D.L.S

Pains of Aspiration
Japanese
Romaji

Amentia by E'm~grief~:
No one escapes from grief...
There is no likelihood of fate turning in our favor.
The time when darkness, heavy with hurt, fades away will never come.
Meager hope is undermined by pessimistic thought.
We are always apt to overcome by the vexations.
Hey, did you hear? I know a secret.
I hear that any salvation doesn't exist in this world.
As I would expect!
Don't freak out. It's no big deal.
We've been clued up on the fact that nobody can save us.
As I would expect...
"Take a deep breath. Don't be too har don yourself.
Don't worry about anything, my dear.
The world is being covered with brightnedd and affection.
You'll be able to work out the meaning of life without fail.
You who beleive will be saved."
...That's easy to say.
I;ve had it! I can't take it anymore.
We are fed up with the sorrow from the doom of all.
Butt out! ...Why am I on edge? I'm at a loss.
With luck, we will be able to meet again.
Say "_____ ____" to Fortune for me!

I haven’t been here in forever but it used to be my homepage once upon a time. I remember becoming truly active and becoming an involved memeber of the community the day of the transition to toasted waffles. I’m glad I did because my teenage years would have been a lot more dull! Monochrome Heaven was my only real friend and I was here constantly and maybe a bit obsessively. If not participating in the threads or the chat, then trying any and all new music. This place will always have a special place in my heart and I’m glad that it’s thrived beyond my stay.
 
I doubt that anyone remembers me, but I seen some people talking about the prime days of the chat and I’m glad that I got to be a part of that. I had no one else to talk to, but I could always rely on the chat to have a buddy to “hang out” with. So much nonsense talked about, but it made me feel regular when I felt like such an outcast in real life. All the good times in turntablefm. And we even had some sort of chat that let us speak to each other. Man did your voices not match up with the persona I had given you hahaha. 
 
This website greatly effected the person that I am today in ways that I can’t even describe. Many things happened in my life that lead to me becoming less and less active and eventually disappearing, but I always think of his place nostalgically and I’m grateful for the community and all of the members! I’m feeling all sappy, but I’m just glad MH is still kicking. My childhood is still alive haha. 

Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich from Red Robin.

That's hilarious. <_< I'm going to go download that song now.

I have very mixed feelings toward this album. I used to be a huge Versailles fan, but somewhere along the line with their hiatus and the disappointment that was Jupiter, I lost some of the wonder that their epic orchestral arrangements used to bring. I can sum up my main disappointment with this album in one reason though, and that's the mixing. While it's really great to hear new recordings of old hits, several times they are more accurately described as misses, ending up with some of the quirks of the original recordings being polished out rather than having had new life breathed into them.
 
Here's my take: the drums have been brought up in the mix, which is always pleasing with metal music; for the most part, the re-recorded vocals are much cleaner, although this is largely redundant on more recent tracks; and on the other hand, the bass has (disappointingly) sometimes been muted more into the background, leaving standout moments in some tracks like DESTINY a little lacking. In addition, for whatever reason the orchestral accompaniment sounds a lot more synthetic than it did before, meaning some of the atmosphere and spectacle is gone from the more dramatic tracks like Love from a Dead Orchestra.
 
While it's great to see new recordings of the older tracks like Shout & Bites, Dead Orchestra and The Revenant Choir, whether they have been significantly improved by being brought up to date on recording quality and mixing is up for debate. Furthermore, while it's nice that everything was clearly recorded to fit a uniform standard, several of the newer tracks feel somewhat unnecessarily renewed. In my opinion, the original versions were plenty good enough and the new ones are just a little too clean, losing some of their magic. I'm particularly disappointed in DESTINY, where the slick bass in the bridge that kind of served to introduce fans to new bassist MASASHI is all but lost in the mix, and the new vocals feel more clean than emotional compared to the original. That said, when the new takes benefit from being re-recorded, they do really shine. Shout & Bites and zombie in particular are great.
 
To round off this 'best album', the two new tracks are sadly rather forgettable; or at least, upon the first couple of listens, they didn't leave me with too much of an impact. It just felt like 'oh, Versailles are back!' This reveals for me a slight danger at the legendary group's return: while it's clear from their forays with solo work and Jupiter that, despite being individually talented musicians, they work best together as Versailles, this best album also reminds us of their signature style. And while more Versailles can only be good news, they need to be careful to remember what about their composition and world-building made them special, rather than playing it safe, when it comes to future releases.
 
As a whole, particularly for new fans, this is a great album. But for someone who has followed Versailles since they first emerged on the scene, as an attempt at producing a 'best' album, it falls a little short.
 
The return of Versailles is like a little kid coming home from school and showing their parents what they made that day. It's cute, but they tried a little too hard.

遥(haruka)(ex-E'm～grief～ Cecir) has mentioned that he vows to return for his new activities...

I propose the theme....
 
 
 
DRAG THEME 
 

 
 
 

I would say agressive things, but its better to be ironic....
 
NO Prejudice!!!!!
 

 
Now every plug i will play DRAG artists xoxo
 

What the title says... and unless someone wants to scan grief for me, this is the last song that I can contribute.
Japanese
Romaji

Artist: 雨のパレード (Ame no Parade) Album: new place 1. new place 2. encore 3. bam 4. inst/□ 5. 僕≠僕 6. 夜の匂い 7. YES 8. AM4:29
Rating: | WAIT WUT? NON-VISUAL VISUAL ROCK?!?!
 
If you thought Visual Kei was the only musical paradigm in Japan where you could find bands with a strong emphasis on, well, visuals, then you're wrong! Up-and-coming indie outfit Ame no Parade offer an entirely immersive "art-rock" experience. The quartet consists of Kohei Fukunaga (vocals), Mineho Osawa (drums), Kosuke Yamasaki (guitar), and Ryosuke Korenaga (bass). Additionally, they have their very own in-house creative staff - a painter, a fashion designer, and a jewelry artist. With this inventive ensemble, the band has a firm foot in the music arena as well as the art world, which lands them atypical gigs at places like fashion shows and art galleries. But for a band with such a dynamic focus, how do they hold up on a strictly musical basis?

new place, Ame no Parade's third and latest mini album, is the perfect place to explore this question. It's their second release under the highly esteemed indie label Zankyo Records, and for most indie-heads, that's an automatic sign of quality. As musicians, they're as competent as any other bands on the roster. Drummer Mineho is especially ingenious. Having previously played in jazz bands, she brings a certain eccentric grace that perfectly accentuates their post-rock leanings.

Kohei's singing is also a pleasant draw for the band. He has that typical, effeminate vocal tone that you can find in any number of radio-ready Japanese indie-rock bands (think plenty, people in the box, dry as dust, etc), but his delivery is pristine and soulful enough to distinguish him from his peers. Kosuke and Ryosuke are no slouches either, as the former makes clever use of effects pedals to create different guitar tones and variations without straying from the band's sound, and the latter's buttery basslines are the icing on the cake.

When these four coalesce, they're easily capable of making magic, but that's not always a guarantee. Title track and album opener "new place" is an excellent example of when they get it right, though. As soon as the song starts, the melody of the opening riffs and Kohei's catchy "ooh"s and "woo"s are enough to make you think that you're about to hear the latest EDM hit, but as soon as Mineho's drums kick in, you realize that you're in for something a bit different. Whether it's the subtle, yet deviceful drumming, the minimalistic and calculated guitar, or Kohei's piercing vocal lines - Ame no Parade's strength lies in taking the familiar and repainting it from different musical palettes. The result is usually atmospheric pop with the combined ingenuity of indie-rock, post-rock, and math-rock. In addition to "new place", "encore" and "僕≠僕 (boku≠boku)" are the tracks where this style of songwriting works best.

But even with such a potent formula, the band doesn't always replicate the same results. The 'sparse-verse-to-explosive-chorus' structure that was established in the opening track is recycled throughout the first leg of the album and wears especially thin by the third track "bam" - a song with much less impact than its title insinuates. "YES" and "夜の匂い (Yoru no Nioi)" are more amorphous in design, but the melodies are demure at best, and neither Mineho's intricate percussion nor Kohei's crooning is enough to sustain interest. With these tracks, it feels like the band was more interested in establishing atmosphere rather than engaging the listener. Furthermore, the instrumental interlude "inst/□" seems like an unnecessary prelude to the song that follows, and the final track "AM4:29" is five minutes of ambience with no intrinsic value other than sounding like 'a good way to close the album'.

All in all, new place is a decent release from a promising young band. It's got some good songs and a few potential growers, but your experience with it depends on just how much you'll be able to tap into and appreciate the band's aesthetic. They've certainly got the chops to make compelling music, but for now, it seems like they're more focused on curating than creating.


Support the band! Purchase new place @ CDJapan
Purchase new place @ HMV
Purchase new place @ iTunes JP

I will wait to tell people after I get out of high school. It will be easier to abandon people then.

Totally disbanding. He will probably go solo too.

I've recently come to love cats through my boyfriend's old blind cat Rosie. Usually I'm a dog person.
 
 
I had a billion of these fish when I was a kid. One had like no color and I could see his organs so I named him Casper~

Non-Japanese Picks!


Big K.R.I.T. - 4evaNaDay


tags: hip-hop, southern
Sample song: Boobie Miles

Big K.R.I.T. represents an era of southern hip hop that has become all but extinct. His style harkens back to early days of UGK, 8ball&MJG, Outkast, Goodie Mob, and Devil the Dude - all of which he pays homage to in his lyrics. And just like Pimp C( one of his major influences), Big K.R.I.T. produces all of his own material. Technically, this is a mixtape, but it's clear that Big K.R.I.T. takes the utmost integrity in his work, as this plays just like an album.

Catherine Feeny - America


tags: folk, singer-songwriter, indie, female vocals
Sample song: Spill it all Over the Ground

Atmospheric and rhythmical folk music with female vocals. The music itself is subtle and pretty, which poses an interesting contrast to Catherine's socially and politically driven lyrics

Elle Varner - Perfectly Imperfect


tags: r&b, pop
Sample song: Sound Proof Room

Elle Varner's debut album is the perfect example of what I think a modern r&b album should sound like - great production, great song-writing, and amazing vocals with no auto-tune in sight. I should also not that Elle has an incredible rasp to her voice that really makes her a treat to listen to.

Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society


tags: jazz, soul, female vocals
Sample song: Crowned & Kissed

4th album from the amazingly talented multi-instrumentalist and jazz vocalist, Esperanza Spalding. On this record, Spalding flawlessly delves into pop, soul, and funk while retaining the jazz and classical sensibilities that she's had from the start. Lovely~


Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu


tags: rock, blues, soul, r&b, rock&roll
Sample song: When My Train Pulls In

Impressive debut from Gary Clark Jr. that tackles a plethora of different genres, (rock&roll, blues, r&b, soul, and doo-wop) and does so without fault. While each style is performed  wonderfully, my only gripe is that the album loses it's cohesiveness amongst all of the genre-hopping. So while this album doesn't exactly provide a smooth track-to-track listening experience, it is however, a g

Grasscut - Unearth


tags: electronic
Sample song: Pieces

 British independent record label Ninja Tune is one of my absolutely favorites, as they specialize in a variety of electronic genres and manage to maintain a consistent level of quality. With a sound that lies somewhere between modern classical and electropop, British duo Grasscut is no exception to Ninja Tune's excellent lineup.

Hiatus Kaiyote - Tawk Tomahawk


tags: soul, breakbeats, indie, female vocals
Sample song: Mobius Streak

Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, (senedjem, did you draw the cover art? ) Hiatus Kaiyote is a quartet dubbed as a "future soul" band. They're definitely much more forward-thinking than most contemporary soul acts, as they attempt to meld elements of hip hop, jazz, and other more subtle elements into a sound of their own.

Hidden Orchestra - Archipelago


tags: downtempo, instrumental, jazz, electronic, ambient
Sample song: Disquiet

Splendid release from another one of my favorite UK labels, Tru Thoughts. Hidden Orchestra's music is a cinematic boiling pot, borrowing equally from genres like jazz, electronic, classical, ambient and hip hop. Each track is brimming with intensity under the surface, yet they all maintain an overwhelmingly subtle exterior. It's perhaps because of this permeating contrast that the band's name couldn't be more fitting.


Invalids - Eunoia


tags: math-rock
Sample song: Ursine Valor

Math-rock heavily influenced by early Maps & Atlases - from the vocals to the toy-like guitar tones! Awesome!


K.Flay - Eyes Shut EP


tags: hip-hop, indie, female vocals
Sample song: Stop, Focus

The prospect of a white female rapper has always been taboo, but K.flay pretty much destroys all expectations. Not only can she flow, but she also sings and produces all of her own material as well. This girl is just dope all around.

Kaki King - Glow


tags: instrumental, acoustic, world
Sample song: Great Round Burn

6th album from guitar virtuoso Kaki King, which in entirely instrumental in contrast to her previous albums. The primary focus here is King's masterful guitar playing which she serves up through a worldly assortment of styles; all done in a very cinematic fashion.

Krizz Kaliko - Kickin' & Screamin'


tags: hip-hop
Sample song: Kill Shit (Feat. Twista And Tech N9ne)

4th album from rapper/singer and Tech N9ne's right-hand man, Krizz Kaliko. There aren't many rappers around with a style as vigorous and creative as Krizz Kaliko's. His flow in impeccable, he can actually sing (like, really sing), and his production is varied and dynamic. An excellent hip hop album from start to finish!

Ladylike Lily - Get Your Soul Washed


tags: folk, indie, female vocals
Sample song: Prickling

Marvelous debut from French folkstress, Ladylike Lily. Haunting and beautifully melodic folk tunes reminiscent of Germany's Entertainment for the Braindead.

Lianne La Havas - Is Your Love Big Enough?


tags: neo-soul, folk, female vocals
Sample song: They Could Be Wrong

2012 has seen a great deal of impressive debut albums and Is Your Love Big Enough? is one of them. Lianne La Havas' sound is a stunning mix of neo-soul and folk, and her vocals are absolutely heart-melting!


Lucy Rose - Like I Used To


tags: folk, indie-pop, female vocals
Sample song: Watch Over

Melancholic and ethereal folk music riddled with post-rock-esque sensibilities. Wonderful!


Marriages - Kitsune


tags: post-rock
Sample song: Ride In My Place

Thanks to Ito for introducing me to this band. Marriages is a new band consisting of Greg Burns and Emma Ruth Rundle as the core duo - both members are formerly of the band Red Sparowes. Dark and grungy post-rock with male/female vocals.

Mina Tindle - Taranta


tags: indie-pop, folk, french, female vocals
Sample song: Pan

Mina Tindle is a French musician whose debut album is a delightful collection of lilting folk and indie-pop tunes sung both in English and her native tongue. She's already being compared to the likes of Feist and to a lesser extent, Cat Power.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - Prehistory


tags: indie-rock
Sample song: The Day

Frankly speaking, a lot of American indie-rock can be flat-out bland - especially compared to the indie-rock scenes of Canada and Japan. However, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band has a keen melodic sense, both vocally and instrumentally, that keeps them floating above monotony. They actually remind me a bit of OGRE YOU ASSHOLE circa 2007/2008 - which can only be a good thing!

Quantic & Alice Russell - Look Around the Corner


tags: jazz, soul, latin, female vocals
Sample song: I'd Cry

Alice Russell has to be one of the most CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED modern soul singers around. Although she's been around since the early 2000s and has released a number of solo albums (in addition to myriad features), she has never broken into the mainstream. Though in this case, that's a good thing. While Ms. Russell may not be a household name, any soul music fan that's keen enough to look beyond the media has heard of her. On this album, Alice has teamed up with reknown Tru Thoughts producer, DJ, and musician Quantic and the results are nothing short of exceptional!

Robert Glasper Experiment - Black Radio


tags: jazz, neo-soul, hip hop, r&b, female vocals
Sample song: Cherish The Day (feat. Lalah Hathaway)

While the Robert Glasper Experiment doesn't actually play experimental music, Black Radio is Glasper's attempt to seamlessly fuse jazz with hip hop and neo-soul while remaining true to each individual element. To accomplish this task, Glasper has recruited some of the finest singers and rappers around - including, but not limited to Erykah Badu, Lupe Fiasco, Mos Def, Bilal, Lalah Hathaway and more. If you ask me, the experiment has been an unparalleled success!

Ruby Throat - O' Doubt O' Stars


tags: folk, acoustic, female vocals
Sample song: Arctic Fox

Ruby Throat is the side-project of Queen Adreena vocalist KatieJane Garside. This is their 3rd album, which continues much in the vein of their previous 2 releases. Dark, ethereal folk music with Garside's signature sweet, yet eerie croon.

Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods


tags: indie-rock, alternative, shoegaze
Sample song: Mean Spirits

Unfortunately, I've always neglected the Silversun Pickups - writing them off as your typical mainstream rock band before even hearing a note of their music. Thankfully, I stepped down from my delusional "indie high-horse" and decided to give their latest and 3rd album Neck of the Woods a try. Little did I expect I'd be posting this album in my best-of list, but it's simply a great all-around rock record.

SPC ECO - Don't Say EP


tags: shoegaze, eletronic, dream-pop, female vocals
Sample song: Break It Out

SPC ECO (pronounced Space Echo) are a Brittish "nu-gaze" band that incorporate elements of dreampop and electronica. In some ways, they remind me of a less experimental 101A. SPC ECO has been fairly prolific in 2012, releasing 2 Eps, a single, and an album, but I consider the Don't Say EP to be the highlight of the bunch.

Submotion Orchestra - Fragments


tags: downtempo, electronic, brokenbeat, soul, nu-jazz, dubstep, female vocals
Sample song: Eyeline

Submotion Orchestra is a 7-piece collective from the UK with a downtempo sound forged from soul, ambient, electronica, dub, and jazz. Cinematic tone, deep/bass-driven grooves, and great female vocals - this release is perfection.

Sy Smith - Fast And Curious


tags: neo-soul, acid-jazz, funk, electronic, female vocals
Sample song: Personal Paradise

Although this is her fourth album, Sy Smith has consistently flown under the radar - and for no apparent good reason. The woman is insanely talented - she has a five-octave vocal range and can sing in whistle register, and has always sidestepped convention. In fact, Smith is so cutting-edge for a neo-soul artist, that some music critics are trying to credit her as ushering in a new genre referred to as "Electronic soul" or "Electrosoul". Whatever you want to call it, Sy Smith knows how to make good music. Fast And Curious was produced by the acclaimed Mark de Clive-Lowe, and I couldn't imagine anyone better to help realize Sy's ambitious blend of 80's funk, acid-jazz, house and soul.

Tame Impala - Lonerism


tags: psychedelic rock
Sample song: Mind Mischief

Outstanding sophomore album from the Australian psychedelic rock project, Tame Impala - who is actually one man, Kevin Parker - with the other members existing merely to perform the songs he records alone live. Since their debut, Parker has been hailed as John Lennon reincarnated, which, of course, is a favorable comparison. Lonerism has been on almost every best-of list that I've read for 2012, and while I hate to jump on the bandwagon, the album really is just that good!

White Lung - Sorry


tags: punk, hardcore, female vocals
Sample song: Thick Lip

Major thanks to Jigsaw9 for introducing me to this band! Straightforward DIY punk from Canada. At only 19 minutes long, sorry is a short, but thoroughly intense record!


Wot Gorilla? - Kebnekaise


tags: math-rock, progressive
Sample song: Afraid of the Dark

Debut album from England's Wot Gorilla?. Progressive math-rock sprinkled with hints of pop and hardcore elements throughout.

歌者森 - The World in My Eyes


tags: pop, electronic, trip-hop, Chinese, female vocals
Sample song: Sirens

Lastly, yet another brilliant Debut album; this time from singersen of Beijing, China. Unapologetically eccentric pop music with a theatrical flare!

I'm always horrible at listening to everything on these lists, but  I'll find something that I like just like with last years list.
 
Edit:
 
So far I have listened to Marriages, 歌者森, Tame Impala, and Grasscut. I'm loving the sample songs for all of them!

I bet the production values are still piss-poor 

I've just been hooking up with older guys.
 
It's awesome because they're always super nice and usually buy you dinner afterwards. Sex + Food = happy.