victor_survive wrote:Info about the songs:

1. Image
Lyrics & Composition: MAMI
Arrangement: Keita Kawaguchi

2. Your song
Lyrics & Composition: SCANDAL
Arrangement: Keita Kawaguchi

3. love in action
Lyrics & Composition: MAMI
Arrangement: MAMI, Keita Kawaguchi

4. Departure
Lyrics & Composition: MAMI
Arrangement: Seiji Kameda

5. Graduation
Lyrics & Composition: HARUNA
Arrangement: Atsushi

6. Yoake no Ryuuseigun
Lyrics: TOMOMI, Hidenori Tanaka
Composition: Hidenori Tanaka
Arrangement: Seiji Kameda

7. Onegai Navigation
Lyrics: RINA
Composition: MAMI
Arrangement: MAMI, Keita Kawaguchi

8. Runners high
Lyrics: HARUNA
Composition: Yuichi Tajika
Arrangement: Yu Odakura

9. Hon wo Yomu
Lyrics: MAMI
Composition: MAMI
Arrangement: MAMI, Keita Kawaguchi

10. Kan Biiru
Lyrics: TOMOMI
Composition: TOMOMI
Arrangement: Keita Kawaguchi

11. Winter story
Lyrics: RINA
Composition: RINA, MAMI
Arrangement: Satori Shiraishi

12. Oyasumi
Lyrics: RINA
Composition: RINA, Keita Kawaguchi
Arrangement: Keita Kawaguchi

13. Place of life
Lyrics: Tetsuya Komuro, SCANDAL
Composition: Tetsuya Komuro
Arrangement: Keita Kawaguchi

source

As I had the feeling since STANDARD, MAMI is now really more involved and interested in song making. At the beggining that role was taken by TIMO (many many lyrics by her) but now it shifted to MAMI and even RINA.

I think it's really good to see that most songs are now made by SCANDAL and this will be an important album for them. I see no reason why suddenly they would go back to their old ways and let others make their music now ! Well except a few songs there and there maybe but no shame in that of course, their old songs made like that are awesome too.

I hope this album can sell as good as the others or even break records because that would not only be awesome for the members as a band but also to show them they can definitely created amazing songs alone!

maharizm wrote:

Joshua10red wrote:I have a question about the t-shirt....will be the same size for all, or we can select the size for our t-shirt?

I think TGE has answered this in the thread. Japanese size M ie Euro size S! There was no option for size choice in CDJ etc and if it is anything like last year, it'll be M.

Thank you for help....If will be like last year means i can`t wear it .waaa. Why japan clothing sizes is so different from Europe????

The girls are getting more and more implicated in the creation of their music, I like that!!^o^)/*
Mami is doing very great, she even takes part in the arrangements!♥

Waouh the covers are soooo cool 
I like the ambiance and i love their looks. My favorite cover is that of the dvd with the clocks. It is very very cool. It has accelerated my impatience for the release 

Joshua10red wrote:Why japan clothing sizes is so different from Europe????

Because Japanese are, on average, smaller than Europeans. Same with Americans. I often can't even wear a Japanese LL (XL), and I'm rail thin by American standards.

I can't imagine that even most Japanese fans buy the t-shirt editions to actually wear, though. Only offering one size and it being an "M" can't possibly appeal to a very broad demographic there, considering that their fans are about equally split between male and female and are all different ages. I think the majority there have gotta be buying it to collect just like many of us would be.

spacecadet wrote:

Joshua10red wrote:Why japan clothing sizes is so different from Europe????

Because Japanese are, on average, smaller than Europeans. Same with Americans. I often can't even wear a Japanese LL (XL), and I'm rail thin by American standards.

I can't imagine that even most Japanese fans buy the t-shirt editions to actually wear, though. Only offering one size and it being an "M" can't possibly appeal to a very broad demographic there, considering that their fans are about equally split between male and female and are all different ages. I think the majority there have gotta be buying it to collect just like many of us would be.

Lol I feel like I'm the only person here who fits the album t-shirts. I'm 5'7 (170cm) 140 lbs btw (63kg)

spacecadet wrote:I can't imagine that even most Japanese fans buy the t-shirt editions to actually wear, though. Only offering one size and it being an "M" can't possibly appeal to a very broad demographic there, considering that their fans are about equally split between male and female and are all different ages. I think the majority there have gotta be buying it to collect just like many of us would be.

This is why I asked earlier if the shirt was made to be worn. I figured the one size thing couldn't possibly cater to a good number of Scandal fans due to the variety of fans they have.

Hi! I need a little help. Has anyone here ordered online on HMV Japan and delivered outside Japan via EMS?

Too bad, the LP version is "no longer available" on CDJapan. Ordering on HMV Japan (because of its English translation) is the only way to do so. I'm unsure if Tower Records has an English-languaged site.

MamiNoodles wrote:Hi! I need a little help. Has anyone here ordered online on HMV Japan and delivered outside Japan via EMS?

I'm in the US and I just received a package from HMV Japan today (2nd time ordering something from them and on an item that was released on the 28th/29th). I haven't had any issues with them so far.

MamiNoodles wrote:Hi! I need a little help. Has anyone here ordered online on HMV Japan and delivered outside Japan via EMS?

I have. Been doing so for their RINA bonuses since KnT was released last year (really costly to be ordering from 2 separate places for every release T.T). What kind of help do you need?

Well well well, I was expecting more comments about the credits songs of the girls which has been just unveiled than the T-Shirt size thingy

Perfect. Must own one.

Looking for T-shirt  .wow.
I just Pre ordered at jkpoop.com  .clap.

Yuffie wrote:Well well well, I was expecting more comments about the credits songs of the girls which has been just unveiled than the T-Shirt size thingy

I know right? Let's talk more about the music, which will probably be awesome again this time around.

What will be interesting in the future is - with the girls (presumably) writing most of their own material from now on, is the album schedule too tight? I'm thinking one album a year will be hard to achieve with more songwriting workload, unless they're really good at individual members taking their turn.

I think they should do whatever they want. Although I'd rather hear their own words and music over some producer, they shouldn't feel pressured (by fans or company staff) to always write and compose everything. Many of their best songs were produced by someone else. On the other hand the girls haven't been composing music for too long, so maybe they'll always have something new to create for years to come. 

Hikare and Standard are prime examples of self-produced songs that are experimental and awesome. There's no doubt that they have the skill, and that skill will only get better. But yeah, maybe they'll have to slow down their schedule sometime if they want to be more involved in the composition process.

Scandard wrote:

Spoiler:

That is exactly what I am thinking too
Looking forward to hear the songs they have composed!

I am pretty sure they won't do 100% of their future songs, it will surely be like this year where they get "help" on some songs and make the songs like in the past.

But it also seems clear to me that from now on they want to do their own songs. And they are 4, they can divide the amount of work, it's not like just one person has to write all the songs. So I expect the future songs/albums be like this HELLO WORLD album, mostly their songs but with some others and so they can keep their rhythm each year ^^

@iamcrazymike: Thanks. That's the exact answer or feedback I am asking for.

@metalleo: I'm fine so far, thanks. I'm just thinking what to order on top of the Hello World LP a few days from now.

Going back to the original topic, we're glad that Mami and Rina are becoming more involved with songwriting. I'm really curious with a track Kan Biiru (A Can of Beer). It seems like Tomomi is trying to address some more mature subjects. It's just my theory, though.

I guess, they must take a prolonged break after the world tour to focus more on songwriting, honing their musicality, etc. I don't know if the Japanese mainstream music industry have that kind of work-life balance rule.

abcfsk wrote:I'm thinking one album a year will be hard to achieve with more songwriting workload, unless they're really good at individual members taking their turn.

I think it depends on what else they're doing each year. I've felt - and I may be wrong, but I'm just going by what I remember from years past - that parts of this year felt pretty light in terms of activity from them. Also, certain things that they've done on a pretty regular schedule in recent years (single release dates, DVD) have either been later than usual or haven't come at all. The album is also later than the summer/early fall release they usually do.

I've always thought that the reason they've been able to keep up the high level of touring and other activity that they're known for is that their albums are basically like a week's worth of work for them. They get the demo tapes, they practice the parts a bit and then they record. Then they can spend the other 51 weeks out of the year or whatever doing other things. Bands who write their own music aren't able to do that.

So I think they could keep doing an album per year writing most of their own music like this, but at a reduced level of other activity. They'll have to find a balance. Personally I love their own songs but I also like to see them out there making appearances and doing stuff while also releasing an album and DVD per year. So I don't think they'll go to full-on 100% songwriting for future albums, but maybe half and half. And they'll probably always have separate "arrangers" (and the amount of involvement in each song by those people is anyone's guess).

This album is like 4/5 by their own hands, and I doubt they'll go back on that to do half and half. Once you feel that kind of ownership of the music you perform I don't think they want to have less creative input. I'm sure they're very proud of having made much of this album by themselves. I have no idea how much time they spend on doing that though, if they're in an inspired state it will go quicker ofc. 

Ultimately to me it doesn't matter how often they release albums as long as the quality and care for their craft is there.
 

spacecadet wrote:And they'll probably always have separate "arrangers" (and the amount of involvement in each song by those people is anyone's guess).

True, although Mami seems to involve herself with the arrangement more as well.

Wow! I'm really excited to see so many member-composed songs. I can't wait to hear them all, especially MAMI's. I think this is the first album with member involvement in all the songs; there were always a few songs on previous albums that were written and composed by others, I think.

RINA singing and playing guitar?! If they ever play that song live, I want to see MAMI take over on drums. While they're at it, they should mix it up completely and have HARUNA on bass and TOMOMI on guitar like I've always wanted to see...

abcfsk wrote:This album is like 4/5 by their own hands, and I doubt they'll go back on that to do half and half. Once you feel that kind of ownership of the music you perform I don't think they want to have less creative input.

It's unfortunately probably not really up to them. It's going to depend on how this whole yearly cycle plays out financially, which is something we'll never know.

@MamiNoodles
If you haven't ordered yet and want to order from CDJ, they have 26 copies of vinyl edition available for pre-order now.

spacecadet wrote:

abcfsk wrote:This album is like 4/5 by their own hands, and I doubt they'll go back on that to do half and half. Once you feel that kind of ownership of the music you perform I don't think they want to have less creative input.

It's unfortunately probably not really up to them. It's going to depend on how this whole yearly cycle plays out financially, which is something we'll never know.

Not entirely up to them, I agree but I think they took more power now and maybe have a better contract or something.

The band is selling more and more (or at least at the same level each time) and even if they don't have that huge mega hit like some other artists (AKB48 or the very big ones) they have good sales.

Now it is very clear that something changed and that they are allowed to make their own songs more. Unless there is a very big drop in the sales for this album I see no reason why they would go back.

But they will probably still do a mix, their songs 100% and some songs with collaboration from other people like in the past.