The Koda Kumi Rate PART I: The End. Onto the next part we go

evilsin

evilsin

send photo said:
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I meant images why are you so hateful real Ceirmotion
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Well, to be fair, it links to my post, so...
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mi|kshake said:
Rain isn't one of my favourites but that is a lovely performance!
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It really is, the round stage gives it a nice atmosphere and Kumi's upgraded vocals shine.
 
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evilsin

evilsin

So we resume our programme...​








































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48 Your Sunshine
Average: 6,93

Highest score: 9x2 (@send photo, @RUNAWAY)
Lowest score: 5x1 (@Eskiath)
My score: 8​

And we continue with a true b-side that has been left on a single to never been heard of again... Produced by Takada Junpei of B.WORKS and written by Kumi the track is a fun straight to the point pop number about always loving a person. Figures. What's a bit amusing is that Junpei guy. As far as I could gather he only produced like 4 tracks: this, Let's Party from secret, Infinite... by Arashitro Beni and TO-THE-ATTACK by Kamiki Aya. All are of variable level of boppiness, but why? Like... does he like to eat? And live? Maybe he produced more as a member of this B.WORKS? We'll never know.

Anyway, the song is a hoot and a literal ray of sunshine (hehe).

And only one of you decided to comment. @RUNAWAY took it upon himself to make things clear as a top (they're all bottoms!!!) scorer, "I forgot how fab this song is! It definitely should have made it to an album! It's SO GOOD." Certainly a looked over piece.​

Never performed or loved enough to have been included in an AMV or a couple we'll have to deal with a Spotify link:​
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evilsin

evilsin

I mean... you won't believe this, but we got another tie.





























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46 (2 track tie) Talk to you
Average: 6,96

Highest score: 9x2 (@RUNAWAY, @ThisIsRogue)
Lowest score: 4x1 (@GhettoPrincess)
My score: 7​

feel my mind can't really catch a break and loses another album track. Talk to you was produced by Hara Kazuhiro (Ayu fame, 'member?) and written by Kumi (of course!). This one is of the cute kind, the one on the verge of being saccharine, yet Kuu managed to keep it just sweet. "Cute" is definitely the word to describe both the music and the lyrics. Kumi even sprinkles emojis all throughout the official lyrics. Take a look:

Every time, every day I'm a just for you
We fight once in a while (/_・。)
At such times, the reinforcement
Ramu-chan enters!!

Every time, every day I'm a just for you
I should always cry (・_・、)
At such times, be at my side
We only have to embrace each other
(c) Otenkiame

Ramu-chan was one of her dogs back in the day, by the way... Look I'm telling you it's all cute!!!

Cuteness overload is certainly not for everyone and @Eskiath (6) let's us know about it, "Feels very filler.", yeah, maybe... just like your smooth forehead! Meanwhile @Sprockrooster (8) is remembering the good old days of Aqua or something, "Bubblegum MANIA." Last, but not least is out top score giver @RUNAWAY, who references Hikki's English re-debut single for some reason, "love how bright and easy breezy (and japaneezy) this song is. really puts a smile on my face every time."​

Never performed live, we'll have to deal with a Sporify link:
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RUNAWAY

RUNAWAY

Staff member
he/him
BTW @evilsin, how are you going to divide up the next parts of this rate? Because I swear if I have to fight between Dejavu, Black Cherry, and Best ~second session for my next 11, I am gonna lose it.
 
evilsin

evilsin

Weslicious said:
Queen of... Ties!

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*I honestly thought she wore a tie on the WIND cover when I googled for this post, but no, boobs and sideburns because why not.

*I will start posting less 'Queen of' posts, and more actual commentary when songs I feel more strongly about start going. Your doing great here @evilsin
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Queen of everything, honestly. Gonna give Carly run for her money.
Thank you!
RUNAWAY said:
BTW @evilsin, how are you going to divide up the next parts of this rate? Because I swear if I have to fight between Dejavu, Black Cherry, and Best ~second session for my next 11, I am gonna lose it.
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I'm thinking of a pretty straight forward route along the lines of Second Session / Black Cherry / Kingdom / TRICK. With all the extra tracks it's going to be another 75-76 tracks rate. It'll be freaking impossible to choose 11 in the midst of all those amazing song! And it's going to be far more challenging to conjure up parts III and IV, because I still don't know whether we should include cover albums in their entirety or not.
 
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evilsin

evilsin

And with this tie's second track we lose one with more than one 10...








































Which song was that deserving though?
























































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46 (2 track tie) COLOR OF SOUL
Average: 6,96

Highest score: 10x2 (@Weslicious, @Remorque)
Lowest score: 4x1 (@Sprockrooster)
My score: 7​

And so we lose out first proper a-side (24 was kinda an a-side on kinda a single)! Produced by the ever amazing Watanabe Miki and written by Watanabe Natsumi (they are not related as far as I know), who is mostly known for her work with BoA, the track is like a slice of neo-disco boppiness with exquisite arrangement. I bet no one can resist those opening coos of taratatataturu and overall upbeat feeling of the song. Lyrically, as far as I could gather, the track is about both the fact that opposites attract and the never-ending struggle of searching for one's true self. Kumi acknowledges that she and her lover are quite different and yet the only way for them is forward and definitely together, while she still keeps looking for her one and only color of her soul.

Let's get this one right out of the way, @send photo (5) named this one, "COLOR OF AMNIOTIC". This track even made @lalaclairi_ (9) give a rare comment, "My favorite Affection single". At the same time it's not for @RUNAWAY (8), "this single was honestly a misfire for me. It's still great, but not ranked highly for me in her list of singles." @Sprockrooster returns to his villainy days, "She is nagging a bit in the chorus." Shut it.

The last one's left are our top scorers. @Remorque doesn't appreciate the arrangement as much as I do apparently, "Okay, but take all of the unnecessary instrumental parts away and you've got a fantastic Eurovision bop. Also: why are her early videos so fucking boring?" I mean... who of the JPop diva's had interesing ones in the early 2000s? @Weslicious decides to give us a bit of history lesson, "YAS, dated dance Queen. It sounds like it could almost be a Morning Musume song, which is a kii as she didn't get into the group. Better the sound of the group you where too good for Kuu-een." You know what would've been great? If Tsunku produced at least one song for Kuu, like he did for Ayu. Guess there is some bad blood still. Oh well.​

Hmm... I was certain she performed it live at least once. Looks like I was wrong.
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evilsin

evilsin

So who's losing their sacred 11 first?






















































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45 feel me
Average: 7,04

Highest score: 11x1 (@Sprockrooster),
Lowest score: 5x2 (@lalaclairi_, @Weslicious)
My score: 7​

Not a good day for affection... and @Sprockrooster. At least we finally break the 7+ average, right? RIGHT‽ Ahem. feel me was produced by Watanabe Miki (what a man) and written by Kumi. The song is a bit darker in sound from the rest of the album and might I even say sultry. And with good reason, it's totally about shagging! I mean you need to look at this lyrics:​

I'll tell you what's gonna start from now on
Bury your face in my chest, and listen without leaving
I kiss your ear as you look up
And whisper, my love
"If it's you, I can
Always please you"
Even in the darkness I feel your trembling fingers
Don't touch me, hey, so easily

Come on, baby, can you feel it, oh!
Open your eyes, baby
I don't want to return ever again now
Do you feel me? Baby
You're always the one who runs away, biting your fingers
(c) Otenkiame

I do like this one, but it usually leaves me wanting more, I guess it's because of the drowned out effect on the voice, especially in the chorus.

You huns had to say quite a bit about this song of Kumi's. A least @Weslicious gave it a bit of commentary, "Nothing special". Yack, shouldn't have bothered. @Remorque (8,5), unlike me, enjoyed the vocal production, "Loving the urgent production on this one. The vocal production and all the little flourishes you hear in the background lift this song up..." The track managed to get a rare comment from @GhettoPrincess (7), which is quite a fit, "I was expecting a more punchy chorus, the production was preparing me for a bop and it didn’t deliver. Still decent though." Oh, that's probably what I want as well. @Eskiath (7) was trying to sound smart, "The verses are like a hint of future Kumi." I'm not sure I follow.

We finish today's tragic elimination with @Sprockrooster, who felt (HA!) the song and guessed the meaning, "This feels like massive floorhumping and pole-wrapping slutjam and I am all for here for it. No idea what it really is about, but it has me dropping my kitty." Honestly I'm getting this from Sprocky's comment, only with him doing the moves. Hot!​
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Unfortunately for Sprocky this one wasn't performed live even once.
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RUNAWAY

RUNAWAY

Staff member
he/him
mi|kshake said:
I know my 11 already!

I'm up for the cover albums being included (Be My Baby! Megumi no Hito! Shake Hip! Lovely!)
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Yes!! Also, ever since the COLOR OF SOUL elimination, I’ve been trying to find a live performance of it as I had no idea she hadn’t ever performed it, and she hadn’t until the 15th anniversary where she did that epic 60 song concert where she performed all her singles. The show is ICONIC.

If you’ve got a spare hour, here it is:
https://kodakumimagazine.wordpress....first-class-2nd-limited-live-at-studio-coast/
 
evilsin

evilsin

Sprockrooster said:
Tragic. But expected.
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Now we both know how it feels, hun. We're first-11-out-sisters now.
Eskiath said:
Trying? Excuse me?

Well, I just listened to the song again and I'm not sure what I was talking about either.
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See.
mi|kshake said:
I know my 11 already!

I'm up for the cover albums being included (Be My Baby! Megumi no Hito! Shake Hip! Lovely!)
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Well, good for you, because I don't! I only have a notion. Maybe we should include only the select tracks from the cover albums, hmm?
RUNAWAY said:
Yes!! Also, ever since the COLOR OF SOUL elimination, I’ve been trying to find a live performance of it as I had no idea she hadn’t ever performed it, and she hadn’t until the 15th anniversary where she did that epic 60 song concert where she performed all her singles. The show is ICONIC.

If you’ve got a spare hour, here it is:
https://kodakumimagazine.wordpress....first-class-2nd-limited-live-at-studio-coast/
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That's where I've seen her sing it live! Totally slipped my mind.
Eskiath said:
Thank you for this! You linked this at just the right moment when I was so bored and needed something to watch, and I've never seen this before. But that was so boring.. I feel bad for the people that paid to watch that.
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It's a nice walk down the memory lane and it was FREE and only for her funclub member, so...
 
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