Hikki hardly sings on this album, I wonder if her voice is just shot completely now.

How many songs is she basically talking and not singing?

Anybody who thinks TITO is better then Exodus is lying to themselves.

Whatever.
Anyway TITO is sounding so good I can't wait to buy it.

These two songs will not be my favs. ... I like Me Muero's beat, it's quite nice .. but not sure about lyrics.
I'm not really feeling Automatic Part II, just cause I can't hear her vocals clearly.

Overall though, it's good.

This CD probably won't do too well. I'm not shooting Hikki down - I have a difficult time believing that any Asian artist can make a decent breakthrough into the US market about now. Especially with a ho-hum lead single like Come Back to Me.

I honestly hated Exodus, so this album is a winner. There are enjoyable tracks on this CD. While I am not a fan of all, or of the genre in particular.. I will be happy to support Hikaru as a fan. I cannot say that I own EXODUS, or ever will.

I don't like those 2 clips at the moment....
they will grow on me.

The thing that disappoints me the most is that after releasing Ultra Blue in 2006 she could have taken those 3 years after that and really concentrated on this English album.

Imagine what this album would have sounded like with songs like POL, Take 5, Celebrate and Flavor of Life in it's English forms?
Add to that more refined versions of Me Meuro, Apple and Cinnamon, Poppin' and FYI and you have a monster HIT!

Instead she went ahead and made Heart Station and quickly rushed out TITO with just 10 songs.

Don't get me wrong there are some cool songs on this album but overall it just feels kinda meh.
Nothing screams "Big Hit!"

If she really wants to breakthrough in America she has to take her time next time (if there is a next time, she'll probably be like 28-29 if she releases another album and by then IDJ may have given up on her).

At this point I hope the album does well and I'm wrong and America just eats it up, although I highly doubt that.

Good Luck Senorita, I still love ya and I'll see you in NYC on the 25th.

I expected more of these songs, to be honest. Especially Me Muero. But I guess they both will turn out OK after a few go's as full tracks.

Though I must agree with both ghostdog and Amaterasu. I doubt this kind of mainstream pop will make it as big as we all want. She has to go for more ballads and R&B (like all the others, sadly enough). (yes, Flavor of Life and Prisoner of love would be great to her as English versions :O)

Now when I've heard all these previews I can't stop but thinking that it's an surprisingly 'boring' CD to be coming from Hikki. I have never said this before, but I do prefer her japanese work more than this one. Maybe because she's the one making the music there. And because it has its own tone to it. I know that this was meant to be mainstream, but not simple, or - yes - boring. Many songs sounds alike to me, and that's something you haven't met often when talking about her CDs.
I felt the same about Heart Station at first though, but I like that CD very much nowadays. :)

Lets just hope that they didn't take the best parts from the songs in the preview ;) Maybe I'll change my opinion once I hear the full CD, let's hope for that too. ^^

But still, keep it up Hikaru! I won't stop support you.

I respect your opinion but I disagree with you Amaterasu.
Just because we haven't seen an Asian artist break through here in the U.S. doesen't mean its impossible. The failure for many Asian musicians tring to make it here in the states lies with their record labels not doing enough to promote them to wider American audiences. Most people here in the U.S. probably have no knowledge about these forums or J-Pop or Asian music in general. I didn't even know who Utada was until I read an issue of Playstation Underground magazine about Kingdom Hearts. The U.S. is ready for Asian artists.

I, for one, am loving these previews. And, of course, not everyone feels the same way.

But I find the apocalyptic predictions/hand-wringing, the obnoxiously incessant text-walls of condemnation, and the obnoxiously incessant apologetics kind of funny, fascinating (like a train wreck) yet very tiresome at this point -- especially repeated ad nauseam by the usual suspects (you know who you are) across many Utada-related forums. There's no denying that these past three months in Utada Land have been one long utterly embarrassing freak show (and it's probably going to get a billion times worse). It would be one thing if there were fewer over-the-top reactions on all sides ("WTF is this POS?! I WANTZ TEH OLD HIKKI BACK1!1!!oneone" and "OMG, LEAVE HIKKI ALOOOOOONEEEEEE!11!!eleventy"), though. For an example, just look at the top of this page. Or in that "Hikki haterz!11!" thread. Or any of the all-out wars that can be found on many recent U.Blog entries. All of it is unnecessary. Anonymity only intensifies this.

It's great that people can create communities based upon similar interests, but none of us have to be here. I remember that, for sure, while keeping everything I've written above in mind; you should, too.

It's nice that we will finally be able listen to the entire thing in a day or two (for those who will give in and listen to the leak, of course), though.

Ah, opinions.

/derail rant

oh gee..

I think I'm like the only who is anticipating for this album?

Hikki surprised me and made me a fan of her because of the
distinguish music style and the beautiful voice she has from the rest of the musicians in japan.

I dont understand japanese and I dont know what she is singing at all in her japanese songs, but I can always be touched and feel the emotion from the song.


and the upcoming album, based on the pvs, I think the songs are pretty catchy and , more mainstream than exodus.

exodus and this is the one is not comparable, hikki also said exodus is very experimental while her new album is going to be mainstream type of a thing.

I think most songs from This is the one is pretty catchy and good, they are pretty mainstream songs but worth listen to.

I found other artists...just based on some artist, they only got few good singles and rest of the album tracks sucks.

but Hikki's songs are always so good and worth it.



oh well...I talk too much..