I agree.

Blasphemmyyyyyyyyy

I don't know but I'd love to have whatever you guys are smoking. To me, November is the epitome of that cheesy 90s sound/production, and not in a good way. It's the sort of song that requires a mature voice like Keiko's to pull off otherwise it just sounds silly, like its current iteration. It doesn't help that the arrangement sounds like MIDIs circa 2000. You can tell she's trying so hard to inject energy into a chorus that doesn't go anywhere, but it doesn't work -- and that's me listening to it on a good day, because 90% of the time I hear the opening and skip it altogether. It is just not an enjoyable song to me in any way, and I feel physically pained when I listen to it.

Last angel I can grudgingly like on SOME occasions, I just really wish it was better produced. I bet it would sounds really awesome remixed. (new ayu trance pl0x)

All in all there were some great songs on Love songs but the whole album suffered from bad arrangements, bad production, which is a shame.

BUT ANYWAY, this thread is about the new single. Like I said, TK is still a very competent writer (Walk was beautiful), I just hope she picks the right song of his to perform, rather than another globe reject.

Cannot tell if trolling or autocorrect fail...

:no

I wish more people heard what we're apparently hearing x_x The production on the album really does have a very amateur "no real instruments, just keyboard" sound for almost every song. It all sounds like demos, or it sounds dated, aside from Love song and do it again. I've NEVER been able to get past how much the album sounds like stuff I could have done on my Casio when I was in elementary school.

It doesn't bother me so much that it sounds like that - if Ayu were this new indie artist I'd have been blown away by the album's promise. But the final release of a major album by the biggest selling solo female artist in Japanese history just should NOT sound so unprofessional.

Regarding "November," I agree with Zeke that the lack of a climax or resolution is probably completely deliberate. But the song is so steady throughout that the "loop" is what I'm hearing... there's no aural cue that I'm supposed to expect anything from the start. The instrumentation doesn't build up gradually over the course of the song and then leave me hanging, which is what "Walk" does, so it accomplishes the "no resolution" thing muuuuch better. "Walk" actually creates tension that you want to be relieved; "November" creates no such tension. It's just dull.

Ayu finished TK song and now work with Tetsuya Yukumi

he wrote
Angel's Song, Memorial Address, Hope or Pain, Happy Ending, Moments, walking proud, INSPIRE, Honey, (miss)understood, Jewel, momentum, kiss o' kil, Secret, part of Me, (don't) leave me alone, Guilty, My All, Green, Count Down, Last links, meaning of Love, Red Line (for TA) and Last minute

i wouldn't mind for another INSPIRE or (don't) Leave me alone :yes

Oohhh my goodness!!! Seems I already need this single/album right now!

So she's reprising two of the composers from the last single... Hopefully it'll be a consistent album :)

Yaaas all the jams!

Tetsuya Yukumi Compositions
ANGEL'S SONG
Memorial address
Moments
INSPIRE
HOPE or PAIN
HAPPY ENDING
walking proud
HONEY
(miss)understood
JEWEL
momentum
kiss o' kill
Secret
part of Me
(don't) Leave me alone
GUILTY
MY ALL
reBIRTH
Life
GREEN
RED LINE ~for TA~
count down
Last Links
meaning of Love
Last minute

Tetsuya Komuro Compositions
A Song is born
crossroad
Virgin Road
Last angel
Love song
sending mail
Like a doll
Thank U
do it again
November
You & Me
snowy kiss
Ivy
Feel the love
Walk

And they are mainly the composers of the songs so they weren't in charge of their sound/musical style (unless they helped direct the production of the songs along with the arranger, without arranging them).

So there will be another Kunio Tago song as well? lol

I miss Bounceback.

i miss CREA.

They basically wrote all of my favourite songs from her entire discography LOL

TK songs are mostly medium hit level. But I love "Love song" and "do it again" a lot.

And TK nightmares "You & Me" and "Feel the love".... please don't.
Just don't.

Yukumi have some strong hits: Memorial address, Moments, INSPIRE, JEWEL, kiss 'o kill, GREEN are those songs like, everybody like em. I can't imagine anybody hating on JEWEL or INSPIRE or kiss 'o kill :v

In terms of music and composition, I truly feel Ayu has songs that are leagues above most J-pop and pop music in general. LOVE again tho was really lacking in the production & mixing departments. I just hope that this new album is not a repeat of that...

Can we have a HQ version of Tell all? PLEASE.

^ I second that. I would also pay good money for remastered editions of all her albums from Party Queen to Colours. Lol.

^Why? You would pay money for a remastered album that isn't even a year old yet?

^ the mixing/mastering just isn't particularly great. started to get really wonky with PQ.

it's crazy how MY STORY and Memorial address are over ten years old now, but still sound more dynamic from a stereo system than her recent work. even the synthier tracks like HONEY and No way to say have SO much "kick" to them. I'm not a sound expert, so I can't really pinpoint it.

Yes +100000000. I'd kill for PQ onward rereleased with new mixes/masters. :( This is honestly my main source of discontentment with her recent music. I feel like most of these songs would be fine if they were just as TECHNICALLY good as MY STORY, Memorial address etc.