I lost my faith when Mirrorcle World was released. For some reason I just couldn't stand that song though it's a full version of a epic intro. Somehow it just didn't feel right. Same feelings were experienced through NEXT LEVEL era as a whole. I only really loved GREEN and Sparkle on singles at the time.

I was honestly thinking that if her next album doesn't impress me, I'll stop listening to her newer music completely but Rock'n'Roll Circus era renewed my faith in Ayu. Sunrise/Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ was a good single and You were.../BALLAD just broke my heart because songs were so epic. Album itself was perfect (and still is!). Since this era, I've been able to love her songs though they're not like they used to be~

i never really lost faith in what she does. i might go off and on with her music, but i never really disliked anything so much i would say "OMG, she totally failed this time" there are songs i am not particulary interested in and would almost never listen but i always find something i like, and if not i just don't bother about it and forget it is there. Maybe it's just not for my taste. Just like i see a lot of love for Love songs, and i personally never cared for that album AT ALL. it would have had a different effect if i liked her vocals there, to me if vocals are no good for my ears then the music will do nothing to me :innocent but i don't consider that a fail, just not what i am looking for plus she can't please everyone all the time. Tho as a fan i am very "open for options" and understanding if i know the background of the change that took place at that time. And honestly i never thought Ayu is an unique star in pop culture there is really nothing unique about her music but it works for me!

I was a fan from 2004 it hit peak during Memorial address / MY STORY era / (miss)understood. GUILTY to NEXT LEVEL kinda let me down but not that down, I enjoy most of album track but it feels like something is missing. Rock'n'Roll Circus brought my faith back, then Love songs which I thought I was disappointed but in the end I love it! Love songs is just solid as an album :yes

FIVE is like as if it never existed XD so forgettable, Party Queen too and now LOVE again is my all time low for her. LOVE again's promo tracks were great but the rest of the album are meh for me, so forgettable so generic I never thought I would feel like this to her album until recently.

Kinda hope she'll release something solid again, because it's surprising when she releases singles with random themes and ended up with a solid album

Six years later and I still don't care for most of Party Queen, for the record. Haha!

Love songs is still one of my favorite albums from Ayu's second half of her career.

It's so funny to read this because NEXT LEVEL and Rock n Roll Circus (and GUILTY a bit, too) were also definite disappointments for me back then (but I was wrong) and Party Queen really sealed the deal for me - she was off the deep end.

My continued interest sort of faded then and I stuck with the oldies; for years all I listened to was basically A Song for ××, LOVEppears, Duty, I am..., RAINBOW, Memorial Address and Secret. (Even MY STORY and (miss)understood I didn't care for.)

I recently was (fortunately!) proven to be very wrong in some of my snap judgements. You were... single-handedly renewed my interest, and I went back and discovered that (miss)understood, NEXT LEVEL and Rock n Roll Circus were actually FANTASTIC. (MY STORY and GUILTY are fine but not on the same level for me.) Party Queen however I have not warmed to yet.

Much of what I've been catching up with has been constantly renewing my faith: LOVE again is so good. sixxxxx is excellent. And M(A)DE IN JAPAN is brilliant.

Outside of Party Queen the only other thing I've really not warmed to is Colours. Both are listenable but I just don't have that connection. However, I now recognize those as flukes (to me, of course, I know there's plenty of fans) in an otherwise pretty much flawless discography. :yes

THis is an old thread, but this is still true! Party Queen is her worst album to me by far, and Love songs is one of my favorites. Made in Japan is not my favorite either, but the rest are pretty much good albums or better in my book.

Somewhat tangentially related to this topic, so I'll add it here (but perhaps I should find a MY STORY thread): I remember being so disappointed with MY STORY, but recently have been giving it a few spins and was surprised that it was much better than I remembered. It occurred to me though that perhaps its true weakness is the fact that it starts dragging towards the end - even if the songs are individually are all still fine, it does outstay its welcome imo. I think this is something that was handled better on most subsequent albums - better sequencing, more compact, a less padded feel. Shame, because I think MY STORY actually has good enough material!