I see. I LOVE the melody lol. It's so beautiful and classic sounding.

BoY is my absolute favourite song like... ever... But no, crossroads have nothing in common I must say. I guess we will see after the HQ comes out but Im pretty sure of what I'm hearing here and its not BoY II. While BoY leaves you with a mountain of feelings like guilt, sadness, angry and no hope I must say crossroads seemes to be like a melody more with security and walking along a road by yourself but not weak or whatever. Maybe I read into it too much, but crossroads doesnt seeme to be a favourite of mine.

"crossroad" really does sound like an early 90s globe song, or really any early 90s pop ballad. I do like it (especially the strings), but it has an odd "Flavor of Life (Ballad Version)" vibe to it as if it belongs in a J-Dorama series. It's the kind of sound that the Japanese tend to love and may therefore help the single gain popularity among casual Japanese listeners, but I honestly wonder how well the single will sell since it doesn't progressively take Ayu's sound to the "next level" in preparation for #50. Again, I like the song and can understand why others do too, but I also fully understand why others don't like it.

Where are the "Because of You" and "theme of a-nation" comparisons coming from? It's more like a "LOVE ~Destiny~ x POWDER SNOW" hybrid.

It's just the chorus and pre-chorus part that bothers me. The verses are good. I'm not too upset about not liking it though, there's 4 other new songs to look forward too. :yes

:high5:

me too :yes. But I'm less bothered by the a-nation preview than the original one.

That's what's really great about how she's releasing things lately. It's not just 2 new songs then we have to wait 3-4 months for a new single. If fans don't like something there's still a lot of new songs coming our way very soon that they could have a better chance of liking :yes

The verses definitely sound Final Fantasy-ish! That's probably why I'm in love with them~!!!

To be honest, the verses sound like they're going in a different direction than the chorus... The chorus kind of sounds out of place. But I still like it a lot.

Ohmygod, you're absolutely right. I hear that, too :D

I'm really excited for this -- listening to what I can make out of how she's singing and the instruments, I think it sounds different from most of Ayu's typical sweeping or "epic" songs of late. There's something about it that reminds me, as people have said, of BALLAD, I am..., theme of a-nation '03. It's not necessarily a comparison of compositions, more so the FEEL of the song. Something somber but hopeful.

It sounds very pretty :) I'm looking forward to its release.

ETA: And, just to chime in, the chorus is my favorite part XD It goes chorus > verse > pre-chorus, in rankings of my favorites.

Ughhhhhhh I want this single right now... More than anything! Been listening to it all day.

The way she's singing it is what's most amazing to me. It's like how interesting she made her voice sound in some of the songs on the I am... album. I know this is random, but Days just came up on shuffle and crossroad makes me hate Days even more. The way she sings Days is 100% opposite of how she sings crossroad. She sounds so bored and uninterested in that song and like she's not even trying. I'm glad nowadays she is putting a lot more effort/emotion into her ballads.

^ Really? I think Days is sang perfectly for what it's about...

I have to wait !!!!!
I can't hear a lot in this new preview from a-nation but thanks

I think I know what identity's getting at -- what made me so torn about Days when I first heard it was how I felt like she was just phoning in the emotions, not really being sincere or even successfully pretending sincerity. It just felt so lackluster so I kinda forgot about the song but, as I listen to it recently, I feel like she's sort of subdued because she's reflecting to herself about what she's thinking/feeling. It's sort of like quiet introspection, I guess? It's still not my favorite ballad by a long shot, though lol.

I, too, am glad that there's more emotion in her ballads than not. That's one of the things that immediately struck me about crossroad.

I agree with you. She put the right emotion in Days. Days is something more about a (teenage) girl's feeling toward a guy (who has a girlfriend). It's more likely a secret love or something. Her emotion connects to the song very well. I just dun think using a strong emotion would fit this song.

And probly I'm a sucker to songs like Days. I just dun like ballads with too much emotions within. Sometimes it's like the emotion of the voice drags me into the song, and the deeper feeling of the song is blocked by that.

Yeah I think too much emotion would have been creepy! :laugh

I really want to listen to crossroad more but I also dont 'cause I don't want to spoil it before we get a HQ rip!!!! What to do!

What time do we usually get covers/leaks of the songs? Shouldn't be too far away should it?

Yes! 99% of Ayu's ballads I can get some sort of feeling from, Days is that 1% I can't.

Quite a few people say that about Days... But I guess I could say the same for Last Links! :laugh

I think they both have emotion-just not as obvious or powerful as some of her other songs.
I also think Days is very much a winter song if that makes sense. I know I understand it more when the weather is cold.

About the emotion part? I mean, I know you think her vocals are awful in that song but I don't know how you can't hear how emotional she sounds in it. That's true feeling right there <3

I guess.. while it is not really like a typical ayu ballad according to the lyrics. When I looked at translation back then, I felt like the song should be sung by teenage girls instead. It sorta against her other lyrics because ayu usually produced something towards darker, deeper, mature thoughts. I never imagine ayu running around and hoping to meet her secret crush. That's why when I listened to Days, my visual imagination is rather about ayu remembering her past, the time when she always met her secret crush... something like that.

I kind of think that, no matter how old you are, sometimes the feelings you get for someone can make you feel like a teenager again. People often only pretend to be mature.

Ayu has always been very child like.

I agree. Just remembering what she said here at around 1:51 :P

I feel absolutely nothing from that song lol. I've grown to like it to the point I'll listen to it and enjoy it, same with MOON. But feelings and emotion...? Nahhhhh xD; I feel more emotion from teddy bear and I absolutely LOATH her vocals in that song. But I can feel the emotion.

Days is an airy song about having a simple crush on someone and those warm, fuzzy feelings that can hurt, not like her truly painful songs about losing someone she loved, etc so I don't expect it to have like 100% pure emotion into it. It's just a cute song, that's it.

^ Yup. It's probably meant to make you feel all warm and toasty like mittens and hot cocoa.

... That was so lame of me XD

Well it's not like she has to sound all depressed for me to get feeling from it. Like in meaning of Love her voice gives off a happy feeling, for days it's like nothing.

*listens to Days*

:shakehead

I definitely don't know where you're coming from identity, sorry! To each his/her own though.

That's okay, I really don't know where you're coming from with Last Links :laugh
Our opinions on some songs are very different :yes

But we CAN agree on looking forward to crossroad in HQ, ne? :D

i love days. it had a special place in my heart for a while because i could relate to it. i also love last links. they both were full of emotion imo. i think ayu's songs are always full of emotion (save for a few where she sounded completely monotone and bored.)

like momentum. yuck!

:yes Definitely. I'm curious how the PV will be too.

omg you did not just go there.

OMG WAT. NAH UH. GURL DON'T GO THURR!

The only song I can think of where she's super monotone is appears. Ugh.

i actually really love momentum too. ^ i agree, i can't stand appears because she sounds so blah.

That's true, appears and momentum kinda sound monotome but they have a sort of really sad feelings (especially appears, i like its bittersweet lyrics) pretty different from her usual sad songs. So I like them both :yes

^*hugs you*

BLASPHEMY! *throws holy water on you both*

lol She does sound pretty monotonous on appears but for the beat and melody I think it suits the song and I personally love the monotone vocals (on that song, at least. It wouldn't really work at all on a lot of her other ballads). :P

I keep reading monotonous as "monochrome" which.. is the only song in Ayu's entire discog that I think of IMMEDIATELY when I think of her sounding depressed/flat. In a good way though, since that makes sense given the context of the song!

LET'S ALL HOP IN A TIME MACHINE TO THE DAY WE GET COVERS FOR CROSSROAD AND L =D

omg best comment in this thread. hopping in right now!

DAYS IS AMAZING! :yes
Lol, I will preach that until the "Day" is die! I think the song is perfect. I love the way she sings it. It's so "bittersweet" and that's exactly what the lyrics represent. I couldn't imagine her singing it any other way. Nor would I want her to.

make room for me too! i want some sexy ayu covers :luv2 time machine, awaaaaaay!!

...you know what I just realized? :shakehead

There are so many conflicting opinions in this thread. Some of us hate the song, some love it. Some think it sounds like this song, and some another... but... no one is fighting.

:thud

Is it really possible at AHS? :laugh

That's because a collection of the best and brightest users on AHS are converging on this thread for a discussion XD

Yeah, I like how everyone is being respectful of each others opinions this time. It's really nice.

hahaha yes. I love all you guys from the last few pages~

^^^Good discussions are one of the things that make AHS worth it~

:grouphug

Quick, spread the love to pass the time until the singles are released!!



One thing I'll say right here and now is that I hope to SOMEONE'S GOD that her mouth is closed in the covers. Or even just one cover shot. I'm so tired of all these singers, actresses, models, etc. thinking that it's a good idea to do this half-parted lip thing. They look really silly and it's damned distracting.

Though I didn't mind it so much on the MOON/blossom covers, which I thought were quite pretty.

I think it just really depends. Sometimes she can look great with her mouth slightly open and sometimes it can just look awkward. When she shows too much of her teeth I think it's kinda awkward. For the covers I'd like her to be smiling in at least one of them. Or if they're going to be sexy I'd like her facial expressions to be like either of the pics in your current set :yes

^I agree. Sometimes she looks great doing her weird pout/fish lips/whatever you wanna call it, but sometimes it's just... :no I would like it if she stayed away from it this time around though, regardless, because it has been really overused the past few years. It was so scary on the Rule / Sparkle covers.

Don't jinx it, we already had one troll disrupting the peace in the first few pages. She might come back. :laugh



:D

I'm hoping for a closed mouth as well... I really want one of those soft expressions where she's looking far off with a serene looking smile (or rather ANY smile other than the not m(u) smile). :P She looks so beautiful in those type of pictures (&, CAROLS, BLUE BIRD, Moments).

^ Oh those are some of her best single covers ever in the history of ever :luv2 I want covers like those! <3 Sooo much :thud It would be amazing to have a cover that combines each amazing quality of &, CAROLS, BLUE BIRD, and Moments into one fabulously perfect cover :heart

/end fantasy :P

I think the R/S cover (the CD+DVD one anyway) was very intentionally. I think she was going for an Anime-ish look to contribute with the major tie-in. She looked like a character right out of the show lol.

Those covers are great! I love her expression in them. You can tell it just came naturally in those pics instead of her expression being forced into something that doesn't even look good (Rule/Sparkle and S/S covers for example). I also love her expressions in all of the You were.../BALLAD covers.

Oh yes, please give us a smile on at least one version of one cover. Her smiles are so beautiful; I don't know why she hides it! But I'm usually very tolerant of covers, so what can I say? I'll like it anyway.

"closed mouth"
:yes :yes :yes :yes :yes

Who likes the fish lips ?
anyone ?

I want an happy and super excited ayu in her 50th single

The promo pic for BLUE BIRD is a perfect example of one of Ayu's beautiful, natural smiles, no? :3

here:
http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/a...3/3cbd298e.jpg

And of course, the entire RnRC photobook had gorgeous natural smiles :heart

I absolutely love the beginning, the verses, and the bridge!!! but not so much the chorus...especially after the bridge to the end of the song =( Hopefully the chorus will grow on me later.

I like it when it doesn't make her look crazy lol. I don't think it was that bad on MOON/blossom to be honest... If it's meant to be a little goofy like on Rule/Sparkle, I don't mind them either.

I stopped caring about the fishlips a while ago. A lot of people are doing it so it's just like whatever I'm used to it now.

I'm predicting them on crossroad but she just HAS to smile on L though... }{ and & were perfect covers with her natural smile, so I'm really hoping for L too.

I'd dieeeee. :luv2 :luv2

I thought she looked more like a drag queen than an anime character. :laugh But at least the covers weren't flat out ugly like S/S~LOVE is ALL~ or boring.

:laugh :laugh :laugh

Ayu is the best looking drag queen I've ever seen LOL. I'm not sure what to expect with the new covers. I never am! All I know is if I like them, I'm like, "Ah, okay... cool!" If I love them I raise my hands in the air and scream "YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" If I hate them I scream "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! :tired:headache:shakehead:dead2"

So far the hate has only happened with S/S covers! I figure, things can only go UP from there... I'm not sure if covers could get any worse to be honest lol. So that gives me high hopes for crossroad and L. :yes I wish she'd just come out with a confirmed tracklist or covers or something so I can pre-order what I want lol.

^Same! The wait is killing me! :dead

It's not like she hides it, because she has such a cute natural smile when she's in photo shoots, but sometimes the pics don't make the covers/magazines. I just remember this gorgeous picture of her smile on the set of the Sweet June 2010 shoot that didn't make the cut :(
http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/332/38586937.png

^^^Yeah, Sunrise/Sunset are are really the only covers I actually hate. I'm not that fond of Rock'n'Roll Circus's though, but they're not bad.



They could be cousins. :innocent j/k xDD

But yeah, I feel really optimistic about crossroad's covers. I think they'll be really serene. Maybe a summer version of the No way to say or You were... / BALLAD covers?

I have no clue what to expect from L, but H topped A and & topped H so here's to hoping L tops &! :D

Maybe she'll be completely naked, nipples and all. AHS would crash and burn heheh.

I kinda want to see her with wings. Dunno why...

^^ :roflmao

I'M MAD HE LOOKS BETTER THAN I DO!!!

AHS rules forbid posting that kind of content. We'd all get banned for trying to post the covers. xDD

The day we have to censor an Ayu cover is the day AHS explodes!

It's Ayu, they'd have to make an exception.

:roflmao

damn i wish she would be smiling at lesat!

Do you know where I can find it among TeamAyu blog posts Ayu has made?

i personally love TK's works & love the 90s J-pop scene. therefore, i love what i've heard from crossroad. :laugh however, even though TK's influence is all over the song, it still remains an Ayu song. :)

i'm just glad she's using someone that she doesn't constantly work with. i'm thrilled it's Komuro and while i don't think it's going to be her best song ever, it's something i can remember. as much as i adore Ayu, i'm having a really hard time distinguishing tracks, especially the recent ones...

LMAO

Not the cover but some nip action in the booklet pics would be extremely nice.... :lech

& will be a tough cover to top... but a naked Ayu tops anything. :innocent

^ actually there would be no top
har har har

Omg, does crossroad really sounds like GREEN or BALLAD? I would die if thats true.
Oriental songs are never enough. I want album full of oriental songs omg <3333

To me it doesn't sound like an oriental song at all :/ It sounds awesome, but not like either of those songs.

I seriously cant wait for HQ, then Ill download and listen. If its a slow song thats good too! Slow songs :love

i think crossroad sounds like powder snow.. wishing...the type of songs in asfxx album..
so nostalgic :)

The preview is so epic TvT
Is it too soon if I want the PV??
so worth for buying ;D

:roflmao

I would love that :lech

Nothing is never too soon for a fan, on the contrary XD
But I think we have to wait at least 3 weeks to get the full PV, haven't we ? What we can hope in a few days is the complete tracklist imo !

i took a listen to the crossroad LQ rip, and i think i like it much better than the preview we got awhile ago. it sounds kinda dramatic to me. and i like those kind of songs, so...i hope i'll still like it in full (and in HQ) :D

That "oriental" feel was the first thing I was thinking about when I heard the a-nation rip of "crossroad"...

I would love to see Ayu on L's cover in that pose:

* don't hate on Gaga it's just a reference pose pic! ;D

With a DARK hair like in INSPIRE, and a big L made it with Glitter (depends on version - diffrent glitter colour!) Or something like my ava hairstyle <3

^maybe. but different clothes, hair etc.

yes, 'course! But i mean the pose only :)

What I would love the most is for all these beauty shots to go away and switch her cover art to something more artistic ^^

That pose GaGa is doing would be great for the "L" covers. Notice, she's making L's with each of her arms. ;)

That's why i posted it :D

Hey since "L" is a roman numeral, what does anyone think of Ayu being modeled after one of the famous Roman empresses on the cover? Just idea.

Ok I think whoever is supposed to update her site just isn't doing their job now, this is ridiculous.

^hey if its that bad I'm sure Ayu will fire the guy.

It's not like I expect covers yet, just the full tracklist. I don't think it's too much to ask for :dead2 Especially on TA when really you're supposed to get this kind of info early.

Lately usually the main cover/or covers come with the full tracklist.

@identity: Well technically speaking a lot of people in Japan have already heard crossroad, so it's not like both singles are a full total mystery, so I guess I can't say she's trying to keep things as a BIG surprise. Also, I think the preorder numbers for these new singles will increase once there is some more information on them. But yes, hopefully they'll get put up the information and covers real soon. If they're not out by September 1st then I'll most likely be upset. Just recently, I'm more upset with the mail. No matter where I order something from they've been taking forever.

The diva thing has been done. I want something new and fresh. Something artsy but still tasteful. Something meaningful. With an amazing picture of her as well, of course. LOL

Hey, how about sorta like an ancient Roman feel mixed with a new sorta modern day thing if you know what i mean?

From what I can imagine, it seems great ! She's never used the ancient Roman style so far, has she ?

Kylie Minogue just used that idea for her recent album... Great CD btw.