Sweetbox // The Next Generation (Japanese Release)

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The Next Generation is the 7th studio album from Sweetbox, while at the same time being the first album to feature the vocal talents of Jamie Pineda.

The album has a more an RnB feel compared to previous albums however, this release also maintains the groups signature musical style;  fusing modern sounds with classical sampling [We Can Work It Out, Crash Landed, Magic]. There’s also ballads [In A Heartbeat, With A Love Like You, When Will It Be Me], upbeat songs [Blue Angel, Everybody Come Out In The Sunshine] as well as some dancey sounding songs [Love Forgets, Crash Landed]. There is also a brand new version of the group’s signature song, Everything’s Gonna Be Alright as well as a remix of the same track by Yasutaka Nakata (a bonus for this version of the album)

As previously said, this album has a more RnB feel to it, making feel a little more ‘Western music’ feel. However, what should be remembered is that with every new singer, something new has been brought into the group. The one complaint that people seem to have is that Jamie has only co-wrote on the songs on the album, however, if we look at some of the more popular/successful artists out there, we may be surprised that to find that most of them have no input with their songs. And while yes, this is being used to compare Jamie to previous front woman, Jade Villalon, this is not to say that on future albums, Jamie won’t have more of a strong presence with writing.

Overall, given that this is a new combination of vocal talent and a new producer, the album is alright. The track order doesn’t produce a feeling of disjointedness and seems to contain the right mixture of styles. It will be interesting to see how the album is accepted by old and new fans alike

Rating: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. We Can Work It Out
2. You Don’t know What You’re Sorry For
3. In A Heartbeat
4. With A Love Like You
5. Everything Is Nothing
6. Crash Landed
7. Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (Next Generation 2009)
8. Blue Angel
9. Magic
10. Everybody Come Out Into The Sunshine
11. These Dayz
12. More Than You’ll Ever Know
13. When Will It Be Me
14. Coming Home To You
15. Love Forgets
16. Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (Next Generation 2009) [Yasutaka Nakata Remix]

Sweetbox // Rare Tracks

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Buy @ YesAsia.com (Taiwan Version)

What's in the title, Rare Tracks? Well, this little gem from the Sweetbox treasure trove is 22 tracks on previously unreleased or demo versions of songs which have appeared on the previous albums, from Classified to Addicted. In essence, this is the Japanese version of the previous European Exclusive, Raw Treasures Vol#1.

The main highlights for most fans will probably be the two different versions of Addicted that were used in Japan for the Subaru Legacy commercials as well as World Without Frontiers (altered version of Hate Without Frontiers of which the demo version is also featured on the album). Other highlights include a wedding arrangement of the classic Cinderella and a live piano version of For The Lonely.

This album as a whole is probably more suited to fans who know of the group as many of the tracks featured are demo equivalents of the versions that were eventually released. Overall though, the album makes for interesting listening.

Rating: 4.5/5

ETERNITY // Eternity

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Eternity is the new project from Jade Valerie and Geo, probably most well known previously as Sweetbox (which both left in 2007). This new project continues what they started with; taking classical songs and giving them a modern twist.

On first hearing the first track [Wonderful World] you may think you’ve picked up the wrong album, that it couldn’t possibly be something by Jade and Geo. But after a few listens, it does start to grow on you. And afterall, this is just the start. From here on in, the songs only get better.

There’s a mix of upbeat tracks [Only Human, You Smile], soulful ballads [Worth It All, Hello Goodbye], dark songs [Damn, How Far] , light Happy songs [Wonderful World, I Will] and a dig at generalised commercialism [Vanity].

The use of the classical pieces has been done tastefully as to incorporate it into the songs to a point where you could swear that the lyrics and additional music were meant for each other.

Overall, the album is well produced and the track order is brilliant mixing the different styles well without making the album sound disjointed or disorganised. A recommended listen to anyone who has been a previous fan of Jade and Geo’s work or for someone looking for something a little bit different from the usual ‘Pop’ sound

Rating: 4.5/5

Celine Dion // A WORLD TO BELIEVE IN -HIMIKO FANTASIA-

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This woman knows no bounds. Not only does she sing in French and English, but now French Canadian singer Celine Dion has recorded a full song in Japanese. Not that this should come as a surprise to many as at the start of the 2008 she released this song, A World To Believe In as a duet with Yuna Ito.
This version of the song was specially recorded for the film ‘Maboroshi no Yamataikoku’ and, although the language may have changed, the song still sounds as beautiful as the original. There is no disjointedness when Celine switches from Japanese to English (if only in the chorus sections) also there is no forced accent that sometimes occurs when singing in a foreign language, just Celine’s unmistakable vocals.

Also included on this single is the English album version of A World To Believe In, a live performance of My Love and a brand new song, There Comes A Time.

The single is a beautiful addition to any collection and once again this year, Celine proves that music is has no barriers, not even language.

Rating: 5/5

Sweetbox // Sweet Perfect Box

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The 6 studio albums from the group  (Sweetbox, Classified, Jade, Adagio, After The Lights & Addicted) come packaged together in a handy box, along side a beautifully illustrated booklet and an additional CD containing all the versions of what is probably the group's biggest single "Everything's Gonna Be Alright". It is seen as a summary of the success that Sweetbox have had in the past before new front woman Jamie Pineda takes the lead and does what every other frontwoman has done before her; brought something new into the mix.

The boxset itself would be perfect for anyone who wanted to get their hands on the main albums from the group or of course for the collector who just has to have it all. Either way, best get in quick as limited numbers mean that this release could be gone quicker than your favourite chocolates!

Rating: 5/5

Sweetbox // Sweet Reggae Mix

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Fans may groan that this is yet another pointless Sweetbox release, but in fact, this remix album is probably one of the better recent releases.

As the title suggests, the tracks have a reggae feel to them and you can't help but dance, tap or clap along to the infectious remix rhythms and vocals. Almost all 6 studio albums are represented on the album (although sadly no track representation from the JADE album) with what could be deemed highlight tracks. Unlike some remixes that take away from a song, these only add to it or in some cases, make it sound better than the original.

The album might not be everybody but the die hard collector or fan , but it is interesting to hear tracks that you wouldn't think would work with a reggae beat work and if that doesn't merit a listen to it, nothing will.

Rating: 5/5

Jade Valerie // Out Of The Box [Korean Version]

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Jade’s first solo release in Korea takes what could only be deemed as the best tracks from her two Japanese albums (Out Of The Box & Bittersweet Symphony) and brings them together on one album.

The tracks almost flow beautifully, that is, the tracks from each album, however at the cross over point, it does seem a little disjointed but it can be allowed to slip unnoticed. Also for this release are the new version of Like A Bird, titled Like A Bird (Geo’s Mix) (which if you have enjoyed previous Geo mixes of Sweetbox tracks, you are likely to love this as it only adds depth to the lyrics of the original version) and the duet version of You Don’t Know Me with Kim Dong Wan.

Sadly, having listened to the album, I have to say that the duet is the one thing that pulls the album down. It’s production seems hurried, as if it’s been a last minute thought and would probably sound much better if it had some resemblance to the previous duet with Korean singer Baek Ji Young, that being a mix of Korean and English.

If we ignore the last track, then the album is flawless and what the Japanese album, Bittersweet Symphony should have been.

Rating: 4/5

Celine Dion + Yuna Ito // A World To Believe In

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Before I begin, I have to admit that this is my first encounter with Ito Yuna, so really I didn’t know what to expect when combined with the voice that is Celine Dion.

The result? A beautiful ballad. The mix of English and Japanese languages works perfectly and I can see why this song was chosen as the duet. Unlike many foreign singers who switch languages mid way in a song, Ito Yuna seems to do it effortlessly and it in no way ruins the beauty of the song, nor is it painful to listen to. It’s also the exact same for Celine, who also seems to put no effort into jumping between languages.

Their voices are beautiful together in both languages and harmonise perfectly. I’ve even found listening to Ito Yuna solo version of the song very easy going, and although completely in Japanese, the beauty can still be heard. A recommended listen for fans of either artist.

Rating: 5/5

Various Artists // The World Sings Kubota

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You would think it wise that before buying a tribute album that you would know the work of the artist it is dedicated to. In this case, the album was purchased on the whim of the artists contributing to it before looking into the tribute artist.

In a way, there’s been no disadvantage in doing so as all the songs have been translated into English. The songs chosen blend almost perfectly and there’s no disjointed feeling that is sometimes felt when songs are translated from their native language. The songs are performed by some renown artist including Stevie B. (Missing), Jon Secada (Summer Eyes), Peabo Bryson (夜に抱かれて Lost Love) and Swing Out Sister (Be Wannabe) to name but a few.

So can we compare this to the original works? Well, yes as many of the artists who have contributed to this have almost stuck with the same or almost similar melody to the original, although bring their own distinct voice and style to it. The only track which seems to deviate from this is LA LA LA LOVE SONG (covered on the album by Jade Valerie) and which just seems to be slightly out of place and out of style of the album.

Overall, the album tracks appear to blend well and is a fitting tribute to the artist that is Toshinobu Kubota. Fans of Kubota’s works may be interested in this to hear what these songs sound like in English whilst fans of the contributing artists may be interested in having this to hear what their favourite artist has been up to.

Rating: 4/5

Jade Valerie // Bittersweet Symphony

After the release of Out Of The Box last year, hopes were high that the full studio album would be impressive. It's still obvious that there is a clinging to the sweetbox past with classicial sampling in two tracks (Unbreakable (moonlight Sonata) & Out In The Sea) but it's a combination that's worked well for Jade. The majority of the album is actually alright, but sadly there are the tracks that do pull the album down, mainly Undone & No You Don't. While Undone has a feel of Out Of The Box, you can help think it was an added extra with hurried production while No You Don't is sung in a style that just doesn't suit Jade's voice. Always Mine on the otherhand just seems to be completely out of place on the album, sounding as if it should have been released in time for Christmas as a single and probably left at that, or at least, added at the end of the album.

It's an album of two halves: the first half full of beautiful lyrics, wonderful melodies and the feel of a flowing theme, while the second half seems disjointed. The only rescuing song of the second half is the beautiful ballad that is Piece of Love (which if performed with piano only could be rather haunting).Sadly more was expected of this album than what we got and one can only hope that future releases are better.

Rating: 2.5/5

Jade Valerie // Out Of The Box

As the title suggests, this is the debut 'mini 'album from Jade Valerie. It's hard to listen to it and forget that this used to be the frontwoman of Sweetbox as it's completely different from what fans probably expected.

This album introduces us to almost a new Jade, almost like she's throwing the restraints of her former self and singing how she really wants. Fans might be surprised by the lyrics (Uh La La & Show Me come to mind) but this doesn't remove the beauty of the songs, but she still shows her softer side with the beautiful song that is Goodbye, the album's final track. Also included on this album is a full english version of the song CRUSH, originally a duet with Korean sing Baek Ji Young, which is simply a little fun song that's allowed her to let her hair down so to speak.

Overall, the album showcases what Jade truly is capable of and what is likely to be the norm as she embarks on her solo career. Hopefully previous fans of her will accept her in her solo status as well as finding new ones who previously didn't know who she was. Fantastic precursor to the highly anticipated full solo album.

Rating: 4/5

Amy Macdonald // This Is The Life (Japan)

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Where do you start with this album? Amy Macdonald is another of Scotland’s musical exports who writes her own songs and plays her own instrument (that being the guitar). The songs have appealed to a wide age range are very much about topics that most people could probably relate to from being yourself, friendship, the love of music, forbidden romance and the celebrity-obsessed culture that we live in today. That’s not to say that people can’t take their own opinion of what her songs are trying to say.
Songs of highlight are Barrowland Ballroom (a song about a famous venue in Glasgow and about the experiences that everyone who have played there have had), Mr Rock N Roll (all about being happy to be yourself and not wanting to fit in), This Is The Life (about friendship and the good times you can have with friends), L.A. (another track about being happy with yourself but being prepared to follow your dreams, whatever they may be), Run (a track inspired by The Killers) and Poison Prince (a plea to Pete Docherty about getting off the drugs and writing the fantastic lyrics he’s known to write).
Also on this version is Amy’s version of Caledonia, or a shorter version of it (originally a hidden track on the UK release) as well as two live tracks (Mr Brightside (Cover of the Killer’s track) & Mr Rock N Roll) recorded at the world famous King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, and the B-side to Amy’s very first release, Rock Bottom. All in all, her lyrics seem to emanate a wisdom beyond her youth, and seems to be able to connect with most people, whether they can relate their experiences to what Amy’s intended or find their own. It’s hard to find anyone these days who can pull off what can only be deemed as folk rock well, but Amy is one of these artists. A wonderful album that shouldn’t be missed.
Rating 5/5

Sweetbox // Greatest Hits [3 CD + Download]

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On the 20th July 2007, Sony BMG released a 3 CD Greatest Hits package in Korea. The first two discs contain songs from the other albums released in Korea, from Classified to Addicted, making them a pretty solid collection of songs from the current front woman, Jade (even though Shakaklaka sneaks in at the end of disc two). Disc three is titled New + Remix. As it would suggest, these are tracks which have been released elsewhere (as there are a few tracks from the Raw Treasures album which was a European exclusive for once), live versions or indeed, other remixed versions of classic songs.

For fans outside of Korea though, there is some disappointment. A further 4th disc was released as a digital download and therefore can only be purchased by those in Korea (unless of course, you know of other means) This digital download included brand new remixes of For the Lonely and Life is Cool as well as other remixes of songs either available on singles in other countries or only available on vinyl)

Looking at it, it's a nice package, which could be used to introduce the listener to the music of Sweetbox and allow them to sample what has been and gone in the past and what Sweetbox came to be.

Rating: 5/5

Sweetbox // Best of 12” Collection 1995 –2006

 
(Japanese Cover)

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This is what the previous Best of release should have been like; having songs that spanned the entire time that Sweetbox have been around. This album contains the remixes of songs from the very first release, Booyah, Here we go (1995) right up to the most recent release Addicted (2006). Some of the versions were previous only available on the 12 Vinyl format singles or on Japanese only album releases.
It's a nice collection of the songs since some of the songs had a number of remixes that could have been used, but in my own opinion, these are the better ones. If you have heard the original unmixed versions, then this is a nice addition to a collection, however it may not be to everyone's liking and most likely not recommended as a first outing with the group.
Rating: 5/5

Sweetbox // LIVE (CD/DVD)

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YAY! The first ever OFFICIAL Sweetbox cd/dvd was released on the 1st August 2006. But what is it exactly. Well, it's the concert that Sweetbox performed on Christmas Eve in Seoul 2005 and for thoses of us lucky enough to get the Limited Korean version of Addicted that had the teaser, it was nice to see the rest of the show.

So what of it? Well, in truth, yes it was nice to see the performances but what makes a concert is having the "banter" between songs. As soon as one song has finished, it's quickly onto the next. But with the CD, you get more of the "banter". What's going on there? Shouldn't it have been the other way around with song after song on the cd and the songs + banter on the DVD? However, the DVD does clear up some of the "myths" that started circulating with a few images that were seen on the net.

As said before, this is the first time a Sweetbox concert has been officially released (the 2004 show has been seen by a few) and really I suppose only serious collectors would consider buying it or those intreguied to see a concert. The only draw back that can be seen is that it’s not a full proper concert, just basically video of Sweetbox songs live.

Rating: 3/5

Utada // This Is The One (Japanese Version)

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You may be familiar with the name if you’re a fan of the Kingdom Hearts series as she wrote and sang both the Japanese and English theme songs for the last two games. This Is The One is the second English language from her and as the title of the album says, this could be the one that does it for Utada.
The album has been produced by Tricky and by Stargate so already you can have an idea of what it’s going to be. The previews that were heard before the album’s release does not do the album any justice! The opening song [On & On] is upbeat and easily danceable and sets the scene for the rest of the album. There’s an nice sampling of the piece Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence in track 2 [Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – FYI] something a little unexpected, however, the sampling is done perfectly and doesn’t ruin the original piece as sampling can do. There are a few ballads thrown into the mix [Apple & Cinnamon, This One (Crying Like A Child) & Come Back To Me (The first single from the album)] which breaks up the more upbeat songs. Tracks 7 & 8 [Dirty Desire & Poppin’] provide the kind of song that you would expect from their titles and may their lyrics may take some fans by surprise. To round the album off we have the latino sounding Me Muero which brings the album to a close on a high.
Many people have compared the album to her previous release Exodus, however, the two should be viewed in their own lights. It’s obvious that there has been some learning curves since that release and this album is possibly what fans were hoping for from the start. Overall, it’s a well put together album should hopefully make the american market sit up and take notice of one of Japan’s most successful female artists.
Rating: 4/5

BoA // The First Album

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This is an Asian artist who is making her debut in the West this year with her first English album. It’s been spoken about some time but this year it finally happens. For many, she will be complete unknown, but for the thousands of BoA fans around the world, it will be a gift.
Having heard previous English versions of some of her Korean/Japanese songs, we had hopes for this. Sadly though, those hopes have been dashed.
The first single [Eat You Up] had no lastability. It was irritable with the digitalisation of BoA great voice and almost monosyllabic lyrics. The melody itself was great. Just everything else that ruined it. At Youtube Live this year she performed this and another song from the album [Look Who’s Talking] and without all the digitalisation, the songs sounded alright. Maybe there’s hope yet….
We were wrong. The next song to be released as a clip was I Did It For Love feat Sean Garrett. Again, the melody’s good, but there’s still the very digitalisation of the voice. Are they trying to hide something? This time around, the video is actually watchable (at least from what has been released so far).
So now the albums upon us. Is it any better?
In short, not really. If the digitalisation of BoA’s voice was not part of the song, then we think we’d have a winner and  feel this is what really drags the album down. Opening tracks I Did It For Love and Energetic do nothing for the start of the album and could have been done by any artist out there today. Track 3 [Did Ya] Do our ears deceive us? No digitalisation! Yes, we finally hear BoA own voice and by god is it good. Her English is much improved (if compared with earlier English versions of her Korean/Japanese songs) Very upbeat and dancey. Has the album just been saved? Looking Who’s Talking next. Still sounds as good as the night she performed it on Youtube LIVE in Tokyo…Did we mention that a certain Miss B. Spears wrote this track? Eat You Up’s next, think we’ve said enough about that one already. Track 6 [Obsessed]…it was nearly alright, but it’s back with a vengence. A digitalised voice! NO!!
Touched’s up next. This doesn’t sound too bad. Love the music box sounding parts of it. And lyrically it’s fine too. Another winner! Scream is a cover of a song done by German group Monrose. Knowing the original, this is as bad as we thought it was going to be. Considering that original is sang by three, this still sounds good with BoA singing solo. Another tick. Girls on Top is a translated version from her Korean album of the same name. Slight digitalisation, but it actually fits with the song. Another tick. Track 11 [Dress Off]. For some reason, we’re reminded of early Megadrive soundtracks listening to this. Can’t really describe this one. Filler track comes to mind at the moment. Last track Hypnotic Dancefloor. Listening to this make us quite queasy and we don’t know why. We can’t decide whether it’s the vocals, the melody or the whole thing. And it finishes…where’s the next track? Hmmm….seems a little unfinished.
Looking at the album, there’s nothing there’s nothing special to it. It could have been produced by anyone currently in the market. There’s nothing that catches the attention and makes you want to check out the rest of the album. For a debut album into one of the hardest markets, we don’t think that it’s got the strength to standout on it’s own. We feel it’s going to be one of those albums that will just stay in the open because of the fans. Other than that, it’s just going to slip under the radar.
Rating: 2/5

Sweetbox // Addicted

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Originally titled Bold and Delicious (thought to have been changed to stop confusion with Ayumi Hamasaki’s work), Addicted has been met with mixed views, with some believing it to be a huge step backwards and comparing it to Jade’s first Sweetbox album Classified and saying that it isn’t as good as good as previous albums like Jade and Adagio 

In truth, Addicted should be viewed in it’s own light. It is a mix of what fans have heard before (with sampling of classical pieces in the tracks Here Comes The Sun and the title track Addicted) as well as what appears to be a new direction (Bold and Delicious and Ladies Night. There is a good mix of ballads (Every Step, Happy Tears) as well as more upbeat songs (Graceland, Bold and Delicious, Ladies Night) and a gospel sounding track (Vaya Con Dios) not heard since Adagio (Testimony)
Overall, it’s good to see Sweetbox heading in a new direction, or at least, testing the water with a new style. They haven’t jumped completely in at the deep end and it could be seen as an easing into what is to come. By giving fans what they have been used to and mixing it with a new style, it will hopefully please old fans and possibly attract new fans as well.
Rating: 4/5

Sweetbox // After The Lights (Korean Christmas Special Package)

The version of After the Lights has been repackaged to include a seperate cd featuring the four christmas songs that were original first found of the Japanese release of this album. Looking at the After the Lights on it's own, it basically has the same track listing as it's Japanese counterpart, minus the Christmas songs but plus two previously Japanese released songs Don't Wanna Kill You and Crown of Thorns (Both from the Greatest Hits cd in Japan) and the European version of the wonderful Killing me DJ (Best of 1995 - 2005 Europe and Killing me DJ single).
Each song on the album is full of emotion and sung in only a way that Jade can convey that emotion. If you haven't already bought the Japanese version of this album, then this, in my own opinion is the better buy.
Rating: 4/5

Sweetbox // Jade ~Silver Edition~

Before Raw Treasures, there was this. Not exactly raw, but acoustic versions of what I can deem to be the highlights of the Jade album plus one new song, Not Your Doctor. It's good to hear the songs being played differently to that of what you hear on the finalised studio album, and in my opinion, you cannot truely respect an artist until you have either heard them perform live or heard acoustic sessions, and this certainly delivers. you can tell that Jade and co. simply had fun while recording these tracks. Also on the first disk are remixes/alternative versions of the some songs which round the first disk off wonderfully. The DVD includes the videos for the three of the songs which fans have probably longed for.

There is only one draw back on this album and is not to do with the music. It is, in fact that the DVD is region 2 meaning that unless you live in Europe, including France, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Arabia, Japan and South Africa, or have a multi-region DVD player, you may have some difficulty in viewing it. Apart from that, a wonderful collection of songs and videos and a nice addition to the collection.

Rating: 4/5

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Sweetbox // Raw Treasures Vol #1

Whether this was a planned release or due to fans requesting something like this, Raw Treasures certainly delivers.
As the title suggests, this is an album of demo songs some of which didn't make it to the final versions of albums. It's an interesting look at what goes on behind the scenes as it was. Though by listening the album, it makes you wonder why songs which did make it didn't get kept the way they were originally written, and as for the last tracks, it makes you wonder what to expect from the new album, due to be released next year.
Can you fault the album? Well, not really. As it is an album of demos, it shows the good and the bad. For fans who have been followers of Sweetbox, this would be a good addition to the collection but we probably wouldn't advise it if this was the first encounter.
Rating: 5/5

Sweetbox // Best of 1995 - 2005

Usually when people see “best of” it means that the artist/group is about to disappear from the music scene. Not in this case. This is a celebration of the 10 years that Sweetbox have been around. So what is on the CD? Well, it mainly features songs from the albums done by the current frontwoman, Jade Villalon, but the European version also features the songs Booyah(Here we go) and Shakalaka. There is a new version of the 1998 classic Everything’s Gonna be Alright, European versions of Killing me DJ and Here on my own(Lighter Shade of Blue), alternative versions of For the Lonely, Everytime, Crazy and Cinderella plus a previously unreleased song, Tour de France.

Overall
For a best of album, it isn’t so bad. The mixture of songs is good, but if the truth be told, Europe didn’t get the best deal. Japan received a different track listing and got more new songs while the Korean version basically also got the Jade: Silver album as they received another CD with acoustic versions of some songs. Basically for fans it means having to order in CDs from other countries in order to have all the songs.  Other than that, a lovely compilation, if only lacking in older songs from the groups history

Rating: 4.5/5