HUG
Released: 2004.01.14
Type: Single
Language: Korean

01. HUG
02. My Little Princess
03. My Little Princess (Accapella Version)
04. Oh Holy Night (feat. BoA)
05. HUG (instrumental)

The first single released by South Korean powerhouse TVXQ way back in 2004. HUG is the epitome of cute and heartwarming and maybe a little strange with 5 guys singing about beds and feeding milk to kittens. But its one of those cute songs you sing along with everytime you hear it.

HUG was the song that got me into them but track two, My Little Princess, was the song that made me fall in love with TVXQ.

My Little Princess is the group's ballad track. Sweet and soft and slow. Its just one of those stunningly sweet songs. The vocal prowess each member has is clearly shown off in this song.

Want a clean, clear version of My Little Princess? The accapella is just that. No music, just the raw power that is TVXQ shining through.

Oh Holy Night is exactly what it seems like. A song on the birth of Christ. Say what? I think they added this song because every member but Changmin is a Christian and Christianity is HUGE in Korea. But the song is pretty and done in accapella, and in ENGLISH.

All in all, a very well rounded first release for them.

The Way U Are
Released: 2004.06.24
Type: Single
Language: Korean

01. The Way U Are
02. Whatever They Say
03. Talk Track
04. Moutain Spring
05. Talk Track
06. Whatever They Say

Second single from TVXQ with a far different look than HUG. The Way U Are is a bit of a rock-pop song with angsty lyrics. I find this song annoying but the video is fun to watch.

Whatever They Say seems remniscent of the Backstreet Boys to a point. The back vocals give it that feel and also makes it kind of hard to listen to.

The talk track is just that, 1:13 of the 5 talking mostly about how Koreans say water and how Americans say water. Mool (water) and Water seem to be very fascinating to them. I think Changmin's 'water' is best to listen to.

Mountain Spring, another fabulous accapella, about woodland creatures come to drink out of a moutain spring. It sounds like a magical song, something like what tree spirits would sing together.

Talk Track number 2! Talking about the single and how they want to take a drive to find a real spring.

Not exactly my favorite or one I highly recommend but it's cute and Mountain Spring is really worth a listen.

TRI-ANGLE
Released: 2004.10.13
Type: ALBUM
Language: Korean

This review was actually a pre-written one I did for the J!ENT article on TVXQ, but this is complete version.

TRI-ANGLE, the first album released by TVXQ in 2004. The album comes filled with ballads, pop songs, rock songs, and fan favorite songs from earlier singles. TRI-ANGLE opens with the song 'I Believe', a ballad about love and hope. A song that made me weep. The vocals of this track are just so strong and beautiful, one can't help but to become swept away in the romance. And it is a good lead in song to the second track, 'Thanks to'. A song dedicated to all fans, near and far. This track is a slow, but hope-filled track full of peace and sincerity. You could close your eyes and just imagine being in a world of your own creatings-- quiet and calm. A calm that could be shattered by the powerful rock song of 'TRI-ANGLE'. Whether it is the version featuring powerhouse female vocalist BoA and the then up and coming rock band the TRAX or the version featuring TVXQ alone, TRI-ANGLE will own you and with the lyrics that question the existance of people and why no one helps each other, you'll be raging along with them.

'Will You Be My Girlfriend?'- A resounding yes would come from every fan's mouth, male or female, after hearing this track once your ears stop bleeding and your world is no longer spinning from rocking out to TRI-ANGLE. Track four is an upbeat, love confession from our boys and a personal favorite from this album. Once your done swooning after being asked out in the form of a cute vocal performance, we move on to 'Whatever They Say -A capella-'. This song fully explores every members' pitch and vocal prowess in an angsty, proud way. This song is all about a love perservering despite everyone's disapproving advice. 'Million Men', a hip-pop track on selfishness and materialism is next; one of the songs that really got me into TVXQ's more r&b tracks when they started coming out.

'Like Now', a pop ballad on breaking up but keeping oneself in high spirits. It's a smooth and easy to listen to track which is similar to the slower, softer 'I Never Let Go' track following it. But incase you're in a down mood, have no fear, 'You Whenever' will pick you up and make you want to squish a teddy bear or go buy something new. It's that type of track! All sparkly and twinkling... However, and this is one of the tracks that makes reviewing it worth having two busted hands, 'Hey Kid' will make your heart clench at the melancholy of just the opening part. A soulful, soft track on how kids should never worry about growing up and just enjoy their youth. But it can also be a song for adults with children, making them reflective and hopeful for their own childrens' futures. I want my child to listen to this song if I have any.

The next three songs are TVXQ classics; HUG, My Little Princess, and The Way U Are. Songs that never get old and once you hear them never leave your head. The final track to the album is TVXQ's version of TRI-ANGLE. BoA's part is cut out and Yoochun and Yunho cover the parts sung by Typhoon from the TRAX. This album is number one in my heart for its mixtures of generes and deepness, the album that ages well; TRI-ANGLE!

Hey, long time no review, right?

Last night found me in the local theatre watching TRANSFORMERS, the movie. In all honesty, when I first heard this movie was coming out, I thought it was going to be the stupidest movie in like, the history of forever.

But the movie actually rocked. The opening was a bit cheesy but the over all effect was simply amazing. Usually a movie with so many special effects turns out looking fake, cheap, and not very good (i.e.: Ultra Violet) but the effects for this movie were very well balanced out between great acting and superb visuals. I figured there would be cheesy, corny, and dry lines that would make the movie awkward but the writers did a great job on the lines and the actors were really great. Best movie I've seen in a loooooooooooooooooooong time.

Moving on to the music, I have a quite a few things to cover because I've been lazy and have been doing more fanfics than usual lately. Go me.

Kaya - [桜花繚乱] Oka Ryoran [single : April 4th, 2007]

Oka - One of prettiest songs I've heard. It's a blend of soft techno and traditional, ethnic Japanese instruments, a la Kalm, who happens to compose many of Kaya's songs. Kaya's voice is smooth and rich, complimenting the song beautifully.

Ryoran - It starts out kind of creepyish with a wind instrument (like those of a temple) and some Koto sounding instruments then moves into a sexy, alluring club beat. Another one of those songs where you can feel and imagine yourself grinding in a club full of people, this song pumping from huge speakers. Kaya's vocal style is so versatile for his style of music... I love this man. If I wasn't married to Suga Shikao, I'd totally marry him... maybe I should make him my mistress... Off track sorry. The end is again creepy Koto music...

The theme for this single is Spring and the title is roughly translated to Cherry Blossom Confusion. This theme is clearly heard in Oka but with Ryoran it's subtle, moving with the music that could be reminiscent of falling blossom petals. Kaya is a ninja.

Kaya - 百鬼夜行 Hyakki Yagyou [mini album : July 11th 2007]

Oka ~hyakki ranbu hen~ - The slower mix of Oka from the above single. It is, like the original, version beautiful. More so because of the slow and soft flow of Kaya's voice and the music. As well as the vocal parts during musicless moments. So beautiful.

Kagami Oni - Not what I was expecting, considering the title. (it means mirror demon or ogre) I figured it would be creepy and violin-y. It's more classical and Phantom of the Opera sounding. Kaya's voice sounds playful and taunting in it, it's sexy at points too. Ah such enchantress.

Hannya - Is actually what I expected to some extent. Hannya is a very scary demon mask used in things like Kabuki or worn during battles. This track begins with Koto music, very creepy, and the soft beat of drums. Kaya's voice is so sweet in this song. It's soft, like feminine soft, and so airy. This is one of my favorite tracks because how wonderfully put together the song is.

Kairai - Phantom of the Opera meets sexy club music and Kaya's heavy breathing. This is a pretty entertaining track... Kaya's has nice breathing... And his voice is just sooooo rich and delicious, like chocolate. It isn't as great as the other tracks but it's good nonetheless, sexier in some ways.

Kasha - A fast, trancey song. It's a good ending song for this album, it's polished, harmonized, and well rounded. <33

The theme for this mini album is 'darkness' or 'night' I believe. Hyakki Yagyou is based from 'Hyakki Yako' or Night of one hundred demons. And this theme was fulfilled. Each track, even Oka, has a haunting, dark-night feel to it. Hannya more than any other. I love this mini album!

The GazettE - STACKED RUBBISH [July 4th 2007]

ART DRAWN BY VOMIT - Ummm Jesus and frying pans?? Yeah, a mismash of sounds and strange vocals and lyrics. I'm totally confused by this... It's awkward. 1 minuted and 49 seconds of utter weirdness.

GENTLE LIE - I love the music for this track. It's kind of pop but rockish too. So melodious. However, the vocal styling seems borish, not that Ruki can't sing, it's just that the way they've arranged the vocals and music seems to not balance all that well. It's still a nice track, better than ART DRAWN BY VOMIT.

FILTH IN THE BEAUTY - No matter how many times I hear this song, it is always so cool to me. No different from it's original release. Still soooo cool.

CIRCLE OF SWINDLER - A hard, pumping 'thumpa thumpa' song. I don't like the music or vocal arrangement for this song, it's annoyingly repetitive at parts, reminds me of Pink Killer by Dir en grey and I ABSOLUTELY HATE THAT SONG. The song is ok in some parts but overal, 'bleh'.

Chizuru - Begins slow with minimal guitars and drums then get's somewhat harder as it nears the part where Ruki. This song is really good. It's just so...powerfull? I don't really know what to say about it.

PEOPLE ERROR - A lovely instrumental of nothing but nostalgic piano playing. This is the song for rainy days... It's saddening yet somehow hopeful sounding.

AGONY - GANGSTAAAAAAAAAAAA. The track didn't even need to fully begin before it became gangsta. It's like P.O.D meets SALIVA... and Seether. It's kind of cool and I normally hate tracks that sound gangsta rockish. If I'm not mistaken, the song is in all English or close to it. The instrumental breaks are rad! 'Oh shit'...

HYENA - A track reminiscent of older 12012 songs... It's hard core and pretty good. However, the arrangement of both vocals and music is again, repetitive.. but not in annoying manner.

BURIAL APPLICANT - What an original title for a song. This song is very emotional in a sense of bitter rage and sorrow. The pv is distressing but still great. Gaze looks cool and sparkly. Anyways, this song is hard and edgey. COOL.

Ganges ni akai bara - So Merry sounding; jazzy-swing rock. It's catchy because of the swing-pop style of the vocals and music.

REGRET - Not as good as FILTH IN THE BEAUTY and it doesn't follow well the scheme of things for the album.. But it's a nice song!

CALM ENVY - The GazettE are so surprising! This sounds like country music at the beginning but then it goes all ballad sounding with the vocals. There is that female vocals again, I'll have to ask noi if it's Ruki or if they got a real girl to do the vocals. I LOVE THIS SONG. It's like Cassis and Reila, which I recemtly fell in love with. This song is beautiful and heavy in drawing out emotions like sadness, melancholy, and nostalgia.

SWALLOWTAIL ON THE DEATH VALLEY - Uhm... WTF? Some parts sounds like Nightmare music... or 12012 especially the hand clapping then there is the female singing stuff again. Another good track worth a listen or two because it's so quirky in sound.

MOB 136 BARS - What does that mean? Better than ART DRAWN IN VOMIT but no less noisy and random.

Overall STACKED RUBBISH was kind of a let down in comparison with DISORDER and NIL. Both of which were why I started to get into The GazettE [well when they were Gazette... I've heard of an image change but what's with the name lol] But there are some good tracks on this cd, so I won't write it off completely.

Next time: Miyavi, Plastic Tree, a.b.s, and more probably.

So I'm in a reviewing mood especially since getting some new music.

LM.C - GLITTER LOUD BOX

LM.C man, they are taking the scene by storm. I love them. This is a must listen!

NO.9 - [yes thats what its called] One of my favorite tracks and all it is, is a myraid of noises... but its funny because the song is so recogonizible.

LOUD MUCKER COMPLEX - This song is very remniscent of hide's Dice Away or another such song. Very cool. Maya's voice is so pretty in this song. There is also a rock-club sequence the song. VERY COOOL.

Boon!! - This reminds of songs I used to listen to when I was little but cooler. Reminds of songs like Foot Lose. A fun song that should be listened to while you are in a konbini or Wal-Mart while trashing the place or just acting like an idiot.

Metally - Just as the title suggests its very metally sounding.

SORA涙色 [SORA namida shoku] - My favorite song above all the others. The trance-y beginning is lovely. I love Maya's soft and gentle singing. So wonderful. I could listen to this for forever.

CRAZY A GO GO - yes, a crazy instrumental.

*BOOST＋BUSTERz* - Maya being his Jap-Rapper self xD Not particularly the best track but its neat.

Yellow Beauty - Totally reminds me of An Cafe during the beginning. I like this one too. Maya has such as sweet voice...

D'espairs Ray : SQUALL

I'm utterly blown away by DesRay's new sound. I absolutely cannot wait for their new album. I love every song on this single. It ranks number 3 in my most recent music charts coming in behind GLITTER LOUD BOX which follows behind THE MARROW OF THE BONE.

SQUALL - This track, music wise, sounds like something by UVERworld. And I love UVERworld. Hizumi's voice is just beautiful. Its so different.

Dessert - Back to the DesRay sound we all know and love. Their rock sound has evolved so much. Hard but not entirely so. This song is like one you would hear for a scene in a dark movie when people are in a club. Its vampiric...alluring.

Screen - I think DesRay needs their own epic vampire flick. Every song on SQUALL would be perfect for the soundtrack. Especially this song. Its sexy, seductive, and oh so haunting. Beautiful.