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

●○ From music freak Es Vol.26

LINER NOTES

M-5. Natsu no Owari no Nagai Ame
(14th single “Kimi to Iu Hikari” C/W)
It is a feeling like the long rain that keeps falling softly, unable to break away, mourning the departing “summer” and wishing it would not end yet. Is summer a metaphor for “love,” or is it “a dream,” or perhaps “youth”...?
The lyrics sing of an inner conflict: “It would be easier if I could think it was all right to accept an unremarkable everyday life,” and “Why do I end up thinking again that I should move forward?” It is a quintessential song from the group, with an outstanding chorus melody.

M-6. Kanata Made Hikari o
(26th single “Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo” C/W)
A pop tune made comfortable by its crisp, nimble acoustic guitar and open, expansive vocals. It is as refreshing as a clear autumn sky. A falsetto appears in the chorus, and the song also lets us enjoy Nakamura’s distinctive vocal phrasing.

M-7. Mawarimichi
(24th single “Kaze to RAINBOW / Kono Te o Nobaseba” C/W)
What seems like a slow ballad develops into a dramatic structure that picks up in tempo from the B section. It is a wistful song about the circling emotions and unspoken feelings directed toward someone precious who is now far away, sung through the metaphor of a “detour.” The chorus in the outro is transparent, beautiful, and warm.

M-8. Yofuke no Ryuuseitachi
(16th single “Kimi o Kazaru Hana o Sakaso” C/W)
The song begins with a powerful impact by starting the chorus—and the title itself—without warning, then unfolds into a dramatic arrangement with a broad sense of scale. The strong, direct vocals tighten the entire song and give it a dignified finish. Please also pay attention to its lyrics, which anyone can relate to regardless of gender.

M-9. blue bird
(4th single “Sen Ijou no Kotoba o Narabete mo...” C/W)
From the opening, Okamoto’s unison chorus overlaps Nakamura’s lead vocal, creating something like a duet. Okamoto’s gentle singing wraps around Nakamura’s wistful voice, and the blend is exquisite.
The phrases “Now, if I can see the darkness, I am wrapped in light” and “If I was born in the darkness, I can go wherever I want to go” wipe away the wistful world of the song up to that point, ultimately leaving the listener with hope.

M-10. Jewel Fish
(7th single “Last love song” C/W)
Just as the title suggests, this is a fresh, refreshing number with the atmosphere of early summer. At the time of release, AZUKI Nana said of the lyrics, “Everyone should be allowed to be as they are. There are also so many things we have to accept as we go on. We sometimes become fixated on just one person among a population of six billion, don’t we? When things aren’t going well, I thought, ‘How about *water burial*—bury at sea—as one way of letting go?’ and wrote it that way.” (*bury at sea* appears in the chorus at the outro.)

M-11. Mikansei na Neiro
(3rd single “Futari no Rocket” C/W)
Nakamura is said to be especially fond of this number, which has also been performed live several times and is familiar to fans. Melody, lyrics, arrangement, vocals—every aspect is filled with the melancholy, wistfulness, and fragility that could be called their hallmark. It offers a glimpse of the essence of these creators and musicians and is truly worthy of being called a classic.

M-12. Ichiban Suteki datta Hi
(25th single “Namida no Yesterday” C/W)
In contrast to its bright, summery sound, the heavy lyrics with the distinctive AZUKI Nana edge make this a song that is, in a sense, quintessentially theirs.
The sharp guitar solo seems to express the complicated surge of emotion in the lyrics: “On this night when hope and destruction looked the same, ah, what a wonderful night.”

M-13. Trans Trap
(8th single “call my name” C/W)
An adult, upbeat number with a club-oriented sound. The repeated chorus melody refuses to leave your ears after a single listen, creating the mysterious sensation of having fallen into a trance after being caught in a trap. Neither “healing GARNET” nor “melancholy GARNET,” this song puts forward another of their appeals: “cool GARNET CROW.” It is an idiosyncratic work that core fans will find irresistible.

M-14. Nora
(29th single “Doing all right” C/W)
Before its release, the song was aired as the theme for ABC Asahi Broadcasting’s *Family Lesson*, where it drew such a strong response that it was urgently added as a coupling track. The melody and arrangement form a classic GARNET CROW mid-tempo ballad—gentle, yet touched with sadness—while the lyrics are unusual in being written from the perspective of a stray cat. It is a rich, evocative song in which the scenery rises vividly before your eyes.

M-15. live
(33rd single “Misty Mystery” C/W)
The coupling song to “Misty Mystery,” at that point their latest single, it had been well received since its release. Since Hiroto Furui was also a great admirer of it, a re-arranged version was included on the latest album, *Memories*. It is a bright, glamorous number that makes your heart dance, and we can only hope to hear it performed live in the future. Incidentally, it is pronounced “reebu,” not “live” as in a concert.

M-16. Tatoeba 12-gatsu no Yoru ni
(19th single “Hare-dokei” C/W)
A cool minor-key number that could hardly be more GARNET CROW, yet its cleverly twisted arrangement makes you grin. The chorus melody is superb, making this a hidden gem that would not have felt out of place as a single.

bonus track. JUDY ~English ver.~
The English version of “JUDY,” arguably the lead track of the latest album *Memories*, is included as a bonus track. This is the first time they have tried translating an original song into English and turning it into a finished work. The English translation and pronunciation supervision were handled by Yoko Blaqstone. Sung in Nakamura’s unmistakable voice, this English version is a must-hear!

【First-press limited edition: 2CD + DVD】
GZCA-5244–45　¥3,990 (tax included)
★ Bonus DVD: Music Clip collection
1. Kimi o Kazaru Hana o Sakaso　2. Kimi no Omoiegaita Yume Atsumeru HEAVEN　3. Hare-dokei
4. Yume・Hanabi　5. Koyoi Eden no Katasumi de　6. Maboroshi　7. Over Drive　8. Kono Te o Nobaseba
9. Love Lone Star　10. JUDY ~English ver.~
★ Jacket illustrated by Hirara Natsume
★ Original manga by Hirara Natsume
　　Web viewing password enclosed (published online)

【Regular edition: 2CD】
GZCA-5246–47　¥3,200 (tax included)
★ Includes “JUDY ~English ver.~” as a bonus track

★【GARNET CROW livescope 2012 ~the tales of memories~】 coming soon!!
● Sunday, March 4 — Main Hall, Umeda Arts Theater, Osaka
● Saturday, March 17 — TOKYO DOME CITY HALL, Tokyo (formerly JCB Hall)
● Sunday, March 18 — TOKYO DOME CITY HALL, Tokyo (formerly JCB Hall)
◆ Ticket price: ¥6,000 (tax included)　◆ General ticket sale for all shows: Saturday, January 28, 2012
◆ Inquiries about the shows
Osaka show: Sound Creator (06-6357-4400) / Tokyo shows: Disk Garage (050-5533-0888)