Goto Maki's What is LOVE/SCANDALOUS (7/20)

[Anderei]

Maki still goes in this section, right? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hahaha:' /> And my topic message was too long, lol. Oh well.



Both of the songs can be previewed in this video.



They're both digital singles, and I think you can download them over at Recochoku.



Seriously, they're awesome.



The details on her album are out, so I'll go ahead and share those, too. I got the details from here and it's a lot, so I'm going to just copy and paste it.



Regular Ed. CD / DVD



15 songs total

Includes the title track from her previous mini-albums + Hanauta from the first mini

It has a Madonna / Lady Gaga feel to it. Young Japanese producers involved.

DVD carries all of her Avex music videos, also Queen Bee.



Limited Ed. CD / DVD (Includes Regular CD and DVD too)

11 collaboration songs

DVD is a huge Making-Of movie of her works such as photo and video shootings, and more.

A single farewell concert will be on hold 12/4, titled G-Emotion FINAL, following the G-Emotion titles she had while she was still under Up-Front Agency. The live will take place on Makuhari Event Hall, with a capacity for 9,000.







It's all up over at CD Japan, and that LE CD/DVD is 90 bucks. Before shipping.

[Farrah]

LOL When she's singing during the intro of What is LOVE she sounds like her mouth is full of potatoes. I feel like when she signed to Avex she kind of started forcing to her voice into this unnatural tone. She dropped it for most of the rest of the song, thankfully.



I really like these songs, it sucks that she finally gets decent songs right before going on indefinite hiatus.

[neshcom]

[quote name='Anderei' timestamp='1311183055' post='103991']

Seriously, they're awesome.

[...]

15 songs total

[...]

11 collaboration songs

[/quote]

Oh man, how amazing would it be if Maki became avex's next m-flo? Doing duets, rapping in English, being type-cast? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' /> that idea



[quote name='Farrah' timestamp='1311183620' post='103993']

I really like these songs, it sucks that she finally gets decent songs right before going on indefinite hiatus.

[/quote]

Seven million times this.Oh man, how amazing would it be if this album became avex' next A BEST? Selling a million copies, saving an idol from the end of a career, selling over 2.5 million copies and ranking #2 for the week? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' /> that idea

[tinytext]Maki, don't hurt me. Don't hurt me no more.[/tinytext]

[Ap2000]

The preview sounds ok, I'll look into it when I can find the full album somewhere.

[Madara]

The good news is that the DVD has the "Queen Bee" PV, something I've always wanted on DVD.



The bad news is that the 2 CD/2 DVD version, which I'd prefer to get...

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=AVCD-38365

...comes with a U.S. price tag of $91.48!

The exchange rate is horrendous for us foreign customers.

[rob]

It's all a bit generic isn't it, I mean... it's namie amuro 5 years late.



The current music scene is over saturated with this hip hop pop especially the groups from Korea.



Maki fans will love it, but I'm afraid I can see this coming and going just like the singer herself.

[strawberryjam]

The songs are good. SO MUCH MORE suited to her style. They were a bit on mediocre side, but still very, very, veryyyyyy listenable. I hope we get some hot PVs out of this. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' />



I'm so sad about the hiatus. Maki is the only one I care about anymore. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':sad:' /> And she looks so pretty in the preview even without makeup! Seriously, I want to buy this even with $90 price tag. First H!P related purchase in a LONG time. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':danceman:' />



Also, I hope the collaboration songs are new and not just SWEET BLACK stuff..

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='rob' timestamp='1311309324' post='104104']

It's all a bit generic isn't it, I mean... it's namie amuro 5 years late.



The current music scene is over saturated with this hip hop pop especially the groups from Korea.



Maki fans will love it, but I'm afraid I can see this coming and going just like the singer herself.

[/quote]



I have to agree with Rob on this one, though I do agree with Berry that this type of song is more of the right direction for her. I'm not anti hip hop pop (I'm not sure if that's the right term?) but these songs are too generic and flat. The high notes in scandalous are grating too. Not that she's off key, it's just the way they're sung isn't pleasant to listen to.



She has so much talent, it's sad to have seen her solo career be so mismanaged over the years. Even in these previews she seems bored. Like she's going through the motions but there's no passion. I hope this hiatus gives her a chance to heal in her personal life and if she does come back, maybe she'll finally get some good direction.

[al kusanagi]

Scramble is and will always be Maki's best single, with Namida no Hoshi her best song. Fuck all the pseudo-R&B bullshit.

[Pucchi-Mo]

[quote name='Farrah' timestamp='1311183620' post='103993']

LOL When she's singing during the intro of What is LOVE she sounds like her mouth is full of potatoes.[/quote]



GOOD, SHE NEEDS TO EAT SOMETHING! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



3000 yen CD

4000 yen CD+DVD

7300 yen CD+DVD + bonus CD+DVD

The prices are pretty standard, and if you were to buy 2 albums and 2 DVDs, they'd definitely cost more than 7300 yen. Plus you get 15 postcards with the boxed set.



It says the bonus songs are selected from her collaborations, so I think they're only past releases on the extra CD (like that damn 2nd DISC on Dream Musume's album). They're being extremely vague about exactly how many of these songs are new. It's starting to sound like a best of album of her Avex works, which seems a bit paradoxical.



The new tracks are cool though. Leaving is a good way to get noticed, maybe that's all she's trying to get from Avex. (Melon Kinenbi style)



I'm curious about her tour being called G-Emotion, if they would associate it with her H!P tour, will she perform some of her H!P songs?

[showraniy]

I like SCANDALOUS. That price tag is a definite no though, so more power to the hardcore Gomaki fans who purchase this! Guess I'll just stick to the Sweet Black CD for myself. And just like Utada, I hope Maki's hiatus brings her back with a more inspired sound. Maybe she'll figure out in that time frame what she wants out of the music industry--or maybe she'll figure out what she wants out of the rest of her life so that she can make peace with the music industry and stop trying to strangle releases out of her career.

[rob]

[quote name='Al Kusanagi' timestamp='1311348731' post='104129']

Scramble is and will always be Maki's best single, with Namida no Hoshi her best song. Fuck all the pseudo-R&B bullshit.

[/quote]



Please.



Change your name to "The Preacher"



<img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':danceman:' />

[strawberryjam]

So what do you guys think with the 2 full songs out?



Yeah, I totally love the songs. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> I can't believe that I even feel giddy. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> I seriously feel teary eyed listening to the tracks thinking how her potential is being wasted.. If only she was singing these songs all along!!!!! I really hope she will make a comeback in the near future and that it's a good comeback. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ryalot.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ryalot.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ryalot.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' /> No more naked pics either please. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' />



Also, I know the songs are kinda generic of today's pop music and nothing ground breaking. But what matters is that it's what I want to hear from her. And also, I think she is WAY more hot and pretty than her competitors which is what matters most. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Pucchi-Mo]

The rap part is very Gwen Stefani, and a Japanese person impersonating her is a bit of a mind freak. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nfused.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> It should have been

"Take off your clothes and let me touch your B-A-N-A-N-A-S"

...that could be an interesting mashup... <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' />



I think What is LOVE is catchier overall, and I'm a fan of the dramatic part toward the end.

[strawberryjam]

And she performs the 2 songs

Except the audio is off and I think she's lipsynching. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':sad:' /> Although, from her previous performances especially at a-nation, we know she is capable of doing this performance..



Also the dances are pretty lame over all. I guess they cheaped out on the choreographer. SCANDALOUS's dance is pretty bad. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hahaha:' />

[rob]

We all know that if she lip synched then it's a fault with the venue, girl can sing!

[Gerald]

[quote name='rob' timestamp='1312454232' post='105414']

We all know that if she lip synched then it's a fault with the venue, girl can sing!

[/quote]

Yes, but not that well on this, her voice seems to have lost it's strength and emotion. To me it just sounds like her heart wasn't in it.

[eri]

Lipsynched probably because she's focusing on dancing too.

[rob]

I don't think that's a plausible excuse to make, entertainers these days are EXPECTED to sing and dance at the same time flawlessly.



I still think if she lip synced it was because of a mic/audio issue at the venue.



wow... look at me being all Maki defensive, that hasn't happened for like... 8 years!

[strawberryjam]

＜DISC-2＞

SWEET BLACK feat. MAKI GOTO楽曲ほか全11曲収録予定

According to Amazon, the collaboration songs are just the SWEET BLACK songs, but I think it says there will be 11 songs while her SWEET BLACK album only had 8 songs.. so there's hope of new material(?) unless they just put some RAVEX material she did.. Maybe this is the new track. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hahaha:' /> (Hips Don't Lie, Shakira cover)



And the track list for Disc 1. Not sure what the last line of Japanese says:

＜DISC-1＞

宝石 (Houseki)

EYES

足跡 (Ashiato)

「ねぇ、、、」 ("Ne...")

華詩 -hanauta- (hanauta -hanauta-)

What is LOVE

SCANDALOUS

他新曲8曲含む全15曲収録予定

[Juju]

SWEET BLACK feat. MAKI GOTO楽曲ほか全11曲収録予定

SWEET BLACK songs + others, for a planned total of 11



ravex's Golden Luv will most likely be one of the collaboration songs. Maybe the Fly away + Plastic Lover remixes from House Nation are the other two. That would be 11. (CRAZY IN LOVE is another collaboration she did, but that was released on another label, so who knows.)

I'd so love a studio version of Hips Don't Lie, but it's unlikely. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ryalot.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' />



他新曲8曲含む全15曲収録予定

Listed songs + 8 new songs for a total of 15.

[neshcom]

Anybody think the other two songs will be What is LOVE and SCANDALOUS?

[strawberryjam]

It's not because it's already on DISC 1. Unless they do a remix of those songs, that would be pretty lame. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... smooch.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='=3=' /> The House Nation songs as extra songs would be pretty lame too. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... dammit.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':dammit:' />



But yeah, this is basically all her mini albums (~ -2 songs) + 2 new songs which you can already buy. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... dammit.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':dammit:' />