Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - Ayu - Anything Goes Thread -XIII-

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke. (Post 3172965)

The interludes on NEXT LEVEL are the best she's ever had. But I feel the futuristic sound it was going for is always interrupted when the singles come into play.

Actually, looking at the track list again, the only songs that fully commit to that ambiance are EnergizE, Sparkle, Rollin', and of course the interludes. Seriously the interludes are the most "futuristic/digital" sounding pieces on the album. There are fragments of that ambiance lightly peppered into the other album tracks, but not enough to really drive the concept home. She didn't commit to the sound enough. Additionally, the digital sound she went for, came off as a bid dated. Almost like a parody of electronic music. Look at LOVE'n'HATE as an example - what the Hell is it trying to be? Lol. It's like a rejected angry Destiny's Child song trying to be rock and electronically edgy at the same time.

Going further, I found many of the album tracks less-than-stellar. Rollin' is a little annoying, LOVE'n'HATE is bad, and Curtain call is not my thing. It took a while for the title track to grow on me, and my love for identity faded rather quickly. I felt this album was the least authentic to her persona. The concept was wonderful, but the execution for me was just very amateur. I didn't feel like she was part of the music - her voice and the arrangements weren't in perfect harmony and there's a clear division between her and the other layers. Like she's just singing stop them instead of amongst them.

...I just like the album as a whole, though I see what you're saying. It is not 100% coherent, but that's one of the things I like about it. I just really enjoy playing the whole thing, which anymore, is kind of rare for me when it comes to albums. The only song I might come close to skipping is Rule because...I just don't know why.

One thing I actually love about NL is the juxtaposition of the more upbeat, "peppier" songs next to the more emotionally driven, sadder songs. I feel like she must have been seriously manic while writing those lyrics, like at one moment she's super energetic and loving life and the next she's slowly sinking down into a melancholy sadness.

The album of hers that I feel is the most consistent in style throughout is LOVEppears. Those songs go together excellently, and none of them seem like they belong to some other genre that somehow just happened to make it onto the CD.

The thing is, I can totally see how legitimate your criticism is of NL so I don't completely disagree with you but I just love that album. It could have more to do with the time it came out and how it resonated with me, IDK. I mean, I was depressed during GUILTY and that album couldn't come out at a better time, but as far as I can remember, I was pretty happy when NL came out. XD

I loved My Story so much when it came out. I went to Japan right after it came out, and went to CDL 04-05, and I remember playing it out on the flight there. And there are still songs on that album that I love. Liar is really the only song on there that I think is sub-par, though I'm sure I'll get destroyed for saying that. But, overall, I will say it's not an album I often think of playing.

In the period of My Story, (Miss)understood, and Secret...I feel like the albums were very much so "a moment in time" musically. I especially feel that way with (Miss)understood and Secret. They're a little too polished in a way that has almost become sterile, despite having some really awesome songs. I think My Story is really one of several turning points for her musically and ushered her into a new phase of her career.

Speaking of planes, I don't think I've mentioned that I flew from Ukraine to London a couple of months ago and they had Ayu's Colours. I was so surprised!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rainbow_smile (Post 3173085)

Speaking of planes, I don't think I've mentioned that I flew from Ukraine to London a couple of months ago and they had Ayu's Colours. I was so surprised!

Continuing this conversation of planes, I was flying to Toronto from Paris on Air France back in September and they had A ONE on the flight! :yes

Liar is one of those songs that I never feel like listening to or that pops to mind when I think of amazing Ayu songs, but I went back to it after this thread and it's so good!
The only criticism of it I have is that the guitar could sound a bit harder.

Actually, I feel that the guitars on My Story could be harder or edgier as a whole and it'd really make the album. Maybe it's a "not very polished, yet not very raw" thing it has going for it. It just lacks edge as a whole.

As far as albums go, My Story is very similar to Duty (and LOVE again) to me in atmosphere and musically. They both flow well and are good playing from beginning to end, though I feel they're really muted and need a harder sound. The tracks are better on their own...
No, I think they sound more distinctive on their own.

The hardest album for me to enjoy is Party Queen and I am.... Party Queen just never did anything for me, and just seems like the most lackluster parts of Next Level (which is great) and Five hobbled together.

I am... feels strange. The singles don't fit the rawness of the album tracks so there's no cohesiveness to it. It'd be alot more enjoyable to me if they either stripped the singles down a bit or polished the tracks up.

Points in its favor:
*Taskinlude
*Opening Run and connected
*Naturally

Negative Points:
*Endless Sorrow ~Gone with the NyQuil~ version (has better vocals, doe)
*still alone was better in the Takano Yuri cm

I love My Story. It is a bit bloated in that there are too many songs on it, but it doesn't mean that the songs are bad. I love the album tracks and I feel like they're all cut from the same cloth so this promotes strong cohesion. Looking at A ONE, which also sounds cohesive, it's a lot more dreary to get through and though you can say both My Story and A ONE have same-y tracks, My Story's are... Better I guess.
If you get rid of the interludes, except for the first song, and Moments (I went there as I really outgrew it and I hate how she sings parts of the chorus) and humming 7/4, then you have a really solid album.

The chorus of Moments is my favorite part of the song :o

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayuinh.k? (Post 3173091)

Continuing this conversation of planes, I was flying to Toronto from Paris on Air France back in September and they had A ONE on the flight! :yes

Seriously? Wow, i would have been so excited hahaha

Quote:

Speaking of planes, I don't think I've mentioned that I flew from Ukraine to London a couple of months ago and they had Ayu's Colours. I was so surprised!

I need to stop flying with budget airlines!

And speaking of planes again, would you believe that I still haven't bought AT2015 DVD until now for choosing to book a plane ticket on January. I'm so craving for it (but i'm staying away from DLing or watching parts of it on YT) that I just watch CDL1415 to ease myself LOL.

I just watched the concert again yesterday after so many months and that concert slayed. I think its even better than the arena tour itself. I was literally crying again on forgiveness, HBYA and Born to be parts. There are these moments when out of nowhere, Ayu's lyrics suddenly strikes you after quite some time.

I feel like Ayu songs/albums only ever get through you years after they come out lol. When LOVE again came out we had a meltdown and same to almost any other albums. But now I re-listen to them again and carefully judge the songs individually, and I felt like I understood a bit more, of how she felt at the time. Like shit takes time man.

idk man LOVE again is still one of her weaker albums. I honestly only enjoy maybe like three songs off of it.

^ To me it's not really about how WE as the audience, loves it, but what I meant was possibly what she was feeling at the time. It's definitely a weak album compare to the rest in her discography but songs like Bye-bye darling, Gloria and Ivy, they got the point across pretty well :) That's just my take on it anyway ^^ I think Ayu's discography ages real fine just like her beauty LOL except for Colours. Colours was just a mess.

I was seeing Ayu singing SURREAL in TA tour and wowed me with the pole. She was fierce as hell.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NintendoHTF1242 (Post 3173328)

idk man LOVE again is still one of her weaker albums. I honestly only enjoy maybe like three songs off of it.

I agree. LOVE again and Party queen are her weakest. I dislike quite a few on Party queen. I don't dislike any songs from LOVE again, but I rarely listen to them save for SAKURA, untitled for her... story 2, and You & Me.

Hmm, I really like Wake me up, Song 4 u, SAKURA (as of late, at least), Melody, Sweet scar, Gloria and You & Me. I don't think it's a great addition to her discography though.

To me, FIVE is her weakest project. Especially ANother song--I always feel like the drums are off tempo with the synth (I guess they're not?), but it's also quite unremarkable. progress and BRILLANTE are the only songs I like a lot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayu-michan (Post 3173458)

I thought Colours was flawless minus that awful Hello new me lol, our tastes differ quite a lot apparently. Nothing wrong with that though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN (Post 3173482)

I don't dislike any songs from LOVE again, but I rarely listen to them save for SAKURA, untitled for her... story 2, and You & Me.

Same songs except replace You & Me with Sweet scar.

I can't hate LOVE again even with the minis fiasco cause this album has Sweet Scar, Song 4 U, Missing, Ivy and SAKURA, there is no way you can hate an album with those songs on it :heart

I've been listening to a song is born quite a bit lately. Solo version, of course. lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by NintendoHTF1242 (Post 3173486)

I thought Colours was flawless

:yes

i find even Hello new me enjoyable :yes