Third album: Variety [News]

[Tokyo Jihad]

Thanx for your insight Tsuchiya. You really help show the error in my ways! ~_^

[justriiingo]

Originally Posted by insanitykun

Lolz, Ringo is such a sellout bitch. I mean, what's up with Muzai being on the charts for 79 weeks and every album cracking the top two on the charts? She has betrayed us!

Now you're taking things out of context. Those albums deserve to be there.

[insanitykun]

So say it like it is. You don't like it. It's not "selling out" just because you dislike it. The last time she was outside of the top ten was almost ten years ago. She "sold out" a long, long time ago.

[HEDOfloe]

Originally Posted by insanitykun

So say it like it is. You don't like it. It's not "selling out" just because you dislike it. The last time she was outside of the top ten was almost ten years ago. She "sold out" a long, long time ago.

Preach! This is exactly how I feel.

Originally Posted by HEDOfloe

There is no decline in Ringo's talent/abilities, whatever. There is only transition into genre/genres that is/are not within the realm of some people's tastes/likes/enjoyments. Another FACT.

If anyone thinks that the new music sounds more mainstream, i'm sure we can still agree that it is better than most of the mainstream pop that is out there. To sell out, would be to all of the sudden make a cutesy pop album just for cash. Tokyo Jihen does not need to do that since they have always been successful. I believe that Variety is an experimental album because that is what it sounds like. It is not an excuse of any sort. I'm sure it will get second place in the charts behind Ai Otsuka's new album, and heck, it might even pass it and get number one with this "mainstream" sound. It does not make it any less of an album because it has a sound that is more appealing to the masses, but even so, how was Ringo's other work not appealing to the masses if it was always charted high?

I know a few are disheartened that their heroine is making music that they don't like, but this heroine is not the typical one. She is not a flower who is dying like JR had on her sig, but rather expanding her musical range and now being led in this expansion for this one time only by Uki and Izawa. If she were doing music like their first two albums and failing at it, THEN and ONLY then could it be said that she is losing talent. But if you consider her to be failing in a new area, then how can you mark her progress and success or failure if it is an area that is previously unvisited? Now, some contend that ADULT was pop, etc, but definitely nothing sounding like OSCA or KILLER TUNE. Just as The Strokes made music in the same genre but their albums do not sound the same.

If you judge their success by sales, what does it prove, since they were always successful? Sellouts now but not then? Who gets to decide what is deserving of high sales and what is not? Surely it must be that rabid dog a.k.a the mass consumer. And what do they know? Surely, nothing about music.

[justriiingo]

Originally Posted by insanitykun

So say it like it is. You don't like it. It's not "selling out" just because you dislike it. The last time she was outside of the top ten was almost ten years ago. She "sold out" a long, long time ago.

Find me the quote that has me saying that SR is a mainstream sell-out. I didn't say that.

[waxringo]

I'm really liking these songs....They are definitely a variety
and definitely a chill album so far...

[kuro_neko]

did anyone stop to think that this thread makes little sense considering Ringo didn't write the material on the new album?

if you want to blame *anyone* you can blame Kameda, since he is pretty much the REAL ringleader behind TJ. It is no secret he was the mastermind behind the Adult phase and has anyone actually stopped to look at his resume? The man has produced pretty much every top selling artist in the past decade or so. I am constantly reading lyrics and surprised and astonished to see who he has worked with. Yuki, Ken Hirai, Do As Infinity, Ringo herself, pop to rock, he has done them all. And he pretty much produces all of TJ, it used to say him, if I'm not mistaken, now it says "Tokyo Jihen" for the producer, but still...if you want to credit someone with misdirection of the sound and the "mainstream" or "sell-out" direction, at least get it correct and call out someone besides Ringo, who really gave up control of the band for this phase to the other musicians.

[Maou]

Originally Posted by insanitykun

So say it like it is. You don't like it. It's not "selling out" just because you dislike it. The last time she was outside of the top ten was almost ten years ago. She "sold out" a long, long time ago.

I find getting more and more mainstream with each release while alienating your original fanbase to be a bit of a sellout. I liken SR to the Christian religious group. Both used to be complete badasses who gradually went more mainstream. Both maintained popularity despite some major changes.

Originally Posted by hide

The Christians totally sold out after the Crusades.

Yeah, really bored again.

[ShadyNook]

at first, I thought the idea of Ringo letting go of the steering wheel for a while was a bad idea.

But now I think this Phase 3 project is necessary and serves as proving ground for the new gladiators.

It brings out a competitive spirit between everyone to show the best they've got. If the band makes it out of this on good terms it should only bring us an even stronger band with a closer artistic bond for their 4th phase---the double-disc album!! followed by a memorable concert on the terra studio roof, one more album and a total band breakup.

[golem09]

I blame Hata.