Monday 30 March 2009

Good day! I've not blogged for a long while, which is strange, I used to blog almost bi-daily. I don't know when I became so lethargic!
Well, actually I guess I've not blogged because nothing interesting has happened recently.

The biggest news I have is that I apply for college, so I'm currently waiting for an interview date (lucky, eh?).
I think that's pretty much it, I know in a previous post I said that I was currently writing a short story, well, that has yet to come into fruition, it'll take a long time before my "mojo" kicks in again, because I'm currently having creative lag. This is also the reason I have 4 unfinished poems. So yay for that.

I know he'll obviously never read my blog, but I'm wishing Miyavi congratulations on getting married and hope he and his new wife, melody., have a long and fruitful relationship! Also, if the rumours are true, I hope that they have a healthy child! \^_^/
Oh, and I offer my (in)sincere lamentations upon THSK ranking badly in the ORICON, but I'm glad that Ayumi's NEXT LEVEL has topped the ORICON six days in a row! (I'm a geek, I know).

*Thinks*
I think that's pretty much all I have to say, I just thought I'd update people briefly on the goings on inside my head! Oh, I'm currently reading Jane Eyre again (I love that book).
I think~ that's it. Which reminds me, I need a job. :(
I want monies. :(

But yeah, bye!

Monday 23 March 2009

Stuff No-One Cares About

So, firstly, I wanna talk about "NEXT LEVEL" which is Ayu's tenth original album.
Yes, this means I'm going to try my hand at reviews. You lucky people. :P

So, the album starts with the song "Bridge to the sky" which is a calm intro with a slight rock-edge, it's semi-instrumental and really sets the mood for the next track.
(Composed by Nakano Yuuta who also composed Mirror(cle World), talkin' 2 myself, decision, and Marionette -prelude-).

Track two is the title track "NEXT LEVEL" and has a distinct summer feel reminiscent of BLUE BIRD, personally this is one of my favourite tracks of the album because the lyrics are really sweet. Although it's a pop song it still retains an original melody.
(Composed by D・A・I who is a personal favourite, he's composed many of Ayumi's songs including BLUE BIRD, SEASONS, Boys & Girls, Real me, Trauma, and monochrome).

The third track which is titled "Disco-munication" is actually pretty disco-sounding, it has a hard bass, synths, and (maybe) electric guitar. It's the first interlude of the album and it's completely instrumental, setting the techno-inspired scene for the next songs: EnergizE and Sparkle.
(Composed by CMJK who composed other interludes for Ayumi including The Judgement Day (GUILTY), Are You Wake Up? ((miss)understood), and a few songs: until that Day... and Over).

The forth track: "EnergizE" also carries off a techno sound, with an equally heavy bass and electronic sounds with harmonious synthesizers (I know nothing about music, obviously) it's a pretty good song even though it may take some getting used to as it is pretty different from Ayumi's previous songs, this also was composed by Nakano Yuuta.

"Sparkle", the fifth track of the album, is definitely one of my favourite Ayumi songs, fitting in with the previous two songs, it's clearly inspired by techno and infused with a dash of rock. Ayumi's vocals here are akin to Kumi Kouda's. So, yes, I have to say I'm slightly biased because I love it so much, if I was rating songs, this would easily get a 8. ;)
(Composed by Hara Kazuhiro who also composed Marionette, glitter (both GUILTY), STEP you ((miss)understood), Born To Be...(Secret), &c.).

"rollin'" is the sixth track and in my opinion one of the strangest (also the best). Starting with a keyboard intro that for some reason creeps me out as it reminds me of clowns it suddenly stops to introduce a beat (yet another bass heavy song), her lyrics in this change between natural and computerised, which is pretty cool in my opinion. For some reason this really reminds me of the 80s, I guess I can't really put my finger on it, but the chorus is amazing, I love it.
(Also composed by Nakano Yuuta, Nakano really comes into his element on this album imo).

GREEN is yet another favourite and comes at track seven. GREEN has a vibrant spring feel to it and comes jam packed with Chinese instruments and reminds me of many of Ayumi's other 'Chinese' sounding songs such as Moments, Will, and vogue. I think this is yet another really original song from Ayumi.
I guess for me it marked a new era, her last album GUILTY seemed to be almost entirely dealing with loss and pain, then along came GREEN which literally reminds me of a budding flower.
(Composed by Yukumi Testuya who also composed (don't) leave me alone (GUILTY), Life (Mirrorcle World single), ((miss)understood).

Load of the SHUGYO is the eighth track and is the second instrumental, getting away from the disco elements (almost) this has some really heavy guitar riffs along with a beat which actually reminds me of the Australian didgeridoo. I don't know why, so it's best not to ask. This instrumental really helps take you from disco to Ayumi's rockier songs including identity and Rule.
(Composed by CMJK).

The ninth track is called identity and is Ayumi's first "rock" song of NEXT LEVEL, it's a good song in all, it reminds me of (don't) leave me alone a lot, especially in the chorus.
(Composed by Nakano Yuuta).

The tenth track and third single from the album is Rule, which is also the international theme for the new Dragon Ball theme. Rule is also a heavy rock song.
A running theme in NEXT LEVEL seems to be heavy bass, liberal usage of computers (as in voice masking and synths).
(Composed by Watanabe Miki who composed is this LOVE ((miss)understood) she also composed Kuu's song Butterfly).

LOVE 'n' HATE which is the eleventh track is also a strange song, I think from this album it is the rock song which stands out the most. The intro to this song is really really epic, and the first part of it kind of reminds me of STEP you, but then it quickly changes into something unique.
I absolutely love this song. :)
(This was also composed by Nakano).

The last instrumental of the album is Pieces of SEVEN which is track twelve. This also has an unusual sound, it reminds me somewhat of a rainy day, I don't know why I get that feeling from it, but it has a really nice calming effect to it which nicely links the rock songs to the ballads even though it does speed up a little to the end.
(Composed by HΛL who also composed some other interludes such as LABYRINTH (Secret), reBIRTH (GUILTY), &c.).

The thirteenth song is Days which to me seems like a wintry love ballad, a really sweet song but not one of my favourites sadly. I think that it's not a favourite due to Ayumi's preference to performing it live. :P
(Composed by Tago Kunio who seems to compose soley ballads including untitled ~for her~(GUILTY), Key (DUTY), Together When... (GUILTY), and SCAR (DUTY)).

The final song is called Curtain call which is a fitting title for the last track, this song is also a ballad, the lyrics are incredibly sweet and it's possibly the best ballad of the album. This song's lyrics remind me of Who... and the melody is also pretty simple. To my ears it sounds just like a piano and maybe a backing choir. I think that the simplistic sound is a wonderful way to go to the proverbial NEXT LEVEL. :P
(Composed by Hara Kazuhiro).

In all, I think this is possibly one of Ayumi's most original albums and also one of her best. I particularly like NEXT LEVEL, Sparkle, rollin', GREEN, LOVE 'n' HATE and Curtain call.
The singles from this album were GREEN, Days, and Rule. Although Sparkle, Curtain call and NEXT LEVEL also have PVs. I was glad to hear a more refreshing sound from Ayumi and also glad to know that Mirrorcle World was NOT on this album. ;)
Out of ten, I'd give this album about 8/10.
Nakano Yuuta really did fantastic in composing the majority of the songs and keeping the sound original. :)

~owari~

In other news!
Rurutia's new album Seirios is fantastic too.
But, I have a maths exam tomorrow (today?) so that should be FUN!

I finished reading The New Girl, the ending was a total anticlimax, seriously, rubbish. I was really disappointed. But I am now (re)reading Jane Eyre.
So yeah. Now I'm gonna go and finish some things! :D

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Supporting Israel -- NOT the Gay Thing to Do

To-day I was on facebook browsing when I received a notification from a cause I joined a while ago on the topic of supporting decriminalisation of homosexuality within the UN. Now, this isn't what I'll be blogging about, but let's start with some GOOD news, eh?
So, the notification is an announcement regarding the Obama Cabinet's decision to sign the UN gay rights declaration which the Bush Cabinet refused to sign. You can read the full article here.
So, that's the good news over the way.

Next, in the same group I came across a post in the forum entitled "Supporting Israel: It's the Gay Thing to DO."
Now, a while ago I posted a blog on the subject of the Arab-Israeli conflict regarding an Israeli attack upon the Palestinian people where hundreds of civilians (mainly women and children) were shot by Israeli snipers.
This blog, along with photos a Palestinian had taken of the attack can be found here.

Now back to this article, this article was basically an article posted upon a news website called Gay Wired. This article basically talks about how fantastic Israel is due to its treatment of the LGBT community and how fantastic it is that they're being proactive against Gaza and can be found here.

I'd just like to say that a lot of homosexual people think that as long as a country has gay rights, then it's all good. I believe that this is a very wrong way to think, it's a very unsafe way to judge a country. Sure Israel has gay rights, sure Israel's cities have gay pride parades, sure Israel has all this but does this justify the killing of civilians?

I know that the Hamas have launched terrorist attacks upon Israel but I also know that the Israeli government have sponsored the killing of Palestinian civilians.
I think there is a distance between a "terrorist group" fighting for their land and a developed country killing women and children.

Of course Palestinian members of the GLBT community face punishment for their sexual orientation, and I don't condone that what-so-ever, but like someone commented saying
My liberation is tied up with the liberation of any of the victims of oppression in the Middle East, whether they be queers under a murderously homophobic Islamic regime, or murderously homophobic Muslims under a murderously Zionist regime.
I have to say that I completely agree.
Of course it's unfair that homosexuals are treat terribly at the hands of Islamic nations, but isn't it also unfair that people are being persecuted for nothing at all at the hands of a developed nation? Aren't human rights there to protect all humans whether they're homosexual or straight, Muslim or Jew?
It makes me mad to see that "gay politics" seem more important to some people than basic human rights, human rights which have been denied to many Palestinians for more than forty years.

I realise that I know nothing about politics, but I do recognise unfair treatment and this is exactly what it is.

Saturday 7 March 2009

2 New Poems

I guess this is my first post of being sixteen (yay).
Actually, being sixteen is just like being any other age, strange, but I guess it's when you're twelve and you're like 'I WANT TO BE THIRTEEN!' And then that's when the disappointment sets in when you realise being thirteen is just like being twelve but with extra responsibilities.

Even then, I guess I'm here with a purpose, what that purpose is I'm not really sure, but I would like to inform you people who read this (I doubt anyone other than Sarah reads this (comment me if you read!!)) that I'm currently writing prose, it's not very good prose, but it's prose all the same, in fact it's from a girl's point of view, because I am obviously a girl. ^_~
Actually, I might not even finish it, but I'd just like to tell you that.

I'm also nearly finished writing a children's book, which isn't very good. But even then, I'm only writing a children's book so I can get a qualification. So, hey-ho.
I might take photos when I'm finished, it's about Miss Sun and her quest for Mr Moon, it's good stuff, has a jellyfish and everything. ^_^

But yes, I also have two new poems which I shall post at the end.

I'd also like to say, I have a lot more time now, because I'm actually on a partial timetable at school. *rejoice*
Knowing this relaxes me a helluva lot more. So, I'll have more time to revise and sort things out, which isn't really important, but I thought I'd add that. ^_^

So, without further ado, I'd like to post the first of my two poems.

Eden

Look to the distance,
A city boldly glows.
Look to the horizon,
A mountain surely looms.
Look to the future,
A vision shrouded in doubt.
Look to the past,
A lifetime of mistakes.
Look to the distance,
A desert is in front.
Look to the horizon,
A plain goes on for miles.
Look to the future,
A wilderness is there.
Look to the past,
An Eden bleakly stares.

Seasons
(Another poem regarding seasons).

Spring is upon us,
Once again life will buzz,
The world's cycle begins again,
As refreshing as a cool rain,
Colour infects the fertile soil,
Such is this mortal coil.

Summer warmth floods the air,
The favoured season without a care,
Golden yellow is greeted by,
A lightning blue which meets the sky,
The atmosphere simmers and boils,
Summer is the season without toils.

Autumn transitions new to old,
The heat becomes pleasant getting successively cold,
The dusk is dark, the candle starts to falter,
Scatter, scatter, the leaves plummet in a blur,
Illness comes, diseases go, in the air it's bitter sweet,
People fooled, the season lies, the comfort is transiently sweet.

Winter is here at the very end,
Beautiful cold, under the icy white branches bend,
Covered in blue into a melancholy mood people fall,
It seems much colder, like you've never felt cold at all,
The long awaited finale is here,
Despite the sadness of the present there'll soon be cheer.