I think I've realised what M(a)de in Japan's concept is: J-Pop as a whole.

Like this sounds silly but hear me out. For example with Summer Love, the vocal style is very 80s idol like Seiko Matsuda and Akina Nakamori and You Are the Only One has a very 90s feel towards it.

That said, JAPONESQUE is still a good album, a shame about the wasted potential.

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NMB48's Amagami Hime is nice. I tried to revisit Maeda's singles, but that didn't go well. I won't probably listen to her album.

Maeda's b-sides are better anyway.

If anything, the concept could be her own career. Though the j-pop one is interesting, but requires more effort and ambition than that. For some reason I always envisioned Kyary as someone who could do it (if she ditched Nakata, that is), but I have a couple of artist on my wishlist who might've done it.

I guess you're totally right, but as Suilen pointed it's also about her own history. she's been pretty clear that she wasn't happy towards her work 2009-2014 and it feels like she's rebuilding who she think she is and that reflects on her music from last year on. she found herself again on j-pop and this album is about it. that's what I like to think hahaha

The reception of the album is mostly positive, with people citing it as her best album since GUILTY / NEXT LEVEL, so she might be on to something. It would be nice if she really had that meta thing in mind which few artist are capable of doing (Miliyah out of semi-mainstream artists maybe?).

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alan's my life is a mess. So many genres put together, but the result isn't that satisfying. Essence of me is nice.

I like the fact it's not long too, it doesn't overstay its welcome like most of her albums this decade.

Yeah it's by far her worst album (including her Chinese ones) although it has the amazing BALLAD, and her best song Kuon no Kawa.

jesus I remember this album.

I actually like more of her chinese work, I'm quite addicted to 蓦兰 (the album). I rediscovered her chinese discography because of king Kworb

One thing that really surprised me in Tokyo was Angerme's new single. It's actually really good and the 360 ad they for it is really good too.

I thought I'd get dragged for alan, but it looks like my hearing didn't fail me. The second part of the album is definitely better.

I guess she was, yes, obligated by avex trax to put something out here and there, but we never know with her. she's had that big fight with them in 2004 and after that everyone started to think that she wasn't a product from avex anymore, but yeah, she is. she's had some battles here and there after that, the last "public" one being that she wanted to get CREA back in 2009 and said she was doing things like that again, but avex probably blocked her because we never got to see that work. I prefer her being honest and saying that she wasn't completely happy with the things she put out than blaming everything but herself.

you got to a point where I always wanted to get, but everyone here and everywhere just want to point how much of a fail she is nowadays and can't get past 50k on Oricon anymore: that site only counts major japanese retails from some cities around the country. Oricon isn't a reliable source for our favorite singers anymore. they stopped counting a LOT of copies from sites and stores a while ago, including digital songs and overseas copies and that's completely ignored by stans when trying to "drag" a singer. with avex trax, the label itself isn't giving a damn **** about Oricon, because they sell through Tenso, mu-mo and other sites that aren't even counted towards Oricon its charts. they basically want fans' money and that's it. and if you think that Ayu, being the singer that she is, isn't giving avex their money, I'm sorry, but you're completely wrong.

Mess. Upload them in full please

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20...00300-oric-ent

I think this means the full 花束を君に MV premiered. It's blocked in my country though.