Rotation #133.1 (because we all know there's going to be more than one post...)
Hi again! The Internets still work!! I feel totally reinvigorated by the lack of arguments with the broadband gateway today! In fact, if this keeps up, I might even be able to stop ranting about it pretty soon... XD
But just in case something does go haywire, I think I'll get right to it today...
Rules:
1. All files are intended as samples only and must be deleted within 48 hours.
2. Please support the artists and buy the CDs!
Yay yay yay! My CDs got here yesterday, and there was much rejoicing! I suppose it was nice to save a few bucks on the shipping charges by grouping three weeks' worth of CDs in one box, but the waiting was just miserable... So I'm not sure how long this new frugality is going to last! But in any case, everything is here now, and it was worth waiting for! :D Unless otherwise noted, all the stuff I'm going to post this week is ripped by me (at 320 kbps, of course).
Wow. Just wow. I can't get over how much I love Sugar's new single! They're calling this 'unplugged', which I suppose it sort of is, but don't expect acoustic guitars. To the contrary, I would call this jazz rather than unplugged. But regardless of what Sugar is calling their style on this single, I adore it! I've listened to this single over and over, and I still can't write a description to do it justice. The songs are simultaneously simple, straight-forward, sexy, jazzy tunes, while also demonstrating a lot of musical complexity, a variety of instrumentation (piano and brass), and showcasing the individual talents of each member of Sugar. Which is a lot of ground to cover in three songs, and Sugar makes it all seem effortless. I could worship this band. I think I do worship this band. If you don't have this single already, download it now!
Sugar - antlion:
01. antlion
02. Jakou tadayou naka de
03. Danshou to kuroneko (antlion version)
I posted this single once before, but my copy is here, and I'm going to delete the links to the old post. Besides, Angelo is worthy of posting more than once. Same songs, same rave review from me. But I have to wonder about something... Is anyone else a bit concerned that Kirito's ego could eventually drive a stake through this band, too? I know that Kohta and Kirito are brothers, so I'm sure Kohta is used to it by now, but I worry that Takeo may get tired of it after a while. And I can better understand why Pierrot came apart... Because everything about Angelo (from the liner notes, to the song credits, to their website) really focuses on Kirito, and leaves everyone else looking remarkably like the backing band for a solo artist, rather than full-fledged bandmates and equals. I love Kirito, but I'm not so sure that he plays well with others... XD In any case, I still love this single!
Angelo - CHAOTIC BELL:
01. CHAOTIC BELL
02. SIGN
03. Kesshou
I ripped the PV for "CHAOTIC BELL", too. I think the resolution on this rip came out a little larger than the one that I posted previously... And in any case, it's still Angelo performing in the dark, which still strikes me as an odd choice. -_-;
Angelo - CHAOTIC BELL PV
Dolly fetaures two very different sides of their sound on their new single. "JULIET" is a really jazzy song, not unlike Sugar's new single, but then the other two songs are more straightforward Visual kei rock songs. (parts of "$ GAME" even remind me a tiny little bit of GazettE). The best part of this single is that they play both styles so well, and all three songs are wonderful! I wasn't sure if I was going to order this or not, but I'm really glad that I did. Be sure to give this one a try! ^_^
Dolly - JULIET:
01. JULIET
02. Senjou no CINDERELLA
03. $ GAME
I picked up the DVD version of Dolly's single, so here is their new PV! I think this PV is just perfect for "JULIET"... The setting fits the song so well, and I love the band's new costumes. I did have a ROFL moment when it looks like Mitsu is singing directly to the deer head mounted on the wall, but maybe that's just me... XD
Dolly - JULIET PV
Aoi (from BOUNTY) released his debut solo album this week, and while I haven't listened to it as much as I would like to (there were a lot of goodies in that box, after all), I'm already in love with it, and I can't wait to really explore all of the songs to find even more to love! Two of the songs were previously released as singles, so I already knew that those songs were good... And I can honestly say that I like every song on this album! Aoi has such a strong voice, and I could listen to him sing for days. The liner notes say "All Songs Vocals and Written by Aoi", so I'm even more impressed that he has such a talent for writing catchy songs. I was so excited to hear this album, and it totally met my expectations! :D
Aoi - Veil:
01. Terra
02. VISION
03. ASSASSIN
04. New Code
05. EDEN
06. Alone
07. GHOST IN THE SHELL
08. frontier
09. Mirror
10. LUMIERE
Since I'm pretty much obsessed with Aoi, I bought the DVD version of Veil to make sure that I got to see his new PV! And here it is! "LUMIERE" is a wonderful song, and Aoi is gorgeous in this PV... However, Gackt called, and he really wants his Merveilles coat back. And then Mana-sama called, and (through an interpreter) he thinks Aoi would just be perfect in Gackt's Klaha's Seth's shackles in his basement... XD
Aoi - LUMIERE PV
I had no idea this PV existed, so thanks to hide_Yoshiki2001 for sharing it! Rentrer en Soi did make a PV for this song, after all. It's mostly live footage (sometimes at a wonky angle, and not necessarily related to the song) cut with some close-up footage of Satsuki singing. And then there's a long pause. And then there is some random making-of type footage at the end of the file. Interesting. The capture is pixelated pretty badly, but since this is the first time I've seen this anywhere, it's better than nothing!
Rentrer en Soi - I hate myself and want to... PV
Thanks to doobie at Jpopsuki for a couple of new JE PVs this week!
Keita. Has. Facial. Hair. I don't even know what to do with that. Ryohei does, too, but that didn't surprise me as much as Keita. Thank god Ryuichi still has a good relationship with his razor. XD Aside from that, w-inds. new song is pretty low-key and has a more mature sound than usual. I really like this song. The PV leaves me a little confused, and slightly sad. I think the ending is supposed to be hopeful, but the little storylines in the PV are both bummers...
w-inds. - TOKYO PV
The new Tohoshinki song is really pretty, but I'm not sure about a JE PV without the Johnnys... I mean, doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose? I kept looking at all of the extras, wondering if the band was loitering in the background someplace and I just didn't recognize them when they weren't dancing, but I don't think they were there at all. Weird. So maybe there will be another version of this PV later on. Anyway, this PV is sort of sad, too. That seems to be a trend this week. But I like the story, in a dorama sort of way.
Tohoshinki - Doushite kimi wo suki ni natte shimattan darou? (Drama version) PV
These PVs have been sitting on hard drive for such a long time that I have no idea where they came from, though doobie is always my first guess on PVs because s/he is such a prolific torrent poster. In any case, I can't recall posting these Mika NAKASHIMA PVs before, and just to continue my total NANA obsession, here they are! ^_^ The first PV is the performance as featured in the movie, and the second version is footage from Mika Nakashima's tour, featuring her own band instead of Black Stones from the movie.
Mika NAKASHIMA - GLAMOROUS SKY PV
Mika NAKASHIMA - GLAMOROUS SKY (version 2) PV
And since I'm now totally in the mood to listen to "GLAMOROUS SKY" on repeat for about an hour, here's the Mika NAKASHIMA single! There have been a lot of good movie songs over the years, and I never thought that I would find a movie song that I like better than "Don't You (Forget About Me)" from The Breakfast Club, but I think "GLAMOROUS SKY" tops it. And that's saying something. I keep thinking that the Mika Nakashima infatuation will wear off sooner or later, but it hasn't happened yet... XD
NANA starring MIKA NAKASHIMA - GLAMOROUS SKY:
01. GLAMOROUS SKY
02. MY MEDICINE
03. BLOOD
04. ISOLATION
05. GLAMOROUS SKY (instrumental)
06. MY MEDICINE (instrumental)
Pulled from the leftovers, Mika's performance of "GLAMOROUS SKY" with HYDE! ^_^
Mika NAKASHIMA + HYDE - GLAMOROOUS SKY (Music Station)
And also pulled from leftover uploads... We'll just complete the "GLAMOROUS SKY" saturation with the fabulous Girugämesh cover...
Girugämesh - GLAMOROUS SKY
OK. That should do it for that song for a little while... ^_^;;
And in fact, I think that's going to do it for me today. There's more to be posted, but my short attention span is telling me that I have sat here for long enough for now, and I need to get some other things done, or I'm going to be entirely too busy tomorrow, and no one enjoys a heinously busy Sunday, do they?
I updated the leftovers earlier this afternoon, so check them out if you're looking for more goodies!
Whoa. That took forever to post because I keep getting distracted by all of the wonders of the Internets... I can't even tell you how many searches I've done and how much stuff I've surfed while sitting here, listening to Jrock, and randomly babbling during this entry. What a lovely way to spend the afternoon. The whole afternoon, in fact.
I should really go attempt to be productive for a little while. And then I'm going to watch some anime, and I'll be back with the rest of this rotation tomorrow. And with any luck at all, it will be a slightly more focused post. Though I rather doubt that.
Ja ne!
But just in case something does go haywire, I think I'll get right to it today...
Rules:
1. All files are intended as samples only and must be deleted within 48 hours.
2. Please support the artists and buy the CDs!
Yay yay yay! My CDs got here yesterday, and there was much rejoicing! I suppose it was nice to save a few bucks on the shipping charges by grouping three weeks' worth of CDs in one box, but the waiting was just miserable... So I'm not sure how long this new frugality is going to last! But in any case, everything is here now, and it was worth waiting for! :D Unless otherwise noted, all the stuff I'm going to post this week is ripped by me (at 320 kbps, of course).
Wow. Just wow. I can't get over how much I love Sugar's new single! They're calling this 'unplugged', which I suppose it sort of is, but don't expect acoustic guitars. To the contrary, I would call this jazz rather than unplugged. But regardless of what Sugar is calling their style on this single, I adore it! I've listened to this single over and over, and I still can't write a description to do it justice. The songs are simultaneously simple, straight-forward, sexy, jazzy tunes, while also demonstrating a lot of musical complexity, a variety of instrumentation (piano and brass), and showcasing the individual talents of each member of Sugar. Which is a lot of ground to cover in three songs, and Sugar makes it all seem effortless. I could worship this band. I think I do worship this band. If you don't have this single already, download it now!
Sugar - antlion:
01. antlion
02. Jakou tadayou naka de
03. Danshou to kuroneko (antlion version)
I posted this single once before, but my copy is here, and I'm going to delete the links to the old post. Besides, Angelo is worthy of posting more than once. Same songs, same rave review from me. But I have to wonder about something... Is anyone else a bit concerned that Kirito's ego could eventually drive a stake through this band, too? I know that Kohta and Kirito are brothers, so I'm sure Kohta is used to it by now, but I worry that Takeo may get tired of it after a while. And I can better understand why Pierrot came apart... Because everything about Angelo (from the liner notes, to the song credits, to their website) really focuses on Kirito, and leaves everyone else looking remarkably like the backing band for a solo artist, rather than full-fledged bandmates and equals. I love Kirito, but I'm not so sure that he plays well with others... XD In any case, I still love this single!
Angelo - CHAOTIC BELL:
01. CHAOTIC BELL
02. SIGN
03. Kesshou
I ripped the PV for "CHAOTIC BELL", too. I think the resolution on this rip came out a little larger than the one that I posted previously... And in any case, it's still Angelo performing in the dark, which still strikes me as an odd choice. -_-;
Angelo - CHAOTIC BELL PV
Dolly fetaures two very different sides of their sound on their new single. "JULIET" is a really jazzy song, not unlike Sugar's new single, but then the other two songs are more straightforward Visual kei rock songs. (parts of "$ GAME" even remind me a tiny little bit of GazettE). The best part of this single is that they play both styles so well, and all three songs are wonderful! I wasn't sure if I was going to order this or not, but I'm really glad that I did. Be sure to give this one a try! ^_^
Dolly - JULIET:
01. JULIET
02. Senjou no CINDERELLA
03. $ GAME
I picked up the DVD version of Dolly's single, so here is their new PV! I think this PV is just perfect for "JULIET"... The setting fits the song so well, and I love the band's new costumes. I did have a ROFL moment when it looks like Mitsu is singing directly to the deer head mounted on the wall, but maybe that's just me... XD
Dolly - JULIET PV
Aoi (from BOUNTY) released his debut solo album this week, and while I haven't listened to it as much as I would like to (there were a lot of goodies in that box, after all), I'm already in love with it, and I can't wait to really explore all of the songs to find even more to love! Two of the songs were previously released as singles, so I already knew that those songs were good... And I can honestly say that I like every song on this album! Aoi has such a strong voice, and I could listen to him sing for days. The liner notes say "All Songs Vocals and Written by Aoi", so I'm even more impressed that he has such a talent for writing catchy songs. I was so excited to hear this album, and it totally met my expectations! :D
Aoi - Veil:
01. Terra
02. VISION
03. ASSASSIN
04. New Code
05. EDEN
06. Alone
07. GHOST IN THE SHELL
08. frontier
09. Mirror
10. LUMIERE
Since I'm pretty much obsessed with Aoi, I bought the DVD version of Veil to make sure that I got to see his new PV! And here it is! "LUMIERE" is a wonderful song, and Aoi is gorgeous in this PV... However, Gackt called, and he really wants his Merveilles coat back. And then Mana-sama called, and (through an interpreter) he thinks Aoi would just be perfect in Gackt's Klaha's Seth's shackles in his basement... XD
Aoi - LUMIERE PV
I had no idea this PV existed, so thanks to hide_Yoshiki2001 for sharing it! Rentrer en Soi did make a PV for this song, after all. It's mostly live footage (sometimes at a wonky angle, and not necessarily related to the song) cut with some close-up footage of Satsuki singing. And then there's a long pause. And then there is some random making-of type footage at the end of the file. Interesting. The capture is pixelated pretty badly, but since this is the first time I've seen this anywhere, it's better than nothing!
Rentrer en Soi - I hate myself and want to... PV
Thanks to doobie at Jpopsuki for a couple of new JE PVs this week!
Keita. Has. Facial. Hair. I don't even know what to do with that. Ryohei does, too, but that didn't surprise me as much as Keita. Thank god Ryuichi still has a good relationship with his razor. XD Aside from that, w-inds. new song is pretty low-key and has a more mature sound than usual. I really like this song. The PV leaves me a little confused, and slightly sad. I think the ending is supposed to be hopeful, but the little storylines in the PV are both bummers...
w-inds. - TOKYO PV
The new Tohoshinki song is really pretty, but I'm not sure about a JE PV without the Johnnys... I mean, doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose? I kept looking at all of the extras, wondering if the band was loitering in the background someplace and I just didn't recognize them when they weren't dancing, but I don't think they were there at all. Weird. So maybe there will be another version of this PV later on. Anyway, this PV is sort of sad, too. That seems to be a trend this week. But I like the story, in a dorama sort of way.
Tohoshinki - Doushite kimi wo suki ni natte shimattan darou? (Drama version) PV
These PVs have been sitting on hard drive for such a long time that I have no idea where they came from, though doobie is always my first guess on PVs because s/he is such a prolific torrent poster. In any case, I can't recall posting these Mika NAKASHIMA PVs before, and just to continue my total NANA obsession, here they are! ^_^ The first PV is the performance as featured in the movie, and the second version is footage from Mika Nakashima's tour, featuring her own band instead of Black Stones from the movie.
Mika NAKASHIMA - GLAMOROUS SKY PV
Mika NAKASHIMA - GLAMOROUS SKY (version 2) PV
And since I'm now totally in the mood to listen to "GLAMOROUS SKY" on repeat for about an hour, here's the Mika NAKASHIMA single! There have been a lot of good movie songs over the years, and I never thought that I would find a movie song that I like better than "Don't You (Forget About Me)" from The Breakfast Club, but I think "GLAMOROUS SKY" tops it. And that's saying something. I keep thinking that the Mika Nakashima infatuation will wear off sooner or later, but it hasn't happened yet... XD
NANA starring MIKA NAKASHIMA - GLAMOROUS SKY:
01. GLAMOROUS SKY
02. MY MEDICINE
03. BLOOD
04. ISOLATION
05. GLAMOROUS SKY (instrumental)
06. MY MEDICINE (instrumental)
Pulled from the leftovers, Mika's performance of "GLAMOROUS SKY" with HYDE! ^_^
Mika NAKASHIMA + HYDE - GLAMOROOUS SKY (Music Station)
And also pulled from leftover uploads... We'll just complete the "GLAMOROUS SKY" saturation with the fabulous Girugämesh cover...
Girugämesh - GLAMOROUS SKY
OK. That should do it for that song for a little while... ^_^;;
And in fact, I think that's going to do it for me today. There's more to be posted, but my short attention span is telling me that I have sat here for long enough for now, and I need to get some other things done, or I'm going to be entirely too busy tomorrow, and no one enjoys a heinously busy Sunday, do they?
I updated the leftovers earlier this afternoon, so check them out if you're looking for more goodies!
Whoa. That took forever to post because I keep getting distracted by all of the wonders of the Internets... I can't even tell you how many searches I've done and how much stuff I've surfed while sitting here, listening to Jrock, and randomly babbling during this entry. What a lovely way to spend the afternoon. The whole afternoon, in fact.
I should really go attempt to be productive for a little while. And then I'm going to watch some anime, and I'll be back with the rest of this rotation tomorrow. And with any luck at all, it will be a slightly more focused post. Though I rather doubt that.
Ja ne!