Seiko Oomori‘s career after her last solo album, Kintsugi was in a great position. She’d delivered an album that fans had eaten up almost unanimously, and ZOC were prepping to release their first full length album. Until her much talked about scandal hit. Of course I open with this, because there’s no real way to get around talking about this record without addressing the fact that Seiko Oomori’s entire image has been permanently altered for a lot of people. Being accused of power abuse is an ugly business, and that infamous audio leak still is one of the most haunting moments I have lived through following any loved artist. While parties involved have moved on and seemingly made up, there’s still the shadow of it that lingers over- and that is what may make this new album the make-or-break moment for those of us that are left.
For those that are still left, I can gladly state that this album is successful on many levels; it doesn’t feel like Seiko has disowned or denied any of her flaws, she here acknowledges them and leans into a kind of self reflective maturity not heard from her since TOKYO BLACK HOLE (the album she wrote mostly when pregnant). However, this time Seiko seems to be reflective on what it means to be where she is, and what having the gaze of many (mostly female) fans really means. Sound-wise, Seiko has taken a step back and reflected on what she brought to the table in her early career, and pushed for songs that closely resemble her launchpad era (think Zettai Shoujo). In-fact, one of the first thoughts I made was that this album could indeed have been her avex debut, if she had chosen to stay folksier instead of the bombastic pop presented to us on Sennou
Opening with an upright bass, heavily distorted guitars, and Seiko singing in an absolute growl, eventually dissipating into Seiko’s trademark acoustic strumming and sweet vocals really sets the tone wonderfully. It’s as if she is resolutely summing up her character faults, tearing herself apart and succumbing to her feelings. The music video seems to back this further, with her idol-like visage in a funeral frame propped on top a literal mountain of filth. It’s the album’s most challenging and introverted track and to place it as the opener was a purposeful choice- Seiko offering herself up to those that have chosen to stay with her. There’s a good chance this might be her greatest songwriting achievement to date- the creepy arrangement, particularly on the latter end is so multifaceted and rewarding. It’s like Seiko trying to sum up Seiko in five minutes and that alone is worth price of entry.
It’s not all gloomy though, Seiko’s trademark sense of fun is not totally lost despite the weight of everything upon her. There are those bouncier, boppier moments throughout, and that is highlighted best in it’s title track, “Chotengoku”. What makes this song ridiculously memorable is how unnasuming it is on first listen. Poppy and pleasant, sure, but the absolute ear-worm it becomes after a few listens (you’ll definitely be waking up with this one stuck in your head) shows off its real potency. “Mahoutsukai wa Ni-do Shinu” is the perfect example of getting the two extremes of Seiko’s music output balanced. That infectiously poppy bounce interwoven with spikes and jabs of something a little heavier and more sinister. It’s a great show of both Seiko’s ear for songwriting and her frequent contributor, sugarbeans‘ impeccable arrangement skills.
This pairing has become the strongest bond in Seikos musical life, and together they are unstoppable. Older fans will be happy to hear that this album comes complete with a run of slower, intricate and acoustic based ballads in the middle. The most exciting of these is ‘Tokyo no Sei ne Shite’ which feels like an extension of her classic “Over the Party” with it’s distorted guitars adding some gritty dissonance. This may be the most “Seiko Oomori TM” song on an album of hers in years- and it’s just wonderful hearing her do what she does best.
With all that said, there will always be a niggling awkward reality to this album’s greatness; and that is that this album wouldn’t be THIS album if it weren’t for the scandals that Seiko went through the last few years. Indeed, I believe we would have been listening to something more akin to the latter few records, more bouncy, less introspective, ‘poppier’, more electronic, more producers involved. If there is a silver lining to everything that’s happened, this album is it.
That leaves this album in a place where I find it difficult to rank it among her albums. I definitely think this is the best record Seiko Oomori has delivered in a long time, but the cost to her personal image has been great. The storied lead-up to the album and how the listener consumes this album is definitely going to be one of the most personal interactions anyone is going to have with an album in quite some time. I personally am able to accept that Seiko Oomori isn’t a perfect person, but believe that because of this, her art has become the most genuine it has ever been.
This is my favorite Japanese pop album of the year. How other people view it is entirely up to their personal stance on the issue. It’s a fascinating release that will definitely go down as one of the big stepping stones in Seiko Oomori’s career. It feels like a spiritual successor to Zettai Shoujo in that regard- Zettai Shoujo the bridge between indie and major label, Chotengoku the reflective record after a terrible run of incidents in her personal life. The choice to strip back the album to just a backing band of close people was an excellent choice, a fantastic example of ‘less is more’. It’s hard to say where Seiko’s music will go in her solo career from here, but if it keeps up this quality, I am all aboard.
9/10. Seiko Oomori has delivered the Jpop album of the year, even with the baggage it carries.
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