song of the week - late april

[verbminx]

I am massively obsessed with this song this week.

For some context, the seki-rei is the wagtail, a bird. In Hokkaido legend, although it is small and weak, it helps build the land bit by bit, giving up its own life to do so.

(Or something along those lines. I read the story on a site where I found a lyrics translation the other night. As it happens, this video has translated subtitles, though I don't think they're very evocative in comparison to the other translation I read.)

Normally I think Gackt is good for the lulz (view this video of his first solo single, Mizerable, if you don't believe me*), and not at all difficult to look at. But even though I'm not sure about that guitar solo halfway through it, I really do like "Seki-ray" a lot.

I am posting this in spite of the fact that a friend teased me for listening to "crappy j-rock" the other night... no, no, this is good j-rock!

* "Mizerable" is OK as a very melodic pop song with classical elements, but honestly, the litter scenes in the video are kind of hilarious. They seem to exist so that he can wear a collar that's bigger than his entire head.