sigh, I couldn't agree more with you all. My first impression of this new album was, "dang, it's plain." It seriously looked at something anyone could piece together on MS Word in 3 minutes and really doesn't do the album justice. Not even close. I say when they release the actual CD in May, it would be great if the album cover is changed. Is that even possible? I'm sure they can keep that head shot of Hikki (which looks great), and just touch up the background and text to make it actually look professional.

Anywhere we can suggest this to the record company? (I'm totally new at this and have never felt so strongly about an album cover before...^^|||)

Gah, it's all in the font choices. The silly bold black with white stroke looks very home made.
The covers for the You Make Me want To be A Man and Devil Inside were cool. I loved the spiked hair Hikki. Why they go so much blander on the albums is beyond me.
I also don't get what they playing at when they choose their singles. The b-sides seem like the stronger songs to me. I thought Devil inside was Way better than that pop fluff Easy Brezzy. Though to be fair, if Easy Breezy had been promoted it probably would've taken off pretty well. Exodus was a good album, though it did take a few listenings to before you really got pulled in. I like Come Back To Me, but I prefer FYI. And really Me Muero or Apple and Cinnamon would have been better singles. But that's just my opinion.

But what it Really comes down to is Touring. Most start up singers go about touring and gathering a fan base long before they're even picked up by a big label. And after that they are paired with a big act and tour with them so that they can gain popularity through exposure to the headliner's fans. I don't know who would make a good headliner for Hikki set the stage for, but IDJ must have someone.

And Radio play! IDJ needs to start paying some heavy cash for Radio time! If she's not getting played no one will know she exists (BoA is having this problem too, I'm certain). She's getting pushed down by Lady GaGa's Poker Face (which isn't totally bad, but really Hikki can match that) and that horrible song about kissing through the phone (Can you tell I've been listening to Kiss to see if they actually play Hikki at all?). And the Release of the new BEP's song is kinda killing everyone (Ok, I actually really like the BEP's new song). She needs more Spins, which means we need to be requesting the hell out of her songs.

Get Requesting guys!

shurikid I agree!
IDJ is definitely messed up. The first time around I didn't even see her on tv I only knew she had an english album because I saw it one some website about her. People who've never heard of her wouldn't have checked it out like me. It was just plain sad. Now I know I didn't watch tv much unlike now oddly. and So maybe I didn't see her on TV but TRUST if there was even close to the amount of promotion she's gotten this time around(which still isn't really enough she should have a TV ad for gods sake) she would have been known. Many say easy breezy was not such a great song I think it was actually pretty good and would have definitely charted high if people even knew of her. Now I know maybe if I was as obsessed back then I would have been all on it but I'm sure if she was on TV or some promotional event then obsessed fans would have recorded it and on youtube I see nothing except for CNN interview and 2 documentaries one for MTV or something like that. Basically not enough promotion. Easy Breezy was basically as mainstream as you can get even adding some Japanese to her lyrics to her music.

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No, not just you, me too. IDJ needs to step up their game and give Utada what she needs,some good album cover and more attention...IDJ does stupid things to promote Hikki, Sephora was way too small to fit all her fans in and singing in morning shows when she's all tired from Sephora, give her a break! Have no idea why Hikki signed up with IDJ, but her decision is made and I'll respect it.

Good review, I liked it. Like everyone is saying, the record company needs to step it up some and invest more in Utada's album cover and her as a whole. Interestingly enough, she said something about coming back to Miami last night....does this mean they are thinking about touring? Who knows...but I think it would help get her out there a little more. Just my opinion.

I'm hoping, based on the level of interest in her new album, her record label (Island Records) will promote her more and maybe even get her on stage for some gigs, a real tour has to be planned many months ahead.

at least they admit she didn't break in the first time not because of her experimental or her work but because they didn't give a flying cahoot to promote her. actually the funny thing is that they say her album cover is bad LOL. and they need to take out some money to give her a new photoshoot. lol
I remember the exodus cover the US not UK one. It was like they used a digital camera and just told her look confused. they took two pictures for that album. the good ones like the exodus 04' single cover they didn't use for the actual album. Obviously they need a needed a creative director.
The uk album was awesome for exodus it actually looked and represented the word, Exodus.
anyway she needs to be promoted and if that means making more posters I'm all for it. Look at how much a difference her promotion made for her album this time around she's actually in stations that are very popular and on a show doing an interview and her websites documenting her events. She's not doing some bad interview on CNN.
Sigh I wish they did the same the first time around.

What is with those comparing her to britney spears???? O___o No comparison at all..I hate it!

Utada sings live...britney doesn't
Utada dresses very sophisticated and smart, britney doesn't
Utada writes her own music, britney doesn't
Utada has a great voice, britney doesn't...

must I go on

Aww, and here I was thinking that "Uts" is a pretty spiffy nickname.
I mean, it's a terrible nickname! What was that critic thinking? D<
Lawl. But, really, that was a good review. Although he did misspell the album title once, calling it "This in the One." Darn lengthy titles. Reviewers never care enough to get past two words before messing up.
Again, that DARN album cover comes up as the one flaw. Is it just me, or does it seem like IDJ is purposefully trying to kill Utada's success? Timbaland didn't promote her, and now she's getting some promotion, but no one will look at her album twice because it looks fake. Get your act together, IDJ! Critics agree, Utada rocks! Now her record company just needs to do its part.

Shuri/Eli ♥

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Yeah, who the heck will call her Uts, us fans will stick to Hikki..