And we are back after  a long break because of school and an awfully short vacation. I noticed my viewership is about the same and I thought it was about time to start posting again. When thinking of my comeback post, I thought long and hard about what I should do. Should I introduce a new section or feature to the site, or should I try and bolster what I have? As you can see, I decided to go with the latter.

I’ve been a continual fan of GLAY for a couple of years now. Their music has always lifted my spirits and added variety to my mostly stagnant collection on my computer and iPod. For this review, I’m going to analyze GLAY’s “I am XXX” single. If you haven’t noticed, many of my reviews are based on my first listen through and I write what ever comes on my mind and what I like in the songs. I hope this single is as good as the other music I’ve heard from GLAY.

Instrumentals:

A bit heavy on the bass, but it added good instrumental effect. I liked the incorporation of the electronic effects on the instruments. There seem to be more personality in the music outside of what you typically hear from GLAY. Drums were loud, but solid.

Vocals:

Strong as ever and very clear.

01 I am XXX

This song introduces a bit more synthesized and effects driven instrumentals than what I’m used to with GLAY. “I am XXX” is also a bit heavier in the instrumentals as well. In a way, this song is more like art rock with plenty of experimentation with their sound. It doesn’t have the same rhythm as their past music, which makes “I am XXX” interesting. Good song, and worth a listen if not a couple more.

02 冬のエトランジェ (THE GREAT VACATION-extra- Live ver.)

Great melody and I love the effects done to the vocals. The song has a distinct beat that is heavy and slow, but it is fitting to the feel of this song. Again, a great experimentation with GLAY’s sound that doesn’t carry much of the familiar feel of their past ballads. The piano is very nice and complements the rest of the instruments and ends this song well.

03  I am xxx (Instrumental)

04 THE GREAT VACATION VOL.1 (予告編)

Blast from the past?

Overall:

Good experience overall. I like this single for how different it sounds from past GLAY works. There are some moments that I felt were a little slow or didn’t meld well in “I am XXX” but it was good in the whole sense. As for replay value, I’m peculiar and will let anything play again at least two or three times depending on what comes up on my computer. If you aren’t like me, you may want to take a step back before getting this single and consider how much you like GLAY. It’s a good single, but if you don’t like the difference or if you’re stuck on how GLAY sounded for the last two albums, reconsider.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 8.9
Vocals: 9.0
Replay Value: 8.6
Quality: 9.0
Overall: 8.875 (out of 10, great single)

Did you guys miss my reviews of ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION? Wait, there aren’t any for some reason. I was sure I reviewed them at least one or two times. Anyway, there are some songs that I seem to like from this band, but there are others that keep me away at a distance. I found that much of their work consists of the same old stuff that mirrors from one song to the other. One other band that is subject to this is UVERworld. Let’s see if this album does anything different from what we’ve heard before. (continue reading…)

‘Sup people? Here’s another review for you all. If you like UVERworld, and I know many of my readers do, then you’ll be glad that I decided to review their new single. The A-side is used as the opening song for Gundam 00 Season Two. When I heard it for the first time, I thought that I needed the song. UVERworld has such a distinct style that you can recognize out of any rock band. Hanakaku mo Towa no Kanashi marks UVERworld’s 12th single according to Wikipedia (as wiki.theppn.org is down) and was released on November 19, 2008. (continue reading…)

Being as busy as I am right now, it’s amazing that I can bring myself to do a review of a single. I should really be studying right now, but hey, this is a music review! If you’ve been a regular reader here, you must know that I am a fan of Glay. Their music is always creative, high in quality, and never tiring to listen to. It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed or even listened to Glay.

“Aka to Kuro no MATADORA” is Glay’s 41st single released on September 10, 2008. (continue reading…)

I’m glad to review another Porno Graffitti single since I’ve grown to like them quite a bit. They have a unique sense of music. It’s also interesting how they have a certain style, but change it and blend it with other musical elements. Perhaps that is why I constantly want to listen to their music and wait for new material. This single observes their very experimental nature in music. “Love, too Death, too” would be their 26th single released on October 8, 2008.

At first I was taken aback with the style and weird nature of the A-side, but I could hear that perhaps it takes a couple more listens to like it. Great quality and definitely different from what I’ve heard from Porno Graffitti. (continue reading…)

It has felt like forever since I have heard Laruku. It’s a rather refreshing experience since I have been listening to just about the same thing everyday on my iPod. This single was released August 27, 2008 and marks their 35th single. Wiki.theppn.org states that NEXUS 4 was used for a Subaru Legacy commercial and the song SHINE was used as the opener for the anime Seirei no Moribito. It is a two song single with instrumentals like many of Laruku’s previous singles.

Somehow the sound and the tone of these songs give L’Arc~en~Ciel a U2 -like feel. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing, but if you like Laruku’s music then you won’t mind the blandness. There are some interesting things to notice in the music. It’s a rather tamed single and wish it had a bit more excitement like their other singles before this.

Instrumentals:

Good quality and loud. Great volume and clarity. The mixing the arrangements are nice with a decent amount of intricacy. Is it me or does their instrumental sound continually sound similar to Glay’s? The synthesizers used sound typical of techno-beat like stuff, but it quickly moves back into Laruku’s typical instrument arrangements with guitars, bass, and drums accompanied by synthesizers.

Vocals:

Great as always. Strong and not too dramatic like in the past couple singles that I’ve heard. No dropped tones from what I’ve heard. Plenty of passion and emphasis on the beat.

01NEXUS 4

Great bass in this song. The beat in the background sets a fast paced and exciting mood to NEXUS 4. There are certain elements of the song that makes it sound very much like Glay would have. The rhythm guitar and the synthesizers used are Glay in style. It’s a good song and blends different sounds well. I felt the guitar solo was more of an afterthought rather than a natural extension to the song. Pretty short, good, but a little underwhelming.

02 SHINE

Dramatic beginning with synthesizers and very techno-like instrumentals. The guitars and drums come in after the introduction and set the tone for the rest of the song. Very ballad-like. Great rhythms and arrangments in the background. The vocals are strong and clear. In this particular song, there are some points that sound much like U2 used in their music. The beginning in particular was very much U2 in nature with the sounds of the guitars moving into the main melody. Good guitar solo that actually matches the song well. It reminds me of something from Laruku’s past music, and the best part is that it is decently long. Though a good song, nothing much goes on but not to the point that it is repetitive.

03 NEXUS 4 [instrumentals]

04 SHINE [instrumentals]

Overall:

Good single from Laruku, but a little underwhelming in my honest opinion. Some may not like the fact that Laruku is using many styles from other bands and sources, but that’s the experimental nature of their music. It definitely still holds their own sound, but it is well mixed and blended with the previously mentioned material. I would go as far to suggest anyone to spend money on this, I would probably wait for an album in the future to hear these songs.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 9.8
Vocals: 9.8
Replay Value: 7.9
Quality: 8.9
Overall: 9.1 (Excellent)

Hello, hello people! It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed SOMETHING, so let’s start out with something good. You all know by now that I like Porno Graffitti even though I only have one of their albums. Their style is unique and musical arrangements are great. I haven’t heard any two of their songs sound too similar. Let’s just say, I’m glad they decided to put out a new single.

Itai Tachiichi is Porno Graffitti’s 24th single and features three songs, but no instrumentals. Upon hearing the first notes and the vocals of Okano Akihito I immediately got into the music. This single sounds very different from the songs in their album Porno Graffitti. It’s a refreshing blend of new instruments and rhythms. The vocals are nice and the melodies are interesting. You’d be insane not to like this single just for the musicality of Porno Graffitti. Sometimes I wonder where they get their creativity from. The arrangements are nice, and you can’t forget about a decent guitar solo thrown in.

Instrumentals:

Great rhythms, volume, and blending. I really enjoyed listening to the different instruments used in each song. I like how they incorporate things other than the typical rock ensemble. I don’t believe I heard any instrumental arrangements that sounded similar to other songs made by Porno Graffitti.

Vocals:

Great vocals. Clear and strong from what I heard. The mixing was well done, with great balance with the instrumental parts.

01 Itai Tachiiichi

Starts off with a wailing jazz-like saxophone and the first verse starts immediately. Great blend between the jazz-like instrumentation and the rock sound. I like the echo effects on the drums at certain parts throughout the song. The guitar part repeats a distinct rhythm section in the background throughout the song. Great arrangement between the vocal parts and the instruments.

02 Summer Page

Like many other songs I’ve heard, this starts with ambient noise and the music comes in right after. This is a nice summer ballad. Soft vocals and island beat instrumentals in the background. I like how Porno Graffitti can take other types of music and combine it with their unique sound. Great chorus, I suggest this song to everybody that likes Porno Graffitti.

03 Night Train

Starts in a rough guitar riff that sounds similar to what I’ve heard in a Styx song. It’s a heavy song with a decently fast beat. The chorus is great and I like the instrumentals, too. Great use of rhythms and the guitar solo is pretty good and decent in length. I just wish it were a bit longer. Great blend between verses from the heavy sound to smooth sections before the chorus. This would probably be my favorite song of of this single.

Overall:

Great single, I suggest you to listen to the songs. I honestly would wait until the album to get these songs though, but you should really do that for any single. Often times I find myself liking most of this band’s music on their album.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 9.8
Vocals: 9.8
Replay Value: 9.5
Quality: 10
Overall: 9.78 (Excellent!)

We are back with another HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR single called HOT LIMIT. Released on June 25, 2008, this marks COLOR’s 13th single. I believe my previous reviews of their other recent singles gave them a hard time. With this new single, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR regained my confidence in their music. It’s full of new sounds and creative output from the band. HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR did a really good job with this single and I hope it continues for a while.

This single is definitely different from what I’ve heard from this band. It explores newer regions and blends new with old. I enjoyed listening to all three of the songs from start to finish without skipping through. The sound quality and arrangements are much better this time around as well. For anybody that is new or familiar to HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR, I would highly suggest that you listen to the three songs in this single.

Instrumentals:

Great choice of instruments and synthesizers. I find this single to be among the most clear from their previous work. Balance is pretty good as well, everything can be heard. There are interesting things to listen to in the guitar parts.

Vocals:

Strong vocals and great melodies. All three songs don’t follow the same formula, meaning they are unique in their own right. The melodies and rhythms are also pretty different from other singles by HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR.

01 HOT LIMIT

This has to be the most creative song I’ve heard from HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR. It has a 80s flare with synthesizers and techno-like sound similar to what TWO-MIX had. Good guitar accompaniment and remains clean and clear so the other instruments can be heard as well. HOT LIMIT has a deep beat and bass sound that pushes the song along. It’s a great song, please listen to it.

02 Kira Kira SUMMER

Sounds sort of like a take from SUNSHINE or some summer song by AAA. It’s a great song and has that summer feeling. Kira Kira SUMMER has a great melody, arrangement, and great incorporation of ocean sounds in its instrumental break. Good use of light voice filters and harmonizing vocal parts give this song some backbone, otherwise it probably would not sound just right.

03 Mirror

Fantastic guitar opening and blends into the first verse well. I like how they kept the guitars clean so you can hear the vocals and other small things going on in the background. Mirror follows the HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR formula of music, but the way it is put together and how different the melody is makes this song very different from their past music. I think it is due to the fact that the instrumentals are more intricate and has much more depth than what I’m use to hearing from this band. Great song and worth a listen.

04 HOT LIMIT (instrumentals)

Overall:

Great improvement in instrumentals and effort in changing things up. I always like to hear something new from music artists and I’m glad HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR chose to step from their usual boundaries. This single holds three great songs and I think this would be a worthy addition to anybody’s collection.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 9.6
Vocals: 9.7
Replay Value: 10
Quality: 10
Overall: 9.83 (Excellent!)

I took a long time to get and review this sucker. It’s not that I don’t like Ikimono Gakari (because I love them) it just that I’ve been slacking off on the website updates. Blue Bird marks their 10th single and was release on July 9, 2008. Blue Bird is also featured in the anime Naruto Shippuuden. Let’s just put it that I was surprised to hear Ikimono Gakari when watching Naruto Shippuuden, but I think the song fit nicely. Let’s get into the full single and not center this around Naruto.

Instrumentals:

Good arrangements like always. Nice and clear without any muddy parts between guitar parts and drums. Everything can be hear clearly with nice use of the harmonica. Great guitar parts and incorporation of acoustics and bongos give Ikimono Gakari’s music a unique sound compared to the rest of the Japanese music scene.

Vocals:

Strong and well sung. Intonation and volume is great. I just love the tone of Kiyoe’s voice for both songs in this single.

01 Blue Bird

Fantastic start with a strong vocal part and range. The overall quality of Yoshioka’s singing is well done throughout the whole song. I love the incorporation of the harmonica and the instrumental arrangement of this song. Great intricate rhythms for the guitar and also the use of orchestral instruments adds to the overall sound. The transition into the key change was seemless and well done, and it has a great transition back into the chorus. Blue Bird is a very good song and I suggest that you’d listen to it.

02 Natsuiro Wakusei

A lighter song than Blue Bird with a summery feel. It sounds similar to a couple of songs from Ikimono Gakari’s life album. Very good vocal melody and instrumental arrangement. This is another great song and a worthy B-side.

Overall:

Both songs are wonderful to listen to and definitely carry replay value. If you haven’t listened to anything by this splendid band, now is the time. This single is shorter than what I’m use to. With only two songs, you are left with a slightly empty feeling, but that’s why you listen to their life album afterwards. (I’ve been use to the 3-4 song singles lately.)

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 9.8
Vocals: 9.8
Replay Value: 10
Quality: 9.9
Overall: 9.88 (Excellent!)

You can find the PV download on our “PV dump” page!

PIED PIPER would be my third review of something pillows within this summer. This album is mainly a compilation of past singles since their last album. The pillows continue to make wonderful music that carries their distinct instrumental sounds but to a new beat. I love most of the songs on this album, but there are a couple that I’m unsure about.

There are moments where PIED PIPER reminds me of Penalty Life. Then there are times in this album that just flies and everything is great. If any thought comes to mind, it would be that PIED PIPER is inconsistent in enjoyable songs. I’m not saying those songs are not good, but they come close to being boring and ordinary. I do feel that the better songs pick up the pace and are at least well dispersed to create a generally good experience.

Instrumentals:

Good and clear. Crisp sound with definitive rhythms and beats. No muffled parts and the arrangements are well done.

Vocals:

Strong as always with great use of range. You can hear the emotion in the music, which has always been a great asset to the pillows.

01 PIED PIPER

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

An echo of two guitars starts this CD off in nice rhythm and chords. It’s unusual melody seem to mirror the actual song after the toms establish a beat. The chorus, however, has more of a constructive melody that is catchy and enjoyable to listen to. PIED PIPER isn’t exactly the best opening song for an album I’ve heard, but its uniqueness makes up for that.

02 New Animal

You can catch my review of this song in my review of its single here.

03 No Surrender

A great continuation of sound from the last song. The melody is structured similarly to past pillows music, but the pitches and arrangement make the song different. It’s catchy and accompanied by great guitar parts. I really like the chorus and guitar solo at around the 2 minute mark.

04 Last Holiday

A slower song with long strums on the guitar part. It has a good strong vocal part. If you like ballads, and specifically pillows ballads, I suggest that you’d listen to this song. I really liked how this song ended in a strong and heavy tone.

05 Tokyo Zombie

The beginning of this song is epic. I like the guitar parts and rhythms. It reminds me of classic rock and somehow of The Who. It transitions into a faster paced tempo and heavier instrumental part. Although short, it follows an ABA format and is an awesome instrumental song.

06 Across the Metropolis

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You can find this review under the Tokyo Bambi single review here.

07 Purple Apple

A faster song compared to Across the Metropolis. It’s an interesting song and very different from most of the pillows’ typical English songs. The choppiness makes the song sound like its from a retro video game. There is definitely improvement in pronunciation in the English, but it still needs work. Good song if you like “Engrish” songs.

08 Tokyo Bambi

You can find this review under the Tokyo Bambi single review here.

09 Ladybird Girl

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You can find this review under the Ladybird Girl single review here.

10 That’s a Wonderful World

Starts in a radio effect and slow. The song then transitions into a clear channel and with a faster tempo. It’s a fun song with a sort of 60s sound to it. I think it’s worth a listen to especially for the guitar parts.

11 POISON ROCK’N'ROLL

An interesting bass part starts off the song. It seems to be another English song by the pillows. It has a good instrumental arrangement. Something about pillows songs that are in English have a certain sound that is the same to their previous English songs, but this song doesn’t do that. It’s unique and doesn’t carry the same formula instrumentally and melodically to songs from Penalty Life. Well done, but I couldn’t quite understand much of the lyrics.

Overall:

Good album but the songs in English seem to bring down the pace of the overall album. I do like what they are trying to do with their English songs on the other hand. It’s worth a listen to and I would suggest this to most fans of the pillows and also newcomers.

Ratings:

Instrumentals: 9.8
Vocals: 9.3
Replay Value: 9.6
Quality: 9.5
Overall: 9.55 (Awesome)