Hello! It’s been forever since I last posted :sweatdrop:, and I apologize for that!! (I hate being so busy!)

Anyway, to start I will give you the AWESOME VIDEOS OF THE POST!

4#    (Yes, this isn’t exactly a video but I love the song. *sigh*)

3#

(lol)

2#

(Not really a video either, but I love to be with my sis and do “Hey Cait! *Plays video* YOU DROP DA BOMB!! )

THE NUMBER 1 VIDEO (for now anyway)!

Now, we say MORE… >:D

As for my writing currently, I am putting my time into a new story. A mystery to be precise, woooo. I have to get it to 5,000 words, so I have quite a ways to go before I can start work on chapter 2. X/

And here are some random thoughts musings and things I thought up…

- COULD IT BE… Silence?

-After a long day, I lie down on my pillow to sleep. My first thought? “Ew, this pillow stinks!”

- Apparently, there’s a reason  why socks don’t go in the blender…

-”MENTAL HEALTH CENTER. HIGH RISK SUICIDE UNIT: TOP FLOOR”

-DOES THERE HAVE TO BE A REASON WHY I’M DANCING?!

-”In a world without coffee…” Forget it man, there is no world without coffee!

-I broke my toilet today, something to do with squirrels, plastic eggs, and Cool Whip.

That’s it for now, come back later!

-Maki

I feel like I should at least let folks know I’ve managed to not accidentally drown myself in alcohol yet (actually, for the record, the last time I drank was over two weeks ago anyway). I am still pretty massively down in the dumps, though, so I thought I’d just compile a list of good anime music to listen to when you’re feeling completely bummed out.

The List

• Aya – OVER NIGHT (Le Chevalier D’Eon ED)
• dream – My Will (Inu Yasha OP 1)
• Yui Horie – Vanilla Salt (Toradora! OP 1) (no, I don’t know why I can stand this when I’m sad, but it makes me feel a little better)
• Lia – Toki wo Kizamu Uta (Clannad~After Story OP)
• Lia – Tori no Uta (AIR OP)
• Mike Wyzgowski – Nothing Can Be Explained (Bleach insert song)
• Naomi Kaitani – Tooi Kono Machi de (CardCaptor Sakura 1st Movie ED)
• Nightmare – Lost in Blue (Mouryou no Hako OP)
• Mamiko Noto – Ichinuke (Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae ED)
• Mamiko Noto – Karinui (Jigoku Shoujo ED)
• Shinkichi Mitsumune – Shi no Aphrodite, Aphrodite Scat, Shi no Aphrodite: Reminiscence of Death (Revolutionary Girl Utena BGM’s; all these tend to associated with Juri, if I’m not mistaken, and are different versions of the same song)
• Shinkichi Mitsumune – Fruit of Sin (Rev Girl Utena BGM)
• SNoW – NightmaRe (Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori OP)
• Kanon Wakeshima – Suno no Oshiro (Vampire Knight Guilty ED)
• Weiβ kreuz – Epitaph (Weiβ kreuz soundtrack song) (Weiβ kreuz is also the name for the recording group which consisted of the four voice actors for the main characters in the show)
• Weiβ kreuz – Last in My Winds, One More Angel, Stone Roses (Weiβ kreuz Gluhen ED), The Road, Shadows and Lights, Shindemo Ii (Weiβ kreuz is actually a pretty good source for this kind of music since the whole show was basically one big angstfest)
• Marina Inoue – Houseki (Petit Cossette ED)
• Yuuko Sasaki – Pure Snow (better known as a J-pop track, was the ED for some forgettable harem-type show)
• Rio Natsuki – Namida-iro no sora ni wa… (Battle Athletes Victory insert song)

The J-Pop List

• Ayumi Hamasaki – Endless Sorrow
• Ayumi Hamasaki – Powder Snow (acoustic)
• Ayumi Hamasaki – Still Alone
• Dir en Grey – Zakuro
• Dragon Ash – Melancholy
• The Kinki Kids – To Heart

I used to have some Hysteric Blue that was good for when I felt sad, but for some reason I can’t find it on my computer… and I deleted all my Mr. Children stuff because he’s too fucking sappy.

Thanks for the condolences on the last post. I’m still pretty down about the whole thing, but I’m feeling better than I was last week, so there’s some improvement. Sorry for clogging up the internets with the scourge of the aniblogosphere, a.k.a. personal stuff.

P.S. – Okay, I lied, I started drinking with a friend, but they left and I’m still tipsy, who wants to be my AIM buddy? (not AiM buddy!) (she has a hot voice)

Ha..ha..get it?

Crimson leaves are starting to fall, and rockers far and wide are digging up corsets, frock-coats, and implements of bondage to identify with the gloomy change in weather.

The other day I was talking about how Halloween is coming up, and how I will be spending it at a con. I hope the rest of you have interesting plans for the gloomy un-holiday. I at least hope that you have a party to attend, where much Malice Mizer will be blaring. Martha Stewart suggests complicated green curries cooked in gutted pumpkins, and acrylic-nail application parties for Les Halloween ‘09. But we’re a long way from Connecticut, Visualists…

Visual style has wormed its way into the apple of rocker fashion. Most Visualists are rooted strongly in their individuality and creativity, hacking their own look into the world of Visual style. However, because of the nature of Visual style and the rising popularity of Visual Kei as a mainstream genre, it has also transcended personal style and gone into the, shall we say, band-boy-band-girl and/or cosplay modes of expression. A lot of people who appreciate Visual Kei style and music feel that cosplay and band-fan-dom is a way of forging a closer bond to their favorite artists and bands.

Although I personally believe in Visualism and Jrock as a life-source, not to mention life-style, I also believe in cosplay  as legitimate means of expression and appreciation of bands and idols. Even if you decide to do a simple cosplay, and can’t find all the Moitie accessories to glam up your Mana-sama, cosplay well, (and this goes for everyone across the board—) and cosplay with integrity. There’s nothing less appreciative of a band or specific band member than half-assing your depiction of them. If you’re short on time, cash, garb, gear, or all of the above, consider simplifying your effigy by focusing on several very characteristic traits (hairstyle and makeup, for example…whatever the personality is really defined by.) and toning down the other elements. For example, Kanon Wakeshima? Broke? Full-time job (yup, they do go together)? Con in a week? Simple solution! Focus on the hair and makeup and any accessories you can manage, and then try and emulate the experience and sentiment of her outfit without actually recreating it in full! This is much more appropriate than buying a $14 cheesy prom dress from Salvation Army and hauling a cello around.

…and remember…next year, start making the costume right after the convention, not right before. (To be fair, I tried this and failed miserably. Wish me luck that I don’t return a hypocrite….Not that you’d know  either way ).

Whether you’re seeking to improve your own Visual style, or considering cosplaying your favorite band-member, here is something that may help along the way– and remember, do your best, and have fun! ganbatte ne!:

If you’re totally green to Visual style, but want to go the whole nine yards, a DVD was released in September called Visual Makeup Lesson. The DVD has a variety of lessons to show Visualists how to do typical Visual Kei style makeup. Japanese language with English subtitles. Learn it from the best– and by that I mean, of course, learn it from the Japanese…

Visual Makeup Lesson (English Subtitles)

Hello! Today, I will be writting about some beautiful songs you should listen to.  Since Canada is already starting to get cold, why not listen to some relaxing songs on those rainy days? Here are both some english and japanesse songs to relinquish your thirst for new music.

LATE NIGHT ALUMNI-RAINY DAYS

1. If you want a beautiful song with a slow yet upbeat melody, soothing voice, and some sad lyrics, Late Night Alumni’s Rainy Days  is for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unmHg382HtA

SILENT HILL-ROOM OF ANGELS

2. This hauntingly beautiful song will leave you with goosebumps. Enough said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R_tIUyvsRc

KANON WAKESHIMA-SUNA NO OSHIRO

3. If your a fan of anime , particulary of vampires , you bound to know the anime/manga Vampire Knight. This song has wonderful Kanon Wakeshima playing the cello , and her stunning voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4rJLmYxJlA

MAMIKO NOTO-AIZOME

4.  wonderfull. A MUST for sad days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoEbc5FosRk

 AMY LEE-SALLY’S SONG

5. This cover song is sung by Amy lee. It has a nice woefull tune, but very very pretty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5_ks-dhCtU

There you go, five songs to listen on rainy days, or if you just want to relax. Enjoy…♥

Kanon Wakeshima is a young Japanese cellist and vocalist who made her debut on March 2009. She is produced by the legendary Mama-sama (Malice Mizer; Moi Dix Mois).  Genre: Visual-Kei, Neo-Baroque, Neo-Classical

 [Single] Still Doll – DOWNLOAD

1. Still Doll
2. Kuroi Torikago
3. Still Doll (Orgel Version)

[Single] Suna no Oshiro – DOWNLOAD

1. Suna no Oshiro
2. skip turn step♪
3. Suna no Oshiro (instrumental)
4. skip turn step♪ (instrumental)
5. Suna no Oshiro (orgel version)

[Album] Shinshoku Dolce – DOWNLOAD

1. Sweet Ticket
2. Shinku no Fatalism
3. Kagami
4. Still Doll (album version)
5. Maboroshi
6. Ennui kibun!
7. Suna no Oshiro
8. Monochrome Frame
9. L’espoir ~mahou no akai ito~
10. Kuroi torikago
11. skip turn step♪
12. shiroi kokoro
13. sweet dreams

Artist: Kanon Wakeshima
Release Date: February 18, 2009
Label: DefSTAR records
Personal Rating: 5/5

1. sweet ticket
2. Shinku no FATALISM
3. Kagami
4. still doll (album ver.)
5. Maboroshi
6. Annyui Kibun!
7. Suna no Oshiro
8. Monochrome frame
9. L’espoir -Mahou no Akai Ito-
10. Kuroi Torikago
11. skip turn step♪
12. Shiroi Kokoro
13. sweet dreams
—————————————————————————————-
The still doll (album ver.), Kuroi Torikago, Suna no Oshiro and skip turn step♪ were each released on their respective singles but all songs were given positively high ranks. (Duh, she could really sing and play!)

As the talented cello player she is, it was expected for tracks like sweet ticket and sweet dreams to appear as the interludes of the album.

Shinku no FATALISM, L’espoir -Mahou no Akai Ito- were fast paced with many gothic and dark elements that had a pinch of synch and beats which displays the different genres that Kanon had attempted to incoporate into her songs.

Kagami, Maboroshi and Monochrome frame takes the pace a little bit slower with even more darker elements but turns out to be an even more mysterious track with the cello playing darkly in the background. There were even some bells playing.

In contrast to some of her gothic songs, Annyui Kibun and Shiroi Kokoro seems to be the only non-scary song on the album. I personally preferred Shiroi Kokoro since the ballad really sounded elegant with the beautiful strings (mainly piano and cello) in the arrangement.

Some people may have rated Kanon’s debut album as average or okay but I thought that it was one of a kind! I’m pretty sure you know how I really LOVE Japanese ballads with string arrangements. The one element that really stands out in this album is the dark sound that I don’t hear from Japanese artists so very often so Kanon kind of introduced me to a different style than what I usually listen to.

Personal Rating: 5/5

Artist: Kanon Wakeshima
Release Date: November 12, 2008
Label: DefSTAR Records
Personal Rating: 4/5

1. Suna no Oshiro
2. skip turn step♪
3. Suna no Oshiro (Instrumental)
4. skip turn step♪ (Instrumental)
5. Suna no Oshiro ~Orgel Version~
————————————————————————————————
I have a feeling that all Kanon Wakeshima reviews will be completed soon….like tomorrow…

Anyways, Suna no Oshiro is her second single but with a more faster tempo. (Yes, her mysterious voice is still there…) It has the same elements as still doll; everything sinister from instrumentals to vocals. Everything. The end sounded like someone got turned into ashes or something. Good song but I just wished she mixed up somethings so that it wouldn’t sound similar to her first single.

The title, skip turn step♪ sounds something so un-gothic that it took me by surprise. Instead of gothic oriented instrumentals and vocals, the B-side takes on the positive mood. Her vocals not only sing on the higher pitch but the cello supports her somewhat “bouncy” voice by being “bouncy” as well. The song was quite unexpected which really makes me want to listen to more Kanon releases since her genre range could be really high.

Is it just me or Halloween has just left the house?

Personal Rating: 4/5

The debut album of Wakeshima starts off with sweet ticket which is of course an intro track that sounds like the music you’d hear at some sort of twisted Funhouse. I like the dark nature of it though, very sweet indeed, an interesting start to the album, definitely makes you curious to hear the rest.

The first full length track Shinku no Fatalism Crimson Fatalism is something else. It sounds like a less interesting version of Still doll, arrangement-wise only, so it was a bit dull, even if the cello was pretty prominent and she can play. It sounded very creaky an old, like an abandoned house that isn’t really has scary as people make it out to be. Wakeshima’s vocal performance was oddly loud (so was the arrangement to be truthful), and she didn’t really do anything with it. This track was also short, and just ends, I really hate when songs do that.

This next track Kagami Mirror is pretty dull and I say that because it doesn’t seem to be any different from the previous two tracks. It plays off that whole spooky, haunted house type vibe thing the intro and the first track had going for it and makes it duller. I mean I can appreciate the cello, but if I’m uninterested this early in the album, there’s a problem and why does her voice sound so loud, is it just me?

Why oh why did Wakeshima decide to change Still doll up? There was nothing wrong with the original. This is so disapointing; basically this album version takes all the brilliance out of the original and turns it into some hollow shell of it. This is just boring, and had she left it alone it would have most likely been the stand out track on the album, but since she didn’t it just becomes like all the others minus the intro, forgettable.

Maboroshi Phantom puts a light spin on the dark and creepy vibe and manages to not sound so threatening, but that doesn’t change the fact that it isn’t anything new and sounds like everything else I’ve already heard, seriously. Wakeshima’s vocal performance isn’t as loud, but it wasn’t interesting or different either, another unmemorable track.

What was this? Ennui Kibun! Boredom Feelings! spells out my mood perfectly as I listen through and review this album. This is definitely different, but its not a good kind of different, just a different that makes you wonder what the hell you’re listening to and why you’re still listening to it. The arrangement doesn’t shy away from the light-ness that the previous track offered, but builds up on it; the arrangement seems sparse, but every once in a while I’d hear this sort of trickling, sparkling sound that was weird. Wakeshima’s vocal performance was odd to say the least, she still isn’t doing anything with her vocals aside from not sounding so loud. This is a pretty quirky track, especially with the sounds of her humming and washing her hands at the end (what was the point?), though it doesn’t stop it from being boring.

The second and last single of the era Suna no Oshiro Sand Castle still sounds like a re-hash of Still doll to me, and is even more uninteresting this time around than it was on its single. I’m not saying its bad, but it just does not compare to Still doll. I like the arrangement, even though its still the same type of dreary, and dark sound that was present at the beggining of the album; I’ll admit Wakeshima’s vocal performance is all right for once. I do like the backing vocals, the haunting oh’s and ah’s in the background, the only thing about this song that really stood out, otherwise this is the same ol’ same ‘ol.

The only thing I really like about Monochrome frame was the rather lovely and elegant arrangement that made me think of ballroom dancing and was a bit old-fashioned, which is always a nice touch, other than that there really isn’t much difference from what I’ve already heard. Its all right though.

L’espoir ~Mahou no Akai Ito~ Hope ~Magical Red String~ is just like every other song on this album that I have listened to. Its a shame, because with a title like Hope ~Magical Red String~ it could have made for a pretty interesting song. I don’t even really remember it and I listened to it twice.

I’m not sure why Wakeshima decided to use the b-side Kuroi Torikago Black Birdcage off her first single, because I didn’t like it on the single and I don’t like it now. Its too short to makes any real impact and pales in comparision to its a-side. The cello is amazing, like it is in all the other songs, but there’s no difference either, its pretty forgettable.

skip turn step♪ is a much better b-side than Kuroi Torikage was, but its still pretty plain and doesn’t do anything for me. Its pretty cheery, like the arrangement is lighter than even Maboroshi and Ennui Kibun! so that makes it a bit different, but a lot creepy. I thought Wakeshima’s vocal performance was interesting, but I just hate how she doesn’t do anything with it. This is another all right track.

I was a bit into this next track Shiroi Kokoro White Heart if only because it seemed like Wakeshima was really into the song and it drew me in, as well as the dreary atmosphere of the arrangement which made me think of storm filled skies. Its nothing new, not really, but I thought it was decent.

The album ends with sweet dreams a rather simple music box melody, wow.

Suna no Oshiro
Monochrome frame
skip turn step♪
Shiroi Kokoro

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect much from this album, because I kind a already knew what the formula was going to be, but I thought she was going to at least spice it up and make it a bit different, because this album has no replay value whatsoever. Shinsoku Dolce Dolce Violation sounds like a soundtrack for a b-rate paranormal/horror movie or something of that vein. The arrangements all sound alike, Wakeshima didn’t really do anything with her vocals, because her voice sounds the same on every track just different degrees of volume. Its been a while since this album was released and she hasn’t released a post-single yet either, so who knows when we’ll hear from her again, if we do, especially considering that this album didn’t do anything. Wakeshima was a breath of fresh air, but only for a moment, because I was floored by Still doll (I’m still upset with the album ver.), but I guess my enthusiasm died with that.

Kanon has been busy going around the world promoting her debut album, but it seems she’s been busy recording new material also.  Her song titled “透明の鍵” (sorry, can’t translate it) will be used as a theme song for an online game called “Avalon no 鍵” (sorry again, can’t translate last part).  A preview of this song can be heard on the game’s site and I believe this song may be released as a single in December.  I’ll post more on this when new info comes but you can check it out with this link.

http://www.avalon-online.jp/

Official Site: http://www.kanonweb.jp/

(SINGLE) Toumei no Kagi (The Invisible Key) - TBR

[xxxx.xx.xx]

Coming Soon

(ALBUM) Shinshoku Dolce (侵食ドルチェ)

[2009.02.11]

Tracklist:

1. sweet ticket
2. Shinku no Fatalism (真紅のフェータリズム)
3. Kagami (鏡)
4. still doll (album ver.)
5. Maboroshi (マボロシ)
6. Ennui Kibun! (アンニュイ気分!)
7. Suna no Oshiro (砂のお城)
8. Monochrome frame
9. L’espoir ~Mahou no Akai Ito~ (L’espoir ～魔法の赤い糸～)
10. Kuroi Torikago (黒い鳥籠)
11. skip turn step♪
12. Shiroi Kokoro (白い心)
13. sweet dreams

Download Here

(SINGLE) Suna no Oshiro (砂のお城)

[2008.11.12]

Tracklist:

1. Suna no Oshiro

2. skip turn step♪

3. Suna no Oshiro (Orgel Version)

Download Here

(SINGLE) still doll

[2008.05.28]

Tracklist:

1. still doll

2. Kuroi Torikago (黒い鳥籠 Black Birdcage)

3. still doll (Orgel Version) (still doll (オルゴール・ヴァージョン))

Download Here

砂のお城 by Kanon Wakeshima

1.) 砂のお城
2.) skip turn step♪
3.) 砂のお城 (instrumental ver.)
4.) skip turn step♪ (instrumental ver.)
5.) 砂のお城～オルゴール・ヴァージョン～

Released: November 12th, 2008 ~ Highest Chart Position: #39 ~ First Week Sales: 2,787 ~ Total Sales: 4,179

砂のお城 is Kanon’s 2nd single and the final single in the 侵食ドルチェ era. The title A-side was used as an ending for Seasons 2 of Vampire Knight.

砂のお城 starts with a very frantic start of just cello playing. I adore how Kanon plays the cello for the introduction. Kanon’s vocals however ruin this song for me. She comes off very breathy in the verse. I guess she was trying really hard to sound creepy or something. At least she gets rid of that nasty breathy voice for the chorus when she sings out with more power in her voice. The song isn’t as memorable as still doll sadly. Maybe if Kanon didn’t sing with such a breathy tone I would have liked this song a bit more.

skip turn step♪ takes a more playful setting. Kanon’s vocals are playful and cute sounding. While the instrumentation is fun itself. It reminds me of walking through rain or something. My friend over at V I S U A L Mind did comment on how the song lyrics are about dancing in the rain. However the instrumentation reminds me of video games too xD Mainly the 80’s video game eras. Sounds like Castlevania or something. Nice B-side.

I think I liked 砂のお城 (instrumental ver.) more than the one with Kanon’s vocals in it. The instrumentation is very strange. The strong drums and synth or whatever in the background is great. Giving off a great creepy vibe.

skip turn step♪ (instrumental ver.) has such a french sounding start XD I love this track too. Kanon has very interesting arrangements in her songs.

YES, MUSIC BOX VERSION. 砂のお城～オルゴール・ヴァージョン～ starts with the whirling of a music box. This one is so much creepier than still doll. I just adore this version. It’s so creepy, so scary, so awesome!!

砂のお城 did feel like a step-down from still doll. But I still liked this single. 砂のお城 has a strong chorus, while skip turn step♪ had a nice vibe throughout the whole song. 砂のお城～オルゴール・ヴァージョン～ pretty much saved this single though. I love music box’s xD

B+

I just bought one of my textbooks on Amazon, and they surprised me with this nice little “$5 Off Any Amazon MP3 Song or Album”. I’ve heard about the Amazon MP3 store for a while now, but I hadn’t had the opportunity, or the will to use it, since I was quite happy with iTunes Plus, which is still $0.99 for most of the songs I listen to. For this test, I picked up Shinskoku Dolce by Kanon Wakeshima. The quality is excellent, and I’ve been listening to the five tracks that I’ve selected for a while now. The service makes use of a downloader application available on Mac OS X (10.4.11+), Windows, and Linux. That’s a nice change from iTunes, which is only Mac OS X and Linux.

Despite how much I enjoyed it, there were quite a few major issues that really jabbed at me. First off is that the Amazon MP3 Downloader imports the downloaded MP3 into iTunes using the normal import process, so it doesn’t appear in my nifty “Purchased” playlist. The second would be that there is quite a small selection of music in Japanese. “Wait, Japanese?” One might ask.

I purchase most of my music in Japanese, since it’s a language that I can comprehend in music, more so than English. If it isn’t out there yet, my first language is Vietnamese, my second is English, my third is Japanese. Despite taking French classes in High School, it never really stuck. This may come as news as well, but my spoken ability to manipulate English has begun to deteriorate, despite using it 85% of the time. The other 20% being me speaking Vietnamese with my parents, and 5% Japanese that dominates my mental thoughts, and also covering my entertainment in anime.

Back on topic. I really would like to see Amazon offer the foreign language selection that iTunes has -I can even find Vietnamese music on iTunes more easily than Amazon. Amazon is a great way to save money when buying textbooks and looking to grab a few more songs for the school year, but would I recommend it as a dedicated store? Yes and no. It’s a great deal for someone who purchases English music a lot, but not so much for those of us who partake in “foreign” music and music in other languages.

The only confusing part of this is that Amazon has stated on it’s site (this page) that users will get a download free of charge to test the downloader. For me, it deducted from my 5USD credit.

Kanon  Wakeshima  è  nata  nel  1990  e  alla  sola  età  di  3  anni  iniziò  a  cimentarsi  nell’utilizzo   del  violoncello.

Kanon  debutta  nel  2008  con  il  singolo “Still Doll”  seguito  poi  da  un  secondo  singolo  chiamato “Suna no Oshiro”  che verrà  poi  utilizzatio come  ending  dell’anime  “Vampire Knight”.

Still Doll

Suna no Oshiro

Il 18/02/09  pubblica  il  primo  album “Shinshoku Dolce”. Attualmente  la  sua musica  viene  prodotta  da  Mana  (ex membro dei Malice Mizer). Kanon  nonostante  sia  molto giovane  si  presenta  con  una  voce  molto  dolce  e  suona  il  violoncello  con  maestria,  il  tutto non  fa  che  giovare  alle  orecchie  di  chi  l’ascolta.

Antonio “Cayman” Sammartano per Mag-Music

still doll by Kanon Wakeshima

1.) still doll
2.) 黒い鳥籠
3.) still doll (オルゴールバージョン)

Released: May 28th, 2008 ~ Highest Chart Position: #33 ~ First Week Sales: 3,642 ~ Total Sales: 6,838

still doll is Kanon’s debut single. still doll was used as an ending theme for the anime Vampire Knight. Kanon plays the Cello btw (if you couldn’t tell anyway xD).

still doll starts with some cello playing (I LOVE STRINGS ZOMG <3) and some epic drums in the background. Some music box things start to play and I’m sure the listener will be captivated by the creepy atmosphere this all protrays. Kanon’s vocals aren’t the strongest in the world, but she provides some nice vocals that make this song even creepier. Kanon can play the cello with like, no trouble at all XD So I’m happy she knows how to play that instrument with no problems at all. This song is quiet great actually. Very creepy and beautiful.

黒い鳥籠 starts with some synth believe it or not xD Then some strings start playing (I was gonna say the cello, but they sound like regular violin strings). This song reminds me of like, a frantic waltz or something. Kanon’s vocals are a bit more powerful in this song, as she projects more tone out. The song is a lot shorter than still doll sadly. Only clocking in at around 3 minutes. But I still enjoyed this B-Side.

still doll (オルゴールバージョン) is perfection. Anything in Music Box form is Grade A-PERFECTION in my book XD Take the way that still doll played out and put in a pure music box sound. It’s a very creepy instrumental track if I do say so myself. I personally think the addition of the random winding up of the music box to play again was really stupid to add because it was a disctraction. But I still love this music box version of it nonetheless <3

still doll was a strong debut. Kanon knows how to write some great lyrics and play the cello with ease. I personally love still doll (オルゴールバージョン) more than everything else present on the single xD But still doll and its b-side were both nice to listen to.

A

1. sweet ticket

2. 真紅のフェータリズム

3. 鏡

4. still doll (album ver.)

5. マボロシ

6. アンニュイ気分！

7. 砂のお城

8. Monochrome frame

9. L’espoir ～魔法の赤い糸～

10. 黒い鳥籠

11. skip turn step♪

12. 白い心

13. sweet dreams

Released on February 18, 2009 as Kanon’s first major album.

Mana-sama (Moi dix Mois, ex MALICE MIZER) composed the music for the album, making the concept of each song  sound like an amusement park in Europe. In which I agree with the whole concept, every piece in this album has a nice dark, fun and European sound to it he has captured that effect quite well.

The album begins with sweet ticket, a smooth and calming cello draws in soon followed up by a drum. Which gave the intro to the album a marching band feel to it, another affect added to this track was the tune of “Suna no Oshiro” lightly in the background making it sound more like a carnival like Mana had envisioned. Soon  the tune of “Suna no Oshiro” turns into a strange choir sounding like they came off of a Danny Elfman score >:I The track was very relaxing and a fun to listen to, it kind of puts you in a trance and makes you want to sleep. So don’t listen to at night XD

I love how 真紅のフェータリズムintros with the sound of the cello, making it seem like very dark and the sound makes it feel like the color of the title (Crimson Fatalism). Along with the cello, a dark beat kicks up the feeling making the song more meaningful. Kanon’s unique voice helps carry out the darkness of the song, and lets it flow along with the beat and cello. The mood I felt while listening to this song was empty, like someone was trying to keep you away from the world or you were keeping something from someone. Another mood swing to this album.

鏡 is a change from dark to light from the last track, this song plays the theme of fairytales. 鏡 is about Snow White, and how grotesque the world truly is within the story. The song starts with a strange beat and intro of a cello and violin making it sound mysterious, Kanon lightened her voice in this song giving more of a innocent touch kind of like a whisper. The chorus is amazingly catchy to me, you will find yourself singing it at times for no reason like Kanon got into your head somehow from Japan.. This track is fun and energetic, although it is really isn’t a happy song but it makes you feel that way with all the sounds throw out there.

still doll is song Kanon is well-known for, this version of still doll starts out with Kanon weakly singing the chorus of the song.  Even if that part of the song is changed, the same feel flows from this song dark and vampire-like. Another beautiful cello solo keeps this song interesting and unique, Kanon lowers her voice and holds the notes of the song to keep the edge still doll represents. Soon this song kind of turns creepy when Kanon repeats saying, “Hi Miss Alice” makes her sound like a pedo, but over all this song is insanely addictive to listen to and like 鏡, you will find yourself singing the chorus.

The tone of マボロシ is also cheerful, but really this song is about Kanon being an illusion and not truly being there only a figment of imagination. Which is rather sad, the music makes you think otherwise. The sweet orchestrated sound and the sound of a xylophone begin as the intro. Yes people, I’m serious, for once there is a song with a xylophone! >:I  In a way, Kanon’s voice does hint a bit of sadness but the way she sounds next to the music makes it seem like it is a happy Kodak moment. This is one of my favorite songs by Kanon, it is very catchy and upbeat and it holds a lot of meaning behind the music, I find myself singing the ending chorus a lot.

If you ever look at the lyrics for アンニュイ気分！, you’ll wonder what the hell Kanon is actually talking about… I thought she was being random, but she is actually talking about the feeling of boredom and how it makes you think about random things. So in a way, the crack lyrics make since. It is odd how this song begins, the sound of birds chripping outside then a cat meows at the sound of water running and then a phone begins to ring. The intro reminds me of Ringo Shiina’s albums.. To follow up on the strange intro is the sounds of bubbles popping, but a cute beat in the background makes the bubble noises less noticeable. Kanon’s voice is kind of poor in some parts of this song, when she makes that whiny voice for no reason, even though she is trying to emphasize she is totally bored out of her mind.. But it really hurts to listen to, some people might mistake the noise for something else.. XD This is not my favorite song, but it is fun sometimes to listen to.

砂のお城 is another song Kanon is known for, but not her most popular song. Castle of Sand is the English title for the song, which makes you think it is all about sand castles.. Not really, if you think deeper about it  this song is about being the sand and slowly flying away with time. Which probably makes you think this song is dull and boring, in which is the wrong answer. 砂のお城 is a dark and eery song, the cello is the main part of the song it repeats the same notes in the background making it feel like something is about to build up. A heavy echoing beat makes the song feel like it is dragging you along, the only really annoying part about this song is how Kanon makes her voice weak and quite at the beginning like she was singing her last song.. The song and Kanon would be better off if she didn’t do that, I know she is imitating the feeling of drifting away, but it ruins the feel of the whole intro and let alone the song.

Again Kanon uses sounds to start a song, Monochrome frame has the sounds of the ocean and seagulls making you picture the scene is suppose to be on a beach. I like this idea she went with, it helps explain the songs meaning. With the name Monochrome frame, it makes you think it is going to be a slow song.. It just happens to be very slow and melancholy, the song is meant to be this way Kanon is singing about how the memories of a lover are painful to think about and wants to be drown in the dark blue ocean. The sounds of song are clear, the violin makes the theme of melancholy expand. These sounds make me feel pain and sorrow of the past, but I don’t think I want to drown in the ocean over it.

L’espoir ～魔法の赤い糸～, for those of you that don’t speak either Japanese or French the title in English translates to The Hope ~ Red Thread of Magic~ , so is it about sewing? Strangely, this song is about how Kanon wishes to trap the man she loves with a cherry flavored string and keeping him as a slave to fall into her charm  XD Sounds like another episode of Bewitched or some bad magician in Vegas. I like the sound of that, really it is cute. Her voice at the beginning sounds childish and playful because she is saying she wants him to fall for her and be sneaky about it, don’t mistake it as unprofessional. Throughout the song it is upbeat and lively, with the reoccurring sound of the beloved cello, it makes the song seem happy but in a bittersweet sense of happy.

黒い鳥籠 is the very opposite of L’espoir ～魔法の赤い糸～,  dark and harsh sounding. This is a hard song for me to get into since, Kanon’s voice is yet again too hard to actually stay with the song and listen. Although her voice is deep and sounds in pain, that is meant for the feeling of the song and she is getting into it. 黒い鳥籠 is about being trapped in a cage like a bird with no escape, and struggling against the world. After the beginning part of the song, it became easier to listen to, the sounds of the it are enjoyable and seem to guide the true feelings of no escape. Not really my favorite song, but it does have a catchy chorus which makes up for it.

skip turn step♪ is the best track on this album, it is a happy and sweet song about dancing outside when it begins to rain. That is something most of us can relate to, I’ve been outside in the rain dancing in and out of the puddles it is the better way to spend  a rainy day, rather than inside.  The track begins with a light sound of the harpsichord and sounds of the cello, suddenly turning into a orchestra. When Kanon begins to sing, the cello follows along with a violin and then a piano. Capturing the true beauty of the rain, the chorus the second time around is the main reason to really stay into the song it turns into something unexpected and is the liveliest track on the album and it isn’t about suicide 8′D

The second to the last track is 白い心, like 鏡 it follows the fairytale theme, but instead of one fairytale Kanon mixes all of the classics together into one song. The beginning of the song sounds sad and gives the imagery of snow falling on the ground, the piano plays a big part within the song giving the tone of great despair and sadness. You may wonder why it sounds that way if it is about fairytales, 白い心 is about not wanting to ruin others’ happiness and being in the way of what they wish, also not being selfish and becoming heartless to others. Being pure of heart is the true theme besides the fairytales. Expect a sad feeling when listening, it isn’t as upbeat as skip turn step♪, it is almost like a ballad.

sweet dreams is the final track to Kanon’s album, instead of cellos as the main instrument her final song is a music box.  Like sweet ticket it carries the same tune, but in a sadder way like it is ending forever. This music box is a bipolar sounding, filled with sorrow and suddenly filled with great joy, but in a way endings are always looked at in both perspectives, the best of both.

3 out 5

It is a great album for Kanon’s first, it shows she is dedicated to working with her music,  even if she tries to change her voice to match the sounds.. XD She really is talented and needs to work at a few things, but she’ll get there.

RECOMMENDED

真紅のフェータリズム

鏡

still doll

マボロシ

砂のお城

L’espoir ～魔法の赤い糸～

skip turn step♪

白い心

Đây là lần đầu tiên bạn post nhạc của cô này lên blog :X. Và cũng là lần đầu tiên bạn ko post doujin music nữa mà chỉ là Jpop :X. Nhưng bạn rất thích cô này. Xinh đep như nàng Alice thật sự, bên cây đàn cello nhìn cô rất ngầu, và khi nhìn các bản vẽ của cô thì…đổ lun ~XD. Cô vẽ rất đẹp. Có thời gian bạn sẽ sưu tầm các hình vẽ của cô và post lên đây cho mọi ng tham khảo ~XD

Album đầu tiên của Kanon Wakeshima là Shinshoku Dolce. Album mang đậm phong cách riêng của cô là Lolita. Style nhạc cũng tựa như single Umineko no naku koro ni của Akiko ấy, nó ma quái, và ấn tượng.

Tracklist
01 – sweet ticket
02 – Shinku No Fatalism
03 – Kagami
04 – Still Doll (Vampire Knight ED)
05 – Maboroshi
06 – Ennui Kibun!
07 – Suna No Oshiro (Vampire Knight Guilty ED)
08 – Monochrome Frame
09 – L’espoir -Mahou no Akai Ito-
10 – Kuroi Torikago
11 – Skip Turn Step
12 – Shiroi Kokoro
13 – sweet dreams

Download here

Oi!!^^

  Hoje (finalmente), eu vou falar de uma das minhas série favoritas: Vampire Knight, de Hino Matsuri. Como a série é muito querida por mim, talvez o post fique um pouquinho longo, sorry.

(Ilustração da capa do primeiro volume)

    O mangá é originalmente publicado no Japão na revista shoujo LaLa desde 5 de Julho de 2005. No Brasil, o mangá é publicado pela Editora Panini. No Japão, o mangá já teve seu décimo volume publicado, e conta atualmente com 52 capítulos.

  Aqui nas nossas terras tropicais, a publicação do mangá foi interrompida em Abril de 2008, após o lançamento do volume 6, devido ao encontro da edições brasileira/japonesa. Para mais detalhes sobre esse tema, por favor verifiquem o post Vampire Knight: A publicação volta ou não? (http://yonihon.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/vampire-knight-a-publicacao-volta-ou-nao/) que eu escrevi aqui no blog mesmo… Mas não se aflijam! Se Destino Cativo 5 realmente for lançado nesta semana, provavelmente até o fim de setembro teremos vampire Knight 7 nas nossas bancas^^ (parece até um sonho!).

  O mangá conta a história de Yuuki, que não possui memórias do seu passado antes dos seus 5 anos. Suas primeiras lembranças são de uma paisagem com neve, onde ela é atacada por um vampiro mau e só sobrevive graças ao socorro de um belo vampiro gentil, chamado de Kuran Kaname.

  Kaname leva Yuuki para a casa do diretor Cross Kaien, que adota Yuuki e a cria como se fose uma filha. Alguns anos após, Kaien abriga em sua casa o menino Kiryuu Zero, filho de uma tradicional família Hunter (caçadores de vampiros), cuja família inteira foi assassinada durante um ataque de uma vampiro puro-sangue. Zero é uma criança muito fechada, que carrega um enorme ódio pelos vampiros e um perigoso desejo de vingança.

  Temos então os participantes do triângulo, pois não dá para se fazer uma boa história de amor sem um triângulo. Yuuki, que ama e admira Kaname desde sua infância, fica com seus sentimentos abalados ao falar com o melancóico Zero. E é claro que ambos estão dispostos a lutar por esse amor. Diferentemente da maioria dos animes e mangás, o triângulo de Vampire Knight não é de solução obvia. Mesmo após um ponto da história onde a protagonista escolhe um par, é constante a atmosfera de que tudo pode mudar. O final é pouco previsível, e Hino Matsuri deve estar sofrendo um bocado para definí-lo, já que ambos os galãs tem uma torcida gigantesca. (Alguém já percebeu na incrível habilidade da Hino-sensei em criar os homens perfeitos? Gente, essa mulher tem uma imaginação gloriosa… Kaname, Zero, Aram, Scars, Jeile… são tantos^^)  (Eu sou partidária do casal Kaname+Yuuki maas… a Yuuki é absurdamente sortuda.)

 (Da esquerda pra direita: Zero, Yuuki e Kaname)

    O enredo se desenrola na Academia Cross, dirigida pelo pai adotivo de Yuuki. Os alunos da academia se dividem em dois períodos. A Day Class é formada pelos alunos normais (vulgo= humanos), enquanto a Night Class é formada pelos vampiros. Zero e Yuuki são os monitores, e tem o dever de proteger osegredo da Night Class. Enquanto Kaname, que é um vampiro puro-sangue, portanto capaz de exercer influência sobre os demais vampiros, fica engarregado de controlar os seres noturnos que vivem na escola, impedindo, junto com os monitores, que os vampiros ataquem os humanos.

  Vampire Knight ganhou um anime de 13 episódio em 2008, que teve uma continuação, Vampire Knight Guilty, também com 13 episódios, que foi exibida até 2009. Não se sabe ao certo se haverá uma terceira temporada, pois mesmo o anime não tendo um final definitivo, já que nem o mangá terminou de ser publicado, ainda não existe nenhuma promessa de continuação.

  Ambas aberturas do anime possuem músicas da banda ON/OFF, sendo a música da primeira abertura Futatsu No Kodou To Akai Tsumi, e do Guilty Rine Rondo (é maravilhosa a segunda abertura *-*). Já os encerramentos são cantados pela cantora Kanon Wakeshima, com as músicas Still Doll (Primeira temporada) e Suna no Oshiro (Guilty). Eu fiz um post sobre a Kanon Wakeshima aqui no blog (http://yonihon.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/kanon-wakeshima/). lá vocês podem ver os vídeos dos dois encerramentos de VK.

(Vídeo da abertura de Vampire Knight Guilty, música Rine Rondo do ON/OFF)

  É claro que existem diferenças entre o mangá e o anime, que eu não vou citar para não dar nenhum spoiler, hehe. Mas de uma forma geral o anime é bastante fiél ao mangá, e não possui nenhuma alteração muito brusca da história (Só no final….)(Tá, não resisti, vou citar algumas das principais diferenças no final do post, depois de me despedir. Quem não gosta de spoilers, por favor não leia.). Ambos valem a pena e merecem atenção, mas é claro que eu gosto mais do mangá, como sempre.

  Espero que tenham gostado do post, e peço desculpas por ele ter ficado tão longo. Eu recomendo Vampire Knight, tanto o anime quanto o mangá estão na minha lista de favoritos e só perdem para OURAN High School Host Club… Em breve eu farei um post dedicado especificamente aos personagens de Vampire Knight, fiquem de olho.

  Eu recomendo (MUITO!!)^^

XOXO

Mallu

ATENÇÃO SPOILERS ABAIXO!! Selecionem o texto em amarelo para poder ler.

  Algumas diferenças entre o anime e o mangá

  Despedida entre Zero e Yuuki: No anime, Zero oferece seu sangue, para a então vampira Yuuki. Já no mangá, eles se beijam. Mas ambas são diferentes formas que Zero usou para mostrar a Yuuki os seus verdadeiros sentimentos, ou seja, o significado foi o mesmo.

  O Kaname não perde sua mão lutando contra o Zero no anime, como acontece no mangá. Uma pena, pois o capítulo 49, que é exatamente em seguida de onde o anime parou é um de meus favoritos, onde, para poder reconstruir a sua mão, kaname precisa do sangue de Yuuki. Pois ele só ficará plenamente satisfeito se obter o sangue da pessoa amada *-*. (Mas por outro lado, a mão dele é muito bela para ser perdida…)

  No anime, em nenhum momento se fala a idade atual dos personagens. Já no mangá é citado que Zero tem 17 anos e que ele repetiu de ano na escola. Se Yuuki e Zero estão na mesma classe, Yuuki portanto tem entre 15 e 16 anos.

  No anime Zero não diz que aceitou o trabalho de monitor para não deixar Yuuki sozinha correndo perigo entre os vampiros. Ou seja, Zero é um monitor principalmente para proteger Yuuki, ao invés do segredo da Night Class.

  No anime os vampiros não são sensíveis ao sol. Enquanto no mangá é mecionada dor por parte dos vampiros após longa exposição aos raios solares.

  O Kaname do mangá é mais sensível, ao passo que o Kaname do anime é frio e calculista (ainda bem que ele fica maravilhoso de qualquer maneira^^).

  Só no mangá é mencionado que os Kuran tem o sangue mais puro de todos, ficando ainda acima dos demais puros-sangue e sendo como se forrem a realeza. No anime, é dito apenas que os Kuran exerciam a realeza, sem explicar o motivo disso. Além de não deixar claro que os Kuran criaram o pacifismo atual entre humanos e vampiros.

  No mangá Yuuki tem visões de sangue como no anime, mas não fica ouvindo vozes em sua mente como acontece em VK Guilty. Kowaaaaaaai!!!

  No anime Kaname permite com que Ichijou mate seu avô. No mangá Kaname mata não só o avô Ichijou, o Ichijou (hehe), mas o conselho de anciões inteiros (baaad booooy!!). Tanto no anime como no mangá, o Ichijou (neto) pede para matar o Ichijou (avô), poie ele alega que esse é seu dever.

  No mangá Zero bebe o sangue de Kaname uma vez. No anime são duas (safadjeenhooo).

  O Mangá tem mais beijos que o anime…. Na verdade só tem UM beijo no anime… bluuuuu.

  No mangá é citado que, como Rido era apaixonado por Juuri, e Yuuki se parece MUUUITO com Juuri, ele ao invés de devorá-la, tenta torná-la dele. (O Rido além de ruim pra dedéu é extremamente pervertido. Psicopata!)

  No momento de transição entre as duas temporadas do anime ocorrem umas diferenças meio esquisitas. No anime, Yuuki para de falar com Kaname por ele ter não ter negado que Zero assassinou Shizuka, e Zero é acorrentado em um calabouço (tadiinhoo!!). Já no mangá, Yuuki para de falar com Kaname após ele ter acusado Zero de ser suspeito de atacar uma garota do Day Class.

  Essas são as que eu lembrei…talvez eu tenha perdido algum detalhe….

  Então, para ter certeza eu procurei pela net para ver se alguém tinha uma lista mais completa. Eu achei uma lista bem interessante neste blog: http://4night.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-anime-vampire-knight.html. 90% da lista desse blog bateu com a minha, o que me deixou bastante tranquila. Mas eu citei o link aqui como uma referência para quem se interessa bastante por Vampire Knight. Lá tem que a Maria é capaz de controlar um gato… Eu não lembrava dessa… Hehe

XOXO²

Mallu²

Now overall, I have to say this album cover is absolutely GORGEOUS. I have never seen red and white used together in such a gorgeous way. For one thing, that DRESS is to freakin DIE FOR. It’s so big and beautiful, and the way Kanons wearing it so that it’s all spread out like that with her right in the middle is BEAUTIFUL. All the various white ribbons coming from the ceiling, and even some wrapped around her arms just adds to everything, and gives it a festive, yet surprisingly disturbing feel at the same time (choking and murder?). However, the definite topping on this cake is that CELLO. GAHLADKJFl;ksdajlfk;jsal;dfjk;sdjfk;sjlfk. I am so jealous of that white cello Kanon has! I am just so tempted to steal it. A white acoustic cello looks gorgeous, but I think a white acoustic violin would look horrendous. </3

But now, lets move on to what Kanon is actually doing in this picture. For one thing, her face is plain gorgeous in here. I like how she’s opening her eyes so wide like that and coupled with that subtle smile (man, she has some plump lips too!). I’m going to guess that she was trying to go for that “cute but scary” appearance and she pulled it off very well. The big eyes and subtle smile almost resembles what a doll would look like. But the subtle-ness of that smile just shows a hint of a mischievous person. Heck, even her hands are gorgeous. They’re so gentle and graceful, while still having a “doll-like” appearance to it.

You know what, I’m really really sorry guys for not having written this post up and publishing it AGES ago. I don’t know, but suddenly, I just lost my fandom with Kanon Wakeshima due to school, laziness, and my sudden interests in other string groups such as Bond and Escala. But anyways, here’s the post I should have put up a long time ago, just a few months late!

_______

Considering this was the very first album from one of the very few artists who I have actually gotten a chance to listen to them from the very start of their career, I had very high expectations for Shinshoku Dolce. Adding to these very high expectations is how I was overly obsessed with her singles that she released before. Adding to that is the fact that she is an artist who really changed my life by inspiring me to take up the violin and become more involved in music.

The very first few tracks really helped to satisfy my high expectations for the album. Sweet Ticket, is just as the title says. It’s a sweet gorgeous instrumental with Kanon Wakeshima (of course) playing her cello along with marching percussion and a bunch of other things, and it really does feel like a sweet ticket into the rest of the album.

Following is the very first new track on the album called Shinku No Fatarhythm, which still continues to convince me that is the best album I have ever listened to. A unique combination of techno beats, string backings, and gorgeous cello playing, I fell in love with this song. I was also glad to hear that Kanon really improved on her vocals. They weren’t shaky for the most part, and even though it felt rather piercing at times, it still sounded amazing. Her high pitched voice also contrasted well with the deep tone of the cello.

As the alum continues, we are treated a track called Kagami, which is in reality, just a more toned down version of the previous track. However, I loved Shinku No Fatarhythm, so I had no problem with it. Plus, Kanon really explored the range of her cello by actually going into the deep end for the first time, and of course, I gasmed when I heard this.

Following up is actually an album version of still doll. Now, I’m going to be honest here, even though there is a nice new introduction to it, and even though this song is the very reason why I got into violin, and I still get memories of the smell of my new violin and entering the violin shop, I am a tad sick of it. Of course, the song is still amazing, but after 220 plays of the original (which isn’t that different from this version), it can get a bit tiring, and some of the magic I felt when I listen to it is now kinda lost.

And now, this is where the album gets slightly disappointing for me. Maboroshi is one of the closest I may hear to earlier Capsule doing a collaboration with Kanon. OH WAIT, you know what, I just realized that this whole disappointment was just me being too negative about things, because I just realized that this song rocks too. >.>

As I said before, the whole capsule feel I am talking about is with that little instrument that sounds like elevator music. In fact, this entire piece sounds like elevator music, but GOOD elevator music. Cutesy elevator music combined with extremely cute high pitched vocals from Kanon, a pretty cello solo here and there, and a bunch of other more gentle aspects.

Following is  Ennui Kibun!. With the sound of little birds chirping and a water fountain, I was scared that this was gonna be a Morning Musume –esque song. And HOLY CRAP, I am right. However, we all know that Kanon wouldn’t torture us like that. This song is even cuter than Maboroshi, but as we all know, Kanon can’t just be cute. This song sounds like a little murderous psycho homicidal maniac of a girl with a knife. And you know what, I like that. The song ends with the sound a shower, which makes me feel like she’s showering all the blood from her murder-fest. Lovely.

So now, we all take a break from all these new tracks with a previous single called Suna No Oshiro. Now, considering that I haven’t been listening to this song for too long, it still has not grown old on me. It’s possibly one of Kanons most dramatic and scariest songs to date, and I give credit for her really making it scary by singing as if she is suffocating. YAY for a dying voices!

Continuing the theme of creepy songs, we are treated to Monochrome Frame. Now, I originally felt disappointed at this song, mainly due to the fact that there is no cello solo at all (I’m sorry, but I can’t help but love Kanon and her solos!). Aside from that little thing missing, there is just something so strong about this song. The arrangement isn’t as heavy as other pieces (although the violins playing in the background are GORGEOUS), and the song just kinda feels like it’s staying in the same general area for the entire 4 minutes. However, I think this may be her strongest presentation of her vocals. I can’t explain it, but her vocals just scream POWER here, and I like it for that.

Following up is a song that sounds a lot more like the Kanon I know (by that, I mean cello solos). L’espoir ～魔法の赤い糸～ kinda feels rather “regular” for Kanon Wakeshima, but it does have little quirks. The verses still feel dark and creepy and all that good stuff, but there is an awkward and quirky change when the chorus comes in, which is what helps make this song stick out. In addition, the cello solo is GORGEOUS (when is it not?). Aside from that, it still kinda “blends in” with her other material, but her other material rocks anyway, so its still a rockin song to me.

The next two songs are actually previous singles, just to give us a break before the final tracks. The first is Kuroi Torikago, which was my very first hear at Kanon taking a techno style with her music. Also, it was the very first time I heard Kanon have a song with the violins having a more involved role in the arrangement, and I’m still not sick of this song!

Skip Turn Skip is also the first track where Kanon isn’t so dramatic and crazy with the cello and stuff. It sounds a lot more “sophisticated” compared to her other tracks, and was the first time I heard her take on a cuter style with her voice. This song however, I don’t find far too amazing when put next to the rest of her material.

Now, we have finally come to the end with the final track called Shiroi Kokoro. For some reason, I can’t help but feel that this song really does feel appropriate as an “ending song”. I’m guessing that it’s just because of more “unique” it is to her other stuff. This is the first time I’ve heard her use the piano in such a unique way, creating an image of snowy day, or the thoughts in someones head, or just something depressing yet uplifting. The piano is definitely the strongest element in this song, along with Kanons vocals, where it sounds like she’s really giving it her all, and while the cello takes a bit of a backseat.

Of course though, it’s not like Kanon to just end it there. The FINAL FINAL track on the album is called Sweet Dreams which is just an orgel version of the intro track Sweet ticket. The name is appropriate, because the orgel does feel more like something to put you sleep. And then getting murdered in your sleep of course.

I swear, you know what? I am COMPLTELEY BI POLAR when it comes to my opinion on albums. I remember listening to this album for the very first time, and feeling extremely disappointed with the album, due to the lack of all the high expectations I had. Reading the review from Selryam didn’t at all. However, I am SO GLAD that I finally got chance to do a full review of this album. It’s helped me realize how just plain awesome this album is. I am a bit annoyed at how all the tracks on the album do sound a bit samey, and I can understand how some people would be disappointed with it. However, considering the fact that I’m completely Bi-polar, indecisive, and very biased towards Kanon, I’m going to say I LOVE this album. Just give the album a try before automatically assuming something like how I do. I’m just hoping however, that she tries something different with her future material. Kanon Wakeshima and an electric guitar anyone?

Overall Rating

5 out of 5