Inoran ~ Won't Leave My Mind
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.
