Production Minimal, but Lyrics are Promising
3
By Saisha Kai
I found this album while searching for new Ken Hirai music, of which (sadly) iTunes sells NONE.
I am not a music critic, but I agree that the production is minimal, but it could have been a deliberate choice.
I enjoy the lyrics, which sound Japanese in topic and rhythm.
Double-check me, but Babyface, K-Ci & JoJo, and Ken Hirai have been working successfully together in some fashion in Japan for years, and I am an avid fan.
More research must be done to see if Ken Hirai was on the production team or wrote some of the lyrics (or if K-Ci and JoJo have expressing love through the Japanese songwriting style ^_^), but if he was, I can certainly understand why I love them so much.
For what I believe this album is trying to achieve--bringing over a Japanese songwriting style, which IMHO gets points across a little more directly while appearing indirect--doesn't have to be your opinion too lol--I applaud the team. Yay! But...IMHO again, love songs need some level of production and beautiful lyrics in a song that doesn't move me would be more effectively delivered as a rap with an appropriately romantic overlay (if I'm using the correct vocabulary).
Thank you K-Ci and JoJo, Babyface, and Ken Hirai for THE FANTASTIC JAPANESE LOVE SONGS!