Search - Ayumi Hamasaki :: Best 2: Black (Limited Edition with 2 Bonus DVDs)

Her 2nd "Best of" set, available in 2 designer colours!

A. Salas | Brooklyn, New York United States | 04/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well, six years have passed since Jpop star Ayumi released her first "Best of" collection, A BEST. Since then, she's gone from being a top of the charts phenom to a beloved mainstay of the music scene in Japan, surviving where many others have vanished.



A BEST 2, available in a white AND black edition (with different songs on each) bridges the gap from her EVOLUTION single through to HEAVEN, with a new song thrown in. The black edition is definitely the one to own, in my opinion.



The quality of her music has always been top-notch, mainly ballads and 80s style synth-dance. Recent years have seen her experiment with a faux R&B/Britney Spears style that doesn't quite suit her... it's represented more heavily in the white edition, though. Stand-out tracks include NEVER EVER, HANABI and hidden bonus track, MEMORIAL ADDRESS.... get the A BEST edition that best suits you... it's well worth the price!"

The majority of her top hits from 2001-2005, the music video

Dennis A. Amith (kndy) | California | 08/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
It has been six years since Hamasaki Ayumi has released a best hits album. The last being the very popular "A BEST" (AVCD-11950, Rel. March 28, 2001).



On February 28, 2007 two best albums were released.



"A BEST 2 - BLACK-" (AVCD-23263/B~C, 23264) would feature her hit ballads such as "Dearest" (AVCD-30294, rel. Sept. 27, 2001) to "HEAVEN" (AVCD-30842, rel. Sept. 14 2005).



"A BEST 2 - WHITE -" which would feature her faster songs from her hit single releases "evolution" (AVCD-30203, rel. Jan. 31, 2001) to "fairyland" (AVCD-30808, Aug. 3, 2005) and also include album featured tracks.



Although "A BEST" would be hard to beat because of the sheer multi-hits on that album, "A BEST 2" is just so full of content that it's hard for any Ayu fan's to even ignore it because not only are you getting a collection of hits from 2001-2005, you are also getting the music videos for the songs featured on the best album.



Also, to make things even more tempting is the addition of Hamasaki Ayumi's "Documentary Film of COUNTDOWN LIVE 2006-2007" concert.

The "-BLACK-" version contains the documentary of the concert, while "-WHITE-" contains the actual concert.



Each of the album could have been released separately but surprisingly, you get it all by purchasing each best album and for Hamasaki Ayumi fans, with the number of releases from Avex for Hamasaki Ayumi, with all that comes with "A BEST 2", just for the price of an album, you're definitely getting a great deal.



As for the album, "-BLACK-", there is a little misnomer on the Internet that this album is all slow ballads but that is not necessarily true.



The album contains songs that feature lyrics that are about sadness or bitterness and does include its fair share of ballads but you also get fast up-tempo songs such as "Because of You", "About You" and "is this LOVE?".



Also, included after the final song "part of Me" is an unlisted, unnamed bonus track.



Both "A BEST 2" albums come with a DVD of the music videos for the songs featured on the album.



As for the second DVD, my review of "-WHITE" raved about the concert. The second DVD that comes with "-BLACK-" features a 90-minute documentary of the making of "COUNTDOWN LIVE 2006-2007".



I enjoy watching behind-the-scenes footage of concerts and with Ayu concerts being one of the most elaborate music concerts in Japan, it's always interesting to see how things work to make such a big-budget concert.



Also, because her last concert held for "A Stage (miss)understood" just happened several months prior, so to see them come up with new choreography, costumes and stage production for a New Year's Eve show was very cool to watch.



Personally, I highly recommend owning both best albums. You get your money's worth for both releases and for me, having one without the other would be incomplete.



If you are a Hamasaki Ayumi fan or a new fan that wants to get into her music, "A BEST 2 -WHITE-" and "-BLACK-" are highly recommended.



The majority of her top hits from 2001-2005, the music videos and a concert/documentary for the price of an album, you can't beat that!"