JADE - review, not standard style (but maybe more fun)

The form isn't a classical review, but a transcript from our talk about it (including emoticons): we talked about what format to publish the review in, then in the end decided that our initial impression, as expressed in the talk, would be the best, most honest way to do it.

So, here it is:


Rika: Did you get the link for the preview listening?

Ina: Of JADE? Yes, listened to it quite a few times already.

Rika: Actually, I have one complaint - I wonder if they'd accommodate me if I'd ask for it.

Ina: Oh?

Rika: Hit the replay button every time it stops? If so, me, too.

Ina: Yes... addicted to JADE lol

Rika: The complaint: I want official lyrics!

Ina: lol official lyrics would be nice...

Rika: Compared to I'll kill you, ToshI's English is perfect now, but still, it would be nice to be sure.

Ina: It would, yes.

Rika: JADE's been funny for me.

Ina: How so?

Rika: I don't even recall when I heard it first - maybe online somewhere, in connection with the FEVER X pachinko machines and then not completely - so it probably didn't make such a great impression then, but when I heard it live last year at Yokohama Nissan Stadium, it REALLY blew my mind away.

Rika: I think it's the song I love best so far, post reunion - maybe because it's a song where YOSHIKI really could do as he liked instead of having to accommodate a given theme, like for I.V.

Ina: First you've heard it was the 2009 Tokyo Dome lives, that's when they played it for the first time. But I guess because it was the first time, it didn't leave as strong an impression as last year's performance...

Rika: OUCH, that hurts. That you remember better than I myself. LOL Actually, come to think of it, I heard it at AGE, too, but Yokohama is strongest in my mind.

Ina: JADE is a step forward from I.V. isn't it... similar feeling - perhaps that's X JAPAN's current style? - but even more interesting. And addictive *hits play again* lol

Rika: Though yes, they did - but it wasn't as forceful then as it is now.

Rika: Maybe it wasn't fully done yet, or if it was, maybe they couldn't play it yet as they do now - not that it matters, I like how it has come out now.

Ina: It's X, everything's possible. But, yes, I like it a lot, too.

Rika: And yes, I think it's definitely a progression from I.V. I liked that, too - then again, I was at the shooting, that'll always make it special - but JADE definitely is more unique.

Ina: JADE takes you by surprise from the beginning. And it keeps surprising you until the end. I.V. wasn't quite as... bold? lol I mean, it takes a certain boldness to do something like this, a song that keeps changing every few minutes.

Rika: For me, it's actually almost like two songs. One the part that has vocals - and I'm totally in love with ToshI's voice again, he REALLY is back: that was my strongest impression of him in Yokohama - vs. the instrumentals only.

Ina: I would say almost three songs... there are also the parts where he's singing in a lower voice, with mostly just the bass and drums audible

Rika: What I really like about it is that it works. Maybe weirdly put, it's like a dance or a courtship, where two very different partners make a fitting whole.

Rika: They don't allow 3 people weddings these days. :P

Rika: But actually, you have a point.

Ina: Actually, I think JADE really is a great song to show off ToshI's vocals... both the lower singing and showing how amazingly high he can go and for how long he can hold those notes...

Ina: lol too bad, re: 3 people weddings

Rika: And that's actually another thing I like: that those parts to me seem written to make ToshI's voice SHINE.

Rika: Ah, interesting - I typed that before I saw your comment. But really interesting you think so, too.

Ina: Oh, yes. Actually, what I like about JADE the most, I think, though I'm not sure how many people would agree, is that it is an X JAPAN song. It seems to have a little bit of each member and they're all given a chance to shine.

Rika: Naturally, the instrumental only also makes the others shine.

Ina: lol same wavelength

Rika: Yes, but I find that interesting. I mean, I've seen it live, here in Japan. You never had that chance. So that you feel the same I think says a lot about the song.

Rika: Though, there's one thing I felt both in Yokohama and listening to the recording now. That is, YOSHIKI's drumming is CRAZY!

Ina: It does. Well, I've had a similar feeling about I.V. But it's a lot more so in JADE. Maybe that's why I like it, too.

Ina: Well, it is YOSHIKI lol

Rika: Oh, something else I felt then and feel now: that maybe more than ever, there is a very strong connection between YOSHIKI and HEATH.

Rika: He's called drums and bass combination the backbone of a band way back when, and I think that's really there now.

Ina: Ah, yes... I got a similar feeling...

Ina: Well, they've been drums and bass for a long time now. But I think perhaps because the bass in JADE is just so THERE that it's clearer than ever. Or maybe that's actually the proof that connection is stronger, as you said...

Rika: Actually, HEATH also is more there than ever.

Ina: I really love the rhythm in JADE. The drums and bass, both pounding away, but also the guitars sound great...

Rika: Aside from his solos, in the old days, somehow he seemed always rather low key. Now, I love both how he plays in the recording, and how he was on stage. Almost more "LOOK AT ME" than ToshI.

Rika: I wonder if SUGIZO awakened some kind of competitive spirit. LOL

Ina: A "LOOK AT ME" friendly competition between ToshI, HEATH and SUGIZO is rather unexpected, isn't it? lol But yes, I agree...

Rika: It's really fun! And, with JADE, for me, it's really well balanced again, with SUGIZO not only just being named an official member, but having found his place within the band, all of them connecting.

Ina: Actually this made me think of another reason why maybe JADE really is great, even more so than I.V. and actually perfect for their true World Wide debut

Rika: You missed YOSHIKI in the "LOOK AT ME" compartment.

Rika: Admittedly, stuck in one place, he can't compete like those three. LOL

Rika: Okay, two places, normally.

Ina: YOSHIKI doesn't have to compete, he's number one anyway lol

Rika: I guess he makes up for it otherwise, but as this is supposed to be about the song, I guess I'll refrain from talking about YOSHIKI's crowd baths and such.

Ina: And as for balanced, that's part of the reason I mentioned, too

Rika: What is it?

Ina: JADE is their first real song as a band again. I.V. was written before they even properly reunited and SUGIZO wasn't even an official member then. But by JADE, and especially the JADE played at Yokohama and the JADE that is about to be released, it's like they've all settled into well established roles. Each has a clear place in the band and they make the best of it. On one side, it seems clear to me that YOSHIKI took each of their strengths and styles into account when writing the song, but I think it's also clear that there is now more chemistry between the members, a lot more so than when they first reunited. Which is only natural, it’s been more than three years.

Ina: And also, each member having his own well defined role also explains HEATH being more there - he's not 'the new guy' anymore - and SUGIZO being their new lead guitarist.

Rika: Actually, in X, I don't like the term "lead guitar" - didn't like it way back when either, especially since hide himself said more than once that PATA actually was the better player AND PATA played lead in their faster songs.

Rika: Talking about PATA, I like how he and SUGIZO interact musically.

Rika: In JADE on stage it was particularly clear, well, for me...

Ina: "Lead guitar" when it comes to X I think more often refers to the guitarist that stands out the most, in the past hide, currently SUGIZO. As far as real lead goes, of course, it's always been divided and I don't think that will change much.

Ina: Oh?

Rika: Actually, that seemed to me like PATA taking the lead, and SUGIZO improvising on theme, if that makes sense?

Rika: And of course SUGIZO stands out more - I'd probably have a heart attack the day PATA would be flamboyant! That is, visually. Musically, he is.

Ina: PATA is flamboyant, even visually, just not in the way the others are lol

Rika: If you count flower shirts... Though I liked his beard at AGE. Oh, I'm going to see him in Ra:IN on the 24th, they are doing a two man with DerZibet - I am curious if he still has it.

Ina: I hope he does, it did look good on him. As for his taking the lead, I think it might be because the rhythm is no longer a background thing in JADE, but is actually a very important part of the song... hmm maybe this means the rhythm actually becomes the lead... Ah, JADE really is complicated! lol

Rika: It is. It reminds me of Escher drawings - I love those - where you don't know what's up or down or left or right. But I love art, music, to mess with perception like that.

Ina: That sounds very fitting for JADE, yes

Rika: Actually, talking about messed up minds, mine was messed up first about a particular part of the lyrics - there are two things in the lyrics that made me smile/grin/happy...

Ina: Oh, which part?

Ina: Or rather which things?

Rika: To start from the end - or actually, start with the general reason why, it's self-references.

Rika: The latter, obvious, I should think: art of life

Rika: As in Art of Life

Rika: And actually, I think the "psychedelic" - for me at least - instrumental parts fit with parts of that...

Rika: Well, no official lyrics, so all I can say is it SOUNDS like "art of life" to me, but it would make sense to me. Maybe I'm wrong but I think not because I figured out that in the other phrase I like - now doubly like - I realized what I initially heard was wrong. To my excuse, my mind was pre-programmed on that. LOL

Ina: Hmm... now that you mention it, the "psychedelic" part does remind one of Art of Life... in particular the piano solo. And that does sound like “art of life,” yes... ah, lyrics would be nice lol. But anyway, what is the other phrase?

Rika: I think it was the piano that did it for me, too... though, the all over feeling also. The other one... :P

Rika: The other one, I first mis-heard "scarlet jealousy" as "silent jealousy" - I said my mind was pre-programmed.

Rika: Actually, I like "scarlet jealousy" even better, since it's a reminder not only of Silent Jealousy, but one of my old real favourites.

Ina: oh?

Rika: He has liked scarlet all along - as in said old favourite. :P

Rika: Scarlet > intense red > KURENAI DA!

Ina: Ah lol I was thinking more about the other recent one, Scarlet Love Song. But you're right, scarlet - and red in general - has been present in his lyrics all along. Actually JADE is new... a new beginning, I guess :)

Rika: Actually, while in art there are differences between the colours, I think crimson, scarlet, blood red is - in general perception - pretty much all the same, so I think the connection really is there, to the old times. In both words and music. I like that.

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We talked about more details still, but then thought fans should have the fun of figuring out some things themselves, so we decided to end the public conversation here.

However, we did allow ourselves each a brief closing comment, which follow:



I don’t think X JAPAN could have chosen a better song as their world wide debut single.

It’s a song that incorporates the personal styles of each member. It’s a song that shows off the talent of each member. It’s a song that shows both their heavy side and their softer, ballad oriented side.

It’s also a song that is definitely representative for their new sound, but also ties in – both in music and lyrics – with their old selves.

Really, what could possibly be better than that?

Will they take over the world with JADE? Who can tell?

I certainly hope they will, but I think it depends a lot more on how open minded people overseas are. I believe for its debut single, X JAPAN has done its best. I'm looking forward to whatever will be next!

- Ina


As I think is clear from the talk, the very first time I heard it, JADE didn't have a very great impact, though even then, two lines caught my attention: "'cause you are beautiful, your scars are beautiful."

I liked that, because, who doesn't have some scars of her or his own? Like I'm sure YOSHIKI, ToshI, maybe the other X members - X JAPAN - I always forget that - have. And how few people are able to find theirs beautiful, or even acceptable. That the song encourages to embrace those makes it special to me.

Having heard it again, to me at its best, last year in Yokohama, I fell in love with the whole song, lyrics, music, the balance between the members, which I think is better now than it was even in their best old days.

Of course there are small minor points - expressed in the talk already - where I'd have done things differently, wish YOSHIKI had done them differently. But there isn't anything like a perfect anything, song or whatever.

It's not the newest of their new songs, but I think that with the pre-disbandment X JAPAN that at least is there for me, I think it's the best song among them to start overseas releases with. I hope they'll do more of that kind.

- Rika


X JAPAN Official Website　http://www.xjapanmusic.com/
YOSHIKI Official Twitter　http://twitter.com/YoshikiOfficial

Photo courtesy of Japan Music Agency