J-Music Thread #Reloaded

Post by **SonicTempest** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 21:48

I just got the domestic release of Sakamoto Maaya's second single collection, Nikopachi. I really like it - no tracks on it that I outright dislike, and none that I can think of that strike me as "meh." Awful lot of English tracks on it though.

Oh, and it has Tune the Rainbow on it, which automatically makes it the BEST MAAYA ALBUM EVAR.

Go buy it if you're a Maaya fan.

Bugle/Hawk'M · Post by **Bugle/Hawk'M** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 18:47

http://www.free-will-america.com/portal ... Itemid=167

Dir en Grey's Japanese tour for 2007 is apparently taking on a second string of concerts in America (and one in Canada). They are headlining and will have 2 opening acts. I didn't get tickets to the Family Values Tour, and they aren't on sale yet, so I think I'll try harder to get tickets this time.

Post by **SonicTempest** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 16:27

Bumping this to report that Kagrra's new single is pretty awesome.

I think they, Lareine and Onmyouza are probably my new favourites out of the newer crop of J-rock bands.

Apathy Wind · Post by **Apathy Wind** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 17:30

This might be totally besides the point but I was wondering where you guys get your Japan CD's. I've acquired an interest in a Japanese album (specifically Dawn by Guitar Vader, circa 2003) but can't locate it via my normal means. Any suggestions?

Bugle/Hawk'M · Post by **Bugle/Hawk'M** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 18:55

Apathy Wind wrote:This might be totally besides the point but I was wondering where you guys get your Japan CD's. I've acquired an interest in a Japanese album (specifically Dawn by Guitar Vader, circa 2003) but can't locate it via my normal means. Any suggestions?

I've ordered from http://www.yesasia.com before with good results. I've heard that http://www.cdjapan.co.jp is also really good for imports. Cdjapan is usually lower, but sometimes yesasia has free shipping, so it tends to even out.

ShadowSonic wrote:Bumping this to report that Kagrra's new single is pretty awesome.

I think they, Lareine and Onmyouza are probably my new favourites out of the newer crop of J-rock bands.

Lareine isn't really newer. They were around for 10 years and just broke up a few months ago. The reason for breaking up was funny too. The vocalist and bassist just hadn't heard from the lead guitarist for months.
At the bottom.
http://jmusicamerica.com/us/news.php?archive=10%2F2006

What other news is there...
Sugizo is apparently going to be part of Gackt and Yoshiki's super band thing they are doing in what is probalby the distant future.

Kisaki of Phantasmagoria is apparently in trouble for avoiding taxes, which could end up bad for the bands on Undercode, the record label he runs.

I will probably not be going to the Dir en Grey concert in Detroit because tickets are 30 dollars and I can't find anybody else to go. I mean, I like the band, but not enough to be the white guy who goes to Detroit alone and doesn't come back.

Post by **SonicTempest** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 02:05

Sugizo and Yoshiki in the same band?!

*explodes*

Apathy Wind · Post by **Apathy Wind** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 02:24

Bugle/Hawk'M wrote:I've ordered from www.yesasia.com before with good results. I've heard that www.cdjapan.co.jp is also really good for imports. Cdjapan is usually lower, but sometimes yesasia has free shipping, so it tends to even out.

Thanks for the info. Sadly neither yesasia or cdjapan has Dawn but I did find a listing for it on play-asia. Has anyone ever ordered from play-asia? I'm trying to determine if they're reputable - I've had trouble with online purposes....

Bugle/Hawk'M wrote:I mean, I like the band, but not enough to be the white guy who goes to Detroit alone and doesn't come back.

Don't be too put off - I'm sure lots of people of varying races go to Detroit alone and never come back.

Bugle/Hawk'M · Post by **Bugle/Hawk'M** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 06:31

I make a lot more money than I spend and don't value my life much; so I got a ticket for the Dir en Grey show. It is going to be interesting.

Bugle/Hawk'M · Post by **Bugle/Hawk'M** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 07:11

Double post

Just got back from the show. It certainly was interesting. I ended up with a friend coming along, but I paid for everything. We showed up half an hour before doors opened and then missed all of Bleed the Dream waiting in line. I picked up a free promo on my way out and I don't think I missed much. I saw all of Fair to Midland, and they were alright. Anyway, to the point, Dir en Grey is definately a band that is better to see live. They rocked, it was fun, I liked it. The show seemed a bit short, but maybe I just didn't realize how much time was passing.

It was a sort of small venue, so I got to see them pretty close up. It is sort of weird seeing them just like 20 feet away as opposed to through a TV and on the other side of the world. I was off to the left so Koaru would be blocked by the amps sometimes, but I was right in front of Toshiya for the most part. A water bottle came my way and I got a little wet, but the girl next to me had caught it. If Shinya had thrown just a bit harder I would have gotten a drum stick, too. Oh well, I bought a t-shirt and a wristband.

On the drive home we stopped for White Castle, and it was my first time having it, and I'm definately regretting it now. Overall it was a great show and a great night. I can only hope that all that money I spent encourages some more Japanese bands to come play in the US (and hopefully not too far away from me).

Post by **SonicTempest** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 23:42

Kagrra's new album is pretty great

Post by **SonicTempest** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 20:27

Double post olo

Just got hold of Sakamoto Maaya's newest mini-album, 30minutes night flight (thanks PS). It's pretty short (only 7 tracks). So far I can say I like 4 of the tracks (30minutes night flight, Dreaming, Setsuna and Universe). The rest are in a bit of a grey area at the moment...

Maybe PS will have more to say

Perfect Stranger · Post by **Perfect Stranger** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 21:00

SonicTempest wrote:Double post olo

Just got hold of Sakamoto Maaya's newest mini-album, 30minutes night flight (thanks PS). It's pretty short (only 7 tracks). So far I can say I like 4 of the tracks (30minutes night flight, Dreaming, Setsuna and Universe). The rest are in a bit of a grey area at the moment...

Maybe PS will have more to say

To be honest - kinda bleh so far. I've given the entire album more than a few spins, but nothing is sticking to my head so far in the way it should.

The theme for the whole mini-album really does seem to be like elevator-muzak/lulling you to sleep for a bit though. Not anywhere to be found are those grand sweeping tracks with layered compositions that I've always been a sucker for like Hikari Are or even Yunagi Loop's Unison.

I'll play it for a bit more, since it *is* Sakamoto Maaya, but to be honest first impressions are like "Oh crap, I knew this would happen once Kanno Youko stepped out of the picture"

Post by **SonicTempest** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 21:07

Yeah, the composition is kind of lacklustre for most of the tracks...while some of the tracks do sound pretty nice (the ones I mentioned earlier) I can't say I like them more than stuff on her earlier albums/singles collections.

Who did the composing for this album, anywho?

Perfect Stranger · Post by **Perfect Stranger** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 21:18

Mixed-bag of people. I don't have my Yunagi Loop album to cross check, but I do seem to recognize Unison's composer Suzuki Youko (I think) doing a few tracks here as well (Universe, Kioku - there's no end).

The producer of the album is 森俊之 (Mori Toshiyuki). He arranges all the tracks as well.

Bugle/Hawk'M · Post by **Bugle/Hawk'M** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 19:49

So, I'm sort of confused/angry right now. On March 11 I ordered Dir en Grey's The Marrow of A Bone along with a 1st Press of Rentrer en Soi's second album straight from Free Will America's online shop. The only communication I've gotten from them is an order confirmation, which I assume means that what I wanted was in stock (I figured the first press was available because the site said it was updated daily and it didn't say they were out).

Anyway, I just got The Marrow of a Bone today, and that is it. I think the reason that it took so long for it to ship was that there was a printing error with the inserted booklet, so I got a plastic sealed errored one and an extra one with the fixed booklet. Of course I heard about this printing error through people on the internet and not at all from Free Will America, so maybe they just took forever to process my order because they suck. The invoice for the item said it was from April 5. Also, the invoice only shows that I was charged for the one cd and shipping that was over 1/3 the price of the CD.

So, I'm wondering if I'll ever get my Rentrer en Soi CD, considering that the site now says that the 1st press is out of stock. if I don't ever get it, then I just payed way more for a CD that I could have gotten cheaper and faster from a major online store. It's frustrating, and I'm definately not ordering directly from record labels again.