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}} ''Tree'' (stylized as ''TREE'') is the seventh Japanese studio album (fourteenth overall) by South Korean pop duo Tohoshinki, released by Avex Trax on March 5, 2014. The record was released in four physical versions, each with a seasonal theme cover – Version A (Spring/Summer), a CD+DVD version with music videos; Version B (Autumn), another CD+DVD version with off-shot movies; Version C (Winter), a CD only version with two bonus tracks; and Version D, a fan club limited edition with a CD-Extra. Musically, ''Tree'' is a varied pop music album that is influenced by a broad range of musical genres, such as electronic dance music, hip hop, R&B, swing jazz, rock music, power ballads, and reggae. Recording for the album began well before the launch of their sixth Japanese studio album ''Time'' in early 2013. ''Tree'' was Tohoshinki's fourth consecutive album to debut at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart and the ''Billboard'' Japan Top Albums, selling 225,000 copies on its first week of release. With ''Tree'', Tohoshinki became the first foreign group in Japan to have three consecutive studio albums with first-week sales of over 200,000 copies, breaking Bon Jovi's thirteen-year record. Less than four weeks after release, the album earned a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of over 250,000 copies. All four of the album's commercially successful singles – "Ocean", "Scream", "Very Merry Xmas", and "Hide & Seek / Something" – debuted at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and achieved gold certifications by the RIAJ. To promote the album, Tohoshinki embarked on their seventh nationwide tour, Tree: Live Tour 2014 from April to June 2014. ==Background and release== ''Tree'' was officially announced on January 10, 2014 through Tohoshinki's official website.〔 It contains a total of fourteen tracks, including two bonus tracks, all which were revealed on January 21, 2014. Following the convention of using the first letter 'T' in their album titles, the duo explained in a January 2014 interview that the name "Tree" was meant to be used as a metaphor for their growth as artists. Tree is also an element of growth in East Asian mythology. Yunho and Changmin added in a later interview that the name was actually inspired by the children's picture book ''The Giving Tree'', and that ''Tree'' sends a message about giving. Recording sessions for ''Tree'' coincided with the duo's seventh Korean album, ''Tense'', which was released in January 2014. Similar to the duo's last two Japanese records, ''Tree'' delves into the usual electronic landscape in its dance tracks, some with hip hop and rock influences. The duo also experimented with genres they previously have not attempted before, such as swing jazz and reggae. A variety of different power ballads permeate throughout the album; "I Love You", written by Katsuhiko Yamamoto, emphasizes the duo's emotive vocal harmony with minimalist programming. Only 22 people were behind the song's instrumental arrangement, playing the piano, guitar, cello, and strings. However, Yamamoto's other composition in the album, , uses smooth R&B arrangements. The song was written after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and its lyrical content refers to hope and faith. On January 28, 2014, the official covers for ''Tree'' were revealed on Japanese newspapers, music retailers and Tohoshinki's official website. Each album cover represented a season of the year; Version A, a CD+DVD version with music videos, fell on Spring/Summer; Version B, a CD+DVD version with off-shot movies and live performances, fell on Autumn; and Version C, a CD-only version with two bonus tracks, fell on Winter. Version D, which features bare-shouldered Yunho and Changmin on the cover, was a limited edition that was exclusive for registered members of Bigeast, Tohoshinki's official fanclub in Japan. First press limited editions also included a photo card. A short version of the music video for the album's promotional single "Tree of Life" premiered on February 4, 2014. ''Tree'' was introduced on TV Osaka's ''Japan Countdown'' on February 9, 2014. On February 15, the special website for ''Tree'' was opened, and the lyrics to seven songs in the album were revealed. In early March 2014, Tohoshinki celebrated the album release with an exhibition opened in Shibuya Tower Records in Tokyo. Pre-orders for ''Tree'' were sent out a few days prior to the official March 5 release date. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tree (TVXQ album)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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