Galileo Galilei - Aoi shiori

Japan’s alternative rock scene has a lot to offer. That doesn’t mean all of it is good though. There are a lot of shitty bands and the trick is to find the little gems hidden between the huge mass of aspiring best-alternative-rock-act-of-Japan bands. Galileo Galilei, a young band hailing from the northernmost island Hokkaido, is one of these ambitious bands. In early 2010 they debuted on Sony’s SME Records Inc. and have since then released a new CD every few months. Their newest single, Aoi shiori, is their sixth release since their major debut.

The title-track, which is being used as the theme song for the anime drama “Ano hi mita hana no namae o bokutachi wa mada shirana” is an upbeat, friendly-sounding rock song. Fast-paced and driven, the song has this feel-good vibe to it. In the second verse, sweet, honeyed female vocals join Yuuki Ozaki’s, though never being too sugary. The song builds up in tension when it nears the last choruses, turning into a full-fledged rock song without holding back, before slipping into a softer sound again at the outro.

The second song of the single, SGP, starts out with synthesized, distorted sounds, which are soon joined by the playful sound of a guitar. The verses are cheerful, almost with a bounce to it. The choruses become a little rougher but catchier too, with addictive chants of ‘oh-oh-oh.’ Although it can be classified as fast-paced rock, they manage to keep a balance between their melodious sound and heavy guitars.

The last track of the single is Swan, which is a softer, more gentle song compared to the other two. The song has a warm, dreamy atmosphere, though the choruses build up to a more tense and emotional sound. Just like the other two tracks, it’s very catchy with Iwai Fumito’s interesting guitar riffs playing a large role in the variety of the song.

It would be a little far-fetched to call Galileo Galilei just as revolutionary as their Italian namesake. However with the delivery of this great single, it seems they are indeed following the path to become Japan’s best alternative rock act within a few years.