WALK OF MY LIFE
18.03.2015
Fifteen years of J-Pop royalty, fifteen years of legacy, fifteen years of Koda Kumi! WALK OF MY LIFE, her 15th anniversary celebrative album is finally here!
First, let me just say that this album is already special to me for three reasons: I started working in a hotel 3 days after the single HOTEL came out this past summer, I had the chance to see the Dance In The Rain video with Oculus Rift in London last year and on the 18th of March I came back to Italy to start a new chapter of my life.
As you can imagine the chances that I'm going to be biased in this review are extremely high but I promise that I have listened to the album already countless times and I have tried to stay objective as much as I possibly can, even though we all know it's scientifically impossible.
Obviously I might end up tweaking some vote from now and then in the next year or so but my opinion about the overall album is unlikely to change with time.
Since the leak of the album 4 days prior its official release, I started reading really harsh comments on the web from her fanbase. And I'm not talking about: it's not my cup of tea, I don't like it...I mean really really bad and nasty comments. I was then left a bit incredulous because I felt as if I was listening to a totally different album than the one fans were describing.
WALK OF MY LIFE is definitely very different from what Kumi has done in the past 14 years both musically and vocally so I can understand the big disappointment.
But before discussing the fans' feedbacks, let's go through my track-by-track review:
01. Introduction ~WALK OF MY LIFE~ Powerful intro which perfectly sets the mood for what's ahead. It mixes electronic and aggressive sounds with a melodic vocal line. The sound of the rain falling at the end before Dance In The Rain starts is a very nice touch. It matches the amazing intro/interlude of Bon Voyage 10/10
02. Dance In The Rain when I first heard this song in London with Oculus Rift and 3D sound last year I was blown away. First, because it wasn't a dance and super upbeat song as I was expecting it to be and second, because it is simply one of Kumi's best songs ever made! The production is pure magic, the pre-chorus and the hook are so powerful that I get often emotional. Verses feature her typical low voice that I love, then the lyrics have a very strong and positive message! Dance In The Rain, with its worldwide iTunes pre-order and cutting edge music video premiere at Tent London with Oculus is probably the best Koda Kumi's project ever released 10/10
03. Lippy is one of the weirdest songs on the album. The over the top production may sound overdone but it's definitely a great experiment with its drum'n'bass and electronic ideas. The chorus manages to be catchy and fun an the bridge gives a breath of fresh air in the middle of the song which could have sounded too repetitve. I really appreciate the intention of doing something different and edgy and the super confident and "in your face" lyrics perfectly suit Kumi's personality and career 9.5/10
04. Mercedes as soon as the song starts you may think this is going to be a Bang Bang rip-off but luckily this is not much the case. There are definitely moments when the song reminds the Jessie J's hit but overall, Mercedes is a great track. The beat is fun and the pre-chorus is really good. Unfortunately the hook is a bit repetitive but the bridge is really nice and I love all the backing vocals at the end. Mercedes might sound a bit too straightforward but it's a fun song that you are going to enjoy anytime 8.5/10
05. Like It is an urban smash. The beat is sick and the trumpets in the pre-chorus are cool and fresh. What I love the most about this song is the vocal production: Kumi keeps her pipes down and especially in the bridge she uses her soft and silky low voice. The understated production gives this song a great repeat value making Like It one of the highlights of the album 9/10
06. House Party is a fresh electro-funky song that is going to make you want to dance immediately! Despite being a tad repetitive, House Party is catchy and fun. The throwback sound is wisely updated with modern touches without falling into the old and tired EDM category. House Party is a really super party song but the rap part "screams" Pitbull and I really wish he could have recorded that part instead. It could have been an even better collaboration 8/10
07. Interlude ~Dance~ is a nice interlude but definitely not as good as the Bon Voyage one since it lacks an edgy sound. Being so short I think intros and interludes need a very strong and powerful sound to really stand out on an album. Nostalgic fans might hear a bit of old Kumi here so they are probably going to dig this interlude which still serves as a nice break that sounds tailored for this album 8/10
08. HOTEL I already wrote a very positive review for the HOTEL single last summer and even now, this song sounds fresh and sweet. It's really the perfect summer song that takes your mind to some kind of perfect holiday. I do believe her spoken verses are fun and cool and give Kumi's vocals a new dimension. The production is amazing but it's the perfect chorus that really makes HOTEL such a great song 9/10
09. Gimme U follows the vibe of the previous song and even though it is a really nice track some people are probably going to see this as a filler. Anyway, Gimme U is a pop gem with its incredible composition: pre-chorus, hook, post-chorus and bridge are all extremely well done and catchy. I just get such a good energy from this song that I can't stop listening to it. Probably not the peak of WALK OF MY LIFE but a really nice pop track 8/10
10. You can keep up with me it was time for a bold and "in your face" song! You can('t?) keep up with me is crazy: the spoken verses are fire and in the chorus Kumi delivers over the top vocals that sound crisp and not nasal at all, clap clap! Some people won't like the almost screamed high notes but I think they fit the aggressive production. The bridge is amazing and the overall song doesn't sound like anything on the Oricon or Billboard hot 100 charts. Lyrics are sassy and 100% hot Koda Kumi! Nice work Kuuchan 10/10
11. MONEY IN MY BAG is a strong, upbeat RnB song with a great urban beat. I really like the verses and how Kumi flows over the track. The chorus is strong, simple and straighforward but catchy and effective. Despite being short the song also features a good break down before the final chorus. Since it's short and simple it feels like a disposable and ready to listen song but it's still great and aggressive and I just love the sound of it 8/10
12. PIECE IN THE PUZZLE I was already in love with the demo but this final version is C-R-A-Z-Y! Probably the best song on the album, PIECE IN THE PUZZLE is a massive and bold production that mixes rock, urban and electronic sounds all together with a confident Kumi who gives us some convincing rap! The pre-chorus and the hook are quite melodic instead giving the song variety and a great replay value. The instrumental bridge is gold. This track sounds like an updated and better version of Boom Boom Boys and No Mans Land. Kumi and her team have really picked up a great song and wrote down some cool lyrics as well 10/10
13. Fake Tongue this album won't give you a break! Fake Tongue is a mind blowing rockish song that reminds me a bit of Kumi's Black Candy but with that extra kick that makes it special. I love how she sounds submissive in the verses but literally screams her ass off in the chorus throwing some serious shade to all the liars and cheaters! The guitar solo in the brige is especially good and there's even space for some electronic twist here and there that add an extra layer to the production. This is probably going to replace Selfish as Kumi's rock anthem 10/10
14. Sometimes Dreams Come True as for V.I.P. this is a Jessie J leftover co-written with Toby Gad (Kumi's Boom Boom Boys, Summer Trip, Fergie's Big Girls Don't Cry, BoA's Touched, Selena Gomez's A Year Without Rain, Nicole Scherzinger's Don't Hold Your Breath and most of Madonna's album Rebel Heart). The melody is very simple and straightforward and the basic pop-rock production makes the song immediately catchy and likeble. Having said that, this is one of the safest tracks on the album, it works but it's a bit oversung and repetitive. Lyrics are extremely personal and inspiring: Kumi tells the story of her life and shares her dreams as a child which is admirable and motivating giving this song at least a meaning and a good message 7/10
15. LIFE so GOOD Kumi just can't make an album without the sugary pop ending song! This one mixes the melody of Love Technique, the rockish production of Poppin' Love Cocktail and the fun, lively vibe of Lick Me. The bridge is nice and I bet this is going to be the next "towel-song" for the upcoming tour. This, along with Dance In The Rain is also the most Japanese song but since it's really nothing new for Kumi I am a bit disappointed with this track. I don't know why on many songs her voice is always so pitched and high when she sounds best with her lower register, as a matter of fact most of these poppish songs sound much better live (LALALALALA and Poppin' Love Cocktail for instance). Overall, LIFE so GOOD is fun and has empowering lyrics that encourage us to let our true personalities really shine no matter what. You won't sikip this song but it doesn't add nothing special to the album. Anyway, thanks to the great message behind the lyrics it is still a good jpop song 7/10
16. WALK OF MY LIFE the title track is the only ballad on the album and it's refreshing! It doesn't feature one of Kumi's usual excessive and redundant melodies and love-themed lyrics. The production is simple but powerful, the lyrics are moving and inspiring an her vocals are impressive (not surprised at all by the fact that she is struggling to sing the high chorus live). The music video is also one of her best chroma key videos and it's stunning. I am really feeling this song 9.5/10
WALK OF MY LIFE is somewhat a bolder version of Bon Voyage. It keeps its fun and upbeat vibe, moving away even more from the past and adding a rap dimension to Kumi's vocal style. Even though I think Kumi shines on sexy slow jams where she uses her low register I really didn't mind her rap and spoken verses on this album. I think they are fun and credible and she never sounds pretentious or fake, I have the impression that Kuu is just having a blast on each song.
I must say that there are a couple of weaker songs through the end of the album that aren't as exceptional as the other tracks, but that's just because the quality of the songs is so high it gets difficult to keep up the pace of the record with standout productions all the time.
WALK OF MY LIFE redeems itself with a pretty cohesive sound in comparison to most of Kumi's works and an improved "Engrish" that seems convincing most of the time. Then there is a higher number of excellent songs here than in her past 3 studio albums, making WALK OF MY LIFE the strongest and most consistent album Koda Kumi has ever released.
Listening to the album I can understand the disappointment of some fans. Her rapping, the vocal production, the lack of ballads and sugary-kawaii-japanese pop songs might be a huge failure for some people but I honestly think this is a step forward and proves that Kumi is not a nostalgic act.
She keeps it fresh and interesting and it's not a surprise if the super safe JAPONESQUE, which was a tired sort of greatest hits album, is so appreciated and even considerated a masterpiece when clearly, it is not.
Another positive thing in my opinion is the general composition of the songs: they are all very short. Enough with 4+ minutes tracks, especially if they are just upbeat songs. They can get very repetitive, even if they are great and memorable, an excessive lenght might drag them down and lower their replay value.
The perfect lenght for a pop song goes between 2:50 to 3:30 minutes and most of the songs on this album fit these standards making WALK OF MY LIFE a very catchy and replayable album full of powerful hits one after the other.
If you approach WALK OF MY LIFE with an open-minded attitude and if you do not focus too much on nostalgic feelings, you will discover a great pop album with cool rock, urban and electronic touches that matches Kumi's best works! At this point, since she has almost fixed her biggest issues (non-choesive tracklists and bad English) I cannot wait for what's coming next!
WALK OF MY LIFE: 9/10
Italian Fan Club Tracklist:
I have to say that the tracklist on this album works pretty fine as it is, I would just put Sometimes Dreams Come True far from LIFE so GOOD as they are the weakest songs on the album but they are still enjoyable if they do not come one after the other. Then trying to find the best song order, I have completely flipped the whole album making a first part more upbeat and fun while the second half is more serious and powerful. Doing so, you tend to pay attention to each song and the whole album flows nicely. Due to the short lenght of the album I have also added the beatuful TURN AROUND, b-side from HOTEL.
Pillis
