Favourite/Least Liked Shiina Ringo/TJ ballad?

[fluffiethesock]

I'm pretty sure Kaban no Nakami is a ballad, so I'm voting for it. ZAP!

[Inaudible-Whisper]

Shuukyou if it counts, by a mile. Then Odaiji ni and Rakujitsu. Least favourite is Gibs which I'd class as a power ballad. Like merman, I recognise it as a good song but it's really not my thing, or at least not the type of thing I want out of Shiina. And then naturally Superstar would have to follow because it's a poor mans Gibs.

[merman]

Oh yeah, Superstar, the one I skip most often.

[digdad]

Would 17 be considered a ballad? It definitely has the emotion and sentimental quality going for it.

I'm changing my favorite SR ballad from Onaji ni to 17.

[merman]

I would call it so.
To correct you, and I don't mean to sound like a grammar nazi or something, it's not Onaji ni but Odaiji ni (means "get well soon"... you say that to a sick person). Onaji is "same".

[so_cold]

17 is my most played ballad according to iTunes, and this thread makes me want to write a How To Adore Gips post in the hope of converting anyone who finds it boring J-pop but my vote goes to Juwaki no Naka (demo) It's just Shiina, her piano and her voice, and it seems with every chord she plays there's an unbearably lovely and sad note in there somewhere. The lyrics are so disarmed, and it's incongrous that "I feel blue somehow...I'm ready to cry" should resurface in So Cold, of all places!

For TJ, I love Rakujitsu too. As Osiris says it sounds blissful, but Frecklegirl's translation shows that the words are so sad...(?)

[LoverlyBijouu]

Hate Superstar.
Love Yume no Ato and Tegami (if its a ballad?)

[s3r3nity]

Kao by Tokyo Jihen, would that be a ballad? I really like it, I think the engrish actually adds to it.

[kuro_neko]

karada by jihen. I'm listening to it right now just to confirm why I dislike it so much. I just...the lyrics to the horrible fucking piano and guitar, its just, not what I want ringo singing. there isn't anything offensive about the song, from another artist it would be acceptable, but it just doesn't suit ringo and hearing her sing it just kind of makes me cringe.

I think we need to specify what a ballad is because a lot of songs being listed aren't ones I'd necessarily call a ballad.

and I'd say on a whole that ringo's better ballads tend to be with Jihen. From ekimae to tegami to put your camera down, they are all really good. anyone noticed how similar ekimae and killer tune are? it is just in the chorus for the most part, I think it is a combination of her vocal part and the piano in ekimae contrasted with the vocal and either piano or guitar in killer tune. I never realized it until I just heard them both back to back, kind of interesting.

but seriously, the phase 1 ballads/b-sides were EPIC. I mean I listen to Dynamite and I'm like WHERE DID YOU GOOOOOOO. If Ringo's new single is really commercial and plastic she better make up for it by releasing some more epic Jihen music in the vein of Dynamite. I want an entire cd of Brenda Lee covers.

[miffunevii]

Rakujitsu