| Unbalance+Balance | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Akina Nakamori |
| Cover: | Unbalance Balance (Akina Nakamori album cover jacket).jpg |
| Released: | 22 September 1993 4 December 2002 (as Unbalance+Balance+6) |
| Recorded: | 1992–1993 |
| Genre: | J-pop |
| Length: | 42:47 (original) 72:46 (reissue) |
| Language: | Japanese |
| Label: | MCA |
| Producer: | Akina Nakamori |
| Prev Title: | Best III |
| Prev Year: | 1992 |
| Next Title: | Utahime |
| Next Year: | 1994 |
Unbalance+Balance is the fifteenth studio album by Japanese singer Akina Nakamori and first studio album to be released during the 1990s. It was released on 22 September 1993 under the MCA Records label
The album includes the double A-side singles "Not Crazy to Me" (coupled with "Everlasting Love" and "Aibu" (couple with "Kataomoi").[1] [2]
In 2002 was released re-printed version of the album Unbalance+Balance+6, which includes the original version of "Not Crazy to Me", the single "Everlasting Love", "Yoru no Dokoka de", and B-sides "Rose Bud" and "Blue Lace", which was previously unreleased from the album sessions.[3]
Unbalance+Balance is Nakamori's first studio album to be released after four years and on a new recording label.
The first production of the album started in summer 1992, after Nakamori finished filming television drama Sugao no Mama de.[3] According to recording producer, Nakamori's distanced from her casual style and along with new music production staff aimed more into contemporary style.[4]
Some of the past musical writers were involved with the album, including Takashi Matsumoto, Makoto Sekiguchi from C-C-B, Koji Tamaki from Anzen Chitai and Brasilian singer-songwriter Osny Melo. Among new team includes well-known names as Ryuuichi Sakamoto, Nokko from Rebecca and Tetsuya Komuro. Composer Akira Senju later become the main producer of the series of cover albums "Utahime".
With this album, Nakamori began to be in the charge of producing her albums. It is her second self-produced album for the first time in seven years.
It was Nakamori's idea to write two songs with same melody yet different lyrics: Eien no Tobira was written by Natsuno Serino and Kagerou by Nakamori herself. It's Nakamori's first original song for first time in 9 years.[5]
Aibu was later recorded as a B-side on the cover single "Kataomoi" in 1994.[6]
The album consists of one previously released single.[7]
"Not Crazy to Me" is a B-side take from Nakamori's twenty-seventh single "Everlasting Love". It was written by Nokko and produced by Ryuuichi Sakamoto. It was released on 21 May 1993. It was Nakamori's the first single to be released in two years under new recording label. It includes a new melodical arrangement to the original. The original version was included on the reissue version of album, Unbalance+Balance+6 and the compilation album Utahime Densetsu: 90's Best.[8] [9]
The single debuted at number 10 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart and was Nakamori's final single to be released in compact disc format.
While the singles "Gekka" and "Aibu" were performed on later live tours and music television programs, the album tracks "Kurobara" was performed during the one-night live Parco Threatre Live in 1994; "Norma Jean" on the Spoon tour in 1998; and "Eien no Tobira" and "Hikaru no Nai Mangekyō" were performed for the first time on the acoustic 21 Seiki he no Tabidachi tour. Kagerou was performed very often as well: Parco Theatre Live, True Akina Live in 1995 and acoustic live tour 21 Seiki he no Tabidachi.
The album reached at number 4 on the Oricon Album Weekly Chart charted for nine consecutive weeks with sales of 186,600 copies.[10] [11] [12] Re-issue version of the album debut at number 58 on the Billboard Japan´s Weekly album Charts.[13]
Until 2002 cover album Zero Album Utahime 2, none of Nakamori albums did not debut in the top 10 of the weekly Oricon Albums Chart.
| Year | Format(s) | Serial number | Label(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | CT, CD, DCC | MVTD-4, MVXD-7, MVCD-9 | MCA | [14] |
| 2002 | CD, digital download | UMCK-1149 | UMJ | [15] |
| 2017 | UHQCD | UPCH-7267 | UMJ | [16] |
| 2023 | LP, CD | UPCY-7836, UPJY-9337/8 | UMJ | [17] |
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