BEST ALBUMS OF 2009: #5: KODA KUMI “Trick”
KODA KUMI
Trick
(Rhythm Zone/Avex)
Available on CD, CD/DVD and on iTunes Japan
This is the highest a Koda Kumi album has gotten on my year-end top ten (Black Cherry and Kingdom were both at #7 in 2007 and 2008 respectively) and for good reason. The preceding albums were great, but Kuu-chin stepped up her game this time around. The only bad thing about the album is that Avex missed a golden opportunity to use her collaboration with Fergie (“Ain’t It Cool”) and her killer remake of Shocking Blue’s “Venus” as a first step to break her in the States. The seven-week wait for her next studio album is going to be a long one.
