J-Pop ♥ers

A timeless J-Pop favorite...S.E.S (愛)という名の誇り

nobody@vox.com(MorningBerryz) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:17:29 -0700

Now that you've got your hat all you need is a song! :P Before there was Boa and the stream of crossover artists, there was S.E.S...a trio of Korean vocalists with power, grace, and soul in their voices. Before debuting in Japan S.E.S released an impressive catalog of pop releases in Korea and were actually one of the first Korean groups/singers to pioneer the transition to a multilingual career overseas. One day a customer asked to special order their Japan debut single "meguri au sekai" (while I was still employed at a record store here) and while I wasn't familiar with the trio back then in late '98 I was immediately impressed with the powerful projection and sound of their vocals which are quite in a very sweet way and when their single "(ai) to iu nano hokori" was released just a few months later I was completely hooked on their sound. "(Ai) to iu nano hokori" remains as one of my top 100 J-Pop songs of all time.

S.E.S "Reach Out" and "Prime-S.E.S the best-" album releases

My S.E.S collection is a modest one with just their Japanese debut album and a subsequently released best of album but I highly recommend anyone who finds themselves drawn to this song to check out the rest of their discography!

01 （愛）という名の誇り

The melody is extremely memorable and the chorus is simply exhilarating! They sure can sing!!!...so much vocal control, range, and the nuances of a perfect falsetto to speak of!...and I always find myself in awe every time that I listen to this song, no matter how many times I've heard it before and they have so many many other great catchy songs to offer any music fan who likes sweet J-Pop with a nice touch of r&b in their tunes. Their Japan debut album "Reach Out" is out of print but many of their other releases are still available here. S.E.S are...Sea (Bada), Eugene, Shoo.

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Arashi's..."One Love."

nobody@vox.com(MorningBerryz) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:19:45 -0700

Arashi "One Love" LE & RE singles

Some groups are just truly blessed with great songwriting where you can never find a mediocre track and while taking center stage on this plateau, Arashi continues their stroke of pop genius with their latest offering "One Love." The appearance of the singles themselves has a distinct aura of elegance about them and while the title track lives and breathes a beautiful melodious wave of Irish/Scottish bagpipes lending themselves to a memorable composition which immediately immerses the listener in glee, it's the accompanying pv which reveals a picturesque landscape of wedding perfection...that which is ultimately symbolic of this release.

Arashi "One Love" LE (jacket scan)

I was a bit late in recognizing the "wedding" white doves which are traditionally released at ceremonies as they adorn both covers. :P The only thing perhaps that I would've liked to have seen differently about this release are the somewhat much too similar looking covers and while both are great looking covers in their own right an added incentive to collect both in addition to the bonus offerings would have been something a bit more diverse appearance wise.

Arashi "One Love" LE (inner jacket scan)

The LE's inner jacket does offer an additional photo of each member while the RE includes only the lyrics however much like other Johnny's Entertainment releases the draw for fans to collect both lies in the bonus add ons.

02 FINAL Remix

Arashi

Included with the LE is a bonus track "Final Remix" featuring a medley of previous hits "Wish", "Love so sweet", along with "One Love" all of which are nicely bound together with a wedding inspired (wedding bells are ringing) and at times jazzy track (love the walking bass arrangement!) which also touches upon the nuances of a hip hop beat, all in a seamless musical marriage of sorts. The DVD however is the greater incentive here as it includes the title track's pv! ^-^ And with the cost of this LE being only 1155 yen I can only wish that Hello! Project would take a cue from this release and follow suit by releasing both their audio CDs & pv DVDs in a single neatly packaged release. How that would help uncomplicate things and help fans with space saving in mind! And while this particular Arashi pv DVD doesn't contain any making of footage, I find it much more favorable just having both the audio and video releases on the same day!, rather than having to wait 1-2 weeks which has been UFA's trend for some time now.

02 Ｈｏｗ　ｔｏ　ｆｌｙ

The incentive in owning the RE lies in the inclusion the bonus track "How to fly" which isn't included on the LE release and in addition to that there are also karaoke versions of both tracks included as well on the RE.

Arashi "One Love" RE (jacket scan)

"One Love" is immediately inspirational in its melody and the tracks beautiful softness is nicely wrapped with harmonious hooks all being led by a well paced flow of lyrical perfection....to say I loved this song from the very first listen seems almost understated although such a notion is absurd I know! :P From the light raining of piano notes....a nicely modest orchestral arrangement....to the lively tempo....the positive projection of the bagpipes....and a perfectly arranged vocal ensemble taking full advantage of the nuances of each member in solo (Riida's powerful and mesmerizing vocals in particular are always so well placed in their songs!) as well as grouped vocals, "One Love" once again brings Arashi to the forefront of all male J-Pop groups setting a beautiful musical standard. "One Love" also topped the Oricon chart giving Arashi their 18th #1 hit as first week sales have reached an impressive 313,976 units!! ^-^

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Arashi "One Love" pv

Truly one of Arashi's best pvs yet! The meticulous work put into illustrating Arashi into a wonderful pastel world...that which resembles a framed canvas brought to life!..is really amazing to watch!! The look of the pv is a heavenly match for the title track's elegant brand of sweet pop and from the very opening which follows the path of white doves down the bridal walk to the imaginative world of pristine landscapes and picturesque architecture all which ultimately ends with the image of a beautiful wedding cake with Arashi in and around it giving the viewer a feeling that the entire pv took place inside the frosting laden delight! (funny I don't even like cake! :P)

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The whole look and feel of this pv is so perfect and see how great Matsujun looks here in watercolored art form! Love this pv sooo much!! Here are a few more beautiful images from the music video...

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Now you could really imagine a painting of this image on your wall!! The flying doves really add a nice tough to everything!

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Just click on any of the smaller pictures for a larger image...so many of these would make perfect Arashi posters! ^-^

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And now my favorite members in order....#1 Nino...

...#2 Matsujun...

...#3 Shokun...

...#4 Riida...

....and #5 Aiba, but when you love a group as much as this there really are no low ranking numbers....all five members are favorites! ^-^

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Groove Heroine needs some prayers

nobody@vox.com(Chocolate Groove Disco!) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:17:19 -0700

Woman praying 362102

Last week, my mother was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoma which is also a kind of skin cancer and I went with my mother on Monday (June 30th) to get her first round of Chemotherapy which was very kind but luckily it wasn't too long.

I could use some prayers for her as well as me, because her lymphona is in Stage 4...but this kind of skin cancer is treatable so there is hope.

I'll update about her progress soon, but please pray for her..because I want her to get better and not have something go bad in terms of her lymphoma.

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For your Sunday, Mr.Children's "Kurumi" in the spotlight...

nobody@vox.com(MorningBerryz) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:29:30 -0700

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Mr.Children "Kurumi" live from "Shifuku no oto" tour

Mr.Children "Kurumi" from "Dome Tour 2005 I ♥ You"

For your Sunday...one my all time favorite J-Pop songs, "Kurumi." Sakurai Kazutoshi's deeply heartfelt words coupled with an amazing musical arrangement make for a truly wonderful musical experience! ^-^ This is truly a beautiful song and Sakurai's phrasing, particularly in the choruses are exceptional...try following along with the romaji and you'll see what I'm referring to. Liver versions lend themselves to different interpretations of a song and note the two very different approaches to "Kurumi" that Mr.Children takes on in these performances and both are very different from their recorded version on their single/album. And there's also another variation of "Kurumi" which was released as a 'film' version and included on their great single "Shirushi" which really shows how endeared this composition is to Sakurai and the nuances of these performances by the band alike show this importance as well. Haha it took me forever to write this out...I hope there aren't any typos! The title "Kurumi" means "Walnut" and this is the woman's name whom he's singing this song too....'Walnut', very cute! I've included two performances above from different tours, please enjoy!

Kurumi

Nee Kurumi
kono machi no keshiki wa kimi no me ni
dou utsuru no?
ima no boku wa dou mieru no?

Tell me, Kurumi
what do you see looking at this city?
how do I look to you now?

Nee kurumi
dareka no yasashisa mo hiniku ni kikoeteshimaunda
sonna toki dou shitara ii?

Tell me Kurumi
when I start to hear the sarcasm in someone's kindness
what am I to do?

Yokatta koto dake omoidashite
yake ni toshioita kimochi ni naru
to wa ie kurashi no nakade
ima ugokidasou to shiteiru
haguruma no hitotsu ni naranakute wa naa
kibou no kazu dake shitsubou wa fueru
soredemo asu ni mune wa fureru
donna koto ga okorun darou?
souzou shite mirundayo

Remembering only the good times
though it makes me feel like I've aged a lot
but you have to be one of the gears trying to get turning
you can have only as much despair as you have hope
but still, my heart trembles at the thought of the future
what's going to happen?
I try to imagine

Nee Kurumi
jjikan ga nanimokamo araitsuresattekureba
ikiru koto wa jitsu ni tayasui

Tell me Kurumi
if time will eventually wash every thing away
then life must be a simple affair

Nee Kurumi
are kara wa ichido mo namida wa nagashitenaiyo
demo honkide warau koto mo sukunai

Tell me Kurumi
since then I haven't cried once
but, neither have I had many good laughs

Dokokade kakechigaetekite
ki ga tsukeba hitotsu amatta botan
onaji you ni shite dareka ga
mote amashita botanhoru ni
deau kotode ima ga dekita nara ii
deai no kazu dake wakare wa fueru
soredemo kibou ni mune wa fueru
jyuujiro ni dekuwasu tabi
mayoi mo suru darou kedo

Somewhere I did up the buttons wrong
by the time I notice there's one button left over
and also one button hole in need of a button
if you find meaning in finding someone that's fine
you can only have as many partings as you do encounters
still my heart trembles at the thought of hope every time I encounter a crossroad
I'll struggle over which way to go but...

Ima ijyou wo itsumo hoshigaru kuse ni
kawaranai ai wo motome utau
sou shite haguruma wa mawaru
kono hitsuyou ijyou no futan ni
gishigishi nibui oto wo tatenagara
kibou no kazu dake shitsubou wa fueru
soredemo asu ni mune wa fureru
donna koto ga okorun darou?
souzou shite miyou
deai no kazu dake wakare wa fueru
soredemo kibou ni mune wa fureru
hikikaeshicha ikenai yo ne
susumou kimi no inai michi no ue e

Even though I want more than I have now
I sing for an unchanging love
that's what makes the gears turn with the burden of more than I need
making a dull grinding sound
you can only have as much despair as you do hope
and still my heart trembles at the thought of th future
what's going to happen?
let's imagine
you can only have as many partings as you do encounters
and still my heart trembles at the thought of hope
I guess there's no turning back
so I'll go on to a road without you

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Mr.Children's "Shifuku no oto" and "Dome Tour 2005 I ♥ You" DVDs can be ordered here and here respectfully and both 2-DVD sets come housed in slip cases and include photo booklets with great tour photos. ^-^

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Since we're on the topic of games...

nobody@vox.com(Patapete) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:57:42 -0700

Since we're on the topic of games...

I found this video on nicodouga a while ago, and couldn't resist putting it on here. If you've ever played Tenchu for the original playstation, you'll remember this game.

Most of the stuff they did in the video is pure hackery and cheat codes. But man oh man is it great! What are you waiting for? Watch it now!

Game: Tenchu
Song: Love Machine by Morning Musume

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Last Letter

nobody@vox.com(Mikey) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:09:30 -0700

Wow! Thanks Peggy! :)

Last Letter

Aoyama Thelma

Diary - Aoyama Thelma

Last Letter

Aoyama Thelma


Romaji by Cori
English translation by Cori

Romaji

Samui fuyu deatta toshiue no kare wa
Zutto wasurerarenai hajimete no boyfriend
Sono ookii senaka tsutsumikomu egao mo
Haru ni naru koro ni wa itsumo soba ni atta

Itsuka futari de kakiatta yume ga ima demo nokotteru
Dakedo sono saki no peeji wa tojita mama de

Saigo no tegami ni wa "tooku kara mimamoru yo"
Nattoku ikanakute nando mo denwa kaketa
Namida tomaranai yo imasugu aitai yo
Doko ga ikenakatta no? Konna ni suki na noni

Minareta yokogao nigirishimeta te mo
Imada ni kinou mitai ni omoidasu hi mo aru
Yorisotte hohoenda kiss shite dakiatta
Nani mo mienakute yume made wasureta yo

Itsumo kinenbi wa yasashii kotoba kaite kureta yo ne
Dakedo mou nido to ano hi ni wa modorenai ne

Saigo no tegami ni wa "tooku kara mimamoru yo"
Nattoku ikanakute nando mo denwa kaketa
Namida tomaranai yo imasugu aitai yo
Doko ga ikenakatta no? Konna ni suki na noni

Donna ni tsurakutemo mae wo mukanakucha
Kitto watashi ni wa yuku beki michi ga aru
Sou te ni ireru akirametakunai
Taisetsu na yume dakara someday

Saigo no tegami ni wa "tooku kara mimamoru yo"
Nattoku ikanakute nando mo denwa kaketa
Namida tomaranai yo imasugu aitai yo
Doko ga ikenakatta no? Konna ni suki na noni

Saigo no tegami ni wa "tooku kara mimamoru yo"
Ima wa mou nakanai kono uta todokeru kara
Sayonara ja nai hazu futari eranda michi
Mata itsuka aeru you ni jibun rashii egao de

English

I met him, an older guy, during a cold winter
He was my first boyfriend, who I’ll never forget
His big back, and his smile that enveloped me
By the time spring came we were always together

Even now, the dreams we wrote together one day remain
But the next pages remain closed

Your last letter said said “I’ll be watching you from far away”
I couldn’t accept it and called you again and again
I can’t stop crying, I want to see you right now
What was wrong with me? When I love you so much?

Your familiar profile, and your hand holding mine
I still remember like it was yesterday
We cuddled up, smiling, and kissed and held each other
I can’t see anything; I’ve even forgotten my dreams

You always wrote sweet words on our anniversary
But now we can never go back to those days

No matter how painful it is, I have to keep moving forward
There’s surely a road I should take
Yeah, I’ll get it, I won’t give up
Because this dream is precious, someday

Your last letter said said “I’ll be watching you from far away”
I won’t cry anymore now; I can give you this song
I’m sure it’s not goodbye; I’ll smile in my way
So that the paths we’ve chosen will meet again someday

Here's a video of another song of hers - Soba Ni Iru Ne:

Thelma Aoyama - Soba ni Iru ne

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ぼくはくま [Karaoke]

nobody@vox.com(Aozora) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:31:56 -0700

宇多田ヒカル - ぼくはくま（オリジナル・カラオケ）

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