“This album is absolutely jam packed. Not only do you get an excellent album, you get two DVD’s with a lot of content. The first featuring music videos and making of videos and the second featuring an awesome anime OAV feature with the members of EXILE in a Seven Samurai style of storyline. All of this jam packed in one album! Just awesome!”
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GROUP: EXILE
ALBUM: EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST
LABEL: Rhythm Zone
DURATION: 1:07:54
RELEASE DATE: July 23, 2008
- EXILE RELOADED
- SUPER SHINE
- MY FANTASY
- STAY
- Eastern Boyz ‘N Eastern Girlz
- New Jack Swing
- EVOLUTION
- SCREAM/GLAY x EXILE
- 24karats -type EX/Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC.
- Touch the Sky feat. Bach Logic
- DANCER’S ANTHEM 2
- What is Love
- Make Love
- My Buddy / EXILE TAKAHIRO + NESMITH, SHOKICHI (J Soul Brothers)
- So Special -Version EX / EXILE ATSUSHI + AI
- 真å¤ã®æžœå®Ÿ
DVD 1: Region 2, 4:3, DURATION: 65 minutes
- SUPER SHINE
- 24karats -type EX (kodomo Version) Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC.
- 24karats -type EX / Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC.
- EVOLUTION
- Touch the Sky feat. Bach Logic
- So Special -Version EX- / EXILE ATSUSHI + AI
- WE! / J Soul Brothers (Special Track)
- Making of: SUPER SHINE, 24karats -type EX (Docomo Version), 24karats -type EX, EVOLUTION, Touch the Sky feat. Bach Logic, Sp Special -Version EX-
DVD 2: Region 2, 16:9 LB, DURATION: 38 minutes
- Eggzamurai Honpen – Roppongi Jigokujo no Sho
- Eggzamurai Honpen – EASTERN BOYZ ‘N EASTERN GIRLZ (Video Clip)
Fantastic!
This the word that comes to mind when I think about this best album of Japan’s R&B vocal group EXILE. The chart toppping vocal group features a total of seven members. The group is led by Hiro, a member from one of Japan’s first R&B vocal/dance groups ZOO and includes Makidai, Matsu, Usa, Akira who do a lot of the dancing and background vocals and features two main vocalists consisting of Atsushi and Takahiro.
Their music is classified R&B and unlike other male groups in Japan, don’t really dwell into Japanese idol pop but is all about cool soul R&B beats and great vocals.
With this album “EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST”, the album is the group’s fifth best album. And it may be a bit confusing to people because the word “Best” usually means an album featuring the group’s CD singles and hit tracks but “EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST” only features one track from their released singles and that is “24karats -type EX” which was featured as a double A-side track on the group’s 25th CD single release.
But the album does feature past collaborative hit tracks such as the 2005 hit “SCREAM” which the group collaborated with J-rock band GLAY. Also, a few other collaborative tracks such as “My Buddy” with J Soul Brothers and “So Special -version EX-” with music artist AI.
Overall, the album is quite solid with a good balance of tracks with smooth vocal tracks such as “MY FANTASY” which is so reminiscent of one of my favorite 80s R&B group GUY. Then there is “Eastern Boyz ‘N Eastern Girlz” with a bass-driven track which is the theme song for their animated feature “Eggzamurai Honten”.
And to further add to the similarities to the old school vocal group GUY, the group has a track titled “New Jack Swing”. The title is a term coined by GUY’s Teddy Riley which means “pop music usually performed by black musicians that combines elements of jazz, funk, rap, and rhythm and blues”.
With “SCREAM” by EXILExGLAY, this was probably a collaboration that no one would see coming. Two groups from two different musical genres but both groups made the song work.
My favorite song on the track “24karats -type EX” features an upbeat, body rockin’ track featuring DOBERMAN INC. with the rhymes and vocals by EXILE and songstress Sowelu. An awesome song!
Another favorite is “Touch the Sky” featuring a collaboration with mega producer Bach Logic who has produced many hits in Japan and even collaborated with remixes for Jay-Z and Akon and of course, known for his work with DOBERMAN INC. The track is a fast, upbeat track. Cool vocals and overall, a wonderful song.
“What is Love” is just an awesome song. Another song that showcases the groups harmonies and overall a smooth track that J R&B fans well just dig!
And rounding out the album are the other two collabs with J Soul Brothers and EXILE’s Takahiro for the track “My Buddy”. The fact that the two groups are known for their outstanding vocals and also, somewhat a similar style, I don’t think anyone can tell their is a collaboration unless they see it in the track title credits.
And the track “So Special” featuring EXILE Atsushi and AI, two awesome Japanese R&B vocalists was definitely impressive. The two have a good chemistry vocally and the harmonies with the two and the group was just right!
And to end the album is the group’s cover of the popular Southern All Stars track “Manatsu no Kajitsu”. EXILE’s version is just fantastic and also, another song that I was surprised to find on the album. Another favorite track on the album!
DVD 1:
This album version comes with two DVD’s and the first DVD features plenty of music videos and the making of the music videos.
The first video “SUPER SHINE” features the guy decked in pretty cool outfits and dancing in futuristice white and black settings and CG in the future style animation when showcasing the group outdoors.
The second video “24karats -type EX- features an awesome colloboraton with Sowelu, EXILE and DOBERMAN INC. The first video (kodomo version) features different dance groups showcasing their choreography from teenagers (girls and guys) and then young children. The second video features EXILE, Sowelu and DOBERMAN INC. performing and dancing.
The fourth video “EVOLUTION” features prisoners crammed in their cell and the guys singing and dancing and eventually releasing all the prisoners from their cells.
The fifth video “Touch the Sky feat. Bach Logic” features the group donning white suits in dark scenery and black suits in white scenery. The guys dance and perform together.
The sixth video “So Special -Version EX” features a slow jam with EXILE’s Atsushi and AI. Two awesome vocalists together. A definitely awesome collaboration with a music video featuring the two singing together at the studio and behind-the-scene clips of the group working out the lyrics and song together in the studio.
The seventh video features a special track titled “WE! / J Soul Brothers”. J Soul Brothers was the previous name of the group before they named themselves EXILE.  HIRO restarted the group with new members (a total of seven people) and overall, a pretty awesome track and adding another awesome vocal group to the Rhythm Zone roster along with the group COLOR (produced by EXILE’s ATSUSHI)
The final half hour of the first DVD features the making of the music videos.
DVD 2:
Also, included in this already jam packed album (1CD+2DVD) version, the second DVD features the animated feature “Eggzamurai Honpen – Roppongi Jigokujo no Sho”. With Avex having its own animation division and investing in anime, we are seeing more and more collaborations with the music artists from their labels and anime outside of the standard theme songs.
In this case, it’s actually a beautiful animated feature only available on this album and the animation and even the background’s are very well done. This is not some low budget piece, this is an actual real animated feature that was written and directed by Yuichi Abe (“Gundam Evolve”, “SD Gundam Force” and “Prince of Tennis” – live action film). The original plan of the animated series was courtesy of HIRO (Exile) and Makoto Matsuda and music by Ken Harada.
The storyline of “Eggzamurai Honpen – Roppongi Jigokujo no Sho” features a world that is quite dark and people are being kidnapped or murdered by a corrupt ruler. The members of EXILE do the voice acting of samurai’s, in a “Seven Samurai” style of storyline. Two sisters are separated after the evil soldiers of the corrupt government kidnap them. One of the sisters goes to an Eggzamurai member for their help and thus sets up a battle between the group and the evil empire.
Each character is designed after a member of EXILE but with slight differences (such as hair color) and many of the songs featured on the animated feature are from the “EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST” album.
Following the animated feature is a music video for “Eggzamurai”. The track “Eastern Boyz ‘N Eastern Girlz” features a high budget video that is based on the animated film but in this case, the video is actually not animated. The set designers went all of their way to create that dark atmosphere and the whole CG landscape of destruction. Then the guys come out in their Eggzamurai garb and start singing and dancing.
The music video was very awesome and quite impressed with how much went into the making of this video. You can tell it probably was very expensive.
CD INSERT:
As for the CD, the insert booklet features lyrics and pictures of each member of the group. Also, production credits. Also, a flier promoting upcoming Rhythm Zone releases.
There is a second insert booklet primarily on “Eggzamurai” featuring words from the director Yuichi Abe, character information, synopsis and pictures of the concept art for the animated series which was just incredible.
“EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST” is a fantastic album. Not only do you get a solid album featuring a lot of awesome tracks but you get two DVD’s just loaded with content.
It’s one thing to have the music videos included on the first DVD but was very happy to see a lengthy “making off” also included. And for the second DVD, a pleasant surprise to see an animated feature with the group. It’s not cheesy at all.  Good animation, great painted backgrounds and the music video for “Eastern Boyz ‘N Eastern Girlz”, the staff really went all out for that music video as it looks quite expensive in creating this devastated city and dark atmosphere.
So, overall, this album is just a solid release and you definitely get your money’s worth. All in all, “EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST” is fantastic!
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