gel [Limited Release]

[Machine Translation] SADFRANK, which started in 2022 as a solo project of Shuhei Kato, Gt./Vo. of the rock band NOT WONK, and has made a splash with digitally distributed singles "Quai" and "offshore" and a one-man live performance at the Glass Pyramid in Moerenuma Park, Hokkaido, has released its long-awaited SADFRANK will release its long-awaited debut album "gel". In order to realize this project, SADFRANK invited Shun Ishiwaka on drums, Takuma Motomura on bass, and Yuma Koda on keys as the core members to create music. The project has produced nine songs, including "I Warned You" with string arrangements by Shigeru Kishida and guitar by Ryoken Miyazaki, songs by Yuko Uesu, Qi Matsumaru, and Kei Yamamoto, and songs created with Kato's hometown Tomakomai residents You Matsuura, Tayoharu Chukazawa, and Yoneyu. Kato started this project as a way to create a new style of music. Paradoxically, Kato's decision to start this project was also an expression of his love for NOT WONK, the band in which he has been active. This album is a challenge for Kato to use Japanese lyrics that can express the complex and turbulent emotions that have been agonizingly bubbling up in his past activities in a more detailed and subtle manner, and to engage not only musicians but also a wide variety of other people.

2022年にロックバンド・NOT WONKのGt./Vo.加藤修平のソロプロジェクトとして本格始動し、「Quai」「offshore」のデジタル配信シングル、北海道モエレ沼公園・ガラスのピラミッドでのワンマンライブでも話題をさらったSADFRANKが、待望のデビューアルバム『gel』をリリースする。本プロジェクトを実現させるにあたり、ドラムに石若駿、ベースに本村拓磨、鍵盤に香田悠真の3人をコアメンバーとして迎え入れ楽曲制作は進行。その中で岸田繁がストリングスアレンジメントを手掛け、ギターに宮崎良研が参加した「I Warned You」や、Yuko Uesu、松丸契、山本啓が参加した楽曲、加藤の地元・苫小牧のツレである松浦陽、觸澤太遥、yoneyuと共に制作した楽曲などが生まれ、全9曲が本作には収録される。加藤が本活動を始めたことは、逆説的に自身が活動してきたバンド・NOT WONKへのひとつの愛情表現でもあった。これまでの活動を通し悶々と湧いて出た複雑かつ乱れた感情をより細やかな機微の表現をすることができる日本語詞を用いる事、またミュージシャンだけではなく、多種多様な人々と関わることにチャレンジをした本作。