New Yuki Album: WAVE

This is the fourth full-lenth solo album release from YUKI! 'Wave' includes the singles "Nagai Yume," "Dramatic," "Yorokobi no Tane," "Melancholinista," and "Fugainaiya". This album follows the strange practice (as heard on the recent 'Ultra Blue' by Utada Hikaru) of including the last five or so singles plus a few b-sides. Which leaves space for five new songs on a 'new' album. But like the Utada album, those five new songs would be worth the ticket price alone, and it's nice to have all those super single-tracks together. I rushed out to purchase this first-thing today on its release day as the 'first pressing' has a different cover and a bonus DVD with three promo videos. After a few days these limited CDs are nowhere to be found.
To anyone not aquainted with Yuki- everyone outside of Japan- she can be described as a Japanese Bjork in terms of her petite frame, quirky style, and love-it-or-hate-it voice. And Yuki's voice could peel paint of the wall at times, I'm sure, but I wouldn't have it any other way. After two listens: definitely Top-5-J-Pop-album-of-all-time material. The downside is she's just had a baby and is taking time-out from her singing career...