【由利】GARNET CROW part6【七】

This is a thread mainly for casual chat about GARNET CROW. Feel free to talk about all sorts of things and have fun. ◆ A relaxed atmosphere is encouraged. An overly tense mood is no good (・A・)ｲｸﾅｲ ◆ No trolling or attacking regular posters. If you see it, ignore it. ◆ New fans, longtime fans, and regulars are all welcome. ◆ Don't cause trouble for other artists or other threads, and don't start flame wars. ◆ Start thinking about the next thread after >>950. ◆ And finally... wonderful music is right here.

Previous thread: 【Yuri】GARNET CROW part 5【Nana】 http://music8.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/musicj/1176893626/ Earlier threads: 【Yuri】　　GARNET CROW　　【Nana】 http://music2.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/musicj/1050524388 【Yuri】　　GARNET CROW II　　【Nana】 http://music2.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/musicj/1050524388/ 【Yuri】GARNET CROW 03【Nana】 http://music5.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/musicj/1122031082/ 【Yuri】GARNET CROW 03 part 2【Nana】 (actually the fourth thread) http://music8.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/musicj/1166779350/

Related threads: GARNET CROW part.177 http://music8.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/musicjg/1190900230/ AZUKI Nana's Lyric World 2 http://love6.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/poem/1105277275/ 【GARNET CROW】Talk About Hirohito Furui【God Hand】 http://music8.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/musicj/1175579171/ ▲Hitoshi Okamoto part 4▲ http://music8.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/minor/1182694792/ ▽▼BEING GIZA▼▽::158 [Being Giza] http://music8.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/musicj/1190784029/

>>1, thanks for starting the thread!

Thanks for the new thread—oh yeah!

>>1 If only you could pass those thanks along, ahhh~

>>1 As dark as that great “thanks for the hard work,” ahhh.

At last, we've got threads for all the members.

Polippe has huge boobs.

>>1 “Namida no Yesterday,” thanks for all your hard work!

This is starting to feel like the ZARD thread, lol. Gane's new song will air soon, huh? I watched *Music Station*, but there were quite a few songs that were supposedly “tearjerkers,” lol. What did you all think? I know this is the same old internet talking point, but it feels like Japanese pop music has gotten pretty dull. The big names are still working hard on the mainstream scene, of course, but even Mr. Children and L'Arc-en-Ciel feel kind of underwhelming lately.

Ten days left. Time flies. I watched *Music Station* and all I could think was, “Everyone's gotten old~” lol. The only other thing that stood out was B'z. Though they seemed a little too hyped up, lol.

L'Arc probably got weird after their second comeback because there was a gap while the members were doing solo projects. Mr. Children used to go all-in on a band sound, or do something conceptually progressive like *Deep Sea*. I thought that was interesting, but lately it feels like they've put out a lot of repetitive ballads heavy on strings and piano.

>>12 While we're at it, let's check on ZARD, too. It really is coming up soon. It makes you wonder, “When was ‘Namida’ again?” lol. As for B'z, you have to get that excited for it to work.

This is the right place for the new thread, isn't it? It came up in the previous thread, too, but the new single's cover is really nice. Should I buy two copies and keep one as a collectible? <just kidding, lol>

>>15 Yep, this is the place. The cover looks incredible. I'm looking forward to the PV, too.

With a cover this good, of course it makes you look forward to the song, too. Those vivid colors really suit Gane. Yurippe is so beautiful.

Unlike the “Kaze to Niji” era, people are responding well this time.

>>18 Yurippe's fierce, glaring expression has its own appeal, too.

The clothes and the overall colors of that cover really weren't popular at the time, lol. It felt a generation behind, and the colors weren't very striking, which I think was a drawback. This time it's not the *crystal* kind of look, but it has a sense of transparency, and I think the freshness works well. Still, what people probably care about most is the member photo, with the style and finish that recall “Sen Ijō” and “flying.” That photo is beautiful. I remember going, “Oh!” the first time I saw it.

Hey! That Spitz album someone mentioned earlier is incredible! To think a band can go 20 years and still make an album with almost no skippable tracks... That's... that's terrifying...

Honestly, I'm not interested.

Oh, really? I thought someone had brought them up here before. Still, Spitz gets tons of praise on 2ch every time they put out an album. Come to think of it, someone once started a thread about Gane being “god-tier in the early days” or something, right?

Well, not everyone has to be interested in them.

Spitz are famous for not having any skippable tracks. Even I used to avoid original albums over that, until I really got into them, but they turn a familiar sound into their own style and still have room to experiment every time. They're veterans, all right. I do think constantly changing producers has a lot to do with it, though. And even after all these years, their melodies still sound fresh. You need real skill to keep going steadily like that. Gane... I think they're pretty consistent, but the formula they've settled into since their fifth album bothers me a little. My guess is the new song will turn out something like “Kono Te wo...” Yurippe's melodies are pretty conventional to begin with. Maybe Gane really needs Ossan (Hirohito Furui) at the helm?

> “I've got so many uchiwa fans ( 　＾ω＾) I'm so happy ( 　＾ω＾)” > “Should I delete this?? Somehow, having only uchiwa fans made me let my guard down. I'm shaking with fear (((( ;ﾟДﾟ))) brrr” This is a copypasta that's been going around lately from Hikaru Utada's blog, but I figure artists really do read 2ch pretty often. Just imagining Yurippe reading this thread has me shaking with fear (((( ;ﾟДﾟ))). Hitoshi Okamoto (Mochi and Okamochi are nicknames for him, not AZUKI Nana) is a 2ch user. Ossan seems pretty computer-savvy, too, which is kind of scary. I can imagine them having a conversation during a recording session: “Someone wrote, ‘Maybe Mr. Ōga would be better, lol.’” “I saw that, I saw that. It killed me, lol. Okamocchi's popular on 2ch, too.” “I was the one stirring things up, lolol.” ...

“2ch user,” lol. Sounds like *charumera* (street-vendor ramen music) or something (´･ω･｀)

The sumo and boxing worlds have both hit rock bottom. Kameda and his coach should just go die already. Spitz may come across as a pretty breezy pop band, but their musical range is surprisingly broad, from punk and hard rock to stuff with a bit of a psychedelic feel. Maybe they're a band that looks totally orthodox but is actually kind of oddball? Even their breezy pop songs have a surreal lyrical world mixed in. Calling an album a masterpiece with no skippable tracks— that's probably just your affection for Masamune making you rate it higher, lol. Probably, lol.

Yeah, it's because you're biased in their favor, right? >>25 I could do without those overblown string arrangements and big dramatic builds. Arrangements that so obviously aim for a live-show effect bother me, too. That slightly shabby quality that only sinks in after a first listen is just right.

>>26 Even if the members themselves aren't reading, I'm sure the staff are, lol.

I've been thinking I might pick up a Spitz album and give it a listen. Any recommendations? For reference, my favorite Gane album is their first, and I usually listen to downtempo psychedelic rock.

This band has way too many songs that sound like something the “yutori generation” would listen to. The rhythm feels kind of childish, too—everything sounds like an anime theme. That said, you guys treat every song like it's precious, don't you? (laughs) Your ears are probably used to all that flimsy music by now. Hahahahaha. There seem to be way fewer female fans than male fans... I guess they just come for the bodies... The ones going on and on about “masterpiece,” “masterpiece” are all blind fanboys, too...

Yurippe is a goddess.

>>31 For something with a good balance that feels very Spitz, I'd recommend *Hachimitsu*. Their early period around *Namae o Tsukete Yaru* is good, too—with its sense of life and death and wildly delusional sexual lyrics— but given your taste, I'd go with *Mikazuki Rock*, which has some psychedelic touches and a bit of rock edge.

>>32 I was wondering why this post felt a little off, then I noticed the acrostic, lol. Didn't someone say the Japanese pop on the charts lately has no highlights? If you had to name a few good ones anyway, what would they be? Albums or singles, either is fine. For me, it's L'Arc-en-Ciel's new Gundam tie-in (forgot the title), and Mika Nakashima's “LIFE.” I think they're pretty good, even as mainstream hits.

Spitz used to have a band that covered The Blue Hearts, so surprisingly they were influenced by punk-style sounds, too. Masamune's clear, open voice against that incongruity, topped off with his wildly perverted fantasy lyrics—that's god-tier.

For psychedelic rock, it's Love Psychedelico.

>>31 If it's *Mikazuki Rock*, you might like “Babaroa,” “Yoru o Kakeru,” and “Gerbera.” *Hachimitsu* is definitely an easy entry point, though it always struck me as aimed more at women. The lyrics have gotten more polished lately, but this new *Sazanami CD* is pretty good, too. The whole “I'm just putting on a breezy front, but really I'm a pervert” stance—that's the rock of Spitz, lol. >>37 Any recommendations? I quite like their debut, but I haven't seen much about them lately and, honestly, I've almost forgotten them.

>>35 I don't know if it'll be released yet, but there's a new Hikaru Utada song called “Stay Gold.” I'd really like to know whether a song like that would be popular these days.

So L'Arc's new song is “DAYBREAK'S BELL.” I finally figured that out after watching Gundam. The arrangement is really intricate from the intro on. The piano and drums are incredibly busy. If I had to nitpick, I'd want the snare and such to be a little louder... It kind of sounds like I'm listening to a softer backing track. >>39 Hikaru Utada comes up in this thread all the time, huh. It's impressive that both Utada and L'Arc can make such carefully crafted music and still sell so well. Anyway, then... how will the main act, airing any minute now, do?

>>28 Keep talking like that and I'll start going on about sumo. Though there's no excusing that death, of course.

>>34>>38 Thanks, I'll look those up and give them a listen.

>>40 Still, I feel like it doesn't really fit Gundam. The heavy use of falsetto is distinctive, and the melody doesn't seem to have much rise or fall. Though, ironically, the opening line—“Hey, is this the only way we could have met? How sad”— does capture the fate of this tie-in perfectly, lolol.

http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/53158 What is this...

>>44 Pachi Musume? What kind of idol group is this?

It's airing tomorrow. Don't forget to watch. Because of work, I can only record it and won't be able to follow the thread live, which is a shame, but I'm looking forward to seeing where the conversation goes here. Laterﾉｼ

It's finally here. Maybe I'm too excited, but I woke up way earlier than usual... I'll watch it live, but I'd better get the recording set up first.

I should be able to catch it at that time. Since it's the ending theme, normally I ought to see it. Why do I feel like one of the ZARD otaku? lol. Honestly, they have it even earlier.

Come to think of it, recording it is a must so I can listen to it over and over, yeah.

Hey, did you listen? It's kind of a song that's hard to pin down, lol. Setting the chorus arrangement aside, the structure feels like a continuation of the direction of the recent album tracks. No, is it “Mawarimichi”? Based on the part they aired, overall it feels like that song with fewer notes, compressed into a tighter package. Will Mochi get enough guitar time on the full recording...? That's what I'm wondering. Hope he hasn't been cut, lol.

Mochi's guitar parts are always the same old thing. I'm tired of them.

As usual, he'll probably throw in a little lick before the final chorus. More importantly, have you checked the official site? I'm more curious about the B-side.

I'm looking forward to the second track. The title has me oddly intrigued. The third one seems pretty good, too, lol. I wish Gane's B-sides would try something like Irish trad or post-rock... I know, that's asking way too much, lol.

“Sekai wa...” seems like the kind of song that people will be divided over. Personally, it gave me the feeling of “Here comes their signature songーーーーー” lol. Anyway, the lyrics really have that full-on AZUKI world, which is great. The B-side titles are good, too, so I'm really looking forward to them.

“People say the world is turning, but nothing is turning inside me, so I'll just watch the seasons change”—even as a single, it beautifully captures Azuki's wistful lyrics. It also suits the arrangement that evokes the changing seasons.

I think the arrangement is good, too, but there'll probably be some differences between the anime-size version and the single version, right? I want to hear the full version soon.

The new song is short, but I think the intro is especially good. I have a feeling it'll be one that grows on you. I was disappointed when I first heard “Kaze to Niji” in the anime, but I came to like it after hearing the single version. The PV was great, too. I hope this one turns out the same way.

Fly, fly, fly, fly, fly, fly, fly, round and round and round and round~

Could you interpret the lyrics as being about solipsism? I never expected such direct words in the chorus of a single. Maybe she really likes Wittgenstein and the like.

Solipsism, huh? The idea that without the self, no other phenomena exist, and everything is just a construct of one's own mind, right? Maybe Azuki's lyrical approach, with its emphasis on disappearance and impermanence, inherits something from solipsism, too.

I dug up the full lyrics while browsing a blog, lol. >>60 People interpret it differently, but that's probably the general impression. Solipsism can't really be disproven, yet it tends to get a negative reception. But AZUKI doesn't reject it at all; she seems to accept it. The new song, “Sekai wa...,” feels like it lays that distinctive worldview right out in the open. Maybe that's partly because of the song's languid melody, but it's definitely a masterpiece.

>>53 Post-rock after prog, huh? lol. The definition is even harder to pin down, but they're sort of related. I wish they'd use more synth and piano-like sounds to create a really fantastical atmosphere... Ambient music that makes you feel like you're about to trip would be nice, too.

Azuki doesn't seem to choose lyrics with strongly declarative words. Even when writing about life and death or parting, she keeps it understated, with almost no deliberate attempt to make the listener identify with it. Whether it's sadness or something else, there's a solipsistic quality to it; it feels like she cares less about the other person and more about resolving everything within her own emotions. Changing the subject, are there any lyricists in the mainstream lately whose writing you find interesting? I think Nobuo Ōki of ACIDMAN writes great lyrics. I love how he writes about the whole universe and all things in it. There are hardly any first-person pronouns, and it's very abstract, but that kind of panoramic perspective, like I mentioned above, gives it a philosophical quality. That's what draws me in.

>>63 Exactly—that feeling of using everyday language, but describing things entirely from a certain perspective. I feel like a lot of these lyrics emphasize the asymmetry between the self and the world (or other people). As if to say, “What's wrong with solipsism?” lol. The new song feels to me like it's saying, “The world is fundamentally unsayable anyway, so just watch it in silence.” I haven't heard ACIDMAN's songs, but the lyrics sound good. In some ways, they even remind me of Gane.

Azuki draws lyrical material from all kinds of places, including homages. It's rare for someone to leave you so completely unable to figure out what lies beneath the surface. Nothing like people who are always going on about their own heartbreak... >>63 ACIDMAN have been using more first-person pronouns lately. Their lyrics have gotten more concrete, too. That band is seriously amazing. Whether it's melodic hardcore or garage, even funk, jazz, or post-rock, they can pull it off as a three-piece, and then the lyrics make it feel like they're depicting a vast world. They moved me so much live. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1a_-cvLTF8 I think this one's pretty good from their recent stuff.

I got that wrong. It was this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRlkTcVsj4o

The strings on “Kisetsu no Akari” are arranged beautifully. I wondered if they'd feel out of place with a three-piece band, but they really work.

I think that song's lyrics are a lot like Gane's. But they're different from impermanence; they calmly describe the way life exists. “Hey, because someday you and I will both come to an end, let's entrust our feelings to all the days we have left, at the far end of the lights we've kindled”—that chorus and the instrumental break are god-tier. It never gets preachy, and the gentle strings and clean-tone guitar sound lovely, too.

If anyone from this thread went to the temple live, could you post a live report, please? Sadly, I couldn't make it today... lol.

The entrance is at the east gate. The south temple gate is closed. If you don't have a ticket, you can hear it from the north side of Ninna-ji. The speakers face north. There are only three buses after 9 p.m., so you can practically say there are none. The best bet is to walk 150 meters south from the temple's south gate, take the Keifuku train (200 yen) to Kitano-Hakubaichō, then take a bus or a taxi.

Lucky people who live nearby, lol. I want to hear it, too, lol.

The wind is really strong; it looks cold. Don't catch a cold, okay?

Yume Hanabi Maboroshi Meguri Kuru Haru ni sky Kimi no Ie ni Tsuku made Zutto Hashitte Yuku... Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e Marionette Fantasia pray Sky Blue Kakurenbo call my name Kimi Saru Toki no Otozure wo Holy ground Kaze to RAINBOW Mysterious Eyes Futari no Rocket Yume Mita Ato de cried a little Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo Namida no Yesterday - Yurippe's middle and lower register came through nicely, but her falsetto was so-so. - They had string accompaniment. - No drummer (programmed track—probably software instruments or a sequencer). - Yurippe was dressed all in black, with her hair pinned up. - Yurippe and Mochi had deadpan MCs (six MC breaks in total). Is that about all the live info from the other thread, gathered in one place? I wasn't there, so I'm not really sure myself. There hasn't been a peep here—did nobody from this thread manage to go? lolol

Since it was in Kyoto, there must be a lot of people who wanted to go but couldn't. Was this the first time they performed “pray” and “Cried a little”? I really want to hear them...

“Sky Blue” and “Marionette Fantasia” are pretty rare, too. Add “Cried a little” and “Maboroshi,” and that's a lot of songs that emphasize falsetto. Maybe the falsetto instability really showed up in those songs. I bet a string version of “sky” would sound amazing. The recording has a dark, heavy Mellotron-like feel, but I wonder how it'll turn out live. I wonder how the programmed backing sounded. It loses some heaviness and becomes more mechanical, but the volume and timing are so uniform, so it does make sense as a choice. Maybe they also took the venue into account.

The strings on “Mizu no Nai...” must have sounded incredible. The atmosphere is pure fantasy. Programmed backing seems like it would fit, too. I've always felt that live drums don't quite suit that song, so I think this was a great combination.

>>73 Didn't the other thread say her mid-to-high range was good?

Ah, you're right. I just checked. >>76 I get it. That song is better with the inorganic sound of programmed backing. The programmed track on the CD already creates a kind of bubble-like feeling. Speaking of strings, “Marionette Fantasia” would be great, too. Damn, lol, I want to hear it, too, lol. We could go on forever about how good it would be, lol.

So the use of programmed backing made this the live show that best captures Gane's character—is that what you mean? By the way... I was really surprised they didn't play “Yūzuki Yoru.”

I think this live show finally gave GARNET's live performances a shape of their own, building on what they'd been doing at the fan events. Around the *Mirrorball* tour, they started getting comfortable onstage and wanted to make the shows more “spectacular”... Honestly, I wondered where they were trying to go with it. But this time, I could see them trying to make a show people could enjoy. There were about eight MC segments, maybe? It's a shame there were fewer songs, but if it was only about three fewer than usual, I don't think this direction was bad. Ossan's guitar-hero vibe, and splitting into Nana's team and Ossan's team—both longtime fans and newcomers could enjoy that. Before, you'd often see people say, “With GARNET, listening to the CDs is enough; I won't go again,” but there was hardly any of that this time. Maybe more people found it fun. It was the kind of live show that made me think, “I want to go again.” Of course, some people may feel it was just an extension of a fan event and only want to hear the songs, so having fewer songs is disappointing for them. You can't say this approach is best for everyone.

This was my first Gane live show, and it was even more fun than I expected, lol. If they're all like this, I want to go again.

This was my first Gane live show, and it was the most fun of any live show I've been to (though I can count the ones I've been to on two hands). It did have a fan-event kind of atmosphere, but the cozy feeling was nice. Having lots of MC was good. Even just saying something before a song helps you understand what to listen for, which I liked. Though I can imagine the pacing might feel a little off on DVD. If they could look at the monitors less and look at the audience with their own eyes more, I'd have no complaints.

Having fewer songs did leave me wanting a little more, but it really lets Nakamura's singing shine ( ・∀・)y─┛~~ In that sense, the songs at the shorter fan events were really good. Hmm... thinking about the fan events and how their stamina dipped in the second half of the fifth tour, maybe this format—with more MC and fewer songs—is better for them. Though the impression that they sang well at the fan events probably also had to do with how close they were to the fans and the venue's sound system. (The synths, percussion, and the mix behind the PA position were bad, though.)

Come to think of it, ever since Yurippe changed her singing style, I've thought her live voice sounded rather thick, but at the temple I felt like she had that bright, early-period voice again. If she can sing with that early sound without hurting her voice, she'd be unbeatable.

Actually... maybe using the fan event, with its unusually short set list, as an example wasn't quite right, lol. The other thing is pitch accuracy. I think it's already much better than it used to be ( ・∀・)y─┛~~ A bright, powerful voice with good pitch, plus the backing band making your heart race as soon as you hear them— if they can get all that together, they'd really be unbeatable.

Compatibility with Gane live shows: David >> programmed backing >> Kamei on percussion >>>> Kurumatani on drums >>>> Kurose on drums >>>>>>>>>>> Kamei on drums

How many songs would it take to both preserve Ms. Yuri's vocal stamina and leave the audience satisfied with the show itself?

That's hard to say. It probably depends on the songs' keys and dynamics, too. It's a difficult balance. More than the usual sections, the question is how well she can keep up her falsetto in the second half... That's how I see it, anyway.

>>86 David's sound has a nice, moderate lightness to it. His fills are varied and rhythmic, which works, too. I agree that Kurose doesn't really fit. The fifth live show probably had PA issues, too, but the drums were way too loud. The snare rolls and syncopated crash cymbals would really stand out with B'z, though. Kamei really does get a bad rap, lolol.

Kamei's drumming is weirdly sloppy, lol. I was really disappointed at Pan Kōjō. Though the percussion with cajón at the fan event was good.

It just isn't the same without Yūka-chan, deshi ne (o^-ﾟ)db(^-^o)

I only want Kurumatani.

I want Iwai, too.

That band always seems to end with Saegusa being the only one spinning her wheels... lol. I think Iwai and Kurumatani are both skilled, charismatic players, but whether it's the deadpan rap or the programmed tracks that have little to do with Kurumatani (though he probably contributes drum patterns), I have serious questions about the songs they've produced, lol.

Huh, doesn't Decibelle have one more member?

Whether it's the long night, the early morning, or the daytime, everything drifts by lazily. Even if I string the days together one by one, do I really need something called willpower? There were days when I got hurt and cried, too. I tried to believe in something. People say the world is turning, but nothing is turning inside me. I'll just quietly gaze out the window and watch the seasons change. A gentle feeling and a cold heart—sometimes both can live inside a person. By the time I begin to notice, it seems something has already broken long ago. There is nothing that won't betray you; if I'm still going to search for something, then it's better just to watch. People say the world is turning, but it feels as though there's no way for anything to connect, as if I've just been left behind. I spend my days counting, pointlessly, the lights going out one by one. If only I could stay in the same place forever, without moving at all. Even though it's the Earth that's turning, I wish I could just watch it forever. People say the world is turning, but only the sky above is revolving. Days that go nowhere and yet keep moving forward turn at the speed of this planet. People say the world is turning, but nothing is turning inside me. I'll just quietly gaze out the window and watch the seasons change.

I got it wrong, lol. >>96 seems to have already been uploaded to Nico Nico, but if it's real, isn't this Azuki going all out? These lyrics feel so much like her. Surely someone didn't deliberately edit them into this form... lol.

I already knew the lyrics; a fan who listened to Mochi's radio show posted them right away. I thought reposting them here wouldn't be right, so I held back... As I wrote before, the lyrics feel like a culmination of her work. You can't praise them enough. But what's with uploading the full version to Nico Nico? Is that okay? The release date is still a long way off. The PV seems to have been made public, too, so I bet someone will upload the PV before long... Still, I'm buying the CD.

Just reading the lyrics makes me feel so helpless I'm about to cry. But it'll get you into copyright trouble, so don't copy the whole thing.

>>99 Sorry for causing trouble for everyone. I didn't mean to copy the whole thing; I accidentally selected all of it and posted it at once. I only meant to quote the second verse and add a comment. (At that length, it would be treated as a written work.) I'll check more carefully next timeﾉｼ Anyway, someone earlier analyzed the lyrics as drawing on solipsism, and reading the whole thing, I can definitely see that. Do lyricists who foreground impermanence and loneliness tend to be influenced by this kind of thinking to some extent? They fold other people into their own frame of perception, without any sense of attachment or awareness of them. In today's flood of lyrics that all cover similar ground, this is unquestionably something unusual.

Nana (AZUKI Nana, the lyricist) seems to like Oscar Wilde and the like, right? I remember one of his books having a line like, “It's foolish to project yourself into art.” Maybe she's influenced by that, too? Sorry if I'm way off base.

That's true of his writing, but writing lyrics without imposing yourself probably has something to do with the role of a “lyricist” itself. (Well, even setting that aside, it's just too understated.) If the vocalist wrote the lyrics themselves, I think the desire to communicate something through their songs would show more strongly. After all, the singer is at the center of putting the music out into the world. But a lyricist works behind the scenes, supplying the words. If you're going to faithfully fit the singer and the song, that feeling of passionately shouting from deep inside yourself would naturally be held back, or gradually disappear.

I haven't listened on Nico Nico yet, but the lyrics really are good. It's like even loving someone takes energy... Almost as if someone in a corner of the world were singing, “Ah, this person will betray me someday, so I'll just watch.” Nana's lyrics always leave me wondering whether she's rejecting the passage of time or has simply given up. Personally, right now I've fallen for someone completely unlike me, so these lyrics hit too close to home. I love them so much that even trying to believe feels pointless.

When people loudly say “I believe,” that's often when doubt has already crept in. If you love them so much that it can blow all the doubt away, then isn't it fine to stay just as you are? I don't think Nana's lyrics are about betrayal. Maybe she thinks nothing lasts forever, but everything keeps turning in a spiral—it's reincarnation, right? And as I listen, I feel she's not denying the act of collecting one moment after another. I'm new here, so sorry if this has been discussed a lot already.

I'm from Kyoto, but I can't go because of work... damn it orz It'd be great if this one got a DVD release, too.

>>105 I got time off by saying I had a memorial service to attend. It is at a temple, after all, lololol. Apparently five people put in leave requests for October 20. Come on, I'm not mad—fess up and let's be friends＾＾

GARNET CROW is a band that sings of a languid, suspended feeling. AZUKI's greatest appeal is her panoramic, multifaceted expression. I can't help being drawn in... This one has that same distinctive flavor.

I think the new song's lyrics are a lot like “Blue no Mori de.”

That landscape-like imagery and the way it flows along like a stream feel similar. Even word choices like “the world” give me that impression. I think the theme is probably reincarnation, but in that respect it's completely different.

>>104 Rather than betrayal, I'd say she writes about the emptiness of a pure love that only keeps giving. Something like Florence Nightingale, maybe. “The ones who are loved are always cruel, aren't they?” “The red... flowers are destined to be discarded,” “Then I'll pretend to be just as cold to you,” and so on. In a word, it's probably impermanence. Depending on how you read it, it can sound like betrayal, but I also feel AZUKI Nana's compassion for the vulnerable who have been hurt. These lyrics also bring to mind a protagonist who believes in the other person's kindness, while despairing over their fickleness, the uncertainty of love, and its cruelty. “People can be kind and cruel; by the time you realize that, something has already broken somewhere”—I think that's an astonishingly definitive line.

When you say “a love that only keeps giving,” I think of Jesus Christ and Mother Teresa, but I don't think she's saying that kind of love is empty. Rather, giving endlessly and feeling fulfilled by it would be wonderful, but people can't do that; eventually they expect something in return, and that's why it hurts... something like that, maybe. And when you mention impermanence, Buddhism comes to mind, but no matter how lovely or painful something is, one day it will die; in the end, even feelings disappear, right? I think that's the idea. Anyway, it's empty, but somehow it also feels positive (and gentle, too). Like she's just throwing caution to the wind, lol.

I stopped reading at “Yurippa.”

>>111 For example, “in little time”: “I want to live strongly enough that I will never wither.” Rather than expecting something in return... it's more like she's accepting that someday she'll run out of strength, and accepting that her own heart might change. That's the sad part. As for things disappearing, she doesn't exactly proclaim it out loud, but maybe that's precisely why we should cherish them... Is that what she's thinking? Just throwing caution to the wind? Yeah, maybe, lol.

I think Nana's lyrics are both positive and realistic. Starting from the unavoidable fate that “everything will eventually disappear,” she depicts vivid human emotions within it. Joy and sadness—everything. People say you only realize how important something was after you've lost it, but I think the most human moment is when you truly know you're about to lose something precious. For instance, though this may be an awkward example, if ZARD's Izumi Sakai had made her illness public to her fans, and they knew she didn't have long to live, they would surely have been beside themselves. They'd be tormented by the helplessness of “there's nothing I can do,” and wonder if there was anything at all they could do for her. I think they'd have so many thoughts like that. That would probably be when they felt most strongly the joy of knowing “she's still alive.” It would also be the moment when the depth of the fans' devotion to ZARD became clearest.

I get what you're saying, but ZARD is so unrelated here, I'm dying, lol.

Sorry, lol. I feel like it's hard to get this across unless you put it in that kind of situation. I can't explain it very well, either. Maybe I should've used someone actually facing death as an example, lol.

Though I'm carrying on with this unrelated tangent, if they knew each other, Ms. Sakai's death might have influenced Nana's view of impermanence, too. As for GARNET's connections to ZARD, there's arranger Furui (Hirohito Furui), player Mochi (Hitoshi Okamoto), and song provider Yurippe (Yuri Nakamura, the vocalist)... that's about it, so I can imagine Nana may not have been particularly close to her. And perhaps she'd already experienced the death of someone close, so this wasn't new to her.

Actually, it's not impossible she was a secret fan all along. Even if they weren't close, she might have felt the same sadness as an ordinary fan. Though I doubt that's the case. Still, if Yurippe was feeling down, Nana might have empathized and been affected, lol. Sorry to change the subject again, but the lyrics by Bine that often come up here have something in common with Nana's. At first I thought a Bine superfan was lurking around here, lol. But I can see why fans would like this kind of music. http://www.utamap.com/showkasi.php?surl=B25494 http://www.utamap.com/showkasi.php?surl=B10924 http://www.utamap.com/showkasi.php?surl=65350 COCCO and Onitsuka are mentioned, too. Musically they might go well with Gane, but their lyrics feel like they pour out their inner darkness, and in that respect they're a little different.

Even Mochi, who performed at a live show, only exchanged a few words with her, and she still seemed like someone “up in the clouds.” Yurippe only provided songs, and Nana had no connection to her at all, so they probably just saw her as “a celebrity!” like the rest of us, lol. Though I imagine Furui and Ōga and the others had some conversations with her.

Oh. There are surprisingly a lot of people who interpret Nana's lyrics positively. I thought it depended on the song, with different possibilities. I guess even among the same fans, interpretations really do differ. Personally, I don't think Nana is very interested in ZARD... lol. Would she listen to something that sounds so unmistakably J-pop? I remember her saying she likes The Yellow Monkey and was influenced by Takuro Yoshida's “Ningen Nante,” lol. I've been meaning to borrow some Yellow Monkey albums from an older friend who listens to them, lol.

Yoshii's lyrics are really good, as people say. Whether it's glam rock or whatever, it feels like that band can get away with anything. How should I put it? They've got this rock-solid sense of cool. His solo work is good, too. It's fun to see another side of Yoshii.

The Yellow Monkey are cool just from their vibe and stage presence, lol. Though I don't know their songs, lol. Does Nana like distinctive, original artists like Peter Gabriel?

I was really surprised to learn Nana likes Iggy Pop.

>>118 Sorry for the late reply, but I just can't imagine Azuki being a ZARD fan. She once said, “I don't like those really clear, so-called beautiful voices.” ZARD's voice seems like the kind anyone would hear and think sounds beautiful. By the way, aren't you indirectly saying Yurippe doesn't have a beautiful voice? lol. Anyway, she probably likes people with a bit of a twist, like Peter Gabriel, lol.

Maybe Azuki is actually into obscure avant-garde rock with lots of odd time signatures, lol. But anyway... putting that aside... Iggy Pop isn't exactly the most niche artist, but he's a pretty complicated figure in all sorts of ways. Is Azuki drawn to the theatricality? lol. When Being artists list their favorites, I usually find it a little suspicious, but this one somehow makes sense, lol.

>>118 GRAPEVINE's lyrics are introspective. There's this sense of being stuck between yourself and society (the people around you)— you want to do something but can't, and feel cornered. But even so, you can't completely give up. That's how it feels. There's frustration, acceptance, and resignation, all mixed together. (I've only heard *lifetime*, *here*, and *Idea*, so I shouldn't speak too definitively, lol.) Lines like “the warmth we shared will be forgotten,” “it's okay if nothing changes,” “I hope we can stay like this forever,” and “I'm standing right here”—within that emotional landscape, they sometimes give me a similar impression to Azuki, though it's not quite the same sense of impermanence.

...Avant-garde rock nerds are the same as ever: totally oblivious to the mood, and writing long posts every single time.

GARNET CROW's great songs: - “Yume Mita Ato de” - “call my name” - “Bokura Dake no Mirai” - “Last Love song” - “Spiral” - “Natsu no Maboroshi” That's the list, right?

There should be as many great songs as there are people listening, right? Isn't that fine?

That said, I do think every song >>128 listed is great.

>>127 You're right. Even I, who likes writing acrostics, feel embarrassed now.

It's impossible to pick Gane's best songs, lol. I feel like I'd end up listing about a third of their catalog.

>>127 Which post is so obviously written by an avant-garde rock nerd?

>>128 Aren't those songs all live staples? Personally, I'd add “Wasurezaki” and “flying”... By the way, in my mind GARNET CROW has become: B-sides > album tracks.

“Bokura Dake no Mirai” is short and took a sudden musical turn, so there was a lot of uproar before it came out. People kept yelling, “It's a crap song!” >>127 Well, this is a casual chat thread, so whether it's avant-garde rock nerds or anything else, I think people can talk about whatever they want. In the main thread, there are probably plenty of people holding back.

The main thread was so boring that I finally blocked it, lol. I'd much rather read long posts here than those boring one-line replies. It's way more fun.

The main thread is boring because people show up to make weird, pointless criticisms. Do they really not find it a hassle to go out of their way to criticize them? lol

I happened to hear Saegusa's new song, and the arrangement was pretty good. What genre is that? The intro and so on had an old-school Western folk feel, which I liked. I'd like to hear Gane try that kind of sound, too. It'd definitely suit Yurippe's voice.

Yeah, I think the arrangement was about the only good part, lol. No offense to Saegusa, but maybe it would suit Yurippe's voice better than hers.

I see, this kind of arrangement is nice, too. But if Gane did a song like this, Furui and Nana would have nothing to do in the PV—that's the trap. I'd kind of like to see Yurippe sing someone else's song, too. (I'd also love to hear her cover “Tomatteita Tokei ga...” someday, though I'm sure opinions would be divided.)

That was arranged by Hayama, right? I can't get behind that big group sing-along at the end. If it were Ossan (Hirohito Furui), I feel like he'd have made it a vocal-filtered harmony arrangement there. Or were you talking about a different song?

Wasn't the second track supposed to be melodic hardcore? That doesn't suit Gane at all. You could say it's a completely unrelated genre. >>136 People will copy this over there, so don't do that. If there are obsessive trolls around, things can get really troublesome.

This one: http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=grCbPbti0bg I like the intro and the guitar phrase between the first and second verses, but I burst out laughing when the chorus came in, lol. I'd also like to hear something with an acoustic feel, using classical guitar, piano, flute, and so on. I wonder what the legendary “Argentina” would sound like...

What if it were like “Kakurenbo”—Nana-sama's own interpretation, but with a totally orthodox melody and arrangement, maybe even straight-up Japanese-style? What would you do? lol. I doubt the people making it expected the title alone to generate this much discussion, lol.

>>144 Come to think of it, Yurippe said that “Kakurenbo” was Spanish-style, but I never expected it to go in that direction, lolol. Imagine her singing “Argentiiinaaa” while the shakuhachi rings out all around her.

It's the third track, so good or bad, Ossan will take a swing at it, lol.

The arrangement of the third B-side on their recent single showed off producer Ossan's “God Hand” skills. That intro arrangement is just delicious. It starts with light, rhythmic guitar cutting and a deep, dimensional synth bass, then the light drum beat comes in. That stylish feel— I'm sure Ossan was grinning to himself the moment he finished the recording.

By the way, how old are Yurippe and Nana? Their ages are a mystery.

Yuri Nakamura is 30.

Was one born in '77 and the other in '74?

Yurippe + 1 = Mochi + 3 = Nana + 7 = Ossan I found that equation somewhere a while ago, lol. If you believe it, that makes Yurippe born in '77, Mochi in '76, Nana in '73, and Ossan in '66. Nana will always be the average age of the four, lol.

Yurippe is 30, and Nana is 33...? Her face hasn't changed at all. She's so cute.

Yurippe's age was even listed on the official site before, so that part must be right, but is there any reliable source for Nana's age? Still, I wish they wouldn't do live shows. Even now, her voice is often in bad shape afterward, so I feel like live performances just aren't a good fit for her. That singing style that gets criticized so often only started after her first live show, didn't it? Though now I've come to hear the charm in that voice, as if it were half flipped over.

By the way, Yuri Nakamura has made her profile private now, but does that really mean anything? Yuri Nakamura's face is so unusual... She looks both young and old at the same time. Sometimes she even looks a little like Kyoko Fukada. I agree with the person above; it's probably better if they don't do live shows. Though I actually like Yuri Nakamura's live singing quite a bit.

So does that mean Yurippe only graduated from junior college, or less? If she'd graduated from university and debuted as early as possible in 1999, she'd have been 23, so she'd be 31 this year.

That's true. Personally, I like her live singing and the live arrangements, so I still want them to perform live. But at the same time, I want Yurippe to take care of her voice. They put MC breaks in so often between songs and then continue singing, which is fun, but I still find myself worrying: “Is this really okay...?” Maybe those breaks are actually a bit of a vocal warm-up... Isn't there some way of singing that's easier on her throat?? It's a real dilemma as a fan.

I've always been curious about this. It's the part in Yurippe's diary where she wrote, “I don't have vocal nodules or polyps.” Even if ordinary people know about polyps, they wouldn't usually know the term “vocal nodules.” Maybe she only knew it because of her work, but that lines up with the period early this year when she was depressed about her voice and went to get it checked. It just makes me wonder... I really hope I'm worrying over nothing.

>>155 She graduated from university. Since it was a women's university, maybe it was a junior college...

I heard Mochi sent a demo to GIZA as part of his job search, so he was already dropping by there while he was a student. Maybe Yurippe was the same—spotted while she was still a student and brought in to record or something? Apparently she'd been writing songs since her student days, too. “Yume Mita Ato de” was also an older song she'd written back then. I hope they don't stop doing live shows... though I'm worried about Yurippe's throat, too.

>>151 Ossan was born in '67.

I want Yurippe to take care of her voice, and I want to keep being her fan for years to come, so even if there's just a slight chance her voice could be damaged, I don't want her to do live shows. A voice with that kind of timbre is truly precious. We may never hear another one like it, and it's not just a matter of having a low voice like Ayaka or Nanamusica...

It's a shame, but if I had to choose, I'd rather Yurippe's voice remain intact. Ōoka Echizen? Still, whether it's a TV appearance or an in-store event, even if it's brief, I hope we get a chance to hear her sing live. In the end, I just want to spend some time with them, that's all. Well, I hope I'm only worrying needlessly, so all I can do is pray for that— Yurippe's voice is so mysterious. It's not pop or classical, and it's not that smoky kind of voice you hear from jazz singers. How do you even describe it... I can't think of anyone with a similar timbre. Maybe there's someone a little like her in Takarazuka?

Yurippe's voice obviously matters most, but as a fan, of course I still want to see them perform live. But she was so happy she even wrote about it in her diary, which means she must have been anxious at the time, too... Even if they don't sing, I hope they do something like last year's Yahoo! Live Talk.

If Yurippe's vocals were a lot stronger, I feel like they'd be on the level of a band known for its live performances. The backing musicians are really strong, after all. The rhythm section has Ōhashi, who came from a metal background, and on guitar there's Ōga, who currently has the most memorable riffs in Being. Then there's Furui on electric piano and pads, using all sorts of effects effectively throughout the songs, plus cello, violin, and a rich string section. Isn't that pretty much perfect?

Sometimes Yurippe's voice sounds a little like Izumi Sakai's. It's such a masculine, charismatic voice.

To post here, I listened through the first to fifth albums again, and Ossan really does tailor the arrangements to the sound of Yurippe's voice in each period. He really is the God Hand... I wonder if their signature sound from now on will lean toward songs like “Haru Matsu Hana,” “Mawarimichi,” and “Sekai wa Mawaru.”

Is cutting down the number of notes and going for a simpler sound Ossan's latest little trend? Compared with the indie period, those clean guitar tones with lots of harmonics and delay, and the synth layers, have all been reduced. There are fewer vocal harmonies, too. I'm no expert and don't know much about this, but is it because he's considering how they'll mix with the vocals?

“Sekai wa...” feels like the first great song in a while. I mean, GARNET CROW, lol—it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to sell around 100,000 copies, lol. Why can't they break through? orz “Yume Mita Ato de” is good enough that it should've sold 200,000, too.

Maybe it's because people think of them as an anime-song act.

>>164 Mochi is crying, lol. >>165 Izumi Sakai's voice is the exact opposite, though.

>>166 Hmm... but then something like “Maboroshi” still comes out of nowhere. What's up with that? I don't know anything about music, but even if her singing style has changed, I still think this direction suits Yurippe's voice better.

Sorry for the double post. >>165 I used to think they were completely opposite, too, but Sakai's lower register did get steadier and more resonant in her later years. I always thought of her as having a high voice, but after listening again to songs like “Eien,” I clearly noticed that she's a vocalist whose mid-to-low range is more compelling. If you mean a voice that isn't overly feminine, but has a solid, grounded quality, then maybe the two do have that in common.

Sakai has a beautiful voice that anyone can accept, so people don't criticize her vocal timbre. Yurippe's voice is distinctive and unusual, so it's more likely to draw criticism. But I like Yurippe's voice; for some reason, I don't really like Sakai's.

The PV preview is up on the official site! I was like, “Oh, so that's how they interpreted ‘looking out the window’~”

Even before getting into Sakai's voice, ZARD's music itself has so little bite—it's boring. I don't like it. But in terms of the idea of “even if we have to take the B-list route, let's first make music that sells,” maybe there's no music executed better than theirs.

>>167 You really don't hear those layered arpeggios and clean tones much anymore. The intro to “Eien ni Homure” was probably made with a harmonizer, and it's excellent. It contributes a lot to creating the atmosphere of the whole song. As for synths, I feel like they used more fantastical sounds like leads and clavi, and denser arrangements, back in the day. Every once in a while they still make a god-tier arrangement like “Maboroshi,” though... but I'm no expert, so that's about all I can say.

The PV is good. I was a little moved.

There probably won't ever be another singer with a voice like Yurippe's. Whether she uses vibrato (there's obviously no rule saying she has to, lol), or how she is live— in the face of that kind of vocal timbre, those are concerns from another dimension. I watched the PV; it's pretty good. Though they could've let us hear a longer preview...

I honestly don't understand what's supposed to be good about that PV.

The version they used in the commercial and on *Mugen* was better, but then they added this shitty visual effect. Classic GIZA. Well, I wasn't expecting much from the PV in the first place, lol.

For once, today I'm going to put “Eien ni Homure” on repeat. It's really cold today.

“If I don't expect anything, I won't lose anything...” but I still can't help reaching for it. “The days when I was loved, rather than the person I loved...” GARNET CROW's signature song really is “Yume Mita Ato de,” after all.

If it used real strings instead of Ossan's synth strings, it feels like “Yume Mita Ato de” could exist as a song sung by someone other than Gane, too. I can imagine it making the upper part of the charts.

It's precisely because it's Gane that it has that particular flavor.

Yeah, that's true, lol. I only meant that as a song by itself, it could absolutely aim for the mainstream market.

True, some songs do feel like they'd work if someone other than Gane sang them.

I watched *Music Station* for the first time in ages yesterday, and the song by Atsushi's band—the guy from London Boots—was surprisingly good, lol. The keyboardist's painfully fake playing was something else, though, lol. GLAY and Mr. Children were on, too. GLAY's song had a level of polish that reminded me of “Yuuwaku” and “Soul Love,” but Mr. Children leaning toward ballads all the time is a bit hard to take. The lyrics feel kind of iffy, too, which is a shame. Well, it is a movie theme song, so I guess it can't be helped.

Yurippe will also appear on the additional dates of the ZARD memorial live tour.

Adding more memorial shows—I really don't know what they're thinking. How many times are they going to hold them? >>187 That fake keyboard playing was ridiculous, lololol. Just waving your hands back and forth counts as playing now? Mr. Children really are kind of iffy. They even accepted a commission for the *Koizora* theme song.

Hello, I'm new here. With autumn coming around again, I listened for the first time in ages to the only GARNET CROW best-of I'd ever borrowed and put on my iPod (I got into it because of an old *Detective Conan* ending theme), and it was unbelievably good. Then I bought the first pressing of *TWILIGHT VALLEY* at Book Off, and that's fantastic, too. I think I've completely fallen for them. Their distinctive musical world, lyrics, and vocals are all wonderful. What CD should someone like me buy next? I already have a best-of, so I feel like it covers a lot. By the way, I quite like songs like “Kakurenbo.”

>>190 If you like the first best-of, try the first or second album. If you like the second best-of, try the third or fourth. It might be best to listen to whichever album has more of the songs you like. There aren't any songs like “Kakurenbo” on albums one through four, though, lol.

“Kakurenbo”—you'd never guess from the title; it has such a cool melody, and the mysterious lyrics are great. From the best-of, I like “in little time” and “timeless sleep,” so I'll check out the earlier albums.

>>190 That's exactly how I got into them a year ago, so your story surprised me, lol. Hope we get along(^_^)ﾉｼ

Starting with the first album is a safe bet.

>>189 I wish Mr. Children would give us a break, too, and stop putting out one piano-and-strings ballad after another. I think “Sign” was good, but the melody was strong enough to save it. Gane's fifth album was definitely a new direction. A lot changed compared with the older albums, both in the arrangements and the lyrics.

Honestly, I don't really know which older album to recommend to someone who likes the fifth, lol.

I see... This is unrelated, but suddenly I feel like reading Nana's poetry collection. But it's been out of print for ages... lol. I keep thinking maybe a big local bookstore might unexpectedly have a copy, but I guess not...

>>197 The mobile version of the official GIZA MUSIC NET site sells *Hachimaru*. Though fees and such add a bit to the price, so it's more expensive.

>>196 Well, nobody would start by buying the fifth album, anyway. Since there's a best-of, you'd probably listen to that first. I think it's best to start with the first album and work your way through. Oh, and don't forget the indie releases. >>197 Also, sometimes they sell it as merchandise at live shows.

>>190 I started with the first album, but the fifth is my favorite, so I'd say your next one should be the third or fourth. You'll end up listening to all of them eventually, anyway, and you can't go wrong with any of them.

If I had to say, the fifth album's sound is kind of like the third. The guitar riffs are memorable, and it similarly pushes the guitar parts to the forefront overall. But the third has more notes and more dramatic development—that's about the difference.

Thanks, everyone. Hmm... I guess I really should listen to all the albums (laughs). It also makes me feel how much you all love GARNET CROW. About the poetry collection, I already bought it from the GIZA mobile site someone mentioned earlier... The handling fee was so high... By the way, what do you think of the new song? I don't have a computer where I'm staying right now, so I can't look anything up. How does it feel from the perspective of longtime fans? (Though I know the topic has come up a little earlier.)

You should start with the BEST, lol. It'll pull you in deeper. All the great songs left off the fifth album— “call my name,” “Last Love song,” “Mikansei na Neiro,” “Spiral,” “Wasurezaki,” and so on—are waiting there. Anyway, buy a BEST and give it a try!

No, we already know the answer. They've already bought a BEST. >>202 Also, if you can, check out the indie releases. My impression of the new song so far is mixed. I like that the overall arrangement is fairly restrained, but... The chorus melody and so on has a bit of that fifth-album feel, hard to explain (I'm not a big fan of that album). Also, the percussion-like drum sound gets in the way a little.

Does the remastering make the BEST album sound any better?

“Mikansei na Neiro” blew me away.

We can expect good sales this time! - *Detective Conan* tie-in - ZARD fans might come over - Saegusa fans are leaving and moving over to Gane There are benefits all around, lol. I've already added five Gane fans, lol.

↑That kind of talk seems more likely to turn people off; it makes me nervous. It does seem like some ZARD fans are fond of Yurippe (Yuri Nakamura, the vocalist), which makes me happy.

I'm the person who wrote >>207. I posted without thinking... orz Sorry... As a Gane fan, I was simply happy to see the fanbase growing.

>>207 Honestly, I'm jealous. Everyone around me either doesn't listen to GARNET CROW, listens to anti-Being stuff, or listens to the kind of rap that's popular lately... I used to be like that, too, but even now I don't understand why I got so hooked on GARNET CROW.

Big record stores sometimes carry the indie releases. I bought mine at Tower Records~ If you like the fifth album, I'd recommend “Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo.” That's just my opinion. The sound has their recent feel, while the lyrics lean a little toward their early style. And this gets said all the time, but they have lots of great B-sides... By the way, I'm actually new here, too. Is it okay to post about a new song here if I get it a day early?

>>211 I think naming the store that sold it early is a no-go in any thread. Definitely don't do that. But I think it's fine to simply write your impressions of the song. People who wait to buy it on the official release date don't look at 2ch on leak day. I used to be like that. So the earliest you can post is the day before. If you get it any earlier, you shouldn't write about it. I think that's how most people see it.

Come to think of it, people have always picked up releases early and posted brief reviews of the songs. I don't think there's any need to worry about spoilers.

>>212>>213 Thanks. Even if it's early, it should only be the day before, but I'll be careful. By the way, since becoming a Gane fan, this is the first time I've gotten a new song right away, and I'm incredibly nervous. Especially about “Argentina,” lol.

Apparently *MU-GEN* is doing a live-show special next week.

They were second in that poll of acts people most wanted to invite to the school festival, and they almost got invited, but not quite orz. Didn't somewhere around Kobe rank them number one once?

I became a fan after hearing “Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo.” After going back through their albums, singles, and live DVDs starting from 1999...

Could they make more songs with a Western-oriented, R&B feel like “holding..."? I really like how the synths, vocal harmonies, falsetto, and that sense of transparency shape the songs. This current approach of pushing the guitars so hard feels monotonous, and I'm tired of it. Layering things up with arpeggios does work, though. >>183 If they were with a major company like TOYS or Sony, they could probably get a movie tie-in or something. And if it were paired with a mobile novel, just imagining that image is kind of funny. That's the kind of wistful fantasy you can only have with Being, lol.

>>215 Since nobody answered you, I'll mention that this has already been posted in the main thread. Chiba TV airs it first, you see. I'm on TV Saitama, too, so the news reaches us later. I think it's great that you wanted to share the information v If there's something about GARNET in a Shinseido *DROPS* or a Tsutaya *VA*, people here would be happy if you brought it over and quoted it. Then someone might write on their blog, “I saw this in the thread~,” so I think it's good to share information proactively (*^^) I wanted to reply in the main thread, but I thought it would get buried, so I wrote here instead.

Her voice sounds like Miyuki Nakajima!

This may be beside the point, but she should learn to use vibrato. Her pitch is a little unstable, so listening for a long time gets tiring.

Has anyone here seen *The Hairdresser's Husband*? I just rented it and watched it. I thought some of its chilling aspects had a lot in common with Nana's work. That's the impression I got. I expected it to be a film with the same kind of atmosphere as “in little time,” but it was completely different. By the way, can “little time” be translated as “childhood”?

I've never heard “childhood” used that way, so I'm not sure... Taken literally, doesn't “little time” mean something like “a small amount of time” or “a short time”? So I always thought “in little time” meant “in a short while,” as in “the time we can love each other, these moments of happiness, will be brief in the end.” I'm going to see *The Hairdresser's Husband* next week♪ I rented *Wittgenstein* today, so I'll watch that first.

It also feels like she deliberately avoids it, and I don't want her to change her singing style again...

If I hurry and apply to join the fan club now, will I still get the newsletter scheduled to come out around November?

>>221 Speaking of vibrato, Uesugi during the WANDS era was god-tier. His vibrato never sounded showy; it was pleasant to listen to and carried on effortlessly.

All I remember from *Wittgenstein* is men kissing and holding hands, lol. Why does Nana like that kind of world?

>>227 I watched it, but that part didn't bother me much—or rather, I didn't care at all, lol. Overall, it's a story about a philosopher endlessly agonizing over whether philosophy has any meaning. One of the topics is whether it looks different if the sun revolves around the Earth or the Earth revolves around the sun. I wondered if the lyrics to “Sekai wa Mawaru to...” might be connected to that.

>>225 > It will be mailed around mid-November to members whose memberships are active as of the end of October. Looks like you won't make it. If you really want it, maybe ask G-NET or something.

>>226 He's doing grunge now, so his singing has become duller and rougher, too. Honestly, Uesugi has established his own distinctive style and has the expression to go with it, but I don't think he can produce the same penetrating volume and vibrato he had during the Being years anymore. You can feel the decline in his ability. It seems like he's doing whatever he wants, but it's a good thing Shibasaki didn't follow him. Teaming up with Nishikawa was the right move.

Come to think of it, Being used to have Moritomo, whose vibrato was so strong it could get annoying. He can't do it at all anymore, though. >>224 I don't think she needs to be so committed to avoiding vibrato in these recent songs. But her voice is easy to get tired of, so personally, I don't want her to use too much of it.

>>229 So I really won't make it... orz Anyway, I mailed them today to ask for an application form. I'll ask G-NET, too. Thanks.

By the way, isn't the arranged version of “Natsu no Maboroshi” better!? It's much easier to get into, and really nice to listen to.

>>227 Don't come to this thread until you've understood the *Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus*.

I heard “Ichiban Suteki Datta Hi” for the first time. The contrast with the title is so extreme orz. I do like it as a song, though. Nana-sama is scary... How do Gane fans rate this song?

How are the B-sides on the new single? Has anyone heard anything? I heard a little of “Sekai...” and it seemed pretty good, so even I—usually not someone who buys singles—might pick this one up.

For the biggest contrast between a title and the song itself, “flower” and “Kakurenbo” are tied for first. “Matsuri no Jikan” has that quality, too, as does “his voyage.”

>>222 I watched it, lol. It really does feel like Nana-sama. I felt kind of sorry for them at the end.

>>236 I guess nobody knows anything beyond the song titles yet? Come to think of it, there's only a little over a week until the new song comes out. Time flies.

I heard a little bit of “Kanata made Hikari wo” on Sky PerfecTV, but I won't say anything because it would be a spoiler, lol.

>>233 The light, rhythmic cutting is gone, and that simple neo-acoustic color is gone, too, so I find it kind of dull. It sounds too pop. >>235 I feel like someone has written about it before, but I sensed something experimental in the intro. The lyrics, with their hint of an affair, also feel like a new direction and are interesting. But was it really that shocking?

Usually the second track on a single feels more “like the artist,” while the third feels experimental. I'm really looking forward to seeing what they'll do with the third track this time. It might be interesting if they made something like the inorganic electronic music of house, with a four-on-the-floor programmed beat. Ossan probably isn't interested in that sort of thing, though.

If they were going to ask someone to make that kind of thing, wouldn't Miguel be better at it—or at least more capable of doing it? Cyber, the label Miguel is with, specializes in that kind of sound.

Making a four-on-the-floor vocal track at this point would be a little... Didn't that style fall apart at the beginning of the 21st century? They might as well get rid of both melody and rhythm and make a minimal track consisting only of an endless pulse and noise. Then they could impress those self-proclaimed music fans, and if they even made it an A-side, maybe Being's image as “commercial pop” would change a little.

The arrangement of “Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo” sounds like it'll be really powerful. You can't tell from the version in *Conan*. One more week—I'm super excited for the CD release!

If Gane themselves made minimal or ambient music, it'd only make their gloomy image stronger, lol. In ambient and other sound-art music, there are tracks where the vocalist mutters something in an extremely quiet voice, too, lol. Still, I'd probably be happy if they put something like that on a B-side.

> A vocalist muttering something in an extremely quiet voice... Isn't that perfect for Gane?

Ambient and sound-art music are completely different things...

Huh? Dance/electronica sometimes gets classified as sound-art music, and isn't ambient, which is related to that style, part of the same sound-art category? Though some ambient has a strange, ethnic feel, so I guess you can't generalize...

Anyway, “sound-art music like ambient” is a pretty convoluted way to put it, lol. Sorry.

Anyway, spare me a direction like Everything But The Girl.

>>251 True, lol. Something like Cloudberry Jam would be nice—easy listening.

Are Gane's early singles still being sold?

You don't see them very often. Wouldn't it be easiest to look on Amazon or somewhere like that?

Three weeks ago, I didn't listen to GARNET CROW at all. How did I end up like this? I think GARNET CROW really suits late autumn and winter. Don't you?

Yeah, I think so, too. Especially around the fifth album.

Yeah, I think so, too. Before you know it, even the BEST albums have that feeling.

Didn't Yurippe say, “Autumn is the season of garnets?!” So I guess that's why, right? I think she said something in her official diary about winter, too...

>>255 “Crystal Gauge” especially.

I'm just popping in to remind you all, five posts later, that “last love song” is not a love song. That's all—I'm outﾉｼ

I want to hear “I'm Waiting for You.”

I went to FamilyMart, and apparently they're making an album.

>>249 It's true that ambient developed out of dance music, as a genre. What if they tried using live drums on a B-side? So far, I think “David no Yūdachi” is the only one. It'd be nice to have more. It would expand their sound, too.

Man, they haven't made songs like “Natsu no Maboroshi” or “Mysterious Eyes” lately. Still, it's okay, I guess.

It's “Ichiban Suteki Datta Hi.” The line “hope and ruin look the same” feels very AZUKI-like. Something like “even in that hopeless feeling, I was saved once again” in “float world” also appears in the new song, “Sekai wa...” I heard this is a figure of speech called an oxymoron or paradox. Maybe things like that are what give a song depth.

You guys are all having completely different conversations, lol. >>263 Lately I've started wanting live drums, too. Just a bit of that power as an accent. They don't even need to add live bass as well. I wish “anywhere” had live drums... A thick, cool fill during that build-up right before the chorus. Those plip-plop programmed drums just don't have enough punch.

>>266 Well, people are interested in different things, and if you don't know the musical references, you can't understand them at all. But >>241's interpretation is interesting. I never thought “Ichiban Suteki Datta Hi” was a metaphor for an affair, lol. Now that you mention it, I can kind of see it.

>>267 Wouldn't it be easier to understand if you included an anchor link? >>263 Neo-acoustic music can have cheap programmed backing, too, and I think that actually works well with Gane. But lately I've started wanting live drums, too. It might be interesting to switch to live drums on a rhythmically strong song like “Eden.”

Still, using an affair as lyrical inspiration is pretty fresh. Maybe this is Azuki's new experiment.

So it's about an affair? I thought it was the state of mind of a directionless office lady. >>268 True, Yurippe's voice and the arrangement tones lately seem well suited to live drums. “Marginal Man” would be good, too. But if they switched the drums to live, then I'd want the keyboards to be live, too, and AZUKI-san would faint the moment she saw the sheet music.

Copied from the early-release thread: 643/1001: 名無しさん＠お腹いっぱい。[] 2007/07/03(火) 17:53:12 ID:GAbAspcW0 Does anyone know what “so foolish” means? Also, with “Ichiban Suteki Datta Hi,” I took it to mean: I'm serious, but I know the other person is just playing around, so I pretend I'm not serious either, and try not to admit it to myself. Even so, I really was serious back then. Maybe I still am... Is that the idea the song is trying to express? 647/1001: 名無しさん＠お腹いっぱい。[] 2007/07/03(火) 18:16:56 ID:TqpMh4OPO >>643 I think so. For Nana-san... it's that kind of lyric. I was surprised. 656/1001: 643[] 2007/07/03(火) 19:50:01 ID:GAbAspcW0 >>647 So that's it. I surprised myself a little, too. >>648 “Nothing but mistakes” “Go see them—the person you want to see” ↑ You say it precisely because you know you can't see them. “Our bodies overlapping isn't a dream” “Even if I want to... overlapping our feelings is so foolish” ↑ Letting them overlap is foolish. Even the fact that I hoped, even for a moment, that they might overlap is foolish. Maybe that's what it means? Looking at these lines, it really does sound like an affair.

About the phrase “super-moving spectacular ballad.”

Nothing in particular.

>>268 Right. The lyric thread is gone, too, so anchors are important. By the way, they're already talking about “Argentina” in the main thread... I can't go near that thread until the release date, lol. I trust everyone here to use common sense, so please be considerate, lol. I want to hear the B-sides without any preconceptions.

>>266 It's finally a weighty ballad, and the programmed drums are such a letdown. Why do they have to sound so weak? If that part were improved, it'd be a masterpiece to me. I always look forward to the pads and organ-like sounds, but there are a lot of things about the drums that leave me dissatisfied.

Hey, if anyone here can play drums, go join GARNET CROW.

I wish Kurumatani would switch over to them, too. I haven't heard anything like that since he played on “Sora-iro.”

Kurumatani's great. He can hold a conversation, too, lol. And he's not bad-looking.

More than that, I'd rather they find a proper songwriter to replace Yurippe, whose talent has run dry.

>>279 If Yurippe isn't writing the music and Nana the lyrics, it isn't GARNET. Why don't you just listen to some other artist?

Exactly.

I'm fine with Yurippe writing all the singles, but I think it'd be nice to have other songwriters contribute around three tracks to an album. I feel like Azuki's range of ideas has broadened and her expressive power has grown, but Yurippe's compositions seem more and more alike. That was especially noticeable on the fifth album. Still, sometimes a B-side has bossa nova, or a country-style arrangement, so maybe Yurippe is deliberately aiming for this current sound.

>>276-278 Are you trying to push Hitoshi Okamoto (Mochi/Okamochi) out? lol As for “Ichiban Suteki Datta Hi,” all I can picture is an aimless office lady going on one group date after another. She feels powerless at work and in her private life, so she thinks maybe if she just falls in love, every day will surely become wonderful. Something like that. But it's just some guy she met in a casual, frivolous way, so there's no point in expecting dreams or anything from him. I know I'm stupid. But I still feel empty. Ahh. That's how I interpret it. So I compare it with lyrics like: “You, who love someone, and me, who can't get along with people—how strange. Before we knew it, as if we were blending into each other, we stood side by side.”

>>283 Same here. “It's just temporary pleasure, so who cares what happens—what a straightforward, beautiful night, ahahaha.” Something like that, a kind of self-destructive feeling. It's someone she dislikes and doesn't want to see, so she tries to tell herself, “Go see them.” “At least let the sky clear up and get me excited. If I'm going to be this stupid, let me fall all the way.” That's roughly how it feels. Anyway, this song is pretty experimental. It's definitely the opposite of the kind of thing she used to write about so often.

Just as Yurippe sometimes writes bossa nova, Azuki-san sometimes writes lyrics with a different feel, too.

“Ichiban Suteki Datta Hi” starts from the premise that “this won't turn into a proper relationship,” so I think both the narrator and the other person are in somewhat unusual positions. The situation could be an affair, a woman infatuated with a host, or a client and sex worker—or friends with benefits. But there's no definite answer as to whether the protagonist is thinking, “I have feelings for this person, but they can never be fulfilled,” or “I just want pleasure; I only want to feel satisfied in the moment.” Whether it's an affair changes depending on how you interpret it. My impression leans more toward the latter: “I'm not actually interested in you. I just want to feel satisfied. You're the same, right? (You are, aren't you?)”

>>282 I'd like Azuki to write something like ACIDMAN, which we mentioned earlier— remove the first-person pronouns and write about lives being born and disappearing in a vast world. The music and arrangements could have that grand, fantastical feel, too. Then dress it up with an eight-minute epic. Themes like the environment or the future of war would be good, too. I think a sense of transience and sadness usually comes more strongly from relationships between people, and works best there, but this direction could be nice for expressing those other subjects.

Argentina is on the opposite side of the Earth from Japan. After listening to “Argentina,” there's something I want to say, but it's hard to put... ...Sorry, never mind.

“Thanks for listening to me♪ By the way, fly to Argentina, roll around in the shining desert...” ...Sorry, never mind.

Feels like the fanbase has changed. 5

>>290 Posted by mistake. Sorry.

>>289 Isn't there a line in the lyrics with “...a reprieve”?

>>287 If they put in an eight-minute epic, it'd be completely ACIDMAN. Something about rebirth, or depicting the birth of life, could be really interesting. That kind of moment in the song would be fun.

“Argentina” seems to really highlight abstract word choices. I already like lyrics like Spitz's, so this kind of thing really appeals to me. It feels like there'd be a lot to interpret.

Even with direct expression, I think you can give lyrics plenty of depth, but Azuki's work has more flavor when it's abstract. That also leaves more room for interpretation, which is great, so I'm really happy with the lyrics on this release.

Like “Blue no Mori,” for example. I really like that kind of wording. The new song's release is so close now. I'm looking forward to discussing the lyrics, music, and arrangement with everyone.

Is “Argentina” really about Argentina itself? It comes up in Hirohito Furui's thread, too, and here as well, but Furui's synth arrangements really are great. The Mellotron-like strings in “Yume Mita Ato de” and “Sky” are so effective. That slightly muffled sound with a distinctive afterglow is, I think, one of the strengths of programmed instruments.

>>297 Yurippe said in *mfm* that the theme is a tango dancer, I think.

I was rushing to post because my train was coming, so I made it sound like Yurippe herself was a tango dancer. I made myself laugh, lol. I think she said it was based on an actual tango dancer.

I want to see Yurippe as a tango dancer at the next live show!!

I really can imagine them actually doing it.

>>299 Is it a work that pays homage to something? Azuki's work has always had a bit of an essay-like quality. When analyzing it, it's important to look for things that may have influenced it, too. You've brought up another interesting reference. Though it's not quite at the level of Novalis.

So it's finally time for people to get the early copies. I got mine, too, but please post some brief reviews. I'm really looking forward to the B-sides as well.

Random question: I'm looking for earphones that sound good for listening to Gane on a portable music player. Any product recommendations? The earphones that came with mine broke the other day, so I randomly bought a pair of audio-technica ATH-CK51s, but they're absolutely awful. Yurippe's angelic voice, which I adore, comes out as a sharp, grating, almost demonic sound... orz I never imagined that a pair of earphones could change my impression of the music so much. ('A`) My budget is around ¥5,000. Any audiophile experts, please help me out! > <

I'm not confident in my ears, so take this as just a reference. I use the Pioneer SE-CL20, and nothing sounds particularly unpleasant. For reference, my files are 192 kbps MP3s. “JEWEL FISH” and “Futari no Rocket” get a little shrill, so maybe something a bit more expensive would be better. Are Victor, Pioneer, Sony, Panasonic, and KENWOOD all pretty safe choices? My impression, in that order, is: strong, muddy bass ← → strong, hissy treble. Any audiophile who knows more, please weigh in!

Isn't the list price of the Sennheiser CX 300 just over ¥5,000? The highs and mids are a little muffled, but they're decent, and the bass is quite strong. What do you think? lol They're really designed for thick, heavy techno-style sounds... but that might be fine, lol.

Mai Kuraki on the cover of *mfm* is using Sony MDR-CD900 headphones. Maybe GARNET use those in the studio, too? But they're so expensive that it may not be much help as a recommendation.

Sony MDR-CD900, huh~ They're probably a little over ¥20,000. Not completely out of reach, though.

No one above has said this, but I don't recommend audio-technica. Though maybe that's just because the pair I had was a cheap model.

Generally, audio-technica's open-back models have clearer treble and a better sense of space. They're good with classical, orchestral music, and female vocals, but I feel like they lack some body. By the way, besides Gane's single, what other CDs are you buying today? I don't have anything in particular, but I'm curious about THE BACK HORN's “Wana.” I bet it'll outsell us because it's a Gundam tie-in, lol.

I got the new song early. It's so nice to listen to the CD while reading the lyrics. Pure bliss, lol.

The lyrics on this release feel like a concept maxi-single. Take a close look at them—they're all connected.

I bought it~ ( ・∀・)y─┛~~ This set has a nice style with a hint of their early sound. The restrained arrangements, with some pad-like sounds added, give that impression. The balance with the guitar parts, which had been pushed too far forward before, is handled really well overall, and it feels like their musical range has broadened again. I'm a little less worried about the next album now. Speaking of range, there's the third track... lol. No, at first it even made me think, “What is this?” It has a really retro feel, but it's insanely addictive, lol. It's been stuck in my head for a while now...

Track one From intro to outro, the way the lyrics, melody, and arrangement fit together is god-tier. The A section is especially excellent. The lyrics describe time passing slowly, and the cool, clear synth accents carry them beautifully. You can feel the seasons changing, and the scene comes vividly to mind. Track two The light acoustic guitar, synths so clear they seem transparent, and beautiful falsetto make this feel like an early-period song. But the guitar solo that charges in full force during the instrumental break is something new. Thinking about it, there are many ways the early and current styles overlap, so maybe it's more accurate to say this track reveals another new side of Gane. Track three Another new experiment incorporating Latin flavors. They've done several Latin-flavored songs before, but this is the first time I've felt such a strong, earthy coolness from one, lol. The cheap brass-like synths and the varied phrasing and vocal delivery really knocked me out, lol. This kind of thing can easily just sound tacky, but they've brought it together so well that I can't help feeling Gane's solid originality at work here, lol.

No, the lyrics are carefully crafted, too. Track two is expressive, and the wordplay on track three is fun. Azuki's depths are bottomless...

The connections between the lyrics of all three songs are interesting! Ms. Azuki really is something else. With the B-sides, “Sekai wa...” has more depth now. Though I haven't figured out the interpretation yet.

Quick poll. Raise your hand if you've joined the fan club. What perks do you get? I know about the newsletter. ¥4,000 feels kind of expensive... If it were half that, I'd think it was reasonable.

I joined. The perk is priority access to live tickets. If you think that's worth ¥4,000 along with the newsletter, I'd recommend joining. Personally, I'm pretty satisfied.

Raises hand. The newsletter comes out four times a year, so if that's all you want, it feels a little expensive. Ultimately, it depends on whether you want to go to live shows. An album is coming out in early spring next year, so they might have a live show around then. If you wait until it's announced, it may be too late. But being a member doesn't mean you'll get good seats. It just means you can get a ticket. That's how it is with Being acts. This year had both the fan event and Ninna-ji, so it felt like a good year to have joined.

Still, saying the lyrics are all connected feels like a bit of a stretch... >>314 If “Argentina” had some old-fashioned orchestral hits added, it'd be even tackier in a cool way. Ah, but then it'd be so cheap that it'd just be tacky. Structurally, it seems influenced by Latin music and canzone and that sort of ethnic music, but the most remarkable part this time is the clever wording riding over it. Coming up with an expression like “Argentina” in the first place—Azuki's sense is impressive. Paired with the melody and vocal delivery, it makes for lines that feel wonderful to listen to. And then there's the bit: “A sigh of lament isn't necessarily an expression of admiration; it might just be a way of hiding disappointment.” It's probably written that way deliberately, but the alliteration also rides the melody so cleverly that it sounds really satisfying.

About how many pages is the newsletter?? I mailed my membership fee in early November. Will I miss this issue... aw.

Thanks for answering. About live shows... If there were Gane fans near me, I'd probably go, but there aren't any... Going alone feels a little awkward.

For a Gane live show, it's basically better to go alone or as a couple.

I heard the new song debuted at number 10 orz. It's such a good song... Come on, do better next week!!

Feels like the main thread is about to get chaotic. Let's keep things relaxed here, as usual. So it's best to go alone or as a couple. Hmm, going alone would be boring, so I'll get a girlfriend, teach her to listen to GARNET CROW, then join the fan club and go to a live show with her. ...Yeah, that's quite a long-term plan☆ Ah, but isn't Ms. AZUKI Nana already my wife? I've messed up~orz

>>324 As long as sales aren't on a downward trend, that's already pretty good. Even THE BACK HORN, whose previous single sold 6,000 in its first week, is still tied in with Gundam. (And I even helped their sales, lololol. I bought the single, lol.) It's about time to give up on expecting them to chart. >>323 With bands like melodic hardcore groups, people want to go and get rowdy together. Gane isn't the kind of thing that gets people hyped up in the first place, and that's actually nice. I think so, too.

GARNET CROW's new song is number 10!? Congratulations on making the top ten! That's GARNET CROW for you! Nothing like Saegusa, who can't sing, has zero songwriting or composing ability, and is ugly, lol.

>>325 You're such a laid-back person. I like that about you, but I'm not giving Ms. AZUKI up to you. Here's someone who traveled alone and had a great time at the Ninna-ji live show. I think it's easy to attend a Gane show by yourself.

Here comes a clueless fanboy. The wordplay in “Argentina” is rich, of course, but it's also interesting how the song reveals a certain view of women from Azuki. That “lamenting...” passage is very Azuki-like, and it's a striking line with an almost hysterical feel.

Since yesterday you've been putting on a public masturbation show. You have no idea what “read the room” means, do you? lol

This isn't the main thread anyway, so I don't think it's a problem. At least let's keep things a little more relaxed here. The ones who need to read the room are the posts that provoke anti-fans and trolls. Seems like something's going on in thread B.

Does anyone have that *MU-GEN* clip? If so, could you upload it?

Argentina became a Spanish ballet star at age nine, but after her father, who was a dancer, died, she seems to have given up ballet and turned to folk dance, and people stopped recognizing her. Eventually, though, she became famous enough to tour across continents as a flamenco dancer. Could that be connected to the lyrics? Maybe they use a relationship between a man and a woman as a metaphor while depicting the way she lived without returning to the ballet world... Am I overanalyzing it?

I think it's an expression of resignation—or maybe frustration—born from a position that's completely collapsed and impossible to return from. But that, too, is a way of life. Since things have come to this, you just want to go all out and get as far as you can. All you can do is leave the rest to fate.

“The noise swirls around me” (fans are there shouting “Yurippe, Yurippe”) “The voice that matters is gone” (she doesn't turn around to look at me much) “With an ambiguous smile” (well, I'm just a fan, so what can I do? I can only gently seal my feelings inside and endure it) “As if running away” (I actually want to get closer to Yurippe, but...) Maybe this is Azuki's own feminine feeling hidden under the surface theme of “the dancer.” Maybe it overlaps with Argentina, too. Though that interpretation above was just a joke, lol.

>>333 It seems like she wants to go back, but also feels it would be pointless. Then she wants to shake off and throw away all that pent-up frustration inside her. Like she's thinking, “I don't care about anything anymore; I'll just rush ahead and see what happens.” Something like that. I don't think you're overanalyzing it at all.

>>336 I see. Hearing it that way makes “Argentina” sound like a god-tier song. It feels like another step forward from “Yume Hanabi.” Ms. Azuki isn't going to leave Gane, is she? Though I don't think she's the type to cram messages into her lyrics...

At first, I thought “Himawari no Iro” revealed Azuki's introspective side. The line “The day you chose to put down that pen that could no longer create anything...” was probably inspired by Van Gogh, so maybe it's just describing Van Gogh's state of mind. But when I think about a pen, I can't help wondering—aren't the same words true of Azuki as a lyricist?

Still, since she often starts with a tribute when creating a work, people here often call her a kind of “book-report lyricist.” But if there's admiration mixed in, there's nothing wrong with her own state of mind overlapping with it. If we don't stop at the framework of homage and try to interpret Azuki's psychology as well, it might make the analysis more interesting. It's just that she doesn't have lines like Ozawa Kenji's that make me confidently say, “This is hinting at a worldview and state of mind.” So it's ultimately speculation, and maybe a bit of a stretch.

By the way, isn't “Meguri Kuru Haru ni” rated way too low?! I think it's Gane's number-one masterpiece...

It's not rated low; people just don't bring it up.

“Meguri Kuru Haru ni” and “Haru Matsu Hana no Yō ni” are an absolutely god-tier pair.

I heard “Meguri Kuru Haru ni” is popular with people who have mental health issues...

The lyrics thread is still there, you know...

“Meguri Kuru Haru ni,” “Haru Matsu Hana,” and “Eien ni Homure” are my top three. Though “Eien ni Homure” and “Kimi Saru” sometimes switch places.

“Haru Matsu Hana” is a good song, but it doesn't get any deeper no matter how many times I listen. For me, it's: 1. “Meguri Kuru Haru ni” 2. “Yume Mita Ato de” 3. “Mikansei na Neiro” For “Yume Mita Ato de,” I like the part before the chorus more than the chorus itself: “...I can't help but search for you” “...we've come such a long way.” “Meguri Kuru Haru ni” gives me goosebumps.

Even though the new song's already out, we're still talking about a bunch of old topics, lol. But that's fine, lol. >>344 The previous thread decided that lyric analysis would happen here. So that one is basically just a thread in name only, not really active.

>>305-310 Thanks for all the replies! The store clerk said, “Under ¥10,000, there isn't that much difference,” and let me audition some high-end models, but I didn't want to spend too much on something that can get disconnected or break so easily, so I bought a ¥5,000 pair of Sony earphones. Yurippe's voice sounds smooth and rich now, so I'm pretty satisfied. (＾＾) I ended up buying other things, too, and ran out of money before I could get the single... orz I'll go back and get it another day.

Personally, I'd really appreciate having lyric analysis in its own thread. When several topics are going at once, long lyric analyses popping up in fragments make it hard to follow. It's fine if someone posts one here, but ideally this should basically stay a lyrics thread.

With earphones, you really do get what you pay for. Spend around ¥10,000 and you can hear things you couldn't hear before.

>>349 In the previous thread, newcomers who analyzed lyrics here got told they were going off topic or being annoying. The lyrics thread became a place to quarantine them. Without that thread, no one here would get criticized for going off topic. There are a lot of people here, too, so we decided to do lyric analysis here as much as possible.

>>350 If you really want to choose, it comes down to how much you're willing to compromise between your budget and your listening setup. For an ordinary person, probably around ¥20,000 at most. Even just once, I'd like to hear the sound quality of something like Sony's QUALIA 010 and Sennheiser's Orpheus (though maybe those aren't even in the same class, lol).

There's no way I'd spend ¥2 million on those things. You could interpret “Sekai wa...” as GARNET CROW's position in the music industry. Taking the fans and public opinion into account, you can already see what's coming. So maybe it's like, “Let's just stay here and watch the trends pass by.” It's precisely because Gane isn't accepted by the mainstream that they can write such fresh lyrics, lol.

I especially like lines like, “I pass the time meaninglessly, counting the streetlights going out one by one.”

>>153 The same thing could apply to “Argentina,” too. Maybe “the noise” means all the people around her making a fuss about sales and reviews, while “the voice that matters” is her own song (Yurippe's voice)... something like that.

>>304 Wait, I just checked and mine are ATH-CK51s, too, lol. This is awful, lolol. orz

>>356 In the end, it's just a matter of preference. Sorry. (＾＾;) Don't worry about it.

I use Sony EX90SLs. They're not unbelievably good or anything, but the sound is quite even and doesn't tire me out, so I like them.

Question! What's the cheapest way to get Gane's singles from the first through the eighth? I don't mind buying used...

>>359 Search the CD shops around where you live. That's how I collected mine. I'm still missing two singles (not counting the phantom release)...

>>360 I just checked, and someone had already posted exactly what I was about to write, lolol. Basically, Yahoo Auctions and Amazon are boring. Nothing beats the joy of finding something yourself!

>>361 Exactly. Finding something is so exciting. Remixes and stuff are ridiculously expensive... but then you find “call my name” brand new for ¥100, ridiculously cheap, and I ended up buying a second copy even though I already had one, lol.

Buying them at Book Off is another option, but somehow used CDs don't really give me the urge to collect them. >>358 I use audio-technica ATH-A500s. They look big and aren't suitable for wearing outdoors, but they're quite light, very comfortable, and no particular frequency range is overemphasized. They're pretty versatile across the range, so they work with most genres.

When I'm out, I only listen to music to kill time or tune out what's around me, so I just use the earphones that came with my iPod. But no matter how much people pursue sound quality, most listeners are using cheap stereos or, at best, headphones plugged into their computers. If mastering is also done with that in mind, am I the only one who thinks there's only so much difference it can make?

In the end, even on 2ch, it seems like only people on the music boards talk about things like sound quality.

Sound quality and all that is just self-satisfaction in the end.

Ringo Sheena and Gane as recommendations...? I did once wonder what it would be like if Shunichi Kameda arranged one of their songs. But their arrangement styles feel completely different. I have no idea what kind of chemistry it would create.

>>365 From the perspective of hardcore audiophiles, nothing except classical and jazz counts as music.

Even so, speaker performance makes a difference depending on the genre. If, while pursuing good sound, you realize you're especially into rock and pop, I think you'd naturally want to check it out on a system that suits those genres~. Still, as you experience the clarity of the sound image and the sense of space, you probably do naturally gravitate toward certain kinds of music.

Shunichi Kameda, huh? I'd kind of like to hear his arrangement of a song like “Ichiban Suteki Datta Hi.”

I don't think Gane will, but Mai Kuraki has started using outside people, so it's not impossible.

Looking at the number of artists he's worked with, Kameda is clearly an arranger with a wide range, able to pull together all kinds of genres, so he's someone you can trust. And he spent a long time with Do As Infinity from their early days as a bassist, arranger, and producer, so I think he'd fit Gane just fine.

That completely contradicts what I just said, lol.

Reading >>372 reminded me: when I listened to Do As Infinity's B-side best-of, I suddenly caught myself imagining Yurippe's voice in place of the vocals. I feel like DAI's songs and Yurippe's songs have something in common... If Gane were produced by Kameda, would they sound like that? But I like Hirohito Furui's work just as much, so it'd simply be interesting if it happened. It's pure fantasy.

In the end, Gane still hasn't been accepted by the mainstream. I think her voice is probably a limiting factor, but without that voice I wouldn't have become such a devoted fan. It's hard to have both mainstream appeal and artistic value.

>>375 Rather than the voice, I think it's more about the circumstances—label, promotion, tie-ins, and so on.

>>376 The circumstances probably are part of it, sure (though GIZA did have Mai Kuraki as a huge hit). But with this new song, I often hear people say, “It's a good song, but I can't get past the voice.” So I can't help wondering what Gane would be like with a different vocalist. And the lyrics probably aren't aimed at a general audience, either... though I don't know how much casual listeners care about lyrics. As for the arrangements, and no offense to Hirohito Furui fans, they do lack something that grabs you immediately. Honestly, I'd lean more toward a Cyber sound or Kameda, like we were talking about above... Still, Gane is what those four people create together, so at least keep going until the day you break up, Gane!

Actually, it's three people doing this.

>>378 http://www.uploda.org/uporg1119538.jpg True, it's three people... lol.

On the other hand, given the bare-minimum release strategy of a music production company, I almost feel like they've done too well already. Kuraki at least had Hikaru Utada behind her as a point of comparison. If Furui wanted to, he could make the arrangements more glamorous, too. But in terms of range and cleverness, I don't think he can beat his mentor. Cyber is in the house/electronica direction. Fans of that sound may love it, but I don't think it has the kind of impact that would really appeal to the mainstream.

Gane is kind of hard to get into, lol. There are still more people who aren't interested. But the people around me seem to like “Natsu no Maboroshi” and “Yume Mita Ato de.”

I happened to turn on mobile TV just now, and this thing called *MU-GEN* was on. At first I thought, “Oh, there's something like this?” Then Gane showed up at Ninna-ji with their new song, so I recorded it. There it was. ...I'm just rambling. The new song is good.

>>377 When I play it for people around me, some say her lower voice sounds steady and reassuring. If you can't stand Yurippe's voice, even good songs and lyrics probably won't be enough to get you into them... Hirohito Furui's arrangements have been too restrained lately, which is a shame. How should I put it? They've lost their edge. I really like arrangements like “Eien wo Kakenukeru...” and “Yūzuki Yoru.” I feel like songs such as “nonsense” could have been transformed completely with the right arrangement. I see—if I'm trying to get my friends into them, I should use “Natsu no Maboroshi” and “Yume Mita Ato de”?

Compared with Aburadako and Tama, her voice is much easier to listen to, isn't it? At most, it's like asking what people think of Benji's voice; even ordinary listeners would just think, “Oh, that's just what this person sounds like.”

Aburadako and Tama, lol—that really dates you, lol. “Natsu no Maboroshi” and “Yume Mita Ato de” don't have the kind of distinctive quirkiness that's so Gane. Though putting “death” into the lyrics of the former is pretty unusual. Around the release of the fifth album, Hirohito Furui kept pushing the guitar parts further and further forward, and in places the piano and synths couldn't keep up, so I was worried. But now, with a new song like this, the balance between the guitar and synth sounds feels good, so I'm a little relieved.

I want to hear Hitoshi Okamoto (Mochi/Okamochi) playing clean-tone guitar. I'm stuffed with all those flashy, overdriven guitar parts that keep leaning on bends and pushing the guitar to the front.

I guess most people are first drawn in by the voice, and then come to like the band. I think a vocalist needs to have some kind of quirk; there's no reason to hate it that much... Still, I think there's some truth to the idea that all those anime tie-ins make casual listeners reluctant to check them out, lol.

First you notice them and get hooked by the quirky voice and music, then you get drawn into the worldview of the lyrics, or fall for how cute Yurippe is, and before you know it, you can't get out.

I remembered hearing “Kimi wo Kazaru” on *CDTV* ages ago, and bought the best-of just to hear that song. It felt like I'd struck a gold mine. Before I even got to “Kimi wo Kazaru,” it was one great song after another. Honestly, I was shocked. When I first started listening, I never thought I'd get this hopelessly hooked, lol.

When Cocco made her comeback, I heard “Rairai” on *Music Station* while watching for her, and it caught my attention. Later, I bought the best-of because I liked the colors on the back cover, and it felt like I'd found a hot spring. When I heard “in little time,” I thought, “Huh?” Then the B-section development and lyrics in “Natsu no Maboroshi” completely pulled me in. Then I was stunned by Nana's beauty in the photobook, and by the time I came to, I was already in deep, lol. At the time, I skipped right over “Yume Mita Ato de” and “Seichi”... I just thought they were ordinary good songs. Without the lyrics, I might not have wanted to listen to them over and over; maybe they wouldn't have become songs that grow on me with each listen.

>>383 If someone isn't interested in Gane, playing them an obscure song will just make them even less interested, lol. It's probably best to start with something that seems more accessible to the general public. Start safely with “Mysterious Eyes,” “Natsu no Maboroshi,” and “Yume Mita Ato de,” then move on to “Last Love song” and “call my name.” That's how I won my friend over. I tried the same person once before, and they said: “You're listening to this gloomy stuff? Is this Miyuki Nakajima?” Then I played “Mysterious Eyes” for them... and they actually started humming along, lololololololololololololol. I brainwashed my girlfriend successfully, too, lol.

As far as music goes, I don't recommend things to other people. How should I put it... >>385 Now that Ossan has put out solo work, I wish he'd add an eight-minute instrumental to a Gane album, too. If it doesn't work with the other members, it could be a bonus track. I recently heard an instrumental by Toshiyuki Kishi with Nishikawa's band that had a techno section, and it made me want to hear something like that again.

>>391 Based on the reactions I've gotten from singing Gane songs for hours at karaoke: “Mysterious Eyes,” “Natsu no Maboroshi,” “Yume Mita Ato de,” etc. → “I know this one,” “It's from *Conan*,” “That's nostalgic.” Popular songs like “Crystal Gauge,” “in little time,” and “Yūdachi no Niwa” → no reaction. Latin-style songs like “Bokura Dake no Mirai” and “Yume Hanabi” → “I like this,” “Maybe I should listen to GARNET CROW,” “That's good.” They get a great response. Does “I like this” mean they don't like the others? lol. Everyone there, including me, was a woman.

It must be your voice, >>393, that kept the appeal from coming across. It's Yuri's voice that makes it GARNET. ...No, I'm not putting >>393 down. Sorry if I offended you. As for me, I sang only “Kakurenbo” at an all-male karaoke session, then left.

I feel like “Kakurenbo” is a fun one to sing at karaoke. Though I've never sung a Gane song myself.

Having Gane do an instrumental—what a wild idea. I think it'd be interesting, but eight minutes is probably too long... By the way, I've been listening to the instrumental version of the new song a lot, too. It's the first time I've done that, which probably says the song is really well made.

Instrumentals by pop musicians never seem to work for me. They either feel like filler thrown together without much thought, or they reveal a kind of inferiority complex. No matter how hard they try, they're nowhere near jazz or fusion musicians in terms of technique and compositional skill. That's just the reality. And pop musicians who really do have that kind of talent get tired of making hit songs and move on to free jazz, like Robert Wyatt. That's just as common.

If you show people the lyrics while they listen to “Kakurenbo,” it can still pique their interest. They think it's pretty interesting, lol. But just like >>392, I've come to feel that I should stop trying to recommend them to people... Rather than talking with people around me who only listened because I recommended them, lately I'd rather get to know people who became Gane fans on their own.

Sorry for the double post. More than an instrumental, I'd like to hear something like an interlude. They could tweak the next song's intro and then launch straight into it. With Ossan's programmed backing, I feel like a long track would become monotonous. Still, I do like the instrumental version of the new song.

Ah, if we're talking about an instrumental, leave out Hitoshi Okamoto's (Mochi/Okamochi's) guitar. It should be made entirely with Ossan's (Hirohito Furui's) programming. Honestly, though, I think Cyber's Miguel would do a better job in that case. But it's Gane, so I still want to hear what Ossan would make~ >>397 Also, avant-garde rock instrumentals have lots of notes, and the compositional skill to bring everything together. I think it's impressive how they keep the development from dragging. Kishi's instrumentals are pretty good, too. I like how they move from a piano section into a rhythmic section. Though it's not especially unusual.

>>393 I also think songs like “Crystal Gauge,” “in little time,” and “Yūdachi no Niwa” are the kind that get better the more you listen. They have that dried-squid effect, lol. I thought this when Mochi sang it, too, but “Crystal Gauge” really has to be Yurippe's voice, lol.

A dreamy piano-based instrumental might be nice. With a limited number of notes, a long arrangement would really test the arranger's skill... Maybe they shouldn't expose too much of the digital-sounding stuff. Still... this is where we should get a Mochi guitar instrumental, right?

>>397

>>403 I secretly agree about a Mochi guitar instrumental, too. Wait, are you making a joke?

I got it wrong. >>397 Come to think of it, unlike fusion, prog metal, or symphonic rock, this isn't really a style that expresses itself through technique and composition. Most of the time it feels more like an interlude connecting one song to another.

>>405 Surprisingly, I wasn't entirely joking. If they did make one, I think it'd be better as a little change-of-pace track just over two minutes long.

If they include one, I think it'd be better to count the accompanying musicians in, too— for example, synths and piano. An instrumental with just Mochi taking up album time feels a little... lol. If they want something experimental, they could make Mochi's instrumental the third track on a B-side.

Rather than taking up one of the three tracks, I'd rather have it as an album bonus, lol.

Actually, the best thing would be for Mochi to release a third mini-album.

>>406 > Prog metal, symphonic rock Aren't those styles just people venting their personal obsessions? Especially the ones with no talent for prog— ELP's *Pictures at an Exhibition* is a clear example of that tendency. It's so embarrassing it makes me want to cry. I can understand why talented people like Bill Laswell and Wyatt quickly saw through prog and moved on to fields where they could express themselves more freely.

For me, an instrumental is best either as a short piece or as something that burns a scene into your mind, like a landscape painting. I can't stand the way symphonic rock and prog metal put technique first and show off with exaggerated structural development. I don't feel like the musical ideas have been properly developed. Though if we're talking about sheer excess, that'd probably be melodic-speed-metal instrumentals. I really can't stand those. With bands like DragonForce, how long are they going to keep racing through dual-guitar parts?

I know where this discussion is going to end. The conclusion is: go listen to classical music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I8VwwuWwLY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DflwD6gEGZQ Anyway, I'd be fine with instrumentals around this level. The drum solo and the guitar with that wavering effect and delay are really flavorful.

There's no need to put that on a Gane album, is there? If anything, it'd just get in the way... After all, this group is centered on Yurippe's music and voice, and Nana's lyrics. There are other, much better bands if you want to hear that kind of thing. Though I don't know any, lol. Still, Ossan's solo instrumental album was good, so I hope he makes another one.

I completely missed the moment, and the mood's wrong, so I'll write this on the back of a flyer. <Back of flyer> Yaaay, I finally got the single~ “Sekai...” The almost nihilistic (？) lyrics are great. The slow, unhurried melody is nice, too. The second track... Hmm. “Arghen (^・x・^)tina...” So cool. This song is so cool. </Back of flyer> That's all.

>>415 But it's only the main focus; I don't see why one extra track would be a problem. I think the arrangements and sound design are part of the group's appeal, too, and it could be nice in the sense of reminding us of the people behind the scenes who support Yurippe. Also, if they considered how an instrumental would fit into the album while arranging it, it could help give the whole album a sense of closure... with Gane's distinctive concept and track order, for example.

I feel like Gane's albums are pretty far from being “conceptual.” But if they did make a concept album, rather than instrumentals, Gane fans would probably be happy with something like BUMP's *The Living Dead*, told as one continuous story, or an album that really foregrounded the lyrics.

For people who care about sound, what do you think of something like “wish★”? Personally, I'd like to hear an instrumental version of it. I adjusted my speaker placement today, and the backing parts became amazingly clear. In a way, I feel like I'd wasted the music by always prioritizing melody and lyrics. A Mochi guitar instrumental, an Ossan instrumental, a string instrumental of a song composed by Yurippe (arranged by Ikeda), and things like that could broaden their range and be interesting— as long as they're treated as supporting pieces, of course. >>416 The back of a flyer? I'll tear off a corner and write there. I like how the lyrics and melody of “Sekai...” sway along at an unhurried pace. If you don't already like Gane, those lyrics probably just sound gloomy, and that's great, lol. “Arghen” is so cool~ “Kanata made Hikari wo” is really growing on me. I recommend listening to it outside on a sunny day. End of flyer corner.

I like “wish★.” I think an instrumental version would be nice, too. It's just that the phrasing is wonderful, and Nana has some rare rhymes in there, so I think I'd miss those parts when listening... >>418 Even if they don't go as far as making a concept album, I at least hope they stop putting “Yume Mita Ato de” first, stringing singles together, and throwing in remixes and things like that.

Four-disc set of rare Gane recordings up for auction! Starting at ¥1,000 http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h56973917

An instrumental with live strings would be nice. If they do one, that's the way to go.

This thread is still as disgusting as ever.

>>418 I couldn't stand it if the lyrics were put first. Ultimately, you need the music and arrangement before the lyrics. My impression of that BUMP album was that the arrangements were completely neglected. “ever lasting lie” is long, but the sounds are too sparse and there isn't much variation in the layers, so it drags. As for “K,” the drum fills are ridiculously mismatched with the song.

With ACIDMAN, the lyrics, instrumentals, and overall album balance all feel great. Though I doubt many people in this thread listen to ACIDMAN, lol. ACIDMAN and I went to the same school, so the other day I went to the *Trinity Trip* live show with ACIDMAN, Raizu, and 10-FEET. But after getting used to GARNET CROW, seeing that was definitely intense.

Oh, lol, there are other fans here! I like Acid. I think *equal* is a masterpiece. “Mawaru, Meguru, Sono Kaku e” is incredible. You're something else, lol. 10-FEET and Raizu are the complete opposite of Gane! You must've been exhausted... Acid has songs you can quietly listen to and songs that get the crowd going. Recently, “Aru Shōmei” and “World Symphony” are high-energy tracks, while “Kisetsu no Akari” feels a little more like Gane.

ACIDMAN's vocals come through clearly live, but on the recordings they get buried under the backing track. Isn't it usually supposed to be the other way around? The band puts a lot of care not only into the performance but into the lighting and visual effects, too. Combined with the band's distinctive worldview, it's easy to get drawn in.

I didn't realize so many people knew them. Honestly, I prefer being able to sit the whole time, like at GARNET's fan event, lol. Live shows are great, but when I headbang, the back of my head makes this weird cracking sound, so I think I'd better stop now that I'm getting older, lolol.

Looking at the Gane fans at live shows, overall they don't seem like people who've ever headbanged, lol. Headbanging doesn't just hurt your neck; it works your abs, too. The muscle soreness is brutal, lol. It's probably better not to do it too often. There's also a story that the Evanescence guitarist collapsed with a cerebral infarction after headbanging too hard. It's pretty well known. Well... if you're thrashing around that hard, it's no surprise something happens to your brain.

>>427 I love those clean-tone guitars with delay on them. They sound almost like there's a synth lead, and make me wonder, “Wait, is there a synth player in the band?”... When I played my friend a recording and told them it was only guitar, bass, and drums, they were surprised~

>>429 I listen to metal, but I can't think of any Gane songs that are good for headbanging... Maybe Yurippe is so reserved that she doesn't encourage us to make really intense moves, either. If we're going to do a gesture, at least let's make “one, two, three” in “Kakurenbo” a regular thing, lol.

“One, two, three” and the wiper swings during ballads are old idol-concert routines. And then there's shouting to the audience in the middle of a song when the mood gets going, ignoring the melody. If they're trying to present themselves as serious artists, I think they should avoid that kind of performance...

http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm738585 Please don't let Gane's live shows turn into this. When I watch the DVDs, I feel like the same person's shouts get mixed in every time. Are there fans like that at their shows, too?

>>431 “Nogaré no Machi” would work. You could totally headbang to that one. That kind of melancholic, distorted sound is something a lot of people do it to. The Evanescence album that came out yesterday has a track like that, too. But Yurippe looks like she'd collapse, so I don't recommend headbanging at Gane shows＾＾

>>433 That's PPPH. It's really bad at Aiko's shows; people can't even read the room during ballads.

>>433 At that live show, Ossan even said, “Let's all make GIZA bigger together.”

Sorry to interrupt the conversation. Yesterday everyone was talking about a band called ACIDMAN. Does this band have anything that Gane fans might like? They seem to get good reviews, so I thought I'd give them a listen.

>>437 You could say no, and you could say yes. There's some overlap in their sense of fantasy and artistry, but their lyrics and sound are completely different. Anyway, borrow their third album, *equal*, first. Its somewhat post-rock, floating feel might work for people who like Gane's first album. Someone mentioned this yesterday, but “Mawaru, Meguru, Sono Kaku e” might give you the feeling you had the first time you heard “Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e” (？).

>>435 I thought Kamiki's songs wouldn't be like that, but it looks like those otaku are starting to take over there, too. Speaking of Kamiki, hasn't she just become a regular pop singer lately? What is Hayama even doing? The whole thing is questionable from the start— they market her as rock, but then hire Ōno as the songwriter.

>>438 I listened to ACIDMAN's current trilogy-like releases. The concept of the three primary colors of light and the lyrics both gave me a sense of a larger theme. The subject matter and sound are different (rock?), but the warmth of the vocals and the songs' intensity feel pretty accessible to me as a Gane fan. When I have time, I'd like to listen to more of them.

That instrumental someone posted here in passing was Acid, right? They're a band with really appealing delay, dubbing, and rhythm section. I don't know them all that well, but I think the bass line in “Akatoshi” is god-tier.

Would you call them a science-minded band? They're an intellectual kind of rock. The vocalist even has a pharmacist's license, which might have something to do with it.

How much of a thing do you have for science students?

A thing, huh? lol.

Quite a few other artists have come up by now, but there aren't many that are easy to get into right away, lol. Like Onitsuka, Hyde, PoS, PAATOS, GRAPEVINE, and so on, lol. They all have such strong personalities.

>>445 But GARNET CROW is like that, too.

Maybe it's precisely because Gane is the central reference point that all these quirky artists come together here. If we made a list in this thread of “albums recommended for Gane otaku,” ordinary people probably wouldn't go for it at all.

PoS? Now we're talking about some seriously obscure stuff.

PoS is still pretty well known. But the Japanese release of PAATOS is sometimes on a label as obscure as Disk Union, so there are probably lots of people who haven't heard of them. Sometimes even Disk Union doesn't have it, lol. By the way, there are a lot of people here who listen to Western music, so I wanted to ask: when you have to import something you can't buy in Japan, do you all pay by credit card? Packages don't arrive. What does arrive is defective. Credit cards get misused. Is it because I'm Japanese that I'm being looked down on, or is this just normal overseas? Whenever something goes wrong, I start wondering. Someone on PAATOS's fan page also wrote about receiving a defective item, so I thought I'd ask. Sorry for the long post.

>>449 When I bought White Willow, the case arrived all scratched up.

>>450 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Japanese companies would never do that; sometimes it makes you wonder if it's deliberate. Even Norway is like that. You wait for it with such excitement, then go to open it... and end up hating them, lol. I just can't deal with it♪

>>447 So I went ahead and put together the artists and albums that came to my mind. I think it's probably these. What a chaotic collection, lolol. PAATOS / *Kallocain* Chihiro Onitsuka / *Insomnia* hyde / *ROENTGEN* the brilliant green / *the brilliant green* Pain of Salvation / *The Perfect Element Part I* GRAPEVINE / *From a small town* ACIDMAN / *equal* Nick Drake / *Pink Moon*

GRAPEVINE gets called “post-Mr. Children,” while PoS has been compared to Dream Theater. They're completely different from those bands, though, lol.

The first time I heard GRAPEVINE, I thought they were like a gooey version of Mr. Children. It wasn't my thing, so I only listened to one album.

The vocalist has such a distinctive style. He sings almost like he's speaking English, so I have no idea what he's saying, lol. If I had to describe it, maybe it's Mr. Children with a more awkward, gloomy feel. I listen to them pretty often when my stress is about to boil over.

If you connect them to Mr. Children's musical worldview, GRAPEVINE feels like the *Deep Sea* period's darkness just carried on unchanged ( ・∀・)y─┛~~ But that feeling of being introspective and yet somehow resigned to it is unique to GRAPEVINE.

Changing the subject, whenever I listen to the first album, I feel like it's the one that makes me imagine the most possibilities for Gane's music~ It has that nostalgic neo-acoustic sound, but if they put in a trippy, fantastical track like “Mizu no Nai...” right at the start, it makes you feel that, like people said above, they could reach into post-rock or ambient and pull it off surprisingly easily.

Aside from the sound, most of the lyrics seem to take little snapshots of everyday life, so it's interesting that there's only one that's a tribute to the Little Mermaid, lol.

I just noticed there's a really gross-colored snake on the first page of the first album's booklet. That snake is so gross.

That cover is pretty elaborate by GIZA standards ( ・∀・)y─┛~~ >>452 It'd be fun if people kept bringing up albums, recommending them to each other, and sharing their impressions. Once we've collected enough, we could use it as a template for the next thread.

Looking back through the old logs, I actually find it strange that there are hardly any discussions of classical music. Yurippe has publicly said that she likes Chopin and Schumann and was influenced by them. There's a line on Schumann's Wikipedia page: > “Extensive use of dotted notes and syncopation to express a sense of power and buoyancy.” Given that, don't you think classical music also influences why GARNET's songs are often described as having a floating, fantastical feel? Slight tangent: someone posted a Chopin etude on the keyboard forum, and it was so amazing I laughed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_5wiKSvYRg

>>461 Isn't that the one that appeared in *Nodame Cantabile*? I wish I could play it~~ For something more obvious, the 3/4 time in “Marionette Fantasia” and the phrasing in “Naked Story” make me think of classical music. The lines “Because I want to experience the same universe” and “Even the tomorrow I can barely see” give me goosebumps. When you listen, your body naturally follows the beat, so when the singing slips out of that rhythm, it creates a sense of dissonance and weightlessness. Speaking of odd time signatures, SIAM SHADE had a song in 5/4, lol.

What's with this direction—are you talking to yourself? I listen to ACIDMAN, too, but what does that have to do with this? When did this turn into a back-of-the-flyer thread for Japanese rock?

Calling something classical just because it's in 3/4... That's such a simplistic way to think, lol.

>>457 But that song only worked because Cyber helped out. Thinking from the members' perspective, maybe it's because Cyber specializes in that kind of thing, but I always felt “Mizu no Nai...” was influenced by Björk's *Vespertine* era. >>463 This thread is for people to write whatever they want on the back of a flyer. The main discussion is in the main thread.

>>461 I don't listen to classical music, so I have no idea＾＾

>>464 Oh no, my attempt to sound knowledgeable got called out, lol. But that “dun-cha-cha” rhythm in “Marionette...” still sounds like a waltz to me, no matter how I listen.

>>467 “Marionette” really does sound like a waltz. I wish the arrangement were a little grander. It feels too restrained, which weakens its impact... If they brought in a full string section and made it orchestral, I think it could reach the level of a classical piece. Am I the only one?

The changing time signatures in “Marionette,” and the playful touches in the arrangement, are really interesting. It feels like a song they carefully crafted while having fun with it. I'm practicing “Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo” with the sheet music right now. Though I can only play it on piano, lol.

>>468 I feel like bringing in grand strings would ruin that toy-box—or maybe picture-book—worldview. Personally, Mochi's arpeggios together with Ossan's string-like synths are just right.

>>470 I don't mean the song isn't good as it is; I just think it would've been nice if it were made into a grander song. It feels a little light. Since it's such a rare type of song for Gane, that's a bit of a shame... I'm not sure whether adding a full string section would be better, though. I actually like the current arrangement, where it feels elusive and lightly floating.

>>471 > I don't mean the song isn't good as it is... No, no, lol, I wasn't criticizing that part at all, lol. It's fine＾＾I understand.

By the way, they added strings to “Marionette” at Ninna-ji, so it should be doable for GARNET's members. Even hearing it at Ninna-ji, I didn't feel like the sound-world had been ruined.

>>471 I already love the current arrangement completely, but it'd be nice to have alternate versions like “Rairaiya.” Ossan must have all kinds of different arrangements lying around... If they added a full string section, maybe it'd turn into a song like “Some Aria Suite,” which could be interesting, too. >>469 Wait, is there piano sheet music for “Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo”?

>>472 Sorry. I didn't word it well. I didn't mean to say that's what you thought. >>473 So they did use strings at Ninna-ji. If it didn't sound out of place, maybe it wasn't an especially over-the-top string arrangement? >>474 I think “Marionette” could be made into several different versions, but maybe they're afraid of ruining the world of the current song... Personally, I don't really like Gane's remixes. I treasure the original songs too much... Wouldn't it be fine to arrange one so dramatically that it sounds like a completely different song? Still, maybe it's precisely because they cherish the songs that they end up arranging them that way...

>>474 Here you go: *Monthly Kayo Kyoku*. It has guitar chords, too, but I can't play guitar (;д;)

You can play the chords on piano, can't you?

>>476, thanks. Huh, doesn't *Monthly Kayo Kyoku* only have chord charts? I can't read chord charts, and I can't read the other notation, either... I should probably learn how to read chords by now...

I really like the distinctive afterglow and slightly muffled feel of Ossan's synth-string parts. Live strings make the sound feel clear and sharp, but I think Ossan's sound is more effective at bringing out the song's character.

Even though they're both synth strings, the thickness and the way the reverberation is applied are different in songs like “Sky” and “Yume Mita Ato de” compared with “Wasurezaki.” I can't tell whether it's a different sample library or a matter of how they're controlled, but the tones are rich and work beautifully with the songs. You can't recreate that live. The overall sound would inevitably feel too grand.

The strings in “Maboroshi” sound a lot like live strings. The song has just the right amount of wistfulness. I wonder if they avoid using live strings even on ballads because they dislike the mainstream scene, or because they insist on performing as a four-piece. I also think that delicate synth-string sound is what gives the songs their poignancy, and I've gradually come to really like it. “Wasurezaki” is a good example.

Wouldn't live strings require a lot of people and money? That's just my own impression... Ossan does all the arrangements, even the drums and such. He must have it rough.

But computer programming does cut costs. You need specialized knowledge to write parts for live brass and strings, so the hassle is that you'd have to bring Ikeda in. Though they could probably still tell him things like, “Do this here,” or “Pull back a little here.”

Of course people and costs are part of it. Also, aside from Ikeda, there aren't many arrangers they'd feel comfortable entrusting with it. Other places can add live strings without a problem.

But in the end, it does come down to the cost and the people involved. Now that I think about it, you're right. Exactly—other places do this all the time, so it hadn't occurred to me before, lol. If they're compromising because of that, it's a shame.

Slightly off topic, but at this point, even if Nana graduated from some bottom-tier college, she still writes great lyrics. “Kanata made Hikari wo” has a lot of edge, too. I wonder if that distinctive sensibility was already developing when she was a student.

I don't think sensibility necessarily has anything to do with education (and humanities and sciences are different, too)... just to put that out there. But you can already feel a strong sensibility in her work from the “80,0” period, right? Though I don't know how good my own sensitivity is, so maybe my opinion doesn't count. Those lyrics aren't just a list of emotions or actions; I don't think you could write them without having those feelings yourself. So I imagine she's been experiencing all kinds of things and building them up since her student days. Still, if there were a girl like that in my class, I'd probably think, “Wow, she's amazing,” while keeping my distance. Either she'd always be treated as a weird girl, or she'd be trying to fit in with everyone around her. Probably one or the other.

Sorry for the double post. >>482-485 If they can't make the sound they want because of staffing or budget problems, that'd be really frustrating. But they use a lot of live strings at places like Ninna-ji... So I get optimistic and think maybe it's not impossible to bring in musicians after all. Also, sometimes computer-programmed parts are better than poorly played live instruments, aren't they? I've had that experience with other artists: the song is great, but then there's a piano that completely clashes with the atmosphere, and I want to cover my ears.

>>487 Personally, I prefer imagining Nana-sama reading under the trees on campus.

Until what age was she still copying books out of the library?

>>487 I only brought up her education because, following the conversation, it felt like my reply would be a little weak if I didn't mention it, lol. Normally, even if education does have an effect, at most it might influence how someone handles certain unusual words. Those words themselves aren't really something you learn in school. I get the feeling Nana listens to people around her, but doesn't get too deeply involved with them. She makes connections, but doesn't feel the need to check up on them or define them. Something like that. If she suddenly said “something personal” in an interview about a song, I'd be stunned. But I know she's not the type to write lyrics like that, lol.

>>489 She'd become the center of attention for a bunch of guys. >>488 Those melodramatic, syrupy ballads with piano and cloyingly sweet strings—songs where the singer seems to know only that one trick—don't work for me. Unless it's a rock ballad with a heavy rhythm section behind it. I really want them to try doing one without relying on strings and piano. Especially recent Mr. Children and Kobukuro. Though, of course, formulaic music isn't limited to Japanese pop... As for strings, I think Gane's approach of using synth samples instead is really good.

>>489 Maybe there are secret Akiba-style fans who are into cute literary girls, lol. But if she showed off in gym class, she'd have secret female fans, too, lol.

Azuki goes hiking and scuba diving, so she clearly doesn't fit the established image of a quiet literary girl. That's interesting.

>>469 > “Marionette” has changing time signatures and playful touches in the arrangement. Where does the time signature change? No matter how I think about it, it's in 3/4 the whole way through.

That was such a late reply, lol.

>>495 But Yurippe herself said the time signature changes.

>>497 Where exactly does the time signature change? I've always thought it was in 3/4, too, lol. But if Yuri Nakamura, who wrote and sang it, said so, she must be right. I just found it surprising, since I'd always thought “Marionette” had a pretty simple melody.

>>498 There are a few places where it goes 3 beats + 2 beats, making 5, so that's why I thought that.

>>499 Which section? I can't listen to the CD right now, so I'll check later. It seems simple, but that's where you can see how carefully crafted it is. Gane really is deep when you listen closely.

The FNS Festival happened, but come to think of it, Gane has never played live when they appear on TV.

>>499 That's no different from playing “tan-tan-ta-ta-tan” in eighth notes over a 4/4 song. If you call that a changing time signature, then most songs in the world would have one. In the end, treating a changing time signature as if it were inherently special is creepy, like some avant-garde rock nerd out of their time...

Changing time signatures aren't just for avant-garde rock anymore. Visual kei, the *Rockin' On* scene, and all kinds of genres use them. Even when a song has one, it doesn't feel like a particularly noteworthy element anymore.

Sorry for the late reply; I just got off work. I'm no expert, and this is just my personal impression. In 3/4, the beats are strong-weak-weak, so up to the chorus it clearly sounds strong-weak-weak. If I explain it using Wikipedia: > “Two beats + three beats (strong-weak-secondary strong-weak-weak), or three beats + two beats (strong-weak-weak-secondary strong-weak).” > Example of 2+3: the second movement of Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony. > Example of 3+2: the main rhythm in the final section, “Dance of the Maidens,” from Ravel's *Daphnis et Chloé* (though the whole dance combines several meters). I'm not an expert, so I can't say for sure, but since Yurippe said she likes Tchaikovsky, maybe it's a 2+3 changing meter.

I don't know the technical terms, so this is just a gut feeling. 1. The chorus turns into 6/4 (the “din-dah-dah-dan” feel makes calling it 3/4 seem a bit strange based on the song's accents). 2. Some oddball in the percussion section is counting it as 5+7. I'm reaching here, but maybe Yurippe meant one of those two things by “changing time signature.” It's also possible Yurippe misspoke, or maybe this isn't something we need to argue over so intensely.

>>505 I listened several times, but all I can hear is 3/4. The chorus isn't 6/4; it's completely in 3/4. Maybe there is a meter change, but not in the chorus. If Yuri Nakamura was mistaken, maybe they changed it during the arrangement stage. I've seen that happen, too.

There's a regular poster here, lol.

>>507 Don't tease me like that, lol. You can really tell...? >>500 was me, too. I'm pretty interested in “Marionette,” so I'll hang around here a little longer.

>>505 > “Din-dah-dah-dan” At that point you've already got 3/4 wrong. To use your way of putting it, “din” and “dan” are the beats.

>>508 It's already too obvious; you might as well pick a fixed handle, lol.

>>510 Next time I'll write in a way that won't give me away, lol. A fixed handle might cause a stir, so I'll pass.

Nah, with only that many posts, it won't cause a stir. Especially not here.

>>501 Then they couldn't invite Kaori Muraji to play classical guitar, either. Being has no social skills; it's always the same people, lol. I'm not saying they have to do a collaboration, but they should stop being so secretive.

> “I don't know the technical terms, so this is just a gut feeling.” Time signatures aren't something you can just describe by feel. This is also one of the few Gane songs in 3/4, and the acoustic guitar riff is memorable, so I understand and agree that you like it and find it interesting. But to answer seriously—and sorry to be blunt—you shouldn't casually make claims based on something you only half understand.

Mochi's arpeggios in “Marionette” are great. They really bring out that fairy-tale worldview. It feels like the dolls in a toy box have come to life. Now that I think about it, the lyrics and music fit together really well, too.

>>514 Yeah, sorry. I thought that if I wrote down my own ideas, someone who knew more might reply. I should've just honestly written, “Can someone teach me?” I thought it was in 3/4, but I was also bothered by Yurippe saying it had a changing time signature, so I went around in circles and came up with a bunch of muddled ideas.

Sorry for the double post. My ID is so annoying, it's got me depressed orz. I'm done posting for today!

Annoying Chinese (lol).

>>516 Don't worry about it. I think this topic is interesting. It's better to put your own opinion out there and start a discussion than to just say, “Please teach me.” I learned a lot from it.

The nice thing about this thread is being able to take it easy here.

>>440 Sorry to interrupt the conversation with a very late reply, but ACIDMAN's new song “UNFOLD” is great. The grand sound and lyrics born from the idea of “the last day of the world” are wonderful. And I don't want to overlook the interplay with “Vega,” the long post-rock-style instrumental on the B-side.

Gakki really shouldn't sing live after all. She's worse than Yurippe was on *Music Station* a year ago. Her falsetto is so unstable. A Budokan show or something would probably be an even more amateurish performance than Gane's first live show. >>520 If you're not careful in the main thread, the discussion turns into a mud fight.

>>522 Who's Gakki? Wasn't Yurippe's first live show adorably awkward? lol. That precarious, amateurish quality is one of the charms of GARNET CROW's vocalist, Yuri Nakamura.

You, lol. That's why I keep telling you to use a fixed handle＾＾ I can't stop wondering. “Gakki” obviously means Yui Aragaki. She's starring in *Koizora* right now. Though I don't recommend watching that movie.

>>524 How did you know it was me? I even made a point of writing “Yurippe”... Is that Aragaki person the vocalist of some band? Is *Koizora* a movie or something? Well, I don't care anyway; I'm not interested. Just testing out using a fixed handle.

You asked, “Who's Gakki?” Who else could it be? lol. And even if you wrote “Yurippe,” saying “Oh, you mean vocalist Yuri Nakamura” would give you away just as much. Changing the subject, about “Rusty Rail”: “Now only the tracks are still here” “On this open stretch, I'm still waiting for the train” “The day I leave this place—the today I imagined is still waiting” Even lines like these casually use alliteration. Did I notice that too late? lol. It's great to listen to in autumn, when the leaves turn vivid orange and red, or at dusk. The way the song compares what connects two people—or their sense of distance—to railroad tracks is brilliant. The simple arpeggio might represent a railroad crossing, too. It has just the right amount of melancholy.

The chorus of “Itsuka Mata Aimashō” also cleverly uses alliteration. Every phrase ends with an “o” sound. It's got a bossa-nova style with a buoyant rhythm, so you can tell she was thinking about the rhythm, too. And of course the content is great; the way she uses the melody so well is what makes her a great lyricist. That's Azuki for you.

>>526-527 That's probably AZUKI's skill as a lyricist. It's probably true that she puts into words what Yurippe's songs are trying to express. I wrote this in another thread, too, but I find it really interesting that “Rusty Rail” uses “I” and “you.” Gane usually uses “you” and “I” in the more casual “kimi” and “boku” forms. The metaphor of the railroad tracks is just brilliant.

Yurippe's distinctive timbre, with its effective low register and quirky vocal style, also brings out the rhymes beautifully. “Mikansei no Neiro” is one example.

>>528 When it comes to lyric-writing ability, more people question whether those self-indulgent ateji readings show any real skill. If you can't understand the intended meaning without opening the lyric booklet, that's fatal for lyrics.

>>530 That's not true. I think lyrics that make you open the booklet and go, “Ah, I see,” are great. Should I say they're deep, or maybe a little convoluted... I think the fact that you can't make out the words without the lyric booklet is also a problem with Yurippe's singing style...

Honestly, there's a lot of AZUKI's self-indulgence in her ateji, too, lol. I don't think there's anything wrong with a professional writer being a little self-indulgent. And I feel like AZUKI writes better lyrics when she's having fun with it.

Compared with the early days, she clearly uses ateji readings much less now. The early lyrics that focused on everyday scenes were good, but you can't deny they sometimes felt like they used ateji to gloss things over. Still, I like that roughness; it really feels like the sound of a band just starting out.

>>530 Even Bob Dylan, who's highly acclaimed, often gets criticized because people can't understand his lyrics. So it isn't fatal.

>>534 Bob Dylan's lyrics are difficult because of their themes and wording. That's a completely different issue. What I'm talking about with Azuki is that the sung sounds and the original words printed in the lyric booklet, without pronunciation guides, are basically two different things, to exaggerate a little. If it's music, isn't it a problem if the expression can't be understood just by listening? It's like a TV nature program showing only distant shots of an animal and saying, “If you want to know what its face looks like or what patterns are on its body, there's a reference book. Look it up yourself.”

>>535 The lyrics are hard to understand, but the spelling changes, too, so sometimes you can't figure out the meaning without the lyric booklet. I'm such a big Bob Dylan fan that I go to his live shows... I've heard even native speakers don't know what he's singing. Philosophy uses ateji readings a lot, too—for example, “rhizome” (stem). Nana herself has said she's read philosophy, so maybe she's influenced by it rather than trying to evade meaning?

>>533 Overall, the early lyrics that captured everyday moments seem to get more praise, but I prefer her current work. The subjects in “Kakurenbo” and “Marginal Man” are distinctive, and the metaphorical writing in “Maboroshi,” as well as the resigned feeling in the new song, show me how broad her expressive range is.

Come to think of it, which line had “rhizome” in it? Wasn't there a book full of Bob Dylan quotes all over the place? Nana's distinctive intensity—or that sense of force in the words she chooses—is the best part. Whether it's the content of the lyrics, rhyme, or ateji, she has a really firm way of expressing herself.

>>538 I think the book with Bob Dylan quotes was *Anti-Oedipus* or *A Thousand Plateaus*. I forget, lol. Anyway, I'm looking forward to Sunday, lol. I want to really enjoy the Nana world.

>>538 I feel like it was in a Deleuze book. Though I don't know what it says, lol. Sunday, huh... I'm in the Kanto region, so I can't catch the radio show live. I really want to hear Nana talk. Was it Ossan yesterday? His segment goes into the arrangements in detail, which is interesting, but of course it's Nana, lol.

Sorry to interrupt the conversation, but does anyone know what the “little joke” Nana mentioned in “Kōfuku na Pet” on Nico Nico was? The song feels like it has a twist, but I can't figure it out. Does “just try to remember” mean something like “be sure to remember me!”?

Maybe it's a metaphor for Yurippe, lol.

>>541 Isn't it Yurippe's cry?

If you interpret everything as a metaphor for Yurippe, you can read all the other songs that way, too, if you dig deep enough, lol. Does “Kōfuku na Pet” reflect Nana's feelings of being close to Yurippe, yet sensing a subtle distance? The “you” in the song is a metaphor for Yurippe. If the only “little joke” Nana can make me think of is Yurippe, then I must be pretty far gone＾＾

Well, Nana's partly to blame for that, lol.

She keeps making comments that bring to mind her relationship with Yurippe, after all, lol. I came here as a fan just because I liked the music, but looking back, I really was drawn in by the members' offhand remarks, too...

So the server was down.

I heard Yurippe sang backing vocals on ZARD's new song, but structurally, is that really a good arrangement? In the end, it's only an unfinished recording, and I wasn't drawn to ZARD's music itself in the first place, so even if the backing vocals are good, I'm not going to buy it.

Besides Yurippe, apparently Ōno and Uura also sang backing vocals. Maybe it's part of the promotional push, but bringing in Uura is... well, I don't know what to say. I don't find it very appealing, either.

Hayama's rearrangement is getting strangely high praise. Did anyone in this thread buy *Glorious Mind*? It doesn't look like it, but I thought I'd deliberately bring it up as a conversation starter and ask.

>>550 I didn't buy it. I used to listen to quite a bit of ZARD, up through “Kokoro wo Hiraite”... I think Hayama is a good arranger, too, but the posthumous marketing is so conspicuous that I have no desire to listen, lol. I want to say, “Promote and sell the living singers properly!”

>>550 Raises hand. I'm a casual ZARD fan, but since they had (at least the chorus) recorded with the intention of releasing it, I bought it anyway. People may have mixed opinions about Hayama's arrangement, but it has soul. The piano, guitar, and backing vocals are all great. The distinctive airy quality in Yurippe's voice blends really well with Ms. Izumi's voice. It feels like they made good use of it. But that marketing really has gone too far. Knowing when to stop is important, too, Mr. Nagato.

Yurippe's backing vocals alone aren't enough to make me want to buy it. I didn't buy the one with Saegusa and Iwata, either.

I don't see anything in ZARD beyond that kind of universality that appeals to a wide range of ages, so they don't attract me. Well, being popular with the general public was their original concept, so maybe it's a little tactless of me to say more... Still, I did listen to some of their later work, a little—just a little—more seriously.

ZARD have a lot of good songs, but honestly, if you're a Gane fan, doesn't some of it feel a little too lightweight? AZUKI and Ms. Sakai's lyrics are completely different. Maybe what they have in common is that they write about small, unremarkable things in everyday life. But AZUKI uses expressions that feel like emotions buried deep inside, while Ms. Sakai seems to put her feelings right on the surface and write about herself in the moment. That's just my personal impression, though.

During their peak, they experimented with things far from ordinary pop, like muted rhythmic riffs and expressive string bends. But in the end, they still stopped at making catchy songs. Ōno's later compositions, by contrast, have a restrained, lonely feeling—the kind of ZARD songs I actually like. And I sense a little of what I'd call a good kind of bite.

>>556 Was that around *Forever You*? Personally, I quite like that album. I also really like “Mō Sagasanai” and “I Still Remember.” I haven't listened to the later stuff at all, so I can't really comment. I remember Yurippe wrote a song for them, too, right?

Overall, their later work is still a little bland, but it does have some melancholy and delicacy. I find it interesting when lyrics occasionally take a slightly detached perspective, like “Even machines get tired (broken), though they have no heart,” or “Where there is light, there is also shadow, together with a cry of grief.” Her voice isn't a piercing, squeezed-out high note; it sounds more like a woodwind riding on breath. I think that's one thing she has in common with Yurippe, and it doesn't get tiring to listen to. Sorry for going off topic.

This thread doesn't really have anything that counts as off topic.

There's not really anything that counts as off topic here. We often chat about music. If anything, you can start as many topics as you want.

Thanks. Now that I'm on a roll, here's another post. >>557 The song Yuri Nakamura provided was the title track, “Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsgIwOFUBMs It really sounds like a Yurippe song(^^), especially the chord progression at the end of the chorus. Maybe Ms. Sakai felt something from it, too; there are a lot of unusual lyrics like, “Someday you'll understand that taking the long way around is also a meaningful lesson.” Sometimes I automatically imagine Yurippe's voice singing it, and wonder what kind of lyrics AZUKI would have written for it.

>>561 Thanks! The kids are asleep right now, and I don't want to wake them, so I'll listen when I get a chance. That's a really interesting question. What kind of lyrics would she write... If the song had been given to AZUKI before Ms. Sakai wrote it, would it have ended up with similar lyrics or completely different ones? There's no way to know, but I'm genuinely curious.

>>558 Sorry for the double post. Personally, I think Yurippe's and Ms. Sakai's voices sound completely different. Sakai's feels like it pierces upward from below, while Yurippe's feels like it presses down from above. I'm not explaining it well, lol. Maybe I feel that way because their singing styles are different? My impression is that Sakai leans toward the higher register, while Yurippe leans toward the lower one. That's just how I hear it...

Yurippe's and Sakai's voices are completely different. Sakai's voice is thin but has substance, cuts through well, and is easy to listen to—in other words, a “beautiful voice.” Yurippe's is thick and muffled, definitely not easy listening, but it can be addictive to some people. I only know ZARD's famous songs that everyone knows and “Tomatteita...” so I can't really say much. ZARD and Gane are in completely different areas and don't have much overlap, so I haven't had many chances to listen to them. The only Being artist I'm really interested in might be Aiko Kitahara. She's cute, lol.

In Being, is it basically just B'z (including their solo work) and Gane that have managed to find a decent compromise between individuality and sales? ZARD's ability to stay popular with the general public for a long time, with everyone able to sing along, is impressive. But they always seem to be followed by this sense of “playing it safe,” which is complicated.

Adding the word “well” actually makes the sentence sound strange. >>561 Honestly, Sakai didn't really pull off this song. The rhythm and the vocal both sound like a struggle.

>>565 Isn't it because of the difference between writing your own music and not? Inaba's solo work is completely different from B'z, and Uesugi went in a completely different direction after leaving Being, so I think Ms. Sakai probably had songs she really wanted to sing, too... Though I won't deny that she sang songs that were safe bets commercially.

I think some people want to make music that won't sell, while others want to make music that will. B'z, especially Matsumoto, are the latter. Though maybe they make pretty hardcore stuff within the category of music that sells.

I listened to “Tomatteita...” but Sakai's voice doesn't suit it. I also think Yuri Nakamura's songs only come alive when Yuri Nakamura herself sings them. ZARD should sing songs that suit ZARD. But maybe the point was more to experiment...

Still, it fits her a little better than the songs given to Saegusa. They haven't managed to bring those provided songs to life. Iwata's “Sorairo no Neko” is just so-so, too.

I think the song written for Saegusa is pretty much a masterpiece. And the song provided to ZARD, too— I wish Nana would rewrite the lyrics and Yurippe would sing it as a remake.

If they're going to cover it, they'd have to change the arrangement, too, to something with that nostalgic Being flavor, like “Tokei.” The riff has a Being sound to it^^

I haven't listened to those songs enough to say whether they're masterpieces, but Yuri Nakamura's compositions really don't suit other singers. Writing songs for other people is hard. Maybe there are people like Oda who imagine the singer first and write for them. My impression is that Ms. Yuri Nakamura writes songs assuming she'll sing them herself, which is why they don't match when someone else sings them. When writing for someone else, you have to read their vocal image and what they want to express, then reflect that in the song. And the arrangement is important, too. Even if the song and the singer's image are far apart, sometimes the arrangement can make up for it somewhat. It's hard to write for someone else exactly as you imagine. It's really difficult...

Maybe Yurippe's songs that were provided to Sakai, Saegusa, and Iwata weren't written for them at all. Maybe they were songs she'd already written for herself, and they just happened to get picked up.

>>574 If that's true, the company is awful. I've heard of cases where someone writes a song intending to sing it themselves, decides it doesn't suit them, and lets someone else sing it. I wonder what really happened... Still, you can't say Yuri Nakamura just does whatever the company tells her, but it does look like they're using her as a convenient utility player.

I think Yurippe is at least treated seriously as an artist, but the men (not just Gane—Ōga, Kurumatani, and all the others) really are utility players for Being, lol.

Yurippe's songs being provided to other artists is probably just a way to give Gane some prestige. Or rather, to promote “Yurippe the composer,” not Gane itself.

I'm a ZARD fan, and lately I've gotten interested in Gane. Any recommendations? Also, seeing everyone in the earlier replies call ZARD “safe” over and over was a little disappointing... I personally really like “Tokei,” the song provided by Ms. Nakamura, and those other works that don't fit the usual impression of late-period ZARD...

>>578 So there are ZARD fans who get interested in Gane, too. Anyway, I think you should start by listening to a BEST album.

>>579 Thanks. I'll borrow one next time. The reason I got interested was actually “Tokei.” It made me think Ms. Nakamura really knows how to write a good song. The version at >>561 is a live version, so it's in a lower key, but the CD version is even better. Since I've gone off topic, I'll leave the ZARD discussion here.

Sorry to interrupt the flow, but are there any Gane-related blogs or websites you'd recommend? I'm looking for somewhere that does thoughtful reviews, not just trendy fan-gushing.

Music buffs would never listen to something like Being.

What's a “music buff,” anyway? lol.

>>582 Music buffs don't choose what to listen to based only on the label.

・・・・・・・・

>>578 Not many people listen to ZARD's later songs, so most people probably have a stronger impression of their earlier period. I personally like the delicate melodic lines after Aiko Ōno started providing songs, but I also got interested in Gane after the September live show and “Tokei...” and became a fan later. Some people may disagree, and everyone's experience is different, but I think there are similarities between the two and it's possible to like both. From my perspective, I'd recommend these: “Kimi to Iu Hikari” http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=W0v-ZlSVFNE “Kaze to RAINBOW” http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=CaaILatR-K0

Sorry, that last post was just me scribbling nonsense on the back of a flyer.

I've been saying this: there's basically no such thing as off-topic here＾＾ >>581 Batsumaru's site talks about Gane and Being as a whole, but it's not exclusively about Gane... Oh, still, the links on that site might lead to more specialized sites. Anyway, try searching for “Batsumaru no Entertainment Mondō.”

>>588 Thanks! >>581 If you're looking for lyrics, JPC's blog seems pretty thorough... I think. Search for “JPC AZUKI” and it should come up.

Not really related, but this is something I post regularly, so here it is: http://garnet.s22.xrea.com/

>>575 Around 1991, B'z also had a song whose lyrics weren't written yet except for the chorus, but whose arrangement was already finished. It was taken and given to another artist without permission, then released under some “first-time production” kind of label. So I've come to accept that this has been a common thing at Being for a long time.

>>576 Whether he's a utility player or not doesn't matter, but hiring Ōga as a composer and arranger is definitely weird, lol. Why not just have him do guitar support? Both Kurumatani and Ōga are technically impressive musicians.

Ōga's guitar is perfect for live shows. He's technically great, too. As for Mochi's role... lol.

He also appeared on *Theatre Of Strings*, which featured Matsumoto and Haruhata. Ōga doesn't just play guitar; he sways his whole body, lol. Kurumatani is a very showy performer, too. His near-double-kick-speed runs combined with fills around the toms are amazing. How did he end up being kept by Saegusa? lol.

Ōga's programmed parts have an absurdly flat, clappy feel^^ An arrangement that bland and lifeless is impressive in its own way.

Saegusa INDb's lineup is so luxurious, lol. I wish Kurumatani were in Gane... That's what I thought after watching the “Hare-dokei” PV.

Kamei's playing on “Futari no Rocket” wasn't necessary. The fills are way too formulaic. I don't know if the live sound was affected by the PA and equipment, but the sound didn't cut through well, so it was unpleasant to listen to.

By the way, has anyone here experienced the Nana World? I'm so jealous...

Raises hand.

Nana's talk is god-tier. That person could just talk and I'd be happy, lol.

Nana should be a guest on Hitoshi Okamoto's radio show more often. Considering the time slot, it seems like it's right around her bedtime, lol. Still, she really keeps a healthy, regular schedule... Mochi, on the other hand, is probably a night owl who keeps eating late-night snacks.

I think the show is recorded during the day, so it should be fine. But why was she so sleepy? lol.

And having to record with Mochi probably made her feel like it was a hassle, adding to her sleepiness. Yurippe wasn't there, either, lol.

I'm curious how different next week's show will be with Yurippe there, lol. ...Though I can't listen to the radio anyway orz.

Slight tangent, but I can't be the only one who thinks Manami Honjō, who appears in *Galileo*, looks like Nana.

>>605 I haven't watched *Galileo*, but Honjō and Ms. AZUKI do have a similar air about them.

Maybe it's the eyes? Though their personalities are completely different, lol. Well, I don't really know what the other woman is like, either.

>>607 If anything, it's their personalities that are similar. They both like walking, traveling, plants, bugs, and things like that.

Maybe people think that because, even though she's that age, she still has a cute quality, and a calm, warm atmosphere about her. Their eyes do look alike.

>>608 Yeah. I remember she said she got interested in hammocks, bought ten medaka fish, and has a lot of insect reference books. She used to go camping overnight with her mother and pick wild plants as a child. If you raise a girl like that, will she turn into that kind of beauty? Probably not, orz.

>>608 I don't think that woman has the same kind of coolness or boyish quality. My impression of Ms. Honjō is that she's fashionable, like an ordinary woman you'd see around town.

When I think of Ms. Honjō, I think of a book lover and avid reader.

>>611 Ah, true. And now she's a mother, too, so even more so. Her mannerisms are feminine. Though she's pretty straightforward in her demeanor, so I'd call her androgynous (from a woman's perspective). But Nana is even more boyish and cool, lol. Just looking at her face, Nana is quite feminine, though... Is it because she sits with her legs so far apart? lolol.

I used to think nobody looked like Nana, but now that you mention Manami Honjō, I can kind of see it. If you're looking for women who are beautiful or cute, you can find quite a few—not as many as stars in the sky, but still. But someone who gives off a cool, almost boyish impression is really rare.

Nana-sama really is a mysterious person. Her face and figure are beautiful, but more than that, I like her overall aura. Yurippe has an indescribable masculine quality, too.

Manami Honjō has a round face, and I don't think short hair suits her very well. Nana is taller and more slender. I guess the impression her eyes give you plays a big part.

Yurippe seems kind of dignified lately... By the way, I thought she looked a little like Kanda from some *Weekly Shōnen Jump* manga in that black coat at the *TWILIGHT VALLEY* live show. Sorry, sorry orz.

Yurippe has a mysterious quality, too. How should I put it? An almost artificial beauty... Or maybe she's not very human, or inorganic, or kind of pale, lol. But she's cute.

In the “Yume Mita Ato de” PV, Yurippe singing in the studio has a round face and looks a little fuller than in other footage. She looks quite different. Her hairstyle is different, too...

Yurippe is especially cute in that PV. She looks cuter in videos than in photos. Maybe she's not very photogenic?

>>620 She looks better in motion than in photos. I think Yurippe was a little rounder around the Ninna-ji show, lol.

She was round! lol. So cute! lol.

The “Yume Mita Ato de” PV feels kind of amateurish overall. Yurippe's choreography is stiff, and Nana's keyboard playing is... well... Though it's a PV, so she probably wasn't really playing seriously anyway.

Doesn't Nana only play live? Was it Hirohito Furui who played on the CD?

Hirohito Furui handles the parts and synth layers, but Nana herself plays the piano, right?

They often talk about Yurippe, Mochi, and Hirohito Furui recording, but I've never heard of Nana going to the studio, so maybe she didn't perform on the CD.

Most of the piano on the CDs is programmed by Ossan (Hirohito Furui). The piano pieces like “Mizu no Nai...” and “in little time” were played by Miguel. I don't think Nana took part in the recording, though apparently she sometimes watches the vocalist record.

Would a programmed part sound that clear? Isn't that attack just the keyboard's direct tone? Though it's totally possible Ossan does both.

Ah, by the way, when you say “programmed,” do you mean Ossan played it?

>>628 With keyboards, one person usually layers pads and synth notes with piano sounds. It's rarer to separate the piano and the other parts. Basically, Nana's role probably doesn't make much difference musically, whether she's there or not. Even without Nana, Gane's sound would pretty much be the same, live included. Her keyboard (piano) part feels like a role they forced into the band just so they could include her lyric-writing and visual presence, lol.

>>630 Maybe that's where her inferiority complex comes from—the “the other three are all so capable...” kind of feeling. Her comments about disliking live shows might come from that, too. >>627 She watches them record? Leaving aside the joking interpretation that she goes because she wants to be with Yurippe, is there any need for her to do that? Do they change the lyrics on the spot when it's really hard to fit them into the song? Still, I can't imagine Gane without Nana. Her playing live has a subtle, slightly delayed feel that's really flavorful. Ever since hearing it at Ninna-ji, I can't listen to the CD version of “pray” anymore.

>>631 I saw a post saying she goes to the recording because she wants Yurippe to pay attention to her, lol. Maybe when she's at the office for filming, interviews, and other things, she just drops by to watch? They probably don't need Nana when the vocalist is recording, anyway.

Why can't you just understand that Yurippe can do her best because Nana is there? Honestly.

If I were Nana, I'd definitely go peek in＾＾ It's such a buzzkill to question whether there's any need for that＾＾

And of course, part of it is to go cheer her on...＾＾

If someone has some talent in lyrics and visual presentation, they'll force them into the group somehow. That's so Being.

They forcefully branded them as a “serious, authentic” act, but they really did evolve into a group with good musicality. It's rare for one of Nagato's groups to become this genuinely “authentic.” Well, with Ossan around, they can always get an average score.

There are videos on GT of a Pan Kōjō live show with Nana and Ossan as guests. ...Nana's pretty good at piano. Are Gane's songs just too difficult, or does she usually spend so much time watching Yurippe that she doesn't pay attention to her own hands...?

>>638 I think they're easy enough if you've studied piano normally. I don't think the piano parts in Gane's live shows are especially hard, either, but there are so many songs, so it must be exhausting. Maybe she just hasn't practiced enough. Someone like Hirohito Furui might be able to play just by looking at the sheet music, without practicing (or even improvise).

At least she's not miming, and that's already good enough. Before joining Being, Ossan spent every day fiddling with synths, samplers, equipment, and sound settings. After joining the company, he did a lot of work as an excellent arranger. By comparison, Nana, whose focus is lyric-writing, is overwhelmingly behind in technical skill. It's sad, but it can't be helped. Still, even if Nana's looks were only decent, they'd probably have added her as a keyboardist anyway.

That last sentence doesn't even make sense to me now＾＾Sorry, lol.

Still, if it were just Yurippe and two men... it feels like it'd be tough. Tough for Yurippe. Even if you don't think of them as men and women, it must be hard being the only woman among all the male support members (except backing vocalists and strings). If Nana hadn't been at Being back then, maybe someone like Miho Komatsu would've joined instead. Or maybe not? Sorry for all the what-if speculation.

Yurippe goes on the radio and does interviews alone now, but back then she must have always done those things together with Nana. Back then, Yurippe didn't just lack confidence by herself; she didn't give off the impression of someone who could act on her own at all. Without Nana, the Yurippe of today wouldn't exist. In the first place, she wouldn't have become “Yurippe.”

By the way, a well-known mixed-gender group is Every Little Thing. There's also dat (did they break up?) and DAI (disbanded). But those lineups are basically built to showcase the female vocalist. The singer's contribution to making the songs is limited to writing lyrics at most. I think Komatsu would've been the one. Among the women who write lyrics for Being, she's probably the only one with ability close to Nana's, and she's never been exposed in the media. I don't know for sure, but she probably isn't bad-looking, either.

DAI's lineup makes you think, “If Nana weren't there, Gane might've turned out like this...” Vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. Well, I think the songwriter Nagao was a guitarist, too. The vocalist, Van Tomiko, also seemed introverted, and the guitarist, Ōwatari, did almost all the talking. Later, the songwriter moved into the background, they shifted from programmed music to a band sound, lost their direction, and disbanded. ...Thank goodness Nana was there ((＠Д＠)) >>643 That last sentence is so true, lol. I can't even imagine people at a live show shouting “Yuri-chan!”

DAI didn't use much programmed backing even in their early days. Kameda was involved a lot on bass, though the members changed each time, and I think the drums were almost always recorded live. I think DAI was a group whose musical direction changed terribly, influenced by Avex's mainstream sound and high-energy live shows.

>>645 When they started releasing catchy, easy-to-understand music like melodic hardcore, I already felt like it was over. I wanted them to stick with music that kept the dark, heavy elements of their early work while still being easy to listen to.

In the power-pop and rock-ballad period, Ōwatari's thick guitar sound was great. It's very different from Mochi's clean-tone guitar and delicate style. That rough sound with the fuzz cranked way up is something Mochi doesn't have. Though there's no need for him to use it, lol.

Nana is also really good at fitting lyrics to Yuri's music. It feels like Nana has stepped into the spotlight in GARNET, too. I think the way they influence each other is what created the Yuri and Nana we have today. Of course, Hirohito Furui's arrangements and Mochi's easygoing nature are important, too.

I'm sure it's not just my imagination that Mochi is gradually becoming more prominent. He's nowhere near Ōwatari's level yet, but maybe Ossan is giving him more room: his solo lines are memorable, and his riffs are getting cooler and cooler. He even uses bends now, which he didn't before. Mochi, is it finally your turn to shine?

>>649 I agree completely. I think this is a band where all four members are different and help bring out the best in one another. Being able to do live shows is a big part of it, too, right? Could it also be a positive thing for the other members that the most visible one, vocalist Yuri Nakamura, started out as an amateur? I think GARNET CROW's members were the perfect people for Yuri Nakamura to meet.

You don't have to force yourself to call her Yurippe, lol. I totally understand how you feel... lol. Why not just call her Yuri Nakamura? lol.

>>652 I'll do that, then, lol. “Yurippe” is awkward to say. If I could meet members like the ones in GARNET CROW, my life might've gone in a different direction... It's a cliché, but I really do feel like fate guided us. If it was fate that brought me together with Yuri Nakamura, maybe I'll get to meet her someday, lol.

>>651 >>653 That's Kote, right?

>>654 I was trying so hard not to stand out, lol. It had been quite a while since anyone figured it out, lol.

You've posted so much, whether it's your writing style or the way you talk, your habits are pretty obvious, lol.

By the way, you already gave yourself away at >>652. First, the way you used “Yurippe” was unnatural, and on top of that, the way you praised her made it obvious at a glance. If, besides those two things, you're still posting from a phone, then it has to be you.

Mochi said on the radio, “We all worked separately on things like filming, so it wasn't until we acted as a group at live shows that I first felt the atmosphere between the members...” When Gane makes songs, do they hardly discuss anything with one another? (Though I've heard Nana watches Yurippe record, and Ossan watches Mochi record.) Could the lyrics and melody end up completely different from what Yurippe imagined? Ossan also said, “Even after you've worked hard on an arrangement, it only takes a moment for it to get rejected.” Could Yurippe ever say, “This isn't the sound I wanted!” and reject an arrangement that's already been finished? lol.

>>656-657 I see, lol. Looks like I'm no good at pretending to be someone else, lol. >>658 In the end, I guess the bigger issue is whether it's difficult to sing, right? If Yuri Nakamura herself tries singing it and finds it difficult, maybe she changes the arrangement in her own way to make it easier? I've done that myself when I tried to sing something, found it didn't suit me, and changed it without asking.

http://www.audioleaf.com/torn/ Sorry to interrupt the conversation, but isn't this pretty good?

>>660 I like the voice and the songs, but the arrangement is too noisy.

It's a mixture-style band, kind of modern heaviness, so it's not the same genre as Gane. But I thought some people might be into its melancholy—or distinctive lyricism—so I posted it. They have a female vocalist, too. Mellotron, violin, backing vocals, plus effects that create a sense of space—could those sounds be getting in the way? lol.

No, I think what makes it noisy is the hard-edged quality of the guitar riffs. But I think it's cool and I like it. For an indie band, they're remarkably good.

>>660 I listened right after waking up, and my ears hurt, lol. I don't really like heavy songs, so all the tracks sounded pretty much the same... But it has a great atmosphere and is cool; it feels like it'd work well as video-game music. I think I like “SLY.” The voice sounds a little like Hikaru Utada. I also like the arrangement of “Hyōryū” and “Ambience.”

>>660 The indie scene is pretty impressive, huh? I had no idea... There are lots of bands doing well on that music site across genres like post-rock, emo, and grunge. That band feels like a good mix of Japanese pop sensibility, Nordic gothic, and modern-heaviness elements. Among bands that mix gothic and modern heaviness, they're probably one of the more accessible ones. I hope they make their major-label debut soon and help make that kind of music more popular.

AZUKI666

>>666 That's so METAL.

Haven't seen a lucky-number post like that in ages, lol.

>>660 http://www.audioleaf.com/schoolfoodpunishment/ Personally, I probably like this one more. Both bands have been mentioned on a certain admin's site, but in terms of a floating, spacious sound, this one seems more likely to suit Gane fans. It has stronger electronic and post-rock elements. Though the preview tracks here might sound more like ordinary pop, lol.

Ahh~ was everyone on Mochi's radio show yesterday—Yuri, Nana, Mochi, and Ossan... I really want to hear it. I bet it was lively, all things considered. I think Nana must've been in a great mood, lol.

Nana once accidentally called Yurippe's mother, and stuff like that is perfect material for the Yuri-and-Nana thread, lol. But over there, if the two of them say even a little bit, the fans are probably satisfied already, and the jokes just keep coming, lol.

That thread is basically a group of fanfic writers in a way, lol. But their “Yay!” and “Yahoo!” at the start of the radio show were cute. The male members being relaxed (maybe too relaxed) was nice, too. When I first learned about them, I never imagined the four of them would be so close and so soothing, lol. I thought they were just a bunch of cold, opinionated creators... (The two women are both beautiful, so I thought they'd be at odds; Mochi's gender and age were a mystery, and Ossan seemed like a shut-in.) Still, four might be a good number for a group, relationship-wise.

Yurippe and Nana really are close. They hang out and travel together in private; it feels like the two families visit each other. Even if you're not into the yuri angle, it's still great as a fan.

Mochi's age and gender are a mystery, lol.

Ossan and Mochi both seem like the type who don't push themselves forward, so from a woman's perspective, they'd probably be easy to work with. Yurippe (lately) seems like she can get along with anyone, but Nana doesn't seem good with someone like Ōga, lol. There are lots of behind-the-scenes men at GIZA who seem easy to get along with. Mochi and Shimeji feel like the classic characters everyone teases, lol. At Pan Kōjō live shows, even the audience and guests make fun of them, lol.

At Being, the people who keep their egos in check tend to do the best work. No, Ōga has a huge ego, but besides guitar, he's not useful for much, lol. Setting Ossan aside, Mochi's personality really comes through in his songs and arrangements. There's this feeling that he can never quite cross the line, no matter what, lol. Understated melody lines, slightly edgy chords, and strings and synths that are subtle but effective—it's hard to describe, but that's his arrangement style.

Mochi, Ōyabu and Ishibashi (lol) from Saegusa INDb don't really push themselves forward (craftsman types). Ōga, Kurumatani, and PON are much more forceful (artist types). The contrast was interesting when Kurumatani was a regular on Mochi's radio show, lol.

Yurippe looks kind of intimidating in photos, so at first I wondered if the vocalist and the gentle-looking keyboardist were on bad terms. Looks like I was worrying for nothing, lol. I think their age difference is probably a good thing, too. And even without the yuri angle, Nana-sama really adores Yurippe, lol.

Ōga and Kurumatani are great performers, so isn't that a good thing?

>>678 I've been a fan since the early days, and even then I thought they were close. The magazines had a lot of things in them that would make today's yuri fans really happy, lol.

>>673 Same here. As a fan, I'm just happy that the members are close.

They're close, the men are gentle and dependable, and they work well as a team. The members' roles are clearly divided, so there aren't conflicts over their positions in making the music. Maybe they have similar tastes, too, so there aren't musical differences. No wonder they've managed to keep going. >>679 That's why you keep that kind of ego in check among the support musicians, lol. Kurumatani aside, Ōga... Though sometimes Ōga gets carried away even in his playing, which is a bit of a problem, lol.

Gane hasn't really been around that long, has it? Most of the people GIZA debuted after Kuraki are still around (not counting those who got fired, lol). >>682 Isn't Gane's musical identity really Ossan and Yurippe's? Isn't Mochi different? He doesn't take part in songwriting. Given Mochi's personality (and Ossan's, too), I don't think he'd butt in about the direction or musical identity. Even if they didn't get along, I don't think the agency would let them disband.

When you say they're “still around,” I wonder if that really means they're still active as artists... >>683 But doesn't he record the guitar parts? That's Mochi's main role. It's just that he doesn't compose or arrange. (He admits that himself.) Since everyone's roles are already set, they don't butt in saying “Let me do it,” and create disagreements over musical direction or position. Though he probably wouldn't speak up anyway (or maybe he can't). I personally don't like this kind of uninteresting setup very much, but the results of working this way are things I like, so it's hard to complain, lol.

Come to think of it, where did Glass Arcade go? They were around about the same time as New Cinema Tokage, and had that quiet, very Being-like image... I worry that being too close might make people cover for one another, but I don't get that feeling from Gane. It's interesting. Did Mochi come up with his own guitar solos? I got into Gane because of the instrumental break in “Himawari no Iro,” so Mochi's guitar is an important part of the band for me.

Solos, riffs, and choosing tones with effects pedals— all of that is Mochi's job. But Ossan is the one who decides how much space to give him and plans the overall structure.

>>672 Never mind the age—what do you mean about the gender? lol.

>>687 No, I mean he's small, and not very tall... plus he seems so delicate and sensitive. I actually thought he was a girl. Sorry, Mochi.

Some people even think Nana is a man... And Mochi could almost pass for a slightly stocky woman, couldn't he? lol. His hairstyle, build, and the fact that he doesn't seem very muscular...

I used to have an image of Mochi like JIRO from GLAY. He had a fresh, boy-next-door feel, and was kind of cute. Back then, he was a prince.

>>690 He's nothing like JIRO from GLAY, though... lol. I picture him more like Nobita from *Doraemon*, lol. I never thought Okamocchi was handsome. But I do think Nana is cool.

Doesn't Mochi look like Iwai? Their height, face, and vibe... That vocalist from Sukima Switch looks a lot like Mochi, too.

Hey, lol. Look at the BEST album photos. There's exactly one where Mochi looks handsome. Well, maybe it also depends on the photographer's skill, lol. >>686 He doesn't need to use distortion all the time. Just give him a longer solo section and that's the best. On the new song, Mochi's recorded guitar parts are placed really nicely. He doesn't need to start off with bends or some flashy riff. Don't do it like the fifth album.

>>692 Ōhashi from Sukima Switch has put on weight. Maybe that's why he looks a bit like Mochi. By the way, has it already been mentioned that the keyboardist looks like Kuroda from Kobukuro?

Then Ossan and Mochi should aim to be like Kobukuro. Show everyone you're not just sidekicks to Yurippe and Nana.

Expecting the men who work behind the scenes at GIZA to be good-looking may be asking a lot. If Gane's backing members were (front-of-stage types like) Tokunaga from doa, Hirayama from WAG, schon, or DAIGO, it might work and look much better. But the worst part would be seeing Yurippe become all shy and demure in front of handsome guys. Still, I'd be interested in Yurippe composing and Tokunaga arranging. And since Mochi composes and arranges, too, I think it'd be nice if even just one B-side were composed or arranged by Mochi.

I think Tokunaga's arrangements are really inconsistent in quality. Still, wouldn't it be good to use more different writers to broaden their sound? L'Arc-en-Ciel put out a new release recently, and listening to it a little reminded me how powerful it is that all four members can compose.

Keep Nana as the lyricist, but they could bring in outside composers or arrangers (one or two songs a year). Of course, even with Yurippe composing and Ossan arranging as they always have, I have no complaints at all. But maybe it would be stimulating for Yurippe, both as a vocalist and as a composer. Come to think of it, Yurippe apparently went to see Fergie's live show. Will their next live show be like that? lol.

>>698 I disagree! If they want to do that, they should do it as solo projects. Gane is, after all, AZUKI's lyrics and Yurippe's compositions. They can change the arrangements, but I hope they keep that core formula intact. In the end, that's what GARNET CROW is.

>>698 If they were going to bring someone in, they should ask Gwen Stefani, lol. Fergie's good, too, though, lol. My concern is that breaking the division of labor they've kept for all these years could cause musical disagreements. But I also don't want them to become so formulaic that people get tired of it. I think they still have a pretty broad toolbox, but when the fifth album came out, I wondered if they'd run out of ideas, so I'm a little worried about what comes next.

>>699 Agreed. I think because Yuri writes such GARNET-like music, Nana can write such GARNET-like lyrics. If they outsourced the composing, I don't think the lyrics would sound like GARNET anymore. And since Yuri sings songs she composed herself, she can probably sing them more comfortably, too. I'm all for the self-sufficient approach. I'd be fine with them doing covers, though.

Of course I think Yuri and Nana are a golden team, but I still wish they'd be flexible enough to try even one song composed by someone outside the group (the lyrics don't have to be by Nana). I don't like rigidly having one person do everything and getting more formulaic over time. Though I don't know whether that would be a plus for Yurippe... Still, Gane probably won't break the “Yurippe composes, Nana writes the lyrics” formula until they disband, lol.

>>703 I don't think that's flexibility; it'd be a collapse of their style. If they outsourced a song, I don't think it'd be GARNET CROW anymore. Maybe longtime fans think they're getting a bit formulaic...

But they did “Sorairo no Neko” and not “Tomatteita Tokei ga...” Isn't that because Nana didn't write the lyrics?

But if it's someone within the group, they're probably aiming for a similar musical direction, so that's fine. In particular, I think Hitoshi Okamoto and Ossan are both well versed in guitar pop. If Mochi composed and arranged something and just tightened up the structure a little, it'd easily reach the level of a Gane song.

If Mochi did it, then there'd be no need to break the current style just for the sake of it... If they're going to ask someone else, I'd rather they get someone famous, like Tokunaga. But it's never going to happen anyway, so it doesn't matter, lol.

>>705 If L'Arc or Judy and Mary had brought in songs by other members from the beginning, that'd be one thing, but what would happen with Gane? Even if they put just one song by Mochi on an album, it's obvious he'd get criticized. Some fans already think they're getting more formulaic, so I can imagine people saying, “Mochi's song dragged down the whole album,” or “There was no need for a Mochi song”... I think it's better not to take that risk—for Gane's sake and Mochi's. And I think Yurippe is better at showcasing her abilities when she sings her own songs.

Anyway, we're discussing composing, but even just changing the arrangement changes the style of a song, doesn't it? I don't think they should always use Ossan's programming; they should consistently add real instruments played by the support members. Leaving bass aside, I feel like quite a few songs suffer from the drums alone. Like “Nogaré no Machi,” “U,” “Kono Fuyu no Shirosa ni,” and “anywhere.” Especially “anywhere”...

I was blown away after hearing “Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e.” What a god-tier song.

>>709 That song is so stylish. It was arranged by Miguel, not Ossan. Miguel also worked on “Kimi no Ie” and “Ukiyo.” Could he come back and do another one?

>>708 Being's support musicians overlap across acts, so they don't have time to be regular members in a fixed band. The otaku probably want Kurumatani or David on drums and Ōhashi on bass, but Ōhashi must be assigned to other support acts, too, and Kurumatani has already formed his own band. Even Kamei and Asai are probably in pretty regular demand.

>>710 Same here. I like Miguel's arrangements. Yurippe's warm-sounding songs take on a different character. “Eien wo Kakenukeru” and songs like that are the best. I really wish there'd be one Miguel-arranged track on an album...

>>708 Since the guitars are so heavy, it'd be nice to push the rhythm section forward more and create a stronger groove. People have mentioned “anywhere” before, too; the drums really are a shame. The guitars could stand even further out front. But didn't they say that song was the most representative example of their goal of mixing analog and digital sounds? It feels a little questionable...

>>713 Are the drums in “anywhere” really that disappointing? Facing a world without warmth or color, as if all living things had died, it feels like Yurippe is alone there, shouting. Personally, I quite like it. That contrast between the mechanical, monotonous rhythm and Yurippe's more emotional-than-usual vocals seems to intensify the sense of helplessness. If they used live drums, I feel like it'd just become a straightforward, powerful song. Is my hearing bad...?

No, no, lol. That kind of thing is subjective, lol. What I had in mind was not starting with the drums, but keeping time with the hi-hat, then bringing the drums in just before the chorus. The opening makes me picture an inorganic, gray landscape, so I think it'd be more layered if they established that restraint first, then attacked with emotional singing and powerful backing at the chorus. I think live drums might bring out Yurippe's emotional singing even more. But since the intro has that fantastical piano phrase, maybe it'd just turn into an ordinary gothic rock ballad...

If they rebuilt “Nogaré no Machi” with a rhythm section, it could lean toward gothic metal. Come to think of it, around the release of the third album, didn't someone say, “If GARNET gets heavy, it'll be Evanescence”? It doesn't feel like pure gothic metal, so I can agree with that in some ways. But casually letting those elements show through programming is probably one of Gane's strengths.

By the way, are you all watching *Kōhaku*? Maybe to catch ZARD and such. Or is anyone planning to go to a festival? *Rockin' On* acts show up at those pretty often.

>>717 I'm not watching. If Gane were on, I might watch, but there aren't any singers I'm interested in. Though if Gane actually did appear, that'd be pretty wild, lol.

Isn't Ossan supposed to appear on *Kōhaku*? Anyway, I ended up buying *Glorious Mind*. Yurippe's voice has a great flavor even as backing vocals.

>>719 Those backing vocals are great (・∀・)! Having Yurippe sing backing vocals for someone else is such a luxury; there probably won't be another chance. And though it also suits AZUKI-san's lyrics, I wish there were more songs provided by Yurippe that let you feel her strength as a composer (even if the agency arranged it). I really feel we lost someone whose absence is a tremendous shame. Ossan should be on the show, right...? I wonder if we'll get to see that live act.

First of all, Mochi will be on it, too, lol. Don't forget him, lol.

*Glorious Mind* really makes you feel Hayama's skill as an arranger. The backing vocals, strings, and his own slide lead—he took that unfinished recording and shaped it into something so polished. >>717 I'm planning to go to the festival on the 30th and 31st. I really wanted to see Acid yesterday.

I've only been listening to the instrumental version of “Glorious Mind.” Yurippe and Ōno have completely different voices, so it's really easy to tell who's singing, lol. ...Come to think of it, has Ōno stopped releasing CDs? I actually kind of liked him. If I can watch *Kōhaku*, I'll go to the live commentary thread and yell, “Ossan's here!”

Don't Yurippe's clothes in the *TWILIGHT VALLEY* DVD look kind of wrong on her? Primary colors like red and yellow would be cuter. By the way, have Yurippe and Mochi both let themselves go? Nana-san hasn't changed, though, lol.

The thing I notice most about Yurippe is how her hairstyle keeps changing. Mochi really has let himself go.

Yurippe looked strange at the *TWILIGHT VALLEY* show because of that scary outfit and hairstyle (that thing would be rough on anyone, lol), but from next year's calendar and the “Sekai...” PV, she seems to be getting prettier and prettier. I'll say nothing about Mochi.

I feel like Yurippe's face is gradually getting rounder, lol. She should stop tying her hair up! She's drifting away from my taste...

I think Yurippe is cuter with slightly fuller cheeks. Looking at her cheeks makes me want to touch them. Unrelated, but Kiyopi's cheeks have gotten fuller lately, too, and she looks better for it, lol.

I'm the ZARD fan who asked for recommendations here before. I listened to the BEST album. In a word, I liked it. Since I already like that slightly melancholy feel of later ZARD, the distinctive atmosphere that flows through the songs... The worldview is different, but I feel like there's something they have in common. Yeah, I like them. Ms. Nakamura's voice is amazing, too. Before I listened carefully, I imagined it as a thick, hard-edged voice, but in practice I think it's very gentle. You don't hear many voices like that. The songs I liked were “flying,” “Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e,” “Last Love song,” “call my name,” “Yume Mita Ato de,” and “Yūzuki Yoru.” Also, I was surprised to realize I'd heard a lot of the songs somewhere before. I'd played the game that had “flying” as a tie-in, so when I thought, “Ah, so these are the people behind it,” I remembered those days a little and got kind of emotional, lolol.

>>729 Thanks for giving it a listen. Her voice is so distinctive. If I had to sum it up in one phrase, I guess I'd say it's gentle. It's also a really hard singing style to describe, lol.

>>729 I see. Glad to hear it. What did you think of the lyrics? I remember asking about them in the main thread, but they didn't get very good reviews.

The lyrics are heavy, just as I expected, but I can tell there's something running firmly underneath them. I think it's precisely because they're grounded like that, and layered with that distinctive voice, that they create a world belonging only to GARNET CROW. I almost cried listening to “Holy Ground.”

Sorry, I misspelled it. It's “Holy Ground.”

>>732 Which do you like better, the first or second BEST? Since the songs you like lean toward the first one, I'm guessing you prefer it. For the second one, I'd recommend “Spiral,” “Crystal Gauge,” “Eien to Isshun,” “Bokura Dake no Mirai,” “Kimi wo Kazaru,” “Wasurezaki,” and “Kimi Saru,” lol. “Timeless...” and “Spiral” are better on the BEST albums. Also, if you're going to buy the original albums, it's probably best to start with the ones that have more songs you like. If you buy them all at once, you'll be overwhelmed, lol. I got into them through a BEST album and bought everything at once, too. I couldn't keep up with it all.

>>722 Oh, I'm going tomorrow, too, lol. See you there. I'll give ZARD a listen in return.

>>734 I also prefer the first one. The secret track on the second one surprised me. Ms. Nakamura's voice really opens up more live and sounds better. I'll listen to the other albums, too. >>736 Oh, definitely give them a listen. But I don't think Gane fans would be into ZARD's peak-era sound, so I'd recommend later songs like “Tokei.” Maybe I'm meddling, but my personal recommendations are “Motto Chikaku de Kimi no Yokogao wo Miteitai” and “Kimi to Kyou no Koto wo Isshou Wasurenai.”

>>736 I actually prefer early ZARD, like “Mō Sagasanai” and “Tōi Hi no Nostalgia.” I haven't listened to the later stuff at all, so I can't really say, lol. The secret track on the BEST album isn't very good. As for live versions, I don't know if it's still available, but I think the “Yume Mita Ato de” included with the first pressing of the *TWILIGHT VALLEY* DVD is better. The first BEST album really is amazing, though, lol. Honestly, I looked down on Gane before I actually listened to them. Then I tried them and found a treasure trove. Now I'm completely hooked and can't get out...

>>737 I'm happy there's someone else here who knows early ZARD. I like “Tōi Hi no...” so much I put it on my own best-of. About the live shows: are there songs that are better live than on CD? I'd like to hear Ms. Nakamura's MC, too. I'm curious—how old are Ms. Nakamura and Ms. AZUKI?

>>736 “Motto Chikaku de Kimi no Yokogao wo Miteitai”! That song is so good. I don't know many other ZARD songs, but the development in that one is god-tier. I was spellbound listening all the way through. The version used in the Gekkeikan commercial was a dummy take, lol. >>738 Yurippe is 30, and AZUKI-san is 34 (I think). They were both born in July. Yurippe's MC has a shy quality, and sometimes she sounds like she's reading from a script, lol. But I think she's gotten much more comfortable with it lately. If you search for GARNET CROW on Nico Nico, you should be able to see a little footage of the Pan Kōjō live show.

>>738 I only know early ZARD, too, lol. Their third album, *HOLD ME*, is great. I've listened up through *Today Is Another Day*, and I think that one's the best. Songs that are better live include “Yume Mita Ato de” and “call my name,” I guess. Yurippe really is cutest when she's singing! Much cuter than in photos! Yurippe's age is officially undisclosed, lol. When I saw a newspaper article about the Ninna-ji live show, it said her age was undisclosed, and I burst out laughing, lol. Anyway, she's definitely older than me.

>>739 “Motto Chikaku de Kimi no Yokogao wo Miteitai” is great on CD and live. Ms. Sakai's voice is amazing. Many ZARD songs gradually layer on instruments and then suddenly push the climax forward at the end. The B-side “Sagashi ni...” on *Glorious Mind*, released recently, has that feel, too. Sorry for always talking about unrelated stuff. Wait, they're both in their thirties!? I thought they were still in their twenties. They look so beautiful.

Sorry for the double post. >>740 It's *HOLD ME*, right? I don't have that one... what should I do? orz Those two songs were ones I especially liked after hearing them on this BEST album. I'd like to hear the live versions, too. Huh, so their ages are officially undisclosed, lolol.

>>741 Check the thread guide. GARNET CROW is the main focus, but casual chat is completely allowed. People who don't like it can just ignore the topic, so don't worry about going off topic.

I have no interest in ZARD, and even their peak-era singles all sound pretty much the same to me, but “Ai wo Shinjiteitai,” “Love Is Gone,” “Motto Chikaku de...,” and “I Can't Let Go” are all masterpieces to me. Back then I went around to a bunch of used record shops looking for those songs. As for Gane, I was put off by Nakamura's very distinctive voice until recently. Then I happened to find an indie-era mini-album at a used record shop and bought it on a whim. I listened, and all the songs were great. I was shocked. I had been prejudiced against the vocalist's voice, but once I listened carefully, I realized it fits the music incredibly well. It's really wonderful. I love that plain but deep atmosphere.

No wonder the Japan Record Awards are so shabby. LUNA SEA, L'Arc, and maybe the period from '94 to '98 were the awards' golden age. The industry suits are doing the same old thing again.

*Ika-ten* is great. Ningen Isu is really good. They're not just relying on novelty; they actually have groove. Was Mochi influenced by *Ika-ten*, too? I remember hearing that's what made him want to play guitar.

>>746 Yeah, it's great. I started watching partway through, but Tama honestly surprised me, lol. I'd always thought of them as a band that only got popular for being quirky, but their harmonies were beautiful. I didn't realize Blankey Jet City also came from *Ika-ten*. That surprised me...

It's weird that JITTERIN'JINN got cut.

There was also a glam-rock band and a prog-ish band. That show had all kinds of distinctive acts, including novelty acts, which made it interesting. Was there also a one-hit wonder like Masatoshi Ono, with a high voice, back then...? lol.

>>744 You know your stuff. Especially “Ai Shin” and “Love Is Gone” are really popular even among hardcore fans. Please give the later work a listen, too (ry With Gane, I was taken by the worldview, Ms. Nakamura's voice, and her cuteness. Ah, I don't mean it that way. I'm a woman, lolol.

ZARD's middle-to-late period is probably my favorite. The guitar-pop sound and distinctive melancholy start to come through, and the lyrics become more self-analytical; that's when they finally start to feel artistic. It might've been even better without those places where the singing ignores the melody to fit the meter. “Kimi to no Fureai,” “Kimi to Kyou no Koto Isshou Wasurenai,” and “Mitsumete Itai ne” are excellent. >>750 Oh, you're a woman＾＾ There are ZARD fans around me, too, but they don't really get into this. Especially Nana's lyrics— I've never found anyone I can relate to about them. Though I think someone said they liked her later work.

The year is almost over. Will Mochi and Ossan be on *Kōhaku*? >>747 At the time, *Ika-ten* had a lot of novelty punk and pop-rock bands that just charged ahead on sheer energy, so Blankey's oddly cool, gritty atmosphere felt fresh and stylish. Kenichi Asai doesn't look like an intellectual type, but his lyrics have a real humanity to them. They're great.

>>751 I'm happy there are surprisingly quite a few people who listen to the later works. It's true that a lot of ZARD songs feel like the music and lyrics don't quite match, or make you think, “Was this line forced in here?” But after listening many times, I started to feel that this is part of what makes them good. Maybe stretching out a word or singing it in a slightly choked way is meant to convey emotions that can't be expressed through words alone... Maybe I'm overthinking it. Still, those moments really stay in my mind afterward. It's easy to use the voice just to deliver words, but the voice itself has expression, too. I wish I could feel that more. On that point, Ms. Nakamura's voice has so many different expressions; I discover something new every time I listen. Even the same song can change in how I rate it as I keep listening. That's the joy of listening to music. Sorry for sounding so self-important.

So Mochi was influenced by *Ika-ten*, too, lol. No wonder he looked so happy at Pan Kōjō live shows (Ossan, too). It must be fun to be in a band with skilled players like Ōga and Kurumatani. I bet Ossan and Mochi would get really into a conversation like the one from >>745 to >>749, lol.

>>754 I meant >>745-749. Though even then, I was only about three during the *Ika-ten* days, so what would I know? lol.

I was about ten back then, too—not old enough to get into bands, lol. I watched it with my wife, and she said, “If you were already playing in a band back then, you would've wanted to be on the show, right?” I used to dress pretty flamboyantly, too, but the Kabuki-style stuff was definitely too much for me, lol.

This year was a great one because I discovered Gane. Thanks to everyone in this thread and the other one for sticking with me all the way to 1,000 posts. I hope next year will be a good year for everyone, too. There's an album coming next year. I'm really looking forward to it!

>>756 That show mostly prioritized getting the crowd excited and making an impact; sound quality came second. So maybe the more straightforward, traditional acts were treated better, lol. Tama and BEGIN getting high praise was surely because of their performances and songs, but people were probably already getting tired of all the novelty acts that kept showing up, lol.

Oh, it's Kote. Just keep doing what you're doing. >>753 Yeah, I get what you mean. I think the way the lyrics sit slightly askew against the melody is part of their individuality. It's definitely not a bad thing. It just catches my attention a little, lol. To me, it seems like the result of her being so attached to her word choices, thinking, “This is what I want to say,” or “It has to be this exact line.” It doesn't fit the melody perfectly, but this may sound grandiose: I think there's a lot of her warm, message-driven spirit in those lyrics. That definitely comes across. Sorry for the long post.

Thanks to ZARD today, Ossan, Mochi, and GIZA's instrumentalists got to appear on *Kōhaku*, lol. ZARD doesn't seem to have much connection to Gane, but it sounds like the male members actually owe them quite a bit.

If they miss this chance, the Gane members probably won't ever get to appear on *Kōhaku* again, so make sure you take this moment in. Who would've thought Ossan and Mochi would get this much attention from the general public... Though the circumstances are a little complicated. I'm not sure whether to be happy about it.

But they're only support members, lol.

That performance was downright criminal, lol.

Feels like Mochi was the only one they treated badly, lol. Ossan at least got a split-second shot, lol.

Ossan did get a brief solo shot.

Mochi's knit cap really comes in handy at times like this, lololol. At least we could tell he was there, lol. But when they panned from the left across Asai, Hayama, Ōga, and schon, Mochi was the only one they cropped out, lol. Who cares about Hayama playing a riff or whatever— show Mochi already, lol!

Anyway, though, they did a pretty good job introducing the ZARD songs... lol.

By the way, I'd heard Ota-san was going to appear too. Was he there? Ossan was so excited, and then they happened to film him standing right in front of the screen. I burst out laughing, lol.

>>766 He wasn't even there, and people still mistook him for Ōga. What a presence, lol.

Wait, lololol, sorry for acting like I knew, lol. Right, Ōga wasn't even there, lololol. He was probably assigned somewhere else, lol. I was so engrossed in watching that I couldn't stay calm, lolol.

First, just calm down.

Still, seeing Gane's members appear as support musicians feels like a dream, lol.

If Yurippe had appeared as a backing vocalist too, this thread would've gone completely wild.

But if they showed them on camera now and then, people would also complain that they're using this to promote themselves.

Happy New Year. Looking forward to another year with you all. The first song I listened to this year was still “KokoKiss,” but I hope this will be a lucky year for Gane.

Happy New Year. Looking forward to another year with you all. May it be a happy and prosperous year for GARNET CROW's members and everyone in this thread, too.

Happy New Year! Everyone's using fixed handles, so I thought I'd try using one now and then, too. The Kuraki thread is amazing, lol. I'm so jealous of their countdown live.

Happy New Year~ This year, I just hope GARNET CROW makes another big leap forward. Looking forward to another year with everyone here.

Happy New Year~ ( ・∀・)y─┛~~ Looking forward to another year with you all~ The album will be out before long. I hope this year, as a fan, I can make it a year that brings out even more of Gane's unique colors~ Of course, I hope not only the members, but all the fans here, too, have a healthy and fulfilling year.

Happy New Year, Yukio-tan! What's everyone's first Gane song of the year? I haven't listened to one yet...

“Kanata made Hikari wo” ( ・∀・)y─┛~~ That refreshing synth lead and falsetto sound so nice. Isn't it a pretty fitting song to pick for welcoming the new year? Of course, using a downer mood to express motivation could be fresh and interesting too, lol.

Happy New Year, Kote-san~ ( ・∀・)y─┛~~

>>780 Mine was “Anywhere,” since I watched the *TWILIGHT VALLEY* DVD. I started the new year worshipping the radiant Yurippe. Happy New Year, Kote. And congratulations on making it safely to 1,000 posts! I'm that drunkard who posted about 50 times.

>>783 Thanks. I'm glad I made it to 1,000. I don't want to go through another exhausting thread like that, lol.

When Yuri Nakamura speaks, her voice sounds a lot like Naomi Matsushima from Othello.

Yurippe can switch between seven different voices, you know.

Anyway, I really wish the album would come out soon. Including “Namida” and “Kaze to Rainbow” will affect the whole album. “Namida” sticks out no matter where you put it.

>>787 Gane singles always stick out on their albums because they're so impactful, lol. I think the singles were incorporated fairly well overall on the third album, but otherwise they're just too strong. The second album was the worst... I like both the singles and album tracks, but every song has such a strong character that it feels like they ignore the album's overall flow.

There's such a huge gap between the songs tied to MÄR and the ones that feel more like they belong on the album itself. Even just comparing the singles to the album tracks is already a lot to take in. And stringing the singles together one after another is pretty wild, too. The third album went too far.

Happy New Year, Yukio-san and Kote-san. >>780 My first Gane song of the year was “Kanata made Hikari wo,” while I watched the first sunrise! It's true, Gane always seems to struggle with where to place the singles. “Kaze to Rainbow” is a real headache. I still want “Namida Iro” at the beginning.

To help the MÄR best-of album keep selling for a long time, I'd been thinking they should just leave off “Kono Te” and “Kaze to Rainbow”... Then I checked and neither was on the MÄR best-of anyway... orz For “Namida Iro,” maybe they could use that reportedly rejected goldfish-ballad version...

>>790 “Kanata...” is great... I didn't have time, so I watched *Premier* and got forced into “Mysterious...” instead, lol. Gane hasn't been putting singles first very often lately, so probably not, right? I don't think they'll end with a single either, so maybe: 2. “Kinou” 3. “Kono Te” 7. “Kaze to Niji” Second to last: “Sekai” That's my guess for now. Though they might release a lead single... Then there'd be too many singles again. Honestly, even four is already a lot, isn't it?

My first GARNET song of the year was “WEEKEND.” I listened to it while working out. >>788 I don't think the singles were placed that badly on the second album. I really like the flow from “call my name” to “Sky Blue.” But that was the first GARNET CROW CD I ever heard, so that probably has something to do with it. People who'd been following them from before might feel differently.

>>793 I think the second album's mistake was putting “Yume Mita Ato de” first. “call my name” would've been better as the opener. But since “Holy Ground” was set as the closer, it must've been hard to find a place for “Yume Mita...”; maybe they had no choice... And the singles were just too high-caliber to fit into the role of “just another album track.” Every single from “Last...” through “Yume Mita” is a masterpiece, and the album tracks are strong too, so the album doesn't quite feel cohesive. There are lots of songs I love individually, and overall I think it's the album I've listened to the most, but as a whole, it still feels like the connections between the tracks are a little weak... That's just my personal opinion, of course.

The first album's style was fairly consistent, so its flow might be pretty good, but it had way too many previously released songs. >>792 “Kinou,” “Kono Te,” and “Kaze to Rainbow” absolutely don't fit the album. They have this weird, very MÄR-ish impact. If they could include album tracks with a style like the fifth album, maybe the flow could sort of work. But I didn't like that album to begin with. I barely listened to it.

>>795 The first album's flow is good, but didn't it have six singles? That's too many, lol. The fifth album's singles are definitely kind of lightweight, but the tracks overall also break up the flow all over the place! Personally, I still like those songs, though. I think “Kono Te wo...” could go on an album, but it would have to be in the first half. I made my own best-of, and it didn't wreck the flow. I've never included “Kaze to Rainbow” or “Kinou,” so I don't know how that would turn out, lol.

How about this track order for the second album? Timeless Sleep pray wish★ Naked Story Last Love Song Please, forgive me Sky Blue Yume Mita Ato de call my name Holy Ground

Mine is: call my name Naked Story Last Love Song wish★ Timeless Sleep Please, forgive me Sky Blue Yume Mita Ato de pray Holy Ground It's so hard to order the tracks... I just threw this together, lol. “call my name...” really has to go first. And of course “Holy Ground” is locked in at the end.

Putting “Timeless Sleep” first feels kind of heavy. “call my name” or “Naked Story” would be better as the opener. >>798's order might be pretty well balanced. Where to put “Yume Mita” is still the question, I guess... Given the last track, “pray” seems like a good fit—not too bright, not too dark.

>>799 Maybe the flow between tracks one and two isn't great... I also think either of those would be good as an opener, but putting them one after the other feels kind of ordinary? I'll make a CD with this order first and write up my thoughts. The question really is where “Yume Mita” belongs... I actually want to put it last, but if “Holy Ground” is already fixed as the closer, there's nowhere to put it. Maybe “Holy Ground” and “Yume Mita” just don't work well together.

I've wondered before whether “Please, forgive me” should've been on the third album, with its hard-edged rock sound mixed in. Though it has lots of notes and a very intricate arrangement, which is also more in line with their early style. Speaking of which, weren't we talking about long songs the other day? If they were actually going to make one, what kind would you want? http://youtube.com/watch?v=8ajy0paunsg There are tons of long songs out there if you look, but here's a long track by Ash that I see mentioned a lot. What do you think? It keeps shifting back and forth between stillness and motion.

Is the first note of the chorus in “Mysterious Eyes” D-sharp? What's the second note? Anyway, Gane songs are so hard to play on piano, lol.

> The “Mysterious Eyes” chorus I think that's right. Sorry, I don't have any real background in this, so this isn't a great way to write it out. C, E, A, and D are all flat. E-C-B-A-G-E-C-B-A-A-F- C-B-A-A-D-D-D-C-D-D-C- -C-C-D-C-B-B-B-C-A-A-A- If anyone who knows this stuff better can add anything, please do! (・人・)

>>803 Thanks. I'll try it next time I get a chance to use a piano.

Oh~ so there are people here who play piano.

Sorry, I'm new here. Why is Furui Hirohito called “Ossan” (old guy)? Still, I was happy when he appeared on screen during *Kōhaku*. As a ZARD fan, I'm grateful.

Isn't almost the whole chorus of “Yume Mita” on the black keys? I tried playing it and got curious.

>>806 Isn't it because he's the oldest member—a middle-aged guy?

>>807 Really? Lots of black keys would be a pain, lol. I'm still a beginner, so right now I can only play simple songs like “flying” and “Kimi n'chi”... I'm just following the notes by ear, too, lol. With songs by artists whose sheet music is available, it's easier since I can follow the notes... Looks like I'll have to buy some sheet music, lol.

>807 Really? Doesn't it only have one F-sharp? http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm1892704 Could someone transcribe this acoustic version of “Yume Mita Ato de” into sheet music for me... (tears)

>>810 What is this? The audience is way too loud! They woke up the kid, lol.

Speaking of piano, the recordings were arranged by Ossan, so Nana (AZUKI Nana, the lyricist) wasn't the one playing. When would Ossan give Nana the piano parts of the arrangement? >>801 Was that a three-piece band? Amazing. The contrast between the dreamy, delayed sound in the first half and the aggressive playing in the second half is so striking. The avant-rock-style drums at the end and the guitar that sounds like a big bang are pretty wild, too. But Gane could never pull this off. The vocalist is completely left out of it.

>>811 You have a kid?＾＾

>>812 Once they decide which songs to play live, do they start working on the live arrangements, then have the staff prepare sheet music for Nana? I guess they'd discuss the guitar arrangements and such with Hitoshi Okamoto (Mochi—Okamochi is another nickname for him, unrelated to AZUKI Nana), but what about the other parts? Does Ossan lead rehearsals, or does the staff?

The bass and drums obviously leave some room for improvisation, so I imagine they work out the live arrangement and add their own improvised parts as they play. That's what I thought about Nana, too, but her piano playing is just as good as on the recordings. Honestly, they should tell her earlier, lol. Having to dump sheet music for all the songs released that year and all the older ones on her at once, only after the setlist is decided, would be way too much, lol. I'd like them to add more live songs, like B-sides, but given Nana's playing ability, I guess that's probably not possible.

>>815 Compared to the recordings, don't the live arrangements look simpler? If she'd studied piano for years and was at that level, a month of practice plus sheet music should be enough, I think. Didn't Nana study classical piano up through around college? I studied to about that level myself, so I think she'd be fine.

>>813 I do. I have a kid of my own, but I still run around after Yurippe like a child. I kind of hate that about myself...

>>816 I studied piano to about that level myself, but imagine having to handle things like, “We added strings to this one, so let's change it a little,” or “This is the first time we're performing this song,” plus reviewing older songs. If there were 15 songs in all, I think that'd be enough to make anyone cry, lol. How much time can you spend focused at the piano—six hours a day, tops? Once rehearsals start, she won't have that much time to herself anymore. It's not as if she was involved from the songwriting stage and had made the songs her own, so I imagine the live shows are surprisingly hard on Nana-sama. Still, among a bunch of people who make their living from music, I think she's doing really well. By the way, am I the only one who wants to hear Nana-sama's piano on the CD recordings? I like the way she plays it as a “piano,” not a “keyboard.”

>>818 I agree that live shows must be hard for Nana. By the time of the *Pan Kōjō* live rehearsals, she really seemed to be pushing herself to the limit. The recordings demand even more technical skill and perfection than live performances... I'd like to hear Miguel's piano again. I really like the intro to “in little.”

I asked in this thread before whether people had any rare Gane merchandise. The orange obi strip, phantom releases, remixes, various first editions... By the way, were there first editions for *Yume・Hanabi*, MÄR Heaven, the best-of, *TWILIGHT VALLEY*, and the DVDs? And what about ones that came with cards and things like that?

>>810 You got it right! There's only an F-sharp. Does “Natsu no Maboroshi” only have a B-flat? I haven't played the whole thing, so I'm not sure...

If they released an instrumental version with Nana-san's piano solo, I'd probably buy it.

Speaking of piano, there's “Wasurezaki.” The phrases aren't as flowing and dreamlike as Miguel's, but I like them. That accompaniment, simple yet tinged with nostalgia, is irresistible. Add the strings and lyrics and it becomes a masterpiece. It's such a shame it didn't get a TV drama tie-in... It could've worked perfectly well as instrumental music, too.

>>823 Wouldn't “Wasurezaki” be hard to use in the middle of a TV drama? I don't even know what's on TV these days, but I just can't picture Gane playing in a drama, lol. How about they make a TV drama DVD using their songs so far, like Ringo did, lol? Starring: Mochi Heroine: Yurippe Secret lead: Nana-sama Boob-loving alien: Ossan The one who ends up with the heroine: me Something like that, lol.

Gane making a drama is impossible, but a romance story wouldn't suit them anyway. How about a mystery with Yurippe as the lead and Nana as the culprit? lol Yurippe would be good in a holding-her-breath scene, while Nana would suit driving and firing a gun all over the place, lol. Ossan can be the detective in sunglasses.

>>825 What about Mochi, lol? Why not make Mochi the culprit? Nana-sama as the detective, with Ossan as the police inspector. Yurippe seems like she'd freeze up from nerves, so she can play Random B, lol.

She wouldn't need any lines. Just keep cutting to close-ups of Yurippe looking scared. And every passerby (extra) can be Mochi.

The part about all the extras being Mochi made me burst out laughing, lol.

All the passersby being Mochi, lol. Just imagining it has me laughing so hard my stomach hurts! You owe me for the coffee I just spit out, lol.

>>825 Sorry, I have to confess what just flashed through my mind: Yurippe in a sailor uniform, and Nana-sama in a boy's school uniform with all the buttons missing. >>826 Nana-sama solves cases while writing meaningless literary fragments on the blackboard. Yurippe is a new detective who reads her lines in a monotone, with Ossan as her senior partner. Mochi does the narration (in standard Japanese). How about that?

>>830 Mochi... narrating... Wouldn't that mean he never appears on screen? lol Please, make it a romance between Mochi and Yurippe.

I'd watch a love story with Mochi and Yurippe as they were when they debuted, but if current-day Mochi were in a romance... they might as well have Nana-sama cross-dress as a man... Come to think of it, Saegusa made one of those very homemade-looking short dramas before. I wonder if Gane would make one too, lol.

>>832 You mean the one where the male members are totally relegated to the background, right? lol If Gane made one, Ossan and Mochi probably wouldn't even get any lines... If Gane did a romance, I'd want to see the visually well-matched YuriNana pairing.

What I imagine the members would look like in their roles: Nakamura　ttp://pikeman.blog5.fc2.com/file/jyosyuusasori1.gif Hirohito Furui　ttp://www.hollywoodjesus.com/movie/matrix_revolutions/01.jpeg Hitoshi Okamoto　ttp://www.engadget.com/media/2007/06/r2d2_nikko01-440.jpg AZUKI Nana　ttp://www.seelisteneat.com/mt/archives/cne_vtn_azuki-thumb.JPG

I have to take my hat off to >>834's taste, but that picture of Ms. AZUKI isn't right, lol.

Original concept, screenplay, and direction: AZUKI Nana Music: Yuri Nakamura Starring: Hitoshi Okamoto and Hirohito Furui And then it'd turn into a boys'-love-style work.

Somehow you've all started leaning toward YuriNana, haven't you?

Who cares, as long as it's beautiful?

>>836 Director's interview —A psychological drama where the background is pitch-black and the music and dialogue continue in a subdued, even tone. It calls to mind Derek Jarman's style. Nana: “Since the song is about Yurippe, there's no need for unnecessary staging.” —Ah, I see. That's profound. So, if there's a message you wanted to express in this work... Nana: “Oscar Wilde said, 'All art is quite useless.'” (Interviewer: Hitoshi Okamoto) The posts in this thread are fictional. They have absolutely no connection to any real people or groups.

One minute we're talking about Gane's music, the next we're using other artists as a topic. This thread keeps pretty busy, lol.

GARNET CROW really is great. I wish I'd discovered them sooner... I'm planning to collect all the albums now. If I get them all, do I still need the BEST album? There'll be some overlap, but if you have any recommendations like “You should definitely get this one too!!,” let me know.

The BEST album has a few songs that only appear there, and it comes with a photo book, so if you can afford it, I think it's worth getting too. If you don't care about the visuals, though, streaming, or just renting and listening, is enough.

>>841 ・Only on the BEST album: “Sorairo no Neko” “Sayonara to Tatta Hitokoto de” ・B-side tracks not included on any other album: “Kimi no Omoiegaita Yume Tsumeru Heaven” ・Versions not included on any other album: “Timeless Sleep” (new recording) “Spiral” (*SPORT!* version) “Yume Mita Ato de” (live version) I think that's about it. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Personally, I think the BEST album is worth getting.

Marionette Fantasia A crown Last Love Song call my name His Voyage Koyoi Eden no Katasumi de Yume Hanabi Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu keredo Float World Jewel Fish Yofuke no Ryuuseitachi Holy Ground Endless Desire Eien wo Kakenukeru Isshun no Bokura Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e Yasashii Ame Circle Days Flying I'm thinking of making an album with these 18 songs, but I'm stuck on the track order. I'd appreciate any suggestions. And if you think, “It'd flow better overall if you swapped this one for that one,” please tell me that too.

>>844 Eighteen songs is too many; there's no way to make the whole thing cohere, no matter how you order them, lol. If you can't cut any, just make it a double album. Otherwise, you need to get it down to around 15 songs—it's not a track-order problem. If you're set on 18, I think you could put them in any order. When I made one with 16 songs, some sections flowed well, but the album as a whole was still pretty chaotic, lol. Still, I think Gane is one of the easier artists to make a personal best-of for.

After listening to the instrumental, I wondered if “Sekai wa Mawaru...” has a different sense of depth from their older songs. Would you call it more three-dimensional, or more polished? Could the mastering engineer have changed?

>>842, 843 Thanks. I'll include the BEST album in my collection, too. I'm a little curious about the photo book as well.

Isn't it the airy, expansive sound of the synth pad blooming out that gives it that sense of space? The pad arrangement is memorable, too. Anyway, I'll give it another listen later. Speaking of mastering, the change in ZARD's “Glorious Mind” is really obvious in that regard. Since it was a tribute work, I guess they paid special attention to the production.

>>847 Collecting everything won't be easy, lol. The singles are especially hard to track down... There are 26 singles, plus three with different packaging; five original albums, plus the BEST, indie, and remix albums; and four DVDs. For *TWILIGHT VALLEY*, you absolutely have to get the first edition. I don't know if it's still being sold, but don't settle for anything other than the version with the DVD! If you have the money, you can also get the photo book or Nana-san's poetry collection and things like that. And if you have an absurd amount of money to spare, please buy Mochi-san's singles and albums too, lol.

>>849 Kote, you're practically a celebrity in this thread now, so pick a fixed handle, lol. I keep wondering about it! But yeah, I also recommend the first edition of *TWILIGHT VALLEY* (the fifth album), with the *Premier* live DVD.

>>850 Okay, I'll go with this handle for now, lol. I had actually been trying to tone it down after that thread ended, though. Can you still find the first edition of *TWILIGHT VALLEY* anywhere? The first edition is definitely better, but maybe it's sold out by now. There might still be copies on auction sites or Amazon...

That makes three people with fixed handles in this thread now.

>>849 The other day, Amazon had a lot of Gane's early singles in stock.

>>853 Really? I've only bought a few things from Amazon, lol. Collecting the singles is the hardest part... I bought two photo books, too, but I don't really need them. I like Yurippe, but photo books just don't feel right to me... Singers should be judged by their singing, after all. My wife won't let me use the piano either, so I'm planning to bring the keyboard from my parents' place over and play Gane songs on it. I'll have to work out the sheet music myself, but the goal is to play every song, lol. I also belatedly compiled the B-sides onto CDs. It took almost three CDs! Starting tomorrow, I'm going to listen like crazy until I can figure them out by ear!

>>854 I've been working hard to figure out and play guitar solos and things by ear! But I only play guitar, so I don't really know about keyboard...

>>855 Don't worry! I don't know anything about piano either, lol. I was thinking I'd start by figuring out just the melody and trying to play that.

This is just a list of songs I like, made without giving any thought to track order. 1. Holding you, and swinging 2. HAPPY DAYS? 3. in little time 4. Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu keredo 5. Timeless Sleep 6. Nakenai Yoru mo Nakanai Asa mo 7. Kakurenbo 8. Lailaiya 9. Aruhen (^・x・^)-Tinya! 10. Mawarimichi “Holding you, and swinging” has been my personal obsession lately. It always makes me picture the end credits rolling at the end of a movie. ...Huh? Neo-acoustic? What is that, can you eat it? Anyway, I just felt like making a list.

I've been into “Holding you, and swinging,” too. Can I ask: was U-ka Saegusa's “Graduation” ever released as a single? If so, does the instrumental version have Yurippe's backing vocals?

Getting it down to ten songs is impressive in itself. Even if I were making a collection of my “absolute favorites,” I feel like I'd end up with around 30 songs. I'm too indecisive, orz. If it were a list of songs I dislike, I could make one right away... Because there's only one.

>>859 For reference, what's the one song you dislike?

>>859 Now that you've said that, of course people are going to ask. So which song do you dislike? Tell us, as long as it isn't “fill away.” I don't have a single song I dislike...

Rather than songs I dislike, these are ten I only heard a few times and dismissed without really listening... dreaming of love Timing Trans Trap Please, forgive me Flower Matsuri no Jikan Lose Feeling Yellow Moon Ushinawareta Monogatari Kono Te wo Nobaseba I listened to “dreaming of love” again after a long time and realized I actually like it quite a bit.

>>862 Wait! “Kono Te wo Nobaseba” is a masterpiece! For someone like me who loves breakup songs and ballads most, it's Gane's greatest song, lol. Though it isn't very popular... That feeling reminds me of something I experienced before.

>>862 All of these are songs that get better the more you sit with them. What a shame.

Of the MÄR tie-in songs, I've only listened to “Hare Tokei” and “Sekai wa...” I'm not really into that period. Even “Koyoi Eden...” with all that programmed sound was like that; I'm tired of this kind of over-the-top strings-and-chorus approach, too. The lyrics also strike me as the most straightforward and boring. >>858 It was included on a mini-album, not released as a single. I heard it has an incredibly good backing-vocal arrangement.

What's a MÄR tie-in?

Really? A tie-in with *MÄR Heaven*.

>>865 “Sekai wa...” was for *Conan*. I don't really know about tie-ins, since I wasn't following Gane in real time. “Kono Te wo...” is definitely pretty straightforward; maybe it doesn't sound much like Gane. But I guess it overlaps with some memories of mine... I'm completely hooked on it, lol.

Ah, I see.

>>868 Oh, right, I mixed them up. Sorry. “Sekai wa...” is definitely a great song. The key change and that synth-pad sound mentioned above, which gives it a sense of depth, are both amazing. “Hare Tokei” has an early guitar-pop feel, so it's easy to get into.

>>860 >>861 “Ameagari no Blue.” I actually like it apart from the chorus, but for some reason the chorus always makes me feel irritated. I don't really know why myself. I like all their other songs (though some made less of an impression on me). As for the other “Blue” song, I really like “Blue no Mori.”

>>871 The “Blue” songs, huh... On the album, I like the flow from “Mori” into “Ame.” I haven't listened to either on its own, so I can't really say... “Blue no Mori” is definitely a masterpiece.

It's a country-flavored song, but the arrangement and melody are pretty understated, so I guess it's a bit of a breather.

>>871 “Ameagari...”... Yeah, I guess it may not sound much like Gane. When I first listened to the fourth album, it was the only song I skipped (sorry to everyone who likes it). Personally, I was having some trouble with relationships around that time. I was listening to songs on shuffle outdoors and this one came on. The line in the bridge, “It's enough just to exist,” and then the key change made me cry. When I looked up, the sky was so blue, and it felt like something suddenly clicked. I've loved it ever since. After reading the lyrics, I noticed it has a ridiculous number of unusual kanji readings... It's pure AZUKI-san, and it made me feel this song might be gentler than it sounds at first.

Come to think of it, I listened to Yurippe singing “Koi wa Moumoku,” and it was so rough, lol. It made me realize all over again that Yurippe really is Yuri Nakamura of GARNET CROW... The company should stop making her sing covers. Though they'll probably drag her into some ZARD cover project around the middle of this year, lol.

(ノﾟДﾟ)八(ﾟДﾟ　)ノｲｴｰｲ

“Tell Me” is great.

い

>>875 What's “Koi wa Moumoku”? Are there any other solo performances besides “Tell Me,” “Pasadena,” and “Carmen”?

>>879 “Love Is Blind” is a song sung by Janis Ian. It's pretty well known. I only found out about it after Shiina Ringo sang it. I compared Yurippe's version with hers, and Ringo's performance on *Gyakuyunyuu* was god-tier. But the one on *Utaite Myouri* wasn't very good... Yuri Nakamura's version was just rough, overall... But covers are hard to do in the first place. I think Yurippe should just sing Yurippe's own songs. Because to me, Yuri Nakamura, GARNET CROW's vocalist, is a god.

>>880 Do you mean the *Thursday Live*? I think the two songs right before “Yume Mita Ato de” are both god-tier.

>>881 The two songs at *Thursday Live* were Eagles songs and “Could've Been,” so that's not it.

>>881 Shiina Ringo / “Love Is Blind” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwW0JRyrEQc Sorry for posting a direct link, but this is the one. I found Ringo's and Janis's versions, but couldn't find Yurippe's. I haven't listened to the one above myself yet, so I don't know which version it is.

>>881 For mobile: http://video.froute.jp/youtube/detail.php?v=dwW0JRyrEQc&k=love+is+blind+ringo&p=1

It's the *Gyakuyunyuu* version. Sorry if you're not interested in Shiina Ringo. But this song itself is a masterpiece, so if Ringo isn't your thing, try finding Janis's version. Once I get my computer fixed, I'll burn Yurippe's version onto a CD for you, lol. If you want it on an MD, I can make one right now, lol.

I'm not especially interested in Ringo. Though I do think Tokyo Jihen are amazing musicians and Shiina's arranger has great taste. >>875 I don't want a ZARD cover album. It'll just leave a bad impression on fans and everyone else. That said, it's probably not influential enough to worry about it having much impact. But either way, it'll probably be so far from a real cover that I wish they'd spare us.

>>886 I think the first Tokyo Jihen lineup were better musicians. I heard they were such a stacked group that they shouldn't have been merely backing Ringo, lol. When Tokyo Jihen first formed, the entertainment forum really tore them apart, lol. I bet they'll do a ZARD cover album... Kuraki, Nakamura, Saegusa, and Airi would sing, lol. They might bring in outside artists like Fayray, too. Maybe Komatsu and Utoku would get dragged into it as well? Inaba probably wouldn't be involved, though... Personally, I'd kind of like to see Hayama arrange something for Yurippe to sing, but ZARD fans would definitely tear her apart for it. That's the trap.

If they really released a ZARD cover album, that would show such a lack of marketing sense... Who would the target audience even be? I like Ms. Sakai and Yurippe, but I wouldn't want to buy it... And Hayama would work himself to death. That's the trap.

>>888 It's not about marketing sense. Looking at the sales of Being's current artists, I think they'll probably make one. Apart from B'z, this would be more efficient and sell better than promoting other artists. They've already churned out so many ZARD best-of albums, so rather than another best-of, I think they'll move on to covers. They'll probably use more in-house artists than outside ones, so Yurippe will definitely be involved. Maybe she'd sing a song composed by Yurippe? That one might work? But I don't want to see her singing something like “Yureru Omoi,” lol.

The media have already brought this up over and over: they released a tribute album, had them appear on *Kōhaku*, and then gave old ZARD B-sides tie-ins. You'd think they'd realize that people are starting to get tired of all this. At the end of the day, ZARD belongs to the past. That alone is enough for people to stop paying attention.

So it's just comeback fans propping them up, then.

Could they just give us a *Detective Conan* movie tie-in for once...

>>890 Maybe ordinary people have stopped paying attention because they see ZARD as an artist of the past, but within Being, ZARD is still a major source of sales. Given Being's current situation, hardly any of their artists can outsell even ZARD's lowest-selling album. And they've already put out too many ZARD best-of albums, so I think covers will be the next move. I'm not saying it'll definitely happen, but I think it's entirely possible. If it does happen, Yurippe will definitely be pulled in.

Well, let's talk about a cover album if one actually comes out. (・з・) By the way, can I just buy Ossan's “imagination” on iTunes? I don't have a credit card. Is there a way to pay in cash or by bank transfer? I'd like to listen to it.

I think it's probably available on BGV and Mora, too. Anyway, if you use iTunes, the iTunes Store is fine. You can use prepaid cards for the iTunes Store; they're sold at convenience stores and electronics shops.

I'm >>881, and I haven't heard that song. Thanks for being so helpful! I'm looking forward to Yurippe's version, lol.

>>896 But my computer's mouse isn't working, so I can't burn a CD, lol. I plan to get it fixed soon, and then I'll burn both “Moumoku” and Ringo's version and send them to your place. If Ringo's version is on CC, I might not be able to burn it since it's not an external drive, though. I'll let you know once it's fixed. If you want, you could post a disposable email address then, and I can mail them to you for free. If you're okay with that, use this same ID with a tripcode and fixed handle when you post then. I can burn the remixes for you too, if you'd like. I have no idea when I'll get it done, though, so keep watching this thread, lol. I intend to fix it as soon as I can, but it'll depend on my wife and kid, so I can't promise... Don't post the disposable email address now—wait until my computer is fixed. Even if you post it now, I can't send anything.

...This is starting to feel a little scary.

>>898 If it feels scary, then forget it, lol. Am I some kind of stalker? lol Never mind. Sorry, >>896. Just pretend I never said anything in >>897!

>>899 Sorry, I'm not >>896. I just thought it was scary when you started asking for their address and got so unusually eager about it... I think the safer way to do this would be to exchange disposable email addresses and send the files as attachments, or upload them somewhere with a password. You should talk it over with >>896.

>>900 I could tell from the different ID. Even if I uploaded it somewhere, >>896 is on a phone. Though I only use my phone too, lol. Knowing their address wouldn't do me any good anyway, so never mind. Thinking about it, I'd be scared too if I were in their shoes, lol.

I'm >>896. Kote-san, I'm really touched by your kindness. Could you tell me when and at which live show she sang it?

>>902 I'm not sure when, lol. It's not a song that's circulated publicly.

Ah, I feel like I've heard it... but I can't remember where. There's also an audio clip of Yurippe (Yuri Nakamura, the vocalist) singing an unfamiliar song a cappella, but its source is unknown.

>>903 >>904 Thanks. So it wasn't at a Gane live show, right? I'll take my time and try to track it down.

>>905 You probably won't find it, lol. It's not on Nico Nico or YouTube. But I think you'd probably be disappointed even if you did find it, so there's not much reason to listen... I didn't get it from the internet, after all, lol.

Matsumoto's self-indulgent performances and covers never turn out well. In the end, she should stick to settings where she can make the most of that distinctive voice. Honestly, her expressive range is pretty narrow.

GARNET CROW Cover Best ~in my memory forever~ The first cover album from GARNET CROW, the group featuring Yuri Nakamura, who composed “Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidashita.” With a distinctive yet warmly enveloping vocalist and detailed sound production, ZARD's classic songs come alive once more. 1. Iki mo Dekinai 2. Atarashii Door ~Fuyu no Himawari~ 3. Forever you 4. Ano Hohoemi wo Wasurenaide 5. Fushigi ne... 6. Amai Yuki ga Tokete 7. Photograph 8. hero 9. Love Is Gone 10. Season 11. Ame ni Nurete 12. Kokoro wo Hiraite (GARNET CROW original live arrangement version) 13. Shoujo no Koro ni Modotta Mitai ni (GARNET CROW original live arrangement version) 14. Kimi ga Inai (GARNET CROW original live arrangement version) 15. Makenaide (GARNET CROW original live arrangement version) Vocals, backing vocals: Yuri Nakamura Guitar, backing vocals: Hitoshi Okamoto Guitar: Yoshinobu Ōga Bass: Masato Ōhashi Drums: Keisuke Kurumatani Piano: AZUKI Nana (lyricist) Keyboards: Hirohito Furui All arrangements: GARNET CROW

I'm dying laughing. This was posted in this thread before. What a chaotic cover album, lol. What on earth would their live arrangement of “Makenaide” be like? lol

>>908 If this actually came out, I'd buy 100 copies, lol. I had a weird dream. Hamada from Downtown was on TV saying, “I like GARNET CROW. So what?” My wife asked me, “What about you?” or something, lol. Then I woke up.

Forgot to use my fixed handle again, lol. I still haven't gotten used to it, lol. I'm exhausted. I'm so sleepy. The little one at home woke up and woke me up too! The baby's only three months old...

I'm meeting up with a friend for the first time in ages. We usually talk about music, and he knows I like Gane, so I feel like I'll end up making him listen to one of their songs. I don't need to turn him into a fan, but I'd like to leave him with a good impression... Which song would be best? Maybe “Yume Mita...” or “Kono Te...” after all? For reference, he used to like aiko and Cocco.

>>880 Is that the song Ms. Takei covered?

>>912 I've been in a similar situation, lol. At the time I was hunting for their singles, so whenever I went to secondhand shops with him, I'd play Gane in the car nonstop, lol. By about the sixth time, he stopped making fun of Gane, but at first he said things like, “She can't sing,” and “I don't get why you're into this artist”... Even now, I don't think he has a very good impression of them. We used to be Ringo nerds together, so all we'd ever talk about was live shows and Ringo, lol. Anyway, if you're going to play one for him, “Yume Mita” is probably the safest choice, right? Even Gane fans don't rate “Kono Te...” that highly... Maybe “Natsu no Maboroshi” or “Yume Mita” would work. If he reacts well, try something from around “call my...” next.

>>913 Really? I don't know Takei, so I can't say, lol. Among Being artists, the only ones whose faces I can match to their names are B'z, Gane, Kuraki, Airi, Utoku, and Komatsu.

I feel like I've seen that story from >>914 in this thread before.

>>916 Wasn't that in the Ringo thread? I don't think I wrote it in this one.

Didn't you also reply something like, “Don't talk badly about my friend”? If you didn't, then it must've been someone else. I haven't read either the Ringo thread or the Ringo-vs.-Gane thread, so I'll just take it as one of those “the world is a small place” moments.

It was more like anger and irritation—“What are you doing?” That was the point.

>>918 That might've been me. I'm pretty scatterbrained, so I don't really remember whether I wrote it, but if it was before the Ringo thread, then I don't think it was me. When that thread started, I'd only been a Gane fan for about three days, lol. I still don't really understand Gane, lol.

I want to make a CD of B-sides. Recommend 16 songs for me. “over blow” is definitely going on it! Aside from “Little Time,” “Mikansei na Neiro,” and the various remixes, I need 15 more, but I haven't listened to many of them...

>>921 cride a little Jewel Fish Koufuku na Pet Yuudachi no Niwa Crier Girl & Crier Boy ~ice cold sky~ Natsu no Owari no Nagai Ame Float World Yasashii Ame Yofuke no Ryuuseitachi Circle Days CANDY POP His Voyage Ring Ring a ding Mawarimichi Argentina

>>922 Thanks. I'll burn a CD and try it out once my computer's fixed. The B-sides are fresh and pretty good.

>>921 Yuudachi no Niwa For South Yasashii Ame Yofuke no Ryuuseitachi Trans Trap blue bird Crier Girl & Crier Boy nonsense Mawarimichi His Voyage Kanata made Hikari wo Koufuku na Pet Float World Natsu no Owari no Nagai Ame CANDY POP

>>924 Thanks. I'll use >>922 and >>924 as references and put one together.

>>22 >>24 Yuudachi no Niwa Yasashii Ame Yofuke no Ryuuseitachi Crier Girl & Crier Boy Mawarimichi Koufuku na Pet Float World Natsu no Owari no Nagai Ame CANDY POP These are all solid picks, anyway. The rest comes down to personal preference. I like “hi-Speed Special oneday” and “Kaze no Oto Dake Kiki.”

>>914 Thanks. I see, so “Kono Te” is kind of a questionable choice... I figured that since she likes intense music like Cocco, a song with more dynamic shifts in rhythm might work better, so I'll go with “Natsu no Maboroshi” or “Mawarimichi.” ﾉｼ By the way, are there really people who like both aiko and Gane? They don't seem to have much in common.

Thanks to >>926, too. How is “over blow” regarded? Almost nobody even mentions it among the B-sides, but it's my favorite.

>>927 I like Ketsumeishi, Shonan no Kaze, and Gane, lol. At least aiko and Gane have female vocalists in common, lol.

>>927 I've never met anyone who's a fan of both aiko and Gane... I've met a few Ringo-and-Gane fans, though, lol. It's my first time meeting someone who likes both Cocco and aiko, so maybe they'll end up liking Gane too.

>>928 Of course I like “over blow,” too. Can't leave it out!

Setting aiko aside, I'm personally not really into Shonan or Ketsumeishi... lol. Nothing about them appeals to me. Shonan just gives me the impression of a passing fad. I'm not trying to bash them, though. >>926 “Yasashii Ame” is a masterpiece. It just gets a little overshadowed by *A CROW*. I like the guitar accompaniment and tremolo.

>>931 I see. Thanks! I listened to it for the first time today and thought, “A song this good shouldn't be a B-side,” lol. There are so many good B-sides; listening to them is really fun. I put them together in single-release order, but I dumped them all onto a CD-R for the car, and now the song titles don't match the tracks at all, lol. Seriously, Gane are ridiculous! I was already full after the singles, and stuffed after the albums. If the B-sides are this good too, give my stomach a break, lol. I should've just gone ahead and made one when people recommended B-sides in the Ringo thread... It's been hard to do because I have to sneak my computer out from my wife and bring over the singles.

>>927 These are probably the artists and albums that have been mentioned most often so far. At least in this thread. PAATOS / Kallocain Chihiro Onitsuka / Insomnia hyde / ROENTGEN the brilliant green / the brilliant green Pain of Salvation / The Perfect Element, Part I GRAPEVINE / From a small town ACIDMAN / equal Nick Drake / Pink Moon

This list is totally unreliable, lol.＾＾

>>916 Is this the one? 141:名無しさん＠お腹いっぱい。 [↓] : 2007/11/03 22:09:45 ID:eZ5ZYMWEO >>136 Shiina Ringo. But now I don't listen to her at all anymore; I only listen to GARNET CROW... A friend of mine who also used to like Shiina Ringo rode in my car the other day, and he really chewed me out because I was playing GARNET CROW. 148:名無しさん＠お腹いっぱい。 [↓] : 2007/11/03 23:03:34 ID:eZ5ZYMWEO >>141 Don't talk badly about my friend. We used to play in a band together, and our musical tastes were pretty similar. We were both Ringo fans, so I guess he couldn't stand me listening to Gane. But at first, I never thought I'd become a fan of this kind of artist either. I only bought the BEST album to tide me over until Tokyo Jihen released something new, so I never imagined I'd get this hooked... 149:名無しさん＠お腹いっぱい。 [↓] : 2007/11/03 23:12:26 ID:eZ5ZYMWEO Not >>141, >>144. 153:名無しさん＠お腹いっぱい。 [↓] : 2007/11/03 23:25:59 ID:eZ5ZYMWEO >>150 Yeah. I was wrong to write something like that. I can see how those comments would be unpleasant from a fan's point of view. Sorry. m(__)m I'm still a new fan, so when my friend criticized them like that, I was somewhat persuaded...

>>936 That was probably me, lol. I don't remember writing anything like that, but the story sounds exactly like me, lol. So I'd been listening to Gane for quite a while already... Honestly, I have no memory of it, but I think it must've been me. And I even used emoticons—so embarrassing, lol.

>>930 Here's an aiko-and-Gane fan! ﾉｼ There really isn't any obvious connection between them, but they both write their own music, and I love both their songs and lyrics, lol. Still, I think I'm probably in a tiny minority. (^_^;)

There's a comedy duo called “Yasashii Ame.” Are they Gane fans, or Chio Vita fans?

>>938 Oh! My wife likes aiko too, lol. She's a B'z-and-aiko fan, I guess. She also listens to Hama and DREAMS COME TRUE and so on. She used to listen to Ringo, but not Gane at all... Though when we first started dating, one of her conditions was that I listen to Ringo, so maybe she was just going along with me and pretending she liked her, lol. I've listened to aiko a few times myself, but I still don't really get it...

Every now and then I hear about fans of both the brilliant green and Gane. I feel like I see their name come up now and then in Gane threads, too...

>>941 Tommy's cute. I used to listen to their second single a lot, too. The girl I was dating at the time used to sing that second single all the time, lol. Has the brilliant green's vocalist quit smoking?

I think quite a lot of fans are drawn to the brilliant green's faintly UK-ish feel—or what you might call its alternative sound.

>>938 Oh wow, there really are some! If you don't mind, could you tell me which Gane and aiko songs you like? Maybe they have a similar homemade quality, but there's no need to force a connection, lol. My impression of aiko has always been that she's mostly about love songs... Sorry if that's too narrow a view. >>934 Ah, I like the sound of hyde's solo work; it has a decadent and dark quality. It feels like something Gane has and doesn't have at the same time. Does Chihiro Onitsuka write her own songs, too? I remember the theme song for the drama *Hyouten*—I thought the piano in its intro was really nice. >>943 The brilliant green definitely has a UK flavor. I guess they deliberately leaned into that sound. Maybe “light” is the word, in a good way.

1. blue bird 1. Cried a little 1. Jewel Fish 1. Trans Trap 1. For South 1. Circle Days 1. Ring Ring a ding 1. nonsense 1. Kanata made Hikari wo 1. Argentina Timing hi-speed Special oneday whiteout lose feeling Flower Matsuri no Jikan Go For It Itsuka Mata Aimashou Tatoeba 12-gatsu no Yoru ni Kaze no Oto Dake wo Kiite Ushinawareta Monogatari Ichiban Suteki datta Hi Which five should I choose from the list above? Eleven songs are already set. Thanks, >>922, >>924, and >>926. I haven't really listened to many B-sides, so it was a huge help that you all recommended some.