History Music / ExodusUtadaHikaruAlbum

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1280x1280.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''My baby, don't you know I'll never let you down?'']]

''Exodus'' is the second English-language studio album by Music/HikaruUtada, released on September 8, 2004 under the [[OneNameOnly mononym]] Utada. Though this is their second album in English, it is typically seen as their Western debut, as their previous album, ''Precious'' (released under the StageName Cubic U) was [[NoExportForYou not released in English-language markets]] due to Creator/CapitolRecords restructuring at the time.

Following the release of three massively successful and acclaimed Japanese albums, ''Music/FirstLove'', ''Music/{{Distance}}'' and ''Music/DeepRiver'', Utada felt they had exhausted their creative energy and was unsure of what to do next in their career when they were approached by Creator/IslandRecords to debut with an English-language album in the US. They agreed, feeling that a recording in a different language could provide their with new inspiration for music.

Utada produced almost all of the album by themself, in what they described as a "very intense, introverted process", resulting in a [[NewSoundAlbum dramatically different sound]] from their previous work. Though they had already begun to branch away from R&B music and experiment with different genres with ''Deep River'', ''Exodus'' sees a major GenreShift to experimental electronica music, with hip-hop, R&B, rock and world music influences. Lyrically, the album deals with relationships, communication and self-reflection, and is notable for having [[HotterAndSexier much more sexual content]] than their previous work. Utada also addresses their Japanese heritage on certain tracks, with lyrics that [[{{Narm}} raised eyebrows]] among some listeners.

Though ''Exodus'' was intended to make Utada a crossover star, the album was commercially unsuccessful in Western markets. Despite positive reviews, the album peaked at #160 on the Billboard 200 and sold about 55,000 copies. Unlike previous crossover attempts by Japanese artists, Utada's English ability was not an issue; however, its left-of-centre style, lack of promotion by Island, and Western prejudice against East Asian artists are all cited as possible reasons for its failure. In Japan, the album was much more successful, debuting at #1 and selling over 1 million copies, though this was also [[ToughActToFollow an underperformance]] compared to the monumental success of their first three albums.

Four singles were released from the album: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpqTJySA5Sc Easy Breezy ]]", "Devil Inside", "Exodus '04", and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvviETUQsIs You Make Me Want to Be a Man]]". None of them received significant attention in the West, though "Easy Breezy" was a hit in Japan and "Devil Inside" became a #1 hit on the US dance charts.

----
!! Tracklist:

# "Opening" (1:50)
# "Devil Inside" (3:58)
# "Exodus '04" (4:32)
# "The Workout" (4:01)
# "Easy Breezy" (4:03)
# "Tippy Toe" (4:15)
# "Hotel Lobby" (4:30)
# "Animato" (4:31)
# "Crossover Interlude" (1:18)
# "Kremlin Dusk" (5:14)
# "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" (4:37)
# "Wonder 'Bout" (3:48)
# "Let Me Give You My Love" (3:38)
# "About Me" (4:00)

----
!! I still remember the ways that you troped me...
* [[AccentOnTheWrongSyllable AcCENT Upon the Wrong SylLABle]]: In "About Me":
-->Although we have known eacho'''ther''' for quite a while...
-->[...]
-->Who knows it if '''could''' be good '''for''' you af'''ter''' all
* AdamAndEvePlot: In the video for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvviETUQsIs You Make Me Want to be a Man]] has a modern, robotic twist, where Utada plays a feminine robot constructed around a masculine robot's rib. Also, there is a reference to the snake.
* AlbumTitleDrop:
** "Exodus '04":
--->Through mountains high and valleys low
--->The ocean, through the desert, snow
--->We'll say goodbye to the friends we know
--->This is our '''Exodus''' '04...
* BoastfulRap: Somehow manages a rare sung variant in "Animato".
-->Somebody out there better get this
-->Not many people can do it like this
-->How about some speakers to amplify me?
-->How about a rhyme to fortify me?
-->Life's messy so I clarify it
-->Simplifying things for everybody
* BrokenBird: The character described in "Hotel Lobby" seems to be one:
-->She doesn't want to be respected
-->Reality's her best friend
-->She needs the extra money
-->In the city, the town, and the household
-->So many things go unreported
-->[[DarkAndTroubledPast So many things her eyes have seen]]
* DoubleEntendre: From "Easy Breezy":
-->I should have never ever [[IntercourseWithYou let you inside]]
* FaceOnTheCover: As with all their albums.
* GenreShift: This album can be considered the completion of their transition to electronic music that began with Music/DeepRiver. Almost all the tracks are electronica, with a handful of electronically-infused R&B / hip-hop songs.
* HotterAndSexier: Oh, boy. Where their Japanese albums were fairly chaste (the most sexual it got was "Travelling", which was an extended but fairly subtle DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything innuendo), here they grind on strangers at nightclubs, has a one-night stand and regrets it, is TheMistress to a married man, and sings from the perspective of a BrokenBird [[TheOldestProfession escort]]. This understandably attracted a lot of attention from their Japanese fanbase.
* IntercourseWithYou: "The Workout", "Tippy Toe", and "Let Me Give You My Love" are all quite overt examples.
* MoodWhiplash:
** "Let Me Give You My Love" takes us from ''the death of a child'' to IntercourseWithYou in about 10 seconds:
-->What a day, young boy next door passed away
-->Oh, it makes me wanna say, I don't wanna waste another day
-->Can you and I start mixing gene pools
-->Eastern and Western people, getting naughty, multilingual...
* NotStayingForBreakfast: "Easy Breezy" is about Utada's lover doing this to them.
-->You came and went and left my house like a breeze just passing by
-->Hello, goodbye, you left a note saying "It was nice stopping by"
* TheOldestProfession: "Hotel Lobby" is a fairly dark portrayal of this:
-->She rises with the sunset
-->She wonders "when will this end?"
-->The world is full of money
-->She goes out unprotected
-->She doesn't listen to her best friend
-->It's only for the money
* OutOfGenreExperience: The rock song "Kremlin Dusk" is one compared to the rest of the album which is all electropop.
* {{Sampling}}: The violin-sounding instrument from "Exodus '04" is lifted from the song "Meshkeltek" by an Arabian artist named Aitha al-Menhali.
* SceneryPorn: The video for "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" has some very elaborate scenery to go with its AdamAndEvePlot.
* ShoutOut:
** To Creator/EdgarAllanPoe in "Kremlin Dusk". Utada even uses his full name in the lyrics.
** To Music/ElvisPresley, Music/LedZeppelin, and Music/FreddieMercury in "Animato". Again, they mention them directly in the lyrics.
* SlutShaming: The first verse of "Easy Breezy" deals with being on the receiving end of this:
-->You look stupid, telling all your friends that you got the best of me
-->I intended to share the pleasure only
-->Now I look stupid, we're living in a world with a lot of pressure
-->It's quite unneeded to put more pressure on me
* TitleTrack: "Exodus '04" is a partial example.

''Exodus'' is the second English-language studio album by Music/UtadaHikaru, released on September 8, 2004 under the [[OneNameOnly mononym]] Utada. Though this is their second album in English, it is typically seen as their Western debut, as their previous album, ''Precious'' (released under the StageName Cubic U) was [[NoExportForYou not released in English-language markets]] due to Creator/CapitolRecords restructuring at the time.

''Exodus'' is the second English-language studio album by Music/UtadaHikaru, released on September 8, 2004 under the [[OneNameOnly mononym]] Utada. Though this is her second album in English, it is typically seen as her Western debut, as her previous album, ''Precious'' (released under the StageName Cubic U) was [[NoExportForYou not released in English-language markets]] due to Creator/CapitolRecords restructuring at the time.

Following the release of three massively successful and acclaimed Japanese albums, ''Music/FirstLove'', ''Music/{{Distance}}'' and ''Music/DeepRiver'', Utada felt she had exhausted her creative energy and was unsure of what to do next in her career when she was approached by Creator/IslandRecords to debut with an English-language album in the US. She agreed, feeling that a recording in a different language could provide her with new inspiration for music.

Utada produced almost all of the album by herself, in what she described as a "very intense, introverted process", resulting in a [[NewSoundAlbum dramatically different sound]] from her previous work. Though she had already begun to branch away from R&B music and experiment with different genres with ''Deep River'', ''Exodus'' sees a major GenreShift to experimental electronica music, with hip-hop, R&B, rock and world music influences. Lyrically, the album deals with relationships, communication and self-reflection, and is notable for having [[HotterAndSexier much more sexual content]] than her previous work. Utada also addresses her Japanese heritage on certain tracks, with lyrics that [[{{Narm}} raised eyebrows]] among some listeners.

Though ''Exodus'' was intended to make Utada a crossover star, the album was commercially unsuccessful in Western markets. Despite positive reviews, the album peaked at #160 on the Billboard 200 and sold about 55,000 copies. Unlike previous crossover attempts by Japanese artists, Utada's English ability was not an issue; however, its left-of-centre style, lack of promotion by Island, and Western prejudice against East Asian artists are all cited as possible reasons for its failure. In Japan, the album was much more successful, debuting at #1 and selling over 1 million copies, though this was also [[ToughActToFollow an underperformance]] compared to the monumental success of her first three albums.

* FaceOnTheCover: As with all her albums.
* GenreShift: This album can be considered the completion of her transition to electronic music that began with Music/DeepRiver. Almost all the tracks are electronica, with a handful of electronically-infused R&B / hip-hop songs.
* HotterAndSexier: Oh, boy. Where her Japanese albums were fairly chaste (the most sexual it got was "Travelling", which was an extended but fairly subtle DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything innuendo), here she grinds on strangers at nightclubs, has a one-night stand and regrets it, is TheMistress to a married man, and sings from the perspective of a BrokenBird [[TheOldestProfession escort]]. This understandably attracted a lot of attention from her Japanese fanbase.

* NotStayingForBreakfast: "Easy Breezy" is about Utada's lover doing this to her.

** To Music/ElvisPresley, Music/LedZeppelin, and Music/FreddieMercury in "Animato". Again, she mentions them directly in the lyrics.

* TitleTrack: "Exodus '04" is a partial example.
* YourCheatingHeart: "Tippy Toe", which is sung from the point of view of the mistress.

Though ''Exodus'' was intended to make Utada a crossover star, the album was commercially unsuccessful in Western markets. Despite positive reviews, the album peaked at #160 on the Billboard 200 and sold about 55,000 copies. Unlike previous crossover attempts by Japanese artists, Utada's English ability was not an issue; however, its left-of-centre style, lack of promotion by Island, and Western prejudice against East Asian artists are all cited as possible reasons for its failure. In Japan, the album was much more successful, debuting at #1 and selling over 1 million copies; however, this was also [[ToughActToFollow disappointing compared to the monumental success of her Japanese albums]], and ''Exodus'' was her [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative first album not to be the best-selling album of the year it was released.]]

* HotterAndSexier: Oh, boy. Where her Japanese albums were fairly chaste (the most sexual it got was "Travelling", which was an extended but fairly subtle DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything innuendo), here she grinds on strangers at nightclubs, has a OneNightStand and regrets it, is TheMistress to a married man, and sings from the perspective of a BrokenBird [[TheOldestProfession escort]]. This understandably attracted a lot of attention from her Japanese fanbase.

''Exodus'' is the second English-language studio album by Music/UtadaHikaru, released on September 8, 2004 under the [[OneNameOnly mononym]] Utada. Though this is her second album in English, it is typically seen as her Western debut, as her previous album, ''Precious'' (released under the StageName Cubic U) was [[NoExportForYou not released in English-language markets]] due to Capitol Records restructuring at the time.

Following the release of three massively successful and acclaimed Japanese albums, ''Music/FirstLove'', ''{{Music/Distance}}'' and ''Music/DeepRiver'', Utada felt she had exhausted her creative energy and was unsure of what to do next in her career when she was approached by Island Records to debut with an English-language album in the US. She agreed, feeling that a recording in a different language could provide her with new inspiration for music.

Though ''Exodus'' was intended to make Utada a crossover star, the album was commercially unsuccessful in Western markets. Despite positive reviews, the album peaked at #160 on the Billboard 200 and selling about 55,000 copies. Unlike previous crossover attempts by Japanese artists, Utada's English ability was not an issue; however, its left-of-centre style, lack of promotion by Island Records, and Western prejudice against East Asian artists are all cited as possible reasons for its failure. In Japan, the album was much more successful, debuting at #1 and selling over 1 million copies; however, this was also [[ToughActToFollow disappointing compared to the monumental success of her Japanese albums]], and ''Exodus'' was her [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative first album not to be the best-selling album of the year it was released.]]

** To EdgarAllanPoe in "Kremlin Dusk". Utada even uses his full name in the lyrics.
** To ElvisPresley, LedZeppelin, and FreddieMercury in "Animato". Again, she mentions them directly in the lyrics.

* TranslatedCoverVersion:

* GenreShift: Her early albums were mainly R&B; starting with ''Deep River'' she's moved towards pop music with a more electronic, experimental sound, often with orchestral elements.
* HotterAndSexier: Oh, boy. Where her Japanese albums were fairly chaste (the most sexual it got was "Travelling", which had a few DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything innuendos), here she grinds on strangers at nightclubs, has a OneNightStand and regrets it, is TheMistress to a married man, and sings from the perspective of a BrokenBird [[TheOldestProfession escort]]. This understandably attracted a lot of attention from her Japanese fanbase.
* IntercourseWithYou: "The Workout", "Let Me Give You My Love"

** "Let Me Give You My Love" takes us from lamenting a dead child to IntercourseWithYou in about 10 seconds:

* OutOfGenreExperience: The alt-rock "Kremlin Dusk" is one compared to the rest of the album which is all electropop.

--->You got me crying like a child
--->And the crowd is going wild
--->This one, '''this is the one'''
--->Come on and give it up

* OutOfGenreExperience: The alt-rock "Kremlin Dusk" compared to the rest of the album which is all electropop.

* SceneryPorn: The video for "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" has some very elaborate scenery to go with its AdamAndEve plot.