While this forum may act as though both sides of the opinion scale are respected I don't think that's true.
There seems to be a default postion assumed that everything released is all OMG amazing and if you dare disagree then you must be some kind of leper for refusing to drink the forum kool-Aid.
Someone called me on what I meant by relevancy a few posts up so I'll explain! I expect music that means something musically and artistically, the current single is bland and I'd wager that the only meaning behind it was to keep the bank balances healthy for the band.
Given the quality of the music she's put out before how can anybody class the current stuff as remotely worthwhile? even by their history as a band this song is garbage as well. Forget the solo output and compare it to just Kyouiku & Adult and it doesn't even stand up.
Think of your favourite songs by her and the group and how good they were and what they mean to you over the years then give the current single a spin again and tell me you feel something (seriously what do you feel).
I don't speak a damn word of Japanese but even I felt certain songs from before were alive with a soul of their own and that sense of life is completely gone now.
I don't care how high up she is in a recognition chart because after all the gum ads that wouldn't be so hard!
I can't fathom how some of the older heads here can rate this music because they know what's gone before, the younger heads may only know this stuff so I'll give 'em a pass but how can the rest of you like this stuff?
I live in vain that a truly awesome record will come from them again...
And so the old EMF record spins on
I guess you wont agree with me and I wont agree with you. That's democracy in action.
(wall of text!)