Galileo Galilei - Parade

author: Kay

© Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Galileo Galilei’s first full album, Parade, came out in Japan in February. It became an instant success and managed to reach the top five of the Oricon weekly chart, quite an accomplishment as not only is the band itself young, but the four band members’ average age is only 19. Not wanting to limit this talent to Japan, their label Sony Music Entertainment has now released the album digitally on iTunes and Amazon in the United States and Canada, and can also be downloaded by UK fans through iTunes UK and Amazon.

The album contains a total of eleven songs, amongst them five previously released tracks. The album starts with the main song from their first single of 2011, Boku kara kimi he. As a catchy, upbeat rock song it is no surprise that this single ranked in the top 15 of the Oricon Charts. The song makes very good use of a tension curve, going from gentle, pop-like parts to rockier choruses which holds the attention of the listener. As well as this, the arrangement has been done interestingly with backing vocals and a Rhodes piano to add some more variety.

Compared to the other single-songs featured on the album, Boku kara kimi he has a more mature sound and it is audible that it was released this year. The other songs, Hamanasu no hana, Yotsuba sagashi no tabibito and Natsuzora are certainly good, but sound a little less polished. Hamanasu no hana has a much rawer rock sound and Natsuzora, their debut single, sounds rougher. The songs will surely be received enthusiastically during their concerts as they are bound to get the crowd jumping along.

Wakkanai, the first of the new songs, is a bit of a surprise. Wakkanai, Hokkaido, is the band’s hometown and the most northern point of Japan. With an average yearly temperature of 6.5 degrees Celsius, one is likely to imagine a song that would fit as a soundtrack to a desolate, snowy landscape. On the contrary, the song Wakkanai gives off a very vibrant, warm feeling. A horn section even adds some bombasticness. This, combined with Yuuki's way of singing from the top of his lungs, makes the song reminiscent of Remioromen.

The track 18 is full of life and the fresh, upbeat rock sound bounces merrily off the walls. Yoru no madobe to yotsuba no clover, on the other hand, is one of the album’s calmer songs even though it’s still in a distinct rock style. However, it’s a little more subtle with twin vocals and a Rhodes piano tinkling along in a jazzy style.

With Flappy, Galileo Galilei returns to their bouncy youthfulness. The song starts off with an intro featuring almost exotic, electronic percussion and then the guitars join in with cute, fast riffs. Dou demo ii features electronic sounds, something the band doesn’t seem to use often. It adds a nearly hyperactive feel to the song, resulting in fast-paced chaos with the yelled background vocals going ‘oh-oh-oh’ in the chorus. Things calm down again with SIREN, a slow rock song that continuously builds up tension before turning into full-fledged rock with a powerful guitar solo.

The album is concluded with an acoustic version of Kanseitou, which was originally released on their indie mini-album, Ame nochi galileo. The song is gentle and relaxing, but at the same time it is obvious that it’s a sorrowful song rather than a happy one. The song has been adapted into a movie, and it's easy to imagine a teenage love with the snow of Hokkaido in the background. Yuuki’s straightforward vocals add some sentiment to the song, ending the album in a subdued tone.

Parade gives a really good overview of Galileo Galilei by combining both their new and old work. Hopefully the album will become a hit in North America and the United Kingdom as well, paving the road for a successful career overseas. The album can be purchased at iTunes and Amazon for USA and Canada, and through iTunes UK and Amazon for the United Kingdom.