Listening MONORAL : Enjoy Riding The Rollercoaster Of Emotions

“It’s like riding a rollercoaster of emotions and somehow you never get bored of it because it changes a lot and unexpectedly surprising.”

That’s what I told my friend who’s wondering why on earth I get so addicted listening to the band MONORAL.

Riding a rollercoaster of emotions?
Hmm… indeed.
Well, at least that’s what I get every time I put those albums and mini albums of the band in my playlist and let them all playing for some times.
Honestly? I haven’t changed the playlist for so long and keep those collections of MONORAL I have being played 8 straight hours a day as assistance to my ears during working at the office.
Sometimes, after listening to every song of MONORAL, I have this kind of a feeling: feeling of tired or exhausted, it seems like those songs I’ve just listened to are soaking me to the bones, suffocating. But that doesn’t make me stop listening to them, because unconsciously, I’ve already let them playing again and again.

I don’t know, but I think the songs, the lyrics, the music and the how vocalist of MONORAL (yes, Anis Shimada it is) sings or how the bassist (Ali Morizumi) supports the songs are just capturing emotions of them all, very well.

hmm, it seems like the duo manage to pour their hearts into a song so that each and every one of the songs has its own soul, its own emotion, or chemistry. And that makes the song feels like alive and somehow it grows in you.

But if you’d like to put on a super size headphones instead of speakers and turn the volume up until you can no longer hear what’s going on around you and it seems like only you living in a MONORAL world, then you’ll not only ride a rollercoaster of emotions, but also… you’ll experience so much cool noises and interesting sounds as well.

Probably those noises or sounds you’ll hear not the original ones, but somehow this band can mix them all into something interesting and… should I say… sexy? *big grin*

I like the how these two guys can create a wide range of music. From a very rockin’ blast to a popish ballads and amazingly can also create catchy exotic rock sounds. And you can find them all even in one album. So it’s pretty interesting I have to say.

And reading the lyrics of every song, I actually don’t want to praise them this much but, what can I say?
They can be romantic without being poetic, they can be pathetic in a funny way, they can be mean in a polite way, they might be angry but they’re still smiling nicely and they even can be friends in disguise, or even enemies?

And funny thing is they’re not two kinds of genius musicians, indigo or whatever.
No.

I have to say that Anis Shimada (the vocalist) is not a perfect singer with a glamorous vocal range that roars the hall, even comparing like those in American Idol maybe? (hahaha!)
And Ali Morizumi (the bassist) plays the bass like a common bassist will do with no such of blasting specialty. I can even say that he’s nothing comparing to Tetsu of Laruku ^^V (forgive me, but I’m trying to be fair here and that’s what my ears speaking)

But I have to admit that they are indeed smart.
They are smart in combining those music and lyrics in a right proportion.
Maybe they’re not the greatest, they just two ordinary musicians with ordinary music, ordinary lyrics, but they do manage to combine all those ordinary things into something beautiful.

This is cool I’d gladly say.
And I have to say it again that I haven’t got bored of this band… yet. I don’t know when. Hopefully won’t.

To those who’ve never heard any of MONORAL, you should try and give them a listen and enjoy riding the rollercoaster of emotions… and sounds.
As to the MONORAL, I have to send a message “keep making those beautiful music guys!” *big grin*

credit to the photo here:
the photo is taken without any permittion on a site (sadly i kinda forget what site it is), it's an interview *grinning*

____________________
Now I think I’m over flooding my own blog with MONORAL-ism. Would that mean I have to manage another blog where I can put all those MONORAL-ism I have learnt? *sighing*
(this is what you actually get if you have a restless Brian I guess. It’s a blissful and a killing at the very same time)

Bestfriending with the ears: MONORAL (the whole of them)

MONORAL – VIA (The Album): A (Mind) Journey via Heart

It’s been more than 6 months after the band MONORAL released their third full length album VIA, but those eleven songs still remain on my player, and regularly being played. And by saying regularly, I mean, DAILY *grinning*.
I’m not usually like this actually, sometimes I only spend a month listening non-stop to a new album and the next month I already change my play list into another new one. But this album is just like a dope to a certain level.

Talking about this album, probably I’m not the best one when it comes to musically-speaking, because I tend to let my heart listens to the music rather than my brain, so practically I’m dumb in music business. So what can my heart say about this album?

Well, actually, it’s not a big surprise seeing the album content. It still has the same MONORAL-ism: “simple but has a rich uniquely flavor of melody and sound that tightly wrapping a thick emotional filling”. [ps: I wrote that ‘filling’ correct, I never meant to write ‘feeling’ there ^^V]
So basically, it’s another enjoyable ride on a ‘rollercoaster of emotion’ as listening to their new album VIA.

BUT, one thing I discover after listening to the album constantly, continuously and orderly couple of times, is that this album I think is their first album that has a frame on it. I’m not talking about the jacket or the cover album, but I’m talking about a concept here. So the whole song in it is kind of flowing to one another, describing the same story about ‘a journey’.

Opened by the line “Everybody’s got somewhere to go, how about you?” in the opening song, ‘Everybody’s Way’, a less than 2 minutes song, I guess the album frame is pretty clearly said.
This line actually stole my attention first time listening to the album. It made me set aside anything else I was doing back then, and focus my whole senses in this album. I must say this line, this song, is perfectly placed as the opening. It actually gives me a precaution also that this album has a possibility of containing chaining-songs.

Well, what do you know? As listening to the second song, ‘You’, that started with a very rocking guitar rhythm, and the line “there’s nothing new about you, but I’m still with you.” It’s pretty much like an answer to the opening song, telling you that, “Well fine! You still have no idea which way you’re heading to, you still the same old brand new you, but hell, I’m still with you, all the way, no matter what.”
So maybe this is what the album all about, maybe it’s a companion, a travel-mate in a journey to find the ‘You’. That’s what I thought and expected.

Heading up we have “Costa Rica”, as the third song, and I like the sounds of drum in the beginning of this song, pretty unique and somehow takes you to an exotic place. And thou I’ve never been to Costa Rica before, I’m sensing that this song is about miserable, a regret maybe, for not taking the right choice. Something that makes your life collides upside down.
Emptiness? Something like that I think.

But soon as I thought that the next song will be drowning me in darkness and despair, “Safira” came waking me out from the desperation. “Make your choice! Stand up, be brave!” or whatever it is, but it feels like a wake up call. This song is one of my favorite, although, I can sense a bit of Smashing Pumpkin’s 1979 in the beginning, I don’t know, I don’t read music note, so I don’t know whether they (MONORAL) chose the same chord for the opening, it’s only couple of notes I think, not the whole song.

So the choice is made in the fifth song, “Via”, a popish and catchy song so far after listening to four twisting sounds and music in the beginning. I like the how the sounds, the vocal and the vibe in this song, they’re pretty describing the whole story in this song: “I made it!”
What are you going to do if that happens? Exactly! Overexciting that almost makes you jumping out of the bridge doing the bungy, and that is what the song sounds like. You can never sing this song in a bitter and cynical tone while frowning. This song makes you smiling and laughing and it feels like, “finally you have made a choice to embrace the world, and ready to dare.”
I listened to this song over and over and over again while I was on the road and it felt so damn great. I screamed the whole lyrics silently as listening to it. And somehow this song made me enjoying the whole journey.

But you know what, no matter how brilliant your choice is, obstacles are there, ready to block you from breaking through, and that’s when you need assistance, a guardian that rises up in the sixth song, “Guards of Mice”
First time reading the title, I thought, “whoa!!! Are these two guys writing a song about the John Steinbeck’s ‘Of mice and men’?” That’s not impossible, but…. “do they read?” Whhoo!!!! No offense but I just cynically thought it’s impossible *grinning*
Anyway, as I listened to the whole song, I thought this might be telling about the book… neah, but it seems like that actually.

And yes, those obstacles are there, and thou there are guardians around you, somehow the feeling of loosing yourself will always be there no matter how small it is. It breaks you, tearing you apart. But climbing the “Everest” would be so much easier if you do it together, with friends, partners, whatever you'd call them. Sometimes you fall, sometimes you have to stop, sometimes you must climb up again, but when you reach the top of the hill, there’s nothing more incredible as sharing those feelings inside with your partner. That’s what “Everest”, the seventh song is all about, that everything will be much lighter and easier when you have a friend to share, to help and to lean on sometimes. Two heads are better than one, right?
And for this song, I like the idea of bringing the vocal to the foreground. The vocalist’ voice is pretty unique and this song shows it off nicely. This is the catchy part of the song actually.

And being in the shadow is never been the easiest part in this life. It actually what holds your feet from moving on and you have to make a choice to cut the rope or else you will stand still. “Sun Shadow”, as the next song, somehow reminds me of Radiohead’s ‘High and Dry’, I don’t know why. This song is in my top list favorite from this album. It gives me the same kind of feeling when I first listened to “Kiri” (a single from the previous album, Turbulence). I like the harmony here.

Again, a decision is made. History will always be something to remind us how precious life is, and the journey is just started. No matter how crazy things might be on the road, somehow when you reach the final destination, everything will be nothing but beautiful. That’s “Casbah” is all about.
And I am so freaking hip about this ‘arabic metal’, as they described, because it’s damn rocking. The music, the vocals just blend in perfection and just when I got really high, it stops right there and leave me breathless. Damn.

Thou I hate the next part because the song suddenly drastically change to another ballad, I like the idea of “I Don’t Mind”, it seems telling you that, “who cares whether I’m going to be hit by a train or crashed into pieces, I would still grab the chances, dare all the challenges to create my own world. That’s what makes me content, period.” *smiling*
I like that. I love it actually.

So the end is here, and “Sometimes” is a great song to summarize the entire journey been through.
This is my most favorite one actually. I really love the music, the sounds and how the emotion comes out here. Pretty emotionally relaxing, I must say. This song seems like telling you that whatever happen, whatever uphill and down you have been through, you will always own this shoulder to lean on, just to rest your bones for a while before heading back on the road, no need to say a word just lean on and surely will try to sweep away all the burdens inside. Damn!
And as listening to it, it feels like you have found the best partner in crime in the whole world that would stick with you no matter how crazy and frantic you might be.
I really like the idea of putting this song as the ending of this album because somehow it seems like a closing but actually it’s just the beginning. It makes you unconsciously thump the play button again as the CD stops rolling and takes another journey. Over and over and over again.

So that’s VIA (the album) to me is all about. This is why I describe it as “a (mind) journey via heart” because somehow, it’s another rollercoaster of emotion created by two lovely gays (oops!!!) I mean GUYS *grinning* kidding!!!
An album that suits any kind of journey you’re into. It offers nothing but a joyful ride of life, a life-adventure that you yourself ever created; any life adventure to be underlined here. And this album acts as a friend, a travel-buddy, a partner in crime, an assistance you might say or whatever you want to call ‘something/someone that stick with you throughout the journey’.

Well, want to experience a blastful emotional journey??
What are you waiting for? Grab (or in this case I mean, Ship) the album and enjoy the ride!

how to purchase it?
try these sites:

www.cdbaby.com
www.cdjapan.co.jp

need samples?
try this one: MONORAL-VIA
or just visit the official myspace to get a clue



cheers!

_______________________________

MONORAL are Ali Morizumi (bass) and Anis Shimada (vocal)

TUESDAY

I can hear this silence crawl around
Hello, you thinkers
Hello, you fakers
And I see the summer drown you dry
Hello, you lovers
Hello, you dreamers

When I feel so insecure
I will need you, turn around

There's no one left to decide who is right or wrong
Waiting's not enough for you
Wasting what I want the most
Tuesday's gone and I'm tasting it over
Let me reside with the same old view
Sharing's all I need from you
Taking what I want the most
Tuesday's near and I wish that you were here

I can feel this sadness drag you down
Hello, you talkers
Hello, you sleepers
And I see this madness close your eyes
Hello, mistreaters
Hello, you weepers

When I feel so insecure
Grace my day
Please, stay around

There's no one left to decide who is right or wrong
Waiting's not enough for you
Wasting what I want the most
Tuesday's gone and I'm tasting it over
Let me reside with the same old view
Sharing's all I need from you
Taking what I want the most
Tuesday's near and I wish that you were here

If this comfort holds you down
I would gladly pull you out
It's a heavy
(Keep, keep, keep me awake somehow)
(Keep, keep, keep me awake somehow)
Now

….by MONORAL….
___________________________

A <long> Side Note:

‘Visions in My Head’ was the first song I heard from MONORAL, but this song ‘Tuesday’ was the first song I love the most instead of ‘Kiri’ (like many other would choose). I think it’s because of the line: “let me reside with the same old view, sharing is all I need from you…” ^^
Well, sometimes, we just need friends/best friends to share, to accept, not to solve, or to break the problems down. and then when it feels too comfy that you choose to refuse to change, they’ll pull you out and force you to grow.
^_^
(well, probably this song is not as much complicated as I interpret, but what do you know? Me and my twisted world, twisted mind…. Ooh well, me is twisting anyway^^)

O! Yea! And to make it even complete, today is Tuesday, and it’s all started with a medium rain pouring down that lasted since the night before, but Thank God the rain had stopped falling as I left the house early this morning, although the heavy grey cloud still hanging up above. I was complaining along the morning to The Almighty Above of why He decided to paint the Tuesday’ sky all grey, but something hit me right away.
As I walked out the train station, and looked up the sky, WHOAAAA!!!! There it was, a slight sketch of rainbow on the sky, trying to deliver the message that no matter how grey the sky is, there’ll always be bundles of colors to paint the Tuesday.
So I smiled to the rainbow, and whispered, “Ohayou.”

Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ooh!! Wait! Wait! Not finished yet here!
About MONORAL!! Uugh, how I deeply wish that there will be another Video Clip or Music Video coming out. As I noticed, there is no MV yet for the latest album VIA, and I asked the management once, he (the manager, J-san) said that they’re still not planning neither DVD nor MV *heavy sigh*
I actually thought that they would film the tour, those South America and Europe and Japan, and packed it into a… three or four minute’s documentary clips and slide in the song Via, BAM! It’ll be a good documentary/music video for the single 'VIA', right? *so typical actually*
But hey, at least the promotion would be a lot easier, right? Right? No?
Now I’m talking this way as if one of the management of MONORAL would read this post,
hell.. there’s NO WAY they’ll spend their precious times surfing here and there and deserted here, right? RIGHT?!?! Now this one is ROOOAAAAIIITTT.

Ooh well, it’s just me and my twisted mind again, as always…

NOW!!!
It’s: Cheers anyway…. ^^V

Videos of MONORAL on YouTube

Take a short break while meeting today, I watched these videos on YouTube (again) during lunch. Pretty hilarious and entertaining I have to say about the videos. I just love how these two can develop such a kewll chemistry, so the conversations become flowing.
Not every word of them I get the point since I don’t speak Japanese, French nor Spanish, but seeing those expressions and how they speak the words fascinates me the most.
And I think I’ve learnt the lesson very well of not asking (or even begging) any English subtitles again to whoever out there, even the authors, since they won’t provide it, in any excuses they have.
So I’ll just enjoy them anyway, thou I’ve no clue about them.



1. Monoral – (I guess they’re talking about the vamprose channel on youtube, no idea :D )




2. Monoral – VIA france/spain tour 2009 message




Guess this is a good way to entertain myself before getting into the room again and feeling twisted with those shoes thingies. Part of the job I don’t fancy a much ^^V

*sigh*
I’m packing things up again and ready heading the room.
Have a nice meeting to myself,
CHEERS!

related posts about MONORAL:

MONORAL: who?!

Reviewing MONORAL

Session 9: when romantic doesn't have to be poetic

Listening MONORAL: enjoy riding rollercoaster of emotions

Sidenote: being confused in Japanengrish

________________________________

Session 9 (Song by MONORAL) : when romantic doesn’t have to be poetic

Ever since I listened to this song (by MONORAL), I hate it. Definitely hate it.
Because this song soaks me to the bones; squeezing my heart till it’s dried.
I can’t move this song from my head. I can’t even stop it from playing in my head with or without player that actually playing it to my ears.
This song is a dope in its own kind of way.
And I hate it.
I hate it because I adore it a much. Love it till I can’t breathe.

This song’s intro actually starts from the previous track, a 1:25 instrumental song called ‘Turbulence’ (Track 11 in the album TURBULENCE) and instead of ended and changed to another different sound of song, the next one (Session 9) is like a continuum song, the main story. This caught my ears right away and that’s why whenever I want to listen to Session 9 I have to put Turbulence before it so that I can embrace the whole emotion in it.

And like many other MONORAL’ songs, this song again shows the amazing part of the duo in blending all those ordinary melody into a beautiful sound. Slow at the beginning but continuously increasing its beat and then slowing its phase again, increasing again, again and stop. Stop right there, just right there, leaving you with a bundle of emotion that already reach its peak, and wishing there will be another enclosing, but no, there’s no, because it is the last song in the album. And that makes a feeling of confused and curious linger on so that unconsciously, you just want to listen to that song again and again, trying to capture the whole emotion in it.
Listening to Session 9 feels like riding a rollercoaster of emotions, of hopes. And honestly, I never expected MONORAL could amazingly do that. But they did.

What can I say about the story of this song? Well, this song is all about fighting the love till your last breath no matter what. While other just step back and let you go with your own life, this guy prefer standing on the line until you realize that he’s not joking this time and deserves a chance. And you deserve a chance to let him in again too.
That’s the song is all about and it is clearly said.

Ooh Gosh, this is not a super duper beautiful romantic poetry that blows your mind. It is more like a diary, a letter, or just words you’ve been dying to say to someone you dearly love.
A proper ask without becoming a pathetic loser.

Sometimes, you just don’t need a romantic poetry to melt your heart. A truthful speak coming from a sincere heart is more than just enough. And this song portrays it nicely.

Ooh please, you don’t have to be Shakespeare or whoever greatest poets ever born to this planet just to say a simple sorry and ask for a chance, right? Just say whatever you have to say, be true to yourself and let your heart speaks, and then… that’s enough.

Poetry to me indeed is beautiful, but sometimes you just pay too much attention on the rhyme, the metaphoric or anything that might loose the most deeply important message you’d like to deliver. You change your paper many times to compose a great poetry that will shiver many readers, but you miss to pour yourself into it. Sometimes that happens. That’s why some poetries lack emotions.
While all we need is just a simple sincere heart.

Again I must say, this song is just nicely pouring heart on every word in it.
A truthful speak coming from a sincere heart.

And the music, the melody… doesn’t have to be too mellow when it comes to romantic sounds; it doesn’t have to be just piano or an acoustic guitar. This song has beats from the very first start; giving an impression of hopes marches to knock your heart. And slowly but sure, in the middle it becomes stronger; trying to capture the flaming emotion that bursting out of his heart, desperately to be seen without being pathetically hopeless and then leave you in a feeling of curious, questioning “what have I done? What have I lost? What have I missed?” while watching the one you used to love waiting there patiently as you’re moving on.
Wouldn’t that make you want to run back and burst into his arms again?
That’s the song is trying to capture about. And in a nicely way, it works. Phew.

Ooh, I’m dying again for this song.
And I hate it.

Hmm… what do you know?
Sometimes, simplicity can be the meanest killer.
And I’m happy to be killed thousand times by it.

(monoral are: Anis Shimada (behind) and Ali Morizumi)

Note:
Many of you probably will say, “ooh hell, you said things like that above because you’re crazy in love with this band’s vocalist, so it is biased.”
Well, let me tell you something, while writing this, my fangirling side is completely shut down. And I’m absolutely conscious, not boozing or injecting too much caffeine. And it’s 10.15 PM, so yes I am fully conscious.
If you don’t believe a single word I’d said above, then BUY the album ‘Turbulence by MONORAL’ (and yes you must ship it to you) or steal it somewhere (from neighbor’s CD collection maybe). And if you still don’t like it, after you listen to it, if you can’t see the way I sense it and would like to mock me on this, then be my guest and spit it out to my face.

peace and cheers
*grinning* ^_^V

related posts about MONORAL:

MONORAL: who?!

Reviewing MONORAL

Listening MONORAL: enjoy riding rollercoaster of emotions

Videos of MONORAL on YouTube

Sidenote: being confused in Japanengrish

__________________
Making love to my ears is the song “Session 9 by MONORAL”
A short message to these two lovely beautiful MONORAL people: “thank you for creating beautiful songs like this one.”

Note (again):
I think I’m gonna leave you with this post as I’ll be really hustle bustle with all the preparation for my next adventure. Sorry that I’ve posted lots of MONORAL here, because these two guys just never fail to amaze me and I haven’t got bored of them.
I’ll see you again around mid March... or late March?
But maybe by that time, I’ll be filling you with lots of stories during the traveling (in searching for MONORAL??) *grin*

See y'all!
Save water. Drink beer.
CHEERS everyone!!!!

Reviewing MONORAL

Quite a while ago, I posted a review of another song from MONORAL called ‘Sometimes’ from their latest album VIA, in my facebook’ note. I put it there so everyone on my facebook’ f-list can read it and get a single clue about MONORAL (hell yea, now I feel like I’m one of those never been created MONORAL Street Team in my country).
I chose ‘Sometimes’ because that song apparently pretty unique to my ears and the lyrics seems knock me out to the bones. Well, most of MONORAL’ songs knock me out actually, but ‘Sometimes’ was the winner that day, so I wrote it, and I felt pretty in mood for that song that day really.

So I tagged my friend, who gladly knows this band and adores every beat and word of MONORAL’ songs, in that note and couple of minutes after, she called me and said, “DAMN you! This one just shot me to the bones! But I totally agree with you.”
And then she hung up the phone, but soon after, left a comment on the note: “please, do review Session 9 and Monkey Cage! Please do it! Please! Please! I’m begging you!”
I was like, “WHAT?! Are you serious?! Reviewing those two… well, Session 9 only actually… can take 3 days and nights for me to settle my heart at ease before start writing it. I can assure you that!”
But she just won’t take “no” for the answer, so I just let her know that I’ll be working on it later.

Well, what do you know?
I’m working on it actually, and yes, this (the review for Session 9) shreds my hearts into zillion pieces. So I’m multitasking right now: listening to Session 9, reviewing it, and trying so hard collecting and gluing my shredded heart into one piece again.

What can I say about this song?
I’m not going to tell you now, because that will be in my next post (or posts in plural??), but to be honest, this song is really suffocating. I think Ali and Anis really got me on this… or maybe lots of me-a-like out there.

But one thing for sure I enjoy reviewing each and every song of MONORAL, because somehow those two beautiful MONORAL people are bleeding their hearts out in creating every single song they have and it is just showed.
I mean, I can feel it. I can actually entwine the whole chemistry in the album.
This is suffocating actually. And yes it’s hard, and sometimes I could be really tired after listening to the whole album in a trance mode to do this (entwining), but… I like it. I like doing it actually. And I got really addicted to it. And MONORAL…. This is why I love MONORAL, because I can splurge this insanity I have to the fullest.

So I guess there will be lots of MONORAL reviews in any blogs I have, and my facebook’s note also. Be prepare for it and hell, I know lots of my friends would go.. “nutty nutty Niken is back with her insanity world, and that means hell.”
And I’ll be talking back at them, “hell to you too, pals. Cheers!”

I’m signing off now and will be having a great weekend by reviewing MONORAL (all weekend?? Yes *nodding*)


Save water. Drink beer.
Cheers again!


related posts about MONORAL:

MONORAL: who?!
Session 9: when romantic doesn't have to be poetic
Listening MONORAL: enjoy riding rollercoaster of emotions
Videos of MONORAL on YouTube
Side note: Being confused in Japanengrish


____________________________
Making love with my ears: MONORAL – Session 9

MONORAL : “who?!”

First time ever met this band… well, not met but… found out about this band was actually about a year ago. What?!?! Hell yea, I know how late I am for this band.
Well anyway, I was brought to this band by Hyde (The Laruku’s vocalist FYI, just in case you lost him). He mentioned this band and had kissing scenes (YES kissing, I typed it right and they did) with the vocalist many times and I was like… “Who the hell Anis (the vocalist) and this MONORAL are?!”

So I wikied them and read the info about this band.
Soon, I was like “hmm… okay, a model turns to vocalist and an MTV VJ turns to bassist, so typically instant rock band? Silly.”
Well that was what the evil side of Brian told me as I took just a glimpse at it, not fully reading the whole story. And I kept with that shallow info for quite sometimes.

Then one day, I got bored. Surfing here and there and again found out the news about how Hyde adores the vocalist of MONORAL. Kind of curious in disgust, I typed “MONORAL” in the searching box of YouTube that led me to a PV of “Visions in My Head”.
The thought, “oo well, at least if it turns out to be a jest, then it will be brighten up my grayish day a little bit with its silliness,” was there in ‘the Attic’ while the buffering was working to the max.
Few minutes later and it was a fully loaded, I tapped the play button and something hit me right away exactly in the head.
I was completely stunned, “WHAT?! This is MONORAL?!?! NO… WAY!”
The last thing I knew, I spent the rest of the day skipping work and surfing nothing but MONORAL. And that even made my day way much brighter.

This is rather an eclectic modern rock band instead of Japanese Rock Band I must say and probably this band would not steal my attention if it’s not because they inherit Japanese in their blood, thou not fully Japanese but kind of mix of there and here. And yes, this band has absolutely a different sound from any other Japanese Rock Band.
The sounds of semi-Seattle mix up with a bunch of Britpop and lots of uniquely exotic noises and total English lyrics with exactly an English pronunciation rather than what any Japanese-English-will do may false belief you that this band originally from any where but Japan.
Other than the sounds, this band is fortunate enough to have a vocalist with the kind of “Eddie Vedder of Pearl jam’ singing style and raw voice” with a nice middle-east layer in his voice. This kind of what makes the band even more unique [and yes I rate only from the vocalist, because I’ve no idea how exactly is the best bass-playing will sound like, sorry!!]

So then I started to collect the singles then the albums, then I’m officially nailing myself onto them.
I started to learn these two amazing musicians (now I call them ‘musicians’ rather than ‘instant rock stars’) and carefully demolishing the false belief I had about this band that was in the Attic for quite some times.

What can I inform you about MONORAL? Well, I guess you can find it anywhere in this cyber-world. Just Google it and you’ll find lots of sites talking about them in any languages or you can just do the shortcut and wiki them, thou I’m not quite sure how accurate the info in wikipedia, but it’s worth.

For a summary, this band only consists of two musicians (a vocalist and a bassist) who started it all with each other’s band, even one of them had released a solo album when he’s 19 or so, he (the solo artist) too was (or still?) a model in Japan, then both ended-up as MTV VJs and that was how they met, and soon after, MONORAL was born. Thank God they decided to form a band together.
Did I miss something? Hell, I told you to Google them for a much concrete info right?

Anyway, as I told you before, I’m officially nailing myself onto this band. Indeed. I guess I’ve been addicted to this band and I keep putting their albums in my player and they’re been there for a long period, and I haven’t got bored of them…yet. Even my fangirling mode keeps flashing brightly every time I hit the news or rumors or even just pictures of them. Silly me… I know.

I guess I have to thank my boredom and my skipping work that led me to this band. Well if it wasn’t because of it, I probably wouldn’t dare to cross the line and surf-in MONORALish and this stupid belief about ‘how silly MONORAL is’ would stay for a lot longer period of time and I wouldn’t get any chance to know those two adorable musicians (now I know why Hyde adores this band).

Hmm… that means, never judge a book by its cover?
Or simply say, “Listen carefully first then you may speak your mind out loud.”
That works for me, any time. And I should stick with it and keep learning the line so that I won’t be crashed and tangled in a stupid prejudice behavior.

So, dare to MONORALish yourself?
I bet you’ll fall in love with this one. And even if you don’t like Japanese Songs (because you’ve no idea what they’re talking about or hate the way they sing the songs) you have nothing to worry about because MONORAL will make you think they’re not coming from any place in Japan.
Moreover if you like the sounds of modern rock or Britpop, then MONORAL will save your day.
Give them a try. Give yourself a chance to get to know more about these two amazing musicians. At least your collections will be much more diverse than your usual right?

I’m signing off now with couple of pictures about MONORAL, enjoy.
Cheers!

credits to the photos:
sorry but i kinda forgot where i stole those pics from, but the last one (the yellowish pic) i stole from their website. the rest? from here and there, and if you the original owner would like me to erase them from my blog, then happily contact me and i'll erase them all.
cheers again.


related posts about MONORAL :

reviewing MONORAL
Session 9: when romantic doesn't have to be poetic
Listening MONORAL: enjoy riding rollercoaster of emotions
videos of MONORAL on YouTube
Side note: Being confused in Japanengrish



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Bestfriending with the ears: MONORAL – So Long!

VAMPS new singles

Hell yea...
A bit late to post them here. Actually not wanted to but I did it anyway.

So I copied the embeds and put them here, hopefully the greatest YouTube won’t ban them for the sake of copyright and so on, coz I’ve no idea when the two will finally release an album. And if they do, I’m sure it won’t be released in Indonesia and I have to get it shipped to me and it’s gonna be waaaaayyyyy expensive. So.... while I’m on the mission of saving my every pennies for the sake of this album PLUS a trip to Japan next 2011, let’s enjoy the newest singles from VAMPS the side project of Hyde and KAZ.

One of the single is a cover version of Trouble. A hit single back in 9ty something. I remember I was in my junior back then and this song was quite annoying but hell... it’s pretty interesting thou.
And was kinda wondering when I first heard this news about VAMPS covering Trouble, what the heck it will gonna be like and boom... here it is. A quite while waiting is paid off and yes... I am still on my *(O.o)* mode. I think this song will be MUCH better live... or at least because we can see how exactly Hyde will do throughout the song.

*sigh* no further delay.... ENJOY!!!

1. I Gotta Kick Start Now




2. Trouble




Oooh.... (O.o)
And just a little slip here, i found this one too.
These two guys have just killed me with this one.

MONORAL feat. Hyde singing Safira
(taken from VAMPS live DVD)




*hhh!!!!*
I’m in tears of cheers....
but still in tears.... bloody tears...... but still cheers
damn them!!!

(note: look at the height difference between hyde and anis... it’s pretty hilarious and.... they kissed. Yes. They did... they actually have done that many times. But i never mind of it. Please keep kissing out guys! *BIG big grin*)

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and now I can settle my heart at ease for the rest of the day, no matter how frantic it is.... *relieved*

fangirling mode: SUPER ON

Yaak!!
Berhubung lagi males posting walau buku journal udah penuh namun belom ada waktu buat ngadepin PC di rumah buat mindahin apapun yang gw tulis di buku itu, maka hari ini gw mengisi blog ini dengan......

*big grin mode: ON*
Baru nyuri ini foto dari photobucket orang. Jangan salahkan gw untuk mencuri karena dia menaruhnya untuk konsumsi publik, ya kaaannn???

Eniwei, enjoy it (or not?) aakkh, at least for me, i’m kinda enjoying it.

Dan buat yang gak tau... yang ada dalem poto itu adalah Anis Shimada (vokalis band MONORAL) lagi ngejogrok di pinggir jalan. Ckckck... klo sampe dia ngejogrok kayak gitu di pinggir jalan Sudirman depan gedung kantor gw, tanpa mikir dua kali, gw temenin daaah^^

Piissuuu^^V

To someone i stole the pic from, PEACE gal^^V

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bestfriending with the ears: MONORAL - Safira (streaming on YouTube)

hiburan

Apa yang dibutuhkan bila dirasa kepala mulai pusing karena brianstorming (brainstorming, red.) berlebihan? Tentunya hiburan.

Hari ini dapet 2 hiburan mengesankan yang temanya sama: update-an blog. Walau topiknya beda.

Apdetan pertama.... bikin gw klenger karena poto yang dipajang Si mAnis bikin gw termehe-mehe (how sweet he is really...ckckck... he in glasses still looks cute. Very cute. Memang mAnis... saia suka potongan yang sekarang, jangan dipanjangin lagi yaa... ^^)

Apdetan kedua bikin gw shock, karena ini bertutur tentang interviu dengan hyde yang menanyakan soal poto anonoh yang dipasang di majalah “monthly VAMPS 4” yang mana dimana menampilkan dirinya lagi mandi (showering) dari ujung kepala ampe batas “iiittuuuu”. Semua orang berpikir ini si hyde pastinya menutupi bagian “iiitttuuuu” dengan handuk dong? Tapi apa jawabannya saat ditanya perihal ini?
“I was taking a shower, of course NOT” (maksudnya GAK pake handuk) *kyuuunggg~~pingsan* (aiiih... yang ngambil potonya beruntung banget!)

Hahaha...

Aakkkh....
Ini dia, poto hyde-sama lagi mandi (ngambil dari forum tanpa ijin, hihi. Maap ya yang punya poto klo saya curi^^)

Kepala gw jadi makin pusing.... *mimisan abis*

Kalo yang ini, poto si mAnis lagi konser di...meksiko (tadinya mo majang poto yang dia pake kemben pink, tapi itu buat konsumsi gw aja akkh^^) – potonya diambil tanpa ijin dari myspace official MONORAL, tapi dimaklumi kok sama Anis klo gw ngambil ini poto^^ (btw, kok myspace MONORAL street team Indonesia kga ada ya? gak ada yang minat bikin gituh?)

Nothing special.
Ngisi blog cuman buat iseng aja kok.
Masih merayu sang “BRIAN” menggali ingatan akan draft-draft yang hilang ~,~”
Sambil nunggu hasil rayuan, mengisi blog ini dengan hal2 gak penting, hihi^^

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what i'm doing lately

KIRI

You complete my fate

The world unwinds inside of me

You complete my fate

The halo crawls away

You repeat my fate

Rewinding all we can

You refill my place

You refill my place

Come and save me

Come and save me

You complete my fate

The heavens stroll inside of me

You repeat my fate

Revealing who we are

You refill my place

You refill my place

Come and save me

Come and save me

Believe in me

Drink the wine

Take my hand

Fill me up

Believe in me

Drink the wine

Take my hand

Let me follow

@ MONORAL @

Facts taken from the official myspace of MONORAL

Band website:

http://www.monoral.com
Band myspace: http://www.myspace.com/monoralofficial
Band members: Anis Shimada (vocals), Ali Morizumi (Bass)
Influences: The Beatles, and pretty much everything else since... with a few from before thrown in...
Sounds like: if Radiohead, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and portishead all got drunk, had crazy sex and spawned 2 offsprings, they might sound something like MONORAL. Don’t believe us? Give a listen and let us know who your think better compares

Facts taken dari hasil pengamatan subjektif seorang SAIA, (hahaha!!!):

band jepun yang gak kedengeran Jepun-jepunnya sedikit pun. Lebih kayak denger band alternative-rock yang kebetulan personilnya punya darah Jepun (secara emang gak murni orang Jepun gitu, pada blasteran),hihi. Band ini punya vokalis berwajah imuuuuttth banget (terlebih setelah mangkas rambutnya jadi pendek) walau suaranya Rockin’ abis^^, keseluruhan track ditulis in English makin bikin ini band gak kedengeran ‘Jepang’ terlebih pronounciation-nya yang fluently abis (bisa ngomong L!! ^^V) gak kayak orang Jepun ngomong inggris yang kedengeran kayak kumur-kumur dan suka ganti-ganti kata itu.

Musik band ini termasuk dalam kategori “gampang-gampang susah”, maksudnya: gampang denger, gampang inget, gampang ngerti (since they wrote the whole lyrics in ENGLISH), gampang sing-along, gampang goyang-along, gampang diikuti, TAPIIIIIIIII susah buat ngapus dari kepala.
Catchy. Period.

Jujur, gw baru denger ben rok jepun dengan musik yang beginian (yaah, koleksi ben rok jepun gw juga gak banyak-banyak amaat siih), aneh aja musik begini keluar dari dua manusia berdarah jepun (yea, keduanya pun blasteran bukan asli jepun yee?), hehehe....
Lumayan buat koleksi...

Buat yang suka jenis-jenis musik alternative modern rock seperti Pearl Jam ( eh, alirannya pearl jam itu.. paan ya? grunge?masa' sih? *mikir-mikir* grunge tuh paan yaa?^^ ), mungkin akan sangat mudah beradaptasi, karena ini musiknya adalah bentuk paling sederhana dari musiknya Pearl Jam, kalo gw bilang sih... (sok fasih musik gini gw), yaah, pokoknya saat pertama kali gw denger musiknya Monoral, yang gw inget sih hits-hitsnya Pearl Jam, hehe.

Eniwei, gw lagi dalam usaha mendonlot turbulance (the album), walau harus bersabar mendonlot satu per satu lagu ( dalam hitungan minggu... bukan hari!! >,< ) dengan sambungan yang SUMPPAAAAHH!, bikin gw senewen sendiri, was-was mendadak berenti di jalan, hihi. Heran, ini sambungan perlu dipompa dulu apa yeee?! Ada apaaa siiih?!?!

Ah yaa... ada yang punya VIA?! Album baru MONORAL yang baru rilis bulan ini? ato ada yang tau link bagus buat donlot album ini? just lemme know yee.


ps:

tadinya mo kasih link buat denger ini lagu, tapi nyatanya... terlalu sulit bahkan untuk nyambungin diri ini dengan dunia maya itu butuh perjuangan dengan cucuran keringat dan air mata, serta sesak di dada (akibat keseringan ngehela napas lemah)

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Desperado abis dengan sambungan internet.... gw bahkan kesulitan buka gmail. Ini yg salah sambungannya apa jalur khusus ke kompi gw sih yang senewen ama gw???