Es VOL.26 “GOODBYE LONELY 〜Bside collection〜”歌曲解说(first half)

●○ From music freak Es Vol.26

*GOODBYE LONELY ~Bside collection~*

★ DISC-1

M-1. Go For It
(25th single “Namida no Yesterday” C/W)
The dark, melancholic atmosphere from the intro through the B section suddenly gives way to a powerful sound in the chorus, as if cutting through the darkness.
Lyrics that offer courage and hope—“The enemy is within myself,” “Surely you can still stand up,” “Lower the Hummer with all your life”—are sung with dignified force by Yuri Nakamura, whose vocals are poised and cool.

M-2. Secret Path
(28th single “Hyakunen no Kodoku” C/W)
The melody is fairly relaxed, but the sounds of various instruments—guitar, drums, piano, and more—overlap to create a lively, nimble sound that feels wonderful. The lyrics carry a wistful anxiety about days that disappear like bubbles and the sadness of knowing that even the happiest moments will eventually fade. Yet they also leave you feeling positive, wanting to treasure each moment precisely because it will not last. It is a refreshing song.

M-3. For South
(13th single “Nakenai Yoru mo Nakanai Asa mo” C/W)
A retro number whose sound brings to mind the UK style of the 1960s, including the Zombies. Yet it does not feel old-fashioned at all; instead, it has been finished with an urban, stylish touch.
Nakamura’s languid, mature vocals, along with the arrangement, lyrics, and performance that draw out this new appeal, show the high level of each member’s ability. To have reached this degree of completion in their third year since debut says a great deal about them.

M-4. Hachigatsu no Yoru
(32nd single “Smiley Nation” C/W)
A calm vocal performance and a cool mid-tempo tune. In an interview, Nakamura said of the song, “I wrote it wanting it to be a song that sinks into your body when you listen to it while relaxing. Like a sponge absorbing water, I wanted it to resonate gently all the way into the depths of your heart and feel as if it were asking a question of your own heart.”
Though its title refers to August, this is not a song about the height of summer. It is a mature piece that carries a certain sense of loss and melancholy associated with the end of summer □.

M-5. Circle Days
(18th single “Kimi no Omoiegaita Yume Atsumeru HEAVEN” C/W)
A mellow mid-tempo tune that draws GARNET CROW’s distinctive world into full view in a way only a coupling song can. At the time of its release, Nakamura described it as “European dark pop!” and it truly has the flavor of watching a brooding European film. The exquisite match between melody and lyrics is classic GARNET CROW.

M-6. Float World
(15th single “Bokura dake no Mirai” C/W)
This is one of their classic minor-key mid-tempo tunes, but the arrangement and mix carefully preserve the image suggested by the title “Float World,” incorporating a buoyant, floating sound throughout.
Against that backdrop, the passionate, tearful guitar solo leaves a particularly strong impression.

M-7. His Voyage
(21st single “Yume・Hanabi” C/W)
A nimble song with a rhythm full of forward momentum. Rather than using the usual repeating 1A-1B-1C-2A-2B-2C structure, the arrangement has an unusual form that stands out.
Please also pay close attention to the lyrics, which Nakamura described as “having a sense of humanity that I could really relate to.”

M-8. lose feeling
(15th single “Bokura dake no Mirai” C/W)
The melody and sound are simple □ and gentle, but the lyrics □
“Toward a tomorrow with no □
If everything is already another □
like a knuckle □,” singing of the sense of loss □
and emptiness that comes from losing something precious □
in a wistful numbe□
Because there are so few words, and because AZU□
Nana uses unusually clear wording and □
expression for her, the content of the song can be understood at a glance □

M-9. Mijikai Natsu
(27th single “Yume no Hitotsu” C/W)
It begins with a guitar solo steeped in melancholy. The guitar solo, including the one in the instrumental break, is one of the song’s major attractions. The way the world changes completely from the melancholy A and B sections to the bright chorus, together with the vocals that seem to burst through the chorus all at once, is striking. As its title suggests, the lyrics carry the fragility of happy times disappearing briefly, like bubbles, and read like a single poem.

M-10. Crier Girl & Crier Boy ~ice cold sky~
(12th single “Crystal Gauge” C/W)
In an interview at the time, AZUKI Nana described the title as “an image of tiny little boys and girls who cry easily.”
No matter how old we get, haven’t we all felt lonely for no reason, fallen into overwhelming anxiety, and wanted to cry our eyes out? This winter song is characteristic of GARNET CROW: the feelings of being tormented by loneliness and helplessness, yet still longing for warmth and connection, come through with painful clarity.

M-11. Flower
(17th single “Wasurezaki” C/W)
If it were a color, perhaps it would be gray or metal. It sings of the sense of loss and resignation felt in the middle of an impersonal city, and of streets crowded with buildings and people yet devoid of substance and barren. In that landscape, the song says, “If you decorate it with a single yellow flower, you can be happy.” A cool rock tune overflowing with the feeling of a band.

M-12. nonsense
(22nd single “Koyoi Eden no Katasumi de” C/W)
“The biggest point is that O□
Mocchi (Hitoshi Okamoto)’s □
chorus is included. I think □
the chorus adds spice to the song □
,” Nakamura said at the time of release □
The chorus by Okamoto can be heard □
in the chorus section, where Nakamura also layered many □
parts of her own voice. Combined with the fact that it has all-English lyrics, it has a soft, light listening feel □
Overall it is an upbeat number overflowing with a band feel, and a □
jazz-flavored piano solo can be heard in the instrumental break □

M-13. Ai ni Niteru
(30th single “Hana wa Saite Tada Yurete” C/W)
A mid-tempo number that was apparently once a candidate for a single. The dramatic melody is elevated into a grand ballad by a fuller backing track and thicker chorus.
At the time of release, Nakamura commented, “Rather than saying ‘love,’ saying ‘similar to love’ without making a definite statement feels very AZUKI-like… I thought that probing those gray areas was very GARNET CROW.”

M-14. whiteout
(9th single “Timeless Sleep” C/W)
A minor-key rock tune overflowing with drive. It is also a highly individual song with a retro atmosphere. The lyrics continue in a rushing stream, but by singing them smoothly and remaining thoroughly cool, the performance feels almost like listening to Western music. It sounds difficult to breathe through, but this is definitely a song I would love to hear live at least once.

M-15. hi-speed Special oneday
(5th single “Natsu no Maboroshi” C/W)
The arrangement has a club-like feel, including scratches. Overall it has been given a light, stylish finish, though its approach may feel fresh to people who have become fans of GARNET CROW only recently.
AZUKI Nana often writes heavy, profound lyrics that suggest a view of life and death, but this song has a light listening feel built from words cut out of everyday life. Look closely at the lyrics, however, and you will find the philosophy that is uniquely AZUKI Nana’s firmly embedded within them.

M-16. Yuudachi no Niwa
(11th single “Spiral” C/W)
The gentle □
colors of acoustic guitar and piano offer healing □
It is a sound in which the vocalist sings □
simply, as if speaking directly □
That simplicity □
draws out the inherent beauty of the melody □
It is also interesting to listen for the chorus: □
the main vocal in the refrain is accompanied by a unison □
throughout, while an English phrase appears in the outro □
AZUKI Nana’s lyrics can inspire all kinds of images from their titles alone, but this song expresses the whole piece in the four characters that form its title □
It is an exceptionally fine song □

★ DISC-2

M-1. in little time
(2nd single “Kimi no Ie ni Tsuku made Zutto Hashitte Yuku” C/W)
A work from the period soon after their debut, when they were still described as neo-acoustic. It is filled with a warmth like being wrapped in a fluffy blanket on a cold winter day.
It is well known among fans that the lyrics quote Mathilde from the film *The Hairdresser’s Husband*, who throws herself into a river in order to freeze this happiest moment, because she knows that love does not last forever. The ironic psychology of love—becoming anxious when you are too happy—is something anyone can understand.

M-2. Love Lone Star
(27th single “Yume no Hitotsu” C/W)
This is one of the coupling songs especially popular with fans, and it has also been performed live. It is a classic nostalgic mid-tempo ballad from the group. Nakamura said, “I chose it as a coupling song hoping people would imagine themselves dozing comfortably at sunset on a beach while feeling the sea breeze. I would be happy if you listened with the sound of waves playing in your head.” Another superb song that deserves more than being tucked away as a coupling track!

M-3. Argentina
(26th single “Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo” C/W)
An exhilarating Latin-flavored upbeat number. The rhyming lyrics and the exquisite phrasing, racing forward as Japanese and English intertwine, are masterful. It tells the story of a dancer named “Argentina,” and the title is her name written in the alphabet. This song was performed as the final song of the encore at the Countdown Live held from the end of last year through the beginning of this year.

M-4. Holy ground ~just like a “dejavu” arr.~
(23rd single “Maboroshi” C/W)
The original appears on the second album, *SPARKLE ~Suji-gaki Dōri no Sky Blue~*. It is one of their standard live songs—so much so that it would be no exaggeration to call it one of their signature songs despite being an album track. This re-arranged version has an acoustic-style arrangement with beautiful piano, guitar, and wind-chime tones. The profound lyrics stand out even more in this rendition.