[PV] Summer Song - YUI

And YUI's captures my attention again.

YUI is BACK with her latest single/PV entitled Summer Song. After having released (to me) a mediocre album, "I LOVED YESTERDAY". She breathes life into what she does best, creating spectacular music. Yes, there are some songs on "I LOVED YESTERDAY" which are pretty good, but pretty good is no spectacular (well there are some songs which are spectacular but overall it is "pretty good"). Her previous two albums were spectacular and Summer Song is definitely spectacular.

YUI has something special when it comes to nature, the sun in particular. She has this really special relationship with the sun. She really "shines" (haha) when it comes to music or anything that comes to nature. Just take a look at her starring in Taiyou no Uta as Kaoru Amane to CHE.R.RY, there is this connection like she belongs side by side with nature. Plus she looks far happier when she's in the sun, which is a plus since she always looks so depressed in her less-upbeat songs. Good-Bye Days is not an exception since she wasn't singing about the sun or nature. :D



Firstly, it seems Sennheiser and Sony have found themselves in this PV. I was quite amazed that a Sony Walkman would be advertised but in hindsight, it’s not surprising at all since YUI is signed with Sony Records and Sony will jump at any opportunities which can see their products advertised and YUI is very big in Japan. I wouldn't be surprised if I see other artists signed with Sony will have products subtly advertised in their PV's as well.



Also Sennheiser is the maker of the girl's headphones, PX-100, I'm also getting the same ones that she's got. It's is honestly one of the best headphones you can get for under $50 USD. Highly recommended.





This song is perfect for Summer. I can just picture people listening to this on a hot Summer's day on the beach or in a convertible driving through countless kilometres of beach. The use of acoustic guitar couldn't have been any more appropriate. It makes the song not over-powering while giving it a refreshing after-taste. YUI's voice also makes the chorus smooth and cruisey like walking on a beach on a Mid-Summer's day. The use of falsetto is executed beautifully in Summer Song, especially in the pre-chorus and the some parts of the chorus. And it ties in with "Laugh Away"...but I won't elaborate on that.



The instrumentals of the song isn't something to be focused on, since the Summer is a time where one really just forgets about the complexities of life and just enjoy life to its fullest. The instrumentals have no special structure, there's no complex solo's, just simple and plain, as Summer should be and I'm sure YUI wanted to portray it in her song. My last Summer I went to the beach every few days with friends, played sport, sleep late, had a lot of barbecues, got drunk, and just had a good time around. I hardly thought about university until it got close, I just put it all aside. Of course I went to work and such, but when work finished it was just full on play, or in this PV's case, "work" (since it isn't really work in a sense) should be fun and enjoyable.



The location of where this video was shot, is just jaw-droppingly beautiful. The pristine blue sea and the stretch of golden sand is just...wow. I wonder where it was shot in, because it is really beautiful, probably on one of the Islands...



Some individual things in the PV caught my attention and some were nostalgic to me. Like the sand in the bottle, the photograph hand pose reminded me of things I've seen in dramas before. The sand in the bottle reminded me of the sand that Saku in "Crying Out Love, in the Centre of the World" had to get ashes of his grandfather's past love. With those ashes, Saku had to mix his grandfathers ashes and spread them together. It was such a touching scene and you had to shed a tear at that moment.

I also have an immediate connection with YUI and Kaoru Amane, the character that YUI starred as and as the one that Erika Sawajiri starred as. I recently watched the PV of Erika's "Taiyounouta" (I have the CD/DVD :D) and that connection with the camera pose instantly clicked. Because Erika used a camera in that PV as well...not a major point but what was got me was the sunflower within that camera.



The sunflower is obviously related to the sun, but the thing that I relate YUI and sunflowers is that, (sorry this is quite sad, literally), is that in Taiyou no Uta where YUI starred in is that in the end (spoiler) her disease progresses and ultimately kills her and she lies in a coffin covered with sunflowers. It’s pretty ironic (can I use it in this situation?), since she has DV, a disease where if she's near the sun she's going to die, but she gets buried covered with sunflowers, a symbol of Summer. Honestly, you guys have to watch if you haven't. YUI's debut in Taiyou no Uta is not to be missed by any YUI fan, but if you aren't, watch it, it’s a really good film.

All in all, YUI brings back what she does best back, and she does it with simple and plain flair. A simple song but it contains a great Summer vibe. A brilliant track for any Summer day.

Credits: JPS