Smile Review

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(More customer reviews)This album completely surprised me. I'd heard plenty of good things about L'Arc, and I'd liked the theme they did for the Final Fantasy movie, but I was never in any hurry to learn more about them-- I've been burned too many times by "promising" Korean and Japanese groups that turn out to be more of the same.

But after seeing L'Arc in their first U.S. concert at Otakon in Baltimore, MD, I'm a complete fan. Their concert rocked-- and their album rocks even harder. Hyde, the singer, is equally good live and recorded, and his range (and control thereof) is astounding. "Smile" is absolutely brimming with energy and lyrical beauty (even if you have to go hunt down translations).

The U.S. release of "Smile" has two more tracks than the Japanese version: the FF movie theme "Spirit Dreams Inside" (good move, as that's how most U.S. listeners know them), and a "Hyde-less" (karaoke) version of "Ready, Steady, GO!" (the opening theme to the soon-to-be released in the U.S. anime "Full Metal Alchemist").

Beautiful vocals, energetic melodies, and a complete joy to listen to-- whether you're from the East or Western hemisphere.

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Japanese edition of the first album from L'Arc-en-Ciel in more than three years, features ten tracks including, 'Spirit Dreams Inside', 'Ready Steady Go', & 'Hitomi No Junin'. Copy Controlled. Ki/oon Records. 2004.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Triangle Review

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(More customer reviews)Perfume is a very unique group and they are simply awesome. This CD is no excpetion. It's loaded with super catchy upbeat tunes that u can move to! Infinity stars!!!!

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Blue Blood Review

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(More customer reviews)Now when people think of the beginning of "Power Metal," most think of Germany's Helloween and Gamma Ray or the United States' Manowar. What most people do not know is that a whacky, yet amazing looking band from Japan will forever transform melodic heavy metal--X (later known as X Japan). The drumming, the soaring guitars, the cutting vocals, everything that makes melodic metal great. X Japan is not only credited as one of the first power metal acts, but also covered by many of today's Power Metal bands such as Germany's Lord and Finland's Sonata Arctica. The Blue Blood album contained the ground work for the future. The drumming, especially, was incredibly influential on the genre. The double bass playing that complemented the tremblo guitar picking that this album contains on tracks such as Kurenai and Rose of Pain became essential in Power Metal.
Blue Blood through and through is an excellent album that tends to be overlooked by many outside of Japan. Not only do mainstream magazines/outlets ignore the band, but even heavy metal outlets tend to ignore this incredibly talented band. No one mentions the sheer genius behind Blue Blood. Tracks such as "X" and "Rose of Pain" are incredibly heavy yet awesomely melodic. Blue blood is as heavy as Ride the Lightning yet as melodic as Rainbow in the Dark. Yoshiki's piano playing is an also additional plus.
For all power metal and melodic metal fans, this album is A MUST!!!!! If you like Helloween, Iron Maiden, Dio and Sonata Arctica, you will love Blue Blood!

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Etude - A Wish To The Moon Review

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(More customer reviews)16 years after the original Piano Stories album was released, Hisaishi delivers us his fourth Piano Stories effort entitled 'Etude: a wish to the moon'. What first strikes you about Etude is that the album is purely solo piano, with no string enhancments in the background whatsoever (unlike the 2nd & 3rd piano stories, which were rife with luscious string textures). The other thing that strikes you is that the overall atmosphere and piano arrangments are altogether different from his first three offerings. The piano pieces no longer contain the basic ostinato bass lines mixed with the beautiful single-line melodies on top, but instead he approaches his compositions from a more harmonic point of view, relying on interesting tempo spaces and relaxing cadence points to conjure his images.
The concept of the album is to move through 10 seperate keys (which are represented in the liner notes as a handwritten moon shape with ten songs in ten different keys adorning it's circumference, each song's key ascending chromatically into the next). The pieces themselves are loosely based around concepts of nightfall and moonlight, and the variety of atmospheres moving from track to track certainly keeps interest levels high (the piece 'monochromaticism' contains a singular melody-line that is almost entirely chromatic, hence the title).
One gripe I do have about the album is that Hisaishi's performance style can be a little heavy-handed at times, but you tend to get the feeling that there is a reason for this (maybe he wants to solidify his extremely well-crafted melodies into our subconscience?). Having said that, the performances on this CD are of a very high standard, and he is just as brilliant a performer as he is a composer.
I'm a huge fan of Hisaishi's soundtracks and solo works, and I thoroughly recommend his latest Piano Stories CD to anyone who loves listening to tasteful solo piano music. A real treat for the ears!

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Kitaro - Kojiki: A Story in Concert (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)Even though technical quality of this dvd in both video & audio is under average, this one still deserves more than five stars. The music is simple but beautiful and inspiring, and is like a symphonic poem. The rendition is wonderfully done using synthesizers, various kinds of drums including traditional ones, electric guitar and violin. It's good to see the handsome violinist who always smiles. I think Kitaro is ingenious in mixing music with oriental emotion. So, I'm ready to buy his next dvd; "Enchanted Evening(vol. 1)". Maybe I could say I'm one of Koreans who tend not to be generous to Japanese people because of a sad history in the past between two countries, but now I'd like to recommend any of you to buy this title and watch it especially in the evening or in the middle of the night after darkening your room.

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Kitaro, who's been called "the quintessential musician of the New Age", has been breaking barriers, geographically and musically since the late 1970's. His World Tour, recorded live, is even more forceful, intimate and direct than studio incarnations. Kojiki: A Story in Concert, translated as "The Record of Ancient Matters", is a compilation of traditional Japanese lore that was recited orally from generation to generation until the 8th century. Whether on the eerie "Hajimari", the lyrical "Sozo", the sorrowful "Koi", the haunting melancholy of "Nageki", or "Reimei", with its electric guitar jam session, Kitaro's music has never been sharper or more spirited.

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Michael Jackson and the Jacksons - Victory Tour DVD Review

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(More customer reviews)This product arrived over in UK fairly quickly which i was pleased about. When i first tried to play it i thought it was a blank disc as thats what my laptop said - not the wrong region but blank, and my dvd player on the tv which normally plays everything won't play it either, but then i found it will play on my desktop PC which is older than the laptop and it is not blank and it looks quite good - can anyone explain why and if there's anything i can do to play it on tv dvd player - it just doesn't start, as if there's nothing in the disc tray.
from what i have seen the picture looks very good for a 1984 recording and transferred onto dvd, but unfortunately i have lost sound from my PC, nothing to do with this, it was before, so i can't watch it at the moment at all until the PC is fixed - well i can watch it but can't hear anything! i would like to play it on the tv, i am surprised i can't as i can usually play region 1 and 2 at least on it, so it can't be that.

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Rare footage from the Victory Tour. PLS note that this footage is from the early 80's is not near the HD quality which exists today. This DVD is in PAL Format.Track ListBillie JeanCountdown Special: Off The Wall/Human NatureLive in Kansas City: Off The Wall/Human NatureSchuler Express Special: Heartbreak Hotel/Human NatureLive in Miami: Off The WallLive In Chicago - Heartbreak Hotel - Human NatureLive in Los Angeles: Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)/Heartbreak Hotel

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Michael Jackson - Live in Japan (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I wanted to see concert footage other than the all too well known Bucharest dvd with footage that showed more of the audience than Michael and his band (except when they were doing dance moves.) While that DVD is good it's not the Michael I like to see performing nor the Michael I am used to seeing perform. This particular DVD concert footage doesn't have the familiar song lineup. Not too much out the norm but there are songs from the J5 days. Not just the cute little J5's medley (I'll be there, I want you back, The love you save, etc.) but the young adult J5's. Songs like 'It's the things I do for you', 'Shake your body down', 'Lovely one' and 'Heartbreak Hotel'.
This is more of the type of concert I like because he not only danced his butt off but he sings too. Many people forget he could actually sing...and well! He mixes up his dance moves but he doesn't forget to sing here and it's a real treat. Although, by the time he gets to 'Billy Jean' he's a little winded from all the dancing but quickly recovers for a very entertaining, loonngg 'Shake your body down'. In my opinion, I see him smiling more here than any other concert footage I've seen since he was a shorty. He seemed to be having a good time here, egging the audience on to participate in a Whoo hoo fest! Or having back and forth vocal exchanges with his background singers.
Now with all this praise you may be wondering why I didn't give this dvd 5 stars. Well, it's the clarity, plain and simple. The sound is okay but it looks as if someone recorded this onto a VHS tape, put that recording onto another VHS and then copied the copy onto DVD with stereo sound. If you feel you need clarity to enjoy your concerts, then this is definitely not the one you should buy. I must admit I was very pissed because I think the concert as a whole is great but to see it in such a 70's format in this digital age is ridiculous.
I don't know who thought this was good enough to put out on the market but who ever it is needs to be shot. Twice! I set out to purchase this before Mike's passing was announced. Although, I am not happy with the way this views I am glad I purchased it. Bottom line; After watching this concert, it's understood why the brother could self assuredly say, 'I'm Bad' and no one could argue that fact!
RIP 'MJ didn't play'

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MJ THE KING OF POP..The seventh son...Since the beginning of his musical career at the age 5 as the lead singer of the Jackson Five. Michael has made musical history like no one before. An avalanche of hits beginning with I Want You Back and continuing for over four decades have guaranteed him a prominent place in the Pop Music Hall of Fame. The DVD footage is from the Michael Jackson BAD album concert tour of Japan, on September 14, 1987 in Yokahama Japan. Essentially a greatest hits performance by one of Pop music's most important artists. A truly vital part of THE KING OF POP'S recorded legacy!

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