The long overdue Seiko Oomori thread
 

Ok, because Seiko Oomori is a very heavily talked about individual here on EMF, I decided that it really was time to create a thread for her.

Anyway, my final verdict/score on Zettai Shoujo:

8.5/10.

While I don't think its as well crafted/has quite the same flow as Mahou, it still has a lot of great parts. It also has it fair share of JAW DROPPING moments too. I've described it to a few people already but I think the best way to put it:

An album that holds your hands for the first few tracks, giving you a false sense of comfort and security, only to suddenly dump your ass right in the shark infested deep end. This album knows when to bite. And damn, does it bite hard when it wants to.

Initial spins will leave you dizzy. Perhaps even reeling. But you will come back for more. Like Mahou, it's gonna take more than one go to fully appreciate. And like Mahou, the more time you put in, the more it gives back.

Track highlights: The new "NOISE" version of Over the Party, the Beatles tinged "少女3号", the truly gorgeous and genuinely gentle "Hayatochiri" and the absolutely intense "展覧会の絵", with its amazing Sax solo that would easily fit on a Otome Yoshihide record. The first two tracks are gonna be the most popular with the pop fans, and with good reason, but I think the ones that will last the longest are everything else.

So, get listening, I wanna hear your opinions (after a few spins).

Oh and in other Oomori news:

Yesterday the tribute album to the band Carnation was released, featuring Oomori's cover of their song End of Summer. I haven't heard the song in full yet but the previews sound gorgeous!

I feel bad because all signs tell me I should really like her, but I find her literally just OK at this point. A lot of her songs on the first album sounded the same to me, and I felt the same with this new album, unfortunately.

Regardless, there are a few songs I like, but I'm stillll not fully on the Seiko Oomori train.

二階堂和美 - Lovers Rock

My initial impressions after a couple listens are that I like this more than Mahou Ga...Her voice is much improved and shows more control, which I wanted. I did like some of the wilder vocal moments from Mahou, though.

Mahou starts off to a rocky start with "Kitty's Blues" IMO. It's not a good album starter and almost turned me off from her completely (I do like the song now). This album starts off much better with two catchy electronic tracks.

Mahou has a lull towards the end after "最終公演" because it's followed by three lengthy tracks - two acoustic driven and one piano. It's tough to keep a long acoustic track interesting. "I Love You" is a stand-out, though. However, it's hard for me to sit through after the emotional roller-coaster of "最終公演".

^ I'm kinda the same, I didn't really like the slower songs until a while after I'd started listening to Mahou, now I think the 'lull' part of the album is the best part. Seiko + Acoustic Guitar is what I love the most. KITTY'S BLUES however, I had no problem with, I love that piano melody in there, it' gorgeous.

As for her voice... well Mahou wins for me there. While she may have improved from a conventional standpoint on Zettai, it also isn't as unrestrained as on Mahou or PINK either (give or take a few parts where she lets it loose- which are very effective). Though, that said, she still has a better set of lungs than any other new female artist in Japan at the moment. I'm keen to see some live footage from the Zettai Shoujo tour- and I'm sure we will get some form of DVD or CD/CD-R from it too.

With the new album, I think the two weakest tracks are the first two songs. I like them but I also know what comes later in the album totally eclipses them with sheer creativity and power :-p I still can't decide whether choosing these two power-pop songs as lead-in singles was an ingenious move or a bad move.... will newbies be turned off that only the first two songs sound like that? Or will it attract more people than her style of music normally would? Time will tell. Seems most people that have heard it are enjoying it anyway, I haven't seen any real criticisms towards the album itself (Though I have seen criticism toward Oomori herself from people that just can't get into her whatsoever, which is fair enough) so far- infact, my 8.5 is the lowest score I've seen someone give it :-p.

Oh, and by the way, The End Of Summer is an amazing track, that would have been great on Zettai Shoujo. It wouldn't surprise me if it's from the same sessions.

Kitty's Blues is brilliant.

(I will write about the new album, just deliberating.)

I'm listening to the new album now, I'm not even half way through yet, but I'm already extremely impressed. So far it feels like a natural progression from her last album, with a little bit more produced sound, more than just acoustic guitar, but still really organic and natural with her vocals and melody.

I never meant to give off an impression that I think Kitty's Blues is a bad song. I like it very much, but I didn't think it was a great way to start the album.

I sent my friend Mahou because I thought she would love it based on the fact that she's into Shiina, but the first thing she said to me was that she hated Kitty's Blues. She enjoyed the rest of the tracks after it, though.

Kitty Blues? more like kiddie blues amirite? i was turned off b/c it sounded like she was singing it like a five year old

i hear no difference between her and this kid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUvdgutycgo


love the Over the Party live version of kitty blues tho

after almost a month of playing it almost everyday now,i will attempt to rank my favorite songs off the Mahou Ga Tsukaenai Nara album


1. track 14 魔法が使えないなら - them chords struck me like lighting and into to ashes,her singing then turns those ashes into butterflies floating in the air and the butterflies turned into a firebreathing dragon destroying planets

2. track 5 あたし天使の堪忍袋 - ohhhh oohhh ohhh, i know everyone who listened love to sing along, geetarrr!!!!!!!

3. track 12 高円寺 - the climax, tsumi no batsu type ambitious but not the same style of music

4. track 2 音楽を捨てよ、そして音楽へ - greatest rap song since Souls of Mischeif - 93 til infinity maybe, the Lai Lai version is just as dope


5. track 6 夏果て - shes singing to me


6. track 9 最終公演 - powerfull

7. track 13 - 最終公演 - so short and amazing

8. track 10 i love you - i love you too

9. track 3 新宿 - built to hype it up live, gets me amped
love every live version of this too

10. track 4 ハンドメイドホーム - sounds like some deliverance banjo playing country feel i dont normally like but was miracle that it grew on me, i fux wit this heavy now

11. track 11 歌謡曲 - would have ranked it higher but some parts of the song where she purposely sings kinda off key didnt fully work for me
but still all around amazing song

12 track 8 背中のジッパー - i feel so bad putting this song here, the singing style on this is her signature the way she emphasizes the last word of the bar

13 Kitty Blues - why was u the first track!!? almost turned me off ,
great song but im not feeling the way she singing on this,
love the live version tho, she doesnt sound like a five year old on the live version

14 track 7 鮪漁船のうた only song i skip regular, sounds too opera-ish

Well, KITTY'S BLUES is written from her childhood memories (apparently)....

I don't think she sounds that childish on it btw. It certainly isn't as child styled as say, Joanna Newsom.

I can't stop listening to the EP Pink right now. It's great. It also has her going the most batshit she has ever gone on the title track, so brownie points there.

Also.... who's seen Over the Party? (I know Hoopra has) I think it's essential viewing. That version of Sayonara is overwhelming.

I posted my review here. I posted elsewhere because I also wrote about the new Kinoko Teikoku ep, which any Oomori fan should listen to as well. They go really well together.

anyway. [spoiler] I'm a little bitch and don't decide which Oomori album is better than the other. [/spoiler]

Jihad, I'm checking out Kinoko Teikoku based on your review and I am LOVING this. I'm a huge Boris fan and I see some of the influence they've had on Kinkoku.

Glad you liked it too!

MAD LOVE FOR INSEU! :wub:
At times Oomori does remind me of Nika.
And as for Oomori Seiko; I really like her music; at first listen I got over excited but I've toned it down. PINK EP is my favorite so far; Mahou is great and the new album is about as good as her debut. :)

^ I don't hear much resemblance. The above is nice but way more conventional/boring.

Shut up this song will become a Christmas classic I say

It's her voice, not the music. Her voice has a similar, off-beat quality to it.

Oomori Seiko is so weird to me. Like, she wants to wear so many different hats at once. On one hand, she wants to be a satirical, almost ironic, idol parody. On the other hand, she wants to be taken seriously as a folk/indie singer-songwriter. But then THOSE songs she can sometimes end up with a Midori scream, so is she making fun of pretentious folk singers as well?
She's somewhere in the nebulous of Togawa Jun-Midori (Shiina is only tangental to this) of some kind of vague idol parody or critique. The only problem is that I have no idea what she is critiquing. I'm not entirely sure it's a parody anymore either. At least with Togawa and Midori I knew where to stand (though Mariko's solo career makes Midori a bit more enigmatic).
I'm also not a Togawa super-fan by any means, but I think DG mentioned Togawa is a producer for Oomori? Which makes total sense, because some songs (like "Kitty Blues") seem to be almost derivative of Togawa's work. It's very Suki Suki Daisuki-esque to me, but lacks the ironic lyrics.

Here's where I am split though:
JIhad is of the opinion that Oomori is genuine in everything she does.
I have a feeling that some aspect of her work is some sort of parody, but now I'm not so sure. In the beginning, when I saw her dressed in idol clothes and then go on stage with a bunch of idols and sing this passionate folk song, I thought she was poking fun at idols.
I'm not sure where DG stands on the "parody" aspect.

Do you remember this:

Tamahime-sama

I just get a feeling that THAT is what Oomori is going for, but I'm not so sure.
I'm not being articulate today.

Maybe the parody isn't the music but the presentation of the music (how she dresses, where and with whom she performs alongside). But you know, one day she could be performing at Tokyo Idol Festival and the next in an old church.

This is how I see it: Oomori is at the stage where she has complete freedom. I find this pretty damn exciting. Not many other artists in Japan I know of have had that freedom when they start out. Oomori's debut sounds far grittier and personal than even say, Muzai Moratorium to me. Perhaps thats just because of production choice, old Ringo lives certainly sound 'harder' than the sheen on Muzai. But that's another discussion.

As for Oomori, I think she does have respect for some idol music. I think she might have grown up with it, the choices of songs she covers are usually older songs. It's true that she does go along with Tokyo Idol Festival, but I also think that is one hell of a way to get more exposure, she stands out like a sore thumb, and thus, people are going to remember her. The two songs she made in that 'idol' style do sound like what Togawa (for example) would have done just with a more 2013 sound to them. They give the works of Nakata a run for their money because they have a hook that sticks. She is making a statement "HERE I AM", yet she still stays true to her sound (more or less) with the rest of the album. You gotta do what you gotta do nowadays. I'm not calling those songs shallow either, they're excellent pop songs. I think that she just likes trying other stuff with different projects too. Lai Lai Lai Team sounds closer to Midori/Goto Mariko than she has done before, and it fits her very well. I say just let her do what she wants while she's still got such creative juice flowing through her veins.

In the end though, the music is what you should really be going on... you've told me what you're thinking about Oomori's image but you haven't actually told me what you think of the albums. You're pulling a pitchfork so to speak :-p

As for Togawa's image, she was kinda sorta idol parody, but foremost she was an ero-guro (erotic grotesque) advocate. Tamahime Sama is a very serious and genuine album too you know...

Sorry to double post,

But another new PV, which is a prequel to "ミッドナイト清純異性交遊", adding a whole new level of depth/darkness to it:

君と映画

Love it when artists do this with their PVs.

Turtle, why are you so concerned with that Oomori is going for and if she's trying to parody idol music? In my mind, it's completely irrelevant what her artistic mission is. All I care about is the music.

I'm impressed with the stylistic diversity of her music, but most songs I don't find particularly interesting. Her voice can also be pretty grating, most are her just wailing with a guitar. It's not that I don't like her, it's that I don't think her music stands on its own merits. She intentionally integrates her "character" into her music: to talk about one without the other is pointless (I think the same thing of Togawa and Shiina). And somebody who seems to sing such intensely personal songs basically requires some understanding of her lyrics, and I can't really find anything on her lyrics. But okay, here's my review of Mahou:
Kitty Blues - her voice is kind of annoying, but around the 2 minute mark, I like the change, the repeating structures really apply a sense of urgency or apprehension. And like many songs that I like it ends in a sort of crescendo.
Ongaku o suteyo - I don't like the uneven mixing. I like the way her voice drifts from like a downbeat almost-rap, to her signature impassioned singing. I like the backing track too, almost trip-hop combined with dream pop. Her voice can get a little too cutesy.
Shinjuku - I love this song, but I really dislike the arrangement. I much prefer the acoustic guitar-only version she performs live. The bells are okay, but when it starts getting electro-poppy I just think it doesn't fit the song right.
Handmade home - the guitar work is really impressive, and it's almost country-esque with her strumming. I like it, it's upbeat and seems more optimistic than her other songs.
Atashi tenshin - this song is really good. I actually like the moaning chorus, but the verses shine, the way the words roll right out is very Shiina-like. Is that some 'r' rolling as well ;) And that guitar solo GAWD YES.
Natsu hate - is that still her voice? wow, she has some real vocal chameleon going on, like Togawa. The way her voice wavers when it gets to the upper register is just heartbreaking. I think the song is a great showcase for the strength of her voice.
Maguro gyosen - now, I don't understand the lyrics, but I can tell this is probably supposed to be a storytelling song. It certainly has that feeling and it's great because you can get the movement of the story from the way the music changes. But because I can't understand the story I find the song to kind of shallow.
Senaka no zipper - I'm beginning to see a sort of pattern with some of her songs. This one seems fairly generic to me, it fits into the "wailing with guitar" category.
Saishu koen - I really like this too, it's similar to Atashi tenshin with it's fast rolling verses and the bridge in the middle of the song is so beautiful, great guitar playing (almost Bonnie Pink-ish too).
I love you - yeah, another wailing with guitar song. There isn't much of a hook to it. But again, fantastic guitar bridge/solo
Kayokyoku - this one is different: a wailing with PIANO song! I'm joking, it's alright. But again, these slower songs just don't hook me.
Koenji - this song is way too long and bored the crap out of me. I like the electric guitar, I guess. I was zoning out within the first 3 minutes.
Himegoto - I like the whisper-like, haggard vocals and harmonizing. If it was longer I wouldn't like it, but it's the perfect length so it's enjoyable enough.
Maho ga tsukaenainara - this song is great. It's a wailing w/ guitar song, but has a strong hook. I love her voice in this, the strumming, how powerful the song is. And the perfect way to end the album.
Overall: an impressive diversity, it showcases her excellent vocal range and her guitar playing skills. Her more folk-sy songs that are just her and a guitar are rather listless, and I noticed that, for the most part, her better songs are the shorter ones. Barely any of the songs stick with me after I have listened to them, but the highs are so good I just want to listen to them again and again.
Favorite songs: Maho ga tsukaenainara, Atashi tenshin, Shinjuku
This is all after one listen, mind you. Though I have listened to the above three several times.

"Super charged" by her standards, namely acoustic guitar plus singing. They're pretty tame compare to most of Ringo's work, such as Kabukichō no Joō, Honnou, Jihen's Ringo no Uta, OSCA...

These are valid criticisms from people who are not big fans.

Seiko Oomori's perfect fan is someone who likes edgy female singer-songwriters with some degree of image appeal, often shows dismissive attitude towards Japanese idol music, and loves the singer's voice enough to tolerate the minimalistic music. The singer's voice is essentially what's doing the trick. You have to love Seiko's voice to enjoy her howling.

So far, I'm neither a fan of her voice nor the music, which is mostly indie folk. And in my own twisted view of music, I add the adjective "boring" to anything labeled as folk. I like glamorous, sexy female singers with loads of melodic, fast-paced songs (Ringo, Amuro Namie, Suzuki Ami, Goto Maki etc).

Anyone who says Oomori's voice can't be grating is lying. To be fair, Ringo has her share of grating vocals at times, but overall her voice is much more soothing and she has much more control over what she can and can't do with it.

While Seiko's influence from Ringo is obvious (though I think this is only in the image department), I don't think it's fair to compare any of her music to past Ringo songs. And her sex appeal is in the eye of the beholder. I find Seiko to be quite sexy.

Yes. super charged by her standards. Though, why bring up Kabuki-cho no jou, Honnou, etc when those songs are very different, trying to be different things, from the two Zettai Shoujo songs. Like saying "this cake isn't as good as this sandwhich" even if you bought them in the same mall. Oomori Seiko goes for the hyper sugar production of typical Jpop faire. I'd say the more similar Shiina-related song would be maybe Bunmei-Kaika.

I wouldn't say that liking her singing is the same as enjoying her music or that one necessarily has to go with the other. Singing can be more than hitting notes or to be a detached garnished to a pre-fabricated track. Oomori's voice is used less for singing so much as it is expression. Oomori conveys a lot of character through her vocal attack – I think more than post-SS Shiina dared, and I think that's a big part of the draw.

Now you can argue, why listen to a singer if the singing isn't up to snuff. It's like Celine Dion compared to Fiona Apple. Is one "better" than the other? It depends on the criteria. Regardless of "winner," there's room in the world for both.

ALL the best and most interesting female vocalists will be called "grating" or "wailing" by non-fans. Other examples.... Jun Togawa, Bjork, Kate Bush, early Tori Amos, Karen O, Yoko Ono, Mariko Goto. I think its a bland criticism because I've heard it so many times... Its something MY PARENTS would say back in my teenage days :lol:

Control? Who needs control.

Yoko Ono? I remember hearing a live song with her singing with John Lennon a a while back and she sounded atrocious. Not sure what she sounds like now. Mariko Goto has history of being in a punk band, so that's a different story. Her vocal style called for it. Now her voice is way more cutesy. You don't need to defend Seiko, DG. I know you're a big fan, and I'm a fan as well. I'm just being realistic.

Most people have only heard Yoko Ono in the context of "John Lennons Wife".... Which is understandable. It's a shame though cause Yoko Ono has some damn good solo albums under her belt.

For some good tracks, I say check out Rising II or Death of Samantha (no link to album version)... these might change your mind just a little bit.

Also, I gotta do this for my sanity:
-I think the ideal fan is a Shiina Ringo fan. Look at the current Oomori page on last.fm for example, 90% of the avatars there are Ringo avatars.
-It's not that hard/unbelievable to be dismissive of idol music- in fact, it is pretty much the standard as far as I know. The majority of that stuff (there are some decent groups/artists) is way more grating on the ears than this stuff...
-You say 'edgy female singer-songwriter' like it's a bad thing- yet you also mention Ringo in the same post. Ringo's most popular music is her young edgy music.
-I don't know what your idea of fast paced is, but Oomori isn't short of fast paced songs. You can have fast paced without drums you know.... Besides, we ain't talking thrash metal here.
-You like Mariko Goto. I find both artists (at times) extremely similar (just Oomori is more personal- I'd love to hear Mariko go to a deeper level like Mahou Ga goes- you know its possible, but I think she's happy with her sugar coating). Why you no like at least the Lai Lai Lai Team collab then? Also, m@u and Zettai Shoujo get along pretty damn good together tbh. I feel there is a stubbornness here :-p
-Indie folk is only the beginning. There is plenty more up her sleeve than that.
-You write Namie Amuro with no mention of Ayumi Hamasaki, who is infinitely better ;-p

Anyway, enough stanning. I sound like I did when I first joined EMF toward Ringo. I'll leave you to your Maki Goto, I'll listen to my Oomori albums :-p

@turtlefu: good to see that you finally listened to it. I say keep going with it (if you want to), I didn't like it all at first either but it's a major grower with time. What you put in, it gives back tenfold. The choice is yours. (Though giving up on it is like Luke giving up on Han when he was trapped in Carbonite in Jabba's Palace :-p)

dg you are such a stan and I find it hilarious.
Listening to Zettai Shoujo. The entire album is much better produced and engineered. Not just the first two tracks (which are purposefully OVERproduced), but even the songs afterwards that are more in her "girl and guitar" style, she really opened up the soundstage. Also, she seems to be a lot better at editing, songs no longer seem like they last FOREVER and nothing has really bored me as much as Koenji at this point.
Again, I really do appreciate her diversity. Maybe as Shiina fans we take it as a given that an artist can feel comfortable in a wide range of disparate genres, but Oomori really does handle her folk, pop, trip-hop etc. really well.

I don't think comparing her to Shiina is fruitful. It's why I like the Togawa comparisons better, because I think it captures both the performance and artistry aspect of her. Oomori is only comparable to Shiina in the sense that they are vaguely transgressional, but Shiina's music has always had a far more melodic foundation than Oomori's. Muzai Moratorium has lots of catchy choruses. Most songs in Mahou don't even have choruses.

EDIT: Spoke too soon. Just got to Aoi Heya and boy is it boring. But I do like her voice in it, I like fragile upper register.

^Togawa/Ringo: they're just as good as each other (well, technically, Togawa has the more satisfying catalog, I wish Jihen were anywhere near as great as Yapoos/Ringo x Neko was as fascinating as Togawa x Koji Ueno aka Guernica were... but Ringo's music is something that happened when I was there to see it, so there's that.).

It's exciting to have found someone with such potential as to be possibly joining their leagues.

Just gotta hear what she delivers with album #3 to decide on that.

(Not to mention I've been there almost since the very start. I'm gonna be one of those hardcore stans with all the cd-rs and stuff in the future :-p)

It's also nice to have something to argue about, the Ringo debates are flat as a pancake right now on here. Waiting for either a new album or Jihen 10th anniversary cash in for that. Sadly, I think it will be the latter that comes first.

Aren't you already that for both Togawa and Ringo? There isn't a lot from either that you don't own.

I'm also very optimistic that Togawa is worthy to join the canon. Within one year she has had MASSIVE improvement while still maintaining her unique character. What Zettai Shoujo lacks that Mahou has are the more personal songs. It's a very tough balance between personal folk music and produced pop music.

^I feel my Togawa collection is pretty complete. I'm not missing anything with her directly involved in it. My Ringo catalog, I have about 95% of it, I just am missing bits and pieces that I don't think I'll ever find or afford (that Sweetz for my Spitz vinyl- bahahaha, no way)

If there's one teeny concern I have, is that a lot of the songs on Zettai Shoujo are stuff that's been around just as long as the Mahou Ga stuff. Like a lot of Ringo's catalog, a lot of the Zettai Shoujo stuff is rearranged old material (which I dig a lot, in this case I find the rearrangements fascinating). Album 3 will most likely be the decisive moment because it will have to consist of mainly new songs.

At the rate she's going, I expect album 3 mid next year anyway. But not before a bunch of live albums. Or a live DVD. Or both.

I've also noticed that she's started signing other bands to her record label and is writing songs for other people already. That's a pretty interesting development I think.

Damn, she is a workhorse!

Like I said about Shinjuku, I'm not a huge fan of certain rearrangements. But sometimes I like it with just her and a guitar and sometimes I think certain songs need more complex arrangements.

I also love that she has her own record label. I think the other thing to consider is that Shiina from the beginning was on a major label (at the time, the #1 label in Japan), which probably affected her creative output a little. Togawa, AFAIK, was on both indies and major labels.

Just saying Ringo rocks way harder haha. I can use Perfume's Night Flight and Ayumi Hamasaki's Trauma (hyper sugar production) as examples, and I think they're better songs musically than the two Zettai Shoujo songs, which sound like doing idol music just for the sake of it (watered-down Suki Suki Daisuki), ミッドナイト清純異性交遊 in particular is bland as fuck.

Ringo combines her edgy side with pop-rock goodness. It's very mainstream compare to sth like Mahou Ga.

Cos Lailailai Team's mild indie rock sounds nothing like Midori's fierce jazz punk? :P Mariko's best years are behind her and I'm happy with whatever she makes now, and m@u fulfills the nostalgia. m@u isn't the artistic direction I really want, but I still like it more than Zettai Shoujo, to each his own I guess.

Eye and you and I and you and eye, you and eye and you and i,
i love when simple choruses are so good, I can't stop playing this

Seiko Oomori was the focus of Oil in Life vol. 64 a little while back. She played a great set mainly consisting of Zettai Shoujo songs. She does some straight out crazy zombie eyes shit on Over the Party. You can watch the whole thing on Youtube:

Oil in Life vol. 64

A fucking great half an hour watch here. Her guitar work is the best I've ever seen it. And I've watched a LOT of Seiko Oomori live footage :-p

(forgive me if this was posted in another thread earlier)

oh snap, deadgrandma sighting in the crowd at 1:08 center front next to the stage lol


yesss finally a live performance with Lai Lai team
my jam
always wonder what the hell is she spelling at that part in this song

fdsklfjskdjf

I wish :( Though I'd be going a bit more nuts than that :P

Which reminds me, an internet friend of mine has been to one of the Zettai Shoujo shows and says that Oomori has a new backing band with her apparantly for a full production sound, different to what she has done before. She also noticed that they were filming the show, so I can imagine a DVD or at least more youtube stuff to be appearing soon enough.

Also @ Hoopra (and other fans of course), have you listened to the latest CD-R yet? It's available you-know-where and also has been reposted on j-mp3.info recently...

I think it's pretty great, hearing a lot of them original demos (from the OTOTOY EP) re-recorded on better equipment is a treat and you get a bit of her weirdness and off-stage personality on the 'Intheroom' tracks.

She's also been keeping busy, the latest announcement is that she's guesting on an underground rap artist's album in March (she is on the last track). I'll be keen to hear her this song for sure. Not to mention THE NAMBATATIN's (the group that she wrote some songs for) mini LP will be out early next month. I'll be keeping my eyes on that one too.

not yet, but i did just watched the Tsumaran Yoru Wa Mou Yamete dvd,
im amazed at how she was able to barely pull herself together to perform the last track on the pink album in the encore while crying, especially that song which requires alot of wailing, omg shes just on another level

OVER THE PARTY

Ok, this performance has truly cemented it. Best new Japanese artist, without a doubt. I'm so jealous of people at this show and I hope it surfaces in full sometime.

This performance? Hmm. I didn't think it was that great, but it was good. I know it's just her, but I feel like she overplays the crazy vocals too much. If anything is going to cement it, I would say it's the albums themselves. Then again, I have a hard time saying anything is the best.

The super cute new song she wrote for NANBATATIN (I think that's the name of the band anyway) has a PV:

NANBATATIN

It's so Oomori it's not funny. Musically it sounds like Lai Lai Lai Team work mixed with the idol tracks from Zettai Shoujo. Hope she does her own version, the girls on here are OK, but are pretty stock standard. Good song, average vocals. It's kinda like when Ringo writes something for Rie Tomosaka or Chiaki Kuriyama :-p

I'll probably buy to add to the collection anyway.

can't wait for over the party 2014! hope she does songs from the Mahou album that were not on the first Over the Party like track 6 夏果て and hopefully they play track 2 音楽を捨てよ、そして音楽へ more like the album version on this one even tho i like the other version too
and cant wait to hear the new album songs on Over the Party 2 like Zettai and hayatochiri

I took a stab at translating "Shinjuku". It was much harder than I thought. Anybody who reads Japanese better than me, please help with your input! I had to write down what I heard, so no kanji for most words.

Japanese:
きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ
みんあのうたは誰のうた？
BLTみたいなCanCamみたいな
ジャンプSPRING　smartなうた

女のこだけもらえるポケットチィッシュ
私のおまもり汚れてもいいの

あのまちを歩く才能がなかったから
私新宿がすき汚れてもいいの

性格保護ではしからはじまで
みつあみをしたおんあとあそんで
いい大学とか気にせずに
君のこと好きだよ

もしもいつか子供がうまれても
ギターのほうがかわいいんたもの

あの愛にうずくまる才能がなかったから
私あなたがすき、誰でもいいの

あのまちを歩く才能がなかったら
私新宿がすき汚れてもいいの
私新宿がすき
汚れてもいいの

English: (bolded is what I'm unsure of)
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu
Everyone’s song is who’s song?
A BLT-like, CanCam-like
Jump Spring smart-like song

Only (young) girls can get pocket tissues
It’s ok if my protection/talisman is dirty!

Because I do not have talent I walk that street
I like Shinjuku even if it is dirty!

To protect my personality I (go) past the bridge until I am ashamed (?)
I play with the braided (hair?) girl
Without having to worry about a good university
I love your things!

Even if whenever the child is born
The way of the guitar is cute too

I did not have the talent to crouch/cower in that love
I love you, anybody is alright

Because I do not have talent I walk that street
I like Shinjuku even if it gets dirty!
I like Shinjuku
even if it is dirty!

Notes/Analysis:
The electro-pop singer Kyary, very popular with college-aged girls, typifies Akihabara and Shibuya (the typical hangouts for young women)
A song that everyone likes is nobody’s song in particular (possibly that Kyary is supposed to be seen as “unique” but since she doesn’t write her own songs, unlike Seiko, her songs don’t truly represent herself)
BLT, CanCam, are fashion magazines for college-aged girls (Seiko’s age group)
I have no idea what Jump Spring Smart is supposed to mean, possibly another fashion magazine

I have no clue about pocket tissues. Possibly a reference to what is considered fashionable for young women?
Mamori means “protection” but can also mean “talisman”, so possibly a reference to something that Seiko uses to feel protected/in defense of herself
“yogoreru” literally means dirty, but it can also have the connotation of “becoming disgraced”, so it may be a metaphor for doing something that is deemed unpopular (for example, liking Shinjuku when it’s more “fashionable” for girls her age to hang around Shibuya)

I have an issue with the grammar here, as the “kara” clause, when at the beginning of the sentence, typically means “because” but otherwise can mean “through, since, or out of”. I have no idea which to use.

The second verse is harder to understand because of the lack of kanji and me unable to finger out which word is appropriate from context. Her consistent use of “mo” is also throwing me off, since by my understanding it usually means “also/too”.

The last couple of verses make little sense to me, but I think it has to do with Seiko’s loneliness/outcast status, not worrying about the typical things women her age do.

She switches between "atashi" (the highly feminized "I", typical of young women trying to sound cute) and "watashi" (the less feminine "I", more common in business-like settings) throughout the song. Why? I do not know.

There are a whole bunch of implications about Shinjuku I am definitely missing as somebody who does not live in Tokyo.

あのまちを歩く才能がなかったから

I would translate this as "I walk that road, because I don't have talent" or maybe "Since I don't have talent, I walk that road"

I don't have the best Japanese either, but I think you did a pretty good job. My advice would be to try and translate less rigidly.

Things like: "Because I do not have talent I walk that street" and "I did not have the talent to crouch/cower in that love" can be made more fluid by adding contractions. They sound too robotic otherwise, IMO.

Good job!

Haha, my teachers say the same thing. I try not to transliterate too much but Frecklegirl has already told me about how necessary that is with Japanese.
Thanks for the input though, I really appreciate it.

EDIT: After careful listen, she is singing "Ano machi wo aruku" not "Ano michi wo aruku", changing the meaning from "road/street" to "town".

! Yay for Seiko Oomori translations! I did Natsu Hate last summer (i dont think I posted it here???) and I've been wanting to do all of Zettai Shoujo...if I ever get the free time. (She has all the lyrics up here if anyone else is interested!)
I think pocket tissues refer to the tissues that people give out in big cities as advertisements, it's like flyering only they hand out packets of tissues instead.
Also I'm glad I finally know what she's saying in that "Jump Spring..." part. I was never able to figure that out. I always thought she was talking about Can Can dancing...
Anyway if you do any more translations let me know, I love reading them! I'll post my Natsu Hate one too. Ugh, re-reading it now though makes me want to re-do it!!!!

Translate Sayonara, I gotta know why she cries when she sings it.

Also... awww

Can't find that song DG. I think this is good practice so I plan on doing more, and transcribing lyrics from audio is really good practice too.
Any thoughts on Shinjuku? As the local Seiko-super fan I feel like you might have some info I'm missing.

Hard to say, there's so many versions of Shinjuku now haha. But I take it you're going on the Mahou Ga version right...

The best version of this song is most lives, I love how she sighs painfully before saying Kyarys name.

There's another version which mentions Loft... So I think this song changes with her current life situation/she changes up verses for whatever reason.

Yeah, what relase is Sayonara on? I only have her two albums, her stuff with Lai Lai Lai Team, and Kuro Rekishi. I'd totally give it a try if you told me where it is.

Do you guys know where I can find info on when her shows will be? I'm 90% sure I'm going to be studying in Japan for July, and I'd love to see her.

The original version of Sayonara is on the debut EP "Pink" and there's version on all the live releases too.

As for live schedule, it's here http://oomoriseiko.info/live (only goes up to April right now)

I'm sure you'll be able to get a show in if you're in Tokyo area, she seems to be non-stop touring. If you do though, let me know cause there's always some weird cd-r's and stuff they have at her shows it seems.

Awesome, thanks! I'll keep my eyes on the Live schedule and keep you updated if she posts something I'll be going to. I'll be in Kobe, but if it's on a weekend I can probably just take a bus to Tokyo or something the night before.

Also, Turtle, I've been starting to translate some info on her website and it looks like she (or maybe someone on her staff) talks a little bit about Shinjuku in it, so when I finish I'll post it here.

ミッドナイト清純異性交遊

アンダーグラウンドから君の指まで遠くはないのさ
iphoneのあかりをのこして
ワンルームファンタジー
何を食べたとか 街の匂いとか 全部教えて
ときわ公園 空とぶ自転車
14才でみつけた桃色のうさぎ
ブルーな気持ちを食べて 歪にかわいい
プラスチックのステージで君はおどりだす

今夜しか見れない流星群
キャラじゃないなんて甘えてるから逃してばっか

春を殺して夢はひかっている
嘘でもいい 嫌いでもいい 私をみつけて
ストロー噛んでバスストップから睨んだ
狂ってるのは君のほう ミッドナイト清純異性交遊

君の気持はSNS ときに顔文字なくてSOS
めんどくさい夢 しょうがないファックユー
アイコンちがうかお 油性でかいちゃったから消えないI LOVE U
発売延期でぼくだけのキラーチューン

アンダーグラウンドから 君の指まで遠くはないのさ
iphoneのあかりをのこしてワンルームファンタジー
黒髪少女で妄想通りさ 君だけがアイドル

いつまでも大きい瞳で大丈夫な日の私だけをみつめてよ

派手なグッバイ けちらしたいストーリー
不評なエンディングでも好きだから守ってあげるよ
ストロー噛んでバスストップから睨んだ
世界だって君にあげる
ミッドナイト清純異性交遊
---------------------------------
Midnight Innocent Opposite Sex Friendship

It’s not far from the underground to your fingers
Reserve the light of your iphone
Studio apartment fantasy
Tell me everything about what you ate, the city smells, etc.
Tokiwa park, bikes flying (in the) sky
14 years old (when) we found the pink rabbit
Eat the cute, warped blue kimchi
You break into dance on the plastic stage

Meteor shower that cannot be seen tonight
Unlike a character, because I am a spoilt brat I set the idiot free (?)
The dream to kill spring is shining (OR: The shining dream to skill spring)
Discover me even with lies, even with hate
And glared from the bus stop chewing straw
The disarray (from this) Midnight Opposite Sex Friendship to you

Your feelings are a social network without smiley faces SOS
Bothersome dream hopeless fuck you
The wrong icon face, I LOVE U cannot vanish because I write it in oils
Only my killer tune for sale

It’s not far from the underground to your fingers
Reserve the light of your iphone, Studio apartment fantasy
By the black-haired girl delusional way, only you are (my) idol

Forever stare with big eyes only at me on good days!

I want to kick about flashy goodbyes story
Even though I like unpopular endings, I will protect you
And glared from the bus stop chewing straw;
Even in this world I’ll raise you up
Midnight Innocent Opposite Sex Friendship
-------------------------------------------
This one was quicker than Shinjuku, but I feel like it makes less sense. I can't even interpret it. I'm guessing it's just referencing events from Oomori's personal life?
The lyrics specifically use the word "isei" which means opposite sex, but the PV depicts a same-sex relationship *shrug*.
A bunch of lines that I have no idea how to interpret, a lot of guesswork. I'm trying to be less rigid but even though I can translate the phrase rigidly I don't really understand it. Part of the reason is because I don't understand how she's using "de" and "ni" particles throughout the song, because the way I was taught they are supposed to be used is very different to how she uses them here. So this isn't so much a translation as "slightly more legible than Google Translate".

^ I really wouldn't worry about not being able to interpret her lyrics fully, she, like Tori Amos and (the occasional) Ringo seems to have a writing style that is up to the interpretation more than being matter-of-fact. Well, give or take a few of the hard-biters on Mahou Ga/Zettai- these ones are usually the acoustic and voice only ones too. The more poppy ones all seem very vague when someone translates, and I think this is on purpose to just fuck with people- just like say, Cornflake Girl- look how many interpretations that song has.

A big problem I have with any translations of Japanese songs is how stiff everything sounds, I know it's not the translators fault but I guess the sense of flow is lost- for one, the rhyme and rhythm are gone. It's a reason I have a pet hate for fansubs in foreign films- sure, a lot of the time the translations in fansubs are more accurate/factual, but there's a reason for studio subs to be less accurate- if you're busy reading something that doesn't sound natural- you're gonna miss the tone of whatever they're saying. It's hard to express what I'm trying to get at and I'm blubbering off topic a fair bit now too.

I do appreciate your contributions/efforts though.

I disagree. She uses very plain language, at least in the songs I have looked at. The issue is my skills in not understanding how the tenses are used and how she moves around clauses in a sentence.

I don't know, I think her lyrics are really important. She has that whole confessional thing going on, I appreciate that she can both convey the meaning of the song through her highly emotive voice and her lyrics. SHe seems like a diary-style songwriter, and I think parsing out her lyrics help unveil another layer of her songwriting.

A huge, huge part of translating is transliterating, keeping that rhythm. The translator for Murakami's works, for example, admits that he basically has to rewrite the novel. I'm not advanced enough and not a good enough write ron my own to even attempt to maintain a rhythm.

Also its fun and good practice. Though lyrics are not similar to typical Japanese speech.

Also, is "killer tune" a common phrase in Japanese or is that possibly a Ringo reference?

Yeah I have been wondering about "Killer Tune" for quite a while now, I've heard the phrase used in a lot of Japanese (mainly teen themed) movies or anime quite a few times now. I've heard Jun Togawa use the term in an interview too. So I'm guessing it's been around for a while now.

I think her lyrics can be a bit vague in some songs, but she has some that are pretty straight-forward as well. But I think song lyrics are pretty difficult to translate in general. I found Midnight difficult to understand until I figured out that the song is about Michshige Sayumi from Morning Musume.

In the liner notes posted on the Zettai Shoujo site, Seiko writes that one time she was watching some compilation video of Sayumi's career on YouTube, and she was really annoyed that the person who made used some random Sakanaction song instead of one of hers. Because no one loves Sayumi like Seiko loves Sayumi, apparently. So she decided to write the ultimate Michishige Sayumi song, so that next time someone makes a Sayumi compilation video they'll have to use her song. This is paraphrased, but that's basically what she wrote in the liner notes lol

With that in mind, Midnight seems to be a song about an idol (specifically Sayumi) from a fans point of view (specifically a male pov. Maybe). The "pure opposite sex friendship" in the song title might then refer to the relationship between female idols and male fans, which many of the fans would characterize as something "pure" (though I don't know about that).

Also, the mentions of iphones and "tell me about what you ate etc" in the first verse makes me think it's probably about following your idol on twitter.

As for the lyrics you were having trouble with, TurtleFu, I think I can help with some of them. Though my Japanese is hardly perfect either! >.>

ブルーな気持ちを食べて 歪にかわいい
Eat the blue feelings, a twisted kind of cute
I think her she uses blue as meaning something sad or melancholy. Eating blue feeling might refer to the way an idol will cheer up fans? I'm not sure, honestly. The twisted kind of cute probably refers to idols/Sayumi.

今夜しか見れない流星群
キャラじゃないなんて甘えてるから逃してばっか
A meteor shower that can only be seen tonight
It's not in your character, I'll spoil you so just let loose
It's not your character, you act spoiled, then you keep missing out
Edit: Changed this line a bit, but still not sure about it.

春を殺して夢はひかっている
嘘でもいい 嫌いでもいい 私をみつけて
ストロー噛んでバスストップから睨んだ
狂ってるのは君のほう ミッドナイト清純異性交遊
Kill spring, my dreams are shining
It's fine if it's a lie, it's fine if you hate it, please find me
You glared from the bus stop, chewing at a straw
You're the one going mad, Midnight Pure Opposite Sex Friendship
Not 100% sure about these lines...

黒髪少女で妄想通りさ 君だけがアイドル
A black-haired girl exactly like my delusions, you are my only idol

派手なグッバイ けちらしたいストーリー
不評なエンディングでも好きだから守ってあげるよ
ストロー噛んでバスストップから睨んだ
世界だって君にあげる
ミッドナイト清純異性交遊
Flashy goodbyes, a story of wanting to kick things about
Even with a disgraceful ending, I love you, I'll protect you
You glared from the bus stop, chewing at a straw
I'll give you the world
Midnight Pure Opposite Sex Friendship
Not sure about the first line here, especially the けちらしたいストーリー part.

Aah, this post turned out really long... I've spent a lot of time thinking about this song so yeah

Ah weird, that explains a lot though. The lalalala pipipi at the end is a sort of characteristic tune that Michishige sings, wondering why that was there.
But I'm kind of annoyed Oomori is a Sayumi fan. I kind of consider her the worst member of Morning Musume ever. I guess I was wrong about Oomori being a sustained idol parody and she's actually a hardcore idol fan. I mean, it's sort of a critical look at being an idol too.

Thanks for the help, you are obviously much better at this than me! I can see the connection between what I find and what you find, it's like I have the puzzle pieces but you just make them "click", once I've seen your translations everything is much more understandable.

I'm a bit disappointed that that is the actual meaning of the song.

^ You know, I imagine Japanese females like idol groups for totally different reasons to Japanese males/international nerds. So I don't really find the subject of the song 'disappointing'- however... my knowledge about individual idols is pathetic- I find it kinda cool that she likes the 'worst member of Morning Musume ever' haha.

I found an extended translation of all the Zettai Shoujo notes a while back and can't seem to find it now (I will go back on the hunt though). I remember her saying something that she likes the 'oldschool' idol but hates the way it's heading (something like that). So I dunno, I find those 'idol' sounding tracks both a parody and an homage. More than anything though, I find them much stronger tracks than any idol group or artist is putting out at the current time- mainly because they've just got plain stronger writing behind them. Oh and Oomori's voice too, is far more interesting and unconventional too.

I think this line sums it up:
A black-haired girl exactly like my delusions, you are my only idol

Sometimes it's best not to hunt too far into meaning of lyrics- often you get let down because the actual meaning isn't something 'deeper' like you may have come up with for yourself.

Still, as of the current time, those 2 "idol"-esque songs are 2 songs out of her entire discography, and personally, in my least favorites anyway :-p (I've heard the live acoustic versions and I much prefer them in that form too, btw).

EDIT: Can't find the full liner notes thing, but I found this translation of her blog's intro (from Naitoflight's blog):
Obviously, half of this is joking around, but I kinda sense she's a fair bit into girls :-p

Yes, I absolutely agree.
I won't lie, I like idol music. But idols nowadays, the exaggerated facial expressions, the stock poses and movements, the grating and annoying voices, I can't handle that.
Oomori is none of those things, so it's basically idol pop I can actually enjoy.

There's a video of her performing this song with a real idol group and the contrast is so stark. Even if Oomori si marketing herself as an idol, it's really important to note that. She is marketing HERSELF as an idol, usually idols audition/are picked by a producer and controlled from the ground up. A self-made, self-producing idol is almost an oxymoron.

Worst member is just IMO. Sayumi is all looks, no talent. Even in her original audition the producers talked about how she had one of the worst voices he ever heard. So she's coasting by completely on how gorgeous she is. And the other problem is that her stage persona is so grating, purposely exaggerated to be the ultimate feminine idol, really squeaky and annoying. I'm sure she's a nice girl. But she can't sing.

I would rather attempt to understand Oomori as an artist and a performer than create this constructed image in my head that I cling to.

"All ex-boyfriends" made me laugh way more than it should have.

I knew Seiko reminded me of having a crazy ex-girlfriend for a reason.

actually seiko to me is like the crazy new girlfriend who gets jealous and tells me to stop talking to my exes who im on good terms with and friends with, who also embarrasses me making a scene in public and stuff, but shes so good to me that i would never leave, she buys me the shiina ringo 10 anniversary dvd and shit

I wonder if she means HER ex-boyfriends or ALL men who have been ex-boyfriends... If the latter she's damn picky :p Seriously though, she seems more interested in girls anyway.

Maou, out of curiosity, do you like/dislike/even give a crap about Oomoris albums or just reading through this thread? I cant remember you saying anything about her before. Sorry if I've just forgotten.

Maybe she is into girls? It might explain her feelings of being an outsider and the PVs for Zettai Shoujo have that story about the relationship between two girls that I find very gentle and realistic and not les-sploitational.

I took it as the latter. We're all the ex-boyfriend of somebody so she dislikes us all. :lol:

I don't think I've ever said a word about her on this forum. I'm somewhere between like and love. I'm not quite as enamored with her as the rest of the forum. My main criticism of her is her vocals. Sometimes they sound too out of place to me. It's not that the vocals don't fit the song, but that they stand too far out of the rest of the mix. Almost sounds like it was done in a different location. I'm sure that's kinda the point, but it still bothers me sometimes.

I'm not sure if I'd say she's actually into girls or if she just finds the subject of girl/girl relationships to be interesting.

You mean the girl who knows what's best for you, or so she says through remorseful tears as you lick your wounds from her latest demon-claw freakout?

Yeah, I've been there. :wub: :whacko:

Gentle and realistic give or take the bashing/murder and rotting corpse on the porch of the boyfriend right :-p

Rewatch both PVs from Zettai Shoujo a bit more closely if you don't know what I'm talking about.

I did not know that Kimi to Eiga had a pv. Uh, wow. That's kind of awesome! All those details I missed in the Midnight Seijo Isei pv.
Though I guess it fits with her hatred of ex-boyfriends.

Anybody know what she writes on the window in Kimi to Eiga? The first character looks like ヲ

I don't necessarily read it as a murder and it's definitely not a rotting corpse even if it is one. He's alive when he's on the porch but I guess he probably would die of hypothermia.

^I can't read it either. It fades to quickly and even when I pause the video, it's too dark.

As for the guy, if he's not dead he's at least seriously hurt, since he's just lying completely still out on the porch during the Midnight PV :P

She writes FUCK. In English. Backwards.

zactly lol, how lucky of you, i'd be willing to excommunicate a few friends for a steady girl and welcome her craziness and bossy-ness as long as she likes seafood, good music and pack me lunch every morning

Ah, you're right! Can't believe I didn't notice that.

I've been wanting to translate hayatochiri for some time now, so I finally sat down and did it. This song is a lot more abstract than I first thought, however, so I'm really not sure how accurate this translation is. I think it should give at least an idea of the meaning though.

hayatochiri

あと一手結んでる終盤戦 一步が飛びこめない中央線
こんなに長いエスカレーター こんなに長い永遠の隙に
パチパチと頭の中 何かが燃えて消えてゆく
ゆるめのゆめは容赦なく あんなに大事なイタズラだって
溺れる夕日に燃え尽きる命を重ねてセンチメンタルできるほど
やり尽きしたことなんてひとつもないのに泣いている

忘れる気持ちよさ忘れられずに
恋のはしっこにしがみつく

生まれた季節が大好きで 生まれた季節に出会った人なら
ちょっとは優しくできる気がする ちょこまか貯金をためてく

ねぇ知ってた？サブカルにすらなれない歌があるんだよ
ねぇ知ってた？アンダーグラウンドは東京にしかないんだよ
だからSEKAINOOWARIより 終わってるわたしにできること
勝ちパターンと負けたときの言い訳 告げ口のように歌ってる
告げ口のように

やわらかい中の方までやわらかい
君にもう一度さわりたい
イタくなきゃつまんないよ

いつかざまあみろっていいたい
いいたい
 
Jumping to conclusions

A game that will end in a tie in one move, you can't leap onto the Chuo Line with one step
Such a long escalator, in such a long gap in eternity
With a crackle, something inside my head flares up and goes out
My slow dreams are relentless, such a dear mischief
The drowning sun's fading life repeats once more, it's enough to make you sentimental
There's nothing left to be done, yet I'm still crying

Without forgetting long lost good feelings
I cling to the end of love

I love the season I was born in, if it's the person I met during that season
I feel I could be a bit more kind, restlessly I amass my savings

Hey, did you know? There's songs even the subculture can't gow accustomed to
Hey, did you know? Tokyo is the only place with an underground scene
That's why rather than the end of the world, there's something me who's at her end can do
My excuse when I broke my winning streak, I sing like a tattletale
Like a tattletale

Towards the soft center, softly
I want to touch you one more time
It's boring if it doesn't hurt

One day I want to say "It serves you right"
I want to say it

Notes:
Hayatochiri is the name of a second hand clothing store in Kouenji that Seiko likes.
In the lyrics, she spells "sekai no owari" (the end of the world) in roman letters in all caps, which is the way the band Sekai no Owari spells their name. I have no idea if it refers to them, or what it might mean, but it stuck out to me.

^^^ my fave song off the new album right now, thanks




also this live version of Hayatochiri is crazyyy
i need a better quality one tho, hopefully on Over the Party vol.2

hayatochiri

^ The more Pink Tokarev w/Oomori stuff I see, the more I just wanna get a proper CD from this collab. They seem to 'get' Oomori way more than Lai Lai Lai Team did (not to take from Lai Lai Lai Team, I think they're pretty great too), but man, The Pink Tokarev play off Oomori as perfectly as Yapoos played off Togawa. Totally amazing to watch the live performances. Keep getting "OMFG" moments similar to when I first watched Dynamite Out (for example) each and every-time someone links me to something I haven't watched yet.

I liked both those live renditions, and I'm glad I've finally got to hear a live version of 最終公演 since that's my favorite Oomori song, but I much prefer the original. It carries a much somber tone and more emotion. They turned it into a more upbeat song here and rocked it the hell out, which is cool, but I felt like it lost something intimate in the process.

I'd love an album with Seiko and Pink Tokarev!

One more song translation, 'cause I'm on a roll right now. This time it's Aoi Heya.

青い部屋

だまされてもかまわない 絵が描ければよかった
老人ホームでの仕事はとても気に入っていた

ごうごうともえている 言葉を知らない男
曲がり角の奥たちこめる匂い ひきずられ歩く

子供が子供を育て 子供が子供を殺め
子供が子供と子をつくる 子供だけの青い部屋
そう子供の亡骸を壁にうめて絵を描いた

僕たちは似ているね 優しさがむくんでいる
いつでも笑って暮らすのにかわいそうだと言うんだろう

子供が子供を育て 子供が子供を殺め
子供が子供と子をつくる 子供だけの青い部屋

ぼくの手をとる母親が ぼくを選ばなかったから
ぼくがぼくたちを守る ぼくたちの明るい部屋
 
The Blue Room

I don't mind if I'm decieved, I should have drawn a picture
I really liked my job at the old people's home

A loud man who can't speak
The smell enveloping the inside of the street corner pulls me along

Children raising children, children murdering children
Children having children with children, a blue room for only children
Yes, I hid the bodies of the children in the wall and drew a picture

The two of us are quite similar, we're bloated with kindness
Always spending our time laughing, but we're still called pitiful

Children raising children, children murdering children
Children having children with children, a blue room for only children

The mother who took my hand didn't choose me
So I'll protect us and our bright room

Notes:

• Not too much to say about this, the lyrics are pretty straight forward this time around. Except for maybe the part about the man who can't speak and the street corner, which I'm not sure about.
• Seiko uses "boku" in this song, which makes me think it's written from a male perspective. Possibly a young boy.
• The chorus became a bit clunky with the repetition of the word "children", it sounds a bit more elegant in Japanese.

Ever heard Blue Room (Guitar Vet.)? It comes on a 1 track bonus CD with first press of Zettai Shoujo... And it's totally epic.

^No I've never heard that version before. I wasn't even aware that there was a first press bonus CD for Zettai Shoujo! I only have the regular edition.

Yeah, you had to get it from Tower Records to get the bonus, and there's only a certain amount of copies (around 250) with the bonus CD too.

^She has so many limited and obscure releases @__@

And speaking of releases:


Manga artist and illustartor Moto Hideyasu is starting an analog music label, and their first release is a 7 inch analog single (which I assume means an LP?) of Kimi to Eiga. The b-side is Shoujo 3-gou. The release date is March 20th.

The cover illustration is really cool, but I'm not sure if I'll be getting it. I don't have a record player, and I'm not really interested in LPs... But on the other hand, it is Seiko, and it'll probably be a cool collectible. idk

I'll be getting it for sho. (If I can that is...)

And that jacket cover... Totally amazing.

A picture of Audrey Kimura and Seiko Oomori. Audrey helps promote Japanese bands in America, and also heads a tour called Japan Nite that seems to happen yearly in N.America. I keep telling her to bring Seiko to America! Hopefully it happens someday. She says she would really like to. Audrey also mentioned that she's going to Seiko's show next month with Yuu from Go!Go!7188.

Attachment 5800

Official Zettai Shoujo bewb shirts and posters now available:



I'd get the "B" poster... but I dunno about wearing a bewb shirt... Still, if you do like the shirt, grab 'em while they're available, cause they're limited edition.

Ok, I started listening to Seiko Oomori a few months ago (discovered her thanks to the forums). I have listened to Mahou Ga an a couple songs from Zettai Shoujo (plus some of what have been posted here - with my shitty internet) and so far I like her, but the way she sings is kind of a mystery.
SR’s voice isn’t quite traditional but she has largely mastered her talent. This (I feel) is something Seiko still lacks (a bit), which makes the comparisons between them flawed if not unfair and that’s something I have to keep constantly in mind so I won’t spoil my own listening experience. If Seiko’s singing from the heart, it is supposed to convey a dramatic effect which value is relative to its message.
For what I’ve seen, Oomori doesn’t have a clearly-defined philosophical stand point (or identity), thus the ‘singing from the heart’ meaning is still contrived to plain ‘basic feeling’ (assuming there could be something else behind it). If she presents herself as an ‘idol-parody’, the dramatic effect makes more sense as (at least) she opposes to the not so genuine singing of many other idols. Of course, the lyrics help too.
I remember I saw another post from someone (maybe TurtleFu?) who speculated about what Seiko was supposed to be standing for, which is somehow to be expected. In the end, the music is what’s going to stay with you, but I can never underestimate that thinking-impact many artists have like, say, Pink Floyd (ok, maybe not the best example for this thread… sorry). I can only wait and see how good she is at concept art…
And, F***! It's so exciting Oomori has her own label! Mkes me want to hear everything from her, although it also gives me the feeling she might not have started the best way. In Mahou Ga she began as a strong artist, appealing (at least to me) for her spontaneous character and disrespect to conventional songwriting, meaning she could become less-original as she involves herself more in the biz. But I guess with Seiko is more a small risk than a tendency.

Btw, TurtleFu, s3r3nity, Rhea… you are awesome! (Thanks for the invaluable translations and funny shirt pics).:lol:

I'm still waiting for her to have a definitive classic album. Mahou and Zettai are both good albums, but I don't think she's hit that sweet spot yet.

^ I guarantee that Mahou Ga will be a classic album in time. Its only 1 year old right now...

@JawofGoethe: You're kinda on the right track I guess (though you're pretty much repeating what most newcomers -myself included- think of Ooomori at first- give her some REAL time dude- if you check the 'best of 2013' thread, you will see why I put Mahou Ga as my #1 album of the year), but people compare her to Ringo (and it must be pointed out that it strictly means early Ringo too) more based on her attitude than sound- it's exciting to hardcore or oldschool Ringo fans because there hasn't been anyone who shows quite the same kind of genuine approach to their music in quite a long time in Japan (even Ringo, while still making quality stuff to my ears- doesn't resonate with all oldschool fans the way she used to- which you will certainly find out first hand on EMF in due time- there'll be lots of fun arguments to get yourself stuck into in the future- starting with her 15th anniversary blu ray at the end of the Month :-p). Sure she's imperfect, but so was Ringo on Muzai Moratorium, but she had attitude that stuck- and makes the album all that much stronger for it- and in the end, it stood (and still stands) above and beyond her contemporaries- much like Oomori is doing now.

However, if we're making comparisons- she's far closer to a modern Jun Togawa than anyone else though. And if you stick around long enough, you will come to realise that I LOVE Jun Togawa- and I can quite seriously dare say I have the most complete collection of her stuff for a westener. I also have the complete Oomori set so far, and I intend to keep it that way, regardless of cost or difficultly purchasing.

As for becoming 'less original'- it's not a fear I have with her (at least, yet). If I have any fear with Oomori, is that she will probably start releasing stuff slower than she is now- which actually may be a blessing- it's fucking hard to keep up with her and her side-projects/guest appearances as it is. The fact that she is on her own label allays many fears that come with artists getting more popular too- she doesn't have anyone telling her what she has to do at the moment- and she seems to be teaming up with more 'indie/alternative' artists anyway when she does collaborate.

Speaking of the Oomori collection.

Looks like the vinyl is gonna require using deputy service... None of the vendors it is being sold at ship international... Sigh. That means a 1.000 yen product is now gonna cost 3,000 yen or so. (Unless anyone here that's in Japan is willing to help me out??? :-p) Goodo.

The only thing preventing Mahou from becoming a classic, for me, is that the second half of the album is largely inferior to the first. If she took out those two long songs from the second half I think the album would have flowed better. I always zone out during the middle of "I Love You" and not in the good way.

The flow and pacing of an album is something I don't think she's gotten quite right yet. Zettai suffered from two electronic tracks right at the beginning and the rest being fairly standard Oomori, with the exception of that circus-y sounding track.

A modern Jun Togawa? Hmm, maybe in spirit only. Musically? Not so much, at least based on what I've heard from both artists. Jun has dabbled way more with electronic driven songs than Oomori has. Oomori mainly sticks to acoustic numbers, but Zettai expanded her sound more by adding a lot more instruments.

I want to compare Shiina to Oomori, but I don't feel right doing it. They're too different musically. Basically, I feel that Shiina's debuts have much more staying power over Oomori's and that's why I don't think Oomori has yet to make a classic album. When I listened to MM or SS I wanted to keep listening to them over and over again, but with Mahou or Zettai I feel like I need to force the rest of the listen because they tend to drag towards the end.

I dunno, I can't really say I have the same problem (any more), at first, maybe- but now I always look forward to the most stripped down songs on the album. I love you is track 10, so it's hardly the second half...

I listen to Mahou Ga so damn frequently cause it still sounds fresh to me, I'm not remotely 'bored' by it yet. I can see it being a 'classic' for sure. The 'lull' toward the end eventually becomes the best part too, those songs are always the most potent and mind-blowingly 'real' to my ears- and live they're even better.

I'd say Jun Togawa dabbled in electronic stuff because of her era. She still manages to have aged wonderfully though and I find her as compelling as any modern (as in, my generation) artist. Besides, her recent shows are acoustic nowadays too.

I'm craving for Ringo to just give us a fully stripped back acoustic album... though I doubt this will happen this late in her career (and her interests seem to go for the more orchestrated -I was going to go with 'jazzy'- but it's barely that anymore either except for stuff featuring SAPS) right now- I seriously doubt this will change until Saito Neko retires or dies), just gotta stick to the second half of Ringohan for that I guess.

I have listened to Togawa too. In fact, she’s one of my most researched artist in the web (if I tell you the ‘Togawa Master’ below deadgrandma’s name intimidates me a bit, I think you get my feelings toward her :D just joking). I know this might annoy some EMFers although even for me is hard to say it: in all the aspects I can think of, Jun Togawa excels Shiina Ringo except for two (BIG TWO and no, I’m not talking about their bodies), but that’s something more appropriate for other thread. I think I understand how you feel about comparing SR and Seiko, FadedSun.

deadgrandma: I went a little shy on Oomori in my previous post; truth is I really enjoyed the personal boldness of the first album as I discovered new things with each listen (bad thing about learning curves is that they are curve). Perhaps you’re foreseeing this as a masterpiece as it can be remembered as the ‘album that started everything’/ ‘the breakthrough’/‘The Bible of’ (?) once Oomori acquires the required recognition for such pro? She’s a busy beaver, so this could happen sooner than expected (if it’s not happening already). Also, other equally alternative musicians could take advantage of her popularity to get some attention, a similar trick she used with Hashimoto Ai in a PV. I can almost imagine her recruiting an army of underground musicians to join her label!:lol:

As for the “Favorite albums of 2013” thread, I already checked it and I can only say it’s like a multivitamin pill that actually tastes like food (my list of ‘musicians to listen’ is growing almost entirely in quality; you have a great taste deadgrandma!). Now, back to music!

Big two...music and singing? :P

i have no doubts in my mind Mahou will be as classic as kzk to me, i took a like a week off from listening to it to listen zettai and missed it like hell, it sounded so fresh after putting it back on on again, but i dont think zettai will stand the test of time as as Mahou will

I think Zettai has more of an instant gratification factor to it that Mahou doesn't have. Once you put it on you're hit with (what I think is) a great song, and it continues on a good note for a while.

I know I go on and on about this song (I love it so), but I really wish 最終公演 was close to the last song off Mahou. After I listen to it I always feel like I'm done with the album. I would be satisfied if the album ended right there, honestly.

@DG, since "I Love You" IS track 10, and there are only 4 songs after it, I would say it's definitely the latter half of the album.

:/


I heard all the original mixes of a lot of the songs later put on ZS before I even listened to Mahou- so I was already a little biased towards it before actually listening to it. I like Mahou, but like Faded said, Zettai is so much more to easy l to listen to. If I like songs on an album the first time I hear it, I like to repeat that song, possibly not even progressing for days to the rest of the album. It took me 3 or 4 hrs to get through Zettai once where I listened to mahou straight.

mahou feels like a musical art book of renowned classical artist to me, everything in it is real impressive and great to learn from, worth keeping around, but I simply don't like everything about it. It sounds good, but I'm not in love with it.

I honestly don't go a day without listening to ZS songs if not the whole album.

So, apparently, she's been playing many new songs in recent lives... Bring album 3. I can take it like a man :-p

Hey guys, I wrote a review for Mahou Ga on Sputnik Music. If you could be so kind as to read it and give a vote if you think it was well written. If you think there's anything I should change, or edit, then please do so. DG, I know you'll disagree with me :P Also, you have more background on Seiko, so anything history wise that you think is wrong, please tell me.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/6...Use-The-Magic/

Just as aside, "Shin Yado" is actually "Shinjuku". Shinjuku is one of the special wards of Tokyo, think of it like the neighborhoods of London or burroughs of NYC.
I like your review, even though I don't necessarily agree. To me she is following the same path that Shiina had. Mahou is her MM, it is loudly yelling I AM HERE JAPAN and setting up her specific style and songwriting quirks. On her next album she refines her production skills and settles more into a defined groove. I hope her third album finds her wildly experimenting with production and arrangements.

Another thing got me thinking: what is the meaning of Mahou ga Tsukaenai Nara Shinitai? Tsukaenai can either mean "to not be useful" or "to not be able to use", and nara can mean "if" or "as for/pertaining to". I kind of want to translate it as "if magic can not be used, I want to die", but the overall meaning esecapes me.

Official translation is "The child would die without magic"