V.A. - Vivid Covers – A 20th Anniversary Tribute to L’Arc~en~ciel

Released April 10, Vivid Covers – A 20th Anniversary Tribute to L’Arc~en~ciel is a compilation of covers by a variety of artists throughout Asia and in the US that offer a different or new direction to L’Arc~en~ciel original compositions. Timed near L’Arc~en~ciel’s 20th anniversary, this tribute pays homage to the group that has inspired many across the world.

The tribute album opens with Keshiki’s cover of Niji. Originally from the 1998 album, Heart, the cover opens much the same as the original version but is instead played with acoustic guitar. The vocalist, Jun matches those memorable opening notes but sounds less nasal than when hyde originally sang it.

The next two tracks bring out an unusual sound in L’arc~en~Ciel's work that might only be heard when the members exist as Punk~en~Ciel: ska-infused punk/rock. First is LA- based rockers Lemon Drop Kick’s take on New World, flavouring their version with a touch of ska and girl power.

Next is Dive to Blue by 3rDimension whose vocalist seems to emulate hyde's distinctly nasal vocals with perfect diction. In hybrid Chinese-Japanese group Caffe-In’s energetic cover of Flower, the song is no longer a power ballad. There is no harmonica during the instrumental portion, and the track is completely transformed into a punk-ska number. Also very refreshing is hearing female vocals.

Unshin’s cover of Sunadokei borrows traditional Japanese instruments to create a new sound not heard too often. The quivering of the guitar in the original song is replaced with shamisen and piano, however the vocals are too bright too early in the song, given the minor tone and slow pacing of the original work.

A cover of Stay Away slows down to the tempo of a power rock ballad. It’s fairly different from the original in that it’s slower and edges towards rock and light metal. The vocals match hyde's style, but sound much deeper.

Dune, covered by OROCHI, is by far the most original cover featured on the tribute album. The cover includes traditional Japanese instruments in the intro (the original used electric organ) and carries a standard visual kei sound rather than rock.

Unfortunately, the album ends with a not so great over of Coming Closer by Garnet Wolf. The volume for this track sounds unbalanced; the vocals are noticeably louder than the rest of the instruments. Also, the vocals are off key, making it hard to want to listen to the song.

Overall, the covers featured on the tribute album string together talent from around Asia and US-based rock groups who each share a passion for and are inspired by L’Arc~en~ciel, a nice gift to the legendary band, and fans of L’Arc~en~ciel who are open to new concepts might find the album worth a listen.