Review: Hikaru Utada - Be my last
Toying with the Western hemisphere isn't the only thing Utada's been up to these days. As she retooled her Exodus album for the UK, she also recorded a song for Isao Yukisada's 's new romance film, Haru no Yuki. I don't know if the movie is any good, but Utada's theme is amazing.
Be My Last is a return to form for Utada. After stretching her vocal chords in Exodus, she's back in the modest, reflective realm that has served her well over the years. For much of the song, she simply coasts with a single guitar chord, as if she's gathering us around the campfire to tell a story.
Then, all of the sudden, everything changes. When an ominous backbeat enters a minute or so in, the comfort and security lent by the solo guitar receives a serious jolt of fear and uncertainty. It's probably how she felt writing the song and video in Prague, with her European debut on the horizon and a growing need for direction in her Japanese career.
Speaking of the video, be sure to catch a preview here. The clip is short but stirring, especially when Utada watches longingly as someone else sings her song.
Utada's first Japanese single in 17 months is a ballad. Her last single was a ballad. But don't worry, pop fans, she hasn't forgotten you. "I didn't mean to release two ballads in a row," she writes in her online diary. "I also have some non-ballads up my sleeve." Yes, the old Utada is back.
Released: 9/28/2005 
