[2020.03.12] Shigeaki's Cloud
Kato Shigeaki's Quite Personal Liner Notes ~STORY Vol.~ (Part 3)
Kato Shigeaki's Quite Personal Liner Notes ~STORY Vol.~ pt. 3
8 Perfect Lover
This song was also composed by ☆Taku Takahashi-san.
☆Taku Takahashi-san has been with us even since NEVERLAND.
Out of all the songs that Taku-san has composed for NEWS, "Perfect Lover" is a compilation of the 4-part project.
For example, it follows the drum base from Brightest, and the synthesizer from IT'S YOU.
As well as the essence of Invisible Dungeon's autotune and note length.
It also has some samples of the string instruments in the previous three songs.
The way the song parts are allocated is also interesting.
It's split in a way where the first half has me and Tegoshi, and the second verse has Masuda and Koyama.
In this chorus, I sing the falsetto parts.
It gives off the impression that the members are singing in perfect harmony.
I'll let you in on a little secret, for the "AH" in choruses, it's 1st = Koyama, 2nd = Kato, and last = Tegoshi.
Although it's a similar love song to "STAY WITH ME", it's a completely different song, and it's a little weird coming from me, but it really highlights how flexible NEWS is in terms of genres.
Anyways it's turned out to be a light song, and one that makes you want to move your body to.
I'm not sure if you realised but, in the lyrics, the last "Perfect Lover" becomes "Perfect Lover's'".
.... Secretly... The S.....
It's giving the nuance that Lover is singular, but Lovers is plural.
In other words.
To me, you are eternally my perfect lover.
But in the end.
We become eternally perfect lovers.
That's how it is.
How cunning of us to slip in so many types of "S"'s huh.
Good job.
Now then, lastly there was a sudden Q&A section right.
This was recorded right after the interview.
And the person asking the question, is Mr. Impossible from NEVERLAND.
Our answers really bring out our personalities, and it's interesting.
Anyway.
There's 9 questions even though it said "7 Question" right?
Eh, why. (laughs)
How mysterious of us~
Try cracking the riddle here too. (laughs)
For Tegoshi to answer "a girl with a cute smile" when asked "What type of girl do you like?", it's such a smooth transition to the next song.
9 Love Story
"Love Story", a song coupled in the single, Top Gun.
It was the song used in the commercial for the game, NEWS ni Koi Shite.
It felt like a while since we had such a straightforward love song in a single.
Well, since it was in a single, it may be a little hard to explain it once again but.
The fans' voice recorded during EPCOTIA -ENCORE- was used in this song.
I'm sure the fans were so confused, to be asked to "suddenly sing an unfamiliar melody".
After that, it got released, your questions were answered, and we got to perform it during our WORLDISTA tour.
Looking back at it now, this flow was a very "STORY"-like approach. (The fact that the song title has the word "story", was also planned. For it to be the last song performed during the WORLDISTA tour as well.)
For NEWS to be showcasing the fans in our concerts, is something we have been consistent with since NEVERLAND.
STORY is thought to be the grand finale of it.
So for this song, the first ones to sing it wasn't NEWS, but the fans.
How interesting. Since that usually doesn't happen.
Instead of getting the lyrics or the song down first, it's the fans who came first. (laughs)
It's amazing.
To be honest, I was a little uneasy to have the fans do it.
But everyone sang with all their might.
And so well done, at that.
It went way better than I ever expected.
And to convey our gratitude, we included our message on top of the instrumental part when we performed it live.
Once again, thank you all so much.
Also, to Kai Kota Bonsen. Thank you. (laughs)
Now then, there has been 3 love songs so far.
The relationship changes as it goes.
The 7th song, STAY WITH ME, is about first love.
The 8th song, Perfect Lover, is about association.
The 9th song, Love Story, is about maturity.
The flow we can create precisely because it is an album.
10 Commitment -Interlude-
An interview where Masuda-san talks about his "fastidiousness".
However.
He says that his "fastidiousness" which others claim, derive from his "responsibility",
And that is love.
Is what you would think but.
It changes halfway through.
It becomes like a monologue, changing into a rap, and introduces the next song.
Wait, wasn't this supposed to be a documentary?
Or is it actually a mockumentary?
It's like it's real, yet it's not.
As the boundary line of reality becomes ambiguous, we move on to the next song.
11 S (Esu)
Here we are, at the dandy, electronic song with a strong bass.
I'm sure you all have several ideas of what the title means.
Despite engraving the theme of "S" into the album, the title becomes just that.
I'm sure a lot of people would think of the S in "sadistic" since the song is kinda rough.
My last line may also have contributed into this obscene thinking.
But that is not the only thing that came to mind when I heard "S".
I also think of the Es in philosophy and psychoanalysis.
You can call it id as well.
For those who learnt about Freud and Nietzsche in high school, I wonder if you all remember.
Otherwise some people may have learnt it from Mr. Children's songs.
If I explain in detail, I think people who aren't interested would just skip it so. (laughs)
To put it simply, it is thought that the psyche of humans comprises of the ego, super-ego, and the S.
The S is one's subconsciousness, and where one's true intentions lie. It's called the libido.
And what suppresses that S is the ethical and social super-ego...
... Are you following? (laughs)
Well, let's just leave it at S = Subconsciousness, and it's where one's desires derive from. (Please search up the correct definitions yourselves! (laughs) The more you search, the more interesting the song gets)
By thinking that way.
It would sound like you're unconsciously scolding yourself.
What I want to mix up is.
Your ego, your S (subconsciousness), and your super-ego (reasoning).
Perhaps.
As I have said, the boundary line of reality has become ambiguous right.
To be continued in Kato Shigeaki's Quite Personal Liner Notes ~STORY Vol.~ pt. 4---------------