InsaneJournal

Utada - This Is The One
Hikaru Utada's making another attempt at breaking into the U.S. market. And I think the title of the album, This Is The One is exactly right. She might do it this time.



Utada's lead single, "Come Back To Me" has already surpassed her previous efforts ("Devil Inside," "Easy Breezy," and "Exodus '04") in terms of airplay, although it still has some way to go. Unlike the very experimental (and quite good) Exodus, This Is The One is definitely more mainstream in its sound, inspired by 90's pop/R&B.

But, as Utada says, it's not dumbed-down or stupid; you can choose to just get up and dance to the songs, or pay close attention to the lyrics, which "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - FYI" is a particular stand-out. Clever lines like "MP3, MP3 players / work it out, work it out hustlers" and "take me down to where the grass is / where the glasses lie" are fun, and remind me of "The Workout" on her previous album. Not everyone gets her sense of humor - "you're easy breezy and I'm Japanesey," for example - but it's still here, on "Dirty Desire," for example, where she sings "love you long time"!

When Heart Station came out in 2008, I got the feeling there was a definite shift in Hikaru Utada's music, and in her U.S. interviews, she seems to think the same. Having celebrated 10 years in the Japanese music industry, been married and divorced, and made a previous attempt at breaking into the U.S., she's become more mature and self-assured in a quiet, non-showy way. Exodus and Ultra-Blue were both slightly off-beat, but quality experimental albums, but Heart Station and This Is The One are more polished works that have broad appeal.

Don't let the sound samples fool you; the music is mainstream, but Utada's essence comes through clearly, drawing you deeper into the songs each time you listen, whether it's the catchy dance song "On and On" that gets you pumped for the rest of the album, or "This One (Crying Like a Child)," which, by the way, desperately needs to be her next single. This is not one of those albums that have one or two good tracks; every single one is a treat that clearly had a lot of love and attention put into. I can't say which ones are my favorites.

Simply put, if this doesn't launch Utada's U.S. career, I just don't see it ever happening. Yes, it's that good. The album will be on the U.S. iTunes on March 24, and the physical CD will be out in May.

I'm excited for her!