NYCC/NYAF After-Concerts: Tales of HYDE, K.A.Z., the Beauty and their ‘Beast’
Japan’s nicest bad boys are, as one of their new album cuts says, causing “Trouble,” out on their first world tour, appearing to frenzied fans. And they’re stopping at NYC’s Roseland Ballroom for only the second time in their 6-year history of music-making together on Saturday, October 9th to rock our world.
The concert is part of a weekend here that begins with their
appearance at NYAF on Friday 10/8 at 4:30 p.m. Long associated with the genre,
Hyde, via L’Arc and solo, can be heard on the opening themes to popular animes such as Fullmetal
Alchemist (second season’s opening, “Ready, Steady, Go!”), Moribito (“Shine”), and Blood+ (second season’s opening,
“Season’s Call”).
L-Arc~en~Ciel’s HYDE and Oblivion Dust’s K.A.Z. are back as Vamps, with their second full album together, Beast. The album is more of what the guys of this Japanese supergroup are famous for over their decade of music making… from the
delicious crunch of the darkest cuts from Hyde’s 2006 solo album (his first
full-collaboration album with K.A.Z., who was co-producer on HYDE’s 666 in 2004), Faith,
such as “Jesus Christ” and “Countdown,” with the trebly, joy-filled,
optimism of “Season’s Call,” and pure emotions of “Evergreen” on new
tracks like “Devil Side,” “Angel Trip,” and “Get Up”. They are driven by
K.A.Z.’s guitar that is very much in the world of U2’s The Edge, with a
rhythm section that is at once lyrical and full of quirky cross-rhythms
that keep
things interesting, all very tight and energetic. And above it all soars
and
snarls, with promises worthy of a vampy vampire that True Blood’s Lafayette might describe as “sex on a stick,” is
Hyde’s unmistakable voice that just gets better with age – he’s
40-something and is a tattooed, leather-clad, pouty Peter Pan, in perfect
shape, lately sporting blond hair that is at once striking and strange. Darkly
fey. K.A.Z. is all spikey hair, sunglasses, and guitar hero.
The chemistry of
this collaboration is totally apparent and fun to see and hear on the tracks
and production and live-concert videos. This album may not be my favourite of
Hyde’s work to date (that’s still Faith
and L’Arc cuts such as “Ready, Steady, Go!” and “Shine”). Lyrically, it’s not
up to the power and beauty of past work and the English can be rather raw,
though some of the playful double-entendres
do tempt and tease as they ought. Nonetheless, it is a fun album, a dancin’,
jammin’, party album, worth having in a fan’s collection and a good entry piece
for those new to the HYDE-K.A.Z. multi-verse. I anticipate an electric atmosphere
for the show with NY audiences who rarely get to hear their fav J-Rockers live,
stoked and hungry and rarin’ to go!
I’ll return with a review of
the show and backstage goings-on sometime after the event. Stay tuned!