#685 Music recs I: Ultimate favorites
I stepped on something sharp and it cut my foot and now it hurts like mad D: it’s a TINY cut but it hurts to put weight on my foot so yeah. I’ve spent the day in bed, trying to finish up this. It’s a massive music post (in three parts, apologies for the spam) and I don’t know if anyone will get through it but yeah, if you do, you have my respect XD
I promised this to plastictear, who already worked his ass off making me a k-pop recommendation entry. So it's time to pay back with some of my very favorite music! The ones who have been my friends for long now probably know most of these already, I have been gushing about them more or less. But if you don't know them, or remember them, I recommend you try them out ;) Be warned, this is going to be massive. I, obviously, can never keep things short. So you can skip half/all of it, only try out random ones, go through it little by little throughout the next weeks or whatever suits you best. But if you listen to any of it, I would love it if you'd tell me what you think! Don't feel obligated to like it, even if you hate everything you can tell me that and I won't take it personally, promised XD But I'd love to know your thoughts and I love spreading my favorite music around and... yes I believe you get the drift and this is getting ridiculously long anyway. I AM SORRY I AM SUCH A BABBLER ;~;
But yes. I present thee
THE MASSIVE COLLECTION OF FONULYN'S FAVORITE MUSIC
First of all I'd like to hold a short memorial to those who did not make it into these recommendations. The variety of music I listen to is so ridiculously varied and there's so much, I can't fit it all into this mass even if I'd want to. So I left out bands like AC/DC (best performance ever) and Metallica and Pantera and Ozzy Osbourne (I love Ozzy ;~;) since I am fairly sure you're all familiar with them (if not, click the links ;D or ask me more!).
So I'll go for my ultimate favorites first. In alphabetical order x)
AMORPHIS
Amorphis is a relatively new band for me, since I only discovered them in 2007 when I was in Ankkarock. I was there to see Dir en grey actually but Amorphis played before them and I quite instantly fell in love with them. Their singer is absolutely hilarious and an amazing person, and I love his voice. Plus the songs have this certain melodic value to them I absolutely adore. You'll soon see that I'm a simple person, I like simple music 8D Anyhow. Here is the whole group and I think the singer is super-hot even if I'm not usually a fan of braids his are cool.
All of their songs tell stories from Finland's national epic Kalevala and I think it's really amazing. It's kind of a way to bring the folklore close to the youth, too. And I at least really love how they incorporated the book into the songs and albums, each album telling a story of one character from the book. (I'd recommend the book too, btw XD)
House of Sleep
I don't understand why it's in such a bad quality, it's from the official Nuclear Blast channel *grumbles* Anyhow, this song used to be one of my most serious addictions. There was a time I listened to it a million times a day and I think one still sees it in my last.fm stats XD I still love it. Endlessly.
Other songs I'd recommend;
♥ Silent Waters, which has a nice (if a bit boring) video and I love the singer's eyes *___* so I picked it from the other album.
♥ I of Crimson Blood is my brother's favorite song and it is one of the best in my opinion too.
♥ Silver Bride which is from the second newest album, tells a story of a blacksmith that crafts a wife for himself from gold and silver, and it's actually a quite sad story.
APULANTA
Apulanta is a band that some people think is kind of embarrassing to listen to but I'm not going to agree to that. The old songs have attitude and passion, the new songs have amazing lyrics (the lyricist/vocalist is one of the most intelligent musicians I know of) and although it might not make much sense to people who don't know Finnish I think they're worth a try. Some people like them without any idea about the lyrics XD They have one album with English versions of their songs too, if you're curious I can get you that too. They might not be the prettiest persons on earth but I love 'em.
Viivakoodit
I picked this song as the first since I always pick Jumala and I figured it was time for a little variety XD Plus this song has some of the most amazing metaphors and thoughts in the lyrics. Or then it's just me, but I find so much from it and I could analyze them endlessly XD Of course it's in Finnish so that's no option for many of you, but I think it works even without knowing the language, even if that would bring a whole new universe to it too.
Other recommended songs;
♥ Jumala is my favorite song, hands down. It's the one I always go back to if I don't know which song to listen to from them. The video is good too.
♥ Anna Mulle Piiskaa is probably their most popular and widely known song and thus it has to be included everywhere XD The title translates to "whip me" and they do sing "baby whip me" in the chorus, yes.
♥ Mitä Kuuluu, which is such an old song omg and it's so weird to see Toni with actual hair o__O and the clothes, lol. The song is epic though!
♥ Reunallat is one of my first favorites too and has so much references to other Finnish songs and literature and all. That's one thing I love in Apulanta. They have so much intertextual references that it's incredible. You just have to find them!
BONNIE TYLER
I love this woman. Seriously, I do. I hardly ever really like female singers but I cold listen to her nonstop for hours. She has a raspy, slightly rough voice and I just got hooked to that already ages ago. I found some cassette tapes from the storage we had when I was like... nine and that's when I started to listen to her. Basically it's 80s disco pop although she has some rock songs too. She's cool and yeah I'm babbling.
Race to the Fire
It's not an official video or anything but there is no such thing, the only alternative is a short live performance. And this song is like the song for me XD For years I used to listen to it and draw inspiration from it to so many different situations and scenarios *laughs*
Other recommended songs;
♥ Hide Your Heart is a newer addiction for me and it's again a song I could listen to nonstop for ages. I especially love listening to Tyler in the car XD The quality isn't the best though ;~;
♥ Total Eclipse of the Heart is her biggest hit I suppose *laughs* It's melancholy and although it's very pompous and theatrical I love it nevertheless. There's also two versions of it (slightly altered lyrics) and this is the one I'm not that familiar with.
♥ Before This Night is Through is one of my favorites too and someone please write me a fic to this. I always wanted to see one XD This is also a song with two slightly different sets of lyrics *laughs*
♥ Rebel Without a Clue is one of my very favorites but I didn't put it as the first song since it's over eight minutes long and it might be a bit... overextending *laughs* But it's good and another song I kinda wanted to write a story to.
DIR EN GREY
Basically my main fandom and the reason I got into livejournal in the first place. I'm having a slightly on-off relationship with their music since at times it's the only thing I listen to and at times I slightly avoid them. But it doesn't change that I love them nevertheless. And their guitarist Die is one of my biggest idols in so many way, that precious, gorgeous man. As is the bassist Toshiya too. (It feels so weird to kind of introduce them since most of you know them as well or better than I XD) Kaoru, the other guitarist, is ingenious. Shinya is an awesome drummer. And Kyo is fucking annoying. *laughs* I respect him, yes, but nowadays he kind of annoys me with his artistic attitude XD I'm not gonna get more into that though.
Their music has changed a lot during the years, so it's really tough to come up with example songs without posting half of their discography here. So I'm sorry, it's a lot.
Increase Blue
I thought I'd include a live performance for a change :) It's from my very favorite DVD of theirs and it's my favorite song from my favorite album XD So many favorites! Which should make it ultimate favorite, eh? It depends on my mood and the album version is better but the live has something special to it :3
Other recommended songs (roughly chronologically);
♥ Garden is where they started from, basically, and one can hear a clear difference to the new material *laughs* I absolutely love the song though, it has something like youthful energy or something XD GAAAAADEN~ And I love the bass during the latter half of the song.
♥ [kr]cube is probably my favorite video from them and not only because Die is smoking hot as an assassin 8D The making of is absolutely adorable (and yes I mean adorable), and funnily enough I didn't like the song much in the beginning. Then it grew on me, hard.
♥ Cage is a pretty song with a pretty and disgusting (or disturbing) video. The beginning is like a music box and I think it's enticing.
♥ Yokan is one of my favorites of their bouncier songs if not THE FAVORITE of them! It's just something that never fails to make me hum along happily. I ignore the lyrics XD
♥ Mr.Newsman was one of the first songs I heard from them and I still can't get over the blue fish -stuff.
♥ Bottom of the Death Valley has an amazing bass *____* Also one of their best live DVDs, helloooooh~
♥ Undecided tells a story even if you don't understand the lyrics and I always thought it was awesomely inspiring. The old version beats the new version 100-0.
♥ Marmalade Chainsaw is one of my absolute favorite songs (can one see I love Vulgar?) and the live version is good too!
♥ Kasumi has a nice vid. I love Die's white vest ;~; that is all.
♥ Obscure is the first video I ever saw from them and it's like the classic first video to traumatize anyone who doesn't know them XD I love it!
♥ The Final deserves a special mention because it was the first song from them I liked :) They're hot in the vid too.
♥ Conceived Sorrow has this certain almost hypnotizing mood that is absolutely captivating if you ask me. It sends chills down my spine.
♥ Dozing Green was absolutely ruined with the English lyrics. With the Japanese lyrics it's good, but with the English lyrics it's just awkward. No one can understand Kyo's English anyway XD
SAMMY DAVIS JR.
I love this man, from his voice to his sense of humor (he described himself as "one-eyed Jewish nigger") and we have this one old VHS tape with a concert and I should watch it again one of these days. There's this one album from him I absolutely adore, every single song, and the example songs are all from there too.
Smoke Smoke Smoke (That Cigarette)
I don't promote smoking, I really don't (never smoked in my life) but this song is absolutely epic. Epic I say :D I wish I could find the live performance (Sammy Davis Jr smoked in chain) but there's a severe lack of his songs on youtube.
Other recommended songs;
♥ Hey Won't You Play (Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song) is a song with an obnoxiously long title XD It's sad, it's lovely and it's just the kind of song that gets me hooked.
♥ The River's Too Wide is a happier sort of song even if the lyrics aren't exactly happy. But it has something like positive look on the future? Hard to explain XD
SENTENCED
Sentenced is my first love, the first band I ever really loved, and the band I grew with through my teen years. It's a band that helped me through so much and that is special. I also love their guitar sound, Ville's voice, their amazing sense of humor (their DVD is epic) and so much more. Here from left to right; Sami Lopakka (guitarist, lyricist, awesome and intelligent dude, bad skin XD and plays in KYPCK these days, another band worth checking out!), Vesa Ranta (drummer, nowadays a professional photographer, angel curls), Ville Laihiala (vocals, occasional lyrics/compositions, a pervy perv, amazing voice, taller than tall and makes the other look like midgets), Sami Lopakka (bass, hot, most beautiful hair in the world, trust me I saw it live), Miika Tenkula (RIP, lead guitarist, the one responsible for the music, very much missed ;~;). I also wrote a short introduction to Sentenced aeons ago, if someone is interested. Except now, after the entry was written, their guitarist has passed away. Not that I was ever thinking they'd do a comeback, but now it's completely impossible too.
With Sentenced the problem isn't that they would've changed a hell lot, but that I love each and every song and can't pick ;~;
No More Beating as One
I AM DISAPPOINT. There is no other version of this on youtube but this live D: Not that it's bad, but the actual studio version is even better and I wanted that XD I'll live with this though. This is probably my favorite song even if it's not necessarily their best song XD It's just... awesome. Attitude. Do I need to mention I absolutely love it? 8D
Other recommended songs;
♥ Nepenthe is an example of how Sentenced sounded before Ville was their singer. Taneli Jarva is a very different type of vocalist, so the material from this era is different.
♥ Dance On the Graves (Lil' Siztah) has something addictive, even if I don't know what XD It's a song with their previous singer, too.
♥ Noose is the first video they released with the new (/real 8D) singer and while I still don't understand the video, the song is good!
♥ Home in Despair brings good memories of me and a friend singing it out loud at our pier at the summerhouse while it was raining buckets!
♥ Dead Moon Rising is a song everyone else hates but me :/ I LOVE it and the mood but 90% of my friends dislike it. haha and a fun fact: while I was looking for this on youtube I found hentai porn made to the song! Seriously XD
♥ With Bitterness and Joy has some of the best lyrics ever. I always loved this, "life has given me much, maybe taken more, but all those good times were always worth waiting for..." and so on.
♥ Mourn is a song that I want to be played at my funeral. It's pretty much perfect for it.
♥ Brief is the Light is an amazing song with amazing lyrics!
♥ Neverlasting is full of attitude and sometimes my favorite song. I was debating if I should put this as the first example song, too.
♥ Excuse Me While I Kill Myself is probably the most epic thing in the universe *laughs* It's their "fuck you" to everyone who criticized them on their lyrics even after they said a million times that singing about dying can be also a metaphor, mean that a part of you or a phase of your life is dying, not necessarily the literal meaning.
♥ Blood and Tears used to be one of my least favorite songs from them but now I've grown to love it, all of it.
♥ The Luxury of a Grave is amazing. Period. And epic. Epic. Do not take the lyrics too seriously XD
♥ May Today Become the Day has amazing bass in the beginning and I knew instantly I'd fall for the song.
♥ End of the Road is the last song the band ever made, the end of them, and it breaks my heart. In a good way though since I love the song. And the live version of it is touching. Seeing a Finnish man cry? Doesn't happen often. I can't watch it without crying.
SUPER JUNIOR (M)
Okay first of all, I am not going to list all fifteen names here since I think no one would be interested and it'd take me ages. All you need to know is that my favorites are Kyuhyun and Zhou Mi but there's appreciation for them all here. Secondly, I was debating whether to just mash SJ and SJM together into one heap of songs, since to me it's all the same anyway, but I figured I'd do a slight divide in the end. So, I love them for being feel good music for me. It gets me into a good mood, makes me go through a myriad of positive feelings for a change and I really, really need that. I listen more to SJM than SJ in general, but basically I listen to both. Thus there will be example songs from both!
너 같은 사람 또 없어 (No Other)
I know I've posted the song earlier too once, but it's just such pure concentrated happiness that it always makes me smile~ ♥ The video is super-sweet and I just want to cuddle them and take them home with me. Or something XD The song always gets me into a good mood anyway.
Other recommended songs;
♥ Twins (Knock Out) is an old song from them and how some of them look in the video makes me laugh. I think the song is really good, though, it even has something a little rough in it! A nice change in the midst of ballads and all XD
♥ Miracle is older too, but I try not to giggle at their looks x) It's a happy song too and it makes me dance along weirdly. ...I didn't just admit that.
♥ Sorry, Sorry is the sole reason people can't say "sorry" to me anymore without me bursting into a song inwardly XD Thankfully not out loud (yet)! As for the video, men in suits, do I have to say more? and oh Kyuhyun ♥ I would also want to point out the Sorry, Sorry (answer) since it has a very hot video 8D
♥ 돈 돈! (Don't Don) is one of the rock-ish songs and maybe that's one reason I like it so much. How are so many of them blonde there tho? o__O And Kyuhyun's voice at 2:00 = ♥ plus Kangin is hot
♥ 너라고 (It`s You) is actually right now maybe my favorite song from the main group *laughs* Don't ask me why, at first I didn't even like it much but now I keep on listening to it on repeat in the car. It's catchy! And I'm not even going to start on the video. I love Heechul’s parts in it, somehow I always wait for the one around 3 minutes.
♥ 니가 좋은 이유 (Why I like you) is another one of these "listen in the car until everyone else screams in pain" songs 8D I really like listening to it while driving. Otherwise too but especially then!
♥ 미인아 (BONAMANA) POLKKAMEKKO POLKKAMEKKO is all I have to say 8D I really wanna learn the dance but I'm really really bad at these. AND KYUHYUN'S POWERSLIDE (makes me think of tenacious d *coughs*) I'm not sure if I like the amount of digitalizing in the song but oh well. Doesn't ruin it for me! BOUNCE TO YOU BOUNCE TO YOU yes I am getting tired it's 0:30 am
♥ Hope is a dream that doesn't sleep (희망은 잠들지 않는 꿈) is Kyuhyun solo that was done for some anime or something I don't care. I love the song and I could fall asleep listening to him anytime. Anytime.
♥ 7 Years of Love is another Kyuhyun solo and okay I lied when I said that SJ always makes me happy since THIS MAKES ME CRY SO HARD GDI. ;~; But it's so beautiful~♥ and emotional. And I love how he sweats like mad.
♥ Insomnia is Ryeowook's solo and man I don't even know why I like the song :/ I'm not supposed to but I do. It's kind of addictive. AND WOOKIEEE~
迷 (Me)
Super Junior M is a constant source of happiness in my life, especially the precious stick of pure sunshine called Zhou Mi ;~; You wouldn't believe how sweet all the fanaccounts and -reports are and how sweet the boys seem. And this song is one of the best ones to cheer me up. I don't even know why I'm going for the cheer up -songs today XD But this is happy! And I love it! And it took me ages to find the Chinese version on youtube, while it's overflowing with the Korean version -__-;
Other recommended songs;
♥ 太完美 (Perfection) wasn't instantly my favorite, the first listen made me think it was an average song with a pretty hot music video (minus the hats) but then when I listened to it more it really grew on me and now it's one of my favorites *laughs* but I strongly dislike the Korean version. Kyubb is so hot in the vid ;~; and Mimi is gorgeous and the video proves it, when Mi says jump the others ask "how high" 8D
♥ 表白 (Off My Mind) is so techno that nothing is and I should hate this kind of songs, I really should, but instead this is one of my favorite songs on the album and I love listening to this while driving and singing along very wrong *laughs* XD It's also basically a Henry solo since it's just him. Now where is a only-Mimi song? *demanding fan*
♥ 吹一樣的風 (My All is in You) is one of those songs I first thought I'd never like and then grew to like it so much it's my favorite from the album. It's like Sentenced's whole Crimson album, I started out thinking it's very average but now it's my favorite album from them. This often happens to me *laughs* and this song is close to climbing to my all time favorite songs -list.
♥ Marry U is originally a SJ song but I like the SJM version a hell lot more *laughs* And I swear, it's not only because of the live clip. I think it's the fact I think Chinese flows nicely and I enjoy it. plus it has a tiny bit of mimiiii~
♥ SUPER GIRL has a hilarious video and that alone is a good reason to like the song XD Again I had troubles finding the Chinese version on youtube. AND MEN IN SUITS! QMI DANCING LIKE IDIOTS. THEIR LAME PARTY ♥ I AM TIRED.
♥ 動情 (Only U) is a little different from the discobeat songs or the ballads and I think it's a nice refreshing change in between.
I really am so tired I'll write the rest of this tomorrow my commentary is starting to be such nonsense XD
TURMION KÄTILÖT (their ohp apparently is in five different languages)
Now if a band is epic then Turmion Kätilöt is. The name translates to the Midwives of Destruction and I think that already tells quite a lot XD Their lyrics are both ingenious and completely insane. It's this industrial techno metal thingy I dunno, I never was good at describing genres of music. But they're absolutely epic. Especially live, I've seen them three times and every time they were just mindblowing :D Here is some age-old photo of them.
Pakanamaan kartta
I spent a long time figuring out which song to pick for the first one but oh well. Normally it would've been Teurastaja since it's the most epic song of all epic songs but somehow I felt more like this one today \o/ I loved it when they played it live and I suppose after that it's been my favorite song from them.
Other recommended songs;
♥ Pimeyden Morsian translates to the Bride of Darkness and it has the most inventive lyrics in the world, I swear. Even my mother likes them *laughs* It has so much references to literature it'd be impossible to translate.
♥ Teurastaja is an epic song, translates to a Butcher. A butcher who waves his ass around while chopping some meat XD
♥ Verta ja lihaa translates to Blood and Flesh and there's a remix version of it too which is pretty good, but the original is even better!
♥ Sika! translates to a Pig. They sing something like "dance like in a disco, move your hips" and when we saw them live, their lead singer MC Raaka Pee made us all do just that. It was beautiful, a huge chunk of a man moving his hips like a dancer XD
♥ Tirehtööri is probably the most quoted song from them when it comes to us, especially the part where they sing about a roadtrip (something about the car being packed absolutely wrong, how there won't be any eating/peeing breaks and yeah, story of our life XD).
♥ Minä määrään basically means "I decide/order" but it sounds so much cooler in Finnish. So much. I am in love with the lyrics to this song (they're even remotely translatable XD what a wonder).
TWISTED SISTER
Twisted Sister is a pretty new thing in my playlist too, although the band is ancient. I knew of them but never really listened to much of them, and then suddenly I bought me Stay Hungry and that album changed everything. First of all, Dee Snider is an epic man, one of the persons in this industry I have most respect for. And he was such a beautiful lady too XD I've been listening to them a lot since, especially to Stay Hungry. And their music videos are epic!
Burn In Hell
It might not be their biggest hit but it's one of their best songs. I first only knew the Dimmu Borgir version of it (which is good) and when I found the original I decided it's even better XD It's one of the very reasons I wanted to buy a Twisted Sister album in the first place. And I would love to see them live!
Other recommended songs;
♥ We're Not Gonna Take It has attitude and the video made me laugh when I first saw it!
♥ I Wanna Rock is equally as epic and I always hear "I wanna duck" instead in the chorus
♥ The Price is maybe my favorite song from them, at least when it comes to slow ballads. I love the lyrics and how Dee pulls it off and yeah. Just all of it.
♥ Oh Come All Ye Faithful is an example from their Christmas album and the whole album is pretty epic *laughs* This is unfortunately not a full video of it :/
ZZ TOP
To quote my brother, so much beard! He is the reason I'm into ZZ Top anyway, that bastard *laughs* But these guys really are pretty awesome, and not only because of the beards. All the interview clips my brother has spammed to me have made me like them more and more in every way :) On top of their music being good of course!
Sharp Dressed Man
I love their choreographies, the amazing dancing they do in between XD The whole video is fun and their videos often seem to be, from what I've seen. And this song, it's so true, so so true. Nothing better than a well dressed man XD How are they so cool, man!
Other recommended songs;
♥ Rough Boy might be my favorite since I AM A SUCKER FOR BALLADS OK. It's so beautiful ;~;♥
♥ Viva Las Vegas is just what it sounds like and I don't know what to say about the song really *laughs* I'm repeating myself way too much here anyway. I should let the music speak for itself.
♥ La Grange is here because I was told it can't be skipped in a rec post and I like the song a lot too *laughs*
♥ Legs made me laugh with its video and gosh I love those men. They and their beards and those guitars and coreographies and I'm gonna shut up now ;~;♥
Since it really is so massive, it's split into two other entries on top of this. So here;
PART II (A FINNISH MEDLEY) AND PART III (ABSOLUTE RANDOMNESS)
If you liked any of this, I can always provide you with more! (There are some uploads here already.)
I promised this to plastictear, who already worked his ass off making me a k-pop recommendation entry. So it's time to pay back with some of my very favorite music! The ones who have been my friends for long now probably know most of these already, I have been gushing about them more or less. But if you don't know them, or remember them, I recommend you try them out ;) Be warned, this is going to be massive. I, obviously, can never keep things short. So you can skip half/all of it, only try out random ones, go through it little by little throughout the next weeks or whatever suits you best. But if you listen to any of it, I would love it if you'd tell me what you think! Don't feel obligated to like it, even if you hate everything you can tell me that and I won't take it personally, promised XD But I'd love to know your thoughts and I love spreading my favorite music around and... yes I believe you get the drift and this is getting ridiculously long anyway. I AM SORRY I AM SUCH A BABBLER ;~;
But yes. I present thee
THE MASSIVE COLLECTION OF FONULYN'S FAVORITE MUSIC
First of all I'd like to hold a short memorial to those who did not make it into these recommendations. The variety of music I listen to is so ridiculously varied and there's so much, I can't fit it all into this mass even if I'd want to. So I left out bands like AC/DC (best performance ever) and Metallica and Pantera and Ozzy Osbourne (I love Ozzy ;~;) since I am fairly sure you're all familiar with them (if not, click the links ;D or ask me more!).
So I'll go for my ultimate favorites first. In alphabetical order x)
AMORPHIS
Amorphis is a relatively new band for me, since I only discovered them in 2007 when I was in Ankkarock. I was there to see Dir en grey actually but Amorphis played before them and I quite instantly fell in love with them. Their singer is absolutely hilarious and an amazing person, and I love his voice. Plus the songs have this certain melodic value to them I absolutely adore. You'll soon see that I'm a simple person, I like simple music 8D Anyhow. Here is the whole group and I think the singer is super-hot even if I'm not usually a fan of braids his are cool.
All of their songs tell stories from Finland's national epic Kalevala and I think it's really amazing. It's kind of a way to bring the folklore close to the youth, too. And I at least really love how they incorporated the book into the songs and albums, each album telling a story of one character from the book. (I'd recommend the book too, btw XD)
House of Sleep
Click to view
I don't understand why it's in such a bad quality, it's from the official Nuclear Blast channel *grumbles* Anyhow, this song used to be one of my most serious addictions. There was a time I listened to it a million times a day and I think one still sees it in my last.fm stats XD I still love it. Endlessly.
Other songs I'd recommend;
♥ Silent Waters, which has a nice (if a bit boring) video and I love the singer's eyes *___* so I picked it from the other album.
♥ I of Crimson Blood is my brother's favorite song and it is one of the best in my opinion too.
♥ Silver Bride which is from the second newest album, tells a story of a blacksmith that crafts a wife for himself from gold and silver, and it's actually a quite sad story.
APULANTA
Apulanta is a band that some people think is kind of embarrassing to listen to but I'm not going to agree to that. The old songs have attitude and passion, the new songs have amazing lyrics (the lyricist/vocalist is one of the most intelligent musicians I know of) and although it might not make much sense to people who don't know Finnish I think they're worth a try. Some people like them without any idea about the lyrics XD They have one album with English versions of their songs too, if you're curious I can get you that too. They might not be the prettiest persons on earth but I love 'em.
Viivakoodit
I picked this song as the first since I always pick Jumala and I figured it was time for a little variety XD Plus this song has some of the most amazing metaphors and thoughts in the lyrics. Or then it's just me, but I find so much from it and I could analyze them endlessly XD Of course it's in Finnish so that's no option for many of you, but I think it works even without knowing the language, even if that would bring a whole new universe to it too.
Other recommended songs;
♥ Jumala is my favorite song, hands down. It's the one I always go back to if I don't know which song to listen to from them. The video is good too.
♥ Anna Mulle Piiskaa is probably their most popular and widely known song and thus it has to be included everywhere XD The title translates to "whip me" and they do sing "baby whip me" in the chorus, yes.
♥ Mitä Kuuluu, which is such an old song omg and it's so weird to see Toni with actual hair o__O and the clothes, lol. The song is epic though!
♥ Reunallat is one of my first favorites too and has so much references to other Finnish songs and literature and all. That's one thing I love in Apulanta. They have so much intertextual references that it's incredible. You just have to find them!
BONNIE TYLER
I love this woman. Seriously, I do. I hardly ever really like female singers but I cold listen to her nonstop for hours. She has a raspy, slightly rough voice and I just got hooked to that already ages ago. I found some cassette tapes from the storage we had when I was like... nine and that's when I started to listen to her. Basically it's 80s disco pop although she has some rock songs too. She's cool and yeah I'm babbling.
Race to the Fire
It's not an official video or anything but there is no such thing, the only alternative is a short live performance. And this song is like the song for me XD For years I used to listen to it and draw inspiration from it to so many different situations and scenarios *laughs*
Other recommended songs;
♥ Hide Your Heart is a newer addiction for me and it's again a song I could listen to nonstop for ages. I especially love listening to Tyler in the car XD The quality isn't the best though ;~;
♥ Total Eclipse of the Heart is her biggest hit I suppose *laughs* It's melancholy and although it's very pompous and theatrical I love it nevertheless. There's also two versions of it (slightly altered lyrics) and this is the one I'm not that familiar with.
♥ Before This Night is Through is one of my favorites too and someone please write me a fic to this. I always wanted to see one XD This is also a song with two slightly different sets of lyrics *laughs*
♥ Rebel Without a Clue is one of my very favorites but I didn't put it as the first song since it's over eight minutes long and it might be a bit... overextending *laughs* But it's good and another song I kinda wanted to write a story to.
DIR EN GREY
Basically my main fandom and the reason I got into livejournal in the first place. I'm having a slightly on-off relationship with their music since at times it's the only thing I listen to and at times I slightly avoid them. But it doesn't change that I love them nevertheless. And their guitarist Die is one of my biggest idols in so many way, that precious, gorgeous man. As is the bassist Toshiya too. (It feels so weird to kind of introduce them since most of you know them as well or better than I XD) Kaoru, the other guitarist, is ingenious. Shinya is an awesome drummer. And Kyo is fucking annoying. *laughs* I respect him, yes, but nowadays he kind of annoys me with his artistic attitude XD I'm not gonna get more into that though.
Their music has changed a lot during the years, so it's really tough to come up with example songs without posting half of their discography here. So I'm sorry, it's a lot.
Increase Blue
I thought I'd include a live performance for a change :) It's from my very favorite DVD of theirs and it's my favorite song from my favorite album XD So many favorites! Which should make it ultimate favorite, eh? It depends on my mood and the album version is better but the live has something special to it :3
Other recommended songs (roughly chronologically);
♥ Garden is where they started from, basically, and one can hear a clear difference to the new material *laughs* I absolutely love the song though, it has something like youthful energy or something XD GAAAAADEN~ And I love the bass during the latter half of the song.
♥ [kr]cube is probably my favorite video from them and not only because Die is smoking hot as an assassin 8D The making of is absolutely adorable (and yes I mean adorable), and funnily enough I didn't like the song much in the beginning. Then it grew on me, hard.
♥ Cage is a pretty song with a pretty and disgusting (or disturbing) video. The beginning is like a music box and I think it's enticing.
♥ Yokan is one of my favorites of their bouncier songs if not THE FAVORITE of them! It's just something that never fails to make me hum along happily. I ignore the lyrics XD
♥ Mr.Newsman was one of the first songs I heard from them and I still can't get over the blue fish -stuff.
♥ Bottom of the Death Valley has an amazing bass *____* Also one of their best live DVDs, helloooooh~
♥ Undecided tells a story even if you don't understand the lyrics and I always thought it was awesomely inspiring. The old version beats the new version 100-0.
♥ Marmalade Chainsaw is one of my absolute favorite songs (can one see I love Vulgar?) and the live version is good too!
♥ Kasumi has a nice vid. I love Die's white vest ;~; that is all.
♥ Obscure is the first video I ever saw from them and it's like the classic first video to traumatize anyone who doesn't know them XD I love it!
♥ The Final deserves a special mention because it was the first song from them I liked :) They're hot in the vid too.
♥ Conceived Sorrow has this certain almost hypnotizing mood that is absolutely captivating if you ask me. It sends chills down my spine.
♥ Dozing Green was absolutely ruined with the English lyrics. With the Japanese lyrics it's good, but with the English lyrics it's just awkward. No one can understand Kyo's English anyway XD
SAMMY DAVIS JR.
I love this man, from his voice to his sense of humor (he described himself as "one-eyed Jewish nigger") and we have this one old VHS tape with a concert and I should watch it again one of these days. There's this one album from him I absolutely adore, every single song, and the example songs are all from there too.
Smoke Smoke Smoke (That Cigarette)
I don't promote smoking, I really don't (never smoked in my life) but this song is absolutely epic. Epic I say :D I wish I could find the live performance (Sammy Davis Jr smoked in chain) but there's a severe lack of his songs on youtube.
Other recommended songs;
♥ Hey Won't You Play (Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song) is a song with an obnoxiously long title XD It's sad, it's lovely and it's just the kind of song that gets me hooked.
♥ The River's Too Wide is a happier sort of song even if the lyrics aren't exactly happy. But it has something like positive look on the future? Hard to explain XD
SENTENCED
Sentenced is my first love, the first band I ever really loved, and the band I grew with through my teen years. It's a band that helped me through so much and that is special. I also love their guitar sound, Ville's voice, their amazing sense of humor (their DVD is epic) and so much more. Here from left to right; Sami Lopakka (guitarist, lyricist, awesome and intelligent dude, bad skin XD and plays in KYPCK these days, another band worth checking out!), Vesa Ranta (drummer, nowadays a professional photographer, angel curls), Ville Laihiala (vocals, occasional lyrics/compositions, a pervy perv, amazing voice, taller than tall and makes the other look like midgets), Sami Lopakka (bass, hot, most beautiful hair in the world, trust me I saw it live), Miika Tenkula (RIP, lead guitarist, the one responsible for the music, very much missed ;~;). I also wrote a short introduction to Sentenced aeons ago, if someone is interested. Except now, after the entry was written, their guitarist has passed away. Not that I was ever thinking they'd do a comeback, but now it's completely impossible too.
With Sentenced the problem isn't that they would've changed a hell lot, but that I love each and every song and can't pick ;~;
No More Beating as One
I AM DISAPPOINT. There is no other version of this on youtube but this live D: Not that it's bad, but the actual studio version is even better and I wanted that XD I'll live with this though. This is probably my favorite song even if it's not necessarily their best song XD It's just... awesome. Attitude. Do I need to mention I absolutely love it? 8D
Other recommended songs;
♥ Nepenthe is an example of how Sentenced sounded before Ville was their singer. Taneli Jarva is a very different type of vocalist, so the material from this era is different.
♥ Dance On the Graves (Lil' Siztah) has something addictive, even if I don't know what XD It's a song with their previous singer, too.
♥ Noose is the first video they released with the new (/real 8D) singer and while I still don't understand the video, the song is good!
♥ Home in Despair brings good memories of me and a friend singing it out loud at our pier at the summerhouse while it was raining buckets!
♥ Dead Moon Rising is a song everyone else hates but me :/ I LOVE it and the mood but 90% of my friends dislike it. haha and a fun fact: while I was looking for this on youtube I found hentai porn made to the song! Seriously XD
♥ With Bitterness and Joy has some of the best lyrics ever. I always loved this, "life has given me much, maybe taken more, but all those good times were always worth waiting for..." and so on.
♥ Mourn is a song that I want to be played at my funeral. It's pretty much perfect for it.
♥ Brief is the Light is an amazing song with amazing lyrics!
♥ Neverlasting is full of attitude and sometimes my favorite song. I was debating if I should put this as the first example song, too.
♥ Excuse Me While I Kill Myself is probably the most epic thing in the universe *laughs* It's their "fuck you" to everyone who criticized them on their lyrics even after they said a million times that singing about dying can be also a metaphor, mean that a part of you or a phase of your life is dying, not necessarily the literal meaning.
♥ Blood and Tears used to be one of my least favorite songs from them but now I've grown to love it, all of it.
♥ The Luxury of a Grave is amazing. Period. And epic. Epic. Do not take the lyrics too seriously XD
♥ May Today Become the Day has amazing bass in the beginning and I knew instantly I'd fall for the song.
♥ End of the Road is the last song the band ever made, the end of them, and it breaks my heart. In a good way though since I love the song. And the live version of it is touching. Seeing a Finnish man cry? Doesn't happen often. I can't watch it without crying.
SUPER JUNIOR (M)
Okay first of all, I am not going to list all fifteen names here since I think no one would be interested and it'd take me ages. All you need to know is that my favorites are Kyuhyun and Zhou Mi but there's appreciation for them all here. Secondly, I was debating whether to just mash SJ and SJM together into one heap of songs, since to me it's all the same anyway, but I figured I'd do a slight divide in the end. So, I love them for being feel good music for me. It gets me into a good mood, makes me go through a myriad of positive feelings for a change and I really, really need that. I listen more to SJM than SJ in general, but basically I listen to both. Thus there will be example songs from both!
너 같은 사람 또 없어 (No Other)
I know I've posted the song earlier too once, but it's just such pure concentrated happiness that it always makes me smile~ ♥ The video is super-sweet and I just want to cuddle them and take them home with me. Or something XD The song always gets me into a good mood anyway.
Other recommended songs;
♥ Twins (Knock Out) is an old song from them and how some of them look in the video makes me laugh. I think the song is really good, though, it even has something a little rough in it! A nice change in the midst of ballads and all XD
♥ Miracle is older too, but I try not to giggle at their looks x) It's a happy song too and it makes me dance along weirdly. ...I didn't just admit that.
♥ Sorry, Sorry is the sole reason people can't say "sorry" to me anymore without me bursting into a song inwardly XD Thankfully not out loud (yet)! As for the video, men in suits, do I have to say more? and oh Kyuhyun ♥ I would also want to point out the Sorry, Sorry (answer) since it has a very hot video 8D
♥ 돈 돈! (Don't Don) is one of the rock-ish songs and maybe that's one reason I like it so much. How are so many of them blonde there tho? o__O And Kyuhyun's voice at 2:00 = ♥ plus Kangin is hot
♥ 너라고 (It`s You) is actually right now maybe my favorite song from the main group *laughs* Don't ask me why, at first I didn't even like it much but now I keep on listening to it on repeat in the car. It's catchy! And I'm not even going to start on the video. I love Heechul’s parts in it, somehow I always wait for the one around 3 minutes.
♥ 니가 좋은 이유 (Why I like you) is another one of these "listen in the car until everyone else screams in pain" songs 8D I really like listening to it while driving. Otherwise too but especially then!
♥ 미인아 (BONAMANA) POLKKAMEKKO POLKKAMEKKO is all I have to say 8D I really wanna learn the dance but I'm really really bad at these. AND KYUHYUN'S POWERSLIDE (makes me think of tenacious d *coughs*) I'm not sure if I like the amount of digitalizing in the song but oh well. Doesn't ruin it for me! BOUNCE TO YOU BOUNCE TO YOU yes I am getting tired it's 0:30 am
♥ Hope is a dream that doesn't sleep (희망은 잠들지 않는 꿈) is Kyuhyun solo that was done for some anime or something I don't care. I love the song and I could fall asleep listening to him anytime. Anytime.
♥ 7 Years of Love is another Kyuhyun solo and okay I lied when I said that SJ always makes me happy since THIS MAKES ME CRY SO HARD GDI. ;~; But it's so beautiful~♥ and emotional. And I love how he sweats like mad.
♥ Insomnia is Ryeowook's solo and man I don't even know why I like the song :/ I'm not supposed to but I do. It's kind of addictive. AND WOOKIEEE~
迷 (Me)
Super Junior M is a constant source of happiness in my life, especially the precious stick of pure sunshine called Zhou Mi ;~; You wouldn't believe how sweet all the fanaccounts and -reports are and how sweet the boys seem. And this song is one of the best ones to cheer me up. I don't even know why I'm going for the cheer up -songs today XD But this is happy! And I love it! And it took me ages to find the Chinese version on youtube, while it's overflowing with the Korean version -__-;
Other recommended songs;
♥ 太完美 (Perfection) wasn't instantly my favorite, the first listen made me think it was an average song with a pretty hot music video (minus the hats) but then when I listened to it more it really grew on me and now it's one of my favorites *laughs* but I strongly dislike the Korean version. Kyubb is so hot in the vid ;~; and Mimi is gorgeous and the video proves it, when Mi says jump the others ask "how high" 8D
♥ 表白 (Off My Mind) is so techno that nothing is and I should hate this kind of songs, I really should, but instead this is one of my favorite songs on the album and I love listening to this while driving and singing along very wrong *laughs* XD It's also basically a Henry solo since it's just him. Now where is a only-Mimi song? *demanding fan*
♥ 吹一樣的風 (My All is in You) is one of those songs I first thought I'd never like and then grew to like it so much it's my favorite from the album. It's like Sentenced's whole Crimson album, I started out thinking it's very average but now it's my favorite album from them. This often happens to me *laughs* and this song is close to climbing to my all time favorite songs -list.
♥ Marry U is originally a SJ song but I like the SJM version a hell lot more *laughs* And I swear, it's not only because of the live clip. I think it's the fact I think Chinese flows nicely and I enjoy it. plus it has a tiny bit of mimiiii~
♥ SUPER GIRL has a hilarious video and that alone is a good reason to like the song XD Again I had troubles finding the Chinese version on youtube. AND MEN IN SUITS! QMI DANCING LIKE IDIOTS. THEIR LAME PARTY ♥ I AM TIRED.
♥ 動情 (Only U) is a little different from the discobeat songs or the ballads and I think it's a nice refreshing change in between.
I really am so tired I'll write the rest of this tomorrow my commentary is starting to be such nonsense XD
TURMION KÄTILÖT (their ohp apparently is in five different languages)
Now if a band is epic then Turmion Kätilöt is. The name translates to the Midwives of Destruction and I think that already tells quite a lot XD Their lyrics are both ingenious and completely insane. It's this industrial techno metal thingy I dunno, I never was good at describing genres of music. But they're absolutely epic. Especially live, I've seen them three times and every time they were just mindblowing :D Here is some age-old photo of them.
Pakanamaan kartta
I spent a long time figuring out which song to pick for the first one but oh well. Normally it would've been Teurastaja since it's the most epic song of all epic songs but somehow I felt more like this one today \o/ I loved it when they played it live and I suppose after that it's been my favorite song from them.
Other recommended songs;
♥ Pimeyden Morsian translates to the Bride of Darkness and it has the most inventive lyrics in the world, I swear. Even my mother likes them *laughs* It has so much references to literature it'd be impossible to translate.
♥ Teurastaja is an epic song, translates to a Butcher. A butcher who waves his ass around while chopping some meat XD
♥ Verta ja lihaa translates to Blood and Flesh and there's a remix version of it too which is pretty good, but the original is even better!
♥ Sika! translates to a Pig. They sing something like "dance like in a disco, move your hips" and when we saw them live, their lead singer MC Raaka Pee made us all do just that. It was beautiful, a huge chunk of a man moving his hips like a dancer XD
♥ Tirehtööri is probably the most quoted song from them when it comes to us, especially the part where they sing about a roadtrip (something about the car being packed absolutely wrong, how there won't be any eating/peeing breaks and yeah, story of our life XD).
♥ Minä määrään basically means "I decide/order" but it sounds so much cooler in Finnish. So much. I am in love with the lyrics to this song (they're even remotely translatable XD what a wonder).
TWISTED SISTER
Twisted Sister is a pretty new thing in my playlist too, although the band is ancient. I knew of them but never really listened to much of them, and then suddenly I bought me Stay Hungry and that album changed everything. First of all, Dee Snider is an epic man, one of the persons in this industry I have most respect for. And he was such a beautiful lady too XD I've been listening to them a lot since, especially to Stay Hungry. And their music videos are epic!
Burn In Hell
It might not be their biggest hit but it's one of their best songs. I first only knew the Dimmu Borgir version of it (which is good) and when I found the original I decided it's even better XD It's one of the very reasons I wanted to buy a Twisted Sister album in the first place. And I would love to see them live!
Other recommended songs;
♥ We're Not Gonna Take It has attitude and the video made me laugh when I first saw it!
♥ I Wanna Rock is equally as epic and I always hear "I wanna duck" instead in the chorus
♥ The Price is maybe my favorite song from them, at least when it comes to slow ballads. I love the lyrics and how Dee pulls it off and yeah. Just all of it.
♥ Oh Come All Ye Faithful is an example from their Christmas album and the whole album is pretty epic *laughs* This is unfortunately not a full video of it :/
ZZ TOP
To quote my brother, so much beard! He is the reason I'm into ZZ Top anyway, that bastard *laughs* But these guys really are pretty awesome, and not only because of the beards. All the interview clips my brother has spammed to me have made me like them more and more in every way :) On top of their music being good of course!
Sharp Dressed Man
I love their choreographies, the amazing dancing they do in between XD The whole video is fun and their videos often seem to be, from what I've seen. And this song, it's so true, so so true. Nothing better than a well dressed man XD How are they so cool, man!
Other recommended songs;
♥ Rough Boy might be my favorite since I AM A SUCKER FOR BALLADS OK. It's so beautiful ;~;♥
♥ Viva Las Vegas is just what it sounds like and I don't know what to say about the song really *laughs* I'm repeating myself way too much here anyway. I should let the music speak for itself.
♥ La Grange is here because I was told it can't be skipped in a rec post and I like the song a lot too *laughs*
♥ Legs made me laugh with its video and gosh I love those men. They and their beards and those guitars and coreographies and I'm gonna shut up now ;~;♥
Since it really is so massive, it's split into two other entries on top of this. So here;
PART II (A FINNISH MEDLEY) AND PART III (ABSOLUTE RANDOMNESS)
If you liked any of this, I can always provide you with more! (There are some uploads here already.)