[TJ] 2010.02.24 - Sports (CD) [Album]

[hoopra]

Zettai Zetsumei, big smile on my face right now, yea its pop, but done so good, i can't help but like it like my first crush, i feel like watching hana yori dango now lol

[waxringo]

I'm having my first listen now...on track 1
and i already love it.
/happy sigh

[Jesse]

Hmmmmmmmmm! Ok I've had my first listen...

Random thoughts:

Well it's definetly better than Variety (though it doesn't have a standout as strong as OSCA), but right now I don't think it matches the quality of Kyouiku or Adult.

Senkou Shoujo has grown on me, and I actually really like Kachiikusa now.

Season Sayonara is easily my favourite album track on first listen. I also really liked Kimaru, and I thought Ikiru was interesting.

Sweet Spot was just cringe-inducing.

I think my expectations of Zettai Zetsumei, from what I'd read here, was too high, so it didn't impress me all that much.

I just listened to Rakujitsu. I love that song

[AmeGamble]

So I'm "new" (read as: former lurker) to this forum, and it's very interesting to read other fan's posts regarding Shiina Ringo and Tokyo Jihen. Reading things like, "its not typical Shiina," or "it sounds generic, and anyone can sing these songs" in regards to Sports quite frankly doesn't sit right in my spirit.

I think what people forget to realize is that Tokyo Jihen is called "Tokyo Jihen" and not "Shiina Ringo" for a reason; it's a group. And if you've worked in a group at anytime in your life before, i'm sure you've always wanted your input to be acknowledged and have your moment to shine.

Both Sports and Variety I feel are examples of the work, when it comes to lyrics and arrangement, being spread out more amongst the members.

Also you have to understand that the Tokyo Jihen albums have themes that follow the line of T.V programming genres: Education, Adult, Variety, and Sports. So the title, content, and overall feel of the songs have some sort of relation to its respective album title. And just like T.V, some people are Sports fans, some people prefer Variety programming, and others can watch it all. If you don't like it, change the channel. But to say that it lacks growth and "it doesn't have the intensity or complexity of ... 30 yr old emotions" just because she's not screaming away in angst on song with titles that sound taboo is trite.

I say take some time, go back, and listen to all 4 albums and see how they relate to one another as a whole body of work.

As for me, I've been blasting シーズンサヨナラ non-stop! HOLLA!

[kuro_neko]

yeeeeeeees, a new non-hater fan to the forums, whats up?

I gotta say that this album is quite polished. after a few listens each song gradually manages to grow on you and overall there are only one or two tracks (I'm looking at you, season sayonara) which haven't managed to grow on me. overall the lyrical content is really interesting and probably the best Ringo has done (Uki too, for his part) since Adult. Zettai Zetsubou really stands out in my mind as having amazing lyrical content (the entire song is about being oppressed by sadness). I guess I get why Kimaru is so popular, it is something radically different from Jihen, but I got to admit I actually prefer some of the more hyper work on the album. What didn't work for Variety really works on songs like Noriki and Uten Kekkou. I don't get why people have been hating on Sweet Spot, but Karada was really loved back in the day. Lyrically and sonically, Sweet Spot sounds just fine to me!

edit: thought this was interesting (and sure to piss some people off), but the lyric booklet lists izawa kameda and hata on their respective instruments and chorus, but ringo is listed as "vox, guitar" and uki is listed as "guitar, vox" so they are being billed as dual vocalists (which makes sense considering he has significant vocals on several songs on the album, including FOUL, which is really a Ringo Uki duet the entire song). Just thought that was kinda interesting.

also, the album is number 1 on iTunes (overturning We Are The World For Haiti "album") and Kachiikusa is somehow the most downloaded track with an insane amount of downloads, followed by Denpa Tsuushin and Zettai Zetsumei.

its also number 1 for daily ranking on Oricon, having sold 31092 in first day sales, with second place having 13597. Adult is the only other Jihen album to debut number 1 (Kyouiku and Variety were 2nd). Just for comparison, Variety sold 106, 686 its first week, but only debuted at 2nd, so it will be interesting to see how much this album sells total week.

[lazer85]

I think this is turning out to be the first grower for me, I started out really impressed, mostly cause of how unimpressive SG was and how POPPY the singles were. Then I went through this 1 week stage of paranoia where I kept waiting for the songs to get old and to realize they actually sucked and now after hearing them in full quality I'm growing to like even the songs I didnt like as I said.

Its number one on Oricon too with 3 times as much sold as #2 which is a Blue Hearts greatest hits album. It always blows my mind how well Ringo albums do when I listen to what average people have to say about her and when I see how obsessed most people are with other stuff (johnnys, green, exile, mr children etc.) There wasn't anything THAT big that came out this week though.

On another note, I can't beleive people are still talking about OSCA as if it wasn't the epitome of Variety. That song was one of my least favorites on an album that I wasn't all that into. It wasn't terrible but I don't really get why so many people love it.

[Scribble R]

Originally Posted by AmeGamble

So I'm "new" (read as: former lurker) to this forum, and it's very interesting to read other fan's posts regarding Shiina Ringo and Tokyo Jihen. Reading things like, "its not typical Shiina," or "it sounds generic, and anyone can sing these songs" in regards to Sports quite frankly doesn't sit right in my spirit.

I think what people forget to realize is that Tokyo Jihen is called "Tokyo Jihen" and not "Shiina Ringo" for a reason; it's a group. And if you've worked in a group at anytime in your life before, i'm sure you've always wanted your input to be acknowledged and have your moment to shine.

Welcome... the thing is, I don't think Ukigumo or Izawa's 'solo' stuff is particularly generic. If Ukigumo had a better voice, I would probably keep a few of his Petrolz songs on my ipod (Yes, even among contemporary RnB artists like Maxwell, Eric Benet or D'Angelo). Izawa also has a distinct style.

So if the album sounds generic (Which it doesn't, although some songs DO blend into each other, and there's a handful of songs that just sound plain) it's because the songwriters strengths have been watered down by the whole TJ thing.

I bet the Petrolz arrangement of Season Sayonara would be soooo much better.

[makenshiww]

Do you guys think there gonna be any more PV's for this album?

[Mr Sands]

I'm just gonna break my silence by saying that Denpa Tuushin is an awesome, awesome song. I could listen to it over and over again.

In fact, I have been.

[ChickShhh]

I havent got my copy yet but I want to know the 'official' list for the credits, can anyone help?