why is timmy in the videos u_u none of her bg-singers have been in her videos like this before?

From previews:

Party queen: Still don't love it, and probably won't listen to it much, but it sounds a lot better in HQ. Still a little "empty".

NaNaNa: I'm lovnig what I'm hearing. Sounds new and yet kinda nostalgic.

Shake It♥: I love it too! Sexy!!!!

taskebab: interludes never interest me much, from any artist.

call: Gives me good vibes. Nice. Very "mainstream" for Ayu.

Letter: My least favorite thus far, listening in order. We shall see with the full version.

Reminds Me: Kinda generic and blends with the last two songs, but I like it more than Letter. It sounds promising.

Return Road: I love this. Darkest so far.

Tell Me Why: I love the dark slowness of it. Like a creeping shadow.

a cup of tea: Just my cup of tea. I just said I don't like interludes, but this is really amazing!!!! Wish it was a full song.

the next LOVE: A very different sound for Ayu and I kinda love it. I hope she does more like this.

Eyes, Smoke, Magic: Kinda this albums Sexy Little Things, but slower. Preview is too short for me to really make even a snap judgement, because I don't like the beginning, but just as it ends I wanna hear more. We shall see~

Serenade in A minor: Love this too. Again, I'm surpirsed because I'm not one for interludes. Still, I like a cup of tea better.

Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised. Since I'm not a fan of the two songs that were released, I was kinda scared, but I really love most of these songs. This album kinda makes me think of an old Hollywood movie. Starts off with all the fame and glitz, but then goes to some darker areas, like when an actor falls from grace.

Most excited for: NaNaNa, Shake It♥, Return Road and Tell me why, because they are my favorite, and I'm curious as to how Eyes, Smoke, Magic turns out.

I think she hired him partly because he's an actor/singer/composer.

It's not a good idea though that he keeps showing up since a lot of people aren't really too fond of him at the moment because of it.

call and Letter remind me of anime ending themes. I just get that vibe from them. :3

And NaNaNa is far too damn catchy for its own good. LOVE it.

Shake it♥ and Tell me why... idk I think I need to hear the full versions of those.

There's nothing I overtly dislike. I'm actually pumped for this after hearing these samples. Ayu never disappoints me. :]

thanks a lot

What is he wearing in that video? what's wrong with him... lol
And that hair! o.O

the more i listen the more i feel the next LOVE sounds like Pride!

Yeah, Ayu has a horrible habit of picking up a pet and shoving him into everything she does for a period of time. It's really annoying. She needs to realize she, as an act, is Ayumi Hamasaki, not Ayumi Hamasaki + Timmy or Ayumi Hamasaki + Shuya or Ayumi Hamasaki + Naoya and whoever else. :grumpy We listen to her for Ayu, not Ayu with Timmy rapping and Timmy dancing and Timmy being in every single thing she does.

The more I watch him the less I like them...
It's just... ugh. I feel about about it because I really dont know him, but I just dont care for him (although his music is pretty good)

She.should.just.stop.this.whole.Timmy.craping.crap .

My biggest issue with this is how he thinks he's doing a DUO with her. He was perfect in Brilliante; but thats enough. I didn't like him rapping on CDL12. I was all, "WHO THE **** ARE YOU? GET OFF THAT STAGE!" I saw that no one else seemed to appreciate him either.

Maybe it has to do something that he just came from no where and is now the 2nd star. I wish he had been hinding in the background for a year or so before popping in so much as he has now.

Could also be some inner jealousy thing that I'm not just aware of. Yet I seriously hate the rapping.

tbh i don't really mind him dancing and composing (well the only song i heard so far that was composed by him was brillante so i may change my mind after listening to the songs he composed in party queen) but yeah he sang in BRILLANTE, happening here, hbya, and now NaNaNa... Please, i listen to ayumi for HER, for ayumi hamasaki, not for timmy. I really loved him in brillante, but... no.

I remember when people liked Timmy, lol
I don't care as long he is not really a "feature". The rap sounds good in NaNaNa and I don't mind his choirs/ even I prefer male choirs than the female ones.

Timmy reminds me a bit of the guy who raps in TRF, ugh.

Rapping in NaNaNa? Where did you hear that?

It was in the preview that was shown on TV.

There's the party we heard in the preview and then there's the part that has Timmy rapping in English.

They all sounds pretty fantastic! I can't wait for NaNaNa and Shake it though!!

Oh no; does he rap in NaNaNa too? IF its bad I'll seriously cut it out of the song. I really despise rapping in songs that aren't rap songs.

Return Road also sounds pretty bad ass... although Eyes, Smoke, Magic was not what I thought it was going to be...hopefully I'll like the full version!

lord, i hope the rapping is only in the video...
PLease, please, please.

idk about rapping...let's wait and see...

The backing vocals in call remind me of both Sunrise and hanabi ~episode ii~
Ahhhh I just keep listening and loving everything more!!

This sounds good so far. I hope the full songs don't disappoint, and that the production is excellent.

If Ayu asked any one of you guys, to do these things. Would you really say no?

After she believed in you so much as to ask?

Anyways, I don't like rapping (like this), I don't like most of his songs, I doubt he can dance, I'd rather have Ayu solo anyday...but idk Ayu's been letting me down with her music like forever. Nothing she does is something I want. But if this is the sound she wants...then that's up to her.

In any case, I hope people will...give it a chance. Just to see, maybe they'll be surprised.

I sat through a Tokyo Jihen album earlier. If I can give Shiina Ringo's dying cat voice a chance, I can give Timmy's rap a chance :laugh


well, the good news is, the overusingtimmy people now have more leverage for their argument.

NaNaNa sounds really cool
Reminds me.... please have pv!!!
Eyes,smoke,magic.. really sexy :)
Return Road... EPIC!!!

and all the rest is sound good to me... thanks Ayu for an Incredible Album....really love it.

I do hope Timmy isn't in every PV... sigh, I'm so torn with him. I do like him, but I don't want him in her songs and PVs so much.

^ I dont think he was in HBYR...
I like him, just not his stage presence.

Really hope E,S,M grows on me

Love reminds me! All of the previews make me excited for this album!

^^I knowwwwwwwwww the HQ leak can't come fast enough!

People didn't just like Timmy, the freakin' worshipped him. All because of ONE SONG. :rolleyes

I know right?! Obviously it was a fluke.

Two Party Queen limited blu ray boxsets in stock at CDJ if anyone wants one!

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=AVZD-38501

omg i hope this is true too but i doubt it.
he's such a terrible/corny rapper :(
i mean yeah he does AMAZING songs but he should leave his rapping out of them.

I hate a cup of tea, really. Why isn't this interlude a full song?! :mad

On a cool note, my brother is a violin performance major and when I asked him what key a serenade is in (withholding title information), he was able to tell right away! I'm more and more impressed with that kid everyday. :laugh

When I first heard "Serenade", I was like, Whoa, isn't this that Bach piece (don't remember its name, OTL)? I could have sworn it sounds exactly like it. ...

Wait, if you hate it, why would you want it to be a full track? Lol what am I missing?

I hate it because it's SHORT! xD hoping for a "mirrorcle" extended mix lmao.

Stop that. Don't tempt me.

Buy em both, one for you and one for me :lech

a cup of tea is one of the best interludes, they should do a "Mirror", and convert that interlude in a full song
edit....oh you said the same, XD

buy it.

limited.

blu ray.

PARTY QUEEN.

must have.

A lot of the male vocals on some songs remind me of Marc from globe, anyone else get that feeling?

Yeahhhh, that's what I was thinking.

I got them mixed up with TRF, though. I meant to say globe. :headache

Loved all the previews! My favorites are:
taskebab--loved the rock sound of it
Letter--kind of feels like a mix between Part Of Me and MOON
NaNaNa--sounds really great and different
Return Road--just sounds epic!
Serenade in A Minor--wish it was a full song and not just the interlude for hbya

I was a little skeptical about a cup of tea's section, and a cup of tea was definitely not what I expected but I strangely like it, and I like the Broadway/musical-style of the next Love and Eyes, Smoke, Magic, I'm glad she's doing something so different from what she's done before and her voice sounds great there. Everything makes me more excited for this album!!

STOP ITTTTT!!! :cry You guys are mean. I cannot afford!!

If you can't afford it, then don't buy it. Just wait till you save enough money. :D
You can't be manipulated by us. Hahahah..

You can buy an OS press (like me an many others)

The OS press won't have the blu-ray though~If that's what happi wants

me too

UGH can't even sleep tonight, too excited!! LOL

Wow. I love my Queen.

When I hear things like "Only two left!!" I instinctively go into "OHMAIGAA~ Maybe I should get it!" mode. The words "Limited Edition" always hook me.

^^Just sucks because once all of the online retailers run out, and it's a limited product, you have to rely on things like third-party sellers and usually the prices are extortionate.

So glad this is the album I chose to buy this year ^o^

ah... can't download it. won't download it. keep the surprise. ><"

hm, doesn't sound bad :yes

I've gotta turn in....and I know the album isn't gonna leak tonight...just can't peel myself away from the forum yet...was hoping for a length of each track to be revealed...that way we can know for sure if there is going to be a hidden track or not.

this is exactly what i've been hoping she would do for a while. i remember when my story came out, how surprising it was for me to hear her take this direction. when we reflect back on it and see all the songs she's created since then, it may not feel so intense or impressive, but if you look at her discography before my story, i don't feel as if it was as 'solid' or candid. my story was like a breath of fresh air for ayu's music. i don't know if it was as experimental as party queen's shaping up to be, but it was risky, imo.

it will most likly leak next monday or sunday!

^^probably Saturday, Sunday at the latest

so far my No.1 will be Tell me why (can't help repeating the ori Greek song lol). Return Road is 2nd place after that :-X

i am now strongly convinced that Tell me why IS that cover song so if it turns out to be with different verses i really dunno what i will feel lol.

I'm not fond of him Tim in the PV, but I really don't mind his 2 cents in the song itself....I doubt you can actually call it raping. To me it seemed like a random back vocal than an actual 2nd voice of the song xD

I have already said that but from the previews I sense so much fammiliarity with her older works that I love, that this is probably gonna be my fave album of hers, i'm actually tempted to buy it, if i'll have the money...
Also i now can see the tabloid/fake party queen pattern going on even from songs....I think Ayu nailed it for me this time. Good job woman!!!:D

Thank you for sharing these.

thanks so much!

Amazing! I'm loving them all n studio version of Party queen is catchy as hell ♥♥♥

thanks!

is there any info about the song, "Tell me why", is a cover? Did Ayu ever mention it? Let's wait for the actually composer on the booklet :)

Are you talking about the limited box? Will there be an OS of that or are you talking about the tour DVD in general?

thx ^^

After first hearing "call" I was like "this sounds sooo familiar!" and I think it sounds a lot like Tsuchiya Anna's Brave Vibration. It sounds very similar to my ears, lol.

I was just going by DH4 coming out on the monday before... i hope it's Sat... but I thinki sunday or monday!

at the beginning, I worry this album songs~
but after listening to the preview, the songs especially tracks 5-9 are really great!!!
I go to pre-order the album in yesasia.com NOW!!!

Every time I listen to the the Eyes, Smoke, Magic preview, this RIMMEL ad comes to my mind xD :

It would make a great universe for this song live !

On facebook Timmy commented on a post about "tell me why" greek version, he said it was the first time hearing it. So I guess they got the song sample with no idea of the singer from Cyprus~

Has Timmy worked on the song? Else it wouldn't be too surprising for him not to know it. But I guess Timmy worked on most album tracks...lol

Hmm... I hope it's the original composer that they got the sample from...

I looove nanana preview. the video looks promising, and the preview is STILL stuck in my head..nonstop..
augh!!
I think the "cheesy" Timmy rapping that may happen is on purpose. The beginning of the album seems like this kind of plastic and fake-y party sound to represent what some critics in the media may think of her..

it wouldn't be the first time something like that happened with music.
But I also dont think timmy worked on the entire album either...
i thought he only did 4 songs.

all tracks are on mu-mo chaku uta now:lech

No, he didn't but I think he was present in the creation of most of it... But yeah, I guess even if ayu knew about Ivi Adamou's version, timmy wouldn't have to know too x)

I'm really digging the heavily autotuned part ayu sings in NaNaNa. It's so full of attitude in a way. :laugh Her dancing is awesome too! That song and the pv are catching my attention slowly, but surely. And if Timmy's part is longer than 10 seconds or something I'll just cut him off the audio track, no big deal.

wow...I know the girl, yes. She's quite famous among teenagers here.

But which song of hers is similar to Tell me why?

EDIT: I found the song. It's a famous song here. Much loved. Glad I'm gonna listen to Ayu's version too.^^

NaNaNa sounds great!
But I also watched the PV preview and don't like that Timmy part. Hm, don't know what to expect from the full song.
Shake It♥ sounds good as well, but those "lalas" are troubling me.
call sounds a bit generic actually. Don't like it much so far.
Letter is the same for me like "call", but sounds better. Could like it in full.
reminds me sounds great! But those "lalas" again. ;_; Hope they're growing on me.
Return Road is just gorgeous! Love the sound and her voice, though the classical parts could end up to be too much in the end.
Tell me why sounds quite nice. Does remind me a lot of Eurovision Song Contest songs. XD Doesn't surprise me then to see it's written by a Greek or at least a European.
the next LOVE... hm, don't know what to think. Her voice sounds quite nice, but I'm not too fond of that jazz style.
Eyes, Smoke, Magic...no, sorry, thanks! Her cute voice strikes back, lol. Nothing for me, but it will probably be fun live.
The interludes don't do anything for me, though taskebab sounds fun.

Ok, I'm mixed in my feelings.
Absolutely waiting for the full songs to say anything further.
Some songs have the potential to become gorgeous. Hope so.

Sose me (Light on).

Eyes, Smoke, Magic sounds interesting.... xD

Thx for telling me!

(*^ ^*)

Wow! All of the songs sound good, but some just blow me away already.

So disappointed by Eyes, Smoke, Magic. :( And the title had my hopes up...lol that style is just NOT for me

theirs is first press.

i saw amazon.jp has it too... but i cant determine if it's first press at amazon.jp ???

There's only 1st press for this boxset so you can order without any worries.

really? wow? amazon doesnt explicitly state anything about the ayupan like cdjapan does.... heck cdjapan's shipping is crazy, it makes the box set over 300 USD..

It's not CDJapan's fault actually, the boxset is just too heavy thus incurring in the high shipping fees. Which is why I usually just order from YA. It's much cheaper with the free regular airmail shipping.

i found amazon jp. shipping to be much more reasonable vs. cdjapan for the boxedset. it was like more than double the ship cost actually... i did a comparison concurrently last evening. i've wanted to support cdjapan (the little guy relative to a 'amazon') but this isnt the first time i've found cdjapan's 'total' price to exceed someone else (like yesasia) at certain times.