Cubic U – Close to You May 28, 2008

Track Listing

1. Close to You
2. Take A Little While
3. Ticket 4 Two
4. Precious Love

1. Close to You

It’s a remake of the Carpenters’ classic hit.  Utada starts off with a strong sound.  Although there’s a guy singing the verses, blech!!!  When Utada does sing in the chorus it’s really nice.  It definitly has an R&B flavor to it.  It’s a really well made remake if you ask me.

2. Take A Little While

It’s a very mellow song but retaining the R&B flavor to it.  It sounds a lot like the Utada we know and love now.  I mean she’s a bit more airy in her words.  There’s some tribal sounds throughout that makes this song a bit catchy.  Though the chorus can be a bit repetitive sometimes it sounds nice nonetheless

3. Ticket 4 Two

Even more quieter than “Take A Little While”  Utada starts out doin a lil hip-hopping before coming in with the verses.  She also sounds like she’s speaking the words and not singing.  The BKGD voices sound nice though.  When she goes into the 2nd verse/bridge she actually starts singing.  Not the best song on the single if you ask me.

4. Precious Love

Ending off the single is this catchier tune.  The only part I was against was the beginning when they are saying ~My precious, My precious love~ it annoyed me because they were soooooo off.  After that it’s a nice ballad/r&b tune.  There was a little bit of Utada, but still, it’s still a catchy song.  It’s also good that it’s long too, because it’s pretty cool.  Then the guy’s voice and Utada adlibs to the end which was very nice.

 

 

Utada 1st English single was totally unusual but yet, very well made.  Luckily this is the only single for the era and all 4 songs are on her first English album.  All the songs had a R&B flavor which will carry her through a lot of her career, that is until ULTRA BLUE practically.  Even then, a definite memorable single.