I can’t believe seven years has passed since Utada Hikaru‘s US debut, “Easy Breezy” off her album Exodus. By this point in her career Utada was already an extremely successful pop star in Japan, and her partnership with Island Def Jam for her US debut held a lot of promise and anticipation for a lot of fans. Unfortunately (in my opinion), this was her first single and it was… underwhelming… to say the least. It just came off as misguided and ill advised, ultimately culminating in disappointing record sales and negligible impact on the industry. This would prove to be the pattern for many a miss-start for Asian artists attempting to cross over into the US industry in the years to follow (Se7en, BoA, etc), and even know, nearly a decade later is still an issue that many artists struggle with. Even with Utada’s extremely strong comeback single a couple years ago (“Come Back to Me“), she failed to garner main stream success here in the states. At least progress is being made, albeit slowly.

PopMatters has a new interview with Utada Hikaru. It’s a quick read but touches upon a lot of different subjects including her US debut in 2004, how she’s doing things different now and the inspiration behind some of her music. Our very own Music4UrSoul will be in attendance at Utada’s show in SF this weekend so you be on the lookout for her commentary!

Catch the interview after the jump!

SEATTLE — Utada Hikaru may not be a household name.

But the singer-songwriter has been hailed as the Japanese Britney Spears for her record-selling prowess — more than 52 million worldwide. Her concerts in the states have been selling out, too.

Born to parents in the music business — a producer and a ballad singer — Hikaru is from New York but was raised in Tokyo. At 26, her career has spanned more than a decade and several genres, most notably pop. Her influences stretch from Metallica to Mariah Carey.

Hikaru talked by phone recently from Los Angeles about her tour, her American fans and her success so far.

Q: Would it have been different if you had started your music career in the states instead?

A: I don’t think I would be anywhere near where I am if started in the states. I can’t imagine what I would be like, or where my music would have gone. … There aren’t as many genre boundaries in Japan … so I have complete freedom in what music I make, without worrying about if this is going to be on urban radio stations, or Top 40 radio stations.

Q: You’ve tried the American market before — you even worked with Timbaland for your 2004 album. How is this time different?

A: This time I’m a little bit more at ease. … Last time was my first American album and there was this weird hype, like, “She’s the Japanese Madonna, or Japanese Britney Spears,” and none of these comparisons really were on point at all.

Q: Who would be a better comparison?

A: I heard someone say Kate Bush (an eclectic English singer-songwriter), but it’s not exactly Kate Bush either. I don’t think there’s one person I could compare myself to. I’m not so much of a show-type of person, than I am more of a musician-type person.

Q: Your latest performances are more stripped down, is that what you’re going for now?

A: I just want the focus to be more on song writing and singing and the music itself, rather than having like a big, flashy Lady Gaga-type thing. The tour we chose really small venues on purpose.

Q: What are the shows like that you do in Japan?

A: I don’t have half-naked male dancers or anything like that. I wear big costumes. The last tour, which was a while ago, 2006, was huge, a whole big visual setup. The whole stage had LED panels underneath. I’ve never really done a tour with small venues, but I’ve been wanting to, ever since I debuted.

Q: Was your current single, “Come Back To Me,” about a girl cheating, autobiographical?

A: It’s something that I’ve done and I’m sure a lot of girls have done.

Q: Are you in a relationship right now? Do you have time for that?

A: Yeah, I find time. I think there should be something at least. It makes you work harder at your work and it makes your life a little more comfortable.

Image Credit: mtv IGGY

2009 is quickling coming to an end and as part of my guest blogging gig at mtv IGGY I was asked to compile a list highlighting what I considered the top 10 tracks of the past decade by Asian Amercan artists. It took a lot of debate and even now I’m not 100% satisfied with my list by regardless I stand by it. This is just a repost of the mtv IGGY article with some minor edits but without further ado I present to you my Top 10 Asian American Tracks From The Decade.

Let me start off this list by saying it was nearly impossible to try and pick my top 10 favorite songs by Asian American artists from the past 10 years. One reason being, I didn’t really follow the scene heavily until a couple years into the decade and even then the pickings were a bit slim at the time. Also, I’ve opted to go for my personal favorite songs that have stood the test of time, and not just the most influential. Keep in mind this is a list of top 10 songs, not artists. That would have been a similar but still different list altogether. Lastly, I’ve decided to stick strictly with Asian-American artists meaning UK import Jay Sean didn’t make the cut despite how much I love ‘Down’. All I can say is, it’s been really exciting to see more and more Asian American artists make a name for themselves in the industry and I can only imagine next decade’s top 10 will be exponentially more difficult to sort out. As with any list there’s going to be some consensus and some disagreement but without further ado I present to you my top 10 from 2000 to 2009.

Read on for the list!

 10. Utada – Come Back to Me
 
This Japanese-American singer has made a huge name for herself in Japan but still struggles to break into the US market. In 2004 she debuted in the states on Island Def Jam with the album ‘Exodus’ but it did poorly domestically. 5 Years later in 2009, she comes back with her sophomore effort ‘This is the One’ with the single ‘Come Back to Me’. I consider it to be one of the most under-rated songs of 2009 with its infectiously catchy chorus and strong mid-tempo R&B production. Although it wasn’t a hit, it surely deserved to be.
 

9. Chan – Lonely Road
           
Chan may be doing his thing in Korea now as part of the group Uptown but he’s got his roots in the Independent American Hip-Hop scene. Although he had been releasing tracks years beforehand, in 2006 Chan released ‘Lonely Road’ from his debut full length album “Politickin’ Vol. 1”. Produced by the heavily sought after Filipino-American Illmind, the track cemented what Chan was going through as one of the few first Asian-Americans to find some level of success. The video was directed by Todd Angkasuwan and even features Miss Info. Chan definitely had the support of the community.
            

 
8. Daphne Loves Derby – Hammers and Hearts
 
Formed in 2001, Daphne Loves Derby (fronted by Kenny Choi) has gone on to find a sizeable audience despite being an independent band. In 2005 they released their sophomore album, ‘On the Strength of All Convinced’, along with the single ‘Hammers and Hearts’ which remains one of my favorite rock songs to this day. The melancholy lyrics are contrasted by the upbeat music making for a catchy yet intriguing song.
 

7. Far East Movement – Round Round
 
Yes, I purposely decided against including ‘Girls on the Dance Floor’ and opted to choose FM’s ‘Round Round’ instead. While the former is easily their more successive single, it’s the latter that first broke them in to the major public eye to a sizeable degree. With a huge placement in ‘The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift’ film, this 2006 song was heard by millions whether they realized it not. The song is fun, pure and simple and for that reason it’s made the list.
 

 
6. Ken Oak – End Credits
 
Before Ken Oak was in Oak & Gorski, before he had formed the Ken Oak Band, and even before he started sharing his signature cello rock, he was just a solo artist from southern California. End Credits was released back in 2003 and to this day remains my favorite Ken Oak song yet.  By discussing a break up in a very candid manner, Ken has given us a refreshing perspective in a genre often filled with clichés. His sound has changed a lot since then, in some ways making me appreciate the song that much more.
 
            
 
5. Decipher x Manifest x Lyricks x Johnnyphlo – One of the Best

When numerous talented MCs come together to collaborate, you pay attention. The Asian American Hip-Hop world has given me a number of choices to include on this list but in the end I had to choose 2009’s “One of the Best”. While I debated over other collabs such as ‘Movementality’, and ‘About that Money’, none of the other songs were executed quite as well as this one. Bringing together Decipher, Manifest, Lyricks, and Johnnyphlo, this track is bursting at the seems as each MC tries to one up each other, backing up the title of the song. Let’s hope the next 10 years have many more collective efforts similar to this one.
 

 
4. Jinny Kim – Hold On
 
Back in 2005 Jinny Kim released her debut album ‘Finding Ophelia’ with the production help of her now husband Koo Chung. The album has many strong singles but none more so than ‘Hold On’, a simple ballad speaking to those that seek encouragement in tough times. Although the song is thematically Christian, even those who do not follow the faith can appreciate her earnest and vulnerable expression of emotion and prayer.
 
Sorry the only available streaming source I could find are fan cams of live performances.

3. Decipher – Sinner’s Prayer
 
Decipher makes his second appearance on this list although this time around as a solo artist. While there are many tracks I was considering from Decipher for this list, none of them have managed to top “Sinner’s Prayer”. This is one of the most honest songs I’ve ever heard as DC openly questions God and expresses why he struggles with the concept of faith. His perspective in this song is so fresh and frank that it easily stands out in a world where that’s becoming an increasing rarity.
 

 
2. Jay Legaspi – 10 Past 3
 
Jay isn’t one of the most well known artists, but I’d argue he’s easily one of the most talented. Just as the title suggests, the song was written late in the night in 2002 after an emotional break up. Somehow Jay was able to channel the raw emotion into a simple yet beautiful song that perfectly captures those impressionable moments just after a split from someone very important in life. Consisting of only an acoustic guitar and Jay’s moving vocal, the song exhibits hope and sorrow all at the same time.
 
Sorry the only streaming source I could find was his old soundclick.
 
1. LWP – Land With 3 Sides
 
Back in 2003, if there was one collective of Asian American artists you had to respect it was Likwifakshun aka Likwit Productions aka LWP. Their song ‘Land With 3 Sides’, an homage to their heritage and roots in Korea exemplified so much raw talent it was impossible to deny their abilities. Although the group continued to expand only to completely disband years later they remain one of the most influential Asian American artists, especially among those who participated in like minded online communities. Even after all these years, the song has held up very well. That coupled with it’s sheer impact on the scene is why it’s my number pick of the decade.
 

Things have been quiet for Utada since activities died down after the release of her album, This is the One. But it looks like it will all pick up again as it’s been announced she will embark on a US Tour.

A couple shows have already sold out! Keep in mind she’s one of the selling artist of all time in Japan so I definitely encourage you to catch a show if you’re anywhere near the following:

Jan 15, 2010 (SOLD OUT)
PIPELINE CAFE
HONOLULU, HI
Buy Tickets

Jan 19, 2010
HOUSE OF BLUES
LOS ANGELES, CA
Buy Tickets

Jan 22, 2010
THE SHOWBOX
SEATTLE, WA
Buy Tickets

Jan 25, 2010
THE FILLMORE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Buy Tickets

Jan 30, 2010
HOUSE OF BLUES
LAS VEGAS, NV
Buy Tickets

Feb 2, 2010
HOUSE OF BLUES
CHICAGO, IL
Buy Tickets

Feb 5, 2010
PARADISE ROCK CLUB
BOSTON, MA
Buy Tickets

Feb 8, 2010
IRVING PLAZA
NEW YORK, NY
Buy Tickets

Feb 12, 2010 (SOLD OUT)
O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON
LONDON
Buy Tickets

Source: AAtheory

Anyways, the point of the video is this: Support the music you love, because we, the consumer can shape the market for Asian American musicians.

Here are the articles I referred to:

• http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com/hollywood-and-asians-why-protests-alone-won%E2%80%99t-change-anything/
• http://www.aaartsalliance.org/news/groundbreaking-new-report-from-the-alliance

Hope I didn’t bore you to death! Thoughts? Comments?

The main purpose of this project is to promote artists you wouldn’t normally hear in mainstream media and increase their exposure because they truly do deserve it. In no way are these mixes meant to undermine or serve as a substitution to actually supporting these artists by buying their music. In fact, it is meant to encourage all of you to find new artists you really enjoy and show your support. That being said,  if there any artist(s) or members of their staff who are reading this and object to their inclusion, then please let me know (giftedthought at gmail) and I will respectfully leave you out of future releases.

Now, with all the information and disclaimers out of the way… a-Tunes is proud to present the ‘a-Tunes Mix Vol. 1: Summer Break’. I know the summer season is rapidly winding down, and many of you will find yourselfs back at your fine educational institutions soon (if you haven’t already). However, that doesn’t mean we still can’t appreciate some fun, catchy music. All the songs included on this mix were released in roughly the past yr (given a couple exceptions), and are light and infectious enough to simpley relax and enjoy like it’s summer break all over again.

You can find the tracklist, links to the artists, and link to DL all after the jump!

1. Far East Movement – Girls on the Dance Floor ft 24/8
2. Wonder Girls – Nobody
3. Zee Avi – Bitter Heart
4. Magnetic North & Taiyo Na – Summertime ft Conchita Campos
5. Johnnyphlo - Just a Friend
6. Tim Be Told – Analyze
7. BoA – I Did It For Love ft Sean Garrett
8. Lyrics Born – Pushed Aside, Pulled Apart ft Lateef the Truthspeaker
9. Calista Wu – Belong to You
10. Kina Grannis & David Choi – My Time With You
11. Roscoe Umali – Never Fallin’ ft One Block Radius
12. Paul Dateh – Untitled #1
13. Decipher – There She Goes
14. Utada – Come Back to Me
15. Jennifer Chung – Common, Simple, Beautiful
16. Deep Foundation – Never Forget ft Ashley Robles
17. Shogunna - Yo Rida
18. Oak & Gorski – One Last Thought
19. Se7en – Girls ft Lil Kim
20. David Choi – Won’t Even Start
21. Kero One – When the Sunshine Comes ft Ben Westbeech
22. Jacqueline Chun – Alleluia

Get a-Tunes Mix Vol. 1: Summer Break HERE.

Thank you to all the artists for creating great music, whether they know they are on this mix or not. And to all the fans out there, please remember to continue supporting them!

With so many Asian artists attempting to cross over to the US music industry this year (BoA, Wonder Girls, Se7en, Utada Hikaru, etc), it goes without question that increased public awareness also brings increased scrutiny. Across the board it seems like a lot of people are commenting on how (fill in the name of an Asian artist here) needs to work out their accent (Utada being the exception). Or how they sound foolish or embarrassing. Go to any youtube video or forum post about these artists and you’ll undoubtedly see all the negative remarks. You know I’m not going to lie, I’ve made similar comments many times myself.

However I think it begs the question, what makes an Asian accent so “ugly”? I mean, British and Latin accents are almost unanimously considered attractive or sexy, yet Asian accents are often the subject of ridicule and shame. What makes Enrique sound so exotic and smooth, but Se7en awkward and funny? What made the Spice Girls sound so endearing but the Wonder Girls like level 2 ESL students?

It really makes me wonder… are all of our perceptions of audible beauty truly so objectively aligned that we can collectively say Asian accents in English are unattractive? Or do we believe they are ugly because pop & social media has always deemed it so. Is our disdain for the Asian accent fostered by nature or nurture? And if it is by nurture, can and will that perception ever change?

Given, I understand that there will always be caricatures and extreme extrapolations of reality. If there weren’t, then people like Russel Peters & Bobby Lee would be out of the job and we’d sorely miss some laughs. But will there ever be a time when an Asian person’s limited ability to enunciate their R’s will be as welcomely accepted as a Latin’s tendency to roll them?

In a perfect world, as long as one can understand what the artist is saying then that should be more than sufficient. But the world ain’t perfect. So until then it’s “herro” and good bye.

We bring you Piano Melodies. Piano interpretations of some of Utada’s earlier hits. Now I’ll be completely honest and say I have no idea if this is an official Utada sanctioned release, or who did the tracking and instrumentation but regardless it’s a beautiful listen worth checking out. There is a volume 2 somewhere out there but I don’t have it.

As always you know where to find the link and tracklisting… after the jump.

1. Automatic
2. Another Chance
3. In My Room
4. Movin‘ on without you
5.  Never Let Go
6.  Amai Wana ~ Paint It, Black
7. time will tell  
8. B & C 
9.  Give Me a Reason
10. First Love 

Get it HERE.

This definitely isn’t the first time JPOP singer Utada Hikaru has released an American album, but it strives to be her most relevant English release yet. As an Asian artist signed to a major label (Island Def Jam) she definitely has an uphill battle in winning over a western audience, despite her mega-star status back in Japan. Almost every asian-american I know born before 1990 knows her hit ‘First Love‘, whether they understood it or not. So the question remains, is ‘This is the One’ … the one to bring her the same level of recognition to a broader demographic? Read on to find out after the break.

Come Back to Me - This track is easily my favorite song on the album. It was a great decision to make this her first single as it gets nearly every aspect of what a pop record should be right. It’s catchy, it’s current, it’s relevant, and it doesn’t seem to make any compromises as it remains heartfelt.  When I first heard this record months back it gave me high hopes for her album. My only complaint was I thought a couple lines of the lyrics were a bit odd but overall R&B pop doesn’t get a whole lot better than this. Also, I’m just relieved it’s much better than her last lead single ‘Easy Breezy‘.

Me Muero - What stands out the most to me about this track is the production. This slightly upbeat number has a tinge of Latin flavor that works out pretty well. I thought the track was decent but not great. There is something about it that seems just a tad bit undercooked, as if it’s missing an extra sparkle. Sonically it’s a cool listen but as a complete song it falls a little short.

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – FYI - Making brilliant use of a piano sample by Ryūichi Sakamoto, this song is carried by fantastic production. It adds a great bounce that makes the song fun yet still hauntingly beautiful. This song isn’t quite as strong as ‘Come Back to Me’ but it comes pretty close. It’s just strange to hear Utada say she’s “chillin and flossin” although I have no idea if she talks like that in real life. Once again a great song with my only complaint being the occasional odd writing.

Apple and Cinnamon - I gotta admit I have no clue what it means to have chemistry like apple and cinnamon although I can take a guess. This track is a pretty catchy upbeat r&b number but I wish they added more oomph to the drum programming as it sounds a tad flat. The instrumental makes good use of pianos and cellos and overall comes together really well. The lyrics on this one don’t really stand out in a good or bad way. I think it just goes on a little too long for what is ultimately a simple pop song.

Taking My Money Back - This is the most story driven track on the album. Utada comes close to pulling it off well but isn’t quite able to communicate the tongue in cheek attitude that she seems to want to convey. In other words she’s not quite sassy enough. Regardless it’s still a fun track even if it isn’t her best. The song narrates the story of a woman who is fed up with her deadbeat man that can only satiate her physical needs and nothing else. It’s a pretty cool concept but I just wish it was executed better.

This One (Crying Like a Child) - This is the closest thing the album has to a title track as the album title was conceived from this song. I think a lot of people may disagree with me here but I really like this track. At first listen it seems like your typical R&B, woe is me ballad, but there is something about it that drew me in. It’s kinda dark and beautiful and I think the sadness Utada is able to convey in her paradoxically soft but rough voice is compelling. It’s just plain believable, which is always a great element to have in music. I personally enjoyed this one although I imagine many of you may be bored.

Automatic Part II - OK, so this song is a successor to her Japanese mega-hit Automatic in pretty much title only. It’s an OK urban dance influenced song. First time I heard it I thought it was just plain silly but after hearing Utada explain that she was being satirical in nature and parodying different styles I came to appreciate it just a little bit more. Overall I think it’s kind of a filler track that is in no way better than the first ‘Automatic‘.

Dirty Desire - This track has a great dance beat and is pretty decent until you pay attention to the lyrics. The writing comes off as really awkward. First of all, I’m not really a fan of the phrase ‘I love U long time’. I think it’s dumb and a little condescending to Eastern culture. Secondly to hear Utada talk about fantasizing about 69′s doesn’t really come off as sexy… but rather more raunchy and contrived. The song’s got a good beat but the writing feels pretty sloppy to me. The production sort of falls apart in the end though with a really out of place break down. In the end it’s just an average, schizophrenic track.

Poppin’ - If ‘Come Back to Me’ was the example of what to do with a pop song, ‘Poppin’ is the exact opposite. It has a barely intriguing British influence in the production but everything else is executed poorly. Utada sings much of the song in her upper register and it doesn’t match the song well. She occasionally adds spoken narration but it sounds too out of place. I find very little to like about this song.

On and On - This track is definitely one for the clubs. All it needs is Fatman Scoop and you’re set for a dance hit. This song is catchy, the production is fun, and it has a great upbeat vibe. I would love to hear a remix with TI or Jay-Z on this one as it’s almost begging for a rapper to feature. This song is a pretty good way to close out the album.

The physical CD has 3 bonus tracks from Kingdom Hearts on there but I won’t comment on them in this review. They don’t add a whole lot anyways.

Conclusion:
Utada did a lot of things right with this album, but it definitely has it’s fair share of missteps. The production is very strong on this one, striking a pretty decent balance between catchy, relevant, and longevity. The writing on the other hand has it’s minor ups and major downs. It seems a lot of the stylistic choices and directions were done intentionally by Utada but unfortunately it didn’t translate and relay quite as well as it should have. There are a few stand out tracks on the album but it’s weighed down by a bunch of merely decent ones and one really bad song. Plus at a measly 10 tracks, every song counts. After watching the video of her explaining each track I was tempted to bump the overall score up half a point but I decided against it and went with my original score. I think that Utada tried to cater to Western tastes too much and lost some of her charm as a result. My sister, who isn’t much of a pop/r&b fan to begin with, didn’t like the album much at all. I guess it goes to show that with this release, Utada may not be able to convert new fans to this style of music. However if you already appreciate the genre I think you would find it to be an enjoyable, almost pretty good release that doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

Must Listen: Come Back to Me, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – FYI, This One (Crying Like a Child), On and On

aTunes Score: 7.5/10

Utada Hikaru announced that she has been included on a summer dance music compilation album entitled ‘Just Dance‘ by Island Def Jam Music Group in collaboration with Ultra Records. The remix to her single ‘Come Back to Me’ will be featured along the likes of songs by Mariah Carey, Ne-yo, and Rihanna.

Full tracklist after the break:

1.  Pitbull – I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) (More English Extended)
2.  Rihanna – Disturbia (Jody den Broeder Remix)
3.  Ne-Yo – Mad (Ultimix)
4.  The Killers – Human (Armin van Buuren Club Remix)
5.  Duffy – Mercy (Hott 22 Vocal Remix )
6.  Mariah Carey – Touch My Body (Seamus Haji & Paul Emanuel Club Remix)
7.  Kim Sozzi – Feel Your Love (Extended Mix)
8.  Anastacia – Absolutely Positively (Moto Blanco Remix)
9.  Sharam feat. Kid Cudi – She Came Along (Ecstacy of Club Remix)
10. Kraak and Smaak – Squeeze Me (Fedde Le Grand Remix)
11. Utada – Come Back To Me (Tony Moran & Warren Rigg Club Mix)
12. Lionel Richie – Just Go (Mike Rizzo Funk Generation Club)
13. Guru Josh Project – Infinity (Klaas Vocal Mix)
14. Annet Artani – Alive (Jason Nevins Electrotek Club)
15. Alina – When You Leave (Numa Numa) (Basshunter Extended)
16. Basshunter – All I Ever Wanted (DJ Alex Extended Mix)