Y'all better not stop the discussion just because these are extras. I'm not gonna give up, not gonna give up AI / 365 feat. DELI average: 7,458 highest scorers: 10.00 @cookiedough 9.50 @RUNAWAY 8.50 @Ana Raquel , @evilsin lowest scorers: 5.00 @Crisp X 6.00 @soratami 6.25 @Remorque highest placement: #65 lowest placement: #78 [TIE] Oh wow, look at that highest placement. Guess it didn't have much chance right from the start. 365 feat. DELI is AI's tenth single and the first one for her fourth album MIC-A-HOLIC A.I. It was written by AI and DELI and produced by AI and the hip-hop group AQUARIUS (JHETT a.k.a. YAKKO from this produced Just Go feat. Koda Kumi!). The lyrics for this are of the hussling nature, where AI expresses her desire to work and improve herself for you, for her family and a better tomorrow. The single reached #20 on the Oricon charts and charted for 7 weeks, selling 16,740 copies. evilsin's score: 8.50 evilsin's butthurt corner: This has definitely grown on me. The music is pretty monotone with no variation, but AI shines bright with her great if sometimes annoyingly nasal delivery. I really do like how she emotes in the verses and the chorus is very catchy. DELI... is there, I guess, to break up the song a little and I appreciate it to an extent, especially considering how repetitive it would've got without him. A solid offering overall. RUNAWAY's score: 9.50 RUNAWAY’s thoughts: That chorus is bulletproof it’s SO GOOD! I mean yeah DELI kind of ruins the flow of the song, but as a whole, AI’s chorus is a serve, the verses are full of her charm and style, and this song deserved to do much better! cookiedough (10) "This is so so good. The beat and sound are fire. Also recommend anyone into this sound checking out the “Aquarius” album released a few years prior, same producers/sound. Though maybe I’m the only one into this kind of sound dd." evilsin's recommendation: RUNAWAY's recommendation: I'm pretty sure the next song is about love.
Firstly, I have to say that AI is so crucial to have in a rate like this. Aside from R&B, she is really in tune with Hip-Hop and Gospel music, which are both such crucial genres for understanding r&b. Often the best r&b music seamlessly combines, references, draws inspiration, and dips in and out of those genres. And of every singer on this rate, AI is one of the few who has that musical foundation and breadth. With all that said, I gave 365, a 6.75. But funnily enough I might give it a lower score in the context of AI's entire discography. I think the structure is a bit monotonous, and always surprised me as being the lead single from Mic-A-Holic. And that specific AI album despite the success of Story, felt a bit undercooked musically to me? Like 2004 AI and What's goin on AI both felt like they did things Mic-A-Holic aimed to do, but with higher highs. The production on 365 feels like a standard contribution from Aquarius. There's a repetitive and grittiness to their songs. And I think that works on a song like Do or Die (Namie), Just Go (Koda Kumi), or any of the material from their 2005 album. But something about 365 is almosssst there, but just fizzles out for me.
Love what you're saying about AI, @odyism! She really is so important for the Japanese R'n'B scene. I definitely need to dive back into her catalogue some day, because I have some severe blindspots when it comes to her older stuff.
I HATE YOU ALL. tatta hitotsu dake anata ni tsutaetai kotoba wa Miliyah Kato / Love me, I love you average: 7.483 highest scorers: 10.00 @Applause, @RUNAWAY 9.00 @berserkboi 8.00 @lalaclairi_, @evilsin lowest scorers: 4.00 @Trinu 3.0 6.50 @Crisp X, @cookiedough 7.00 @soratami, @masahiro, @odyism, @FunkyButChic, @Remorque highest placement: #22 [TIE] lowest placement: #72 Love me, I love you is the sixth track from Miliyah's debut album Rose, released October 26th, 2005. The lyrics for the song were written by Miliyah herself, and the music by Shingo.S. (also known for his productions for Crystal Kay, Beni, and Thelma Aoyama among others.) While only an album track, the song has become known as a fan-favorite, and a Miliyah favorite, having been performed on the Diamond Princess tour, M Best tour, and included on her first greatest hits album M Best. Also notably, the song was performed during quarantine on Miliyah's IGTV on May 15th, 2020, which I will discuss further below. Lyrically, the song is about teenage love, but it's written and sung so beautifully, it transcends all of the cliches that go with songs like this one. RUNAWAY's score: 10 RUNAWAY's thoughts: what can I even say about Love me, I love you? It's perfect? It's beautiful? I mean no words can ever do it justice but I guess I'll try. Keep in mind I was SIXTEEN when I first heard Miliyah's debut album, so the nostalgia has a lot to do with my feelings for this song, and as any young gay boy knows, your first teenage crush really does a number on you, for good or bad. I think the fact that Miliyah and I are the same age has a lot to do with my love of her music. We've gone through the same things at the same times and years in our lives, and knowing that has subconsciously made me bond even more with her music and what she writes about. Love me, I love you is no different. This song has remained a favorite of mine ever since the first listen, and it currently sits atop my most played tracks on last.fm. That's just how much I love it. When COVID quarantine was happening in mid-2020 I had been tuning into Miliyah's Instagram every day as she had been performing her own songs along with covers, after having just given birth to her first child recently, and I had been deluding myself every single day into thinking that she would perform this song, and then...she actually did it. Singing a teenage love song that she wrote when she was 16, now as a 32 year old adult with her child in the background really brought everything full circle for me, and solidified my everlasting love for this song, and that's why I fought so hard to include this song in the rate. It still gets me all emotional thinking about that day and how happy I was to see her acknowledge the song again. Honestly seeing it tumble out at 72 wasn't something I expected (and I was equally frustrated seeing it tumble down the leaderboard, but....what can you do) but it only got tanked by one person, and it got a ten other than my own, so I'm happy with how it performed. Big thank you to Applause, berserkboi, and lalaclairi_ for your high scores <3 evilsin's score: 8.00 evilsin’s butthurt corner: Gah, that delivery of the line “Love me, I love you, baby” makes me think of some older song, but I can never put my finger on it. This is lovely and kinda bubbly in a gentle way. The chorus is a bit plain to give this a better score, but the added ad-libs at the end definitely make it a lot better. The harpsicord-y instrument that plays throughout is cute and memorable. berserkboi (9) "Very nice" RUNAWAY's recommendation: evilsin's recommendation: Next up.....the rate gets a bit darker.
Wow no comments on my vulnerable moment of gypsy whatever?! Alright then.... Next elimination will be up when I get home from this torture I call a "job".
Alright alright alright here we go....cutting another one of my faves tonight....... Ai ga mienakute fuan ni natte mo BRIGHT / LOVE ~ある愛のカタチ~ average: 7.500 highest scorers: 10.00 @RUNAWAY 9.00 @lalaclairi_ 8.75 @Remorque lowest scorers: 5.00 @odyism 6.00 @Trinu 3.0 6.75 @cookiedough highest placement: #43 [TIE] lowest placement: #74 LOVE ~ある愛のカタチ~ (Aru Ai no Katachi) (translated as "a certain form of love") was the sixth single by BRIGHT, released on June 1st, 2011. Released as the first lead-in single to their third album, the self-titled BRIGHT, the song truly was a turning point for the group, becoming their highest peaking single at the time and hitting #23 on the Oricon charts, and still their highest peak to date. The song's lyrics were written by Kitajima Rei, and the music by SAEKI youthK with arrangement done by SiZK from ★STAR GUiTAR. Now for me, while the song is obviously a fave, the VIDEO is where it's really at. The four members sing the song in gorgeous wedding dresses, but the story in the video with the couples really warms my heart and makes me fall more in love with the song each time I watch it. Poor our loveless low scorers! RUNAWAY's score: 10.00 I'll be honest. I had NO IDEA who BRIGHT were until the planning of this rate when @evilsin introduced me to them. I listened to their third album first at evilsin's recommendation, immediately fell in love with BAD GIRL, but then got to track 4, this song, and just fell head over heels in love with their voices, the song, and their entire vibe. That's history luv. We already had 4 songs picked for their section of this rate, but I begged evilsin to include this song since it had taken up such a huge part of my life since the first listen, and well....here it is......leaving at SEVENTY ONE. I honestly can't even be mad. Either you get it or you don't. If you know you know, and if you don't know like I honestly feel bad for you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ evilsin's score: 8.00 evilsin’s butthurt corner: Pardon my bluntness with this pun, but it sounds so… bright. Quite fitting for a wedding and eternal love themed song I guess. Funnily enough I think this also makes me give this only an 8, dddd. The half-key change every chorus is quite striking though and the melodies and the deliveries are good, so good overall. Now uhhhhh none of you left any commentary either so..... @lalaclairi_ @Remorque please share your thoughts!! RUNAWAY's recommendation: evilsin's recommendation: Up next......the extras continue to suffer.
Without further ado, I'm happy to unveil our top 70 songs! BENI (10/10) もう二度と・・・ STAY Kiss Kiss Kiss 恋焦がれて ずっと二人 サイン bye bye MOVE See U Again First Time Crystal Kay (10/10) Ex-Boyfriend feat. VERBAL (m-flo) think of U hard to say Boyfriend -part II- Candy 恋におちたら Kirakuni I Know きっと永遠に こんなに近くで... DOUBLE (10/10) BED Shake handle feat. F.O.H. Angel You Got To Who’s That Girl Souljah Call Me SPRING LOVE 残り火 -eternal BED- JASMINE (10/10) sad to say THIS IS NOT A GAME Jealous dear my friend 恋 ONE ONLY YOU Best Partner Realize Last Word Miliyah Kato (8/10) 夜空 ディア・ロンリーガール My life Last Summer このままずっと朝まで 19 Memories 最後の I LOVE YOU 恋シテル AI (2/3) E.O I Wanna Know Aoyama Thelma (3/3) そばにいるね feat. SoulJa 忘れないよ Lonely Angel ARIA (2/3) FALLIN’ NOT OVER feat. HOKT & BIG RON BRIGHT (4/5) 言葉にできなくて 1年2ヶ月20日 BAD GIRL feat. SKY-HI (AAA) Eternity JAMOSA (1/3) DREAM LISA (4/4) I'm all you So Beautiful GET REAL It's On melody. (2/5) Simple As That with you YU-A (4/4) 逢いたい･･･ Belief そばにいて、すぐ消えて。 優しい顔で近づかないで What should go next? What should've already gone? Be messy and comment!
Miliyah’s Love Me I Love You really feels a Miliyah remix of Mary J Blige’s Everything. I can’t unhear it now. I don't have the technical skills to describe the similarities, but they are both there in the production. Thankyou for the beautiful commentary Runaway. It’s a gorgeous Miliyah song and I forgot it was an album highlight from that period. My commentary for Bright's LOVE The intro was standard and when the harmonies came in, I was excited to see where the song would open up to. I started off at a 6.75 rating but as the song progressed it wasn’t the refreshing midtempo I wanted. Instead the song feels a bit like a slog with an abrupt chorus. Part of the song feel copy and pasted and a bit faceless unfortunately. For example I can think of songs from other artists that came before and after this release, that just make this sound a bit too predictable for me to enjoy. (Examples include BoA's Kissing You, Beni's Eien, Koda Kumi's anytime, etc)
Finally got around to reading your beautiful writeup sis, thank you! 姉 with taste recognize each other.
