Sardine’s Confession
My name is Iwashita Keisuke, also known as Sardine. Over the 18 years from 1985 to 2002, I overdubbed about 150 songs by myself. These will be released sequentially in 2024. First, “Catchy 22 Anthology“, a collection of familiar items, will be distributed on February 24th. Next, the second week of the bittersweet anthology “Sardine’s Confession“ released on March 23rd. On April 27th, I will release a collection of socialist works, “21st Century Protest Songs“,followed by four albums, “50/50“, “Everything/Nothing“, and “Don’t Let Me Go“. It’s an oldie, but evergreen, depicting a mixture of romanticism, callousness, and passion, as well as rambling anxiety and longing for something unreachable. Please listen to the sardine songs.
1. The Return of the Prodigal Son
“The Return of the Prodigal Son” depicts the despair of a man who returns to his hometown after losing his job, and contains allegorical elements. The structure of the song is blues-style, but the addition of an “America”n-style chorus gives it an optimistic feel. At the time I wrote this song, I was performing on the streets with my friends, and “Prodigal Son” was an important part of our repertoire. Wind instrument players liked it because the soaring melody had jazz elements.
2. Dye in indigo blue
A love song on a large scale. Progressive rock arrangement and ingenious key changes. Although I was proud of the song’s impressive performance, I was completely disappointed by the criticism that it resembled a certain group’s so-and-so, and I didn’t think about this song for a long time after that. Even if you’ve never heard a song before, you may have heard it somewhere and been influenced by it without even knowing it. It was only recently that I reconsidered this song and thought it was really good.
3. Long distance shore
I made it in 1983 when I was working part-time at a musical instrument store in Kanda, Tokyo. I modeled it on a friend who was complaining that he had a cold and his girlfriend wasn’t there to take care of him. Some of the lyrics reflect Paul Nizan’s “Aden Arabia”.
This version was re-recorded in 1991, and the performer intended it to depict the scenery of a distant shore, but the ending is too long.
However, I think the brilliant piano refrain and elaborate Impressionist-style harmonic structure were clever for the time.
4. Quince
This is an extremely domestic expression.
The lyrics, which compare “Karin” (quince) to a woman yearning for a fruit that cannot actually be eaten raw, are written only from a male perspective and are completely outdated.
However, when selecting songs, I couldn’t ignore this song as it is a document that captures the crazy emotional ups and downs and transparent sadness of love.
5. Baby it’s so hard. but I don’t mind
Self-pity is my specialty, and this is another song about crazy unrequited love. This clearly shows the egoism characteristic of men, who believe that if they can’t fall in love with me, they should just move on to their rival.
However, don’t people more or less accumulate experience by repeatedly going astray in their private lives?
Godley and Creme-like piano arpeggios barely save the song’s mood from becoming somber.
6. Rainy march
It’s a song like (Japan’s) Brain Police.
Just as I was relieved that the song selection had been decided, I heard a voice from somewhere telling me that “Rainy march” should be included. Just like “Fairy Tail” from the last anthology, this is a song I almost forgot about.
7. Nice to meet you
Music filled with euphoria, created in the midst of love. It was recorded on the “Hikidemono” cassette tape that was distributed at the our wedding.
A combination of boogie woogie’s standard rhythm and hard rock’s big beat. It’s a Roy Wood-like approach, but the “woo-yeah” shouts in the coda are unnecessary.
8. Dimple
A song about what it is. Even behind the words that seem like they’re being ignored, there is a sense of kindness and tolerance. With experience, I may have grown a little.
Musically, it’s a one-shot battle of ideas. Acoustic guitar and slit drum. Joni Mitchell, of course, is my all-time role model.
9. 3am
This is the only instrumental on this album. The two-voice chorus used the synthesized “ah” sound in Kurzweil and Roland’s synthesizers.
Don’t you hear the spirits whispering in the middle of the night?
10. New Century March
A march that was created at the end of the 20th century and entrusted with hopes and expectations for the 21st century. Considering the devastation of today, a quarter of a century later, it can only be described as regrettable. However, in order to continue living, I think we have no choice but to hold on to hope for a better tomorrow. This is also reflected in the last English lyrics.
“And make life worth more than dreams.”
11. Supermarket
I also tried to approach every aspect of becoming a professional composer (though I didn’t put in as much effort as others). In the process, I got a glimpse of various human traits. won’t go into details, but I couldn’t stand being just another product in the “market.”
As if to shake off the arrogance and cynicism, I created a cheerful arrangement reminiscent of XTC and Talking Heads. I regret that I should have recorded it properly instead of just sketching it.
12. I hear the bells ring
Although the man is trapped in despair, he is searching for a signpost of hope. Suddenly, a bell rang out from the city’s clock tower. When the man heard the bell, he saw light. He may have met a woman, or he may have found a clue to his new job.
I experimented with the blues-rock format several times in the mid-’90s. I had a young man learning the harmonica help me play the blues harp. I want to add it to the credits, but I forgot the name. If you hear this song anywhere, please contact me.
13. I hope you like me
This is a song about “I desperately tried to be accepted by everyone, but I wasn’t accepted by anyone.”
The reason why it wasn’t recognized is obvious: the development of the song is too formulaic, A-B-C, and even though they were carefully crafted down to the last detail, the singing and performance lacked ambition.
Well, I chose it because it’s a good song. It’s a stray sardine.
14. Sympathy
A fictional musical number.
I wondered why a message song had to be simple, and whether it could be expressed in a dramatic way.
This song clearly shows the influence of Laura Nyro. Judging from the album title “Sardine’s Confession” it is an homage to “Eli and the 13th Confession”.
15. Dancing barefoot
It’s a simple melody, like a nursery rhyme. But there is a plan. I envision “Dancing Barefoot” as the first song composed by the protagonist of the novel I wrote. The main character is a woman, and in the end she gives up the copyright to the song. Even though it has a simple design, the music of sardines is extremely complicated.
16. Margarita
In the process of becoming a composer, I created various demo pieces. “Margarita” was rejected early on at the concept stage. Investors thought it was a parody. It was probably decided that introducing the mood of tango, habanera, and mariachi in the context of J-POP would be too playful. Thanks to you, I can use this sound source without hesitation to anyone today. I’m always very serious.
17. What resonates in the city
Memories of sardines;
As I was walking down the shopping street, a number that was a huge hit at the time came on. The song says, “Please be with me forever.” When I heard that, I burst into tears. Ah, I don’t have to force myself to write songs that people will like. After all, there are as many as stars in existence. This is a song about how I felt at that time.
18. Mott means More
As I was walking through Akihabara on my way home from work, I looked at the crowd of people heading to the station and wondered if each of them had someone to love.I imagined that the vast majority of people didn’t have a lover. did. Then I suddenly felt endearing to the expressionless faces of the people rushing to the station.
This song can be said to be my first soul number. Also, I’m not confident in my guitar playing, but I can play this obbligato quite well.
19. As you like
This is also reminiscent of someone from J-Pop, but the resignation that hangs throughout the song gives a sense of freedom from attachment. At the middle eight (I’m good at making middle eights), it starts to get wet for a moment, but it quickly recovers and stays dry the rest of the way.
This time I was completely abandoned. to whom? to a muse.
However, because I gave up on dreaming, the song became a strangely upbeat song. And the second volume of this anthology has finally reached its grand conclusion.
20. Drifting fluffy away
I was finally approaching my 40s. The overflowing fountain of ideas has already dried up. Around that time, my high school alumni association held an event in my hometown of Kumamoto. I re-formed a band with some old friends for one night and performed a new graffiti-like song from my youth. In the end, that was my last live performance, but I felt rewarded because I was able to sing a song that encouraged my peers. I think it’s a perfect number to end the album with.
The above is a brief and rambling commentary on the album I released on March 23rd (my birthday), “Sardine’s Confession Anthology Ⅱ.” Please read this while listening to Sardine’s music using the subscription service you normally use.
鰯 (Sardine) 2024/04/06
