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武士JAPAN (ToshI's Final Solo Release)

mC · 9102

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Offline mC

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on: February 25, 2010, 10:01:03 AM
Thought I might as well start a thread about the release. Even though it was advertised as a limited, 2000 copy, release, the limit has been removed and orders are being taken again. For those of you who don't know, this mini album contains four songs, all composed by ToshI, after being sick in hospital at the end of 2009. Guest musician's are Pata on guitar and Sugizo on violin.

Tracklist:

1.エアポート (Airport)
2.雨音 (Amaoto / Sound of Rain)
3.武士JAPAN (Bushi JAPAN / Samurai JAPAN)
4.春の息吹 (Haru no ibuki / Breath of Spring)

After having a listen to the CD, I feel that it Toshi has been influenced by both his 90's and his healing career. The second track, Sound of Rain, definately sounds similar to that of Masaya's healing styling, both in the song structure and vocals. Airport, my favorite track on the album, starts off with some interesting harmonized vocals in the beginning, and the song stays interesting enough for the 4 or so minutes....(sorry, what with my dislike of his 8-14 minute, repeteative healing songs, I like his songs that reveal all they have in 4 or so minutes with a minimum amount of repetition.) Samurai JAPAN sounds like a T-Earth song, with some shouting here and screaming there. Great fun that, again doesn't drag on. The final track, Breath of Spring, is a great song and, like all the tracks on the album, is very thin in its texture. Just a guitar and vocals. Very nice final track that ends his solo career nicely.

Overall, it is a great way for him to say goodbye. Sure, the production hasn't been dragged out, with nothing fancy, but it is that that makes this album good. Very simple songs that really show off his vocals. (Something I found interesting is that in the first track, ToshI goes to hit some high notes that he purposely, I assume, hits weakly....at first this showed to me a weak side to his voice but....upon hearing it again....sounds very effective....)

O well, for those of you that wasted your time reading this, tell me what you think about the album and discuss here. I would like to hear peoples opinions on his vocal work here and if they thought it was a good way for him to finish an....interesting....career.



Offline Sander

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Reply #1 on: February 25, 2010, 12:09:25 PM
Aside from Samurai Japan, the songs are quite calm and relaxing. I <3 it :D

This is my administrator color.


Offline denx

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Reply #2 on: February 25, 2010, 12:18:48 PM
any link to download?

Ex denxdenx


Offline Ann1958

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Reply #3 on: February 25, 2010, 05:45:21 PM
I don't know.
I heard a piece of Samurai Japan and of airport on his website.
Being in Belgium and not knowing Japanese people, I can't have that mini cd  :'(

But the little I heard sounds very beautiful, with powerful voice.

How is Amaoto? In his solo live, Sugizo played it on violin and Yoshiki on piano. That makes me thinking it must be a very emotional song???



Offline mC

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Reply #4 on: February 25, 2010, 06:24:15 PM
How is Amaoto? In his solo live, Sugizo played it on violin and Yoshiki on piano. That makes me thinking it must be a very emotional song???

Amaoto is the most calmest track on the album. It contains just piano and a very simplistic, no chords as far as I remember, violin part. Very nice.



Offline NanniGong

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Reply #5 on: February 27, 2010, 03:17:59 AM
Haru no Ibuki somewhat reminds me of his early solo. Though when I heard the small pieces on his site I found them Masaya-ish, after having listened to the whole disk I feel that the songs are in fact quite TOSHI-styled. And my favorite one now is AIRPORT too :D IMO some part of the song's programming is a little similar to the 2nd track of EARTH SPIRIT ("Kizutsuki kowarete shimau youni" or some title like that).



Offline Ann1958

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Reply #6 on: February 28, 2010, 11:25:39 PM
I had the lucky chance to hear the 4 songs!!!

I like Airport for the 'voice-pitches' (very low and very high).

Samurai-Japan for the rhytm and guitar and for it being a song that crowd can sing along and jump.
 I would like to understand the lyrics. But I don't, so I don't know what the song is about.

Haro no ibuki: very very beautiful guitar, I think it must be Pata, it is like Spanish style the guitar: very beautiful. And I like it also for the great and long uuuuuuuuuuuuu's in the song  :D
But I don't know the lyrics. I don't know the meaning of the song.

Amaoto: is sung with very tenderly and touching voice, with beautiful lyrics. The violin by Sugizo also is very tenderly, very beautiful and touching. I think Amaoto is my preferee. Toshi's piano is also soft and tender.

The lyrics of Amaoto and Airport I saw a translation on a website, but I don't know if translation is good.

I must say that I didn't know Sugizo before he was in X Japan. When I saw him first in X Japan, I thought 'what a strange man is he' but since I heard his guitar and violin playings, I can only think that it is the best choice they made to make him X Japan member. I have no words for the beauty of his violin playing.

Toshi's voice is great in all the songs. For me he is one of the greatest singers.

Looking forwards to see once that great solo concert...with that genius setlist!



Offline Ulquiorra

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Reply #7 on: February 28, 2010, 11:37:58 PM
having also heard them, the emotion that Toshi has in his voice is amazing, and since X reunited in 2007 I don't think I've heard one performance from him which has sounded like he's just singing the words with little feeling, which is a problem I have with his voice in the 1995-1997 era.

Also, in Samurai-Japan, there are a couple of small sections of the song which last about 5 seconds where Toshi really pushes his raspy vocal technique, and in those small sections his voice is sounding a lot more like the old Vanishing Vision era of his voice.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2010, 11:44:23 PM by Ulquiorra »



Offline Ann1958

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Reply #8 on: February 28, 2010, 11:49:15 PM
Quote
the emotion that Toshi has in his voice is amazing

Very amazing!
(certainly knowledge of life)



Offline rafaelo

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Reply #9 on: March 01, 2010, 03:25:00 AM
I liked a lot for samurai Japan got very good..
X had to follow this line of this music Toshi this very well.
the First music Airport only thought he screamed a little more...
More this good that ouch Toshi Ganbatte



ben

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Reply #10 on: March 01, 2010, 04:44:19 AM
Just regarding the possibility of this being "available to order again", I asked one of those middle men services (Who buy from Japan on behalf of foreigners) to check the website but was advised that the CD is no longer available.. Unless there is another way to get hold of it. Hopefully they put MP3s up for download somewhere. All the Healing Word releases were available to buy in MP3 form without any limitations from CDBABY




Offline NanniGong

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Reply #11 on: March 01, 2010, 09:03:20 AM
I'm listening to Haru no Ibuki now. I love the guitar too :D But when ToshI sang that song in Akasaka blitz he said (or just making a joke?) Sugizo played guitar in this song but Pata didn't.

=======EDIT===========

@Ann: I tried to translate Haru no Ibuki :P The structures of lines are simple but some words have confusing meanings...

On that day, I was out of strength
Walking, lost on the mountain road
Nor did I go to see my friends
Frozen to the inside of my heart

Wishing for someone to look at me
Wishing for someone to  seek for me  ("求めてほしい", not sure about this)
To comprehend
And love me

Spring is going to sprout
Plants breathing
Meeting with people
And dreams come true
I AM NOW LIVING IN HERE

Feeling for the truth until today
Without decisions about tomorrow
Faith and bond forgotten
Escaping from others' help

I miss you
Miss that gentleness
I dream about my dreams
Dream about the future

Spring is going to sprout
Plants breathing
On that morning
The sun shines on me
I AM NOW LIVING IN HERE

Spring is going to sprout
Plants breathing
I AM NOW LIVING IN HERE
« Last Edit: March 02, 2010, 07:58:14 AM by NanniGong »



Offline Ann1958

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Reply #12 on: March 01, 2010, 04:10:15 PM
Thank you Nannigong!
That was the dimension in the song I was still missing.
Now I know what the song is about.
Are you sure the guitar is by Sugizo in Haru no Ibuki? It really does me think of Pata's guitar playing.

Can you also tell about what the song Samurai Japan is?



Offline lucy_bkk

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Reply #13 on: March 07, 2010, 05:31:22 PM
I really like Toshi's voice in Samurai JAPAN mini album...so powerful and beautiful......



Offline Ba-DiL

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Reply #14 on: March 10, 2010, 03:12:14 AM
Credits on The Album:

- Airport, SUGIZO on Guitar
- Amaoto, SUGIZO on Violin
- Samurai JAPAN, PATA on Guitar
- Haru no Ibuki, SUGIZO on Acoustic Guitar

none of your business ...


Offline lucy_bkk

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Reply #15 on: March 19, 2010, 04:50:33 PM
To Ba-Dil.  thank you for information. I like all 4 songs. we are X !