CD
CD + DVD
1) Sakura Melody
2) Love Forever
3) My love goes on
4) BELIEVE
5) Jewelry
6) Looking your eyes
7) Konya wa Boogie・Back Feat SHUN
8) ESCAPE
9) Still
10) FOREVER LOVE
11) You're the only one for me
12) I'M YOUR ANGEL
13) LOVE STORY
This compilation album includes 4 singles & 5 B-sides . THE BEST also have 1 track that features rapper SHUN & 3 new songs , making the tracklist having 13 songs in total .
Since Love Forever was released back in 2009 , both Miliyah & Shota have released a total of 4 singles together . THE BEST is a complete best album that includes all the songs they've released thus far .
Along with the release of THE BEST , Miliyah & Shota have announced that this will be their last time collaborating with each other .
Sakura Melody is the 1st song in the tracklist . 1 of 3 new songs available in THE BEST , it's also the only track to get a video .
There's just something Spring driven when comes to Sakura Melody which I really like . I also enjoyed the other 2 new songs but it's understood on why Sakura Melody is the 1 that gets a video which I feel it deserves so .
Love Forever is Miliyah & Shota's 1st collaboration single + this's where it all begins .
It's quite surreal knowing that Love Forever was released 5 years ago as it still feels like yesterday when this song was 1st put out by both of them . Nonetheless , this was the start of many more great future releases coming from the duo .
My love goes on originally served as the B-side in Miliyah & Shota's 3rd collaboration single BELIEVE & coincidentally , BELIEVE followed suit right after the B-side in the tracklist . p> Promo wise , BELIEVE was used as the theme song for the TV-show Sukkiri!! .
Out of the 4 collaboration singles , BELIEVE is actually my least favourite but there's no question/doubt that up to now , it's still an empowering no. .
Jewelry originally served as the B-side in Miliyah & Shota's 2nd collaboration single FOREVER LOVE while Looking your eyes was originally found as the 1st B-side their 1st collaboration single Love Forever .
Generally , the B-sides included in Miliyah & Shota's collaboration singles are quite solid . Hence I don't really have that much issues for them to include them in THE BEST , no exception goes to both Jewelry & Looking your eyes which're B-sides that I still enjoy listening to .
Konya wa Boogie・Back is found as track #7 in THE BEST . This's the only song that featured another artiste in the song in which in this case , it features the vocals of rapper SHUN .
In this case , Konya wa Boogie・Back was 1st included in Miliyah's 6th album TRUE LOVERS & the song is actually a cover of Scha Dara Parr which was released in 1994 .
Prior to Miliyah , Shota & SHUN covering Konya wa Boogie・Back , KREVA & HALCALI also sung their own renditions of the song .
Konya wa Boogie・Back is considered a new song to me because I don't listen to Miliyah's solo works although I do know/heard of SHUN as I've heard him rap before .
That said as the song suggests , Konya wa Boogie・Back is a fun hip hop laidback no. & in this case , both Shota + SHUN rap in the song while Miliyah sings .
And surprisingly the rapping vocals of Shota & SHUN blend quite seamlessly in Konya wa Boogie・Back , which makes things fun without sounding strange .
ESCAPE is the 2nd new song coming from Miliyah & Shota . Promo wise , ESCAPE was picked to be used as the theme song for TV Asahi's drama TEAM Keishicho Tokubetsu Banzai Sosa Honbu which started airing 3 days ago on April 16th .
This's 1 of the more interesting songs found in THE BEST as ESCAPE is much more aggressive/in your face . It's quite angst driven to a certain extent but this allows a different music style to be flashed out from the duo which I feel it works in their favour quite well .
Still is the last new song available in THE BEST & out of the 3 new songs , this's the only track that's a ballad .
I think the 3 new songs that Miliyah & Shota included has something for everyone to enjoy . For Still , it's a piano driven no. that's emotional & touching that showcased a vulnerable side of the duo .
FOREVER LOVE is Miliyah & Shota's 2nd collaboration single . This's their only single release that was released as Shota Shimizu x Miliyah Kato + it's an answer song to their 1st collaboration single Love Forever .
Love Forever is quite a slow mid tempo track while for FOREVER LOVE , it's the complete opposite . Then again it shouldn't stop people from listening to both tracks co-currently as both are still rock solid even up to now .
You're the only one for me originally served as the B-side in Miliyah & Shota's 4th/last collaboration single LOVE STORY while I'M YOUR ANGEL was 1st found as the 2nd B-side in Love Forever .
I'M YOUR ANGEL is a cover of Celine Dion & R.Kelly's duet . Prior to being included in Love Forever as the 2nd B-side , Miliyah & Shota's cover of I'M YOUR ANGEL was 1st found as track #9 in Tribute to Celine Dion which's a Japan only tribute album that was released on 7 years ago on 26th Sept .
LOVE STORY is Miliyah & Shota's 4th/last collaboration single which samples Oda Kazumasa's Love Story wa Totsuzen ni .
Promo wise , LOVE STORY was used as Coca Cola's Share a Coke and a Song commercial song & it's a modern funky R&B take on love .
I think it makes sense to conclude THE BEST with LOVE STORY seeing that this's Miliyah & Shota's 4th/last collaboration single release & up to now , there's still something captivating/charming about the song which I simply adore .
One of the most popular collaborations in Japanese pop of recent years , Miliyah Kato & Shota Shimizu are ending their collaboration with their 1st/last album release titled THE BEST .
There's no question that Miliyah Kato & Shota Shimizu has become 1 of my fave duet music pairings ever since they started collaborating with each other 5 years ago . As such , with the release of THE BEST , it's somewhat bittersweet as the fact that after this release , they will not be releasing anymore collaborations together .
On 1 hand , THE BEST basically is a great collection of songs that consists of their 4 collaboration singles & most of their B-sides , coupled with some new solid songs thrown in for good measure .
THE BEST is a must get album to savour the best of 2 talented R&B artistes Miliyah Kato & Shota Shimizu , especially when both of them teamed up together in releasing material that basically just works well in their favour , vocals wise .
And speaking of collaborations , Miliyah's 1st collaboration single with Mika Nakashima titled Fighter will be released on 4th June .
But before Fighter gets released , do yourself a favour & get THE BEST .