[2020.01.22] Morning Musume. 68th Single - KOKORO&KARADA / LOVEPedia / Ningen Kankei No Way Way

[DonJuan]

2nd and 3rd a-sides announced at Yoyogi Gymnasium on 12/05. They have the same basic melody, but different lyrics and dances. LOVEPedia is mostly unison, while Ningen Kankei No Way has solo lines.
 
And here's the MV to KOKORO&KARADA.

[JPope]

The video looks good, especially the effects and the girls' styling, but sweet Jesus this song in color-by-numbers MM at this point. The vocoder-harmony thing they've been doing on every fucking release for 3 years now is so past its sell-date, as is the choppy arrangement. They couldn't even let "Seishun Night" just be a good funk tune, they had to saddle it with the MM "sound". I'm fucking sick of this sound now, and it's too bad because I'm sure there's a good song in there, but the old formula kills it: hot intro deceiving you into thinking you're getting a stomper, but you are quickly let down by the far more subdued verse; add vocoder harmonies and choppy arrangement to sanitize any originality that might otherwise shine through. Wash, rinse, and repeat.
 
As much a I like the video -- and I do quite like it -- every time I see a close-up of Mizuki or Erina, I cant help thinking "why is she still in this group?" I feel as if every other girl has room for growth -- even Maa and Sakura -- except Mizuki and Erina. I'm so done with both of them.

[Shoujo Q]

They performed the new songs during the concert today.


Lovepedia is superior to Ningen Kankei No Way. I liked the dance too. It’s a great 15ki intro song.


But Ningen has a very familiar sampler that will make you go wtf?! And when they did it, all was forgiven. I couldn’t help but laugh.

[AquaChan]

Wow Kokoro & Karada's melody is all over place, the chorus is weird. They wasted such a beautiful mv on a ordinary song.

[Shoujo Q]

LOVEpedia - Live from Concert

https://youtu.be/PPieTHV555s


Ningen Kankei No Way way

https://youtu.be/du0vIzcGZWU



Which do you prefer?

[Banana]

LOVEpedia, definitely. I love the intro. But overall, I think both are pretty bland.


I enjoyed the concert, although it sounded like Sakura was a bit sick. Mizuki sounded good, though. Besides the new songs and Suki na Senpai, I don’t think 15th gen sang at all, but I really liked what I saw of them.

[JPope]

[quote="Shoujo Q"]
But Ningen has a very familiar sampler that will make you go wtf?! And when they did it, all was forgiven. I couldn’t help but laugh.
[/quote]
 
They went full "Turkey In The Straw", lol.

[DonJuan]

While I do like LOVEpedia and Ningen Kankei they both sound like better b-sides or album songs to me. Funky rhythm, but nothing that actually picks you up somewhere. A bit like Seishun Night honestly, which was funky and not bad, but nothing great either.
 
What I really do like is the fact that 13th and 15th gen got more focus here - and even 12th gen. I'm so sick of everything Mizuki-10th gen-Sakura (can't really put Ikuta in here because ... you know) that every little addition of new things is nice. Especially considering Kaede that got played dirty since like her second week in the group. She's probably the best singer of 13th/14th gen and still got the least attention. Also, Yokoyan is shining. 13th gen as a whole really got swallowed into the MM formula which is super sad - compared to 12th and 14th gen they actually do have a real sparkle.
 
That being said, 15th gen is still raw of course, but considering they've been in the group for only a few months they're at a great (!) level already. The fact that they're behind girls like Riai and Yume, who already rocked J=J's Yoyogi concert in their own might, is probably MM's (management's) fault. (Not saying Riai and Yume aren't already incredibly talented, they were the best of the KSS batch after all.)

[Shoujo Q]

Someone combined the two songs already.
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://youtu.be/qDg4pnCoFUs' class="bbc_url" title="External link">https://youtu.be/qDg4pnCoFUs</a>


I think with a proper cut it will really sound good combined.

[Mugi]

I love both songs but I'm confused as to why they sound so similar. Is it supposed to be like a Cho Happy Song moment?

[Shoujo Q]

The song’s have the same composition, but with different arrangements, lyrics, and dances.


It does seem to be giving a Cho Happy vibe. I’m going to assume that’s what they were going for. Here’s the breakdown of who did what in those two song’s.



LOVEpedia

Lyrics: Kodama Ameko

Composition: Ooyagi Hiroo

Arrangement: Hirata Shoichiro


Ningen Kankei No way way

Lyrics: Kodama Ameko

Composition: Ooyagi Hiroo

Arrangement: Suzuki Shunsuke

[WonderBuono]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mugi" data-cid="219215" data-time="1575591147">
I love both songs but I'm confused as to why they sound so similar. Is it supposed to be like a Cho Happy Song moment?</blockquote>

Like I kinda understand what they’re doing but... why tho? ????

[Shoujo Q]

Got to paint that horse a new color. Try something different. I’ll be interested to see how they promote and pull off the two song’s.

[WonderBuono]

Well I decided to go to bed and watch the videos in the morning and they’ve already been blocked lol.

[JPope]

I've decided that the part of K&K that really puts me off is the verse. I like the rest of it just fine, although not as much as I like the stuff coming from just about every other H!P group. I do like the chorus, the instrumental breaks, and especially the electro-intro, but I'm so tired of MM hyping me up with really strong intros just to bring me down the moment the verse hits.

[Shoujo Q]

I’m here for LOVEpedia/Ningen and that’s about the only thing holding me to this single right now. I love a concept.

[DonJuan]

^^for me it's the bridge. It's way too long and sounds like we've heard it many times already. It's like some patchwork from Wakaindashi and TokiSora.


Also, those "hugging" scenes make me really uncomfortable. Welp.

[JPope]

[quote="DonJuan"]
Also, those "hugging" scenes make me really uncomfortable. Welp.
[/quote]
 
Yeah, I agree about that. 

[Haru]

H!P and MM songs specifically are so anti-mixing/calls that it pisses me off. I brought this up on H!O and majority of my post was ignored and everyone zeroed in on my remarks about the jumping ban lol.
So I'm coming here to bitch about me becoming a tiger and unable to properly tiger to H!P because it's just not standard idol music anymore 

[JPope]

[quote="Haru"]
H!P and MM songs specifically are so anti-mixing/calls that it pisses me off. I brought this up on H!O and majority of my post was ignored and everyone zeroed in on my remarks about the jumping ban lol.
So I'm coming here to bitch about me becoming a tiger and unable to properly tiger to H!P because it's just not standard idol music anymore 
[/quote]
 
I have to admit that this is something I've never thought about or even noticed since it's not anything that has ever applied to me. While I've been disappointed in MM's music for several years now, I'm digging the rest of H!P quite a bit. With the exception of 2017, H!P has been killing it since 2016 -- and even 2017 had a few gems. Obviously YMMV, but I haven't been as satisfied with H!P's overall output over such a long period of time since the Golden Era.

[DonJuan]

I can see where you both are coming from. H!P has been less "classic" idol for some time now, the songs don't leave space for calls - and yeah, they don't mix in the ones that are there that well. Or rather, at all.
I mean that's the appeal of a live idol performance, right? In very few cases the singing is good, it's the atmosphere that really makes it - and that includes, if not is mostly, the fan reaction.
 
Though I agree with Jpope as well - every year had at least one really good song. Tsubaki, as much as I am not a fan of the members, had some classics, Anju had some bangers (46 oku anyone?), this year Beyooooonds has been killing it. Even MM had some real classics - I'm talking Mukidashi, Utakata.
 
Maybe we should do some "best and worst of each year since the foundation of H!P" topic, or maybe I'll post my thoughts on that in the spam thread.

[TicTacAnyone]

I haven't had a chance to listen to the other two yet, but I tried watching the KOKORO&KARADA MV when it dropped (I happened to be on Youtube), and I exited halfway-through.... which is unheard of for me. Ick.

[Haru]

Oh no, I think I was misunderstood. I've definitely been enjoying a few releases lately, ANGERME's "Sunday" and BEYOOOOONDS' entire existence for two examples (the latter basically being what brought me back into H!P), but as someone who's fallen in a crowd of idol fans that are huge tigers, it made me realise while watching the latest concert that except for older songs there's just no room for mixes or calls and it's disappointing. I found an old video of "Ikimasshoi!" and it had lots of space and that interaction was there. It's just a weird trend I've noticed, in the addition of the jumping ban and also the muting of concertgoers we've seen the last few years. Just a quick musing, no hate to H!P lately. Everything lately with the exclusion of a few MM songs have been fuckin bangers lol
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="DonJuan" data-cid="219254" data-time="1575965877">I can see where you both are coming from. H!P has been less "classic" idol for some time now, the songs don't leave space for calls - and yeah, they don't mix in the ones that are there that well. Or rather, at all.
I mean that's the appeal of a live idol performance, right? In very few cases the singing is good, it's the atmosphere that really makes it - and that includes, if not is mostly, the fan reaction.</blockquote>Yes, precisely. I went to Lantis Matsuri this year and though I was familiar with Guilty Kiss, it's mixes and etc, I didn't know anybody else, but the entire concert was amazing. Lots of participation from the crowd, jumps, kiwamis, a couple of kujakus, shit was LIT. But I just don't see it as much with H!P lately. :(

e - lmao i just noticed the year is wrong, it's 2019 instead of 2020

E2 -
Actually, I'm watching the ANGERME concert, and maybe it's MM specifically that has this issue lmao..

[DonJuan]

^oops, you're right. I'm just not ready for 2020 yet.

[Shoujo Q]

You know. I see H!P trying to distance themselves from the typical idol crowd lately because it seems like the typical idol crowd is becoming slightly toxic. (Thank AKB48 and their family for that in some respects) H!P as a whole seems to trying to become more polished as a company with their groups but then you have Morning Musume with their legacy that’s just thong to be so hard to try and break out of its own mold. I don’t think it can without a drastic change. They need another Renai Hunter. While not officially the song that changed them, I consider it as such.

[DonJuan]

Well, then they should stop doing handshake events and bikini photoshootings.
But I get what you mean.

[WonderBuono]

I thought they were moving towards stopping the bikini photos when they started those “visual photo books” or whatever they’re called. Then I saw a picture of Kaga’s latest and was like “ha, never mind”.

[yuzuriha]

I'm like way late to the KOKORO&KARADA video party but yikes those hug scenes made me feel gross.  It'd be different with another group but I feel with MM and all the mixed ages it was....off.


Anyway the song is meh.  Not great not bad. I do like the dance.  I HATED Masaki doing that high line.

[Shoujo Q]

UF has an in house publishing company with Odessey books. They tested the waters with the visual books and now they are going full steam ahead.


I always felt the girls had more control with the in house books compared to any released through Wanibooks.

[WonderBuono]

I can’t get into K&K. It just sounds like something I’ve already heard many times before. I’m also tired of the same girls hogging all the solos. MM needs to change something.