I don't think pop is the same thing as "mainstream" or "conventional" really. Something can be pop and unique. Maybe Tokyo Jihen is accepted by the mainstream in Japan, but I wouldn't consider the music itself mainstream, and it's certainly not conventional.

A band like Modest Mouse is pop (these days), but I think they have their own unique sound. I have nothing against pop music, and actually a lot of my favorite music would be considered pop--especially when it comes to Japanese music (Ippu-Do, YMO, Akiko Yano, for instance).

Ya see? There it goes again. Now we're elitist based on where someone was born/where one's spoiled ass had traveled to.

yup. your in texas, simple and plain, game over. I don't even have the drive to intelligently discuss the matter despite the fact that I can think of a good 10 reasons why your statement is kind of ridiculous, nonetheless especially since your making some pretty big assumptions about things like financial situation. Last time I checked (or stumbled across) your room was piled with Pixar dvds....maybe if you saved up you might be able to get your sorry ass out of there.

okay in non-flame news, did anyone see this

Goraku analog, listed as "special edition"

hasn't been officially announced yet through ringohan nor kronekodow so who knows what is on it...maybe senkou shoujo as an extra track (isn't that getting its own analog? I couldn't find it on hmv and and ringohan never said jack about that so I'm thinking that the Senkou Shoujo analog is actually the Goraku analog that was mislabeled....it comes out November 21, same day)

Attachment 626
Attachment 627
The Actual Appearance of Variety.

Weak. I hope that's the regular edition :(.

Uki got the answer wrong ^__^

If anyone is interested, here is the NINKI rating for next week.
(NINKI = Oricon popularity survey):

2007.09.21
SCORE | Artist | Title | Release Date (09/26)
267.90 Otsuka Ai - LOVE PiECE
152.40 Tokyo Jihen - Variety
44.10 Fuu Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
36.00 Yazawa Ekichi - YOUR SONGS 4
35.70 Yazawa Ekichi - YOUR SONGS 6
35.50 Yazawa Ekichi - YOUR SONGS 5
33.60 PUFFY - honeycreeper
20.20 m-flo - electriCOLOR ~COMPLETE REMIX~
18.70 Cuu Osame Yoshie - Soreiyu
18.50 Oda Yuuji - Arigatou

Puffys got somethin out??? :waa:

\m/

Damn! Ai is a beast! At least TJ is far away from third place.

Uki's sign looks like it has "妹" and then some random characters that are too glared out to read (imouto-little sister).

I wonder what the "limited packaging" is. Maybe it is just in line with the singles and that includes the gizagiza edging....at least it fits in with the whole look from the era....I think the actual booklet for this one is going to be really nice

WAIT A MINUTE. I just read the product description from neowing and the special first pressing is, I quote, "extravagance embracing a jagged design with a *SOCK CASE*"

yes, you read that right, a SOCK CASE

I think that is their special way of saying an outer slip that fits over the cd (like expanded or unaltered artwork, covers cd entirely) but the cd itself should be the same for limited and regular presses minus the gizagiza spine. I think I also read somewhere that the booklet was pretty long too.

For all of you that are on late, or possibly in a different timezone than North America, here is a treat:

http://blog.naver.com/linux47?Redire...No=30022418866

It is the first track of Variety, Ramp. It sounds like a midi, or cheesy news opening music.
You can so tell they made a play on a Variety theme song; brilliant.