For the music loving early twentieth youth in Okinawa, Making an album after a million sales was an ordeal.
The date of release was July 14, 2004. From March of the same year, the recording took
place in two places; Tokyo and Yamanashi. It was the first time for the band to part Okinawa for recordings; even to have them lodge together in the nice-view-of the-Mount-Fuji-studio.
“Million sales pressures were there for sure, and for a certain period of times that sickened our mind”. Shun recalled in an interview. Even Izumi said “I can usually watch it calmly, but this time, no. The situation was so tensed!”
Everybody had hard time recording this particular album, as they recalled.
TRUNK, of course means the stem of a tree, the body, and even the main artery.
Trunk of music: melody and lyrics that expressed the feelings. However the rhythm and beat changes, it’s the melody and lyrics that counts. But how it delivers to the listeners?
The ordeal process was finally overcome for the first time for HY’s career.
“The songs made in Okinawa, we wanted to take them to the next level” Hideyuki Shinzato said.
Shun Naka’s high school life was described in the song “Tegami”, and songs like “Namida” and “Sasakure” which was inspired by 9.11 was written in the “sick-mind-period” . Shinzato’s “Yowamushi” is based on his feelings when he had given
lectures in his alma mater. It is all about one’s feeling that reaches another. “Hatstu-yuki”(first snow) was made when they see the snow for the first time. It was written by 5 members, but the story may sound as if one person is writing the whole song.
You can only find the heavy rock sound in “DADA”.
Beautiful twin lead vocals in “Sutekina-Kikkake”, and Izumi’s “Song for…” is the standard pop tune. “Sokoni-arubekide- naimono” is the only “more-Okinawa” flavored song. You can listen to a touch of reggae and Shamisen. The song describes both local music and nature loving people in Okinawa; so in a way it is a beautiful love song.
Many people had expected a mixture rock album, but the band showed and proved that their ideas of the sound and melody were right. The album topped the chart again.