Concert Recap
Eek, should have done this while the concert was still fresh in my memory, but work was pretty crazy during June. I'll do my best though!
"NIHIL" played as the GazettE walked onto a darkened stage with gloomy blue hues for lighting. Everybody was entranced for a few milliseconds, and then that's when we all lost our shit. Immediately after "NIHIL" ended, the band jump started the crowd again with atmospheric title track, "DOGMA". I love this song, but it seems as if the instrumentation drowned out Ruki's vocals. It's a shame because there are a lot of vocal calisthenics that Ruki displays in the song that I would have loved to listen to clearly. They proceeded onto "RAGE". One of my favorite parts about that song is when the piano comes into focus right after the chorus. Pianos aren't necessarily heavy instruments, but damn. They're so beautiful when combined with heavy music. They're beautiful instruments, period.
Next came "DERANGEMENT', one of my more played songs from their DIVISION album. My playlist even landed on that song as I was at the end of my previous post! :) Anywho, the chorus is insanely catchy and so very easy to sing, and it seems everybody felt the same way, because the entire crowd joined in on the chorus every single damn time it was sung. ♪♫♪ The energy from the crowd was great. It was about this point where I realized I would have to be on my toes the entire concert if I wanted to see anything. My feet were just a tad achy, but almost unnoticeable. It was also at this point that I stopped keeping such copious notes about their set list. It was for pretty much the same reason that they didn't allow any photography during the concert. I wanted to enjoy the moment and not have to whip out my mental pen and notepad every time they sang a new song. I used this website to help me out in remembering the specific order the songs were played. It seemed pretty accurate as far as I remember, but if there are any errors, please let me know!
The next few songs were from the TOXIC album. They played "VENOMOUS SPIDER'S WEB" and "SLUDGY CULT". Lots of people headbanging in the crowd. Not my favorite songs from the album, but many in the crowd seemed to enjoy them. Very classic, chaotic "GazettE" sound.
GazettE brought the crowd back down from that frenetic energy by playing more vocal heavy songs: "BIZARRE" and "DRIPPING INSANITY". They really slowed things down with "OMINOUS". Ruki brought out a lantern swinging on a chain for the song. Almost like the thurible (word of the day) from the "DOGMA" music video, but instead of censer full of incense, it was a lantern. Who knew there was a word for a censer that hangs on a chain... At some point in the song, he left it on the ground. I'm such a sucker for GazettE ballads. They do them so well. I was surprised at the fact that Uruha got the acoustic guitar this time around. Normally it's Aoi who handles that part during concerts.
"THE SUICIDE CIRCUS" brought the audience back from the enthrallment of "OMINOUS" and everyone was singing along. ♪ SUICIDE CIRCUSSSSSS...♪...which transitioned into "VORTEX". This was another great, engaging song. Easy to sing along to and rock out to. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when discussing releasing "VORTEX" as a single. I'm sure sure their label / distribution company got a kick out of it. They brought back the heavier vibe as they played "UGLY" and "UNDYING", their newest single. At that point, "UNDYING" was still very new to me and I was still trying to digest the songs on the single. I think that was pretty much how everyone felt. We fist pumped to the heavy parts of the song, and listened intently during the vocal sections. Got a little whiplash trying to figure out the pace of the song. I absolutely love the introduction though. That first ~24 seconds before the scream to start the song? So great.
To complete the main part of the set, they played fan-favorite "FILTH IN THE BEAUTY". Everyone flipped their shit (again) and started headbanging, singing, and dancing along. I think the band definitely realizes how excited fans get over this song. After finishing the song, they all walked backstage. Almost immediately, calls for an encore started. There was a few different things going, but for the most part, everyone was doing them together. There was "encore, encore" and "ankoru, ankoru" (Japanese pronunciation of encore). There was a tri-clap to go along with the shouts as well. But my favorite is when we all did two claps and a stomp. It felt like we were going to bring the house down!! It would then progress to all stomping and then dying down. And we'd start all over with the encore cheers and the clap-stomp again. This went on for a few minutes until they all came out again, dressed in tour clothes. I think Ruki may still have been wearing his concert clothes. He walked out carrying a U.S. flag and wrapped it around himself. The first song of the encore set was "AGONY". Great throwback, and catchy as all hell. THEN THEY PLAYED "COCKROACH"!!!! T___T Such a wonderful, messy song. I so wish Ruki would have performed that in his red outfit with the big-ass top hat. The last song of the encore set was "TOMORROW NEVER DIES". After that, Aoi, Uruha, and Reita tossed picks while Kai threw his drumsticks farrrrrrrrrrrrr. So far. I was so very, very far from any of that. With that, they were on their way to Canada, for the next leg of their tour and we were on our way back home.
Concert Review and Final Thoughts
I wish I had a better view of the stage / the members. I could only
really see the members clearly if they stepped on top of the box
platform on the stage. Which was not often. I know their antics on
stage with each other is legendary amongst fans, and I wish I could have
seen that fan service.^^; So if you were wondering why my review lacks
the interactions between the members and their showmanship on stage,
this is why. OTL
The concert was over much faster than I wanted it to
be. I'm sure
everyone felt the same way. That's a good sign I suppose! I felt like
the band just wanted to hammer out the set and be done, but this
impression I have may have been because I didn't see any of the
interactions the band had with the crowd or each other.
There wasn't too much verbal communication between Ruki and the crowd. That's to be expected since he doesn't really speak English fluently. He did his best to pump up the crowd with a bunch of "JUMP THE F--K UP!" and "YOU GUYS ARE F---ING CRAZY!", which we all appreciated and laughed at. My sister said that it was so cute. It really was. He was. They are. T__T
In terms of the performance itself, I must say, the GazettE are great at visualizing how a song sounds when it is played live. There are, for
sure, some songs they come out with which make me scratch the top of my
head a little, but when performed live, they give off a completely different vibe. Such was the case with "SLUDGY CULT". The live version definitely brought out aspects of the song the studio version did not. There was a sense of urgency to the energy of the song that the studio version did not capture.
However, I will say that the balancing of the sound system needs a little bit of work. I felt like the instruments drowned out Ruki's voice. This was especially apparent in songs that had both heavy and soft vocal sections, i.e. "DOGMA". During the heavy portions, the vocals were easy to suss out since Ruki was either growling or there were no vocals, just bass / guitar / drums. However, during the melodic portions of a song, Ruki would be singing, but you wouldn't hear a thing because of how loud the instruments were. Which is a darn shame. His live singing has improved so much over the years and I would have loved to listen to his voice working in conjunction with the instruments, and not one fighting for dominance over the other.
The set list was impressively diversified, which was great. They had songs from nearly every studio album release, except for NIL, DIM, and BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY. Not going to lie though, I'm jealous of the people who got to see "千鶴, (CHIZURU)" and I would have LOVED to see "UNTITLED", "紅蓮, (GUREN)", "13STAIRS[-]1", etc...but of course, you got to leave 'em wanting more right? ;)
A few times during the concert, there were people who shoved across / past me in a very rude manner. Literally, I was physically removed from where my feet were planted on the ground and ended up a step or two away because people physically pushed past. I don't have a problem with you moving past me. Just do it in a polite manner. Say excuse me or sorry and don't be a violent jerk about it. Most of the time, people will be more than happy to let you go through, especially if you got separated from your friends. You'll find that the people around you will be much nicer to you and step aside rather than being stone walls that you have to boulder through to. D'oh!
In the vein of rude concert attendees, my sister and I also got shoved hard from behind multiple times. There was a circle pit that was behind us, with people running around in a circle. I don't understand it at all, but I respect (read: tolerate) it. As long as you don't hurt people who don't want to be involved. Take it to a place where people aren't trying to watch the stage and focus on the band. Pro tip: general admissions right behind the pit? Probably not the place for that. Like I said in my previous post. I get it. It's a rock concert. People are going to be physical. But on the flip side, be cognizant and respectful of the people who are not into moshing. They exist at rock concerts too.
My feet. My feeeeeeeeeeet. I was so incredibly sore and achy after the concert. I had spent the majority of the concert on my toes. I am happy I decided to wear sensible sneakers because boy, at the end of the concert, I certainly needed them. Boys and girls, wear comfy shoes!
I am so happy that I finally got to see the GazettE perform live. I think I've said all that can be said regarding my feelings of seeing them live. With that, I will leave it here:
Thanks to everyone who showed their interest in an expansive world tour. Without your dedication, love, and support, it may have taken them longer to come to (North) America, if ever. You all deserve a HUGE pat on the back and a hug. :) I have no doubt in my mind that the GazettE will be back to perform once again in our corner of the world. ;) Thanks for your hard work and dedication GazettE! I hope you all continue to make great music and continue to share it with us, in person or otherwise!
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Monday, May 9, 2016
the GazettE: Welcome to Los Angeles - Part 2
Continuation from my previous post. 3 days is much better than a 3 year posting-dry spell, eh? The road map? Finishing up my history with the GazettE and a brief (not really) overview of their performance at the Wiltern.
And so it begins...again:
Though I didn't make any posts in Entitatis for three years, I still purchased music and took pictures. I always hoped that I would create unboxing posts for all my purchases when I got the chance. I still have the pictures on my camera! Hopefully I will get a chance to do that pretty soon in the near future.
Picture this scenario: I'm going through all the monotony of day-to-day life and then all of a sudden, I find out online that the GazettE are embarking on a world tour -- a world tour that was going to include a North American leg...with one of the shows taking place in Los Angeles!!!!! Yeah. Pretty big deal. I flipped my shit when I heard. Even now, I find I can't really wrap my head around it. A band who I have been following for more than a DECADE, a band who has NEVER stepped foot to perform on the continent of North America, a band who I have spent so much of my TIME on, finally were able to do a show that I could feasibly attend!
Immediately, I started of thinking of friends who would be willing to go with me. Unfortunately, that list was pretty empty. Not too many of my friends really follow Jrock. The friend who introduced me to the band in 2005 was also my roommate for my last year of college, along with three other girls. We were all really close and got along great. However, ever since graduating, we fell out of touch and would only communicate with each other when it was someone's birthday. With regards to the friend who introduced me to the GazettE, I lost total contact. I would message her when it was her birthday or just to say hi and to hang out (we lived pretty close to each other), but she never returned any of my messages. :( Eventually, I stopped trying. One can only do so much, right? I'm still a little sad though. Anyway, I didn't ask her or tell her about it. I'm not sure she would have even gone, had I asked. She wasn't all that interested in Jrock anymore and had ventured to the world of Kpop back in college. The next day, my sister asked if I knew that the GazettE was performing a show in LA at the Wiltern. I said yes, I found out the day before when they announced it on their website. I asked her if she was interested in coming with me. She said hm, maybe and told me not to buy tickets just yet.
Some time had passed and about a week before the show, I asked her if she was still interested in going to the concert. She bought tickets for General Standing Admission on April 26th! Tickets weren't too bad. $50 for the actual ticket and $14 for the service fee at the Wiltern. The concert was a few days before my birthday and she told me the ticket was a birthday present when I tried to pay her back. Great timing GazettE. :)
Over the weekend, I un-shuffled my playlist and started playing their last four albums. I started looking up live reports to see if I could find out the type and cost of merchandise and to get a general idea of what the set list was going to be like. There wasn't too many detailed posts on merchandise, but the general consensus was that there wasn't too much that was being sold, aside from the two world tour shirts. The live reports were all amazing though and they really pumped me up for the concert. Unsurprisingly, it looked as if the set list was DOGMA-heavy. I was a little nervous though because at some venues, there were audience members that were doing some pretty serious moshing and shoving. Don't get me wrong, I get that it's a rock concert. There's going to be headbanging, people pushing up against each other, and everyone wearing everyone else's sweat. However, I firmly believe that there is a limit. Don't injure anyone and don't include anyone who doesn't want in on your dangerous behavior. Anywho.
Live Report - In Line
Come May 3rd, I got off of work early. I'm really lucky to have such a flexible schedule. Brought home some food for both my sister and I. I wolfed it down and got ready. My sister was on her way home from work and got home right when we wanted to leave for the concert -- thanks LA hell traffic. It took about 45 minutes to get to the Wiltern. My sister dropped me off across the street so I could snag a place in line while she looked for parking. I was walking across the street, hoping I was in the right line. I then took a look at all the people in line and immediately thought, yep, you're in the right place. A lot of people were dressed in platform shoes, black lace, dyed hair, and super thick eyeliner. I went casual and sported a white scoop neck t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Comfort > EVERYTHING. I was around the corner of the building, next to the parking lot. Not too bad for arriving at 6:15 PM. Right after I took my place in line, a tiny older lady lined up right behind me. I started to chat with her, asking how she got into the band. She said she was Japanese and it was through her daughter that she came to know the band. Her daughter was such a big fan that she would go to Japan to catch their shows. She was saying how she would be apart from her daughter from concerts because her daughter didn't want to hang out with mom. Her daughter actually joined us in line soon after. She had mistakenly lined up in the VIP section and had to make her way to where we were. They started speaking in Japanese and her mom pointed at me. She translated for me and said that her daughter and I got into the band at about the same time. The daughter apologized for her mom and I said, "Oh don't be! Your mom is adorable." She gave a sheepish smile and then they both started talking in Japanese with other people who had lined up behind them.
I played Marvel: Contest of Champions on my phone for a few minutes (awesome game - I'm an addict) and then somehow found myself starting a conversation with two girls in front of me. Oh that's right, I asked them to double check to see if I was in the right line. They both had GA tickets as well. They were super friendly and had been in line since 5:30 or so. One was a blonde, and the other a redhead. Both were Caucasian friends who had lived / worked in Japan. The Redhead taught English in Japan for a time and from what I gathered, her friend worked as an equestrian (awesome) and was super fluent in Japanese. The Redhead dragged her friend along to the concert. The Blonde has never experienced the band before today. My sister found me in line joined us during the conversation and said she was the drag-ee as well. We talked about a lot of different bands and other topics and how it was actually pretty nippy outside.
Live Report - Venue
Anywho, the doors were suppose to open at 7:00 PM. Assuming that the VIPs got to go in first, we didn't get in until about 7:30 or so. After quick bag checks by security, we walked in the building. Merchandise was to the left and in the middle of the lobby were boxes for each individual member and one box for the band in general if you had brought gifts for them. I took a quick glance at the merchandise available. The collection was a tad bit disappointing as it wasn't very extensive. I saw the two tour shirts, the hoodie, a calendar, and the UNDYING single, which I already have. If there was anything else, please let me know what I missed. I was hoping they were selling the bear key chain, but that was a bust. :| Anyway, I didn't buy anything and entered the venue with my sister and the two girls that were ahead of us in line. There was the pit area, closest to the stage, then a section for Heresy fan club members that was tapered a bit higher than the pit section, and then the start of the GA area. The venue itself is gorgeous. It was pretty big and expansive, with nice rustic walls. Behind us, there was a section that was a bit raised and had a railing. There was a second level, with seating available. I can totally picture a ballet hosted at the Wiltern. As far as I know, the concert didn't sell out. Redhead told me that they got bumped up to GA since they originally were behind the GA section. On stage, the instruments were, of course, already set up with the white the GazettE logo behind the instruments on a black backdrop. Whew, that is one hell of an awkward sentence. Hanging from the ceiling, at the front of center stage, was a projection screen showing upcoming shows and artists. I was standing a little off-center and a bit to the right. I am by no means short, but I wish I was taller because my view of the stage was blocked by lots of people the same height or taller. Should have known everyone and their mother would come in platform shoes! :/ My periphery vision was filled with people, so I only really could see the part of stage that was in my direct line of vision. Everyone was buzzing and chatting with their friends with rock music playing in the background. It was too loud to hear what exactly was playing. It wasn't until a little after 8:00 that the show started...
This live report is actual a lot longer than I planned for it to be. I think I'm going to have to take a break here folks and pick it up when it's not 2:00 AM in the morning. Coming up next, the concert review / recap! Fun fact: my playlist just landed on "DERANGEMENT"...
And so it begins...again:
Though I didn't make any posts in Entitatis for three years, I still purchased music and took pictures. I always hoped that I would create unboxing posts for all my purchases when I got the chance. I still have the pictures on my camera! Hopefully I will get a chance to do that pretty soon in the near future.
Picture this scenario: I'm going through all the monotony of day-to-day life and then all of a sudden, I find out online that the GazettE are embarking on a world tour -- a world tour that was going to include a North American leg...with one of the shows taking place in Los Angeles!!!!! Yeah. Pretty big deal. I flipped my shit when I heard. Even now, I find I can't really wrap my head around it. A band who I have been following for more than a DECADE, a band who has NEVER stepped foot to perform on the continent of North America, a band who I have spent so much of my TIME on, finally were able to do a show that I could feasibly attend!
Immediately, I started of thinking of friends who would be willing to go with me. Unfortunately, that list was pretty empty. Not too many of my friends really follow Jrock. The friend who introduced me to the band in 2005 was also my roommate for my last year of college, along with three other girls. We were all really close and got along great. However, ever since graduating, we fell out of touch and would only communicate with each other when it was someone's birthday. With regards to the friend who introduced me to the GazettE, I lost total contact. I would message her when it was her birthday or just to say hi and to hang out (we lived pretty close to each other), but she never returned any of my messages. :( Eventually, I stopped trying. One can only do so much, right? I'm still a little sad though. Anyway, I didn't ask her or tell her about it. I'm not sure she would have even gone, had I asked. She wasn't all that interested in Jrock anymore and had ventured to the world of Kpop back in college. The next day, my sister asked if I knew that the GazettE was performing a show in LA at the Wiltern. I said yes, I found out the day before when they announced it on their website. I asked her if she was interested in coming with me. She said hm, maybe and told me not to buy tickets just yet.
Some time had passed and about a week before the show, I asked her if she was still interested in going to the concert. She bought tickets for General Standing Admission on April 26th! Tickets weren't too bad. $50 for the actual ticket and $14 for the service fee at the Wiltern. The concert was a few days before my birthday and she told me the ticket was a birthday present when I tried to pay her back. Great timing GazettE. :)
Over the weekend, I un-shuffled my playlist and started playing their last four albums. I started looking up live reports to see if I could find out the type and cost of merchandise and to get a general idea of what the set list was going to be like. There wasn't too many detailed posts on merchandise, but the general consensus was that there wasn't too much that was being sold, aside from the two world tour shirts. The live reports were all amazing though and they really pumped me up for the concert. Unsurprisingly, it looked as if the set list was DOGMA-heavy. I was a little nervous though because at some venues, there were audience members that were doing some pretty serious moshing and shoving. Don't get me wrong, I get that it's a rock concert. There's going to be headbanging, people pushing up against each other, and everyone wearing everyone else's sweat. However, I firmly believe that there is a limit. Don't injure anyone and don't include anyone who doesn't want in on your dangerous behavior. Anywho.
Live Report - In Line
Come May 3rd, I got off of work early. I'm really lucky to have such a flexible schedule. Brought home some food for both my sister and I. I wolfed it down and got ready. My sister was on her way home from work and got home right when we wanted to leave for the concert -- thanks LA hell traffic. It took about 45 minutes to get to the Wiltern. My sister dropped me off across the street so I could snag a place in line while she looked for parking. I was walking across the street, hoping I was in the right line. I then took a look at all the people in line and immediately thought, yep, you're in the right place. A lot of people were dressed in platform shoes, black lace, dyed hair, and super thick eyeliner. I went casual and sported a white scoop neck t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Comfort > EVERYTHING. I was around the corner of the building, next to the parking lot. Not too bad for arriving at 6:15 PM. Right after I took my place in line, a tiny older lady lined up right behind me. I started to chat with her, asking how she got into the band. She said she was Japanese and it was through her daughter that she came to know the band. Her daughter was such a big fan that she would go to Japan to catch their shows. She was saying how she would be apart from her daughter from concerts because her daughter didn't want to hang out with mom. Her daughter actually joined us in line soon after. She had mistakenly lined up in the VIP section and had to make her way to where we were. They started speaking in Japanese and her mom pointed at me. She translated for me and said that her daughter and I got into the band at about the same time. The daughter apologized for her mom and I said, "Oh don't be! Your mom is adorable." She gave a sheepish smile and then they both started talking in Japanese with other people who had lined up behind them.
I played Marvel: Contest of Champions on my phone for a few minutes (awesome game - I'm an addict) and then somehow found myself starting a conversation with two girls in front of me. Oh that's right, I asked them to double check to see if I was in the right line. They both had GA tickets as well. They were super friendly and had been in line since 5:30 or so. One was a blonde, and the other a redhead. Both were Caucasian friends who had lived / worked in Japan. The Redhead taught English in Japan for a time and from what I gathered, her friend worked as an equestrian (awesome) and was super fluent in Japanese. The Redhead dragged her friend along to the concert. The Blonde has never experienced the band before today. My sister found me in line joined us during the conversation and said she was the drag-ee as well. We talked about a lot of different bands and other topics and how it was actually pretty nippy outside.
Live Report - Venue
Anywho, the doors were suppose to open at 7:00 PM. Assuming that the VIPs got to go in first, we didn't get in until about 7:30 or so. After quick bag checks by security, we walked in the building. Merchandise was to the left and in the middle of the lobby were boxes for each individual member and one box for the band in general if you had brought gifts for them. I took a quick glance at the merchandise available. The collection was a tad bit disappointing as it wasn't very extensive. I saw the two tour shirts, the hoodie, a calendar, and the UNDYING single, which I already have. If there was anything else, please let me know what I missed. I was hoping they were selling the bear key chain, but that was a bust. :| Anyway, I didn't buy anything and entered the venue with my sister and the two girls that were ahead of us in line. There was the pit area, closest to the stage, then a section for Heresy fan club members that was tapered a bit higher than the pit section, and then the start of the GA area. The venue itself is gorgeous. It was pretty big and expansive, with nice rustic walls. Behind us, there was a section that was a bit raised and had a railing. There was a second level, with seating available. I can totally picture a ballet hosted at the Wiltern. As far as I know, the concert didn't sell out. Redhead told me that they got bumped up to GA since they originally were behind the GA section. On stage, the instruments were, of course, already set up with the white the GazettE logo behind the instruments on a black backdrop. Whew, that is one hell of an awkward sentence. Hanging from the ceiling, at the front of center stage, was a projection screen showing upcoming shows and artists. I was standing a little off-center and a bit to the right. I am by no means short, but I wish I was taller because my view of the stage was blocked by lots of people the same height or taller. Should have known everyone and their mother would come in platform shoes! :/ My periphery vision was filled with people, so I only really could see the part of stage that was in my direct line of vision. Everyone was buzzing and chatting with their friends with rock music playing in the background. It was too loud to hear what exactly was playing. It wasn't until a little after 8:00 that the show started...
This live report is actual a lot longer than I planned for it to be. I think I'm going to have to take a break here folks and pick it up when it's not 2:00 AM in the morning. Coming up next, the concert review / recap! Fun fact: my playlist just landed on "DERANGEMENT"...
Thursday, May 5, 2016
the GazettE: Welcome to Los Angeles - Part 1
A lot of time has passed since I last posted. Life sort of got in the way and I let it get in the way for a long time.
What changed? Why post something now?
Well, it has a little bit to do with seeingtheGazettEplayinLAyesterday. Yeap. You read that correctly. For the first time since the inception of the band, they performed in North America! Anyone who has caught a glimpse of any of my posts knows that I like them. A lot. I will be breaking up my update post into two sections. This first post will dictate my discovery of the band and what I've been doing for the past three years since my last post. The second post will be a continued update, but hopefully more GazettE orientated (live report!!).
I have been following the band since 2005, with the release of "Cassis". That was my first real brush with Jrock. I've listened to a song or two from Gackt prior to my discovery of the GazettE (thanks sis), but it wasn't until I heard "Cassis" that I really ventured on my own and did more research into the genre. I actually still remember the moment when my friend showed me the music video on her Zune (yes, Zunes did exist at one point). We were in our local library, crouched down on the carpet near the Young Adult section, trying to keep quiet as she was pointing out the different members. Her favorite was Aoi; she really dug his lip piercings. I immediately fell in love with the song and when I got home, plugged in the keywords "the" and "GazettE" in Google to see what I could find.
What I discovered?
After listening to Cassis again on YouTube, (thank you YouTube creators) I discovered more of their songs by clicking on any video with their name in the title. Listening to their music led to watching snippets of tours uploaded by sneaky fans, which led to watching interviews, subtitled or not. I think it really says something when you not only want to listen to a band's music, but also want to find out more about the members of said band. I loved their music and I loved their personalities just as much.
What next?
It wasn't until I entered college that I started to buy their music. One, I had some money saved up from a part-time tutoring job. Two, I could get things shipped to my dorm instead of at home, where my purchases were sure to raise more than one eyebrow. I only wish that I started buying albums earlier. I missed out on the beautiful NIL Limited Edition album which still breaks my heart after all this time. Anyway, I collected the posters that came with the first press edition of the singles / albums I purchased. I finally had something to decorate my dorm room with for the next year. And decorate I did. My entire side of the wall was covered with posters and other knickknacks that I had collected and it wasn't solely Jrock related material.
I remember always being thirsty for news about the band, whether it was a new song they were releasing or a new tour they were announcing. My roommates and many other people who saw my room may not have been all that into Jrock / visual kei, but they were certainly impressed with my dedication and support for the band. My last year of college, I moved into an apartment with friends. Though I didn't have the option of poking holes into corked walls anymore, I still collected posters and decorated when and where I could. (namely my desk). I was always thrilled to learn I had a package waiting for me when I got back to my apartment and would begin taking pictures in preparation for my unboxing posts.
What happened after?
I moved back home after I graduated. Had a small job tutoring a girl in English from China for a month or two. Afterwards, to fill my time when I was not job hunting or reading trashy romance novels at ridiculous hours, I started doing more of these unboxing posts. I started them in college and really liked doing these kinds of posts. About 8 months after graduation, one of my high school friends asked if I was interested in applying for a position at the company she was working for. I said, "why the hell not", and applied. She had actually asked me once or twice before, but I was still in school at the time and the job was located pretty far from college. I got hired pretty quickly and started working! I was happy to have a job, but working got in the way of this blog. I took a lot of my work home and would work until 2 in the morning, only to wake up and start work all over again at 9:00 AM. This wasn't something that the company told me to do; it was purely of my own volition. You may be asking, why do that? Are you crazy? Part of the reason I brought work home was because I was the newest staff member. Another reason was because I knew I got the job due to my friend recommending me. I definitely felt pressure to justify the hire not only for myself, but also for her reputation. These two reasons compounded the feeling that I had to prove my worth to everyone and turned it into...something else. Believe me when I say I don't hate my job at all. I love the work environment and am actually very lucky to be working with the people that I am because we are like a family. We have each other's backs and are willing to help each other out. In less than a year, I worked my way up to a full-time position and everything was fine and dandy.
Little did I know, my piece of paradise became lost. One by one, some of my co-workers left. Some by choice, some...not. There was restructuring and new members were brought on. There was a period of rough transition, but we all figured it out once the dust settled. Mostly. Then there was another short period of calm that shifted into another storm. My friend, who had recommended me, was leaving the company and moving on to a new job and to further her education. I was offered her position and I took it with both hands since I was ready for something new, but wasn't yet ready to leave the workplace I had come to know and love. Currently, I've been in the new position for about a month. And what a month it has been. The new position offered a pay raise. Along with the pay raise came a lot more responsibility. I was glad to hear that all my co-workers had nothing but faith and belief that I would excel at the new position. Funnily enough, I had a moment of deja vu -- I felt like I had to do more to prove that I deserved the position and to really EARN my co-workers' trust. Kind of harkens back to when I first got hired.
I now have more eyes looking at my performance. With more time and experience, I'm sure I can do a competent job. I hope. I also realized that I have a CRAP-TON of work to do. I think there's at least 1.5 years worth of paperwork that was never taken care of. Of course audits are happening this year (lucky me), so I don't really have the option to tackle the PILE at my leisure. The PILE is not something that I can take home with me to do. I foresee sneaking in the office during the weekends to get caught up.
And then?
...And then I'll finally be breaking up this update post into 2 posts for sake of brevity. Who am I kidding. I wouldn't know brevity if it smacked me in the face, backwards and forwards. Anywho, the second post to come! And no, it's not going to take 3 years. It will have more of the current on-goings and what not. Hopefully maybe even a live report concert review.
I will say this though. Entitatis, you have been greatly missed. Welcome back.
What changed? Why post something now?
Well, it has a little bit to do with seeingtheGazettEplayinLAyesterday. Yeap. You read that correctly. For the first time since the inception of the band, they performed in North America! Anyone who has caught a glimpse of any of my posts knows that I like them. A lot. I will be breaking up my update post into two sections. This first post will dictate my discovery of the band and what I've been doing for the past three years since my last post. The second post will be a continued update, but hopefully more GazettE orientated (live report!!).
I have been following the band since 2005, with the release of "Cassis". That was my first real brush with Jrock. I've listened to a song or two from Gackt prior to my discovery of the GazettE (thanks sis), but it wasn't until I heard "Cassis" that I really ventured on my own and did more research into the genre. I actually still remember the moment when my friend showed me the music video on her Zune (yes, Zunes did exist at one point). We were in our local library, crouched down on the carpet near the Young Adult section, trying to keep quiet as she was pointing out the different members. Her favorite was Aoi; she really dug his lip piercings. I immediately fell in love with the song and when I got home, plugged in the keywords "the" and "GazettE" in Google to see what I could find.
What I discovered?
After listening to Cassis again on YouTube, (thank you YouTube creators) I discovered more of their songs by clicking on any video with their name in the title. Listening to their music led to watching snippets of tours uploaded by sneaky fans, which led to watching interviews, subtitled or not. I think it really says something when you not only want to listen to a band's music, but also want to find out more about the members of said band. I loved their music and I loved their personalities just as much.
What next?
It wasn't until I entered college that I started to buy their music. One, I had some money saved up from a part-time tutoring job. Two, I could get things shipped to my dorm instead of at home, where my purchases were sure to raise more than one eyebrow. I only wish that I started buying albums earlier. I missed out on the beautiful NIL Limited Edition album which still breaks my heart after all this time. Anyway, I collected the posters that came with the first press edition of the singles / albums I purchased. I finally had something to decorate my dorm room with for the next year. And decorate I did. My entire side of the wall was covered with posters and other knickknacks that I had collected and it wasn't solely Jrock related material.
I remember always being thirsty for news about the band, whether it was a new song they were releasing or a new tour they were announcing. My roommates and many other people who saw my room may not have been all that into Jrock / visual kei, but they were certainly impressed with my dedication and support for the band. My last year of college, I moved into an apartment with friends. Though I didn't have the option of poking holes into corked walls anymore, I still collected posters and decorated when and where I could. (namely my desk). I was always thrilled to learn I had a package waiting for me when I got back to my apartment and would begin taking pictures in preparation for my unboxing posts.
What happened after?
I moved back home after I graduated. Had a small job tutoring a girl in English from China for a month or two. Afterwards, to fill my time when I was not job hunting or reading trashy romance novels at ridiculous hours, I started doing more of these unboxing posts. I started them in college and really liked doing these kinds of posts. About 8 months after graduation, one of my high school friends asked if I was interested in applying for a position at the company she was working for. I said, "why the hell not", and applied. She had actually asked me once or twice before, but I was still in school at the time and the job was located pretty far from college. I got hired pretty quickly and started working! I was happy to have a job, but working got in the way of this blog. I took a lot of my work home and would work until 2 in the morning, only to wake up and start work all over again at 9:00 AM. This wasn't something that the company told me to do; it was purely of my own volition. You may be asking, why do that? Are you crazy? Part of the reason I brought work home was because I was the newest staff member. Another reason was because I knew I got the job due to my friend recommending me. I definitely felt pressure to justify the hire not only for myself, but also for her reputation. These two reasons compounded the feeling that I had to prove my worth to everyone and turned it into...something else. Believe me when I say I don't hate my job at all. I love the work environment and am actually very lucky to be working with the people that I am because we are like a family. We have each other's backs and are willing to help each other out. In less than a year, I worked my way up to a full-time position and everything was fine and dandy.
Little did I know, my piece of paradise became lost. One by one, some of my co-workers left. Some by choice, some...not. There was restructuring and new members were brought on. There was a period of rough transition, but we all figured it out once the dust settled. Mostly. Then there was another short period of calm that shifted into another storm. My friend, who had recommended me, was leaving the company and moving on to a new job and to further her education. I was offered her position and I took it with both hands since I was ready for something new, but wasn't yet ready to leave the workplace I had come to know and love. Currently, I've been in the new position for about a month. And what a month it has been. The new position offered a pay raise. Along with the pay raise came a lot more responsibility. I was glad to hear that all my co-workers had nothing but faith and belief that I would excel at the new position. Funnily enough, I had a moment of deja vu -- I felt like I had to do more to prove that I deserved the position and to really EARN my co-workers' trust. Kind of harkens back to when I first got hired.
I now have more eyes looking at my performance. With more time and experience, I'm sure I can do a competent job. I hope. I also realized that I have a CRAP-TON of work to do. I think there's at least 1.5 years worth of paperwork that was never taken care of. Of course audits are happening this year (lucky me), so I don't really have the option to tackle the PILE at my leisure. The PILE is not something that I can take home with me to do. I foresee sneaking in the office during the weekends to get caught up.
And then?
...And then I'll finally be breaking up this update post into 2 posts for sake of brevity. Who am I kidding. I wouldn't know brevity if it smacked me in the face, backwards and forwards. Anywho, the second post to come! And no, it's not going to take 3 years. It will have more of the current on-goings and what not. Hopefully maybe even a live report concert review.
I will say this though. Entitatis, you have been greatly missed. Welcome back.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Well, technically New Year's Eve, but close enough! Here's to a [hopefully] prosperous 2014.
And I will get that BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY unboxing out...
Be safe and enjoy what's left of 2013!
And I will get that BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY unboxing out...
Be safe and enjoy what's left of 2013!
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Prelude to Unboxing the GazettE's BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY [Limited Edition] - Ordering Process: CDJapan vs. YesAsia
So yay! My album arrived safely via YesAsia (and FedEx). That being said, I've been lagging the actual unboxing post and trying to figure out which pictures to post and whatnot. Hopefully the actual unboxing post will be up in a few days or a week. Or so...
This post will serve to explain my ordering mentality...at least in terms of CDJapan vs. YesAsia.
My usual pre-order site for Japanese releases is normally CDJapan. I choose them because they usually have nifty bonuses for first press orders. For many artists, bonuses commonly translate to posters. For the GazettE, posters are normally a really good size. B2-sized paper, to be exact. Measurements are about 27.8 inches x 19.7 inches. Right. Moving on to the second reason. Their packaging. I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. I cannot stress enough how awesome their packaging is. Feel free to scroll through my other unboxing posts labeled CDJapan to visually see what I'm babbling on about. The sturdy boxes. The green packing paper. ♥ *sigh* Anywho, another reason why I am a loyal customer is the overall shopping experience. I have ordered from them many times and almost every time, have been 100% satisfied. The times I've had to contact their customer service for something, I've always received a polite, prompt response. Shipping speed is quite fast, even if you choose the cheapest option. They also ship a day or two before the actual release dates, so that's pretty awesome. Also, an aside: I don't speak a lick of Japanese, so it's great that their staff can communicate in English. \o/
Now, since I usually always choose the cheapest shipping option at CDJapan, I don't have tracking numbers for my packaged ordered there. I think I've only had one tracking number from CDJapan, and that was only because I had to upgrade my shipping because of the weight of the package. No surprise, it was another GazettE album. Anywho, I can tell you based on experience (for the cheapest shipping anyway) that they usually arrive in about a little less than a week to a week or so after shipping.
However, shipping fees (in general, not just CDJapan) are insane. GazettE is also insane for making the packaging of this album so crazy heavy. I was debating whether or not I should stick with CDJapan and the exorbitant shipping prices the weight of the album necessitated. When I learned that the total shipping costs would range from ~ $35 (3470 yen) to ~ $65 (6400 yen) depending on the shipping option I chose, I flipped a little. The total cost of the album + the first press bonus poster would be ~ $122 (12018 yen) to ~ $152 (14948 yen), again depending on the shipping method. Sans poster, the cheapest shipping option would cost me ~ $19 (1900 yen). In the end, I couldn't justify spending that much money either with OR without the poster, especially since I knew of a much cheaper option on another site, YesAsia.
I have ordered a handful of items from YesAsia previously, but unfortunately this was before I started this blog, so I don't really have any solid photos to show. Every time that I have ordered, I think I've been more or less satisfied. I usually use YesAsia for other Asian music releases. I also use this site to compare prices against CDJapan and all that. I knew that YesAsia had a "free shipping over $39" option, and since they were celebrating their 15th anniversary, they lowered the price to $25. Well. Not like either would have made a difference for the album, with it being so darn expensive and all. Anywho, I ordered from the limited edition from YesAsia (YAY FOR FREE SHIPPING) on October 21st. I received an invoice saying it shipped on October 22nd. I received it on Wednesday, October 30th.
Just a quick comment: even though I chose standard shipping, I was still given a tracking code, which was nice. But me being a doofus, I totally didn't read the invoice carefully and notice those lovely digits until I saw the tracking code printed on the package. .__. Perhaps because my order was expensive, there was a little bit of added security? I'm not too sure on this assumption, but I make it because my other orders from YesAsia certainly didn't have tracking numbers provided AND they were nowhere near as expensive. Reasonable assumption, right? Anywho, looking up the tracking information, I noticed that it was shipped out of Hong Kong on the 28th. This tells me two things: 1) the preparation and shipping process took 6 days and 2) delivery was pretty quick (3 days). In total, it took about 9 days (7 business days) for the entire process (ordering to receiving).
I think this covers the gist of my ordering thought process for BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY. Now to work on that unboxing post...soon...aha.
This post will serve to explain my ordering mentality...at least in terms of CDJapan vs. YesAsia.
My usual pre-order site for Japanese releases is normally CDJapan. I choose them because they usually have nifty bonuses for first press orders. For many artists, bonuses commonly translate to posters. For the GazettE, posters are normally a really good size. B2-sized paper, to be exact. Measurements are about 27.8 inches x 19.7 inches. Right. Moving on to the second reason. Their packaging. I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. I cannot stress enough how awesome their packaging is. Feel free to scroll through my other unboxing posts labeled CDJapan to visually see what I'm babbling on about. The sturdy boxes. The green packing paper. ♥ *sigh* Anywho, another reason why I am a loyal customer is the overall shopping experience. I have ordered from them many times and almost every time, have been 100% satisfied. The times I've had to contact their customer service for something, I've always received a polite, prompt response. Shipping speed is quite fast, even if you choose the cheapest option. They also ship a day or two before the actual release dates, so that's pretty awesome. Also, an aside: I don't speak a lick of Japanese, so it's great that their staff can communicate in English. \o/
Now, since I usually always choose the cheapest shipping option at CDJapan, I don't have tracking numbers for my packaged ordered there. I think I've only had one tracking number from CDJapan, and that was only because I had to upgrade my shipping because of the weight of the package. No surprise, it was another GazettE album. Anywho, I can tell you based on experience (for the cheapest shipping anyway) that they usually arrive in about a little less than a week to a week or so after shipping.
However, shipping fees (in general, not just CDJapan) are insane. GazettE is also insane for making the packaging of this album so crazy heavy. I was debating whether or not I should stick with CDJapan and the exorbitant shipping prices the weight of the album necessitated. When I learned that the total shipping costs would range from ~ $35 (3470 yen) to ~ $65 (6400 yen) depending on the shipping option I chose, I flipped a little. The total cost of the album + the first press bonus poster would be ~ $122 (12018 yen) to ~ $152 (14948 yen), again depending on the shipping method. Sans poster, the cheapest shipping option would cost me ~ $19 (1900 yen). In the end, I couldn't justify spending that much money either with OR without the poster, especially since I knew of a much cheaper option on another site, YesAsia.
I have ordered a handful of items from YesAsia previously, but unfortunately this was before I started this blog, so I don't really have any solid photos to show. Every time that I have ordered, I think I've been more or less satisfied. I usually use YesAsia for other Asian music releases. I also use this site to compare prices against CDJapan and all that. I knew that YesAsia had a "free shipping over $39" option, and since they were celebrating their 15th anniversary, they lowered the price to $25. Well. Not like either would have made a difference for the album, with it being so darn expensive and all. Anywho, I ordered from the limited edition from YesAsia (YAY FOR FREE SHIPPING) on October 21st. I received an invoice saying it shipped on October 22nd. I received it on Wednesday, October 30th.
Just a quick comment: even though I chose standard shipping, I was still given a tracking code, which was nice. But me being a doofus, I totally didn't read the invoice carefully and notice those lovely digits until I saw the tracking code printed on the package. .__. Perhaps because my order was expensive, there was a little bit of added security? I'm not too sure on this assumption, but I make it because my other orders from YesAsia certainly didn't have tracking numbers provided AND they were nowhere near as expensive. Reasonable assumption, right? Anywho, looking up the tracking information, I noticed that it was shipped out of Hong Kong on the 28th. This tells me two things: 1) the preparation and shipping process took 6 days and 2) delivery was pretty quick (3 days). In total, it took about 9 days (7 business days) for the entire process (ordering to receiving).
I think this covers the gist of my ordering thought process for BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY. Now to work on that unboxing post...soon...aha.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Unboxing #11 - the GazettE's FADELESS -Auditory Impression-
Otay! Since it's nearly time for the GazettE to release their newest album, I mustered up the initiative to work on an unboxing post for FADELESS.
JUST A QUICK WARNING!
While not pornographic, the pictures of the cover art of the single and the poster may get you in trouble if you're looking at them where you're not supposed to (shame, shame!). You've been warned!
FADELESS was released on August 21, 2013. The tracks for the -Auditory Impression- edition of the single is as follows:
1. FADELESS
2. QUIET
3. FORBIDDEN BEAVER
The tracklist for the -Optical Impression- edition is very similar, with two main differences. FORBIDDEN BEAVER is not included and the promotional video for FADELESS is included in a DVD along with the CD for the songs FADELESS and QUIET. The PV was briefly released on their official YouTube channel for a few days, and purposefully removed soon after, hence, no link to the official PV. As I understand it, they don't plan to release any of the PVs for BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY, so for those of you who definitely want the complete visual aspect, y'all have to go out and get the limited edition. Certainly pricy, but for those of you who can and would like to, please do! :) I will be doing an unboxing post on the limited edition of the album soon. Hands, legs, fingers, and toes crossed for its safe arrival!
Time for the goodies!
So there you have it! Not too much to say about the packaging of the CD, since it's pretty standard. I suppose they save the unique packaging for all their limited edition albums. As per usual (based on their recent singles that is), the single booklet is one single sheet folded into thirds. Also typical of their past few single releases, the booklet is is made of a photo paper-like quality, so it's glossy and very smooth. Also, the booklet is pretty difficult to take a good picture of because of glare and whatnot.
As for the music, you can be the judge of that yourself. :)
Anywho, if you're curious at all as to what the little white strip of paper that's wrapped around the poster says, here it is:
I think that'll be it for this unboxing. SO EXCITED FOR MY NEXT UNBOXING POST. But of course, everyone and their mother will have had their pictures and posts up before I even get my copy. I think that's happening as I'm writing up this post. But that's okay! I'm always late with my posts anyway!^^" Hopefully while this frenzy for pictures and information is running rampant, everyone is respectful of all the pictures, opinions, etc. that others have posted. No fighting please!
EEK. As I was writing this up, I got a notice saying IT WAS SHIPPED. \o/
Anywho, I'm going sit here and not spoil myself anymore than I already have with everyone's lovely pictures!! :D Until BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY arrives...!
JUST A QUICK WARNING!
While not pornographic, the pictures of the cover art of the single and the poster may get you in trouble if you're looking at them where you're not supposed to (shame, shame!). You've been warned!
FADELESS was released on August 21, 2013. The tracks for the -Auditory Impression- edition of the single is as follows:
1. FADELESS
2. QUIET
3. FORBIDDEN BEAVER
The tracklist for the -Optical Impression- edition is very similar, with two main differences. FORBIDDEN BEAVER is not included and the promotional video for FADELESS is included in a DVD along with the CD for the songs FADELESS and QUIET. The PV was briefly released on their official YouTube channel for a few days, and purposefully removed soon after, hence, no link to the official PV. As I understand it, they don't plan to release any of the PVs for BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY, so for those of you who definitely want the complete visual aspect, y'all have to go out and get the limited edition. Certainly pricy, but for those of you who can and would like to, please do! :) I will be doing an unboxing post on the limited edition of the album soon. Hands, legs, fingers, and toes crossed for its safe arrival!
Time for the goodies!
 |
| Ignore the crappy job at touching up the photo. Admire the package. |
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| Notice the poster tube nestled right in front of the green packing paper. |
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| After loosening the tape on one side, I decided to snap a picture before removing the entire thing. Definitely appreciate CDJapan taping the bubble wrap to the box to prevent any movement in case of jostling during shipping. |
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| Here's a picture of the poster removed from the tube. The tube's ends are bent in to prevent the poster from sliding around and out of the tube during shipping. Check down below to see what's printed on the strip of paper! :D |
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| Posters were given at random. This poster art is the cover art for the Optical Impression edition of the single. A sneak peek at the single in the top left corner! |
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| Not thrilled about the next few pictures taken, but here they are. Not the greatest angle in the world of the CD, but the text on the sticker of the shrink wrap is the most legible in this picture compared to the others pictures I took. |
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| CD sans shrink wrap. Notice "DARLING" is scratched at the top. |
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| Side view of the CD. The other side panel is exactly the same. |
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| A look at the inside contents. No design underneath the CD. It's just black. |
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| Track list! |
So there you have it! Not too much to say about the packaging of the CD, since it's pretty standard. I suppose they save the unique packaging for all their limited edition albums. As per usual (based on their recent singles that is), the single booklet is one single sheet folded into thirds. Also typical of their past few single releases, the booklet is is made of a photo paper-like quality, so it's glossy and very smooth. Also, the booklet is pretty difficult to take a good picture of because of glare and whatnot.
As for the music, you can be the judge of that yourself. :)
Anywho, if you're curious at all as to what the little white strip of paper that's wrapped around the poster says, here it is:
NO.66
the GazettE
0
2013/8/21
SRCL-
8343,8345
I think that'll be it for this unboxing. SO EXCITED FOR MY NEXT UNBOXING POST. But of course, everyone and their mother will have had their pictures and posts up before I even get my copy. I think that's happening as I'm writing up this post. But that's okay! I'm always late with my posts anyway!^^" Hopefully while this frenzy for pictures and information is running rampant, everyone is respectful of all the pictures, opinions, etc. that others have posted. No fighting please!
EEK. As I was writing this up, I got a notice saying IT WAS SHIPPED. \o/
Anywho, I'm going sit here and not spoil myself anymore than I already have with everyone's lovely pictures!! :D Until BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY arrives...!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Unboxing #10 - JeA's Just JeA
Whew, it's certainly getting quite hot isn't it...at least it was when I started this post...^^"
Finally, the resident leader and powerhouse of Brown Eyed Girls, JeA, makes her long-awaited foray as a solo artist. Well, to be precise, prior to this mini-album, she HAS released a track apart from her group (aside from her contribution to various soundtracks)...but this time around we get a physical release and proper promotion. Yay!
Just JeA was released on January 4th, 2013. Here's a quick tracklist. As always, if there is an official video for a song, I will link it! I believe there are two of them this time around.
1. Days & Nights ft. Eric Benét
2. 길고양이, (Street Cat)
3. 그대가 잠든 사이, (While You're Sleeping)
4. 안아보자, (Let's Hug) ft. 정엽 (Jung Yeob) of Brown Eyed Soul
5. Silent Stalker ft. Double K
Now onto the visuals!
I love the visual concept JeA was going for. I believe she stated that she wanted the packaging to be reminiscent of a personal diary/scrapbook/book. I think the execution of that idea was spot on. There's even a table of contents-like page included in the first few pages. She has a few pages dedicated to every song on the album and an intro and an outro. I think it's absolutely adorable that the font has a handwritten look and that there are a bunch of doodles and underlines and little side notes written in and around the main texts and pictures of each page.
After the intro and the pages about the songs, she dedicates two pages for each member of the Brown Eyed Girls. So very sweet. Now all I need is a translator to explain to me what it is that she wrote exactly... Anywho, after the pages about the members, comes the lyrics, outro, and the credits. That's a total of 48 numbered pages, not including the "dedication page" (which is the first page that lists the distributors and the copyrights) and the credit page (the last page).
I like the attention to detail on the packaging. The dedication page and the credit page have a typical book-like type paper. You know, the not exactly smooth texture, thin paper, etc. The rest of the album's pages are of a cardstock-type of material: very smooth, sort of thick, and so on. This is just something I found super interesting.
Okay, enough about the pages. The album itself is very sturdy (\o/). Heh. That looks like an angel or something with the parenthesis instead of a person raising their arms. Er, anyways, yes. Very sturdy. Definitely appreciate that as I like the keep the corners sharp and pointy! The booklet is fused into the binding, much like how a book and its pages are. So...take what you will from that. The texture of the album is also interesting. It has almost a woven quality, if you noticed from the pictures above. Be careful of getting any scratches on the album because they will show.
One bone to pick though...I'm not a huge fan of the CD just being slipped into the sleeve in the back cover. Although if you are gentle with your albums and don't shift them around and turn them upside down often, you should be fine. It's just a personal preference. *shrugs*
As for the music itself, well. It's JeA. A Brown Eyed Girl. I don't think I need to say much on this front eh? I think she delivered what everyone expected of her and did it well.
I hope this post helps y'all decide to support JeA and her endeavors and purchase her album!^^b
Also, as an aside, I've received the GazettE's newest single, FADELESS, so my next unboxing post will be on that. Hopefully that post will be out before their new 7th studio album BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY releases. WHICH IS ON OCTOBER 23!!!! I'm excited. I think I'm going to get the ridiculously expensive limited edition version. I can't wait to do an unboxing post on that baby. Also, I NEED A JOB. Hire me? :D?
Finally, the resident leader and powerhouse of Brown Eyed Girls, JeA, makes her long-awaited foray as a solo artist. Well, to be precise, prior to this mini-album, she HAS released a track apart from her group (aside from her contribution to various soundtracks)...but this time around we get a physical release and proper promotion. Yay!
Just JeA was released on January 4th, 2013. Here's a quick tracklist. As always, if there is an official video for a song, I will link it! I believe there are two of them this time around.
1. Days & Nights ft. Eric Benét
2. 길고양이, (Street Cat)
3. 그대가 잠든 사이, (While You're Sleeping)
4. 안아보자, (Let's Hug) ft. 정엽 (Jung Yeob) of Brown Eyed Soul
5. Silent Stalker ft. Double K
Now onto the visuals!
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| \o/ |
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| Bubble wrapppp. |
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| JeA, looking gorgeous. |
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| Side panel. |
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| Topmost view. |
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| In which the CD makes the back cover its home. |
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| Unobstructed view of the CD. |
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| Back cover and another track list. |
I love the visual concept JeA was going for. I believe she stated that she wanted the packaging to be reminiscent of a personal diary/scrapbook/book. I think the execution of that idea was spot on. There's even a table of contents-like page included in the first few pages. She has a few pages dedicated to every song on the album and an intro and an outro. I think it's absolutely adorable that the font has a handwritten look and that there are a bunch of doodles and underlines and little side notes written in and around the main texts and pictures of each page.
After the intro and the pages about the songs, she dedicates two pages for each member of the Brown Eyed Girls. So very sweet. Now all I need is a translator to explain to me what it is that she wrote exactly... Anywho, after the pages about the members, comes the lyrics, outro, and the credits. That's a total of 48 numbered pages, not including the "dedication page" (which is the first page that lists the distributors and the copyrights) and the credit page (the last page).
I like the attention to detail on the packaging. The dedication page and the credit page have a typical book-like type paper. You know, the not exactly smooth texture, thin paper, etc. The rest of the album's pages are of a cardstock-type of material: very smooth, sort of thick, and so on. This is just something I found super interesting.
Okay, enough about the pages. The album itself is very sturdy (\o/). Heh. That looks like an angel or something with the parenthesis instead of a person raising their arms. Er, anyways, yes. Very sturdy. Definitely appreciate that as I like the keep the corners sharp and pointy! The booklet is fused into the binding, much like how a book and its pages are. So...take what you will from that. The texture of the album is also interesting. It has almost a woven quality, if you noticed from the pictures above. Be careful of getting any scratches on the album because they will show.
One bone to pick though...I'm not a huge fan of the CD just being slipped into the sleeve in the back cover. Although if you are gentle with your albums and don't shift them around and turn them upside down often, you should be fine. It's just a personal preference. *shrugs*
As for the music itself, well. It's JeA. A Brown Eyed Girl. I don't think I need to say much on this front eh? I think she delivered what everyone expected of her and did it well.
I hope this post helps y'all decide to support JeA and her endeavors and purchase her album!^^b
Also, as an aside, I've received the GazettE's newest single, FADELESS, so my next unboxing post will be on that. Hopefully that post will be out before their new 7th studio album BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY releases. WHICH IS ON OCTOBER 23!!!! I'm excited. I think I'm going to get the ridiculously expensive limited edition version. I can't wait to do an unboxing post on that baby. Also, I NEED A JOB. Hire me? :D?
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