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Old 2010.02.19, 11:48 PM   #151
kuro_neko
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I kind of read over that interview a bit and it reminded me about the fact that this entire phase has a concept much like any other does. I can't help but feel that the dislike for the style of music has a bit to do with what they band was actually going for. They were striving for a thrilling and active style of music which incorporated your entire body. So pop music makes sense. It might sound new or strange for Jihen to release an album that might come from your typical jpop artist, but the entire concept was to incorporate your entire self into the music, all your experiences in daily live, physically and sonically, into the music. So groove, funk, jazz, rnb, soul, etc etc, it makes sense to all be incorporated somehow (it appeals to your body). At one point they talk about Ringo's vocals and she mentions how in the same manner that the band members use both hands while playing an instrument, she placed a lot of focus on her body and how she used it and her voice while making this album, and that for her is what the concept behind Sports is about. Its too bad there isn't more translated interviews about the album's concept floating around because I think its really enlightening as far as the creative choices they made.

Izawa was impressed in particular with Ringo's vocal take on Noriki. Izawa mentions that he was both impressed with Izawa's piano on Season Sayonara and with his keys on FOUL.

also, the end is kind of interesting because they talk about how more than ever this album represents connecting a listener physically and in spirit with the music, its a total body experience, and in that way its almost anti-consumption (in terms of being played on radio and casually consumed by a mass audience). the interview ends with all three members pretty much saying they have never understood people who consume music (ringo says she hates it) and they pretty much agree that they don't understand people who purchase music for its popularity or nostalgia factor, but rather music they treasure and that stands up against the test of time, something they would want to own 20 years from now etc. kind of interesting message considering recent things said about Jihen, I think (and also interesting considering the way some of use consume and listen to their music...)
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Old 2010.02.20, 12:30 AM   #152
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To justriiingo: I made my comment based on my instinctive understanding of the word professional as meaning: "matching/exceeding certain standard of skill or behaviour". Applied to music, my initial reaction would be, if a piece of music is not performed off-tune, off-time, etc.

Of course, this kind of breaks down if the music is intentionally 'off-tune' in the name of aethestics, creativity etc. For example, Indonesian gamelan music sounds really dissonant to me, and I would have great difficulty in judging the professionalism of any particular performance of it.

In any case, professionalism is related to some kind of 'standard' or 'expectation'. One way to come up with a reference point for a standard is by way of comparison with something like 'generic pop'. I'd argue that most stuff that gets played on the radio have at least reached a certain standard. An example of something that is not prefessional would be the performances of our choir at church.

My interpretation of the word may not be complete, accurate. I am open to your thoughts. The following is the Merriam-Webster entry on 'professional'
1 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession b : engaged in one of the learned professions c (1) : characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace
2 a : participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer> b : having a particular profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier> c : engaged in by persons receiving financial return <professional football>
3 : following a line of conduct as though it were a profession <a professional patriot>
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Old 2010.02.20, 06:04 AM   #153
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Ikiru
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Striking opening. There's a few things I really like, such as the Ukizawa vocals which give the slightly demonic, haunting quality; while there's more things I dislike...the Killer Tune parallels, and at several points Ringo being the aurally-offensive member of the band.

I understand why the song becomes happier at 2:35, which establishes that we're not going into a moody Adult/KZK territory, buuut at the same time that's where the song loses it. Should have gone straight to Denpa instead. It's such a pity, because this song had real potential but I'd be fooling myself for liking this JUST because it's vaguely experimental and we've been deprived of that for a while. Could be brilliant live though.

Denpa Tsushin ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
There's so much to like about this song -- the drum opening, the synth, the way the band aggressively descends into 'pop oblivion' during the chorus... the song is a tad juvenile (I'll always hear "Leaving school for COLLEGE! Moving out to COLLEGE!") but ALL the elements work together well it's so damn irresistable. "Catch me, catch me..."

Season Sayonara ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
The melody has that nostalgic, rainy Petrolz quality to it, which is what was sorely missing from Variety, even with the Petrolz hand-me-downs. Unfortunately, also has that Uki-composition problem of sounding like it should have ended AGES ago, and as such, that familar feeling of the empty Variety starts to creep up on you. COULD have been good, but should have been more dynamic or something as to avoid being trod on by Denpa Tsushin, which is the superior pop song.


Kachi Ikusa ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
I've changed my mind about this song. Doesn't redeem the lull that Sayonara Season began. Add half a star for the bridge.

FOUL ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
FOUL would work as a great Service/Kabuki if that song type was relevant in the post-Adult world of Shiina Ringo/Tokyo Jihen. I liked the contrast with the harmonica at the beginning/end. People will inevitably dismiss it as Crawl/BBQueen offspring, but this song is definitely more replayable (As in, you'd actually replay it once) and you have the dual Ringo-Ukigumo setup spitting phonetically-harmonic lyrics that give the song 'bite' (It's also vaguely Byoushou Public) The nasty guitar is very fun here.

This song would work during an intense game of rock, paper, scissors. Best out of three? That's not F.A.I.RAAAAAARGH!

Utenkekkou ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Nearly Futabocchi Jikan done right. Is cutesy, but has an air of wistfullness and melancholy about it, and combined with the harmonies, it does Katamari Damacy proud =P

Last edited by Scribble R : 2010.02.20 at 12:20 PM. Reason: Mistakez
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Old 2010.02.20, 11:54 AM   #154
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Originally Posted by nayth View Post
this is drawings I've done while listening it's kind of a graphic review :
My graphic review !
Nayth, as a synethesia 'sufferer', I have to say you representation is pretty damn awesome. I wish more people did that. I feel the need to join you ;]

The copy I have appears to be a reasonable quality, although not perfect, obviously. But it doesn't detract at all.

....I love this album. There are a few songs I don't really care for (mainly Kaichikura and Sweet Spot, tbh) but I don't hate them. I initially liked Variety, but I feel now that I don't really care to listen to any of it, aside from Botomin and OSCA, and the rockier B-sides. Sports feels different; it doesn't feel like they're really trying desperately to push the fact that there are other songwriters in the band aisde from Ringo, this feels much more natural and organic.

Denpa Tsuushin, Zettai Zetsumei and Kimaru are currently my favourite songs of the moment. Kimaru especially. I WILL take a leaf out of your book Nayth and illustrate how it makes me feel, because....it's just astonishingly beautiful.
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Old 2010.02.20, 12:36 PM   #155
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I liked nayth's artwork for Sanmon Gossip as well!

@spinnigold, just out of curiosity how often do you get music synaesthesia? My mother has it for letters and numbers and I used to have it as a child when I was missing one of my senses. Perhaps if I'm unsure if I have it, I don't really have it, but I definitely saw colours when listening to this album on a surprisingly deep listen about the third time around and I didn't like it. That was a contrast with say, Muzai Moritorium, where I was pleased to discover that the back of the CD had the right colour blue compared to the overall sound I was getting from songs like Sid to Hakuchiimu and Koko de Kiss Shite from YouTube. SR's voice is a very pretty silvery pink as well.

I didn't like the bright coloured moving diagonal lines I saw during Noriki's solo, or the pink balls that fell down like this Sony Bravia advert at the end of Denpa Tsuushin. Kimaru was a blue sea with dancing yellow carousel figures (you can guess what I'm describing in the music, it was triple-time iirc), which was very interesting but unsettling, and then grey Uki/Izawa came and sandblasted those colours away.

I don't care who thinks I'm random now.

Sports was more potent than the average album than I don't like though. I did really like my favoured tracks Zettai Zetsumei, FAIR and Season Sayonara. ZZ's been bouncing around endearingly in my memory all week. I think the lyrics might have been understandable, but I'll prefer to think of it as something very appealing just musically.

Last edited by so_cold : 2010.02.20 at 01:14 PM. Reason: romaji slip-up
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Old 2010.02.20, 12:38 PM   #156
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Sweet Spot is one instance where Neko Saito and his string section joining in at 1:22 might have really lifted the song up to a better place.
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Old 2010.02.20, 01:01 PM   #157
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Shh! Ringo might be reading!
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Old 2010.02.20, 01:16 PM   #158
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so_cold> ohhh, I did not even know what synethesia was before coming here !
I guess nature deprived me from this oppotunity...personnally, I try to project my musical feeling into the colors, I guess it is not really the same ...I don't see colors poping up in front of me, but I feel them flowing in my mind, and I try to recreate this on the medium ...
I would love to hear more about your experience about it !

spinigold> waiting for your illustration

I've been reading the thread all along, and the interviews translations are my favorite thanks !
This album really pleases me, it's Ringo disguised as Jpop, a bit light hearted with heavy Ringo presence flowing between the chords :3 I also like it that way
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Old 2010.02.20, 01:24 PM   #159
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I agree, I wasn't aware of synethesia all that well while either, but I experience strong visual images, more so scenes and stills, that strike me while listening to music. it isn't the same as imaging an image to follow the music, rather, while I listen to music if I just relax myself, it just kind of floats to me, similar to automatic writing. This might because of my background in visual arts and organization and such, but I do get very strong associations with music and color/stills. I've never had an involuntary negative reaction to this, however, which is probably the big separation between the two.
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Old 2010.02.20, 01:25 PM   #160
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Originally Posted by so_cold View Post
I liked nayth's artwork for Sanmon Gossip as well!

@spinnigold, just out of curiosity how often do you get music synaesthesia? My mother has it for letters and numbers and I used to have it as a child when I was missing one of my senses. Perhaps if I'm unsure if I have it, I don't really have it, but I definitely saw colours when listening to this album on a surprisingly deep listen about the third time around and I didn't like it. That was a contrast with say, Muzai Moritorium, where I was pleased to discover that the back of the CD had the right colour blue compared to the overall sound I was getting from songs like Sid to Hakuchiimu and Koko de Kiss Shite from YouTube. SR's voice is a very pretty silvery pink as well.

I didn't like the bright coloured moving diagonal lines I saw during Noriki's solo, or the pink balls that fell down like this Sony Bravia advert at the end of Denpa Tsuushin. Kimaru was a blue sea with dancing yellow carousel figures (you can guess what I'm describing in the music, it was triple-time iirc), which was very interesting but unsettling, and then grey Uki/Izawa came and sandblasted those colours away.

I don't care who thinks I'm random now.

Sports was more potent than the average album than I don't like though. I did really like my favoured tracks Zettai Zetsumei, FAIR and Season Sayonara. ZZ's been bouncing around endearingly in my memory all week. I think the lyrics might have been understandable, but I'll prefer to think of it as something very appealing just musically.
I get it for music, people (after I've known them a little while-- don't know why), days of the week and months of the year, and groupings for numbers. Also a minor form with letters. Half the reason I love Ringo is because she is one of the few artists who causes me to overload colour-wise, in a way only classical music has ever achieved before. Her melodies are genuinely complex in that way.
But I also get images, mainly architectural for certain songs-- occassionally I get smell associations too! It's very all over the shop. Ringo has yet to write a song that has completely overwelmed me though. That achievement goes only to Shostakovich and, weirdly, Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard.
Here's my speed paint of the sort of image I get from Kimaru. It's not quite right; I don't feel like there needs to be such contrast between light and dark, it's more like spring sunshine, and the wooden floor and girl in some sort of indie dress is the strongest image I get. That and trees outside. Really the girl should be playing a guitar seated, but I whacked her by the window. It's not really how it feels at all, I need another crack at it :/

It's really hard to explain how my colours work, too. The closest I can get is ribbons of various colours on a black background, but even then that doesn't even begin to adequately describe it. I need to learn to mind-meld ;P
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