The J-R&B Divas Rate! - #22 - *Katya voice* "Let's be bad!"

So is it JAMOSA's time to go all the way out?























Don't ever let go... Don't ever let go...


















AI / E.O.

average: 7.541

highest scorers:
10.00 @cookiedough
8.50 @odyism
8.00 @lalaclairi_, @Ana Raquel, @evilsin

lowest scorers:
5.00 @Trinu 3.0
6.75 @Macsun
7.00 @Crisp X, @soratami

highest placement: #55
lowest placement: #70


E.O. is AI's eighth single overall and the second to be released for her third studio album 2004 A.I. It was written by AI and produced by 2SOUL (AI's very own STORY). I couldn't find the full translation for this one online, but from what I could gather from my limited knowledge of the Japanese language, the song is about facing your weaknesses and carving your own future. The single reached #23 on the Oricon charts and charted for 6 weeks, selling 15,011 copies.


evilsin's score: 8.00
evilsin's butthurt corner: E.O. was one of the first songs that exposed me to AI and, to tell you the truth, I was intrigued. The song definitely has all the elements of what I like in an R'n'B number, which are great melodies and tight fast vocal delivery. I'm sure I've broken my tongue in several places trying to learn the lyrics in the chorus that tries so hard to be a tongue twister back in the day. Despite those clear highlights, the tune suffers drastically from the vocal effect that we have in the chorus. AI sound a tad too drowned out and echo-ey, so I had to chop a couple of points for that. Other than that this is a great song that is even somewhat sentimental for me.


RUNAWAY's score: 7.75
RUNAWAY’s thoughts: E.O is such a catchy song, and AI’s vocals are fantastic here. That one-take video is a serve as well, but I just don’t really come back to this one all that often if I’m being honest. AI is fantastic, but I just like her songs like YOU ARE MY STAR and MUSIC a lot more.


cookiedough (10) said “This is so so catchy. AI gave us everything with this track. Instant EOrworm.”

evilsin's recommendation:

I'm not trying to secretly make this about Namie, I promise.

RUNAWAY's recommendation:

Looks like JAMOSA is safe for now... but for how long?​

 

I love the buildup, pulse, and musical progression of E.O.
It has a nice grittiness to the production and the chorus, while there is a nice stability from AI's vocals. Plus the backing vocals are a real treat to build up the melody of the song.
I first heard of AI through Suite Chic's Uh Uh, so it was such a pleasant surprise when I realized she was actually more focused on singing than rapping. E.O. was never my favorite from 2004 A.I., but in the context of this rate this song has such a nice grittiness and mood that many of the other singers don't have the range to do.

My favorites from the same album E.O. is from, 2004 A.I.
Her 7th single preceeding E.O., After the Rain is a lovely slow jam with a really gorgeous 90s inspired Quiet Storm vibe.

100% is a breezy, funky, disco adjacent bop. It's 100% roller skate playlist energy.

Breathe is the type of song which might feel like midtempo filler for some artists, but with the constrast of AI's natural timbre it just provides a really sweet, relaxing, summery mood. It has a nice balance of acoustic guitar licks, and r&b strings and bounce.

 

Dang, another AI track and one of my 10s going out.

Since summer is almost upon us, it feels topical to share a little bit of… summer magic. I’ll certainly need some of it to clean my eyes after this latest elimination!

 

Is there a live performance of Crystal Kay’s “Candy” anywhere on the internet? I swear I’ve been looking for years.

 

I'm pretty sure that over the years she did perform it live several times, but as far as I know the only chance to see it currently is to get the VIVID tour DVD, where Candy is part of the medley.

 

I did a little bit of research and she also performed Candy at "Crystal Kay Live Tour '05 CK STYLE" and I would also guess she performed it at a holiday concert "Crystal Kay Live '03 Foreal". But neither of those were released on DVD?

My brain is all mush, because in my head I can imagine seeing her perform it live on maybe a Wow Wow broadcasting or a CDTV. But as far as finding it on the internet to see, that sounds rare/difficult.

EDIT: Found the Old School Medley from the Vivid Tour

 

You are literally Japan's public enemy #1.

 

Okay, we had a bit of a break, but it's time to get it on.
























Don't be afraid, I'm not afraid, cuz I believe in you and me




















melody. / with you

average: 7.583 [TIE]

highest scorers:
10.00 @evilsin
9.00 @soratami, @RUNAWAY
8.00 @lalaclairi_, @FunkyButChic, @Crisp X

lowest scorers:
5.00 @Trinu 3.0
6.00 @Macsun, @odyism
7.00 @Ana Raquel

highest placement: #9 [TIE]
lowest placement: #70


Here comes our first tie of the rate which leaves melody. with only one track standing. with you was released as the second track on melody.'s third studio album READY TO GO! It was written by melody. and Fujibayashi Shoko (a fantastic and prolific writer) and produced by Tsukazaki Yohei (Matsuura Aya's OSHARE! and Takahashi Hitomi's KO.MO.RE.BI). Lyrically the track talks about the miracle of meeting a loved one, that is so right to you that you thank fate every single day. The individual sales for the downloads of the song are not available, but the parent album reached #6 on the Oricon charts, charted for 10 weeks and sold 45,184 copies.


evilsin's score: 10.00

evilsin's butthurt corner: Damn you all for ousting my potential 11 so early and with such ease! This song is so freaking good, it's disgusting. melody. sounds perfect here, the arrangement with the fuzzy synths, worbbly plink-plonks, guitar and the triumphant trumpets and strings tie it all together in such an exquisite and sublime manner. There is no song like this out there. I remember that I was pretty smitten with the whole READY TO GO! album, still at my first listen I just couldn't go past this one. It demanded to be replayed several times until I could move on from such a gentle and upbeat number, so naturally I wanted it to be included in the rate. Oh how wrong was I for that! It still has a very special and magical hold on me 15 (!!!) years later.


RUNAWAY's score: 9.00

RUNAWAY’s thoughts: why did I not give this a ten?! This is a capital b BAWP and it’s leaving way too soon. Poor melody! She didn’t work her ass off, get married, and retire back to Hawaiʻi to be treated like this!


Y'all better write you thoughts about this magnificence after the elimination if you value your lives.

evilsin's recommendation:

RUNAWAY's recommendation:

Now which song could be tied to this one?​

 

I gave this a 7.5 and it’s definitely one of my fave melody. tracks in the rate. I think the chorus is the highlight here.

It has a typical early 2000s sound which I like. As with other melody. tracks though, I’m not a huge fan of the vocal delivery but nice track overall nonetheless!

 

I adore how the orchestral backings turn this from a simple love song into a romantic epic, but I'm just not big up on the airy vocal delivery to give it a score higher than 8.

 

at least i'm the lowest part this time! too many highest scores leaving at once and this is evil

 

I had nothing to do with this, y'all did this.

 

What I didn't expect when we were ruminating the songlist is that melody would be the first out and so soon from the start of the rate. Naturally all our extras will have to go sooner than the main girls since they got fewer votes, still I'm perplexed by the events.

 

Listening to it again and...

I'm surprised this wasn't lower fffff

I like these better!

 

Sometimes some things are better left unsaid, don't you think?