[TJ] 2010.07.28 - Tengoku e Youkoso/Dopamint! (Online) [Single]

[Ringo~Bingo]

Originally Posted by gekokujyo

Sports was awesome!

this place is really gay now! I'll take my leave before I start drinking the Nu-Shiina Kool-Aid.

[Positron]

oh hey this board exists

For whatever reason I haven't been quite as vigilant lately as far as staying current with the Incidents goes (read: completely forgot about them). Perhaps in the back of my mind I felt / still feel like Sports is probably the best I could hope for and that they're going to tumble downhill into Variety-level again.

So when I stumbled upon news of this digital release by chance, I was shocked to find what looked like the death spiral working again. This is probably the first single where I couldn't genuinely like any of the songs, and that's pretty bad - even though I come from the OG SR era I can be lax on traditional "standards", even admitting to loving more of the "cheese" or "blueprint" songs than I honestly should (Sweet Spot, Karada, Oiran, Amai Yamai, etc.)

If I were to hear the announcement of a new album at this moment, I don't think I could even feign cautious optimism for it at this point in time. Hopefully another single release will sway me back into a neutral zone.

[gekokujyo]

Originally Posted by Ringo~Bingo

this place is really gay now! I'll take my leave before I start drinking the Nu-Shiina Kool-Aid.

I mean, what's the point of trying to justify yourself when you're just going to be deluged with a tidal wave of negativity. I'll just stick to keeping my opinions short and succinct, thank you very much.

[Maou]

Originally Posted by gekokujyo

I mean, what's the point of trying to justify yourself when you're just going to be deluged with a tidal wave of negativity. I'll just stick to keeping my opinions short and succinct, thank you very much.

Because I'm dying to hear actual thoughts instead of "Durr durr, I love it!" I'm completely serious. I've been so sick of pouring my heart into my posts and the only response is "Nonsense" or "Well, you just hate everything." Step up and be better than that. I know there are positive things about the album and these cash-ins, but nobody ever says what they are or why they like it.

Isn't the tremolo guitar in the first half of Tengoku nice?

[Scribble R]

No, I do think that particular Ringo Bingo post was stupid.

Oh, and I agree with the idea that Sports was "too un-noteworthy" and "not enough" to spend time thinking about. There seems to be nothing to absorb or warm to -- if you like it you like it, if you don't you don't. It seems like that kind of album, to me. But Ultra C's round the corner so...

[Nimh]

Originally Posted by Maou

Because I'm dying to hear actual thoughts instead of "Durr durr, I love it!" I'm completely serious. I've been so sick of pouring my heart into my posts and the only response is "Nonsense" or "Well, you just hate everything." Step up and be better than that. I know there are positive things about the album and these cash-ins, but nobody ever says what they are or why they like it.

Isn't the tremolo guitar in the first half of Tengoku nice?

I would contribute more detailed thoughts but they would not be very technical. I'm a film guy and can talk about film at a very high level of competence, but when it comes to music I find myself talking more about feelings rather than technical or lyrical merit. Even film music I can only talk about in terms of choreography with an image, not the music in and of itself.

If you are willing to put up with that, I'd be happy to explain in detail why I enjoy Shiina and TJ's current music so much, but you may just dismiss them as the rantings of a musical illiterate.

[Carlx]

I lack in technical knowledge as well. However, I'll always find more interesting those statements that comes from the feeling rather than an objective point of view; I mean, in the end, that's the ultimate purpose of music and I know I would not change my mind if I finally decide to study something related to music someday.

Originally Posted by Maou

Isn't the tremolo guitar in the first half of Tengoku nice?

I like it (actually, I like the song as a whole), and specially the way it changes radically in the second half, preparing the atmosphere to that powerful ending; that distortion is a wise move for me, so I'm with Ukigumo on this one (don't kill me).
I'm conscious that I had stated exactly the opposite a week ago on this thread; perhaps that's the disadvantage of talking from and about feelings.

@Tokyo Jihad
Thanks for such an illustrative analysis, illustrative for a "nü-fan" like me (altough I don't like to admit being a fan of anything), who got attracted by her/their latest works but then fell in love with her visceral part.
I myself don't like the idea at all, but I think those deep and intense moments came from an early need to express what was inside her at the height of her youth; I assume this from the refinement (as Glathannus pointed) and maturity of her later music.
But honestly, I really hope to be wrong.

[ROCKET]

Originally Posted by MagicSword!

Hmmm, I like both tracks, but they feel like the kind of tracks you'd put out for a tv theme and cm, I suppose.

I don't know if I should jump in on the SR/TJ/P1/P2 ruckus. I have strong views about it, but reading all this stuff ends up depressing me. Someone said "I just want something that matters!" Well, y'know, maybe Adult matters to some people in a way that SS or even KZK never did. Then again, this is the internet. This kind of ranting is what it's FOR.

Personally I really agree that phase one had more darkness, sexuality and power than phase two. That said I can't believe that people think that they're a tighter, more mutually sympathetic band than phase 2. The interplay between the current members is really incredible. Watching them play live and then realising that the recorded versions are so free from overdubs (on many songs ) is really fucking impressive. Ringo-chan wanted to play in a band, and now they really fucking sound like a band. Like five people playing in a room, and that's always been one of the big things that TJ have going for them in my opinion.

For me Sports is up there with the phase one album. It's certainly better than Adult or Variety and a million miles ahead of Sanmon Gossip.

Bu-whadda-I-know?

Finally someone with a coherent opinion.

[kuro_neko]

Originally Posted by ROCKET

Finally someone with a coherent opinion.

with the key words being "as a band," I'd generally agree. SG was a much better album from an emotional point of view than Sports, which is pretty much devoid of any soul as far as I can tell. I wish Ringo would go back to a less technically perfect and more raw but emotional sound. At this point I don't care about the band dynamic, I just want some music I can be excited about a year after its release. SG and Sports have both more or less faded from view since their release but as of this moment, SG and especially Ariamaru Tomi (not included but still relevant) remain the better work to come out of Ringo in the past few years. Even Jihad got on board with AT.

I have to saw if TJ disbanded at this point I'd only be sad because I wouldn't know when to expect new music. I think we've more or less heard most of what they have to say. Jihen has become a bit stale. Unless they start to radically change their goals, I could see them putting out albums like Variety and Sports forever. Kind of depressing.

[zyoeru]

Although her voice is a little grating at times, Tengoku is actually growing on me at an alarming rate now.