SMAP Announces New Single "This is love" + "We are SMAP!" Album Details
Popular group SMAP will release their first new album in two years on July 21st. Included in the album is Kusanagi Tsuyoshi's solo song "Kaetteikita Yopparai" ("The Drunkard Returns"), a cover of the famous 1967 song by The Folk Crusaders. Arrangements for the song will be made by Pizzicato Five's Konishi Yasuharu, with participation by actor/comedian Tsurube Shofukutei.
As previously reported, Daniel Powter, Kubota Toshinobu, Makihara Noriyuki, RIP SLYME, Sakanaction, Theory of Relativity, and Hisaishi Joe were named in the bid to gather national and international artists to collaborate on the album. Other artists revealed to take part in the album include music producer Komuro Tetsuya, CMJK, Yukihiro Fukutomi, Nishiura Kensuke (NONA REEVES), and Tanaka Jun (Gentouki). It is also learned that 15-time Grammy Award winner David Foster (who has worked with artists such as Chicago, Barbara Streisand, and Michael Jackson) is the composer in charge of Kimura Takuya's solo song, "Kimi no Mama de..." ("Be Yourself..."). In addition, TV writer Osamu Suzuki and Denki Groove's Ishino Takkyu provide the lyrics and music for the song "SMAP no Pojitibu Dansu" ("SMAP's Positive Dance").
Following the album, it was announced that SMAP's 45th single "This is love" will be released on August 4th. Pop/rock duo LOVE PSYCHEDELICO composed and arranged the song using the universal theme of love, bringing a fresh aspect to SMAP's music. The coupling song "Glamorous" is written by Komuro Tetsuya.
The new single will be released in regular, SB, and SS versions, each with a different cover. The SB and SS versions will also come with bonus DVDs that differ in content as well as third tracks. Furthermore, each CD will contain a unique serial number marked on the jacket as part of the "Otanoshimi Your Number" ("Enjoy Your Number") campaign, along with unique numbers passed to the CD by the SMAP members.
The purpose of the campaign will be disclosed at a later time on the Fuji TV program SMAPxSMAP. The regular edition of the single offers an access code that will allow users to download a member voice ringtone, available for a limited time until August 31st.
SMAP is scheduled to begin their nationwide tour on July 31st.
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Tracklists and credits translated by stbluemoon at this post. ^_^
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Source: Oricon, Natalie.mu