Concentration 20
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| Concentration 20 | ||
 |
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| Studio album by Namie Amuro | ||
| Released | July 24, 1997 | |
| Recorded | Complex Studio, Larrabee West, Record Plant Studios, Sony Music Studio, tk sequence 1105st | |
| Genre | Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, Dance, Reggae | |
| Length | 56:17 | |
| Label | avex trax | |
| Producer(s) | Tetsuya Komuro | |
| Namie Amuro chronology | ||
|---|---|---|
| SWEET 19 BLUES (1996) |
Concentration 20 (1997) |
GENIUS 2000 (2000) |
Concentration 20 is Namie Amuro's second original studio album under the avex trax label. The album is a fusion of styles including Pop, Hip-Hop, Reggae and Rock. Released a year after her record shattering hit SWEET 19 BLUES, the album raced to the top of the chart further solidifying her place in Japanese music history.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
The release of Concentration 20 was a surprise in Japan. Only two months earlier, Amuro had been touring Japan on the Namie Amuro tour 1997 a walk in the park. Her previous album, SWEET 19 BLUES became the biggest selling album of all time when it was released, so naturally expectations for this album were skyhigh. Although the album didn't quite match the success of its predecessor it was able to demonstrate how versatile a performer she was. During its time, many Western listeners negatively viewed Concentration 20 as being too different from her past works. In later years, the album has found an appreciation with these fans who have come to consider it her best original album.
The album embodies an array of styles including pop, rock and even some reggae. Unlike her previous album which was heavy on the pseudo-R&B side, this album was practically void of it. Concentration 20 took on a more electronic style similar to that of her producer's group, globe. Some argue that the album isn't really a reflection of Amuro, but just goes to demonstrate the talent of Tetsuya Komuro.
Opening the album is the industrial rock influenced, "Concentration 20 (make you alright)." The song was unlike anything she had previously released and really embodies the diversity within this project. "Me love peace!!" was Amuro's first attempt at reggae style music. She would not attempt a similar style again until her current album Queen of Hip-Pop (2005) was released featuring some songs in dancehall and reggaeton fashion. Two of the singles from the album, "a walk in the park" and "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" appear on the album subtly remixed. Perhaps the one song that does demonstrate how much of this album was Komuro is "I know..." The song is an instrumental track performed solely by him.
The same month that the album was released, Amuro toured Japan's four domes in support of it. A few months after the tour, she would announce her pregnancy and pending maternity leave. Fans and critics alike view the brief period between the album and her announcement as the beginning of her decline.
[edit] Track listing
- "Concentration 20 (make you alright)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 4:07
- "B w/z you" (MARC, Komuro) – 5:03
- "Close your eyes, Close to you" (MARC, Komuro) – 5:50
- "Me love peace!!" (MARC, Komuro) – 4:29
- "No Communication" (MARC, Komuro) – 4:14
- "a walk in the park" (Komuro) – 5:50
- "To-day" (MARC, Cozy Kubo) – 4:41
- "Storm" (m.c.AT, Akio Togashi) – 3:07
- "Whisper" (Komuro) – 5:08
- "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" (Komuro) – 6:15
- "I know..." (Komuro) – 3:09
- "How to be a Girl" (MARC, Komuro) – 4:24
[edit] Personnel
- Namie Amuro - vocals, background vocals
- Lynn Mabry - background vocals
- Valerie Mayo - background vocals
- Akio Togashi - background vocals, keyboard
- Will Wheaton Jr. - background vocals
- Cozy Kubo - keyboard
- Tetsuya Komuro - backing vocals, guitar, keyboard, synthesizer
- Kazuhiro Matsuo - bass, guitar
- Kenji Sano - bass
- Ataru Sumiyoshi - bass
- Michael Thompson - guitar
[edit] Production
- Producers - Tetsuya Komuro
- Mixing - Eddie Delena
- Vocal Direction - Tetsuya Komuro, Kenji Sano
- Photography - Itaru Hirama
- Art Direction - Tycoon Graphics
[edit] Charts
Album - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)
| Release | Chart | Peak Position | Sales Total | Chart Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 July 1997 | Oricon Daily Albums Chart | 1 | ||
| 24 July 1997 | Oricon Weekly Albums Chart | 1 | 1,929,860 | 28 weeks |
| 24 July 1997 | Oricon Yearly Albums Chart | 7 |
Singles - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)
| Release | Single | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 November 1996 | "a walk in the park" | Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 1 |
| 27 November 1996 | "a walk in the park" | Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 1 |
| 19 February 1997 | "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" | Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 1 |
| 19 February 1997 | "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" | Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 1 |
| 21 May 1997 | "How to be a girl" | Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 1 |
| 21 May 1997 | "How to be a girl" | Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 1 |
