Track Listing
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Hide & Seek
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Full Moon
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CAN’T SLEEP, CAN’T EAT, I’M SICK
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It’s all about you
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FUNKY TOWN
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Step With It!
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Hello
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Should I Love Him?
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Top Secret
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Violet Sauce (Spicy)
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Baby Don’t Cry
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Pink Key
1. Hide & Seek
Haha, I loved the marching band opening to this song for sure. It’s one of those songs that’ll grab your attention at first listen and it did it very well. Namie is showing off her skillz in the song as well since she’s being filtered in the verses and brought back in the chorus. The song just oozes awesomeness and makes for one of the best opening tracks ever.
2. Full Moon
Let’s begin Full Moon with a gong being hit. This track continues the more interesting R&B elements that Namie has been getting better at since this style back on “Queen of Hip-Pop”. It’s just got this really catchy flow to it and has even a dark touch here hence the full moon title. Mixed of Halloween and H&P? INTERESTING!
3. CAN’T SLEEP, CAN’T EAT, I’M SICK
As the era’s 2nd single, CSCEIS is oddly enough not that good of a track when compared with the album’s first two songs for some reason. Trust me, I really do like the song, but it just lacked the interest the other two tracks had and if you haven’t listened to the single before this, you might actually pass this song up. I still enjoy the saxes in the song, but still not as jaw-dropping as the first two.
4. It’s all about you
Is it bad that I think It’s all about you is just really messy all around? I can tell it’s trying to be a cohesive song, but with the faux-pas rock arrangement and messy flow, it’s really hard to follow and not scratch your head whenever it’s played. Definitely not the track to really have been made an album track really…
5. FUNKY TOWN
I’m not sure why, but FUNKY TOWN is a lot worse than most of her album tracks on here and was a poor choice (IMO) to have been made a single and last single at that. It seems to be like a heavy beat version of like “Hide & Seek”, but still not the best song here…
6. Step With It!
I think that’s why I liked this song a little bit more. It still carries itself like “FUNKY TOWN” did and the vocals are a bit congested in the chorus, but Namie sounded really nice. Even though it’s not as good as the other tracks, it’s got its moments.
7. Hello
I got the hahas from the phone ringing in the background with Namie asking ~hello?~. After that laughable moment, the song bets a dance beat and becomes one of Namie’s classy dance tracks. It’s not as vocally all over the place as one would seem. I’ve actually noticed Namie’s love for the auto-tune here, but it’s not overloaded so I’m happy about that.
8. Should I Love Him?
Finally, we get to the album’s ballad track. It seems to be the album’s only slow song as well which is a disappointing fact. Should I Love Him? doesn’t really stand out on the album and doesn’t really showcase anything truly rememorable. Even then, Namie’s English has failed her since she says the chorus like ~sugar, love him~… talk about pooooor.
9. Top Secret
Thank god we have this track to makeup for that boring song. Top Secret is probably my secret obsession over Namie. I mean the lyrics are downright raunchy (but not to the point of “WANT ME, WANT ME”). I mean it’s still pretty suggestive though, just not enough to ban it LOL. I love the heavy beats and lot of bass parts too. I still think singing fast doesn’t make a song that good, but here it’s passable and the main focus is the awesome chorus hook and the ~tonight, i’ll taste you~ lines. Even the middle was sly and sexy and ^_^
10. Violet Sauce (Spicy)
So we get a new version of the secondary A-side from “White Light/Violet Sauce”. This new version has a more sly hook going on and oddly feels like it ties-in with “Full Moon” for some weird reason. It feels a lot more angrier and aggressive than what I remember from the original and I love the beats as well. Ok, I’ll admit I can never remember the original as much as I remember the new version.
11. Baby Don’t Cry
As we near the ending of the album, Baby Don’t Cry comes in. I thought the more pop-ladened sound of the 3rd A-side release was something fresh and deviated from the more sultry songs she was releasing. I still think the best thing about the song is the thumping beat that came along with it, but the rest of the song is also really cool too.
12. Pink Key
Ending off the album is definitely not surprising Pink Key. The beginning instantly reminded me of “Dr.” with the march-like sound and the quick singing. Sadly, the song didn’t really stand out for me because of its arrangement sounding somewhat like “Baby Don’t Cry” but more happier. It’s alright, and it did make for a good album closer, but it’s just not my cup of tea.
Tracks Recommended
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Top Secret
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Hide & Seek
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Violet Sauce (Spicy)
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Full Moon
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Baby Don’t Cry
Namie’s 7th album proves that she’s still kicking and can make some hot songs. Sadly, some of the new songs showed somewhat of a mishap and that’s her cramming lyrics into one line…it’s not right girl. I want to know why “White Light” was ommited from the album…(was it cuz of it’s holiday tie?) Either way, I’m surprised there was only one slow song on this album as well. I hope she fixes it up by her 8th…
