The Worst and Best

A few days ago MUCC released their 'Best' album and a 'Worst' album. I'm pretty amused that a band would put out a 'worst' album, but in any case these are some REALLY nice albums. I usually can't stand MUCC's newer singles but somehow these compilation albums capture everything I don't mind too much and stick it into an album. Tastefully done with some spice to keep people like me happy :D

My only complaint here is about production, now I've had many discussions with people about 'overproduced' music, and if you listen to the original versions of each song, there is an intangible element, being recorded in a cheap studio with the equipment that they already had and progressing musicianship skillz gives the old songs this added creepiness factor, particularly in songs like Yoru, Tsubasa wo kudasai, Ieji and Shoufu. But holy crap. The coolness factor of these albums is through the roof. It's really refreshing to hear old songs getting some love after all this time. Now I can honestly enjoy listening to MUCC's current musics again, even if they are actually old tracks~

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Best of MUCC


The Best of MUCC is mostly a collection of their major record label single releases and happier songs (usually) on the more recent albums. However there are some completely unexpected tracks like Yume no gai (Yume no machi) and Na mo naki yume. The spice that I mentioned earlier is that most of the older songs are re-recorded and some of the more recent stuff is remixed a bit. MUCC really managed to make this album interesting enough for me to seriously enjoy it. I always look forward to what these crazy cats are gonna do next :D

Best of MUCC gets a 72% on the Awesome meter.

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Worst of MUCC

The Worst of MUCC is probably the BEST release MUCC has put out in the past year+, somehow they managed to put all of my favorite songs, save for Nukegara on an album. Zetsubou, Bouzenjishitsu, Hakanakutomo, Tsubasa wo kudasai, Yoru, Suimin, Ieji, Rankyuu, Danzetsu, Dilemma. Holy crap. Again many of the songs are re-recorded, so they gain sound quality in exchange for classic charm but my guess is that some of the songs now sound as they were originally written to sound but unable to because of lack of available recording resources.

I'm not too huge of a 'best of' album fan, but seriously if you're going to put one out, this is absolutely how you do it. They get mad props for this, but if you can remake your old GREAT songs so well, why can't you write new material that's on par? :\

I give Worst of MUCC an 89% on the Awesome meter.

Catastrophe trend!

I just noticed that theres a lot of song titles recently about natural disasters. I wonder why, is this a subconscious message from indie jrock bands telling us that the world is about to end!? D'espairsRay had the Squall single, Gilgamesh had the Volcano single and 12012 had some single about a Cyclone or something. WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN!?

The other possibility is that they just think its cool to sing about nature beating the crap out of us.. and come to think of it, that is pretty cool. I think im going to go write a song about a mud slide destroying someones shed.

In unrelated news, there's basically nothing interesting happening in Jrock.. save maybe for Buck-Tick releasing a new single celebrating their 20th anniversary.

In a hole..

I was thinking about how much of a self righteous close minded elitist bastard I am about Japanese rock. So this post is to tell you all how I am NOT a self righteous close minded elitist bastard about Japanese rock.

I definitely play favorites, I like some bands and hate others, mind you there is a reason behind all of it, but they aren't necessarily good reasons. (except miyavi.. thats a personal grudge) In any case, it's usually because I don't like the band's sound due to poor musicianship or really dislike the band's songs specifically. I really try to stay away from the band politics.. which doesn't always work, but these things happen I guess ;p

However; if you believe that I am wrong about a band or musician, then please let me know, I am completely open to more musics I can enjoy! The only thing is, you have to prove that I really don't know and I'm actually wrong about said band. Which shouldn't be hard, just let me hear some songs that I enjoy and you've won.

But no miyavi ploz.

On another note, on my attitude towards fangirls, I don't hate the fans of Jrock, at all, but when people start being retarded and listening to bands 'because they're hot' or some lame crap, calling the band members by some pet name and writing yaoi fanfics about the singers you like, then you can GTFO my website and commit seppuku with a rusty butter knife.

I also recieved a picture of me in the line for Jrock Revolution that really amused me, so you can all see it too :D

Revival

So apparently I was even more right than I could possibly imagine.

X-Japan is reviving, and hide is NOT coming back for the revival. Heath, Pata, Toshi and Yoshiki already have plans for new releases, they have a new recording already AND they are planning lives.

I do not agree with the decisions made by Yoshiki. Everyone is losing hardcore points on the awesome meter.. This business with Miyavi joining up with Gackt, Sugizo and Yoshiki pisses me off for one, and now reviving X.. It really seems like a tasteless publicity move, as does having SKIN's first live at an ANIME convention.. This is all leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

I support the Japanese music scene in the USA, REALLY I do. I will go see SKIN just for kicks and I will go see X-Japan as well. I really don't enjoy many of the people who listen to Japanese rock in our country but I can put up with them to support my cause. I just hope everyone can get on the ball and stop being retarded. Some of my close friends are already losing interest in Jrock because of the stupidity involved with its introduction to America.

COMON GUYS! The way you are doing this is just going to breed more retarded fangirls. D: