A hidden gem by T-BOLAN. A precious number I want to keep singing and listening to.

HappinessT-BOLAN

T-BOLAN – Happiness

T-BOLAN has many power ballads that pierce deeply into the heart.

This song seems to exuberantly celebrate the pure joy of being with a loved one and the irreplaceable happiness hidden in the everyday.

Arashi Moritomo’s passionate yet warm vocals, supported by the band’s solid, muscular sound, surely reach straight into the listener’s heart.

This track was the B-side to the hit single “Surechigai no Junjō,” released in March 1993, and since it wasn’t included on any original studio album, it may have been something of a well-kept secret.

After about nine years, it was finally included on an album for the first time with the July 2002 best-of release “complete of T-BOLAN at the BEING studio.” It’s the kind of song that gently warms your heart when you want to reappreciate the presence of someone important or when you’re feeling a bit worn out by daily life.

SmileT-BOLAN

T-BOLAN – Smile

A song with special meaning, created for the fans as the band reached a turning point.

Its message—overcoming hardship and pain, and still facing tomorrow with a smile—is conveyed through Arashi Moritomo’s husky yet warm vocals.

Many listeners may find courage in its unwavering stance of maintaining a forgiving heart and striving to be gentle, no matter the circumstances.

The track was included as an unreleased new song on the best-of album “T-BOLAN FINAL BEST ~GREATEST SONGS & MORE~,” released in December 1999.

It’s a song that offers a gentle push forward when you’re at a crossroads in life or feeling a bit down.

A hidden gem of a power ballad, overshadowed by classics like “Hanashitakunai.”

Lapis-colored sighT-BOLAN

T-BOLAN

A track included on T-BOLAN’s third original album, “SO BAD.” In T-BOLAN’s lyrics, words like “omae” (you) and “aitsu” (that guy/that person) are used quite often.

That might be a distinctive feature of T-BOLAN.

The song was composed by Tetsurō Oda.

With its intense guitar and synthesizer sounds, it has a distinctly ’90s feel.

Refrain of a Distant LoveT-BOLAN

T-BOLAN “Refrain of a Distant Love” LIVE

This song was included as a new track on the 1992 album “At the End of Summer ~Acoustic Version~.” It’s a classic that was later covered by Kobukuro.

The fact that it’s the kind of song you want to listen to at summer’s end reflects their musical style, doesn’t it? One of their charms is that, rather than being for the height of midsummer, it lets you savor a slightly sentimental mood as summer draws to a close.

Hot Hip LoveT-BOLAN

06 Hot Hip Love

An up-tempo number that captures the exhilaration and impatience at the dawn of love.

Included on their fifth album LOOZ, released in December 1993, this track sings of a straightforward urge to get closer to someone you like on a date.

The protagonist’s feeling that a mere light kiss isn’t enough is carried along by a sprightly beat.

Arashi Moritomo’s vocals, blending sensuality and intensity, and Takashi Gomi’s crisp guitar riffs create a groove that grabs you by the heart.

The song is suffused with a thrilling mood, as if savoring the push-and-pull of romance, and just listening to it makes your heart race.

Play it on a drive date, and it might just bring the two of you closer.

At the end of summerT-BOLAN

At the end of summer

T-BOLAN’s contributions are indispensable when discussing the J-POP scene of the ’90s.

While their hallmark is passionate rock ballads, they also have masterpieces that quietly seep into the heart.

This work sets the loneliness that creeps in at summer’s end and the helpless feelings toward a love that has passed onto an acoustic soundscape.

Rather than belting it out, the restrained vocals make each word stand out, all the more highlighting the protagonist’s bittersweet emotions.

This track is included on the band’s first acoustic release, the album “Natsu no Owari ni ~Acoustic Version~,” released in September 1992.

It’s a gem of a ballad—perhaps a little different from the songs you’d belt out at karaoke—that you’ll want to listen to intently while lost in thought on a summer evening.

JUST ILLUSIONT-BOLAN

T-BOLAN「JUST ILLUSION」MV

“JUST ILLUSION” is T-BOLAN’s third single.

The lyrics were written by actress Saya Takagi, and the song was used as an insert track in the TV Asahi drama “Mayonaka wa Betsu no Kao” (A Different Face at Midnight).

From the lyrics, you get a mysterious atmosphere that suggests it isn’t a typical romance.

The composer is Tetsurō Oda.

I think it’s rare for a T-BOLAN song to have both the lyrics and composition done by people outside the band.