LMN J Music Top 30 Countdown 2012.07.19 ~Chapitel 25~
& keeps rising, and rising, and rising...
I opted not to write a thorough review of this song when it Debuted back in Chapitel 13, so I shall make amends, and do that now.
But before we do, just a quick note regarding yet another design change: simply put, a lot of viewers weren't pleased with the slate design used in Chapitel 23/24, and there was not a reason to disagree. This new concept entails a variety of colors, anchored by bright shades of yellow, orange, brown - colors that were almost never used on this chart - remixed with a vibrant touch of aqua, lime, and dark pink. Overall, it should be easier to read the text even without watching the video full screen. Any response or comment regarding this latest design is well appreciated as always!
Now back to &. Up until "Liberate", & was not exactly the type of band that dominated through outstanding instrumentals. The sound was good, but nothing extraordinary to the point where you could crop out a mere five seconds from any part of a song and recognize the band playing behind it. Instead, what truly stood out were the compelling lyrics and Ikuma's vocal quality bringing them to life.
That all changed with the release of "Muyuu no Kago". The lyrics are still as good as ever - in fact, it may even be the best lyrics out of all songs released by & to date - and Ikuma's vocals are on par, if not better, than it was with "Liberate". The divine difference comes in the quality of instrumentals. The sound in this song is absolutely amazing. If you ever get a chance, grab your mp3 player, go up to a city rooftop, and listen to the intro and outro instrumentals from this song as you view the city nightlife in between tall buildings and skyscrapers, as the fall wind entices your heart and soul. The feeling is like nothing you've ever experienced in the past.
The PV is well made, as it encompasses the emotions associated with the song. The only way it could' have been better is if the burning fire scene towards the end didn't look so cheap. I don't know if it's because of the editing or what, but the end is (in my opinion) the best part of the song so.
A short preview selection compared to last week, although be forewarned that a lot of songs with realistic potential to Debut are in store and on the voting form for next week. AAA, ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, and Mayuu Sakamoto to name a few.
I am very impressed with PLUNKLOCK at the moment. "World is mine" is the band's first single release with a PV, and PLUNKLOCK honestly could not have chosen a better song. Not going to lie, I did not know a lot about this band until hearing this, and was not interested to say the least. Well, all of that certainly changed, and it may as well rank no.1 next week depending on how the voting results factor in. Simply put, unique twists in the song and flat out great lyrics in the mix.
Sadie's METEOR will also finally Debut. After the semi-absence during 2011, I was starting to worry that even Sadie may look into the possibility of disbanding, so it is quite reassuring (and relieving) to see the band making consistent releases this year. Overall, I prefer RED LINE and Daydream over METOR, although METEOR is a fine gem all on its own. Speaking of Daydream, I apologize for not featuring that sooner. The song is just as good, if not better, than RED LINE, so if you ever wondered why Sadie's been on this countdown since Chapitel 10, there is your answer.
Featured Artists:
2nd Dyz
& (AND / アンド)
ALSDEAD
Black Gene For the Next Scene
BORN
CHEMISTRY
D
DIV
GRANRODEO
girugamesh (ギルガメッシュ)
HERO
I-RabBits
Jackman
Kamihikarusu (カミヒカルス)
KNOCK OUT MONKEY
LustKnot.
MEGAMASSO (メガマソ)
PLUNKLOCK
Royz
R-Shitei (R指定)
Sadie
SuG
Versailles
vistlip
ViViD
YOHIO
ZORO
ZUCK
LMN J Music Top 30 - 2012.07.26 ~Chapitel 26~ | Viewer Voting Form
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7FGGJQ3
Vanquish L.L.
LMN J Music Executive Producer
LifeMusicNetwork / LMNjmusic2011