Bump of Chicken - Namida no furusato

Bump of Chicken released their twelfth single, Namida no furusato, on November 22, 2006. The single topped the Oricon charts at number 1 during the week of its release, but received another surge of attention in the summer of 2008 when the title track was featured on the Japanese drama "Koizora" sung by the leading actor. It was also used as a cell phone ring tone in the series.

Namida no Furusato, which can be translated to "The Hometown of Tears," eases us into a gentle guitar opening before Fujiwara begins to sing. His voice is slightly nasal and higher than vocals we hear today, but it’s a welcome change and suits the melody well. The composition stays fairly steady with the main focus being the lyrics and as a result, the instrumentals are slightly muted. Additionally, the drums are absent for the first stanza but reemerge right before the chorus, building up the excitement. For fans of "Koizora," the chorus is just as tear wrenching as in the series, and you can’t help but feel the sorrow as Fujiwara sings his heart out, his voice dripping with emotion. The surge dies back down after the chorus with a more cheerful second stanza and a calming guitar solo, but the sadness lingers with each return of the chorus. Such a gorgeous song like Namida no Furusato is sure to tug the strings of anyone's heart.

Makka na sora wo mita darouka picks up the pace with its jubilant rhythm and runs with it; Fujiwara jumpstarts the song with his cheerful vocals and the upbeat guitar melody. The song slowly works its way up to a bright chorus where the lyrics are resonantly sung. The composition of Makka na... is fairly simple, but with Fujiwara's unique vocals and the complicated guitar solo, the song is a blissful addition to the single.

Orusuban is a hidden track on the single that brings a very melancholy closure with its primarily acoustic track and echoed vocals. The main lyrics sung throughout the song by Fujiwara and his supporting vocalist is "everybody has a dream," which is sad in itself, and the presentation with the background instruments during the painful cry of this phrase exemplifies the desolate message. While the song is extremely quiet compared to the other two on the single, it holds enough power to leave a lasting impression.

Though the title track had been previously released on Bump of Chicken's fifth album, it stands so well on its own in this single that it proves the band's talent and musical strength. They are sure to provide much more of it in the future.