Flipping over a new page

February's turning March! Just wanna show you the official GARNET CROW 2008 calendar. I'm lucky to have a copy since only G-NET members can order it (GC's official fan club) but I'm not a member. The story goes my friend's friend who's supposedly a member bulk ordered and they have an extra copy to spare. Usually I'm not into souvenirs but heck, this's too cute to pass! And I have absolutely no qualms staring at them as days fly by.

I uploaded some photos. If you can't view the slideshow, go to Picassa page.


Feburary Yuri on the wall


March - a GARNET party


March 29 - Major debut 'Mysterious Eyes'

Yuri's Diary Feb 29 | LOCKS Album design

Here's a rough translation for you reference. Original diary can be found on their official site. We can all look forward to the fantastic album designs as advertised by Yurippe~

Members' Diary
2008 Feb 29 (Fri) Yuri Nakamura


Hello everyone,
LOCK your heart!
This's Yurippe, leader from LOCKS cheerleading squad.

Here's some info on the crafts design of LOCKS. The cover and booklet of LOCKS limited edition features a variety of plants and animals, such as bird, parrot, rabbit, bat, chameleon, lizard etc. It broadens the scope of an evergreen GARNET vision by depicting the fragile world of animals. There're also imaginary animals (dinosaurs?) and centaurs. Please find out for yourself!

The illustrations of limited edition A and B are connected but feature different styles and animals. Please look forward to it. The lizard on the cover of Limited B is designed by my request. The tiny lizard nestled against my shoulder, isn't it cute? I encourage you to check it out. Regular edition is also cool. It pictures a pure and evergreen world everybody would dream of. The booklet has the look of a real book, with our photos inside. Track listing is the same for every edition and each design is unconventional. Choose the one to your liking!

By the way, as much as I like all the designs, if you insist on asking which is our favourite as of now, the result goes: Auzki likes Limited B. Furui likes the regular edition. Okamoto likes Limited A and I like Limited A as well. Hopefully this could help you make a decision.

There're also a lot of highlights to watch out for in the DVD. I watched it today and Ninnaji Temple Live is impressive. In the video clip we have all sorts of expressions, which is fun. The kitty named GARNET-chan who appears in the PV of 'Mou ichido waratte' (laugh again) is also worth watching.

I hope our music reaches out to everyone's heart and connects to it. This's the thought we have while making LOCKS and I hope more people would listen to it.

Cat & Postman

Some screen grabs from もう一度笑って PV. I haven't taken a great liking to the song yet but the PV is lovely (and homely) =D

もう一度笑って Download audio here (7.12mb)













View the rest here

Annoucements

Greetings to fellow GC fans! Are you happily anticipating the release of their new album 'LOCKS'? XD And frustrated that your pocket is short and the limited editions would be snatched up before you have the chance to buy them?

Alrite, more news will come later. First of all I want to apologize for not updating the fansite Seven seas. Many reasons abound.(Like 'time', duh!) Let's not find feeble excuses. Here's my plan:

*The english site will be officially and indefinitely moved to http://delico.myth200.com/7seas. Please bookmark the new url. Construction is underway. Patience is a virtue... Feel free to check back now and then as I update on the go (and at my own leisure).

* The website will serve as an information archive while this blog is to keep you updated of latest news, releases, audio & video clips etc.

It's easier for me to blog than publishing on my own website. You can subscribe to feeds if you know what 'rss feed' is. I definitely recommend it.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could leave feedback on how to improve this blog and/or the website. Send in whatever requests, questions, encouragements, complaints, curses,jinx, voo-doo dolls you have and I'll be grateful to answer/destroy them as appropriate. You could either email me at heavenlypigsty@gmail.com, or leave comments here. INVITATIONS ARE OPEN! Whoever is interested in contributing news/articles, step forward and let me know. This could be a team blog!

Last but not least, the sole purpose is to spread the love of GARNET CROW and unite the fans. Please purchase authentic albums/videos if you can.

もう一度 笑って preview

Before the PV's taken down by youtube, here's the new favourite from 6th album 'LOCKS'.You can download the audio clip here.

Mou ichido waratte, Smile again


News from official website
Mou ichido waratte PV On Air in Feb
CS Channel: 'Music Japan PV' will be showing GARNET CROW Live special.

Tie-up: Mou ichido waratte is the ED of TBS TV 'Digi-Can' for the month of March. It's on air every Sunday starting March 2nd.

GARNET CROW New Album 'LOCKS'

It's been more than a year since their last album 'THE TWILIGHT VALLEY'! What have they been doing in 2007?! (Usually they release one album per year) Let's hope the long anticipated 6th album is a sparkling gem!


photo credit: LOCKS special site (official)

Check it out! LOCKS special site features album preview, liner notes, PV & release info. There's more to come =D



6th Album: LOCKS
Release date: 2008 March 12

There're 3 editions:
*First Press Limited Edition A(left): GZCA-5124/3,500Yen (tax in)
- This edition comes with a DVD featuring Ninnaji Temple concert footage.
Order online: Yesasia | CDJapan | Amazon.jp

*First Press Limited Edition B(center): GZCA-5125/3,500Yen (tax in)
- CD+DVD containing 3 PVs: 世界はまわると言うけれど ,涙のイエスタデー,もう一度笑って)
Order online: Yesasia | CDJapan | Amazon.jp

*Regular Edition(right): GZCA-5126/3,059Yen (tax in)
Order online: Yesasia | CDJapan | Amazon.jp

Track Listing
01.最後の離島
02.涙のイエスタデー (album ver.)
03.世界はまわると言うけれど
04.もう一度笑って
05.この手を伸ばせば (album ver.)
06.doubt
07.風とRAINBOW
08.ふたり
09.Mr.Holiday
10.The first cry
11.Love is a Bird

Romaji & English translations (suggested)
01.Saigo no ritou, The last outlying island
02.Namida no yesterday, Tears of yesterday
03.Sekai wa mawaru to iu keredo, Even if they say the world goes round & round
04.Mou ichido waratte, Smile again
05.Kono te wo nobaseba, If you reach out
06.doubt
07.Kaze to RAINBOW, Wind & RAINBOW
08.Futari, two
09.Mr.Holiday
10.The first cry
11.Love is a Bird

Meaning behind 'LOCKS'
The pronounciation of 'LOCKS' is similar to '6す'(lokusu)=6th in Japanese, underlying their 6th album. Also, they want their fans to come closer and link hearts like keys to locks.

Liner Notes from Nakamura Yuri(translated from official website).
- This translation is very coarse... Read at your own peril!

About LOCKS
We want fans to feel love and positive emotions through this album which is filled with infinit purity, transparency and a sparkling quality. We hope that everybody could be the 'one and only' existence for someone special and hold uttermost contentment in their heart.

When the sun rises and starts a new day, we wish you could feel the coming of spring through the stirring of animals, buzzing of human activities, and the budding of plants. Wish this album could tell a story from a day's start to end, the changes in seaons, the joy of living, happiness, and strength through occasional pain and frustrations.

01.Saigo no ritou, The last outlying island
This song is imbued with a feeling of break of dawn, and a new chapter. Continueing from our previous album which tells how twilight gives in to darkness bringing forward our deeper world vision, this album reflects a purer, cleaner world. Although the word 'twilight' appears again in this song, it has a refreshing feel instead of darkness. The 2nd chapter of GARNET CROW is starting. Here we go!

02. Namida no yesterday (album ver.)
When we were still debating what to write for the 100th song, someone told us it was tied-up to a TV opening. The time was summer so we added in pop elements to give a summer feel. Being the 100th song which holds special significance, we want to make it a simpler tune so everybody could sing along. Although the majority of our songs give sad impressions, the 100th is 100% opposite to norm. It's not so bad for us slight weirdos (laughs).

03.Sekai wa mawaru to iu keredo, Even if they say the world goes round & round
A very sad, long anticipated love song.
The opening chords guide you to the world of this song. I can't help crying when I listen to its guitar solo. The bridge from stanza D to the end is like a sudden blooming of light in dark night. The world becomes wider, and leaves a sleepless trail.

04.Mou ichido waratte, Smile again
Both band members and production staff have favourable reviews of this song since its demo tape stage. Embraced in gentle sunlight, this song symbolises 'evergreen', a key motif of this album. It mixes purity with pains, typical of GARNET style. I like the line 'you were once as warm as the sunlight in spring' . I'd also like to be the kind of person who smiles always.

05.Kono te wo nobaseba, If you reach out
Every single note is sung with a lot of heart. Although it's a simple tune, it doesnt come off as unbalanced. You slowly get carried away. That's our initial purpose of writing this song. I like 'Do we have to believe in the coming of tomorrow in order to keep walking on?' 'You also have seen tomorrow in those eyes'

06.doubt
'Anger?Desire?Fire of life?'
Like the lyrics, this song burns with strong emotions from inside out. Another highlight is the tug-of-war between vocals and guitar during the bridge part - voice is great ~ Even my band members gave me kudos. Especially those who experience a lot of frustrations, please listen to it and let out your stress.

07.Kaze to RAINBOW, Wind & RAINBOW
- the prelude to 2007 for GARNET CROW. It's a high energy rock song filled with fresh curiosity. Happiness & shock, Pain & anticipations etc. - this song probes into fundamental human nature. We wrote it right after 5th album 'THE TWILIGHT VALLEY', as if we broke out of twilight and saw the break of dawn. We'll be very happy if those who listen to it are motivated to take a step forward from twilight to dawn.

08.Futari, two
The lyrics are extremely cute . 'Because you meet me, we are us yo~ ' I like this line a lot. The saying 'Because ~ yo' has become so popular in the studio, like 'Because my stomach is empty yo~', 'Because I want to take a break yo~'. Both guys and gals use it, and we managed to finish recording under this eccentric atmosphere. Even the grunge rock like voice sounds happy because of this lovely song. I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun in concert so please listen to it yo~ (laughs)

09.Mr.Holiday
This one is easy-listening. Under the sunlight you feel a sudden urge to sprint and go picnic - that's what the song is about. It's rare for us to write such a pop tune (laughs). It exudes a positive energy. I was swaying, walking, jumping and singing to it (laughs). Okamoto-san did a great job with chrous. Feel free to cycle and sing along. You'll be cheered up whether listening or singing to it.

10.The first cry
Stylistically, this song is a continuation from the previous album 'THE TWILIGHT VALLEY' which speaks a deeper and darker world vision. Guitar, vocal and chorus intermingle to create a mysterious ambience. Saxophone solo also adds to the darkness. Sadness, prayers, peace, journey and infinite pain - there're a lot of words you could assoicate with it. I wish you feel a little hope at the end of it. 'If prayers could not heal sadness, let's bear the pain together.' - this line defines the concept and direction of this song. The start of an end, or the end of a start - the world is going round and round.

11.Love is a Bird
The mellow synths starts the song. The free floating feeling of Stanza A and B is filled with gentle warmth, which forms a stark contrast with chorus 'Could people in love give off light and glory', sung with eruptive strength. 'To give up or to hope' is a recurring theme of our limited life. This is a song of hope. Let happy birds spread their wings and fly. C'mon everybody, take the first stride! Spread your wings and fly high! Love is a bird!and free!

***

You can preview all of the above tracks at LOCKS special site. My first impression is, it's a happy album in general. I like 'Mr. Holiday' & 'The first cry'.

More to come...

GARNET CROW Fanarts

I'm blogging backwards! I'm gniggolb! Here're the sketches I did previously. A link back is appreciated.

First Doodlescope


Yuri Nakamura