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Old 2008.05.04, 09:44 AM   #42
TeslaGuy
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KSK is my favorite.
Utaite is currently second, and more specifically the Mori Toshiyuki CD. From the first burst of noise of Kimi wo Aisu to the end of Kuroi Orufe I'm in heaven. I like the rest of the tracks as well, but the first five are what keep luring me back to this disk. Inventive, clever, complex, with a deep, rich soundscape. Even the simply arranged Won't Last A Day is augmented by the hushed thump and crackle of the inner groove of an LP used as percussion, a subtle reference to the song's original medium.
Originally I thought SS would be number two, but playing it immediately after Utaite made me realize how dynamically flat and two dimensional this album is. Undoubtedly the severe compression was intentional, but it lost just enough points to slip into third place.
HF is next. Hatsukoi Shojo is one of my favorite Ringo songs. I don't know if its noticeable on everyone else's audio systems, but during most of the song, every note that Ringo sings and each woodwind arpeggio is panned to a different point in the stereo soundfield. The result is a chorus of ethereal voices spread from left to right, combining in a shifting series of brief, beautiful chords. Woodwinds arpeggiate amongst them, as they hover above a bed of lush strings and mechanical percussion. The artful combination of the synthetic and organic is one of my main attractions to this album.
MM comes in fifth. To be truthful, I bought it and about five other CDs at the same time, and I haven't given it as much attention as it deserves.
Kyouiku just sounds awful. Its painful for me to listen to. I thought it was destined to a life as a shiny drink coaster or Munchkinland frisbee, but as a responsible member of this forum I will give it a fair listen.

Variety is out on loan. No opportunity to listen to it last night.
Adult is MIA. I lent it to a friend months ago, and when I opened the box last night it wasn't there.
I'll go to BookOff tomorrow and see if there is a cheap copy.
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