All you need to know about Namie Slaymuro's _genic

I think that day in the early, second week of April was a pretty good day, because I had finally taken a thorough listen to ayumi hotmesssaki's A ONE and was quite impressed.

Of course, unbeknownst to me, it was but one of Namie Slaymuro's sly tactics to drop this bomb on us, completely shading the attention on Ayu. Well-played, Namie. If this is the kind of strategic team you've gotten over at whatever Stella88 place you're at now, you have my FULL SUPPORT.

[New Release] Kaela Kimura - 10years

CD+DVD | CD Only

It's hard to imagine that it's already Kaela Kimura's 10th anniversary this year, and it's also hard to imagine that when you have her ENTIRE discography to choose from as songs for this compilation album, the fans decided to vote for 90% of the songs that are already on 5years for this album. This is why the artists should choose the damn songs for themselves! 

[New Release] Namie Amuro - Ballada

CD+Bluray | CD+DVD | CD

We all have seen the ballad best album coming when they asked for fans to vote for their favourite ballads a few months ago (huge shocker; who could have guessed?) but as it would turn out, as with every other artist who actually puts effort into making their best albums less half-assed than the very idea of one in itself (I'm looking at you, A SUMMER BEST), Namie just keeps them surprises coming with this hell of a release.

[New Release] Koda Kumi - Bon Voyage

CD+Blu-ray | CD+DVD | CD Only

If you've been in tune with J-Pop news unlike me, you would've known that Koda Kumsies will be releasing a new album as per usualz and just like how it's titled Bon Voyage, it would seem that she's also bidding farewell to her budget over at avex because the covers look terrible!

[New Release] Perfume - LEVEL3

CD+DVD | CD Only

Y'all bitches are biased as hell. When Nocchi used to have bangs and switched to her current centre-parting style nobody gave two shits. Kashiyuka takes away her bangs and everyone goes apeshit?!?! Okay, at least Kashiyuka looks amazeballs, but Nocchi's hair during the GAME era was FLAWLESS imo. Now she just looks like an onigiri. Poor Nocchi is always pushed to the side. Look at the regular edition cover - you can't even see her! Screw artistic camera angles. She is werkin' her body like her dear life depends on it. A~chan isn't even trying. If Nocchi is reading this, just know I always got your back gurl. Oh wait, I just remembered this post is about their upcoming album. Ok.

[New Release] Superfly - Superfly BEST

What's J-hoe Shiho gotta do when you've been in the industry longer than Aoyama Thelma's relevance? Release dat best album, of course. What I like about Superfly's management is that they are always clear in their vision. Force was announced about a year before its release. This best album was already planned before Curtis Mayfield even thought about Super Fly.

[New Release] Koda Kumi - Summer Trip

CD+DVD | CD Only

This summer is going to be giving me everything that I need in life. Well, over here in Singapore it's summer everyday, but you know what I mean. Summer Trip is appropriately titled - because gurl most defo needs to make a trip down to where wigs go to die. If not for the more-than-sufficient evidence of her having a vagina in the CD+DVD cover I would've sworn that was RuPaul. Other than that, I love everything else about the covers. That tacky ass font. That slight underboob. The fact that they photoshopped her thigh so much that it looks hilariously like a cooked chicken frank. That Kuu is showing ayumi hamasaki how she should've done her shitass Sunrise / Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ covers.

[New Release] Namie Amuro - FEEL

CD+Blu-ray | CD+DVD | CD Only

Namie "when will your fave?" Slaymuro is giving me SO MUCH LIFE right now, I don't even know where to start. I can already feel that this shit is gonna blow everybody's pussies up and Namie clearly doesn't give a shit because she does what she wants.

Uncontrolled was some good shit, which Namie herself has admitted it being rushed and last-minutely put together. With FEEL having more creative input from her, it's gonna shut down the whole of Tokyo faster than you can say "holy shitballs". I also hope that her marketing team has enough budget from Uncontrolled's sales to change all the billboards at the Shibuya crossing into her highness' face just so everyone could bow down to her on the release day. And let's be real, her team aren't the ones marketing ayumi hamasaki. So it just might happen.

Namie also seems to think the reason behind Uncontrolled's success is its Engrish tracks in them which is probably why she's serving us a shitload more. I'm not complaining because it's not like I even understand Japanese anyway.

Am I sad that Damage and Beautiful aren't in the tracklist? Maybe. But bitch is clearly getting her shit together because all the songs are actually appropriately capitalised. Shocking! And I didn't even know Contrail was a word before it was announced. I bet Namie still doesn't know what a contrail is too anyway.

FEEL will be released on 10 July 2013.

CD Tracklist

1. Alive
2. Rainbow
3. Can You Feel This Love
4. Big Boys Cry
5. Hands On Me
6. Heaven
7. Poison
8. La La La
9. Supernatural Love
10. Let Me Let You Go
11. Contrail
12. Stardust In My Eyes

DVD / Blu-ray Tracklist

1. Alive (Music Video)
2. Big Boys Cry (Music Video)
3. Contrail (Music Video)
4. Hands On Me (Music Video)
5. Heaven (Music Video)
6. Let Me Let You Go (Music Video)

[New Release] Perfume - Magic of Love

CD+DVD | CD Only

Perfume has a bit of redeeming to do after the shittastic release that was Mirai no Shitseum, but Nocchi's hairstyle already isn't doing that any favours at all. You're sporting that hairdo 10 years too early, gurl. I have to say I did hear the radio rip and I think it's rather promising. It's like Mirai no Shitseum never existed. I'm also interested to see how the packaging of the limited edition will turn out given its rather... perculiar cover.

I'm ready for the girls to serve me some pussy popping realness, though I'm getting tired of this whole "I'm-a-robot-puppet-whatever-lol-hey" shizznit that they've been exhibiting since Spring of Life. We get it, you want the D. We get it. And we all know what the b-side "Handy Man" means. ;)

Magic of Love will be released on 22 May 2013.

CD Tracklist

1. Magic of Love
2. Handy Man
3. Magic of Love -Original Instrumental-
4. Handy Man -Original Instrumental-

DVD Tracklist

1. Magic of Love -Video Clip-

[New Release] JASMINE - High Flying

Limited Edition | Regular Edition

After roughly 10 years of absence (both JASMINE and myself), ma homegurl be back with chic edgy realness for High Flying. I have no idea what's up with JASMINE this past few months but judging from the title of this single, she was clearly tripping on some shit.

Due to her downward spiralling sales the past few releases, JASMINE has gone all out to bust out her fingers - quite literally - by signing 2100 copies of the limited edition. That's like, the amount of total copies Best Partner sold. At least Sony didn't decide to go all budget and actually print out the autograph instead, so yas! And judging by the looks of it, it looks like it comes in a sleek little digipak as well. Gurl be hitting it up GOLD-era style.

Speaking of GOLD-era, I also heard the radio rip of the song and while I do find it a little bit too draggy (the song is over 5 minutes), I have to admit I do miss me some JASMINE. I was just listening to GOLD the other day and soaked in all of its R&B realness. Everybody's bodies are ready for a new album already.

High Flying will be released on 29 May 2013.

Tracklist

1. High Flying
2. BED
3. High Flying (Instrumental)

[New Release] Koda Kumi - Driving Hit's 5

Koda Kums loves to keep the party locking till the end of time, resulting in yet again another remix album that, let's face it, we all knew was coming out. And let's face it, we also knew that it was going to be misspelled as Hit's again. Iconic.

The cover art is, as always, awesome shizznit though. Kuu shows them bitches how to properly werk a close-up shot. Her Driving Hit's covers (except the first one) are enough to obliviate ayumi hamasaki's A BEST 3 covers, and that shit ain't even out yet. Due to "stellar" sales of the entire series, avex decided to pump in more budget for it to have an introduction of its own as well. Not only that, but also a best mega-mix shoved in the middle of the party. I wanted more songs off JAPONESQUE to be remixed for this though, and how many TAKE BACK remixes do we already have exactly?

Driving Hit's 5 will be released on 20 March 2013.

Tracklist

1. Introduction for DH5
2. Go to the top [DJAKi ASY Remix]
3. No Man's Land [4 Skips D'n'B Remix]
4. Ningyo-hime [N15H vs. HEAVENS WiRE D'n'B Remix] (人鱼姫)
5. real Emotion [KOZM(R) Remix]
6. Someday [Big Boy Remix]
7. show girl [DJ E-Man Big Show Remix]
8. TAKE BACK [E-Man "106" Remix]
9. "Driving Hit's Best" Mega Mix
1. Moon Crying [GTS SH Club Mix]
2. TABOO [HOUSE NATION Sunset In Ibiza Remix]
3. Cutie Honey [MITOMI TOKOTO Big Room Remix] (キューティーハニー)
4. Driving [GROOVE HACKER$ Remix]
5. Lady Go!
6. POP DIVA [HOUSE NATION Sunset In Ibiza Remix]
7. Teaser [Caramel Pod Dubstep Remix] feat. Clench&Blistah
8. Poppin' love cocktail [TeddyLoid Remix] feat. TEEDA
10. Shake Hip! [John Fontein (RE:LABEL(R)) Remix]
11. AT THE WEEKEND [Big Boy LA Weekend Remix]
12. Let's Party [KOZM(R) Remix]
13. Koishikute [Dirt $outh (RE:LABEL(R)) Remix] (恋しくて)
14. Alone [Prog5 Classic Remix]
15. One more time, One more chance [Shohei Matsumoto & Junichi Matsuda Remix]
16. Ai no Kotoba [AILI's Warmy Remix] (愛のことば)

[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)

[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)

[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)

[New Release] ayumi hamasaki - LOVE again

CD+Bluray
CD+DVD | CD

ayumi hotmessaki really knows how to make a fandom burn. For the first time ever, the peeps over at the AHS forums actually made an accurate prediction -- except it was a joke that wasn't really supposed to happen. You'd think it's bad enough she re-used a mini-album cover for a classical album cover, but bitch be keepin' them surprises coming. After all, ayumi hamasaki always tries new things! Releasing singles as mini-albums (never done by her before!!) and now putting mini-albums into full-length albums (also never done by her before!!). This Queen of J-Flop has more copies of Koda Kumi's TRICK up her and Maro's sleeves than you may think.

[New Release + Digest] Mika Nakashima - REAL

CD+DVD | CD

Mika Nakashima is giving us some Lady Gaga The Fame Monster wig realness in the covers for her upcoming album REAL. I don't think they're particularly amazing but she does look really pretty there. It's also the first time she's using 2 different covers again since YES that is not simply one of her opening her eyes and closing in the other. Speaking of which, I still can't get over the hideousness of her VOICE covers. She essentially looks like an aerobics student who got lost in the woods halfway through and is trying to hear the aerobics music to find her way back.

But much like VOICE, as you would hear in the digest later below, the album tracks for REAL sound very reminiscent of VOICE's - gentle, easy listening, etc. It doesn't really hit you HARD from what I've heard so far, and even the most rock-influenced album track, PASSION, in the digest doesn't really stand out. 

Nonetheless, this is the kind of music that Mika has always been giving us and I'm looking forward to this album as a whole. I don't see it being as good / better than STAR from what's available so far, but who wouldn't like to be proven wrong? Well, everybody, but you know what I mean. I kinda stopped caring after LOVE IS ECSTASY came out because of all the snooze-worthy singles that came after that. I have read somewhere that she's still having a tough time vocally after that ear incident so I hope she further recovers as her nationwide tour in 2013 looms nearer.

REAL will be released on 30th January 2013.

CD Tracklist

1. Hatsukoi (初恋)
2. DEAR
3. Ashita Sekai ga Owaru Nara (明日世界が終わるなら)
4. PASSION
5. You Knocked Me Out
6. LOVE IS ECSTASY
7. BE REAL
8. SUPER WOMAN
9. SUPREME
10. Pierce (ピアス)
11. Kioku (記憶) - how original after you have a song titled MEMORY
12. Epilogue (エピローグ)
13. LETTER

DVD Tracklist

1. DEAR (Music Video)
2. LOVE IS ECSTASY (Music Video)
3. Ashita Sekai ga Owaru Nara (Music Video)
4. Hatsukoi (Music Video)

[New Release] ayumi hamasaki - A Classical

Talk about an overkill. Ayu is about to fall into Nicki Minaj territory where they both seem to use one picture for every single shit they do over the course of a few months. Like I mentioned in the post before this, they were probably rushing to wrap up this release after Ayu was so depressed with her sales that she decided not to record new material for the third release. Max Matsuura probably then decided to pick the first guy he sees down the street to draw Ayu's LOVE cover for this release.

It would have probably saved more time and money just to have a gold A symbol surrounded by fancy shit like in MY STORY Classical, and I can guarantee better reception from fans as well. Win-win situation! Ayu's team really needs to get their shit together. This is A Classical. Not LOVE Classical. Heck, even a picture of Ayu sketched naked while totally wasted, lying down in a bathtub filled with booze would be better because it pretty much encapsulates the entire course of her career.

Wait till I talk about the tracklist. I don't even know what to say. First of all, we are getting 10 songs for the price of 3200yen. Have they not gotten a clue from LOVE and again's sales that overcharging ain't cool? Secondly, Ayu is now falling into Every Little Thing category as well because for every "compilation" album they do, they include their biggest hits in it, and now Ayu is doing the exact same thing. SEASONS. M. Voyage. Oh thank god, at least evolution isn't on it. And on top of that, they even added 3 new songs she did this year. You & Me? Seriously? *orchestra in the background* OHHHH FRILAY NIIITE!

Of course, this tracklist had 7/10 songs voted by TeamAyu. Of course this was going to be a predictable tracklist. Because using avex logic, while asking "What is the Ayu song you most want to hear in classical form?" for A Classical may seem too obvious, asking "What is your favourite Ayu song" for A SUMMER BEST was totally not obvious. I get it, I get it.

Alright I'll stop being such a bitch. I'll admit that I'm looking forward to hearing those songs anyway. I really enjoyed MY STORY Classical, and likewise I hope this doesn't disappoint.

A Classical will be released on 8 January 2012.

CD Tracklist

1. M
2. Love song
3. SEASONS
4. You & Me
5. BLUE BIRD
6. Days
7. Voyage
8. Song 4 u
9. Missing
10. Dearest

Also, since everyone and I included hate the cover, I've decided to take matters in my own hands and do up my own version of the cover which I think uses a more appropriate image that definitely puts the Classic in A Classical. Or Ass, if you will.

What can I say, avex needs to hire me asap. You're welcome, everybody, and Merry Christmas!

[New Release] ayumi hamasaki - again

CD+DVD | CD

Dance dance dance, do it again. Sing sing sing, do it again. Boy boy friend, do him again. Ma ma ro, touch me again. You'd think that by again, ayumi hotmessaki would be talking about revisiting her older sound like she did in LOVE, but noooo, because it's clearly to show that she is attached AGAIN! Talk about separating work life from private sexy time life. Merry fucking Christmas to you guys too.

We were all okay with her being with another man like in LOVE ~Destiny~ and H's covers but this time, we're not because we all know that the d00d touching her all over the place is friggin' MARO and you would think that bitch would've learnt her lesson after what happened with Mannie. I can't help but feel like this is doing Peco so much injustice. I don't know why but I just felt like saying that.

Once again, expectedly, we have a glorified single coming our way but this time it's 4 original songs! Yay! Wake me up is reportedly composed by someone from the UK, Sweet scar by DAI, and the other 2 songs by Tetsuya Komuro. Oh someone just ask him to fuck off already. I've heard previews of Wake me up and Sweet scar and so far things are looking good, though I'm not holding my breath because the other 2 songs are gonna stink so bad, I can almost smell it already. Or maybe it's just my fart.

again will be released on 8 December 2012.

CD Tracklist

1. Wake me up (Original mix)
2. Sweet scar (Original mix)
3. snowy kiss (Original mix)
4. Ivy (Original mix)
5. Missing (Orchestra version)
6. Melody (Acoustic Piano version)
7. Wake me up (Remo-con rmx)
8. snowy kiss (Shohei Matsumoto remix)
9. Wake me up (Original mix -Instrumental-)
10. Sweet scar (Original mix -Instrumental-)
11. snowy kiss (Original mix -Instrumental-)
12. Ivy (Original mix -Instrumental-)

DVD Tracklist

1. Wake me up (video clip)
2. snowy kiss (video clip)
3. Sweet scar (video clip)

[New Release] Kaela Kimura - Sync

CD+DVD | CD

I'm sorry if I scared you. I don't even know what to think of this girl anymore. If there is anything that needs to be synced, it's the conceptualisers and the actual cover art designers. I mean, come on, Kaela in the CD+DVD cover looks like a clown who is so horrible she got thrown mustard and blueberry jam at. Which is pretty much what should be thrown at the people who decided to come up with this monstrosity. The idea is much better executed with the CD only cover, but I can't help but wonder... why does her neck look so different between each cover?! The promotional picture (below) actually looks much better, as with everybody's releases.

To be honest I'm not even excited for this album to come out, just like 8EIGHT8. I have to say 8EIGHT8 was a pleasant surprise, though, because there are some really solid tracks on that album. The only song I really like that I've heard from this album so far is Mamireru, and the second single, Sun shower, is exactly what the title is - it makes me want to go shower in the sun and burn myself to death.

Kaela better step her game up with this release because everyone is getting bored by her sounding the same-ish since HOCUS POCUS. I was listening to +1 the other day and realised how much I miss that sound.

Sync will be released on 19 December 2012.

CD Tracklist

1. Mamireru (マミレル)
2. HERO
3. Sun shower
4. coffee
5. Hello, Goodbye
6. sorry
7. MY WAY
8. Synchronicity
9. so i
10. Merry Go Round
11. Cherry Blossom
12. WONDER Volt

DVD Tracklist

1. Mamireru -music video-
2. Sun shower -music video-
3. so i -music video-
4. Sun shower -making movie-

[New Release] Koda Kumi - Koishikute

CD+DVD | CD

We all know by now that "slow down" isn't a phrase in Koda Kumster's vocabulary. I think it's safe to say that 2012 is not going to happen because the only way that will happen will be when she doesn't release something within 3 seconds. Her unfortunately short range of vocabulary has also led to yet another single title along the likes of many of her past ballad singles -- Koishikute.

I'm certainly not a fan of whatever she's wearing that's made of garbage bags in there but I have to say it definitely looks better than what Ayu wore in her Together When... PV. Also she looks reaaaaaally weird in the CD+DVD cover and I don't even know why. Hair doesn't look good I guess, and the airbrush probably did something too. Oh well!

Unfortunately the tracklist is looking like shit just like Ai wo Tomenaide because it's going to comprise just Koishikute and a cover of Okamoto Mayo's Alone. Interesting to note that Kuu actually covered that song during her avex audition days!

I did hear the 30-second preview of the song and I think it sounds really pretty. However that's not gonna make me buy it until CDJapan's Spring sale in 2013 comes, together with Go to the top. I'm sure Japan will eat this ballad up like it's a plate piled with sliced raw salmon. Sorry, I'm hungry.

Koishikute will be released on 5 December 2012.
*UPDATE: Koishikute's release has been delayed to 26 December 2012 due to production issues. We al know ayumi hamasaki is the culprit so that people will spend their money on her mini-album instead. 

CD Tracklist

1. Koishikute (恋しくて)
2. Alone

DVD Tracklist

1. Koishikute (Music Video)
2. Koishikute (Making Video)

I like how her professional and efficient design team decided to erase some of the bokeh from the CD+DVD cover to make it look better, only to export that very same image in full to be its promotional picture, totally forgetting the fact that there's still bokeh remnants on the bottom. Talk about a literal case of not looking at the bigger picture.