MOON (Gackt, 2002)

And I know Gackt’s a freak, but as a fan, I find it hard to expect anyone to take me seriously when the CD cover features him pulling himself through the earth for some reason, plus some random chains (wtf…? And he still manages to pull off that expression of his. The aptly named, GACKT FACE.
          The whole thing just looks kind of hilarious. Yet, you’re also struck with how you know he’s way smarter than you, and has thrown a lot of symbolism into that cover, but good luck trying to look at it properly because everytime you see it you start giggling.

1). NOAH Gackt typically starts off an album with some bizarre lyric-less track. And here we go. Sort of middle-eastern, with drums that have that sound like you’ve just thrown a really huge rock into a lake.

2). LU:NA I don’t know what to think of it because I’ve first heard it ages ago, and loved it. He manages to throw in a little bit of Spanish-ness without sounding overly cheesy. No one can really do that, but then again, it IS Gackt. It also manages to sound a little… out of control somehow.

3). wa-su-re-na-i-ka-ra A happier song! I’m not really a fan of this song anyway, because there are these random car noises that throw me off, and whenever I listen to I brace myself for them. At any rate, Gackt still has a lovely, warm voice, but still… car noises in songs is distractingly bad.

4). Soleil Many many years ago I said that if I ever started a cafe, I’d have this song playing in the background all the time. It has swanky brass instruments. Don’t know which one(s) because I’m an idiot.

5) Speed Master It’s weird. I don’t know what he’s saying, but this is one of his out of control songs, and things sort of whip around going “WHOOOSH”. I’m not a fan of this, because it’s sort of bizarre…. and weird colours to come mind because of the title of the song. Like bloody vomit. Aw.

6). Fragrance People seem to get more out of this song than I do. They talk about HAUNTING IMAGERY and stuff. I just hear a fake synthesised beat, but then I always seem to hear those things more than other people. I don’t know how to really talk about it. His voice – and the music – sort of sway, with varying strengths. I kind of wish I understood what he was saying.

7). death wish I’m beginning to realise how Gackt doesn’t just rely on GacktJOB. Another one of his ‘out of control-ish’ songs, but if you’re not familiar with him… you’re not going to know what I mean. It’s not full-blown rock music where he runs around screaming. Not like that at all… it’s more … unsettled, hinting at something not shown.

8). doomsday LOVE LOVE LOVE this song. It keeps swinging from loud to these quiet verses, so it’s like he feels so awful about having to go on and do his angst. It feels more and more tragic every time I hear it, and not helped by the lyric translation which killed me, and made me love this song even more. Again, the music sometimes swirls around in that sort of … turbulant way. It’s a technique he uses, I’ve noticed now, but it’s never the same. So mournful. And how it cuts short at the end-!

9). missing So then you’re sitting around feeling really bad for Gackt from the last song, and Missing plays… and you’re like “that little tinkly noise was the first thing he played on some instrument in Madagascar”. It’s a freer song, but you KNOW that Gackt’s still pretty regretful about something. You can feel it – or maybe you only get that ability after you turn into a scary fangirl. I don’t know. That, and you know that he doesn’t write happy songs without something sort of wistful to it.

10). rain This is different to the rest of the album. I suppose it’s probably something like a sister song to Fragrance in this album now that I think about it – he does things like that. He just sings with all the strength he has, and uses more real instruments though. Beautiful violin, etc. Just sort of sweeps you along with it.

11). ANOTHER WORLD This is as happy as Gackt gets. Love this. I saw him playing it LIVE on a TV in Singapore. Fell off my bed in sheer happiness. He’s such a dork. ANYWAY. YAY. Happy rock song. I’m just gonna bounce along to it now. NYAH NYAH NYAH NYAAAAH. YOU DON’T NEED ANOZZER WORSSDD!!! Oh wait.

12). memories I can’t remember a song where he’s used an upbeat accoustic guitar like this. It bounces, and Gackt’s voice is still smooth and heartfelt as ever, keeping it from being too sugary. Just the right transition of being light to incredibly sappy; strings make the song epic. Maaaan this guy’s amazing. ♥ ♥ ♥