LOLOLOL. I've been here for all of those too! (I never post though..but hi!)

I remember the B&D/Pride meltdown
Startin' meltdown
and all the meltdowns until now

Started joining meltdowns since NEXT LEVEL cover I guess lol

I came here in 2004 so I only vaguely remember the forums reaction to the Avex Max problems. But I remember people were upset when she announced she'd no longer accept any awards? Lol

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Also, I can't stop listening to RAINBOW. Such a good album. everlasting dream is a great intro! It has such a mix of songs. Good covers. Good videos. I wish she'd touch upon that ethereal vibe again haha.

Omg I noticed it, too! I was like "Umm... I wonder if there's any Ayu promo in the background anywhere.. Probably not, since Ayu doesn't do much promo these days" when I started watching, but then BAM! I actually noticed it right away haha xDD

I wanted to share it, too, but thought no one would care haha Glad to know I'm not the only one who watches Dan and Phil here

P.S. Does anyone know which starbucks this is and how to get there? Would love to go there next time I'm in Japan...

They're at the Tokyu Plaza Omotesando/Harajuku, across the street from La Foret. Starbucks is on the 6th floor along with the roof terrace, but you don't have to get a drink or anything to hang out there; it's open to the public.

Same regarding Rainbow

That album is a gem

It's weird to think that in like 2004/2005, Ayu's worst album was RAINBOW to some people.

I know it might disappoint, but I want CREA back for a bit. Even CREA+Yuta or CREA+Kazuhiro Hara or something. With the input Ayu has, I'm surprised everything isn't CREA+.

I was a fan when INSPIRE came out.

I had no idea that was happening then lol.

Was rainbow bad because Ayu was originally heading in a rock direction and suddenly went quasi ethereal pop with rainbow?

Thank you so much! ^^

I think the introduction of English lyrics, for her japanese fans at least, alienated them a bit.
Not sure how the foreign fans reacted though.

Real Me was one of the songs that made me an Ayu fan. Haha

Rainbow is such an great album, it still is and probably keep being my favourite Ayu album of all times. Though it was also my first - nostalgia! :laugh
Got a fan of hers about 2004 with it and I still remember reading about her changing her lyrics style, cause of incorporating English for the first time, and how mad some japanese fans were about it. Also Rainbow did take a different direction in music than Duty and I am... before, more pop orientated and R&B/urban influences here and there as well.
Guess all this took part in the Rainbow dislike back then.
Couldn't understand back then and don't understand now.
The only other album I adore BEFORE Rainbow is LOVEppears.

RAINBOW is something I've posted about here before... It was a huge disappointment for a lot of us, that was the first time I'd seen a bunch of ayu fans lose interest all at once.

It's not that it's a bad album, it just wasn't what anyone was expecting or what anyone wanted or even what Ayu seemed to be capable of based on I am... and Duty.

wtf, really? i'd choose RAINBOW over I am... without a doubt! I am... is so overrated imo, Connected is the only song i really care about

I became a fan around the release of Mirrorcle World. No meltdown at that time lol, MW was such a gem ^^
But I became an AHS member only xince 2009, after the release of NEXT LEVEL, so the only meltdown I whitnessed was :
- Party Queen
- A SUMMER BEST
- LOVE + again = LOVE again
- Terminal single (I still don't understand this one O.o)

I love WE WISH though. It's so much better than Real Me. It has a lot of interesting layering techniques going on - you can actively jump between the different melodies as they line up perfectly with one another.

I especially love the background melody of the verse. That little electronic melody that repeats three times and on the fourth time changes rhythm and notation. Seriously adore that fourth bar.

I also love that sound effect that plays before the chorus comes in. That effect that makes it sound like everything is being wiped away before throwing the beat back in the chorus. It's especially noticeable after the bridge/breakdown.

I think another thing you have to consider regarding the initial perceptions of albums from the past is that, the people who were fans during the time of the release were already familiar with the singles. So when the album comes out, their perceptions are heavily weighted toward how they feel about the new album tracks. If you take away all the tracks that proceeded the album's release, it might become easier to understand why RAINBOW might be somewhat disappointing.

Lol but the album tracks on Rainbow are so great. The only single track that I think is super special in comparison is Free & Easy. July 1st and Hanabi are still great too.

But goodness, Over, WE WISH, everywhere nowhere, dolls, Close to you. All so lovely. And the interludes really set the mood to me.

Becoming a fan well after Rainbow was released. I would have loved for her to keep the sound of songs like Over, dolls, everywhere nowhere. Or at least repeat them once.

Definitely still better than the albums before it.

I don't think RAINBOW is bad, but I do prefer the post-apocalyptical / semi-industrial sound of I Am...

WE WISH is such a boring song. The layers and shit are nice, but idk it's just so boring lol RAINBOW is one of my least-favorite albums from Ayu; but I can't even pin-point why. HANABI is a godly song though so idk lmao

What a coincidence, I just finished listening to RAINBOW via CD. It's a great album! ;) I really like the flow.