Utada Hikaru - Exodus, 02. Devil Inside

Notes on the second track follow. It's a shame that it would take two years to get Devil Inside right for Utada United.

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A bunch of you guys know my opinion of this track. In brief, the Richard Vission remix is better than the original. I think she played the Exotic Asian card too frequently. It's in the tonal percussion, it's in her melody, it's in the insistent guitar riff in the chorus, it's everywhere. Lyrics and vocal contribution are pretty thin in this one, so it lacks content in my view, and the backgrounds are a cheap gimmick. I suppose it was meant for remixing for playing in clubs. When there are lyrics, it's not-so-subtle implications of sex.

The moment the track begins, you're greeted with what sounds to be an electronic organ, or some electronic water instrument effect. Whatever it is, it sounds like it's from out of the Bowser levels in Super Mario Brothers...1. That's right, the first game to come out for the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. It could have been replaced by a real sustained organ, or electric bass. The pentatonic percussion sounds real enough. Why not use some bassy wind instrument?

I'm actually partial to the codetta featuring the pentatonic percussion.

It's pretty mediocre by Hikaru standards, in terms of content and technical demands. It's listenable, but drags. It's probably going to bore most potential listeners out there.