Ainote: Your Asian Music Network

Song: Last Angel (Tohoshinki Version) Artist: TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki. Album: T Comments: I actually like the Koda Kumi single version better, but I don't think that one featured TVXQ enough, so here's their own version from their latest Japanese album. A little info about TVXQ: the members use two names, their given and their stage. The fans usually use their Korean given names, so I'll give you both to save you from confusion. Hero (JaeJoong) U-know (YunHo) Micky (YooChun) Xiah (JunSu) Max (ChangMin) Go to youtube and search TVXQ Rising Sun and you can see the boys for yourself, complete with the stage names below the images of them. Picture: Another of the three covers for the album

Song: Purple Line Artist: TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki Single: Purple Line Album: T Comments: I enjoy this song. Very much. Especially since Micky/Yoochun says "I only wanna touch myself" XD. Despite having the lyrics and translation, I still have no idea what he's talking about. Also, I'll be uploading Tohoshinki's version of Last Angel (which was also a collabo w/ Koda Kumi). For those of you who don't know, DBSK is Korean, but they usually refer to themselves by the Chinese abbrev. TVXQ, except in Japan where all their albums say Tohoshinki (THSK). >< They all stand for Rising Gods of the East. Picture: One of the three album covers

Song: Kansha. (感謝; Gratitude) Artist: RSP (Real Street Project). They were formed out of a selection from 5000 members in a competition with the same name as the band, and have two female vocalists, two female dancers, and two male dancers. Only two singles so far! Single: Kansha. (released Dec. 6th) Anime: BLEACH (Ending 14) If you don't know what BLEACH is, shame on you! Comments: Not a half bad single from RSP, with simple lyrics that get right to the point and convey the feelings behind the song (gratitude for friends and family. notice that they say arigatou a lot). I like it more after listening to it a few times; it goes very well with BLEACH and they scan over all the characters toward the end of the theme. The funny thing is that this song reminds me of a pop-rockish song, although RSP is a "Hip-Hop/R&B Dance Unit". Maybe it's because most of the themes for BLEACH are pop/rock? I also like one of the other songs on the single, Ai no Yuujou ~Cypress Ueno is Mine~, which might actually be hip-hop. I might use it as background in one of my future podcasts where I actually speak (lol I've been procrastinating!!!! Perhaps a jhip-hop/R&B eppie on top of the Korean one?). The other song on the single is Homie, which has some definite J-ska influences. So what genre are they, really? No idea. Picture: Bleach main chars. Also, go here to find out more abt BLEACH, inc. cast list and Opening and Ending theme list. I should do a BLEACH eppie, too...@__@ www.tvrage.com/Bleach_JP

Song: AGGRESSIVE Artist: BoA Album: THE FACE Comments: So BoA's back with a new Japanese release. I wouldn't say the album is spectacular; I only really liked three songs and mostly because she had good musical composition to back up the melodies. Liking the techno flair. This is my favorite song. I also like Style. Ainote Updates: I have the flu. Otherwise I actually would've posted a real episode right now, a Korean one probably. Intend to get around to bring you guys new stuff real soon. Thanks for the friend requests!

Song: Say Good-bye Artist: Nana Tanimura (briefly featuring some rapper that I don't recognize) Single: Say Good-bye Comment: This is the only song I really like of Nana's new single. Her voice just doesn't seem to fit sometimes. I love the forceful tone of this song. Image: A weird thing to mention: She's especially well-endowed, which had garnered her some attention. This cover is from the CD + DVD.

Song: 쪼요쪼요 (미니 게임천국 3 주제가) Artist: Wonder Girls Single: 쪼요쪼요 Comments: Can't see the text? If you have Windows, go the control panel. In Category view, click Date, Time, Language, and Regional options. In Classic view, click Regional and Language options. In category view, it will ask you to "add other languages". Otherwise, click the language tab and check the box next to "install East Asian Language pack". Installation will require a computer restart. ^^

Song: 거짓말이라도 (Don't remember English title *lazy*) Artist: Tia Album: DEEP BREATH Comment: A nice Korean slow jam. Image: Any idea what the Japanese says? Well, I like the avi anyway.

Song: Get Up (feat Sphere of Influence) Artist: AI Single: ONE Comments: YEAAAAH! Just move a litlle sommin sommin! AI is the queen of soul in Japan. She is 1/3 Italian, although when I first heard her voice and style I thought she must have some African American blood, but I guess she was just influenced by her life in California. I'm going to try to make this song my ringtone; I love the beat. She went to a dance academy there. AI is releasing a new album this month (Dec). I've been rather neglectful. i'd really appreciate some feedback, or something, even though i know I don't update a lot. I need to get some Korean music on here, and try to make another mix. It's been FOREVER.

More from my favorite oshare kei group. I miss Bou, but I still got love for Takuya. Song: 2. Koi no Dependence Artist: Antic Cafe Single: Ryuusei Rocket (released today, Nov. 7) Comments: I don't know which song I like better! Image: It's the same as the other one, although i contemplated a cute little Miku sprite dressed like in my favorite An Cafe song, BondS ~Kizuna~

Your heard it here first; An Cafe's new single, just released today!!! Song: 01. Ryuusei Rocket Artist: Antic Cafe (and that is the CORRECT English name) Single: Ryuusei Rocket Comments: Not bad. I'm still a fan of the old An Cafe era music-wise. Second song coming in a few. News: D and Merry released their new albums recently. I have D's Neo Culture ~Around the World~ already.

You NEED to listen to this. Don't like rock? Listen to it anyway, because who doesn't like T.M.Revolution [vocalist Takanori Nishikawa]??? Song: 01 As One Artist: ABINGDON BOYS SCHOOL Album: abingdon boys school (first album) Comment: I LOOOOVE THIS SONG. Does it not hit you like an atom bomb??? GET THE ALBUM. If you don't like this song, don't just disregard a.b.s. They have plenty of other different types of songs in the pop-rock-electronica-dance category. It's impossible for this band not to be awesome, looking at who fronts the band, and I've loved every one of their singles up to this point (Darker than Black anime, my friends). Go to wikipedia.com for more information on a.b.s. Image: Look at Takanori's nerdy glasses!!! XD

Song: Inosentogaru / Innocent Girl (イノセントガール) Artist: MEILIN Single: INOSENTOGARU (イノセントガール) Comments: Looking at that romanization, it look me a second to realize it said Innocent Girl, because I'm slow like that. MEILIN is like a Japanese BoA to me already (for those of you who don't know, BoA is Korean but has numerous crossover albums), and this is only her second single! Going to try to get my hands on her new single (My Sweet Darlin') soon. Like I said, Jealkb coming soon. COMMENTSU!

Song: 19sai Artist: Suga Shikao (Shikao is first name) Anime: xxxHOLiC (manga from CLAMP, who has done Cardcaptor Sakura, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, Legal Drug, Clover, x/1999, Chobits, RG Veda and Angelic Layer Comments: Don't think I don't see those downloads you've been doing. COMMENTSU yourself. Takes 5 seconds. Shikao does a lot of lyrics for other famous J-pop groups, such as Arashi, SMAP, and KAT-TUN. He has 11 albums and an insert (Manatsu no Yoru no Yume) for the Death Note live action movie. (He's also very Americanized in terms of interests) xxxHOLiC has only recently been released as anime in Japan. Yay for first Ainote anime song! More updates when more comments come through; they give me inspiration. Try to get you a song from Jealkb [disbanded] soon. Image: I debated between a picture from the xxxHOLiC single and one from the SugaHOLiC: A Suga Shikao Fanlisting site, and decided on the cover art since I have permission to use it.

Song: 01 Kind Artist: SCISSOR (Disbanded) Single: Spider Comments: This is Tsunehito's (D) previous band. Listen to that bass and try to tell me this song isn't awesome. No picture, b/c I don't feel like looking for one.

Song: HOPE Artist: melody. (she's Hawaiian. ^^) Album: READY TO GO! Lyrics (romanized): http://corichan.com/lyrics/albums/melody-readytogo.html#05 Comments: This song is hypnotizing to me; it puts me in a trance. I love how the English lyrics are uplifting, and coherent, which is saying something since I never was much of a "happy go lucky" music person. Only about 3 songs stand out in Melody Mizuki Ishikawa's new 2007 album, because the title track, which somehow made its way onto the Oricon charts, has incredibly annoying English lyrics. The kind where you're glad they can put together sentences, but the rhyming is off. melody. could have pulled it off it was wasn't for, well, the dumb melody. Bad combo. You can't have bad English lyrics unless you're a J-rock band in which your voice isn't the only focal point. This is an example of which it is better NOT to be able to understand Engrish. (Example: "Is this a dream, or is this really happening for real?" "Am I awake, or am I just imagining its real?" then something about getting her groove on...) No one's gonna "stop or break" your "flow"? I just did. Run it by someone who speaks 21st century English first. And get a slang dictionary. But don't worry, melody. I still love you for THIS song.

Song: Defective Tragedy Artist: the GazettE (Artist of the Month, August '07) Single: Hyena -Auditory Impression- Comments: I LOOOOVE THIS SONG. It's my 4th favorite GazettE song, I think. It's sort of explicit, tho...there's worse, where Ruki is actually spitting out English curse words, but this one is about suicide, partially in Eng. Not that it matters, since Ruki's Engrish is indecipherable anyway. I reeeeally need to get around to putting up Stacked Rubbish for download......Maybe...tomorrow? >. Otherwise, go watch the video on Youtube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=yoD9RTb7DdQ

Song: Secret Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki Single: Glitter | Faded (Track 03), maintaining her #1 single on the charts status for 9 consecutive years. Album: Secret (I believe it's the same song, but I don't have that 2006 album) News: Ayumi just broke up with her fiancee July 14th! She had been famously on-again-off-again with Nagase Tomoya of TOKIO (boy band) for 6 years. They were supposed to get married in Oct, then it was moved to Dec due to hectic schedules, then she broke up with him. Something about her love turning into "brotherly love". I think she just got cold feet... Comments: I actually like this song alright. I'm very critical of slow songs. Unless it's classical or particularly beautiful, I usually won't listen to it except for in the background while I'm doing homework. Ballads definitely don't work for me, but I'll probably end up uploading some anyway, for variety. I will only upload the other song off this single, "fated", if I get a comment or a fan or something along those lines so that I know what people like. It only takes a minute, onegaaaai/pleeeease?! Picture: It's really hard to find good pictures of Ayu and Tomoya together!

Song: Glitter Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki "The Empress of Jpop" Single: Glitter / Faded (most recent as of now) Comments: Enjoy. I'll be uploading the 3rd song off the single soon; it's so pretty! TO GET THE 2nd SONG, POST A COMMENT AND ASK ME! Requests are welcome to those willing to acknowledge these efforts! Don't just mooch. Pretty pretty please, COMMENTSU, Become a Fan, tell somebody else about my podcast! If you don't comment, how will I know there's a point in uploading? Image: It's pretty big. Sorry.

Song: Monkey Magic Artist: Monkey Majik Comments: Remember Saiyuki, the Journey to the West? You know how it's based on an actual myth? (look it up) Well, this is the condensed version of Goku's story, troubador style (am I spelling that right? >.< too tired to tell) What's really weird is that the vocalists for the group are Canadian brothers. Yup. Look at the picture. (The band consists of guitarists/vocalists Maynard and Blaise Plant, brothers who sing in Japanese and English; drummer Takuya "tax" Kikuchi (菊池拓哉 Kikuchi Takuya); and bassist DICK.) The first time I heard them, I wondered why they spoke English so well, lol.

Song: Day Dream Artist: D Album: The name of the ROSE Comments: I'm just uploading songs are just back to back today... This song really showcases ASAGI's vocals, which is why I picked it (made me decide he's my second favorite vocalist), but it's not my favorite D song. This is for the owner of acrylicLOVE. D is incredibly impressive. Everyone has so much talent. Ruiza is usually put up there with top guitarists, like Sugizo (who is unsurpassable) and Miyavi. Hide-zou complements him nicely, and Tsunehito's bass never fades into the background. HIROKI's drums are also very nice, and most important, the other members are just as good as ASAGI himself is. In fact, for a while, as I was adjusting to D's style, I thought D's accompanying music was actually so good it overtook ASAGI's vocals, which oughta say something. Now I can't decide whether or not it's the other way around. Most other people seem to think his voice is so mesmerizing, they can't focus on anything else.