Dakishimeru was BoA’s 17th single. It was released on November 23, 2005 and reached number 9 on the charts. In all this single has sold over 58,436+ copies. The title track was used in a CM for music.jp; and was also written Natsumi Watanabe and produced Kazuhiro Hara, the same duo of VALENTI. The PV cause a controversy as it showed a little of BoA’s undergarments. Oddly enough, unlike the previous singles, the B-Side to this single was not included on the album. This was also the third single in the OUTGROW Era.

Tracks:
1. Dakishimeru
2. Before you said goodbye to me
3. Dakishimeru (TV Mix)
4. Before you said goodbye to me (TV Mix)

Review:
Dakishimeru, lit. Hold Me, or Hug Me. Well after make a secret I was expecting a let down this time, but I was wrong. This song has revived my interest in BoA. It was a little more hip, more modern, and a lot more fun. Anyway this song begins with some very modern music, followed by a few beats and then BoA singing in some fast paced vocals. During the verses she uses English a few times, even though they’re grammatically incorrect, but they’re still good. As the climax builds the last few seconds become so intense waiting for the chorus. The chorus was very fast, like the verses, not that catchy but you could dance to it. There was a little English in the chorus, and it sounded nice for a second or two. I just really wished it was longer, but that’s wishful thinking. During the bridge BoA did a narration and said a few phrases which were surprisingly good. What a great song!

Before you said goodbye to me, the ballad with a modern spin. This lovely little ballad begins with BoA singing in English, and some soft music. As she finishes singing in English, the drums and percussion instruments pick up. Then the music begins to speed up, just a little, and BoA begins to sing the verses in Japanese, and a little in English. Then BoA sings the chorus, which is quite refreshing with all the English. It’s very catchy, even though it’s a little slower paced. The lyrics were very touching here, and they went were so perfect with the music. This song could’ve replaced make a secret with ease. Too bad it wasn’t featured on the album.

Overall Review: Dakishimeru was pure modernism. This single screamed modern and cool music. With all the beats in the first song and soft beats in the second this single really stood out. What I really loved was how it incorporated so much English in every song, a new twist that worked well for her. I really only wish that the B-Side would be featured on the album like the previous singles. Finally, an up-beat, hip, and spectacular single for the OUTGROW Era.

Final Grade: 100A+

make a secret was BoA’s 16th single. It was released on August 31, 2005 and reached number 5 on the charts. In all this single has sold over 54,000+ copies. The title track was used for a Kose Fasio commercial, and although the title track was promoted, the B-side won more acclaim and praise from fans. This is the second single in the OUTGROW Era.

Tracks:
1. make a secret
2. LONG TIME NO SEE
3. make a secret (Instrumental)
4. LONG TIME NO SEE (Instrumental)

Review:
make a secret, the slow paced R&B tune. Well after DO THE MOTION, I was expecting somewhat of a followup. This song however was somewhat of a step back. It begins all slow and laid-back, like an R&B song, but there’s just no power in BoA’s vocals. The verses were very dull to say the least, and not very enjoyable. The chorus was dreadful and it was not catchy at all, I almost wanted to cry at how bad it was. There was hardly a climax and it was just so so dull. The English here did nothing for the song either, it might have actually backfired on BoA. This song is just so bad to say the least.

LONG TIME NO SEE, sweet simplicity. This song begins with some very light music, almost similar to that of the opening of the anime Fruits Basket. Then BoA begins to sing in some very nice and soft vocals. Then some drops start to hear in the background, followed by the acoustic guitar. From there the song becomes more enjoyable and more happy. Although the chorus is very short, and not that catchy, it’s still quite lovely and cute in a way. It’s a big improvement from the previous song. It’s definitely on the softer and on the cuter side.

Overall Review: make a secret was a dreadful single to say the least. The only thing that made this single worthwhile was the B-Side. Honestly after I heard DO THE MOTION, I was expecting a little a step up, or something like a predecessor, but this single was such a step down. BoA has got to come out with some better singles. I can see how this single sold so little, especially with the horrible A-Side. From the cover I expected a little something more, but all I got was disappointed. A lackluster single for the OUTGROW Era.

Final Grade: 78C-

Well I hope that you all liked the first part of this article. I had fun writing it and I didn’t have time to finish it so here’s hopefully the last part. This section will cover a little more of BoA and will include Namie Amuro, Koda Kumi, and even Ai Otsuka. So get ready everyone for Part 2.

BoA is back up!

MADE IN TWENTY(20) - BoA

This little number was BoA’s 5th studio album, and yet another no. 1 hit. But what’s a little more interesting was the title. I mean where did the title come from, there’s no title track on the album, so it must be either spur of the moment, or just some title. But I guess this could be spur of the moment, but I think the title’s a little more than that. From the name it’s a little more personal, and there’s a little less restraint. I mean I guess this was to celebrate her 20th birthday, and a way to express her happiness, and how well she has it. This album also features some more R&B oriented tracks, and it’s a little more adult compared to her previous album. I really didn’t like this album that much but I must admit that she did put a little bit of herself into this album so that was nice. Overall though, it’s really to express herself as she has it made in twenty.

Queen of comebacks, Nami is here!

Queen of Hip-Pop - Namie Amuro

This album was considered her “comeback” album as it outsold her previous album, but I really think that PLAY was her comeback, but I won’t get into that. Anyway, this album comes from one on the tracks on the album, the very first one actually. Her previous album was all about her new style and such, this one was more about her defining herself. It’s almost as if she proclaimed herself the queen of her new found style, rather than a novice. I felt that this was a step up from STYLE and it was more edgier and more mature. As for the title track, it was edgy, powerful, and so so addicting. She’s definitely the Queen of Hip-Pop.

STYLE - Namie Amuro

After a three year period without a studio album, and her SUITE CHIC project, she released this album, her first venture into urban music. This album was a real defining album, she shed her pop-idol image and became a sexy, mature, urban adult. No more were her simplistic songs pop, instead she became immersed into the world of R&B and urban music. Despite this album not doing as well, and becoming her lowest selling studio album, it defined Namie as an urban artist, and put her back on track to regaining prominence. As for the title track, really called Namie’s Style, well it was very heavy in urban and hip-hop music. It wasn’t great, but I guess that was Namie for you.

Let’s not forget about the singer/songwriter Ai-Chan!

LOVE PiECE - Ai Otsuka

LOVE PiECE, another one of Ai’s wonderful albums. It was her fourth studio album and another album to include that infamous LOVE in the title. But like her previous albums, there was no title track. But I guess the title is all about PiECE, like from a puzzle. As you can see, the cover is made of six different sections, each a different color piece. There was a photobook with the album that included many photos with six different background and outfits, and each one was used to creat the cover, essentially creating a puzzle with different pieces. And album wise, there were many different genres in this album, each like a puzzule piece adding its own unique touch to the final puzzule, or in this case album.

LOVE COOK - Ai Otsuka

This album’s title was a little more on the personal note, well once you understand how she came up with it. But as always there’s that infamous LOVE part, but this time the second part is COOK. But why is that??? It turns out that her birthday is September 9 (9月9日), and that’s where the whole COOK came from. She revealed on Music Station that her birthday gave the title to the album. Anyway as for the explanation, it turns out that in Japanese 9月9 is read as kukku (クック), which corresponds to COOK. A cute and creative title, Ai-Chan is so cute!

But wait, aren’t we missing someone, like the new diva of AVEX, Kuu-chan.

Kingdom - Koda Kumi

After her best selling studio album and a year of entertaining singles, Kingdom was released. It was thought to sell out like hotcakes after the album was heavily promoted, many advertisements for Kumi, and the fact that there were PVs for every single song. But, due to a little controversy it almost became a flop, selling less than her previous studio album by about half the sales. But there’s no denying that this was a good album, but the real question is where did Kingdom come from. As she hasn’t said anything about it, all you can do is guess. Maybe she thought that she was becoming the next big thing, and that she’d even replace Ayu, making Avex her Kingdom, or even rhythm zone for that matter. And as for the title track, well all we got was a preview, and from that it sounded like a love song with a little jazz. Not much to add I guess, we’ll have to wait and see how the title track plays out in the future.

Black Cherry - Koda Kumi

Black Cherry, this album is what you could consider to be her biggest hit, well studio album wise. It was no. 2 on the yearly charts and it came in no. 1 for 4 straight weeks after its release. This is her best selling studio album to date, and the quality shows. But the real question is where on earth did the title come from. Prior to the album there was one final single released and it was Cherry Girl / Unmei and it was used to promote or push the album as the lead single you could say. And there was even a drama for it, I’m guessing to further promote the album the name Black Cherry was chosen, to go with the Cherry Girl. That’s my theory, but you’re free to voice your own. As for the title track, well it wasn’t released until Kingdom. It was very urban and almost R&B like, point is it was good. There was a lot of English envolved but at the end it got scary, but it did reflect the album’s mood if you wil; it was very new, sensational, and urban , almost pop even.

*DONE*

That concludes What’s In An Album Title??? Part 2. I hope you all enjoyed it, I had a fun time writing it. But before I go, there’are a few more things I’d like to say. One thing that I’ve noticed with the album titles and such is that usually with your songwriters/singers like Hikki, Ayu, and Ai, the titles are a little more personal and a little more thought out. Now that’s not always the case but that’s what it looks like. And as for those that just sing, like Kumi, BoA, and Namie, it seems that usually title’s are chosen for promotions or even just spur of the moment, with no real thought out reasons in some cases. But either way the titles usually reflect something about the artists, whether it be how they are, or even how they’re feeling. Thanks again for reading. Maybe I’ll do a part 3 later in the year, who knows I still have a lot more album titles to discuse with you all.

This post is somewhat of a filler post I guess, as I don’t feel like reviewing anything today really. But it is a little interesting. And after reading Stereo Love’s blog it made me want to do some post like this. So here it is:

What’s in an album title? This little article will focus on the title of albums, whether it come from a song on the album, or whether it’s just out of the blue; and also what it reveals about the title track and whether it was good or not. The real question however is is it pure driven emotion, just some title, spur of the moment, or perhaps some insight? But either way there’s a reason behind it, whether it’s obvious or not. Now for some artists, the album may come from their company, however absurd that might sound; but for some have more deeper, hidden reasons. But for now, we’ll review some basic reasons, and my thoughts.
First up is Hikki!

Heart Station - Utada Hikaru

Well we all know about this little gem, right? It was Hikki’s 5th Japanese studio album. But more importantly it was named after the song off a single of her previous single. And it’s a very good title. As the lyrics mention receiving frequencies of the heart, it gives the album a personal feel. However, I personally think she was trying to express her feelings threw the music, especially about the divorce with he ex. But I guess it also symbolizes a new beginning for Hikki. Anyway Hikki mentioned that Heart Station was a good name for the album because it was the overall feel. Either way it was a fitting name. And on a last small note, the song was fantastic and one of the best allusions.

Ultra Blue - Utada Hikaru

Originally released as her 4th Japanese studio albu,m this has been the only Japanese album to not the album name, full name, to come from an song. Anyway, to the title, i’m not sure whether it was actually from emotions or anything, but my guess it was named after her favorite color, which is BLUE, and the name of one of the songs. And when she was asked a question on what her favorite color was she said it was blue, and as for the ultra part, she said that blue sounded so lonely and it didn’t specify a blue, so she then added the ultra, and there you have it. As for the song BLUE, it was pretty good, sweet, and so simple.

Exodus - Utada Hikaru

Hikki’s first full English album, well once she reached stardom. But this album really gave Hikki a chance to express herself. As for the title, like Ultra Blue, it came from a song, or in this case it was a part of the song. In order to make the album, she moved to New York to record it. An exodus is moving from one area from another, often forced to for some reason. Now in her song, Exodus 04, she sings of moving from Tokyo to a new place, New York in real life. The point was this was journey for her in many ways, and it seems to have been successful. I’d like to say that the title wasn’t really just spur of the moment, it was emotional and nice too.

Time for Ayumi!

Secret - Ayumi Hamasaki

Here we have Ayumi Hamasaki’s 8th studio album. After only a few singles, two really, this once mini-album was turned studio album. Now this album is named after one of the last tracks on this album. I personally don’t think that the title track was that phenomenal but it was good, but the album was nothing short of genius. As for the title, well Ayumi stated that she wanted people to feel that they knew her better, like they knew her secret, which is very personal and lovely. I do think that it affected this album a little bit, especially with the first track, mentioning miracles and secrets. Overall, it was an attempt for her to become more well known with her fans, if that’s possible, but it was nice and very personal, go Ayumi!

Memorial address - Ayumi Hamasaki

Well, even though I said album, i think that this mini album would be a good example of what’s in an album title. This was Ayumi’s first mini-album under AVEX, and it’s a pretty darn good one at that. Anyway, this mini-album had a lot of dark inspired and sadder songs featured, most would be added to her latests A BEST 2 albums. But this album was really about how Ayumi was feeling about her father, who left her and her mother. And that’s really a lot of emotion was put into here, especially with forgiveness, Because of You, and finally Memorial address. And it was really moving and very emotion driven and very sad when you think about it. But the title did fit the album in this case.

GUILTY - Ayumi Hamasaki

Guilty was Ayumi’s latest studio album and her latest venture into music, really rock, but music will do. This album was very emotional, especially with the last song being, and considering the album was dedicated to a friend of hers. I have no clue whether or not Ayumi felt guilty, but that was the title track and one of the songs on the album. As for the song, i felt it lacked a lot, emotion, power, and climax, but it made you feel so sad and sorry. And that’s what you feel when you’re guilty, right? I did feel that this was one of her most powerful albums to date. This album was very heart wrenching and very sad once you when hear it all, and the lyrics. You might find yourself feeling a little Guilty with this album and it’s title. But the last track was really what defined the album, rather than the title track.

BoA is up!

THE FACE - BoA

BoA’s 6th Japanese studio album and and another no. 1 album. This album is really different compared to the previous albums above. I mean there was no title track here whatsoever. However, this was a little more expressive. The album contained many different types of genres of music, song wise. And it seemed to be a little more personal for BoA. But it was a chance to know the many faces of BoA, hence the title I think. It was pretty good, but I guess it was spur of the moment. Not much to add besides that.

That concludes this section of What’s In An Album Title??? Check back later for part 2!

DO THE MOTION was BoA’s 15th single. It was released on March 30, 2005 and reached number 1 on the charts. In all this single has sold over 169,542+ copies. This became BoA’s first number 1 single and made her the fifth non-Japanese singer to have a #1 single. This was also the first single in the OUTGROW Era.

Tracks:
1. DO THE MOTION
2. With U
3. Kimi no Tonari de
4. DO THE MOTION (TV MIX)
5. With U (TV MIX)
6. Kimi no Tonari de (TV MIX)

Review:
DO THE MOTION, smooth jazz with a hint of pop. Well one word that come to mind when i think of this song is “Damn.” This song was so different compared to songs that BoA had did and it worked for her so well. It has a jazz vibe with the music yet still keeps its pop roots. I love how BoA ad-libs in the beginning of the song and just how well she sounds throughout the song. The verses were amazingly catchy and with those impressive vocals she mastered it. The chorus was infectiously addicting as the instrumentals take you back to a different time, and her English was so good, a first it seems. This song is just so mind blowing and fantastic.

With U, the magical song. Magical in the music sense, the song…not so much. With a lovely orchestra of violins, playing some old Disney feeling music, later replaced by some R&B like beats, the song begins. BoA then begins to sing in that lovely voice of hers. From there the vibe of the music is very laid-back and those drums in the background really add to it. The verses were so-so but thankfully the chorus was very good. The chorus here was rather nice, a little goody goody with the music and background vocals, and rather catchy in a way. The bridge was a playful flute or reed playing followed by some ad-libbing and pianos. It’s an okay song, but pure B-Side material despite being on her album OUTGROW.

Kimi no Tonari de lit. Next To You. Here again we have another B-Side that was added to OUTGROW. But instead of a little pop song, we have a beautiful and classical ballad. The song begins with BoA singing with an array of violins. The verses again weren’t that memorable, but since when are they memorable? The chorus was the real treat here. BoA’s vocals were at the height of perfection along with the music. The ballad was very soft-spoken in a way, and yet powerful in others. However, despite this being a ballad, it wasn’t that good and awing, especially when compared to be with you. and LOVE LETTER. But it was still nice.

Overall Review: DO THE MOTION was a sensational single filled with smooth jazz. I have got to give it to BoA for releasing a single of this magnitude. She’s released many singles, and most aren’t that good unless they were featured in a show or two, but this single was so amazing. She really outdid herself in this single. The title track was pure jazz style with some pop, and even the B-Sides were tolerable. What a thrilling and exuberant way to begin to OUTGROW Era.

Final Grade: 97A

Vivid was BoA’s 27th single. It was released on June 4, 2008 and reached number 5 on the charts with 20,221copies sold. The first track, Kissing you, was used as the theme song for the drama 7 Female Lawyers. This is also her first single since THE FACE.

Tracks:
1. Kissing you
2. Sparkling
3. Joyful Smile
4. Kissing you (Instrumental)
5. Sparkling (Instrumental)
6. Joyful Smile (Instrumental)

Review:
Kissing you, sweet pop. An old scratching piano followed by the violins open up this song. BoA then begins to sing in her sweetest vocals. The verses seem nice and not so dull for once. I especially loved the English used here, even though there was only a little bit. The chorus is very very pop, almost generic but not so. It sounds a little more modern and the constant beats made it different. It was catchy to an extent, you could feel the beats and it was refreshing almost, better than some of her previous songs. The only major problem was that it was just a tad to repetitive, once you heard the first chorus, you’ve heard it all almost. But it was still a great song nonetheless.

Sparkling, modern dance. This song is just what I’ve been waiting for. From the cover, I thought that some of these songs would be a little aggressive, if not all pop. The beginning of this song is almost like Koda Kumi’s WIND with that opening, but afterwards the piano begins to play, followed by BoA’s vocals. But, then the song changes from piano driven to dance beats. I’m assuming she’s singing the first verse, and it’s quite catchy with all the dance beats. Her English has improved a lot from when she began singing and her vocals sound nicer here too. I really love the chorus of this song, it’s so up-beat and the dance beats are really great. It was so catchy and the English really helped it. This has got to be the best song on the single.

Joyful Smile, a sugary pop sensation. Harps seem to open up this song followed by some percussion instruments and synth. BoA then begins singing the first verse, which really isn’t that great, and those constant claps in the background don’t help the case. The chorus is somewhat stereotypical of a pop song, this is generic, very sugary all happy and such. But, it was catchy to a certain extent, so that was good. I did love BoA’s vocals here, but the song itself wasn’t all that great for me. After hearing the other two you know why this doesn’t have a PV. And yet for some reason I can’t get it out of my head. It’s still an nice song though, worth a moment of your time.

Overall Review: Vivid was very vivid to say the least, full of many different types of music. One was sugary and very generic pop. Another was very up-beat and almost modern pop. And the last was pure dance, with a little bit of aggression. From the moment I saw the title, I imagined dirty adult songs on this single, almost Kumi like, but the songs here were much better. Despite them sounded so different, they actually made a great single. A vivid and spectacular way to begin the new era.

Final Grade: 95A

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+