Jewel of Jewels

Infobox Album | Name = Jewel of Jewels
Type = Album
Artist = MAX


Released = February 22, 2006
Recorded = ??
Genre = Pop, Eurobeat, Dance
Length = 53:41
Label = SONIC GROOVE
Producer = ??
Reviews =
Last album = "MAXIMUM TRANCE"
(2002)
This album = "Jewel of Jewels"
(2006)
Next album =

"Jewel of Jewels" is MAX's fifth original studio album and first with new member, Aki. The album comes almost five years after their last original album, "Emotional History" in 2001. Containing all their singles from "eternal white" (2002) to "Anata wo Omou Hodo" (2005), "Jewel of Jewels" will be released in dual formats featuring a DVD of their remaining music videos since their comeback.

Overview

Following the departure of their lead vocalist, Minako Ameku, in 2002, what was to be their fifth original album was shelved and replaced by a greatest hits compilation. After the culmination of a tumultuous four years following the event, comes "Jewel of Jewels" replacing that ill-fated album. Following in the tradition of their previous albums, "Jewel of Jewels" is an eclectic mix of Bossa Nova, dance, pop, traditional Okinawan folk, R&B and Hip-Hop in 12 songs and 3 interludes.

The album was a labor of love according to an interview given by the group in Beatfreak magazine prior to its release. The group was completely hands on with it from collaborating with songwriters to writing actual material for it. The final results yield some surprises as it has brought MAX into uncharted territory. MAX's previous albums focused on a more American and European sound. The songs "mirage" and "Kira Kirari" find the group exploring their roots in an authentic Okinawan style. The group had tested these waters last year with the single, "NIRAI KANAI" (2005) which mixed traditional Okinawan styles with European styled dance music. The single itself appears in the album stripped of its dance backbeat and replaced with an even more distinct traditional sound. The album also yield's the groups first English language track in "It's time to "Shine!"".

To help promote the album, the final track "MELTY LOVE" was licensed for use as the ending theme to the variety program, Rajikaru. Group member, NANA, also appears in the show as a regular. They will also perform a series of events following the release of the album. However, upon release the album has failed to reach the top 20 on the Oricon daily sales chart and is according to Oricon both their lowest charting and lowest selling album so far.

Track listing

CD Only Format & CD+DVD (CD Portion)

# "The Beginning of Jewel of Jewels" – 0:39
# "It's time to "Shine!"" – 3:22
# "What's going on" – 4:42
# "LOVE SCREW" (Takeshi Aida, Keiichi Ueno) – 3:43
# "Festa" (Kiichi Yokoyama) – 3:29
# "AQUA" – 0:57
# "mirage" – 5:11
# "NIRAI KANAI (kariyushi remix)" (MAX, S. Castagna, C. Codenotti, E. Somenzi, Ace) – 4:39
# "Kira Kirari" (Masaru Shimabukuro) – 5:43
# "Be With You" (Jeff Lynne, Keiko Yamamoto) – 4:10
# "eternal white" (NANA, Yusuke Toriumi, Keiichi Ueno) – 4:33
# "Anata wo Omou Hodo" (tetsuhiko) – 4:44
# "Naughty Boy" – 3:29
# "MELTY LOVE" – 3:33
# "The Closing of Jewel of Jewels" – 0:47

DVD Portion

# eternal white (Music Clip)
# Festa (Music Clip)
# LOVE SCREW (Music Clip)
# Be With You (Music Clip)
# NIRAI KANAI (Music Clip)
# Anata wo Omou Hodo (Music Clip)
# MAKING (Recording & Member's Voice)

Personnel

* MAX - vocals, background vocals

Production

Charts

Album - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Singles - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

References

Oricon Inc., 2006 [http://www.oricon.co.jp/artists/a/15910/ MAX - Oricon Style WM Music]