The #KN15YEARS Compilations "KN[10+2+2+1=15]YEARS"

No, this title was not a joke, it was hard to come up with something for 15 years, trust me. *giggles*

We have finally reached the end. The end of another milestone in celebrating me listening to Japanese songs for a decade and a half. This time around, I chose to credit the artists behind all the songs I have given because we never really did that all these years, only talking about songs that are good or unique in its own way. I feel like this will be a renaissance, a reminder of what I have been through, and the people who made that happen.

So without further ado, allow me to introduce the Klassic Note 15th Anniversary Compilation series!!

"KN[10+2+2+1=15]YEARS"

It's time to count what matters, people. This is the ultimate tribute to the most important backbone to all the great songs I've listened to: music artists! Below are four separate compilations to represent them as much as I can, from unique in feature to those who have made significant impact in my life.

PODIUM OF TEN ~COLLECTION ARTIST HITS~

1. Itsumo Issho / Aqua Timez

2. Somaru yo / Chatmonchy

3. pretty fever / Kotobuki Minako

4. Sparrow / miwa

5. Aojashin / cinema staff

6. Kesenai Yakusoku / fumika

7. Lost in wonderland / Tsuji Shion

8. Un-science / SHE'S

9. Meriru / SIX LOUNGE

10. WHERE? / Yoru no Honki Dance

This compilation is to credit Collection Artists over the years that hold a special place in my heart, apart from being more than recognized by their contributions to Klassic Note and my music library. Among them are classic artists I've missed all these years, and newer ones worth of mention.

TWO TOGETHER ~DANSHI TO JOSHI~

1. Ichirin no Hana / HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR

2. Cupid / LAMA

3. ONE / ALTIMA

4. Thinking Of You / ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

5. Nana Hitsuji / Scenarioart

6. Synchro Suru / Tokyo Karankoron

7. Brother & Sister / Iwasaki Kei/Iwasaki Ai

8. She knows / VELTPUNCH

9. Wakejanai / MaRuRi to Ryuga

10. NIGHT TOWN / Friends

This compilation is uniquely to represent artist with male and female vocals, as they have been a rising trend even within these 15 years coming. Whether it's a special collaboration, or just bands having duet vocals, they show how singing can be diverse with music in its own way.

ROOM FOR TWO ~FUTARI NO KOE~

1. Koisuru Kankaku -feat. Hanazawa Kana- / Base Ball Bear

2. Sono Koe Kienai yo feat. Sunya / fumika

3. Aitai to Negau feat. KOJIMA / Lil'B

4. Yozora. feat. Hazzie / miwa

5. Saisentan Girl feat. Uchida Maaya / Uesaka Sumire

6. Tomorrow featuring Kusuo / HOME MADE Kazoku

7. Tatoeba Utaenaku Nattara / STEREOPONY x Kariyushi58

8. Cannes no Kyuujitsu feat. Yamada Takayuki / Fujifabric

9. ENEMY feat.Kamui / THE ORAL CIGARETTES

10. Turing Love feat. Sou / Nanawo Akari

Not to be confused with the previous one, this compilation is to represent all the collaboration songs I have given all these years, and is independent of gender. Just two voices can show a lot about what makes a collab special, whether it's in chorus or with its own parts that constitute what works they made or sang together.

ONE HIT WONDER ~ICHIKORO~

1. D-tecnoLife / UVERworld

2. One Night Carnival / Kishidan

3. Ring a Ding Dong / Kimura Kaela

4. Dreamer / AiRI

5. saigo no bansan / mouse on the keys

6. Ame / MINAMI NiNE

7. Public / Bentham

8. Furin Kazan / G-FREAK FACTORY

9. Mononoke In The Fiction / Uso to Chameleon

10. Zettai Zetsumei / Co shu Nie

11. Eien no Fuzai Shoumei / Tokyo Jihen

12. Kimi e / Kayano Ai

13. monoqlo city / ACE COLLECTION

14. Jukebox Driver / Penthouse

15. Scar / Kitani Tatsuya

This compilation is to credit artists which only made a single impression since the beginning up till recent years (with the latter more relevant), and hopefully with this mention, will make me want to find out more about them if they have new songs to showcase. I try to find artists who are still active (as of November 2023) so you can also find them out if you are interested.

THE DETAILS

Yes, it's a little crude, but year me out. Instead of coming up with the theme for the compilations, I chose to think of concepts surrounding the artists I can give credit to, and the songs they have. So contrary to the usual process of picking songs based on themes, I have specific topics to touch on, and these define what I have for the overall concept for this, each with its purpose of creating a tribute to the artists I've listened to and adored.

I've also, thanks to the rise of generative AI this year, "enlisted" the help of AI to create the covers for this compilation series, special credit to Ideogram for all this help, as little as it might be. Still, it did a rather good job despite my not-so-specific prompts, and I think it will convey the message as well as I have imagined, considering I have no artistic talent to begin with.

And of course, the concept for this compilation series. The titles have been split into main and sub titles for two purposes:

• The main titles constitute the definition of "15" in #KN15YEARS; In case that was hard to understand, that is PODIUMS OF (10) + (2) TOGETHER + ROOM FOR (2) + (1) HIT WONDER = 15
• The sub titles have been specifically named in Romaji (Japanese-English pronunciations) to constitute the secondary purpose of being "The HIJK of Klassic Note", merging into the main 10th year compilation series I have came up with years ago; In case that was hard to understand, that is COLLECTION ARTIST (H)ITS + (I)CHIKORO + DANSHI TO (J)OSHI + FUTARI NO (K)OE = HIJK

And I think that is it for 15 years of Klassic Note! Unlike other years which I did write-ups for each year, but I think we are at the point where this is getting less and less important as I continue my days searching for songs which are similar or even familiar to the stuff I know of, it's hard to quantity anything novel or breakthrough-worthy to show trends or otherwise. Still, this is quite a nostalgia ride, so I'm glad to be doing this once in a while. What is up next from here on until two decades of me listening to Japanese songs? I have no idea, we shall see how this goes.

The journey goes on...

- Aozaki Shouhei, on the Klassic Note

The Klassic Note Review 2023.10 Issue 3

Damn, when they make me do reviews they make me do them all month!! *giggles* Well almost, I totally could've done one every week though.

Yes, we are back and just in time before the end of the month! This is not scary at all I promise you because unsurprisingly, we are back 4 years after we have left her in the ditch. *laughs* Well, I didn't I promise you, but it did take this long for me to review another one of her singles again. Thanks Anime, I may not have watched you but you did give me a fabulous ending theme song I can't even. *winks*

Happy solo artist 4th anniversary and of course, happy birthday Kitou Akari from 2 weeks ago!! Never too late alright she is already 29-

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

Kitou Akari - Magie x Magie [Single]

First Press Limited Edition

Regular Edition

Anime Edition

(You see, if you want her to look back at you, you have to pay for the more expensive Limited Edition. Idolism in a nutshell, by the way. I'm just grateful for the close-ups.)

Origin: I think many of us do not know of her from her songs, but might have known of her through Anime. Being a voice actress from the days I knew of her voicing in romance stories I liked, to singing super cool songs to please, Kitou Akari has all the talent. And I think this is a long time coming just because, when we finally have an excuse to let her sing love songs through and through, she is once again singing for Anime since she started in 2019, but now putting her adorable image on the line. This time around, this is undoubtedly the love song single and do not let the title deceive you, and we shall talk about what makes this work special.

(1) Magie x Magie [Trans.: Unblinkingly]

From the first chorus:

"(I) wish (you) would like me back the same

Even if (you) are constantly hesitating

The (idea, that we) both like each other

(If) wish came true (doesn't) that count as love?"

I think my first impression of this song wasn't from the music video which is basically fanservice, so I can talk about what's good about it. It's a love song, for starters, and it's a catchy tune thanks to Arte Refact (this single is composed and produced by them too), and most important of all, thanks to the lyricist for coming up with lyrics to make us love Kitou Akari all over again. With the word "like" sprinkled all over the place it really feels like overkill, but with meaning, this suddenly becomes more than a song of flirting, as reflected by the Anime it is credited on where the main girl has a crush on the main guy who she has known for a long time. The bridge might be a little long, little imperfections here and there, but overall, she sung it cutely and I have been liking this song as much as it liked itself, I think it has delivered the message. The music video is basically the artist in person showing all her love on camera, and I cannot thank that enough.

Rating: Lovingly Above Average

(2) Afterglow

From the first verse:

"The reason (our) eye sights entwined (was) coincidence

Reason(s) other than that

Because thinking about (otherwise) is pointless

It is coincidence (and) that is fine"

As usual, the B-side is what makes of this single a whole, and I think this is easily one of the most complete feels I can give on a love song: the feels of sunset, the feelings of love growing uncertainly, and everything else in between. Clearly this song's lyrics talk about a maiden falling in love over time, and afraid to show her feelings. This cannot get better than that, I know this is rather typical to tackle on such a theme for a song, but the lyrics just makes it all the more complementary than it should have. The melody overall is sweet to listen to, it has a short bridge part which turns everything around even in terms of the lyrics which might have been excessive in those extra notes in the melody, but I just adore the general chill feels, so that's good enough for me.

Rating: Sweetly Average

Conclusion: If you are a fan of Kitou Akari, you will love this single as much as I do. If you aren't, I feel like this also captured the Anime's mood real well, the songs are decent to catch anyone's first impression of her which is definitely a good start, and I wished they did something like this sooner. This is that typical one-two punch of love songs in a single that will make me purchase this without hesitation: It's the underlying fuel that keeps the music sung by idols going.

- Aozaki Shouhei, on the Klassic Note

(Okay if you really want me to nit pick on this beautiful single of love, I gotta say, unpopular opinion lest I get cancelled, is that Akarin doesn't sound that great to sing love songs. I know, but that's also why I think music label PONY CANYON put back on giving her love songs to sing but sing cool stuff which is much more her forte in my opinion.)

THE PACKAGE

I think we have seen the packaging on CD releases like these, so it should come as no surprise that its rather barebones even if I know this is an idolism package. *giggles* Still, the booklet has more to offer which I will not show just because, but you can take more beautiful-looking Akarin at your own dosage because as much as her fluffy pink outfit is the theme of her single this time around, I still liked normal-looking her with the long hair and even glasses, as you would see in the special gift bromide photo that comes with it.

Speaking of which, the special gift this time around I chose PONY CANYON's own store Canime just because in case you do not know I have a glasses fetish hehe, still is somewhat better than the others mainly because of the close-ups which is my other fetish lol, and since I just mentioned how I didn't like the themed outfit then I would say only Gamers came close to what I wanted out of this. So yeah, no hesitation on this one, those glasses got me good there. *giggles*

I'm doing this first a day before because next up!! Since I didn't buy just this just to pay a truck load of international shipping for no reason, this was bundled with a package which I will be talking about to end the month! Let's just hope the real horror is just the amount of money I had to pay and these high quality images I'm serving up with my new phone because damn, did I pad my order too much as usual. *giggles* I know right, who am I lying, this is pretty much what's up every month. *silence* See you then haha *dabs*

P.S. I feel like this is a trend but are singles of solo female artists in Klassic Note Review all just because they contain love songs? *laughs* Okay that's not true Asakura Momo's single from last year isn't it even though I gave two years worth of love songs from her lmao *dabs*

P.P.S.

"Does glasses suit me?"
Oh you bet they do, we know how you look like with glasses in private hehe *thumbs up*

The Klassic Note Review 2023.10 Issue 2

You asked for the CD reviews, you get more of the CD reviews. *laughs* Alright I asked for it, and even though my Friday evening is turning out to be a busy night somehow even with me wanting to do this, I shall gobble down whatever I had for Mac for dinner (lol) and press on! I know, this blog is more hectic than my work-

This time, instead of just talking about stuff I like lol this is just a mixed bag anyways, maybe we talk about what else fell into the requirements. *giggles* I don't think Ikimonogakari and/or nasuo-san here would be a great sample of my general impressions but maybe, hear me out, maybe we ditch single-track releases. *laughs* Hey a double A-side counts as a single without B-sides and is SURE to sell...?

Let's take the nostalgia trip to a month ago where all this began, maybe even further.

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

Ikimonogakari - Ureshikute / Tokimeki [Single]

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

(Damn, do they have to fulfil their credit obligations by putting both the main characters from the newest PreCure series, but the Regular Edition cover is actually representative of the band now and the theme of this release)

Origin: It has been a while since we heard of them, so maybe we start with introductions. Ikimonogakari is a three, no, two-piece band now since one of the members left a couple of years ago and that was still the saddest thing for me 15 years into listening to Japanese songs, but with his departure also shed a light to the remaining members the new age of music, and how much they can be relevant after all these years from the days when they started this before me. Going ahead, looks like their plan was still to sing songs that touch the hearts of people, maybe keep the production up to what is relevant instead of being stuck with their typical ballad songs, but still, this did not stop composer Mizuno Yoshiki from writing masterpieces for her high school junior Yoshioka Kiyoe to sing, so many years later. And that I think is still what makes them great, despite not being whole. This single is also their first physical single release since then, showing that they can create new songs to please, which I think this is worthy of talking about, once again.

[1] Ureshitkute [(Feeling) Happy]

From the first chorus:

"(I'm) so happy, shining

Flying above, fluttering

It's like the feelings of pursuing (my) first dream

Soar through the skies, shining

Laughing and crying, fluttering

Not being afraid, go ahead and hold someone's hand"

Walking in, you should have heartfelt feelings of motivation and happiness, and this goes very far into making sure that is the case on the production side, making sure this orchestra-level opening will get you and I. As with most Ikimonogakari pieces, to be complete is also to be long, so this one takes that honour for now in their new set of songs going forward. Nonetheless, a long song doesn't mean it's a drag, but more of emphasizing the lyrics along with using choruses, telling a tale of how people are strong together, what makes us whole, and what then makes us happy. This feeling of happiness, I assume very similar to the Anime movie "PreCure" plot they were credited in, truly making this a tearjerker in bliss. It does still suffer from the usual bridge issues, but I think it's minor considering the transition is a plus for the melody itself.

Rating: Happily Average

[2] Tokimeki [(Heart) Flutter]

From the first chorus: 

"The world is shining once again

This was what I decided on

The light of smiles, once again, (shining) beautifully

It's not just someone's life

I will continue to dance, hey you

On those fluttering days, that will never end"

This being a happy song even happier than the first song isn't just a coincidence, I would say this is even intentional, because for what was just encouragement and motivation, this one touches more on the feelings of overcoming obstacles, not giving up, and having that feeling of heart flutter one will have to move forward. "Courage", they call it. Also on point to the Anime "PreCure" series theme of heroines, but that doesn't mean they have to put the relevance in so much so they lose their identity. And that is how their songs can still be relevant that is the professional composer from Mizuno-san, for he will churn up the best of songs to fit any use case, and I would say he has done this better than the former, but this is just my opinion. Otherwise, you would be glad with an catchy, easy-listening tune, and an eye-opener worldview for its lyrics. These heartfelt words truly cannot get better than this.

Rating: Belovingly Average

Conclusion: Saying nice things about an artist I've listened to all these years may be being biased, but seriously thinking about it they didn't do anything bad after all these years, it was I that has changed, thus today me will rather recommend other artists to listen to. At this point, Ikimonogakari is my comfort food, my motivation in life when I need them, and something for me to remember by. And for that, I'm glad I did not give them up just as I was as sad of them for making a turn. I'm glad they didn't change much, and I begrudgingly still want more. Mizuno and Yoshioka, I'm counting on you guys.

And to wrap this up... (I like how this is not exactly ending material but)

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

nasuo - Hoshikuzu Requiem [Single]

Limited Edition

Anime Limited Edition

Regular Edition

(Rather appropriate cover for an Anime theme song single, but we know that's not the issue here)

Origin: This started months ago when I heard of the new season of Anime I intend to watch, and of all artists they choose nasuo-san to sing the ending theme song. Among the many social media posts of her covering earlier theme songs for the series, somehow, I feel like we have come back to square one even though just a year ago, I have talked about this indie artist turned into major label, with a particular Anime opening theme song. This time around though, I don't think this one left a better impression on me, but nonetheless, it does have its points, so let's talk about them.

[1] Hoshikuzu Requiem [Requiem of Countless Stars]

From the first verse:

"(Somehow) I was talking and laughing

I wanted to be special to you

That day, (it was) always a full moon

(Saying those) magical four letters

The things (that were) said here

(Had a) terrible detour

(Even if) it hurts but (I) like it

(I) wanted to touch (you)"

I thought I would be impressed by her once again, only to realize that this one lacked in areas because she has shown her true form from how she did songs from her indie days, with words to speak of inside its lyrics being the biggest problem in my opinion. I was never a fan of that, and I already know from her indie days that she was such a person, I even listened to her compositions. I was then dragged into giving this piece which, and though the dreamy mood does bring forth a sentimental feel, the lyrics did not bring much meaning into making sure the feels are as sentimental as the melody itself. The singing is also rather damped in most of the song, delivering a quirky mellow feel that I would not have hoped. I still appreciate the unique feels that this song was produced and presented though, the lyrics speaking of what was related to the Anime, if I had to talk about what's good about it.

Rating: Glaringly Below Average

Conclusion: I honestly do not know what to make of this single. For starters, I don't think I will recommend anyone on this unless you are interested in nasuo-san or are into the Anime series behind it. I am not exactly a fan of nasuo here, so I'll take the adequately presented mood of the song and support her once again. For a rather inexperienced indie artist, I would wish she will show us more what she can do without her indie flair, even if it's not what she intended it should be. My hopes will be on when we meet again, I'll be able look forward to that.

- Aozaki Shouhei, on the Klassic Note

(Damn, I feel like I should be less harsh but then again when's the last time I didn't like a single reviewed? Also her? F-)

THE PACKAGE

Okay, now that you know where my biases are haha, let's talk about what is different between them in physical. For starters, Ikimonogakari's single comes with the usual flair that I would have thought they did not continue on but they did. Just holding another of their singles is still unreal, maybe I'll need a reminder of when's the last time I got hold of one. 2016? Holy shit- And it only got worse when I saw the release-unique trading card with one less person on cover. Though sad stories aside, this is actually rather fitting of the theme of company, that one other person to join you on your journey, and that wood cut-out (by the way) describes it in all its glory, I would add. 

nasuo's single (left) and Ikimonogakari's single (right), for comparison.
The left one has a serious lack of anything extra

If we are talking about special gifts though, then this is going to be an even more compelling story. For nasuo-san's case, not did her single cost more than the other, unlike the last time we reviewed her (also) single track release, this one DID NOT HAVE A SPECIAL GIFT?? IKIMONO AT LEAST CAME UP WITH SOMETHING NASUO YOU MONEY GRABBING BITCH- Moving on haha, so instead I focused on Ikimonogakari's purchase and delayed the other single for as long as I can find someone else to ship it with. *giggles* Initially I was (also) thinking of CDJapan just because, but I learnt that as part of a list of supprting stores, the special gift for Ikimono's release will be character art from the Anime series which I do not want anyways, so I went for the artist cover postcard which will be available in selected stores, in which I ended up with Tower Records because you gotta remember that the online store has to house BOTH singles and nasuo's isn't exactly mainstream (lol) so I went with this compromise, once again, to get what I want.

I'm glad I got this because it's got messages from the members!
If I'm not wrong it's Yoshioka on the left, and Mizuno on the right

Well, I guess I will stop here for now, TGIF. *giggles* I will enjoy my sleep tonight to the fullest while I- It's that photobook, dude. I gotta let it out somehow. *laughs* Alright TMI already, and before I GTFO I better remind you of the blog's weekend schedule! I will do up the summary for Isobe Karin-chan's photobook because I feel like I can know more of her and she doesn't have Q&A segments like Lynn-san lol why do we keep comparing to her friend here, and then we will dive into the new season of shows and hopefully kick half of them out! *laughs* I still have more plans on blog posts up my sleeve (hehe) and there's the #KN15YEARS thing haha I did not forget, so stay tuned for that in the next couple of weeks. *wink* See (whoever) you guys (are) on Sunday! lol

P.S. Because Ikimonogakari's single has so much to talk about, and you can look at the postcard above for reference:

Not a couple, by the way.
But damn, does this bring in a lot of feels about the single and the band in general I can't even *sob*

The Klassic Note Review 2023.10 Issue 1

Yes, we already know Issue 2 is coming, just... look at tomorrow. *laughs* I gotta say though, we might even get an Issue 3 if I love Akarin so much I'll give her new single but not the Anime she was singing the title song for. *silence*

Moving on haha, we shall start the month of music reviews by talking about my new favourite band in town! Oh yeah, it's a rock band, no surprises there, but thinking that it came from an Anime I've watched all these years only made this more cool and/or important than ever before. Let's dive in! Because you know, ducklings?

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

w.o.d. - STARS [Single]

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

(As much as Ichigo is cool, I don't like it defining my music release covers so)

Origin: If you need the full name of the band name here lol, it's "webbing off duckling" if you visit their official website and I don't think finding out their name's origin is any important, so let's talk about how I knew of a new generation of major label artists for the past year thanks to Sony Music Japan. It's Anime series "BLEACH" and its final arc split into four seasons, so no surprises I will be getting new names for every season just for variety and because not like we can get Aqua Timez to sing no more (though ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION will be rad). Moving on from its past 20 years though, we were introduced to wonderful artists of this generation like Kitani Tatsuya, SennaRin who was backed up by the music producer behind the "Attack on Titan" series, and specifically this time around, of mention (at least for me) is w.o.d. itself. How are they different from the pack though? Maybe I'll let their hard grunge rock music do the talking.

[1] STARS

From the first chorus, from the English Version lyrics:

"Strain out your voice, slash away the night

Shouting at the top of your lungs

My heart is full of fear, please shoot through it with your voice

I don't have to be able to smile just like those days

Sadness and scars and everything

Take it all away with me

You can't kill my vide, oh baby

Burning out now, like a shooting star"

This song will give you an impression of real rock music. At least, that is how it worked for me despite its weak first impression, and I'm just thankful that "BLEACH" series author Tite Kubo did get to be involved in the supervision of this final Anime arc, which also means he has some involvement somewhere in approving this masterpiece which is as unique as it is, to say the least. The rock style is quick with a single riff in the intro, and everything else is history. It's a catchy melody which you will need to get used to, it had a short bridge and even then its lyrics are meaningful, singing a song of what main guy Ichigo would have sung to the people he wants to protect, specifically his friends and people around him. I would say I can hardly pick on this song besides its rough style, because putting star ratings on this song won't do it justice, to be honest.

Rating: 5-Stars Worthy Above Average

[2] My Generation

From first verse:

"Oh rubbish, I did it my way

Don't bother; Don't get in my way

Well! Kick out, I kick it out now

Hey listen, lights out"

Ah, and of course B-sides are why I buy singles in the first place, this one I heard of it in a rock festival video back in July. And since I heard of them through the Anime announcement, it wouldn't have hurt to deepen my impression of them, and even though I hesitate to give this in first impression, this is overall a very decent song. Not like it'll hold much meaning because I don't think it's deliberately doing so it's just being cool as I've mentioned about this band anyways, but it is still a solid tune. It gives off the street vibes of a youngster to say the least, and that to me is more than enough to define a new generation. Rowdiness, being hot-headed, all that stuff. Ah, what it feels to be young.

Rating: Defiantly Above Average

[3] STARS English Version

Refer to Track 1 for details of the melody and original lyrics, because I'm pretty sure this was directly translated from Japanese as it definitely felt the lyricist who is also the vocalist, was trying to fit the words into the song, and that is to say because he can write English lyrics with ease. That's all I will say though, just mention of the lyrics is already cool in retrospect.

Rating: Not Applicable

Conclusion: I think this is overall a real good single and perfect representative to stand on the frontlines of Japanese rock music, and not to say just for my music library just this year alone. It's short and sweet, it's mainstream as its best it's like I'm back when J-Rock was taking over the world I was in when I was a kid. Even if you aren't an Anime fan of the series, this single will fit right up your alley if you like some intense rock music like I do.

- Aozaki Shouhei, on the Klassic Note

(On a side note, this must have been the EASIEST lyrics translation EVER in this history of Klassic Note Reviews ever since I introduced that section because damn, the vocalist can write his own lyrics in both languages, so he wins. *giggles* Okay onto the package itself.)

THE PACKAGE

Of course, you should have known, this was part of the monthly(?) package shipped from Japan to my room, and this was no exception. It was an easy pick once they announced a CD release despite the digital singles having already appeared in April and July for the title song, for Anime. Still, it was an easy choice to get it since I didn't have to deal with new songs as I have already given, so that's a plus. Nothing much to specify on the CD here the theme here is befitting of its title, so the issue is then what to choose from the store-specific gifts that will come with the release.

The one I selected was from the major music label's own store SonyMusicShop where you will get an A3-sized poster of the main character in "BLEACH" series Kurosaki Ichigo, which I then found out that you also can purchase this from CDJapan? I feel stupid now lol but that was before I have a better idea of what this month's package was even going to be (or else I would've chosen the latter route as it'll save me in shipping fees; I'll talk about the other CDs in this in another post), so yeah, confusion overall, but I'm glad I got what I wanted.

Wow this was an easy run. *giggles* Unlike yesterday which man, is it hard to decide when to buy my new smartphone now that it's out. *laughs* In case you haven't heard, Google announced their new my generation (get it?) of Pixel phones as I've been waiting on this for a while, so much so my sis is into this, so plan is likely she will get her hands on one first while I wait for the holiday season discounts so I can justify buying a phone within my budget. *giggles* You know, I'm just stubborn weird. Just like how Google made sure the base and Pro versions are so different, I might even be scammed even with the 7 years of updates with only 1 year of warranty. *silence* Okay I can wrap this up now I will end this week with TWO more singles which I care less so I grouped them together instead. There's Ikimono dude how can I care less- Oh, one member less HAHA GOTTEM

P.S. I think I may have reached the limit, coming in to the 10th anniversary of The Klassic Note Review series:

We are soon to fill up the shelf!
Ooo, what will be up next? Maybe I shrink my CD player lmao
(NO NOT THE 5TH YEAR COMPILATIONS lol)

The Klassic Note Review 2023.08

Well this is rather expected of me haha we are only missing a month of this and we're back with more music talk? Hell yeah dude who says there isn't good new music to give nowadays haha

Anyhow, this is probably the most predictable release I've given thus far in the history of Klassic Note I would argue, as we are technically talking about an Anime's theme songs all sung by an artist that is not Hoshimachi Suisei as I've been relating to so far. *laughs* Fret not, she is nothing like her this one here is actually 16 lmao *dabs*, so let's see what is about her that made this a worthy of topic!

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

Tsuzuri - NAME [Single]

Tsuzuri Limited Edition

Anime Regular Edition

(I mean, what do you want me to say about this? I guess the artist image looks great for an artist we don't get to see the face of)

Origin: I don't think I know a lot of this 16-year-old virtual singer singing for an Anime major label, but I do know about the Anime, so maybe we talk about that. As the new season of Anime appeared and I have to deal with FIVE sequels I shall not mention of that anymore, "SukiMega" was the only series I picked up that was new, and so did I get fascinated by the arrangement of the opening and ending theme songs, especially the opening which is why we are here. Ironically, they intended to release both singles with each other's theme songs to make this a big selling point backed up by composers with name. And that's how I got to know this voice from the opening, and that it reminded me of virtual YouTuber Hoshimachi Suisei and her singing, still does sound uniquely different especially in the Anime music industry to stand out among the rest. Let's find out more on why.

(1) NAME

From last chorus:

"(I) want to get closer, closer

(I) will help with anything, because I'll protect you

Always always be by (your) side even if (we) get lost, (I'm) sure to find each other

(Our) hearts are fluttered and moved, does this feel weird

(I) want to know the name of this feeling"

This song just spells love in itself of course credited by the mood of the Anime itself of protecting someone without their glasses but this goes in a more generic direction, talking about how that brings them together and stuff. Melody-wise I think it's catchy enough to catch anyone's attention, but I'm particularly disturbed by the abrupt pauses especially till the end of the song where if you did not count your beats, you would be blasted without realizing which can prove to be irritating at times, but otherwise even the bridge part is smartly written I assume thanks to DECO*27 who wrote the lyrics. All around great feels though, definitely something that will get its name at some point.

Rating: Strikingly Above Average

(2) Metamoru [Metamour]

From first chorus:

"If (I) call this "affection"

Then "love" (should be) more sophisticated

Ah I don't know! Because (I'm) not yet there

(I'm) in the process between adulthood and (being a) kid"

I was initially weirded out by the song title, but now that I've listened to the song and its lyrics, I think this made sense. This is also a love song, no surprises there, but what struck me and probably youngsters out there is probably the heavy pop style which ironically did not deter me mainly because I've been listening to such genres over the years and am used to the technopop style it is repeating chorus after chorus, I am actually bopping to it at this point. The lyrics talk about stuck between being a kid and adult, so of course the feelings of love will be choppy and even misleading at times, and that love might be more complicated, and so the feelings will be all over the place. Interesting take on the lyrics, a heavy pop feel that's hard to beat, a short and concise feel which makes this a better song to recommend than even the title song.

Rating: Addictingly Above Average

(3) Megane-Go-Round [Glasses-Go-Round]

From first chorus:

"(I) don't have (my) glasses, (I) don't have (my) glasses the world looks like magic

Still don't understand, still don't understand the scenery that is expanding

(I) can't see, (I) can't see things yet I chase them down with you

Every day is a Glasses-Go-Round"

This ending theme song definitely sounds like a pun waiting to happen, but that's what happens when you do an unusual collaboration between the main couple's voice actors and singer-songwriter Ooishi Masayoshi because the latter wrote this song. In general though, this is as normal as it's decently good and even catchy in melody and the bridge part is fine, the lyrics makes sense tying in to the theme of the Anime of seeing way more without glasses on (because of people around you), just that this version is technically a cover song done by the opening theme artist herself as the other have done for her song too. So yeah, this has no special dialogues in the bridge part, no extra harmony, choruses are essentially just her, all that flair. Her singing does bring in the usual mature feminine voice not in the original though, which probably makes this cover in itself unique.

Rating (original song): Lovingly Above Average

Conclusion: This will be a rare recommendation even from me of a virtual singer at this time of age, but heck, I'll do it. This is a good release overall, and even if you have no idea of the Anime series, this will still make of a great start to listen to the new Anime singer in town who is trying to make a name (get it?) for herself at a young age. Hopefully with such a head start she can go far into the Anime music industry, because honestly saying? This start isn't too bad at all.

- Aozaki Shouhei, on the Klassic Note

THE PACKAGE

Well this one just came right on time with the next package incoming, so she was just here to join in on the ride unlike the last time we did this where I ended up burning a lot of money. *laughs* Still, this is already planned long ahead of time I was just waiting for the full release to confirm the B-side and hey it was good so here we are.

The hardest part is probably about choosing what special gift to take from this girl. Considering she is a virtual singer at this point (hehe) and the Anime is probably more prominent in significance than her, I chose to take Anime-related freebies instead of the aritst-based ones, so to speak. And we aren't even talking about the Limited Edition gifts and/or if you buy the ending theme song single too. *laughs* So goodbye to Neowing/CDJapan and Victor Online Store, I'm going with the likes of TOWER RECORDS and Gamers and ended up with Animate since it's a bromide photo of not the jacket cover so why not, I got enough badges. *giggles* 

That shall be it! This is a great single to listen to, just like the many bangers I have reviewed this year and it isn't even the ones that do not fall into the Review requirements of liking every song in the release, so yeah, this is a great year in The Klassic Note Review already. *giggles* See you in the next one actually we have an answer to that already which is kinda *cringe* considering I should ban single-track singles sometime soon, but until then maybe I should focus on anything new to give by the end of year. We shall see, it has been a blast so far just from not mainstream songs alone lol

P.S.

*ugh* *cringe* *laughs*

The Law of Diminishing Band Members (#KN15YEARS)

In Economics, The Law of Diminishing Returns states that:

...profits or benefits gained from something will represent a proportionally smaller gain as more money or energy is invested in it.

I wonder if this is similar with musical bands? Let's find out together in another #KN15YEARS post!

So hey! Welcome back. I thought of a great idea I've been experiencing recently, and I wished I thought of this earlier writing the earlier posts, so maybe I should talk about it now after all. I know we are technically done with this so far but continuing from the posts earlier this year, I feel like I can slot this in so relevant, I sometimes wonder why this eventually is the case.

Heck, still better than full bands disbanding amirite fellas??? *silence*

A BAND BEING TOGETHER

So, in case you don't know what music bands and/or groups are, let me fill you in. I'll talk more about how they function, because compared to a solo artist, these guys obviously do not get the full cut of the pay check if they were to try to keep themselves alive, such as with indie bands, and most of them will still be doing regular jobs apart from having this side job. As you progress to major music labels, your pay check I assume should be more stable no matter the number of members you have in your gang, but in this case, with the power of major label breathing down your neck, you are *sometimes* compelled to do things different from your usual style which has its pros and cons, like when you have to write for an Anime or drama series. Still, we cannot deny that this is at least how bands function today in Japan, and that can only means better things going on... or does it? 

WHY THE MEMBERS KEEP LEAVING

I like to think many a times, members keep leaving ate due to a couple of factors, so let me explain. Firstly, moving to a major music label. Yep, what makes them grow is also potentially their own poison. If you have been a keen ear for music following artists from when they were indie to their success, one would realize no matter how subtle that change is, that bands will transit into being more song production-focused instead of  song writing-focused, meaning that quality of any song may not matter that much as long as we can slap a electronic programmer or wind orchestra into the set. You may think this is making the music better, but one can easily notice why this is not relevant for example on rock bands when they don't bring the whole accompanying instrument team to the next rock festival, the song won't sound as good anymore. And that can be a drug in itself; what makes the song better also makes it feel cheaper and less representative of the band's style. But of course, this is not talking about everyone as bands like SHE'S and Ryokuoushoku Shakai make good use of their transition to major label, making them excel. But for occult styles like LILI LIMIT, I'm afraid that might even be a block as they struggle to find an audience to associate or just deviate from their unique style trying to.

Next, there's the diminishing returns idea. Let's assume for a moment, that bands are essentially based on one person, a single composer and producer. *looks at FINLANDS* *laughs* To add more to the band means paying more for the same production level unless you totally do not deal with other instruments or musicians involved with the production of such material (look at the back of the booklet of any physical release to find out more) in which will function well as a full-fledged band, but that also means they can be replaceable at any time feeling their lesser in importance, for example when Chatmonchy had to deal with their drummer leaving as they switch roles and instruments all around and also collaborating with other bands to make their music happen. And with the music trends moving and changing over time, older bands tend to fade away due to lack of popularity, and that is normally a time where bands will think of whether to move on, whether they have the backing of major label or not, which is what I assume is the reason for my beloved 2000s band Aqua Timez.

Then, there's the personal reasons. A lot of the band members that just chose to leave - especially if they aren't even doing as well and that is a metric we won't know unless we are them - to focus on their personal life, whether it's another career or just family, such as with Ikimonogakari's "secondary" composer and producer Yamashita-san, AILA's departure which led to the end of Lil'B, and Tokyo Karan Koron on their mom-to-be female vocalist. Remember, we just never saw the above, we only know of this reason just because.

HOW IT AFFECTS BANDS

At least in Klassic Note, we have seen many take a variety of rather predictive approaches including and not a complete list of the following:

• Use of "non-organic" methods to change music production/display
• Replace with new members
• Downsize or even disband

As I mentioned earlier, music production scaling is always just a trap in itself, and I don't think it's just because band members leave that this will ramp up, and it can also be because of this ramping up that will make the music not as good as the members would have wanted, but considering music production decision normally is down to a few people *sometimes* not involving all the band members themselves I have no idea on this, then maybe that it what it will take to make the music the same quality as before or better, if that is to be heard by the audience in due time.

Replacement of new members is normally the easiest way to do so if the band has their own acquaintances, such as with the revolving cast with ORESKABAND and their brass members due to their niche Ska genre which isn't popular in Japan but is overseas, and the members of VELTPUNCH changing each other album apart from the two main vocalists which are producers and composers themselves. Also worth mentioning are how KANA-BOON dealt with the... erratic behaviour of their missing bassist, how HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR had to try again for a few more years with a new female vocalist and eventually stopped a few years later, and basically every other idol group because they are as replaceable as paper cups in a pantry since they don't have the "band" aesthetic which is why maybe I should not talk about these cases.

And if they can't do any of the above due to lack of support from major label, bands can also choose to live with lesser band members on their team, typically compensating by doing lesser instrumentals in their songs or multitasking as percussions can be more diverse and one can technically do without certain levels of instruments in a song, but that is song production talk. SpecialThanks sit on the streets of Akihabara today to live with two members despite being four-member band just a couple of years ago. In more extreme cases though, bands like Yogee New Waves may choose to go on hiatus to re-evaluate their position after their guitarist left which might as well lead to their disbandment but let's not say for sure. Or as they snowball, the dissociation of Kalafina producer Kajiura-sensei also gave opportunity for their 3 singing members to leave the group and pursue their solo music careers which, once again, gave them more freedom (and money) to choose the style they want to achieve and not be stuck with their previous self, even if it's not going to be as popular as they are before.

Of course, there are exceptions to this change, such as with rock "band" FINLANDS with the vocalist and producer Fuyuko-san holding down the helm along with her solo artist career, so what else is there to say about these? Some are also inevitable in its nature, with the first in Klassic Note being the departure of Kuso Iinkai's vocalist and producer (RIP) bringing the band to an abrupt end and with no other decision to make. Holding on to the craft is as hard as you think it is, people. 

As I continue to pray for the survival of bands such as Cocoro Auction and nano.RIPE, I cannot help but think of how much smaller they will get because all they wanted is to make more music, or whether just like ORESKABAND and Base Ball Bear, they will have to downsize their members in order to fulfil something bigger than themselves. But I can only be more optimistic on whatever their decision may be, that is to preserve or continue on the genre or unique style of music they so love and enjoy making and playing. Hopefully by then we do not have to deal with Suchmos' unfortunate end before we even get interested in them so that inversely, we can help to promote their music to those who care.

The Klassic Note Review 2023.06

Well we are near the end of the month right now almost a month since this single released so I still hope it's relevant haha the only thing relevant is the delay and this appearing before the upcoming album lol

Hey, and welcome back. Didn't expect this to take this long, this could not have been part 2 for May since this released the last day of that month, so we are doing it the following month. Just, you know, didn't say when to do it so I might as well go on a shopping spree for a month, yes? Not like I can apply for the special bonus with the paper INSIDE of the CD, isn't it? Ironically it's longer though, 2 weeks long compared to the weekend of release date normally haha someone's being generous over here? No point I guess lmao

If you do not understand anything I said above that's fine, because I hope you like Anime songs!! It has been a while since I talked about more considering this is so typical of that genre, so let's!

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

TrySail - Karei One Turn / Follow You! [Single]

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

Anime Limited Edition

(Well, thanks for not close-up anyways, not like the 3 of them can fit in close enough but the Regular Edition is coming up tops as usual)

Origin: Well well, what have we got here? If you would recall of Anime group trio TrySail from last year, we have once again chanced upon an Anime release I would love to talk about, though less relevant as I did not watch the series, but at the least I know them well. Specifically of the girls in this idol group from MusicRay'n though, we should be familiar with voice actresses (from left to right of cover art) Natsukawa Shiina in yellow, Asakura Momo in pink and Amamiya Sora in blue, where they display their cutest and/or coolest for Anime and beyond. This time around, thanks to the gamer-oriented Anime series they were credited for, and ironically featured in its two opening theme songs thus the call for a double A-side release, they are here to convey the transition between the alternate world's game addiction to potential immersion and even confession in the loveliest way possible.

(1) Karei One Turn [Gorgeous One Turn]

From first verse:

"Stress (is a) big enemy! (Let's eat) chocolate, potato chips, beef bowl (to destress)

Piling up mouthfuls for motivation!... Also blew away the sense of guilt

(I have) done it again... Oh well whatever"

This should get the attention of many on the first time you hear it, but for my case maybe it's really me understanding the lyrics too well, but the gamer talk in the lyrics about SSR and turns and levelling up sure is aggravating as it is also super relevant to the Anime credit it was in, so I cannot even complain to say the least. I ended up liking the pop beats in this song, the melody is better than the Anime usual which is nice, their usual fast tempo in singing is also exhibited here among other things from the different vocalists, it's overall a nice song to listen to. If you don't even get the lyrics then all the more this will appeal to you, not to say the appeal of the Anime series to the young masses in the first place. The music video expands this even further, making the girls look their part for the credit. Girl gamers, but cuter.

Rating: Playfully Average

(2) Follow You!

From main chorus:

"Oh My God!

(Am I) not cute at all, sorry for being too strong pulling (you) away

This is (a) misunderstanding... no, correct answer because (our) combined answer is the future; Follow You!"

As usual, the other side is probably what got me more into this release in the first place. On first impression, this is definitely a more palatable piece, with a simpler melody despite a longer bridge part which is typical, and more relevant lyrics as the Anime takes a turn for romance in the second half of the series, changing the mood from hyper to somewhat sweet even romantic, and I can't stop saying nice things about it in the lyrics. I guess listening to this over time, I can never get over the extra notes on every other line of the melody which is typical of Anime songs today to distinguish themselves apart, but I still think this is a decent song that I will like over time. The lyrics just sing to me of someone who desire company I assume with relation to playing video games, but still. It's something to be embarrassed about, and that is what makes of a good love song, isn't it?

Rating: Lovingly Below Average

Conclusion: This is quite a single I have heard from TrySail for quite a while, last time being exactly a year ago with an Anime that I watched. Even then, this single delivers in its unique message of gamer talk with cute girl singing voices, so it will appeal to the male audience much easier than ever despite not being under a strong Anime series credit. If you aren't interested in the Anime like me, then this is still a wonderful single, combining all the hype about pop songs and adding some spice into it, this is easily a recommendation to listen to outside from the mainstream.

- Aozaki Shouhei, on the Klassic Note

(I sound harsh, isn't it? Haha I gotta say initial impressions aren't great so I'm writing that out. A month later though... I actually love these songs because they are so different from everything I'm listening this month already, I cannot ask for anything better *giggles* Unrelated you think my video game-loving imouto Nan-chan is triggered by the lyrics in the songs? *laughs*)

THE PACKAGE

The moment I knew, buying from a different store was worth all the effort (and money)

I hinted earlier I got this under a huge package and it's also the reason why this took so long, but heck, you can read that on another post, we will talk about specifically just the physical music release here!

As you can see, it's the usual fanfare of CD plus special gift bromide photo with the only exception that this time around, I opted for an online store I otherwise could not buy from directly, so thanks TSUTAYA ONLINE SHOPPING for giving this gift to me featuring the artist image I really did not intend to buy a used one through auction house. *giggles* Otherwise, you would be glad to know this is the best on the list of photos I have seen, but you know, other ones exist like Animate (which I bought used lmao), HMV Japan because Nan-chan is cute hehe, 7-Net Shopping or even Rakuten Books are also fine. 

In addition, and since I hinted (lol) in the intro I will explain in detail here, normally (because it's related to MusicRay'n) they would rather prefer you to pre-order the releases, get them shipped to you within the week from the release date of Tuesday which is one day before the actual referred to as "Flag Day", and because the application window is smaller it's meant to target these fans, but I assume maybe considering this is a end of month release and they are being generous(?), the application window has been extended to one month later ie. end of the month ie. a day after this review, so I'm lucky to have caught on. I just wish I can win something over here I opted for the bromide set because see previous post lmao because damn I will never hang a huge poster in my room *looks at Moeshi calendar* nor do I need a tote bag for anything else since I literally bought one- It's nice to have constraints, huh. Well, for bromides there is no limit I'll buy as many photo albums to house them *dabs*

Well, that's all. Hopefully I will spend more time on this blog today and tomorrow (that table on the previous post took me a lot of time tbh) to also push out more posts for Klassic Note I have one more #KN15YEARS post I want to do, and then we will dive into the new season of Anime this weekend!

P.S. It's idolism I gotta show more haha you're welcome this is from the booklet

*blessed*

The Klassic Note Review 2023.05

I'm like "oh Suzuki Airi's new single is here" and I'm still humming on her major debut song lol hey what can I say that song was great I reviewed it too last year I liked that one. *giggles* Oh well, let's see if this can update my impression of her.

This was on the mailbox last night when I saw my dad open it (lol oops) and apparently it can fit in there but there is no way I could have done that AND published a post yesterday *wink*, so here we are a day later with another Klassic Note Review! Hey, we almost got a post each day for this week. Almost. Still, I feel like this will be a thing to talk about a month later, so let's get to it!

音楽 The Klassic Note Review

Suzuki Airi - heart notes [Single]

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

(Oh come on, artist cover art for sure Suzuki Airi is a beauty who even cares about Shinomiya Kaguya)

Origin: Well, it has been a long time coming, but to be honest, this might be her last time coming. With the end of Anime series "Kaguya-sama" and her from being featured in the Anime opening theme song with "Anison's newbie artist" Suzuki Masayuki to now singing her own songs with her major label debut which we have reviewed a year ago, and now this. She has come a long way as long as the Anime series itself. As I ponder how these artists can hit me time and time again, I then realized I got tired quickly of the opening theme but focus myself more on the insert and ending theme songs which is where this Suzuki here comes in. With one last chance to impress, she puts forth an emotional song for us to remember.

[1] heart notes

From first chorus:

"Always as lost (as I am)

(I) chanced upon (you)

All of this became

Only (of) my very own feelings

My heart notes

The sweetness and bitterness

(I) will embrace it all

All of it"

How should I feel about this... firstly, emotional. It represented the end of the Anime series it was credited in, so of course we will feel that way. But more importantly, was what I came out feeling listening to it. The lyrics spell an easy tale of company, in the form of synchronization of heartbeats of sorts and thus the song title and as it was mentioned throughout the song, it's a song of strong feels as it is of a confession. To be with and accept all that they are without holding back, it draws similarities with the conclusion of the animation itself, and you can take my word for that. The melody is an easy-listening tune without much quirks, and of course suffers from the usual bridge issues in this case for being rather long in my opinion, but that is very typical of Anime theme songs, so I am not going to complain. Enough to please, not enough to remember, would be my impression.

Rating: Touchingly Average

Conclusion: This is just a single-track single to rip me off, and that is though the harshest thing I can say, I have given quite a lot of thought about how to like this. It is still a great emotional ballad I can't deny its greatness, but as much as it has proven its worth, it did not touch my heart more over the Anime it was featured in. Nonetheless, I still think this was worth a listen, and fans of the series will appreciate this as being the conclusion of what was romance.

- Aozaki Shouhei, on the Klassic Note

THE PACKAGE

Okay relax, don't be too surprised by this, this is not a buy-her-single-get-a-stack-of-whoever-that-is-bromides kind of offer (lol), but thanks to CDJapan's proxy shopping service and my failure of getting the latter into the package I'm shipping in soon basically next week hehe, so I had to add it to this since in this case, they could get the product for me. So ignoring that!! *laughs* Let's talk about how awesome this solo artist's physical packaging of just a single song is, shall we?

For the special bonus though, I chose to take the same one from all the other stores (which should have been an extra sticker of the cover but I guess not?) instead of any of the usual ones like Animate or Amazon Japan since the bonus is actually a selection of three random photos (plus one rare but we don't talk about our chances at that lol) regardless of your purchase from which store and also for the above reason, but also that not like the others are exactly that great or is worth an incentive to make me get them through other places considering the charges, so don't mind me if I'm just taking a simple bromide photo of Suzuki Airi here.  I mean, I got two of these and NONE of Kanno Mai?? I'm a disgrace lmao

It's all solo artists, huh. I could've dumped in Fuchigami Mai's new single if hers isn't Limited Edition only which I have stated I will never simp on solo artist music video Blu-Rays haha good for me on keeping this record going, but that is what happens I will just miss some of these. You can blame my 2013 self for skipping that one miwa single back then for all this. *giggles* Anyways, hopefully we can get more mainstream listens in here soon but unlikely haha, I can actually make a statement about how much I love Japanese women singing. *silence* See you then. *laughs*

P.S. IRL update lol because I will say it tomorrow again, just Kanno Mai Instagram live is a joy. You should watch it live someday. *giggles* It's like a long distance call with my not girlfriend, dude. *laughs*