60s70s80s was Namie Amuro’s 32nd single. It was released on March12, 2008 and reached number 2 on the charts with 114,719 copies sold. However in the second week it became number 1 with a second week total of 38,162 copies. This has become Namie’s first number 1 in 10 years. In all this single has sold more than 271,987+ copies, surpassing her sales of Baby Don’t Cry. These sales total are also the highest since Never End back in 2001. This is also her first tripple A-Sided single, and each song represented a different decade in music. None of these songs are cover songs, so they are different than the original. Finally, all songs were used in Vidal Sassoon CM’s, making it one of Namie’s most promoted singles.

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

Review:
NEW LOOK, the new spin on a 60s Mowtown classic. This song samples parts of the song Baby Love made famous by The Supremes, and represents the 60s. This song has that distinct Mowtown feel to it. The song begins with Namie singing a few English words and that mowtown music playing. Namie’s vocals are sweet here and actually pretty good. The lyrics sound a bit humorous as it mentions ice cream flavors, shoes, and a New Look, but that’s fine by me. The chorus was pretty good, and overall catchy. It reminded me a bit of the original song, so that was a great bonus. But overall this song didn’t do it for me. It’s still good, but I just felt that it was the weakest of the three.

ROCK STEADY, a twist on the ever popular 70’s hit by the Queen Of Soul. This song samples parts of the song of the same name made famous by Aretha Franklin, and represents the 70s. This song has that distinct urban/hip-hop feel to it. The song opens up with some English words and some very catchy music. Then Namie begins the verses, which sound so catchy. There are a few phrases in English, but mostly Japanese. Then she begins the chorus. The chorus is so great, somewhat short, but still great. It’s so catchy in general and it’s so amazing. Some more verses follow and then the next chorus begins. The Ooo la la la… sounds great, even for Namie, then one more big verse, then the final chorus. The final chorus sounds even better than I thought possible. What a great twist on an already popular hit.

WHAT A FEELING, the Japanese remake of an 80s worldwide hit. This song samples parts of the song of the same name made popular by Irene Cara, and represents the 80s. This song also has that distinct techno-dance quality to it. The song opens up with some synth-like music and a few dance beats. Namie then begins with verses, some parts in English but mostly in Japanese. Then the pre-chorus begins with that Ooh, ooh, ooh… Shortly afterwards the chorus begins and that famous “What a feelin’” can be heard. It really reminds me of the original English song, which sounded so great. Another few verses begin and then some more choruses start. The final chorus is so great. Afterwards the song ends with that same beginning music. Despite this not being a cover song, Namie does the original song justice in my opinion.

Overall Review: 60s70s80s was a mind blowing single. This single, by far, is Namie’s best single in years. All the songs were great, and they were nostalgic almost. I really liked how each represented a decade in music, something new for Namie. And most were new spins on popular hits, even though they weren’t cover songs. This is also my favorite single since it features so American songs that I love, even though they’re really Japanese. Hopefully this is the new direction Namie’s music will be heading in. This is the perfect single to begin Namie’s new era.

Final Grade: 100A+

L·O·V·E U was Leah Dizon’s 3rd single. It was released on August 8, 2007 and reached number 16 on the charts with 12,489 copies sold. In all this single has sold over 16,240+ copies. This is also Leah’s last single in the Destiny Line Era.

Tracks:
1. L·O·V·E U
2. Brand New Day

Review:
L·O·V·E U, an up-beat summer pop song. This song is perhaps the most pop inspired song that Leah’s sung. The song begins with some really up-beat music that sounds so happy. The next thing you know Leah begins singing some English words, that actually sound quite good. Then Leah begins singing in that soft sweet voice of hers and as she does the music complements her and it sounds so great, especially the beats. The chorus is a mixture of Japanese and English, it’s similar to the opening English words. It sounds so up-beat and so catchy, and it’s so very happy and cute. A few more verses are sung, followed by the chorus then the bridge, and then a few more verses followed by the final chorus. The song ends on a happy note, so that’s good. For a sugary pop song, it’s quite good.

Brand New Day, a fast acoustic tune. This song isn’t quite as good as the A-Side, so don’t be disappointed. It features so fast beats and is powered by an acoustic guitar. Throughout the song a good amount of English can be heard. The chorus is somewhat catchy, but that’s about it. It’s your average B-Side material. Still it’s not bad.

Overall Review: L·O·V·E U was a superb single. It featured an overall happy mood, that seems rare nowadays for some artists. The title track was fantastic considering it was you generic sugary pop song, and the B-Side was a bit mediocre but that’s still OK. This was a great way to end the Destiny Line Era.

Final Grade: 93B+

Koi Shiyou♪ was Leah Dizon’s 2nd single. It was released on May 30, 2006 and reached number 7 on the charts with 22,597 copies sold. In all this single has sold over 49,251+ copies and has become her best selling single so far. This was also her second single in her Destiny Line Era. A remix was released by Yasutaka Nakata of Capsule two months later.

Tracks:
1. Koi Shiyou♪
2. Could you be that one?
3. Aishiteru~Love Story

Review:
Koi Shiyou♪, lit. Let’s Love, the grooving, up-tempo dance song. This song starts off a mid-paced. Leah’s vocals sound so good here. But they’re somewhat slow, I think it would’ve been better if they were faster. The chorus is pretty catchy, but it’s too slow, not a good dance song chorus. But the instrumentals are still great. Don’t get me wrong, the song is still great, but if the overall song was faster, it would’ve been a bit better. It’s still a fantastic song though.

Could you be that one? the faster more upbeat dance song. This song seems to begin a lot better than the A-Side itself. It’s faster paced and it sounds a bit better. The chorus sounds great, and the vocals are an improvement. I also love how good the English sounds. This is such a great B-Side.

Aishiteru~Love Story lit. I Love You~Love Story, the R&B love song. This song is a pretty good example of an R&B love song. Throughout the song English verses can be heard and they sound good surprisingly. The chorus here was so-so though, not the best. This is purely B-Side material.

Overall Review: Koi Shiyou♪ was another riveting single from Leah Dizon. The A-Side was great followed by some surprisingly good B-Sides. Not a bad single for her album Destiny Line.

Final Grade: 94A-

After a few days of vacation I’m back. So now I will continue writing new reviews, as well as old reviews too. Requests are always open so feel free to request.

Some Future Reviews To Look For:
Koi Shiyou♪
L·O·V·E U
60s70s80s
Destiny Line
Love Paradox
BoA (Outgrow Singles)
SURREAL

So be patient and get ready for a flood of reviews.

No this isn’t about the song, it’s about the blog. It’s Spring Break and I need a vacation.  I won’t be doing reviews for another few days, so just enjoy the reviews that I’ve already done. When I come back, I will review some Namie, Ami, Hikki, and others.  And I will also be re-reviewing some old material, to make it up to par.  So be patient and just hold on.

On another note: Due to so many linking requests I will not be exchanging anymore links, people ARE free to link me, but I will NOT be linking them, unless I feel that their blog is so superior.  This isn’t anything personal, but my blog roll is getting very big and I’d rather not expand it anymore.  Thanks, and comment if you’d like to.

HEART STATION is Utada Hikaru’s 5th studio album. It was released on March 19, 2008. It reached number 1 on the Oricon charts with 480,081 copies, but this is only from Tuesday and on, so in total the album sold 501,681 copies on the first week. In all the album has sold over 910,890+ copies, making it her first album to surpass a previous album. This album contains all singles from the childish Boku wa Kuma to the ethereal and mid-tempo ballad Heart Station / Stay Gold. One thing noticeable about this album is that most of the old tracks are on the beginning six, with the exception of Fight The Blues, and most of the new tracks are in the latter seven tracks. According to a magazine this is Hikki’s most heartwarming album to date. She also mentioned that her role as a women played a part in this album.

Album / 10th Anniversary Promotions:
As far as I’ve seen this is the most heavily promoted album that Hikki has released. Free ringtones were available for 4 days each for Automatic and First Love, the total downloads were 500,000+ and 700,000+ respectfully. Along with that EMI Japan is working alongside Mixi, a site similar to Facebook, to promote the album and those that write about their First Love are entered to win special prizes. Along with that 4 magazines have been give CD Data along with 20 pages full of interviews etc and some scans. A spread for ROCKIN’ ON Japan, a popular magazine, was also made. This album as marks her 10th Anniversary into the music industry. Many songs had tie-ins, thus helping promoting the album. For example, Flavor Of Life -Ballad Version- was used in Hana Yori Dango 2, and Prisoner Of Love will be used in the drama Last Friends. Stay Gold was used in an ASIENCE CM and HEART STATION was used in a Recochoku CM. And there are many other tie-ins. And feel free to comment to tell me what you think of my reviews. *Thanks to La La for the album scans!

Tracks:
1. Fight The Blues
2. HEART STATION
3. Beautiful World
4. Flavor Of Life -Ballad Version-
5. Stay Gold
6. Kiss & Cry
7. Gentle Beast Interlude
8. Celebrate
9. Prisoner Of Love
10. Take 5
11. Boku wa Kuma
12. Niji-iro BASU
13. Flavor Of Life (Bonus Track)

Review:
Fight The Blues, synth and ethereal at its best. This song was used to promote the album and was released on the radio March 3, 2008. The song begins with the music followed by Hikki ad-libbing and then Hikki singing the chorus. The chorus here is so great lyrical wise and catchy-ness. The verses are short and sweet and sound so amazing. Right before the chorus you can hear some panting in the verse, and it sounds fantastic. The lyrics talk about how everyone fights the blues and that you shouldn’t be sad because when you are your enemies are happy. It also mentions that not only men, but women too must be strong. If it wasn’t that clear there is quite a bit of English present. After Hikki sings the third chorus the music softens until she sings the second part. This music is so synth and ethereal it’d fit into her more experimental pop music. After that Hikki sings the final chorus and it sounds so beautiful. Following that Hikki ad-libs in the end of the song. It was also the first new track on the album. This was a beautiful way to begin her 5th studio album.

HEART STATION, the radio inspired smash hit. This was the last song to be released as a single along with Stay Gold. This song was also the most popular song on the airwaves as it was played over 1000+ times, checkmating the competition. This was also the title track of the album. Hikki stated that it represented the overall feel of the album. The chorus is fantastically written and is so catchy. The lyrics talk about a Heart Station and how it’s full of sinners and lovers. And a little bit of information, when Hikki sang this song live she would add “This is from the bottom of my heart” everyone seemed to love it and hoped that it would be added to the album, it wasn’t sadly. But on the album case after the CD has been removed you can see writing that says “This is from the bottom of my heart” how cool is that. This is such a beautiful song with an ethereal flare that everyone should hear. Here is the full review of HEART STATION.

Beautiful World, the experimental pop sensation. This song was released as the third single of the album along with Kiss & Cry. It was also the image song for Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone. This is one of her most beautiful songs in years and it’s so catchy. The song has that Ultra Blue music feel to it, but not as ethereal. The chorus filled with the piano chords is so majestic, it’s catchy enough to be a dance tune I think but that’s me. Here the lyrics talk about having just one wish come true, and telling a beautiful boy that he still doesn’t realize his beauty. The verses are simple and yet still sound so good, so elegant. In the end you can hear Hikki ad-libbing once again, it seems like she’s been doing this more lately. This song has grown to be one of my favorite songs from Hikki. Click here for the full review of Beautiful World.

Flavor Of Life -Ballad Version- the ballad of the era. This song was released as a single along with the original version of Flavor Of Life. But this was the song that was used as an insert to a popular teen drama, a huge factor in its popularity. This is by every sense a ballad. Hikki’s voice sounds deep during the verses and yet high during the chorus, a beautiful combination. The music is an array of a piano, acoustic guitar, and an orchestra of strings. The chorus is so beautiful and mesmerizing. The lyrics talk about how it’s painful when you say “thank you” and that the unbreakable magic after “good bye” is weakly bittersweet. This is one of her best songs in years as far as ballads go, and part of her most successful single for this era. For the full review of Flavor Of Life -Ballad Version-, click here.

Stay Gold, the mid-tempo ballad. Stay Gold was released alongside HEART STATION as a double A-Side single less than a month before this album was released, thus ending the HEART STATION Era. This song however was first heard in December when it was used in an ASIENCE Shampoo commercial. The song can best be described as a mid-tempo ballad, that has a little R&B flare to it. The chorus is great and so short it seems. Here the lyrics mention that because they are loved they don’t have to worry about anything and that they should Stay Gold and keep smiling innocently. I thought that it was a change for Hikki’s singles because the mood was slightly different, but that’s OK. A little bit of extra information is that this song, like Take 5, was inspired a bit by death, which is most notably heard during the whispers, a nice little touch. For Stay Gold’s full review, click here.

Kiss & Cry, a hot percussion summer track. This song was released along with Beautiful World as a double A-Side single, more specifically the third single. This song was considered an effervescent, summer, pop/R&B tune. The song opens up with percussion instruments and then the R&B beats take effect. The verses are sweet and simple, and somewhat humorous. The chorus is so fantastic and screams upbeat. I personally think that this was the happiest of the songs released as a single, and it shows. Lyrical wise it’s not so serious as the others. It tells us to “Get closer, don’t hold back, even if you get hurt just a bit, it’s all right, Kiss & Cry.” Simple and yet sage advice, and from someone so young. Click here for the review of Kiss & Cry.

Gentle Beast Interlude, the mysterious new beginning. This interlude is really a separation of new and old. From here one out most of the songs are new, with the exception of two songs. This is also the first interlude that Hikki actually sings, or ad-libs I guess. Anyway Hikki ad-libs a few parts until you hear Heart Station in the background and that Ai… The music is fast-paced and sounds as if a beast is racing through a forest. The music is very upbeat and has the ethereal quality. This song along with Celebrate was put onto the same demo disk, and it shows as the transition between both songs was smooth.

Celebrate, the upbeat dance tune. This song took me by surprise as it followed right after Gentle Beast Interlude without any change, very good on Hikki’s part. The music is so upbeat and screams dance. The verses are pretty good and are modern as far as references go. The chorus is upbeat, exuberant, and really dance-able, not to mention catchy. I love this song because it sounds so full of happiness, sadly unlike a few of Hikki’s songs. There really isn’t that many words but Hikki has found a way to lengthen the song. The lyrics mention a secret wedding on a hill where the moon can be seen, how a dress suites a sexy lady, and to Celebrate. In the background you can hear Celebrate and Hikki ad-libbing. Another little thing about the song is that part of the lyrics mention a “beast with gentle eyes awakens,” remind you of a certain interlude? What a new upbeat, hot dance tune.

Prisoner Of Love, the ballad with a sad chord. This song was mentioned by Hikki to be the second strings so, but by no mean does it mean it’s a ballad, the song features some R&B like beats. This isn’t exactly all ballad, especially since it features some R&B beats, which makes it sound sad. The lyrics mention how “dull everydays have begun to shine” and how “you stole my heart.” The chorus here is really great, fast paced and is catchy. This song is also going to be used in a Japanese drama, and the lyrics were asked to be for friends and lovers. A little interesting fact is that this song was first written in English then in Japanese. One thing you’ll notice is that at the end of the chorus Hikki mentions that she’s a Prisoner Of Love, just a Prisoner of Love. I thought it was going to be just another ballad, but I was wrong. This song is beautifully composed and the lyrics are great. But it sounded so sad, but I guess that’s what they meant with the sad chord. This will be released as a re-cut single on May 21, and it will feature a Quiet Version.

Take 5, an atmosphere of synth. The music was originally intended to be used for an Ultra Blue track. It was called the most unique sounding song on the entire album. Hikki stated that she had some trouble coming up with the lyrics but after some help from Miyazawa Kenji’s “Ginga-Tetsudou no Yoru,” she was able to write it. The music is by far the most synth sounding music from Hikki. The lyrics are short and yet so profound. The chorus is so catchy and sounds excellent with the music complementing it. The lyrics mention that “Her mood today is the highest and that she wants to be translucent,” along with a few other things. It’s also epic sounding, like Kairo, but more synth involved. One of the few things about this song is that it ends so abruptly, some people wondered if it was an error on the person who leaked the album, but I think that it’s supposed to be like that because it’s the full length of the song. Some people have said that it symbolized that death can occur so unexpectedly, so maybe that’s why it stopped. It was confirmed that the song is supposed to end that way by the staff on Hikki’s website. Also, Hikki mentioned that death played a direct role in this song, she also said that she thinks of death as restful, and is fond of the idea. Truly a beautiful song filled with synth elements, despite it sounding unusual.

Boku wa Kuma, for the child in all of us. Boku wa Kuma was the first song to be released as a single and as a result the first single in the HEART STATION Era. To be honest with you when I first heard this song I was thinking that the album would be quite childish and dull. But thankfully this wasn’t a predictor of the mood of the album. This song was used as an image song for a children’s program, and is one of the reasons why it was so successful. The chorus is sweet and innocent, but a little repetitive. The lyrics talk about “I’m a bear, I’m a bear…” Despite it being childish, Hikki said that it taught her that being an artist means that you have to have a little fun. This song also reflects how much her bear, Kuma Chang, means to her. Not a bad song really. For the single that started it all, click here.

Niji-iro BASU lit. Rainbow Colored Bus, the upbeat sweet little song. This is the final new track on the album. Hikki mentions that this song has an “analog sound” to it. To me it’s almost an evolved version of Boku wa Kuma, mostly because it sounds a little childish, and yet mature, but they are great transtions. The lyrics are said to be sad, yet have a positive message to it. The song itself sounds very upbeat. The music is a little synth and a piano along with some beats. This song sounds a little reminiscent of her past RB works just because of the overall feel of the song. The chorus is pretty good, but not as good as the others. Throughout the song the English phrase “Everybody feels the same” can be heard. The lyrics mention that “Everybody rides the Rainbow Colored Bus to a place beyond the rainbow.” Interesting lyrics for an interesting song. Towards the end Hikki ad-libs until the song is finished. That’s really my favorite part, especially since Hikki’s voice sounds so amazing then.

Flavor Of Life, the ever popular tune. This is the original version of the Flavor Of Life. Originally the album was thought to have only 12 songs, but later it was determined that the album would contain 13 songs, and this was to be a bonus track. I guess it was to make the album more appealing as the ballad version was only going to be on the album. This is also the first time that a bonus track was already released before the album. This version is more synth oriented and is faster paced, and during the verses background voices can be heard. The lyrics are the same, so there’s no point in reviewing it more. I like this version better than the ballad version so I’m glad it was added to the album, I guess it’s also a great marketing tool too. Here is the full review of Flavor Of Life. This was a fantastic way to end Hikki’s best album yet.

Overall Review: HEART STATION was excellence and beauty in the flesh. It featured some of the best singles in her entirety and the best album songs in years. I liked all these songs because they were so new and had a happier mood than some of her previous works. The new songs were so new and ethereal and synth that it’s hard not to like it. And all the new tracks were able to hold their own against those that were released as singles, a rarity for most songs. Although, recently some people have disliked this album, but I can’t imagine why, the quality is superb. This is by far one of the best albums that she’s released in years. I also loved the simplistic design of the cover and of the photobooklet. It was a phenomenal 5th album and the best way to celebrate her 10th Anniversary.

Final Grade: 100A+++

MADE IN TWENTY(20) was BoA’s 5th studio album. This album was released on January 17, 2007 and reached number 1 on the charts with 182,009 copies sold. In all this album has sold more than 348,093+ copies. This album contains the all the singles from Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~ / Your Color to Winter Love. Not only did it reach number 1 on the Japanese charts, but it also reached number 1 on the United World Charts, aka the global charts. The title was chosen mostly because when BoA released this album she was 20, kinda figures.

Tracks:
1. Lady Galaxy
2. Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~
3. Winter Love
4. STILL.
5. SO REAL
6. KEY OF HEART
7. OUR LOVE ~to my parents~
8. no more make me sick
9. 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.)

Review:
Lady Galaxy, the beginning. First off this song has that R&B vibe to it. The song begins right off with BoA singing in English. She begins the verses and you can hear a background voice singing “I’m Lady Galaxy.” The chorus is so catchy and the music makes it even better. The grammar could be better but that’s besides the point. The music is really catchy and has an ominous beat. The lyrics mention BoA saying that her “heart is starship, nobody can stop it, yes I’m Lady Galaxy.” After that it gets a little repetitive but that’s OK by me. This song was the best way to open up the album.

Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~ the sugary pop song. This song is really the pop song of the album. The chorus is great, but still needs a little something. The music is pretty good.  This song was released along with Your Color to be the first single of this era. Overall a nice addition to the album.  For the full review, click here.

Winter Love, the winter oriented ballad. This song by far is one of BoA’s best ballads. The music complements her voice and sounds so beautiful. When BoA sings the chorus her voice is filled with power. The chorus is the most memorable part of the song along with the best part. Just having this on the album would make it worth your money.  Winter Love was a part of the single of the same name and was the last single of this era.  For the review of Winter Love, click here.

STILL. This song begins with an orchestra then transforms into a R&B/pop song. The song is pop because at certain points is sounds very pop, and yet at others it sounds very R&B inspired. The chorus is pretty good, and sounds catchy. Towards the third quarter a Spanish guitar can be heard, then BoA begins singing. Not a bad song at all.

SO REAL another fusion of R&B & Pop. The song begins with BoA ad libbing. She sings a few verses but then begins the chorus. The chorus sounds a lot better than those verses. It’s pretty catchy and goes by so quickly. The overall mood sounds R&B but the chorus sounds a little pop. Do be honest with you this song wasn’t that good. I think even though it was short enough I wanted it to be over already. Maybe I’m not used to this side of BoA.

KEY OF HEART the celebration song. This song was released as a single to celebrate BoA’s 5th Anniversary. I think that they should have chosen a different song but that’s OK. The chorus was strong and powerful but not that catchy. It’s still great song though.  But I must say that DOTCH would’ve been a better song than this one.  Here is the full review of KEY OF HEART.

OUR LOVE ~to my parents~ another piano ballad. It begins with the piano playing and later BoA singing. BoA’s voice sounds so sweet and innocent, it’s cute. After singing the verses, BoA begins the chorus that features some English. The chorus sounds so great and sounds beautiful. Right before the chorus you hear an instrumental increase, which sounds so great. The bridge is made up of violins that add harmony and joy to the song. BoA then sings the final chorus which sounds as fantastic as every. What a great ballad to the album.

no more make me sick, grammatically incorrect is the first word that comes to mind. This song has yet another R&B feel, at this point I’m all R&Bed out. The chorus is catchy, but it’s lackluster. I think that the song could’ve been a lot better. I just really didn’t like this song that much.

Revolution-CODE:1986-1105 Feat.RAH-D a Hip Hop song. The song begins with some guys annoying voice rapping. BoA thankfully begins to sing. The verses are pretty catchy but the chorus takes the prize. The chorus here is so catchy and BoA’s vocals sound aggressive and a little aggravated. That constant whistle sound is annoying along with the music. This is the worst song on the album, I hate to say that but it’s true. BoA needs to stick the Japanese themed music.

Your Color, a moving ballad. After that horrible song it’s time for a ballad. I’m so happy that this song was added to the album. BoA’s vocals sound so great, especially after that previous song. The chorus is absolutely breathtaking. The music here contains a piano, an orchestra, and an acoustic guitar. What a fantastic addition to the album.  This song was released as the first single to begin this era.  Here is the full review of Your Color.

Prayer, another R&B track. After hearing Your Color, I can stand some more American inspired songs. This song kind of reminded me of Kumi Koda’s Puppy. The beats sound great but get annoying after a while. The chorus is pretty catchy and sounds great too. BoA’s English could use some work, but it’s not that bad.  The most annoying part was when BoA’s vocals were distorted and when some guys voice came into the song.  After a while the chorus begins to get annoying.  It started off good, but ended so badly.

Candle Lights, another little ballad.  Following that bad track Prayer, is a great little song.  This song was originally on the last single, Winter Love.  The chorus here is much better than the previous song.  It’s surprisingly better now than when I listened to it a few hours ago, kind of weird.  Here is the full review of Candle Lights.

Gracious Days, the last new song.  It begins with a fast paced piano and some beats.  I can honestly say that this is a great song compared to some of the other songs.  The chorus here is impressive, BoA’s vocals sound so at peace and yet so strong.  The chorus is also quite catchy and sounds profound with all the music.  This song is what I’d call a pop/ballad.  Too fast to be a ballad, and to piano-ish to be a pop song.  A great song for sure.

LAST CHRISTMAS, the perfect English classic.  This song was originally released on Winter Love as a first press bonus track, but here it is included on the album as a bonus track.  This is a more modern spin on an American Christmas classic.  BoA’s English is perfect here and sounds amazing.  The perfect example of BoA’s superb English skills.  For the full review, click here.

Winter Love (Live ver.)  This song is a live version of Winter Love.  It was included on the album as a first press bonus track.  BoA’s vocals sound great as ever.  The chorus here sounds phenomenal, just like the studio version.  I was shocked that it could sound that great.  It was the perfect way to end this album.

Overall Review: MADE IN TWENTY(20) was a good album.  I liked the first half but after that it spiraled downwards with the exception a few ballads.  I can honestly say that the R&B songs really killed this album for me.  BoA should have stuck with pop songs and ballads, maybe one or two R&B songs.  Lady Galaxy was my favorite track, I could actually stand it, so that was good.  The album could’ve been better, but overall it was a good album.

Final Grade: 90B

Winter Love was BoA’s 22nd single. It was released on November 11, 2006 and reached number 2 on the charts with 42,481 copies sold. In all this single has sold over 99,078+ copies, making it her most successful single since DO THE MOTION. The high sales of this single is quite rare as it was the last single before the album was to be released and it was only two months away, but I guess that two months made all the difference. This is also the 3rd and final single in her MADE IN TWENTY(20) Era.

Tracks:
1. Winter Love
2. Candle Lights
3. LAST CHRISTMAS
4. Winter Love (TV MIX)
5. Candle Lights (TV MIX)

Review:
Winter Love the winter ballad. This song begins with that Christmas/winter ballad music, and with some bells playing. BoA’s voice sounds so beautiful here and the music complements her voice. The chorus here is so powerful and filled with emotion and BoA’s voice is strong and majestic. This is the best chorus of a ballad that I’ve heard from her, it’s better than most of her singles. You can also hear some guitar sounds and they sound so magnificent. The verses are simply amazing and sound so at peace. This is bar far the most impressive song on the album.

Candle Lights a modern ballad. I say modern because it has that new ballad feel. You can hear an acoustic guitar play during some parts. The chorus here is a disappointment after hearing Winter Love, but it’s still OK. There’s a bit of English here in the song but very little. I think it’s a great song, but after Winter Love it’s appeal goes down.

LAST CHRISTMAS, a new spin on a classic. This is a cover song of the song by the same name made famous by WHAM! Last Christmas was a first press bonus track and was only avaliable for a certain time. This song is sung in English and features some new music, but the melody is the same. I personally loved this song when it was first sung by WHAM! but now listening to it again I love it even more. BoA’s English is superb and the music is fantastic. The lyrics are as beautiful as ever and BoA does the song some justice. The chorus is amazing and sounds incredible. What a great spin on a classic Christmas song.

Overall Review: Winter Love was a beautiful single. I loved how it had that overall winter vibe. It featured two beautiful ballads and one classic Christmas tune. Its no wonder that it did so well on the charts. This single was a beautiful way to end her MADE IN TWENTY(20) Era.

Final Grade: 98A+