Now, about this great Japanese version of "I Wanna Be With You". Not only is the music great pop in the best sense of the word, she transcends teen pop, and these songs all hold up. Why?? I would say they remain fresh cuz they weren't killed by overexposure. I would say these 17 tunes have a timelessness about them which does not date the songs to a particular period of time. They're not overproduced, feel like plastic or fake. Mandy sings with a genuine soulfulness not inherent in her age then. Plus, she sings a ballad like the title track with a sweetness, purity and honesty her peers could never GET. The producers here must have let Mandy stretch or something, cuz she sounds great. So great, even Lesley Gore woulda stood up and taken notice of Mandy's talent!!

Sure, Mandy has evolved, but this was a swell starting point. Not only that, it's probably worked to her benefit she didn't break huge, because she wouldn't have been able to evolve as a singer and artist. She is not stuck, married to a particular song or style, made to record "Candy" or "Cry" parts 1, 2, + 3. She's even dabbling in songwriting; I'd love to hear a whole album of Mandy originals!! Maybe after "Coverage".

Now, why is this Japanese CD the best choice of purchase of her earlier stuff?? Because, it takes 99% of the studio cuts from the US CDs of "So Real" and "I Wanna Be With You: Special Edition", and puts them all in 1 place, a convenient 17-track disc. HOWEVER, it drops the remixes from IWBWY-SE, and also leaves off, who knows why, "Love Shot". Now, that song is on the CD single of IWBWY-Pt 1, so no need to duplicate albums with the US CD of "So Real", just buy that CD single. And, the remixes, and then some, are also on CD singles. Plus, that IWBWY-SE disc is sequenced badly, with an odd track order, mixes that feel out of place, and duplicate songs from "So Real". This disc is much improved, it corrects the flaws of the US releases, the track order is much better, the sound quality is of higher Japanese standards, AND it includes a lyric booklet for ALL songs!! The Japanese rule when it comes to CDs!!


I Wanna Be With Mandy!   July 31, 2000
ANANDA GOH (New Zealand)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

This album is definitely the coolest album on Earth! I especially like that song: "I Wanna Be With You", "Your Face", and "Want You Back." There are some nice ballads and rock/pop music in the album. A little bit of mixture of them all, here and there. You can always hear Mandy's distinctive sweet voice, the sound of heaven...... So, get out there and support this beautiful and talented young lady! She will kick everyone out of the charts and it would be so nice to see that! Mandy's DA BOMB! I love you Mandy!