Hopes for album 4

[old.boy]

Originally Posted by ShinjiPG

Actually, this forum is more like HOMG I LOVED SHIINA BUT NOW I JUST LIKE TO REMEMBER THE PAST AND NEGLECT/HATE THE TOUGH TRUTH OF THE PRESENT. ALSO, SHE SUCKS, WHY DO WE EVEN HAVE A FORUM, BTW?... sort of deal. Also, it's a good spot for Uki haters.

Anyway, what's this cover you're saying?

I think the name of it was "C'mon, let's go."

But some other spelling of it.

[Tokyo Jihad]

Originally Posted by digdad

What seems to be forgotten is that there are quite a few people who actually "get" and like Shiina's recent catalog.

What's there to get?

Were not talking KZK, were talking about the "strive for accessibility" Jihen songs.

[Cosmo!]

Ringo has always been about reinvention and never doing the same thing twice, and so far Tokyo Jihen has followed suit. I wouldn't worry too much about the "Variety sound" sticking for too long if you're not necessarily into this sound.

Fans have the right to like an album and fans have the right to bitch about an album if they don't like it, because music (like all art) is entirely subjective and up for personal scrutinization. There shouldn't be any of this "You're not a real fan if you (don't) like [insert album title here, with Variety being the prime example]!" shit that I keep reading/hearing.

[Glathannus]

Originally Posted by Cosmo!

There shouldn't be any of this "You're not a real fan if you (don't) like [insert album title here, with Variety being the prime example]!" shit that I keep reading/hearing.

That seems to be the vibe that a lot of people are sensing here, but I have a difficult time finding any one specific post that fits the profile. Maybe you're partially right, and a series of posts quietly come together like...

-n-e-l-c-d
ibtorranee
a-h-r-e-c-

But emotionally instead of textually. Only by watching the series of posts in motion, does your mind's eye truly grasp the whole picture.
Oooh, the plot thickens!

[digdad]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Jihad

What's there to get?

Were not talking KZK, were talking about the "strive for accessibility" Jihen songs.

I disagree that it's a "strive for accessibility". As far as I see Jihen, they are producing music that is different than just about everything else out there, especially with Adult and Variety.

Plus I threw in the word "get" because I objected to how you used it. There is a big difference between not "agreeing" with your point of view and not "getting" it.

As far as the issue of the subjectivity of beauty, I have to agree that too a large extent it is subjective. I don't think I believe there is such a thing a truly universal beauty. For any widely accepted great work of art, I could probably find someone that does not like it. Does that negate it's beauty though? I don't think so. Also, in addition to beauty being individually subjective, it is culturally subjective as well.

[Tokyo Jihad]

I never said X album sucked, I said they weren't very creative or fresh or interesting, and they're not particularly. Each album/song these days feels like a Barbie Doll. Like how Barbie is a veterinarian, or a lifeguard, or a taxi driver, or grocery lerk -- thats how it feels like Shiina acts towards her music lately. "Let me put on a different hat for this song." (Hat being a genre or style.)

So Smokie Hormel would think a song like Kensao Naoshi was different from any song hes ever heard? I don't think her/their music is even very unique to them anymore. It's not about eing different (cuz if you aim for difference, you aim to be a failure) its about being unique. Having that stamp of identity -- this is me, and no one else can claim that. These albums don't have that same feeling because I don't think Shiina is letting herself just make music -- shes trying to make music, with some sort of pre-assigned goal and it steals alot of that soul away, I think.

Just go back to having fun in the studio without the boys, in my opinion

see what happens.

Also, I STRONGLY object to the word "re-invent." I don't think Shiina has ever re-invented herself beyond changing her gameplan going into TJ. Re-Inventing is what Madonna does. Her shit stops selling, so she has to revamp the show. Shiina evolves er sound. Evolving is a logical development from one phase to the next that you can course.

[Inaudible-Whisper]

I don't care what style the next album is, I don't care if it's unique or different as long as it's bloody good. She shouldn't, as Jihad said, go into the studio with a set musical theme in her head and force the music to sound like it if it's just not good music. I'm sure even Shiina must recognise that Variety just wasn't up to the standard of everything before it, nor Adult as some may argue. But I think even the Variety fans can agree that it's hardly her strongest work, so hopefully she can recognise this and move on.

[Maou]

Originally Posted by digdad

I disagree that it's a "strive for accessibility". As far as I see Jihen, they are producing music that is different than just about everything else out there, especially with Adult and Variety.

Disagree. I'll give you that not many bands cover as much musical ground as TJ. However, every song on Variety and Adult gives me a "I've heard a better version of this song somewhere before" feeling. It could be from SR/TJ or another band. For example, Kuronekodow reminds me of a really bad Morning Musume song while Tsukigimehime is clearly trying to summon the spirit of the Doors (and failing).

[Cosmo!]

Let's just generalize completely here and say that Variety is just awful. There's really no other word for it. Unless you use a thesaurus. But "awful" has that great "aw" sound and it's short and succinct and gets to the point in a hurry.

[fluffiethesock]

I think it's sad that most of the Tokyo Jihen fans have stopped posting