NAMIE AMURO Discography Rate 「Part One」【...】

BEST FICTION

BEST FICTION

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From here, there's no place to fall
So I'm leavin' for Las Vegas
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LEAVIN' FOR LAS VEGAS: 8.02
Highest Score: 11 (@digitalkaiser), 10 (@send photo, @junglefish, @Jawshxx, @Gintoki)
Lowest Score: 2 (@MarkB), 4 (@yuuurei)

"LEAVIN' FOR LAS VEGAS" was originally released in 2000 on Namie's album, GENIUS 2000. The song is about the struggles of every day, 9 to 5 life and being broke as fuck. Not sure how she can relate, but SAME. It was produced by Dallas Austin, so there's a few TLC-isms and it's a thoroughly R&B affair. It's seems to be one of the unanimously loved songs from GENIUS 2000, but I assume not being a single made the song perform a bit worse than it could've.

Otenkiame can relate too, "Okay, so the Queen went straight up hood with this cool and chill yet energetic R&B track. I'm sure we can all relate to the life frustrations Namie sings about, too. Namie's lower register against her higher register is heavenly." Jawshxx has uncovered gold through the rate, "This song bops so much. One of my greatest discoveries from this rate. Sounds like something TLC would have recorded back in the day. Just wish more of Namie was on the track." Gintoki has similar feelings, "One of the best discoveries of this rate...it's just so effortlessly catchy." Happy to help!

Evilsin likes the song but isn't a fan of the backing vocalist, "Cute Dallas Austin production, but I'm not fond of that backing girl." EachSmallStep needs Namie's volume turned up a tad, "An R&B track to get down to. The bass and her darker tone command attention. Do wish she’d adlibbed during the last minute with the other singers. Hard to hear her over them at times." Cutlery thinks Namie could stand to be more chipper, "The lyrics are pretty neat and so is the accompanying guitar, even if Ms. Amuro sounds bored in the track I want to believe she's trying to convey her wish to leave her mundane life. Still a bop."

And send photo's threats persuasion worked off, "my promo worked a bitsy, at least this made the top 25."


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BEST FICTION

BEST FICTION

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On nights when I wanted to see your smile
you were somewhere laughing with somebody else
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never shoulda: 8.10
Highest Score: 11 (@junglefish), 10 (@BEST FICTION, @otenkiame, @MarkB, @Gintoki)
Lowest Score: 3 (@Cutlery), 5.5 (@vikeyeol)

"never shoulda" was released in 2000 on Namie's fifth album, break the rules. The song was produced by Dallas Austin and written with him & Jasper Cameron. You know what other song Jasper Cameron worked on? My favourite song of all time, anyone who knows feel free to post it. Therefore this song is ICONIC, AMAZING and GROUNDBREAKING... Ok, maybe not groundbreaking, but the other ones for sure! Lyrically it's about a guy breaking up with you then realising that maybe he isn't better off without you? Silly men.

Evilsin can recognise it's flaws but still appreciates it, "Ooh, I like how... brooding this sounds, like on the verge of ending right here right now during the chorus. Repetitive, yes, but I love it." Me & Otenkiame are still absolutely loving any song Namie makes dragging a guy, "LOVE LOVE LOVE this urban track! Namie is FED UP with her ex, and she's gonna let him know what he's missing out on now. The edge she and the arrangement bring are exactly what I need in a bop like this!" Jawshxx prefers this to another R&B bop, "Love the production. The chorus bops. GIRLFRIEND’s slightly superior cousin." They're both 10s, teebs.

EachSmallStep thinks the production could be cleaned up, "Can jive to it and its attitude. The verses need the same power as the refrain. The mixing isn’t the cleanest." Well, Dallas is one messy man. RUNAWAY is proud that Namie finally perfected R&B, "another R&B jam. The year 2000 was really REALLY great for this genre and I’m so glad Namie found her way there." And send photo better be sorry, " junglefish is gonna kill me. Sorry sis"

Shine the spotlight on our eleven, pop off, junglefish!

"So, maybe you guys think never shoulda doesn't deserve an 11, especially against timeless classics like 'CAN YOU CELEBRATE?', 'Say the word' or 'Toi et moi' but here are the reasons why I gave it my highest score :

1. I'm a sucker for basic late early '00s rnb bops.
2. I think she (mostly) sounds great throughout the whole song
3. I didn't want to see it leave too soon and Say The Word probably doesn't need my help to win the rate."


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BEST FICTION

BEST FICTION

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I'm sure it's always you who manipulates everything
But by the time I've noticed this, I've already let down my guard
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GO! GO! ~Yume no Hayasa de~ (GO! GO! ～夢の速さで～): 8.14
Highest Score: 11 (@soratami), 10 (@EachSmallStep, @RUNAWAY)
Lowest Score: 5 (@send photo), 6 (@junglefish)

"GO! GO! ~Yume no Hayasa de~" was originally released in 1995 on Namie's album, DANCE TRACKS VOL. 1. It's a cover of the eurobeat song GO GO by DJ NRG. It's also the last song eliminated from DANCE TRACKS VOL. 1. Lyrically, I believe it's all about the uncertainty of loving someone but still taking that leap without knowing the consequence. The song is fast paced and high energy, and the recurring issue you guys had with it was Namie attempting to hit a bit above her vocal range at that time.

Otenkiame explains, "High energy and peppy. Chorus is addictive as all else, even if Namie has a hard time with the high notes." Vague agrees, "i'm a sucker for anything eurobeat, but the screechy vocals keep me from fully enoying this. still a bop, tho." EachSmallStep declares his love, "Absolute fav track from before the TK days! Her enthusiasm is infectious! Love how she pushes her early range to new heights. I’m happy it made one last appearance at the Okinawa lives." Cutlery has picked his favourite, "Probably the biggest BOP from both Dance and Original Tracks. It may be repetitive but the GO! GO!'s never get tiring and the electric guitar breakdown is fantastic."

Yuuurei just can't get it out of their head, "this one always gets stuck in my head." RUNAWAY is converting their friends to stan Namie with this song, "I LIVE for her Eurotrash beginnings. I played this song and Try Me for one of my friends that doesn’t even like J-pop and he was LIVING. We played DDR immediately after for the feels, and that’s what these songs remind me of. My nostalgia for these probably elevates the songs’ scores, but who cares. They’re still ICONIC." Send photo can relate, "sounds like Sonic rolled through a mountain of cocaine." And evilsin doesn't mind Namie missing a few notes, "HYPE AF! Those GO!GO!'s in the chorus are so infectious and positive you just can't sit still, you need to dance. The way she struggles a bit with some notes in the chorus is so endearing."






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yuuurei

yuuurei

she/her
BEST FICTION said:
unanimously loved
Click to expand...
Questionable!

Cutlery said:
certified trash
Click to expand...
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At least never shoulda beat LEAVIN', I'll try to find solace in that. But GO! GO! deserved more. People need to accept eurobeat into their lives and let it change them for the better. Judging myself for giving it a 9 instead of a 10 tbh. Also that live perf is amazing!!
 
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BEST FICTION

BEST FICTION

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I wonder why, when we live under the same stars
that robbery and murder exist?
I don't understand; I don't understand?
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LOVE 2000: 8.20
Highest Score: 10 (@send photo, @vikeyeol, @vague, @EachSmallStep, @MarkB, @aaronhansome)
Lowest Score: 0 (@Cutlery), 6 (@soratami, @Jawshxx)

"LOVE 2000" was released as the fourth and final single from Namie's album, GENIUS 2000. It was released on New Year's Day 2000. The single peaked at #4 on the Oricon Weekly Charts, selling 165,940 in it's first week. It sold 228,120 over the 9 weeks of charting. It was used in an advert for Kose mascara. Lyrically the song is all about life and the new world after next year. There's actually some political messages under that heavy electronic production. TK snapped!

Send photo should watch his back, "So ahead of its time. Bionic found scalped and quaking." DON'T YOU FUCKING EVER! RUNAWAY is left confused, "I like this song, but…...um I have no clue what it is about at all." It's about... the system 2000, duh! Otenkiame commends TK for inventing the Drum n Bass genre, "Those drums though. Who'd expect something so complicated for a pop song? TK went all out with that arrangement! It's such an energetic rush and the futuristic feel he was going for was more or less successful."

Vague has some fond memories, "this was the first Namie song i ever heard, so it has a special place in my heart, but i also genuinely think it's one of her best songs." EachSmallStep wishes that Namie was so inspired by Cher's 1998 hit, "An electronic pop song that demands attention from start to finish. The harp brings a soft touch as the percussion pulses on. Only wish the digital effect on her voice wasn’t there the entire time." Evilsin is amazed by the genre switching, "Woke queen. I love how it sounds both like a baroque inspired classic moment and the most forward looking slice of pop." Jawshxx is still undecided, "This is such a weird out there kind of song. I hated it, but the more I listen the more I actually kind of enjoy it?"

Cutlery is probably happy this is eliminated, "Could've been a good opener, but it has so many mediocre aspects to it I can't name them all: the grating autotune, the million repetitions of the chorus that end up making its strong intended statement quite comical, the backup choir sounding fed up with this track (me too the f***) and the last minute being so pointless that it only makes it evident how much the song drags on for 5 minutes." And vikeyeol has some pointed words for them, "Those who hate this are just upset they could never be a person of system 2000, they don't have the RANGE. The TALENT. The TASTE. The Love Enhanced version of this is perfection."




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BEST FICTION

BEST FICTION

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It's not the same when you kiss me
I feel a pain in my heart that won't let me
Believe it when you say that I'm the only one you love
Your lips tell a different story – there's another girl
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SOMETHING 'BOUT THE KISS: 8.23
Highest Score: 10 (@evilsin, @soratami, @aaronhansome, @FINISH LINE, @Remorque)
Lowest Score: 5 (@yuuurei), 6 (@RUNAWAY, @digitalkaiser)

"SOMETHING 'BOUT THE KISS" was released in 1999 as the third single from GENIUS 2000. The 12cm version debut at #3 and sold 130,510 copies in it's first week. The 8cm version opened at #7 with 49,160 sold. Combined overall it sold 369,380 in it's chart run, placing the 12cm version at #87 on the 1999 Oricon Yearly Chart. The song is late 90s R&B through and through, it wouldn't sound out of place on the Billboard Hot 100 at that time. The song is about suspecting your partner is cheating on you based on the way they kissed you. Intuitive queen!

Jawshxx is not impressed, "Another early RnB attempt. It’s just OK, nothing special." RUNAWAY finds it forgettable, "I honestly forgot that this song existed. It’s not really that good and I NEVER go back to it." Cutlery prefers LEAVIN' FOR LAS VEGAS, "Its sonically a lot like VEGAS so the lesser impact, especially considering they're next to each other, made me bump down half a point for this one."

Otenkiame prefers the updated version, "One of her earliest foray into R&B. It's repetitive as all else, but it's got a lot of attitude to save it. I actually prefer the "LOVE ENCHANCED" version a tad bit more since it gets rid of the overlapping English and Japanese chorus." EachSmallStep just can't get on board with Namie rapping on this song, "The melody has a gentle quality you have to sway with. Like Namie singing with the back-up singers the whole time, unlike similar songs. That rap still throws me off."

Send photo gives props to Namie's sensuality, "She really nails that lowkey sensual vibe like no one else." And you can count evilsin as a big fan of this song, "This is where it's at. Love this as well as the version from Love Enchanced. So captivating and hypnotizing, I can listen to this all day long. I appreciate how both versions of the chorus, Japanese and English, intertwine here."

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