I’m
using the another version because I feel it evokes the feel of the song
better. Its very date like and has imagery from Kyushuuu, including a
lot of things mentioned in the lyrics. Read the lyrics, then watch the
video… this really is great stuff.
History
This song was
in the the debut single of 4th generation member Kamikokuryo Moe and
the last single to feature 2nd generation member Tamura Meimi.
As Itoshima is a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, the lyrics “suitou to” (好いとうと) and “yaken” (やけん) in “Itoshima Distance” are of the local Hakata dialect.
Some Landmarks in the Song
This
is a song that came out when I had gone back to school and was not
hardcore into H!P. I first heard it like a year ago. The outfits for the
video and the music really cemented this song as one I would love
forever. It was also one of the songs that helped relieve my “Tsunku
stepping down” tension as I discovered Sho could make great songs as
well. He can not replicate that “Tsunku” flavor, but Sho’s songs were
really good. Sho has blessed Angerme with some great songs, between him
and Takui Angerme’s post “Exclusively - Tsunku” discography is very
nice.
Anyways this song makes me nostalgic for a place I’ve never
been. Making me long to do activities I’ve never done, and drive in my
car with a lover I’ve yet to meet. This could have been a super sexy
kayokyoku song if it were slowed down a bit and they switched up the
instrumentation. Mari-Joe’s lyrics are great, but to get that kayo feel,
there needs to be less words, but that’s neither here nor there… my
pipe dreams, lol.
Song structure
The song is in f minor. The BPM is 120, and the time signature is 4/4.
Intro Pre-verse 1 - Song’s melodic theme Verse A1 - Doushita no Verse B1 - Chotto Matte Pre-Chorus 1 - Itsumo Chorus A1 - Suitou to Chorus B1 - Suitou to Pre-Verse 2 - Slutty Sax solo Verse A2 Verse B2 Pre-chorus 2 Chorus A2 Chorus B2 Bridge - Teasing Sax solo Chorus A3 Chorus B3 Pre-verse 3 - Song’s melodic theme Outro
Lyrics
This
song embodies too little too late. The protagonist in this song is a
girl getting broken up with… Its that kind of sad song. So on a car ride
home, the boyfriend breaks up with the protagonist and as they ride
home. Her mind is filled with regret and denial. She remembers only the
good times and likely has no recollection of the things that made the
boyfriend want to break up. She believes in her heart of hearts that if
the boyfriend remembers the goodtimes, he will choose her again.
I’m
not sure if they live in Fukuoka City and are traveling to Itoshima, or
the other way around. But I, personally, love the image of a country
girl being impressed by going to the big city and have a date, a little
udon, some karaoke, like its a big deal. Then going home feeling like
she was a city slicker and wanting to shake the country life. So I’m
voting for them living in Itoshima. However all the Japanse fans seem to
say they are on a trip to Itoshima, but in the end, it doesn’t matter.
One
of my favorite lines is when she talks about how she has looked through
the car window so many times, seeing beautiful things, showing the
window was a conduit for joy. But now in the reflection of the same
window she now sees a person she loves, but doesn’t recognize… oh its
poetic. Its like, she associates so many good memories with the window, I
guess they take trips often. But now, currently, at the moment, the
window is a conduit for pain.
Composition and Arrangement
Instruments
in the track are the piano, bongos, saxophone, strings, guitar, bass
guitar. To paraphrase the great Maa-chan, You should give the
instrumentals a listen from time to time. This one is great.
In
this song I have less “oh that part was great” and its just overall a
top tier song in my mind. I like all the parts and every section has at
least 2 or 3 things I like. I would be here all day listing them. But if
I had to pick a crowning moment of awesome, its the melody in the
verses. It ebbs and flows like the waves crashing on an Itoshiman beach…
That 7th and 8th bar in each of the two verses… just yes… Then they
lead to that perfect rhythm on "Itsumo.“ These guys are playing for
keeps. I’m a huge fan of singing naturals in
melodies, they give this sort tension that I love prolonging. Well in
this melody they sprinkle a couple in for the music wotas like me.
Probably my favorite use of it is in the chorus when they are singing
the natural 3rd on Omoidashite (the "i”) and Ano Machi parts (the “ma”).
This is an example of “if the song was slower and had less lyrics” I
would have loved it more. That natural 3rd could have been so much more
satisfying, but instead its just (a very welcome) part of a vocal
movement in the melody.
The song is sonically spacious. It feels
as if there are only like 3 instruments playing at a time, so its not
over crowded with musical ideas. The most prominent feature is the
bassline that is just throbbing with sass. Sometimes there is more, but
it just feel open like a trio and I appreciate that openess.
I
don’t think I’ve ever really talked about my musical foundation, but I
come to music from (largely) Jazz and Video Game Music. My Jazz roots
give me an affinity for live musicians in both performance and
recording. I love lots of programmed stuff (ie. VGM), but a composition
really shines when its played by live musicians. Which is why
contemporary VGM is at a kind of apex for me (but that’s a conversation
for another time). Anyways, whenever a Hello!Project song uses live
musicians to record a part, it really makes me stand up and listen. In
this song, Takegami Yoshinari came and laid down some sax solos for the
song and it really shines because of it. It might be the most
distinguishing sonic factor of the song. I heard other fans complain
when Tsunku uses the same “sax riff” in multiple songs, well this one is
all original and bespoke for the song. I’m sure H!P usually shys away
from live musicians because its more expensive to tour with musicians
and playing tracks for the girls lets them get used to the same musical
experience. Anyways, even if its just in recording, I appreciate the
live musicians in my pop music. Another reason to love H!P.
The
strings are live as well by Muroya Kouichiro. A lot of the string’s
“emotion” that’s in this song are much better live, as opposed to
synthesized. The way the notes are blended and stretched… these are the
benefits of live musicians (not decrying programmed music, just
highlighting the benefits of live musicians). The harmonies the violin
and the viola play could be replicated with a synth (keyboard), but the
uniform technique for both parts they play could not be replicated on
the keyboard. For example, all throughout the songs the strings have
these quick Glissandos to
end the phrases where they start on one note and finish like a 3rd or a
5th lower in the span of one beat. In the first verse listen to the
strings while Kanonon sings “Oshiyoseru,” it does what I’m talking
about. That sort of flourish is all throughout the song in the strings
and it a bit difficult to synthesize, you only get those flairs from
live musicians. The drums are programmed, but having a live
percussionist would have pushed this to the max for me. But this is pop
music and they are trying to appeal to the masses, not aural slutz like
me, lol.
Also a word on M!ho, she has been featured on many a Sho
song (not that she works exclusively with him or anything), and she
makes an appearance in the background of many parts of this song
including the Pre-verse (usually singing the “Ah"s and "Ooh"s). I think tonally,
no one could match her in Angerme. In addition, M!ho is a professional,
and it was probably MUCH quicker and easier to have her do those other
harmonies. M!ho’s vocal control is much stronger than any of the girls in the group (save probably Meimei).
Anyways, this review is just more of my fanboy ramblings… My guilty pleasure…
Omake!
Found this thread on a Matome. DISCLAIMER:
I’m no professional translate, if you see I made a mistake instead of
ridiculing me, help me get better! I’ve left the Japanese for those who
can read it, and those that can’t have to suffer through my translations
guwahaha~ Also this was translated after I wrote my review, so any
similarities are coincidental.
48: 名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／
A song
about a woman from Kyushuu’s countryside (around Kumamoto?) who left
Fukuoka city with a guy to go on a date in Itoshima, huh?
I
suppose that in old school Enka there was often a situation where a
woman from Northern Japan was leaving Tokyo and I wonder if we are in a
period where women are leaving Fukuoka City.
九州の田舎（熊本あたり？）から福岡に出てきたな女が彼と糸島にデートしてたという歌だな 昔の演歌は北国から東京に出て来た女と相場が決まってたが 福岡に出て来た女というのが時代かなと思う
87: 名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／
>>48 At the moment there likely are a lot of Kyushuu women leaving Fukuoka city 今福岡に出てくる九州の女って多いらしいな
________________________________
96: 名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／
Even
though its a song about Itoshima, somehow they didn’t say the names of
any of Itoshima’s places… Kego Park and Nokoshima Island are right by
Fukuoka City
糸島の歌なのに同地の地名が出てこないってどういうことだ？ 警固公園や能古島は隣りの福岡市だぞ
115: 名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／
>>96
This couple lives in Fukuoka and often was driving to Itoshima The protagonist remembered this retrospection of when they were enroute to Kego Park, Nokoshima Island, etc…
このカップルは福岡在住で糸島までよくドライブしていた その回想の途中に警固公園や能古島も行っていたことを思い出した
148: 名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／
>>115
If
thats the case, even though they traveled to Kego park and Nokoshima
Island, it would have been good if they would of incorporated Keya no Ooto (in itoshima), Marutaike Park (in itoshima, they also have an illumination event as well), or Meoto Iwa into the song.
だったら芥屋の大門、丸田池公園、夫婦岩を盛り込めばいいのに
__________________________
97: 名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／
Doesn’t this song give more the impression of pop from the late 80’s early 90’s more than what they call Kayokyoku.
歌謡曲というよりは80年代末期から90年代初頭のポップスって印象
____________________________________________
267: 名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／
As opposed to Akina, isn’t this closer to that area before Shouno Mayo, Kubota Saki, etc…? 明菜より前の庄野真代とか久保田早紀とかあの辺じゃないかね？
(Not gonna lie, I’m so excited I found some new Artists to research! Kubota Saki looks like BAE ver. 1.2.0)
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