Oh when I saw the title I thought it was Matty (the user) doing Best Of
These graphics Not surprised to see what Wondy made 'em
Not you only listening to 5 albums this year Wottice
Meet Jun Togawa. Here, she is an yanderized Cyndi Lauper struggling to get through a heartbreak - And when I say that I mean on the sense of attempting to sound like a little girl, failing at it but succeding on other ways then jumping to a "blowing, operatic" voice - Is it Cyndi that sounds like her? Or is the other way around? Either way I liked it.
It ranges from melodic, playful, punky pop rock numbers like "Herikutsu Boy" and "Osozaki Girl" to mixes of bizarre japanese horror movies soundtracks throwed along synths, orchestral and bombastic productions as we hear on "Suki Suki Daisuki" and "Sayonara wo Oshite" - Her abilities as a vocalist are showcased the best on these two along with "Angel Baby" - "Koi No Corrada", jumps to a more Guernica-territory [an avant garde project she is part of that specializes on 30s carbert music] but still mantains the same bittersweet 'vibe' that is present on all other songs of the record. A lot of emotion, personality is within her voice that makes me I wish I knew the meaning of [some] songs she sings here since I can't find many translations or just the lyrics to translate myself. Oh well.
Her feelings are twisted but she is dedicated about this one particular boy she like, hence why she is an 'yandere'. As in, it doesn't matter if he doesn't likes her now, she will wait he loves her and even if it costs her life she will be still there as a ghost, but, if he still doesn't loves her back she will kill him. She demonstrates she 'deeply' cares about his whereabouts to the point to wonder if he has died during the time she was not stalking him (i.g Aurora B).
Even though it helps understanding what she is singing, you do not precisely need to. The way how Togawa perform these songs already give you an idea of what is going on here. If anything it makes some songs more scary-sounding like, I actually felt uncomfortable during the first time I listened to the title track, the intro in particular made me feel I was about to be killed. Thus that being said, the one english song "Angel Baby" is sung in a broken one - It works incredibly because it gives the idea she is actually at an japanese bar karaoke, crying because she lost what she wanted the most. One of the best individual moments of the records is to be found here, the final seconds as her voice fades while she goes full emotional.
I assume (?) she gots an happy ending since she gets to go on an date with him (I guess) on the final track but the way she pronouces "oneeegaiiii" gave me another impression.
Yeah, It rocks, but it is her most 'pop' record among her catalog so if you attempt trying to get into her get ready for the impossible. But if you are into Synthpop, eightes pop in general you check this one cause its really good!
Suki Suki Daisuki the song is literally SO classic. In my top 10 new wave songs ever. Have you heard Tamahime Sama yet? I forgot if you told me if you did or not
1984 was for sure a defining year for pop music - Prince was a the height of his popularity, Madonna was just getting started and Cyndi was snatching hit after hit for her then-future classic album... Meanwhile in Japan, late pop idol Yukiko Okada would have finally won a talent competition after failing multiple times. Her dreams of becoming a star were finally on the way to become true.
She usually would present herself as a "princess that came from a distant land" before performing on her concerts, that persona, is the one her label gave to her and she embraces pretty well too - It is the main theme of the record. Feelings and situations around love that are seen as "simple" and "silly" when looking at them, but something more deeper when you are the against them.
The record involves around bells, violins sounds made of synthesizers. They can range from royal ball orchestra like on "Little Princess" - Best things about it are the violin-played intro that is also used as a outro and the way how she pronounces "tsuretette" as it goes to outro. Is just such a pretty thing to listen - to camp like "First Date" where she is doing the absolute MOST over her date with a guy... and she pulls it off too!
There are songs that despite being particulary great on their own, they have some of the best moments of the entire record - "Kaze no naka no kafe terasu' for instance, the "YOU ARE SUNSHINE (FROM ME) SUNSHINE (FROM ME) chorus puts the song on completely different level and mananges to build and go to another one. The sparkling synth lines as she speaks "hold me, love me" with a dark synth wave playing on the background are the equivalent of magic,
"Sonetto" and "Akogare" are some of the others bell-driven numbers. Typical eightes synthpop but there is some half baked feeling on them despite the lush production. Ironically these were elected as fan favourites according to old japanese magazines. Oh well. The same is applied to "Oka no ue no hai sukuuru", it shares the aesthetic of "Little Princess" but carefree. It is nice but not as poingant as her sister nor stand out-worthy.
"Sayonara Natsuyami" and "Plastic Girl" are the best of the bell banch. The first is opening track, it absolutely knocks and indicates of what-is-up-to-come later on the record. The latter shares a sorta of a cheap production but it is good on its now. It was the first song that called my attention on the record.
So yeah - Cinderella can sometimes sound quite cheap despite the ~classy~ majestic feeling of some songs but even so it still has some surprises buried under them. The soundtrack of a sterotypical teenage fillled with love, dreams and fairytales. Her next album didn't impressed me much as this one, but as for "Cinderella" it is a above average pop record
so yeah didn't properly end this but things that y'all should listen
albums with a score 4 or above
- cyndi lauper, she's so unusual
- janet jackson, control
- mooriah carey, butterfly
- carly rae, emotion
- sade, love deluxe
- kylie, fever
- tiffany, tiffany
also consider listening to
- madonna, madonna
- alisha, alisha
- guernica, shinseki e no unga
- grace jones, nightclubbing
- mc carol, bandida
- caetano veloso, araca azul
- wink, at heel diamonds (EP)
- diana ross, diana
- deee-lite, world clique
- francoise hardy, tous ler garçons at filles
- kyary pamyu pamyu, nanda collection
- beyonce, beyonce
- perfume, triangle
- astrud gilberto, the asturd gilberto album
- prince, sign o the times
- f (x), pink tape
- the ronettes, presenting the fabulous ronettes featuring veronica
- britney spears, blackout
compilations that are a must
- madonna, the immaculate collection
- kylie, ultimate kylie
- sade, the best of sade
- SAW, gold
- grace jones, island life
- prince, the hits and b sides
- kyary pamyu pamyu, kpp best
- hikaru utada, singles collection vol 1
- various artists, utamonogatari monogatari theme songs compilation (ost)
best song of all time
- kana hanazawa, ren'ai circulation