The
vocals in “Nagoro” possess a charisma that pulls the listener into the emotion
of the song, regardless of any attempt to understand the lyrics or grasp any
meaning. Simultaneously, the instrumentation offers another compelling element,
adding to the allure of the single by Supercaan. Interestingly the song features
a vitality profile that is the reverse of the Japanese village from which it
borrows its name. “Nagoro” establishes energy expectations during most of the track,
then exceeds those expectations beginning at 2:48. In contrast, the Japanese village
is characterized by realistic scarecrows that represent former residents, many
of whom left to find work elsewhere.
Supercaan
posted an interesting explanation of the song:
Nagoro shares its name with an eerie rural Japanese village where faded handmade scarecrow dolls have replaced a population drawn to the brighter lights of the cities. “I saw that village as a metaphor for the cost of progress,” says lyricist Tom Whitfield. “The tiger represents the creeping threat of modernisation and the sense that our place in the world is fragile.” The track is built around skittering glitchy drums and anthemic indie guitar, and takes is structure from techno with an extended drop.
Supercaan
released its second album, “A Tiger Walks The Streets,” with “Nagoro”
among its 10 tracks. Other than the two instrumental songs, each song offers lyrical
intelligence and social insight. The band does not shy away from exploring
political and social topics. The album is “about the things you look at in
society, things that worry us about bringing kids up in this world, and what we
are leaving behind for future generations.” It is an album that will remain
interesting over time, since the song touch upon many topics, including the death
of a bandmate (“Everything Collapses”).
The
members of Supercaan are Greg Milner (vocals), Tom Whitfield (synth, lyrics),
Stuart White (drums), Justin Januszewski (bass) and Ralph Frost (guitar). The
band is based in Birmingham, UK, but the members are from London, Birmingham,
North Shields and Denbighshire, Wales. They refer to producer Simon Weaver as a
sixth member.
“Nagoro”
by Supercaan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/supercaan/Nagoro shares its name with an eerie rural Japanese village where faded handmade scarecrow dolls have replaced a population drawn to the brighter lights of the cities. “I saw that village as a metaphor for the cost of progress,” says lyricist Tom Whitfield. “The tiger represents the creeping threat of modernisation and the sense that our place in the world is fragile.” The track is built around skittering glitchy drums and anthemic indie guitar, and takes is structure from techno with an extended drop.
Bandcamp: https://supercaan.bandcamp.com/
