KOIAI 👑「 Just Be My Treasure 」...reaction to their new version of the Li-sa-X Band song

[@grahamreed8774]

Rina on vocals at first, but when she left the Li-sa-X Band, Li-sa-X quickly formed KOIAI with Kotono on vocals. Got this EP3 last week, Wakazaemon guesting on bass before she had left East Of Eden.

[@davidtollefson8411]

The technical mastery and song-writing chops from this band are obvious, but Kotono’s vocals are so sweet and melodious and that’s what makes them stand out for me. Thank you.

[@SomethingToDo360]

In my opinion, the two best songs from this album are ‘Come See Me’ and ‘Slip Through’, while I need to emphasize a bit, that Kanade’s drumming added something extra to the enjoyment of these songs for me. I had rated the rest of the songs in order before, but since the order changes at times, I’m just posting the two that never change. Overall, enjoyable EP.

[@curtisi4403]

While the original version is imprinted on me this KOIAI version is more gutteral. Don't get me wrong as I love both versions but Kanade's and Wakazaemon's driving rhythm is a pulse burner. Not to forget Hazuki and Lisa-x plays it like it was done live. As for Kotono she did a marvelous job molding her style as to the original. I wouldn't mind seeing KOIAI doing live in studio as in Nemophila style.

[@michelm.6033]

Honestly this is probably the song, or at least one of the songs that introduced me to the Lisa-X band. Sure I have seen this incredible guitarist (Lisa) many times before including her Naon-Yaon performance. Learning well after the fact that Hazuki wrote this, or was the driver behind the song makes perfect sense to me now. Love that Hazuki’s talent as much as Lisa’s. Of course the song is vocally driven and Rina was fantastic. However, the more I listen to Kotono the more I love, or appreciate her. It will always be hard for one front women to replace another. There are always going to be subconscious biases, but Kotono is really talented. My suggestion is to not compare the Lisa-X band with Koiai. They sound similar as Lisa and Hazuki still hold the guitars, but Kotono and Kanade Sato bring a new vibe. Let’s hope that Wakazaemon will now have the time to become a permanent bass player as she just left EOE. ❤️💙

[@guitarandy2406]

The Li-sa-X Band was Li-sa-X, Hazuki and a different singer called Rina. They were signed to Sony in conjunction with Li-sa-X's solo contract and rather sporadic in their activity with only four songs released (a two track single in 2020, with this as the b-side and another in 2022) and no permanent rhythm section. This was mostly due to the limitations of Lisa still being in high school throughout their existence. They disbanded after Rina got married and moved to South Korea, she's recently started singing again on YT but it's mainly religious music/covers. So the original version of this song was still written by Hazuki, but it was geared more towards the strengths of the vocalist Rina who was older with a more powerful singing style. She is also multilingual, speaking English & Korean quite fluently as well as Japanese. I like Kotono's take on the vocals as she's shifted them to fit her voice, whereas covering some of the other older songs live she can sometimes struggle a little with the higher belted parts. Overall this is probably my 2nd or 3rd favourite track on on the EP, but then I have a nostalgic fondness for the original and I like the subtle improvements in the guitar performances from 4yrs of growth and the bigger difference that the rhythm section makes to the arrangement & sound.

[@SomethingToDo360]

“it was geared more towards the strengths of the vocalist Rina” This was my explanation for why I couldn’t get into the older band, as it came across as very singer-focused to me, rather than being about a band as an entire unit. Also they only had a singer and two guitarists, so there wasn’t really more of a band there to begin with. Considering that Koiai’s first EP also had a singer-focus with fewer band members, explains in part why it didn’t click with me.

[@timgove5337]

Commenters SomethingToDo and GuitarAndy have basically just said it, as have tons of comments the last few reactions, mine included, but I’ll just reiterate a few things. This song was written by Hazuki, five years ago, for 14-15year old LisaX (the veteran Sony prog artist who had taken Polyphia under her wing on their first Asian tour (when she was 12) and hired Hazuki & others to support her). The other songs on this EP were written by 18-19 year old mature LisaX, many months out of high school with all that real world experience under her belt and even more virtuosos in her band/support team. I just can’t wait to see what she’s composing when she’s an ancient 23! Joe Satriani said something similar after hearing her playful girly instrumental duet Wings (with Chinese guitar prodigy Yo-yo) from age ~13, “…don’t hear chords like that often, thing is, what will she be doing in 5-10 years?!” Also, Rina’s singing is absolutely amazing. I kind of feel bad for Kotono being forced into comparisons. Rina Rina Rina. But LisaX took high school seriously, and my impression is that Rina didn’t take pop-starring seriously, she had other priorities. So the sad result was that I only got four songs out of them (Rina’s reign == “LisaX Band”)in the five years between LisaX’s awesome solo instrumental album Wish (2018) and Koiai’s first (relatively) pop EP (2023). I’m definitely nostalgic for Rina, but it made me hungry for these last two Koiai releases, they deliver. Glad you approve as well😉🤣🤷‍♂️ 🤘🎸💃😎

[@realdocloco]

Agreed - I completely love this EP (it's amongst my EPs of the year, besides Brandy Senki, Hanabie, Lovebites and Utaha) but even if I like it, it's my least favorite song out of it. I think a song like "A new Picture" (from the second EP) would have been a more coherent choice.

[@SomethingToDo360]

“Let me tell you why this is my least favorite song…” You’re right about it having a different writing style than the earlier songs, as it is entirely composed by Hazuki (of Nemophila) rather than by Li-sa-X, while what they were aiming for before, is different than what they’re aiming for now. I agree with the other comment here, that said this song was more geared towards the vocalist (singer-focused with fewer band members), which is part of why I couldn’t get into the older band, and also explains why I couldn’t get into the first Koiai EP (compared to now, it was more singer-focused with fewer band members). “compared to what this album has done so far, which is just genius ways…” That’s some high praise, especially considering Li-sa-X is just 19 years old. When you factor in that she is an incredible guitarist too, she clearly has a bright future ahead of her.

[@RolfStrijdhorst]

It still works, classical song structures

[@funnystuff2552]

NEKI reaction when? :D

[@BakaBreakdown]

NEK! reaction done lol!

[@funnystuff2552]

​@@BakaBreakdown😄but it wasn't MV

[@BakaBreakdown]

There is a live video, buuut not an MV ;) , but I want to react to songs in their intended state so I went straight for the recording when it came out :D !