Come Back To ’02?

by Bradley Stern
filed under: Utada Hikaru

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In an impressive bout of inexplicable decision making, Utada‘s record label has decided to ship the physical release of her latest album, This Is The One, with three ~new~ bonus tracks, 2002′s “Simple and Clean” (the one song you have by Utada Hikaru that you never realized was by Utada Hikaru), and the opening and closing versions of 2006′s “Sanctuary.”

Just what sort of fuckery is this, aside from an obvious plug to the Kingdom Hearts fans in America? The songs, recorded nearly five years prior to this new album, have no relationship to the album’s R&B-infused sound. It’s not as though I don’t adore these songs (they’re probably the finest ones on the record if you’re counting them), but packaging and presentation are just as important as sound. Slapping on these works simply because they’re in English does a disservice, disturbing the flow and cohesion of the record entirely.

I blame this on swine flu.

This Is The One will be released in physical form on May 12, but you can purchase it digitally below NOW.

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  • Mikeyblogs

    I LOVE “Simple and Clean” but I get what you’re saying. It’s silly!

    Kind of like including “Radar” on the Circus album. It’s a WTF moment.

  • dabble-boy

    I’m actually fairly okay with this since so many people have MP3 players to form actual album playlists without bonus tracks. Or fingers to hit the skip button. (I imagine they’re jammed on the end rather than slapped in the middle of the rest? Since I thought “My Baby” was more out of place than “Radar” was on Circus…)

  • Anonymous

    Come on! You alway complain whatever she or Island def jam does. ALWAYS.
    These are Bonus Tracks which have no relation with the Album itself.

    If you don’t want to listen to Bonus tracks, just delete these from your mp3 player.

  • Brad

    Always?

    Not so much. I just don’t accept shoddy marketing, half-assed cover art, and poorly devised tracklistings from one of the best selling artists in Japan’s history.

    She’s a superstar, and deserves more than three songs recorded years ago for different purposes to be slapped onto the album as though to say “Hey, look buyers! It’s that J-Pop girl who did that Simple and Clean song!”