(Released June 11, 2003; BMCV-5002)
Koshi follows up last year's solo album Shian with [KI]. Like all his solo works so far, it debuted at #1 on the Oricon chart. More importantly, it shows us his potential as a songwriter in his own right. This single showcases 3 different styles of music, and how adeptly Inaba-san presents each.
1. AKATSUKI
Koshi often crafts sensitive, jazz-infused, genre-crossing numbers for his solo works. Akatsuki is a reminder to listeners that this man has rock star flowing in his blood. It�s not as outright a rock number as O.NO.RE, or Trash, from his last solo album Shian, but there�s no doubt about where to classify this song. The reason I say this is because while the chorus in Akatsuki is straight up intense rock, the verses are often restrained by moments of pensive thoughtfulness.
Koshi must be someone who can acknowledge the dark, and yet always find light. The lyrics here take a snapshot of someone who is searching and troubled, but finds hope. I found myself listening closely to this song and following the inner debate of the speaker as he shifts his thoughts. The arrangement, the way the melody fits the lyrics, and most of all, his voice, really bring out the moods in the song. How he manages to convey bafflement, anger, determination, and finally, in the song�s ending, the quiet peace of someone who has struggled through, is a testament to that marvel of a voice.
The beginning notes and cool, funky guitar immediately slide the song into one of those smooth, moody moments, but then a powerful rock beat takes over to let us know what to expect. In the first verse, Koshi keeps his singing understated, but note how in the �shimekitta� he immediately bridges the distance to determined. After that, the rock beat dominates the song, but there is a nice bridge that zips through the primary emotions of this song, and a great guitar solo. At 2:32 the song builds up for the climax, where Koshi repeats variations on the chorus with swift intensity and Japan�s top lyricist punctuates the lines with rhyme to make them even more memorable. He ends with a rousing �Rise!,� the moody guitar takes over again, and in the quiet of the last measures, it sounds like the singer is walking away from us and leaving us what he has discovered after a long night. Dawn breaks and he is ready to go, but as if it is a whisper in the wind, we hear the encouraging last line, "Namida sae nagarenai yoru ni
Kirameku hoshi wo mite..."* The message, about finding freedom and struggling forward despite pain, embracing it, passing beyond defeat, must have struck a chord with, not least, the K1 Boxing Sports Program, which adopted AKATSUKI as its image song.
At first I thought this song wasn�t like the ones where Koshi leads listeners through an emotional landscape, like Tokumade, but it actually is a little bit like that. He likes to mix and match. As usual, the replay value of these songs is great. It�s been said by some that Akatsuki is reminiscent of the B�z style. Perhaps the Tak-like guitar solo makes us think of the B�z leader. Nevertheless, Akatsuki is a very solid song that should be enjoyed on its own rights.
Nutshell: Moody hard rock; find your own dawn
2. Shizuka na Ame
Surprisingly, it�s the most relaxed number on this single that paints the most vivid picture in its lyrics. The song itself is simple and low-key, in the vein of �Famiresu Gozen 3ji� off his last album Shian. Compared with the other songs, the arrangement is straightforward. Koshi plays acoustic guitar. His voice is natural and warm, with a depth in the lower range and a nice falsetto. It sounds really great. The words and melody complement each other in an easy rhythmn.
The lyrics describe a speaker sitting in traffic on a rainy day, who catches a glimpse of someone who reminds him of a beloved person from the past. This leads to other memories, of course.
Nutshell: Quiet reminiscing; rainy emotions.
4. I�m On Fire
This song has a beautiful start that instantly pulls one in. Sometimes you�re just instinctively drawn to a song and connect to it right away, and out of all the songs on this single, this is the one that made me listen the most intensely. Some music demands all of your concentration and, like Nami, Tokumade, or Touch, this ballad is beautiful in its shimmering emotion.
One striking thing about I�m On Fire is the lushness of the sound. The singing is gorgeous. He hits every note so accurately and there are no technical faults, but more than that is the way he animates each note and shifts his emotional stance throughout�sometimes with the lightest touch, sometimes lightning quick. Is there anyone else who can sing the phrase �neon sign� like he does, infusing it with the tenderness of a caress? I know that sounds horribly fangirly, but it's true -- go give it a listen.
This song begins with only Koshi�s voice but a piano quickly enters. The first verse is poignant. The melody is entrancing, the piano is lovely, and slowly more beats and instruments are woven in, until the song hits its lushly romantic stride. From the moment this song begins, it goes through a constant evolution. At 3:40, suddenly Koshi the rock icon briefly appears as the ballad flashes into a rock beat. Instead of breaking up the song though, that abrupt change serves only to magnify the emotion in the song. �Just thinking of you, my breath seems to stop�� In the wrong hands, such lyrics might become overly sentimental. But in Koshi�s hands, it is impossible to doubt the stirring sincerity he puts into each phrase! The ending is quietly effective.
The lyrics and arrangement and vocals come together in a way that is so Koshi Inaba that you know anyone else singing this song would not be able to produce this effect.
Nutshell: Emotional spell-casting ballad; lots of amore.
The other 2 tracks on this single are remixes of Akatsuki. One is a club remix and the other is orchestral. They�re really nice for adding a little extra to the single, but KI certainly has enough excellent content even without them. They do add more variety and length; overall, this diverse single is certainly bang for the buck.
