[Album] BoA – MADE IN TWENTY (20)

~Track Listing~
01. Lady Galaxy
02. Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~
03. Winter Love
04. STILL.
05. SO REAL
06. KEY OF HEART
07. OUR LOVE ~to my parents~
08. no more make me sick
09. Revolution-code 1986-1105 Feat.RAH-D
10. Your Color
11. Prayer
12. Candle Lights
13. Gracious Days
14. LAST CHRISTMAS
15. Winter Love (Live ver.)

~Album Review~
“MADE IN TWENTY (20)” topped the Oricon charts when it was released on January 17, 2007, and the album went on to sell 348,093 copies in total.

The album starts out with “Lady Galaxy” which is a futuristic R&B track with edited background vocals that sound like they’ve been computer processed. It’s a fairly strong start to the album, although it sounds a bit repetitive and familiar at points. The bridge of the song sounds exactly like it was cut from My Humps and converted to fit this song. Regardless, this is most likely a strong dance track with some catchy portions (she says I love you in 5-6 languages, listen for Te Amo, Aishiteru, I love you…). The chorus of Lady Galaxy is also pretty catchy. However, the parts where she’s talking like it’s an airliner sounds like M-flo… Basically, this song has been done before in so many ways, which sadly foreshadowing the rest of the album. There is a difference from borrowing and recreating the magic which BoA fails to really see. However, if you’re new to this music, “Lady Galaxy” is A-grade.

The transition to “Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~” isn’t terrible, although it is quite a jump; the notable similarity between the two is the background instrumentation. “Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~” has a softer version of “Lady Galaxy”’s instrumentals. And that described Brand New Beat very well. It’s a strong pop track, but it’s very “watered down.” Fans have even labeled the song “Bland New Beat.” The crescendo cannot save this song from mediocrity. It certainly has a good climax, but it’s just that, good, not great. The ending isn’t anything special, either. At least the chorus is pretty catchy with the whole “Brand New Beat” thing, but that isn’t enough to make a great pop song.

And so we smoothly move into the next track after a decent ending, beginning the ballad, “Winter Love.” The same sort of problem that plagued Brand New Beat severely hurts Winter Love, that boring factor. What makes “Winter Love” better than the pack of winter ballads that was released in 2007? At least BoA’s voice is pretty darn strong, which really shines in this song, although not as much as it does in her Korean tracks. Listening to her Korean ballads then this one just puts Winter Love to shame, even the ending. “Winter Love” sounds nice, but it isn’t anything more, especially considering some of BoA’s stronger ballads. It’s there and it sounds nice. “Winter Love” does have some emotion, as well. The mixture of BoA’s voice and the string and synth instrumentation is nice, especially with the powerful drum beat.

And the soft ending leads us into the next track, “STILL.”, a piano based track with very present dance synth. It’s not the strongest out of her album tracks, and it’s just there. “Winter Love” feels like it has more style than this song, which is a bit of problem; the song just feels like it’s been done before. It’s pleasant, but just that. The tune ends up sounding too familiar. Another problem with the song is that the ending does not sound much different from the beginning; it finishes where it began which should not be happening, a song needs to grow to captivate the listener.

The transition to “SO REAL” is probably the most strained yet: although the tempo is similar, the two tracks are at opposite ends of the dance spectrum. The choruses are pretty strong and BoA’s voice sounds very good in this mature environment. However, when reaching the end of the track, that climax that you’re expecting to arrive never comes. What’s more, the beginning and the end could be run together…they sound the same. The song begs BoA’s vocals to emerge further, but there is no such luck. Just another album track in the mix in this new style of BoA’s. At least she’s growing up, and the choruses are strong.

“Key of Heart” does not sound at all like the last track creating a noticeable flow issue. “Key of Heart” is another pop song backed by violins, a beat and keyboards. It sounds like BoA pop in the end, with a nice hook: “just a key of heart.” One of the big problems with the song, however, is the lack of sufficient background vocals in the chorus. Those vocals are there in the Korean counterpart of the song powering BoA’s vocal and greatly improving the song’s sound. Here, this version sounds empty and BoA’s vocals don’t fill the track’s atmosphere well. “Key of Heart” does one up “Brand New Beat” by sounding poppier and less bland with an impressive hook, but it isn’t enough. The song is missing what it has in Korean, which just makes it above average.

More piano…does not flow well from “Key of Heart.” “OUR LOVE ~to my parents~” starts out very slowly, with BoA singing quite softly, something we haven’t heard her do yet (Winter Love was a power ballad). BoA deserves props for doing something different from the rest of the tracks, but the downside to this variety is her head voice is not that strong. However, BoA does particularly well singing the English parts of the song. The crescendo and the end are much stronger than the beginning of the song, as well, with the background music showing the difference. That’s the type of music BoA should be creating; the only real downside is the feeling that vocals are flawed at points. There are some strong beats in this song, as well as a few eighties like moments, but over all, a stronger album track.

The album transitions well into the next dancier/poppier slow track, “no more make me sick.” The chorus does fix the fact that this song sounds like it could be done a little better by someone else, although that relies on synth elements to make it sound strong. The background vocals of the chorus separate it from the rest of the song. However, once more, the climax does nothing, leaving the end right where the beginning left off. Just average.

We get dancier with whistles, heavy beats, and a rap in the next track as we head to class with “Revolution-code 1986-1105 Feat.RAH-D.” That’s all nice and good, but what’s wrong with the song? It has that hip-pop feeling, but besides rapping, doesn’t do well at emphasizing that energy. The song is notable for being dancier than Lady Galaxy, but it’s still boring. As a dance song, that’s a glaring flaw.

“Your Color” simply does not transition from the last track in any beat, tempo, instrument, vocal… “Revolution Code” does not fit with “Your Color,” at all. With that bad transition behind us, “Your Color,” like most of BoA’s songs, has a very strong chorus that fits in well with the instrumentation. Problems? “Winter Love” is done better and both utilize the same vocal technique (their choruses are quite similar, vocally, in the fact that they emphasize power). “Your Color” has different background music than Winter Love, but that doesn’t do much to separate it from “Winter Love.” “Winter Love”’s vocals are stronger, bigger, and altogether more epic. That just makes “Your Color” feel very average, even though it’s a strong song on its own. The difference in the choruses would be how high BoA goes in “Winter Love,” otherwise, they sound quite alike.

“Prayer” is another forced transition, but it makes up for it by being a strong dance track with a strong chorus. Seeing a pattern in these album tracks yet? What’s special about “Prayer?” “Prayer” is darker than the other dance album tracks we’ve seen, although once again, the ending is almost exactly the same as the beginning. The english in this song is pretty good too.

“Candle Lights” does not transition well from “Prayer,” and is not the best track on its own. But for a B-side, it’s pretty good (”Candle Lights” was the B-side for the “Winter Love” single). The guitar is decent, but this track feels similar to “Your Color” and “Winter Love.” The guitar does help differentiate the song from the pack a bit, but BoA’s vocals exacerbate the problem. The choruses are very strong and consistent, but the song experiences no growth.

The changeover to “Gracious Days” is fine, and “Gracious Days” does sound different from the Candle Light/Your Color/Winter Love triade, which is a good thing. “Gracious Days” provides a breathe of fresh air that the listener needs as they near the end of the album. So close to the end, it was an honest surprise to see a good album track marking the end. I think the choruses towards the end are a bit stronger, although it’s nothing big. At least she continues her strength in the choruses of her songs. A fitting end for the albums without CD bonuses.

The live version of “Winter Love” is pretty good, although “Last Christmas” still sounds tinny and futuristic, which is different from anything else on this album.

Over all, this album is extremely average. The good news is that BoA is clearly maturing on her album tracks, looking to moving away from the pure pop she showered on us throughout 2006. However, these new dance R&B tracks suffer from the same plight that her 2006 single tracks suffered from: they sound bland, which is a problem in dance R&B. Add in the fact that some of them sound like popular songs in the recent past, and you have a glaring problem. BoA’s vocals and her great choruses provide some solace, but this album leaves BoA’s career in question. Sure, her music has transformed into something different, but it’s nothing spectacular. Where’s the growth in ability that we should be seeing? Her Korean release with anyband showed growth, but her Japanese releases felt like more of the same mediocrity. This album is very, very average. It’s not bad, nor is it great. If you’re a BoA fan, you should like the new tracks, even though this review has been harsh.

79% C+

[Album] Namie Amuro – PLAY

~Track Listing~
01. Hide & Seek
02. Full Moon
03. CAN’T SLEEP, CAN’T EAT, I’M SICK
04. It’s all about you
05. FUNKY TOWN
06. Step With It
07. Hello
08. Should I Love Him?
09. Top Secret
10. Violet Sauce (Spicy)
11. Baby Don’t Cry
12. Pink Key

~Album Review~
Namie Amuro released “PLAY” on June 27, 2007, and it reached number one with her highest sales since her album, “GENIUS 2000.” “PLAY” stayed at number one for two consecutive weeks, as well. With a a chart life of 24 weeks, “PLAY” sold 514,560, making it the 15th best selling album of 2007.

The album hits the ground running with the infectious dance track, “Hide & Seek.” Namie Amuro is powerful and sexy here. The ambience of the song is interesting though – the verses are very sparse and Namie Amuro’s voice is heavily edited until the chorus, where heavy vocal layering and synth flow into the song. In comparison to the verses, the chorus is very full. At times it feels like marching music, but that beat is exactly what makes this song such a great dance track. “It’s time to bang bang bang” your head to “Hide & Seek;” the song is strong Hip-pop with dance flair. The only reason you might not like is if you cannot stand dance music. Otherwise, “Hide & Seek” is too good to pass up.

“Full Moon” continues the album a bit differently. The sensuous vocals continue here, transitioning well from the soft extro of “Hide & Seek.” “Full Moon” is not quite the dance powerhouse that “Hide & Seek” is, but it is an interesting, softer edge to Namie’s music. The best way to describe the chorus of the song is sexual. The background vocals intermingle male oos and aahs with Namie’s own vocal stylings, all under the “full moon.” The constant violin like sound in the background is a nice touch – this song sounds very risky and dark, as love under the full moon should be. “Full Moon” is a stylistic song that may alienate some listeners, while attracting others with its pure sex appeal. “Full Moon” definitely feels like her most sex driven song since the reggaeton-eque “WANT ME, WANT ME.”

“Can’t Sleep, Can’t Eat, I’m Sick” takes a bit of forceful turn from the sexy “Full Moon” into J. Lo “Get Right” territory. The horns have been done by Beyonce and J. Lo, but that doesn’t mean that Namie Amuro doesn’t do them well and with her trademark style. “Can’t Sleep, Can’t Eat, I’m Sick” is also very English and little Engrish. For non-Japanese speakers, that means the song is especially easy to get into. The beat is great, the horns are interesting, and the background vocals are great. Namie Amuro takes American pop and gives it her own Hip-pop spin on this 2006 track.

“It’s All About You” starts with a guitar riff and funky vocals and sounds; it sounds a bit like a broken machine might sound at first before the fast-paced clapping beat comes in. The song does not let up; the only respite are the bridges, which are slower and more relaxing compard to the over-the-top and full choruses. “It’s All About You” is made for the dance floor or to be performed; it keeps listeners attuned to the changing tempo and beat, which can be hard to find at times. This dance aspect is only one part of this experimental (in territory, not in genre) song for Namie. The song, over all, is very catchy and fun to sing along to. It has an excellent hook, and Namie performs well vocally, really putting herself behind her vocals.

“Funky Town” is a bit funky. The vocal layering is different, the beat is present, there is an interesting use of sampling and the tinking of a can at points; the song is pretty much just a beat, with a bridge that really winds up well for the full chorus. Surprisingly, the lack of instrumentation for most of the song isn’t a huge problem, mainly because of the full vocals on Namie’s part. You can follow the melody quite well because her vocals are so sweet. The coughing into the “break time” portion of the song (you have to listen to this song, it’s incredibly funky) is very different too. Over all, “Funky Town” is an interesting song to place on the album, representing one of the many incarnations of “hip-pop.”

“Step With It” transitions well from “FUNKY TOWN;” both rely on the beat instead of instrumentation for most of the song. This song is notable for using Namie Amuro’s higher register throughout the chorus, as well as particularly full background vocals, and different accompaniment. Namie Amuro has yet another man on this track, and it shakes things up quite a bit, making this dance track all the easier to “step with.” The song starts really well, lags a bit in the middle, but finishes with a great crescendo.

Just when you think “PLAY” might be losing just an ounce of momentum, Namie Amuro throws the listener another jam. With lines like “I’m real to the bone” and “because I’m so fly” how can you not love the pure style and ‘tude on this poppy hip-pop song. Once more, the beat is the most important aspect of the verses, with telephones supplying the beat (how fitting). The song relies on sampling throughout to create a great atmosphere that simulates saying “hello” on the telephone. Instrumentation comes into play during the catchy choruses, giving the song a soft but memorable melody. Another great pop track from Namie Amuro on “PLAY,” “Hello” has style that you won’t find in some of the other tracks.

Namie Amuro is well known for her ballads, so it’s no surprise that she placed one on this album. For many listeners, this felt like overkill, but the idea is definitely understood; this album is heavy hip-pop, but Namie is still Namie, and her fans still love her ballads. The love it or hate it, “Should I Love Him?” is the result. The song uses old school choir aspects to create a Namie-esque ballad. The song sounds good up to the crescendo, with good harmonies, a fine beat, and nice background vocals. But then, the song becomes gospel like with soaring vocals, a choir supporting Namie Amuro, and full instrumentation. What a climax! If you like R&B ballads, you’ll be wondering right alongside Namie Amuro if she should love him (and who does she love the best?)

“Top Secret” is a hot dance track that samples sexy synthetic sound, guitar and keyboards and uses synthetic editing of Namie’s voice to keep the listener pinned to the speaker until the speaker until the chorus, where the insanely catchy hook kicks in, accompanied by quite a few lyrics. The breathy repetition of five “top secret”s will stick in the listeners head, and the sexy melody will stick in the listener’s head. By the end of the song, you will want to know her secret and to be tested by Namie Amuro. Namie Amuro has clearly been polishing her hip-pop, and this song is no exception.

With the exception of one song so far, Namie Amuro has inundated the listener in dance music. This will have either alienated the listener, or basically make them get up and get their figurative groove on. The finale tracks of the album are markedly different from the rest of the album however; they are still hip-pop tracks with that beat we’ve come to expect from Namie, but these songs are on the rockier and poppier edge. If dance music isn’t your favorite, listen to these tracks and “Should I Love Him?” (maybe even “Hello”); but dance lovers, you too should carry onward and finish this album. It’s worth it for the hip-pop ending.

“Violet Sauce (Spicy)” is another sex driven track on the album, a recreation of the 2005 A-side “Violet Sauce.” With rock guitar and hard beat, the energy level in the song has been kicked up a notch, ditching the sleek nature for pure power. The rocky edges mixed in with expertly layered vocals, well handled production and that killer beat make “Violet Sauce (Spicy)” too good to pass up. By the end of the song, you’ll be dipping it in the sauce. Yes, well, it doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together, “Violet Sauce” is an incredibly dirty and sensual song if you look deeper than its surface. But it fulfills that role well, with sexual power thrown throughout.

With killer momentum, the listener heads into the mid-tempo track “Baby Don’t Cry,” a song that begins with the strong, deep beat which fades out. This take on hip-pop only uses the sound of snapping throughout the verses, despite the deeper beat coming back in during the bridge and chorus, which sound great because of the well done vocals. “Baby Don’t Cry” should be a sweet pop song, and the vocals hit that on the target. As if these stellar, catchy choruses weren’t enough (“baby don’t cry” is an admittably good hook), the crescendo is powerful, building, and pure ecstasy all at once. It flows effortlessly into final chorus, which leaves the listener with a pretty extro accompanied by Namie ad-libbing.

The poppy edge continues with “Pink Key” the forward looking ending track on the album. With style and pop pizazz, Namie Amuro drops an insane beat, sweet vocals, and a pleasant message amongst pop production to create the sweet “Pink Key.” The song is mid-tempo through and through, with a catchy chorus and nice bridges and verses. By now, you should realize what Namie can capitalize on in her music, mainly because of the combination of her vocals and top tier production: her finale bridge is superb. Even though it’s the end of the album, it’s time to find your way. The listener is left refreshed with “Pink Key” and wanting more.

After years in the business, Namie Amuro has become a pop machine. At times, her music may flounder a bit and lose her audience, but here on “PLAY” Namie Amuro is in top form. In only a few spots does she stray from the tried and true formula to try bold and new songs, and those strays will either be hit or miss with the audience. Frankly, the album knows it’s just a dance album and capitalizes on it to make it fun. If you’re looking for depth, look elsewhere, because this is no more than fun pop album. How could it be anything more than that with a title like “PLAY?” For pop lovers, there’s a little bit of everything on “PLAY:” from the sheer sexiness of “Full Moon,” to the subtle allure of “Violet Sauce (Spicy),” from the hard beats of “Hide & Seek” to the pop caress of “Baby Don’t Cry.” “PLAY” is just too big and too good because of the strength of the album tracks; they’re able to stand right alongside the singles and shine brightly. It’s quite astounding and quite a listen. “PLAY” was one of the best albums of 2007 and was good enough to let Namie Amuro rise back to the top tier of J-pop songstresses. You should have read enough by now.

It’s time to play.

95% A

[Single] Akikawa Masafumi – sen no kaze ni natte

~Tracklist~
01. sen no kaze ni natte (千の風になって)
02. sen no kaze ni natte ~Karaoke~ (千の風になって~カラオケ~)
03. ringo oiwake (リンゴ追分)

~Single Review~
“sen no kaze ni natte” is a song that gained popularity because of the moment. In a case of lucky exposure, “sen no kaze ni natte” was performed on the year end show, Kouhaku, and began to sell. Before this year end performance, “sen no kaze ni natte” sold only around 5,000 copies. Afterwards, it became the best selling single of 2007 (despite being released May 24, 2006), and went on to sell 1,122,618 copies. Akikawa Masafumi also performed “sen no kaze ni natte” at the year end shows in 2007, which is really The stretching the power of a song released in 2006. The effects of even more year-end performances have yet to be seen.

“sen no kaze ni natte” is a ballad with piano and violins. It’s very plain and spartan, so the focus is on Akikawa Masafumi’s tenor voice. The best way to describe the song to people who don’t normally listen to tenors is that he sings like a man in opera. This translates into overemphasizes, deep vocals that make the song is very hard to get into as a casual listener. The success of the song then, is probably the touching lyrics. Below is a translated excerpt:

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.

The lyrics are bittersweet, and describe a love that can’t be felt tangibly. Perhaps that explains this song’s appeal; along with a powerful voice, this song speaks sadness while reassuring, all at once emotional. The cover also makes sense in hindsight as your love never leaves that environment. An interesting idea that has caught on with the current Japanese populace, “sen no kaze ni natte” is based off an emotion and an idea. Musically, it’s not amazing, but for the lyrics and the idea, the opera-like vocals and simple instrumentation work.

“Ringo Oiwake” is probably Akikawa Masafumi’s element; it sounds a bit over the top with his deep voice throughout the song. Nonetheless, the song is an interesting way to round out the single. Lyrically, I don’t know what he’s singing about, but from a musical stand point, there is more variety. This track is another interesting listen, if you’re willing to venture out of your safety zone for J-pop listening.

Over all, Akikawa Masafumi represents a trip of pop off the beaten path; such a non-mainstream song has captivated the Japanese public, so you know it has to have something to it. Of course, it’s not well done pop. But it is well done music, and that’s what matters. If you’re willing to try it, “sen no kaze ni natte” is worth a listen, at least to understand its widespread popularity.

90% A-