New Jihen album: Dai Hakken [2011.06.29]

[lazer85]

Wow, so an album with...what, 5 commercial tie ins before its release.....I can not wait. Definitely a hater. I can't lie, I'm curious, but the only thing that will make me EXCITED about this release is if a band member directly offers me a free ticket to see them and is incredibly fun to talk to in the process.



I have to admit I totally love the way the softer Sora ga naiteru sounds....and I don't hate this new song either. But I'm just so unimpressed with all their decisions it's effecting my appreciation of the music which is not impressive enough to withstand said disappointment. Maybe if every single song on this album has a commercial tie in and they never do one again I can forgive them.

[TurtleFu]

lolwut? You're mad not about the music, but about the commercial tie-ins? That's new.

So I guess you're part of "An artist should starve for their music" camp?

I don't these sorts of things have the Western stigma or "selling out" in Japan. Shiina's popularity has gone down a little, so they try and get more people to hear her music through these sorts of things.

On the other hand, it may not even be up to Shiina. It may be EMI's decision. They are, after all, her label, and labels are in charge of promotion.

[Tokyo Jihad]

Originally Posted by TurtleFu

lolwut? You're mad not about the music, but about the commercial tie-ins? That's new.

It's actually a common complaint. I'm sure she was quite hungry when selling 2 million records with songs that weren't written as jingles.

[justriiingo]

Oh Jihad.

[TurtleFu]

"Songs Written as Jingles"

We actually don't know if the tie-in songs were specifically written to tie-in. After all, that's not usually how it works in Japan. The only exception I can think of is Ariamaru Tomi and Heisei Fuuzoku, because in both cases the director asked Shiina to write a song. But in both cases that didn't diminish their artistic work. I remember reading that Ariamaru Tomi got good reception, even on EMF.
As for Dopamint! (which I think is what you are directly referring to), the song itself has nothing to do with gum, it doesn't mention Glico or anything like that. Isn't it just as likely that she wrote the song and chose it as the tie-in? After all, we have no idea how many songs Shiina has written but never released.

[Tokyo Jihad]

It's called "Dopamint!" for chrissakes. Sure, the title may have come after the fact, but to title your song for a commercial, that's just ludicrous. When Dopamint and Tengoku e came out, what else was the band doing? What else were they promoting? Just those products. Those songs were released to sell gum and whatever else. It is plain to see. Ariamaru Tomi was at least a single leading up to SG, not a digital single separated by a year from the album it happened to be included on.

In Seiteki Healing, Shiina mocked this kind of behavior.

[lazer85]

Was she starving when I respected her?

Jihad basically made my argument.

I am not in the camp that believes a musicians personality shouldn't affect how you see their art. The decisions they make put the art in a different context and this is not the context I want to listen to music in. I could forgive it if it were here and there. But I feel no shame burning an album that has made money so many other ways. I bought every full-length album up until now and I can honestly say I'm done even if the music gets interesting again, I don't plan on giving them another dime, Glico already paid my part.

[kuro_neko]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Jihad

In Seiteki Healing, Shiina mocked this kind of behavior.

I've always wondered what is the deal with all the tie-ins, because as far as I can tell Ringo and the boys are not in need of the money.

it makes viewing the seiteki healing parodies kind of odd, either ringo was having fun mocking that but secretly enjoying it, or she has really changed.

it is kind of ridiculous that they have had 5 commercial tie-on songs. I mean one is bad enough, but 5?

are there any amano tsukiko fans out there? whenever I feel kinda bad about ringo I just look at what she is doing right now and immediately feel better.

somewhere YUKI is standing laughing, putting them all to shame. 6 solo albums in and she is still churning out quality work.

I kinda get the impression the japanese music scene has been turning to shit. the us scene has been crap for a while, so all eyes on europe for continuing to provide the interesting muzak.

[Tokyo Jihad]

Originally Posted by kuro_neko

I've always wondered what is the deal with all the tie-ins, because as far as I can tell Ringo and the boys are not in need of the money.

Yes! Right??

[Nimh]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Jihad

Yes! Right??

Shiina doesn't need the money. But maybe the rest of the band could use a few million, and they can't do it without her.

Should she tell the band "Hey, I'm stinking rich fellas, but I'm not going to lift a finger to help you get rich, because, you know, I HAVE INTEGRITY."