Single review: Namie Amuro - 60s 70s 80s

Single review: Namie Amuro - 60s 70s 80s | Random J Pop

Namie Amuro is back with not one, but three singles - a triple A-side! Each of the singles represents an era of music: the 60s, 70s and 80s. Of course it's all carried off with that Namie flair she'd locked down with her album Style.

Representing the 1960s is the song "Rock steady" which samples Aretha Franklin's funked out classic of the same name. I was apprehensive at first when I heard Namie was going to add her own spin to the song because "Rock steady" is one of my favourite Aretha Franklin songs. But our girl Namie does a great job of it without butchering the funkiness or trying to go toe-to-toe with the queen that is Aretha Franklin herself.

"New look" has Namie putting her spin on The Supreme's "Baby love". Where as "Rock steady" was edgy and funked out, "New look" takes a more lighthearted and subdue approach, as with the original "Baby love". It's sickly sweet, but not overly so. Namie fans who liked songs of hers such as "Girl talk", "I love you" and "Baby don't cry" will dig this - as it has that same sweet R&B style.

"What a feeling" has Namie messing with the super gay 80s Flashdance anthem of the same name. Unlike "Rock steady" and "New look", "What a feeling" puts more of a new spin on the original melody and chops it up a little more to make the song feel a lot more unique. The verses are hot and Namie rides the beat like her life depends on it. But the uniqueness and hotness goes out of the window on the chorus. I find it hard to swag it out to this song as the verses command, because when the chorus kicks in I feel like I should put on a pair of ripped denim hot-pants, a white wife beater, a yellow builders helmet and do a dip.It's like the producer didn't know how to work the chorus into the song better, so he just chucked it in there. I get why he did it, as there had to be a clear point of reference of the song that was being spun here. I like this song on the whole, but do wish the chorus was handled better. The opening line of 'I like to dance, yeah! Everybody call me dancin' kwin' and the terrible chorus should be song suicide - yet I find myself not hating this song.

Single review: Namie Amuro - 60s 70s 80s | Random J Pop

Overall 60s 70s 80s is a solid package deal single. The songs work because Namie sells them. With each single and album Namie releases she sounds more confident and exudes more sass and energy. She certainly sells the funk better on these singles than she did on "Funky town". She sounded like she wished she were dead on that song. 60s 70s 80s is a solid effort and Namie fans will not be disappointed. "Rock steady" would've made a cracking single on its lonesome, but it's cool we got another 2 tracks to sit alongside it.

RATING: 7 / 10

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