Hey it’s been awhile. Yeah I’m talking to all 3 of you who probably still read this blog (or all 1 of you). I feel bad for abandoning this blog like that but…well I did. There’s a million excuses I could give: college apps, my liver problems, my social life (yes I do have one), etc. But the truth is…
JPM is my second blog. After two blogs, I’m starting to realize that each blog represents a stage of my life. Once that stage is over, it’s out. And truthfully, I haven’t been listening to much Jpop. This blog was fun and represented a stage of my life but the truth is…I’ve changed. And I can’t continue.
So I guess I’m done here. I’m starting a new blog if anyone cares. Jpop will always be a part of me, like anime, and I hope I can talk about the former in my new blog too.
This is something that I’ve actually been meaning to do for some time but have somehow neglected to do so. Actually, I meant to list my “Top 20” aka The JPM Way but I was too tired to do it. So yeah, in the future, there may be a Top 11-20 Fav Jpop Artists. Lame, right?
And for those wondering where the hell I’ve been (yeah, all three of you)-the truth is, I’ve been completely out of tune with the Jpop world. That’s right, I haven’t listened to any new releases since JUNE. I don’t even know what I’m missing besides the new Perfume album. I hope this isn’t a signal for my permanent leave from Jpop but for now…yeah…
So without further ado, here’s my incredibly pathetic Top 10!
1). Facebook
2). YouTube
3). Twitter
4). danie~ (China’s afraid of people getting ONCD: Obsessive Nana Compulsive Disorder too)
5). Blogspot.com
6). All wordpress.com dashboards
So SEE why I didn’t update peoples?
Actually, to be honest, even if I could access this blog, I wouldn’t have updated it anyways. China was like stepping onto an alien planet (an alien communist planet where car honks don’t mean stop and where the officials in white suits are convinced all foreigners have piggy flu). I was too busy living it up in China and I got to do some incredible things that most people (tourists) wouldn’t have the opportunity to do. I did see a woman in Xining wearing an alan T-shirt. Yep, that alan. It had the Sora Uta image on the back and front for those curious. And no I couldn’t snap a picture because she was crossing the street and I was in a moving I-guess-you-could-call-that-piece-of-crap-a-car.
So anyways, I guess I’m going to brush off the cobwebs and do a “THE JPOP MUSEUM-RE:START” whole type of deal. I’ve already started by removing “that entry”. Yeah, you should know which one I’m talking about. To be honest, I had moral qualms about it BEFORE even posting it and afterwards it just multiplied. The final straw was seeing another so-called “ex” using mine as “proof”. So yeah, it’s gone now. Done. I’m not going to argue it. And if you really want to find it again, go read the thread yourself or just find one of the sites who thought it’d be fun to plagiarize everything including my layout.
So now, I have a new post to work on. I promise it’s about Jpop this time. And that I will get it done, eventually. And afterwards I’ll catch up on all that I missed. Including that new Perfume album.
While I’ve been half-dead already since like the beginning of time, I’m going to be off to China from July 1st to July 26th. For those mortally curious about what I’m going to do for a whole freaking month-here’s the itinerary: Xian-2 days, Xining (teaching English)-2 weeks, and Beijing-2 weeks. I’m also calling this a “semi-hiatus” because I finally got my own laptop and may blog during my trip. But in reality, I probably won’t.
So yeah, see you guys all in month! And enjoy a certain post while you can because I’m going to “clean up” my blog when I get back. Laters.
Uh, hi. I know I’ve been rather inactive lately-life has been catching up to me. From bonfires to MJ’s passing (without him Jpop and this blog wouldn’t exist) to my “high liver problems”, it’s been hectic. Anyways, I plead boredom and lack of inspiration for this stupid idea. Somehow summer has made me lazier than usual. And the reason why there’s only 3 songs per category is because I can’t think of anything else. Though to be honest, if I ever get married, all the songs I’d pick would be either classical or in English. Oh and as a random fact, Namie Amuro’s “CAN YOU CELEBRATE” is the most popular Japanese wedding song of all time. I don’t know what’s the most popular Japanese funeral song of all time, does someone want to enlighten me?
Wedding:
Namie Amuro-I WILL
Every wedding is pretty much required to have a sappy ballad. “I WILL” is Namie’s best ballad by a mile and in my opinion one of the best ballads to ever grace the Jpop scene. Namie’s vocals, while thin and often underraated, shine in this ballad as she proves that she can not only sing-but sing well (and can even belt too!). Combined with epic instrumentation and the usual sappy lovey-dovey lyrics, this song is a must at all Japanese (or wannabee Japanese) weddings. So why is “CAN YOU CELEBRATE” no.1 again?
Shota Shimizu-Aishiteru
The title should be qualifier enough. No seriously, “Aishiteru” has a great motown vibe going on which is perfect for: winding down, looking at the sunset, slow dancing, or whatever cheesy stuff people do at weddings. Shota’s vocals are also on fire-he’s definitely one of the best male vocalists currently out there. Too bad the CD version doesn’t come in with the acapella in the bridge, either.
BoA-LOVE&HONESTY
I wouldn’t be me without a BoA song, eh? Hopefully, I’ll never wear anything as tacky as that green dress in the video. Anyways, this song has always been one of the good ones that was ROBBED of a PV. A ballad with a beat-“LOVE&HONESTY” not only sounds beautiful but it’s catchy too. And do I need to say how BoA’s vocals are wonderful?
Funeral:
Nana Mizuki-Tears Night (Studio Version):
And I say studio version because I don’t want to scare the living shit out of the funeral go-eres. Actually, I really like the slower, simpler arrangement of this song which allows Nana to bring out the more delicate side of her vocals.
BoA-Everlasting
One of the few good songs off of BoA’s “BEST&USA” era-it definitely qualifies as a good emo ballad. With lyrics of separation and losing contact of a loved one, I’d figure it’d be appropriate to make all the funeral-goers cry their little hearts out for me. Yes, I’m evil. Sue me.
K-Over…
While the lyrics are more of a “I’m a creepy stalker and I can never get over you no matter how many years past blah blah blah” than a “boo-hoo you’re dead” song, it still works for a funeral, especially if one of the funeral go-ers is a spurned lover or something. Seriously, I’ve always loved this song more than the insomania song Only Human, 1000 liters of tears theme. It’s a very simple piano ballad yet it’s that simplicity that makes this song shine. And K’s voice too of course.
Now, to complete the 4 is shi and therefore death mantra, I should pick a “4th song” for the funeral. And it is…
Yuna Ito-Koi wa Groovy x2
What? Let the funeral goers have a little fun for a bit.
I seriously think I’m the one needing a therapist despite the antics of certain others *cough*.
THE JPOP MUSEUM 