globe - FACES PLACES (J!-ENT World Groove Classic Album Review)
- 3rd May , 2008 by KNDY in WORLD GROOVE: MUSIC REVIEWS
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“globe’s third album ‘FACES PLACES’ continues the winning streak with a collection of chart topping hits from members: Komuro Tetsuya, KEIKO and Marc Panther”
BAND: globe
ALBUM: FACES PLACES
LABEL: avex trax
CATALOG #: AVCG-70002
DURATION: 1:12:26
RELEASE DATE: March 7, 2007
- overdose
- DEGENERATE
- FACES PLACES
- Is this love
- So far away from home (Beautiful Journey)
- a temporary girl
- Because I LOVE the NIGHT
- Anytime smokin’ cigarette
- Watch the movie?
- a picture on my mind
- FACE
- Can’t Stop Fallin’ in Love
- can’t stop PIANO SOLO
- FACES PLACES (REMIX)
It’s been a little more than a decade when “FACES PLACES”, the third album by globe was released.
Their last self-titled album “globe” raked in 4 million in sales and of course, during this time was the heyday of the TK family with globe, TRF, Amuro Namie, hitomi and a few others leading the charge by chart topping hit one after the other.
The album would feature their chart topping singles “Is this Love” (6th CD single), “Can’t Stop Fallin’ In Love” (7th CD single), “FACE” (8th CD single) and “FACES PLACES” (9th CD single).
As I replay the album again, I recall the TK-related albums beginning and sometimes ending with an instrumental by Komuro Tetsuya.
The second track “DEGENERATE” had that TRF and dance club feel. The song is an all English track featuring Marc Panther with supporting vocals by KEIKO.
The third track “FACES PLACES” is just an awesome song. I remember watching the music video for the first time and seeing that KEIKO dyed her hair blonde and here they were performing and going to foreign countries and the fans going crazy for them. Just an awesome globe song!
The fourth track “Is this love” was a track that I remember slipping right past me. I was purchasing all the CD singles but I remember watching it on “HEY! HEY! HEY! Music Champ” and being a college student at the time, not having the funds to purchase so many other CD singles but watching the music video of the group singing in the middle of a desert and the colors so vibrant, I somehow ended up getting the CD single albeit a little late. A very cool globe song that you just wanted to sing along with over and over.
The fifth track was a song that I played a lot in my car and it would bother friends riding because it was one of those tracks that was just fun and a bit dorky in a J-Pop sense.
The sixth track “a temporary girl” was an all KEIKO song. An ok track!
The seventh track “Because I LOVE the NIGHT” was a track that was another one of those fun globe songs where you just keep singing “Because I LOVE the NIGHT!” and a song that I can imagine people singing it loud during a concert performance.
The eighth track “Anytime smokin’ cigarette”… Wow! I just loved this song to death and played it over and over and over during my commute to college. The concert performance was just uber-cool and sure, it was a bit pro-smoking but just the concert performance and seeing KEIKO in a constant flow of cool vocals, Marc Panther chiming in and smoking his cigarette and TK just jamming. Awesome song!
The ninth track “Watch the movie?” was more of an instrumental song than vocal. You would have KEIKO humming and singing in the background it’s more of an instrumental song with TK showcasing his keyboards and electric guitar playing.
The tenth track “a picture on my mind” was a song that the music shows kept playing over and over on television in Japan when showcasing this album. A cool song and I dig the music!
The eleventh track “FACE” was a CD single a powerful globe track and I just remember wondering why they had two CD single tracks with the word “FACE” in it.
The twelve track “Can’t Stop Fallin’ in Love” was a song that received a lot of airplay. It was a cool track and made me wonder if KEIKO could sing this song perfectly during a live performance. The following track was a piano solo of that song.
The final track “FACES PLACES (REMIX)” is more of a forgettable mix, mainly an instrumental with Marc Panther rapping and a the vocals from KEIKO used at the end.
As for the CD insert booklet, the booklet featured the lyrics and photos of the group.
Even ten years later, I still feel that “FACES PLACES” by globe as one of the coolest albums as it was a big part of Japanese pop culture during the mid-90’s and was a product of the TK-family hype that dominated Japan.
A good number of hits featured on this album and fortunately, not remixed but the original tracks which was satisfying to know. (Note: Many TK produced albums at the time featured remix versions of the song, not the originals)
But all in all, an album that I can listen to with as much enjoyment that I had back then, still exhibit that same feeling today. “FACES PLACES” was definitely a cool album.
Tags: FACES PLACES, globe