BEAT OUT, as Kougaiji so nicely put it, is their so-called "best album". Hakkai-san loves it too...Anyway, this album is GLAY's third album and has totally great guitar riffs and strong melodies that'll make you rock with this album till you get exhausted!
MORE THAN LOVE (****) = Whoa! From the instant I heard this song, I knew it was going to be a great album. The guitar solos are very long and quench your thirst easily. I timed them, by the way. This guitar solo is 47 sec. Not bad. This song is just so pefectly arranged and cool. It's got a very memorable line :MORE THAN LOVE! +Notice GLAY tend to have memorable English lines, silly or not+ I love it when Teru goes : YOU JUST A MODERN GIRL! because it feels like he's singing it to me when I hear it. +runs from other Teru fans!+
Yes, Summerdays (****) = Totally cool violin intro. I love the way he sings in the first two verses. The tune is wonderful and catchy and the chorus is not too bad either. I like Hisashi's guitar solo, the way it gains momentum and eases down slowly. Another popular GLAY song.
Genshoku no Sora (Cloudy Sky) (***1/2) = It's got great energy and beat, but I dunno... something is not right about this song. Maybe it's Teru. It sounds like he's straining to sing and hit the notes. But still, like I mentioned earlier, it's awfully catchy and memorable when he goes : Oh Precious precious, precious love!
Trouble on Monday (****) = I fell instantly in love with this song with a 70s tune. It reminds me of Elvis Costello's "Oliver's Army". It's got a funky beat and I recorded it for Kougaiji and he loved it immediately when we went to Shanghai. I can still remember the look on his face when he told me he loved this song.
Together (***1/2) = Another ballad that didn't really make it up there. I like it, Teru sings his heat and brains out... but it's too long and the tune doesn't really hold your attention that well. I know I'm sounding redundant, but HOWEVER is THE ballad!!!
Tsuki ni Inoru (****) = As you can see, Kougaiji's POV differs from mine when it comes to this song. The opening is crazy, and I love the way Teru goes "Woman..." it's a really great song and I don't see why Kougaiji thinks the chorus is funny and very "worn out". Tons of energy and very catchy.
Ikiteku Tsuyosa (****) = Oh, man! DIs this song and DIE! My MOM loves this song and turns it up during car rides and proudly declares "This is MY song!" This song has a great tune, great melody, great guitar solo and to top it off, GREAT LYRICS. I always listen to this before tests or exams to boost up my morale, or when I'm feeling down. It's as if GLAY's saying "YOU CAN DO IT!" Also, Teru is so damn passionate here, which adds to the beauty of the song.
Shuumatsu no BABY TALK (***) = Wha-? Sorry, Teru, but I don't really like this song. It starts out too long and gets annoying when you go "BABY TALK" all the time. It does grow on you, though, but I wish they improvised the beginning. It sounds like they're drunk or something.
GLORIOUS (****) = I once mentioned to Kougaiji, "No matter how many times I listen to this song, no matter how long I have liked GLAY, this song will never fade into the bakground." This is very true. It's a GLAY classic and is just so perfect. The opening is perfect and GOD! Right down to "I SING MY DREAM FOREVER, I WISH YOU WILL BE HAPPY LIFE!" it's just so refreshing and... poignant in a sense? A song that deserves the full marks. Additional : Teru's performance is excellent here, don't agree, go and die.
Kiseki no Hate (****) = When I first heard this song, the image that came to my mind was "war". Sounds like a person lamenting over war, how wrong I am! +just cause of the trumpets, Lilin no baka!+. It's a lovely song and so poignant and touching and Teru sings his heart out once again!!!! Oh, the ending is beautiful as well. A great GLAY ending. The performance in MUGEN no DEJA VU was great as well.
MIKI PIANO (****) = A strange, haunting ending to an album full of rock riffs and guitar jamming. It's slow, but in a good way. Very, very haunting. Teru pulls this off very well. It reminds me of Japan, +even though I've never been but you get the idea+. I love it when it ends, and Teru goes "Ahhhhh....". The guitar solo at the end with the piano is very beautiful! Utsukushii!!!