A Wonderful Follow Up to First Love

I was first introduced to the music of Hikaru Utada in 1999 on Japanese television where I heard and enjoyed "Automatic." At that time, she stuck out like a sore thumb in the monoharmonic sea of popular Japanese music.

Where other j-pop artists were stiff, she was NYC-street smooth (she lived in NYC as a child). Where they sang songs that sounded pleasantly like gum balls bouncing around in a bubblegum machine, she sang songs that were emotionally charged and soulful. Where they were mass produced acts managed (largely) by one producer, she wrote, sang, produced, and played instruments all by herself on First Love.

It's been three years since that album came out, and the j-pop industry has shifted focus, and much of this shift is due to the wild popularity of Hikaru Utada. Light pop still sells, but American/Japanese-style r&b seems more prominant and popular in Japan than before. Artists like Chemistry, Ken Hirai, Chitose Hajime, etc., etc., all are arguably the benefactors of Hikki's talent and success.

Distance is her second album and it follows in much the same vein as First Love. It has soulful singing and rump-shakin' beats that are pleasing, if not too original-sounding to those of us in the U.S. who know and love r&b.

HU still writes/produces/performs her own songs, but I was disappointed to see that she let the reins go and allowed others to take control of some of the songs on Distance. She's a talented musician who has been doing this for most of her life -- her first album came out when she was in elementary school, and it was hailed by artists like Lenny Kravitz. It is a shame that she didn't use this talent even more on Distance than she did on First Love.

I, personally, would like to see her continue to take control of her career and albums. It sends out a powerful message to women, young and old, in the music business that they can, and should, be the creative force behind their music and not just the vessel through which others make a musical statement.

But even for all that, there are some really great songs on this cd. My personal favorites are the last two songs. They make me get up and dance every time!

Although I don't consider Distance to be as wholly listenable as First Love, I do recommend that people interested in good r&b inspired music check out this cd. And then, if you haven't already, get a copy of First Love.

R&B

This has to be one of the best CD's that I have purchased... But I like it for the glossy booklet and the pretty pictures. I guess considering the fact that I was able to attain it new and at a price of about $20 that was also a plus. Several of the songs on this CD are very catchy and quite what you would be looking for, whether you are an avid Hikki fan or just a random jpop-crazed person or even if you aren't either of the two. Yet, I have been a little disappointed by how some of the songs just sound like really bad R&B. I don't know. I suppose I haven't really given the CD enough listenings yet. But that's my two bits on this CD at first glance.

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