''Kimi Ga Suki * Raifu'' ( ja, キミがスキ・ライフ, lit. "I Love You – Life") is an album by
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
musician
Matthew Sweet. It was released on Cutting Edge in 2003.
Release
Released in April 2003 as a "thank you" to Japanese fans, it received a United States release the following year. Sweet stated in the liner notes of the album (which is translated in Japan as: ) that he wrote the album in the course of one week in January 2002. The album marked a reunion of most of Sweet's ''
Girlfriend
A girlfriend is a female friend, acquaintance or partner, usually a female companion with whom one is platonically, romantically, or sexually involved.
In a romantic context, this normally signifies a committed relationship where the indi ...
''-era bandmates.
[ Sweet mixed, produced and engineered the album at his house. The album cover was designed by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara. Also in the liner notes, Sweet described the album's title as an attempt at reverse Engrish: "If I did it correctly, the title should seem a little strange or wrong, but still meaningful! The true definition is supposed to be a 'love you' life, one devoted to loving someone or something, even life itself!"
]
Critical reception
''The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' wrote that "songs like 'Morning Song' and 'Wait' find Sweet revisiting the rootsier side of ''Girlfriend'', particularly in the generous use of slide guitar, and 'Love Is Gone' distills his best instincts with a lovely melody and aching harmonies."New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
'' wrote that "it’s good to hear weetloosen up to the point where his perfectionism no longer suffocates his songs."
Track listing
All songs written by Matthew Sweet.
# "Dead Smile" - 5:01
# "Morning Song" - 4:15
# "The Ocean In-Between" - 2:51
# "I Love You" - 1:41
# "I Don't Want to Know" - 3:46
# "Warning" - 4:04
# "Spiral" - 1:50
# "Love is Gone" - 3:27
# "Hear This" - 3:22
# "Wait" - 2:38
# "Tonight We Ride" - 2:44
# "Through Your Eyes" - 7:13
Personnel
* Matthew Sweet – vocals, guitars, bass
* Greg Leisz – guitars (2-10, 12)
* Richard Lloyd – guitars (3-6, 9-11)
* Ric Menck – drums
Production
* Matthew Sweet – producer, recording, mixing, liner notes
* Haruka Tsukamoto – design
* Yoshitomo Nara – sleeve artwork
* Jiro Oshima – Moji artwork
References
2003 albums
Matthew Sweet albums
Albums produced by Matthew Sweet
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