Sakura Tokyo Jrock featuring Sakito!
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L'Arc~en~ciel
flowers bloom in sunlight and I live close to you

Members

Vocal: hyde
Guitar: ken
Bass: Tetsu
Drums: Yukihiro
ex-Drums: Sakura (left after being arrested for heroin possession)

Thoughts

L'Arc~en~ciel (aka Laruku to fans) was my first real j-rock band, and for that reason they have a very special place in my heart. From the moment I first heard their music, I was hooked and have been ever since.

Laruku's sound is very unique, and rather hard to describe. Some of their songs have a very traditional jrock sound, while others may range from pop to metal and even calypso. Hyde has a gorgeous, rich voice with amazing range, and he expresses emotion wonderfully. There are times when he sings a note, and my heart just stops. However, I don't want to overlook the other members. Ken is a great guitar player, although he is too often overlooked. Tetsu is a dynamic bass player, and both Yukihiro and Sakura are good drummers, each with their own individual style.

Laruku's lyrics tend to be serious and even depressing, but their ballads are sweeping and heart-wrenching. (Listen to "Anata" or "The Silver Shining" to see what I mean.) Every member contributes to the composition of their songs, but I tend to like Hyde and Ken's work the best. Tetsu is a little too pop for me, and Yuki's work is just weird. (Sorry!! I'm not a techno fan! I love you anyway, Yuki-san!)

Image wise, Laruku started off with a mild, visual style but have gradually become more and more mainstream. These days, few people wonder if Hyde is really a girl or if Tetsu is one of those guards from "The Wizard of Oz." (You know, the ones that sing the "Oh-wee-oh" thing!) When I look at present day Laruku, the word that comes to mind is "cool." They are the very definition of the word.

If you like the following bands, you might also enjoy L'Arc~en~ciel:
Luna Sea
Janne Da Arc
Glay

Albums

Dune
Tierra | Review
heavenly
True
HEART | Review
ark
ray
REAL | Review
Clicked Singles Best 13
*Also appeared on the soundtrack for the film "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" with their song Spirit Dreams Inside.

Recommended Songs

blurry eyes
niji
flower
finale
anata
shinshoku~lose control~
perfect blue
pieces
dive to blue
Heaven's Drive
the silver shining

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