Beyond the Sea

SINGLE REVIEW
BoA - Vivid

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

This is BoA’s 26th single and it was released on June 4, 2008. This single reached #5 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 26,858 copies. The first track was used as the theme song for the drama 7nin no Onna Bengoshi 2.

This triple A-side single opens with my favorite song on it: the simple, yet catchy Kissing you. For BoA’s standards, the song doesn’t present anything new but I found it to be really charming and fun. The song is simple in nature and pretty much within the realm of upbeat pop too. Her vocals are lovely as well, perfectly matching the music’s lighthearted atmosphere and beats. Even though this song is quite uneventful, I still enjoyed it.

The 2nd track, Sparkling, is more of a dance tune and utilizes a synth arrangement next to some light beats. I thought this song was okay and not as good as Kissing you. Except for the catchy every me, every you line from the chorus, it’s unmemorable.

Up next is Joyful Smile, another cutesy pop track done in the same style as Kissing you. However, this song isn’t as interesting or as catchy. I know that this is a triple A-side single, but it felt like pure B-side material or something that wasn’t good enough to make it on BoA’s latest album THE FACE. This single felt rushed anyway since it was released to promote her tour.

Overall Rating 

3½ stars

ALBUM REVIEW
BoA - THE FACE

1. AGGRESSIVE
2. Sweet Impact *
3. My Way, Your Way feat. WISE
4. be with you. *
5. LOSE YOUR MIND feat. Yutaka Furukawa from DOPING PANDA *
6. Girl In The Mirror
7. Happy Birthday
8. Diamond Heart *
9. LOVE LETTER *
10. BRAVE
11. Gap ni Yarareta!
12. Style
13. Smile again *
14. Beautiful Flowers *
15. Best Friend
16. Hey Boy, Hey Girl feat. BoA / SEAMO

♦

Note: Songs with a (*) at the end of their titles have already been reviewed. Click on the links to see their reviews.
Songs in bold are new tracks and will be reviewed.

♦ ♦ ♦

This is BoA’s 6th Japanese album and it was released on February 27, 2008. This album reached #1 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 185,388 copies.

Let’s say I love you, it’s so easy! I love the opening line of the album’s explosive intro track AGGRESSIVE. The accumulating synth of the beginning bursts into a flurry of strings and dance beats, making this song really exciting. The chorus is really catchy with its simple, yet invigorating melody too. Despite the title, this actually isn’t the most aggressive song on the album (that award would go to Girl In The Mirror which I’ll fill you in on later), but it’s still really fun.

Following the same style is Sweet Impact, the first single released for the album. This song isn’t as bad as I first perceived it mostly because of its placement after AGGRESSIVE and the use of catchy synth. I still find the song to be sort of generic, but it’s the “good” kind of generic.

Hey, a song featuring a Japanese rapper than I don’t totally hate! My Way, Your Way feat. WISE is a sad tune hidden behind fluffy, upbeat pop. The rapping sections provided by WISE are not bad at all and his voice oddly compliments the music. The same goes with the parts where BoA provides some backup vocals.

The album also has its fair share of ballads, starting with be with you.. What I didn’t mention when I reviewed the single is that the lyrics are written from the point of view of a dog (if you’ve seen the PV then you’ll know I mean). This really made me see the song in a different light and I started to appreciate it more because of the song’s theme of companionship. Lyrics aside, it’s an overall pleasant song with pretty vocals.

The transition into LOSE YOUR MIND is weird but it works out for this funky, but stylish song. Blending together dance beats, a brass section, and electric guitars riffs from Yutaka Furukawa, the music is quite abstract. The lyrics are sort of mindless too, but they go well with the song’s overall offbeat atmosphere.

Earlier in the review, I said that the opening track AGGRESSIVE wasn’t the most “aggressive” song the album. That’s because Girl In The Mirror aces that song when it comes to overall spunk and presence. Constant beats, synth, and brazen vocals are commonplace in this track, creating a very dynamic and incredibly mature sound. BoA’s vocals sound rougher than usual in the chorus, but that’s actually GOOD since it shows a different side of her.

Here’s another high quality track. Happy Birthday sounds very poppish and cute, but once again the music masks the somewhat bittersweet lyrics. The song is about an ex-boyfriend who she wished she could spend her birthday with. I especially liked the piano the closes the song because it sounded rather sad.

This is one of those instances where a B-side is better left off an album and in exchange for a much better one that was left out. This is how I feel about Diamond Heart, one of the B-sides from the LOVE LETTER single. I still think the song has a messy melody that has no direction to it, despite how cool the verses sounded. Give me Bad Drive, the B-side on the Sweet Impact, over this any day!

My absolute favorite of the album’s singles was definitely LOVE LETTER. It’s such a bright and positive song, with matching vocals too. The chorus is beautifully done because of BoA’s brilliant emphasis on her vocals. The music is also quite nice too, mixing flowing strings and gentle beats.

The next track, BRAVE, features a darker sound with its synth and slower paced beats. There is also some electric guitar during the bridge, which I thought was a nice addition. BoA’s vocals are vibrant despite the laid back nature of the music.

Following BRAVE, the fresh sounding Gap ni Yarereta! comes in. This song is quite quirky from beginning to end, but still showcases a very poppish sound. I liked the chorus mostly because of the catchy melody and high notes BoA executes.

The quirkiness continues with Style, a hot mess of a song. It’s all over the place with its various synthed up instruments and background vocals. Everything just seems so random and there was really no organization in the overall presentation of this song at all. It’s quite forgettable anyway.

No album can be complete without a dramatic ballad, right? Not really but Smile again, the B-side from the LOSE YOUR MIND single, fills in that blank. It’s a standard ballad: powerful vocals, a sweeping arrangement, and touching moments galore. It’s not bad, but BoA has done better.

Well, here’s a B-side that I’m actually glad to see on this album! Beautiful Flowers from the LOVE LETTER single opens with quick drums and instantly becomes an insanely upbeat and cheerful song filled with catchy beats, vibrant strings, and synth. Just like the beginning of the chorus says: Get up, stand up!.

Ending the album is the heartwarming and sincere song Best Friend. This song is about a young fan of BoA’s and I could really sense a feeling of honesty and genuine sincerity coming from the lyrics. BoA gives an emotional vocal performance, especially during the incredibly down to earth chorus.

The limited CD+2DVD edition of the album features the R&B pop song Hey Boy, Hey Girl feat. BoA, a track performed by the rapper SEAMO. She does have a big role in the song, singing the catchy chorus plus some additional minor parts while SEAMO raps the verses. His voice is a little annoying though. You can find this song on his latest album Round About if you are interested.

I was impressed with THE FACE after the letdown of BoA’s previous album MADE IN TWENTY (20). This album actually has more mature material than MADE  IN TWENTY (20) since she had some personal input into its creation and production. I loved the theme of the album as well since it shows “the many faces of BoA” (it’s the inspiration for the title too). A lot of different musical styles are featured on the album and I enjoyed the amount of variety that was shown. I’m glad that she’s finally beginning to show her true self and this album was the perfect way to present that by proving her versatility as a singer.

Overall Rating

4½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BoA - be with you.

1. be with you.
2. precious
3. be with you. (spring acoustic mix)
4. be with you. (instrumental)
5. precious (instrumental)

This is BoA’s 26th single and it was released on February 20, 2008. This single reached #13 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 18,587 copies. The title track was used as the theme song for the movie Inu to Watashi no 10 no Yakusoku.

To put it rather bluntly, be with you. is a ballad. It’s an incredibly sweet song filled with “feel good” vibes and cute lyrics. I didn’t find it as good as say…LOVE LETTER, but there are still some pretty moments here and there. The verses are a little uninteresting but they lead into a great and vibrant chorus, the best part of the song in my opinion.

The B-side is also a ballad, but the music and overall melody is a little bit simpler. precious is average, but at least BoA’s vocals are very nice and just like be with you., it’s a really sweet song.

A spring acoustic mix of be with you. appears on the single as a first pressing bonus track. I actually liked this version more than the original because it felt more natural and beautiful. The additional beats and percussion of the original version felt kind of unnecessary so it was good to not hear them get in the way this time around. The song itself sounds a lot better with just strings and piano.

Overall Rating

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BoA - LOSE YOUR MIND feat.
         Yutaka Furukawa from DOPING PANDA 

1. LOSE YOUR MIND feat.
    Yutaka Furukawa from DOPING PANDA
2. Smile again
3. LOSE YOUR MIND feat.
    Yutaka Furukawa from DOPING PANDA
    (instrumental)
4. Smile again (instrumental)

This is BoA’s 25th single and it was released on December 12, 2007. This single reached #6 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 28,128 copies. The B-side was used as the theme song for the drama Doyo Wide Gekijo.

LOSE YOUR MIND is a unique offering from BoA because it features a different sound from what we normally would hear from her. The song is rampant with stylish electric guitar chords, blaring brass, and dance beats. The guitar is provided by Yutaka Furukawa of the rock band DOPING PANDA and he’s the one that really makes the track stand out, especially during the bridge when he performs his solo. When I first heard the song, I didn’t really find it all that remarkable, but it has slowly grown on me because of the spunky verses and catchy chorus. I recommend muliple listens to really get a feel of the almost “mindless” quality of the music and lyrics (Shoo doo bee Do you wanna shoes, bag, and cosmetic? XD).

The B-side is your typical love ballad, but Smile again is executed extremely well and sung with a lot of emotion. Complete with sweeping strings and wonderful vocals from BoA, this is a nice song even though it’s quite ordinary compared to the previous track. As a ballad, it’s very pretty and heartfelt.

Overall Rating 

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BoA - LOVE LETTER

1. LOVE LETTER
2. Diamond Heart
3. Beautiful Flowers
4. LOVE LETTER (Winter Acoustic Mix)
5. LOVE LETTER (instrumental)
6. Diamond Heart (instrumental)
7. Beautiful Flowers (instrumental)

This is BoA’s 24th single and it was released on September 26, 2007. This single reached #3 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 45,524 copies.

When it comes to BoA’s slower paced songs, LOVE LETTER isn’t bad. The song is a little on the average side in terms of composition but I really enjoyed BoA’s radiant vocals. She puts more emphasis in the high notes and that is really evident during the vibrant chorus.

The first B-side is the not-so-good Diamond Heart. The song is upbeat with a good rhythm, but the melody is scattered and doesn’t flow well. I really disliked how the song opened as well because of the cheesy English recited by some random guy who’s trying too hard to sound cool.

The next track is MUCH better. Beautiful Flowers is a gorgeous mix of pop synth and strings with excellent vocals. This is a very cheerful song and my favorite off this single.

Included as a first pressing bonus track on the single is a Winter Acoustic Mix of LOVE LETTER. This version is pretty much a simplified mix of the original that removes the light beats and features only the lovely strings. The end result is a beautiful rendition of the song that is even better than before.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BoA - Sweet Impact

1. Sweet Impact
2. Bad Drive
3. SO REAL (ArmySlick’s scratch build vocal)
4. Sweet Impact (TV MIX)
5. Bad Drive (TV MIX)

This BoA’s 23rd single and it was released on April 25, 2007. This single reached #5 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 42,789 copies.

There is one thing I have to say about Sweet Impact…it’s GENERIC. The song is typical pop with some synth thrown in the background. I wasn’t very impressed with the music because it’s the same type of pop from BoA that I have heard many times before. The only redeeming quality about the song is the somewhat catchy chorus.

I thought the B-side was so much better compared to the blandness of the A-side. Bad Drive was the song I was expecting from BoA to release after the mature stylings of MADE IN TWENTY (20). The song has a hot bass beat and a great R&B rhythm. Aside from the ridiculous English lyrics that are scattered throughout the entire song (poison talk and price and toy, this is one BoA’s most valiant efforts to date.

The first pressing bonus track is a remix of SO REAL, a song that appeared on her latest album MADE IN TWENTY (20). ArmySlick’s scratch build vocal makes the song even better by giving it more style and flavor.

Overall Rating

3 stars

ALBUM REVIEW
BoA - MADE IN TWENTY (20)

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.)

♦

Note: Songs with a (*) at the end of their titles have already been reviewed. Click on the links to see their reviews.
Songs in bold are new tracks and will be reviewed.

♦ ♦ ♦

This is BoA’s 5th Japanese album and it was released on January 17, 2007. This album reached #1 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 348,093 copies.

The opening track fully showcases BoA’s new, mature side. Lady Galaxy sounds so American, it’s not even funny. Even though it sounds like several American hip hop and R&B songs rolled into one, it surprisingly good and not to mention infectious. BoA’s low pitched vocals match the song’s synthetic sound perfectly as well. This is easily my favorite new track off the album.

The transition of Lady Galaxy to Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~ was kind of weird at first, but the song doesn’t feel out of place on the album at all. Despite the song’s sugary pop sound, it fits in rather nicely.

The next track is also pop influenced, but in the form of a sweeping ballad. Winter Love is one of the 3 ballads on the album.

Track 4 is STILL., a nice, jazz influenced song. The song consists low keyed strings, piano, and some acoustic guitar. The chorus is pretty catchy and the best part of the song.

The next track is a great, agressive, and upbeat track. SO REAL features excellent vocals during the chorus and I really liked the song’s synth and background vocals.

BoA drifts back into the pop genre with KEY OF HEART. It’s a really pretty song with a sweeping string arrangement even though the lyrics are a little on the cheesy side.

Track 7 is a ballad, but more R&B influenced. The combination of piano and gentle bass beats in OUR LOVE ~to my parents~ sounds very nice.

Track 8 is another well done R&B styled song. no more make me sick has a nice tempo and the highlight of the song is definitely the chorus. The way it changes the song’s overall setting is excellent.

I can honestly say that Revolution-CODE: 1986-1105 is my least favorite song on the album. BoA doesn’t do anything wrong but RAH-D just completely ruins the song with his annoying yelling and ‘rapping’. Anyways, this song is definitely the most aggressive track on the album because of its excessive brass and constant beats. The song would have been so much better if RAH-D wasn’t in it because his voice is just plain awful.

Along with Winter Love, Your Color is the other power ballad on the album. BoA showcases her powerful vocals during the chorus which blend well with a prominent string arrangement.

Track 11, Prayer, is one BoA’s most sensual efforts to date. Her vocal style is absolutely sultry, especially during the chrous. Much like the other songs on the album, it has a strong synth arrangement.

I thought Candle Lights was one of the few true R&B tracks that BoA has recently done. It has a thumping beat and the Spanish guitar is a unique aspect of the song. This song was originally the B-side on the Winter Love single.

The final track before the bonus and first pressing tracks is pure pop. Actually, Gracious Days is a very light hearted and a fluffy song. I’m really glad BoA hasn’t forgotten her pop roots and this song is a perfect example of this. The piano is the most noticable thing about the song’s upbeat pop sound.

BoA decided to include her cover of LAST CHRISTMAS as a bonus track. It’s not bad but I wish the music didn’t sound so synthetic. However, her cover does follow the same synth style of the rest of the new tracks on the album, so it continues the album’s overall sound. This song originally appeared as a first pressing bonus track on the Winter Love single.

A live version of Winter Love was included as a first pressing bonus track. When it comes to her ballads, BoA sings them very well live. I was very impressed with her vocals and the band performs the music with precision.

I didn’t think MADE IN TWENTY (20) was as good as her previous album OUTGROW but I’m glad that BoA is experimenting with new styles of music to recreate herself as a more mature artist. She really shows that with the new tracks on the album, especially Lady Galaxy, Revolution-CODE: 1986-1105 Feat. RAH-D, and Prayer. This is a not a true R&B album because it contains a good number of pop tracks which mainly consisted of the previously released A-sides. In conclusion, the album contains a nice mix of both genres but I could see that BoA wanted to make more R&B influenced songs even though she doesn’t stray that far from her teenage pop star past.

Overall Rating 

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BoA - Winter Love

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

This is BoA’s 22nd single and it was released on November 1, 2006. This single reached #2 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 99,078 copies.

Winter Love has to be one of BoA’s most powerful ballads vocally as well as instrumentally. The song begins with gentle vocals and gradually elevates until the sweeping chorus arrives. The chorus features very noticable percussion and like the title suggests, a meloncholy winter atmosphere. The bridge also has a nice electric guitar solo, which is uncommon for a BoA ballad. Her vocals really did it for me and this song has grown to become one of my favorites from her.

The B-side is Candle Lights, a nice R&B influenced song. The beats are great and I liked the Spanish guitar at the beginning. It’s a great B-side and I was glad that she included it on her latest album MADE IN TWENTY (20).

The next song on the single was an exclusive first pressing bonus track and a cover of a Wham! song. BoA’s version of LAST CHRISTMAS is very synthy and strays pretty far from the original in terms of instrumentation. I am happy to report that BoA’s English is better than before, especially during the opening verses of the song.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BoA - KEY OF HEART / DOTCH

1. KEY OF HEART
2. DOTCH
3. KEY OF HEART (English ver.)

This is BoA’s 21st single and it was released on August 9, 2006. This single reached #7 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 40,943 copies. The title track was used as the theme song for the Japanese version of the movie Over the Hedge.

KEY OF HEART is your average pop song that features a nice string arrangement and overall melody. BoA’s vocals during the chorus are excellent and pretty catchy too. Upon further inspection, I couldn’t help but find the lyrics of the song to be somewhat cheesy, but that’s okay.

I thought the other A-side, DOTCH, was much better. The song opens with a funky groove and the overall sound of it is quite unique compared to her past work. It still sounds poppy at certain parts but I really liked the offbeat vibe that the song presents.

The English version of KEY OF HEART is pretty good vocal-wise. BoA’s English has definitely been improving and the lyrics are actually better than the Japanese version’s. They’re still a little on the cutesy side but I have to applaud BoA for a job well done with the English vocals. This track was only available on the first pressing of the single.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
BoA - Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~
                     / Your Color

1. Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~
2. Your Color
3. Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~ (TV MIX)
4. Your Color (TV MIX)

This is BoA’s 20th single and it was released on April 5, 2006. This single reached #3 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 90,936 copies. The second track was used in the video game Ninety-Nine Nights.

Even though Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~ sounds like an extremely typical pop song, I couldn’t help but love it. This song is sugary pop music at its sweetest with a touch of R&B but to be honest, it was a slight downgrade after the release of OUTGROW. I still think it’s a fun song that is really catchy during the chorus and plus, it has a nice overall melody.

The other A-side is the much more serious Your Color. This song is a mid-paced ballad with an amazing chorus. I loved the way BoA elevates her voice because it adds some much needed power and presence. BoA does gives one of her best vocal performances in this song, especially during the bridge.

Overall Rating

4 stars