Sunday, March 20, 2011

UVERworld - LAST

The next album up for Review is Last by Uverworld. Uverworld is a 5 piece band with 2 guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, and a lead singer/Programmer. This band puts out songs like santa gives presents. This album is a Rock album. Very progressive with some songs but very laid back with others. It is a great blend and they still have their UVERworld style that they've always had. Most of the songs have Rapping vocals.

UVERworld - Last
Tracklist
1. GOLD
2. World LOST World
3. SPARTA
4. Kokoro to Kokoro
5. The Truth
6. Barrel
7. Hai! Mondaisaku!
8. Closed Poker
9. Kanashimi Wa Kitto (Album Version)
10. Change
11. Wanna Be Brilliant
12. Kimi No Mama
13. GO-ON (2nd Mix)

1. GOLD (4:03)
This single is one of the best that I've heard from them in a while. It's very catchy and it hits hard and fast. The guitar's are fast and heavy with a fast drum line behind them. The vocals and programming for the song change it completely. It goes from a heavy rock to a party rock. The vocals are lighter but still match with the guitars and the programming picks them up even more. During breaks and bridges the guitar lightens up but then goes back to hitting hard. This is a fantastic song all together. The Replay value of this song is phenomenal.
This song gets a 9/10 - Very good song but not the best i've ever heard.

2. world LOST world (5:00)
This song is a very good song to a veteran listener. The beginning a capella is hard to bear through but then it gets saved with rhythmic guitars and very unique vocals. The guitar's really make this song. Their mini solos are great and the intricacy and feeling of them just fill every gap this song has. The chorus gets you singing after a few listens but nothing too fantastic.
This song gets a 6/10 - The vocals take some getting used to so they bring the song down.

3. SPARTA (4:24)
This song is just addicting. The beginning catches you and keeps you interested. I almost want to make a loop of the first two lines of the song and just replay those over and over. This song lacks in a lot of feeling but it does have catchy phrases that get you nodding along or singing. The guitars are repetitive and the drums are too loud so during some parts its just a bunch of noise. The Rapping by TAKUYA is very impressive during the chorus. He doesn't miss a beat.
This song gets a 7.5/10 - Very catchy but lacking feeling. This song seems forced to be good. without Takuya it would be worthless

4. Kokoro to Kokoro (5:00)
From the very beginning of the song it is relaxing. Then with a nice drum line it gets a little harder. Its a very peaceful song vocal wise with not a lot of raps. The vocals have sensitive rhymes and very nice transitions. Some of the lyrics seem forced to fit and makes some parts of the song seem out of place. The guitars stay soft with the UVERworld feeling almost the entire song and it keeps it peaceful and adds a little feeling but nothing too strong.
This song gets a 7/10 - The catchy Chorus is brought down by the forced lyrics of the rest of the song. Some replay value but def. not the best song.

5. the truth (4:13)
This song is powerful at the center of it but has weak spots in a lot of it. The vocals for the verse seem like TAKUYA was bored singing them. There is no emotion but you can tell he is singing. Then it suddenly kicks up and gets powerful for the chorus. The guitars and programming match perfectly the entire song and the drums keep the pace going even the the lyrics don't.
This song gets a 6/10 -  Only good part is the chorus the rest is decent at best.

6. BARREL (4:20 (ha))
This song starts off peaceful but it gets very heavy. The vocals on this song are weird in every part. The rapping in the verse is alright but it gets overpowered by the guitar. The bridge (woah woah woah woah woahhhh) does not fit at all. It seems like they added it and forgot to take it out. The Chorus is alright but doesn't fit with the rest of the song. If they took this song and made it into like 5 different songs based on each section then it would be good. But not at once. The guitars are cool but they get old considering it doesn't go with anything at all.
This song gets a 4/10  -  Everything about it is out of place but its better than some songs ive heard.

7. Hai! Mondaisaku (5:27)
This song is brilliant. It starts off with a very upbeat feeing which is continued throughout the entire song. If you're in a good mood LISTEN TO THIS. It's fantastic. The vocals are very light-hearted and they match the guitar perfectly. The rapping in the song is perfect but i can't tell why. It makes it more relate-able somehow even though I can't understand them. The guitars keep the upbeat feeling while the drums and bass just fuse everything together. This song was written by the entire band which is unusual for them. In my opinion if they make this kind of song every time they should always write it together.
10/10 - I honestly cannot pick out a single thing wrong with this song. It's fun and upbeat and they worked their magic here to make this song.

8. closed POKER (4:35)
This song is very relaxed but very rushed at the same time. If you've ever seen Cowboy Bebop then imagine this song being played in it. The vocals are relaxed and flowing while the music behind is very fast paced. It is a different feeling than the rest of the album definitely. It is catchy as well during the chorus. You won't always want to sing it but in your head it'll replay constantly. The guitars get repetitive but you can't tell till the end. The bass mixes together the fast paced guitars and the flowing vocals.
This song gets an 8/10 - This is a very good song. Not their best work but definitely a solid effort

9. Kanashimi wa Kitto (5:42)
The beginning string ensemble is beautiful though short. It is a relaxing song with loud guitars. If you want to relax and just chill out you can listen to this song and it'll work wonders. The guitars and drums are loud for a soothing song but what they play and the way they do it makes up for it. The vocals are just beautiful. No matter where I am i always sing the intro. Its a great song all together but it isn't perfect
This song gets an 8/10 - Beautiful but not perfect.

10. CHANGE (3:51)
This song is very fast paced and hard. The guitars are never the same boring riff the entire song. And the vocals are very interesting. It has the same kind of relationship as closed POKER. The guitars move fast but the vocals stay on their own pace. The drums make this song so fast paced. I run to this song some times. It has those bursts of music after a few seconds break every now and then to give you a mini adrenaline rush. The solo is very peaceful while the drums keep up their pace. For UVERworld fans it has the new UVERworld feeling with a hint of Bugright.
This song gets a 7/10 - It is good but it doesnt' have great replay value.

11. WANNA be BRILLIANT - (3:31)
This song starts off hard and fast but then it calms down a little. The verse keeps your interest until the chorus where it hooks you for good. The chorus is very very catchy probably the catchiest part of the album. The guitars are a mixture of all the songs in this album. Interesting and different to very simple power chords to individual mini solos. The bass adds its own melody to the song at parts where it becomes important. The drums are great lead ins to every part. This song is basically perfect to my ears.
This song gets a 10/10 - Love it. Love it. Love it.

12. Kimi no mama (4:19)
This song is peaceful and sweet. TAKUYA has very calming vocals in this song. He doesn't stretch his voice too much and he uses a single octave most of the time. Which keeps it peaceful. Also the acoustic guitars and bass in the background mixed with a string ensemble mixes it all together perfect for a smooth and beautiful song. The drums are not too much but instead very simple which is what you want for a peaceful song.
This song gets an 8/10 - Very soothing and calming but missing some pieces

13. GO-ON (2nd Mix) (4:22)
This song just screams energy. The guitars are constantly going with very fast riffs and mini solos on top of each other. The programming keeps the beat just like the drums would. The drums are sort of hard to hear in all of the noise but they help strengthen the programming. The bass keeps the basic feeling by going at a steady rhythm instead of speeding up or slowing down. The vocals are awesome in this song. They fit perfectly with what the music is doing. This is one of their best songs.
This song gets a 10/10 -  One of their best songs ever and probably their best fast paced song.


This album is basically amazing all around. It has its weak pieces but so does every album. It has a mixture of almost every kind of song. It has fast energetic songs that can get you running and it has songs to mellow you out if you want to relax. This album has a lot of feeling in most of its songs. I recommend this to anyone. New to J-rock or someone whos been following it for a long time.

This album all together gets a 8/10  -  It has three basically perfect songs with a lot close behind. There are some songs that drag it down a little but if you look past that then it's phenomenal.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Vamps - Vamps

Vamps - Vamps
Tracklist
1. Bite
2. Love Addict
3. Cosmos
4. Secret In My Heart
5. Evanescent
6. Vampire Depression
7. Redrum
8. Deep Red
9. I Gotta Kick Start Now
10. Time Goes On
11. Sweet Dreams
12. Hunting
13. Sex Blood Rock 'n Roll

1. Bite - Hyde - 0:25 -
Bite isnt really a song per say but its Hyde's way of say "hey we're vampires, we like sex and women and we're awesome so get ready" and it starts the whole theme of vampires and love for the whole song

2. Love Addict - Hyde/Hyde - 4:00
This is Vamps very first single and its a damn good song. Very hard rock very fun a very catchy song. After the first time you'll be singing along. This song is in all english but there is a slight bit of engrish but its very easy to understand. Its a song about sex and makin loveeeee. that alone makes this awesome. This is one of the best songs on the album with every aspect of a good song other than a guitar solo. It will never get boring and Vamps knows that.
I Approve of this song.

3. Cosmos - Hyde/Kaz - 4:35
This is Kaz's favorite song on the album and i dont blame him. It is an amazing song it isnt like love addict really at all. It is more relaxing but its very powerful and you can feel the song go through your body. I love this song and i always will. They sing it in English and Japanese
I Approve of this song.

4. Secret In Your Heart - Hyde/Kaz - 4:15
This song is good but not as good as the rest of the songs on the album. When listening to this song you feel as if you lose track of time. It is slow and loud but its still very powerful and it has a great meaning to it. My least favorite song on the album but still pretty good
Ehhh i approve but not so much.

5. Evanescent - Hyde/Hyde - 4:28
This is vamps 3rd single and it is so goooood. Its so relaxing and you can listening to this all the time. The two guitars in this song go perfectly together. Its a powerful song lyrical wise and the guitars are soothing. its really amazing in every aspect. its pretty long but that's ok considering everything in the song is different and nothing is the same.
I Approve of this song.

6. Vampire Depression - Hyde/Kaz - 4:41
this is the definition of a BADASS song. It is the loudest song basically and when you hear it it basically screams dark and loud. The only problem is. It is VERY repetitive. It gets annoying after a while but its still a badass song to listen to and hydes vocals are fantastic with the simple riff.
ehhhh i love the song but its def. not the best on the album but i approve.

7.Redrum - Hyde/Kaz - 3:48
This song is a great song to follow Vampire Depression. It has the same theme but a little less dark and a little more fast and fun. It is catchy in its own way. Simple Riff, Awesome vocals and amazing drums= Great song
I Approve of this song

8. Deep Red - Hyde/Kaz - 5:25
This is more on the synthesizer side and its a bit slower than Redrum and not as hard in terms off riffs and the vocals. The vocals are more powerful like evanescent but the music is like Redrum mixed with a synthesizer and cosmos. Also being the longest song almost cripples it more. It is a good song but not one of those that will be your favorite. It's lacking something... but oh well its still pretty good.
My 2nd least favorite song on the album but i approve of it but its right there with secret in my heart

9. I Gotta Kick Start Now - Hyde/Hyde - 4:33
This is vamps 2nd single. Poor Kaz the first three singles vamps released were written by Hyde, music and Lyrics. But still Hyde knows how to make some awesome songs. This is Love addict but more laid back and a hanging out song. This song is awesome with the guitars doing their own thing and the vocals are more natural instead of forced like the rest. Its pretty long but its still incredible.
I Approve of this song.

10. Time Goes By - Hyde/Hyde - 4:10
This was the b-side on  the single Love Addict. seriously, Hyde got pretty possessive on this album o.o. Its still a great song and its very soothing but yet at the same time its loud. the balance here between them is great and Hydes vocals also are very natural and they get pretty high which adds to the peace of the song.
I Approve.

11. Sweet Dreams - Hyde/Kaz - 5:44
This song is Vamps 4th Single. YAY KAZ WROTE THE MUSIC FOR THIS ONE. i love hyde dearly but i felt bad for poor little kaz. But aside from that this is Vamps best song. It is musically the best and vocally the best. Its really serene and peaceful. Its slow yet fast, its very soft and it was written for hydes wife and child. He made the lyrics so soothing and whenever you listen to this you can FEEL the emotions running through you. You can picture a story happening as its going. It may be the longest song but idc its the best in my opinion.
I definatly approve!

12. Hunting - Hyde/Kaz - 1:56
It is a terrible transition from Sweet Dreams but thats ok. Very short but very fast and energetic. Its a song you can get up and run to or fight to or whatever.. It is a great song but its just repetitive. But since its so short thats ok. Very little vocals but when there is vocals its amazing how good it goes with the music.
I Approve.

13. Sex Blood Rock 'n Roll - Hyde/Hyde - 2:50
This song is so fun! The gig is sex and bloods our liqour!!. best line of the song it is just a party song and a dance song its so fun. it gets dark at one point but then it goes straight to the verse. You can't sit still listening to this you have to move and you can feel the fun rush through you. Great song.
I Approve again!


Over all this album is fantastic!!!!!!, This album has alot of good song transtitions but there are some which are debatable but still great album. Every song is in dropped D and everyone has a feeling that will purge your body. There is a song on there for everyone in any genre other than rap basically. Vamps does a GREAT job on this album. i can go on forever. Im not great at math but i do know that, Hyde + Kaz = Great combo and one of the strongest music due of all time. Vamps has huge potential to become the #1 band in the world.

Rating- 9/10, Almost perfect album if Secret in my Heart and Vampire Depression and Deep Red were a bit better, than 10/10 but i have to settle for 9/10

Introduction

Hello everybody out there! I made this blog for one reason. To promote Japanese music to the world. I will be reviewing J-Rock and J-Pop. Every now and then I'll add some from other languages.
 
This will be my basic template

Album Title - Artist
Duration of Album
Record Label

Track 1 - Duration of song
Brief explanation and review of individual song
Track 2
Track 3
Etc.

Overall Review

Personal Rating





I love Japanese music very much because it is very powerful and moving to me. I hope to spread it to the world a little bit at a time.