Learning my lesson, I immediately ripped the videos from youtube. I advise you do too :) I'm pretty sure they'll be taken down soon enough. This site produces pretty good mp4 rips. The fact that its HQ on youtube means the rips are pretty good quality too.
Some problems have cropped up in my project. Research is so dodgy and you have to play sneaky. How fun :) But I was thinking if these obstacles didn't arise, I would have taken every thing for granted. So I'm glad for this experience, eventhough it means my workload has risen sharply, and lots of worrying pitfalls that you have no control over.
But first, Music Fair talk part. To tell you the truth, I haven't watch the segments properly. I need to get home and watch the rips so I can grin like an idiot in peace.
Iwasawa is actually talking this time! He is normally so shy. Its refreshing to watch them conversing rather than singing just this once. Don't ask me what they are saying because I have no idea. But their respective expressions are enough to get me all animated. I think they talk about one another (feedback & spill secrets^^), and how they met in primary school.
Its surprising that they are the only guest on this episode of Music Fair. But it means we get to watch them perform 3 songs. Yay!!
逢いたい Aitai (I want to see you)!! I still love this song to bits. The background is so pretty and shiny.
栄光の架橋 Eikō no Kakehashi (The Bridge of Glory) is a song by Yuzu I've never posted on my journal before, but probably one of their most well-know song (besides Natsuiro^^). It was the unofficial theme song for the 2000(?-trying to remember the year) olympics being broadcast in Japan. Very inspirational as always! And then of course, immediately after that they performed Niji (Rainbow) which is so much ♥ Translation of the lyrics by ra1nee here!! *grateful*
( For once, I'm spending money on something other than on food! )
Speaking of which, they have a new concert tour at the end of the year. And a new album titled FURUSATO (HOMETOWN). Some info:
Popular singer-songwriter duo Yuzu finish off a super-productive year with their ninth album Furusato. Their new album comes with the singles they've released in the past year including CM songs Niji and Yesterday and Tomorrow, megahit Aitai, Salaryman Kintaro theme song Shish Kebab, and the limited summer single Ichigo. Other recent tie-in songs like Yokohama port opening anniversary song Mirai and the Zoom!! SUPER theme song Superman are also included. Continuing the duo's tradition of writing music that feel as warm and comfortable as your hometown, Kitagawa Yujin created the new song Haruka to express his feelings about visiting Africa, and Iwasawa Koji wrote the exquisite ballad Futatsu Kotoba.
First Press releases come in special packaging with 36-page booklet; only while supplies last.
Source: YesAsia
Congratulations to the guys! Now, I have to go home if I want to wake up on time tomorrow. Oh, another good thing that has happened to me recently is I'm forced to get up early to be at my desk around 9am. So I've been breathing the fresh (? or the freshest it can be) air every morning and feeling very good about myself =P We need a quote, we need a quote to finish off!! XD *does a quick browse*
That's enough for me."
Firstly, the lyrics.
I can't find a translation of it yet. But from what I can pick out, its about life :) Looking forward in life. For example, the chorus 越えて 越えて 越えて (koete, koete..) means 'To surpass'. A theme about hope, light, the colours of the rainbow span across tomorrow. (I'm pretty desperate to know what it means^^ ahaha.)
Secondly, the PV.
The first thing it reminded me of was the Studio Ghibli anime, Howl's Moving Castle. Just because the building could move XD But the concept of this PV is brilliant, eventhough I don't totally understand it. Anyone want to try give their interpretation? The people in the moving cafe probably represent individuals who do not know one another but happen to cross paths at that point in time and shared an experience together. I wonder what each of them saw through the hole? I'm guessing their childhood, their past or dreams or precious memories? Also maybe the enclosed gloomy cafe represented a form hiding and through the hole they saw the light to their future.
( 虹 PV )
I've found two performances of Niji! Which are both superb.
This first one was performed at the recent 24hrsTV programme aired in Japan (which probably most on my f-list know was hosted by NEWS). I'm not going to lie, I've no interest in NEWS anymore. When I first started following them, I already had a dislike for Shige and Koyoma. And Tegoshi followed soon after. Shige=smug face. Tegoshi=arrogant brat. Koyoma=nice & ok when not singing or dancing. The last straw was when Yamapi changed his hairstyle during the Koi no ABO period, that was pure hideous. Only liking 2/6 members wasn't helpful. Although I think I will always keep up with NEWS just because of Ryo & Massu XD Yamapi redeems himself sometimes when he smiles from the heart, otherwise he is pretty bland most of the time. So feel free to de-friend me if you can't bear to read me dissing your favourite members :) I'm totally ok with that, because people move on.
Back to the perf, fortunately one good thing came out of NEWS hosting the show this year, hopefully someone shared this for download somewhere. This song makes me feel so good.
( 虹 24hr TV Performance )
On Music Station yesterday (friday). Super HQ video thanks to the uploader. I really want to know a way to contact her, its been difficult to find a good raw to subtitle V6's 2 appearances on this show for Guilty. SMAP (the group of men they spoke to) is awfully weird. Why the Japanese love this idol group, I've never been able to understand. And because of that, I've always wondered what tastes these people have -_-'. YUZU look awesome. I like both their clothes. Did I say already, I love the song. Yujin so handsome!!
Do you spy V6 looking cool in tux behind? ^_^ Don't slouch!! :(
( 虹 Music Station Performance )
Since we are on that topic, HQ video of V6's performance of Guilty yesterday. ahaha, you can see some of the 'uh-huh' moves I was talking about. That aside, very cool performance, different from the one last week but both very 'attractive' to watch. Some of the vocals were shaky though. I think they were talking about the picture of Ken taking a shower that they showed at the beginning of the CC concerts.
( V6 Guilty Music Station Performance )
The only clip I downloaded from the 24hrTV show was Ryo's Darts Trip. So cuuuute I tell you. I love how he is so straightforward all the time.
( Oh Ryo! )
Yuzu's new PV for their to-be-released single titled いちご Ichigo (Strawberry). Truthfully, I didn't really like the song after hearing the demo. But after listening to this good quality, full version, its not too bad. So far this year, they've released a ballad, a folky tune and this time one of their hyper songs. Maybe I'll like this more after watching a live performance. The PV..!! Its weird. ahaha, but very artistic. And I constantly want to burst out laughing. Very very cute.. basically they are ants wanting to taste the sweetness of strawberries. I particularly like their costumes, the additional pair of arms that move along with their original arms result in them looking extremely comical. Like all their previous upbeat songs, its a catchy tune and the PV is hilarious.
Coming Century's new PV for their upcoming new single Hello, Goodbye. Its definitely more classy than Spirit. What pants is Ken wearing?? O.o The song is good I guess, I mean even if its good I rarely listen to JE songs anyway. keke.. The tune is addictive, but it could be a little faster, and the middle stance becomes a bit too repetitive. The PV is surprisingly less idolish. And only 3 people on screen rather than the usual 6 is a little refreshing. Sometimes 6 people are a little too much to concentrate on. I like the concept of the masked people, the black classy couches and their simple attire. I guess they need to add the rabbit with horns to spice that table up a bit, otherwise I don't know what are they going to do with that empty space. Favourite part: probably the clapping parts, I like the sound of hands clapping. hehe..
The guys themselves. Go, unfortunately is aging and shrinking. And I'm not fond of guys wearing (1)inner black sleeves underneath a T-shirt (2)hats ;D & (3) pink. bwahaha.. The first and only thing I constantly noticed about Okada was what happened to his arms?? O.o Its getting way too huge and looks weirdly tight with those sleeves on. Ok, I know that is just my taste XD Ken needs to get his old hairstyle back!!! This is okk.. there have been worst, but I miss his mushroom hair ;D
( Coming Century on Happy Sunday with rough English translation )
two友 PV!! Collaboration between Yuzu and Kimaguren. I'm still not over YUZU's last single Aitai yet. The songs were so pretty, although this PV is way better I must say. Love the concept and it is more akin to YUZU's normal style. I dunno, maybe its just because I'm thinking of studies all the time, the feeling from the PV and song comes as a double dose for me. The people on the swings in the sky seem to radiate this 'lightness' (heavy vs. light), almost like a cool breeze on a clear morning. I think it is a very cool idea for a PV. And they look so cute, especially the scene where 2 of the guys hold a guitar in the air. Yuzu is a citrus fruit, where the name of the band originates from, hence the guy with the cute Yuzu head as YUZUman. I assume the two small blue 'monsters' represent Kimaguren (the cookie monster from Sesame Street, if my memory serves me right, looks like that?)
I really like this 15s clip showing them having fun at the studio together. Sadly the uploader has disabled embedding.
Speaking of 'Aitai' earlier, Yuzu were on Music Station on the same episode as NEWS were! And because of that, someone had the full episode so she kindly cut out Yuzu's part for me too!! She's so nice :) And the perf was lovely. A bit like this performance below on CDTV, without the sparkles.
My original plan was to spazz about NEWS's variety show appearances and Kanjani8's new album too. Then time became too tight, so YUZU took the front seat. I just stuck to making a post about their new PV instead. haha.. The live performances by NEWS were much better then the PV, so the song has redeemed itself. Oh Ryo! He looked so handsome in everything. I really like when he sings the solo line in the beginning. The bungee jumping clip was awesome! And all the NEWS whining on NEWS wo Abake, their chipmunk voices made Shige sound like a poor mama's boy with his smudge face. Although Koyoma consoling Massu was too adorable to miss. I would say Ryo was bored with the unnecessary fuss and whining.
Puzzle song is so pretty, especially the lyrics. I assume their voices on Shounen Club Premium were altered somewhat, because they sounded too perfect. Although Yasuda's singing was weird as usual. Oh Ryo (again)! Solo lines in the beginning and at the end. Lucky man. Love the enka (maybe it wasn't enka) sound to the song.
mp3 Sogou has put up a compilation album of 101 mandarin love songs here. All the lovely tunes I myself am not sure where I keep hearing them from, what more remembering most of their titles. haha. But I guess some songs are like that. Every one knows the tune somewhat and it brings back some sort of memories. That would be every artist's dream to make a song like that, a song that not necessarily makes the most money or win the most awards, but a song that remains in people's hearts.
By the way, anyone know of any graphics maker that make Asian/Oriental stock icons or banners? I'm not too keen on using western models as graphics, although they are pretty and very artistic I don't deny. But too fake I feel, just not the feeling I'm looking for. It'll be cool if people make graphics of Chinese/Japanese scenery and mountains, or the vibrant markets, people, architecture or anything that reflects oriental culture. But unfortunately not many people do :)