stolen colours

I’m writing this post because I might forget all the bands that I’ve listened to and want to follow because I liked their releases. Here goes!

I’ll start with my old favourites, bands that have remained in one piece and gotten better since I started listening to Jrock almost ten years ago.

Plastic Tree - after last year’s Nega to Poji, they released a single Alone Again, Wonderful World. The title track is a disappointment, but the second track Psychedelism is wicked. The next single, Replay/Dolly is pretty good; it takes time to like Replay because it’s a patchwork of different styles, some of which I like more than others. (Damn I want to look like Ryuutarou.)

MUCC - I had their album Shion on repeat for two months. It isn’t often that I like all the songs in one album; but this one is so strong that every of the 13 tracks there could stand as a single. More on this in a separate post! I’m relistening to all their older albums again. Solid. *desperately wants to obtain their live DVDs*

D’espairsRay - they’ve seriously gotten much, much better over the years. I downloaded a rip of Spiral Staircase, then went to BUY the actual thing from CDJapan. Strange for a limited edition item to still be in stock months after its release. Where’s the love for this band!

Kagrra - started listening to them again ever since their epic Utakata was released. Since then they’ve released two albums; but one constant gripe is that their delivery on studio recordings is always just too polished and lacking that raw edge. Loving their newest single, Uzu, anyway.

And now for the newer ones: [list to be updated]

Matenrou Opera - GILIA

M o r a n - I must admit, I was interested in this band only because of their romantic dressing style; music is definitely listenable, but doesn’t catch my heart like the above bands do.

VELTPUNCH - an alternative band. I fell in love with the incredibly catchy Crawl, the opening theme for Nabari no Ou, then went to search for more of their music. I like their songs, but nothing else has hooked me the way Crawl did, so I’m now wondering if I would have liked them if they hadn’t been accompanied by the visual treat of Nabari no Ou’s OP.

Deluhi - Surveillance and Orion Once Again. Great melodies, killer arrangements and solos.

Dio - They remind me just a teeny bit of L’arc en ciel; but otherwise their songs rock hard. Just listen, don’t look at the PVs.