Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
J-rock/pop with *real* instruments!, August 5, 2004
This album completely surprised me. I'd heard plenty of good things about L'Arc, and I'd liked the theme they did for the Final Fantasy movie, but I was never in any hurry to learn more about them-- I've been burned too many times by "promising" Korean and Japanese groups that turn out to be more of the same.
But after seeing L'Arc in their first U.S. concert at Otakon in Baltimore, MD, I'm a complete fan. Their concert rocked-- and their album rocks even harder. Hyde, the singer, is equally good live and recorded, and his range (and control thereof) is astounding. "Smile" is absolutely brimming with energy and lyrical beauty (even if you have to go hunt down translations).
The U.S. release of "Smile" has two more tracks than the Japanese version: the FF movie theme "Spirit Dreams Inside" (good move, as that's how most U.S. listeners know them), and a "Hyde-less" (karaoke) version of "Ready, Steady, GO!" (the opening theme to the soon-to-be released in the U.S. anime "Full Metal Alchemist").
Beautiful vocals, energetic melodies, and a complete joy to listen to-- whether you're from the East or Western hemisphere.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
At Long Last..., June 30, 2004
By A Customer
After over a decade of releasing incredible music in Japan and Asia, L'Arc~en~Ciel is now releasing a North American version of their highly anticipated 9th album, SMILE, for North American audiences to enjoy! Complete with the original 10 tracks from the Japanese version of the album, along with a "bonus" track of a Hydeless "READY STEADY GO," SMILE is an album that will not disappoint, especially for first-time listeners of this awesome band. The CD opens strongly with the first track "Kiss (originally called Kuchizuke)," which features Ken's impressive guitar-playing as well as an introduction to Hyde's different, coarser vocal tonality. The song gives the impression of more of a rock sound at the beginning before slowly building into a softer, calming crescendo. The balance between the two opposing sounds is well crafted and incredibly enjoyable to listen to. "READY STEADY GO" brings back an edgier, more frantic pace that does not let up throughout the entire song. It revitalizes the senses with it's enormous energy as well as highlights Yukihiro's drumming, Tetsu's bass playing, as well as Ken's amazing guitar skills very well. It's a perfect lead into the third song on the album, "Lover Boy." Penned by Ken, "Lover Boy" is full on rock, and the bass solo as well as the guitar solo done by Tetsu and Ken respectively show just how talented this band really is. Although the lyrics need some slight getting used to, it's an awesome song overall. The rest of the album is just so awesome that it would take me more than the allowed space to describe. Tracks that you've definitely got to listen to in addition to the aforementioned are: "Time Goes On," "Coming Closer," "REVELATION," and "Living In Your Eyes (Originally called Hitomi no Juunin, which has to be one of the best tracks by far on the album)." This CD is well worth the investment, and this band especially deserves all the support they can get. With Hyde's amazing vocal range, Ken's superb guitar playing, Tetsu's amazing bass skills, and Yukihiro's very much improved drumming, L'Arc~en~Ciel is a band that North American audiences should feel lucky to have had the chance to hear. And with the price it's selling for here in the US (fans have had to pay at least $30 to have it imported from Japan), it's definitely well worth your money.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Acceptable return album from Japan's finest rock group, August 8, 2004
When L'arc~en~Ciel, one of the sustaining rock pioneers of Japan's early alternative rock scene in the 90s, released the obscure and very underrated "Real" in 2000, (whose only real financial support came from the hit singles "Neo Universe" and "Stay Away"), the band seemed all but together. Every member was distracted with a side project of sorts, and the otherwise supremely loyal fan base seemed divided with needless accusations of what direction they wanted L'arc to take their music. L'arc then, probably weary of 10+ years of innovation and individualism, seemingly broke apart.
So it was with great elevation that, 4 years after the fact, that they got back together, made a album in the period of only a few months, and then appeared at the last minute in Baltimore for the first US show in the history of their career, coinciding the concert with the first official US release of a L'arc album. "Smile" is that album, and while it's quite obviously not the epic or masterpiece that several previous L'arc releases are, it IS exactly what it should be: a return to the business of invention for a band that had a 4 year break from each other's influences.
The album opens with the thick, slow Zepplin-esque crunch of "Kiss"; a dirty, grungy little track that rocks with a familiar hard rock flame that L'arc sometimes seems to be forgotten for. An interesting and textured opener that highlights each of the bands merits fairly well, especially Hyde's ear for melody.
Not too far afterwards is the album's energetic highpoint in "Ready Steady GO", an obvious single choice and already well known track for being the opening of the TV show "Full Metal Alchemist". Much like the show, it's fast, child like, and uplifting, a masterpiece of pop campyness and L'arc's typical theatrics. Tetsu, one of the world's finest bassists, particularly shines here during his pre-verse gymnastics.
"Lover Boy" keeps the flow going from the previous track, a sex and blood covered rocker that throws back to L'arc's early days of straight-forward, thick garage rock.
Breaking the consistency, the album explodes with a pop-hook throwback of it's "Heavenly" and "Heart" days with "Feeling Fine", an infectious, sappy track with more candy coated hooks then you can shake a stick at. A sure reminder that L'arc's taste for quick, pop jabs has never waned.
Quick on it's heels is the mellow "Time Goes On", which is at first a slow guitar introspection, then becomes a thick U2-like coffee shop jive, with it's prefect honey-sweet chorus and carefully layered studio tweaks.
Out of place and unwelcome immediately afterwards is the almost entirely English sung "Coming Closer", an absolutely ridiculous throwback to 80s over-the-top schlock. The chorus is laughably bad and the hook itself is about as painfully cheesy as Hyde's uncharacteristically bad lyrics. This is the weakest spot on the album, and it's the only clear-cut indication that the band really was on a 4-year hiatus.
"Forever" follows afterwards, a quirky, angular rock piece that throws backwards to "Ark" and "Ray"'s experimentation. An interesting track that follows in the footsteps of noisers Sonic Youth, which can either serve as a means of alienating or attracting certain listeners.
"REVELATION" is the only track written by drummer Yuhriko, and it shows: it bounces with a NIN/Skinny Puppy industrial skin, but it gets over coated in the L'arc desire for detail and description. It's core gets lost in the poor over production of the guitar, an effect that is brought out much better in their live show. Regardless, it's an excellent track, and an excellent reminder of why "Real"'s opening, "Get Out From The Shell", was so good in the first place.
Near the end of the album now, "Living In Your Eyes" is a soft, classical guitar adult contemporary pop song, littered with sparse orchestration and Hyde's beautiful croon. This track is a flex of L'arc's muscles- Hyde puts his vocal talents into a range few others can hope to achieve, Tetsu straps on his notorious six string bass, and Guitarist Ken trades his electric riffs for well precision classical plucking. A new, obvious single, it's a track that may not be instantly appealing at first amongst the thick rock on this album, but repeated listening allows the track to reveal itself and reward the listener with a beautiful pop piece. The only detraction from the song is the bridge- Ken's guitar gets significantly lost behind a wall of orchestration, when careful listening shows which was more impressive.
The last track is already 3 years old, and was a terribly intelligent inclusion; "Spirit Dreams Inside" is one of L'arc's finest songcrafts, and any inconsistencies are laid to rest in this arguably perfect rock piece. Hyde's English lyrics can be a bit campy, but the message gets through regardless, and really, only serves to help the song in it's power. A wise inclusion and a perfect wrap up to "Smile".
The "Hydeless" version of "Ready Steady Go" at the end of the track is an American only track, a bonus version for those wanting to karaoke.
"Smile" does exactly what it set out to do: it introduces a new audience to select time periods in a straight forward, easy to digest manner. (The album is almost disappointingly short, even for L'arc: it clocks in at just under 45 minutes, not counting the "bonus" track) Nothing more, nothing less. With this approach, it gives L'arc the opportunity to, if they should desire, to push a US tour and give the opportunity to a new audience to explore their past, and superior, achievements, and then snag them with a later release. Which, of course, gives them time to reacquaint themselves with each other.
Either way, it looks like L'arc has a lot to "Smile" about, so long as they stay focused.
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