Personal Review of Some bands [part II]

Tokio Hotel, I’m sure everyone knows these guys already, I mean, it’s Tokio Hotel European phenomena, and they had quite a bit of success in America as well. The German band really hasn’t done many songs though, they’ve pretty much doubled their song count by having an English version of it. Sometimes they’re called a joke due to Bill’s spiky all over the place hair and with Tom’s dreads, they’ve also been called homosexuals because of their feminine looks, which really is ridiculous. They really haven’t done much, if I had to say what kind of artists they were, I’d say visual artists. Not in the sense that they use paint or anything like that. But the twins seem to make a really big statement with their looks. I’m also thinking of a specific music video that actually caused quite a stir. “Spring Nicht” Also called “Don’t Jump” and I do believe that’s the title they gave it in the English version as well. The video shows Bill chasing towards what looks like Bill with “withered hair” as I like to call it, trying to get him to stop from jumping off of the roof. It’s really quite a sad song,”the deepness of the town devours every tears, down there is nothing, what keeps you up here” ~ from Spring Nicht. If you’re interested in the translations of the songs I know this site has about 23 or so, in the form of a blog (http://tokiohotellyrictranslation.blogspot.com/)

Sweetbox or Jade Valerie? Well, she used to be the voice of Sweetbox, she sang “1000 words” at least in the American version of Final Fantasy X-2 during Yuna’s concert. Koda Kumi did the Japanese version. She takes pieces of classical music and turns it into a pop song, but surprisingly it’s not so much the butchering of classical music, as it is the birth of pop music. she turns what’s normally generic and puts quite the pizazz in it. She takes Vivaldi’s “L’invierno” from his 4 seasons piece, it’s the first part of “L’invierno” speed up the violin part and that’s what she uses in her “Addicted” song, it’s actually a really good song, and that splash of classical music in the background actually is quite refreshing and makes the music all that more powerful. You can’t always tell that it’s behind the music, it’s not always behind it. It’s not like she takes a long classical piece and adds words to it, she has beats in the song and other music, but as far as classical music goes, she just takes it from one-not all songs are like this, but she doesn’t have quite a few and they’re some of my favorites. Unbreakable is one of the latest songs under her name “Jade Valerie” and has the music from Moonlight Sonata, she wanted more independence in her music and that’s why she’s no longer with Sweetbox and the reason she’s now under her own name. It’s not always easy to recognize which piece it is, just because I’m not a classical music major-or anything even mildly like that, so it’s hard to say “Oh, that’s Beethoven’s song <insert title here>” or something like that, I only knew Moonlight Sonata because I play that often, along with Vivaldi’s first part of “L’invierno” It’s really good music, she has some really nice “I’m not going to take this shit!” kind of songs, not in the Linkin Park angsty kind of way, but a lighter, more powerful kind of way. I recommend “Human Sacrifice” “Liberty” “Unbreakable” “Like A Bird” “Unforgiven” and “Crown The Thorns” those are all pretty much angry songs, she does have other songs, lots of other songs at least 40, check them out.

See-Saw, the first time I ever heard of them was from .Hack//Sign, I think, it could’ve been one of the million spin-off series, but I’m pretty sure it was the original one. They’re currently a female duo, originally they were a duo. Yuki Kajiura does the back up vocals, I actually just found that out. I’m impressed, I thought-well, first I thought Yuki was a guy-big OOPS on my part-like HUGE oops on my part, and I thought Kajiura was this huge big composer-never, she is a big composer, well that certainly was close. Anyway, The first time I heard them was for the opening for .Hack//Sign called “Obsession” I thought it was just the coolest mix of music, I love the background music, it just went so well with the lyrics and so well with the series. They temporarily disbanded in 1995 but reunited in 2001 they done openings and endings for many anime series including .Hack//sign, Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny, and .hack//Liminality as well as insert songs for Noir. It’s such a beautiful blend of music, I love how they use the flutes in the pieces, it give sit such an exotic and light feel to the music.

S.H.E-  They don’t write the majority of their lyrics and they really don’t have to since they’re a pop band. Of course, that’s not to say they don’t write anything, Selina wrote the song “Wifey” and Hebe wrote the words for “Say You Love Me” and wrote the rap portion of “If You’re Happy, Then I’ll Be Pleased” Occasionally they’ll create songs from love stories already there. Such as “Laurel Tree Goddess Daphne” from the story of Apollo and Daphne, and “The Story of Romeo and Juliet” from the stories Romeo and Juliet and the Butterfly lovers. They’ve also done quite a few covers, almost 30 in fact. Something that’s really awesome about this group is that they’re not known for being pretty, and they’re known for eating ALOT. In fact they were named “History’s Fattest Girl Group” and SHE even called themselves “History’s Ugliest Girl Group” it’s really amazing to me because in that market everyone is trying to be the most beautiful, to be the thinnest and basically it’s a really shallow market. So for them to eat wthiout caring what others think and even having the courage to joke about themselves not being pretty just seems like a big thing. Though they said they were Taiwanese and not chinese, making them fall out of the Chinese media favor, leading  them to have a 2.5/5 in a 2006 review.

F.I.R.- The name F.I.R. comes from the initials of the names of the three members: Faye, Ian, and Real. It is also an acronym for “Fairyland in Reality”, one of their albums. They are well known throughout Asia with their hit “Lydia,” which was the theme song for the Taiwanese TV drama “The Outsiders” The drama was aired in Taiwan without revealing the singer of the theme song. The song attracted many fans, which led to F.I.R.’s big success when they finally debuted in 2004. Since their debut, they have often been compared with the Japanese rock group, Do As Infinity, because of the similar music styles and formation of band members. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a fan of Lydia, and I’m not much of a fan of their music, of course, I haven’t really looked for it, since I wasn’t really into much of their music to begin with. I have to say I do really like their song, “I don’t Care” It’s such a rough opening, but the chorus is just so beautiful, I just love the contrast. It’s almost an angel singing along side a demon at times-or that’s how I would describe it, because it’s such a power song all throughout, but it’s really a tough to soft transaction while being powerful all the way. While I really don’t care for much of their songs I really like what they did with “I don’t Care”

The Hives YEAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!! I had to say that, after all the singer always seems to say that during every song, regardless of whether there’s an actual reason or not. Of course, he always seems to have fun so I can’t say I really care. Okay, so The Hives opened for Maroon 5 and they were amazing!!! I loved it. It was so entertaining and it really got me riled up, it was such a fun experience and the singer is just dancing on the speakers and doing all these crazy dances. It was so clear how much fun he was having, none of it looked choreography in the sense it didn’t look robotic or unnatural, but it flowed just so well, either they’ve been playing together so long they know how to avoid the singer’s crazy antics (which is quite possible), have great intuition, or did rehearse it, I’m not sure which one it is. But I must say, if you get a chance to see these guys in concert, GO! You must see them. I saw them as only an opening act and it was the coolest thing ever. I had never heard of these guys before, but the music is awesome. I love the lyrics and the beat and music, it’s all so much fun, you just want to get up and dance like crazy. Also it really is great to see an artist get so much enjoyment out of doing his job. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone party so hard while singing sober. Recently The Hives sang a song called “A Christmas Duel” with Cyndi Lauper, I hate christmas songs with such passion, they’re always so terrible and boring and blah-but this was amazing. This is how the song opens

“The Hives
I bought no gifts this year
And I slept with your sister
I know I should have thought twice before I kissed her
But with the year we had last
And the dress that she wore
I just went along for the ride
And I came back for more
And I’m sorry, baby

Cyndi Lauper
(That’s all okay honey cause see)

I bought no tree this year
And I slept with your brother
I wrecked your Daddy’s car
And went down on your Mother
I set your record collection on fire
And said I never knew
Felt kind of bad about that
And I know you did too”

Needless to say I highly recommend this song, it’s really funny. Also I recommend “Tick Tick Boom” “Wont Be Long” & “Puppet on a String”

Flyleaf- The band was formed in Texas, the first time I heard them as from a special on iTunes and I bought the album only based on one song and it’s actually really good in my opinion, and a bunch of other people’s opinions. Dec. 24, 2007 they were named MTV artist of the week-meaning I was really behind on the wagon. But I didn’t really care, it was one of those “Oh, they have nice music, but I’m not sure I’d call myself a fan just yet” Of course when I mentioned them apparently not alot of people had heard of them, so I guess the train wasn’t even there? Then I found out they were a Christian band and it was like ANOTHER ONE. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing wrong with listening to Christian bands, but it just seems like they’ve been popping out of the ground all over the place, I blame the fact I had just been listening to P.O.D. Of Course they don’t claim to be a Christian band.. or where they saying they wree a christian band? I can’t tell. I must say the singer really looks like the story plot of a dime novel. From a poor family, moved alot, lots of fighting between herself and her mother, and then she started drugs at the age of ten. No, that’s not the story plot, the part where she goes to church one day becomes Christian and everything fixed itself and she got all famous-no, it sounds like a preacher telling people to go to church. No, I’m not a pro-religion kind of person, but that’s just the path I’ve chosen. I could believe she did heavy drugs by looking at her, but you never know of this is was really happened or if there’s some sort of exaggeration going on.

Fall Out Boy- I like some of their songs-hate their music videos. What is up with those stupid monkeys, it’s like they put it in on purpose to screw with the music and scenes. At first I was like haha Monkeys, but then they were everywhere. Maybe it’s because I’m not a huge fan of monkeys, but really keep them out of your videos, people aren’t going to buy their music if they associate your music with monkeys, unless they’re a primatologist and even then they’re probably too busy studying them to really care what music they dance in. It was just bothersome-really bothersome. anyway as far as their songs go I liked “Thanks for the Memories” and that’s probably the only song I really liked from them, I bought both of their albums, (before Deux Foilles or whatever came out) but I can’t say I really found anything good on it except for maybe “Dance, Dance” but other than that, I can’t say I’m a fan of their music-in fact, I’m not at all, just those two songs, 2 songs out of 3 albums, that’s like saying I’m a fan of FIR when I only like one of their songs. You just don’t do that.