Janet Jackson / Budokan 2019 2nd Night / 2CDR

Janet Jackson / Budokan 2019 2nd Night / 2CDR / Uxbridge
Live at Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 11th February 2019

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Janet Jackson has returned to Japan for the first time in four years. The latest original recording is here.
Included in this work is the performance of “February 11, 2019: Nippon Budokan”. It is the best audience recording. This visit is a two-day continuous performance only at Nippon Budokan, and this work is the second day.
This work is just the best sound. It must be an audience recording that was the original master handed over by the recorder himself and also absorbed the enthusiasm of the Nippon Budokan, but the atmosphere is very clear. Janet’s singing voice is clear up to each word of the lyrics, and the back is also vivid in detail. It’s not mistaken for a sound board because of the vivid clapping, but if you concentrate only on the performance sound, it’s neat and direct like an FM broadcast.
That should be it, it was a master who specializes in pop music that recorded this work. In recent years, he has been producing masterpieces in rapid succession, and at our shop, starting with Huey Lewis’s “TOKYO 2017 1ST NIGHT (Uxbridge 759)”, Serene Dion and Taylor Swift / Charlie XCX’s Tokyo Dome recordings are also very popular. Expo. Huey Lewis called it a masterpiece apart from the masterpieces that lined up, and Celine and Taylor praised it as “really a dome?” Moreover, the site of this work is even closer to Nippon Budokan. Mariah Carey’s “BUDOKAN 2018 2ND NIGHT (Uxbridge 917)” was also an unforgettable masterpiece, but this work is even more wonderful. He knows all about pop sounds and has already captured the Budokan. It is a masterpiece recording that unfortunately demonstrated its skill.
The direct sound is the hit song next to the hit song. “When I Think of You,” “Love Will Never Do,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” and so on, the number one in the United States has popped out, and too many hit songs can’t be shown. In addition, “Miss You Much / Alright / You Want This” and “Control / What Have You Done for Me Lately / The Pleasure Principle” are concentrated in medley. It is a large-scale behavior that makes 18 songs with only the top 10 hits. But it’s not just the Greatest Hits. Songs that were not single-cut, such as “The Knowledge” and “What About,” are also included. It will be a show that will sum up your career.
And there is no reason why such a show will not be exciting. In fact, the greatest pleasure of this work is its presence. The extra-thick playing sound does not give up the leading role by a millimeter, but the cheering given to it is very raw and hot. Each applause becomes a grain, and its size creates a sense of perspective and creates a wonderful three-dimensional effect. It’s as vast as the ripples of the ocean, and it’s invited by Janet’s every move to wriggle and boil into a hit song. When you close your eyes, you can see the dance and PV scenes on the stage in front of you.
It’s a show that keeps boiling from beginning to end, but it’s the final stage that culminates. “Scream” with Michael was the priming water and the Budokan exploded! As it is, the snow falls into that “Rhythm Nation”. There can be no one who can stay still in this flow. Without a break, he released the new song “Made For Now,” which became a hot topic last year, and called “Tokyo !!” and “I love you!” To burn the Budokan. I thought that the finish was an adventure with the new song, but the Budokan was overwhelmed by Janet’s power to live “now”.

Along with the announcement of the end of the performance (is it over?), You can hear “Eh?” To that extent, this work is a mass of rich hit songs, and it is a live album that continues to excite the whole story.
This enthusiasm is the real thrill of audience recording. Janet’s show is a comprehensive entertainment that includes dance. It may seem that the meaning of a live album with only sound is thin. However, the feeling of being in that space can never be experienced in a studio album. The Nippon Budokan, which manipulates thousands of spectators in all directions and returns with waves of joy. Many hit songs are fun, but the masterpieces shine lively because they stand on the scene. One that lets you enjoy such an experience with the best sound. Please enjoy it to your heart’s content.

４年ぶりに日本に戻ってきてくれたジャネット・ジャクソン。その最新オリジナル録音が登場です。
本作に収められているのは「2019年２月11日：日本武道館」公演。その極上オーディエンス録音です。今回の来日は日本武道館のみの２日連続公演であり、本作はその２日目にあたります。
そんな本作は、まさに絶品の極上サウンド。録音家本人から譲られたオリジナル・マスターで日本武道館に沸き上がる熱狂も吸い込んだオーディエンス録音には違いないものの、その空気感がえらく透き通っている。ジャネットの歌声は歌詞の１語１語までクッキリとしており、バックも細部まで鮮やか。生々しい手拍子があるためにサウンドボードと間違える事はないのですが、演奏音だけに集中するとFM放送かのように端正でダイレクトなのです。
それもそのはず、本作を記録したのはポップ系専門の匠。近年になって傑作を連発している人物で、当店ではヒューイ・ルイスの『TOKYO 2017 1ST NIGHT（Uxbridge 759）』を皮切りに、セリーヌ・ディオン、テイラー・スウィフト／チャーリーXCXの東京ドーム録音も大人気を博しました。ヒューイ・ルイスでは並み居る名作を差し置いて最高傑作と呼ばれ、セリーヌやテイラーでは「本当にドーム？」と大絶賛でした。しかも、本作の現場はさらに近い日本武道館。マライア・キャリーの『BUDOKAN 2018 2ND NIGHT（Uxbridge 917）』も忘れられない名作でしたが、本作はさらに輪をかけて素晴らしい。ポップ系の音響を知り尽くし、武道館も攻略済み。その手腕が遺憾なく発揮された名録音なのです。
そのダイレクト・サウンドで描かれるのは、ヒット曲に次ぐヒット曲。「When I Think of You」「Love Will Never Do」「That’s the Way Love Goes」……等々、挙げればキリがないほどの全米１位ナンバーが飛び出し、あまりに大量のヒット曲は披露しきれないとばかりに、「Miss You Much/Alright/You Want This」「Control/What Have You Done for Me Lately/The Pleasure Principle」はメドレーで濃縮。トップ10ヒットだけで18曲にもなる大盤振る舞いなのです。とは言え、ただのグレイテスト・ヒッツでもない。「The Knowledge」「What About」等、シングルカットされなかった曲も盛り込まれる。キャリアを総括するようなショウを繰り広げてくれるのです。
そして、そんなショウが盛り上がらないわけがない。実際、本作最大の醍醐味は、その臨場感。極太な演奏音は主役の座を１ミリも譲りませんが、それに贈られる声援がやけに生々しく、熱い。拍手の１打ずつが粒となり、その大きさが遠近感を醸して見事な立体感を描く。大海のさざ波のように広大で、それがジャネットの一挙手一投足に誘われて蠢き、ヒット曲に沸騰する。目を閉じるとステージ上のダンスやPVの名シーンが目の前に浮かぶようなリアリティなのです。
終始、沸き続けるショウなのですが、それが最高潮になるのは最終盤。マイケルとの「Scream」が呼び水になって武道館は大爆発！　そのまま、あの「Rhythm Nation」へと雪崩れ込む。この流れでじっとしていられる人などいるはずがない。そこへ間髪入れず、昨年話題となった新曲「Made For Now」を繰り出し、「Tokyo!!」「愛してる！」を連呼して武道館を燃やす。新曲でフィニッシュは冒険かと思いきや、“今”を生きるジャネットの力業に武道館はねじ伏せられるのです。

終演アナウンスが流れると共に（もう終わっちゃうの？）と言わんばかりの「え？」も聞こえる本作。それほどまでに、本作は濃厚なヒット曲の塊であり、全編盛り上がり続けるライヴアルバムなのです。
この熱気こそ、オーディエンス録音の醍醐味です。ジャネットのショウはダンスも含めた総合エンターテインメント。音だけのライヴアルバムの意味は薄いように思われるかも知れません。しかし、その空間に身を置く感覚はスタジオ・アルバムでは決して味わえない。数千の観客を縦横無尽に操り、歓喜の波が寄せては返す日本武道館。数々のヒット曲も楽しいですが、その現場に立つからこそ名曲が生き生きと輝く。そんな体験感を極上サウンドで味わわせてくれる１本。ぜひ、思う存分お楽しみください。

Disc 1(67:35)
1. Opening Film 2. The Skin Game (Part 1) 3. The Knowledge 4. BURNITUP! 5. Nasty
6. Feedback 7. Miss You Much / Alright / You Want This
8. Control / What Have You Done for Me Lately / The Pleasure Principle
9. Interlude 10. Love Will Never Do (Without You) 11. When I Think of You
12. All For You 13. All Nite (Don’t Stop) 14. When We Oooo 15. Doesn’t Really Matter

16. DJ Interlude
Feel It Baby / R&B Junkie / Whoops Now / Escapade / Somebody Is Tonight / Come Back To Me
17. Let’s Wait Awhile

18. I Get Lonely 19. Any Time, Any Place 20. What’s It Gonna Be?! 21. No Sleeep
22. Got ’til It’s Gone 23. That’s the Way Love Goes 24. So Much Betta
25. Throb 26. Together Again

Disc 2(23:46)
1. Interlude 2. What About 3. You Ain’t Right 4. If 5. Scream 6. Rhythm Nation
7. Made For Now 8. Outro

Uxbridge 974