EXILE – Perfect Year 2008 Ultimate Best Box (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Music Review)

GROUP: EXILE

ALBUM: Perfect Year 2008 – Ultimate Best Box

LABEL: Rhythm Zone

CATALOG #: RZCD-46200-2/8-E

DURATION: EXILE CATCHY BEST (1:12:32), EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST (1:07:54), EXILE BALLAD BEST (1:14:21)

RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2009

EXILE CATCHY BEST:

1. Overture for EXILE PERFECT YEAR
2. Choo Choo TRAIN
3. Fly Away
4. Together
5. Carry On
6. real world
7. HERO
8. EXIT
9. Everything
10. WON’T BE LONG (feat. NEVER LAND)
11. SUMMER TIME LOVE
12. 時の描片 ～トキノカケラ～
13. I Believe
14. Pure
15. You’re My Sunshine
16. 銀河鉄道999 (feat. VERBAL of m-flo)

1. Choo Choo TRAIN (Video Clip)
2. 銀河鉄道999 (feat. VERBAL of m-flo) (Video Clip)
3. real world (Video Clip)
4. Everything (Video Clip)
5. SUMMER TIME LOVE (Video Clip)
6. 時の描片 ～トキノカケラ～ CATCHY BEST Version (Video Clip)
7. I Believe
8. Pure
9. Choo Choo TRAIN (Making)
10. 銀河鉄道999 (feat. VERBAL of m-flo) (Making)
11. real world (Making)
12. Everything (Making)
13. SUMMER TIME LOVE (Making)
14. I Believe (Making)
15. Pure (Making)

1. EXILE RELOADED
2. SUPER SHINE
3. MY FANTASY
4. STAY
5. Eastern Boyz ‘N Eastern Girlz
6. New Jack Swing
7. EVOLUTION
8. SCREAM/GLAY x EXILE
9. 24karats -type EX/Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC.
10. Touch the Sky feat. Bach Logic
11. DANCER’S ANTHEM 2
12. What is Love
13. Make Love
14. My Buddy / EXILE TAKAHIRO + NESMITH, SHOKICHI (J Soul Brothers)
15. So Special -Version EX / EXILE ATSUSHI + AI
16. 真夏の果実

DVD 1: Region 2, 4:3, DURATION: 65 minutes

1. SUPER SHINE
2. 24karats -type EX (kodomo Version) Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC.
3. 24karats -type EX / Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC.
4. EVOLUTION
5. Touch the Sky feat. Bach Logic
6. So Special -Version EX- / EXILE ATSUSHI + AI
7. WE! / J Soul Brothers (Special Track)
8. 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

1. Eggzamurai Honpen – Roppongi Jigokujo no Sho
2. Eggzamurai Honpen – EASTERN BOYZ ‘N EASTERN GIRLZ (Video Clip)

1. Ti Amo
2. Lovers Again
3. Your eyes only ～曖昧なぼくの輪郭～
4. song for you
5. We Will ～あの場所で～ -Orchestra Version-
6. 運命のヒト -Orchestra Version-
7. HOLY NIGHT -A Capella Version-
8. LAST CHRISTMAS
9. ただ…逢いたくて
10. 僕へ
11. 変わらないモノ
12. 道
13. One love -Piano Version-
14. Love, Dream & Happiness

DVD: Region 2, 4×3, DURATION: 1:38:47 minutes

1. Ti Amo Chapter 1 (Video Clip)
2. Ti Amo Chapter 2 (Video Clip)
3. ただ…逢いたくて (Video Clip)
4. Your eyes only ～曖昧なぼくの輪郭～ (Video Clip)
5. Lovers Again (Video Clip)
6. 道 (Video Clip)
7. 僕へ (Video Clip)
8. Love, Dream & Happiness (Video Clip)
9. Ti Amo (Making)
10. ただ…逢いたくて (Making)
11. Lovers Again (Making)
12. 道 (Making)

In December 2008, EXILE, the Japanese pop R&B group won the “Grand Prix”, the most coveted music award for Japan’s equivalent to the Grammy’s for Nihon Record Taishou with the “Best Artist of the Year”. The group once again repeated in December 2009 with a consecutive “Grand Prix” win and like their streak in 2008, the group repeated their chart topping success with their album and CD singles debuting at #1.  And where the Japanese music industry has been going topsy turvy with most mobile downloads now quickly becoming the source of obtaining music, EXILE has continued to still do well with their physical album and single releases.

To celebrate their initial success from 2008, a special box set was released in March 2009 titled “EXILE PERFECT YEAR 2008 – ULTIMATE BEST BOX”. he 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. (Note: The music features EXILE before they became a 14-member group, incorporating the group J SOUL BROTHERS into EXILE.)

A box set which would contain the group’s three best albums released in 2008 which include “EXILE CATCHY BEST” (the group’s 2008 best album, their fourth, featuring their hits from 2003-2008), “EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST” (not really a best album featuring past hits but their fifth best album featuring collaborations with DOBERMAN, INC., J-SOUL BROTHERS, GLAY, Sowelu and and many others) and “EXILE BALLAD BEST” (the group’s best ballads, their sixth best album release which contains ballades from their 2002 single “Song For You” up to their 29th single from 2008 “Last Christmas”).

Along with the set, you get both the albums and the four DVD’s (note: “EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST” came with two DVD’s) and nothing extra.  When you open up the box, it’s a tri-fold featuring each album on each fold.  Lift up the cover and the CD’s are include on the top with DVD’s in the bottom, with the center fold (EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST) containing three folds for the three discs.

The box set may be a bit pricey for some at around $125 (US) but they do come with all three best albums plus four DVD’s.  Granted, you can probably purchase the three albums individually much cheaper used (and if you go to a used shop, you probably may find without the DVD’s) but if new, the box set and the individual albums cost around the same price, especially with “EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST” three disc album being the most pricey.  But if you don’t want the hassle of looking for all three albums with their DVD’s, this box set is worth owning.

Overall, this is an excellent release if you are just getting into EXILE and do not own any albums or CD singles.  All three albums are well-done, you get EXILE’s awesome music from 2002-2008 and songs featuring wonderful vocals and musical arrangements.  Their music videos tend to be one of the higher budget music videos to come from a group in Japan with some being featured like short films with CG, special effects and extravagant set design.   Definitely recommended for new EXILE fans!

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