chemicalpictures

Thing is, those guys are way above average musicians but the majority of their output is mediocre at best. They have set up all time high expectations, and most of the time failed to deliver (except for the mindblowing Inhale)... This ain't bad for your regular half baked vk act, but for a superstar team like this one is disappointing, to say the least.

Thing is, those guys are way above average musicians but the majority of their output is mediocre at best. They have set up all time high expectations, and most of the time failed to deliver (except for the mindblowing Inhale)... This ain't bad for your regular half baked vk act, but for a superstar team like this one is disappointing, to say the least.

Thing is, those guys are way above average musicians but the majority of their output is mediocre at best. They have set up all time high expectations, and most of the time failed to deliver (except for the mindblowing Inhale)... This ain't bad for your regular half baked vk act, but for a superstar team like this one is disappointing, to say the least.

Thing is, those guys are way above average musicians but the majority of their output is mediocre at best. They have set up all time high expectations, and most of the time failed to deliver (except for the mindblowing Inhale)... This ain't bad for your regular half baked vk act, but for a superstar team like this one is disappointing, to say the least.

Thing is, those guys are way above average musicians but the majority of their output is mediocre at best. They have set up all time high expectations, and most of the time failed to deliver (except for the mindblowing Inhale)... This ain't bad for your regular half baked vk act, but for a superstar team like this one is disappointing, to say the least.

Thing is, those guys are way above average musicians but the majority of their output is mediocre at best. They have set up all time high expectations, and most of the time failed to deliver (except for the mindblowing Inhale)... This ain't bad for your regular half baked vk act, but for a superstar team like this one is disappointing, to say the least.

Thing is, those guys are way above average musicians but the majority of their output is mediocre at best. They have set up all time high expectations, and most of the time failed to deliver (except for the mindblowing Inhale)... This ain't bad for your regular half baked vk act, but for a superstar team like this one is disappointing, to say the least.

I think a less awkward, more human English interpretation could be, "You, Me, And This Ugly Town"
I know the word order is reversed, but it sounds more natural in English, as does using "and" only once in a list.

That's about right. It could also be read as "The Ugly Town and Me and You."

Their new album 「不恰好な街と僕と君」(Bukakkô na machi to boku to kimi) will be released on 2018.02.07.
 
 

The album Peels Off will come in  2 versions: regular CD album available nationwide January 24th, and a limited edition LP+T-shirt bundle through Tower Records on January 17th. 

Tracklist
1. 30 Steps
2. in the mountain
3. encore
4. Rhaphidophoridae
5. Night Cafe
6. Wings of Black
7. Sleeping Bug
8. Manhunt
9. White Painted Johnny
10. A fool born in April

This. That shit is WEIRD AF. To be honest I find any kind of extreme fandom weird and kinda childish. Not that it's an exclusivity of fans of japanese stuff, but they sure get top scores at it. It can't be that healthy to dedicate so much money, energy and time to a hobby like that...
 
But yeah, the gya culture is indeed what sustains the VK environment. But that's just because VK does not have a clearly defined purpose nowadays. The movement was created with an idea that made sense at the time, to create a space for expression, to counter the mainstream culture of the time, and it was necessary. It happened all over the world, there was Punk, Glam, Tropicalia, each with its differences, but it was there. You can bet X, Luna Sea, Kuroyume are bands with 50/50 fans. Today, there's no need for that. What does VK bring to the table? What's the message in 2017? There's none, it's a scene that exists sorely to fuel these girls/fans idealizations and desires, in exchange of their money. So those foundations are so set in stone, I don't really see it changing at all.

RAZOR | the CORE
 

 
 
Tracklist:
 
1. the CORE
2. ROAD
3. 消えない痛み
4. イノセンス                                 
5. Labyrinth
6. 君は今も鮮やかに
7. 『その後の世界』
 
A release that it's okay on its own, but with glimpses of brilliance, if they manage to identify them.
 
To properly explain the sentence above, We'll need to dwelve into their past releases for a bit. It's safe to say that RED INVISIBLE was the most well received release so far. It introduced and showcased all their range in a single release, with a bit of everything and by all accounts, a successful effort, even with its flaws. The following singles had their strenghts here and there, but faced a more lukewarm reception, most citing the lack of direction, uninspired b-sides and an over-reliance on born-like choruses/structures that may not fit with the overall range of the band. That brings us to the CORE. To get it out of the way, it is pretty obviously composed of tracks they do not believe have the power to be singles, and that's a (somewhat) fair assessment. The fact that it didn't have a PV (EDIT: Actually they did, but the fact that they choose the most bland track on the release works on favor of the idea here), and they chose to give 君は今も鮮やかに a lyric video further proves my point, it's playing safe 101. So, if you are not confident on the power of the material you have, the decision of making the CORE a compilation of trials, errors and experiments is a wise one. It lets you check the waters, understand the reception an maybe score one hit or two.
 
ROAD and その後の世界 are tracks that dig deep into the members origins. You can hear Sadie, born and MBHI influences all over those pieces. Both are a solid tracks, but not mindblowing, by any means. There's nothing wrong in playing safe and delivering something satisfying everytime, but we expect RAZOR to be a monster on its own, not a 2.0 version of those mentioned above. And I believe they've found their way with イノセンス, the best of the album. This track perfects a formula that enables it to be powerful without resorting to MBHI djent-y riffs, to have a very consistent vocal work without using born leftover choruses. Top it off with a mix of electronic effects and dnb drums that keeps the momentum going and never feels overdone and you have a winner on your hands. This is RAZOR transforming their influences into something fresh, perfecting their unique formula, and of course, their identity as a band. 君は今も鮮やかに is a mediocre ballad that does not bring anything new to their catalogue (worse than the 6/10 MISSING PIECE let's be honest) and 消えない痛み is such a forgettable one that if it wasn't labeled as RAZOR I'd have trouble identifying who it was from. (I'll ignore Labyrinth, the overused vk tropes are too strong on this one).
 
Overall, it's a release that provides more filler tracks to a band that may have the most high-ceiling potential of the 2016 newcomers, but have yet to find their stride. However, イノセンス makes me feel pretty confident that RAZOR can be fresh without throwing away all the experience and influences of past works, maybe reshaping them into something truly unique.
 
 
 
 

On January 24th, 2018. toe will release a new album compiling tracks not included in their previous albums such as tracks produced for TV spots, remixes, tracks by other artist, and more.
 

 
 
toe「That's Another Story」収録曲
2018.01.24 Release
XQIF-1008 / ￥2,315+税
形態 : CD
レーベル : マチュピチュ・インダストリアス
 

 
01. HE PASSED DEEPLY toe feat. コトリンゴ
02. 8.6 feat. 土岐麻子
03. Clap（toe mix）
04. IT’S A SHAME feat. the guitar plus me
05. TALK SHOW / 土岐麻子
06. The Faber
07. ラストナイト feat. 吉野寿
08. RUN FOR WORD_first ver.
09. Next I Dance Alone
10. Another After Image feat. Shing02
11. ネルマレ ～After long tommorrow～
12. グッドバイ_starRo Remix
13. 月、欠け_Buda Munk Remix
14. 月、欠け_Sick Team Remix
15. The World According To_Textual Remix
16. Commit Ballad feat. Chara_Mitsu the Beats Remix
17. Song Silly_Yu Arauchi Remix
 
https://natalie.mu/music/news/259950
http://www.toe.st/

Cut my bangs by myself too short
 

somehow that hand is actually mine and not a stranger's

So this is a thing I did

Thanks for this! Seems that so many of post-2013 songs were recollections of their careers, and kind of farewell letters to the fans. If 10+1 was a think piece on the band lifespan, this is a reminiscence on the people that made it happen. It's really nice to see that all the past members left in good terms with the remaining ones, many of them are yoshito's personal friends.
 
"I wish for anyone's search of belonging
To be right here where everyone is, just for once"
 
gotta love this guy

-for a request-
 
Lyrics: Yoshito
Kanji and romaji available at peffy's blog
 
English: past<future
Counting the days from when we met
Tearing out the days we laughed with each other
Left behind, the colliding and increasing time
Now it's all gone
I wish that the sound and light built with such friends will not be erased
I realized, we have more friends now than we did back then

If we go back to those days again
There were days when I would whine and cry
But I wasn't alone
My friends gave me a push in the back
It's been a long way since 10 years, encounters and farewells have come to repeat
I grew stronger every time, thank you
I am still thankful even now

Come on, let's take these memories
And these connecting words to the future far ahead

past<future
A story drawn and presented in the flowing time
There are no regrets in the unknown paths we've been walking on
Let's engrave them into this song
So that next time we'll give someone else a push in the back

I wish for anyone's search of belonging
To be right here where everyone is, just for once
Beyond the illumination of my life
People are fighting a battle everyday
Just wandering about, looking for their mistakes
Feeling intoxicated again by the answers they've found
People who pass by each other ring a tone of townscapes
Their sense of worth drowning out all the noise

Come on, let's take these feelings and values
To the future far ahead, and to our connecting friends

past<future
Tears that washed away in the passing time
Just like a blooming flower on the path we've been walking on
If you wish so
It'll shower on you like an unstoppable rain

[1]Don't look ahead without a sense of sadness
It teaches you how to "brush things off"
cuz I thinking I can't go on destroying it
A nostalgic place filled with the scent of lilies
The midday bells are ringing, I've got to go
I let my playing heart lay dormant for a while
How many people will this reach to? and I
We engrave our form of existence
I am ok with this! Let's do this

Come on, let's go to the shining future ahead
Put on a smile, you're not alone
There is only one place to return to

past<future
A story drawn and presented in the flowing time
There are no regrets in the unknown paths we've been walking on
Let's engrave them into this song
So that they'll remain in the future far ahead

past<future
From here on, we'll play the future with a written sound
past<future
Until our ideals imbue everything with our meeting ahead
-----------------------
Notes:
Words in italics are originally in English in the Japanese lyrics.
[1] In this whole section Yoshito secretly inscribes the names of the band members, including the ex-members as a wordplay. For example, 行きねぇ(yukinee) which roughly translates to 'can't go on', 正午(shougo) which translates to 'noon/midday', ちょびっと(chobitto) which translates to 'a little', and so on. Of course, it wasn't possible to translate this section while keeping the names in so I just translated it normally. All of the names used were Mei, Mina, Nagisa, Yukine, Kaoru, Shougo, Chobi, K, and Yoshito of the same order. (thanks to @chemicalpictures for the detail)
 
Translated by me. Enjoy~! ^^

AYYYY LMAO
 
you freaking nailed it (and god, this is the first I'm learning about this anime and I already hate that dude and his VA).

I've been listening to kawazu on repeat lately. So I can finally give an opinion on the single. 
Oshimai really didn't sell the band to me. This single however, is addictive, fun and feels like a breath of fresh air. 
I wasn't sure about Lime's vocals at first, something bothered me about them. Then I realised what it was. 
Lime sounds like the protagonist of a shounen anime.  
Once I got that out of the way, I'm no longer bothered by his voice, only amused lol. 
My favourite tracks are ラブソング and十五. The former is actually a great ballad(?) and the latter gives me a powerful, deviant vibe. Like someone else mentioned above I really like some of the "white noise" or background sounds they play usually at the start of a song. 
 
Overall there are no tracks I think about skipping. I think my only complaint is that annoying part in one of the songs where they just repeat "i" over and over. That's it. Count me in as a kizu stan. 
 

to all annoying people here who says that MEJIBRAY sucks ♡
 

I tried playing around with some makeup yesterday. Also I learned that my kitchen has the best lighting for taking selfies lol.
 

 

That crisp mountain air.

This. That shit is WEIRD AF. To be honest I find any kind of extreme fandom weird and kinda childish. Not that it's an exclusivity of fans of japanese stuff, but they sure get top scores at it. It can't be that healthy to dedicate so much money, energy and time to a hobby like that...
 
But yeah, the gya culture is indeed what sustains the VK environment. But that's just because VK does not have a clearly defined purpose nowadays. The movement was created with an idea that made sense at the time, to create a space for expression, to counter the mainstream culture of the time, and it was necessary. It happened all over the world, there was Punk, Glam, Tropicalia, each with its differences, but it was there. You can bet X, Luna Sea, Kuroyume are bands with 50/50 fans. Today, there's no need for that. What does VK bring to the table? What's the message in 2017? There's none, it's a scene that exists sorely to fuel these girls/fans idealizations and desires, in exchange of their money. So those foundations are so set in stone, I don't really see it changing at all.