what in the tapdancing bejesus is this

wait this has seiko-chan?

"her role as a judge in the alternative idol talent show MissiD"

Didn't know this haha. Is she some kind of celeb in Japan now beyond her music?

"Beyond performing for ZOC, she writes all the group’s music and lyrics and acts as the group’s producer, effectively affording its membership full creative autonomy"

Not sure I'm interpreting this correctly. If she's writing all the music and lyrics, how are the members getting full creative autonomy? Do they have any input after Seiko goes to them with the idea?

Album Rating: 3.9

"wait this has seiko-chan?"

ye boi

"Didn't know this haha. Is she some kind of celeb in Japan now beyond her music?

Celeb

"If she's writing all the music and lyrics, how are the members getting full creative autonomy?"

I don't know about the group's writing process + how much individual members are encouraged to contribute their own lyrics etc, beyond being people Seiko knows closely and writes *about* in some tracks, but I feel this comes down to the idols-are-not-musicians split and Seiko being the only songwriter in the group. I don't think anyone signs up for an idol group as an idol expecting to have that involvement or with that experience (which from their backgrounds idk if any of the other members have).

Also, similarly to stuff on the last two Seiko records, there are a few intense spoken word bridges here, and these smack of the kinda thing that could easily have been group-devised, but I've got no hard info on that

Not sure if I will listen to an hour and a half minutes long of an idol album.

It's an hour and a half?! It better be life changing at that length. Or idol prog or something haha

Album Rating: 3.9

It has moments, but for the most part it's just bangers. Jam a few of the recommended picks and proceed accordingly ig

what's Zoc?

Album Rating: 3.9

what

Zoc ma kok

Album Rating: 3.9

you are the reason thomas edison invented electrical fires

Very interesting write up.

I got all my knowledge of Japanese pop idols off some anime where Yakuza men are forced to become transgender and become pop idols or some stupid shit like that.

Points for the novel presentation and articulation, but this sounds antithetical to idol music. How can I call it J-pop when I'm not even hiding my face in my hands every five minutes from secondhand embarrassment over bad Engrish and lyrical themes that hit you with the subtlety of a two ton truck? しかも、例の深いテーマがはっきり聞こえるさえ？ Come to think of it, for such an empowered band where are the other members in all this? I see a lot of faces on the cover, but no names other than Seiko. Are they just hired backup dancers or what?
Oh and "toxic" is a memeword.

I believe Johnny touched on your last question when he answered one of mine.

"I don't know about the group's writing process + how much individual members are encouraged to contribute their own lyrics etc, beyond being people Seiko knows closely and writes *about* in some tracks, but I feel this comes down to the idols-are-not-musicians split and Seiko being the only songwriter in the group. I don't think anyone signs up for an idol group as an idol expecting to have that involvement or with that experience (which from their backgrounds idk if any of the other members have)."

Album Rating: 3.9

"bad Engrish and lyrical themes that hit you with the subtlety of a two ton truck"

These are both here in spades lol, fear not. subtletyといえば、深さなのに、テーマがだいたい一番直接に伝えてくれました。これがJ-IDOLでっしょー to which end, re. backup dancers this is an idol group not a band, and if Seiko wasn't producing it wouldn't exist to begin with. Watch the TV clip in the first comment for more on that

opening track here is such a bop

Cutting Edge is a jam and a half yeah

Album Rating: 3.9

if I get over how much fiercer the original GIRL'S GIRL was, the first 10 tracks are an unnervingly strong straight tbh

Fucking hell I don't want to have to cancel Seiko but this is upsetting http://twitter.com/DeafWDWPrincess/status/1426041135936544768