Okay, so about 150 of those hits are probably mine, it took me a while to realize I could stop tracking my own pageviews. But still. Woohoo! I didn't think my attention span would allow me to maintain this blog till it got to this point. I'd like to thank the spambots, who have always been diligent in their visiting, those of you who accidentally ended up here while googling for Kalafina or Madoka images, the really bored people who clicked on the links I may have shoved in your faces, and, most of all, the (three?) people who visited because they really felt there was something here worth a read-through. This little milestone would literally not have been possible without you.
Right, on to the less boring stuff. It's old news, but Kalafina's upcoming After Eden album now has its own official page. Right now it's got a short making-of clip for Symphonia's PV and some comments on the individual tracks in the album.
Kawaii girl Japan has also put up the third installment of Kalafina's After Eden video campaign.
They talk, among other things, about backstage pre-show habits. It's a more sedate session compared to the one in the last video but it's still nice to learn a bit more about my favourite songstresses.
Hopefully, by the time of my next entry (not the best measure of time...) my copy of After Eden will have arrived -- I'm looking forward to reviewing it as well as dissecting the PV for Symphonia
Right, on to the less boring stuff. It's old news, but Kalafina's upcoming After Eden album now has its own official page. Right now it's got a short making-of clip for Symphonia's PV and some comments on the individual tracks in the album.
Kawaii girl Japan has also put up the third installment of Kalafina's After Eden video campaign.
They talk, among other things, about backstage pre-show habits. It's a more sedate session compared to the one in the last video but it's still nice to learn a bit more about my favourite songstresses.
Hopefully, by the time of my next entry (not the best measure of time...) my copy of After Eden will have arrived -- I'm looking forward to reviewing it as well as dissecting the PV for Symphonia
From canta-per-me.net
After Eden samples!
Okay, I see where they were going with that line about this album being less "fantastic" and more "humanly". And it's not a bad thing. Not at all. It's not a complete overhaul from Kalafina's previous work but there's certainly a noticeable shift in style.
Well, it's certainly not changing my pre-order status. Still very much looking forward to it. I'll save the full review for when the album's actually out.
KYAAAA~ That was a really cute one. It's sweet to see how close-knit they are. I love the kind of questions being asked; not the same old boring stuff, and they almost seemed designed to draw out entertaining responses. Not that the ladies need any help on that, really. When they're left to talk on their own like that it usually ends up looking less like an interview and more like their own little comedy show.
They even have a public service announcement:
This is how all Kalafina interviews should be conducted, IMO; no interviewers on emcees getting in the way. And it's nice to actually understand what they're saying for a change. Kawaii girl Japan, this one thanks you from the bottom of her fangirly heart.
via Canta-per-me.net
The Kalafina staff Twitter account posted an image of the Regular Edition cover of the group's upcoming book:
Kalafina Record
And it is pretty. I want it even more now...
I also got an artiste alert from CDJapan about another related product:
Kalafina 2012 Calendar
Image from Oh-news.net. Um, interesting poses from Hikaru and Keiko...
It's an expensive time to be a Kalafina fan...
Also, have you checked out the interview on ANN with Iwakami Atsuhiro? He's the producer for Madoka, and the guy most people forget is the fourth member or the Magica Quartet (somehow everyone assumes Kajiura is the fourth member...) It's spoilery, and therefore at least a little insightful. Definitely worth a read-through, at the very least.
In other Madoka news, look what just became available for pre-order:
Mami Figma!
It looks really good. I didn't expect anything else, yet it still manages to impress me. The figure's got a great range of alternate expressions. And look who comes along as an accessory:
I find this both amusing (are they pandering to the crack!shippers?) and slightly unnerving (given, you know, what actually happened between them...)
The Kalafina staff Twitter account posted an image of the Regular Edition cover of the group's upcoming book:
Kalafina Record
And it is pretty. I want it even more now...
I also got an artiste alert from CDJapan about another related product:
Kalafina 2012 Calendar
Image from Oh-news.net. Um, interesting poses from Hikaru and Keiko...
It's an expensive time to be a Kalafina fan...
Also, have you checked out the interview on ANN with Iwakami Atsuhiro? He's the producer for Madoka, and the guy most people forget is the fourth member or the Magica Quartet (somehow everyone assumes Kajiura is the fourth member...) It's spoilery, and therefore at least a little insightful. Definitely worth a read-through, at the very least.
In other Madoka news, look what just became available for pre-order:
Mami Figma!
It looks really good. I didn't expect anything else, yet it still manages to impress me. The figure's got a great range of alternate expressions. And look who comes along as an accessory:
I find this both amusing (are they pandering to the crack!shippers?) and slightly unnerving (given, you know, what actually happened between them...)
My favourite songstresses are September's special feature on Kawaii girl Japan (the same lovely people who brought us that Magia comment). Which is awesome, particularly because it means we'll be getting (subbed!!) videos of Kalafina interviews promoting their upcoming album After Eden every Monday of the month. This is the first of them:
Their description of After Eden as having a "very real and humanly" sound (as opposed to the "fantastic, surreal and otherwordly" sound they had for the past two albums) is...interesting. Considering that Magia and Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni wa are part of After Eden's tracklist I'm not expecting their new sound to be that much of a departure from their usual style. But they still have nine other songs to surprise us with...
I've also just realized that KgJ's store has a small but appealing selection of Kalafina merchandise...Oooh...
Their description of After Eden as having a "very real and humanly" sound (as opposed to the "fantastic, surreal and otherwordly" sound they had for the past two albums) is...interesting. Considering that Magia and Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni wa are part of After Eden's tracklist I'm not expecting their new sound to be that much of a departure from their usual style. But they still have nine other songs to surprise us with...
I've also just realized that KgJ's store has a small but appealing selection of Kalafina merchandise...Oooh...
In an attempt to bring out my post count, I've resorted to pushing my music tastes onto you kind readers, who already have to put up with the usual stuff I throw at you. Because everyone likes being told what they should be listening to, right? Right? No? Hah! Try stop me!
But don't try too hard. Please.
This week's/month's/year's/whenever's edition of Audio Visual is themed: Lovely Lives
Chatmonchy ft. Aoi Yuu -- Bus Romance
Aoi Yuu is definitely a much better actress than she is a pianist. I'm not sure why she's jamming with Chatmonchy -- I'm thinking they were guests on the same show and the producers thought it'd be fun or something. In any case, it's still a great performance overall, and very different from the original song. A wonderful, mellow love song, and the acoustic arrangement lets Eriko's childlike yet compelling voice shine.
Onitsuka Chihiro -- Ii Hi Tabidachi Nishi e
One of my favourite songs from Onitsuka-san; I fervently rejoiced when this performance appeared in her live DVD Nine Dirts and Snow White Flickers (no, I don't know what that means, either). This song is actually a cover of a Japanese classic. Onitsuka re-wrote most of the lyrics. I remember checking the original song and deciding that I preferred Onitsuka's version. It's a moving song about being on a journey, and the lyrics and the music capture that feeling nicely. Although with Onitsuka's influence it sounds less fun and whimsical and more melancholic...Not that I'm complaining. Nope. Personally, I think Onitsuka's songs work better when they're at least borderline depressing...
The arrangement here is gorgeous; a piano, a string quartet, and Onitsuka's voice. I don't think she sounds as powerful as she used to (throat surgery and a bout of depression probably took its toll). But she still sounds wonderful.
Malice Mizer -- Bel Air ~ Kohaku Toki no naka de
A bit of classic Visual Kei. This is one of the songs that got me hooked on the genre (I still prefer old school VK to the more contemporary stuff). Malice Mizer also ruined Gackt for me; I used to like him until the thought that he sounded a lot better with the band behind him kept plaguing me...
If you're determined to hate Visual Kei, I doubt it'd move you to change your mind; this is Visual Kei at its...Visual Kei-est. But if you're already into it...What's not to love about this song? Gackt's amazing (and amazingly dramatic), the band's wonderful -- Mana and Kozi's harmonizing guitarwork is particularly awesome. Even live, there's not a single note missed -- I've heard band leader Mana would never accept anything less.
And of course, the costumes...Beats jeans and T-shirts.
Kalafina -- Red Moon
What? I couldn't resist.
This is one of their best songs, in my opinion It's an album-only track, and might not have received as much attention as it deserved. This is how I like Kalafina best; dark and powerful. It's a heavy gothic-y rock number (thimk Kajiura doing symphonic metal). The ladies sound amazing here. I am absolutely enamoured of the chorus; when the lead vocals switch from Hikaru to Wakana it smoothly segues from forbidding to melodic and mournful, with Keiko maintaining the harmony the whole time. It's...just wonderful.
That's all I've got for now, folks. The next edition of Audio Visual will be available...not too far in the future, I hope. Sorry, no one's making me keep a deadline or anything...
But don't try too hard. Please.
This week's/month's/year's/whenever's edition of Audio Visual is themed: Lovely Lives
Aoi Yuu is definitely a much better actress than she is a pianist. I'm not sure why she's jamming with Chatmonchy -- I'm thinking they were guests on the same show and the producers thought it'd be fun or something. In any case, it's still a great performance overall, and very different from the original song. A wonderful, mellow love song, and the acoustic arrangement lets Eriko's childlike yet compelling voice shine.
One of my favourite songs from Onitsuka-san; I fervently rejoiced when this performance appeared in her live DVD Nine Dirts and Snow White Flickers (no, I don't know what that means, either). This song is actually a cover of a Japanese classic. Onitsuka re-wrote most of the lyrics. I remember checking the original song and deciding that I preferred Onitsuka's version. It's a moving song about being on a journey, and the lyrics and the music capture that feeling nicely. Although with Onitsuka's influence it sounds less fun and whimsical and more melancholic...Not that I'm complaining. Nope. Personally, I think Onitsuka's songs work better when they're at least borderline depressing...
The arrangement here is gorgeous; a piano, a string quartet, and Onitsuka's voice. I don't think she sounds as powerful as she used to (throat surgery and a bout of depression probably took its toll). But she still sounds wonderful.
A bit of classic Visual Kei. This is one of the songs that got me hooked on the genre (I still prefer old school VK to the more contemporary stuff). Malice Mizer also ruined Gackt for me; I used to like him until the thought that he sounded a lot better with the band behind him kept plaguing me...
If you're determined to hate Visual Kei, I doubt it'd move you to change your mind; this is Visual Kei at its...Visual Kei-est. But if you're already into it...What's not to love about this song? Gackt's amazing (and amazingly dramatic), the band's wonderful -- Mana and Kozi's harmonizing guitarwork is particularly awesome. Even live, there's not a single note missed -- I've heard band leader Mana would never accept anything less.
And of course, the costumes...Beats jeans and T-shirts.
Kalafina -- Red Moon
What? I couldn't resist.
This is one of their best songs, in my opinion It's an album-only track, and might not have received as much attention as it deserved. This is how I like Kalafina best; dark and powerful. It's a heavy gothic-y rock number (thimk Kajiura doing symphonic metal). The ladies sound amazing here. I am absolutely enamoured of the chorus; when the lead vocals switch from Hikaru to Wakana it smoothly segues from forbidding to melodic and mournful, with Keiko maintaining the harmony the whole time. It's...just wonderful.
That's all I've got for now, folks. The next edition of Audio Visual will be available...not too far in the future, I hope. Sorry, no one's making me keep a deadline or anything...
Posts
