cloud♥honey]

'HEART STATION' sounds pretty american-ish. I think her american album will be like that. And I'm sure there will be a 'Celebrate' and a 'Fight The Blues' track in it. I'm totally sure.

For me the perfect tracklist for HEART STATION would be:

01. Flavor Of Life -Ballad Version-
02. Fight The Blues
03. HEART STATION
04. 虹色バス (Niji-Iro BUS)
05. Gentle Beast Interlude
06. Celebrate
07. Prisoner Of Love
08. Stay Gold
09. Flavor Of Life
10. Kiss & Cry
11. テイク 5 (Take 5)
12. ぼくはくま (Boku wa Kuma)
13. Beautiful World

And yes! I think that the end of 'Take 5' was totally brilliant. I love it a lot. And it goes fastly to 'Boku wa Kuma'.

[Luv ~Venus~]

Originally Posted by dddaiyamondo

I definitely agree with everyone about block of singles stuck together. I think it would've been a more interesting listen if they were broken up more. Of course I've already made a new track listing as well as a new cover for my iTunes :

宇多田ヒカル
HEART STATION

01. Fight the Blues
02. Nijiiro Basu
03. HEART STATION
04. Prisoner of Love
05. Kiss & Cry
06. Stay Gold
07. Gentle Beast Interlude
08. Celebrate
09. Beautiful World
10. Flavor of Life -Ballad Version-
11. Boku wa Kuma
12. Teiku 5

I also edited "Teiku 5" so that it just slowly fades out instead of the abrupt stop. It sounds much better that way! And I think the album flows much better the way I've put it together!

OMG! That's such a bright idea. I gonna do waht you did and rearrange the tracklist and I'll remeber to dl the Take 5 extented version. I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY COPY! YAY! YAY! YAY!

@Cloud: You think so?! Hmm....I was hoping that it'll sound more Exdous again. I think if many Americans had heard that album that they really would have liked it.

Originally Posted by Luv ~Venus~

OMG! That's such a bright idea. I gonna do waht you did and rearrange the tracklist and I'll remeber to dl the Take 5 extented version. I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY COPY! YAY! YAY! YAY!

Thanks! I feel kinda guilty for editing the album, but this really making me like it even more. That's the brilliance of iTunes playlists

[bluegie]

It's ok to edit the order of the tracklist , as long as you feel the new one flows better .

[KarenPang]

I realise Utada has joined Ken Hirai & otsuka ai onboard in that almost 1/2 the HS album has been released prior to the announcement of the album . The same thing happened with Ken's latest release & otsuka's LOVE PiECE .

it's difficult to say that whether is it a good or bad thing . Good in the sense that at least they do not exclude any singles that they have released before unlike Yuna Ito's HEART where she left out stuck on you .

bad in the sense that there's a lack of new material but you have to know that making an album takes a lot outta you so it depends on how you see it .

To me , a tiny complain is that Utada should not have included the original version of FOL since everyone practically knows the ballad version & are prob not familiar with the original . She should have included another new song instead .

[OogoeDiamond]

5 new songs are less but album is not that bad I think it will be...I like "Prisoner of love and Take 5 (the ending is that wierd or we have corupted file?) Gentle Beast Interlude is nice too! It is too bad they stick in singles song with it but the new songs are so nice too!

[KarenPang]

Originally Posted by karakotomia

5 new songs are less but album is not that bad I think it will be...I like "Prisoner of love and Take 5 (the ending is that wierd or we have corupted file?) Gentle Beast Interlude is nice too! It is too bad they stick in singles song with it but the new songs are so nice too!

yeah but I have a feeling the artistes did that so that they don't want the singles to overshadow the new songs .

Either that or they don't have the time to come up with new material .

My god , I can imagine when ayaka will release her 2nd album :O . Just imagine how many singles will be on her upcoming 2nd album :O

I wonder will she include WINDING ROAD that she did with Kobukuro hmmm

[OogoeDiamond]

If she gives all b-sides and all a-sides it will be so LOL XD
But I like in HEART STATION that Hikaru give to tracklist all singles song beacouse those are really great!

[KarenPang]

Originally Posted by karakotomia

If she gives all b-sides and all a-sides it will be so LOL XD

But I like in HEART STATION that Hikaru give to tracklist all singles song beacouse those are really great!

LOL yeah then she doesn't need to come up with somemore new songs & yup I feel that HS flows well from the start to the beginning

at least the A sides were not overshadowed by the new songs which's a good thing

[OogoeDiamond]

Booklet is nice but I think it is too simple and a little poor xD