Ongaku Cafe (The 2000s): BoA – MADE IN TWENTY (20) (January 2007)

You do get something different with each track on this album, which is cool. “MADE IN TWENTY (20)” is a good album, average at best.

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Reviewed back in January 2007

In 1997, Avex Trax artist Amuro Namie released the album “Concentration 20” and became a monumental album for the pop diva who just turned 20.

Ten years later, Avex Trax artist BoA is 20 and begins her 2007, with the release of her fifth full length album titled “MADE IN TWENTY (20)”.

The album debut at #1 and became her fifth straight album to debut at the top spot on the Oricon Album Charts.

Since debuting in Japan with her first album “LISTEN TO MY HEART”, her latest album shows a mature side while the first was a symbol of energetic, youthful music.

Bare in mind, that when she exploded onto the music scene, she was only thirteen years old.

Having watch her evolve as a Korean and Japanese music artist and to see her accomplish so much within the last seven years is amazing and the interesting thing yet, she has showed no signs of stopping.

As for her new Japanese album, “MADE IN TWENTY (20) was released on January 17 in a CD and a CD+DVD version.

The version I am reviewing is the normal CD version which features a total of 15 tracks, three that were CD single releases in 2006.

The first track starts of with “Lady Galaxy”, a sexy upbeat song sung nearly all in English.

Singing in English for the first track was quite interesting but her cover of popular 1984 WHAM hit “LAST CHRISTMAS” (track #14) is even more impressive as she sings the whole song in English very well.

One of the interesting things about this album is how her CD single tracks (the fast songs) are very different from the non-released fast songs on this album. The second track “Nanairo no Ashita ~brand new beat~” (her 19th CD single) arranged by music artist Daisuke “D.I.” Imai and Chikara Hazama is an upbeat happy upbeat pop song.

As the fourth track “STILL.” and “Candle Lights” which are good examples of a BoA “mature” track, the fifth track “SO REAL” and shows that the 20-year-old can still jam.

The ninth track “Revolution-CODE:1986-110 Feat. RAH-D” is definitely classic BoA. An awesome upbeat fast song that is reminiscent to her early music.

The seventh track features her 20th CD single “KEY OF HEART” (used as the ending theme for the 3D animation Japanese adaptation of “Over the Hedge”). A fun upbeat song that so far, compared to the other fast songs on the album are very night and day.

Where songs such as “Lady Galaxy”, “SO REAL”, “no more make me sick” and “Prayer” use a deep bass, transitional beat similar to music artists like Fergie and even Nelly Furtado, “KEY OF HEART” is something that sounds more Mandy Moore and early Jessica Simpson.

So, the faster tracks between her CD single releases and the songs on the album are quite different in style.

Continuing the mature theme, BoA shows listeners that she’s not just a pop diva but that she also has a sensual side as heard from
her ballads.

The third track “Winter Love” which is BoA’s 21st CD single, is a beautiful ballad that debuted at No. 2 but eventually topped the Oricon Charts at No. 1.

In my opinion, one of her best songs to be released in Japan and to make things better is a live version for “Winter Love” included as the final track on this album.

Also, featured is BoA the songwriter who wrote the seventh track “OUR LOVE ~to my parents”. I definitely would like to see more of this in future albums.

Upon listening to this album many times, you tend to hear different sides musically of BoA.

You get a little of classic BoA, mature BoA, boodie-shaking BoA and also a sensual side heard through her ballads.

Essentially, you do get something different with each track on this album, which is cool. “MADE IN TWENTY (20)” is a good album, average at best.

Nevertheless, I look forward to seeing BoA evolve in the next stage of her music career.

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