I like to make lists. No really, I do. And I haven't made any here yet. But since this blog is all about music and mostly about Jrock, I think I shall make a list of my favorite musicians for each position. Though, it's only about half-favorite, as it's mostly on those whose talent I really respect and whom I think are truly gifted at that position.
Jrock ONLY though, to make it simpler. And in order usually down to five. I'll put the band name next to people with dopplegangers or bands that are just damn obscure. Otherwise, assume it's the most well-known one?
Vocals
1.Morrie
2.Tatsurou
3.Yuta (La Vie En Rose)
4.Shiina Ringo
5.Kyo (D'ERLANGER)
6.Ryuichi Ishiyama (Lastier)
7.Noah (101A)
8.Tora (Sel'm)
9.Hizumi
10.Ryuichi Kawamura
Guitar
1.Aie
2.Yuu (Merry)
3.You (DEAD END)
4.Daita (Siam Shade)
5.Miya (MUCC)
6.Inoran
7.Takuro (GLAY)
8.Cipher
9.Kyoichi (Lastier, Babysitter, etc.)
10.Shin/Minoru (Die in Cries, MCM, Creature Creature)
Bass
1.Yukke
2.Yukino (the studs)
3.Seela
4.Tetsu (L'arc)
5.Crazy Cool Joe
6.Takeshi (MCM)
7.Kazuya (deadman)
8.J
9.Naoki (Jinkaku Radio)
10.Ken (La Vie En Rose)
Drum
1.Nero
2.Minato (DEAD END)
3.Yukihiro
4.Kenzo (Ayabie)
5.Toki (deadman)
6.Tooru (12012)
7.Asanao (lynch)
8.Shinya (LUNA SEA)
9.Tsukasa (D'espairsRay
10.Ryo (Girugamesh)
New Bands
Zodia
E'm~grief~
Lamina
Moran
DaizyStripper
Megaromania
Of those, the best one is Moran, the worst one is Megaromania. Of course, Moran has ex.Fatima members on its side, but still they already sound very polished and Hitomi's voice doesn't annoy me nearly as much as it did in Fatima. DaizyStripper is pretty good, but mostly they're worth mentioning because they're actually coming here to play at Otakon. All six of their songs, lol. Lamina, I hope will get better, because they're made up of members from Nagoya bands I really liked. Zodia, their first two songs were pretty awesome, but it's early to judge. E'm~grief~ is teetering on the edge of cool and annoying. Megaromania is essentially a really noisy Phantasmagoria with terrible vocals.
New Releases
[2008.08.06] D'espairs Ray - Kamikaze (single)
Um, it makes Brilliant sound a lot better, I'll tell you what.
[2008.08.06] Meth - The Old One Ends, It Becomes Brand New (mini-album)
Not as amazing as I'd hoped, but Shiki sounds fucking fantastic on the last track.
[2008.07.16] Nega - Reminiscence (single)
Best Nega release in awhile. The title track is epic.
[2008.06.18] Eat You Alive (MaveRick) - JENNIFER (single)
A lot of people are complaining, but overall I liked this single. Especially the homage to their former name. That track rocked a-freaking-lot.
MUCC - Ageha
Kay, not released yet, but I have to say I ttly love it already. It reminds me of all the old Jrock I've been listening to lately. Like, DEAD END and D'ERLANGER. I can't wait to hear the b-sides.
Merry - Gekisei
Alright, not as fantastic. But mostly I was just relieved that the 15-minute song wasn't a total mess. I haven't bought it yet, even though I kinda want to hear the enka covers. :x
the studs - yami nochi ame
The gift thing I finally got to hear. It was essentially Aie and Daisuke. The fact that it was acoustic was nice, but Daisuke's not a strong enough singer to really make the song amazing.
Looking forward to:
[2008.08.20] 12012 - Taiyou (single)
I just always look forward to their stuff.
[2008.08.27] 176BIZ - Hello (album)
I like their sound change in the last single
[2008.09.09] 9GOATS BLACK OUT - Sleeping Beauty (single)
the samples sound amazing, guys.
[2008.09.10] Nil - Maruchinesu (album)
This will be awesome.
[2008.09.10] Suga Shikao - FUNKAHOLIC (album)
I really like his stuff and plus, that name, lol
[2008.09.10] GLAY - I LOVE YOU wo sagashiteru (single)
IT'S GLAY, c'mon.
[2008.09.24] Inoran - Apocalypse (album)
He's just never disappointing, that's all I'll say
[2008.10.22] Dali - A rope is there. And hope is there (album)
Finaaaally an album. OMG.
Also, of course, the full MUCC single, and Merry, somewhat. For the covers. And now I can add the three Studs singles coming out in October. I'm a little miffed that there's only one original song and it seems a live track. But at the same time, Aie is obviously love live.
Motoyuki "Morrie" Otsuka. Former vocalist of DEAD END, solo artist and possibly current vocalist of Creature Creature, though that band, or project seems to be defunct now. I hope it's not though. This thing is going to be epic, because I do believe I have fallen in love with Morrie. His voice is...beyond amazing, his stage presence was spectacular, he was and is gorgeous, in a strictly handsome sort of way. But most of all, his voice. With DEAD END, he was half channeling Dave Mustaine with those sneery growls, but on the other hand, he had a unique way of singing that was more than half-copied by another famous vocalist. Hyde, of L'arc en Ciel. Though, I doubt a lot of the latter's fans even realize this. But truthfully, Hyde copied Morrie right down to his facial expressions. If you ever manage to see some DEAD END lives, you'll see it right away.
Solo, he did something completely different. It crossed all sorts of genres musically, but vocally, those were his best years. Some of the things he did were just really amazing. I can't even begin to describe them, tbh. Then, after ten years of absence, he came back with the project band, Creature Creature. His voice was rusty in spots, I'll admit. But in other parts, it was just as good as ever. Perhaps even moreso. The fact is, he is just an amazing vocalist period. Not just from a technical standpoint, but from an expressive standpoint as well. I've heard him do several different styles now, and he's awesome at all of them.
Very simply, he embodies all the best characteristics of every vocalist I've ever loved. Tatsurou, Hyde, Yuta, Gara, Dave Mustaine. Starting with the dark, deep, soulful voice, and soaring notes, then add the gorgeous falsetto and expressive enunciation, add Yuta's silky smoothness in mid-high registers, add Gara's raspyness and speed and finally Dave Mustaine's trademark sneery growling, and then you have Morrie. No wonder I can't help but be blown away by him.
Which brings me to the DEAD END live I was able to see. By the time it was halfway in, I was sort of just bowled over. I'm not sure I can think of a vocalist with more stage presence than him. Especially since he wasn't terribly active. I mean, he was simply INTENSE. Of course, this had the added effect that whenever he smiled, however briefly, I died just a little. If he didn't have some insane fangirls back then, it's a dire shame.
Right now I can't think of what songs to share, but I shall probably make a second post later. I know which CC song I'll pick, but it might take me a bit to think of which solo and DEAD END song to share.
Ryuichi Kawamura. I've given him a hard time over the years. Mostly for his blindingly dramatic vocals and tendency to really overuse that high register of his. However, for reasons left unsaid, I've been listening to a LOT of Luna Sea lately, as well as watching them. And, well, I've come to the conclusion that he is actually very good and very talented. His control live is pretty amazing, and he has a lot of power. And his technique is right on, because he sounds just as good at the end of a live as at the start. I do wish he'd use his lower register more though. It's very attractive and smooth.
But overall, it's hard to fault him much, unless it's his delivery. Some of his best songs though, are not the "popular" ones, but like Claustrophobia, Feel, Into the Sun, Rain, Be Gone, etc. Lives, I will continue to maintain, are the best "tests" of a vocalist's ability. Things like bad pitch can be tinkered with in a studio, and of course, you get several takes to get it right, so breath control and proper technique doesn't necessarily come into play either. Live, I generally look for the pitch thing, and secondly, how well their voice holds up for a 2+ hour show. If a person is singing properly, they should not sound any worse at the end of a show than they did at the start.
And one thing I must admit to liking about, yes anyone, but since I'm talking about Ryuichi, him, is that he doesn't run all over the stage constantly. He's pretty focused on his singing about 90% of the time. I am definitely not one of those who needs a "show" and constant antics to not be bored. In fact, I hate antics, it distracts me from the music, generally. So I have MORE admiration for a singer that doesn't spend a lot of time amping up the crowd, but just sings.
Ah so, in conclusion I'll also add that those fans who think his voice was actually better at the beginning are wrong. He's improved exponentially as the years have passed. He was pretty amazing in the 1998 Revive live, but even better in the 2007 One Night Deja Vu live.
Free-form preview of And Hate (and I DO mean free-form, i.e. not in order, rambley as hell, etc.), as I have an official review pending. To answer the why...I'm having a rather difficult time getting words out about this album. I honestly don't think anything I can write will do it justice. X)
Gaze: ahhh, I swear, back in Deadman, that intro would have been acoustic. But don't you get the feeling Aie is trying to cut all comparisons from them? I love how Aie and Yukino finish each other's phrases. It's absolutely the most amazing musical thing in Jrock right now. I'm almost in awe at how good they are at it. Especially when you consider this is the guy that left Deadman four songs in because of "musical differences". Feedback into clean, classic Aie.
Niji no iro: there's less of that cooperation here. I miss some of Aie's usual wankery too. I still think Akairo should have been the a-side. But of course, it works on the album.
Shakunetsu wa reido: my premise will definitely be that this is the weakest song on the album. It fits though, because the album is so cohesive overall. It's just weak in comparison. But it's not Aie's either, so I can be smug about that. XD
Advance Insane: The main riff is still totally the strong point. It's obscenely fast. It also dominates the song, it's hard to hear much else. The fake ending was great though. He does that so well, I swear. I don't like how Hibiki's cymbal rape obscures the last version though.
Keishou: I initially thought this was another weak song, but it's better than I thought. Yukino or not, he gives Aie plenty of time to wank, lol, and wank he does. The tempo changes are ace though. Also, the shouting part in the chorus is not as jarring as I was initially thinking. I detect some overdubbing in spots though. Sometimes I'm surprised this is Yukino's song, as he really takes a backseat in it.
Dread: ok, this is one of the songs that makes me get all weak when I go to write about this album. I love the yelling in the background, which is Aie, lol. But more still, I love the growly guitar riffs, and that staccato playing that he is SO DAMN GOOD AT. I feel like I've repeated that too many times already. The bridge is full of airy riffs and slow tempo, before the bass and guitar get down and dirty yet again. God, I love this song. It's fucking amazing.
And Hate: and it was after this song, that I knew this album was going to be killer. What was it though? The random Engrish chorus? The bridge with the bass solo? Aie owning it in the background? I dunno.
Unsightly Stupid: and this is the reason you fail if you buy the dvd version. Ok, one of the reasons. I like this song even more than Dread. Partially because Daisuke, for once, is perfect. His angry vocals totally go. And whatever Aie's doing is just sick. I love how he has something droning on, and yet, manages to insert yet another riff. It looks insane live too and I don't understand how he does it.
<<----- HE is a genius, have I mentioned that?
Hyouryu no hana: the most interesting thing to me about this song is how he adds the wah to his riff midway through the second verse part. I also like the chorus though, because Aie's backing vocals are pretty apparent. As in, what he's contributing. The last wanky solo was fantastic too.
Aru asa: maybe the only song where Hibiki's drumming is really good, or interesting. Aie's guitar work is pretty intricate too though, and also Daisuke actually sings here. There's a bass solo too.
Outro: the other reason to buy the non-dvd one. This thing is freakin' fantastic. Do you HEAR that riffing? :O Honestly. It's too short, I can't comprehend half of what he does. Ohhhh man, and muted chords even. *___* I do....seriously love what he does with that thing.
Missing Vain: I love his use of feedback, almost without exception. And the squealing that starts out this one is...uh, no exception, lol. That muted thing would interesting to see live. Some more of that phrase completion between those two. Nice distortion-heavy, grungy solo with a little bend to mix it up.
Ok, I'm not going to bother with the Intro, because it was...pretty introish, that is, not one of my loss-for-words tracks. But my LAST word is going to be that people who don't like this album don't "get" the Studs and they need to get on over to some other fandom. This is Aie. If you're a fan of that guy, you'll be loving this shit. IF not, well....then, please, why are you here? The reason I love him so much is that he doesn't compromise. I love his minimalistic composing style, his intricate, yet, non-traditional guitaring, it's contrary and technical all at the same time. And I feel rather sad for anyone who isn't an intelligent enough listener to get that. This isn't Deadman, this isn't Kagerou, and it WON'T be. The Studs is more his band than any other in the past. And one of the things I love most about him is that he clearly doesn't give a crap about complainers. Like, releases are slow, so WHAT? He's doing the majority of the composing and you can't rush genius bb. x)
This is kind of a theme post, about rain. Going through all my music and finding songs that reference rain in the title, I was surprised to realize that they don't stop there. Most of the songs actually evoke rain as an image using various musical elements. Dragging tempos, prominent cymbal lines, repetitive high-ish guitar parts, minor keys, strings, and some other things that work particularly well for calling up rain.
Nevermind for a moment that Cloud by Dari starts out with a thunderclap and a downpour, the rest of the song has warring cymbal lines and a storm-like song structure. What do I mean by this? Well, a storm always has lulls, and also moments of extra intensity. Both are found here, but always with the main themes in the background.
Rain Forest by Dazzle Vision also starts out with rain noise, and it also has the warring cymbal lines, but the focal point is definitely the soaring, intense vocals of Maiko. It's as though she's trying to sing and be heard over a storm.
かなじ雨 by CROWS has a guitar part that to me, suggests rain drops. It starts out the song, until the heavy bassline comes in, but it does come back and repeats for most of the song, sometimes in the background, sometimes not. It's high and only incorporates about three notes, but it's perfect for suggesting the dripping of rain. The chorus of voices at the end also does this rather well.
桜と雨 by Deadman has a lot of acoustic guitar in it, along with electric, and a very rare solo from Aie while cymbal splashes in the background. The tempo is not particularly dragging, but it doesn't need to be.
On the other hand 「四月ノ雨ト…散ル…華ニ…」 by Emmuree does in fact have this dragging tempo, and a constantly repeating guitar part while Sou's vocals float in the background. In fact, I like that they were mixed like that, it helps the lazy, rainy feeling. Even the occasional solo is slow and lazy, like watching water drip slowly, relentlessly down your window.
雨宿り by 白黒キネマ is the first song on here with strings, and it's pretty hard to beat strings in suggesting a downpour. But what I have to say I like best about this song are the tempo and dynamic changes and how it goes from full to sparse instrumentation, which reflects the title. The meaning of which is basically "taking shelter from the rain". It feels like going from eve to eve, and the rain goes from heavy to just dripping.
雨の恐山 by Guruguru Eigakan feat. Inugami Circus-dan is straight up just jazz, and really, what better to say rain than jazz? The very first guitar riff sounds like rain, and then you have the drums being played with brushes, and a very low male voice duetting with a higher, but sultry female one. Like a light rain in a dark city.
More jazz is served up with さよなら雨 by Merry. There's plenty of cymbal, courtesy of Nero, but Yuu's main guitar riff sounds pretty rainy as well. Also, tempo changes and that storm structure I mentioned at the very start. There's something about this song that just sounds wet.
Then there's 闇に降る雨 by 椎名林檎, which has a violin or cello right at the start (and more throughout), a bit of dragging tempo, and then a wonderful bridge with feedbacky guitar, a sitar and a few well-placed bass notes. And above all this is Ringo's raspy, lower voice, which occasionally hits some beautiful high notes.
この雨の向こうに by Doremidan starts out with a marching tattoo of a drum beat (like rain beating against a gutter), and is followed by a couple of jazzy guitar riffs. The bridge yields a nice tempo change, simulating a lull, before the tattoo resumes.
私は雨 by SID continues with the jazz. This time with a swinging sort of tempo and some pretty skilled staccato singing by Mao. The guitar and bass also work well together in producing that bluesy feel.
And my favorite would have to be the Emmurée song. It's long, it's lazy and it's one of Sou's best vocal performances.
So, Hurts is disbanding after their oneman on 3/20. It almost seemed inevitable, since they have the double bad luck of being both Nagoya and on UCP. And now seems as good a time as any to tell you what they're like. While they're still together.
They started as a session band, playing in and around Nagoya, before being signed to Under Code. And in a little over a year, have released 8 singles for a total of 19 songs. Their last release, a best-of album, was released on March 5th. Their sound though, was very reminiscent of second-generation Nagoya, and maybe even older. Very dark, grungy and bass-led with mostly un-screamy vocals, they had that certain Nagoya sound that often sets the style apart from other visual kei. Even when the visuals are closer to being generic VK.
The vocalist, Hina, is really never impressive, but more importantly, he was inoffensive. He wasn't terribly nasal, he didn't misuse vibrato, and he didn't constantly screech to disguise a bad singing voice. In other words, he wasn't bad, just not amazing. His voice did work with the music most of the time too. And like a lot of Nagoya vocalists, he certainly had tinges of Aki (Laputa) and Kisui/Jun (Phobia/SIX-R), at times.
Guitarist, Mukku, was interesting to me in his ability to play both lead and rhythm, without too much overdubbing. I liked his grungier style as well. He resisted that bright sound I hate in so much standard VK, but he also doesn't really go for the down-tuned sludge that nu-metal inspired bands go for. No, instead I felt much more of an Eika or Aie comparison at times. Perhaps even Iori, who, btw, has left Siva. Let's hope he ends up in a Nagoya band again.
The bassist was Maki, and the news gets sadder here. He is apparently giving up the bass after Hurts' last live. His basslines weren't terribly dominant, but they did lead the songs fairly frequently, and his solos, when given center stage, were actually pretty damn good. Not just a couple of notes like a lot of bassists will do, but something long enough to get stuck in your head afterward. But most of the time, they just throb along beneath the rest of the song, subtly staying out of the way, but holding up the pyramid.
One thing awesome (out of many) about Nagoya bands is their attention to that rhythm section. Kaede was actually pretty fantastic. Good, interesting lines, and restraint on the cymbal, which is always the first thing I notice about drumming. Love to hate on those cymbal crashes. Otherwise, he was great at giving the cues, and changing things up several times during a song.
It's rather depressing to lose a good, promising band like this so quickly. I'm certain they didn't even close to reach their full potential.
One of my other favorite musicians and guitarists is Yuu from the pretty well-known eroguro band Merry. I recently had occasion to hear his sole former band, Shiver. I was mainly interested to see if his guitar style is as distinctive as Aie's. There were two guitarists, and the other one (Akira), like with Aie's early bands, was the lead and did most of the composing. However Yuu did get a few shakes at it. They were a pretty typical VK band, especially in appearance, and somewhat in vocals. The vocalist sounds more like an Aki type than a Kiyoharu type, however.
After the fairly mundane Hypnosis, I moved on to Saibou, and I had to keep checking the composer, because with that galloping bass line and jazzy guitar riffs, I'd almost swear it was written by Yuu. I can't really hear a second guitar either, and the one I mostly hear really does sound like Yuu.
The next song that came up was written by Yuu. Gimmick. Interestingly it wasn't really jazzy, but I do admit the lead definitely sounds like him. He's also credited for synth, oddly enough. Rasen no kago was next, and another Yuu composition. Again, rather heavy on the synth. It does an interesting thing about halfway through though, changing times. The next song, Kuroi Kyojetsu is equally off-beat. But it sort of surprises me that Yuu wrote these. They seem less distinct and more "typical". Whereas, wherever Aie has been, I can tell it's him right away. I guessed nearly every Lamiel song he wrote, just by hearing it.
Nevertheless, I'd say they were pretty successful by small band standards. They released several singles and a mini, and their guitarists went on to be the lead composers for their next bands; Merry and Baroque respectively. It's also interesting to me that Yuu's name was written thusly: ユウ and ゆう. It probably explains why the majority of Merry fandom now romanizes his name as Yuu and not Yu.
In spite of hoping to be all over Yuu in this, I'd have to say the best song I heard was, in fact, Saibou. My conclusion is, as talented as he is, he's still rather young in band years. Aie, after all, was in three bands before Lamiel and in three since Lamiel. He's also been all over the place in session bands and helping on other people's projects. They may be the same age (I think, lol), but in band years, pretty far apart.
It may not be immediately obvious on this blog, but the truth is I listen to a lot of music. Currently that's mostly Japanese, but I don't feel I've exhausted the scene yet either. I have noticed the disturbing trend however, of fans to only listen to what's easily available or previewable via sites like Youtube. Because of this, there's even a such thing as "mainstream indies bands". That is, indie bands that are popular with nearly everyone in the fandom.
So, in an effort to correct this, I picked some stuff out of each of my folders and have decided to upload them. Each one is far from popular among the regulars, but of course, all are good. There's some good stuff out there, under rocks.
First, from the folder, Visual Indie, we have 十神, or Tokami. I've uploaded their album, the Brand-New Darkness, because they've recently changed vocalists. They have a surprising amount of material out for a band that's only been around for 2 years. A lot of that, however, was demos. They're just now getting in the groove of releasing more. They're kind of a dark rock band, sounding surprisingly like new gen Nagoya. I'd compare them a bit to the recently broken-up Gemmik
And, from the folder, Nagoya, one of my biggest folders, and thus was hard to choose, but I chose an old band, La'Mule. I've recently been into the old stuff, and it's interesting to hear the influences on 2nd and current gen sound. Also, vocalists were quite a bit better in those days, and La'Mule is no exception. The vocalist, Kon, had a pleasant, lower voice, with just the right amount of raspyness for their sound, which was dark rock. He's currently in the non-visual band, Red Carpet. I've uploaded their last single, Berlin. They disbanded in 2003.
From my biggest folder, Eroguro/Angura, comes a sample of the band, 駄菓子菓子, or Dagashi Kashi. They are essentially the lesser-known version of Inugami Circus-dan, which is saying something, because I don't think a lot of people know ICD either. However, their sound is a bit different. Their vocalist is female, and the way she sings CAN be an acquired taste, just because she will often singing in a purposely annoying little girl voice, but when she actually sings seriously, her voice is pleasant and on the lower side. Their music is less surf-happy than ICD also. More closely resembling older MUCC, darker and deeper overall. What I've uploaded is four songs from their album Botai nai sekai.
Next from the folder, Jrock, I have a maxi-single from the band
Nil. They are a non-visual band, and I've included them because
they're one of Aie's favorite bands, and recently have become one of
mine. Perhaps not many people know this, but the vocalist and
guitarist of this band is actually Tetsu, formerly of the rather famous
(and incredibly overrated) Malice Mizer. Their sound encompasses a lot
of different things, from folk, to jazz, to surf, to grunge, and a lot
in between. Tetsu's voice is a little bit of an acquired taste, but
the music is superb. The songs are often quite long and include a lot
of vocal-less jamming, which I love like nothing else. If you've ever
heard Blankey Jet City, they are similar, but a little harder rock. Down to Dawn.
Finally, I have something from my Jpop folder. Yes, I do enjoy Jpop, infrequently, but in large doses. Anyway, this is a new band called Pistol Valve. They're an all-girl pop, rock, ska band. Though, they're very jazzy, with less of that chintzyness I tend to associate with ska. Their new album, RATATATTAT! was simply awesome, and I recommend it highly. It has some truly awesome songs on it. If you like jazz, especially, it will be right up your alley. I've uploaded again, four songs from that album to sample.
I've always liked Inoran. Especially when I was obsessed with Luna Sea. I'm not sure what it was. His understated, quiet presence onstage, his decision to play rhythm, even though he was one of the original founding members of the band (along with J), or how subtly intricate his rhythm playing actually is.
When Luna Sea disbanded, I sort of tried some solo stuff here and there. That included Fake? and eventually Tourbillon. I never liked either of them. The latter, especially was terribly boring. I initially felt the same way about Inoran's first solo album, Fragment. Well, technically second, but since his actual first one didn't have him singing, I don't really count it.
Flash forward a few years to 2007, and Luna Sea has reunited for at least one concert in the Tokyo Dome on Christmas Eve. I fell in love all over again. After dusting off all my Luna Sea albums, I finally gave J's solo the chance it deserved, and I gave Inoran's solo another chance. He'd released two more albums since I last listened, including one just this last year. Niraikanai was what I heard first, and then Photograph. It hadn't really changed since I first heard it, but I was hearing it differently, I think. And even this time, I nearly dismissed it again. Until, despite twice the amount of J listens, it was Inoran stuck in my head. I tend to pay attention to music that sticks in my head. It means that it grabbed me, even if only subconsciously.
His solo music is...different. That's the only word I can think of. It has layers, lots of them, but it also has simplicity. Especially in Inoran's singing. Nothing he does is particularly challenging vocally, but that's alright, because it's catchy, and his voice is just like his stage presence. Simple and understated. It's on the low side, not nasal, and with a pleasant raspy quality. Inoran's only problems are range, which may or may not be fixable, it's hard to tell, since he definitely knows where he's comfortable. And the other one is he doesn't open his mouth very wide, which affects his power and projection a bit, and gives his voice that drawling quality. It's a bit weird it doesn't seem to affect his enunciation however, he's very clear there for the most part. And he's actually gotten a lot better at that of late.
But otherwise, his pitch is on, he's hitting the right notes, his breathing is fine, and he's not absurdly nasal. Soulful, I like to call it. Or folksy works too.
It also goes well with the music, which is...as I said, different. It has elements of nearly everything. Rock, jazz, hip-hop, traditional Japanese, soul, folk, and probably more I'm forgetting. He also has probably the best use of turntables I've ever heard. Too often they're used in rock music as an attempt to sound "hip" so to speak, but he makes them make sense musically. They become more of a percussive, rhythm thing as opposed to just a sound effect.
When you compare his solo music with what he composed in Luna Sea, there are some definite similarities. Just look, for instance, how easily he performs Gravity, a song he wrote. But there are other things. The length. His songs for Luna Sea were often over five minutes, his solo stuff is the same. Acoustic guitar is also prevalent, and he seems almost more comfortable on that than he does the electric. His music also tended to have a very dominant bassline, and his solo is no different. There's a very strong groove in nearly every song. The low end and rhythms are often what you remember. And yet, he also has an incredible sense of melody. His songs are extremely catchy, even after only one listen.
As a solo performer, he is probably more magnetic than he was as the rhythm guitarist of Luna Sea. He doesn't even look lost without a guitar, as a lot of instrumentalists-turned-soloists do.
As a person, he seems very serious and more dedicated to music than anything else. Just look how many projects he had after Luna Sea. His own solo, Fake?, Tourbillon, and now he's back to more solo. I can't say I have much affection towards the other two though. Maybe because it's not solely him. His music, as quiet and understated, yet tightly composed as it is, is one of those rare things that doesn't leave, once you let it in.
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あさり said:
I outmostly agree on the line about unsightly stupid: pure brilliance.This is the kinda album you have to dive in... read more
on the Studs ~ And Hate -
あさり said:
Yes I have also noticed how songs which have got "Ame/Rain" in titles often evoke rain. There was this one... read more
on Emmurée ~ April Rain and Scattered Flowers -
Raito said:
Ahahah, LEECH. Ahem, but yes, it's amazing the difference between jazz/blues angst and retarded emo wangst. *coughkyocough*Well, here's the tracklist... read more
on GLAY ~ Winter Again -
&! Title. said:
It reminds one that not everyone has family and/or a significant other to share Christmas with, and how profoundly lonely... read more
on GLAY ~ Winter Again
It's a pretty amazing album. It's hands-down my album of the year, I really don't think anyone will release anything... read more
on the Studs ~ And Hate