About four months after the release of their hundredth song overall, "涙のイエスタデー," GARNET CROW will release their new single "世界はまわると言うけれど" on November 14. This song lets listeners slowly savor what could be called the true pleasure of the GARNET CROW sound: nostalgia, strength, and sadness. It is already on air as the ending theme for the anime *Detective Conan*, so many people have probably heard it. The release also contains songs worth listening to, including "彼方まで光を," perfect for the current season, and "Argentina," with a Spanish-Latin sound brought fully to the front. We spoke with vocalist Yuri Nakamura about this work. (INTERVIEWED BY EMI MORI)
-- First, I would like to look back a little on your activities this summer. Around the time you released the previous work, "涙のイエスタデー," you had opportunities to celebrate the seventh anniversary together with fans, including fan-club events. Please tell us if there were things that left an impression at the events, or things you felt through them.
Yuri Nakamura:The quiz tournament was very fun because we were able to participate together with everyone. I got almost everything wrong, but when I saw the expressions of the people who answered correctly and those who missed, they looked truly happy. I felt as though the emotional distance between the fans and us became a little closer, and that made me happy. I want to keep treasuring this kind of "connection" with everyone from now on too.
-- On October 20, you held a special live at the World Heritage site Ninna-ji. Please give us your direct impression.
Yuri Nakamura:It was the best! In particular, the cyalume performance during "Holy ground" was so wonderful that it made me shiver from the stage. The distinctive open-air sound that breaks through and the clear resonance felt extremely good. By having our songs played in that place, they gained even more power. It was that kind of live performance. It gave off such an enormous aura that I thought, we probably will never be able to do a concert like this again...
-- When we interviewed you for the previous work, "涙のイエスタデー," you said, "Recently, some very good songs have been coming up." Was the current single, "世界はまわると言うけれど," one of those? Please tell us when this song was made.
Yuri Nakamura:This song was made around the same time as "涙のイエスタデー."
-- "世界はまわると言うけれど" is a song where the relaxed rhythm and nostalgic sound feel pleasant to the ear. What kind of scene did you imagine when making it?
Yuri Nakamura:With this song, for the first time, I made it by listening to a drum loop, placing chords over it, and then layering a pleasant melody on those chords. Usually I make songs with the melody first, but this song was made with the rhythm first. So I think from the beginning to the end of the song, the rhythm feels consistently pleasant. I think that connects to the floating feeling of the song, and to the comfortable "right temperature" of being warmly enveloped.
-- Was there any trigger that made you want to make this type of song?
Yuri Nakamura:At that time I was writing a lot of ballads, so I suppose I was in that mode (laughs).
-- When you first read the lyrics written by AZUKI, what did you think? If there were lyrics that linked with the image of the song, please tell us that too.
Yuri Nakamura:I thought the large groove the song has and the worldview of the lyrics had combined beautifully. It felt like large gears meshing together.
-- Is there a part of the lyrics you especially like? Please tell us the reason you chose it as well.
Yuri Nakamura:"永い夜が朝が昼が すべてのらりくらり流れゆくよ." I felt that the song's sense of rhythm matched perfectly with the part "のらりくらり流れゆくよ." I thought the tempo and groove of the song and the speed of the lyric's world were the same.
-- In the lyrics, there is a part that says "そっとただ窓の外をながめ 季節が移ろうのをみていましょう." Do you like looking at the scenery outside?
Yuri Nakamura:When I want a change of mood, or when the stars look beautiful, or on days when I can see the moon, it may often be at night, but I like looking at the scenery outside.
-- Mr. Furui said he was conscious of a natural arrangement like your early works. If there are parts of the arrangement you like, please tell us along with the reason.
Yuri Nakamura:The intro. I like it because it lets you feel warmth, naturalness, and comfort all at the same time. It is an intro that makes you feel as though you are being rocked in a cradle.
-- "彼方まで光を" is a bright number with a firm rhythm. What kind of image did you make it from?
Yuri Nakamura:I aimed for a refreshing and sad song, perfect for the autumn sky, with the pleasant, rough acoustic-guitar feel of something like "夏の幻."
-- Please tell us if there were points you were particular about in production, or things you paid attention to when singing.
Yuri Nakamura:So that it would suit a dry, clear sky like the autumn sky, I tried to sing in a way that would break through into the sky. I also use falsetto in the chorus, and I hope people can feel through that falsetto not only freshness but also sadness.
-- Why did you decide to include this song?
Yuri Nakamura:I chose it because I thought it fit the release season perfectly.
-- I think the lyrics of this song have parts that link with the "passage of time" in "世界はまわると言うけれど." In daily life, when do you strongly feel the flow of time?
Yuri Nakamura:In the current season, when I see roadside trees that were full and vigorous until just recently turn red and yellow, become fallen leaves, and lie by the roadside, I feel the flow of time.
-- "Argentina" is a dramatic number full of speed. What kind of image did you make this song from?
Yuri Nakamura:Before this, we had also made songs with a Latin taste, such as "夢・花火" and "かくれんぼ," and this time too I wanted to make a Spanish-Latin song. It is influenced by folk music, including European chanson and canzone. It is a song about a dancer named "Argentina."
-- AZUKI's lyrics, which have a sense of wordplay, are impressive. What did you think when you first read them?
Yuri Nakamura:I thought they were very interesting. There is rhyming too, so even just listening to the sounds is fun, and the recording went smoothly.
-- I felt this song is also one where you can enjoy how the sounds and words fit together. What was it like actually singing it? If there are parts you like, please tell us that too.
Yuri Nakamura:The sound also has a strong sense of speed, and the rhythm was solid, so it was easy to sing. The lyrics are also packed with many words that strongly evoke heat, passion, and soul, so I was able to raise my mood and sing.
-- Some GARNET CROW songs have changed greatly during production. Did the three songs included in this work have any episodes like that?
Yuri Nakamura:With the third song, "Argentina," we were undecided until the last minute about whether to include it, but recently we ourselves have become able to enjoy playful, curveball-like songs, so we decided to include it.
-- Now that this single is complete, what do you think of it again?
Yuri Nakamura:Well done! I think it has come together well as one collection of works. With a song we are good at, a sad song that gives off a scent of our early period, and a playful uptempo song, I think people can see three different worlds of ours. Like lightly salted flavor, consomme flavor, and curry flavor... (laughs)
-- It may be a little early, but looking back on this year, please tell us your impressions, especially if there were things that left a strong impression.
Yuri Nakamura:We reached our hundredth song overall, held fan events, and were able to perform live at Ninna-ji. It was a very full, dense year. With our hundredth song, "涙のイエスタデー," we tried a Beatles-style jacket and an Ed Sullivan Show-style music video. At the fan events, we planned a talk show and quiz tournament with all members together. We also held an outdoor live at a World Heritage site. It was a year full of firsts.