The Koda Kumi Rate: Part III, COMPLETE. See you in Q1 2020

Which short track / interlude deserved a full version?

  • Prologue to Dejavu

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Interlude to Dejavu

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Introduction ~JAPONESQUE~

    Votes: 3 33.3%

  • Interlude ~JAPONESQUE~

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Introduction ~Bon Voyage~

    Votes: 1 11.1%

  • Let's show tonight

    Votes: 2 22.2%

  • Interlude ~Bon Voyage~

    Votes: 3 33.3%
  • Total voters
    9
evilsin

evilsin

Last edited:
evilsin

evilsin

Yeziirl said:
Imagine Music is life wouldnt be on this rate how scores would plummet!
Click to expand...












Looks like you subconsciously guessed the next elimination.








Imagine
So let go...






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57a
Imagine

Average: 7,13
Highest scorers: 9,25x1 (@Love Deluxe), 9x4 (@vague, @Remorque, @Music Is Life and @me!)
Lowest scorers: 3x1 (@Ana Raquel), 4,5x1 (@Yeziirl)
My score: lookie above

5 voters: #40, 7,30 avg.
10 voters: #60, 6,40 avg.
15 voters: #61, 6,92 avg.
18 voters: #57, 7,13 avg.
​

And with this elimination "Bon Voyage" is left balladless. Written by Kumi and composed by FAST LANE (Nishino Kana's "Distance", Amuro Namie's "TSUKI") and Norwegian producer Mats Lie Skåre (FLOWER's "Are you ready?", JUJU's "Risky"), the track is a mid-tempo ballad. First of all I should stress that people who worked on this usually deliver no matter who is the artist, meaning that if I see these guys in the credits, I'm more than likely in for a bop. The song is great. It has the emotional impact of Kumi's slower songs, but at the same time is a lot more upbeat, so it might be a little more to the liking of those who hate ballads. Although looking at the scores, it didn't really work, ddddd. The best part of this hands down is the change from verses to chorus. The feeling of soaring high is real with this one, I'm telling ya. Moreover the male backing vocals bring something new to the layering of the chorus even if they do sound like Daisuke"D.I." Imai decided to croon a little. When it comes to the lyrics, "Imagine" is about freedom and having no regrets moving on with your life:​

Things that were so important to me
have left me
I was so lonely and sad

Eventually I was able to make more things to cherish
"Everyone loses something, then gains something"

Give me one more, Give me one more
Give me a strong will like the birds
that take flight when it's raining

Everyone has the option
to go or to stop
I'll prove I can fly even in dark skies, even on uncertain nights
In order to let my life flap its wings...
Let's imagine it
Like that cloudless sky
Everything will change now
(c) @otenkiame

Just so you know, I'm personally offended that only 3 of you commented on this.

@abael (7) compared the pace of a song with its complexity production wise, hmmm, "I appreciate the more complex composition here compared to a lot of KKs other ballads."

Our on-call translator @otenkiame (8,5) was pleased with the final result, "As far as mid-tempos go, this is one of her strongest. It feels very distinguished and different from her others, while still staying squarely Kuu. I dig the whole R&B air with the piano playing those high keys! Also great for its inspirational message!" Love it when you put my thoughts into words so eloquently.

Unlike @Music Is Life (9), ddddd, "The production is really pretty on this one." I kid, I kid, thanks for the comment, hun.​

Kumi performed the song during the "Bon Voyage Tour", although no one uploaded the perfromance online. Still we're in luck, as the tour was released in audio form. This live rendition has some guitars in the chorus.
​
 
evilsin

evilsin

Everything all right!
Don't be afraid!








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57b
Lick me♥

Average: 7,13
Highest scorers: 10x3 (@Ana Raquel, @RUNAWAY, @Music Is Life), 9x1 (@lalaclairi_)
Lowest scorers: 3x1 (@Coming Century), 4x1 (@Yeziirl)
My score: 6,5

5 voters: #81, 5,60 avg.
10 voters: #65, 6,15 avg.
15 voters: #59, 6,95 avg.
18 voters: #57, 7,13 avg.
​

Oh damn, I forgot that I gave this a lower score, oops. Written by Kumi and produced by YOO thanks for a very google-able name, hun (Ueto Aya's "Namida no Niji", KinKi Kids' "EXIT"), the song was one of the a-sides from the summer single "3 SPLASH". The gall of her naming this "Lick me♥", dddd. Everybody and their grandma expected a hot sizzling bopperoo and we got... this. No, really, I'm adamant she knew what she was doing and eventually had the last laugh. Moreover the song is a bit of a hit and fans eat it up to this day. Well, as for me, my favorite part is the "da da da" post-chorus. Fun fact: the music video version of the track has "chu chu chu" instead of "da da da" for some reason. Also the juxtoposition of the guitar and those little strings in the chorus is pretty cute, not gonna lie. In the end, I didn't like this for quite some time, guess that is reflected in my score, although now I think I should have given it half a point more. The lyrics are... about Kumi wanting to be liked by everybody like ice cream? With hints of S&M, since she wants to be someone's slave forever? Dddd, that last one might be a stretch, since "toriko" can also mean "prisoner".​

The sun's as far as the eye can see
The sea and smiles are overflowing
My goal? That's right
Is to be an ice cream-like girl

It'll be too late once you taste a bite
It's a melt-in-your-mouth sweetness
It's dangerous if you taste too much (＞=＜)
Come on, come on, come on
(c) @otenkiame

Who's up for some ice cream? Not me, since it looks like I'm on the verge of a cold...

@Yeziirl (4) wasn't pleased with the gimmicky title, "you expect this to be thotty banger, but it’s an anime opening." Not all anime openings sound like this, dddd.

Same goes for @Eskiath (5), ":( A shame the song doesn't live up to the title." I mean at least it's not that far thematically.

@otenkiame (6,5) shared a score with me and gave this some thought, "Mkay, so here's the track I cannot deny has tons of appeal with its catchy hooks and upbeat attitude. But then I'm also like, why does it have to be so sweeter-than-sugar? Don't even get me started on the music video. That gave me diabetes the moment I saw it. Try as I might, though, I cannot outright hate this. It just has something." Yep, still as thought-stealing as ever.

@abael (7) was shady AF scoring this, "It's marginally better than the average Universe track, but that's probably down to the tempo increase." EXCUSE ME‽

@vague (7,5) would like a word with Kuu, "the sheer gall of Kuu having a song called "Lick me" and it sounding like this. Smdh." She's a troll, plain and simple.

Leave it to our sharp buddy @Cutlery (8) to go there, "A summery jam! Kuu said rimming rights! I love the glitches and the whole personality of the track"

@lalaclairi_ (9) didn't have any problem with the title one bit, "I love the contrast between what you'd expect looking at the title and the song actually being one of her cutest."

It appears that @Music Is Life (10) was clapping along, "Love the production! Those synth drums and the handclaps are music to my ears."

@RUNAWAY (10) is a sucker for a happy sounding JPop ditty after all, "ICONIC. I remember when I was first getting into Kumi I came across this song title and I was immediately intrigued. Queen of innuendo. The song’s a classic bopperoo too."​

This became one of Kumi's live staples pretty quickly. It even replaced "walk" as the closing track during "Dejavu Tour", which made her sound weird at times, as she was holding back the tears, dddd.
​
 
evilsin

evilsin

Cutlery said:
The mixed reception is giving me Birthday Eve (BOP btw) vibes
Speaking of, someone should show Got to Be Real the door asap!
Click to expand...
Only "Birthday Eve" is on par with her best cute songs, unlike "Lick me♥". As for "Got To Be Real"... just you wait. Again.
abael said:
Sorry for the shady commentary, if I knew what was coming I would've saved it all for Japonesque.
Click to expand...
From one shade to another. Masterful.
 
evilsin

evilsin

Where there is one tie, there is another!
And another 0,01 difference. Just shows once again that every single point counts.















I wanna dance
I wanna dance
koko de Kiss, kiss











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55a
Inside Fishbowl

Average: 7,14
Highest scorers: 9,5x1 (@Music Is Life), 9x1 (@soratami)
Lowest scorers: 4x1 (@abael), 5x2 (@Coming Century, @Yeziirl)
My score: 8,5

5 voters: #75, 6,00 avg.
10 voters: #63, 6,25 avg.
15 voters: #58, 7,00 avg.
18 voters: #55, 7,14 avg.
​

The last time an extra has been ousted was 11 eliminations ago. Written by Kumi and produced by Niclas Lundin (AFTERSCHOOL's "Dressing Room" !!!) and Joakim Hahlin (who managed to have only this credit and the one for "Outside Fishbowl"), the track was one of the b-sides for the summer single "Gossip Candy". Despite not appearing on the following album, the track got a music video. As with "Yume no Uta" / "Futari de...", Kumi thought the melody of the song can carry different meanings, hence her decision to make two songs. Oh geez, this 80s inspired electro-infused pop-rock number is something else at least in the instrumental department. I know the vocals here won't be to everyone's liking, but goddamn the music is fun in this! The lyrics of this are about loving living in your own bubble I guess, while "Outside Fishbowl" is in contrast about hating feeling all locked up and wanting to escape:​

I'm inside a fishbowl
Freely, no control
My skirt fluttering
I swim, yeah, side to side

I'm inside a fishbowl
Look at my body
I sway gracefully
I can't be stopped
(c) @otenkiame

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag you're trapped in a fishbowl?

Looks like @abael (4) was trapped temporarily while listening to this, "First track I have found irritating. Whiny vocals are abundant."

So was @Yeziirl (5), "this song makes me annoyed for some reason..."

@Eskiath (6) can't fathom the genius of Kumi with this one, "Idk what she was thinking when she made this but werk." I don't know what you're talking about this great.

Unfortunately, @otenkiame (6) couldn't crack this one, "The light-hearted of the fishbowl series. As such, it's not really a big surprise that this is my least favourite of the two. It's not so bad, but, as usual, the cute vocals aren't doing any favours. I'm a bit on the fence about this one, because it's quite catchy, but also nothing spectacular." I'm actually a bit surprised "Outside Fishbowl" outlasted "Inside Fishbowl", but seeing how the majority of the voters hate cute Kumi... it's understandable.

Still @Music Is Life (9,5) isn't one of those, obviously, "Another pop-rock BOP!"​

Kumi performed "Inside Fishbowl" only a couple of times and none of those are online, but we do have a recording of the "FANTASIA" performance available:
​
 
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