February 10, 2009 • 10:18 pm 0
The previews for two new songs on Kanon Wakeshima’s debut album, Shinshoku Dolce, are available for listening on her website. The two songs are Shinku no Fatalism and L’espoir ~ Mahou no Akai Ito ~. Because the website is ajax-based, I cannot link you directly to the discography; you’ll have to click on the “discography” button on the menu to the left.
Filed under: New Releases, Previews, Kanon Wakeshima
February 10, 2009 • 10:09 pm 0
I am slightly saddened (note the use of “slightly”, which sublimely implies that I’m not exactly excited about the album anyway) to bring you the news that the Japanese release of Utada’s second English album, This Is The One, has been moved back to March 14th, another ten days. That having been said, I am not that surprised because the agency and/or Utada herself (I can’t quite recall) had previously stated that they were unsure about whether they would be able to release the album that early. The American release date still stands on March 24th, but don’t be surprised if it ends up pushed back into April.
Filed under: New Releases, Utada Hikaru
February 9, 2009 • 10:18 pm 6
alan待望の1st ALBUM! 大型タイアップ2曲を含む既発SINGLE8曲と既にタイアップがついた2曲を含む新録4曲を加えた、1stにしてベスト盤的豪華内容! 地球を構成する5大要素「地」「空」「風」「火」「水」を各テーマにしたSINGLEを5ヶ月連続でリリース、番外編「群青の谷」リリース後のALBUMのテーマは、着地点である「地球」。2008年の活動で、alanのテーマである「愛」と「平和」を歌うシンガーとしての確立を行った内容による1st ALBUM。 DVDには、既発SINGLE8曲分のClipに加え、alanと小学生が合唱した「合唱 [懐かしい未来～longing future～]」のclipも新たに撮り下ろし収録。
初回盤仕様：[ジャケットA] 初回盤のみボーナス・トラック1曲、Music Clip収録、2009年夏予定 初ワンマンライヴ先行予約告知ペラ、四川省写真集 (8P)封入
I was planning on posting the little text I got with my copy of Gunjou no Tani, but now that I’ve lost it, I will have to do with this. (Source) As usual, a translation of the above text, handmade by me:
The long-awaited 1st album by alan! Including two new tie-up songs, the eight singles and four new songs. Releasing the five singles about the Earth [by that I suppose is meant “nature”], “earth”, “aether”, “wind”, “fire” and “water”, and then “Gunjou no Tani”, the theme of this album will be our planet. This album will establish her as an artist who sings about “love” and “peace”. The DVD will include the clips for the eight singles, as well as a clip of “Gasshou [Natsukashii Mirai ~longing future~]” done with an elementary school choir.
Limited Edition [I BOUGHT THIS ONE!!!! YAY!!!!] includes: a bonus track, “making-of” clips [on the DVD], and a ticket to alan’s first one-man live [for Japan residents only], as well as a photobook of eight pages shot in Sichuan.
So that’s the official announcement. Now all we need is those better-be-gorgeous-or-avex-I-will-have-you-remake-them covers.
Filed under: New Releases, alan
February 9, 2009 • 10:02 pm 3
The reason I’m posting this is not because it’s new—the first time I saw these covers, all three of them, was about a week ago. No; the reason I’m showing these covers is simply that I want to make sure that I’m not the only one who thinks that they are all (not just two of them A-L-L) horrible. Sure, Jacket A is better than Jacket B which is better than Jacket C, but they’re all in the “absolutely horrible” category of my list of covers. I was expecting something completely different; more epic. The previews of Rule and Sparkle that I heard gave me the impression, and therefore also the expectation, that these covers would be plenty of dark colors, and with a far less Madonna-like look than what Ayumi is sporting here. Just the title implies awesomeness. Not cheesiness. So please comment so that I can confirm the fact that I am not the only one who is in a state of ocular trauma from these covers. God, just look at that pose on Jacket C. Ugh.
Before you scroll down, here are the previews, just to make you feel better about the covers, because the songs sound pretty good: Rule (full song/PV clip) / Sparkle (CM Preview)
Filed under: Covers, New Releases, Ayumi Hamasaki
February 8, 2009 • 8:36 pm 0
BoA – Eien (“eternity”) to be released on March 4th, 2009.
Filed under: Features
February 8, 2009 • 4:48 pm 0
In preparation for her third album, ANSWER, Angela Aki has released a live PV (the video is from a recording of a performance) of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.
Commenting on the song is always welcome, so go ahead!
Filed under: New Releases, Previews, Angela Aki
February 7, 2009 • 4:36 pm 0
25th Double A-side Single
『milk／嘆きのキス』
PVストリーミング視聴中！
I can’t exactly tell whether “PV streaming” means that we will finally be getting a PV for milk and/or Nageki no Kiss, but aiko’s official website has published a preview of milk, which you can watch here. You can also download it by right-clicking and then pressing “save target as” or “download linked file as”, and then open the file in QuickTime. A preview for Nageki no Kiss was posted on YouTube a while ago, also, like the one for milk I posted, it’s only partial. I think they’re both great songs and I’m looking forward to their release.
Filed under: New Releases, Previews, aiko
February 7, 2009 • 4:17 pm 2
This news is slightly late, but I will have to claim only recently taking an interest in Namie Amuro and the recent creation of this site as excuses. I have two previews ready for you: one, a full version of Namie Amuro’s WILD, and the other, a forty-five second CM featuring Namie and Dr. as the background music.
As usual, I would appreciate hearing your opinion on both songs. More news about WILD/Dr. will be posted when the information comes out. The single is due for release on March 18th.
Filed under: New Releases, Previews, Namie Amuro
February 6, 2009 • 2:37 am 0
ついに我が子が完成しました、ニューアルバム！6ヶ月かけて、みんなでこだわり抜いて作った作品。あとはニューヨークにてマスタリング(アルバム全体の音の調節の作業)をして、大好きなairsideのジャケットが加わって、ついにみなさんの手元に届けられます。その時期は来春。その前に2009年2月25日にはシングル、PRESENTがリリースになります。アルバム完成打ち上げがてら、忘年会！
And I quote from Rie fu’s blog (the article above is from this post). God I love when this happens. But to the point. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Rie fu changed labels after the release of that boredom haven called Home. I can’t read all of this, don’t give me too much credit; but I can understand this much. After PRESENT is released on February 25th, in three weeks, not even, that is, we will get her first full album since Tobira Album. According to this excerpt, it exceeds any previous work in quality. What does this mean? I’ll be frank. Even though this is Rie fu, one of the most uncommercial and underrated artists ever, I’m talking about, it means absolutely nothing. All we can do is hope that it actually does exceed Tobira Album in quality, because that would be fantastic.
Here just a vague translation (if you have any corrections to make, please point out the mistakes and I will fix them):
Finally I’ve finished this “child”, my new album! After 6 months, with the help of everyone, I’ve finally finished it. Now all we need to do is go to New York [is she doing the Utada-Hikaru-New-York thing here?] for the mastering (this album will be better than any of my previous works), make a jacket that I really love [airside… what’s that?], and then, with everyone’s help, it’ll finally be completely finished. The release will be next spring. But before that, I will release a new single, PRESENT, on February 25th. We’ve finished the album launch over here!
Filed under: New Releases, Rie fu
February 5, 2009 • 10:47 pm 0
It’s quite sure that this has been the week for news on Utada’s English releases as well as her two upcoming books. Her first single since You Make Me Want to Be a Man, Come Back to Me, is to be released on February 9th. Her second English album, announced to be named This Is the One (I, personally, am disgusted by this title), will be released in Japan on March 4th, and in North American on March 24th.
She also has two upcoming books (as had been announced a while ago), Ten, “point”, her autobiography, and Sen, “line”, a collection of all her blog articles and a bunch of new images by the photographer who shot the photobook for First Love. Both go on sale March 12th, 2009, and are on sale at CDJapan (click on the titles to pre-order). Here are the covers:
Feel free to express your opinion on the covers, the titles, etc., it’s the purpose of this blog.
Filed under: Artist News, Utada Hikaru
The StyleJapan Report 