Qlair Complete Chronological Song Review

I love idol pop music and am interested in the history of idol pop. While digging through YouTube for buried songs from the so-called 'winter era' of idols in the early 1990s, I discovered Qlair. The more I dug, the more great songs I found, and I became completely hooked. While my enthusiasm is still high, I want to write my thoughts on all 37 songs in chronological order, following the group's growth.

Fortunately, all their music is available on Spotify. There are truly no songs I want to skip, and almost every track is pleasant to the ear. If you are an idol fan who leans more towards the music itself, I think you can listen to all their songs on repeat, so please take my word for it and give them a listen.

What is Qlair?

Qlair (1991-1994) was a three-member female idol group from Otomejuku, and they were juniors to CoCo and Ribbon. While their seniors debuted from Pony Canyon, Qlair debuted from Epic Sony, with the concept of being an 'artist-oriented group that harmonizes in three parts'.
Because they were artist-oriented, they had many diverse and high-quality songs that went beyond the boundaries of idol pop.
Aki Yoshida (mid-range), Yuko Inobe (high-range), Sachiko Imai (low-range)
Although Aki Yoshida, the center with the most vocal ability, often takes the lead, their strength lies in the fact that everyone can sing. They keep the listener engaged with a diverse range of styles, including unison, three-part harmony, solos, and call-and-response.

1st Single 'Hitomi Ippai no Natsu' (1991/07/07)

This was the first song I heard by them. First, I liked the accompaniment in the A-melody that goes 'do-do-si-do-do-si-do-si-do'. Also, the call-and-response in the latter half of the chorus, 'Ima kimi to (tokubetsu na kisetsu wo) kono sora de (taiyo ni onegai)', was fresh. It's a medium-tempo song, which is quite calm for an idol debut. However, it was a song that made me want to dig for more of their tracks.

By the way, the composer, Yasuhiro Kido, self-covered this song in 2017. It's surprising how the impression of the same song can change completely depending on the lyrics and arrangement.

Koi no Medalist

The B-side is, in contrast, a standard idol pop song. Usually, this would have been the A-side for an idol debut, but the fact that they dared to make an experimental song the A-side shows the intent of the Qlair team.
Perhaps because the members liked it, they re-recorded it in 1993, resulting in even more cohesive chorus work.

1st Album 'Les filles' (1991/11/21)

'Les filles' means 'girls' in French. As the title suggests, it's a world that could only be expressed by Qlair during their girlhood.

Mayonaka no Orgel (2nd Single C/W)

A fairy-tale-like song in 3/4 time that feels like opening a toy box. I thought the melody of the chorus was similar to Yoko Minamino's 'Koibito-tachi no Christmas', which is also in 3/4 time. I quite like songs with this kind of atmosphere.

Egao no Hanataba

A song featuring Yuko Inobe on lead vocals. I can't say her voice before her 'awakening' was musical, but it has a certain charm to it. It's fresh that the A-melody starts on a IIIm7 chord.

Mienai Namida

A ballad. The three-part harmony in the chorus is wonderful. The fact that they could pull off such a mellow sound so soon after their debut shows the effort the three of them put in. Apparently, they practiced harmonies intensely. Perhaps because of that, Qlair's songs sound like the harmony parts shine even more than the solo parts.

Onegai Kamisama (2nd Single)

A girly song with a shuffle rhythm. The 'Hanashitai no~' in the chorus is bittersweet. I think it was written targeting Aki-chan's highest vocal range.
The chorus ends somewhat inconclusively on a dominant chord, but after the final chorus, it modulates, returns to the A-melody, and then ends with a new melody repeating 'Onegai Kamisama~'. I think it's a very elaborate composition.

Yakusoku

A catchy song that, unusually for Qlair, features prominent distortion guitar. It seems it was always performed last at live shows, creating a great sense of excitement. It has three verses, and the solo parts are shared nicely in the order of Inobe, Imai, and Yoshida.

Adventure's Sunnyday

A bossa nova style track. It has a mature atmosphere, but the lyrics are about fantasizing about a Caribbean romance, so it stays within the realm of "young girls" after all.
The harmony on the long tone that stretches out as "dokomademo~~ aoi~~" has a beauty that reminds one of the classic chorus group "Circus."
Already, on their 1st album, they are beginning to transcend the realm of idols.My favorite song on this album.

Honest Question Mark

Sachiko Imai on lead vocals. Her voice is cute and similar to Marina Watanabe's. (Marina Watanabe's mid-to-low range was also charming.)
It's a 16-beat song, and there's a part in the middle with an accompaniment similar to Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" that makes me grin.

Rainy Way Home

A song that expresses the pitter-patter of rain with a shuffle beat. This song also has an impressive IIIm7 chord at the start. The song slows down at the end, and the album concludes with a lingering feeling of wishing the two of them could walk home together forever.

3rd Single "Sayonara no Chime" (1992/01/22)

A spring song by Qlair themed around graduation. It actually coincided with the time Imai and Inobe were graduating from high school, and it's said that they sang it with tears in their eyes at live performances. The sound, with its heavy reverb reminiscent of Eiichi Ohtaki, is excellent.

Happy Birthday Countdown (C/W)

From here on, the next three singles feature solo songs for each of the three members as B-sides. This song is Sachiko Imai's solo. For some reason, all three songs have spoken word parts, but this one has the cutest lines. Imai often leads the others in conversation, and I think she is the brightest and most reliable of the three. These lines capture her positive brightness.

4th Single "Mabushikute" (1992/05/21)

A refreshing early summer song. The arrangement by Hiroshi Shinkawa is truly excellent, making me think he must have said, "The title is 'Mabushikute' (Dazzling), right? So I've arranged it to be sparkling everywhere." The intro, which could have been used for a TV show opening at the time, and the way the wind chimes sparkle as if to pile onto the hook of the final E7(b9) chord, are my favorite parts.
The Lydian Dominant chord F#7(#11) right after the first verse ends is also casually cool.
In terms of Spotify play counts, this song seems to be the most popular among Qlair's tracks.

Kimi Sumu Machi (The Town You Live In)

Yuko Inobe's solo. Her vocals really awaken around this time. With Takafumi Sotoma as the composer, they succeeded in building a unique worldview reminiscent of Mimori Yusa.
I don't know if hiring Sotoma was Inobe's wish, but it seems the two later got married thanks to this song.

2nd Album "CITRON" (1992/06/21)

The 2nd album, which has a summer concept. Even though only a little over half a year has passed since the 1st, the "young girls" have grown, and the album depicts women enjoying summer. Proportionally, Qlair's chorus work and expressive power have been polished.

CITRON

The title track, which begins with the sound of carbonation popping in a citron cider. The first track expresses the excitement of summer's arrival.

Tahitian Love

A 16-beat sound with impressive wah-wah guitar that incorporates the Shibuya-kei style popular at the time. It is an elaborate production that even includes the sounds of birds in a jungle and tribal drums from an island.
This is the most summery song on the album, and according to them, it is the 'representative song of the album'.

Nakanaide Angel (Don't Cry, Angel)

Yoshiyuki Osawa's melodic sense shines here. Instead of building up to the chorus, the professional touch is in the calm atmosphere where they sing 'Don't cry (Angel), it's okay (Angel)' in a round. This is a song I personally love as well.

Omoide no Album (Album of Memories)

Along with the previous track, this is another song I personally love. The interplay with the ironclad chorus work of the married couple Yasuhiro Kido and Junko Hirotani in the chorus is excellent. Although it was an album track, it was sung at events like this, so I think the members liked it too.

Pajama de Drive (Drive in Pajamas)

Composed by Shoko Suzuki, the arrangement credits list three people: Shinobu Narita, Yoshiyuki Sahashi, and Akira Nishihira, and because of that, you can see the ingenuity in the sound.

Issho ni Mita Kaze (The Wind We Saw Together)

The only ballad on this album. It is a special song in the sense that it was a favorite of the members and was also sung during Qlair's final TV appearance. With their sudden hiatus, they must have truly felt the lyrics, 'I can't explain it well, but I want you to forgive me for troubling you.' The three of them have teary eyes at the end of the performance.

IN YOUR EYES

A short epilogue that arranges the melody of the opening CITRON into an orchestral sound. The chirping of the evening cicadas signals the end of a fun summer.

(Digression) Qlair in the Summer of 1992

Around this time, they were actively involved in regular appearances on a PC Engine program called 'Saint PC High School,' as well as photo book and video shoots overseas, live concerts, events, and album recordings. I think this was their peak as idols. At the same time, by experiencing so much during their impressionable years, their sense of self as performers was beginning to sprout, which I believe led to the changes in their activities from 1993 onwards.

5th Single 'Aki no Kaigara' (Autumn Shells) (1992/10/21)

Qlair's autumn song. Until now, while they had showcased high-level songs on their albums, their singles had featured straightforward idol pop, but here they arrived at a mature, minor-key song. The guitar intro by Tsuyoshi Kon with its Dorian flavor is sophisticated.
It seems the members themselves were also confused by this change, which was intended to help them shed their idol image. It has a sound like the middle period of Wink.

Atarashii Shirt (New Shirt)

The B-side is a solo song by Aki Yoshida. It was composed by KAN, and it came about because she is a huge fan of his. It is a classic four-on-the-floor pop song with a canon progression, like 'Ai wa Katsu' or 'Sayonara dakedo Sayonara ja nai'.
KAN himself seems to regret it a little, saying he 'ended up writing a normal pop song,' but it must have become a supreme treasure for her.

I am also a huge fan of KAN, so I am happy that this collaboration happened. I vaguely knew that he had composed a B-side for the group Qlair, but it is deeply moving to have it all connect here.

3rd Album 'Sanctuary' (1992/11/21)

Only half a year after the 2nd album, here is the 3rd. If CITRON is summer, then this work is winter. I think both works have a level of perfection worthy of being called masterpieces, and I believe this work is one of the pinnacles of Qlair's artistic expression.

Sanctuary

The title instrumental track. It begins with the chirping of birds, and by the end, you can hear the sound of Christmas bells. This might be because "Sanctuary" can mean not only a "holy place" but also a "wildlife refuge."

Ribbon-less Present

A song that represents the album, occupying a position similar to "Tahitian Love" from their previous work. It shows their maturity in mastering a stylish 16-beat track with a sense of modulation.

Naptime Sofa

A song featuring Sachiko Imai on lead vocals. As mentioned before, her voice resembles Marina Watanabe's, but since this track has a shuffle rhythm, it feels even more like "Marina's Summer."

Snow Boots Wish

Although it is a song from their 1st album, it reappears here because it is a Christmas song. The synth bells that evoke Christmas and the saxophone solo that appears in the second half are impressive.

Dreaming Violin

A song where the violin solo plays a major role. Yuko Inobe is on lead vocals, and her high notes sound like the classic "May" by Yuki Saito, also composed by Mayumi. Still, compared to around the time of their 1st album "Egao no Hanataba," Inobe's growth as a vocalist is remarkable.

Warm Forest

At over 6 minutes, it is Qlair's longest song, but you don't feel its length. A lake where birds live and a warm forest. It is truly a world that can be called a Sanctuary. Personally,
this is my favorite Qlair song. Perfect harmony. I think it is their sanctuary, a completed form.

Sanctuary ~The Light of three stars~

A reprise of the opening track. This time, the three of them provide the chorus. It feels as if three angels have descended into the Sanctuary.

6th Single "SPRING LOVER Daisakusen" (1993/03/21)

Six months after I thought their individuality as artists was established with their 3rd album "Sanctuary," came this change in direction. Seeing Aki-chan, who originally had shorter hair, cut it into a very short style and sing so happily as if to say, "This is what I wanted to do," I imagine that perhaps her requests were reflected in the music. (Is this the expression of self-identity typical of the middle period of an idol's career?) In terms of sound, it has also changed from the sparkling 80s synth sound to the harder, post-90s sound. Personally, this feels like a different Qlair, but this might be okay too. It is a good song, after all.

Moving Out

The B-side features lyrics uncharacteristic of idols, where a couple puts an end to their cohabitation with a "Bye-bye." However, they have completely shed their idol image and become mature, so it doesn't feel out of place at all (laughs).

6th Single "SUMMER LOVER Daisakusen" (1993/07/21)

And the final single is a surprising development, a parody of the previous work, reminiscent of "Akai Tori Nigeta." It seems someone at Calpis liked "SPRING~" and it was decided to re-release it as a commercial tie-in.

Hitomi Ippai no Natsu Radioactivity (Hitomi Ippai no Natsu - Shiroi Parasol Medley)

The B-side is a distortion-heavy remix that seems to negate the colorful feel of the debut song, "Hitomi Ippai no Natsu." And while it feels a bit like, "Why Seiko Matsuda?", after listening to it many times, I've started to think, "This actually works" (laughs). Maybe it's just that I'm not used to this genre.

Best Album "Palette" (1993/11/21)

Although Qlair released albums energetically in 1992, they only released a best-of album in 1993.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

The only new song included on the best-of album. It's a bossa nova-style track, the first since "Bouken no Sunnyday," and a fine song that follows in that vein. It's a shame to think what might have been if they had continued in this direction, but this ended up being the final song of Qlair's active period.

Qlair Archives (2005/11/30)

They were active and grew energetically in a short time, but in March 1994, management declared an end to their activities. The Qlair team had been producing music regardless of profitability even when they weren't selling well, but for idols, monetization is paramount. Some bigwig probably asked, "How long do you intend to keep that Qlair group going?" The planned 8th single was also frozen.

However, 12 years passed. The songs Qlair left behind must have been well-received by some fans and industry insiders. Perhaps due to calls for re-evaluation, all their songs were released on CD as part of the Idol Miracle Archives series.
During that process, the members gathered for the first time in 12 years for the frozen 8th single, and "Eien no Shounen" was recorded under the label (2005 Miracle Recording)...

Eien no Shounen

The final song is a Bacharach-style track fitting for a finale. (Though this may have been due to Aki Yoshida's preferences at the time.)
Regardless, the lyrics are wonderful, and even though I listened to them after the fact, I was moved to tears seeing how they grew with every album they released.
It was originally a song for the fans of that time, but it was a strange sensation, as if the feelings from back then transcended time and space to reach someone like me who discovered them later.

Comment from lyricist Natsumi Tadano:

Comment from composer Akito Katayose:

Conclusion

I will quote the announcement regarding the suspension of Qlair's activities.

Because they came from Otomejuku but followed an artist-oriented path, they may have been a niche existence that was difficult for traditional idol fans to understand and hard for music-loving listeners to find.
However, listening to their music makes it clear that the claim, "We have provided high-quality 'Girl's Pop' that is second to none for three years," is no exaggeration at all.
I believe Qlair is a crystallization of the conscience of Sony at the time. I wrote this in the hope that their re-evaluation will continue to grow.
I end this article by paying my respects to the production team who provided such wonderful songs, and to the three who grew so much while racing through their short period of activity.

References