“SWEET 19 BLUES” is a solid second album for Amuro, while I think there are those who will purchase this album thinking they are getting all five original versions of her hit songs. But her second album is very good, just slightly padded with shorter tracks to make it bigger than it really is.
ARTIST: Amuro Namie
ALBUM TITLE: SWEET 19 BLUES
LABEL: Avex Trax
CATALOG #: AVCD-11463
DURATION: 67 minutes
RELEASE DATE: July 22, 1996
1. watch your step
2. motion
3. LET’S DO THE MOTION
4. PRIVATE
5. Interlude-Ocean way
6. Don’t Wanna Cry (Eighteen’s Summer Mix)
7. Rainy DANCE
8. Chase the Chance (CC MIX)
9. Interlude-Joy
10. I’LL JUMP
11. Interlude-Scratch Voices
12. i was a fool
13. present
14. Interlude-Don’t Wanna Cry Symphonic Style
15. You’re My Sunshine (Hollywood Mix)
16. Body Feels EXIT (Latin House Mix)
17. ‘77~
18. SWEET 19 BLUES
19. …soon nineteen
Reviewed back in July 1996
It doesn’t seem so long since I was watching Namie Amuro on Music Station with her fellow dancers, The Super Monkeys (who have changed their name to MAX).
I think it was inevitable that Namie Amuro would pursue a solo career and what better than to team up with super producer TK who appears to have the Midas Touch with his accomplishment with trf, Ryoko Shinohara, Tomomi Kahala, hitomi,
Yuki Uchida, Alisa Mizuki and his newest dance group, globe.
After the recent performance at TK Dance Camp, Namie’s addition to the TK Family Dance Camp has solidified the TK Family as this dominant force in the Japanese music industry.
Since the release of “Body Feels EXIT”, Namie has continued to churn out hit after hit with “Chase the Chance”, “Don’t Wanna Cry”, “You’re My Sunshine” and her latest single “SWEET 19 BLUES”.’
She has been featured on every magazine cover, appearing on Japanese television and radio and has literally become the top pop star in Japan that has even created a trend in Shibuya with women trying to have a similar hairstyle and high boots.
Namie Amuro has joined forces with TK and the hottest J-Pop star from Japan has shined even brighter! On her 19th birthday, her newest album sports four different covers and comes with a slipcase.
As the album contains five of her TK produced singles, those hoping that they can avoid purchasing the singles may want to think again. The album contains remixed versions of her hit songs with the exception of “SWEET 19 BLUES”.
For those new to purchasing Japanese music CD’s, especially with TK releases, in Japan, CD singles are the primary focus, so if you want the original, you go for the single versions of the song. But TK likes to remix songs for the album and so “Don’t Wanna Cry (Eighteen’s Summer Mix)” is given a jazzy, upbeat remix. “Chase the Chance (CC MIX)” receives a somewhat different arrangement and chorus treatment. “You’re My Sunshine (Hollywood Mix)” has a new instrumental jazzy brass opening before it gets to the main song and “Body Feels EXIT (Latin House Mix)” receives an injection of Latin-style music.
But the other songs on the album are quite catchy and enjoyable. “LET’S DO THE MOTION” and “I’LL JUMP” are both catchy upbeat pop tracks, “present” is a jazzy ballad that is smooth and captivating and you get the “Interlude-Joy” featuring a short
collaboration with Namie and M.C.A-T.
And while there appears to be many tracks on the album, a few are interlude tracks and instrumentals.
Overall, “SWEET 19 BLUES” is a solid second album for Amuro, while I think there are those who will purchase this album thinking they are getting all five original versions of her hit songs. But her second album is very good, just slightly padded with shorter tracks to make it bigger than it really is.
