|
Post by Joseph on Jan 5, 2004 15:32:09 GMT -5
You've got a lot of new Globe albums lately, haven't you. Knockin' on the Door of My Heart is really cool; it's my fave song on L2. I also like Inspired by Red & Blue. As for Edge of Darkness, well, I think it's all right. I like the rap parts in Over the Rainbow. It's sweet. Be sure to check out my thoughts on KCO in the 'Jpop Artist Recommendations' thread. KCO is the Globe-related CD I've been listening to most lately. "Umi to no Yuujou" (friendship with the sea) is awesome. Keiko's wailing just goes on and on. Dream is coming out with a new single on Feb 25. It will be the theme for the new 'Custom Robo' game on GameCube. I think I want to preorder this CD ASAP. I can't wait! So Globe is releasing a DVD-A of 8 Years - Many Classic Moments on the same day Deep Calm is released. How about that.
|
|
|
Post by molotov889 on Jan 6, 2004 1:38:54 GMT -5
Yeah, I got... 8, I think? I only have 4 left to get (that I want): Relation, Global Trance 1 and 2, and First Reproducts.
I heard the KCO samples on the website. I really liked what I heard, but again, I'm not one to buy such short albums. At least not right now. I have too many full albums to purchase. I do hope she comes with her own full album, though. It would be interesting to see how far she can go with a "solo" career.
And is it just me, or is the 8 Years DVD a little... belated? Seems they should have released it way back when with the CD.
|
|
|
Post by Joseph on Jan 13, 2004 2:01:22 GMT -5
They seem to have decided on 8 Years Many Classic Moments because it's a 'best' album, sort of like Move with Super Tune. The other one that they could've chosen, but didn't, was Ballads & Memories, I guess.
I played some Globe songs for Ootobaikichigai (a member on this board who lives in my neighbourhood) the other day. I played Try This Shoot, Compass, Stop in the name of love, and Get it on now, and she said she liked all of them.
I think the only early Globe songs (pre-2000) I've ever heard are Still Growin' Up and Overseas Call. I'm very ambiguous in that department.
Tell me... what are some good songs on Outernet? How's Soft Parade?
|
|
|
Post by jp80 on Jan 13, 2004 7:52:27 GMT -5
Oldie but still goodie, a very cool song from globe is their remix of "Stop in the name of love", still currently one of their prettiest songs for me. And their last album "Level 4" has very good songs like "Compass" adn "Seize the light", which album and single version also differs. If you're interested in trying their mp3, tell me, I'll see what I can do.
|
|
|
Post by molotov889 on Jan 13, 2004 9:29:28 GMT -5
Yeah, I just thought it was a little different to go back to an older name. Then again, the "Preview" DVD they came out with is from an even older Globe product.
But, yeah, pre-2000 there are really only 4 albums- Globe, Faces Places, Love Again, and Relation. (There are a couple remix albums too- First Reproducts and Euro Global). The songs on these albums that you might have heard of are Faces Places, Face, A Temporary Girl, Sa Yo Na Ra, Is This Love, Perfume Of Love (an AWESOME song), Wanderin' Destiny, Feel Like Dance, Departures, Sweet Pain, and Freedom.
So, the songs on the early albums usually fall into one of a few categories. There are, of course, the very mellow, cool, songs like Anytime Smokin' Cigarette that tend to have more passionate vocals as the song climaxes. Then, there are the "feel good" songs like You Are The One that you envision being played with a bunch of people just hanging around and possibly singing the songs togehter. They just have this really "chummy" feel to them. Then there are the slighly-euro slightly-ballad songs like Departures, etc... Overall, their sound is very different in these years than they have had since. Outernet was definately a stylistic turning point. All in all, the older songs have a much lighter sound than what they've had since Lights.
Oh... and of course, these albums have the piano ballads that you also find on Lights and Lights 2.
As for Outernet itself... Soft Parade, along with Another Sad Song seem a little out of place on Outernet. They're both pretty coutry-pop-ish. That's right. Country. There's definately some American influence on these two songs. Which is what makes them out of place on Outernet, since the majority of the CD is more progressive. However, the whole end of the CD seems like one last hurrah for Globe's previous style. Don't Look Back is on this CD as well, and that's always been on the top of my list favorites. The album version doesn't differ too much from the Single version. The biggest difference is the order of lines in the beginning stanza, and the album version uses a much heavier drum sound. I remember you said you liked Throwin' Down In The Double O, and that's on Outernet as well. Angel's Song, a great up-beat techno-ballad is towards the beginning of the CD, and The Main Lord comes in in the middle. The album version of TML is radically different from the single version. It's got kind of a punk-pop sound (which explains Marc's mohawk on the single cover). It's a good album, but you have to be able to reconcile the two styles of the first and second halves of the CD.
|
|
|
Post by Joseph on Jan 13, 2004 23:38:55 GMT -5
Thanks for clarifying that about Globe's early style. I appreciate it.
After hearing you say that, I can't help but ask: Which Globe style do you like better-- their old style or their new style?
Hey, YesAsia is offering Faces Places for only $9.99! That's less than the price of a single nowadays. Currently the only Globe CDs I have are Lights 1 and 2, and Level 4.
I'm still listening to KCO (even the Christmas songs). I'm so glad I bought that single; I don't regret buying it at all. Humanrace and Umi to no Yuujou have still got me addicted. The Jazz in Groove mix of Umi to no Yuujou is even better than the original mix. They're both excellent! It says that Umi is the 'demo' version of the song, so does that mean that there will be a 'full' version later? On an album perhaps? Like you said, I think Keiko will come out with an album sooner or later.
Here's an anecdote: I still have Keiko's image as my computer wallpaper (it's identical to the KCO cover) and my new roommate saw the picture. "Is that your girlfriend?" he says. I say, "No, she's a Japanese singer." Then he's all, "She's Japanese? What is it with you and Japanese women?" He's definitely got romance on the brain.
|
|
|
Post by molotov889 on Jan 14, 2004 0:20:21 GMT -5
It's hard for me to say which style I like best. The old style is what got me interested in Globe in the first place, but there's no denying how good the new style is. I think it comes down to what mood I'm in. If I want to sit and listen to some complex music, music for music's sake, songs, I'll listen to the new Globe. It's more dynamic in that sense. But if I just want to listen to something that's going to make me feel good, the old Globe is better.
I hear ya about the KCO album. I have a feeling I'll eventually buy it. Unless she comes out with a full album that has the songs ayway ;D. If you want some old Globe, Faces Places might be a good place to start. It's my favorite of the older albums. But, if you want something more complete, Cruise Record is a VERY GOOD 2-CD set "Best Hits" set. You'll get all the different kinds of songs from their first albums, and it'll probably help you decide if you like the music from that period in their career.
I get that whole "You and the Japanese chicks" thing a lot, too. Eventually people get to know you, and understand it better, though. I'm sure your roommate will eventually wisen up.
|
|
|
Post by molotov889 on Jan 15, 2004 21:46:46 GMT -5
Hey, Joseph, I don't know if you'll know this or not, but I thought I'd give it a shot.
On Global Trance 2, the final song is "Say Anything (Kanpai Mix 926)." It's kind of Yoshiki's 'debut' song in Globe. I've looked everywhere, and tried to find if there's an 'original' version of this song. It's not on any of the Globe albums or singles that I know of. It's an awesome song in the remixed version, so I can only imagine that the original would be just as good. Let me know if you or anyone you know has any information about this song. Thanks.
|
|
|
Post by Joseph on Jan 16, 2004 18:56:45 GMT -5
Say Anything is a piano ballad from X / X Japan. It can be found on their Star Box album (track 12). The 'Say Anything' single and Star Box both came out in 1991. It can also be found on Yoshiki's album Yoshiki presents Eternal Melody (track 7). I just heard sound samples of Cruise Record. It sounds so good. I'm sure I'll like their early style. I absolutely love songs like Sweet Pain. But I don't know whether I should get Cruise Record or their individual early albums. Can't make up my mind. I definitely want to get something though. Their early style sounds like Favorite Blue, and I love Favorite Blue.
|
|
|
Post by molotov889 on Jan 16, 2004 21:07:34 GMT -5
Oooooh... Ok. Cool. Thanks for the info.
As for what Globe CD to buy... I personally bought Cruise Record before I bought the others. However, two things helped me decide this:
1) I knew I was eventually going to get all the CDs anyway, so a Greatest Hits album with selections from the others seemed like a good idea to start with.
2) Cruise Record has 3 songs (with lyrics) and about just as many instrumental tracks that aren't found on any of the other CDs. Among these is Biting Her Nails, which happens to be my favorite Globe song of all time. So, that swayed my judgement a bit.
So... I guess if you feel it's worth the price (or you think you'll invest in all the Globe CDs anyway), get Cruise Record. If not, go with the CD that has the most number of the songs you like from the samples you've heard.
|
|
|
Post by Joseph on Jan 23, 2004 17:58:39 GMT -5
That Cruise Record is looking tempting. =) From the sample, Biting Her Nails caught my attention.
So the other day, my Japanese teacher said that she liked Jpop. So I asked sensei what kind of Jpop she likes. And she's all, "I like the old stuff, not the new stuff." What did she mean by that? How old is old? Smap? Dreams Come True? Oh well, if that's only what she wants to tell me, then that's only what she wants to tell me. Do you know any 'old' Jpop groups?
|
|
|
Post by molotov889 on Jan 23, 2004 18:10:31 GMT -5
::blink blink::
I was kind of under the impression that there really was no "old" in Jpop. I thought it was still a pretty young industry, so all you had was "new" and "newest" kinda things. I have no idea what she means by that. I mean, Tetsuya Komuro has often been called the godfather of jpop, so that led me to believe that there probably wasn't much before he came around. ::shrug::
Oh, and Biting Her Nails... Isn't it such a great song?! I think that's the epitome of their mellow, cool, ballad style. I don't think I could ever hear that song too many times.
|
|
|
Post by Joseph on Jan 24, 2004 17:36:13 GMT -5
Dreams Come True debuted in 1989, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra was from 1990, and SMAP was from 1991. That's all the early Jpop artists I know. I wouldn't be too surprised if she was into DCT. Do you ever try to memorize Globe songs? If so, do you look at the lyrics for them and sing along? There are so many words in those songs, it takes a lot of patience. I memorized Tonikaku Musshou ni three years ago, but it took a long time. It's just hard to remember so many words. Currently, I'm sort of in the process of memorizing The Box and I just started trying to memorize Compass, too. Imagine memorizing all of Out of (c) Control! That would be daunting.
|
|
|
Post by molotov889 on Jan 24, 2004 17:42:23 GMT -5
I don't know any Japanese at all, so it really wouldn't help me to memorize the words. I look at the lyrics (in Romanji) to songs every now and then, and try to at least remember the sound of the real words (as opposed to my made-up attempt to sound like the singers when I sing along). But as far as REALLY memorizing songs, I don't do that. Though, if I knew Japanese, I prolly would at least give it a try. For now, I have to rely on translations posted online, though.
|
|
|
Post by Joseph on Jan 25, 2004 0:14:59 GMT -5
I guess I sometimes take for granted the fact that I can read Japanese. I've pretty much dedicated my life to studying Japanese. It's often easy for me to sing along to songs when I read it, except for the words that have the more advanced kanji. And when I hear the words, I can half-understand them. Out of all the artists I've known, Move uses the hardest and most obscure words.
The Box is hard to memorize because some parts of it are really fast. However, I've memorized the fast parts in other songs before, and I still can now. By the way, the last Japanese line at the end of the chorus in The Box translates: "It's not pretty, but it's my undefiled eternal hideaway." The box is.
When I transliterate songs, I check the kanji for their pronunciation, and often for their meaning as well, so it helps me learn. One of the risks of transliterating is that I will know how to pronounce words, but won't know what they mean. Right know there are lots of kanji that I know the pronunciation, but not the meaning.
I think I know grammar pretty well now, so I've been trying to read online Japanese newspapers and stuff. Colloquialisms sometimes present problems for me. Also, when I want to write a note to myself, and I don't want anyone else to read it, I use Japanese.
Since a few days ago, I have been going to Infoseek's Japanese-English dictionary to help me with my words, and it has worked wonders. It has detailed definitions and uses. In addition to that, some words also come with these cool Japanese proverbs! For example, I just saw the Japanese proverbs that were the equivalent of "Talk of the devil and he will appear," and "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die." I love Japanese proverbs now... I should look up more of them. This Infoseek dictionary is addicting.
I have a real respect for people who know both Japanese and English fluently, like my Japanese teacher. Because once you learn either English or Japanese, it's difficult to learn the other one as a second language.
Knowing Japanese for me has changed me, and changed how I think about things. I have a God-given attraction to the Japanese language, even outside of Jpop and anime.
|
|