Episode (Gen Hoshino album)

Episode
Studio album by
Gen Hoshino
Released28 September 2011 (2011-09-28)
Genre
Length44:01
LanguageJapanese
Label
ProducerGen Hoshino
Gen Hoshino chronology
Baka no Uta
(2010) 		Episode
(2011) 		Stranger
(2013)
Singles from Episode
  1. "Kudaranai no Naka ni"
    Released: 2 March 2011

Episode (Japanese: エピソード, Hepburn: Episōdo) (Japanese pronunciation: [eꜜpisoːdo]) is the second studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter and musician Gen Hoshino. It was released in Japan on 28 September 2011 by Speedstar Records and Haruomi Hosono's Daisyworld. It is the follow-up to Baka no Uta (2010), Hoshino's debut as a solo artist. Episode reached number five on Oricon's Albums Chart. The only single from the album, "Kudaranai no Naka ni", was released on 2 March 2011.

Reception

Episode was received positively by Japanese music critics, who praised the album's themes on daily life and Hoshino's songwriting. Hirokazu Koike at Rockin'On Japan wrote that the album contains Hoshino's view on death and current attitude.[2] With a rich arrangement of piano, flugelhorn, and strings, Koike wrote that Episode's has a unique funk and swing style, reminiscent to Hoshino's instrumental band Sakerock.[2] Backed by a warm folk-like sound, reviewers for CDJournal praised Hoshino's lyricism for discussing the ups and lows of everyday emotions, leaving a dark feeling with "rich aftertaste".[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Gen Hoshino

No.TitleLength
1."Episode" (エピソード, Episōdo)2:10
2."Yuge" (湯気, "Steam")2:53
3."Kawaranai Mama" (変わらないまま, "Unchanging")3:40
4."Kudaranai no Naka ni" (くだらないの中に, "In the Nonsense")4:49
5."Futon" (布団, "Bedding")4:04
6."Baito" (バイト, "Part-Time Job")1:49
7."Eigyō" (営業, "Business")3:37
8."Step" (ステップ, Suteppu)2:58
9."Mirai" (未来, "Future")3:18
10."Kenka" (喧嘩, "Argument")3:08
11."Stove" (ストーブ, Sutōbu)3:20
12."Nichijō" (日常, "Everyday Life")4:39
13."Yosō" (予想, "Expectation")4:00
Total length:44:01

Charts

Weekly chart performance for Episode (2011)
Chart (2011) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[3] 5
Japanese Top Albums Sales (Billboard Japan)[4] 6
Weekly chart performance for Episode (2016–17)
Chart (2016–17) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[5] 52
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[6] 41
Taiwanese East Asian Albums (G-Music)[7] 11

References

  1. ^ a b "星野 源 / エピソード" [Gen Hoshino / Episode]. CDJournal [ja] (in Japanese). Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b Koike, Hirokazu (27 September 2011). "星野源の歌が、弾んでいる" [Gen Hoshino's Song Is Playing]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  3. ^ "エピソード" [Episode] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales - 2011/10/05". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 5 October 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  5. ^ "エピソード (ランキングデータ)" [Episode (Ranking Data)] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 25 June 2024 – via the You Taiju service.
  6. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums - 2017/01/11". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 11 January 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  7. ^ "G-Music Charts – Week of 16 December 2016 to 22 December 2016" (in Chinese). G-Music. Archived from the original on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  • Episode on Hoshino's official website (in Japanese)