Kon'ya wa Karasawagi

"Kon'ya wa Karasawagi" (今夜はから騒ぎ, "Tonight Is Much Ado About Nothing"), also known by its French language title "Beaucoup de Bruit pour Rien",[1] is a song by Japanese rock band Tokyo Jihen, led by musician Ringo Sheena. It was a promotional song for the band's final original release, the extended play Color Bars, released on January 18, 2012.

"Kon'ya wa Karasawagi"
Song by Tokyo Jihen
from the album Color Bars
ReleasedJanuary 1, 2012 (2012-01-01)
Recorded2011
GenreAlternative rock, jazz kayō
Length3:42
LabelEMI Music Japan
Songwriter(s)
Ringo Sheena

Background and development

In 2010, the band performed their Discovery tour for their fifth album Dai Hakken. The extended play Color Bars was first announced on November 15, 2011, as a release featuring five songs each written by a different member of the band.[2] "Kon'ya wa Karasawagi" represented the song vocalist Ringo Sheena wrote for the release. Vocalist Ringo Sheena made their first performance at the 62nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen on December 31, 2011, at which she and the band performed a medley of "Onna no Ko wa Dare Demo" and Sheena's solo song "Carnation".[3]

Writing and production

The song features lyrics and music by Sheena. The other Color Bars songs were songs that had existed before the release that were suggested but did not appear on other releases.[4] "Kon'ya wa Karasawagi" was the final song, which Sheena struggled over on the best way to express. She wrote the lyrics in the image of Tokyo, and wrote the melody in the most natural way she composes songs, without deviating.[5]

Promotion and release

The song was first performed by the band during the Discovery tour, from September 30 until December 26, 2011. It was also a part of their Bon Voyage farewell tour in February 2012.[6][7] At Sheena's mini-tour Chotto Shita Recohatsu 2014 to promote her album Gyakuyunyū: Kōwankyoku (2014), Sheena performed the song as a solo artist as the final song of the encore.[8] The band also made an appearance on Music Station to perform the song on January 20, 2012.[9]

A music video for the song directed by Yuichi Kodama was unveiled on January 1, 2012.[10] It features each band member in a different style of 1800s clothing, in a wooden building. Several scenes feature money being thrown into the air, and each member sits at a wooden desk signing their name to a contract. Sheena loads a rifle and shoots a member in a bathroom, followed by scenes of the band performing the song in a dance hall. The video was nominated for the Best Video of the Year award at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards Japan.[11]

Critical reception

CDJournal called the song a "rhythmic and stylish pop song, injected with a jazzy essence by a Hammond organ-style piano sound, and felt the song was a homage for "ever-changing Tokyo".[12] Listenmusic reviewer Yoshiki Aoyuki felt the song had a "Shōwa latin kayō taste" not unlike Sheena's solo songs "Kabukichō no Joō" (1998) "Marunouchi Sadistic" (1999).[13] Both reviewer Reiko Tsuzura and Yuya Shimizu of Rolling Stone Japan called the "jazz kayō".[14][15]

Chart rankings
Charts (2012) Peak
position
Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay[16] 4
Japan Billboard Japan Hot 100[17] 4
Japan RIAJ Digital Track Chart[18] 62

Release history
Region Date Format Distributing Label
Japan January 1, 2012 (2012-01-01)[19] Ringtone, cellphone download EMI Music Japan
January 11, 2012 (2012-01-11)[20] PC download
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References
  1. "Color Bars / INCIDENTS TOKYO". Kronekodow. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  2. "新作アルバム年明けリリース決定！" (in Japanese). Universal. November 15, 2011. Archived from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  3. "＜紅白本番＞椎名林檎、初めての紅白に「おじゃましております」" (in Japanese). MDPR. December 31, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  4. チャンネルガイド-東京事変オフィシャルブック- [Channel Guide: Tokyo Jihen Official Book] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Kronekodow. February 29, 2012. pp. 170–173. ISBN 4884182987.
  5. "「color bars」オフィシャル・インタビュー" [Color Bars Official Interview] (in Japanese). Toshiba EMI. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  6. チャンネルガイド-東京事変オフィシャルブック- [Channel Guide: Tokyo Jihen Official Book] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Kronekodow. February 29, 2012. pp. 186–187. ISBN 4884182987.
  7. "東京事変、"最期の生実演"を完全収録した映像作品6/13発売決定" [Tokyo Jihen, DVD footage of their final concert to be released on 6/13.] (in Japanese). Barks. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  8. "椎名林檎「逆輸入」レコ発で16周年感謝、宇多田カバーも" [Ringo Sheena 'Gyakuyunyu' release party on her 16th anniversary, an Utada cover too]. Natalie. May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  9. "主演者ラインップ" [Performer line-up]. TV Asashi. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  10. "最新MV「今夜はから騒ぎ」視聴スタート！" (in Japanese). Universal. January 1, 2012. Archived from the original on July 11, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  11. "MTV主催のMV受賞式『VMAJ』、東京事変・サカナ・バンプ・ラッド・ワンオク・Perfume・星野源などがノミネート". Rockin' On. February 22, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  12. "東京事変 / color bars [紙ジャケット仕様]" (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  13. Yoshiki Aoyuki. "新譜レビュー > 東京事変／ｃｏｌｏｒ ｂａｒｓ" (in Japanese). Listenmusic. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  14. Yuya Shimizu. "レヴュー『color bars』東京事変" (in Japanese). Rolling Stone Japan. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  15. "ｃｏｌｏｒ　ｂａｒｓ／東京事変" (in Japanese). Tsutaya. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  16. "Adult Contemporary Airplay 2011/01/30". Billboard (in Japanese). January 30, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  17. "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2012/01/30". Billboard (in Japanese). January 30, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  18. "レコード協会調べ2012年01月18日～2012年01月24日 ＜略称：レコ協チャート（「着うたフル(R)」）＞" [Record Association Investigation: January 18, 2012 to January 24, 2012 (For Short: Recokyō Chart (Chaku-uta Full))]. RIAJ (in Japanese). August 6, 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  19. "新曲「今夜はから騒ぎ」先行モバイル配信スタート！" (in Japanese). Universal. January 1, 2012. Archived from the original on July 11, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  20. "1.18Album「color bars」全曲先行モバイル配信スタート！　" (in Japanese). Universal. January 1, 2012. Archived from the original on July 11, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
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