Still follow, but don't purchase anything
Ringo can be frustrating to follow for sure, but the occasional gems make up for the lackluster releases. For the lack of surprises, Reimport 2 was her most cohesive, consistent release since Sanmon Gossip. Even if a song like Jinsei ha Yume Darake didn't reinvent the wheel, it was her most fun song in a while, and for me had a certain emotional resonance. The grunge-style Otona no Okite even hearkened back to her earlier days (and also made me wonder why it didn't deserve a place on Reimport 2...) But like I said, with Ringo it's give-and-take...
Mainly I'm still holding out for her next bona fide studio album release, which I'm dreading will be another pseudo-compilation a la SUNNY given the duds that were Menuki Doori and Shijou no Jinsei. With her 20th anniversary upcoming, here's to hoping she's feeling generous this year.
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