Customer Reviews

First Love

5 star:		(85)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

So your intuition has taken you this far; let me win you over. You're probably debating whether or not you should risk it and fork out the extra $s, right? What's the fuss about! Well believe the hype! I ordered this CD after reading the rave reviews on this site, blinded by the fact that it's sold 8 million in Japan. Utada is a truly shining talent and her voice is sweet and strong. The song titles are in English but beware the songs are all sung in Japanese. Don't let that put you off, though, because Japanese has never sounded so good. The music is infectious and it won't take a second spin before you're hooked. The style is urban soul/pop -very Janet Jackson with simple production, more upbeat than Brandy and Monica, more mature than Billie or Britney. Utada covers all bases from pop soul on the opening Automatic to club house on the second single Movin On Without You, to sweet ballads like the title track and then funky beats on the closing Give Me The Reason. The Johnny Vicious revamp of Automatic is an added bonus to dance freaks like myself! If the girl sung in English, she'd storm past Britney and Christina to total world domination. I, for one, hope that happens because the talent deserves to shine wide. This is a NO RISK DISC! What are you waiting for? BUY BUY BUY! If you like this, then check out other hidden gems like Everybody's Somebody by Kele Le Roc (UK), Privacy by Ophelie Winter (France) and My Truth by Robyn (Sweden) but beware that Utada's music is far superior.

I llooovvee hiikkii!!!!

Hikki wa daisuki desu ne!

This girl honestly rocks my world. I came to this point where it was like my ears were begging for something new. Something to test my senses. Something to challenge the mainstream crap that overflows my radio airwaves. I've studied Jap for ages, and thought I may aswell d/l a bit of Jap music, and see if I like it.

Now my computer is filled with jpop, my CD shelves stacked with the stuff and others ears bursting with me singing all the time..hehe. And it all started with downloading Utada...

The first song I d/l was from this album, 'paint it black', and I love it, and it still is probably at the top of my list. The best song, catchy, upbeat, quick, and the lyrics..it's about being caught in a 'amai wana' - a sweet trap. A love trap. Something that you just dont wanna get caught in! It's cool!

And 'First Love'. The song that started it all. It's beautiful, melodic, full of love, passion and meaning. All about the one who was her first. this song, even if you can't understand japanese, can be easily understood by the passion behing hikki's voice. It's simply beautiful.

'Automatic'. You know that really cool feeling you get when you're head over heels for someone...when when you see them, everything seems ok, when your heart just can't stop running, when you just can't help to look into their eyes??!! It's automatic. It's a funky song, with a cool record repeat scratch thang getting it on down, a cool bass line, hikki's amazing voice, and just what it's getting across. It has a good peak happening in all the choruses compared to the versus aswell.

Other damn good songs..'Time limit' is really really cool. Hikki has the DarkChild rapper thang happening at the beginning aswell. If ou have bass in your car..there's someunderlying hidden stuff on here that can really move the car. But it's heaps good. 'In my Room'..a real groover kinda song. 'Another Chance'..soo catchy! really good vocals.

This girl has it going on..and it's amazing Im writing this like about 2 years after it's original release date..but the thing is, it just is the type of CD that will not seem to deteriorate with time. It seems the type somehow..the gal's done something..to keep it in and funking.

All the songs are good! I could break them down to pieces and analyse them for you...but we listen to it all together! Im impressed..no..Im blown away by the fact that this is just so damn wonderfully composed. Hikki's vocals, smooth melodies, excellent produced music, and the overall feel and meaning behind her voice. You really dont need to understand Jap to really know the feeling behind her words.

I think it's now my favourite album. Why?! Because it's different to everything else that is always plyed on the radio. It's really funky. It sounds good on the ears. And even the fact that this is being written 2 years after it's release shows it's timelessness.

Buy it. If you're feeling like you need a change, or are feeling a lil risky and wanna try something new..this is for you! Plus not only thast...the CD just damn well rocks! get it!! and you'll damn well enjoy it! Kakkoii ne!

I had, until my sister (who lives in Japan) gave me Utada's CD for X-mas. For those of you who claim you 'just like the music, and don't pay attention to the words' this is the CD for you! Nothing was lost for me with most of the lyrics in Japanese, and the grooves caught me at once. With her influences stemming from east-coast to the Rolling Stones, this artist, if given proper exposure, could give the American divas a run for their money. The disc contains many styles Americans are used to-rock, pop, hip-hop, dance, ballad, etc..., but with a fresh new twist. Her track "Movin' On Without You" could be played at any dance club in this country and fit seamlessly in with today's dance tracks. I went out and bought a new flash memory card for my Lyra player just to keep a copy of 'First Love' on because it seemed to be the one disc I returned to over and over to grab music from. It is one of the few cd's that I can listen to from start to finish without skipping over tracks. Only 2 problems 'tho... 1) Not enough remixes available and... 2) If you get a song stuck in your head and(like me) have to 'sing' it in your head to get rid of it....good luck! (unless you know Japanese! ) Encore, Utada, encore!

WOW, just wow, i haven't been so obsessed with a cd since 4 years ago, and it just keeps getting better and better the more i hear it. If youre sick of the britneys and the christinas or would just like to something different, something foreign, japanese, then get this cd.

Though I'm American I've lived in Japan since 1998. One thing that pervades even the most steeped traditions is their absolute love of music. Right now, Japan is deep into what we Americans experienced in the late 80s/early 90s with boy-band and girl-band sensations in the dime-a-dozen quantity, and measured more on looks than on talent. Some that come to mind in Japan: Morning Musume, w-inds, Tonpopo, kinki kids... anyway the list is gigantic.

I say that to say this. There are very few female solo artists in Japan pop culture that have true singing ability. Sitting at the pinnacle of those is Utada Hikaru. Between her semesters at Columbia University (she speaks near-fluent English and went to high school in New York), she finds the time to record and promote some of the best, most meaningful music that is on air today.

All of her fame began with this album, First Love. It is one of those relatively light albums that becomes an automatic in the changer before you go on a drive.

This album is mostly known in Japan for the moving, emotional title track "First Love". I am a Japanese speaker and even now I am still moved when I hear this. But even if you do not understand Japanese, you will definately agree that this album defines a standard by which other artists are measured.

WOW! My friend from Japan sent me this CD for my birthday and it is incredible! It is definatly worth the cost! When I go to Japan I am planning to buy 3 other CD's of Hikaru Utada! She is an amazing artist and this is an incredible CD! I would suggest it to any music fan. All of the tracks are in Japanese but the voices just turn into another instrument. This is great! I especially love the last track, Automatic Remix! Hikaru is amazing! Dai dai dai stuki desu!

I first heard her song when my sister went back to Taiwan and got her single First Love. I love that song. That's my favorite song. My cousin came to visit me from Taiwan and bought me the cd. I fell in love with every song. She is amazing.

I have been a HIKKI fan since her debut some years back, and though i've had this album for quite a while now, It bugs me that people have still not caught on to one of the greatest artist in the WORLD!!! HIKKI stands as being the "Queen of J-pop" and never falls short from that title. Her vocal skills, and her abilities as a writer (penning ALL of her tracks), are glowing testament to this artist's musical genius. From her "first" album "CUBIC U" to her latest, "DISTANCE", HIKKI's music stands above the rest. If you love music, and just happen to finally figure out that american is not the best type out there, give HIKKI a chance. I doubt you will regret it.

Ok I know that most people have never heard of Utada Hikaru unless you are into Jpop or been to Asia so heres a small background. She has officially released 3 albums to date(4/8/01) 2 in Japanese and 1 in English this is not counting her coordination albums (U3, etc..). This album simply blew me away when I first heard it. The lyrics, beat, and mixing flowed together flawlessy on nearly every track(this is probably because she wrote and composed all of her tracks). First Love is clearly the standout on this album and really tugs at you whenever you listen to it. If the price is intimidating than you can look for the OS(Overseas) version to purchase which usually costs about half+ of the japanese version. This is a GREAT album for ALL music fans of any nationality that love pop/R&B.

This was the first Japanese pop music album I bought during my year in Japan last year...and it has been the soundtrack to some of my best moments there. If it wasn't for Hikaru, the Japanese music scene probably wouldn't look the way it does now, with artists moving to replicate her R&B sounds and success. You can dance to her music! And the music is great! It makes sense! You'll know what I mean if you've listened to JPOP before. My favorite tracks from this album are "Automatic," a pop classic in Japan by now, "Movin' On Without You" and "Time Will Tell." The title track is a bit weak, probably because it's a ballad. Hikaru's voice is a bit thin, but I think with time and development, her music will grow and mature. This would be a great addition to your JPOP collection.