OverView: Stereopony Music, Vol. 2

When the hydrangeas bloom, we will come back

Namida no Mukou is Stereopony’s second Single, and one of their most memorable releases. That is because not only they scored another tie-in with an anime, but their leading track, “Namida no Mukou”, ranked second place at the Oricon Charts that week; the highest a Stereopony song ever reached. It was officially released on February 11th, 2009; following the second season opening of Mobile Suit Gundam 00, airing on MBS/TBS at the time. Also, all lyrics and music were written by AIMI.

Such an explosive success was not to be expected of “Namida no Mukou” at the time, but I think the girls earned it. While “Hitohira no Hanabira” was a great debut, its production lacked something that was somewhat fixed in this next release. With “Namida no Mukou”, AIMI’s voice sounds powerful and the instruments can be heard more clearly throughout the song, which is good because it shows more of their evolving and unique style. The lyrics talk about the dark times we may see ourselves in, when nothing goes right and we feel powerless to face reality. Most importantly, it talks about finding the strength to keep fighting, even if your eyes are blurred by recent tears. It is a touching and deep song, and it made me feel comforted knowing that someone gets it; it is the importance of just letting your pain out so you can keep moving. It is not, by any means, a happy or hopeful song; that is why bonus points go to AIMI’s mini guitar solo approaching the end. Beautiful arrangement.

On the B-side of this single is the song “Stereopony no Tabi wa Tsuzuku”. This is the first and only song that carries Stereopony’s name in the title, and I guess we can imagine how meaningful this song actually is. So much, it was the second to last song Stereopony performed at their last live together. Enough with the sad stuff, though.

“Stereopony no Tabi wa Tsuzuku” is an upbeat, hopeful song, a much-needed counterbalance to “Namida no Mukou”’s angst. I can only describe this as a song that shows Stereopony’s elation to having achieved so much in a short period of time and a promise to go even farther. AIMI sounds enthusiastic and the tune carries a light balance that is really sweet to listen to. Its lyrics are a direct reference to Stereopony’s journey as a band, talking about a dream they have as a band and their determination to achieve that dream by following the path laid out by themselves. It also makes me emotional to notice the “hydrangea”/”Ajjisai” references being made, because we know of the significance of both and the results. All in all, this is a great song.

The third and last song on the tracklist is “Hitohira no Hanabira ~AIMI Acoustic Version~”. Hitohira makes a comeback on this second single with a new arrangement; it is the first time (of many to come in later singles) Stereopony will make acoustic versions of some of their hit songs. With this being an acoustic rendition of Hitohira, this time we can hear AIMI’s voice loud and clear; her voice sounds more mature than it did in the debut album. We can also appreciate how well she handles an acoustic guitar here. The lyrics stay the same. It is, overall, a pleasant reminder of Stereopony’s first hit.

Overall, Stereopony’s second single is well thought-out and put together. Mixing an angst-filled song with a hopeful one and bringing “Hitohira no Hanabira” back for an encore turned out very well, making this second single a well-balanced and equally-satisfying single to listen to. An honorable mention goes to “Stereopony no Tabi wa Tsuzuku” for making this humble reviewer an emotional mess for a good 30 minutes.

About the author

wannasalad is a Very Good Days member from Brazil. Her “OverView: Stereopony Music” feature is published every Monday, starting at the beginning of September 2013 and going until the end of December 2013.