～あけおめことよろ～
Happy New Year, everyone! It just became 2011 here about an hour and a half ago. I wanted to update closer to midnight but I was still too tipsy to type and my mother made me play Mario Kart with her until about 1am XD
This year is the year of the rabbit, and since I am also a rabbit I hope this means good things will come in 2011.
Some of my resolutions include:
1) Drinking more water
2) Getting back on a healthier diet and exercise regime
3) Trying not to be so pessimistic
4) Get a more concrete idea of what I want to do with my life
Some of my wishes:
1) To meet up with the GLAYtards again, even if GLAY does not come back for a show this year
2) For GLAY to come back, obviously lol
3) For all of my family and friends to have a great year too
I woke myself up at 10am today to check HSSS. Even if GLAY doesn't have a Countdown Live they usually update the site and do a little New Year's video. This year the movie was only available to Mobile Site members, but apparently they all just said that 2011 would be another busy year for them so to look forward to future announcements. I'm excited about the rare collections vol. 3 & 4, as well as the arena tour DVD, but to be honest I would rather use that $150 (give or take) towards a plane ticket and hotel room to see them. Can you tell I'm desperate for them to come back? I've been so spoiled and fortunate that I've seen them at least twice (sometimes more) a year since 2008, and so while I know if I don't get to see them at all in 2011 I will survive, it will be hard on me. If EXPO indeed happens, which it looks like it will, that actually probably bodes better for a chance that they will return to the States. They did several major tours around EXPO 2004, and after the GV in Nissan they came here. It seems that big events spur more shows. Let's hope that one of them is here. (Plus staff at the last HOB show implied that they would skip a year but probably be back the year after...so that means 2011! Look at me trying to justify it and get my hopes up XD)
So without further ado...I will once again catch up on my meme:
Day 27: Why Your Favorite Song Is Your Favorite
Like I said before, I can't pick a favorite song so I sure as hell can't tell you why one of them would be my favorite. ARGH!!!
Day 28: Why Your Favorite Album Is Your Favorite
Well, hopefully I can convey this somewhat when I finally get to the album review from Day 20 below, but......to be honest, the reason it's probably my favorite is because I can't tell you why it is. That's the thing with GLAY- so many times they amaze me that they leave me speechless and unable to form coherent thoughts about their amazing-ness. This is probably going to get me an express ticket to hell, but it's kind of like the idea that we mere humans could never meet or have a true interaction with God in his true form because it would melt our minds. Oftentimes GLAY is just THAT amazing, so they melt my mind, leaving me unable to express the sheer joy that they give me. The End.
Backtracking to Day 20: A Review of Your Favorite Album
I can't really pinpoint an exact reason or set of reasons that I love THE FRUSTRATED. It's one of their heavier albums, and I can listen to it over and over, all the way through without skipping a single song. The organization is brilliant and all of the songs are great.
HIGH COMMUNICATIONS
Lyrically this song is obviously not that impressive, but the music is edgy and energetic, making it one of the best songs to hear live. It's kind of hypnotic in a way. But it's a great song to set the tone of the album.
THE FRUSTRATED
This song has a really heavy bass line, which I love. Again, lyrically it's kind of Engrish-y, but forgivable. For some reason I think it has an almost sexy, dirty sound to it too. Whenever I hear it I can't help but picture the live performance from THE FRUSTRATED arena tour with the colored silhouette videos of all of the members XD
ALL I WANT
I know I never mention it in my list of favorite songs, but this one is definitely on it. I love the opening guitar and prominent bass. This is just an overall great song to air guitar and shout at the top of your lungs to.
BEAUTIFUL DREAMER
I honestly don't think any band incorporates violins into their rock music like GLAY does. This song is so beautiful and catchy. I also believe the lyrics convey one of GLAY's main messages: to be yourself, be strong, and not be afraid to follow your dreams.
BLAST
When I was younger I wasn't really into the ska sound at all, but by the time this album came out I had started to get into it more and so when I heard this song I was super-excited. One thing I like about TERU as a songwriter is that he isn't afraid to experiment with new styles every time. This is another song that's really fun to sing along to really loudly. (And Jiro looks sexy playing his stand-up bass, yelling YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH into the mic.)
Ano natsu kara-ichiban tooi basho
I kind of feel like this is a classic GLAY slow-to-mid-tempo song. I don't really have a lot of intelligent comments to make about it. I just enjoy it. It works as a cool-down point mid-album
Mugen no deja vu kara
Another interesting acoustic-y song. I seem to remember Takuro saying that it held a lot of special secret meaning for the members. Not sure what else to say.
Toki no shizuku
I know a lot of people are turned off by the length, but for some reason I just love this song. It's one of my favorite slow/ballad songs of GLAY's. I think it has a lot of interesting sounds and rest notes. I love how you can hear the bass really well too. Often-times Jiro's playing gets a bit drowned-out by vocals, guitar, orchestra, etc. but in this song there are enough long, bridge-like musical runs that you can really appreciate each instrument and sound.
Billionaire Champagne Miles Away
Just an over-all fun song in general. I like how there is that quick little guitar lead-in and then it just starts out BAM!
Coyote, Colored Darkness
Oh Hisashi, you emo child you. As for Hisashi songs, the spot for favorite is a constant battle between this one and Synchronicity. I really love when GLAY takes it to the edge and does really hard, grungy, heavy rock songs. This song is just really cool in all possible ways. I enjoy Hisashi's use of electronic synth sounds blended in with the guitars.
BUGS IN MY HEAD
Poor Jiro really has no confidence in his composition abilities. And he really should, because this song is insane! I mean, tune out the guitars and just listen to the bass line- he's playing at hyper-speed that most humans could not even attempt! Aside from the composition just being overall impressive, I always kind of liked this song because it's got some naughty almost-cuss words that don't make it into a lot of GLAY's lyrics XD
Runaway Runaway
This might just be my favorite song on the album. It's a toss up between this one and ALL I WANT. I honestly can't really figure out how to put it in words. I just think all aspects of it fit extremely well together, so it is just a really great song in all possible ways.
STREET LIFE
Another really awesome classic-sounding song. This one is just really emotional for fans in general because it was kind of like a "look how far we've come" song. You can just tell that all of them put a lot of hard work into this one.
Minamigochi
One of GLAY's most popular crowd-participation songs. To be fair, the words are pretty flowery and silly, but it's really fun to drive around in the summer with the windows down singing along at the top of your lungs to it. The PV is adorable. This was always one of the songs I wanted a chance to hear live, and they played it at the 2008-2009 Countdown Live. It was just so much fun to do the dance and listen to Teru's instructions, which he messed up every time himself XD. You definitely get more out of it live. But really, even the recorded version is just fun. Every band needs fun songs that don't really have to have a lot of meaning.
So yeah, there you go. All caught up!
Again, I hope everyone has/had a safe and fun New Year's Eve!