Natalie PowerPush - GARNET CROW
“Smiley Nation,” a Number That Makes Everyone Smile, Is Complete
GARNET CROW are starting their 2011 activities in brilliant fashion with the simultaneous release of three titles: the new single “Smiley Nation” and the live DVDs *GARNET CROW livescope 2009 〜Yoake no Soul〜* and *GARNET CROW livescope 2010+ 〜welcome to the parallel universe!〜*.
The new song “Smiley Nation” follows the flow of their album *parallel universe*, released at the end of last year, and is a bright, bursting uptempo tune that invites smiles from its listeners. Meanwhile, the coupling track is “Hachigatsu no Yoru,” a medium number filled with sadness and fleetingness. The two live DVDs also contain performances that let you feel the band’s “shadow” and “light,” respectively. In this way, the works being released this time vividly reflect two charms that could be called opposite sides of the band GARNET CROW.
Representing the members, who say that even after their tenth-anniversary year, the happy mood still has not ended, vocalist Yuri Nakamura spoke with us about each work.
Interview & text / Hideyuki Mori
“Smiley Nation” Is a Song with Incredible Power
——The new song “Smiley Nation” is on the same axis as the open, bright taste that filled the album *parallel universe*, released last December.
Nakamura:Yes. We made this song last year, and last year was our tenth-anniversary year after debuting, so there were a lot of live shows and events, and many chances to meet the fans. We were able to receive so much energy and power there, so I made it thinking I wanted to digest that and give it back, making a bright, clear song that could energize everyone this time.
——Was it made around the same time as the album?
Nakamura:It was made at about the same time. So it feels like we dug a little deeper into the flow of “Over Drive,” which we released last April. There is a difference between a single and an album, but “Over Drive,” *parallel universe*, and “Smiley Nation” have an image for me of being a trilogy wrapped in a happy aura.
——This work really does invite smiles, just as the title says.
Nakamura:This song has incredible power. It has so much “light” power, so I think when people listen to it, they really will end up smiling. That is why when I sing it, I feel I cannot lose to that power, so it takes quite a lot of energy.
——The piano in the intro raised the tension at once.
Nakamura:It starts with a glissando right from the top. The tension is suddenly already at max (laughs).
——And then there is your shout at the start of the chorus. That is great.
Nakamura:Ahahaha, that part? (laughs) It just came out. The image was like running up and jumping there, like the first burst of that kind of momentum. It is not a melody, and it is not in the lyrics, but it just happened (laughs).
——I think leaving it as it was turned out exactly right.
Nakamura:There was nothing awkward about it (laughs). Since it came out naturally, I also thought that was probably what felt better for the song.
We Wanted to Release Uptempo, Positive Music That Could Make People Smile
——With this type of song, it seems like there would not have been much hesitation before it was completed.
Nakamura:Yes, I wrote the song in one go, and AZUKI said she also wrote the lyrics in one rush this time, with momentum. At the demo stage, she seemed to really feel the pop quality and lightness that the melody had, and the arrangement came together fairly quickly too. Everyone put their power into it and made it all at once, so I think it became that much more tightly concentrated, and its freshness was preserved. It is very aggressive and impactful, or you could call it the “movement” side of GARNET CROW.
——When you listen to it, there is also a feeling of your body starting to move.
Nakamura:Exactly. I think it became a song that does not make you listen quietly, but makes you want to move your body without thinking and makes you want to try singing it. That kind of thing is important, right? If you move your body, your heart becomes healthier, and if your heart becomes healthier, you can feel positive, and if you can feel positive, you naturally smile. At this timing, I thought it would be good if even one more person could smile.
——Ah, did you also think about that kind of timing with this single release?
Nakamura:Of course we did think about it. There was also an idea of making this single a ballad, but right now I really wanted to release uptempo, positive music that could make people smile. I think there are still so many people going through hardship because of the earthquake disaster.
Nakamura:*Only the limited first edition includes a DVD containing the “Smiley Nation” Music Clip!
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Natalie PowerPush - GARNET CROW
“Smiley Nation,” a Number That Makes Everyone Smile, Is Complete
I Think the PV Shows Us Quite Close to How We Really Are
——“Smiley Nation” is wrapped in such a bright aura, but in fact it also contains GARNET CROW-like tastes in many places. I found that balance really exquisite and interesting.
Nakamura:That is right. The song style is an uptempo type that is rare for GARNET CROW, but it also changes keys quite a bit, the melody bounces, and I think there are many things at its root that feel like GARNET CROW up to now. It is a little twisted, you could say. So among the members, we are talking now about things like, “Since it became a single, we have to do it at live shows from now on, right?” and “That will be tough, what should we do?” (laughs).
——What do you mean by tough?
Nakamura:In the technical parts, the chords change very rapidly, and in the chorus each note even has its own chord, so it is very hard for the people performing it. Apparently the instrumentalists had a hard time in the recording too. But of course we cannot avoid doing it live, so it feels like we are bracing ourselves a little (laughs).
——Considering how the song first came about, it is exactly the kind of song that should be done live.
Nakamura:Yes. I think this song only really comes into being when as many people as possible hear it, so I want to sing it together with everyone smiling. Still, it is also a slightly difficult song to sing, so if singing all of it is impossible, I want people to sing at least the title part with us (laughs).
——In the jacket photo this time, and also in the PV made by scattering photos gathered from listeners, all of the members show us their smiles.
Nakamura:Yes. We were made to smile (laughs). Smiling inside this kind of refreshing image was a first for GARNET CROW, so at first everyone was like, “What do we do?” (laughs). But once we gradually got used to it, people started making others laugh. The PV shoot had a friendly atmosphere and was fun.
——Personally, when I watched the PV, I thought keyboardist Furui’s smile was quite precious (laughs).
Nakamura:Yes, I think it is precious (laughs). At live shows he actually moves quite aggressively, but in everyday life he has a quiet image. He gives it a nice flavor. On set, he was the most excited one (laughs). In that sense, I think this PV shows us quite close to how we really are. Usually we all laugh and talk together, so I think we were able to show that feeling as it is.
“Hachigatsu no Yoru,” Which I Want People to Enjoy Through the Gap with “Smiley Nation”
——And the coupling track is a song called “Hachigatsu no Yoru.” This is what you would call a medium-tempo number in the GARNET CROW style up to now.
Nakamura:I think many fans may feel relieved when they hear this one. It is the usual GARNET CROW sound. We do love medium tunes with this kind of sadness, fleetingness, and melancholy, so it is something we want to keep doing without changing. At the same time, I also want to keep bringing in new challenges.
——The gap with “Smiley Nation” also makes it a single with a lot to enjoy.
Nakamura:“Smiley Nation” is a very bursting song, so I thought that if there were something pulled down sharply as a contrast, it might sink more deeply into the heart. In terms of image, “Smiley” is something you listen to in the daytime, and the coupling track is night. At the end of the day, when you are relaxed, listening to a song like this, where the groove continues calmly, might make you cry. I would be happy if people enjoy it through that contrast.
The Live Shows on the DVDs Are Contrasting, but Both Are GARNET CROW
——On the same day as the single, two live DVDs will also be released. They contain *GARNET CROW livescope 2009 〜Yoake no Soul〜* and *GARNET CROW livescope 2010+ 〜welcome to the parallel universe!〜*, respectively.
Nakamura:The staging of the two live shows is truly completely different, so I think it will be interesting to compare them as you watch. The 2009 one is very solid and lets you listen to the songs; if I were to put it in terms of color, it feels black. The 2010 one is fantastical, with a conceptual worldview conscious of Christmas, so its image color is a sparkling white. The direction is so different that you would hardly think the same people were doing it (laughs), but both are GARNET CROW, so I hope people enjoy both.
——Looking back now, how do you feel about each live show?
Nakamura:2009 was our first tour around live houses. So it was different from a hall: the audience was close, and we could feel the intimacy and unity unique to live houses very strongly. I think that atmosphere comes through on the DVD too, so I hope people enjoy that aspect.
——The other live show was at the end of last year. I imagine the memory is still clear.
Nakamura:Yes, it is. What left an impression on me was that everyone seemed to be smiling the whole time. By doing so many live shows from 2009 into 2010, our awareness changed: we came to feel that a live show is not just about letting people hear music, but something you create together with the audience. So I think that feeling comes through strongly in the live show on this DVD. I think the feeling of “Let’s all enjoy this together” appears even more.
Nakamura:*Only the limited first edition includes a DVD containing the “Smiley Nation” Music Clip!
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Natalie PowerPush - GARNET CROW
“Smiley Nation,” a Number That Makes Everyone Smile, Is Complete
Right Now All the Members Are Bright, Positive, and Energetic
——GARNET CROW are making their first move of 2011 with the simultaneous release of three titles. What is your vision for summer onward?
Nakamura:We are still continuing production now, so I think we may be able to release something again. There are also summer events.
——You will be appearing at “Otodama OTODAMA SEA STUDIO 2011,” held on August 10 at Zushi Beach in Kanagawa Prefecture. It sounds like it will be a live show in an acoustic style.
Nakamura:That is right. It will have a slightly different atmosphere from usual. We have done acoustic style as one section of a regular live show, and we have done it for campaigns, but this will be our first time doing it at this kind of live show, so it feels like, “What is going to happen!?” (laughs).
——We should be able to hear “Smiley Nation” too, right?
Nakamura:Probably. But it is a technical song (laughs). I do not know what will happen, but if we do it, I think we will be able to let people hear it in a way that is different from the CD, so please look forward to it. I also want everyone to practice and sing it with us.
——Please keep running through this year as well, still wrapped in the happy aura that has continued from last year.
Nakamura:It feels like 2011 starts from here, but somehow it also feels like the tenth anniversary is still continuing. It does not feel like the happy year, the happy aura, is going to end (laughs).
——That is a very good thing, right? You could say this year is the memorable eleventh-anniversary year since debuting. The number is not very round, though (laughs).
Nakamura:Ahahaha (laughs). Maybe every year can be an anniversary year (laughs). It is fun, so why not? Everyone’s tension is so high that I almost wonder whether the other members have realized the tenth anniversary is over. They are bright, positive, and energetic. It feels like we are younger than we were two years ago, and younger than we were last year. So right now, GARNET CROW feels like we want to try many more things from here.
“Smiley Nation” PV
*GARNET CROW livescope 2009 〜Yoake no Soul〜* DVD Digest
*GARNET CROW livescope 2010+ 〜welcome to the parallel universe!〜* DVD Digest
Nakamura:*Only the limited first edition includes a DVD containing the “Smiley Nation” Music Clip!