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

At 6:08

 

V.I.P. so low... a damn MESS

 

Just put your hands up
Show me! So beautiful












23
U KNOW

Average: 8,08
Highest scorers: 10x3 (@Weslicious, @RUNAWAY, @Music Is Life), 9x2 (@Remorque, @vague)
Lowest scorers: 6x1 (@Yeziirl), 7x5 (@Coming Century, @Eskiath, @lalaclairi_, @soratami, @Cutlery)
My score: 8

Spoiler: Leaderboard History

5 voters: #26, 7,90 avg.
10 voters: #22, 7,85 avg.
15 voters: #22, 8,03 avg.
18 voters: #23, 8,08 avg.

​

Time to say goodbye to the closing track for "Bon Voyage". If only she invited U-Know from TVXQ for a collab... Written by Kumi, Bruno Lopez (Pitbull's "Sun In California"), Loi Albringer (Jedward's "School's Out"), Martin Wiik (SHINee's "Become Undone") and Glen Eriksson (nothing noteworthy) and produced by the latter four, the track is yet another departure from ballads as the last tracks on Kumi's albums. This is pretty standard for a dance track, although I appreciate the video game synths and sing-along chorus. The track feels fun, positive and happy, which definitely translates well in the live environment. It's not perfect, as it's mostly chorus all throughout the song, so more of a variation would have been to the track's benefit. Still Kumi's delivery is heartfelt and you do feel that she's singing to her fans. The message of the song is inspirational, as you might have guessed:

The scenery used to be so vivid,
but it's fading. Is it because I've grown up?
I don't want to see it, but time
is just passing by

I have courage to oppose
and even self-confidence, yet pressure gets in the way
I feel like I'm gonna lose sight of myself
Here we go again
(c) @otenkiame

Hmm, maybe Kumi's just boasting that she's a superstar? Because she totally is.

No one asked you, @Yeziirl (6), okay? "No, I don't know whose American pop singer's reject song this is." I said, no one asked!

At this point we're practically twins with @otenkiame (8), when it comes to our thoughts on Kumi, "That old-time video game sound automatically gets "U KNOW" an above-average score from me, and gets even higher with its dance, upbeat tempo. I like that Kuu went from an empowering theme for it, and really enjoy the overall atmosphere of the hooks - I bet they'd be great live. A great album ending!"

Oh, guess @abael (8) confirmed my musings from earlier regarding his opinion on balladry, "It's a basic bop, but I'll take a bop when I find one."

@RUNAWAY (10) appreciates the track wholeheartedly, "wow. this is such a huge track and closes this album so perfectly."

@Weslicious (10) notices even the tiniest of details, "Queen of needlessly pluralising!" We're all star after all.

The track was performed during "Bon Voyage Tour" and I have to say that the live arrangement is a lot more to my liking.
​

 

I actually... appreciate U KNOW less now dd. Her vocal is SO annoying and the track sounds so anonymous. Next!

 

Hm, it sounds more like she tried to say "ikuzo" or "let's go" or something along the lines.

It is, although it's too devisive of a track to go any higher.

Tomorrow we're going to be arriving at Top20.

 

VIP has an iconic video, without audio.

 

@Ana Raquel is forgiven for his/her Namie rate sins! Come through, fellow VIP stan!

I'm devastated by this elimination. I hesitated between this and Lollipop for my 11 but I just knew more people hated VIP. Don't be upset because you're not on Kuu's VIP list, haters!

VIP is a bop. The video is amazing. The Oh-oh-oh-oh during the middle 8 are heaven sent. Her performance of the song at the MAMAs slayed.

 

We get it, you hate it.

Dddd, that's the Fort Minor sample. Do you like the original song?

 

I wish you could see the other performances she did of it. I tried to find them but they seem to have all been deleted. I think I remember her doing Blingx3 at anation before and she perfected that scream at the exact same time and it sounded amazing. Idk, you might've seen it before?

 

I just watched the 2011 performance from a-nation and she did this high-pitched "ow!". Is this what you mean?

 

*deep voice*
Show me what you got
Sho-sho-show me what you got, babe












22
Okay

Average: 8,11
Highest scorers: 10x3 (@otenkiame, @vague and @me!), 9x5 (@Remorque, @Cutlery, @Ana Raquel, @Music Is Life, @Eskiath)
Lowest scorers: 5x1 (@Coming Century), 5,5x1 (@Yeziirl)
My score: lookie above

Spoiler: Leaderboard History

5 voters: #24, 8,00 avg.
10 voters: #22, 7,85 avg.
15 voters: #30, 7,87 avg.
18 voters: #22, 8,11 avg.

​

"Dejavu" caught a bit of a break, but it had to come back to it at some point, hmm? Written by Kumi and the godly HIRO (the "TABOO" guy) and produced by the latter, the track was one of the newer album tracks on "Dejavu". A mid-tempo through and through, it can boast a phenomenal synth work, assertive chain-like beat and memorable melodies. Sinister sounding male backing vocals also included. Kumi's delivery is on point as she goes both high and low to present the best take on the deteriorating relationship. I still strongly believe that Kuu is best in an R'n'B soundscape, so I'm more than happy anytime she dabbles in the genre. The vocal layering is also great here, with some ad-libs getting a bit of a vocoder and others the prettiest harmonies. I mean, I'm biased when it comes to HIRO, still this is simply great. I remember when the lyrics for the album appeared online, HIRO was listed as "HIRO (GLASS HOPPER)" for some reason and, as far as I know, it's a guy from some dancing group. That's what you get for choosing just "HIRO" for your professional name, I guess. Looking at the lyrics, it looks like the main point of breaking up in this instance is the guys complacent attitude towards the relationship:

Am I wrong
for making an atmosphere where you can't speak?
I can't believe you not saying "no"
hurts me this much

Are you putting up with me?
I want us to face each other, you & me
We'll separate someday if it stays like this
(c) @otenkiame

Only 4 of you were okay hehe enough with it to give it a comment.

@abael (7) thought that "Okay" was okay, "Its okay… A tad perfunctory." No! "Okay" was not okay, it was amazing and still is!

Liking the R'n'B side of Kuu and thinking it was more than okay was @Music Is Life (9), "Love the more urban feel of this, it actually suits her really well."

I'd say @Cutlery's (9) poignant comment makes the song a lot more than just okay, "The nerve to release this!! It's fabulous and the male adlibs pop off. Of course, she's giving us restrained wrath with the lyrics full of frustration and feeling you're sleeping in bed with someone who's become indifferent" Bullseye! Ouch, I asked you to be more careful with your pointy edges in Part II, hun.

I love when people love what Kumi is doing and @otenkiame's (10) words are like music to my ears, okay! "Even though the male vocalist at the beginning is kinda wtf, I am so into this song. I love the R&B vibe with all those synths, and I am IN LOVE with the song's message. I don't know what it is, but the moment the first line of the hook starts up, I'm in heaven. This is Kuu at her prime for me."

Kumi performed the song marvelously during "Dejavu Tour".​

Thank you papa avex for uploading this to Youtube.​

​

 

.
.
.
motto gyutto shite











21
IT'S SO DELICIOUS

Average: 8,14
Highest scorers: 10x1 (@me!), 9,5x1 (@Ana Raquel)
Lowest scorers: 6x1 (@abael), 7x2 (@Love Deluxe, @Weslicious)
My score: lookie above

Spoiler: Leaderboard History

5 voters: #15, 8,50 avg.
10 voters: #16, 8,25 avg.
15 voters: #18, 8,15 avg.
18 voters: #21, 8,14 avg.

​

I... what the actual fuck? Not only I'm the only one who gave this delicious hehe track a 10, y'all also pushed it out of Top20 with the last set of voters. HEATHENS! Written by Yoshida Miwa and produced by her and Nakamura Masato, a.k.a. the members of DREAMS COME TRUE, one of Japan's best-selling and most well-known bands, the track was originally released as a title track for their 7th studio album "DELICIOUS" in 1995. Kumi's version was recorded in 2014 for the band's tribute album "Watashi to DORIKAMU -DREAMS COME TRUE 25th ANNIVERSARY BEST COVERS-". Y'all... Y'ALL! This is fucking it! It's Top3 covers that Kumi has ever done and it deserves so much more recognition. Talk about making a song your own. She freaking blew it out of the park and killed it. The arrangement was made by someone by the name of Joseph Lawrence. He produced "Introduction ~Bon Voyage~" for, you guessed it, "Bon Voyage", and it looks like he's a genius, because listen to this stunning beauty! The second that beat and that synth collide after the first "motto gyutto shite" nothing is safe on this song's path. Destroy me completely, Kumi! And my fucking god, her over-the-top delivery here! It's so energetic I get a boost to my mood immediately. She sings like it's her favorite song in the world and her life depends on how good she sings it. The lyrics... are totally about fingering, aren't they?

Your index finger takes me anywhere at mach speed
I can feel it in my heart, delicious. Once we lose breath, let's curl up and sleep together
(c) @otenkiame

No wonder Kuu loves this so much, dddd. Such a travesty that only 3 of you bothered to comment on this gem of a song.

@Eskiath (8) didn't even know this existed, "Oop where did this come from? Unexpected bop." See what I'm talking about? Deserves so much more.

@otenkiame (9) understands me, "I can't even tell this isn't a Kuu track? Like she totally made this her own, and it's pretty damn hot. Those electronics are fire! And that moment after she gives a moan and the instrumental bit comes in. Phew. That's hot. Imma say that Kuu snatched the wig off DREAMS COME TRUE." She totally fucking did!

Come one, come all, @Music Is Life's (9,25) stream of consciousness awaits, "That hook is so catchy I just can’t. I like the production, but it’s pretty basic EDM except for the electric guitar which brought my score up a little. Okay this is actually a pretty epic banger and grew on me as I listened to it, so take a higher score than I original planned." So happy you've arrived in the end.

Kumi never performed this live, but I wish she would.

The original is a lot less electronic, still a major bop. Its sound reminds me of some early Amuro Namie songs for some reason.

There is also a bit of a live performance for it here:

​

 

TOP20





Step Into My World
Can We Go Back
SUPERSTAR
You're So Beautiful
Lick me♥
Work It Out!
No Way
Stay
Comes Up
Physical thing
ECSTASY
UNIVERSE
It's all Love! / Koda Kumi x misono
Alive
(04/14)




POP DIVA
Lollipop
Okay
Aitakute
Passing By
AT THE WEEKEND
Melting
Hey baby!
Choi Tashi Life
Anata Dake ga
Suki de, Suki de, Suki de.
Bambi
I Don't Love You !??
(03/13)




So Nice feat. Mr.Blistah
Boom Boom Boys
V.I.P.
Slow feat. Omarion
Brave
Everyday
IN THE AIR
You are not alone
ESCALATE
Love Me Back
No Man's Land
Ai wo Tomenaide
KO-SO-KO-SO
Lay Down
Love Technique
Poppin' love cocktail feat. TEEDA
All for you
(07/17)




SHOW ME YOUR HOLLA
LOADED feat. Sean Paul
Winner Girls
Imagine
Koishikute
LALALALALA
TOUCH DOWN
CRANK THA BASS feat. OVDS
LOL
Go to the top
Dreaming Now!
On Your Side
U KNOW
(01/13)




Ienai yo
0-ji Mae no Tsunderella
Megumi no Hito
BE MY BABY
Pink Spider
Shake Hip!
Lovely
Jounetsu
(04/08)

​

EXTRAS

faraway
Hashire!
Good☆day
Inside Fishbowl
Outside Fishbowl
For you
Got To Be Real
Black Candy
Say Her Name
Make It Bump feat. Koda Kumi / Far East Movement
Stands Up feat. Koda Kumi / Clench&Blistah
Whatchu Waitin' On?
darling
Alone
IS THIS TRAP?
XXX
ENGAGED
IT'S SO DELICIOUS
(01/18)

Look at that firm grasp "JAPONESQUE" has on Top20. Look at "TOUCH DOWN" and "IS THIS TRAP?" holding on like the true storm troopers they are. There are a couple of songs I wish have already left instead of some, but overall, this is a superb Top20. Well done, y'all.​

 

Rooting for Touchdown, iconic!!!!

Is this trash should be gone tho!

 

Touch Down being the last one from Bon Voyage is correct.
Also, let me just say: WOOHOO my 11 made top 20!

 

It's Top20, so you better shut your mouth.

 

Japonesque dominating after the early-on cull is PopJustice!

 

That top 20 would have been flawless if VIP & Loaded would have made it instead of IS THIS TRAP? & IN THE AIR.

 

Yeah, I’m pretty surprised at VIP’s placement. It’s one of the most memorable moments for this part of her career.