The Imperfections of a (Pop) Song

(Skipping to next paragraph is fully optional)
Hey everyone. As we close to the end of the year, and the time where I must make decisions to give the awards for Klassic Note, I thought it's about time to talk about... talk about why I reject songs. I know you guys don't believe this, but I reject a lot more songs than I would probably these days, and the numbers have been rising. I'll also for the first time this year, release a hidden segment I've been keeping for a long time and I think it's time to show as much as I can, which I refer to "the 2.99 stars", which emphasise on reasons why I give a near miss to many songs from every release I hear.

To determine whether I have to reject songs, I thought it'll be good to explain what I mean when I don't give a song, and I can do this by separating them into levels of rejection and reasons for doing so.

THE LEVELS
Firstly there's the first impression level. Well, quite obviously just means hearing the song for the first time. It doesn't seem much typically considering that I've already listened to thousands of Japanese songs by now, but that's not the point. For my opinion,I at least know there are some songs which I cannot give just by listening for the first 10 seconds of a song. We all have that. Whether it's music style (for me, techno and dance styles are a no-no now), vocals sounding weird (yeah overly cute and gay voices are considered as "weird") to stupid reasons like not following the mainstream (if you know LiSA, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Arashi and even AKB48... you are a loser to me) (sorry) and never hearing songs because they are familiar (I mean, I want new melodies...), an array of reasons can just make me click on the next button or the close button, wherever applies. Then after hearing like, 90 seconds of a song (which is the typical length of a song preview in most contexts) I then consider the fact that whether this song will sound correct or even good until the end of the song, which I also call the song completeness level. This includes all parts of a typical pop song, with a standard structure of two verses and choruses, followed by a bridge and/or instrumental, and a final chorus. The biggest problem recently after the first level is typically with the bridge part, as many would not have it well composed, or even extended to the level that it's rather unacceptable. Well, at least to my expectations. Even though, when a song reaches this stage I have less of a reason to reject it already, as factors like the music style and song structure for the rest of the song may help salvage it and make me give the song anyway. The last or actually optional level for recent years is the pre-rating level. Yeah. Like, considering for changing of star rating. As I think I mentioned this before, all songs enter the list typically with a 4 star rating (out of 5), and will be adjusted accordingly when I feel like it. Changing in star level becomes typical after the first impression instead of actually giving it during entry like in the early years of listening to songs. But still, some songs don't make the cut, and since I've enlisted it, I have no choice but to put it down. Conversely, I can also be impressed of a song in the long run and bring the rating up. All this is done before any song gets into the list, so can take from a minimum of a couple of days to a couple of weeks, according to my reviews in recent years.

A graphic of how likely I take in a song

THE REASONS
Well I know many have been mentioned above, but to be incredibly specific, I decided to show you guys the reasons I have given to give you an idea of on what stage or level do I not recognise the song and give the negative. Besides, it's through the many rejections that the songs get stronger, isn't it? (writing in context here) So here are the many reasons - as far as I can remember - which I reject a song:

First Impression Level

• Extended introduction/instrumentals
• Hearing weird instrumentals before first word
• Composition trying to break out of song structure by overly adding tones and melodies
• Extended verses and/or choruses
• Not-so-rhythmic lyrics/vocals (less important in conventional pop now)
• Lyrics that do not sound with the melody (even though I don't know of this foreign language)
• Overall feel unacceptable, with respect to listening time
• Weird or out-of-tone singing (sometimes it gets on my nerves)
• Song melody different from expectations (especially when I have an idea of it)

Song Completeness Level

• Extended song bridge part (like, song to solo instrumental to song before last chorus extended)
• Songs that do not obey typical pop song structure, and are not good not following them
• Long song lengths (typically a consequence of a long bridge)
• Higher pitched last chorus done bad/wrong (very deterrent, but if done well can be fine)
• Unexpected melody tune
• Strong instrumentals but weak song melody (a good pass off for a composition)
• Strong chorus but weak overall (happens all the time, especially Anime songs)
• Outdated/Undesired music style/format (I'm not in the 80s)
• Weak production of a good song melody (covers the composition well it makes it bad)
• Song too plain (typically emotional songs with no strong chorus)

Pre-Rating Level

• Not lasting in listening impression, typically due to weak song impression
• Slow songs which are weak in song structure
• (Sometimes) Songs given to complete a set (typically idol songs; I do make that mistake)
• Songs that are given obligatory (every Anime I watch must be given a theme song)
• Self-rejection of song over time (skipping when shuffling songs, not listening for it after review are signs of such behaviour and decision)
• Misunderstanding the initial impression of song before adding the song into the list
• Succumb of mainstream artists and overrating impression of song

This is pretty much it. Anything else it'll take some time for me to recall, but many of these reasons do appear in recent years and even the year I'm in now (don't know which of my year it is when you read this), and that is not a good thing. Songs are easy to reject with an increase of song database, and creativity can plateau at some point in time, but I sure hope this does not stop me from giving the songs I truly like.

[P.S.: This is it. I'm keeping this Top 20 list for 2015. I'm tired of thinking of this for the past week already. Besides, my list is NEVER REPRESENTATIVE of the list of songs I listen anyway.]

[P.P.S.: Yes, the 2.99 star list will be posted here, probably next year. Stay tuned.]

The Entertainment News 2015 Edition Week #52

Well, it's the end of the year, so it's true it's this short. Welcome to the shortest Entertainment News post of the year. Also, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Might as well, right?

アニメ
ANIME

You guys know what shows I'm watching next season already, right? Yeah, three of them confirmed for now. Some others may want to watch an episode, and the rest are not down my alley. And yes, they're updated on my Anime List.

You know I have an Anime List? You know, the links lying around this site?

漫画
MANGA

One Week Friends: What an ending. We are really THAT CLOSE to getting a confession. Anyways, putting that obvious it-will-never-happen-anyway fact aside, it has been a journey. Good that Fujimiya-san is cleared of her past, and is able to live in an environment with friends who really care for her once again. I mean, I don't live in a world like that, yet I feel like I'm also like Kaori-chan, afraid of making friends in fear of betrayal and everything. I guess I'm also trying to repeat my "week", huh.
BLEACH: Yeah, there's still a losing side. Unfortunately, it's not the bad guy. Don't know what the reunion of the Shihouin siblings are for, but then they'll need the extra thunder power to get rid of this guy, who apparently can possibly (wow what assumptions) go to the extremes with his offence now he's beaten to a pulp.

音楽
This Week on Klassic Note

Many things are under way, from music videos to live broadcasts, there are many songs coming up for the upcoming months to kick start the new year. Especially around my birthday week; it's riddled with plenty of releases.

Upcoming live performances which celebrate the new year (which I will get to watch) will no doubt be another set of references for starting the new songs too, but then that's for next year. This year I'm still stuck on what songs to give for the Top 20. Serious. I've not gotten to a decision yet. *sigh* It's getting tougher every year... Don't worry, will release results on time. *wink*


This is it, and as I say, it's short. Finally I'm getting down to doing up APoL's next chapter (I noticed talking to myself before sleep on bed works well lol), and I noticed I lacked content even though there's storyline. Well, now that that's ironed out, here's hoping I can get something done by next year. But no promises though, I still got Klassic Note to finish first. Cya guys next week, where I'll think of a new title for this series. Or else I'll stick to this cheap naming for next year too. *laughs*

[P.S.: I can't find anything for Christmas, so Aoi-chan snuggling up for some hot drink for winter would do.

Yes? Now I want to join her. Happy Holidays! Just noticed my holidays are longer than expected! *laughs hardly*]

You are not yours. Therefore whatever is around you is still not yours.

Just thinking. Not that our matters. Don't worry, won't affect me much for now. I mean, not until I get out into society and start getting my paycheck. *laughs*

The Entertainment News 2015 Edition Week #51

The end is near... I mean, the end of the year is near. And with that, many decisions have to be made. Well, next semester for me as a student. But then there's more, like APoL, Klassic Note... you know. MY stuff. *laughs* Let's end it on a high note, yes? Well, there's still next week anyway, but still.

アニメ
ANIME

Subete ga F ni Naru: Eh... last episode, I guess? Well, of all last episodes, I consider this one decent. Anyways, we know of a conclusion of what happens to Shiki, likely to be caught (according to Nishinosono) by the police instead of Saikawa-sensei's bodyguards. We also know about many things in life that aren't certain, that are to be sought upon, and aren't meant to be perfect. Well, very much aligned with my ideals, so this is a good show in my opinion lol. Anyways, this can only end this way anyway, for a genius and a prodigy also has many questions to ask for, just mostly about life and their own existence, I guess. I mean, from many shows it has been like that, yes? Nice show, and definitely worth a watch. Especially if it ever becomes a movie. Because that'll be awesome. This kind of show better off done as a movie man, TV Anime does it not much justice...

漫画
MANGA

One Week Friends: I'm touched. Maccha-sensei, good job.
The truth finally is out. As they confront each other and pick up the pieces together, fundamentally it's still due to Kaori-chan not being able to accept the fact of her understanding of friends, as evil plots and jealousy get in the way of that formal definition that we all understand. Perhaps friends are just a tool, something not possible to be intimate about, something that can be easily destroyed by one rumour. If friends were like that in the past, no wonder Kaori-chan has a trauma. The whole story also links up in time to show the sequence of events happening within the week, and her wanting to not remember the week is also the reason of her one-week memory. Man, when's the last time I'm impressed by an end story like that? Great ending, and really I'll buy the manga (if it ever appears in English) to support this genius of a storyteller. I mean, I'm not even praising already. Over here it's respect already. Nice job, sensei!
BLEACH: Okay which half I should ignore first?
First half talks about rumours of the bestowing of powers, with three Sternritters being assigned to one part of the Soul King's powers. So apparently Byakuya and Renji are going to have a tough fight. Rumours are typically true in the world of BLEACH, so we don't have to take these with a grain of salt lol. The other half tells us that the Sternritter "D" isn't talking to himself but to Ichigo who is currently stuck to the ground, now along with Chad and Orihime. Yoruichi steps in (not like, the area which is "poisonous") to fight, and we know this one will be a long fight. Many terms I don't understand, and I'll never understand how Yoruichi will lose this one. Or win. Whatever. It's BLEACH, anyway.
Kuroshitsuji: Well that was quite little for development for this latest chapter. For this one, they just kicked out Sebastian and showed us some weird ceremony? As usual weird things are going on, but I think like many other arcs this one can be explained by science too. Black hole was defined in the chapter (well, like 100 years ago in context; it's a theory back then), the fortune teller is obviously suspicious, and is handing out accessories which somehow tailor to "what star they are protected under". Very suspicious, but then I know this can be resolved by science. Suffice it to say things might be controlled easily with an identification on their wrists or just that it directly controls the victim(s), which may not be good news. Well, we're in hell of a cult for sure, but what it does or if it ever has a connection with Undertaker again, we'll only know when someone dies, for sure. Meanwhile, Sebastian is enjoying the cat's company. Hope Ciel hasn't forgotten what he's in the hall for. You know, past memories, darkness envelopment, those things.

音楽
This Week on Klassic Note

This probably marks the last week of reviews I'll take for the year, for I'll start evaluations and final results (Top 20, to say the least) from the following Wednesday after this, two days before Christmas. And then it'll go for two weeks where on the new year I start finding new old songs to listen to to start the year... You know. usual stuff.

I'm just giving two more songs to round up the numbers (if you have been following on the Hall of Fame document I disclosed months ago), and there are another form Saitou Johnny's latest album (apparently he has a couple more before) and also Kuso Iinkai's new double A-side single this season (winter, literally), and just like the album on July, I may have to end up using extract of the music video to make do until I get an official review. I mean, that's what happens if you want to take things for free: nothing gets assured when you wait for free stuff. *ahem* Anyways (haha), this is all for the year, SID's new single shall be considered next year following live performances I intend to watch over the new year, and apparently I want to give Shinozaki Ai's debut album a chance. You know. Other than her gravure. (Oops)


This is all, I guess. I'm still thinking how to do up APoL I think (apparently I'm not in the mood for that for now, don't know why), and with Klassic Note this year coming to an end I'll have to finish that first. Damn this year's Top 20 is a real headache, especially when you give almost all of them 4 stars only... Argh...

[P.S.: Continuing Yuuki Aoi-chan (close-up) December, we got another on the screen.

Hell yeah, and why didn't I placed this on my phone the first time I saw it? Hmm...]

The Entertainment News 2015 Edition Week #50

Another week, another week of progress. Well, my next semester is starting to ring in the background, so I'm worried. Maybe after that, after that... I'll do something important. *laughs*

アニメ
ANIME

Subete ga F ni Naru: You know how much I wanted to watch this episode, right?
(The following content below contains spoilers that ARE CORRECT. Read it only after you watched.)
Well, the truth is out, and with two more episodes to go, I really wonder what'll happen next. (And those lucky bastards in Japan get to watch it in cinemas first this weekend goddammit) And as I thought, it was Shiki herself who was the killer. Failing to plan her own murder years after having her daughter (so the spoiler I read was correct up to here) kill her at her 15th year (and that staying 14 forever is possible lol), she resorted to kill her own daughter as to pose her own death and escape. And yeah, it was an escape. She was disguised amongst as as one of the characters in the lab (well computers are stupid they take any visuals as recognition even if they are fake), and managed to leave the place, and of course being the master programmer of the lab, is accessing it from another location which will probably take the police the rest of her life to find her. Anyways, Saikawa-sensei wins this round (sorry Moe-chan), and Shiki definitely didn't get what she planned. What a waste. It'll be better if the daughter was alive instead. Funny thing is that she was posed as her mother from the beginning, and that threw me off more than the truth. Well, lets say kids are dumb without a reality check, and I'm glad I didn't have an unknown dad and a murderer as my mom. Glad the mystery is solved, it explained well (kind of pissed off my Nishinosono-san's part of the illusion), and I'm never regretting watching this show. Although I think I would be better off guessing without the spoiler which mentioned about hexadecimals and her kid. Seriously. This one was too good a spoiler. And I'm glad I'm correct too. Well, as correct as I can be with spoilers anyway.

With respect to next season Anime, I know what I'll be watching already. I'll definitely be watching the sequel to Assassination Classroom, Boku Dake ga Inai Machi is noitamina slot's next show about some mystery of the past, and Dagashi Kashi is a show in surprise. So you'll know I'll at least watch three. After that... I don't know. I guess three is enough already.

漫画
MANGA

Amari Mawari: (Because I read it after the post from last week, and thinking that putting it here would be better for content) Starts off well. Amari-chan is a strong female. Haru on the other hand is a confused boy. I mean, he can just say he likes her back as a brother-sister relationship (no incest of course), and it'll be over. Of course, there's the "everyone else besides that someone" situation (Kyouko is missing BTW) so things get funnier. Nozo seems to know of a confession, Ushimaru doesn't give a damn, and everyone else is pressuring Haru to give an answer. Really. The moment he gives a reply we get an Anime or a conclusion to this Manga already lol.
Dagashi Kashi: Thanks to Ayachi and a preview video of the Anime, I decided to read the Manga. And man was I impressed. Short, direct humour, topic of sweets to keep you hooked, and service from time to time, enough to make me watch without me having to do it without the presence of family members. Anyways, I'm definitely going to watch the show coming next season, and will not spoil myself so I'll only read the manga beyond the first volume after I watch the show. Reading the first volume thus far... I think it's creating an impression. I like. *giggles like a perv*
BLEACH: Well, there probably will be a miracle, bro. It's BLEACH anyway lol
Anyways, we now know of the Sternritter "M" power, which literally means a magnitude manifestation of power according to own damage infliction. And yeah, being dumb means killing the guy with as much damage as you can, of course, without letting the guy die. So yeah, we meet with a large being, but then I think it's possible to create a miracle out of this. We have Byakuya, Shinji, and Renji. They all (probably, for Shinji) have Bankai of scale, and this might be a nice show to watch. Hinamori-chan, stand aside. We need a few chapters of kick-ass now. *laughs, slowly stops* Well. Maybe not.

音楽
This Week on Klassic Note

I only give a couple of songs this week, so let's talk about them first. Saitou Johnny's frist album sounded much better than Goose house itself (says a lot about the others lol), and I decided to give a song from SunSet Swish's revival single. Yeah. SunSet Swish. You guys even remember them? They like, disbanded 5 years ago and... I don't know now. They aren't as good as I know, and they still aren't much today. Anyways, gave them a song in hopes that they'll get their pace going. I don't mind the return; I have had many good songs from them in the past.

Fortunately (or not), they aren't going to be the last songs in the list. I may review SID's latest single next week, I'll still give chance for miwa's latest single and Kawada Mami's latest album to take in one song from each side, and I have reminiscence over Goose house's new song. Dammit, the time to make a decision. Honestly saying? I'm in less of a mood to decide now, now that things are coming to a close in another two weeks.

Talking about next season Anime, theme songs are surprisingly good. Ayachi is going Dagashi Kashi's ending so you know I have to take one of the two theme songs. Ajikan and Sayuri (recall her from Ranpo Kitan) are taking on Boku Dake ga Inai Machi, so that's just going to make this show even better, and I'm praying hard for an ending for Assassination Classroom that I can digest. How about moumoon again? Well from the looks of it... the style might change. And I don't think that's good. Maybe someone else, I guess?

Ajikan and Sayuri: That next best Anime theme song combination I've been waiting for. I'm so ready for the next show on the noitamina slot.

— Kaineng (@KlassicNote) December 13, 2015

That's it, I guess. I think I almost used the same sentence to start the ending paragraph, huh. Anyways, I'm thinking more of uni stuff than Klassic Note than APoL first, so... you know. The latter(s) will have to wait. For now, I better get tomorrow morning's competition done with, then maybe we'll see if I can get a chapter out of it or not. No, not my life. I mean the story I want to write about my idea of life. Hmm...

[P.S.: Continuing Yuuki Aoi (chests) December, here's another to... try to look at? I mean, she's unlike Ayachi you know. Cute and... voluptuous. But still, this girl.

Anyways, more of her next week, and it makes me wonder if I should just shelf Ten-chan's photobook until I get Aoi-chan's many years of images done with. *laughs*]

I'd rather be a worker of the past than be a slave of today. And I'm not talking about communism.

Well, suddenly thought of this seeing articles of... well let's say "cyber mutiny of occult citizens", shall we? I don't even know how to name such people's IQ already, let alone name them. How about " extremists"? *laughs*

The Entertainment News 2015 Edition Week #49

Man, I want to go impulse shopping. Too bad I'm lazy to go shopping outside, and I don't dare to press those order buttons online because... the money isn't mine. Well, for most of them. But then again I did once last week already, so... yeah. *laughs loudly* Welcome to my weekly entertainment report, where I talk about such stuff which is pretty much not the content below. Let's get started.

アニメ
ANIME

Subete ga F ni Naru: YES! The reveal next week! Man I'm excited.

Okay, leading up to the solving of the mystery (finally), we finally know of many other details we should've known like... at episode 2 or something. The couple (Nishinosomo and Saikawa) both agree that there was a second person who entered the room with Shiki the first time she went into the room, and it was a kid. A daughter, apparently. But then again it could've been her (okay it's just me, but still). The hypothesis (or spoiler if you may) I saw a few weeks back when I complained about it also mentioned this as the conclusion, and that it makes total sense for a kid born 15 years to kill her mother because she behaves the same way she does too. Furthermore, we now know that the escape and planning of the murder (at least for the Director) is foretold, as the system was intentionally updated to have a time lag system clock (sry for those who don't know anything about programming) and has been embedded in the previous version of the operation system, which was mentioned that only Shiki retains the latest version of the system. With what we know how, it's evident that Shiki (or her daughter, whatever) killed the uncle (yeah weird girl, this one) to plan for an escape, and expected someone else to resolve it before she leaves. Yeah, probably the killer is still around, and I can tell you first hand, as I've mentioned from the first time I made a hypothesis: It was all her. She wanted to escape. Even a kid does not know of escape if you lock it up forever. Reason? Well, there are many reasons why people want to escape, so... I'll leave to Saikawa-sensei to explain things out.

よろしくおねがいします！

漫画
MANGA

Kuroshitsuji: Looks like Lizzy's missing (yeah, you know, Elizabeth) has got to do with the Queen's orders to what Ciel has to investigate, and I see we're in another incident on positivity yet again. I've seen such stories before with other Anime as like in a form of a cult, and this one seems surprisingly similar too. Problem now is about that fortune teller. What does he know? Is he just a sick guy controlled by Yana-chan to tell sick jokes? (lol) Or does he know about what is outside of the real world, ie. Shinigami and demons and stuff? We shall see then, but from the things of it, someone's got to spill some blood, and I can say, it's going to be more than a drop. *evil laugh* (lol)
BLEACH: Wait is that the "Overkill" guy? *checks online* Okay, it's not, haha. Anyways, that "god of a messenger" apparently lost his godly powers, which means he can effectively be defeated by any good guy, so Kira steps forward. After like, losing a hole on one side of his chest, he can still fight, I guess? Good for him, because if he's going to show any more (new) powers it'll be now lol. The scene then shifts to Renji fighting another Sternritter "M", for it stands for "Miracle", and sounds as absurd in power as many other opponents thus far. Let's see how this goes; That Sternritter "V" I reread recently is not helping me understand this guy now.

音楽
This Week on Klassic Note

As I mentioned last week, after last weekend I got a couple more songs after listening to a live TV program extract (damn I shouldn't say that) and didn't skip anything for like 15 minutes. THE ORAL CIGARETTES latest single is also anime theme song for "Noragami", and is surprisingly catchy. Also, the lyrics mean nothing much but the beats are probably the reason why I'll give it. Also too I didn't take any B-sides, unlike their previous single. Bentham's debut mini-album isn't impressive, but then I was there for that one song, so I'll take that instead. Good Morning America's debut mini-album is out of the major label, but then it sounds so indie I must give another song from the release, and man if they stayed this way they will be on my list every year by now.

Why must the best song of an artist always be the debut song? Yes, Bentham and Good Morning America, if only your songs are like that now.

— Kaineng (@KlassicNote) December 2, 2015

We're towards the end of the year, and surprisingly it's going to end on a low note. I have nothing much to listen and I think I'll have to compensate that by listening to artists I know of recent in release, including yanaginagi which is coming in next week, and probably some other artists if I want to get more songs. For now, I should concentrate on the yearly question of "Which are the Top 20?" because... it's getting tougher every year. Seriously.

Meanwhile, here's what I listened that can be shared to you guys for the year!



That's pretty much it, guys. I'll probably do up that post I should have done about explaining song format and stuff for Klassic Note, and I'll get it out by the time this year ends. Also, APoL is progressing, although it's slow and I'm just lazy lol. Anyways, cya guys next week again, and please, please don't start the year-end shopping spree. Don't. If you had... I hope you enjoyed your Christmas presents. *laughs sarcastically slowly*

[P.S.: I've decided it's (Yuuki) Aoi December this month, even though I've seen Ten-chan's photobook appear already. Oh well. I have an excuse to wait till next year for this anyway.

Yeah, even Aoi-chan I also want to stare at her chest. My animal instinct is revealing. xD]

I rather choose to have the fear of something that may happen than it happening even if it has close to zero chance of occurrence.

Really, call me timid or whatever. Conscription is bullsh*t. I'd rather stay at home. Trust me.