Music review: Mika Nakashima - RESISTANCE

Artist: Mika Nakashima Album: Love Release date: 11/6/03 (previously released as a single on 12/7/02) Video link: Via YouTube

English translation: A while angel’s feathers are fluttering down and start to pile up Cry! In a faithless city, life is sacrificed Crushed down Give a KISS of grief...

If you sleep, morning will come the land of freedom is scary It’s just foolish kindness a fleeting road is all that remains

When this girl cannot sing she turns to search for a reason Along in a group, going into the darkness The murmur of voices is interrupted

The snow started to lead me for now, it illuminates a shape But it’s just my own beating heart

Looking through the gaps in my fingers The world is quickly narrowed towards the future Cry! Scorn this foolish love Spread your arms and give a KISS of grief...

My pulse keeps going up as I find the deceitful voice Those without all colors are left with just beauty

But like the snow eventually it’ll get dirty Unless you get away from this city you’ll live in a dream

A while angel’s feathers are fluttering down and start to pile up Cry! In a faithless city, life is sacrificed Crushed down the angel gives a KISS of grief...

Untill you arrive you will call out for the light you lost God’s voice, is just your throbbing heart

Looking through the gaps in my fingers The world is quickly narrowed towards the future Cry! Scorn this foolish love Spread your arms and give a KISS of grief... About the song: This is one of my absolutely favorite songs from Mika Nakashima. Her voice gives the song a sort of ethereal feeling despite the heavy drumline. It's the type of song that can help lift your spirits and just make you feel good about the world.

Music review: REM - Losing My Religion

Artist: R.E.M. Members: Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Bill Berry Album: Out of Time Release date: 3/12/91 Video link: Via YouTube

Lyrics: Life is bigger It's bigger than you And you are not me The lengths that I will go to The distance in your eyes Oh no I've said too much I set it up

That's me in the corner That's me in the spotlight Losing my religion Trying to keep up with you And I don't know if I can do it Oh no I've said too much I haven't said enough I thought that I heard you laughing I thought that I heard you sing I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper Of every waking hour I'm Choosing my confessions Trying to keep an eye on you Like a hurt lost and blinded fool Oh no I've said too much I set it up

Consider this The hint of the century Consider this The slip that brought me To my knees failed What if all these fantasies Come flailing around Now I've said too much I thought that I heard you laughing I thought that I heard you sing I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream That was just a dream About the song: I'm sure everyone has their opinions about what this song is about. It's not as religious as most people think it is. 'Losing my religion' is a phrase that means something along the lines of 'end of my rope' or 'running out of patience.' In the context of this song, it's basically the singer following/stalking the subject to the point that it drives him a bit crazy. He's looking for a sign that the subject will accept or love him but it just isn't happening.

Musically, it's an interesting song. Instead of a lead guitar, the main instrument here is a mandolin. It gives the song a bit of a 'crazy' feeling to it. As if the strings will suddenly break and drive Michael Stipe insane. It's also interesting that this is considered one of REM's biggest hits. After all, how many pop songs have mandolins?

Music review: Cats - Journey to the Heaviside Layer

Artist: The cast of CatsAlbum: Cats soundtrack (1982 Broadway Cast) Release date: 10/82 Video link: Via YouTube

Lyrics: Up, up, up, past the Russell Hotel Up, up, up, up, to the Heaviside Layer

Up, up, up, past the Russell Hotel Up, up, up, up, to the Heaviside Layer

Up, up, up, past the Russell Hotel Up, up, up, up, to the Heaviside Layer

Up, up, up, past the Russell Hotel Up, up, up, up, to the Heaviside Layer About the song: A lot of people think Cats doesn't have a storyline. That's untrue. Cats is about a group of cats getting together to decide which of them will be reborn into a new life. A majority of the songs are simply introductions to the various cats who are in the running for the big rebirth.

Journey to the Heaviside Layer is the big piece for the play. Yes, Memory is the most famous song but Heaviside Layer has the biggest production value. The choice has been made and now that cat (I won't give spoilers!) is basically going to heaven. In most productions, this song has a lot of smoke and white lights coming from the ceiling as Old Deuteronomy and the chosen cat are lifted to the ceiling. It's a quiet song. There aren't a lot of lyrics and the singing is very hushed. This is a religious experience for the cats. As such, the song is set as a sort of hymn. Sadly, this is not the ending song for the musical. In my opinion, it should be but I wasn't consulted when the play was written.

Music review: Gackt - Noah

Artist: Gackt Album: Moon Release date: 6/19/02 Video link: Via YouTube

About the song: Noah, the first track on Moon, is a beautiful instrumental piece. There is such a variety of sounds that I couldn't even place what instruments were played where. It really sets an almost supernatural feeling for the album. In my opinion, it's perfect as an opening track.

Music review: Mini Moni - Minimoni. Kazoe Uta ~Date version~

Artist: Mini MoniMembers: Mika Todd (family name last), Kago Ai, Nozomi Tsuji, Takahashi Ai Album: mini-moni. SONGS 2 Release date: 2/11/04 Video link: On YouTube

English translation: "Let's go! One, two, three, go!"

Going out with that special person Hey! Going out with that special person! Lalala How fun! Lalala, how fun! Hey! It's fun going on a date

One, two, three, four Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen Twenty

"Did they arrive?" "Not yet!" "All right! Then one more time" "Okay!"

Going out with that special person Hey! Going out with that special person! Lalala How fun! Lalala, how fun! Hey! It's fun going on a date

Coming, not coming, coming Not coming, coming, not coming, coming Not coming, coming, coming, not coming Coming, not coming, not coming, not coming Coming, they're finally here!

"Did they arrive?" "Yup!"

How fun! Lalala, how fun! Hey! Going out with that special person! Lalala How fun! Lalala, how fun! Hey! It's fun going on a date

That person I love is pretty! Hey! That person I love is pretty! Lalala How pretty! Lalala, how pretty! Hey! You're pretty when you're in love!

Love you, love you, love you, really love you Love you, love you, love you Love-love you, love you~ really love you Love you, love you~ really love you, love you I LOVE YOU

"Do we love 'em lots now?" "Not yet!" "All right! Then one more time" "Okay!"

That person I love is pretty! Hey! That person I love is pretty! Lalala How pretty! Lalala, how pretty! Hey! You're pretty when you're in love!

Love you, love you, love you, really love you Love you, love you, love you Love-love you, love you~ really love you Love you, love you~ really love you, love you I LOVE YOU

"Do we love 'em lots now?" "All clean!"

How fun! Lalala, how fun! Hey! Going out with that special person! Lalala How fun! Lalala, how fun! Hey! It's fun going on a date About the song: If you get nothing else out of Mini Moni, you get a little bit of education and a lot of fun. Right there in the beginning of the song are numbers in Japanese! Even you can count to twenty! Unfortunately, like many other Mini Moni songs, it gets old really fast. Most of their songs are aimed at children so there is a lot of repetition involved. The same happens here. I'm ready to turn it off by the third 'suki' if I manage to make it that far. It's cute but a little TOO cute.

Music review: Live - Pillar of Davidson

Artist: Live Members: Ed Kowalczyk (lead vocals and guitar), Chad Taylor (lead guitar), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass guitar) and Chad Gracey (drums) Album: Throwing Copper Release date: 4/26/94 Video link

Lyrics: Warm bodies, I sense Are not machines that can only make money Past, perfect, tense Words for a feeling and all I've discovered I'll be along son With medicine supposed to, designed to Make you high I'll be along son With words for a feeling and all I've discovered

Old, bad eyes Old, bad eyes Old, bad eyes

On loneliness comes Go see the foreman, go see the profiteer On loneliness drives We're takin' our time movin' shit for this holy slime

Old, bad eyes Old, bad eyes Old, bad eyes, almighty fear

The shepherd won't leave me alone He's in my face and I The shepherd of my days And I want you here by my heart And my head, I can't start 'til I'm dead About the song: Live comes from a fairly small town not too far from my house. Like many small towns, York, Pennsylvania is a blue-collar town. This song is about the people working hard in a crappy job to support their family. It's a pretty powerful song with a hard drum beat and a steady bass line that give the song a dark feeling. You're left feeling sorry for the people forced to live these sorts of backbreaking jobs just so they can put food on the table.

Music review: L'arc~en~Ciel - Blurry Eyes

Artist: L`arc~en~Ciel Members: Hyde (vocals), Tetsu (bass), Ken (guitar), Sakura (drums) Album: Tierra Release date: 7/14/94 Video link: On YouTube

English translation: Carried on a wind from far away, no matter how many times I try to say these words, they never reach you. Once again, my eyes stare somewhere out the window.

This foreboding hasn't changed, I still feel it. Those days are getting blurry...

Seeing through blank eyes like a caged bird, the light of the afternoon sun is just like the light that shines on you from outside.

This foreboding hasn't changed, I still feel it. Those days are becoming blurry...

I feel the changing season will see my promise broken. Even if I reach out with my hands, my heart will stay distant.

(Why do you stare at the sky with your blurry eyes?)

I feel the changing season will see my promise broken. Even if I reach out with my hands, my heart will stay distant.

In the changing season, the one precious to me looked back toward me with those eyes, sighing softly.

(Your blurry eyes) ...your blurry eyes (Your blurry eyes) ...My heart (Your blurry eyes) ...will stay (Your blurry eyes) ...distant. About the song: The best part of this song is the music video. It has a very 80s Madonna feeling to it. Hyde is wearing a long flowing white dress with a leather jacket and gloves. Halfway through the video, they go to an amusement park where a carousel is the main attraction. It would be an awesome video...if it had been filmed in 1985 instead of 1994.

The song itself is a decent pop song. It's got a catchy guitar line and it's fun to sing along with Hyde. While it may not be the "cool" song at the party, it's definitely the "fun" one.

Music review: Barenaked Ladies - Adrift

Artist: Barenaked Ladies Members: Steven Page (vocals), Ed Robertson (guitar/vocals), Tyler Stewart (drums), Jim Creegan (bass), Kevin Hearn (keyboards) Album: Barenaked Ladies Are Me Release date: 9/12/06 Video link: Via YouTube

Lyrics: Ever since we said our good-byes The onion rings, the phone makes me cry Something isn't right Like the Deep Blue without the Great White

In the morning open your eyes The waterfalls, the fire flies You're an abacus And my heart was counting on us

Your heart's got a heavy load There's still a long way to go Keep your eyes on the road

Crescent moon sings me to sleep The birches bark, the willows weep But I lie awake; I'm adrift without a snowflake

Your heart's got a heavy load There's still a long way to go Keep your eyes on the road About the song: While Steve has the stronger voice, I think it was a perfect choice to have Ed sing lead on this. His voice is a bit softer which gives this sad ballad so much emotion. It's a wonderful song though I'm not sure I agree with their choice to lead the album with it. It sets the entire album off with a melancholy feeling instead of something a bit happier. But it still a good song on its own.

Music review: Arashi - A*RA*SHI

arashi.jpg Artist: Arashi Members: Ninomiya Kazunari (Nino), Ohno Satoshi (Leader), Matsumoto Jun (MatsuJun), Aiba Masaki, Sakurai Sho Album: Arashi No.1 Ichigou Release date: 11/24/01 Video link: Performed on the One Tour (Surprise additional video! A music video directed by Hideaki Takizawa of Tackey and Tsubasa)

English translation: Pop it yeah! Honesty good! The heaviness from that boo! That's all right! Yet we will shape the world yes we are super boy! We are cool Even if something unpleasant happened, we show it off We'll do what we can, can't we? It's all right to have a dream, right?

You are my soul! Soul! You always are here with me I can't give it away. No one can get in our way. Congregate the wind and wind it all over my body storm storm for dream

Today again, they are saying in TV They are saying how miserable the world has become. I am always looking for looking for a gigantic love and ambition Everyday! Everybody! The world hasn't end yet Why don't we start from here? Let's get on! Let's get on yea!

Step by step instead of bursting, go for it naked Day by day I want stimulation rather than boredom Let's open our huge wings up

You are my soul! Soul! You always are here with me I can't give it away. No one can get in our way. Congregate the wind and wind it all over my body storm storm for dream

Catching the harsh storm with your both hands Be brave, let's fly Aim the heaven and unbeatable cloud Fly away

Step by step instead of bursting, go for it naked Day by day I want stimulation rather than boredom Let's open our huge wings up

You are my soul! Soul! You make me strong Tears are tommorrow's energy Aim the future, let's go for it. Storm storm oh yea!

You are my soul! Soul! You always are here with me I can't give it away. No one can get in our way. Congregate the wind and wind it all over my body storm storm for dream

Today again, they are saying in TV They are saying how miserable the world has become. I am always looking for looking for a gigantic love and ambition Everyday! Everybody! The world hasn't end yet Why don't we start from here? Let's get on! Let's get on yea!

You are my soul! Soul! You always are here with me I can't give it away. No one can get in our way. Congregate the wind and wind it all over my body storm storm for dream About the song: As should be fairly obvious, this was the first single released by Arashi. The word 'arashi' means storm, which is why it sounds a bit weird in the translation. I think the lyrics intended to reference the band and not a weather pattern.

This was the perfect song to use for the debut. It not only highlights Ohno's amazing voice but it also has some really good raps for Sho and the boys can show off a bit of their dancing skills too. It's easy to see why it's still one of their most popular songs.