It had to be made eventually. And I shall be the sacrificial lamb.

Gentleman, start your fapping.

DREAM FIGHTER
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KS_AN8YaiA&feature=related[/url]

ONE ROOM DISCO
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThmUt7fXX6U[/url]

CHOCOLATE DISCO
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JjV71fWq_s[/url]

Computer Driving
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mxoc_OK8Gg&feature=related[/url]

Any derogatory comments should be directed to user GoldenRhino, for he was the first to link me to this dangerous sugar.

I hate them.

I honestly thought Marekenshin and I were the only ones who hated Perfume in the entire universe.

I have slight respect towards whoever writes their music, but none for them.

And the respect towards the writer is slight because the songs are so goddamn repetitive.

I hate them. I hate every Hello! Project group. I hate every Johnny's Entertainment group. I wish their kingdoms were taken down .

Holy fuck this thread turned into a hatefest pretty fast.
I don't wanna say "if you hate Perfume you're clearly misguided," but I think many people who encounter music like this have a mental block because it's so damn cute and poppy. They interpret Perfume as a cheap gimmick - selling the girls rather than selling the music.

But when you actually sit down with it, and listen to the melodies, listen to the really well done vocoding/autotune (I think Perfume actually benefits from some of this)...the strength of the songwriting really comes out. Utsuseru can testify to this, I think. I believe that enjoying Perfume has a decent amount to do with inhibitions and self-monitoring. Which is sort of too bad.

Screw the "WHICH GIRL IS HOTTEST" factor, the dance moves, the whatever - this is actually really well produced pop music, that's chock full of hooks.

I mean, I can't make you love their voices. But I think Mare has it right - you at least have to hand it to their song writers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKYLfq9rnv0

[quote="omnistry"]I hate them. I hate every Hello! Project group. I hate every Johnny's Entertainment group. I wish their kingdoms were taken down .[/quote]

lolwut there's a japanese artist omnistry doesn't wank to?

I'm certainly not going to be a PERFUME apologist (though at least if I were I wouldn't have to write a book report for Keikaku since those guys already worship these girls), but I do think you're lying to yourself a little bit if you don't enjoy One Room Disco on some level... at least when no one can see/hear you.

The number one rule to using a vocoder is that you must first have a body of work that proves you can sing without it. Otherwise, you aren't worth jack shit as a vocalist (and if you don't write your own songs, it essentially means you are useless). Of course, the second rule is don't use a vocoder.

Having listened to those songs, I think the hate is warranted. The songwriting is consistent, but there isn't anything impressive about it. Anyone who takes the time (approx. 5-10 minutes) to study and learn to write that kind of music can instantly become a pop composition factory. While the arrangement and mixing is laudable, that's more tedium than skill or talent. So yeah, if you have some sort of fetish for Japanese girls, like many of you, then fine. Just don't claim there is some sort of artistic merit to these songs.

I never said anything about artistic merit. I'm merely after the superficial enjoyment of catchy pop hooks and techno beats. I think PERFUME delivers.

Though some people do think there's merit to this stuff.
http://www.keikaku.net/reviews/185

And for the record, I don't think these girls are terribly cute. Give me some GO!GO!7188 gals over these any day.

[quote="sheerheartattack"]The number one rule to using a vocoder is that you must first have a body of work that proves you can sing without it. Otherwise, you aren't worth jack shit as a vocalist (and if you don't write your own songs, it essentially means you are useless). Of course, the second rule is don't use a vocoder.

Having listened to those songs, I think the hate is warranted. The songwriting is consistent, but there isn't anything impressive about it. Anyone who takes the time (approx. 5-10 minutes) to study and learn to write that kind of music can instantly become a pop composition factory. While the arrangement and mixing is laudable, that's more tedium than skill or talent. So yeah, if you have some sort of fetish for Japanese girls, like many of you, then fine. Just don't claim there is some sort of artistic merit to these songs.[/quote]

Quoted for the truth times a thousand. I didn't feel like writing it out in so many words since I've said most of the same things many times on other forums, but yeah.

Also, the fact that they somehow perform at rock festivals irks me, especially since you know...their music a) is not rock and b) is played off the recording without any sort of backing band.

I could write their music. I think half the people on this forum could.

[quote="Jomei"]I never said anything about artistic merit. I'm merely after the superficial enjoyment of catchy pop hooks and techno beats. I think PERFUME delivers. [/quote]

No, no - you're okay. It's GR that I'm all [i]what??[/i] about.

Well, strictly speaking I think the pillows have little to no artistic merit anymore either. I enjoy a new PERFUME single on about the same level as a new pillows one. *awaits crucifixion*

[size=50]understand here that to be 'artistic' I think a group has to be innovative in some substantial way...[/size]

This said, I think you kids are selling PERFUME a little short. If you're man enough to like techno girl-pop, they do it pretty damn well.

新しい場所で
上手くやって行けるかな？　

Here's my full take on Perfume. Since everyone was making such a huge deal out of them, I decided to check them out, and I was like "hey, they actually sound pretty good, this is really catchy, and there are even some decent harmonies going on." After listening to a few more songs though, everything started sounding really same-y to me. In addition, there's only really like one verse and one chorus per song that get repeated like ten thousand times each song rather than having multiple verses and interesting/clever/deep lyrics. That lack of any real artistic integrity in the composition of the song was the real nail in the coffin for me. Songs can be really catchy and simple and still manage to be good, but when it's painfully obvious that they were just cranked out for cash without even having any personal meaning or importance to the person who wrote them, I'm not going to be able to really enjoy it. The very worst song the pillows have ever put out has way more emotional investment and meaning than all of Perfume's songs combined.

[code]M:the very worst pillows song has more attempt at expressing something than perfume's songs combined
J:i dunnnno about that last statement haha
M:lyrics my friend
at least sawao expresses a sentiment in his songs
J:that doesn't change it D;
M:CHOKOREITO DISUKO
J:man
M:TIMES FIFTY
DESU
J:chocolate disco
it's fucking deeper than you think
1. chocolate
ok yeah
yum
is it white chocolate? milk? dark?
so much ambiguity. racial tension in there perhaps?
and chocolate causes the release of the same hormones that sex does
2. disco
well, nuff said there hurr
put them together
bam
lyrical genius
add some awkward japanese pronunciation and you, my friend, have a masterpiece melting in your mouth, not in your hand[/code]

To sheer, on vocoders/autotune: I'm not saying these people are gifted singers at all. I could really care less what their non-produced singing voices sound like. Likewise, I don't care if Manabe or Shin can't sing - they make the sounds that I enjoy.
Sure sure, Perfume is a SINGING group. But it's pop music. They could be really convincing robots for all I care. I'll say that Perfume best exemplifies a blend of cute, catchy, joyous, energetic, and thumpin'. I don't have much of that in my music library, so sign me up. Some people don't view that as a niche that needs filling. I do.

"I'm merely after the superficial enjoyment of catchy pop hooks and techno beats."

Pretty much - though I dunno if I would call it superficial. Enjoyment is enjoyment. Sure enjoying a rich ice cream sundae is a little different than munching on a bag of Swedish Fish, but...as long as I'm enjoying what I'm eating/listening to...I'm set. I don't think I need the all the music I listen to to be deep, complex, challenging, varied, serious, and lyrically engaging. It's just how I be.