Tuesday, June 5, 2001

"Eee-lec-tro-nic..." I do not like Glay... I do not like Glay... *fights to keep from headbanging* *teasing* "Ride on new wave!" SHADDUP! I do NOT like Glay!! Not... not... not... *scrunches eyes shut trying to block them out* *taunting* "Ooooh, ride on new wave!" WWAAARRGGHHH!! Kamijooooo!! Doko ni iruno?!?! Tasukete... ;_; *starts relaxing as Glay's "Rain" comes on* WHAT?? I like this song for Yoshiki! YO-SHI-KI!! Do you hear me?!?! - MS - at 01:59 p.m., Kamijo still can't hit high E

Monday, June 4, 2001

~ Cinq Paralléle ~ You know something odd... for all that they are no longer together and are exploring different paths musically, Malice Mizer and Gackt still running parallel as far as their individual directions. Let me explain. After Gackt left Malice Mizer, the band went on hiatus, releasing only the tribute to Kami, Shinwa, until they found a new vocalist. A little before Klaha was fully integrated in the band, Mana, Kozi, and Yu~ki released Bara no Seidou in which they sought to create a world that reflected the turmoil that surrounded them due in part to Kami's death and Gackt's departure. With Klaha's arrival, they are now exploring the world outside Bara no Seidou, as evidenced by their new single "Gardenia." The song is much lighter than the dark, heavy tone of Bara no Seidou and even the packaging is white and light blue, signifying a new dawn, or a new beginning for them. On the same vein, Gackt also tried to take his fans into a new world in his first full solo album, MARS. The cover depicts him in a reddish, alien environment; the songs within, a reflection of his journey to establish himself as a solo artist and a remembrance of the road he walked to get there. In his new album, Rebirth and his current tour, he begins an exploration of his mind, inviting his listeners into the depths of his soul, and from there, an awakening, a dawning of a new day. The cover of Rebirth is in light blue ice, symbolizing both a mirror and a cocoon from which a new sound will emerge. These two distinctly different musical forces, once together, now apart, continue to evolve on similar wavelengths. Their sound is different, their concepts unique, but their drive, their inspiration, and intent still run on parallel paths. Though these things might change in the future, I just thought it was rather interesting. "~ cinq paralléle ~ is from the name of the last Malice Mizer PV collection with Gackt. - MS - at 02:35 p.m., Kamijo still can't hit high E

Thursday, May 31, 2001

<< Warning, this is a rant. A jrock-related rant, but a rant nonetheless. Feel free to debate, argue, flood my inbox with disputes and assertions to the contrary but do not begrudge me the priviledge to speak my mind. Also note that I have no desire to flame anyone in particular, this is just my feelings on a certain attitude exhibited by some jrock fans in general. >> Okay, this has been bothering me for a while now. It came up during a recent discussion that the new vocalist of a certain band "sucked" and since the previous vocalist was the band, the band as a whole now "sucked" without him. The artists in question were Klaha, Malice Mizer, and Gackt. Point 1: Malice Mizer is a band. A band is made up of several members, each contributing to the overall sound and presence of the band. Mana, Kozi, Yu~ki, and Kami had equal if not more of a hand in the music and image they presented to the world. Gackt, for all that he was charismatic and monumentally talented, was only one part in the greater whole. He was most definately not "the band." Point 2: Malice Mizer was founded by Mana and Kozi. They (probably Mana more than Kozi but I don't know for sure) had an idea of the band's eventual musical direction which, predictably, shifts as ideas and experiments are contributed by the others. The concept of "the search for what it means to be human" was also established at the founding point. As long as Gackt was able aid in the realization of that vision, it was fine. But with or without him, the core of Malice Mizer lies within the remaining members and the "search for the meaning of humanity" goes on. Point 3: Klaha was invited to join because he can contribute to the vision. Just as Gackt sought to express his musical ideas within the world of Malice Mizer years before, Klaha does so now. That doesn't make him less of a band member. He's writing lyrics, promoting the band, and working just as hard as the rest of them. Based on interviews, he believes fully in the band and is determined to do his best and help further shape the world Mana and Kozi created. Point 4: I do, however, agree that Malice Mizer with Gackt was a formidable force. Gackt, as both me and Ger have repeatedly asserted in various instances all over the net, is an excellent vocalist with a range and tone unmatched by any other jrocker, heck, by any other popular rock vocalist anywhere. There's no disputing that. He hits his notes. He can go from anguish to joy within moments and make the listeners feel that in the music. Put him along with the combined talents of Mana, Kozi, Yu~ki, and Kami, it's easy to see how Malice Mizer gained its following. But again, Malice Mizer is a band. Not "Gackt with his backup instruments." If Gackt was gaining so much of the attention, that the previous statement was somehow supported, then it's better that he left the band. He would only have hurt them if he stayed, for Malice Mizer, as it was envisioned by its founders, would then have ceased to exist. *sigh* It's getting late and my mind is starting to blur. Personally, Gackt and Malice Mizer are better off being apart. Gackt's musical direction is so vastly different and diverse that it really has no place in Malice Mizer. Again, I'm not disputing that the period when he was the vocalist is probably the best I've heard the band musically. But they've grown apart. And they're better off that way. Secondly, and this is personal opinion here (as if the rest of this weren't already), Klaha does not suck. His voice is different, yes. He doesn't have Gackt's stage presence, yes. But Malice Mizer is going in a different direction now. They are looking towards the horizon and starting anew. Klaha is part of that- his lyrics, his creativity, and his voice. He's done a wonderful job so far and I look forward to the new releases. Mana seems to be experimenting with sounds again and who knows what Kozi and Yu~ki will come up with. I guess my main point is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Gackt was not Malice Mizer. He was an integral part of them at one time, yes. But he was not the band. Now the two are moving in different directions, Gackt on his own and Malice Mizer with Klaha. Why don't we just enjoy the presence of two very talented musical forces, instead of griping about one or the other? << End Rant. Got something to say, leave it here. Night folks. >> - MS - at 09:52 p.m., Kamijo still can't hit high E

Monday, May 28, 2001

Le Règne de Lareine Okay. Lareine. Why do I like them so much? Why does anyone? Well, first off, fans of "bishounen" will zero in immediately on the four very androgynous members- from the bouncy Emiru, to the enigmatic Mayu, to the flowery Machi, and of course, the very blond, very flamboyant vocalist, Kamijo. Unless you are exposed to the music first, that image be the very first thing that sticks in your mind. But as with any visual-kei band, the look is only the beginning. The music is what proves whether a band has any staying power or not and Lareine had that in spades. Though they did break up last August, the sounds they created together are among some of the best I've heard in any genre. These guys weren't afraid to experiment and that is what makes their music unique. That is really the reason why I like Lareine. Wah-hah! I've figured it out! So there! *sticks tongue out* ^_~ ANYway, the first thing you have to understand about Lareine is that they are a "concept band." Everything they do, the way they dress, the way they act, the way they express their musical ideas, centers around some central concept. Each song is part of a greater whole. While some can stand alone as singles, those tracks when thrown together, create a vivid, magical world allowing the listener to experience the sounds and settings the band imagined. Take for example, their first album on a major label: fierte no Umi to Tomo ni Kiyu ~The Last of the Romances~. The entire album was a story revolving around two lovers reincarnated but are forced to remain apart in their present lives. Listening to the thing in its entirety is almost like listening to a rock opera. There are even drama tracks thrown in between and during songs to complete the effect. In the same way Malice Mizer's concept is to find out "what it means to be human," Lareine explores all facets of destined love, including reincarnation and rebirth. Overall, Lareine's music can be described as "romantic." Most of the songs are melody-oriented, placing heavy emphasis on the vocals and the guitar solos. The downside to this- Kamijo has a rather thin, nasally voice that tends to go flat if he doesn't support it enough or tries to hit notes outside his range. Unfortunately, this happens rather often, especially when he climbs to a rather breathy, unsure falsetto. ^^;; Still, it's not too bad and actually works rather well with Lareine's contrived tragedies; for example, when he lashes out at a thwarted lover in Je t'aime, tells a story in Billet ~osanaki natsu no~, or croons in when...25:17. What he lacks in talent, he makes up for with emotion; joy, pain, rage, angst, or some other appropriate seasoning flavoring the lyrics and making the music come alive. The second most distinctive sound in Lareine's music is Mayu's guitar. The distinct lack of it in Lareine's last album, SCREAM, which was released after the band broke up, was deeply felt. It just didn't sound like Lareine anymore even with Kamijo on vocals. Mayu's sound is not entirely unique enough for the most listeners to pick out of a crowd, but he does have a certain style and flair which shines through every note he plays. fiancailles and Fuyu Tokyo are excellent examples of Mayu's guitar work. He manages to wail on that guitar and still have it blend in with Kamijo's voice and Lareine's lighter sound. That is no mean feat and he accomplishes both without throttling the instrument. As I mentioned before, Lareine isn't afraid to experiment with different instruments and techniques to realize their visions- well, mostly Kamijo's since he did most of the writing. ^^ With both the singer and the guitarist soaring away on the wings of their melodies, the remaining members were left to plot out the foundation to ground them. Emiru's bass stayed pretty constant, anchoring Mayu, but he still played around with his notes a bit. He actually takes the lead in a way in Kaze no Yuuwaku the pounding bassline paving the road for the other instruments. Machi also remained a constant presence on drums but his roles varied every so often according to the needs of the individual songs. fierte no Umi to Tomo ni Kiyu, for example, starts out with a slow march, almost like a funeral dirge, then speeds up (to Ger's unveiled annoyance XD) to the eventual climax. Dramatic, beatiful, haunting; and none of it would be possible without the solid rhythm section Emiru and Machi provide. Everything seemed to be going well. But last year, though they had just gotten a major deal, though their music was sounding better than ever, August 2000 saw the end of Lareine. I don't know the exact reasons why but one of the main problems with being a "concept" band is that every member has to believe in that concept wholeheartedly and focus their energy into its realization. Outside the songs, the members of Lareine all believed in reincarnation at one time or other and spoke of various "past lives" in interviews. This translated quite well with Kamijo's visions and direction but what happens when one band member starts having doubts or wants to explore a different path? And then, what happens to the band when the stories require different instruments to send their message out? A guitar can mimic a violin only so much. Aside from cultivating tension between members, it also confuses fans who start formulating certain expectations. In a way, it might have been beneficial since their music and creativity had no time to stagnate but it leaves fans wondering just how far Lareine would have gotten if they had stayed together. They certainly had the potential. And that's my commentary on the reign of Lareine. Feel free to leave a message in the little box. - MS - at 07:13 p.m., Kamijo still can't hit high E

Thursday, May 24, 2001

music :: Cube [Gackt] Gackt's lowest note in Cube is the same as in EMU: a low B. That's very low for a rock singer. The purpose of this entry (which hopefully won't be as long as yesterday's ^^;;) is to introduce a jrock artist whom most people in the US have never heard of. Himuro Kyosuke (or Kyosuke Himuro...I'm not quite sure which is the last/first name, and I've seen both) is one of my favorite artists, and apparently quite popular in Japan as well, where he is known as "King of Rock Show" (don't ask me). He was the lead singer of a 70's-ish jrock band called Boowy which broke up in 1987, and he went solo. His first single was a VERY 80's sounding song called Angel, released in 1988. I'm not a fan of 80's music, but I like that song, for some strange reason. Since then he's released 20 singles, 10 albums and 4 "best" albums, all of which have been in the top 5 of the Oricon charts at first release. I'd say that's pretty damn popular XD Himuro's voice is nowhere near as good as Gackt's or Hyde's, but he's a strong singer with good pitch. His voice is rather thin, though not as thin as, say, Ryuichi's voice, and it's kind of airy, especially on the low notes. His range is decent. As far as his singing voice, I'd say he's not a great singer, but he (unlike some vocalists I could mention) knows his range and stays well within his boundaries. His vibrato is what might bother some people, especially on the slow songs. Himuro has very wide vibrato that's wide to the point of changing pitch whenever he holds a note. It took me a while to get used to, but it's actually rather innovative, in a way. (That might be just me ^^;;) If you look up the words "Himuro Kyosuke" on napster, you'll most likely find ten billion copies of a song called Diamond Dust. That song is one of his more recent singles and got its fame from being chosen as the theme song to the TV Dorama "Ice World." It's evidently a very popular song, and...I don't like it ^^;; It's not a bad song, but there are so many others of his songs that are better. Anyway, if you'd like, give Diamond Dust a try, but if you don't like it, I suggest you try some others, such as: Eien, from the album Mellow :: The song Moonsong was raving about earlier. This is a slow ballad with the characteristic wobbly vibrato I talked about earlier, but it's too good a song to miss. Especially if you like jrock ballads, this is pretty epic. Sleepless Night, from Mellow :: This is a pretty standard jrock song in the tradition of Siam Shade or Luna Sea. Not as heavy as either of the two bands, but still very jrock. Jealousy, from Higher Self :: A more poppish song that has an 80's beat and feel to it. Very catchy. and finally...Angel from Flowers for Algernon :: even if you don't like 80's music, get this just for the nostalgia of it. And who can resist 80's music in Japanese? XD XD According to some, Himuro's sound has changed drastically in the last 10 years. I personally haven't noticed much of a change from his first album to his most recent one, except maybe the music now is more modern sounding. And just because I don't like 80's music that much, I prefer his later works. But that's just me. Unfortunately, there aren't very many web resources on Himuro in English, so this is bad for people who can't read Japanese. The only English page I've found of any use is at Jrocker.com, including a pretty thorough description, discography, and other info. - Ger - at 05:15 p.m., Kamijo still can't hit high E

Thursday, May 24, 2001

I archived. Previous entries are here. My next entry was supposed to be a justification of why I like Lareine so much considering 1) Kamijo can't sing and 2) Kamijo can't sing *snirk* but I'll wait until I get home. I DID however, thanks to the ever-so-genki Mina-P of Seishi Gakuen, find out that GACKT, yes, your wacky neighborhood musical genius, is a regular on Domoto Kyoudai, a show in Japan hosted by the JPop group, KINKI KIDS. Gackt is part of the "backup" band and his function is apparently to play piano, crack silly jokes, and sit there looking cool. The next episode which will air 05/27 will feature none other than our *fave* ex-Luna Sea vocalist *coughchoke*, Ryuichi Kawamura. Ah, to be in Japan and be witness to all this insanity... In other news, I also added a little "About Me" spiel (yes, I am that vain *snicker*) in my section and added my Top 5 Pierrot Songs list. I was listening to Far East on endless repeat and it was driving me batty. Oh, and Ger, on Gackt's range, check the first track on MARS: Ares or the end of Bel Air for Gackt's high falsetto. I think both are slightly higher than U+K. Also note the refrain in Bel Air towards the end, when it goes into a major key. He's straining to keep those high notes in his check. I don't know if it's higher than the refrain on U+K or he just hadn't expanded his range enough to hit them without fighting for the note. For his lows, check CUUUUUUUUUUUUBBEEEE! I canNOT come CLOSE to hitting the verses, although I know he goes really low in EMU ~foryourspleen~ too. You'd know better than me. ^_^ - MS - at 10:34 a.m., Kamijo still can't hit high E