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Old 2018.06.04, 03:56 AM   #951
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The idea of being disappointed by KZK bothers me a lot
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Old 2018.06.04, 11:16 AM   #952
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The sales numbers don't lie...
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Old 2018.06.04, 09:08 PM   #953
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Thanks for the responses, guys! I was seriously concerned I made an "ain't nobody got time for that" post. I'm genuinely touched you all took the time to read my random thoughts!

Originally Posted by deadgrandma View Post
And yet, Variety still has more weight on her catalog than her latest work- maybe because Variety is a parody of tv jingles whereas what she's doing now is actual jingles. Which is disgusting.
At risk of sounding like I'm just playing devil's advocate, she has always done "commercial songs" in the literal sense. Anybody else remember that "Tokyo no Hito" soy milk commercial? I guess they just sound a lot more mainstream now. I mean, that Coca Cola song DEFINITELY comes to mind. 1998 Ringo would have balked at that repetitive auto tune song that I still don't know the name of.

Originally Posted by Tokyo Jihad View Post
Fantastic write up, Osiris! Thank you.
I've written so many words about these songs, and I could probably write more. I think my thoughts on Variety are best said in my edit of the album (which still might be on this site?)

But one more thought. This album left a bigger mark and inspired more thought than Sports and Dai Hakken.
Thank you so much for the feedback, Jihad! I was really hoping you'd read it since I mentioned you so much in the post. Feel free to share your retrospective thoughts if you ever get an itching to because I'd love to hear if any of your views have changed on this album since you clearly dug a lot deeper than I did back in the day.

And yeah, your edit is still here (I re-downloaded it actually )! I even read my review of it and it's so funny how much I crapped on Tsukigime-hime back then and love it now. I guess my taste has gotten a lot cheesier with "old age"?

Also, yeah, it's sad but true. This album DID make more of a splash than Sports and Dai-Hakken even though I'd argue those albums, pound for pound, are better examples of songwriting and performances from the band. But Variety was just so.... weird and out of left field that you can't help but notice it. It's sort of like how The Phantom Menace will forever be the Star Wars movie that people can keep talking about because it disappointed on such a large scale.

Originally Posted by Lena-chan View Post
LOLLOLOLOLOLOLOL
I enjoyed so much reading your post Osiris!
I think it's totally true that the expectations towards this release was what killed our enthusiasm about Ringo

When I first listened to Ringo was before KSK was released, and my ex was an avid fan of hers. As I didn't have internet access back then, he was the one who would record her songs on a CD for me to listen to. When I finally started working, and lurking at the RingoJihen Forums, the only songs I had listened from KSK were Meisai, Torikoshi kurou, Odaiji ni, and Okonomi de; because when my ex, who was anxiously waiting for Ringo's next release, downloaded KSK he got completely disappointed because he was waiting for something that sounded like SS/MM/ZCS, and those 4 songs were the only ones that he liked.
Well.. when Kyouiku was released he really enjoyed, as her music had that rock feeling again, but then he never liked her releases ever again after that.
KSK disappointed me too because I was diehard into SS at the time. SS was my jam and I was like "wtf?" at this weird art pop album with Japanese instruments and non-traditional arrangements. It was way too out there for me to get into so he's not the only one. I finally had to sit down and be like "Okay, I really wanna just see what all the hub-bub is about because EVERYBODY says this is the best album" and listen to it all the way through. Once I heard all of "Shuukyou" I was FLOORED. The instrumental section with the "mellow" part was literally one of the most beautiful things I had ever heard in a pop song. I loved her soft harmonies, the passionate strings, and the way the song just ascended into this almost heavenly euphoria. THAT was the moment I loved KSK and never looked back.

A shame he couldn't really dig it though. Did you love KSK the first time you heard it?

Originally Posted by Lena-chan View Post
I think what made me enjoy her SUNNY album was that I had completely forgot about her existence, and as her previous releases felt so shitty for me I was expecting SUNNY to be waaaaaaaaaaay worse than it was (I don't even consider it to be in the bad Ringo's release box)
I REALLY need to check out SUNNY already and just review the damn thing. Maybe this weekend I'll hunker down and get to it. I trust you and Jihad if you say it's good. I still stand by Sanmon Gossip as a great release. I still really like it.

Originally Posted by Lena-chan View Post
Osiris' post really inspires me to write new reviews about all the old releases (I'm planning to do it since the forums came back to life), though my reviews would not be as funny as his was
Yes! Do it! I'd love to hear your thoughts, Lena!

Btw, I have not forgotten about your Brazilian music thread and will give reviews of those songs when I get around to them! I'm so busy lately but will definitely get around to them when I have a break at work
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Old 2018.06.05, 07:59 AM   #954
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Originally Posted by Osiris12345 View Post
Thanks for the responses, guys! I was seriously concerned I made an "ain't nobody got time for that" post. I'm genuinely touched you all took the time to read my random thoughts!
These forums definitely need some more of these kinds of posts, we used to have a lot of them back in the old times~


Originally Posted by Osiris12345 View Post
Anybody else remember that "Tokyo no Hito" soy milk commercial?
Isn't that one of those fake commercials from one of the seiteki healing vhs/dvds?

Originally Posted by Osiris12345 View Post
...Jihad!...Feel free to share your retrospective thoughts if you ever get an itching to because I'd love to hear if any of your views have changed on this album since you clearly dug a lot deeper than I did back in the day.
YAAAAAS GAWD

Originally Posted by Osiris12345 View Post
Did you love KSK the first time you heard it?
Not the first time, back then the most unconventional music that I liked was the Beatles, and everything else was popish and happy. It was only when my teenager angst started to have HUGE proportions that I started to dig another rock artists and other kinds of music that were not pop, dance and RnB. Or maybe it was because I started liking KSK that I opened up to other genres... I don't know

Originally Posted by Osiris12345 View Post
Yes! Do it! I'd love to hear your thoughts, Lena!
<3
Thank you!

Originally Posted by Osiris12345 View Post
Btw, I have not forgotten about your Brazilian music thread and will give reviews of those songs when I get around to them! I'm so busy lately but will definitely get around to them when I have a break at work
It's ok, I know people don't have time to answer sometimes but they still listen to the songs I post, and that makes me happy n_n
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Old 2018.06.11, 05:01 PM   #955
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Originally Posted by Lena-chan View Post
Isn't that one of those fake commercials from one of the seiteki healing vhs/dvds?

'no more violence'


That ad probably never actually aired anywhere. Neither did the lightbulb/toilet seat one. The nail polish ad probably was legit tho. I can't properly recall as it's so long ago now!


Variety was a hideous disappointment of a record. It felt like the end of that magic in the air that surrounded Ringo and her releases. She was no longer that special or invulnerable and letting others take so much creative control was absolute blasphemy! Kyouiku was a bit ropey, but it still had energy and a sense of hunger, you could get behind what she was doing because it was still 'Ringo' and the passion was there. Adult gets a mixed reception, but I love it. If the ride up to that point was a train then you could say it slowed down a little and switched lanes a few times. When Variety dropped, the train caught fire, derailed and fell down a ravine and exploded!




Coming not long after the half-an-actual-new-album Heisei you could just feel an era had expired. '98~'07

She didn't even make a decade of glory.


Originally Posted by Ringo~Bingo View Post
I hate the whole album (except Kronekodow) because I know what Shiina can do!! it's just unacceptable full stop.

My opinion will never change! 10 years on I feel the same.

Last edited by Ringo~Bingo (ver. 2) : 2018.06.11 at 05:19 PM.
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Old 2018.06.16, 10:58 AM   #956
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Well, that was a kinda depressing re:review by a co-Variety fan. Because for me, the songs that I first liked still remain in my likedom.

First, for all the songs in the record, tho, it's clearly understandable that the engineering/mixing/mastering leaves a lot to be desired.

(SHIT)seikatsu
As the disclaimer above, I get why the guitar tone might not be perfect (or at least for me, not quick to get warm to), but the guitar lines... THE LINES, they are SO!!! Especially that wah-chokes in the died-down chorus!!! The 2nd verse intro. The interplay of the first verse backed melodically by the guitar, the second by the keyboard but reply-bellished by the guitar. The minimalist but effective solo! UGH (I love this song so much).

Or I guess you're just basically not a fan of the song in the first place.

Boutomin
Hey, it's a fun chill song; younger you had reason to like it! Uki's voice sure isn't comparable to Ringo, but it serves its purpose here like Izawa's sleepy voice, they provide contrasts to each other. It's meant to be comical. And damn that groove that they progressed to at the end before the Kabuki coda.

Mirrorball
I'm also like you who preferred the JCHI Mirrorball. But differently, because of the other latter lives, I warmed up to this Variety-based Mirrorball with all its quirks and appreciated how their lines challenges more from the listener (Actually the Discovery live is even more playful than the Variety record, that makes the record look like a cohesive unit). And com'on, what's not to love about that tremolo-then-pull-off-riff with stairs-fx?

I really think it's the mixing/engineering and mastering that's aggravated some of the songs to be less palatable.
Just felt I needed to defend those three that you put down that I still like.


And about the age-old topic that this kind of Jihen not being received well by the seniors; that's all expectations. Used to get this kind of content from artist that they grow to adore and put on pedestal, but artist stopped producing them and instead make another kind of content with others that's different... I can honestly say that the gems from the different are not necessarily (nor at least significantly) inferior to the gems of the past.
(But yeah, Shuukyou is a masterpiece, just seeing the modulations and collection of chords)
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Old 2018.06.16, 05:19 PM   #957
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I've actually always been partial to Boutoumin. Waranghira is right, it's all about the contrasts. When Ringo finally does chime in, it's like a cool drink of water on a hot day.
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Old 2018.06.28, 06:45 PM   #958
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Originally Posted by waranghira View Post
(SHIT)seikatsu
As the disclaimer above, I get why the guitar tone might not be perfect (or at least for me, not quick to get warm to), but the guitar lines... THE LINES, they are SO!!! Especially that wah-chokes in the died-down chorus!!! The 2nd verse intro. The interplay of the first verse backed melodically by the guitar, the second by the keyboard but reply-bellished by the guitar. The minimalist but effective solo! UGH (I love this song so much).

Or I guess you're just basically not a fan of the song in the first place.
I went back and re-listened to it and I can hear some of the things you're saying and arrangement-wise there are some good ideas here and there. Still stand by the pre-chorus being the best part of the melody. Not a fan of the chorus or anything Uki is doing on guitar during it though. But you did make me actually appreciate a couple of little things they did.

Originally Posted by waranghira View Post
Boutomin
Hey, it's a fun chill song; younger you had reason to like it! Uki's voice sure isn't comparable to Ringo, but it serves its purpose here like Izawa's sleepy voice, they provide contrasts to each other. It's meant to be comical. And damn that groove that they progressed to at the end before the Kabuki coda.
That groove is the best part of the song by far. It's the only bit that I still like. I don't know, man. This one just doesn't do it for me. It's funny because I crapped on Tsukigime-hime before and liked this and did a complete 180 now. This track seems to exemplify a lot of the problems people have with Variety in the first place. I don't think people wanted silly songs like this on their Tokyo Jihen album. This song also REALLY gets stuck in your head. And won't leave.

Originally Posted by waranghira View Post
Mirrorball
I'm also like you who preferred the JCHI Mirrorball. But differently, because of the other latter lives, I warmed up to this Variety-based Mirrorball with all its quirks and appreciated how their lines challenges more from the listener (Actually the Discovery live is even more playful than the Variety record, that makes the record look like a cohesive unit). And com'on, what's not to love about that tremolo-then-pull-off-riff with stairs-fx?
Listened again and I like the Variety version a bit more. Not as much as the JCHI version but it's still not the worst.

Originally Posted by waranghira View Post
I really think it's the mixing/engineering and mastering that's aggravated some of the songs to be less palatable.
Just felt I needed to defend those three that you put down that I still like.
No, I definitely agree and I appreciate you speaking your opinion. Imagine that! Discussion on a forum! Did you ever listen to Tokyo Jihad's reworked album, by any chance? It was a pretty cool experiment.


Originally Posted by waranghira View Post
And about the age-old topic that this kind of Jihen not being received well by the seniors; that's all expectations. Used to get this kind of content from artist that they grow to adore and put on pedestal, but artist stopped producing them and instead make another kind of content with others that's different... I can honestly say that the gems from the different are not necessarily (nor at least significantly) inferior to the gems of the past.
(But yeah, Shuukyou is a masterpiece, just seeing the modulations and collection of chords)
To be honest, I agree with this sentiment a lot. I am DEFINITELY one of the Ringo holdouts. I will defend her jazz/showtune tracks like hell and I have basically no problems with where she's going creatively as a solo artist right now. I don't PERSONALLY think she's a sellout, I don't PERSONALLY think she's a washed up has-been, and I don't think the quality of her music has suffered at all. "JL005-bin de" is a FANTASTIC song. From what I've heard from SUNNY, it's great. I liked Ringo Expo 14 just fine. Can I be critical? Sure. You just pointed out some of my BRUTAL assessments of Variety era tunes. But I tend to see more good than bad most of the time.
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Old 2019.03.20, 11:24 AM   #959
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Was listening to the new CHAI album and came across this tidbit:

Japanese band Tokyo Jihen's Variety (2007) was an early influence for their music, inspiring them to make sure that every song on a release is distinct.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chai_(band)
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Old 2019.03.20, 08:54 PM   #960
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The irony being that CHAI's new album is better than any Jihen records
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