Even after twelve years, Guruguru eigakan shows no sign of decline.
2007's 14sai no shayou was Guruguru eigakan's first single release since 2004, and it signaled a change of label for the band as well as a change of line-up. While fans of the band (or people who are at least familiar with them) know what to expect from the single, the unfamiliar should be warned that this is a band who is not afraid of being a bit weird, abstract and trying new things.
The single's title track is classic Guruguru eigakan. It is an upbeat song and sounds light-hearted, although the lyrics probably contradict this. Amano has a strange voice and can't quite sing, but it somehow fits the song, and every so often there are shouted chants from the rest of the band. A nice touch is that the song is littered with nice percussion (and not just drums!) in the background, giving the song little touches of intonation. It's a good song, yet a little on the short side at 2:40 in length.
If you thought that the first track was short, then the second won't be to your liking. The second track is an eleven second burst of pure rock called 15 no asa. While the song seems to have everything there, it's so short that it's over before it's really begun!
The single finishes with Otona ni natta boku e. The song opens with a simple introduction, which consists purely of drums, before the vocals enter over the same beat with the odd chord being strummed. If the song sounds familiar, that could be because the verse's tune is suspiciously similar to the children's song If You're Happy And You Know It. The song sounds happy, but is quite mellow compared to other examples of the band's work.
Overall, the single is very strong and is a good example of what the group is about. The band generally puts a light-hearted spin on the more gruesome or unsavory aspects of life (as is the eroguro tradition), and this is no exception. While it might not be their strongest work to date, it is enough to prove their place within the genre and justify how far they've grown since they started thirteen years ago.
