If at some point we all succumb
For goodness sake let us be young
Because time gets harder to outrun
And I’m nobody, I’m not done
With a cool cool breeze and dirty knees
I rest on childhood memories
We all got old at breakneck speed
Slow it down, go easy on me
Go easy on me
Put a wetsuit on, come on, come on
Grow your hair out long, come on, come
Put a t-shirt on
Do me wrong, do me wrong, do me wrong
If it’s up and after you
What do you suppose that you would do?
You’re all whacked out from lack of sleep
You blame it on the friends you keep
You want to do things differently
And do them independently
We all got old at breakneck speed
Slow it down, go easy on me
Go easy on me
Put a wetsuit on, come on, come on
Grow your hair out long, come on, come
Put a t-shirt on
Do me wrong, do me wrong, do me wrong
Put a wetsuit on, come on, come on
Grow your hair out long, come on, come
Put a t-shirt on
Do me wrong, do me wrong, do me wrong
Does holy water make you pure?
Submerged your vision’s just obscured
You’re a lot like me
In up to our knees
In over your chest is way too deep
Put a wetsuit on, come on, come on
Grow your hair out long, come on, come
Put a t-shirt on
Do me wrong, do me wrong, do me wrong
Put a wetsuit on, come on, come on
Grow your hair out long, come on, come
Put a t-shirt on
Do me wrong, do me wrong, do me wrong
#catchy
Here I am with a new review, and first part of October’s themed week in “Let’s Listen to”! Today’s subject is the latest work by the visual band Gotcharocka, the fourth album Polychrome, came out on 14th October 2020. This album, expected for the Summer but delayed because of the pandemic, is the first full release in three years and summarizes all the best “colors” of the band, musically speaking, showing off their best cards. And now… let’s review!
-Hyper Next World: the album starts with its lead-track, kicking off a pretty energetic sound and a quite decise rhythm; Jui’s voice is bright, moving pretty well between all the notes and keeping up the energy of the song; a brilliant opening track, helped by a distinctive guitar work. —> 9/10
-Asian Night: this song features folk notes, leading up to a relevant melody, driven by drums; the vocals are pretty seducing and a bit effected, keeping up in a pretty structured theme, especially in the catchy refrain; a “softer” track, but in line with the band’s style. —> 8.5/10
-Human Board Game: an electronic guitar starts the song, leading up to a steady and quite fast rhythm; the vocals are cheerful, accompained by a paced guitar, which draws the melody with an unique touch of energy. —> 8.5/10
-Creators: this song sees a stronger electronic component, with beats kicking off the whole thing, along with a funk-ish guitar, bringing the sound of the album in an upbeat direction; Jui’s voice is more electronic, but not so hard to follow, building up a clearer and nice track. —> 8/10
-Baccarat: taken from the second mini-album with the same name, this song is opened by Jui’s retrò vocals, featuring clear and melodious tones, but also energetic and paced touches, provided by the guitar; a pretty good track, empowered by the awesome guitar solo. —> 9/10
-Shiroi Dia (White Dia): seducing bass lines open this song, lighter than expected, but anyway featuring Jun’s energetic guitar; the vocals are soft, accompained by fresh guitar notes, keeping up the whole thing in a catchy approach; a good and enjoyable track. —> 8.5/10
-Monochrome: electronic notes open the song, along with cheerful vocals, leading up to a paced and pretty electronic theme; a quite structured song, which sees a good use of English by Jui and a distinctive bass work. —> 8.5/10
-Prayer: clearer notes kick off the song in a bright and paced rock theme; Jui’s vocals aim to a cheerful and vibrant interpretation, keeping up an upbeat and nice rock track, along with a good guitar work, making it even more flowing. —> 8.5/10
-Guerilla: taken from the fourth album with the same name, this song sees a relevant use of electronic, mixed up with a good rhythm and Jun’s distinctive guitar work; the vocals are balanced and pretty various, according to the many shades seen in the melody; an interesting song, with a top-notch guitar, as expected. —> 8.5/10
-Tenbin (Balance): this song is opened by a fast and energetic guitar, leading up to a steady rhythm; Jun’s voice is clear, accompained by electronic effects, bringing up a quite nice vocal interpretation, the best highlight of this good song. —> 8.5/10
-Out of Service: slower guitar notes introduce the song, with Jun’s intense and clear vocals leading up to an energetic song, conceived for being performed at a live stage; the vocals are versatile, helped by a catchy atmosphere and a compelling guitar, in a song which summarizes at best Gotcharocka’s musical world. —> 9/10
-Chirality: the lead-track of the ninth single is introduced by bright and paced notes, building up a quite flowing melody; Jun’s voice is soft and balanced, in a light song, without any big feat, but anyway characterized by the vocal interpretation and a quite good structure. —> 8.5/10
-Suddenly: this song starts with slow and vibrant notes open a song which appears quite different by the previous ones, especially in the structure; Jun’s soft vocals in a fleble rhythm open the theme, which builds up more and more thanks to an astonishing vocal interpretation, a compelling guitar and a not negligible folk vibe; a really good ballad. —> 9/10
-I ♡ JJTGR (Bonus track): the album ends with a song opened in a pretty peculiar way; before the proper song starts, there’s a sort of radio presentation of the band and the song, then it starts, featuring a catchy melody, which reprises such in a way the style offered in the album, offering a pretty simple but nice track. —> 8/10
Final Vote —> 8.5/10
Gotcharocka is a band which surely got a wide audience thanks to their line-up, made of musicians coming right from notable visual kei bands of the 00′s. During their career, the band became quite successful thanks to an addicting and refined rock sound, up to 2014, when their historical bassist Shingo left the band. Despite this key change in their formation, Gotcharocka never stopped delivering good works and Polychrome, first full work in three years, is a good summarization of their best styles. For sure there’s a major presence of electro-rock melodies, with some rhythms refined than the others, without forgetting the only ballad, probably the best song of the whole tracklist, and that’s a demonstration of how the band doesn’t want to get more complicated than usual, with the unique purpose of entertaining and making happy their audience at a maximum level. With this fourth album the band confirmed their own status in the scene, delivering a nice and addicting product, with melodies hard to forget. An album for who likes Gotcharocka’s catchy music and needs to get into it as soon as possible.
That’s all folks! See you with the second part of October’s themed week in “Throwback Thursday”!
Thanks for the reading!
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-HONORABLE MENTION AT “BEST ALBUMS OF SEPTEMBER 2016″-
Here I am with a new review in “Throwback Thursday”! Today’s subject is a release by the Japanese pop artist Aimer, precisely the fourth album Daydream, came out on 21st September 2016. The album is considered one of her most important works, since it represented a musical challenge, because of the many genres included, and features several interesting collaborations with other artists of Japanese scene. And now… let’s review!
-Insane Dream: the album starts with the first lead of her 10th single, produced by One Ok Rock’s Taka; the theme starts with slow notes, becoming more energetic second per second, leading up to an interesting rhythm; Aimer’s voice is charismatic and flowing, driving up a decise song, whose refreshing refrain is the highest peak; a really good track. —> 9/10
-Ninelie (ft. Chelly): the lead song of the ninth single starts with crystalline piano notes, accompained by soft vocals, building up a pretty simple and warm melody; the duet with Chelly works quite well, for a light and paced ballad, well refined. —> 9/10
-Two Face: the song starts with a strong bass, leading up to a faster and paced melody, with a catchy and positive vibe, driven by flowing vocals; a quite different song, compared to the previous ones, but anyway enjoyable. —> 8.5/10
-Higher Ground: the classical guitar opens the song, bringing the album back to the lighter side; Aimer’s voice is delicate and melodious, accompaining a soft and well paced melody; a nice ballad, kept up by Aimer’s vocal interpretation. —> 9/10
-For Lonely (ft. Mao Abe): this song starts with simple notes and Mao Abe’s vocals kick off the theme, joined by Aimer, whose style brings up an unique touch to the song; a quite soft and pleasant song, with the duet which works pretty well. —> 8.5/10
-Choucho musubi (Butterfly knot): the lead track of the 11th single, produced by Radwimps‘ Noda Yojiro, is opened by crescent notes and shaded vocalisms; Aimer’s voice is soft and well accompained by a light piano; the song is quite nice, built in a simple and romantic theme, well exalted by her vocal interpretation, featuring an interesting variety of notes. —> 8.5/10
-Kataomoi (Unrequited love): faster and flowing vocals introduce a more paced song, in a melodious and upbeat pop melody, along with nice vocals; a nice song, with a simple structure, but fitting with the album’s style. —> 8.5/10
-Hz: this song is opened by faster drums, leading up to a rock and energetic melody, accompained by interesting vocalisms; Aimer’s voice is flowing, keeping up the song in a catchy vibe, in a fresh song, well emphasized by the instruments. —> 8.5/10
-Kowairo (Voice tone): this song is introduced by a slow melody, along with deep vocals and compelling violin notes, giving a more emotional touch to the melody; the rhythm is quite light and the melody is suggestive, in a fascinating track, empowered by Aimer’s interpretation. —> 9/10
-Closer: electronic notes kick off this song, bringing up the energetic component of the album; the rock theme is paced and decise, along with flowing vocals and a really enjoyable melody; a catchy and refreshing track. —> 9/10
-Falling Alone: the lead-track of the album, written by One Ok Rock’s Taka, sees a light rhythm and clear notes, introducing the song with Aimer’s soft and intense vocals, accompaining well the melody and fitting it perfectly; then the theme evolves in a more rock-oriented sound, well distinct by Aimer’s vocal skills; a quite compelling song. —> 9/10
-Us: the second lead of the 10th single starts with deep vocals, accompained by melancholic notes, dyed by a rock-ish sound and an highly emphasized rhythm; Aimer’s interpretation is strong and emotional, making this song as the best one of the album. —> 9.5/10
-Stars in the Rain: the album ends with another melodic song, opened by sweet guitar notes, along with light and passionate vocals; the rhythm starts with being simply, becoming more intense in the second part; a really good ballad and a fitting conclusion for the release. —> 9/10
Final Vote —> 9/10
Aimer has always distinguished herself within the scene thanks to her eerie and unique voice (came out after a damage to her vocal chords), which became her definitive trademark. Starting as a cover artist, she joined the scene thanks to a series of singles and albums which brought her a lot of attention and interest from her colleagues, leading up to a series of collaborations. This connection with the scene and her passionate style gave life to Daydream, an album which can definitely summarize Aimer’s music. The sound featured is incredibly various, alternating catchy themes to more intense and melancholic ones, where Aimer manages to deliver with strong and compelling performances without any effort, with some tasty collaboration featured in the tracklist. This album is definitely a good listening experience to do and a confirmation of her constant and distinctive style. Luckily her talent is not gone at all, since this month she released a new single, Spark-Again, used as opening theme of the anime Fire Force.An album for who loves Aimer’s music or is looking for something new and refreshing, even staying in pop melodies.
That’s all folks! See you with the first part of September’s themed week in “Let’s Listen to”!
Thanks for the reading!
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Here I am with the first post of this new season in “Let’s Listen to”! Today’s subject is the latest effort by the Japanese rock band 9mm Parabellum Bullet, precisely the 15th single Byakuya no hibi(Days under the midnight sun), came out today. The concept of the single is strictly linked to the current global situation, since it is about a love relationship tested by the distance, and it is also a reference to the band’s tour Chaos in 100 Years, held on 2018. And now… let’s review!
-Byakuya no hibi: the title-track opens the single with a strong and paced rock sound, bringing up the song from the first seconds; the melody is well built by solid guitar lines, along with Takuro’s living and flowing vocals; a fresh and catchy rock tune. —> 8.5/10
-Road Movie: the first b-side sees more emphasized guitar notes, driving up a paced track, where melodious vocals give an interesting touch to the song; a simple but catchy song, which works mainly on the energy. —> 8.5/10
-Calm down: the single ends with an instrumental track featuring slow and melancholic notes, leading up to an articulated and emotional melody, but empowered by a good rhytmical component; a good song, made by energetic and passionate tones. —> 9/10
Final Vote —> 8.5/10
Even appearing as a common rock band, 9mm Parabellum Bullet has always brought freshness and energy within the Japanese scene, delivering nice and various themes in fifteen years. Following up the album Deep Blue, the band decided to step in a lighter side, concurrently with their 15th anniversary, releasing a simple but engaging single, which allows to remind how their style manages to entertain. Three tracks, with a light and decise sound, helped by a good rhythm, nice guitar lines and compelling vocals, and the third one, which is instrumental, shows how the band is compact and harmonious in musical terms. 9mm Parabellum Bullet is definitely a must listen if you love Japanese rock and this single is another good addition to their repertory, without forgetting that in the same day, it has been published a tribute album, Chaosmology, featuring several bands covering some of their hits, such as A flood of circle,The Back Horn,ArukaraandFox capture plan.A single for who never stopped loving 9mm Parabellum Bullet’s energetic music and wants to listen to light but engaging rock.
That’s all folks! See you with a new review in “Throwback Thursday”!
Thanks for the reading!
Here I am with the final part of August’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”! Today’s subject is a song by the Japanese pop artist Kenshi Yonezu, precisely one of his most famous hits, Peace Sign, released as lead song of the single with the same name on 21th June 2017. Being known as the second opening theme of the anime Boku no Hero Academia, this song combines the catchiness and the energy of Kenshi’s music with a subject related to his personality as artist, in a more compelling work than expected.
THE MUSIC
The song starts with Kenshi’s clear vocals, leading up to a positive melody, kept up by an energetic rhythm; Kenshi’s interpretation moves on clear and decise notes, increasing even more the energy brought up by the song and showing his incredible talent as singer; the track results being catchy and passionate, with a really good pop-rock vibe which makes in a good mood.
Lyrics (Romaji)
Itsuka bokura no ue o suresure ni toorisugiteitta ano hikouki o
Fushigi na kurai ni oboeteru imi mo nai no ni naze ka
Fugainakute naita hi no yoru ni tada tsuyokunaritai to negatteta
Sono tame ni hitsuyou na yuuki o sagashimotometeita
Zankoku na unmei ga sadamatteru to shite
Sore ga itsu no hi ka boku no mae ni arawareru to shite
Tada isshun kono isshun iki ga dekiru nara
Dou demo ii to omoeta sono kokoro o
Mou ichido tooku e ike tooku e ike to boku no naka de dare ka ga utau
Dou shiyou mo nai hodo netsuretsu ni
Itsudatte me o harashita kimi ga nido to kanashimanai you ni waraeru
Sonna hiiroo ni naru tame no uta
Saraba kakagero piisu sain korogatteiku sutoorii o
Mamoritai da nante ieru hodo kimi ga yowaku wa nai no wakatteta
Sore ijou ni boku wa yowakute sa kimi ga daiji dattanda
“Hitori de ikiteikunda” nante sa kuchi o tsuite sakenda ano hi kara
Kawatteiku boku o waraeba ii hitori ga kowai boku o
Ketobashite kamitsuite iki mo dekinakute
Sawagu atama to hara no oku ga kushakusha ni nattatte
Tearai mo keiren mo kieteshimau kurai ni
Ima wa sawatteitainda kimi no kokoro ni
Bokutachi wa kitto itsuka tooku hanareta taiyou ni sura te ga todoite
Yoake mae o te ni irete waraou
Sou yatte aoku moeru iro ni somari oboroge na machi no mukou e
Te o tsunaide hashitteyukeru hazu da
Kimi to mirai o nusumiegaku hineri no nai sutoorii o
Kasabuta darake arakureta hibi ga kezuri kezurare surikireta ima ga
Kimi no kotoba de yomigaeru azayaka ni mo arawareteiku
Sanagi no mama de nemuru tamashii o tabekake no mama suteta ano yume o
Mou ichido torimodose
Mou ichido tooku e ike tooku e ike to boku no naka de dare ka ga utau
Dou shiyou mo nai hodo netsuretsu ni
Itsudatte me o harashita kimi ga nido to kanashimanai you ni waraeru
Sonna hiiroo ni naru tame no uta
Saraba kakagero piisu sain korogatteiku sutoorii o
Kimi to mirai o nusumi egaku hineri no nai sotorii o
Lyrics (Translation)
When we were up there
A plane was passing by
Strangely I remember that
It doesn’t have sense, why?
In the night, after having cried for all the day
I hoped to be strong
The needed courage
I was looking for it
A cruel fate, defined
One day it appeared next to me
If I would have a moment, this moment, for breathing
It wouldn’t matter to me. (I)
Once again
“Go far away!”
Someone is singing it to me
With so much passion
Your eyes, always swollen with tears
I laugh for not being sad
A song for becoming an hero
Goodbye, peace sign
A rolling story (II)
I can’t say that I want to protect you
Realizing that you weren’t weak
I am weaker than this
You were important
“I’ll live by myself”
I screamed that day
You laugh of me, that I have changed
I am scared to be alone
Even if I would breathe, bite or kick
My head becomes noisy and inside the stomach, all crushed
The pretense of showing myself off vanishes
I want to touch your heart
We
Surely are very distant
With the hands reaching for the sun
They arrive before the day, while we laugh
Dyed of a burning blue
From the other side of a dim city
We should run, while you take my hand
Stealing the future with you
Writing a story without twists
Rough and encrusted days
Now scratched and consumed
They revive in your words, appearing vivid
A soul sleeping like a chrysalis
A dream thrown away like if is half-eaten
I will take everything back again
Once again
“Go far away!”
Someone is singing it to me
With so much passion
Your eyes, always swollen with tears
I laugh for not being sad
A song for becoming an hero
Goodbye, peace sign
A rolling story
I will steal the future with you, writing a story without twists.
THE WORDS
Written by Kenshi himself, the song features a long text, with a plain structure and made by long but simple lines, easy to get when connected one to another, since the order of words is not what we would expect (because of this, the translation will stick to the literal order of the words, compared to the ones you can find on the web, which are more free). The single where it is featured deals, such in a way, with the concept of the past, present in this song and also in other two ones,Neighbourhood, which is about sad memories as part for forming ourselves, considered a conceptual opposite of the lead-song, and Yumekui shoujyo(Dreameater girl), self-cover of one of his Vocaloid songs, which is about a love which destroys dreams. The song covered here is a personal perspective about Kenshi’s life, focusing in particular about his childhood, a time when his passion for anime and manga came out and he experienced hard moments; the text is a conversation between Kenshi’s grown self, represented by the figure of hero(explaining the song’s presence in an anime like Boku no Hero Academia) and his past one, a frail being and victim of the events, where the two parts get together and go on towards the future, made of hopes and uncertainities. And now… let’s analyze the song!
I) The text starts with the image of one of the memories coming from the protagonist, when he was over the sky with his “hero”, watching a plane passing by and not understanding why he would remind such thing (Itsuka bokura no ue o suresure ni toorisugiteitta ano hikouki o/Fushigi na kurai ni oboeteru imi mo nai no ni naze ka); during the night, after he has cried for all the day, he hoped to be stronger and so he tries to look for the needed courage, in order to go on (/Fugainakute naita hi no yoru ni tada tsuyokunaritai to negatteta/Sono tame ni hitsuyou na yuuki o sagashimotometeita); a cruel and definite fate appears next to him, a thing he wouldn’t consider important, if he had a moment for breathe (Zankoku na unmei ga sadamatteru to shite/Sore ga itsu no hi ka boku no mae ni arawareru to shite/Tada isshun kono isshun iki ga dekiru nara/Dou demo ii to omoeta sono kokoro o,the cruel fate is the time which goes by too fast, not giving the time for living own life day per day).
II) His “hero” sings with passion to the protagonist, asking him to go far and far, so that he won’t have swollen eyes for his sadness, which he tries to hide with his laughter; the song that he is singing to him is an invitation for becoming stronger, like the hero is (this makes thinking that the hero could represent also a role model for the protagonist, a former mentor, maybe a member of his family or a best friend); finally the protagonist says goodbye to his old self, exchanging a peace sign and goes to continue his rolling story (Mou ichido tooku e ike tooku e ike to boku no naka de dare ka ga utau/Dou shiyou mo nai hodo netsuretsu ni/Itsudatte me o harashita kimi ga nido to kanashimanai you ni waraeru/Sonna hiiroo ni naru tame no uta/Saraba kakagero piisu sain korogatteiku sutoorii o, the image of peace sign indicates that he made peace with himself and his inner pain, needed for growing up and becoming adult).
III) The protagonist knows that he can’t protect his mate, because he is strong, while he realizes that is weak, the reason why his mate is the most important person for him (Mamoritai da nante ieru hodo kimi ga yowaku wa nai no wakatteta/Sore ijou ni boku wa yowakute sa kimi ga daiji dattanda); since they separated, the protagonist screamed that he wants to live by himself, even if he is scared to be like that, bringing his mate to laugh of his change (“Hitori de ikiteikunda” nante sa kuchi o tsuite sakenda ano hi kara/Kawatteiku boku o waraeba ii hitori ga kowai boku o); he wants to touch his heart, even if it breathes, bites or kicks, even if his head is noisy and his stomach is upside down and even if his desire of showing off to other people disappears (Ketobashite kamitsuite iki mo dekinakute/Sawagu atama to hara no oku ga kushakusha ni nattatte/Tearai mo keiren mo kieteshimau kurai ni/Ima wa sawatteitainda kimi no kokoro ni).
IV)They are so much distant, but their hands are reaching the sun (symbol of life), trying to catch it before the dawn, smiling together (Bokutachi wa kitto itsuka tooku hanareta taiyou ni sura te ga todoite/Yoake mae o te ni irete waraou); the sun is dyed of a burning blue (blue is symbol of youth and linked to burning, it hints to a intense and blazing phase of the protagonist’s life), in the opposite side of a dim town (the town, and in general, the urban world, are one of the most common themes in Kenshi’s songsand it may be a synonym of uncertainity), and the protagonist would like to run with his hero, hand by hand, while stealing the future and building a story without twists (Sou yatte aoku moeru iro ni somari oboroge na machi no mukou e/Te o tsunaide hashitteyukeru hazu da/Kimi to mirai o nusumiegaku hineri no nai sutoorii o).
V) The rough and encrusted days, now scratched and consumed by time, are brought up again by the hero’s words, making them more vivid (Kasabuta darake arakureta hibi ga kezuri kezurare surikireta ima ga/Kimi no kotoba de yomigaeru azayaka ni mo arawareteiku); the protagonist wants to get back every thing he has been taken off, such his soul, sleeping like in a chrysalis, and his dream, thrown away like if half-eaten (Sanagi no mama de nemuru tamashii o tabekake no mama suteta ano yume o/Mou ichido torimodose). The text ends with a repetition of the whole second sequence and the last lines of the fourth, emphasizing the concept of the whole song.
A confrontation between the past and the present, the mistakes and the experience, the pain and the hope of being happy; Kenshi Yonezu focuses on this dialogue in one of his most renowned songs, not only because of its presence in a popular anime, but also for the efficient mix between an energetic pop-melody and a compelling theme, made by motivation and hope for the future.
That’s all folks! See you next Wednesday for a new review in “Let’s Listen to”!
Thanks for the reading!
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SPECIALS
Here I am with the third part of August’s themed week in “Focusing on”! Today’s subject is a Japanese pop artist, who breaks the canon of the genre with simpleness and energy. We’re talking about Kenshi Yonezu, born on 10th March 1991 in the rural area of Tokushima. His first approach to music occurred on 2006, when he created a band with a friend of his, named Late Rabbit Edda, which didn’t get much success. Then, between 2008 and 2009, he started to release Vocaloid tracks on Nico Nico Douga under the stage name Hachi and sometime later he moved to Osaka, where he published other Vocaloid tracks, which became quite popular. On 2009 he officially appeared in a Exit Tunes compilation and in other Vocaloid compilations, boosting his popularity even more, arriving to release two albums of his own, Hanataba to suisou(Bouquets and sea burials) and Official Orange. On 2011 he officially debuted in a major laber as Kenshi Yonezu and since then he built up the concept we got to know, mainly artistic and naturalistic, as he is also a drawer, whose works, inspired by Edward Gorey’s art, are featured in his videoclips and release covers. His genre is an alternative pop-rock, pretty unusual for the canon, where there’s an alternance between upbeat and nostalgical themes, with each song cured by Kenshi himself, in each aspect. His official debut occurred on May 2012, with the release of the first major album Diorama(reviewed here).
One of the lead-tracks, named Go go yuureisen(Go go ghost ship), sees an extremely positive sound, articulated by good electronic notes and charismatic vocals; the song is about the beginning of a revolution, synonym of a new chapter of Kenshi’s musical path. It has been followed by the singles Santa MariaandMad Head Love/Popping Apathy, the second album Yankee(reviewed here) and the single Flowerwall.
The title-track has clearer notes, building up an upbeat melody, with a relevant rhythm and Kenshi’s light vocals; the song is about trying to live in happiness and harmony. It has been followed by the single Unbelievers, the third album Bremen and the single Loser/Number Nine.
The first title-track mixes pretty well rock and dance pop, in a catchy sound, driven by energetic vocals and a positive melody; the song is about the bad luck and the defeat in everyday life. It has been followed by the singles OrionandPeace Sign, the fourth album Bootleg and the single Lemon.
The title-track, featured as theme for the tv series Unnatural, has an intense atmosphere and a nice rock vibe, provided by a good melody and well kept up by Kenshi’s mature vocals (the videoclip has over 600 million views, making it the most viewed musical video in Japan); the song is about loving the life with someone else, even in bad moments. It has been followed by the singles Suna no wakusei(Sand planet), made in duet with Hatsune Miku,Flamingo/Teenage Riot,Umi no yuurei(Spirits of the sea),Uma to shika (Horse and deer) and Paprika.
The Japanese pop scene is incredibly wide and features a lot of acts, some better than others, but mostly calibrated in a certain common direction musically talking. Kenshi Yonezu has been able to subvert any expectation, since he came from the Vocaloid scene and brought a new and refreshing way of doing pop music. Catchy and upbeat themes, alternated to experimentations and melancholic melodies, accompained by Kenshi’s versatile and suggestive vocals, singing really peculiar lyrics, made of nature and feelings; this is how his music can be summarized, redefining the way most people is watching at Japan in terms of music. The presence of his songs in anime themes, dramas and TV spots boosted more his popularity, reaching even oversea audience, thanks to a simpleness which hides something more complex and deeper than expected. Surely Kenshi’s works don’t go unnoticed and that’s a surprising thing, since he relies on mature concepts and a characteristic art behind each his composition, and recently he stepped the game with his newest work, the fifth album Stray Sheep, one of the most awaited releases of this Summer and a really good companion for these troubled times.
Who might enjoy: who is looking for an unusual and riveting pop artist, whose style goes between nature, emotions and nostalgia.
Recommended tracks (as Hachi): World’s End Umbrella, Rinne and Matoryoshka.
Recommended tracks (as Kenshi Yonezu): Go go yuureisen, Vivi, Santa Maria, Flowerwall, Peace Sign, Loser and Lemon.
That’s all folks! See you on the final part of August’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”!
Thanks for the reading!
Here I am with the second part of August’s themed week in “Throwback Thursday”! Today’s subject is a release by the Japanese pop artist Kenshi Yonezu, precisely one of his earlier ones, the second original album Yankee, came out on 23rd April 2014. This album is pretty different from the previous one, Diorama, since it is the first work where Kenshi records with a support band and has a more introspective approach, with a concept dealing with the invisible forces influencing our lives. And now… let’s review!
-Living Dead Youth [limitless life]: the album starts with its first lead-track, where Kenshi’s vocals kick off a steady and positive theme; the vocals become more positive and paced, building up a pretty nice song, driven also by a good guitar work. —> 8.5/10
-Mad Head Love [oppressing love]: the main track of the second single is opened by a mixed sound, between electronic and rock, thanks to interesting guitar notes; the vocals are steady and animated, driving the melody, simple and flowing; an upbeat song, with a peculiar shade. —> 8.5/10
-Wooden Doll [finding answers]: the second lead-track of the album sees clearer notes and a paced rhythm, where Kenshi’s voice is shaded accordingly and fits with the melody, especially in the refrain; a really good track, which express Kenshi’s positivity at maximum. —> 8.5/10
-Eine kleine (A little) [fading happiness]: the third lead is opened by soft vocals, accompained by a light and warm guitar, where the rhyhm wraps the melody in a simple way, building up a pleasant and enjoyable track, with positive vibes and a compelling simpleness. —> 9/10
-Melancholy Kitchen [being honest with loved ones]: this song is opened by melancholic notes, followed by a pretty peculiar beat, which changes the melody’s vibe; Kenshi’s fast vocals keep up the song, now more upbeat and refreshing, even thanks to the notable funk influence; a catchy track. —> 9/10
-Santa Maria -album ver.- [being together in darkness]: the lead song of the first single is opened by shaded notes, with a melancholic piano joining slowly the melody; flowing vocals kick off the theme, building up a pretty nostalgical melody, thanks to deep guitar notes; a really intense ballad and one of Kenshi’s outstanding hits. —> 9.5/10
-Hana ni arashi (Flower in the storm) [flower —> survivor]: this song starts with fast guitar notes in a pretty paced rhythm, bringing the album back to its positive side; clear and energetic vocals lead the whole thing, accompained by a nice and refreshing melody; a pleasant pop-rock track. —> 9/10
-Umi to sanshōuo (Sea and the salamander) [finding peace]: this song sees a more decise rhythm, along with a really peculiar melody, characterizing the whole thing even more; Kenshi’s mature vocals give an unique touch, especially in the catchy refrain, where they work even more along with the energetic sound; a light and articulated track at the same time. —> 9/10
-Shitodo seiten daimewaku (The great problem of being drenched in fine weather) [throwing away the evil]: fast rhythm and animated guitar notes introduce this song, where Kenshi’s rapid vocals fit quite well; a song which can be linked to the initial phase of this album, made of thoughtless and enjoyable tunes. —> 8.5/10
-Ganpuku (Sight for sore eyes) [hurting future]: this song is started by soft vocals, accompained by a light and melancholic guitar, in a notable vocal interpretation, even if pretty simple in its own; a nice and pleasant track, which shows how Kenshi makes simpleness a virtue. —> 9/10
-Horafuki nekoyarou (Bragging cat dude) [tough life]: this song brings another style to the album, featuring retrò shades in a jazzy melody, well paced and pleasant; the vocals are rapid and positive, appearing even more versatile than expected; a nice track, which gives some variety to the release. —> 9/10
-Toxic Boy [getting free from pain and guilt]: a strong and various rhythm in a refreshing melody characterize this song, where the instruments are well placed; an energetic and simple track, bringing back the thoughtless side of Kenshi’s music. —> 8.5/10
-Hyakki yakou (Pandemonium) [love which burns and leaves no way out]: the b-side track of the first single is opened by peculiar notes, leading up to an energetic melody; Kenshi’s vocals are piercing and fit with the decise rhythm; a rocking track, which works mainly for the charismatic vocals. —> 9/10
-Karma City [city —> metaphor of memories and experiences]: electronic beats kick off the song, with clear and versatile vocals leading up a peculiar and fascinating pop melody; a nice track, easy to appreciate and hard to forget. —> 9/10
-Donut Hole (self-cover) [unavoidable separation]: the album ends with a cover of a song from his Vocaloid phase, featuring an animated rhythm and an energetic melody, with fast and positive vocals driving the whole thing; a good track, which ends the release in a coherent way. —> 8.5/10
Final Vote —> 9/10
Following up the unexpected success brought by Diorama, Kenshi Yonezu started to shape up what it would have become his current style, balancing between pop melodies and nostalgical shades. Yankee develops this commistion throughout all its tracks, a selection of styles and approaches which bring an interesting mixture of notes, helped by the distinctive presence of a support band and accompained by Kenshi’s charismatic performances, various and compelling, even appearing incredibly simple and easy. This album shows also how Kenshi is good in bringing compelling subjects to his songs even with pop tunes and creates a meaningful link to his Vocaloid phase, especially for the choice of the final track, a self-cover from Hachi, his stage name during this early phase. If you needed a confirmation about Kenshi Yonezu and his unique but simple world, Yankee is the album which you are looking for, where there’s literally tracks for all tastes. An album for who loves Kenshi Yonezu’s music in any shape and needs to know better the world of this incredible pop artist.
That’s all folks! See you with the third part of August’s themed week in “Focusing on”!
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Here I am with the first part of this month’s themed week in “Let’s Listen to”! Today’s subject is one of the most awaited released of the Japanese summer, the latest effort of the pop artist Kenshi Yonezu, the fifth album Stray Sheep, came out today. The album’s concept comes straight from the title, a reference to the parable of the “stray sheep” told in the New Testament, used to describe the sense of confusion and disorientation brought by the current times. And now… let’s review!
-Campanella: the album opens with the first lead-track, featuring a pretty peculiar sound; soft beats accompain Kenshi’s flowing and natural vocals, in a light and upbeat pop melody; a nice opening song, with an interesting vocal interpretation. —> 9/10
-Flamingo: one of the leads from the tenth single sees a more decise sound, where Kenshi’s vocals move swiftly in the articulated melody, well underlined by the bass; a flowing and easy song, which keeps up the positive atmosphere of the album. —> 8.5/10
-Kanden (Electroshock): the second lead-track of the album, used as theme for the drama MIU404, is kicked off by pretty positive notes, surrounded by a pretty simple beat; the vocals are nice and pretty balanced, especially in the refrain, making it even catchier; a nice track, dyed by a jazzy vibe. —> 8.5/10
-Placebo (ft. Yojiro Noda): this song starts with soft notes, accompained by a pretty relevant beat; Kenshi’s voice is steady, keeping up the melody along with interesting guitar notes and a pretty efficient duet with the lead-singer of Radwimps, in another catchy and easy track. —> 8.5/10
-Paprika: the lead of the thirteenth single starts with slower and melancholic notes, disposed in a peculiar way; Kenshi’s vocals are pretty suggestive, driving an electronic and fascinating melody, made of a balance between positive and melancholic shades; a song which brings the album to a maturer side. —> 9/10
-Uma to shika (Horse and deer): natural vocals and nice guitar notes open the lead of the twelfth single, used as theme for the drama No Side Game; the rhythm builds up slowly, leading up to a pretty pleasant melody, with not so exaggerated electronic effects, greatly helped by a deep vocal interpretation; a distinctive track. —> 9/10
-Yasashii hito (Kind person): this song sees sweet vocals by Kenshi, accompained by warm guitar notes, leading up to a slow and melancholic ballad, where the vocal interpretation is the most remarkable highlight of the track; a track which shows Kenshi Yonezu’s emotional side at best. —> 9/10
-Lemon: the lead song of the ninth single, theme song of the drama Unnatural, starts with Kenshi’s deep vocals, accompained by a nice melody and a flowing beat, creating an intense atmosphere; the melody improves more thanks to a rock vibe, especially in the refrain, making this track even better, without forgetting the vocal interpretation, which improves more in the second part. —> 9.5/10
-Machigai sagashi (Look for a mistake) -Masaki Sudacover-: the song starts with twittering birds, bringing back the naturalist touch seen in Kenshi Yonezu’s music, where the vocals become sombre and mature, accompaining a crystalline fascinating melody; a song which looks back to this artist’s origins, exalted by the vocals and a good use of electronic notes. —> 9.5/10
-Himawari (Sunflower): this song brings back the positive vibe in the album, with soft notes opening the song, whose rhythm is pretty fast and the melody is upbeat; the vocals are living, accompained by a fresh guitar, in a pleasant and catchy song, featuring a sort of exotic vibe. —> 9/10
-Mayoeru Hitsuji (Stray sheep): the title-track starts with a pretty steady melody, featuring decise and dark-ish tones; Kenshi’s voice is intriguing, bringing out a really peculiar vocal interpretation; a good song, built by a various and fresh melody, improved by a nice piano work. —> 9/10
-Décolleté: this song sees a retrò vibe, where the enigmatic notes mix up with a balanced beat for a quite paced melody, driven by Kenshi’s simple vocals; the song is pretty good, where the best feature is a curious mix of R'n'B and folk sound. —> 9/10
-Teenage Riot: the second lead of the tenth single starts with interesting guitar notes and a fast beat; the vocals are pretty steady, but fitting with the unpredictable approach of the song, whose melody evolves even thanks to a balanced drum work; another great track, exalting once again Kenshi’s singing skills. —> 9/10
-Umi no yuurei (Spirits of the sea): the lead of the eleventh single, used as theme for the movie Kaiju no kodomo, is kicked off by Kenshi’s clear vocals, accompained by a nice piano, where the rhythm is made by a slow and articulated beat, where the vocal interpretation is filled by nostalgical shades; a quite compelling track, where the melody evolves with suggestive electronic notes. —> 9/10
-Canary: the album ends with a quite long song, staying in the nostalgical side; Kenshi’s voice is intense, accompained by clear piano notes, driving up a slow and melodious theme, making the song even more compelling than expected; the vocal interpretation reaches high peaks, especially in clearer notes, where the violin gives an extra touch to an already awesome song. —> 9.5/10
Final Vote —> 9/10
Kenshi Yonezu is definitely an unique artist within the Japanese pop scene and a confirmation of how in music surprises never end. In ten years of career he always brought something new and refreshing, reinventing his concept through his suggestive art and melodies touching each emotion possible. Stray Sheep represents a fundamental step forward in his path, since it extended his sound to a wider audience, even outside Japan, bringing upbeat melodies, melancholic notes, compelling and various vocals, and a touch of nostalgia and nature, reprised by Kenshi’s early style, showing how pop music is able to bring in unexpected directions and to further horizons. This album is a breath of fresh air, needed in troubled times like these, whose influence is felt even inside each track, and a good companion for everyday life, making it more pleasant and flowing, without any doubt. If you are looking for an intense pop artist, whose sound goes out of schemes, Kenshi Yonezu is your answer, especially with this fifth album. An album for who already knows Kenshi’s unique world and for who needs to get into his music, made of positivity, nostalgia and feelings.
That’s all folks! See you with the second part of this month’s themed week in “Throwback Thursday”!
Thanks for the reading!
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Here I am with the third part of July’s themed week in “Throwback Thursday”! Today’s subject is another release by the Japanese metal band Unlucky Morpheus, but this time we go back to the eighth album Hypothetical Box Act 2, released on 5th May 2010 and part of their touhou repertory. This release is nothing else than a re-registered version of their debut work, released two years earlier, with the addition of three tracks, all taken from the works of the touhou musician Zun. And now… let’s review!
-Hypothetical Box: the title-track opens the album, a short SE featuring a pretty clear gothic melody, accompained by a sweet violin and a nice drum work.
-Dragon Force: Fuki’s voice introduces this song, accompained by the violin, leading up to a decise rhythm, well underlined by the guitar, along with the notable use of electronic within the melody, thanks to Shiren’s distinctive work; a really good track, with a virtuous guitar solo. —> 9/10
-Karasu tengu (Raven tengu): this song starts with an electronic intro, along with an energetic and positive guitar, leading the melody with a pretty paced rhythm; the vocals are intense and charismatic, wrapped into a good melody; another good track, with another good guitar solo. —> 8.5/10
-Siva: energetic guitar notes open this song, in a fast rhythm and a melody, well characterized by the guitar; Fuki’s voice is quite living, even if there’s some roughness, a sign that she was only in her beginning phase as singer; a quite nice song, maintaining the style offered so far in the album. —> 8.5/10
-The Tower of the Blood: the violin kicks off the song, in a paced rhythm and a melody driven by a good guitar work; the vocals are quite balanced and deeper than expected, showing that Fuki is a really versatile singer; an awesome song, whose technique and virtuosism can’t go unnoticed. —> 9/10
-Hanasaku haru no aru kagiri (Until there’s a blooming spring): this song starts with melodious notes, mainly electronic; Fuki’s voice is pretty clear, driving up a simple but quite enjoyable metal melody; a nice song, which keeps high the atmosphere of the album. —> 8/10
-Mouryou no misshitsu (Closed room): the song is opened by a virtuous guitar, featuring a paced rhythm, where Fuki’s voice is intense and brings out interesting notes; the melody is well built by the guitar, especially in the solo, bringing in a nice neoclassical shade, making the song more interesting. —> 8.5/10
-Sono tamashii ni yasuragi o ~Dignity of Spirit (May the soul rest in peace ~Dignity of Spirit): the album ends with a pretty long track, opened by warm guitar notes, along with Fuki’s soft vocals, which become melting throughout the song; the rhythm becomes more intense and stronger, where the guitar accelerates the melody with fast notes, developing a rapid and energetic sound in the second movement; the main highlight of the song is definitely Fuki, whose versatility is able to keep up the song without letting it be boring; a song which moves in many levels, between potency, feelings and technique. —> 9/10
Final Vote —> 9/10
In their earlier phase, Unlucky Morpheus had only two official members: Fuki, lead singer and Shiren, guitarist and even programmer, making him responsible for the composition of melodies in each song, as it happens in most touhou projects, where the sound is essentially composed by instruments played electronically. This reduced line-up gives a different perspective of this band compared to what we know about them today and this album, their most representative work of this branch characterizing most of their discography, shows that they are able to bring in good music, despite the different musical approach. Energetic melodies, well shaded by electronic effects, a great virtuosism, brought up by Shiren’s talent and an unique vocal versatility, given by a emerging Fuki, still walking in the path that brought her to become one of the most renowned vocalists of Japanese metal scene, are the main elements of a really good metal album. Shortly, from any side you want to see, Unlucky Morpheus never disappoints, even if a synthesizer domains in the melody. An album for who loves touhou music and who is looking for a good metal act, better than what it can seem.
That’s all folks! See you with the final part of July’s themed week in “Focusing on”!
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Here I am with a new review in the past in “Throwback Thursday”! Today’s subject is the debut work by the visual kei band Nightmare, the first mini-album Outlaw, came out on 25th November 2002. This mini-album is the only one released during their indie phase and allowed to introduction of their wild sound to the audience. And now… let’s review!
-Dogma [discovering the mystery]: the mini-album starts with a song kicked off with a growing and paced rhythm, where the vocals appear quite aggressive and living at the same time; an interesting track, featuring even a swing interlude towards the finale. —> 7.5/10
-Bildsungroman [the past shapes people]: a fast and piercing guitar open the song, leading up to a beating and balanced rhythm; Yomi’s voice is flowing and quite enjoyable, building up a nice track, improved by an interesting guitar work. —> 8/10
-Gianizm-san (Gianizm #3) [Gianizm —> band’s main concept]: the third part of the Gianizm series is opened by a fast rhythm, along with a nice guitar touch and aggressive vocals, featuring a sort of dark shade in the interpretation; a catchy theme, even if some part messed up and repetitive, with a interesting folk component. —> 7.5/10
-Saiyuuki (Play time) [childhood]: energetic guitar notes kick off the song, featuring a quite relevant rhythm, surrounding a cheerful melody; Yomi’s voice appears quite decent, in a nice and playful interpretation, fitting with the simple atmosphere provided by the track; a nice song, with a good guitar work. —> 8/10
-Shinjitsu no hana (Flower of truth) [reality fades, dreams remain]: this song starts with warm guitar notes, leading up to a paced melody, well driven by both the guitars; the vocals are more passionate and intense, even if not refined at all; a really good song, with an awesome guitar solo, bringing some improvement to the release. —> 8.5/10
-Star[K]night [the most important things are always lost]: the lead-track ends the mini-album featuring electronic notes, which kick off the melody, catchy and quite simple; Yomi’s voice is unrefined, but anyway enjoyable and fitting with this kind of song; a good ending theme, working even thanks to the guitars. —> 8.5/10
Final Vote —> 8/10
With a bold concept and nothing to lose, Nightmare went strong into the Japanese rock scene, bringing up a rocking and energetic sound which has developed in a really long time. Outlaw marks their debut in the musical world and quite introduced their style to the audience, with an interesting final result; the melodies are energetic and catchy, empowered by a nice guitar work and good rhythms, where the vocals are interesting but quite unrefined, explained by the indie production behind the release and Yomi’s unexperienced skills, which would have improved in the course of the years. We haven’t heard from them since 2016, but meanwhile the members found interesting directions thanks to their work in other projects, such as Gremlins(Hitsugi),The Legendary Six Nine (Ni-ya and Ruka) and the latest ones, Jakigan Meister (Ni-ya and Sakito) and Take no Break (Yomi), which will flow into their comeback, a thing we are looking forward to so much. Meanwhile you can relive their best hits, through a DVD featuring their 20th anniversary live performance, a compilation of hits chosen by the singer Yomi and ending up to their new single, Ink, expected in October. A mini-album for who needs to know Nightmare’s musical prologue and can’t wait for their return.
That’s all folks! See you with the first part of July’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”!
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my head lately it’s being:
Work, work, work, work, work, work he said me haffi work, work, work, work, work, work he see me do mi dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt so me put in work, work, work, work, work, work