Length 44:44 Artist Ringo Sheena Label Virgin Records | Karuki Samen Kuri no Hana
(2003) Heisei Fūzoku
(2007) Release date 23 February 2003 | |
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Released February 23, 2003 (2003-02-23) (CCCD)
July 2, 2008 (2008-07-02) (CD-DA) Recorded Toshiba EMI 3rd Studio
Studio Terra
Kroneko Studio
Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall
Atami Kajika-sou Waraku-tei(Ryokan (Japanese inn)) Producer Bakeneko Killer
(Ringo Sheena & Uni Inoue) Genres Orchestra, Alternative rock, Electronica, World music, Folk music, New wave Similar Ringo Sheena albums, Alternative rock albums | ||
Sh ky
Karuki Samen Kuri no Hana (加爾基 精液 栗ノ花（カルキ・ザーメン・くりのはな）, Chlorinated Lime Semen Chestnut Flower), (English title Kalk Semen Chestnut Flower) is the third studio album of Japanese singer-songwriter Ringo Sheena, released on February 23, 2003, on Toshiba EMI / Virgin Music. The album's lead single was successful by topping the Oricon charts for the first time.
Contents
- Sh ky
- Background and recording
- CD
- Vinyl record
- Credits and personnel
- Track 111
- Track 210
- Track 39
- Track 48
- Track 5
- Track 6
- Track 7
- Track 12
- Songs
- References
EMI released the album using copy control at first. Then, the CCCD version was stopped producing, and the CD-DA version was newly released on July 2, 2008. The vinyl record version which is a double album was released on May 27, 2003, and contains the bonus track Ichijiku no Hana (映日紅の花（いちじくのはな）, The flower of the fig).
The short film Tanpen Kinema Hyakuiro Megane (短篇キネマ 百色眼鏡, Short cinema, the glasses of 100 colors) which expresses the world view of the album was put on the market on January 22, 2003 prior to releasing the album.
Background and recording
The album is a follow-up to Ringo Sheena’s successful second album Shōso Strip (2000) and cover album Utaite Myōri: Sono Ichi (2002). The album was due to be entitled Fushigi, Waizatsu, Ekisentorikku (不思議・猥雑・エキセントリック, Wonder, Vulgar, Eccentric) at first. However, Sheena decided to change the title because she overheard the male staff's chats and she thought their story to be interesting. They told that the smell of semen resembled the smell of chlorine, or the smell of the chestnut flowers. She thought that the nuance of word "semen" was beautiful, and adopted it as the title. The 2001 single "Mayonaka Wa Junketsu" (真夜中は純潔, Midnight is pure) was to have been included on this album along with one of the single's b-sides, "Aisaika no Choushoku" (愛妻家の朝食, The breakfast of the devoted husband). However, plans were changed after it was deemed they did not match the album.
It was the first time for Sheena to produce her own album herself. The album was produced in about one year longer than the period of production of the past two albums. Sheena didn’t record a band all at once as had been done in her previous albums, but recorded one instrument at a time using overdubbing and multitracking. She used not only the rock band ensemble but also the various musical instruments such as folk instruments from Japan and other regions, string instruments, wind instruments, percussion instruments, as well as music sequencer and orchestra. In order to reduce budgets, she used her own Macintosh computer and cheap recording equipment, and composed and edited the songs herself using computer software, while sometimes exchanging the arranged songs with Uni Inoue. She recorded one musical instrument in one room of her house while recording the ensemble parts (string section, etc.) in another room.
Seiji Kameda who had been involved in the production and arrangement of her previous two studio albums did not participate in this work. Instead, Sheena arranged this album with audio engineer Uni Inoue. Toshiyuki Mori orchestrated each of the recorded songs and arranged the whole "Yattsuke Shigoto".
In 2003, musician Takao Tajima of the band Original Love covered the song "Okonomi de" on his tour "Odoru Taiyo" Tour.
CD
All tracks written by Ringo Sheena, arranged by Bakeneko Killer except track 5 (by Toshiyuki Mori).
Vinyl record
All lyrics written by Ringo Sheena; all music composed by Ringo Sheena except track 12 (by Ukigumo), and arranged by Bakeneko Killer except track 5 (by Toshiyuki Mori) & 12 (by Ukigumo).
Credits and personnel
Track 1&11
Kuri no Hana Kaoru Orchestra: orchestral music
Track 2&10
Kuri no Hana Kaoru Orchestra: orchestral music
Track 3&9
Himitsu Butai: the band
Track 4&8
Track 5
Ōoku Kinen Orchestra: orchestral music
Track 6
Josei-jōi Kinen Orchestra: string section
Track 7
Track 12
Songs
Religion5:08
Rush Job5:10
As You Wish5:46