TRUE 1996
OVERALL, "TRUE" PEREFECTLY MET ALL EXPECTATIONS I HAD WHEN I HEARD IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. I GUESS I EVEN LIKE IT MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS "HEAVENLY" SINCE IT'S SIMPLY GOT MORE OF THE REALLY GOOD SONGS L'ARC~EN~CIEL ARE LIKED FOR SO MUCH, AND A VARIETY OF STYLES THAT IS STILL REMARKABLE... SO, LET'S TAKE THE PLUNGE!
FARE WELL
AS USUAL, HERE GOES A MORE QUIET SONG AS A STARTER. BEGINNING WITH THE SINGLE PIANO (PLAYING THAT BEAUTIFUL MELODY OVER AND OVER), THE SONG BUILDS UP AND TURNS TO A POWERFUL BALLAD, CONTAINING IMPRESSIVE MELODIC WORK BY ALL MEMBERS, AND SOME STRINGS TO PUT AN ADDITIONAL ACCENT ON ALL OF THAT. THAT CREATES A HAPPY/SAD FAREWELL MOOD, BUT ACTUALLY WE'RE ONLY GETTING STARTED...
CARESS OF VENUS
HMMM... EURO DANCE? THE SONG KICKS OFF WITH A DANCEFLOOR MUSIC KIND-OF PIANO SEQUENCE, AND THEN TURNS OUT TO BE QUITE "BOUNCY", NOTEABLY DUE TO THE MANIPULATED DRUMS THAT SOUND LIKE IN HOUSE MUSIC, OR WHATEVER. STILL, I DON'T THINK THE SONG IS BAD; IT'S ESSENTIALLY A ROCK SONG, WELL-COMPOSED, AND THE TYPICAL VERY CATCHY CHORUS PART IS PRESENT AS WELL. AND TO ME, I'D ALWAYS PREFER THIS TO ANY POP DANCE SONG, THAT'S FOR SURE.
ROUND AND ROUND
LEAVING THE PRIOR DANCE KIND-OF SONG, WE COME ACROSS A GOOD LARUKU-STYLE ROCK SONG. IT'S QUITE FAST ACTUALLY, AND THE VERY POSITIVE MOOD CREATED BY "CARESS OF VENUS" FALLS MORE OR LESS APART, "ROUND IN A MERRY WORLD". AND THE SKILLS OF HYDE, WHO WROTE THE TUNE, MAKE IT VERY MUCH WORTH LISTENING ANYWAY.
FLOWER
FINALLY, WE'VE REACHED THIS GREAT GREAT MELODIC GUITAR POP TUNE. IT WAS RELEASED AS THE SECOND SINGLE OFF "TRUE", AND THAT WAS A VERY GOOD DECISION. VERY IMPRESSIVE SONGWRITING SKILLS (THANKS TO HYDE) CAN BE ENCOUNTERED, AND, WELL, IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL SONG, ONE OF MY LARUKU FAVORITES ACTUALLY! 
"GOOD-MORNING HIDE"
LET'S ROCK AGAIN! THIS TUNE IS ALREADY EXCEPTIONAL SINCE IT'S ENTIRELY SUNG IN ENGLISH, SO, IT'S ONE OF THE FEW TUNES EVERYONE IS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND! "YES, EVERYTHING IS AN IMAGINATION" AND LINES LIKE THAT CREATE AN IMPRESSION OF BOREDOM OF POP CULTURE AND "THE SCENE"... WELL, AT LEAST THAT'S ONE WAY TO INTERPRET IT (SAKURA, THE BAND'S DRUMMER BACK THEN, WROTE THE LYRICS, ONE OF HIS FEW SONGWRITING ACTIVITIES EVER). THE SONG GOES MOST INTO ROCK ON THIS ALBUM, SO, IT'S GOOD STUFF! MAYBE IT EVEN DENOUNCES HIDE, LEAD GUITARIST OF THE FORMER X JAPAN (HE WAS STILL IN THAT BAND WHEN THIS SONG WAS RECORDED, BUT COMMITED SUICIDE IN EARLY MAY 1998)?!?
THE FOURTH AVENUE CAFE
RETURNING THE LISTENER TO MORE POSITIVE MOODS AGAIN, THIS SONG IS QUITE UNLIKE ALL PREVIOUS LARUKU WORK, IT KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THE "WAKE-UP BOO" BY THE BOO RADLEYS... I DON'T REALLY LIKE IT AS MUCH AS THE REST OF THE ALBUM, THOUGH IT'S NICE FOR GETTING RELAXED A BIT. THIS WAS ALSO THE FOURTH "TRUE" SINGLE (SEE THE CONNECTION?)! 
LIES AND TRUTH ("TRUE" MIX)
AND NOW, WE'RE RETURNING TO DANCE MUSIC AGAIN? ACTUALLY, THAT'S HOW IT SEEMS AT FIRST, BUT SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE SONG ALSO REVEALS SOME MORE "BAND" MUSIC PARTS. AS THE ALBUM'S THIRD SINGLE, IT'S QUITE A POSITIVE TUNE AGAIN, AND IT CONTAINS A 70S DISCO STRING ENSEMBLE AS WELL! 
KAZE NI KIENAIDE ("TRUE" MIX)
THE FIRST SINGLE OFF "TRUE" IS A PRETTY EXCELLENT TUNE AGAIN. ACTUALLY, ALL PARTS OF THE SONG ARE SO GREAT THEY COULD BE USED TO MAKE UP A SINGLE SONG EACH OF THEM! THOUGH THE LYRICS ARE PRETTY POP, THE COMPOSITION (BY TETSU) AND ARRANGEMENT ARE JUST SO EXCELLENT, IT'S ONE OF THE BEST L'ARC~EN~CIEL SONGS EVER! 
I WISH
SINCE THE ALBUM WAS RELEASED JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS 1996, THIS ONE IS THE BANDS "CHRISTMAS SONG". FEATURING A CHILDREN CHOIR, A BRASS ENSEMBLE AND HANDCLAPS, "IWISH" CAPTURES THE ATMOSPHERE OF ALL THAT SANTA CLAUS GLITTER VERY WELL, IT MIGHT EVEN REMIND YOU OF SOME FRANK SINATRA KIND-OF HAPPY "NEW YORK, NEW YORK" TUNES, ONLY WITH MORE ROCK ELEMENTS... WORTH LISTENING, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THEY MADE IT WELL!
DEAREST LOVE
PUTTING AN END TO THE ALBUM, THIS LAST SONG IS A BALLAD AGAIN, BRINGING BACK TO LIFE THE FEELING OF THE FIRST SONG, "FARE WELL", AND NOW, IT'S REALLY FAREWELL... IT CONTAINS A NOT-TOO-SPARSE STRING ENSEMBLE ONCE MORE, AND IS - AGAIN - AS WELL-WRITTEN (BY TETSU) AS TO FINISH OFF THE ALBUM ON A HAPPILY SAD, SADLY HAPPY NOTE.

HEART 1998
AFTER SAKURA WAS THROWN OUT OF THE BAND AND LARUKU FOUND A NEW DRUMMER WITH YUKIHIRO, IT SEEMS THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS ADJUSTING TO THE NEW SITUATION. THEY'RE BACK WITH FULL POWER, AND "HEART" IS ARGUABLY THEIR BEST ALBUM, AT LEAST THEIR BEST MAJOR LABEL RELEASED ONE. IT CONTAINS SO MANY DIFFERENT MUSICAL FACES OF THE BANDS, THESE ARE JUST TEN GEMS OF JAPANESE ROCK.
LORELEY
WE BEGIN OUR MUSICAL JOURNEY... AND WE'RE HAVING GREAT EXPECTATIONS, SINCE ALL PREVIOUS ALBUMS HAD A JUST MORE OR LESS SMASHING OPENER. AND "HEART" HAS IT IN FORM OF A DARK, MYSTERIOUS ROCK TRACK, A TRULY IMPRESSIVE, KIND OF EPIC SONG... FOR NOW, ALL EXPECTATIONS ARE FULLY MET.
WINTER FALL
WOW! THE SECOND SINGLE OFF THE ALBUM IS SURELY... BRILLIANT. WRITTEN BY KEN, THIS IS JUST SUCH A GREAT LARUKU STYLE POP SONG... ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITES EVER. IT'S SO VERY CATCHY, FAST AND BEAUTIFUL, AND JUST DRAWS YOU IN... AND IT WON'T LET YOU DOWN TILL THE END. IT IS A MASTERPIECE, ADDITIONALLY AUGMENTED BY ITS STRING AND BRASS ARRANGEMENTS. 
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
NOW, FOR THE MORE ADVENTUROUS PARTS OF THE BAND, HERE GOES ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT TOTALLY DIFFERENT MUSICAL STYLES, THIS TIME, IT'S VERY JAZZY, BLUESY, IN ANY CASE A NEWLY-SOUNDING NICE UPBEAT TUNE. WELL, YES, THIS BAND NEVER DISAPPOINTS YOU!
SHOUT AT THE DEVIL
"ONE, TWO, THREE, GO!"... OH YEAH! NO, L'ARC~EN~CIEL HAVEN'T LOST THEIR ABILITY TO TOTALLY ROCK OUT. THIS ONE IS A VERY FAST LOUD ROCK SONG, CAREFULLY PUT TOGETHER FOR THE MAXIMUM EFFECT... THIS ALMOST MAKES YOU WONDER IF IT'S REALLY THE BAND, SINCE THEY PUT ON SUCH  HEAVY, ANGRY ATTITUDE HERE... A VERY VERY COOL SONG, LOOK OUT FOR THE DISSONANCE TOO!
NIJI (ALBUM VERSION)
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHERS THINK ABOUT THIS SONG, BUT TO ME, IT'S JUST EPIC. WITH THE FIRST SINGLE OFF THE ALBUM, IT SEEMS THAT THEY JUST WANTED TO BLOW EVERYONE AWAY. THIS SONG IS, WELL, A ROCK SONG, BUT FAR MORE COMPLEX THAN ANY OTHER LARUKU ROCK TRACKS. IT'S AMAZING, AND THOUGH IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO GET INTO, ONCE YOU'VE GOT IT, I HOPE YOU WILL AGREE ON ME. 
BIRTH!
AFTER THE GREAT "NIJI", HERE'S SOMETHING LIGHTER AGAIN, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN ITS QUALITY IS LOWER. IT'S A HAPPY POPPY ROCK SONG, WHICH FOCUSES MORE ON A "BAND" SOUND AND GUITARS THAN OTHER POP SONGS BY THE BAND. AND, BY THE TIME YOU REACH THE CHORUS PART, THE SONG WILL KEEP STICKING IN YOUR MIND, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GREAT, OF COURSE, WHAT ELSE?
PROMISED LAND
THIS IS THE SECOND MORE OR LESS "REAL" FULL-ON ROCK SONG ON THIS ALBUM, OR THE THIRD? WELL, SINCE THE BORDERS ARE VERY FLUENT, THIS SONG, AS THE OTHERS, SHOULDN'T BE CATEGORIZED THAT WAY. "DEVILS WALK IN THE STRAWBERRY FIELDS", AND A DARKER MOOD PREVAILS ONCE AGAIN... COOL STUFF, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
FATE
AND... NOW, ANOTHER FASTER TRACK, MYSTERIOUS AND VERY CAPTIVATING, AT LEAST BY THE TIME YOU'VE COME TO HEAR THE CHORUS PART. THIS SONG IS JUST SO ATMOSPHERIC AND HAS THIS KIND OF MOOD THAT CAN BOTH BE HAPPY AND SAD, IT'S REALLY BREATHTAKING... AND IT DOESN'T NEED ANY LOUD GUITARS FOR THAT, JUST A VERY ELABORATE ARRANGEMENT, AND GREAT SINGING BY HYDE AS USUAL.
MILKY WAY
HOW MANY GREAT GREAT CATCHY BEAUTIFUL POP SONGS CAN THIS BAND WRITE? IT DOESN'T SEEM TO END, AND I HOPE IT WILL NEVER... THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXCELLENT SONG! TO ME, I THINK IT CAN BE DESCRIBED QUITE WELL AS THAT KIND OF SONG LIKE THOSE DURING THE END CREDITS OF A GREAT MOVIE, WHEN YOU'RE LEAVING THE THEATRE AND THINK, "WOW, THIS WAS GREAT", AND THE SONG AUGMENTS THAT IMPRESSION EVEN MORE.
ANATA
WHAT IS THERE LEFT TO SAY? AS TO END THIS BRILLIANT ALBUM, WHAT ELSE CAN THIS BE THAN A VERY BEAUTIFUL BALLAD? AND IT IS, IT REALLY IS. AND THE ELABORATE STRING ENSEMBLE KIND OF ADDS THAT "GIGANTIC" MOOD OF A GREAT CLASSICAL WORK, SO, ALTOGETHER, THIS PUTS AN END TO THE ALBUM IN SUCH A GREAT WAY... I'M SPEECHLESS NOW.

ARK 1999
WELL, THERE'S ALMOST NO NEED FOR THIS QUESTION, BUT: DID L'ARC~EN~CIEL ONCE AGAIN SUCCEED IN TOPPING THEIR LAST ALBUM? OH, YES! AFTER RELEASING A TOTAL OF EIGHT SINGLES OVER 1998 AND 1999, THE FIRST ONE DATING BACK TO ONLY ONE MONTH AFTER "HEART", L'ARC~EN~CIEL COME UP WITH TWO NEW ALBUMS... AND MORE CREATIVE ENERGY THAN EVER BEFORE. THE MUSIC IS PLAYFUL, FULL OF VARIETY FROM BEAUTIFUL BALLADS TO LOUD ROCK SONGS, AND ALSO, EACH MEMBER SEEMS TO HAVE EVOLVED, FOR EXAMPLE, KEN ALSO PLAYS LOADS OF KEYBOARDS, HYDE'S SINGING BECOMES EVEN MORE AWESOME, AND YUKIHIRO SEEMS TO BE AN ALL-AROUND WIZARD, NOW ALSO BEING A SONGWRITER AND PLAYING OTHER INSTRUMENTS AS WELL. OF THE TWO NEW ALBUMS, "ARK" IS PROBABLY MORE FOCUSED ON NICE POPPISH, MORE UNEARTHY SONGS... WELL, LET'S DIVE IN!
FORBIDDEN LOVER
THE ALBUM KICKS OFF WITH THIS SINGLE FROM OCTOBER 1998, WHICH IS A GLOOMY INTENSE BALLAD FEATURING DRAMATIC INSTRUMENTAL ARRANGEMENTS, SOME TRIBAL DRUMMING, AND A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE VOCAL PERFOMANCE BY HYDE TOO... WELL, I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT THAT THEY'D CHOOSE THIS AS A STARTER, BUT, IT WORKS, AND THE SONG IS BRILLIANT. 
HEAVEN'S DRIVE
THE LAST BUT ONE SINGLE BEFORE THE ALBUMS' RELEASE IS PRETTY MUCH THE TYPICAL L'ARC~EN~CIEL POP SONG... THE BRASS ARRANGEMENT, THE CATCHY MELODIES, IT'S ALL THERE! WELL, IT'S NOT MY FAVORITE KIND OF L'ARC SONG, BUT, THIS IS REALLY GOOD FAST ROCKIN' STUFF. 
DRIVER'S HIGH
WOW! THIS SONG WAS RELEASED AS A SINGLE AFTER THE ALBUM'S RELEASE, AND, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE GREAT CATCHY FAST POP SONGS AGAIN, IT'S ADORABLE! THIS TIME, IT REALLY SOUNDS VERY HAPPY INDEED, AND IT'S THROROUGHLY CAPTIVATING, HYDE'S LINE "CLASH! INTO THE ROLLING MORNING, FLASH! I'M IN THE COOLEST DRIVER'S HIGH" WILL HOPEFULLY KEEP ON STICKING IN YOUR HEAD FOR DAYS AS WELL! 
CRADLE
SO, HERE IT GOES, THE FIRST SONG WRITTEN BY YUKIHIRO! "LIVING OR DYING, THERE IS NO MEANING", HYDE SINGS... WELL, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A DARKER BALLAD, WHICH GENERALLY HAS A PRETTY QUIET AND CALM MOOD, HOWEVER IT EVENTUALLY COMES ACROSS VERY INTENSE. YUKIHIRO EVEN USES SOME TURNTABLES!
DIVE TO BLUE
WHAT CAN I SAY? THIS SONG, RELEASED AS A SINGLE SHORTLY AFTER "HEART", IS JUST ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL L'ARC SONGS I'VE EVER HEARD! IT'S WRITTEN BY TETSU, WHO GENERALLY SEEMS TO HAVE THAT CERTAIN WEAKNESS FOR NICE BEAUTIFUL HARMONIC POP COMPOSITIONS, AND, YES, IT'S FAST, IT'S CATCHY, I DON'T EVEN MIND THOSE LEAD MELODY SYNTHS AT ALL, IT'S SIMPLY GREAT STUFF! 
LARVA
THIS IS SOMEWHAT A PROLOGUE TO "BUTTERFLY'S SLEEP"... WRITTEN BY YUKIHIRO AGAIN, IT'S PRETTY MUCH AN INSTRUMENTAL PERCUSSIVE FAST DRUM N' BASS TECHNO KIND OF TRACK. I WOULDN'T EVER HAVE EXPECTED ANYTHING LIKE THIS FROM LARUKU AT ALL, BUT, YES, IT WORKS PRETTY WELL, SEAMLESSLY LEADING INTO THE FOLLOWING SONG...
BUTTERFLY'S SLEEP
AND WITHIN THE "LARVA", THE BUTTERFLY IS SLEEPING... THIS IS A FASTER ROCK TRACK, FEATURING A BRILLIANT STRING ARRANGEMENT, WHICH MAKES THE WHOLE THING EVEN MORE DRAMATIC AND CAPTIVATING. THIS IS HUGE ELABORATE ROCK, YES.
PERFECT BLUE
IS THIS BOSSA NOVA? ANYWAY, IT REALLY BRINGS ACROSS SOME EXOTIC RELAXED FEELINGS... THE DRUMS ARE PROGRAMMED, WHICH CREATES A KIND OF LO-FI BASE, THEN THERE ARE THOSE HAWAI'I-KIND-OF GUITARS, AND NOT TOO FEW SAMPLED STRINGS, ALL CARRYING THAT GROOVY COMPOSITION, AND IT FEELS LIKE SUMMER... VERY INTERESTING AND COOL!
SHINJITSU TO GENSOU TO
LET'S RETURN TO SOME MORE ROCK. YES, IT GROOVES, AND IT'S ONCE AGAIN A LITTLE DARKER AND INTROVERTED. IT CONTAINS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF STRING SYNTH AND PIANO, WHICH HELPS TO CREATE THAT KIND OF URGE, AND FINALLY, HERE'S ANOTHER INTENSE ROCK TRACK.
WHAT IS LOVE
AND HERE WE GO AGAIN, WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF GREAT GORGEOUS L'ARC~EN~CIEL BALLADS... YES! IT LIFTS YOU UP, IT FLOATS IN SPACE, IT SOUNDS SAD, BUT ALSO HOPEFUL, AND BY ALL MEANS VERY BEAUTIFUL, CAREFULLY COMPOSED AND ARRANGED IN ORDER TO CREATE THE MAXIMUM IMPACT... WELL, IT REALLY DOES THAT. EXCELLENT!
PIECES [ARK MIX]
WHAT, THIS IS ALREADY THE END? WELL, ACTUALLY WE'RE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH! AND, BEING THE FINAL SINGLE BEFORE THE ALBUMS' RELEASE AND FINISHING OFF THIS ALBUM, IT'S OF COURSE A GIGANTIC CLASSICAL BALLAD! THE COMPOSITION IS PRETTY COMPLEX IT SEEMS, AND, OF COURSE, THE HUGE STRING ENSEMBLE IS NOT MISSING FROM THIS. SO, ALTOGETHER, WE HAVE A MOVINGLY BEATIFUL ENDING FOR THIS ALBUM... REALLY GREAT. 

RAY 1999
IF "ARK" IS MORE POPPISH, THEN "RAY" IS DEFINITELY MORE OF A "BAND" ALBUM, FEATURING MORE OF THOSE "BARE", MAYBE AT TIMES INTROVERTED ROCK SONGS... WELL, BUT THERE'S LOADS OF VARIETY HERE AS WELL, OTHERWISE, IT SIMPLY WOULDN'T BE L'ARC~EN~CIEL... THE BAND REALLY SEEMS TO HAVE FOUND THEIR UNIQUE STYLE EVEN MORE. SO, ARE YOU READY FOR MORE LARUKU EXTRAVAGANZA? TO SAY IT AS THE BAND DID - NOW THAT WE'VE BOARDED THE ARK, LET'S TRAVEL TOWARDS THE RAY OF LIGHT!
SHI NO HAI
OH YES, LET'S ROCK! THE SONG BEGINS AS KEN PLAYS A POWERFUL GUITAR RIFF, AND, THERE WE GO, FINALLY WE'RE LISTENING TO L'ARC, "BACK TO THE ROOTS"! A GREAT STARTER TO GET YOU UP, GET YOU EXPECTING A GREAT GREAT ALBUM, AND OF COURSE, TO GET YOU ROCKIN'!
IT'S THE END
AND, WE ROCK ON, THIS TIME MORE FAST AND MAYBE A BIT MELANCHOLY, SO, OVERALL THIS REALLY IS A NICE CATCHY LARUKU-ROCKING TUNE, WHICH TURNS OUT TO BE QUITE INTENSE AND CAPTIVATING AS WELL.
HONEY
WHEN "HONEY", "KASOU" AND "SHINSHOKU~LOSE CONTROL" WERE TRIPLE-RELEASED AS SINGLES, "HONEY" BECAME THE BIGGEST HIT AMONG THOSE SONGS... WELL, YOU CAN GUESS WHY, OR SIMPLY ROCK ALONG TO THIS! THE BAND SOUNDS PRETTY ROCKISH, BUT, THE SONG IS A NEAT LITTLE POP TUNE, CATCHY AND THOROUGHLY HAPPY, WELL, SIMPLY NICE AGAIN! 
SELL MY SOUL
YES, THERE JUST HAS TO BE A HYDE-ISH BLUESY SONG EVERY NOW AND THEN! IT SOMEHOW SOUNDS RELAXED AND GROOVY, MAYBE LIKE AN AFTERNOON SPENT SITTING IN FRONT OF A FRENCH CAFE IN AUTUMN, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY CLICHE OF COURSE... "I ALWAYS SEE YOU IN MY DREAM"...
SNOW DROP [RAY MIX]
BY THE WAY, HAVE I SAID BEFORE HOW MUCH I ADORE THOSE CATCHY POPPISH DREAMY BEAUTIFUL L'ARC POP STYLE SONGS? YES, HERE'S ANOTHER GREAT BRILLIANT EXCELLENT ONE, WHICH WAS RELEASED TWO WEEKS BEFORE "FORBIDDEN LOVER". THIS TIME, IT'S PRETTY RHYTHMIC AND FAST AGAIN, AND IT'S JUST SUCH A BEAUTIFULLY COMPOSED SONG, WHICH, OF COURSE, CAN ONLY BE WRITTEN BY TETSU... YES, VERY COOL! 
L'HEURE
AND ONCE AGAIN, L'ARC~EN~CIEL AS WE DON'T KNOW THEM - THIS TIME, HERE GOES A SPOKEN WORD / INSTRUMENTAL TRACK BY YUKIHIRO, MUSICALLY KIND OF QUIET AND SUBTILE, AND LYRICALLY CONTAINING A CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO FRENCH PEOPLE, A VERY INTERESTING TUNE!
KASOU
HALWAY THROUGH THE ALBUM, WE FIND THIS SINGLE, WHICH, ALMOST NEEDLESS TO SAY, SOUNDS HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL, SAD AND INTENSE... AND IT ALSO CONTAINS A GREAT ENGLISH POEM BY KEN, YES... WELL, IT IS A FASTER SONG, BUT IT'S VERY BALLAD-LIKE AND JUST HAS A WONDERFUL MELANCHOLY MOOD TO IT. 
SHINSHOKU~LOSE CONTROL
YES! HERE WE GO... PRESENTING ONE OF LARUKU'S MOST DARK AND HARD-ROCK-ORIENTED SONGS YET! ACTUALLY, THIS SONG WAS FEATURED IN THE ASIAN VERSION OF THE "GODZILLA" MOVIE SOUNDTRACK IN 1998... IT HAS TWO PARTS TO IT, FIRST, THERE'S THAT QUIET MOODY INTRODUCTION WHICH, AFTER A WHILE, BURSTS OUT INTO THAT SEEMINGLY PRETTY COMPLICATEDLY COMPOSED ROCK, YES, ROCK PART... A VERY VERY COOL ONE. 
TRICK
AND HERE GOES ANOTHER SONG ENTIRELY WRITTEN BY YUKIHIRO, WHO, AS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO CONTRIBUTE. AND, YES, WE'RE ROCKIN' ON! AND, THIS IS ALSO THE SECOND L'ARC SONG ENTIRELY IN ENGLISH! WELL, THIS IS RAW PURE ROCK, STRIPPED DOWN AND PERFORMED WITH PURE PUNKISH DIRECTNESS!
IBARA NO NAMIDA
WE MOVE ON TO ROCK IN A MORE DRAMATIC AND INTENSE WAY AGAIN... THE SONG STARTS OUT MORE OR LESS QUIETLY WITH KEN PICKING HIS GUITAR DISTORTIONLESSLY, BUT THEN AS THE CHORUS STARTS, THE SONG KIND OF LIFTS OFF ROCKINGLY, WHICH MAKES THE WHOLE THING QUITE AWESOME AND CAPTIVATING.
THE SILVER SHINING
SO NOW, WE'RE ALMOST THROUGH, AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO EXPECT A FINISHING SONG THAT WILL JUST BLOW EVERYONE AWAY. YES, IT IS A BALLAD... IT'S ALMOST WHOLLY IN ENGLISH AND SOUNDS VERY AIRY, CALM AND EMOTION-FILLED... THIS REALLY LEAVES A LASTING IMPRESSION AND PUTS AN END TO THE TWO ALBUMS IN AN UNDESCRIBABLY BEAUTIFUL WAY.

ECTOMORPHED WORKS 2000 (REMIXES)
ALMOST A YEAR AFTER THEIR MASSIVE TWO-ALBUM RELEASE, THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR AN IN-BETWEENER. AS HE HAS ALREADY SHOWN ON SOME OF THE NEWER SINGLES BEFORE THIS ALBUM, YUKIHIRO IS A VALUABLE REMIX CAPACITY WHO CAN WELL MAKE A WHOLLY DIFFERENT THING OF A L'ARC SONG BY TWISTING IT AROUND A BIT, USING MOSTLY TECHNOID BEATS, INSTRUMENTS AND SAMPLES, OFTEN RESULTING IN SOMETHING DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT. THIS ALBUM, THEN, IS A COLLECTION OF A FEW REVAMPED VERSIONS OF REMIXES WE'VE KNOWN FROM SINGLES AND SEVERAL COMPLETELY NEW ONES AS WELL. IS IT WORTH IT AT ALL, THEN? WELL, FOR THE CASUAL LARUKU FAN, MAYBE NOT, SINCE YOU POSSIBLY SHOULD KNOW THE SONGS WELL TO FIND THIS OF VALUE. BUT FOR ANY SERIOUS L'ARC DEVOTEE, THIS ALBUM IS DEFINITELY WORTH INVESTING IN, WITH ALL ITS WEIRD, SOMETIMES VERY WELL-DONE AND SURPRISING ALTERNATE LOOKS AT 10 OF LARUKU'S SONGS, THANKS TO YUKIHIRO.

REAL 2000
AS A SUCCESSOR TO THE EPIC "DOUBLE ALBUM" OF THE YEAR BEFORE, "REAL" WAS SURELY EXPECTED TO BE A GREAT NEW EFFORT BY L'ARC~EN-CIEL. AND, ADMITTEDLY, I WAS NOT SO VERY SURE AS TO MYSELF IF IT WOULD REALLY SUCCEED IN PULLING OFF THE TRICK. BUT, SURELY, THIS WAS WORTH THE WAIT, AND WORTH MUCH MORE - THE BAND SEEMS TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED EVEN MORE VERSATILITY, MATURENESS AND UNMISTAKEABLE INSTINCT FOR BOTH THE PERFECT TUNE WRITING-WISE AND AS A BAND FUNCTIONING TOGETHER, CREATING SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNIQUE AND UNIQUELY EXCITING - SOMETHING THAT HAS NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE. HERE WE GO!
GET OUT FROM THE SHELL -ASIAN VERSION-
FANS ALREADY KNOW THIS SONG FROM THE "STAY AWAY" SINGLE - BUT HERE THE WHOLE THING'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. THE TUNE IS COMPLETELY SUNG IN ENGLISH (HYDE'S IMPROVING MORE AND MORE THERE) AND ARRANGED SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY, TURNING OUT AS A GREAT CHOICE FOR THE MAXIMUM START IMPACT AND TO SHOW THAT THE SPECTRUM INDEED HAS WIDENED MORE AGAIN: ELECTRONIC DRUMS AND A QUIET VERSE PART SUDDENLY MAKING WAY FOR A HEAVY CHORUS - FOR A START, NICE ONE INDEED.
THE NEPHENTES
SO, NOW THAT WE'VE "ENTERED" THE ALBUM, WHY NOT HAVE A FULL-ON DEMONSTRATION OF THE BAND'S HEAVIER EDGE? A NICE 6/4 BEAT, SOME METAL-ISH GUITARS AND MORE ENGLISH LYRICS AGAIN (A GENERAL TENDENCY HERE, AS YOU'LL NOTICE) CREATE AN OVERALL VERY ANGRY, RELENTLESS PIECE OF L'ARC TRADEMARK HARD ROCK, AND IF I MAY ALSO SAY, AT ITS BEST YET.
NEO UNIVERSE
HAILED AS THE BAND'S FIRST YEAR 2000 SINGLE, WHICH IT WAS, THIS UPLIFTING LITTLE CATCHY TUNE INDEED BURSTS WITH NICE NEW IDEAS AND SOUNDS AGAIN. AT ITS BASE, IT'S SURELY A SIMPLER DITTY, BUT OF COURSE LARUKU NEVER FAIL TO DELIVER A PERFECT POPPISH SONG IF THEY WANT TO - HERE WITH A TECHNOID BASS DRUM RHYTHM AND SYNTHESIZER-ISH BASS LINE. 
BRAVERY
TETSU'S SONGWRITING HAS ALWAYS GUARANTEED A BEAUTIFUL, EMOTIONAL TUNE WHEN A BALLADESQUE TUNE WAS IN QUESTION - THIS TIME IS NO EXCEPTION, THOUGH BY NO MEANS THIS SHOULD FLATLY BE CALLED A BALLAD. ACTUALLY, THIS SONG HAS GOT A NOTEABLE LO-FI ACCENT TO IT AND, IN THE END, EVEN QUITE ROCKS OUT, BUT IN A REFLECTIVE, SOMEWHAT MELANCHOLY MOOD - BEAUTIFUL.
LOVE FLIES
RELEASED ONLY A DOZEN WEEKS AFTER "ARK" AND "RAY", THIS WAS AN EARLY PREAMBASSADOR OF "REAL", AND ALSO A QUALITY ROCK TUNE TO ASSURE THE BAND HAD FAR FROM REACHED THEIR HIGH POINT. TYPICALLY KEN, THIS HAS ALL THE MONUMENTALITY AND SOLIDNESS OF A FULL-ON BIG ROCK SONG, AND AN INTENSE, FLOATY ATMOSPHERE EXCEEDING THE USUAL MORE POP L'ARC SONG. 
FINALE
I THINK THIS WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN AS TO FIT A CERTAIN JAPANESE MOVIE. AS THE MOOD GENERALLY GROWS MORE SUBTLE AND INTENSE ON THE ALBUM, THIS SONG FITS NICELY. FEATURING AN EPIC STRING-SECTION-LADEN ARRANGEMENT, SOME DISSONANT NOISE, PASSIONATE VOCALS AND A GENERAL UNSETTLING, SOMEWHAT DESPAIRING, SAD DARK MOOD, IT DOESN'T FAIL TO IMPRESS AT ALL - A HUGE SONG. 
STAY AWAY
WITH THIS SONG, NOW, WE RETURN TO MORE EARTHY ROCK AGAIN. CATCHY, BUT MORE "HIP" AND CYNICAL THAN MOST OTHER LARUKU STUFF, THIS INDEED ROCKS IN A NICE, DIRECT WAY, AND AS THE FINAL SINGLE BEFORE THE ALBUM'S RELEASE, THIS HAS SURELY BEEN A NICE PICK. "I DARE SAY I'M HAPPY..." 
ROUTE 666
DEPARTING FROM THE "STAY AWAY"'S MOOD, HERE'S ANOTHER MORE "COOL" SONG. THIS TIME, SOME FUNKINESS MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERED AS WELL, ALONG WITH PROBABLY MORE DIRECT GUITARS, UPBEAT RHYTHMICS AND AN IN-YOUR-FACE ATTITUDE THAT'S SURELY NICE. GREAT ELABORATE ROCK MUSIC, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS!
TIME SLIP
NOW, LET'S GET TO DEEPER MATERIAL AGAIN. MOVING AND GRASPING YOU ALONG RIGHT FROM ITS START, THIS TUNE DEMONSTRATES WHAT L'ARC IS ALL ABOUT, AND MIGHT ARGUABLY BE THE BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM. IT'S JUST THE SAME CATCHINESS OF A SAD-HAPPY MOVING SONG, REFINED TO EVEN BETTER AND MORE CAREFUL SKILLS, THAT UNDENIABLY MAKES IT AN EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL UPBEAT BALLADESQUE ROCK EPOS.
A SILENT LETTER
MOVING ON, WE FIND THE LONGEST SONG ON THE ALBUM - OVER 7 MINUTES - AND ONE MORE VERY INTENSE AND CAPTIVATING ONE. THE MOOD HERE IS MUCH DARKER THAN IN "TIME SLIP", HOWEVER, AND OVERALL MORE QUIET - UNTIL THE SONG BUILDS UP MORE AND MORE AND FINALLY REACHES A FULL-ON VERY INTENSE ENDING. A SONG OF EPIC PROPORTIONS, AND I'M TOTALLY STUNNED, ONCE AGAIN.
ALL YEAR AROUND FALLING IN LOVE
CONCLUDING THIS BRILLIANT ALBUM, FINDING THE RIGHT TRACK FOR THIS TASK MUST HAVE SURELY BEEN DIFFICULT. HOW COULD EVEN L'ARC THEMSELVES CREATE SOMETHING WITH MORE IMPACT THAN, SAY, THE MONUMENTAL "ANATA" AND "THE SILVER SHINING"? WELL, THE SOLUTION HERE IS, THEY DID SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS TIME AROUND. GOING BACK IN TIME AND SOUND TO AROUND THE "TIERRA" PERIOD, THIS BEAUTIFUL ENDING HAS A MORE DYNAMIC AND DOWN-TO-EARTH CHARACTER, BUT NEVERTHELESS PROVES TO BE A BRILLIANT CHOICE TO FINISH OFF THIS ELABORATE, AMBITIOUS MASTERPIECE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, REALLY, THIS IS, AS THE REST OF "REAL", JUST QUITE VERY PERFECT.

CLICKED SINGLES BEST 13 2001 (COMPILATION)
BESIDES BEING THEIR SO-TO-SPEAK INTERNATIONAL DEBUT RELEASE (BEING DISTRIBUTED REGULARLY IN THE US AS WELL), WHICH IS CLEARLY A HUGE STEP FORWARD FOR L'ARC AND JROCK, THIS NEAT COMPILATION SHOULD MAINLY BE OF INTEREST TO THOSE WHO HAVEN'T GOT ANYTHING FROM THE BAND AND WOULD LIKE A NICE OVERVIEW OVER THEIR FIRST SEVEN YEARS AS A MAJOR ACT. AS THE TITLE SUGGESTS, THE TRACKS HAVE BEEN VOTED FOR BY AUDIENCES ACROSS ASIA THROUGH A POLL HELD BY YAHOO!, THUS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF THE FANS' PREFERENCES IS GIVEN: POPULAR SINGLES FROM THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND ONE NEW SONG MAKE FOR A TRUE "HIT" RECORD. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SOME OR ALL L'ARC ALBUMS, THE EVER SO SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SINGLE VERSIONS, APART FROM THE NEW "ANEMONE", MIGHT BE A BUYING POINT, AND LARUKU COMPLETISTS WILL POSSIBLY EVENTUALLY BUY IT AS WELL DUE TO THE NEW TRACK AGAIN, WHICH IS INDEED A HAUNTING MONUMENTAL, SOMEWHAT CLASSICALLY SPANISH-TOUCHED BALLAD. SO, EVERYONE WILL BE SATISFIED IN THE END, I GUESS.

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