Amuro Namie – BEST FICTION (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“Three weeks at No. 1, over a million copies shipped, setting another record and just proving to everyone that this pop diva now in her 30′s should not be counted out because she still has what it takes to be a chart topping, record setter. ‘Best Fiction’ is simply a wonderful album and I absolutely recommend this album to Amuro Namie fans!”

ARTIST: Amuro Namie

ALBUM: BEST FICTION

LABEL: avex trax

CATALOG #: AVCD-23651

DURATION: 1:14:13

RELEASE DATE: July 30, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

1. Do Me More
2. Wishing On the Same Star
3. shine more
4. Put ‘Em Up
5. SO CRAZY
6. ALARM
7. ALL FOR YOU
8. GIRL TALK
9. WANT ME, WANT ME
10. White Light
11. CAN’T SLEEP, CAN’T EAT, I’m SICK
12. Baby Don’t Cry
13. FUNKY TOWN
14. NEW LOOK
15. ROCK STEADY
16. WHAT A FEELING
17. Sexy Girl

The news has been promising for Amuro Namie, the pop diva who started a trend and broke records, multiple award winner in the 90′s and we have seen her dominate as a teen, a tween and here we are watching her do the same thing in her 30′s.

“BEST FICTION” is the biggest selling album in 2008 and another album to sell over a million copies in Japan and recently Amuro was recognized as the only artist to have albums to sell over a million copies in her teens, 20′s and 30′s.

With the past decade being dominated by Hamasaki Ayumi, Utada Hikaru and Koda Kumi, for Amuro Namie fans, there was always hope to see Amuro make a comeback and in 2007, with the release of “Baby Don’t Cry”, CD singles numbers started to go up and since then, Amuro’s sales are up and she’s back in the forefront.

And even when she dominated during her “Sweet 19 Blues” and “Concentration 20 Years” over a decade ago, she still looks fabulous, sexy in her early 30′s and her music, I loved her music in the past but her music now, I’ve listened to it over and over on my iPod during commutes over a zillion times because I enjoy it so much.

So, here we are with Amuro’s third best album featuring 17 of her songs from 2002 through 2008. That is from her 21st CD single “Wishing On the Same Star” (2002) up to her 33rd CD Single “60s70s80″s which featured the three songs “NEW LOOK”, “ROCK STEADY” and “WHAT A FEELING” . The album would also include two new original songs “Do Me More” and “Sexy Girl”.

Amuro’s music is nowhere near what it was in the 90′s which was produced by Komuro Tetsuya. This time around with multiple collaborations, Amuro Namie’s music is urban R&B, hard, fierce and music that continues to showcase choreography and cool vocals. Her style of J-Pop was her own and you find other artists lately trying to capitalize on a similar sound.

Favorites of mine on this album include track 6 (Alarm, her 25th CD single released in 2004) which was a collaboration with JusMe and Monk. The music is in your face with synth and bass but the vocals of Amuro Namie and the lyrics are what shine in this song. Sexy!

Track 9 “WANT ME, WANT ME” is a track fusing bhangra and reggaeton and featured the sexiest lyrics to come from Amuro. In a way, I kind of viewed this CD single somewhat like when Christina Aguillera released “Dirty”. Sexy, provocative lyrics but the background sitar, the beat and the sexy lyrics really made this song stand out.

Track 10 “White Light” was a ballad but this was not your standard piano driven love song. This was one that just had a cool groove, made you want to dance and at the same time was a ballad. The song was part of a double A-Side CD single with “Violet Sauce” which is not on this album (but featured on her last album “PLAY”).

Track 11 “CANT SLEEP, CAN’T EAT, I’M SICK” (her 30th CD single released in 2006) is another song that produced by T. Kura and Michico and the song is funky with the brass samples and a really cool groove. Another favorite on this album.

Track 12 “Baby Don’t Cry” is her 31st CD single (rel. in 2007) and a collaboration with Nao’ymt and a song that started an upswing for Amuro’s music. An overall fun track and a departure of the in-your-face, fierce beats of previous songs. Gentle pop with a whimsical atmosphere attached to it. Very fun and enjoyable listening to!

Track 14-16 are songs from her 33rd CD single “60s70s80s” (2008). “NEW LOOK” which used the Supreme’s “Baby Love” 1960′s sample, “ROCK STEADY” using a sample from Aretha Franklin’s 1970′s “Rock Steady” and the final track “WHAT A FEELING” which had a sample from Irene Cara’s 1980′s hit.

I enjoyed “NEW LOOK” or the Supreme’s sample and whether it’s from the Supreme’s or Donna Summer, always enjoyed the groove to that song and the sample was well used for Amuro’s “NEW LOOK”.

Actually dig “WHAT A FEELING” for it’s 80′s old school sound. One of those homages to the music that once upon a time, I used to breakdance and pop to. So, nostalgic and fun at the same time.

And of course, there are so many other tracks on this album that I enjoy as well that are just too numerous to list.

Now, there is a DVD version of this album which is definitely worth getting. I’m currently reviewing the normal album version provided to me for review but the CD+DVD album version features music videos for all tracks on the album. That is an absolutely great deal to have all music videos for each track provided.

As for the CD insert, the insert booklet features the music lyrics and production credits to the song. A flyer is added for a special “BEST FICTION” flash site which you are given a password (note: tried it but got a 404 error, perhaps you must be a Japanese resident to access the site). The flyer also includes information on the fan club and her 2008-2009 tour.

Overall this album is just wonderful. And with “Dance Tracks Vol. 1″ to “181920″ and now to “BEST FICTION”, these best albums for Amuro Namie are all worth owning.

Sure, her music has changed considerably since the TK years but production-wise, vocally, choreography-wise, everything about Amuro Namie has improved.

Her songs are catchy, enjoyable, sexy and you really can’t go wrong with it.

Now, of course, this review was for the normal CD version but I can tell you that knowing what’s on the CD+DVD version, you just can’t beat the value of having an album full of awesome tracks but owning a DVD with all music videos for those tracks. That’s great!

Overall, this album is a winner! It’s doing extremely well on the sales charts and definitely worth owning!

BUY THIS ALBUM:

[WORLD GROOVE][Classic Review] Currently listening to avex dance matrix ’95 Live

ARTISTS: Various

ALBUM TITLE: avex dance matrix ’95 Live

CATALOG #: AVCD-11357/B

DURATION: (DISC 1) DISCO WEEK in VELFARRE: 1:00:51 (DISC2) TK DANCE CAMP: 1:11:49

RELEASED on December 14, 1995

DISCO WEEK in VELFARRE

1. Samantha Gilles – Here Comes the Night
2. Maio & CO – Dark in the Night
3. METAL MIND MANIACS – F.A.Y.
4. Cappella – Move It Up
5. Youco Kaido – Every Wednesday
6. The Secret Life – I Want You
7. Nicki French – Total Eclipse of the Heart
8. Michael Fortunati – Bany Break It Up!
9. EUROGROOVE – Dive to PAradise
10. m.c.A*T – Kaze ni Sakebu – Energy Guy no Theme
11. Technotronic Feat. Ya Kid K – Move it to the Rhythm
12. Jaki Graham – Style
13. Bananarama – I Found Love
14. John Robinson – Everybody

TK DANCE CAMP

1. TRF – masquerade
2. TRF – survival dance~no no cry more~
3. hitomi – GO TO THE TOP
4. Amuro Namie with SUPER MONKEYS – TRY ME ~ Watashi wo Shinjite~
5. Amuro Namie – Taiyou no Season
6. Suirei – Koi wo surutabini kizu tsuki yasuku
7. globe – Joy to the love (globe)
8. Sakamoto Ryuichi – VOLTEX OF LOVE
9. TRF – CRAZY GONNA CRAZY
10. TRF – Overnight Sensation
11. H Jungle with T – GOING GOING HOME
12. H Jungle with T – WOW WOW WAR TONIGHT ~toki ni wa okose yo MUUVUMEN’TO~

In 1995, there were two live events which brought many artists together courtesy of the avex trax label. The first was “DISCO WEEK in VELFARRE” which was promoting the club music scene of the avex-owned dance night club (which shut down on New Year’s Day 2007) and the other was the outdoor concert “TK DANCE CAMP” (a pre-cursor to avex’s a-nation Summer live event) celebrating the emerging popularity of the TK family ala popular producer and musician Komuro Tetsuya.

The album “Avex Dance Matrix ’95 Live” would feature a total of two discs and also two VHS releases.

The DISCO WEEK in VELFARRE would feature the type of groups that would perform at VELFARRE and some songs that would remind me of the early Juliana’s Tokyo years in the early 90′s with signficant songs such as METAL MIND MANIACS “F.A.Y.” (aka Fuck All Y’all) and Nicki French’s club revival with her classic hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart”. And of course, Technotronic feat. Ya Ki K with “Move It To the Rhythm”.

It was great to hear the crowd cheering the artist at VELFARRE and you can tell the club was full of energy. What is missing though on the CD is on the LaserDisc with the debut performance of MAX (Formerly the SUPER MONKEYS) and a cool performance by (the then spelled in lower case) trf. But they do have m.c.A*T’ featured and also a performance by TK’s EUROGROOVE group.

But for me, the disc that I have listened to and truly enjoyed was the “TK DANCE CAMP”. For me, avex trax in the mid-90′s was all about the emerging TK family.

During this time, TRF was the top group and establishing avex trax as a record label. Komuro Tetsuya then would produce the music for teen idol Amuro Namie which would dominate the charts and break records from 1995-1998. globe would be the group that would come out in the forefront and feature Komuro Tetsuya along with KEIKO and Marc Panther and hitomi would be the fashion model that Komuro Tetsuya was bringing to the masses as a singer. Of course, part of the TK mystique was taking someone who can’t sing but making them popular and through a dare, he did it with DOWNTOWN comedian (and “HEY! HEY! HEY! Music Champ host) Hamada Masatoshi (aka Hama-chan) which he took the comedian to the top of the charts with “WOW WOW WAR TONIGHT”.

But part of the mystique at that time was that mega-producer mystique of Komuro Tetsuya and what he had accomplished at that time before going to the next phase of the music industry in 1999 with the likes of pop stars such as Utada Hikaru and Hamasaki Ayumi.

But I still listen to this CD because you can hear the crowd as they were excited by these groups and artist. It was definitely a golden time for the J-Pop fan during that time and something I will never forget. One of the few live CD’s featuring various artists from the avex trax label and this album was worth owning for this disc alone.

The CD insert features track listings for both discs and pictures from the live performance.

“avex dance matrix ’95 Live” is one of those live CD’s that I will probably treasure, mainly for the nostalgic factor of the mid-90′s. As a big trf fan back then, to see how the group exploded into popularity was phenomenal. To see how globe would then exploded into the music scene and dominate the charts and of course, Amuro Namie winning the hearts for her music and dance and hitomi winning the hearts of fans by her sexiness, it was a charming time.

But the best part of me was two tracks. When Amuro Namie and the Super Monkeys performed “TRY ME” and got the crowd going like crazy and the final track where H Jungle with T performed “WOW WAR TONIGHT” and everyone from the TK family would join on stage with the dancers and support Hama-chan as he was tired, sweaty and basically just screaming the lyrics and the other performers just singing and dancing along on stage with him. That was incredible.

Definitely a golden year for J-Pop if you were a TK fan.

[WORLD GROOVE] Currently listening to Amuro Namie – 60s70s80s

ARTIST: Amuro Namie

CD SINGLE: 60s70s80s

LABEL: avex trax

CATALOG #: AVCD-31394

DURATION: 22:35

RELEASE DATE March 12, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

1. NEW LOOK
2. ROCK STEADY
3. WHAT A FEELING
4. NEW LOOK (Instrumental)
5. ROCK STEADY (Instrumental)
6. WHAT A FEELING (Instrumental)

Wow!

That was just the word that I felt about the latest CD single from Amuro Namie (her 35th CD single).

“60s70s80s” also becomes the first CD single for Amuro to hit the #1 position on the Oricon Daily and Weekly charts, her first CD single to reach #1 since 1998′s “I Have Never Seen”.

The CD single was promoted during a campaign collaboration for Fashion Music/Vidal Sassoon which featured Amuro Namie in various commercials showcasing music and fashion from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

The first track “NEW LOOK” features a sample of the popular 60′s song “Baby Love” originally performed by Diana Ross & the Supremes. A very hip, catchy track that showcases Amuro’s smooth vocals.

The second track “ROCK STEADY” features a sample of Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady”. If anything, a track that is very Amuro-ish, for those who have listened to her music from her latest album “PLAY”, the music and style of the music follows along those same lines of pop/dance music that Amuro’s music is known for.

The third track “WHAT A FEELING” features samples from “FLASHDANCE WHAT A FEELING” by Irene Cara. A song that has that old school 80′s breakdancing/pop feel that transitions to a the Flashdance beat. In a way, listening to this track kind of reminds me of a contemporary Madonna track.

The samples for each track are used mostly during the main chorus and not overused to the point that the music sounds too close to the original songs.

The remaining three tracks are the instrumental versions of each song.

The CD insert was designed for a the slim CD single case with lyrics and production credits on one side and behind-the-scene photos from Amuro’s Vidal Sassoon commercials.

There is CD+DVD version of this single that comes with a music video for each of the tracks and because of the collaborations and the work that gone behind the making of the music videos, I would expect it to be as enjoyable watching as it is enjoyable from listening.

All in all, a very awesome CD single to come from Amuro Namie. Since the release of “BABY DON’T CRY”, you notice this shift of people starting to embrace the music from Amuro.

She’s one of the few artists that although in her 30′s, she can still manage to exhibit that pop diva style, continue to reinvent herself through her music and similar to Western artists such as Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson and Madonna, continue to reach audiences of all ages through her music.

This latest CD single is catchy and yes, the samples from Western song’s does help bring some nostalgia factor to the enjoyment of “60s70s80s” but all in all, it’s just a great time to be an Amuro fan again and just look forward to whats coming next.

Amuro fans, definitely check this CD single out.

BUY THIS CD SINGLE

[WORLD GROOVE] Currently listening to Amuro Namie – “PLAY”

ARTIST: Amuro Namie ALBUM: PLAY CATALOG #: AVCD-23342/B (CD+DVD Version)

LABEL: avex trax DURATION: 50:50 REL: June 27, 2007 WEBSITE: www.avexnet.or.jp/amuro/

TRACK LISTING:

1. HIDE & SEEK
2. FULL MOON
3. CAN’T SLEEP, CAN’T EAT, I’M SICK
4. IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU
5. FUNKY TOWN
6. STEP WITH IT
7. HELLO
8. SHOULD I LOVE HIM?
9. TOP SECRET
10. VIOLET SAUCE (SPICY)
11. BABY DON’T CRY
12. PINK KEY

DVD: (REGION 2, 4:3, 28 minutes)

1. HIDE & SEEK (VIDEO CLIP)
2. CAN’T SLEEP, CAN’T EAT, I’M SICK (VIDEO CLIP)
3. FUNKY TOWN (VIDEO CLIP)
4. HELLO (VIDEO CLIP)
5. BABY DON’T CRY (VIDEO CLIP)

SPECIAL FEATURES: NAMIE AMURO x the world of GOLDEN EGGS

REVIEW:

The Queen of Hip-Pop is back with her long awaited full-length album “PLAY”.

Amuro Namie released her last album “Queen of Hip-Pop” back in July of 2005, so fans have been waiting for an album release for quite some time and I can’t emphasize how this album is definitely worth the wait!

If there is one J-POP singer who has embraced a Western style of R&B, pop style (and has worked with quite a few distinct producers) and knows how to balance it out with smooth vocals, great music and on the music video and live performance side, showing that this 30-year old momma is sexier, wiser and showing why Japanese music fans should not even discount her.

Since she broke out ala solo (originally a member of the Super Monkeys) back in 1996 with “Sweet 19 Blues” and quickly becoming the top selling pop diva at that time, this present Amuro embodies a style that can be looked at as a mix of Janet Jackson and Christine Aguilera. That is incorporating soul R&B music, awesome choreography and maintaining a sexy/stylish look. And not many female music performers can be pointed out as among the few who have gotten considerably better performance-wise with age.

In my opinion, Amuro Namie is one of the rare artists who just has that special talent and possibly can transcend to one of the few who can possibly be 40-years-old and still attract young and old fans alike. She’s that talented! She keeps reinventing herself and not afraid to try something new and fresh each time.

As for the new album… Wow!

“PLAY” features a total of twelve tracks which include the CD singles “VIOLET SAUCE” (came with “WHITE LIGHT”), “CAN’T SLEEP, CAN’T EAT, I’M SICK”, “BABY DON’T CRY” and her latest CD single “FUNKY TOWN”. These songs are awesome but interesting is how the non-CD single songs on this album are so awesome!

The first track features “HIDE & SEEK”. A catchy R&B song that starts out like a college band at a football game but transitions to a smooth R&B beat that is just too addicting.

The second track “FULL MOON” is like old school meets new school as FERGIE has been able to incorporate to her music, Amuro does the same with this track. My gawd…if this song was played at a club, this would be like the “freak dance” song. Again, great balance of old school beats and new school beats.

And the other tracks such as “IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU”, “STEP WITH IT”, “HELLO” and “TOP SECRET” all have that balance of smooth vocals, R&B beat and that Western R&B feel. “PLAY” is probably the first Amuro Namie album where I can say that I enjoyed all songs.

What about a Slow jam? Of course, what is an Amuro Namie album without one. In this case, “SHOULD I LOVE HIM?” is the slow jam of “PLAY”. A well-done smooth jam that actually stays consistent to the music on this album with that Western R&B feel.

All in all, I can’t further state how excited about this album. It’s a great balance of music and vocals and everything is executed quite well. I found no faults and listened to the album completely over and over about a dozen times today. I enjoyed “PLAY” a lot!

THE DVD:

The DVD features five music videos and I think the first video featured “HIDE & SEEK” is enough to show how far this artist has come. Her focus on choreography, style and sexiness is evident on her music videos and her past promotional videos pale beyond comparison to the videos you get on this DVD.

If anything, the DVD has enhanced my enjoyability of the songs on the album.

As for the special feature, “NAMIE AMURO x The World of GOLDEN EGGS” features Amuro Namie’s first voice acting gig in a animated short. Amuro plays a member of the GUSHIKEN BAND. The animation is nothing spectacular but still nevertheless fun to hear Amuro Namie doing some voice work.

CD INSERT CONTENTS:

Contents feature a lyric booklet, Amuro fan club info., mu-mo info.

NEGATIVES?:

Really, there is nothing I can fault with this album. The only one that I can possibly think of is for those who enjoy the pop-oriented “BABY DON’T CRY”, they may find that not all songs on “PLAY” are like that type of style. In fact, the majority of the songs on this album are very soul R&B oriented and if you can’t stand that type of music, then this album is probably not for you.

THE FINAL WORD:

Of all the Amuro Namie albums that I own, you would think that I would still hold a candle to the music that I loved from her as a Super Monkey up to “Concentration 20″. There was a long lull where I felt myself starting to move away from her music but around 2003, I started to really start to take a look at her and her music again. And I realize that it was a slow build to something that Amuro felt comfortable with and that is to not rush things with countless monthly releases such as her other avex pop diva counterparts.

Two years seems like a long wait for an album from Amuro Namie but as I mentioned before… “PLAY” is definitely worth the wait and this album has brought me back to appreciating her as an artist and her music.

“PLAY” is my favorite album from Amuro Namie period. I think that Amuro Namie fans will love this album and you will bump, you will shake and dance to the music. It’s that good!

Highly Recommended!