Some thoughts on “Naminori Summer!”, the first single from POPPY.
Release Date: February 23rd 2022
Serial Number: QACW-1057
Format: CD/Digital
Tracklist
1. Darlin’
2. Eazy&Crazy
3. Naminori Summer
Buy: HMV (JP), Tower Records (JP), Disk Union (JP), Amazon (JP), CDJapan (EN)
Stream: All the usual places
As we’ve established by now, I pretty much love anything and everything associated with Melon Batake a go go, The Grateful a MogAAAz, their agency GPR and anything else in between. They very rarely miss and the music is always in and around my strike zone as far as tastes are concerned. Still though, that doesn’t mean that some of the directions and decisions that happen over there don’t leave me scratching my head a bit…at least initially anyway.
Take for example Yawaragi Menma and Runaten leaving The Grateful a MogAAAz to start their own group, kinda unexpected and I didn’t know what to think when RUNAMEN was ultimately unveiled and even less so with the name change to POPPY (Pop & Pretty). The “Thelma & Louise” descriptor kinda made sense in a way I suppose, given what I know of the two and their personalities, but it did seem to all be a bit spontaneous and out of left field.
What I can understand though is summery aesthetics and feel-good music, which seems to be what POPPY are bringing to the table if the half dozen or so live performances of theirs that I’ve seen at this point are anything to go by. It just seems like a group that’s out to have a good time and we’re all invited to join in if we want to. So come on a join party and read my thoughts on the duo’s debut single “Naminori Summer!”. Something to get you in the mood for Summer…even if Spring has only just arrived here.
POPPY do a pretty good job on this single of bringing the sort of energy and fun vibes that you’d expect from a release with this sort of imagery and promotion while also balancing it out with some more laidback material that gives a different dimension to the feelgood time on offer here. The title track “Naminori Summer” plays closest to what people probably would expect, a pretty energetic and fun sounding summer song with lots of energy and catchy vocal hooks that’s sure to get stuck in your head after a couple of listens.
“Darlin'” and “Eazy&Crazy” go for a more chilled out sort of sound, while still playing to the feeling of summer, the beach and all that sort of thing. It lets the duo show off some different vocal styles while also adding a bit of variety to the single in terms of tone and song personality which I thought was pretty as obviously there’s always the temptation to just go in one direction and stick with it. Not the case here though and while perhaps not quite as loud and in your face with the hooks and such as the single’s title track, these two will also worm their way into your brain in a similar if not slightly more fashion I think.
While I wasn’t really sure what to make of POPPY initially I have to say that after listening to this single and seeing a few live videos I have a much better idea of what Menma and Runaten are going for here now. The music seems to be coming from a 70s or 80s direction and you definitely get that retro Pop feel to things which is always a popular avenue to go down when it comes to Japanese music it seems. They add their own brand of fun to it as well which gives things an added dynamic that is very enjoyable in its own right.
I’m not sure how regularly we’re going to get new music from POPPY but they’ve been very active in promoting their debut single here and both members seem very intent on growing the project’s popularity and gaining new fans along the way. I’d highly encourage anyone enjoys any of the other GPR projects, fun summer tunes or is just looking for some entertaining Pop music to check this one out as I think you’ll really enjoy what’s on offer here.
