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: 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: 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: 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.

Music review: BoA - Kimi no Tonari de

boa.jpgArtist: BoAAlbum: Outgrow Release date: 2/15/06 Video link: Via YouTube

English translation: Beside you, for you I want to do something for you I don’t care when Just tell me

Why does the mere thought of you Make my heart jump like this? Why does the mere touch of your hand Heal all my pain?

Did you move the wind When you suddenly sneezed? As the sunlight streams through the trees Our two feelings become one

Beside you, for you I want to do something for you I don’t care when When you feel like crying Just tell me

I hope that this time When we can talk about things Like what we were doing this time last year And where to go on the weekend Continues forever, without changing

At the crossing, you put your arm around me To protect me from the stream of people That ordinary kindness …Made me so happy

There’s so much more That I want to tell you We’ll be able to see each other again tomorrow But would it be luxuriant of me To wish I could stay by your side longer?

Beside you, for you I want to do something for you I don’t care when When you feel like crying Just tell me

I want us to share Our happiness and pain Can I say something just a little bit selfish? My heart’s trembling a little So hold me tighter than anyone else About the song: Another sweet ballad comes from the BoA camp. However, since this song is so slow, it seems like it is way too long. It is pretty and the lyrics have some nice feelings but there is nothing spectacular here. I would easily pass up this song for one of her pop songs.

Music review: L'arc~en~Ciel - Kasou

ray.jpg Artist: L'arc~en~Ciel Members: Hyde (vocals, guitar), Tetsu (background vocals, bass), Ken (guitar), Yukihiro (drums) Album: Ray Release date: 7/1/99 Video link: Via YouTube

English translation: Separately scattered about flower petals, drops of pink around the waning moon reflecting an eternal love.

Eyes...left open a body that's going to rot splendidly lost, only this consciousness left without waiting for the spring.

my beloved one, you just gently turn cold, in these arms as you are broken listen. The abyss of dreams is calling like always.

on the night that blooms out of season the melody of a restless soul the flower floating in the darkness my only parting gift.

(English: Gravity is on the increase as time goes by my body returns to earth there is sky up in the air my body is in your sky and my life is in your cosmos we never come close to each other be here we exist as it is.....) it comes to an end at last the pain of being reborn in the earthen ground I swallow the promise I'm bound to a dead world

separately scattered about flower petals drops of pink around the waning moon reflecting an eternal love

This evening...oh the ecstasy of a dream... At last my eyes closed

On the night that blooms out of season the melody of a restless soul the flower floating in the darkness my only parting gift About the song: This is, by far, my favorite L'arc song. While the lyrics are fairly morbid, the song as a whole is still absolutely beautiful. In my opinion, the best way to listen to it is to watch the music video. The etherealness of the song mixes with the symbolism of the graphics in such an amazing way. I have a difficult time listening to the song without seeing Hyde in his "vampire" costume in my mind.

Website of the Week: CD Japan

I can't believe I've completely forgotten to update the website of the week for the past two weeks! Well, here is this week's website. CD Japan is where I buy all my imported Japanese music. Every time you make a purchase, you gain points to use toward your next purchase. 100 points = 100 yen. They have great prices and shipping is really fast. There are times that I can get a CD from Japan faster than a piece of mail from the continental United States! Definitely a great resource for any fan of Japanese music.

Music review: Hyde - unexpected (English version)

hyde.jpgArtist: Hyde Album: roentgen.ENGLISH Release date: 10/14/04 Video link: via YouTube (this is not the original version of the song, this is a remixed version that was re-relased as the B-side of the Season's Call single)

Lyrics: Unexpected Promises woven

Unexpected Through space and time the path unwinds Leading me straight to you Unexpected Reaching across a moonlit square We found each other's hands Unexpected Under the blessing of the stars The life poured into us To meet is so unexpected About the song: The original version of Unexpected is so laid-back that unless you are trying to fall asleep, it is very difficult to listen to. However the remixed version is very good. Despite the difficulty of understanding Hyde's English, the fullness of the instruments pushes the song from a mellow, laid-back tune to a decent rock ballad. The only real downfall of either version is the approximately two minutes of the song spent singing "Unexpected, promises woven." Since that compromises about half of the entire song, it makes it difficult to not push the fast forward or next song button on your player.