VOL.93 11th single“スパイラル”

From music freak magazine Vol.93

GARNET CROW

New Maxi Single *スパイラル* arrives August 14

GARNET CROW’s second album, *SPARKLE 〜筋書き通りのスカイブルー〜*, released in April, reached No. 4 on the Oricon album chart in its first week. “スパイラル,” released August 14, is the first single after that album. This fast-paced song shows a different GARNET CROW. Vocalist Yuri Nakamura says, “Perhaps we were in a phase where we wanted to challenge something new.” Unlike the album’s simple style, the song uses a rich arrangement to reveal many different expressions.

From music freak magazine Vol.93

GARNET CROW

“スパイラル” intertwines gentle piano with analog synthesizer tones to create a relaxed, nostalgic atmosphere. Its peaceful melody lets you relax without noticing and brings a feeling of nostalgia to the heart. The intro shows GARNET CROW’s gentle, comforting side, but then the rhythm section enters and the music turns toward greater forward motion, gradually becoming a powerful, vivid fast song. The development carries even the tension and excitement of a racing heartbeat, showing a side GARNET CROW had never presented before, as if turning the feelings in the lyrics directly into sound.

The title “スパイラル” literally means spiral or something winding in a complicated way. The lyrics express their message positively and refreshingly: no one can always move smoothly through life; the road twists like a spiral. Even so, keep moving toward your dreams. If there is one thing you believe in, you can continue forward. The rising feeling of facing the future is conveyed directly through music that suggests an accelerated heartbeat.

Nakamura’s high register is clearer and more transparent than ever, strengthening this world further. “The worlds of the A and B sections and the chorus are completely different, so changing my mood was difficult. When singing the chorus, I kept my emotions high and paid particular attention to the groove.” Recording must have taken considerable work, but there is no sign of strain in the voice. Instead it is as comfortable and open as a summer blue sky, full of power, as if pushing the listener to say: rather than worrying forever, move forward first.

The song was reportedly made at the same time as the album *SPARKLE 〜筋書き通りのスカイブルー〜*. Nakamura says, “We talked about releasing something in summer, so we thought we would try making a lively song suited to summer.” It therefore has a clear seasonal quality designed for a summer release. Although it was produced alongside the album, its arrangement is much more elaborate than many of the album’s simpler songs. Furui explains, “We used a different idea from the album when developing it. Considering the new GARNET CROW feeling and the season of release, I wanted to make it rhythmic and full of movement.” His answer vividly expresses their attitude of continually seeking something new. The combination of GARNET CROW and a sense of movement alone is enough to suggest new musical development.

Furui also says, “We put a lot of thought into the details, including the part that gradually accelerates from the relaxed opening and the groove once it starts running.” This is a carefully produced song, and listeners should take time to appreciate the large ideas and small touches unique to GARNET CROW that run throughout it.

The coupling song “夕立の庭” was also begun during the album sessions. Nakamura says, “We wanted the sound to have more depth, so the mixer must have had a hard time. Even though he had already mixed it once, we added harmonies and asked him to mix it again...” Furui says, “For me, the key was the clear piano and finding the right balance between the relaxed feeling throughout and keeping it from becoming boring.” This too is a work that was recorded repeatedly and carefully polished. Over a melancholy mid-tempo melody, the lyrics use lyrical language to depict the moment someone realizes that certain wishes can never be fulfilled, drawing you naturally into the story.

Finally, because “スパイラル” includes the line “There is one unshakable thing in this world,” we asked the four members what that one unshakable thing is for each of them.

Nakamura: “My passion for music. I am joking.”

Hitoshi Okamoto: “That is difficult to answer. Fate—the things that are meant to be. There are so many things in the world that I cannot accept them unless I think that way... But that is only what I think now. By tomorrow it will probably become something else.”

AZUKI Nana: “Facts.”

Furui: “The constant search for myself, I suppose (laughs).”

Four people, four answers. On this spiral, twisting road of life, what do you believe in as you look ahead?

Activity information

Television appearances

• August 16 (Fri): *Music Station*, TV Asahi network.
• August 16 (Fri): *AX*, Nippon Television.
• August 30 (Fri): *CDTV Neo*, TBS.

First concerts confirmed!

GARNET CROW will finally hold concerts. Many of you have surely been waiting for this, so please come.

• October 10 (Thu): Namba Hatch. Inquiries: Sound Creator, 06-6357-7500.
• October 21 (Mon): Akasaka BLITZ. Inquiries: H.I.P, 03-3475-9999.
• October 31 (Thu): Zepp Fukuoka. Inquiries: Kyodo Nishinippon, 092-714-0159.

Hosted program

The CS satellite television cross-media program *PASTIME PARADISE* is on the air. It introduces the latest music from Kyoto and connects with the radio program of the same name. The radio version has been well received for the distinctive talk of guitarist Hitoshi Okamoto.

Channels: Sky PerfecTV Ch.726 “Kyoto Channel” and Ch.272 “The MUSIC 272.”

GARNET CROW’s first television program, *GARNET TIME*, is starting. Yuri Nakamura and AZUKI Nana take turns hosting, giving viewers a chance to see the personalities of the two members who had previously appeared in public only rarely.

Channel: Sky PerfecTV Ch.272 “The MUSIC 272.”
Premiere: every other Thursday, 24:00–24:15.

Members’ track commentary

“スパイラル”

Yuri Nakamura: Please spend the still-hot summer ahead listening to this song.

AZUKI Nana: (following Nakamura) It has been fairly cool lately, though.

Hirohito Furui: When I first heard the demo, I felt the chorus’s vitality, but also thought it might work as a slow song. It inspired many ideas. I focused on the feeling of gradually speeding up from the gentle opening and finally settled on this development: open up the space in the chorus until you cannot sit still and want to run outside. It should be a song you can enjoy from the hot summer through the athletic autumn.

Hitoshi Okamoto: Please associate it with everyone’s summer activities. I would be happy if hearing it in the future makes you remember the summer of 2002.

“夕立の庭”

Nakamura: I would be happy if it gives everyone the gentle, quiet feeling of sitting in a room and watching the rain fall.

Furui: We also wanted to preserve the impression made by the first vocal line, so I switched to the listener’s perspective and chose the current intro from about three proposals. I really did not want to spoil the relaxed feeling, but I also tried to keep it from becoming boring, and I think the result is simple. The interplay between the lightly sounding sequenced phrases in the intro and chorus and the piano arpeggios is another place where we quietly put in a lot of thought.

Okamoto: There are many gentle tones in it, so I think everyone will find it easy to lose themselves in the song.

Release information

GARNET CROW New Maxi Single *スパイラル*
Released August 14 / GIZA studio
GZCA-2044 / ¥1,260 (tax included)

1. スパイラル
2. 夕立ちの庭
3. Naked Story 〜raze mix〜
4. スパイラル 〜instrumental〜

*“スパイラル” is the image song for the Fuji Television network program “感動ファクトリーすぽると！”*