7th Album Announced! To Be Released in March

Oku Hanako just announced the release of her next album! It’s come a lot sooner than I expected; I thought it would come out sometime in October.

It’s called Kimi to Boku no Michi / 君と僕の道 (I’m proud of myself: I was able to read that without putting it through a translator). I think it means “our road” since kimi / 君 means “you”, boku / 僕 means “I”, michi / 道 means road, no / の means “of”, and I think in this context, to / と means “with”. I don’t know Japanese, though, so don’t take my word for this translation.

The announced release date is March 19, 2014, the day before her birthday. They’ve already finished recording the album.

Album art has been released:

Kimi to Boku no Michi

For the lucky ones who get the album on the first day, they’ll get this cover:

Kimi to Boku no Michi, first press

Track list:

Kioku / 記憶 (“memory”)
Period / PIRIODO / ピリオド
blue green
Fuyu Hanabi / 冬花火 (“winter fireworks”)
Maborishi no Hibi / 幻の日々 (“everyday dream”)
Aimai na Kuchibiru / 曖昧な唇 (“vague lips”)
10 Nen / 10年 (“year 10”)
Anata to Denwa / あなたと電話 (“phone call with you”)
Wedding Dress
Shiwakucha / しわくちゃ (“wrinkled”)
HIKARI (“light”)
Mirai Chizu / 未来地図 (“future map”)
Michi / 道 (“road”)

Again, I don’t know Japanese, so these translations may not be accurate.

The special edition also includes a DVD with the music video for Fuyu Hanabi, the making of that music video, the making of the album, and a recording of the 2014-02-08 premium live event at TFM Hall, which I’m assuming is what the Fuyu Hanabi lottery was for.

Fuyu Hanabi / 冬花火 and Anata to Denwa / あなたと電話 were previously released on her latest single, and HIKARI was a song she wrote for Taketatsu Ayana / 竹達彩奈 for her 2013 album “apple symphony”. I’m guessing HIKARI will be hikigatari, because that’s what she did for Kimi ni Arigatou / 君にありがとう on her last album, good-bye, which was also a song that she wrote for someone else. I’ve posted Fuyu Hanabi and I’ve heard Anata to Denwa; they’re both really good and I think I’m going to really like this album. Even Oku Hanako herself thinks it’s a really good album.

Sources: Kokoro Letter^[jp], okuhanako.net^[jp]