[Album Review] ayumi hamasaki - LOVE again

"Buy rabu agen for watashi no CLEAVAGE"

It being the last studio album she actively promoted, the first studio album she conceptualised and written in its entirety with cohesion, and even naming two concerts after it, you can already tell ayumi hotmessaki sure loves her Love songs. 1 studio album later, she farts out another one called LOVE again. It's either meant to be an obvious second part album to Love songs, or an attempt to pay homage to her second studio album, LOVEppears. I personally think she's just lazy and conveniently decided combine her previous 2 "mini-albums".

It's funny how this studio album comes right after the trainwreck that was Party Queen. Can't say much shit about it though, since its title track was what gave me inspiration for this heck of a blog's title, but you can tell the stark difference between the concept, album arts and all. From the experimental, no-singles, shit-selling and riot-causing Parlee Kwee, Ayu listens to y'all, guys, and has as a result recoiled back into a more safe, even-more-shit-selling, throwback sound that is liberally smeared all over LOVE again.

[CD Packaging] ayumi hamasaki - LOVE again (CD+Blu-ray Limited Edition)

After an extremely long wait (it was the Chinese New Year rush over here) I finally received my copy of the CD+Blu-ray+GOODS edition of ayumi hotmessaki's LOVE again. Which comes with an ayu-pan figurine and a photobook. At least for the first time in a loooong time we're not getting weird shit like coasters and cups.

Listen to Color the Original (I'm not sorry for the weak pun)

Since we are just one day shy away from the release of Koda Cum-i's second cover album which, despite shitloads of autotuning, will probably still sound better than BENI's discography combined, and given my lack of a soul these days, I decided to post up videos of all the original versions of the songs she'll be covering on Color the Cover! Now that is one shitass long sentence.

[New Release] ayumi hamasaki - ARENA TOUR 2012 A ~HOTEL Love songs~

2DVD | Blu-ray

...and that is one hell of a mess of a 15th anniversary celebration. Labels are convenient, aren't they? ayumi hotmessaki's final EXCITING, TOTALLY UNPREDICTABLE 5th release closing the 5-releases-5-months thingamajig to be released on March 8 leading up to her 15th anniversary is none other than a workout DV- I mean, the DVD / Blu-ray release for her Arena Tour last year which we all know that if not for this 5-releases-5-months thingamajig, would have never been released at all!

It's sad to say that we all saw this coming. You tried, avex, you tried. I have to say that the cover is a huge step-up from her CDL 2011-2012 cover where her sausage lips took up approximately 80% of her face. Plus there's actually some photoshop effort put into this so good job on that one. Also thank god the hideous tour logo isn't anywhere near the cover.

On the other hand, this is her first Arena Tour release in god knows how long where there will only be 2 DVDs, and the only extra we will all be getting is the 4 interlude videos that were played between her costume changes. No extra performances, no compilation of MCs, no documentary, no shit. So for those anticipating for an extra performance of Return Road to be dumped in there, sorry but ain't gonna happen bruh. 

I'm also bummed that her encore performane of call in the earlier dates aren't included but on the other end of the spectrum I'm just glad kiss o' kill is in there because let's face it, that song is da bomb. I don't give two shits about the Kishidan performance (maybe I will after watching it) and I'm going to pretend Thank U was never part of the setlist.

I'm still excited for this tour because I actually enjoyed the countdown live version of HOTEL Love songs, so I'm hoping the standard is around the same, or even better. My body is ready.

ayumi hamasaki ARENA TOUR 2012 A ~HOTEL Love songs~ will be released on 8 March 2013.

Tracklist

1. Happening Here
2. Song 4 u
3. feedback
4. Tell me why
5. reminds me
6. appears
7. Missing
8. a cup of tea
9. Shake It♥
10. STEP you
11. NaNaNa
12. Sparkle
13. the next LOVE
14. Eyes, Smoke, Magic
15. kiss o' kill
16. Serenade in A minor
17. Ladies Night
18. Party queen
19. SURREAL ～ evolution ～ SURREAL
20. Love song
21. One Night Carnival
22. Boys & Girls
23. how beautiful you are
24. Thank U

★ video screen (4 titles)

ayumi hamasaki holds first public event in 10 decades, thinks public still cares

Having been banned from Music Station and sees no other mediums to promote her latest flop album, LOVE again on, ayumi hotmessaki decided to hold her first public release event in 10 decades (gurl doesn't age a bit!) because apparently the public still cares about her music.

I have no idea what went on but it is also promoted in line with her LINE app shit, which I also have no idea who uses, which would explain why her album only sold 53k copies. Also, Maro.

An audience member tells it like it is.

[Music Video] Koda Kumi - Lovely

I listened to the original version of the song at first. I heard the first minute of the song and I cringed. When I found out the whole song was 7 minutes long, I cringed even more. The very thought of the fact that Kuu will be covering this song knocked me out for a whole 10 minutes.

But after watching the music video, the song is actually tolerable! It's sort of like how Bambi was in Dejavu - it's a cutesy song but it's not an overkill. I can't say the same for the music video - now that's intolerable. I couldn't even get past 2 minutes. It's like that one recurring nightmare I had where Kuu's Wonderland PV just kept replaying. I was never the same person since then.

[Album Review] Mika Nakashima - REAL

"I wanna sleep why am I being forced to squat"

For the first time in Mika Nakashima's career she only released 4 singles, not 5, before an album! What blasphemy! But knowing that 3 of the 4 singles released for this album's era were more or less ordinary ballads, I really didn't want to put my expectations too high for this album. After all, Mika hasn't really been an artist who strays to the extremes for experimentation. For a comeback album after 2+ years, while it has its own gems here and there, it unfortunately isn't as impressive as I hoped it would be.

[New Release] MISIA - Super Best Records -15th Celebration-

When I first heard that MISIA was releasing a best album, I was like wow bitch cares that it's her 15th anniversary! Top that with the fact that the album will have 45 tracks I immediately preordered that shit.  Obviously this release is her way of saying "After 15 years in the business, I still sing the shit out of ALL of you. ALL. Now come buy my shit." Not to mention this is the first album cover that I actually like since JUST BALLADE in 2009 though her dress looks like a trash bag.

They mixed up her new songs with her old songs in the tracklist to confuse the shit out of everyone. Also, her past 3 singles will also be in there along with HOLIDAY and new versions of Tsutsumikomu you ni..., CATCH THE RAINBOW, INTO THE LIGHT and Ashita e. They will also be remastered by some big shots so that's nice. It's funny how the entire MISIA GREATEST HITS is dumped in there except sweetness.

Although this is the 5th year I'm listening to MISIA I don't actually know most of her discography yet so I guess this would also allow me to check out more of her older songs. I hope this gets #1 and prompt avex to release A BEST 3, and that better not be a half-assed effort.

Super Best Records -15th Celebration- will be released on 20 February 2013.

CD1 Tracklist

1. Tsutsumi Komu You ni... (つつみ込むように...) (15th ver)
2. DEEPNESS
3. Koi wa Owaranai Zutto (恋は終わらないずっと)
4. Aitakute Ima (逢いたくていま)
5. SNOW SONG
6. To Be In Love
7. THIS IS ME
8. BACK BLOCKS
9. Color of Life
10. Royal Chocolate Flush
11. Don't stop music!
12. Back In Love Again (feat. Hotei Tomoyasu)
13. Hi no Ataru Basho (陽のあたる場所)
14. LUV PARADE
15. CATCH THE RAINBOW (15th ver)

CD2 Tracklist

1. Everything
2. Sukoshi Zutsu Taisetsu ni (少しずつ大切に)
3. Wasurenai Hibi (忘れない日々)
4. Nemurenu Yoru wa Kimi no Sei (眠れぬ夜は君のせい)
5. Soba ni Ite... (そばにいて...)
6. Let It Smile
7. It's just love
8. Hoshi no You ni... (星のように…)
9. EDGE OF THIS WORLD
10. BELIEVE
11. Taiyou no Malaika (太陽のマライカ)
12. THE GLORY DAY
13. MAWARE MAWARE
14. Itsumademo (いつまでも)
15. Hatenaku Tsuzuku Story (果てなく続くストーリー)

CD3 Tracklist

1. INTO THE LIGHT (15th ver)
2. HOLIDAY
3. Taiyou no Chizu (太陽の地図)
4. Escape
5. Namae no Nai Sora wo Miagete (名前のない空を見上げて)
6. Chiheisen no Mukou Kawa e (地平線の向こう側へ)
7. Fuyu no Etranger (冬のエトランジェ)
8. Tobikata wo Wasureta Chiisana Tori (飛び方を忘れた小さな鳥)
9. Kokoro Hitotsu (心ひとつ)
10. Kisu Shite Dakishimete (キスして抱きしめて)
11. MELODY
12. We are the music
13. LIFE IN HARMONY
14. Tsutsumi Komu You ni... (つつみ込むように...)
15. Ashita e (明日へ) (15th ver)

[CD Packaging] Mika Nakashima - REAL (CD+DVD)

I received my copy of Mika Nakashima's latest album some time last week! Comes in pretty much the same packaging as all of her past albums with the slipcase and slightly thicker 2CD jewel case. The paper they used for printing is glossy as fuck and I love it



Jewel case cover - looks like someone farted



Back covers



The stunningly beautiful picture behind the disc trays. The CD is her typical white design so I didn't show it in the picture.



Comes with some REAL bookmark thing and an insert of her discography.

I'm just so impressed with the photoshoot for this album. Mika Nakashima looks flawless! The album is also rather well-received from what I've heard so far so the review will be coming up soon!

[New Release] Koda Kumi - Color the Cover

CD+DVD + Photobook
CD+DVD | CD

Koda Kums jumped onto the cover album bandwagon a tad too early. Now, she's back into it a tad too late as well. BENI is already happily counting her stacks of yen while Crystal Kay worships her on an altar with screenshots of the Oricon rankings of COVERS and COVERS 2.

But you know what they say, better late than never! At the end of the day, Koda Kums' ultimate aim is to always show basic bitches how shit goes down. You'd think she'd name the album "ETERNITY ~Love & Songs~ 2" but NOOOOO. This time, it's ~Color the Cover~ bitches. I love her so much. 

A lot of people actually slammed the CD Only cover as being too trashy, but when you have an album title like that, the trashier, the tackier, the better. The cover which I do not like is the limited edition one (which sadly is the version I preordered) because of her hideous hair but I can live with it. 

I'm looking forward to this release because Koda Kumi never fucks around - when she does covers, she does COVERS. ETERNITY ~Love & Songs~ was an excellent cover album because it sounded original, so I'm looking forward to her giving us fresh new perspectives to these old songs. 

Also, just a little trivia here. Kuu's birthday is on November 13. This year is her 13th anniversary. The year is 2013. That's why they decided to market this album as one to commemorate her 13th anniversary. Whoever thought of this ingenious idea, I hope you have done other things in your life worth caring about.

Color the Cover will be released on 20 February 2013.

CD Tracklist

1. Pink Spider (ピンク スパイダー) (Original: hide with Spread Beaver)
2. Shake Hip! (Original: Kome Kome CLUB)
3. Lovely (ラブリー) (Original: Ozawa Kenji)
4. Jounetsu (情热) (Original: UA)
5. One more time, One more chance (Original: Yamazaki Masayoshi)
6. Alone (Original: Okamoto Mayo)
7. Blue Velvet (Original: Kudou Shizuka)
8. "Otoko" (「男」) (Original: Kubou Ruriko)
9. Dou ni mo Tomaranai (どうにもとまらない) (Original: Yamamoto Linda)
10. Koyoi no Tsuki no You ni (今宵の月のように) (Original: Elephant Kashimashi)
11. Uta wa Waga Inochi (歌は我が命) (Original: Misora Hibari) (Bonus Track)

DVD Tracklist

1. Hatsu no Documentary Eizou (初のドキュメンタリー映像) (CD+DVD+Photobooklet Only)
2. Pink Spider (ピンク スパイダー) (MUSIC VIDEO ~Album Version~)
3. Lovely (ラブリー) (MUSIC VIDEO)
4. Shake Hip! (MUSIC VIDEO)
5. Lovely (ラブリー) (MAKING VIDEO)
6. Shake Hip! (MAKING VIDEO)