Yuki Kajiura 2nd Solo Album - FICTION Ⅱ

[Kagaribi no Hanabira]

Re:

EGO is by Eri Ito. They used her solo name, rather than the one shes been credited with on previous Kajiura soundtracks.

I hereby die a happy man.

Me too..... Thanks Grunty!!

It seems that after listening again and again...I swear grow on me...I feel indifferent with Clara's voice but Emily chorus is still.....Orz...

Heigen: Still as impressed as when listening from the radio.. Another good song.. I like it.

The image theme of XenosagaII: It seems that the poll-winner is one the most disappointed one for me.... (Or the expectation is too high...= =.) I like the "Fatal fight part" in this new arranged more than in the original image theme. If asking for the instrumental part..I think the best one is the YKlive version.... This new arrangement is lack of sth. that I can't explain.., but I prefer Deb's original vocal to the FJ girls. I think that I like this one more than the original (coz I love fatal fight..:p.), but I still need more..it could be more favorable, but it didn't...that's why I feel disappointed..., but like Nich said...it doesn't mean that the song is really not good...

Lotus: Beautiful melody&vocal, but so repetitive... It isn't too much KnK-ish for me..(if omit the fact that it's exactly a part of If I cry...) However, it's one of my favourite song...

My long forgotten cloistered sleep: Epicness of the album!!! Even it isn't a new...

E.G.O.: I think I like it so much... I love the intro music and all instrumental part throughout the song.

 

[ShadowAlex]

It is so nice to have a better quality version of "Forgotten Cloisterd Sleep" the other versions out there were mixed so poorly it's horrifying

 

[hinagiku]

can somebody tell me where is the leak of the album??i can't see any onions or any other sign with a link...

 

[george1234]

Video of the new male vocalist performing one of his songs http://johan-sara-jr-group.mondomix.com ... eo5434.htm sound good
photos http://www.markomeannu.no/samisk/govat/ ... arajr.html

 

[Nick Hunter]

Xenosaga II CD was <3

To be honest, I listened to Erementar Gerad and Xenosaga II right after FICTIONII and I almost cried a little...

Xenosaga II is one of Yuki's most gorgeous OSTs, if you ask me. And Erementar Gerad is also really good, although apparently underrated (I wonder if it's because of few Kajiurago tracks? )

OK, my impressions:

In this winter - sweet, nice, dreamy. A real flashback to Fiction. Interesting that the original was sung by Deb Lyons, and Deb Lyons we meet one step further...
The Image Theme of Xenosaga II - a nice, more powerful arrangement... I thought I'd simply say. Somehow I wasn't quite prepared to hear it full scale. The guitar, the rhythm section, the voice processing effects, the choir, then more guitar and then Yuriko... OH MY. More powerful is no longer the word here - this song laid me flat and drove over me like a tank. I won't place it above Fatal Fight (it has features a different, winnning-in-itself structure), but as to Image Theme itself, this is THE rearrangement, combining the best of the original and of FJ live version. Unexpectedly, this is one of my faves in this album.
Lotus - shines as brightly as the first time I heard it. The ending is full of mysterious voices and SFX, and the song itself is becoming harder to associate with something concrete - it seems to have something in common with KnK, Aquarian Age and - as was mentioned a while before - Madoka Magica (imo it could easily replace that Celtic track [Puella in Somnio?] as Homura's theme though last time I listened to it, I remembered Kyouko's backstory for some reason... sigh, Nick Hunter's imagination - go figure ).
My Long Forgotten Cloistered Sleep - an undbatable classic for me, with interesting lyrics, passionate flute and, of course, Emily. Happy to hear it all in good quality.
I Swear - I thought Winter and Ring Your Song were monuments to hope, but this song leapt two heads higher, not without an enticing vocal and equally enticing lyrics (honestly, a couple more songs like this one and March, and Yuki might venture on to Tim Rice's level ). It sounds like an elated love confession, both intimate and proclaimed worldwide for the universe to know. And honestly, I don't know what people find wrong with the guitar solo, Kurenaga-san really shines here.
>>skipping Forest and Sweet Song as unchanged tracks >>
E.G.O. - O.M.F.G. I liked the original well enough, but Yuki just had to add the intro, violin on par with Evocation, guitar on par with Slipstream/Calling/The World [live] (Koichi Kurenaga strikes again! ) and... and... Eri Itoh whom I ended up confusing for Yuriko+Wakana... /*shoots himself * There may be a way to improve the song further, but so far I fail to see HOW.
>>skipping Everytime You Kissed Me, I Reach for the Sun and L.A. for aforementioned reasons although I do admit I would prefer Inca Rose more than L.A.

>>
March - well, my opinion's unchanged. This song's the closest to getting my personal gold cup within this album. lol, am I still the only one to like it?
Heigen - there were references to Mike Oldfield, but somehow, unlike Sit Beside Me or Where Every Life Is Beautiful, this one doesn't sound that Oldfield-esque to me. It's rather Yuki's style, but with new elements. Male chant is WIN. Comparisons to Historia ending... don't hold water (failing to hear ANY semblance in melody ).
Maybe Tomorrow - revised, slightly rearranged, featuring FictionJunction. I've never minded Emily Curtis' voice, but I think she does sing better here. All in all, not as significant a revision as Xenosagha II IT to me, but still a grand song, worthy of closing the album.
TOTAL: a long-waited, appreciable album. Worse than Fiction? About as much as Red Moon is worse than Seventh Heaven - if you find the latter true, feel free to make the call about the former. To me, they are just different, but equally good. Here I find few bagpipes, but enough Hanae. Without Yuri Kasahara, but with Eri Itoh. Nick Hunter's seal of approval all over the cover.

Album's Top 3 so far: Xenosaga II IT, E.G.O., March. Lotus and MLFCS share a VERY close fourth.
on second thought: make my seal of approval much smaller, it hides Yuki from view.

btw, this really looks like the Eri Itoh year for us. Their collaborations in 2007 and 2009 produced two songs each - not even closely comparable to the amount in Future Soundscape albums. But this spring, we're getting E.G.O., at least one track in RHH2 and at least two tracks in Madoka Magica - and I couldn't help welcoming it if I TRIED.

 

[Nick Hunter]

photos

this one for the vocalist might look well on the vocalist page

 

[george1234]

photos

this one for the vocalist might look well on the vocalist page

I was thinking about this one http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/imag ... d5aa/l.jpg

 

[Kei]

Also ich persönlich muss sagen, dass mir dieses Album doch recht gut gefallen hat. Die Hälfte der Lieder kannte ich zwar schon und waren daher nichts Neues, aber von den neuen Songs mag ich besonders E.G.O und Maybe Tomorrow. Außerdem kann ich gar nicht verstehen, was ihr alle gegen Emily Curtis habt. Ihre Stimme klingt zwar irgendwie "durchschnittlich", aber ich finde, dass gerade dieser Aspekt den Reiz in diesem Lied ausmacht. Die meisten von YKs Sängerinnen haben eine einprägsame Stimme, da finde ich die von Emily Curtis abwechslungsreich.
Das Lied ist auch sehr ruhig und angenehm, ich würde schon fast sagen traurig Jetzt mag ich Emily Curtis noch mehr.
E.G.O... mag ich sowohl mit Gesang als auch ohne (also die Version von Aquarian Age). Find jetzt auch nicht so schlimm, dass das Lied nicht sonderlich innovativ ist...
So im Gesamten kann ich schon sagen, dass es ein schönes Album geworden ist. Ich höre die meisten Lieder rauf und runter :D






Sorry, april fool >D

 

[Nick Hunter]

Wait till I get home, I hope GoogleTranslate handles German better than Japanese

 

[maha_gnosis]

Re:

Sorry, april fool >D

Your positiv comment is a joke or... the german :P
Curtis's voice is okay... not horrible.

As to being new and all... the question is, whether there is WILL and NEED. A musician is free to do what (s)he likes, and if (s)he remains a pro at that, why not? then there is the frequency factor: poeple like Elton John or Mike Oldfield release an album per 2/3/4 years. And even THEY don't do any experiments unless they feel like it. And here we're talking a composer who releases up to 4-5 CDs PER YEAR. Innovative or not, all these works manage to hold the plank, being dictionary illustrations to "Quality Music". Let that sink in.

That's depend on the ideology of the artist self. They might take long time to release an album with nothing new, but some also take really times to experiment.
Why? because they said : "they don't need to repeat them-self, nor their success"
Hence they take more time, experimenting, creating a more unique album which feels different from the artist's older work.

I really like that way. It makes one's works more valuable.

True, that Yuki's fiction II is different, only and only if you don't listen to her works between I and II... still... it's boring. Old songs don't matter to me, but I never liked Forest, I reach for the sun THAT much.

Is quality subjective? Well... wether someone likes coffee or not, is their own taste. But it is the fact that a coffee is bitter...

 

[Kei]

Re: Re:

Sorry, april fool >D

Your positiv comment is a joke or... the german :P
Curtis's voice is okay... not horrible.

Well actually, the German should be the joke.
I like Fiction II, even though the comment sounds like an april fool. Unfortunately.

 

[ZERO]

I dont think it's as good as the 1st one. But still I enjoy it very much.

 

[george1234]

Both vocalists up :) http://canta-per-me.net/yukis-vocalists/

 

[Rafael-sama]

My Evaluations

in this winter: Beautiful arrangement, better than original Winter.

the image theme of Xenosaga II: Easily one of the best tracks in the album. Fast paced and dreamy.

lotus: It's okay, but not catchy.

my long forgotten cloistered sleep: Reminds me a lot of Cynical World, but it's a beautiful song in it's own way.

I swear: Weak, bad, boring song. What Kajiura had in mind?

forest: Love it. Simple as that.

Sweet Song: The darker themed song of FII. Average.

E.G.O.: Great song also.

everytime you kissed me: A love song, like I swear, but the opposite in quality.

I reach for the sun: So, so epic, this is!

L.A.: Above average. Blah song.

March: Another song that stays in the average level.

heigen: Okay, I take back what I said about it. This song is totally epic and amazing! Pure love!

maybe tomorrow: Ah, lovely Emily Curtis, what a song full of joy! The best way to finish the album.

And, overall, FICTION II is on the same level as Fiction.

But it lacks Key of the twilight.

 

[ninetales]

Re:

The Image Theme of Xenosaga II - a nice, more powerful arrangement... I thought I'd simply say. Somehow I wasn't quite prepared to hear it full scale. The guitar, the rhythm section, the voice processing effects, the choir, then more guitar and then Yuriko... OH MY. More powerful is no longer the word here - this song laid me flat and drove over me like a tank. I won't place it above Fatal Fight (it has features a different, winnning-in-itself structure), but as to Image Theme itself, this is THE rearrangement, combining the best of the original and of FJ live version. Unexpectedly, this is one of my faves in this album.

I agree

guitar on par with Slipstream/Calling/The World [live]

The solo reminded me a little bit of Ongaku live (Red Moon DVD) too. It's as though Kajiura-sensei told him, "No framework to follow on this one, just go wild."

(Koichi Kurenaga strikes again! )

Heigen - there were references to Mike Oldfield, but somehow, unlike Sit Beside Me or Where Every Life Is Beautiful, this one doesn't sound that Oldfield-esque to me. It's rather Yuki's style, but with new elements. Male chant is WIN. Comparisons to Historia ending... don't hold water (failing to hear ANY semblance in melody ).

People thought Heigen sounded like Historia ending theme? Really?? I don't hear anything similar, not even in the arrangement...

TOTAL: a long-waited, appreciable album. Worse than Fiction? About as much as Red Moon is worse than Seventh Heaven - if you find the latter true, feel free to make the call about the former. To me, they are just different, but equally good.

Perfect description! I like Seventh Heaven, and I also like Red Moon, because they're very good albums that are very different from each other

 

[grunty]

Re:

I swear: Weak, bad, boring song. What Kajiura had in mind?

heigen: Okay, I take back what I said about it. This song is totally epic and amazing! Pure love!

Mind boggles.

 

[wintersviolet]

Thank you very much Trunks_Elk!

Sorry for block of text

In this winter: Anything I say will be negatively biased, because I LOVED Deb Lyons in “winter” and I’m not a fan of the accordion sound. So no comment

Image theme: I haven’t listened to a lot of the original versions of songs in this album, but I HAVE heard this one. I think Deb sounded stronger in the old version, and I don’t like the more blatantly electronic effects of the vocals in the new version.

Lotus: Nice background-sounding music.

MLFCS: I still think it’s a weird title, but Emily’s voice sounds wonderful in this.

“Ah” swear: I would much rather have heard Clara playing cello in this album than singing. I like the nostalgic feeling the song gives off, though.

Forest: Love both versions of this. FJ’s was great, but I like Emily’s for the clearer pronunciation~

Sweet song: The singer’s voice is beautiful! This'll be the first song I listen to again after I finish the whole album

E.G.O: I looped the sample obsessively when it first came out, haha. But I had such high expectations and the vocal part is the same with nothing new and the electronic parts got annoying and I’m disappointed T_T

ETYKM: Heard it before, and liked it then. Still like it now.

IRFTS: Same as forest, I just LOVE this song. I switch between looping the FJ and Emily versions.

L.A: I really like the long intro! And I don’t know… the song sort of reaches its peak after the intro ends and doesn’t become more epic or whatever afterwards and i'm totally fine with that. the pulse that’s going on in the background is cool.

March: The sample sounded so promising and I was excited for the full track. I do like the lyrics, but… I wish Kajiura gave the song a bit more of a spring-like feel, especially in the chorus’ melody and in instrumentation. Didn’t wanna hear the usual electric guitar/violin/accordion in this song but it happened anyway -_-X And WTF was with that random last note?

Heigen: The male vocal, the lovely slow build-up, the uplifting feeling. Lurve itz.

Maybe tomorrow: The FJ part was random, and I mean that in a bad way. Granted, they sing very nicely, but the “la la la” sounded completely out of place with the song. Unlike most other English singers employed by Kajiura, Emily Curtis has a younger-sounding voice; that gives her a few points in my book. But I didn’t really like much else about her vocals

Overall: I'm pretty satisfied with the album :D There were some beautiful songs in there that I'll be listening to over and over again, so cool beans.

EDIT: I never really paid attention to the meaning of a lot of Yuki's songs (that's bad DX), but I've been more attentive to the lyrics this time around, especially because many of the songs are in English. After listening to "Sweet song" more closely, I realized that one of the lyrics is "I know I won't be perfect without you", and I'm really bothered by that. It sounds so... dependent and reminds me of the Twilight books . Also, some of the English songs make sense (ex: winter) but some contain lines that are complete rubbish (ex: ETYKM, in the land of twilight). I know English isn't a language that Yuki's fluent in, but she needs to be more careful about how she uses it.
A lot of the tracks I liked because of melodies and instrumentation while neglecting the actual words of the song. My bad >_<

 

[Daichi]

Oh my god! I MUST GET MY HANDS ON IT!!

 

[Rafael-sama]

Re:

My Evaluations
I swear: Weak, bad, boring song. What Kajiura had in mind?

After a new try, I say this: I swear isn't that bad. Soothing song. But far away from being the best of FICTION II.

 

[ninetales]

^ I agree. Probably I Swear will get more attention than some of the other songs, since it's so different, but I think Lotus, Heigen, E.G.O., etc. are slightly better.

I do like I Swear to an extent, and I'd probably like it more if not for that guitar solo...