109955915163090086

Utada: Exodus, More Than The Music…
Some die-hard fans of Utada’s Japanese music think this is a sell-out. But if they take the time to observe the lyrics, they’ll understand Utada’s finally professing her deep feelings on the fundamentals of a successful relationship: trust, risk-taking, fun, and love. I’ve been a fan of Utada’s for the past year or so. When I heard she was planning a release in the US I was very excited.
As I started to listen to the album for the first time I was a bit surprised by the sound. It sounds pretty electronic to me, and even reminds me of video games. Personally, I find that to be a plus. However, my initial reaction was, “This is okay, but I like her Japanese stuff better.” Well, after listening to the CD from start to finish I was in love with it. It is a different sound from her Japanese releases, but it is just as good, maybe even better.
The music isn’t as ear friendly as her early japanese music, but with observation it is very well put-together. It’s a different sound, but look at Utada’s eclectic group of musical influences: Bjork, Metallica, Mary J. Blige, Led Zeppelin. Utada has created a sound of her own.
I am not a music critic so I can’t really break everything down for you, but I really, really like this album. The instruments used, the beats, the lyrics (for the most part, there are some exceptions), the vocals, the melodies, the sounds, and so forth. I find the songs to be pretty catchy, especially “Easy Breezy”.
I can’t really see Utada becoming a mainstream success in the US, but I surely hope this album does well and she will continue to put out English albums. I am impressed with this album and highly reccomend it to all Utada fans, anyone who is curious, or anyone who listens to songs and thinks, “Hey, that reminds me of one of the computer game.”
Awesome work Utada!