Destiny Line – Ai no Matador –

BoA’s fourth original album, entitled OUTGROW, was released on 02.15.06. The singles released before the album are DO THE MOTION, make a secret, 抱きしめる and everlasting.

The most memorable song is BoA’s opening track, Silent Screamerz, a dance/pop explosion that introduces the album fantastically. Opening up with a fun dance instrumentation, the listener is taken into the song from first listen. BoA sounds great on the verses singing slickly and keeping with the coolness of the song. The hook consists of two lines but they set up the chorus nicely as she sings “are you okay?” There is a moment of pure instrumentation and then the addictive chorus comes crashing in. The English phrases “shout out” and “one scream” really stand out as BoA hits her marks perfectly vocally. The third verse is a bit different but sounds great nonetheless. The final note of the song is held fantastically and then instrumentation brings the song to a close. BoA’s opening songs are usually strong and Silent Screamerz is no exception.

The second song on OUTGROW is DO THE MOTION. The song starts off with a part of the chorus, which shows off BoA’s vocal strength over a romantic instrumental. The chorus really is the standout part of the song with great vocals. During the vereses, BoA sings slightly deeper in keeping with the song’s atmosphere. The English in the backgroud is a nice touch as well. The pure instrumental section shows off the song’s romantic atmosphere and the note sung right before is wonderful. DO THE MOTION is a fantastic addition to the album and is a standout number.

ｷﾐのとなりで is one of the sweetest songs on the album and one of the most memorable slower songs. The song starts off with BoA singing the chorus and her vocals here sound great and they move with the music very well. The verses feature some pretty soft vocals and they sound perfect with the beauty of the music. Right before the chorus comes, the instrumentation becomes slightly more varied for a moment and it is these moments that really stand out to the listener. With this chorus, BoA shows off more vocal strength and shows off the emotional presence further. The pure instrumental section puts an emphasis on just how pretty the song really is before returning to the chorus once again. Pure instrumentation brings the song to a dreamy close, making ｷﾐのとなりで an excellent slow song and nice addition to the album.

OUTGROW ~Ready butterfly~ comes as the fourth song on the album and one of the album’s strongest songs. An interesting and addictive instrumental sequence starts off the song strongly before the first verse starts. BoA sings higher and with a certain slick rapidity that shows off just how much flare she really has. She also whispers in the background, which is a perfect fit and brings out the sexual energy. The chorus is addictive and has an element of sexiness that comes to the listener strongly. The chorus features a certain echoing to the vocals that make them stand out all the more and the following pure instrumental section really spotlights just how cool the song is. OUTGROW ~Ready butterfly~ is a fantastic album track and one of the strongest songs on the entire album.

BoA brings the magic on the fifth song, make a secret. Opening up with a fun instrumentation and some nice vocalizing from BoA. She sounds great on the verses and sounds very comfortable with the music. The English phrases such as “birthday” stand out with the various Japanese phrases. BoA goes slightly more powerfully with her vocals durnig the chorus and it really makes the chorus stad out strongly. The third verse is pretty simple but it’s a nice part of the song. Overall make a secret is very enjoyable and certainly a track worth watching out for.

Following is the ballad, Everlasting. Although the vocals are very strong during the chorus, the song is pretty forgettable. Nothing really stands out about this song. The moments of pure instrumentation are pretty nice too but they aren’t enough to save this song. Everlasting is worst song on the album and would have been better had it been left off.

The seventh song, LONG TIME NO SEE, is a sweet ballad that just touches the listener’s heart. Opening up the song is a sweet and cute instrumental that opens the song’s atmosphere from the very beginning. BoA sounds very nice on the verses as she sings smoothly in keeping with the song’s feel. The vocals right before the chorus show off her range nicely as she demonstrates a little more power. The chorus really stands out as BoA’s vocals continue to support the music well and the lyrics are so touching that the listener really is taken into the world of the song. The final chorus sounds absolutely wonderful as she sings with more emotion and keeps the image of the song vivid in the listener’s mind. Following is the same sweet pure instrumentation to bring the song to a very nice finish. LONG TIME NO SEE is definitely a wonderful addition to the album that is worth listening to.

The eighth song on the album is the cute and inspiring, cosmic eyes. BoA says “Who, what, who, what?” opening up the song very nicely with a fantastic instrumental. BoA’s vocals are somewhat cute during the verses and the instrumentation remains one of the most interesting on the album. She sings a little higher during the chorus and the energy really comes through strongly to the listener, making the chorus pop nicely. With an interesting instrumental, fun vocals from BoA and inspiring and uptempo lyrics, cosmic eyes is a fun and unique track on the album.

抱きしめる is one of the more aggressive and standout songs in OUTGROW. The song begins with a hot instrumentation with mysterious and cool sounds before the first verse starts. BoA sings her lines with a certain slickness that strongly shows off the song’s attitude. The English line such as “I know loneliness is best friend” really pop as they are surrounded by Japanese lyrics. The hook sounds nice as she holds the final note very nicely and it serves as a great introduction to the addictive chorus. BoA powerfully sings the title of the song as the first word. The English words such as “true love” pop very nicely as well. The third verse feature BoA talking for a little bit and then pure instrumentation comes in with BoA vocalizing in the background. More instrumental comes in after the chorus is sung again, bringing the song to its finish. 抱きしめる is a fantastic aggressive dance song that BoA sounds completely comfortable on and is truly one of the album’s strongest tracks.

Featuring a slight throwback sound, Love is just what you can’t see, if one of the most memorable songs on the album. A fun instrumentation opens up the song and then BoA comes with the first verse. She sounds very natural here and her voice works well with the music. The chorus is particularly noteworthy as she shows off more vocal power and range. The English phrases “feel me baby” and the title really stand out with her voice. The pure instrumental section sounds great and re-introduces the chorus very nicely. With the last chorus, her vocals are the strongest on the entire song as she sings “feel me baby” with power and range, hitting the note in the higher range. It’s an excellent song definitely worth the listen.

Stay My Gold is a sweet ballad that is certainly one to remember. BoA opens up very nicely singing the chorus with emotion and vocal strength. The background singers singing “I sing this song for you” isn’t particularly necessary but it’s a nice addition. BoA’s vocals are somewhat deep as she sings the verses, which serves as a nice contrast to the more powerful choruses. The English line “I can stay my gold” pops very nicely as it is surrounded by Japanese lyrics. The two lines that make up the third verse are fantastically sung, particularly the last line “stay my own gold” where BoA belts out and holds the final note wonderfully. Stay My Gold is a very nice addition to the album and shows off BoA’s vocal talents.

The album’s semifinal song is soundscape. The song starts off with the chorus, which is nice but a little bland. Her vocals are nice but the instrumentation is nothing particularly noteworthy. The verses are also nice but they don’t really grab the listener as much as they should. soundscape is a pretty simplistic song and not particularly grabbing to the listener so its inclusion as the semifinal song was not a very wise one.

The album closes with the fantastically cute, With U. She sings “sunshine with you” before starting the first verse. Her vocals and the instrumentation combine to create a certain personal element that just sticks out to the listener. The chorus really stands out as BoA steps up slightly vocally and she holds the ending note very nicely. The fun and breezy atmosphere really is spotlighed during the pure instrumental sequence before the chorus is re-introduced. With U is a perfect album closer that shows off BoA’s cuter side while still showing her vocal strength.

Album Ranking: A –

BoA’s 4th Japanese album, OUTGROW is a collection of great songs that show off a great variety. From the hot uptempo tracks such as Silent Screamerz and 抱きしめる to the sweet ballads like ｷﾐのとなりで and LONG TIME NO SEE, BoA’s strengths are really shown off nicely. OUTGROW is a very varied album that offers at least one song that the listener can appreciate.

BoA’s 5th studio album, entitled MADE IN TWENTY (20), was released on 01.17.07. The singles released before the album were 七色の明日 ~brand new beat,~ KEY OF HEART / DOTCH and Winter Love.

BoA’s opening tracks are usually some of her strongest and Lady Galaxy is no exception. The song starts off with a fun and interesting instrumental with BoA saying “we welcome you aboard, this flight is taking off, enjoy your trip, get ready…” Her vocals during the verses are somewhat deep and have a certain slickness and attitude to them that make them pop. The chorus is very enjoyable as BoA sings “my heart is starship, nobody can stop it, I’m lady galaxy.” It’s an interesting theme that plays throughout the song. The pure instrumental section in the middle of the second verse is a very nice touch as it puts an emphasis on the coolness of the song. The repetition of “use your imagination” during the third verse is pretty cool and makes the verse stand out. Lady Galaxy is an excellent album opener and continues BoA’s trend of strong beginning tracks.

BoA’s cute side comes out strongly on 七色の明日 ~brand new beat.~ The song starts off with a part of the chorus over a twinkling instrumental. BoA’s vocals sound great here and capture the kawaii sound of the song perfectly. The verses sound great as BoA sings slightly deeper, putting a nice light on the lyrics, which are pretty strong. Then the full chorus comes out very nicely. The opening word, which is repeated, sounds great and shows off just how catchy the chorus really is. The hook of singing “so cool, so bright, I feel so good” really does stand out to the listener strongly and continues the song’s catchiness. The song finishes off with the hook and BoA singing “baby always look at me” is a perfect ending for this cute song, a true standout song on the album.

One of the album’s strongest ballads, Winter Love, is the third song. Instrumentation filled with the sounds of winter open this song. BoA’s vocals are deeper than usual when she starts singing the first verse but this is in contrast to the chorus. The chorus stands out nicely as BoA shows off vocal power, singing in a higher range and the instrumentation really brings out the emotions of the song. The lyrics of the song have a personal feel that really stands out to the listener and this is brought out strongly by all the aspects of the song. The third verse picks up a certain energy and BoA continues to show off her vocals strongly, particularly with the final note before the a wonderful pure instrumental section comes in. Pure instrumentation brings the song to an excellent close. Winter Love is one of the album’s standout ballads and one of the more memorable songs on MADE IN TWENTY (20).

Continuing a more slow sound is the next song, STILL. The chorus opens up the song very strongly with some great vocals from BoA that go with the music very nicely. Once the chorus finishes, the instrumentation slightly changes and BoA speaks in all English before the first verse starts. There is a certain jazzy feeling that emerges from the music and BoA sounds perfectly at home. The pure instrumentation sequence sounds fantastic and the guitar really does sound beautiful here. The following third verse shows off BoA’s powerful vocals and her range as she hits the higher notes very strongly. Beautiful instrumentation brings the song to a close, making STILL. one of the standout numbers on this album.

BoA shows off her more mature side on the hot dance track, SO REAL. After some fun vocalizing from BoA, the first verse comes in. Her vocals work well with the music to keep up the song’s dance feel. The chorus brings the addictive quality as BoA shows off more vocal power with a catchy instrumentation. The third verse and the following small section of pure instrumentation combine to form more strength for this song. SO REAL is a fantastic dance number that really stands out and is one of most memorable tracks on MADE IN TWENTY (20).

KEY OF HEART is the album’s sixth track. The song begins with a nice instrumental with a breezy and fun sound. BoA’s opening vocalizing does a very nice job of portraying that feeling and then she sings the first verse. The verses show a more mellow sound and BoA’s vocals move perfectly with the music here. The chorus stands out as BoA shows some more vocal strength and the instrumentation remains interesting and the last line, sung in English “just the key of heart” is a nice finish that pops. The pure instrumentation section shows off the almost magical quality set forth by the music and is a perfect addition to the song as the listener enjoyably follows. The song fades out with BoA vocalizing very nicely along with the same fun instrumentation. KEY OF HEART is a very nice song and a great fit on MADE IN TWENTY (20).

OUR LOVE ~to my parents~ is a piano ballad that is one of the weaker songs on the album. The piano sounds great and BoA moves well with the music but it just doesn’t stand out to the listener in the midst of the rest of the album. It’s definitely one of the forgettable songs on the album and not particularly worth the listen.

The slow song, no more make me sick, is definitely a great standout song. The song starts off with an interesting instrumental before the first verse. Her vocals are kind of deep but they go well with the music. The chorus stands out particularly for the English phrases such as “no more make me sick” and “look what you did to me.” Her vocals sound great here and really stand out. The third verse continues the song’s strength as the instrumentation becomes slightly more varied and her vocals are still strong. no more make me sick is an excellent song and a nice addition to the overall feel of the album.

RAH-D and BoA team up for Revolution CODE 1986-1105. RAH-D opens up with a talking introduction and then BoA comes with powerful vocals over a hot dance beat. The chorus stands out strongly particularly as she sings out the title of the song and the English phrase “it’s easy.” The lyrics have a certain inspiring feel to them that really works with the song well. Honestly, RAH-D doesn’t provide anything particularly strong about the song and his presence is un-needed on this song. The song’s title is BoA’s birthday and it’s actually pretty cool how she worked that into the song. REVOLUTION CADE 1986-1105 is a fun song and certainly worth the listen.

The mood slows down with Your Color, a sweet ballad. A pretty and sweet instrumental opens the song and introduces the first verse perfectly. BoA’s vocals sound great as she captures the emotional presence of the song wonderfully. The chorus has a magical feeling to it that really captures the listener’s ear and along with the sounds of winter, the instrumentation is definitely one of the song’s strong points. BoA smoothly sings her way through the chorus, further propelling its strength. The third verse continues the song’s strength and BoA shows off her range hitting the higher notes momentarily and strongly. Pure instrumentation along with some vocalizing from BoA brings the song to a close. Your Color is a great ballad that captures the emotions wonderfully through a beautiful instrumental and BoA’s strong vocals.

BoA’s mature side comes out fiercely with Prayer. The song opens up with a slick and cool instrumental and that slickness is mirrored in BoA’s vocals during the verses. It’s the chorus that really stands out as BoA sings powerfully and the English phrases such as “because I just want you, want you” really stand out. The third verse consists of a man in the background saying “tell me what is on your mind” while BoA does some nice vocalizing. Great lyrics, a more mature BoA, hot instrumental and energy all make Prayer one of the best songs on MADE IN TWENTY (20) and certainly one not worth skipping.

The album’s best ballad comes as the semifinal song, Candle Lights. After an enjoyable instrumental, BoA sings the first verse. She starts off with a deep vocals but before the chorus comes in, she shows off just how much power she has. The chorus continues the string of strong vocals as they capture the song’s sorrowful atmosphere. The final lines of the chorus, which are sung in English such as “I love you” and “I need you” are particularly ear-grabbing and bring the chorus to a nice finish. The pure instrumental section sounds beautiful and further captures the emotion of the song nicely. Ending with the chorus, BoA delivers strong vocals with the final line of the chorus “love goes on.” Candle Lights is another fantastic ballad that shows off BoA’s vocal talents with a great instrumental.

The album closes with the piano-driven midetempo number, Gracious Days. BoA’s vocals remain pretty nice throughout the song and she doesn’t really go deeper unlike other songs. It’s the chorus that stands out the most as there is a certain cuteness that shines through and it’s when she sings “wish always gracious days,” it really comes across to the listener. The pure instrumental section sounds great as the pretty music is spotlighted. Gracious Days certainly isn’t the strongest song on the album but it’s a fairly nice finish.

Album Ranking: B +

BoA’s fifth studio album, MADE IN TWENTY (20) features some great songs such as Prayer, SO REAL, Candle Lights, STILL. and 七色の明日 ~brand new beat.~ Although the album definitely has its boring numbers, there are plenty of enjoyable moments on the album.