Released in March of 2006, BEST ~second session~ was Japanese pop star Koda Kumi's second single collection. It also did double duty, acting unofficially as her sixth album. Selling nearly one million copies in its first week, the compilation proved to be a high point in her career. Spanning a variety of genres, BEST ~second session~ is a treasury of unique songs that showcase Koda Kumi's chameleon-like abilities as a songstress.
As far as Japanese balladeers go, Koda Kumi is chief among them. Her rich vocals lend themselves nicely to the downtempo songs on BEST ~second session~. "you" is a gorgeous piano ballad that is accentuated with a chorus of strings while "feel" is a swaying R&B ballad with a warm acoustic sound. A major standout on the collection is the ballad "KAMEN" featuring Ishii Tatuya. It is a simple torch song that blends the singers' vocals together beautifully. It's certainly one of the more memorable tracks on the album. The syrupy ballads are fantastic but Koda Kumi also shows she can have fun as well. "WIND" is a catchy pop song that is wispy and lively. Likewise, "Birthday Eve" is a neo-disco dance track that is punctuated by a bevy of horns. It is cute and 100% ear candy. The Latin-flavoured "Shake It Up" is another great upbeat song that is danceable and infectious. Despite the album's buoyancy, it has a tendency to feel dated like its predecessor BEST ~first things~. "Ima Sugu Hoshii" sounds suspiciously like it could be a leftover track from the Spice Girls' debut album Spice, "No Regret" plays like a J-Pop tune from the late-1990s and "Lies" is equally as outdated. That said, Koda Kumi makes remarkable strides by furthering her image as a seductress on tracks like "D.D.D." and "Candy." The former is one of the best songs on BEST ~second session~. It features Japanese urban duo SOULHEAD and is a multi-genre track that blends hip-hop, pop and rock. It is criminal in its catchiness and is bursting with sex appeal. "Candy" is a more straight-up hip-hop song that utilizes a vaguely Middle Eastern sound and features a memorable rap verse courtesy of Mr. Blistah. It is sensuous and provocative, making it a come-hither kind of number.
Likely considered Koda Kumi's magnum opus, BEST ~second session~ solidified the singer's place in Japanese pop music history. A critical and commercial success, the album is a must-have for fans of the sexy star. It is brimming with catchy pop tunes, beautiful ballads and scintillating dance tracks. Though it may have its share of filler, BEST ~second session~'s production value is high and Koda Kumi's vocals are near flawless. It should be added immediately to the collection of every J-Pop connoisseur.
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