I feel like Tsugitsugi Zokuzoku is the promise of Kimi Sae Ireba Nani Mo Iranai realized. As much as Tsunku deviated from classic Jpop melody-writing in some ways, and could do a good job of genre emulation when first dipping his toes in, (see Platinum Era MM) he also could not escape some Jpop's core trends.

According to this, both composition ( Read more... )

I'm currently sloooowly working on a Legally Blonde: The Musical post, so in the mean-time, have THE BEST ESSAY ON THE MAGICAL GIRL GENRE EVER, from Tumblr.

On the importance of Magical Girl Heroines & Weaponized Femininity

Although, as always, I have my own questions about if a piece of media's transformative power can be diminished by the way ( Read more... )

People comparing "I Got a Boy" to Bohemian Rhapsody and finding the former lacking are looking at the wrong kind of music terminology.

A capriccio or caprice (sometimes plural: caprices, capri or, in Italian, capricci), is a piece of music, usually fairly free in form and of a lively character. The typical capriccio is one that is fast, intense, ( Read more... )

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So if a 48fam group did this song with this entrance, 20+ girls behind the curtain, I'd be over the moon ecstatic, as well as using it as more evidence to shove in Kpop's face.

And I basically did that with UZA.

But both performances here are EXTREMELY messy. (although it is the messiest UZA perf yet, others are much more in sync ( Read more... )

At the recent SM Entertainment board meeting ( Read more... )

The brilliance of J-variety ( Read more... )

Did SNSD ever do a live version of GG with a band setup like in the MV?

Because, regardless, SUCK IT.

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I'm pretty sure this is pre-recorded and mimed, because the cymbal crashes didn't match with Yukirin's drumming. But considering that Lucifer band fiasco, whatever. This is still awesome-sauce ( Read more... )

How much more pimping can this monster produce!?

Tangent 1: Jpop ballads achieve their emotional heartstring tugging through arrangement.
( Read more... )

One of SNSD's supposed big appeal points is in how they well they sync up in their 9-person formations. "Military precision" is the phrase often employed. The style of sync SNSD usually has is based in rigidity. They snap into poses together at the same angles, position after position after position. Perfume also specializes in this ( Read more... )

I have this thing about being amused by how reused song titles are, especially in Apop. For both their Japan album and their latest album, I've compiled a youtube list of songs with either the same titles or extremely close titles if an exact match could not be found ( Read more... )