I've seen the negativity pop up and I guess I can only say that I'm happy to have been in a 10 year honeymoon(ish) phase with Ringo.
I've found that some of her work since the very beginning not to my tastes, but never would I call them "bad" (I've grown less and less able to understand what "bad" music is though, rather than music that just "isn't for me" or something that I don't "get" if that makes sense.)
I do wonder what Ringo and Neko talk about when making music together. I'm rather slow on some things, so I was surprised to find that he's been around essentially since the start of her major career, though I guess mostly in the capacity of a violinist, then conductor, then outright collaborator. :O people who are more familiar with the ringo&saito relationship, can I ask what effect you think it's had on her music?
FadedSun, I'm not sure what the overall forum thinks of sunny, but I recently did an in-order-of-release listen to Ringo's solo stuff, and at about halfway through MM I found myself unable to wait to listen to Sunny. It really is a gem, and her power not just as a musician but as an artist really flows from it
I agree that Nippon and also for me Jiyuu feel like bumps on an otherwise smooth ride though. I guess having them play parallel tracks though makes it less shocking to the system when either one plays though
I agree with you, zero. Her live performances often surpass the limits of what an album can give you. (One song I've found that I prefer on the album is Honnou though. The distortion is really key to why I like it I guess!¥
I was actually watching Domestic Virgin Line last night, and I believe she said "it's okay to not even buy the album. Just come to the concerts and experience it there." Which I think she still feels, and is the philosophy behind the 生 (which, among many other meanings, can mean "live") at the center of the sun on her controversial flags.
I still think she has this at the core of her philosophy as a musician which is why she tours so much. I don't follow other comparably popular solo artists or musicians, but she does 1 or 2 concerts or concert series a year, which seems very impressive as I always think that she doesn't have to, and if she wanted to take time away from work and writing and performing that she could and people would still wait patiently for her :O
(Sorry for another long "reply to everyone" reply!!)