Ongaku Cafe (The ’90s): SMAP – Yozora no Mukou (1998)

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1. 夜空ノムコウ
2. リンゴジュース
3. 夜空ノムコウ (music track)
4. リンゴジュース (music track)

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Reviewed back on December 1998:

SMAP has had an awesome 1998 and their 27th single “Yozora no Mukou” (Beyond the Sky) has been selected the #1 song of 1998 in sales and by various music charts.  I have to admit that this song is fantastic!  It’s a wonderful ballad and definitely a song that showcases the vocals of Takuya Kimura.

The slow jam is very heartfelt as we can see from the chorus:

Just an awesome song and also a cool music video!  The coupling track “Ringo Juice” (Apple Juice) is a funky track that is the kind of music they have been releasing as of late.  It’s an OK track.  The the last two tracks feature an instrumental version of both vocal tracks.

Overall, “Yozora no Mukou” is a fantastic single from SMAP and a single that is highly, highly recommended!

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