MOTHER 1994
ALL IN ALL, THIS IS A VERY HEAVY, IN SOME PLACES EVEN SLIGHTLY INDUSTRIAL ALBUM... BUT THAT ONLY CONCERNS THE HEAVIER SONGS. SOME CLASSICS CAN BE FOUND, LIKE "ROSIER" AND THE POPULAR "AURORA", AND ALSO A FEW REALLY GREAT MORE MELLOW SONGS... REALLY... DARK AND DREAMY.
LOVELESS
"LOVELESS LOVEMAKING"... THE SONG KICKS OF WITH "1, 2, 3, 4" - IN GERMAN, AND TURNS OUT TO BE AN IRONIC BALLAD, BUT STILL A GREAT POLYPHONY CAN BE FOUND... WE'RE GETTING STARTED WITH A SLOWER ONE, BUT NOW...
ROSIER
WOW, WHAT CAN I SAY... THIS SONGS ROCKS!!! "WHETHER I BLOOM OR FALL, IS UP TO ME", AND WHETHER THIS SONG IS EXCELLENT, IS NO QUESTION! ONE OF MY LUNA SEA ABSOLUTE FAVORITES, FAST, ROUSINGLY AGGRESSIVE... IT WAS "MOTHER"'S FIRST SINGLE, AND IT'S ALL ABOUT STRUGGLING TO BE INDIVIDUAL... AHH, MARVELLOUS! 
FACE TO FACE
AFTER THIS ALMOST UNMATCHED SONG, WE FIND A TRULY DARK ONE, DRIVEN BY SOME MEAN DRUMS AND A GLOOMY GOTH-LIKE FEEL, "KISSING IN THE COSMOS". AND AS WE REACH THE CHORUS PART, THE MOOD IS PERFECTIONIZED... PULSATING AND EVEN DISCORDANT SOMETIMES, BUT IN ANY WAY - FEELS GLOOMY...
CIVILIZE
WHAT IS THIS, NINE INCH NAILS? NO, IT'S STILL LUNA SEA! MEAN DRUMS AND SOME CREEPY GUITAR RIFFS, ALONG WITH PLENTY OF DISSONANCE, SOME SYNTHESIZER ELEMENTS, AND A SAMPLE FROM THE JAMES BOND THEME (?!?) MAKE UP A FAST, AGGRESSIVE, ON-THE-EDGE INDUSTRIAL-LIKE SONG... "DON'T CARE!"
GENESIS OF MIND ~YUME NO KANATA E~
IT SEEMS THAT WITH "MOTHER", LUNA SEA DECIDED TO INCLUDE ONE GREAT EPIC ON EACH ALBUM, AND IT'S THIS ONE. NO DISTORTION ROCK NOW, BUT A VERY BEAUTIFUL AND INTENSE 8-MINUTE SONG ABOUT THE "GRAY CITY" AND THE "BLUE BLUE SKY", DRIVEN BY SOME GREAT 12-STRING GUITAR WORK AND DREAMY VIOLINS. IF YOU TURN IT UP LOUD ENOUGH, IT MIGHT LEAD YOU TO "THE OTHER SIDE OF DREAMS"...
AURORA
THIS ONE IS VERY POPULAR AMONG LUNA SEA FANS... AND EXCUSE ME, OF COURSE, IT'S A GOOD SONG, BUT SURELY NOT THE BEST ONE ON THIS ALBUM. THIS SONG GOES MOST INTO POP ON "MOTHER", INCLUDING SOME CATCHY MELODIES AND ALSO GREAT VIOLIN SEQUENCES, BUT ALL IN ALL THIS IS THE ALBUM'S WEAKEST SONG REGARDING ITS WHOLE FEEL AND ATMOSPHERE. I HOPE NOBODY WILL WANT TO KILL ME NOW!
IN FUTURE
AFTER A QUICK RIDE INTO POP, HERE GOES AN ANGRY PUNK-POWER SONG... LUNA SEA, WHO SEEM TO HAVE MOSTLY ABANDONED PUNK DRUMMING BY NOW, GET THE PUNK STRAIGHT-FORWARDNESS OUT ONCE MORE AND DELIVER THIS ANGRY PUNK-LIKE ROCK TUNE... BEST OF ALL IS THE CRAZY VIOLIN WHICH WORKS REALLY EXCELLENTLY WITH THE SONG!
FAKE
THOSE WHO KNOW THE SPANISH BAND HEROES DEL SILENCIO MIGHT MAKE OUT SOME SIMILARITIES... THE SIGNIFICANT LEAD GUITAR AND NOT-SO-VERY-HEAVY RHYTHM GUITAR CREATE A MORE ATMOSPHERIC SOUND AGAIN... SO, THIS SONG IS A GOOD REST FROM ALL THE HEAVYNESS, AND NO, NOT A FAKE!
TRUE BLUE
AS THE SECOND SINGLE OFF THIS ALBUM, THEY CHOSE A GREAT ROCK SONG AGAIN, FAST LIKE "ROSIER", BUT NOT AS AGGRESSIVE, RATHER MORE INTENSE, AND SOME GOTHIC GUITARS CAN BE FOUND AS WELL IN THE BRILLIANT ARRANGEMENT! 
MOTHER
THIS WAS THE FINAL SINGLE OFF "MOTHER", AND, WHAT CAN I SAY, THIS SONG REALLY MOVED ME WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT. FIRST, THERE'S SOME GREAT 12-STRING GUITAR WORK AGAIN, BUT WHAT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING ABOUT THIS IS THE UNDESCRIBABLY GREAT CHORD PROGRESSIONS, MELODIES AND VOCALS THEY CREATED (BESIDES THE FACT THAT RYUICHI IS AN EXCELLENT SINGER), THEY JUST CHOSE THAT STUFF PERFECTLY TO CONVEY THE SONG'S MESSAGE, WANTING TO BE SOMEBODY IN THIS DREARY WORLD... ONE OF MY LUNA SEA FAVORITES, A PERFECT BALLAD CAPTURING TRUE FEELINGS... "AI GA HOSHII, AISHITE HOSHII"... 

STYLE 1996
ALTHOUGH THE SINGLES RELEASED OFF THIS ALBUM ARE MORE POP THAN USUALLY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S MEANINGLESS IN ANY WAY, I GUESS THE RECORD LABEL CHOSE IT THAT WAY. "STYLE" IS ONCE AGAIN A MELTING POT OF ROCK MUSIC, COMBINING VARIOUS STYLES TO AN ALBUM THAT SEEMS REALLY "BIG". HARD ROCK ANGST AND HARMONIC GUITAR POP - ALL CAN BE FOUND HERE.
WITH LOVE
AN UNHEARD SOUND KICKS OFF THIS ALBUM... "WITH LOVE" SOUNDS VERY EXPERIMENTAL, WITH ITS OVERDRIVEN DRUMS, ITS STRANGE GUITAR SOUNDS, ITS BEAUTIFUL VIOLIN PARTS, ITS DISSONANCE, ITS LO-FI APPEAL... A GREAT STARTER, IT MET ALL MY EXPECTATIONS ("STYLE" WAS THE FIRST LUNA SEA ALBUM I BOUGHT!).
G.
BACK TO BONE-CRUNCHING, FAST, ANGRY ROCK MUSIC... "OH PLEASE HELP ME GOD!", OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE SONG KEEPS GOING ON AND GOING ON AND ONLY REACHED ITS CHORUS PART AFTER QUITE LONG, SO IT KIND OF BUILDS UP GRADUALLY REVEALING ITS DIFFERENT PARTS. IT'S AGAIN A VERY POWERFUL ROCK SONG, ONE OF THEIR BEST EVER!
HURT
YEAH... IS THIS THE BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM? MIGHT BE... THE BAND BECOMES VERY GLOOMY AGAIN HERE, AND CREATE A DARK, AGGRESSIVE, DESPAIRING ROCK SONG WITH A MEAN MAIN GUITAR RIFF, AND A 3-VOICE GUITAR SOLO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT! I WAS SO FASCINATED I EVEN MADE A MIDI FILE OF IT! 
RA-SE-N
MORE NEW AREAS TO EXPLORE... THIS TIME, A 5/4 MEASURE SONG. IT'S A BIT DIFFICULT TO GET INTO IT, BUT ONCE YOU'VE GOT IT, IT'S TRULY GREAT, AS THE SONG BUILDS UP MORE AND MORE, AND MORE AND MORE, UNTIL IT FINALLY REACHES ITS "SHOWDOWN" WHERE WE RETURN TO 4/4 AGAIN. IT'S A MASTERPIECE, AGAIN!
LUV U
"KIMI GA HOSHII, KIMI NO SUBETE GA", NOW, THAT LINE KEEPS STICKING IN YOUR MIND FOR VERY LONG. AS THE TITLE SUGGESTS, THIS SONG HAS GOT FAR MORE POP MELODIES AND LYRICS AGAIN, BUT IT'S VERY WELL-COMPOSED AND CATCHY AND STILL ROCKS A LOT, SO IT MAKES YOU SING IT ALONG FOR HOURS!
FOREVER & EVER
THE EPIC SONG... OVER 10 MINUTES OF INTENSE SOUNDSCAPES ARE HEADING YOUR AWAY AS "FOREVER & EVER" BEGINS, AND IT STARTS RIGHT AWAY WITH FULL POWER... A TRULY BEAUTIFUL BALLAD - "TIME CHANGES ALL AND STRIVES TO CHANGE ME TOO", A PART OF THE SPEECH IN THE TRANSITION, CONVEYS THE MESSAGE, I THINK. THE SONG IS REALLY BREATHTAKING, THERE'S NOT ONLY SOME GREAT MELODIES, BUT ALSO BRILLIANT ARRANGEMENTS AND A STRING ENSEMBLE, SO, GET READY FOR ONE OF THE BAND'S BEST ONES... "IF WE FIGHT, IT HURTS, IF WE SURRENDER, WE GO UNDER".
1999
AFTER THE INTENSE EXPERIENCE OF "FOREVER & EVER", WE GET TO HEAR THIS VERY ANGRY PIECE ABOUT "THE END", HOW "SOMEBODY IS FIXING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OVERFLOWING THE EARTH". THIS SONG IS AN EXCELLENT SPEED METAL KIND-OF ROCK PIECE, THOUGH IT'S ONLY QUITE SHORT... BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER, 'CAUSE IT ROCKS.
END OF SORROW
AS THE SECOND SINGLE OFF "STYLE", WE FIND A POP TUNE AGAIN. I DON'T LIKE IT AS MUCH AS THE REST OF THE ALBUM, THOUGH IT'S GOT SOME GOOD PARTS, BUT IT'S NOT AS INTENSE... THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S BAD OR THAT IT SHOULD BE SKIPPED WHEN LISTENING TO THE ALBUM! 
DESIRE
THIS ONE WAS THE FIRST SINGLE OFF THIS ALBUM, AND IT ROCKS, THOUGH IT'S MORE CONVENTIONAL... BUT, STILL, LUNA SEA MADE A GREAT ROCK SONG OF THE THING, FAST AND CATCHY, GOOD STUFF. 
IN SILENCE
TRULY BEAUTIFUL... THE THIRD AND FINAL SINGLE FROM THIS ALBUM IS A NICE ACOUSTIC-GUITAR-DRIVEN GUITAR POP SONG... LUNA SEA JUST KNOW HOW TO WRITE GREAT SONGS! THOUGH IT MIGHT SOUND A BIT LIKE U2, IT'S GOT GREAT GUITARS AND A CATCHY APPEAL THAT MAKES YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THIS MELODIC TUNE AGAIN AND AGAIN... 
SELVES
AS TO FINISH OFF THIS MASTERWORK OF AN ALBUM, "SELVES" IS THE QUIETEST OF ITS SONGS... AT LEAST IT BEGINS QUITE MELLOW, BUT THEN MORE AND MORE MELODIES JOIN IN, AND FINALLY WE CAN DREAM, YES WE CAN, AS THE SONG LOSES ITSELF IN UNDESRIBABLE POLYPHONY BUT STILL KEEPING THE STRUCTURE AND FEELING THAT MAKES IT SO IMPRESSIVE... EXACTLY 8 MINUTES, AND A VERY WORTHY ENDING.

SHINE 1998
THIS TIME AROUND, THERE WERE PROBABLY THE HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS YET ON A LUNA SEA ALBUM. THE BAND TOOK A YEAR OFF IN 1997 TO PURSUE SOLO CAREERS, AND EACH MEMBER CAME UP WITH SOMETHING UNIQUE TO HIM. SUGIZO'S GUITAR-DRIVEN ARTFUL DRUM N' BASS, J'S NOISY RIFF ROCK, SHINYA'S CROONING MATURED POP ROCK, INORAN'S BEAUTIFUL DENSE TRIP HOP, AND OF COURSE RYUICHI'S HAPPY KIND OF KITSCHY POP - HOW WERE ALL THESE INFLUENCES TO BE BLENDED TOGETHER? THE FIRST SINGLE "STORM" MADE MANY FEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE A RYUICHI-POP ALBUM... BUT WHAT IT REALLY IS, IS THE NEXT MUSICAL STEP FOR THE BAND. AN AMAZING ROCK ALBUM, THAT IS.
TIME HAS COME
SUBTLE BUT CAPTIVATING... THE ALBUM BEGINS WITH A CLOCK TICKING, WHICH BORDERS INTO A QUIET GUITAR RIFF BUILDING UP MORE AND MORE, WITH INSTRUMENTS JOINING IN, AND THEN, SUDDENLY, EXPLODING INTO PURE LUNA SEA ROCK. FOR NOW, ALL MY POP FEARS WERE ELIMINATED. AND EVEN RYUICHI'S VOICE DOESN'T SOUND AS SUGARY SWEET AS IN HIS SOLO WORKS. THIS IS A REALLY IMPRESSIVE 6-AND-A-HALF-MINUTE STARTER, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN TO SAY.
STORM
AND NOW, THE SONG THAT STARTED ALL CONTROVERSY... THE FIRST SINGLE OFF THE ALBUM. NOW, IN THE BEGINNING AND THROUGH THE VERSE PART, I DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS WAS A BAD SONG AT ALL, I ACTUALLY REALLY LIKED IT. THE CHORUS IS WHAT ADDS THE POP ASPECT, AND OF COURSE... RYUICHI'S VOICE. BUT NOW THAT I KNOW THE ALBUM IN ITS WHOLE, THIS SONG IS PERFECTLY COOL TO ME... NOT LEAST FOR SUGIZO'S EXCELLENT GUITAR SOLO.  
NO PAIN
NOW TO SOMETHING MORE DENSE AGAIN. MOST IMPRESSIVE IS THE LEAD GUITAR HERE, WHICH WORKS SO GREAT WITH THE SONG, WHICH IS RATHER QUIET AND ATMOSPHERIC, THERE ARE EVEN SOME GOTHIC INFLUENCES. "THERE IS NO PAIN IN THE TRUTH"...
SHINE
THE ALBUM'S TITLE TRACK IS PROBABLY THE SONG THAT GOES MOST INTO POP ON THE ALBUM, AND IT WAS ALSO THE SECOND SINGLE. IT EVEN HAS SOME "OOOH OOOH OOH OOH OOH" BACKGROUND CHORUSES IN THE CHORUS... WELL, IT SEEMS TO BE A HAPPY SONG! BUT THEN, THERE ARE THESE REALLY GROOVY 60S-INSPIRED DRUMS TOO... ONCE AGAIN, I THINK I "RESPECT" THE SONG MUCH MORE NOW THAT I KNOW THE WHOLE ALBUM. 
I FOR YOU
THE THIRD SINGLE OFF THE ALBUM IS A PRETTY BALLAD... AGAIN, THE CHORUS IS QUITE POP, AND RYUICHI'S VOICE MIGHT REALLY SOUND TOO SWEET AND CUTE HERE. BUT, IT'S A VERY WELL-WRITTEN SONG, WELL-ARRANGED TOO, IT EVEN FEATURES A STRING ENSEMBLE, AND THE SOLO PART THEN MAKES UP FOR THE CHORUS PERFECTLY... 
UNLIKELIHOOD
THIS SONG BLOWS YOU AWAY. FAST, ANGRY, DARK, AGRESSIVE... YEAH! IT KICKS OFF WITH J SINGING A COMPLETELY ENGLISH PART, AND RYUICHI THEN PROVES HE CAN STILL ROCK. THIS SHOWS LUNA SEA CAN STILL ROCK IN TRUE "MOTHER" STYLE... "ENTRANCE IS E-X-I-T".
ANOTHER
THE EPIC SONG ON THE ALBUM IS DEFINITELY THIS ONE. COMPLEX ARRANGEMENTS AND ALTERNATING SONG PARTS MAKE UP THIS 7-AND-A-HALF-MINUTE, UH, BALLAD? I DON'T EVEN KNOW. IT'S HEAVY AND QUIET, DREAMY AND AGRESSIVE, BUT IN ANY CASE, BRILLIANT AND VERY IMPRESSIVE.
MILLENNIUM
NOW FOR SOMETHING ELSE AGAIN. A FAST ROCK SONG, BUT ABSOLUTELY NOT THE MORE POP WAY OF, SAY, "STORM". IT CONTAINS EXCELLENT INSTRUMENT ARRANGEMENTS AGAIN, WHICH ON THIS ALBUM GENERALLY SEEM TO HAVE BECOME MUCH MORE ADVANCED. IF THEY HAD RELEASED THIS SONG AS A SINGLE, THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AS MANY PROBLEMS.
BROKEN
SLOWING DOWN, WE FIND THIS SONG, WHICH MIGHT BE SEEN AS A BALLAD, BUT, I GUESS IT CONTAINS TOO MUCH "HEAVINESS" FOR THAT, IT'S JUST THE CHORUS. THIS ONE IS A GOOD REST, I THINK IT EVEN CONTAINS PIANO PARTS TOO.
VELVET
THIS RATHER UNUSUAL SONG IS MORE EXPERIMENTAL AGAIN. WITH THE UNCONVENTIONAL DRUMS AS A BASE, IT HAS ONE CHORD PROGRESSION OVER IT REPEATED OVER THE WHOLE SONG, BUT IT'S EXPANDED ON IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT IT'S KIND OF FASCINATING.
LOVE ME
WELL, THE PSEUDO-FUTURISTIC-DIGITAL-VOICE INTRO MIGHT MAKE YOU DOUBT IF THE SONG WILL BE A GOOD ONE. BUT, THE WORSE THE INTRO, THE BETTER THE SONG ITSELF. ANOTHER FAST AND CATCHY ROCK SONG, AND DESPITE THE TITLE, GREAT STUFF ONCE AGAIN.
BREATHE
THE PIANO INTRO LEADS TO SOME DECENT GUITARS, AND THEN, TO A BEAUTIFUL SONG AS WELL! WE SHOULDN'T MIND THE FACT THAT THIS TRACK WAS USED FOR A DISNEY MOVIE... THIS AGAIN IS THE KIND OF SAD/HAPPY TUNE, AND NOT ONLY IS THE SONG EXCELLENTLY WRITTEN, THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS PROBABLY COULDN'T BE MUCH BETTER AS WELL.
UP TO YOU
PUTTING AN END TO THIS MUSICAL JOURNEY, THIS SONG IS A BIT MORE COMPLEX AGAIN. IT HAS AN ELABORATE STRING ARRANGEMENT, AND MUSICALLY IT'S PRETTY INTENSE, TOO... IT JUST CONTAINS SO MANY PARTS WITH DIFFERENT FEELS TO THEM THAT IT'S KIND OF EPIC... MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE CHOSEN A BETTER CLOSURE FOR THE ALBUM, BUT THAT DOESN'T AFFLICT ITS QUALITY... I'M VERY IMPRESSED.

NEVER SOLD OUT 1999 (LIVE)
WELL, HERE'S A LUNA SEA DOUBLE LIVE ALBUM, RELEASED IN TIME TO COMMEMORATE THEIR 10TH ANNIVERSARY, WHICH ITSELF TOOK PLACE ABOUT A YEAR AFTER "SHINE". LOOKS LIKE A NICE GOODIE AND BETTER THAN NOTHING NEW FOR 2 YEARS AGAIN IN ANY CASE, RIGHT? INDEED, IT IS A VERY GOOD (EVEN IF NOT INGENIOUSLY OUTRAGEOUS) COLLECTION OF LIVE VERSIONS OF SOME OF OUR FAVORITE TRACKS (WELL, IT'S ONLY A LIVE ALBUM AFTER ALL, NOTHING REALLY NEW). AS THE CONCEPT OF ENDING THEIR FIRST DECADE TOGETHER SUGGESTS, WE INDEED FIND A SORT OF RETROSPECTIVE HERE, SOMETHING LIKE A LIVE BEST-OF COMPILATION. A FEW SONGS FROM EACH OF THEIR ALBUMS AND ARTISTIC PERIODS ARE BOUND TO SHOW UP HERE, AND IN FACT THEY REALLY DIDN'T INCLUDE ALL JUST POPULAR TRACKS FOR THE SAKE OF SOME OLDER (EVEN RECORDED LIVE YEARS BEFORE) OR NOT-SO-FAMOUS SONGS - FOR EXAMPLE, NO "SHINE", BUT A TERRIFIC ANCIENT LIVE VERSION OF "SHADE", TO PUT IT THAT WAY. SO, FOR ANY MORE SERIOUS LUNA SEA FAN, THIS SHOULD MAKE FOR A QUITE NICE TO AT TIMES WONDERFUL JOURNEY THROUGH ALL THOSE YEARS.

LUNACY 2000
LET'S SEE... IT'S ALMOST TWO YEARS AFTER "SHINE": LUNA SEA HAVE CELEBRATED THEIR 10TH ANNIVERSARY, TAKEN A CONSIDERABLE BREAK OFF AND RETURNED WITH A REVAMPED LOGO AND DESIGN. WAS IT ALL WORTH IT? YES. "LUNACY" (THE TITLE A RENDITION TO THE BAND'S ORIGINAL NAME) CONTAINS AN ENORMOUS LOAD OF MUSICAL GENIUS WHICH IS NOT AS EASILY ACCESSIBLE AS ITS PRECEDOR, BUT MIGHT EVEN EQUAL AND OUTSTRIP THE GREATNESS OF 1996'S "STYLE", AND SHOWS THAT REACHING THIS BAND'S AMBITION AND VERSATILITY WON'T EASILY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY ANYONE...
BE AWAKE
BLASTING OFF, THE ALBUM BEGINS WITH A SONG THAT TAKES ON THE SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SOUND OF "BELIEVE" AND THE LIKE AGAIN, BUT INCLUDES STATE-OF-THE-ART LUNA SEA SONGWRITING AND A MUCH MORE ELABORATE ARRANGEMENT (I SUPPOSE IT'S NOT WORTH MENTIONING THAT RYUICHI IS A GREAT SINGER NO MATTER WHAT HE DID DURING HIS SOLO YEAR), MAKING THIS A ROCKING, MASSIVE, BUT ALSO PENSIVE AND SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL STARTER.
SWEETEST COMA AGAIN FEAT. DJ KRUSH
ACTUALLY, THIS WAS THE FIRST SIGN-OF-LIFE OF THE NEW LUNA SEA IN EARLY 2000, WHEN AN EARLIER VERSION OF THE SONG WAS INCLUDED IN THE JAMES BOND MOVIE "THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH" AND ON ITS SOUNDTRACK'S ASIAN VERSION. WELL, NO MATTER IF YOU TAKE THAT OR THIS VERSION, IT TRULY ROCKS, THAT'S ABOUT ALL THAT'S NECESSARY AS A COMMENT. DJ KRUSH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TURNTABLES AND I PRESUME SOME MINIMAL ELECTRONICA, WHICH GIVE THE SOUND A NICE ADDITIONAL FACETTE, BUT DO NOT SPOIL IT IN ANY WAY.
GRAVITY
AS THE FIRST SINGLE TO BE RELEASED OFF THE ALBUM, THE BAND CHOSE A MORE ATMOSPHERIC, GENTLE AND SUBTLE TRACK. IT'S FULL-ON ROCK, BUT VERY MELODIC AND NOT AGGRESSIVE AT ALL, RATHER POETIC AND "GROWN UP" (SHUDDER). 
KISS FEAT. DJ KRUSH
GRADUALLY MOVING FORWARD IN THIS "MUSICAL EXPERIENCE", WE FIND THIS SONG, FEATURING DJ KRUSH AGAIN, WHICH ROCKS MORE AGAIN, BUT DIFFERENTLY - A PRETTY FUNKY BASS LINE AND PLAYFUL GUITAR ARRANGEMENT CONSIDERATELY PLACING SOLO AND NOISE (OR BOTH AT ONCE) PARTS, PLUS A KIND OF ASCENDING ARRANGEMENT, MAKE THIS A PRETTY HEAVY & INTENSE SONG.
4:00AM
AND NOW, WHAT COULD BE CALLED A REAL BALLAD FOR THE FIRST TIME HERE; IT STARTS WITH A SIMPLER PIANO UNDERLAY, FOLLOWED BY A MORE CAUTIOUS AND QUIET ARRANGEMENT, INTRODUCING RYUICHI'S VOCALS, WHICH SOUND VERY INTRIGUING HERE, AND FINALLY ENDS IN A VERY ROCK-FLOATY FINALE. A VERY BEAUTIFUL SONG, AFTER ALL.
VIRGIN MARY
IT'S TIME FOR EPIC 10-MINUTE ROCK SONGS AGAIN! AND IT'S HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE. THIS SONG IS SO INTENSE AND COMPLEX, IT CAN ONLY BE CALLED A MASTERPIECE... EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND THE WHOLE THING DOESN'T SEEM STRETCHED-OUT AT ALL... AT TIMES SEEMING FRAGILE, AT TIMES JUST BLASTING A WALL OF SOUND, THIS TRACK IS, IF IT HAD TO BE NARROWED DOWN TO ONE, THE SONG ON THE ALBUM THAT SHOWS ALL THIS BAND IS CAPABLE OF.
WHITE OUT
RELEASING THE TENSION BUILT UP BY "VIRGIN MARY", THIS NICE LITTLE UPBEAT POPPISH SONG COMES PERFECTLY ADEQUATE. LOVEABLY CATCHY AND LIGHT AS A FEATHER, THIS TUNE WILL HAVE YOU HUMMING ITS BEAUTIFUL MELODIES ALL DAY LONG! THERE ISN'T MUCH MORE TO SAY... A PERFECTLY WRITTEN AND ARRANGED SONG.
A VISION
AND NOW - SOME HARD ROCK, YES! IT IRRITATINGLY STARTS OFF WITH A SYNTHETIC DRUM-MACHINE-AND-SYNTHESIZER INTRO, BUT THEN IT JUST ROCKS, MAXIMUM POWER, BUT NOT IN A TRASH OR CROSSOVER FASHION, BUT VERY SHARPLY AND DIRECTLY. "SO WHAT? YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
FEEL
NOW FOR SOMETHING ATMOSPHERIC AND MORE DENSE AGAIN - "FEEL" KICKS OFF WITH A NICE SPLIT VERSE PART, FIRST ARRANGED MELODICALLY AND CALMLY, AND THEN SUDDENLY CHANGED INTO AN ARRANGEMENT DOMINATED BY STACCATO DISTORTION, WHICH THEN LEADS TO THE CHORUS, MAKING THIS AN OVERALL NICELY ROCKING SONG. GREAT STUFF AGAIN.
TONIGHT
AS THE SECOND SINGLE FROM THE ALBUM, THERE WAS "TONIGHT", WHICH IS BASICALLY A STRAIGHT-FORWARD THREE-MINUTE FULL-ON MELODIC ROCK SONG. CATCHY AND UPBEAT, THIS IS NOT WHAT I HAD EXPECTED, BUT IT WAS A PLEASANT SURPRISE! 
CRAZY ABOUT YOU
THE CLOSURE... ON "STYLE", WE'VE HAD THE EPIC, BREATHTAKING "SELVES", ON "SHINE", THERE'S "UP TO YOU", WHICH WAS A PRETTY BRILLIANT MELANCHOLY SONG AFTER ALL, SO, WHAT NOW? A ROMANTIC BALLAD, A CATCHY LOVE SONG IS WHAT LUNA SEA OFFER US THIS TIME. THE ARRANGEMENT IS REMINISCENT OF THEIR BIG HIT "I FOR YOU", THIS MEANS, IT'S A MASSIVE STRING-ENSEMBLE-LOADED ROCK BALLAD, AND, IT ENDS THIS ALBUM IN A VERY UPLIFTING AND PASSIONATE WAY. A BEAUTIFUL END TO AN ALBUM WHICH ABSOLUTELY JUSTIFIES LUNA SEA'S POSITION, BE IT IN JAPANESE ROCK OR FOR THEIR FANS LIKE MYSELF.

PERIOD THE BEST SELECTION 2000 (COMPILATION)
LUNA SEA'S ULTIMATE ALBUM, IF IT MAY FULLY BE CALLED SO, ILLUSTRATES THEIR CAREER FROM THEIR MAJOR DEBUT UP TO THEIR FINAL SINGLE, THE BEAUTIFUL EPIC "LOVE SONG", PICKING THE MOST POPULAR TRACKS. I WON'T GO INTO EACH SONG'S DETAILS SINCE THAT WOULD BE REPETITIVE, HOWEVER, AS AN OVERALL COMMENT, I CAN SAY THAT THIS IS A REALLY NEAT ENDING, IF IT SHOULD BE CALLED SO, TO THEIR CAREER. MOST SINGLES ARE OF COURSE FEATURED - BUT WHAT REALLY WON ME OVER TOTALLY ARE THE NEW RECORDINGS OF THEIR OLDER SONGS. "BELIEVE", "DÉJÀVU", "PRECIOUS..." AND, CONCLUDINGLY, "WISH", SHINE IN BRILLIANT NEW LIGHT, EMERGING ALL THE POWER AND IMPROVEMENTS THESE TRACKS HAVE GAINED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS - I WAS COMPLETELY ENTHRALLED WHEN THE NEW "BELIEVE" FIRST CAME ON, FOLLOWED BY THE OTHER RE-RECORDINGS. FOR THESE AND FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL OTHER SONGS ON THIS ALBUM, I RECKLESSLY RECOMMEND IT.

ANOTHER SIDE OF SINGLES II 2002 (COMPILATION)
BEING A POST-MORTEM ALBUM, THIS, OF COURSE, DOES NOT LEAVE TOO MUCH TO BE ANTICIPATED. AND INDEED, IF YOU CAN CALL YOURSELF A RIGHTEOUS OWNER OF THE BAND'S SINGLES OF "STORM" AND BEYOND, YOU MAY CLEAN-CONSCIOUSLY LIVE ON WITHOUT THIS COMPILATION EVER INTRUDING YOUR COLLECTION. FAIR ENOUGH, THERE'S ONE PLUS TO THIS, AND THAT IS CHIEFLY THAT ONLY THE B-SIDES OF THE SINGLES AFTER THE FIRST "SINGLES" ALBUM ARE INCLUDED, SINCE MOST SINCERE FANS WILL ALREADY HAVE THE A-SIDES ON THEIR RESPECTIVE ORIGINAL ALBUMS AS WELL AS ON THE PREVIOUS "PERIOD". SO, WHAT REMAINS ARE THE 9 B-SIDES FROM 1998 TILL 2000 - AND THESE WILL BE, OF COURSE, A NICE BUY TO ANYONE WHO DOES NOT OWN THE SINGLES THEY'RE ORIGINALLY ON. CIRCUMSTANCES EXPLAINED, I CAN COME TO THE SONGS THEMSELVES - AND THEY ARE ANYTHING BUT SURPLUS. "KONO SEKAI NO HATE DE" IS POSSIBLY MORE INTENSE THAN ANY OF THE BALLADS ON "SHINE", "LOOPER" IS EXPERIMENTALLY RECALLING SUGIZO'S SOLO WORKS, "MY LOVER" ROCKS LIKE IT'S 1992, "BE IN AGONY" IS A SWEET, SENTIMENTAL POP TUNE, AND "UNTIL THE DAY I DIE", BEING THE CHRONOLOGICALLY LAST ORIGINAL SONG THE BAND PUT OUT, CAREFULLY BRUSHES AN ULTIMATE MINIMAL, BEAUTIFUL AND AND BEAUTIFULLY SAD IMAGE ON THE SONIC CANVAS - ALL THIS AMONGST THE SONGS I'VE NOT TAKEN IN. NO MATTER IF BY THEIR SINGLES OR BY THIS COLLECTION, LUNA SEA'S SECOND WAVE OF B-SIDES DESERVES CONSIDERABLY HIGH ATTENTION.

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