[8/28] Morning Musume 54th single [Wagamama Ki no Mama Ai no Joke/ Ai no Gundan]

[elgie]

After listening to both songs one next to the other I have the feeling that Tsunku is trolling with us somehow. They both have some musical similarities (the "hontou-hontou" and "aisaretai-aisaretai" parts, the glissando in some vocal parts and some qualities in the intro I can't pinpoint to). It's as if he had all those ideas floating around a theme and he split them in two songs. Hell, who knows, he might even use some of those ideas for the B-sides 

Both MVs are awesome, although I like Wagamama's more (I like the song more too, specially the chorus). It's more powerful overall. Also, OMG was that a Haruka solo line? For realz? 

The biggest surprise in this occasion has been Mizuki. She's been a good vocalist for a long time but she always sounded too demure. Here, she's an unleashed force of epic proportions. Even Sakura pales in comparison this time (but she's awesome as always).

EDIT: forgot to add: although I like Wagamama's MV more I ab-so-lu-te-ly love the high angle shot in Ai no Gundan's dance. 

[JFC]

- I LOVED THE HIGH SCHOOL LULLABY MOVE SO MUCH

Wait, you mean I wasn't the only one who thought that when they did that move??? 

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!

IMHO though, Yossie and Ayaya still did "that move" better.
http://tinyurl.com/m4nw5zw

[Rina the Robot]

- I LOVED THE HIGH SCHOOL LULLABY MOVE SO MUCH

Wait, you mean I wasn't the only one who thought that when they did that move??? 

It was completely intentional! Here's what Tsunku had to say about it (from the blog comments that Estrea translated earlier)

"With the calmness of the interlude, the spirited dance, as well as the chorus that emerges to smack you in the face.
Well, this is also in part a homage to Imokintorio’s (a famous comic song unit) “High School Lullaby”, so I hope everyone will enjoy it!"

In case anyone missed Tsunku's song comments from the first page: http://blog-project.net/special-translations/145670

[shirenuファクトリー]

BABES

Well, I watched the videos just before going to bed, so you won't get my very first reactions As in, I just crawled out of bed

I believe "YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH" was said, and that Fukuchan is in g.oddess training.

I was worried about Wagamama that the only close-up of Eripon would be that bit where she creepily stares at Maachan, but thankfully there is more. She even cracks a smile! <- obligatory Eripon comment

Yeah I hear some patterns being repeated here from the other new era songs, but fuck it, these songs are cool and I'll probably repeat them forever ha ha. Both videos have two outfits TT____TT

It really does feel like being spoiled. Everyone looks great, songs are kakkoii, dancing is kakkoii, there are new talents like Fukuchan and Maachan rising as well as Ayumi continuing and Riho still doing great. Oh and almost forgot Sakura. Loved her one long solo shot in Ai no Gundan during a solo line, reminded me of Aichan haha. Her smile really is sweet. Also liked that only Sayumi had those lip shots (that I can recall??) cuz she the hot mama of the group.

Basically FIERCE LOVE

Now I just need these videos separate so it'll be easier to watch them -.- lol


EDIT: I wanna say one thing though, if they keep releasing double A-sides, they could like.. take more of a risk with the other song? lol If the other song is this upbeat cool type that's been doing well for them, they could well test the waters by doing something different for the other track, and hey it might surprisingly be a hit. It feels like the production has found a comfortable spot and is now scared of stepping outside of it.

[elgie]

EDIT: I wanna say one thing though, if they keep releasing double A-sides, they could like.. take more of a risk with the other song? lol If the other song is this upbeat cool type that's been doing well for them, they could well test the waters by doing something different for the other track, and hey it might surprisingly be a hit. It feels like the production has found a comfortable spot and is now scared of stepping outside of it.

I think they're doing it, in a way. Wagamama is the power horse of the single while Ai no Gundan has some experimental qualiities. Same with the former single, Brainstorming was the straight-up danceable song while Kimi Sae was made of awkward key changes (which were awesome IMO, in fact the experimentality worked better with this song han with Ai no Gundan).

[shirenuファクトリー]

Haha I was thinking something more like kakkoii + slower tempo song, kakkoii + rock, kakkoii + r 'n b, kakkoii + disco, kakkoii + bubblegum pop etc. etc.

[tru_harmony]

I'm walking around randomly yelling "Aisaretai! Aisaretai!" I like this single a lot.

[Mage77]

Haha I was thinking something more like kakkoii + slower tempo song, kakkoii + rock, kakkoii + r 'n b, kakkoii + disco, kakkoii + bubblegum pop etc. etc.

Remove the "slower tempo song" part and I'm completely on board with this idea.

[CrypticShadow8]

I was at work all day going "aisaretai, aisaretai" all day. I work with children with Autism and the kid I worked with today just stared at me like I was weird lol.

My favorite part of the MV is the first time they do the slap move and Riho just stares at the camera and does that little smirk. Every time (cause I've watched it like a billion times) I'm like "get it Riho!"

[shirenuファクトリー]

Haha I was thinking something more like kakkoii + slower tempo song, kakkoii + rock, kakkoii + r 'n b, kakkoii + disco, kakkoii + bubblegum pop etc. etc.

Remove the "slower tempo song" part and I'm completely on board with this idea.

With slower tempo song I meant something like AS FOR ONE DAY (which is one of my favourite MM singles ever)... So yes if it was a slower tempo song, I'd still like it to be non-boring and possible to dance to, gracefully I'm so not a ballad person...

Is ASFOD a slower tempo song even? Wah I don't know. But that's what I meant

[Mage77]

Whenever I hear anyone refer to something as a "slow tempo song" I automatically assume they're talking about a ballad. It's a bad habit, I know.

[oaxiac]

Now on the official channel:

[Estrea]

http://www.helloproject.com/discography/musume/images/s_059l.jpg

Freakishly tiny covers of the single. I like Regular B best. Everything else is horrible

[winner]

I'm gonna switch my my morning alarm to "Aisaretai! Aisaretai!"

[Mucca]

http://www.helloproject.com/discography/musume/images/s_059l.jpg

Freakishly tiny covers of the single. I like Regular B best. Everything else is horrible

Come on, you don't want Up-Front spoiling us entirely, do you? They've gotta give the fans something to complain about, or it's just not a true Up-Front product.

[Estrea]

^That is true, if Up-Front didn't screw something up, I'd wonder if it was really them

[Mage77]

I can't remember a time when we didn't get insanely low quality previews for the covers.

[Chibs]

Morning Musume and Morning Musume's two new MVs already getting positive reviews on a Japan Rock Music site "ROCKIN'ON"

ここ数年のモーニング娘。は人気を取り戻した、というより、あらためて新たな人気を獲得していると言ったほうがいいと思う。
アイドルとしての鮮度に対する短期的な人気ももちろんあるだろう。
ただそれ以上に、刹那のスピード感であらゆるものが消費されていく現代のシーンにおいて、新曲をリリースするたびに、そして定期的にライヴを行うたびに、毎回圧倒的な品質のパフォーマンスに仕上げてくるそのまっすぐな「正しさ」が支持を集めているのだと思う。
誰よりもカッコいいパフォーマンスを、誰よりも美しいフォーメーションを――。まあ当たり前の話だ。
だが、それを誰よりも愚直に真摯にやっている姿は、言うまでもなく震えるほどにカッコいい。
今のモーニング娘。にファンが見ているのはそういったある種の崇高さだと思う。
そして、経験の浅い若いメンバーが加入してもすぐにクオリティを揃えてくるハロープロジェクトの教育システムはJ-POPが生んだ奇跡のひとつだとわりとマジメに思う。

both MVs are featured on their site
http://ro69.jp/blog/koyanagi/86488
http://ro69.jp/blog/koyanagi/86489
https://twitter.com/ufa_de_staff/status/363447450398228481

I gave it a shot, cmiiw as always

This few years now Morning Musume has been reclaiming, or to be more accurate, gaining an entirely new brand of popularity.
Of course, there's some degree of short-lived popularity owing from being an idol group with a sense of freshness,
but more than that, putting aside the speedy rate of consumption of all kind of things in the (music) scene, with each new release and every live show they held at fixed intervals, without fail they performed with an overwhelming quality and that sense of straightforward "correctness" has them gathering a large number of support.
With performances that's cooler than everyone else and formations more beautiful than anyone, that much should be obvious/a given eventuality.
And yet seeing their frank and earnest figures (during performances), they really are so cool you'd shiver/get goosebumps.
The current Morning Musume must've had a certain kind of sublimity in their fans' eyes.
Lastly, guiding inexperienced, young girls who've just joined into this kind of quality performers in a relatively short time, this writer can't help but seriously consider Hello! Project's training system as one of the miracles that came out of the J-Pop scene.

Reading as a fan, nice feel-good fluff piece. The writer is a definitely a fan too now
and can't agree more on that last bit about H!P ^^

[Rina the Robot]

Coversssssss.



EDIT TO ADD LIMITED EDITION E:

[JFC]

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af271/constabularies/Album%203/limitedb_zps6d184e70.jpg

K, assuming that they weren't photoshopped on afterwards, anyone want to take bets as to how they did the lipstick marks on them?