(2009.06.24) Shiina Ringo - Sanmon Gossip [Album]

[Entry№1]

Originally Posted by Scribble R

And since when did Shiina Ringo ever make 'heavy intellectual music?' I think what she was best at was making clever pop/rock music. Only slightly intellectual, and hardly ever pretentious. Her old songs were as catchy as they were intellectual, which is why she was so awesome.

From "Okonomide" (credits: Nostalgic-Lavender.net):
"Even life is only a hyperventilation in a mysterious flash of light
You let me paint one set of ten golden-painted nails
How would having here, as a barely-finished product, a pair of glasses be?
So, go ahead, as a duplication of pleasant feelings, how would a pair of glasses be?"

Ringo seems to have a difficult time speaking from the heart, or in a way that is really natural. Everything for her has to be steeped in thick symbolism, and symbolically translated to a point that very few people can understand what she is even talking about. It is beautiful, mysterious, and ambitious... but it has also been somewhat exhausted.
Anyone who's read much about Ringo's life knows she tries extremely hard to look cool to other people, sometimes to the detriment of her art. Songs like "17" and "Ariamaru Tomi" are so valuable in the wide scope of her career for their simplicity. They contrast extremely well with the more abstract stuff.

[mizer_unmei]

Originally Posted by Scribble R

And since when did Shiina Ringo ever make 'heavy intellectual music?' I think what she was best at was making clever pop/rock music. Only slightly intellectual, and hardly ever pretentious. Her old songs were as catchy as they were intellectual, which is why she was so awesome.

This is what I find irresistible in an artist. This is what she had in her first album, and a main reason why I think MM is her best work. Clear and plain lyrics about leaving one's hometown, the simple pains and joys of being young, or narratives on Tokyo.
I seem to find that it's what I look for in many aspects of life. I like witty and clever authors who talk about people and not philosophy in prose you would expect to hear in an everyday setting.

However like that quote from Okonomide, with KZK she had insane intellectual, borderline incomprehensible lyrics. Like she said, her ego went crazy. Though I'm not sure it's ever really recovered through Tokyo Jihen times. So if she does have more simplistic lyrics this time around, I can understand how she want this associated in the same vein as her first 2 albums.

[s3r3nity]

Originally Posted by Osiris12345

But the animated cats and her sticking a fork in her mouth went a little over my head.

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/shun-k...FRJxxwod4R6atw
This song is actually about silverware.

[clakaz]

Ringo likes Elephant Kashimashi music because of simple melodies and the simple and honest words. She admires them but I don't think she aim to be like them. It's like that's their way and this is my way.
Recently Ringo said that back in the MM and SS days she would feel constantly disconnected or dislocated from what she was singing, since the songs were all written on her teens, hence the need for stop for a while. So, yeah, she is more the intelectuall and cold type of musician, but she would feel very unconfortable to perform something tha wouldn't contain some "true" about herself, I think.

[imkookoo]

Originally Posted by s3r3nity

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/shun-k...FRJxxwod4R6atw
This song is actually about silverware.

I think the animated cats represent pussy porn, and the fork represents forking.

[a_grumble_cake]

Originally Posted by clakaz

Recently Ringo said that back in the MM and SS days she would feel constantly disconnected or dislocated from what she was singing, since the songs were all written on her teens, hence the need for stop for a while.

huh... I always wondered how she felt singing stuff she wrote as a teenager but I had no idea she already felt that way by the time MM was released. I'm starting to think the "classic ringo" sound was really just a short phase in her mid to late teens. That's a real shame as far as I'm concerned

[Scribble R]

Some interesting stuff has been posted on the 133th page. It actually kind of makes sense her growing out of the classic Ringo sound by the time MM was released. In my opinion, the classic Ringo sound wasn't even present in Shouso Strip.

And er, I've kind of changed my mind again about Sanmon Gossip. I couldn't help myself not to listen to low-quality Vogue again, and I'm starting to think that it's a worthy intro to the album, and has the potential to be great. I think it's certainly more than 'rapper rapping over cheesy pop-RnB song.' And I listened to Shun again, and I think that it could be one of those songs that makes sense if you listen to the album as a whole. Jikan is still a dud to me, but it could also be one of those kind of tracks too.

I may have jumped the gun by thinking Sanmon Gossip will be disappointing. I dunno, with VARIETY, the songs immediately felt empty (And I listened to it BEFORE I was aware of Ukigumo/Izawa's influence). I don't think it'll be Adult 2 either. I've gone back and forth with my opinion so many times that it's best to just stfu and wait for the album!

(Don't be a smartass and agree)

[bromithia]

Wooo. The album is going to be here very soon.

[Scribble R]

So is it the 24th or the 23rd? Or even earlier?

[HEDOfloe]

Originally Posted by kuro_neko

there is a very very very lo fi version of ryuukou, the track with the rapping, going around 2ch that I've heard. A lot of people didn't like it, but the quality is so bad you can barely make out what is going on, other than a bit or rapping and ringo's vocals throughout the track.
personally, I felt Amai Yamai was really fresh, just hit the spot right on. Ringo needs to experiment and well, colloborating with a rap artist is not something she has really done before, so I think it is a bit silly for everyone to write it off so fast. everyone disliked Amai Yamai when they heard about the collab and then when it was first released, but gradually it wormed its way under everyone's skin and it seems like the general consensus is that it is a fresh fun song if you don't take it too seriously. I think the album is going to go down this route...a more fresh and fun take as seen from ringo's perspective. I'm a bit tired of the heavy intellectual "art" that goes around recently, so I'm looking forward to Ringo releasing something that is a bit more straightforward. So far AT and Shun have been in this vein so I've felt very pleased.

i don't mind that she's experimenting, i just think it's with the wrong people. big name artists usually don't have too many "featuring"s in their catalogue apart from studio musicians. and even when they do, it's usually someone else with a big name. one artist that i know collaborates often is bjork and she's done things with thom yorke or rahzel, and more unique people whereas i imagine ringo is working with some no-name rapper.

also, i don't know if i've mentioned this here before, but i did like AT, i thought it was a good song, but what i didnt like was that she especifically molded it to fit that drama sound. if it was her on guitar, you probably couldn't tell so much, but the whole song just feels like a better drama song.

Originally Posted by gekokujyo

Wtf? Rap = Bad?

Isn't it kind of jumping the gun to assume that the album will be bad just because you know it contains elements that you don't necessarily like?

I mean, I'm not saying with certainty that everybody will jizz over this album when it comes out, but there seems to be a bit of (unwarranted?) pervading pessimism around here. Shun, at least, was enjoyable for me (as well as Futari bocchi jikan, albeit to a lesser extent), so I'm quite looking forward to the rest of the record.

you're right, but as shinji said, i just meant bad as in i would not like that. i try to refrain from saying things that sound so objective like that regarding arts because it is so subjective but i guess it slipped because i really hate rap. really hate it. i mean, i can enjoy some songs, like say my adidas, but most of it, if i do enjoy it, it's never something i'll want to actively search in my music library. so it's just me. but, knowing how rap usually works, i'm just dubious as to the approach that she will be taking for the album considering that shun seems to have a sort of watered down sound and that she now has a rapper guest on an album, not even a b-side or a non-album single. that's where i'm doubting. im sure the songs will be good and enjoyable, but i doubt we'll be blown away.

actually, i was actually very put off when i saw the shun video. not because i didnt like the song, but why was that the single? it wasn't released as the single but if AT or SG wont be on the album, then shun is what is promoting it. i don't feel good about that.

that said, i pre-ordered and am hoping to enjoy it a lot. i like shun =).

Originally Posted by papilionidae

AERA cover



who is this young lady? XD

she looks hot there. i hope she's not doing anything to her face. it looks like she has normal lips here again. i didn't mind them too much in OSCA but in shun, it was too much for me. not hot.