B’z – New album title track “C’mon” PV, release on 7/27

 

Here is the PV for B’z’s new album’s title track. It was put up on B’z’s official youtube channel a couple of weeks ago. I’m a little late XD.

Love the acoustic/electric guitar sound and the overall composition of the song. It gives off a different feeling from their usual hard rockin’ numbers. I can’t wait to hear the full album now. It drops in less than a week!

Head over here for more info on the new album. Like what you see? Grab yours today!

Limited edition: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan
Regular edition: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan

B’z – “OCEAN” translation

"OCEAN" (2005).

 

ふりそそぐ陽を浴びて　汚れなく君は笑い
You bathe in the down-pouring sunlight and smile with purity
何もかも知りたくて　僕はただ走り出す
Wanting to know everything, I just start running

ゆっくり沖を進んでゆく　白く光る船のように
We continue to proceed slowly on the open seas like a shining white ship
どんな風ものみこんで　ひとつずつ波を　超えたいよ
Catching on to any wind and wanting to cross over every wave

果てない想いを　君に捧げよう
I give you endless love
握りしめた　この手は　はなさない　嵐の中でも
Even in a storm, this hand that grasped you tightly does not let go
新しい旅へと　ともに出ていこう
Let’s go on a new journey together
胸ふるわす　僕らが見てるのは　どこまでも広がる　ＯＣＥＡＮ
With our trembling hearts, what we are looking at is the outstretching ocean

形の違う心　何度でもぶつけあって
Different shapes of the heart run into each other countless times
人はみな　それぞれに　生きてゆく術を知る
Everybody knows their own way of continuing to live

ひとり　かくしてきた涙を　今こそ見せてくれないかい
Right now, won’t you show me the tears you hide
怖がらないで迷わないで　僕はその心に　さわりたいよ
Do not falter or be afraid, I want to touch that heart

果てない想いを　君に捧げよう
I give you endless love
かわした言葉　その声は響き続ける　季節が変わっても
With the words exchanged, that voice will continue to resound even if the season changes
どこにも逃げないで　同じ空を見よう
Do not run away anywhere, let’s look at the same sky
絆深き　僕らを待ってるのは　静かにゆらめく　ＯＣＥＡＮ
With our deep bonds, what is waiting for us is the calm and swaying ocean

果てない想いを　君に捧げよう
I give you endless love
握りしめた　この手は　はなさない　嵐の中でも
Even in a storm, this hand that grasped you tightly does not let go
新しい旅へと　ともに出ていこう
Let’s go on a new journey together
胸ふるわす　僕らが見てるのは　どこまでも広がる　ＯＣＥＡＮ
With our trembling hearts, what we are looking at is the outsretching ocean
__________________________________________________________________________________________

My first translation of a B’z song. To me, “OCEAN” is one of the best power ballads I have ever listened to. While it was released as a single, I prefer the “2006 MiX” from their album “MONSTER” because the guitar is jacked up.

I always knew this song was beautiful, but had no idea just how beautiful. Up until now I’ve always been focused on Tak’s skillful song writing and guitar playing. I’ve heard that his partner Koshi is a skilled lyricist, and now I’ve seen it firsthand. These lyrics are absolutely amazing. Tak and Koshi make a great combo, and this song is a perfect example of that.

I’m very proud of this translation and believe it to be the best one I’ve done yet. Look forward to more!

B’z – New 18th album “C’mon” release on 7/27

“C’mon”
B’z

Release date: July 27th 2011

CD tracklist:
1.  C’mon
2.   Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo
3.  Hito Shizuku no Anata
4.  Homebound
5.  Don’t Wanna Lie
6.  DAREKA
7.  BOSS
8.  Too Young
9.  PILGRIM
10.  THE MEISTER
11.  DEAD END
12.  Mei Mei
13.  ultra soul 2011

DVD tracklist:
1.  C’mon
2.  Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo
3.  Don’t Wanna Lie

After almost two years since “MAGIC“, they finally announce a new album! This will be the 18th original album from B’z and will come in two editions, a CD only regular edition and a CD+DVD limited edition.

I’m so excited for this release!!! The title just exudes confidence and I’m sure this will be one rockin’ album with guitars ablaze. Some of the tracks have pretty cool names. “BOSS” and “THE MEISTER” are especially badass, so I have high expectations. It’s surprising they included “ultra soul“, a song that was released in 2001, on this album. Even so, it is one of their most well-known songs and I look forward to hearing the revamped 2011 version.

One thing to take note of is the flashy cover. As people may or may not know, their single song “Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo“, which appears on this album, was used as a tie-up for a Pepsi commercial. Take a close look at the color scheme…I think it’s no coincidence at all. Did Pepsi put them up to this or is B’z just a big fan of the cola drink? It totally does remind me of Pepsi!

The only gripe I have with this album is the DVD content. Unlike “MAGIC”, the content on the limited edition is pretty lacking with the only new material being the PV for “C’mon”. Both Sayonara and DWL PVs were included with their respective single releases, so people who got both singles (people like me), really get the short end of the stick. Hopefully the content of the album tracks will more than make up for it.

Pre-order:

Limited edition: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan
Regular edition: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan

Head over to their official site for a preview of “C’mon”!

Source: B’z official website

Goodies galore pt.7

Items from eBay and CDJapan came on the same day. Sturdy CDJapan box is awesome!

 

Grade S packaging.

Bubbly wrap :D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CDJapan items. From top to bottom: AKB48's new single, B'z's new single, and AKB48's new album.

 

"Don't Wanna Lie" CD+DVD limited edition.

Back.

"Everyday, Kachuusha" Type A & B CD+DVD regular edition.

Back.

"Everyday, Kachuusha" CD only theater edition from eBay.

Back.

"Koko ni Ita Koto" CD+DVD limited edition.

Back.

"Everyday Kachuusha" CDJapan first press bonus photo x2 w/ Jurina.

"Koto ni Ita Koto" CDJapan first press bonus photo x2 w/ Miichan and Sae.

  
Lots of pictures this time. Behold the glory that is AKB XD!

Seems like HMV gives out better first press bonus photos than CDJapan =|. I can live with solo Jurina shots, but it surely doesn’t beat HMV’s Kojiharu-Jurina-Yuko bonus photo. No idea what HMV’s first press for “Koko ni Ita Koto” is, but I’m guessing it’s better than the Miichan-Sae combo CDJapan offers.

With this I finally possess every version of AKB48’s newest single ^^. The deluxe box design of AKB48’s newest album is gorgeous. I also love the nice slip case that comes with the new B’z single. Out of all these items, the only regret I have is paying $31 dollars for the theater edition of Everyday.

Reviews soon hopefully? WEEEE

B’z – “Don’t Wanna Lie” takes #1

B’z released their new single “Don’t Wanna Lie” today. Oricon reports that it sold 54,248 copies to take the #1 spot on the singles chart. This is their record 45th consecutive #1 single, a streak that dates all the way back to 1990. It also extends their record for most consecutive #1 singles to 45.

I have not actually heard this song yet. Just like with their last single, there were no promotional videos floating around for it. Will have to wait until next week for my copy to arrive from CDJapan.

However, I did stumble upon a guitar cover of this song on youtube. This is the same guy that also did a cover of their last single. Check it out here.

I will always be amazed at how quickly he figures out how to play these B’z songs. It’s really no small feat. From the sound of it “Don’t Wanna Lie” seems to be a guitar-driven ballad. I’m already in love with the beautiful intro!

Here’s the video:

Amazing guitar cover of B’z’s “MOTEL”

 
I stumbled upon this cover last night. This guy is so ridiculously skilled. I’ve never been a huge fan of this song up until now. Seeing and hearing the guitar is really quite different. There’s clearly a very high level of technique involved. Now that I have seen it with my very own eyes, I can fully appreciate the work that went into making this masterpiece. It really brings to light Tak’s ingenuity and musical sense. The intro and solo of this song are incredible.

“MOTEL” was released by B’z in 1994. It was their 11th consecutive #1 single and 15th overall, becoming a huge hit in Japan with over a million copies sold. To many fans “MOTEL” is a classic B’z song, and the vintage sound certainly gives off that kind of feeling.

Goodies galore pt.4

Hmm...a familiar-looking packaging XD.

 

Some old school B'z singles from the 90's. All are 8cm discs.

 

B'z "BLOWIN'" (1992).

 

B'z "Ai no Mama ni Wagamama ni Boku wa Kimi Dake wo Kizutsukenai" (1993).

 

B'z "Calling" (1997).

 
These are some really classic B’z singles I managed to grab off of eBay. They were bought along with a bunch of other B’z items from the same seller. All three were bundled together for a low price of $16.99 with a 10% discount and free shipping. Refer to the this post for more details.

It’s so cool to own something dating back to the early 90’s! All of these singles were released during a period when B’z was at the very peak of their career. “BLOWIN'” was released in 1992, and as such it is officially the oldest Japanese release I own :). It contains one of my all-time favorite B’z power ballads, “TIME” as the coupling track. “Ai no Mama ni Wagamama ni Boku wa Kimi Dake wo Kizutsukenai”, infamous for its long song title, is B’z’s best selling single with a whopping 2,021,266 copies sold (BLOWIN’ is their 3rd best with 1,763,970 copies sold). Finally, “Calling”, one of my favorite B’z songs, was their last single to sell over a million copies (1,000,020) in the 90’s.

Indeed, they are all significant pieces of B’z history, and I can proudly say I own them :).

Goodies galore pt.3

Hmm what is this mysterious white package that looks like a rolled up blanket XD...?

 

B'z galore! I've been looking forward to getting these @_@.

 

B'z 20th anniversary compilation albums "B'z The Best ULTRA Pleasure" 2CD+DVD (2008) & "B'z The Best ULTRA Treasure" 2CD+DVD (2008).

Spine view.

Back view.

 

From left to right, top to bottom: "BIG MACHINE" (2003), "THE CIRCLE" (2005), "MONSTER" (2006), & "ACTION" (2007).

 

"B'z LIVE-GYM 2006 MONSTER'S GARAGE" (2006).

 
I’ve been wanting to get the two B’z 20th anniversary albums for a while, and now I finally have them :D. It’s actually quite crazy the price I got all these items for. They were all found on eBay from one seller’s store. The two compilations albums were bundled together for a price of $24.99, while the four original albums were bundled together for a price of $22.99. The live DVD was $17.99. Shipping for all of these items was free despite the amount of effort and material that went into the packaging. Not many impacts could have damaged these items while they were in transit. To make a sweet deal even sweeter, I also got a 10% discount on the whole order because I bought more than 3 items. In total I spent a little over $50 dollars for everything.

Anyone that uses an online merchant such as CDJapan to buy Japanese music would know that this is absolutely absurd. Just to give you an idea, it is $48.76 EACH for the same two compilation albums on CDJapan, and $35.51 EACH for the same four original albums. The same live DVD is listed for a whopping $69.66!!! Then add on $70 dollars for EMS shipping since the weight of everything probably would not qualify for the cheaper Airmail option. The total for everything would be somewhere around $380 dollars. I got the same items from eBay for a total of $55 something dollars. That’s a $330 dollar difference… Insane.

I was quite skeptical at first and thought it was definitely some Chinese bootlegs being sold. He listed all his items as “authentic” Japanese imports and went to great lengths in the description to emphasize this point. The photos of the items did indeed show authentic Japanese items. The DVD regions were also listed as “2”, which further clarified things for me. I took the plunge and got all these items. Now that I have them in my hand, I can say that it was well worth the money. After opening them all, I can verify that they are indeed brand new authentic Japanese releases as promised. I am so elated with this purchase and will be adding this guy’s store to my “Music Shops” links. He has more than deserved a spot ;). I wish I had known about this crazy bargain store sooner. Will most definitely be buying more items from this seller in the very near future!

B’z – “Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo” single review

“Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo”
B’z

Release date: April 13th, 2011

Tracklist:
1. Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo
2. Dawn Runner

DVD:
1. Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo PV

After more than a year, B’z finally releases a new single! It has been far too long. Overall, this is the 48th single for B’z, and brings their total single sales to a record 34.993 million copies sold. Even more amazing, it is their record 44th consecutive #1 single and also extends their record of most #1 singles to 44. These two records date all the way back to June 13th,1990, when they released their 5th single “Taiyou no Komachi Angel”.

This single came in two versions, a CD only regular edition and a CD+DVD limited edition. It is only their second single to feature a PV. The title track was used as a tie-up to a Pepsi Nex commercial. Literally translated, the title is “goodbye days full of wounds”. I found the cover of this single to be really cool and stylish. The western cowboy theme it has going on is awesome. This looks like it could quite possibly be a movie poster. The PV included with this release also deserves some mention. There were some pretty cool effects in it and it was equally as stylish.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

1. Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo

The main track of this single. If I could sum up this song into a few words, I would say that it simply kicks ass! I won’t be doing that though haha. The intro is an eye-opener to say the least. This song starts off with a low-key distorted electronic sound, which serves as the lead-in to a brilliant mirroring guitar riff. The intro really is quite stylish. The way the song also ends in similar fashion is great. After writing so many songs over the course of 20 years, it amazes me how Tak can still manage to come up with these great ideas and create such catchy riffs. He really has a great sense of song writing. The thick heavy guitar sound throughout this piece is great. Like with most B’z songs, Tak’s guitar is the driving force behind the music. He carries the whole weight of the song on his guitar alone and creates an excellent flowing succession of chords. Towards the middle of the song there is a flashy guitar solo that fits the mood of the song perfectly. The sound of this solo is very characteristic of Tak’s own style and has his “signature” all over it. Of course, just the guitar alone would not suffice in making a great rock number. The drumming in this piece is also very powerful, and the bass provides a perfect rhythm and harmony. Both of these instruments can be distinctly heard, and together with Tak’s guitar they create a rich sounding piece. The vocalist does a stellar job like always with penning the lyrics. He sings the words to perfectly match the flow of the song. “Sayonara kizu darake no hibi yo~” just rolls off the tongue and becomes catchy in no time. This distinguishing feature makes it quite a memorable song. Overall, this is short and sweet while managing to maintaining a very high quality sound. It is definitely everything I expected out of a world-class band like this.

2. Dawn Runner

Not too much to say about this song. The title is really cool, so I thought it’d be a great song. I didn’t find it to be anything special, but it is definitely above average as far as song writing goes. The use of violin strings is always a plus. It really gives the song a dark feeling along with the guitar picking. Overall this track is certainly not as catchy or memorable as its A-side counterpart, but for a B-side I found it to be more than acceptable.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

It has been nearly 21 years since they released their first #1 single, yet they are still continuing to do what they started on that fateful day. There are just not that many Japanese artists with this kind of longevity and success. I don’t think much more has to be said of these guys. They are simply the stuff of legend.

This single is highly recommended for anyone calling himself or herself a fan of Japanese rock music. You have not heard good Japanese rock until you’ve listened to these guys ;). B’z offers the highest quality Japanese music at a world class level.

Buy this single:

Limited edition: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan
Regular edition: CDJapan, YesAsia, HMV Japan

Goodies galore pt.2

My package from CDJapan. Love the sturdy box it came in.

 

J-rock heaven!

 

GLAY's two newest compilation albums. Left: "GLAY rare collectives vol. 3" 2CD+DVD limited edition. Right: "GLAY rare collectives vol. 4" 2CD+DVD limited edition.

 

B'z's new single "Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo" CD+DVD limited edition.

 
 
And that’s all! Pretty small order, but very ginormous Japanese rock bands :D. I finally receive the new B’z single I’ve been dying to get my hands on! Seems like all three of these releases come with a very nice outer slip sleeve case, and all three covers feature pimpin’ bona fide rock legends. Will try to start posting reviews as soon as I get through hellacious finals week -_-.