It’s been a long time coming (and something that’ll make my K-pop Krazy friend Prophet Blog wet himself with delight), but it’s time I finally acknowledged the wonder and splendor of the force known as Girls’ Generation.

Now, I myself am more of a J-Pop connoisseur than K-Pop girl group guru (I go hard for Utada Hikaru, Namie Amuro, Koda Kumi and Ayumi Hamasaki in particular), but it’s all but impossible not to notice the extraordinary influence of Korean girl groups making their way overseas.

Girls’ Generation–sometimes referred to as SNSD (an acronym based on their Korean name)–is by far one of South Korea’s most popular acts. After their debut back in 2007, the nonet (that’s nine members) has gone on to win countless awards and smash dozens of records in both Korea and Japan, most notably for their 2009 international smash hit “Gee,” the Ke$ha-penned “Run Devil Run,” as well as their #1 Japanese hit from earlier this year, “Mr. Taxi.”

(By the way: Think a nine member group is crazy? Check out AKB48, a J-Pop group consisting of 59 members to date. Go ahead. Just try and remember their names.)

Now, quite excitingly, Girls’ Generation are set to make their official mark stateside (well, worldwide really) with the release of their third studio album The Boys, due to hit iTunes on October 19, followed by a US single release via Interscope Records sometime in November.

“The Boys” is the album’s lead single, which was recorded in both Korean and English. Today, the full song hit iTunes and the video has premiered (in both languages) and…well, it’s absolutely incredible. (To be fair: J-Pop and K-Pop videos usually slay Western videos. This is certainly no exception.)

Featuring some truly ferocious choreography, the ladies work it out in some sort of icy snow palace while rocking sky-high stilettos and killer haute couture threads. For fans of girl groups of any kind, the video relentlessly delivers everything that a good girl group video should: Fierce poses, glamorous looks, glossy styling…it’s everything!

And as for the song itself? Crafted by Teddy Riley (Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga), “The Boys” is a solid modern R&B/dance-pop effort with some attitude–a welcome change from the all-too-grating sugary-sweet sound that K-Pop girl groups tend to churn out on the regular. The chorus is an instant ear-worm. Plus, for those easily offenced by a foreign tongue hitting their ears, their accents aren’t even that strong at all–a key factor in helping them to crossover to the West.

As an English debut, “The Boys” is a pretty massive introduction for the group. I’m incredibly excited to see what the international response is to Girls’ Generation–especially in America. Yay for global pop recognition!

“The Boys” was released on October 19. (iTunes)

It’s another year, which means it must be time for Ayumi Hamasaki to release a new album.

The Empress of J-Pop will be releasing her eleventh studio album on April 14, entitled Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus. The tracklisting is as follows:

01.THE introduction
02.Microphone
03.count down
04.Sunset ～LOVE is ALL～
05.BALLAD
06.Last Links
07.montage
08.Don’t look back
09.Jump!
10.Lady Dynamite
11.Sexy little things
12.Sunrise ～LOVE is ALL～
13.meaning of Love
14.You were…
15.RED LINE ～for TA～ [album version]

I’m not a fan of either album cover (CD and CD/DVD), nor did I find anything particularly impressive about the singles (“BALLAD” / “SUNRISE ~LOVE is ALL~“) that have been released from the album thus far. Actually, they’re terrible.

I feel like she’s been in a rut of generic balladry and cheap, faux-rock bland fests since 2006. Bring on dancey Ayu again–”Fly High”! “UNITE”! “WHATEVER”!

Disappointment city.

Click here for more details on the release.

I’m also rather confused about this cover, which features our Ayu seemingly transformed into a modern disco diva surrounded by a techno-technicolor paradise. Just who does she think she is lately with all this electronica influence–Ami Suzuki?

Click “Read More…” for the tracklisting!

CD DISC 1:
01.Bridge to the sky
02.NEXT LEVEL
03.Disco-munication
04.EnergizE
05.Sparkle
06.rollin’
07.GREEN
08.Load of the SHUGYO
09.identity
10.Rule
11.LOVE ‘n’ HATE
12.Pieces of SEVEN
13.Days
14.Curtain call

CD DISC 2:
LIVE CD from “PREMIUM COUNTDOWN LIVE 2008-2009 A”
01.GREEN
02.Will
03.End of the World
04.Heartplace
05.And Then
06.Naturally
07.POWDER SNOW
08.HOPE or PAIN
09.Over
10.SCAR
11.SIGNAL
12.Hana
13.too late
14.everywhere nowhere
15.Days
16.For My Dear…

＜DVD＞
01.Days ＜video clip＞
02.GREEN ＜video clip＞
03.Rule ＜video clip＞
04.Sparkle ＜video clip＞
05.NEXT LEVEL ＜video clip＞
06.Curtain call ＜video clip＞
07.Days ＜making clip＞
08.GREEN ＜making clip＞
09.Rule ＜making clip＞
10.Sparkle ＜making clip＞
11.NEXT LEVEL ＜making clip＞
12.Curtain call ＜making clip＞

Lest we forget, this is also the first major Japanese release to be done in USB format. Production is quite limited, so please do yourselves a favor and pre-order while you still can if you’re looking to nab one of these bejeweled beauts.

“SPARKLE” is the second A-side from Ayumi Hamasaki‘s forty fifth single, “RULE/SPARKLE.” And, though I never thought I’d find myself blogging these words: Koda Kumi–watch yourself.

While translations are still funneling in as we speak, the general gist of the lyrics is something we’ve not seen from Hamasaki since the days of “My Name’s WOMEN”:

“If you do it only half way, then it doesn’t tell me anything /
If you don’t try to touch, then I don’t understand.”

That’s right, ladies–It’s time for a little synth-ified reinterpretation of a whip cracking, booty smacking Ayumi Hamasaki empowerment jam. Moaning electro beats, bubbling house riffs, and a Junkie XL-worthy guitar strum coursing throughout…Now who would think I’d ever be referencing those kinds of sounds for an Ayu review?!

But as we know, Ayumi Hamasaki is always evolving, and this release may simply be a sign of what’s to come.

Some might even call it…The next level.

And in fact, they will: NEXT LEVEL is the name of Ayumi Hamasaki’s 10th studio release, a 13-track LP due on March 25. As is custom in the world of J-Pop, the album will be released in a buttload of formats; the most jam-packed of the set being the double CD+DVD featuring a live CD from “PREMIUM COUNTDOWN LIVE 2008-2009” and a DVD of six music videos.

Best of all, the release of NEXT LEVEL will also be packaged in a USB stick format, as seen below.

As a shameless whore for all things attractively packaged and branded, I can safely conclude that I absolutely MUST HAVE IT.

DL: Ayumi Hamasaki – SPARKLE (Sharebee)

Click here to pre-order “RULE/SPARKLE.”

Click above to hear more from Ayumi Hamasaki…And yes, she’s now on US iTunes!

“RULE” is Hamasaki’s forty-fifth (sweet Jesus) single, planned as the international theme song for upcoming film, Dragonball Evolution.

With this new release, we find our Ayu returning once more to her classic rock roots, Grinding guitars and unstoppable, driving synths, as well as filtered vocals and a shouty chorus propel the track into familiar grungy musical territory (“Evolution”, “GAME”).

Sadly however, I remain unconvinced.

Similar to my sentiments regarding the previous single (“DAYS/GREEN”), I feel compelled to lament that, once again, the new single fails to inspire the same satisfaction presented within I Am…, Rainbow, or even MY STORY. I cannot help but declare the track to be ultimately…safe.

In some ways, I fear that Hamasaki has sonically surpassed her peak position, and is now preparing for a safe route back down toward the summit. She’s proven herself an icon, garnered an impossibly successful record run, and managed to stay relevant in an industry known for shape-shifting. However, nothing she’s done in the past two or three years seems to be connecting with me as well as her earlier work.

Perhaps it’s just my natural progression away from the J-Pop scene in the past few months?

Either way, I hope to be proven wrong in the near future.

The single “RULE/SPARKLE” will be released February 25. Click here to pre-order now!

DL: Ayumi Hamasaki – RULE (Sharebee)

Ayu…Return to the underground dance scene. For me? …Please?

Check out Ayu‘s special acoustic performance of “SEASONS” last night on FNS Kayousai, followed by an orchestral rendition of her latest single, “DAYS.” The new song is pretty much the standard stuff of Ayumi’s winter releases, a haunting, cyclical ballad that threatens to reduce the woman to tears at any moment. A nice compliment to the other A-side, “GREEN,” I suppose.

Ayu looks absolutely stunning in this performance, though that’s never not been the case. It’s always so mesmerizing to watch her perform…She is the Queen of J-Pop, after all.

DL: Ayumi Hamasaki – DAYS

Thankfully I can breathe easy tonight, as the reigning empress of J-Pop plans the return to her throned position with the release of her 44th single, “GREEN/DAYS,” on December 18th.

Interestingly, unlike many of Hamasaki’s former singles, “GREEN” has been gaining buzz for months now. With Avex, fans tend to be left in the dark regarding song titles and information. This time around however, Ayu herself has been leaking snippets and lyrics over the past few weeks on her blog. And now, the single has finally wiggled its way out into the real world!

A smooth mixture of traditional Japanese strings and a distinctly tribal beat, “GREEN” is a rich, paced, and beautiful. Like “Voyage” or “Moments,” I know Ayu is truly emoting a story here. The song provides a slow and meticulous build, similar to that of “HEAVEN.” Reaching the chorus, the track becomes vintage Hamasaki and, for a moment, I forgot this was a new single. Nonetheless, it’s a solid effort.

While I’ve not been too pleased with Ms. Hamasaki’s musical output in recent years, I have to say that “GREEN” is a refreshing, seemingly focused effort. It doesn’t entirely thrill me, though it happily steers clear of becoming yet another carbon copy of a formulaic up-tempo rocker or signature Ayu winter ballad that has plagued the past few releases.

A new beginning for a new Ayu…I like it.

Click “Read More…” to read the fully translated lyrics, thanks to this poster. Truly gorgeous and poetic…Much like most of Ayu’s back catalog.

GREEN
The light sparkled coldly
Like the trees hide the sea, the colours were extinguished
Tied to a wish, keeping everything at a distance
As if I were afraid of warmth

Ever since our fingers touched
It’s like my thoughts are overflowing
Because of that moment,
I recognized this love

Why is it that a person who follows their heart
Finds walking so difficult?
Even though I know you’ll say “I really, truly understand”
In reality, your eyes betrayed you
And denied your beliefs

The future staring at me
Is the sweet silhouette of that person
When the winds change,
Will this thought be conveyed?

Ever since our fingers touched
It’s like my thoughts are overflowing
Because of that moment,
I recognized this love

The future staring at me
Is the sweet silhouette of that person
When the winds change,
Will this thought be conveyed?

la la la…
la la la…
DL: Ayumi Hamasaki – GREEN

Make sure you purchase the single! Never hesitant to overly capitalize upon a release, Avex has decided to release the single in four different ways, so check it out!

Don’t be fooled by the title, non-Kumi enthusiasts…It’s the fourth compilation. Last year, Avex Records released the astonishingly unnecessary BEST～Bounce & Lovers～, a collection of seemingly random up-tempos and ballads from her back catalog. Most likely, this is an effort to revitalize Kumi’s scandalized public image, allowing us all to remember the better, more wholesome times…Like this! Seriously though, it’s been one studio album since the last greatest hits. Who do they think she is, Ayumi?

Oh, J-Pop stars…You manage to stay on top for even a year, you’ll still have four Greatest Hits collections waiting for you on the way out.

———————

On a side note, Grace Jones‘ album has finally made its way to my inbox…Hold on tight.

There’s not a whole lot going on in this Alice In Wonderland-themed video that hasn’t been conquered before (minus the stripper horses…or horse strippers), though I appreciate the usage of various winning formulas of recent history. The dancing brings me back to a less intense version of Ciara‘s rooftop choreography for “Get Up,” the damsel-in-distressed Alice conjures Gwen “What You Waiting For?” And how much does she look like Ayumi in “Because of You”?

The video’s pretty simple and clean (HA!), featuring a newly pixified and androgonized Utada recording and playing instruments as she does in real life! I wonder if she was producing an actual song as this was filmed? Quite possible.

You know, I sort of forgot how beautiful this song was until I stumbled upon the video recently. I never actually reviewed the album when it was released weeks ago, and I guess that alone speaks volumes for my feelings on the matter. I love Hikaru to death. She’s one of my top three entertainers of all time. Yet overall, the album seemed to sail by my subconscious quite quickly after its release. It’s melodic and warmly soothing thanks to the many synth-heavy mid tempo tracks, though altogether it lacks any truly addictive songs, barring “Take 5.” Nevertheless, HEART STATION is one immensely soothing concoction. See the picture to the right? That’s essentially the mood of the album, captured in one frame. Enjoy the video!