everyday is a gift
nice arrangement but Kajiura's piano is rare so the original is precious. | Very nice opening, slow, lights appear progressively on Kajiura, Konno & Akagi! Yeah, the piano drop at 0:56 is replaced by beautiful flute. Flute until the reprise. Flute again in the last segment, and extra notes in the last 30 seconds. |
the sea is never without a wave
Flute, looped twice, but missing the E.G riff | The girls emerge from shadow, it's supposed to be epic but I don't like it as much as in vol.#15 where they appeared on "to destroy the evil". Maybe because the track was part of a coherent medley, here the transition from relaxing to epic is not my cup of tea.
Flute replaces the E.G riff, maybe too loud compared to it, that's less badass. Drums are the same, they could have tried something else.
The track is looped one time, still with flute instead of E.G, although another motif. Should definitely have been E.G, to make more than a simple loop. Final flute note. |
| MC1 | Presenting the vocalists. Interesting thing here is that the topics were mostly differents in D1 & D2. D1: I don't remember. D2: I made my own language so you can make your own idea of the events... |
vise versa
Joelle
+ Kaori, Yuriko
+ Percussion | Piano intro before Joelle's first notes, that are now also accompagnied by piano (a capella in original). Kaori joins in the second verse. Yuriko arrives later, maybe in the uplifting part. Kaori doesn't sing in the refrain, and there's no Keiko here. Kaori (or Yuriko?)'s voice was too high-pitched, didn't harmonize well. Percussion added, enjoyable. Ah, as I said before, I wish it was played with a dancer... |
time to sail!
Not for the FBM. | No, don't pretend you can do an orchestral track with only the FBM. At most strings playback ok but plz no brass or just hire someone. Looks like she only did the half of the job, because the triumphant brass from 1:00 are missing. If this is for a vocal demonstration, why not. |
take action!
Only for a Soundtrack Special. | the drums hit louder in the flute part, which makes it less ridiculous. E.G replaces accordion. Would have prefered the original in a soundtrack special. |
| what she was here for | Mini extra piano notes in introduction. Harp playback. Joelle is super accurate, Kaori joins for the highest notes. I think E.G joins but only in the second part, discrete but interesting. |
| MC2 | Presenting the FBM. "There is no playback, it's all thanks to them!"
D1: Their recent works?
D2: Any sports? Then about herself she mentions the Tour de France.
Both days: "the new FJ album is not coming any soon" |
Sore wa Chiisana Hikari no you na
Keiko
+ Yuriko, Kaori
Might become one of my favorite live songs and patiently waiting for this new recording. | No guitar, but piano announcing the melody and atmospheric sfx sound. Keiko starts singing in a more high-pitched voice. Yuriko adds her voice to the "subete" but she's off key. Thou shalt be forgiven, droping those notes suddenly looks really difficult. Soon later, the full instrumentation wakes up starting with E.G, drums and violin during all the refrain. Of course Konno follows his own melody. Keiko sings the refrain with her usual voice, reminds me a lot of Houseki. Kaori joins for even lower harmonies. The tone is radically different. There is some Yuriko kajiurago before the second verse. Some weird violin notes as in wonderland between the first and the second part of the second verse. After the instrumental arrangement, the main difference is that Sayuri sang it breathlessly while Keiko took time to deliver long notes. The final is super beautiful with Yuriko singing AH in the following motif "V-- C-- N----, V-- C-- S---- , V-- C-- N----, V-- C-- S----, V-- C-- N--------" and delicious violin. Piano echoes the melody one last time. |
fiction
Joelle, Kaori
+ Yuriko | Joelle sings the first verse from the back of the stage (dunno why she decided to go there?). Yuriko joins for the harmonies in the refrain. Second verse is Kaori. Flute replaces accordion solo. No Keiko. |
inside a dream
Joelle
+ Yuriko | extra piano notes, about 10 seconds before it begings. The original first verse had mostly no piano, now it's here. In second part, violin added too, some drums and E.G. No cello, so violin covers it in the last notes.
Joelle ofc, and Yuriko. But Yuriko doesn't sing the first "refrain", only helps in the second. |
lotus
Hanae Tomaru
+ Keiko, Kaori | Hanae Tomaru is perfect. Keiko does a really good job with her low-tone harmonies, without her I would cringe, like hearing Kajiura strings without brass. As said before, percussions are back unlike (?) vol.#7 and vol.#9, re-establishing the ethnic feeling of the track. Kaori arrives later, then drums late in the track. Refrain has all the girls except Joelle who wasn't on stage. E.G and violin solos similar to other versions. |
inverse operation
Hanae Tomaru with extra vocals
+ Yuriko, Joelle, Keiko, Kaori | Smooth transition from the previous song without pause. Piano added, introduces the melody. Between 1:36 and 1:50, extra vocals by Hanae with same melody as the introduction. Too bad she fails some notes in D2 just before the flute, I think she didn't in D1. Drumming is still so random, like in those cacophonikajiura tracks. More Hanae vocal during the second flute part, and I think it was Joelle replacing the low pitched descending choir with a higher pitched female vocal. The 5 girls nailed the choir, they reached a rare harmony here. |
| MC3 | D1: I don't remember
D2: Saying that the first 3 notes of "inverse operation" are difficult to sing. Talking sport with Hanae. |
why did you kill our father?
Hanae Tomaru
+ Kaori, Yuriko | Harp playback. Piano compensates but still. Hanae is joined by Kaori from the second sentence and later Yuriko. Quiet percussion joins in the loop, louder during the climax. E.G a bit louder but faithful to the original. Yuriko doesn't sing the last seconds and no Keiko (& Joelle?). |
le chasseur
Hanae Tomaru
Good arrangement | Harpsichord playback, piano does the main notes. No strings playback on Konno's violin, less cringe, more interesting. Percussion is better than simple untz. E.G riff different, more drums with better motif, less beat. Only Hanae here. |
Mezame
Hanae Tomaru
+ Yuriko, Joelle, Keiko, Kaori
One of the best versions? | Direct transition from the previous track. Hanae's doing the intro here, less high-pitched than Yuriko previously, of course Wakana years ago. Crowd clapping before the true beginning. Following the intro, she moves to the back of the stage and the 4 other girls arrive. Keiko and Kaori as the low-tone harmonies. Drums and beat are powerful. Percussion hearible, more than in vol.#1 reprise. E.G riff is less distinct but sadly* similar to vol.#1R, *[because most Mezame E.G riffs used to be differents.] Hanae doesn't miss a note. Joelle goes a capella with the long notes before the violin solo. Like in only vol.#9 (5:43), Hanae delivers a final and heavenly note higher than in the original. In vol.#9 though, that note came from nowhere when it makes more sense now after one more intermediary note.
Might be my favorite version when it comes to the vocals.
I'm still waiting for a new live recording where Keiko yells "Konno Hitoshi!!!" during his solo, like in vol.#4, that was so hype. |
Hana no Uta
Aimer | Piano added in the first verse. No strings playback, it's a real violin here, unlike vol.#16. This one was with drums only iirc, but now there is also percussion. The final has strings playback, why?????? Only Aimer. |
Haru wa Yuku
Aimer
+ Keiko, Joelle | Makes me think that Haru wa Yuku should be executed before Hana no Uta, could do a good medley with the same sentence as transition. 30 seconds extra piano with original melody before it really starts. Joelle does some harmonies during the verse. Keiko does it during the bridge especially at "kawaru kisetsu". Refrain has Joelle & Keiko on harmonies - didn't enjoy them. In the second verse and at the end, "ha ha" vocals are playback and so is harp. No strings playback, real violin. |
I beg you
Aimer
+ Yuriko | "Awaremi wo Kudasai" is delivered quicker than in vol.#16 but still a little bit boring. Percussion added. Still no "ah ah" in the second verse. Yuriko's "lie lie..." isn't super accurate. During E.G riff, she only whispers "I beg you" unlike in vol.#16. Riff is similar to it. I think it was real violin again and no strings playback. |
wonderland
Aimer
+ Joelle, Keiko | Guitar (?) playback. Joelle & Keiko harmonies, only Joelle during the bridge. Percussions with drums. "wonderland" before the second verse is sung only by Joelle & Keiko. Weird violin notes are well executed but not that much audible. During the loop of the verse after the second verse, Joelle is singing the creepy voice. Drums are very explosive during the violin solo that is faithful to the original. Also at the end. |
| MC4 | Presenting Aimer.
D1: talking about her walpurgisnacht tour and her futre plans.
D2: Aimer's sport? Deadlift. |
Asa ga Kuru
Aimer
+ Joelle, Keiko | Cello playback. Bridge with Keiko, Joelle joins its second part. Only Aimer & Keiko during the refrain. Drums hit way more in the second part of the verses compared to the original that has more beat.
I think they need more practice on this song, probably Aimer wasn't available for group rehearsals. "...no zujo ni" was better in D1 than D2 |
| MC5 | Your are you doing nowadays girls?
D1: Joelle talked a lot about pot plants. Yuriko talked about her new release, but joked about the fact that they had no time to perform it now...
D2: brisk walking, stretching, Keiko & Yuriko talked a lot about their butt (yea yea, still related to those stretching exercises)... |
luminous sword
Yuriko, Joelle, Keiko, Kaori | Nothing much to add here, maybe the percussion more present. It's always Kaori who sings the long notes at the end of the sentences.
Real violin. |
stone cold
Kaori
+ Yuriko, Joelle, Keiko, Yuki | Direct transition from the previous track. Classic stone cold with no change I think but just if needed: first part of the verse only Kaori with the other girls for the "cheers" (show me your emotion...). Second part of the verse with everyone except Joelle. Crowd clapping. Kajiura sings after the E.G solo (or I didn't notice her earlier?). At this moment Percussions are unleashed. Drums are really good. Didn't write more details. So good as always. |
| MC6 | D1: ?
D2: Kajiura liked musicals and operas, so she created "parallel hearts" and Fictionjunction. |
parallel hearts
Joelle, Kaori
+ Yuriko, Keiko
A solid version for a comeback after 7 years (vol.#12), less cringe that it used to be. | Joelle & Kaori lead.
Joelle first sentence alone, second with Yuriko & Keiko but mostly Yuriko. Bridge with Kaori. Joelle leads the refrain with all the other girls doing the harmonies.
Second verse by Kaori, harmonies by Yuriko & Keiko.
Bridge Joelle & Kaori again. Joelle sings the long notes before and after "Doko made yukeba ii no".
Keiko breaks the silence and is joined by Kaori.
Last refrain as described before.
Don't remember enjoying as much the drums in the final violin part as I did with vol.#11. |
| Encore | |
KNY Medley (voices from the past off vocal~main theme~to destroy the evil)
A classic. | Ah, I wish this can be released as a video one day. This is such a beautiful medley. So much memories from 2019 here... Keiko has even more confidence singing the ethnic vocals. Too bad most of the instrumentation is playback here. I wish the drums arrangement in the first part of "to destroy the evil" wasn't that cacophonic as in the original. Love it how it directly switchs from 1:42 to 2:22, there's no break! Epic choirs. Extra Flute plays during the last minute, as in vol.#15. |
zodiacal sign
Yuriko, Joelle, Keiko, Kaori, Yuki | same version as vol.#15 and vol.#16 (different intro, percussion solo, fute solo). Kajiura was so confident singing standing. At the opposite Kaori was sitting on the stairs during the flute solo wtf. Transition to flute solo was smoother that it was with vol.#16 during an embarassing silent. Rie isn't that much on crack and this version is closer to vol.#15 thanks to the percussions throughout the whole track.
I'm still not sure with this version of zodiacal sign, because even with 1 min extra and 2 solos I miss the more bombastic vol.#4 (2:20~2:43). |
| MC7 | zodiacal sign was the first song she wrote in Kajiurago (?). |
sweet song
Kaori
+ Yuriko, Joelle, Keiko | Kaori lead, everyone doing the harmonies. |
paradise regained
Joelle
+ Yuriko, Keiko, Kaori
Ehm, I did prefer Wakana's dramatic voice in this song. | Joelle sings alone the first part.
Then everyone after the solo violin. |
