Search - Ringo Shena :: Muzai Moratoriamu

Groundbreaking

sam lee | Northfield, MN USA | 05/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you haven't heard of Shiina Ringo, then I recommend that you jump on the web and find out as much as you possibly can. I found out about her 5 months ago, and she is now my favorite artist. Her music is incredible; she can rock, swing, moan, be sentimental, macbre, violent and sarcastic all within the span of three songs. She can cross genres on a whim, but always makes every song disctinctively her own. Shiina Ringo's latest work (Karuki Zamen Kuro no Hana) is without a doubt her best, but her earlier albums like this one (her first) are great to hear as well. The songs on Muzai Moratorium (Moratorium on Innocence) are just rock songs by a young artist (She was 17 when she wrote most of them), but even here, you can hear a complexity, creativity and creativeness that belies a typical pop song and makes the album satisfying to listen to again and again. The music is so rich; you can go through the whole album just listening to the deceptively complex melodies she writes,how the guitar lines interact with the music, or all of the subtle manipulations she makes with her voice. And of course no matter what she's doing, she always always knows how to rock. I also recommend Sohyo Strip, her second full length album, which shows more artistic development. Trust me, once you hear and really listen to what Shiina Ringo is doing, you'll be hooked."

My Favorite Japanese Singer

simon2000 | SF, CA USA | 07/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Muzzai Moratorium is a great album, it is so different from other Japanese music. It's also Shiina Ringo's first album. She wrote the songs when she was around 17. Pay close attention to her second album, Shouso Strip, it's even better, but I think it's a little bit hard to find at this moment. Some good songs in Shouso Strip are, No.4, Gibs (Gyps), No.6, Identity, No.7, Tsumi to Batsu (Crime and Punishment), No.9, Tsuki ni Makeinu (Moon and the Loser)."

Not your typical J-pop female musician

simon2000 | 02/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've been in Tokyo for a bit more than a year, and in general find J-pop to be overly produced, overly cute; Shiina Ringo, however, was a nice suprise. Her songs are catchy even though I don't understand the lyrics.I find the intros to most of her songs lacking, but they almost always pick up steam. Her voice has a tendency to be slightly shrill, and that needs to be avoided, but doesn't take away from this her first album.On the B-side of one of her single-cds were some nice jazz covers which I really enjoyed, too. She has talent. I definitely recommend this album."