You two, guys.. I love you this moment~

They're right.
I mean, I do think the album is boring but her voice is pretty soft. Her singing in Moments and walking proud is gorgeous, even in Liar and About You it sounds really controlled.

And here's an unpopular opinion:
I. LOVE. HUMMING. 7/4.

Liar and HOPE or PAIN get me soooooo bad

HOPE or PAIN's lyrics... just :cry

I. DO. AGREE.

The last part where the music gets heavier and Ayu's distorted laugh comes in are EPIC.

Yes I was also going to mention that her voice sounded very controlled. I feel like those songs were made for her voice at that current time. They work beautifully together.

^ I just feel that 2003-2004 was when her voice was at its peak, so it sounded much more controlled and beautiful. 2005 was good as well, but maybe due to the songs, her voice sounded a bit harder.

I don't mind Humming 7/4 only BECAUSE of the last 30 seconds. :yes It makes up for the rest of the song being kind of annoying. :P

I personnally habe a particular link with MY STORY, because it's the first Ayu's album I listened to. It appeared (and still does) as a very cohesive album, with a lot of genres, but not just a rushed mash-up of styles. The whole visual theme is also very elegant, very personal.

OT : Zeke, your new set is so disturbing (in a good way though), I don't even read your posts, my eyes get stuck on you o_o sorry for that but you're handsome, and as ComatoseBunnySnatcher said in another post "less clothes would be better" ...

Yes it is very cohesive, and although their is a spectrum of genres covered, they flow together extremely well. Definitely not rushed and the album is one which feels "whole" or "complete".

OT: Thanks, lol.

When I first heard My Story i was so let down! It was a horrible album for me... lol. But I entered the Ayumi world at her what I think of 'height' of I am - Memorial Address and the sound and content was just so different.
I liked the singles to My Story enough, but I just didn't like the album as a whole.

But that was when it first came out... Now though, I love it. It's just amazing in almost every way. Even in the songs that I felt aren't worth while now have a special place for me!

I feel that RAINBOW and A BALLADS were the "peak" years for her vocals. But MY STORY is definitely a great album. HOPE or PAIN is the song that got me into Ayu, so there's a lot of nostalgia tied to it. I also love Liar and WONDERLAND (so creepy!). Although, CAROLS is on that album and it's one of the songs I dislike most from her.

Just listening to This Is Your Story from the Final Fantasy X soundtrack and realising that it could totally be an Ayumi interlude. Probably from the Rainbow album!

(EDIT: I gave up trying to work out the code for embedding a video and included the link!)

I think RAINBOW is okay, but the Vibrato of DOOM ruined a few songs so I can't exactly count it... A BALLADS is definitely where she was best at (the Haru yo Koi, TOKIO and other lives are hands down the best).

CAROLS is so... boring...y. I only (if ever) listen to it during winter because it doesn't hold up. I think they wanted to be more subtle, but it has the same problem You were... does:

FORGETTABLE.

Oh my gosh, I used to think Carols was such a drag. I never understood the people who loved it cause some people were just obsessed. I remember being totally in love with Moments and Carols just couldn't compare. But, last year I fell completely in love with the beauty in this track. It is gorgeously produced, and the melody is actually quite stunning. The way she sings this song. I always thought it was just a subtle, quiet track, but after listening more closely on headphones, I really realized how epic the chorus is in comparison to the verses... and that bridge, just so emotional! Love it!

^ You're right... for once :P
The verses are too slow and bland, maybe that's why I just forget its existence.

It was actually one of the first few songs I heard and I use to love it, but it just doesn't compare to other beautiful winter ballads.

JEWEL is still the best piano driven one.

Lmao. I love the pre-chorus, when it goes "Yagate ikutsumo no kisetsu ga
Bokutachi no mae wo ashibaya ni toorinuketa". The melody begins to pick up, and there is a subtle hint of what's to come during the chorus.

And yes, JEWEL is totally the best piano driven ballad. It is so simple, yet extremely complex. It's one of those songs that just was born perfect as is, and it's a miracle when you think about it that way.

I used to find CAROLS boring.. okay, I found it too boring. until that Day...
I remember that I was on a train, getting back home, and I remained almost alone the last hour lol
Well, CAROLS played on my iPod, and my eyes got wet..
Now this song holds a special place in my :heart

It's strange though, the remix of CAROLS on the ayu-mi-x 7 trance CD is one of my favorite remixes from her LOL

I love the remixes on ayu trance! lol it kinda made it a referser for me!