“GLAY delivers a Spanish-influenced rock tune and a grand ballad in this double-A-side singleâ€
GROUP: GLAY
CD SINGLE: ç´…ã¨é»’ã®MATADORA / I LOVE YOU ã‚’ã•ãŒã—ã¦ã‚‹
(Aka to kuro no MATADORA / I LOVE YOU wo sagashiteru)
LABEL: EMI Music Japan
CATALOG #:Â TOCT-40230, TOCT-40231
DURATION: 12:52
RELEASE DATE: September 10, 2008
- ç´…ã¨é»’ã®MATADORA (Aka to kuro no MATADORA)
- I LOVE YOU ã‚’ã•ãŒã—ã¦ã‚‹ (I LOVE YOU wo sagashiteru)
- SUFFRAGETTE CITY
The 4-member veteran rock band, GLAY, packed a variety of styles in their double-A-side 43rd single “Aka to kuro no MATADORA / I LOVE YOU wo sagashiteru”.
To summarize GLAY’s music style into a few words is difficult, because they have made so many great songs throughout their 20 years of formation, or 14 years since their major debut. But generally speaking, their rock numbers are what one might considered “pop rock”, often with a steady 8-beat backbone, and their slower songs are more of a “power ballad” that still contain electrifying guitar solos.
And when you least expect them to do something different is when they come out with a new song that would blow the audience away.
Such is the first track of the single, “Aka to kuro no MATADORA”.  It starts out with a few measures of a quiet Spanish style guitar solo, then the full rock sound blasts right in with the main instrumental theme, alongside a string orchestra. And when it’s time for the vocalist to enter, everything turns quiet except for a steady bass line and occasion guitar distortions in the background, but gradually churning into its full strings plus rock band mode, all the while keeping the refreshing Spanish dance style in the background. What stands out for me in this track is the bass line, because it’s one of the more melodious bass lines I’ve ever heard from GLAY’s collection. It echos the main vocal melody. The strings also add a classical element to this very energetic, danceable rock tune. “Aka to kuro no MATADORA” is the theme song of the Korean film “Shukumei” (Destiny), in theaters in October 2008 in Japan.
The second track is an immediate change of pace, a grand ballad that once again features strings accompaniment. “I LOVE YOU wo sagashiteru” starts out low on the vocals, but eventually climbs to really high notes after a very appealing and memorable chorus section, showcasing vocalist TERU’s singing skills and emotions. It’s a slam dunk for GLAY to those of you who dig slow love songs. This song is the theme song of the TV Asahi drama series “Dageki Tenshi Ruri”.
The last track on the single features a cover of David Bowie’s number “SUFFRAGETTE CITY”, a 1972 release. This song shows yet another side of GLAY that is completely different than the first 2 tracks. For a cover song, GLAY definitely arranged it in their very own funky rock mode, filled with interweaving guitars, lively beat, and a catchy chorus. It might be hard to beat their previous cover song “WITH OR WITHOUT YOU” in the “VERB” single, but GLAY’s character definitely shines through.
The limited edition CD features a special packaging that folds out, with TERU and TAKURO on the front, and HISASHI and JIRO on the back side. The regular edition shows the same picture of all four members, but all on the front side. The beautiful photos on the cover, the inner cover, and the lyrics booklet, were all taken in Prague by famed British photographer Kevin Westenberg (MySpace), who has been photographing GLAY for many years.
As a fan of their music, obviously I have to say it’s awesome and you should go buy it. But as someone who has enjoyed their music for 8 years, I must stress that the first track “Aka to kuro no MATADORA” is really a gem, even looking back various singles in their recent years. So for that alone, I’d say definitely go check it out.
Find more of our reviews at J!-ENT’s World Groove
Buy this CD Single:
Aka to kuro no MATADORA / I LOVE YOU wo sagashiteru [CD]
GLAY
 Regular edition |
 Limited edition (back) |
 Limited edition (front) |
The new single is also available on iTunes but you can only purchase it if you have a Japanese account. It even comes free with a “Music Video Shooting” video that is 11:25 minutes long. If you don’t have a Japanese account, you can enjoy a 30-second preview when you load iTunes using the link above.