(TRANSLATOR’S NOTE: WORDS IN THIS ARTICLE HAVE BEEN REARRANGED FOR BETTER FLOW IN ENGLISH. I’VE DID THIS TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, ALL TRANSLATION MISTAKES ARE TRULY MINE. MY APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE IF THERE ARE MISTAKES, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENT BOX BELOW AND I’LL ADJUST IT ACCORDINGLY. THANK YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS! – @JOEYLFY)
Tohoshinki 「WITH」album was released on the 17th of December 2014. The album title conveys their thought of “Always together with Tohoshinki”. In fact, there are a lot of melodies in this album that will make you feel warm and nostalgic like “the antique furniture that wears well over time”, whether it’s family love, parental love, humanity love or just simply love, songs that conveyed such a theme are recorded into this album. This time, we asked for their opinion directly regarding the track list in this album. We also asked about their ideal Christmas plan!
The album with songs that captured both of our feelings which we want you to hear
— This time, there were lesser aggressive dance tracks. Instead, there were more medium-tempo tracks that are soothing and calm to the listeners, right?
Changmin: The “Tohoshinki = dance track” image has been slightly changed this time around. Of course, I too think that dance tracks have always been our strongest point, nevertheless the albums that we had released thus far also contains ballad tracks which people thinks “This is good~”, personally I would want to see more of those songs.
(The thoughts that went into the album title) In order to convey the feeling of「TOMONI – Together with」, and to have such emotion emitted from the dance tracks and the ballads, this time, we have invested a lot of our emotion that we want to convey (to the listeners) via our vocals.
— Yunho-san, how do you feel about the vocal recording this time around?
Yunho: The recording this time, the feeling is different from the past recordings (that they did). Each and every song, I’ve really read its lyrics and really think about how to properly express the feelings/emotions of the lyrics before I sing it. I’ve sing it with the feeling that it is tear-inducing if I do it in a live tour, I will keep on recording until I’m satisfied, and I’ll put in more and more emotions into my singing each and every time we re-record it. Further, the album production this time was fun since I listened to a lot of soul or disco-like songs in the past. With the emotion that I had “when I listened to a lot of such songs since I was a kid”, like “Time Works Wonders”, miracle will happened as time goes by. Because of such thought, I’ve sang it with the thought of not losing to the albums that we have recorded in the past.
— What is your favorite track in this album?
Yunho: For me, it will be 「With Love」. This is because I empathized the most with the message in this song.
— 「With Love」is a song about the love between human, right?
Yunho: Yes. It’s a warm song, and its lyrics conveyed the feelings/emotions that are very similar to 「We Are The World」, I think it’s a song that conveys a really lonesome/sad feeling. The ＜♪Ra ra ra～♪＞ chorus at the end, it was recorded together the staff around us in the studio, and we were overwhelmed with gratefulness then – “we are here today, thanks to the support from everyone”. Because of those emotions, it was amazing when we sang it. In addition, I simply like「Chandelier」. I thought it is the Tohoshinki-type of ballad track.
(T/N: 「We Are The World」is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Are_the_World)
—「Chandelier」is a song about the joy of having a place to return to. The lyrics also overlapped with the relation between Tohoshinki and their fans, right?
Changmin: Yes, it was not an easy journey until this moment, but as (we) meet you, there is a place that we can return to. The joy of having a place to return to because of your existence, thank you, this grateful feeling/emotion is conveyed throughout this song.
— What would be Changmin-san favorite track?
Changmin: 「With Love」is also my favorite. I feel that it’s a song whereby it’s important to be able to use a singing technique that can express the affection feeling among human. (For that purpose), it was sung in a daringly rough way, feeling really excited in the process. This song, though one may not be good at it as he/she sings it, but when he/she sings it passionately, won’t it make you feel touched when you listened to it? I’ve sang with such image in my mind.
Yunho: And because「With Love」does not have high tone interval, it’s easy for everyone to sing it as well. As I sang, I was reminiscing the feeling that I had when we did a cover of 「夏の終わりのハーモニー」(Natsu no Owari no Harmony/ The harmony of the end of summer). On the other hand, 「I just can’t quit myself」is also my favorite.
(T/N: Tohoshinki cover of 「夏の終わりのハーモニー」–> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr5EsCQFWh)
—「I just can’t quit myself」has the rockability-feel, it feels new and refreshing thus far.
Yunho: Yes. We sang it with the similar feeling that was expressed by the musical movie 「Hairspray」. Though it was difficult because this is the first time we did a track with such rhythm, I like it because it sounded new and refreshing.
(T/N: 「Hairspray」is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and “downtown” rhythm and blues. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairspray_%28musical%29)
The good and strong points about each other
— Alright, in each of your own opinion, which song has displayed the good and strong points about each other?
Yunho: Although I liked every song that Changmin sings, this time, I thought Changmin did really well with his rapping. Because of that, I’ll say its 「DIRT」. I really like the last phrasing at the end of this song, he sounded a bit like Jay Z. It feels refreshing. Further, I also like (his singing in) 「Special One」. That is because the way Changmin sang it was similar to Michael Jackson. Because I really like Michael Jackson, and although occasionally there are people who sang like Michael Jackson, it was the first time for Changmin to sing it in this approach.
Changmin: For me, it would be 「Christmas in loving」. I really like the rough-like feel that was emitted by Yunho’s manly voice. I thought it has really come out well in this song.
— Tohoshinki has sung a lot of Christmas song in the past, but this one feels really different right?
Yunho: It feels more “old”. It has this classic feeling; I feel that it’s a song that is suitable in any age/time. I kept singing this song in a jazzy way, and I have to keep adjusting my voice. Doesn’t it feel a bit wild? I wanted to sing it the way that is opposite of Changmin who sings sweetly, so we chose a song where I can be in charge of the bass voice, similar to the time when there were still 5 of us.
(T/N: Yunho is referring to the time when he was in charge of singing the bass for the group)
Changmin: However, it feels sad/lonesome when you listen to this song. But then, it also feels sad/lonesome when we listen to Christmas Carol (laugh). The Christmas this year will be about listening to Christmas Carol, drinking wine at home and then falling asleep (after). I can see myself in such miserable figure (laugh)
— Now it’s time for some imagination. Please share with us your ideal Christmas date together with your lover.
Yunho: I would like to chill at home. Watching the snow fall, enjoying a glass of wine, talking about silly things. That is because we always have work away from home every year (during Christmas). In reality, I think we will be working this year as well (on Christmas day).
Changmin: When it is Christmas season, there will be beautiful illumination in Roppongi or Omotesando area right? Although I think it will be difficult to have a walk with my lover there due to the crowd (on Christmas day), but I would like to go to those places at such time. Because it’s Christmas, even though there will be a lot of people, I would like to go and enjoy Christmas there. Though it’s cold to walk outside, I will feel warm inside because I’m with my lover, and it’ll be like 「We don’t feel cold right? 」…
Yunho: That sounds good too, but i want to watch a concert…
Changmin: Excuse me, I’m still talking!
— Ahhh, please don’t stop (laugh)
Changmin: After that (T/N: Continue from his answer above), it will be good if there are delicious steaks and wine waiting for us. It doesn’t matter whether I prepared the meal myself at home or we can have a nice meal at a restaurant. Precisely because it’s Christmas, I think she would want to experience the Christmas atmosphere. Therefore, I would want to spend the day in a way that she likes it to be. I would want to give her a Christmas date that she wished for.
Yunho: Can I… say something? (laugh)
Changmin: Go ahead go ahead (laugh)
Yunho: I would love to go and watch a concert (T/N: with his lover on a Christmas day i presume). Because usually, we will be performing in a live concert ourselves elsewhere (laugh). I would like to watch Sweet Soul or Gospel Choir concert. I want to watch these stages (together with his lover) and feel the warm together.
(Text by Takashi Inomata 猪又孝)
Credit: Oricon Style
Translated by joeylfy
Shared by Uknow Paradise
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