Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - Preliminary Secret Album REVIEWS [by SunshineSlayer]

Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/index.php)

- Ayu Chat-Room (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=20)

- - Preliminary Secret Album REVIEWS [by SunshineSlayer] (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51956)

immel

20th November 2006 01:06 AM

Preliminary Secret Album REVIEWS [by SunshineSlayer]

Secret has already been released as cellphone(?) downloads via Mu-Mo... yeah, read on, thank you SunshineSlayer, we love you :).

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer@AYUNITE!

Hey. :) I'm a regular over at AHS, but thought this news was too important to wait to post! The full album is already available for people via the mu-mo.net site (I'm not sure how you download stuff from there but I'm sure you have to be in Japan to be able to do so.)

People over at the Ayuloveayu bbs are already chiming in with their opinions about the album and I thought I'd translate a bit of what I've been reading. :)

As I suspected based on the cover and track list, most of the non single tracks seem to be very rock oriented. (yay! cause I love that.) One user compared the stuff to B'z even. Ok, some quick comments on each song:

Not yet - Reminds them of RAINBOW(not sure whether they mean the song or the album),

until that Day... - "this is very ayu. Reminds me of Evolution and has a rock feel."

1love - "SO COOL! THE BEST!"

It was - "Reminds me of Monochrome and leaves the impression of the past Ayu."

LABRYNTH - An instrumental track that feels like the RAINBOW instrumentals.

Momentum - is a "medium up tempo song and has a winter feel."

kiss o' kill - "VERY ROCK and SUPER COOL!"

Secret - The only other ballad besides Jewel.

These are just very simplistic translations, but they get the point across of what people are saying. :) I'll add more once I finish reading the thread.

Overall though, it looks like this maybe one of my favorite albums from her.

EDIT - Some more detailed info from another poster, man this album sounds cool:

Not Yet: Starts out feeling like "Everlasting Dream" on the RAINBOW album - very gentle and affectionate, but then turns more like Catcher in the Light from My Story and becomes rockish.

until that day: "This is fast isn't it?? Extremely cool and very strong rock music."

It Was - a rock ballad with a nostalgic kind of feel looking back on the olden days. The melody reminds him a bit of Winding Road.

Labrynith - Reminds him of Kaleidoscope

momentum - a Winter song, but not a ballad. Has an uptempo rock feel.

taskinst - A rock instrumental!

kiss o' kill - A very powerful and cool rock song.

Secret - a gentle moving ballad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

I'm reading more of the reviews and so far it seems everyone is loving Ayu's rock style on this album. :D

"やっぱあゆのロックはかっこいいですよね！"

"Ayu doing rock is so cool isn't it?!"

I have a feeling this album will be great. A lot of rock oriented songs, pure Ayu style. Ayu doing rock is so cool isn't it?! Indeed.

Three interlude tracks, that's fine by me as they seem to be placed very well, hopefully they'll help get the album flow in a good way.

truehappiness

20th November 2006 01:17 AM

Quote:

つい先、VIVI 一月号を読みました。見る見るうちに、感想が溢れるぐらい、早速書かせてもらいます。

インタービューの内容はすべてアルバムの曲についていっぱい語ってくれました。
まず、何で急遽ミニ→フルアルバムに変更したのを解釈した。そのわけは、「ある日に伝えたいことが溢れてきて、詞は一日に2、3曲ハイスピードで書き上げた。」あ～なるほど

次はアルバムのタイトル曲「Secret」について、「人間って必ず誰にも自分でしか分からない部分があるでしょ。それがあってこそ魅力的だったり、その人に気になったりするじゃない。このアルバムでは、そういう私しか分からない私、を順序よく打ち明けて行ってる感じにしたの」と語りました。

「Jewel」については、「気付かないうちに誰かを傷つけてしまう、そんな時、周りの人が”NO”と言ってくれることで、自分では気付かないことを気付かせてくれる、そういう”愛”を伝えたかった。」

力強い曲の「1 Love」は「アウトローな女の子の話。人ってみんな孤独、みんな分かってることだと思う。戦わなきゃ生きていけないところもあるのがって人生って事。あゆも戦ってます。自分のためじゃないから、それだけ戦い続けられるかも」

「Until That Day...」については「この曲はまさに私の生き方そのものを描いた曲」

今回のデジデジ日記はＰＶ３本の撮影風景まとめて、紹介してくれました。
「Jewel」はスクロいっぱい頭に貼り付けられるそうで、あゆ本人もキラキラなＰＶと言ってました。

「1 Love」にはロックでワイルドなＰＶが出来上がるそうで、ポールダンス初挑戦！怪我しまくりって可哀想↓ ↓写真から見ると、カッコイイＰＶ
だと思います。

「Momentum」には雪が降ってるシーンがいっぱいで、一人ぼっちで立ち尽し、切ないストーリーだそうです。No way to sayと似てるかも
キャンドルたくさん囲まれたあゆも気になります。

久々のインタービューはかなりいい感じじゃないですか。少しだけでアルバム曲の歌詞に含まれた意味も解き明かしました。やっぱあゆから直接のメッセージは何よりもイイと思います。

あと10日間、もうすぐですよな！！

Japanese 'summary' of the ViVi interview, stuck here because it involves Secret. :P

realize_!

20th November 2006 01:18 AM

I'm soo excited for this album^^ Rock ayu is the best!! really interested in hearing until that Day... though

bluegie

20th November 2006 01:19 AM

ohhhhhhhh Secret is coming... I'm getting more excited!!!!

explodingbird

20th November 2006 01:21 AM

Sounds intensely awesome. Now every single track is one I'm anticipating, not just 9/10 of them.

Really interested in seeing how it flows between songs - especially with comparisons such as those made above.

Should leak in a day or two, then, shouldn't it?

immel

20th November 2006 01:22 AM

Isn't is just amazingly awesome that all album tracks except Secret is rock?

Secret and JEWEL will be the only two ballads on there.

The 3 interludes look well placed, too.

Coelacanth

20th November 2006 01:23 AM

Quote:

One user compared the stuff to B'z even.

This album is gonna be hot, then. :luv2
Judging by the TeamAyu interview, I think this album will have excellent lyrics.

I'm still having a hard time imagining 'momentum', the PV really looks like it'll be a ballad. uptempo rock feel? as in... flower garden? or HOPE or PAIN? :conhuh

bluegie

20th November 2006 01:24 AM

yea... it really looks like No way to say to me to a certain extend, yet it's a rock..

truehappiness

20th November 2006 01:24 AM

I think you could imagine M or maybe even Heartplace.. :P

Or maybe a heavier No way to say.. Like how the chorus was all rock-y...

realize_!

20th November 2006 01:25 AM

I'm still a little dissapointed that LABYRINTH is an interlude. it was such a beautiful title for a beautiful song, but you can't have everything.

bluegie

20th November 2006 01:27 AM

yeah I'm shocked about LABYRINTH as a interlude (and man it's hard to spell it). I always thought there would be 2 instru in this album..

immel

20th November 2006 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness (Post 950281)

I think you could imagine M or maybe even Heartplace.. :P

Heartplace... yes... oh yes, those guitars... oh... I could melt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by realize_! (Post 950282)

I'm still a little dissapointed that LABYRINTH is an interlude. it was such a beautiful title for a beautiful song, but you can't have everything.

It really is a good song name, but I think another interlude fits the album, it'll make it flow better I believe.

realize_!

20th November 2006 01:29 AM

so we're really just getting 6 new songs plus an interlude with vocals making it 7 I guess, not including JEWEL. I hope we get another Heartplace as well. That song is just amazing :luv2

immel

20th November 2006 01:33 AM

I'd like to count the interludes as new songs as well, they're always so awesome. She never actually had a bad interlude, I think.

Coelacanth

20th November 2006 01:38 AM

Having three interludes would probably enhance her next tour anyway. LABYRINTH = HAL, I bet.

theprojectzero

20th November 2006 01:41 AM

Woohoo... Hopefully, it's gunna leak really soon. :D

Readin' those review make me really lookin' forward to it now! Roll it on, baby!

immel

20th November 2006 01:44 AM

@Phantoma - Doesn't it say the directors in the thread where Ayu Secret interview thread?

Coelacanth

20th November 2006 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by immel (Post 950319)

@Phantoma - Doesn't it say the directors in the thread where Ayu Secret interview thread?

Oh you mean the composers? I think they only have the interviews until Track 5, which really sucks.

immel

20th November 2006 01:57 AM

Ah, shouldn't they have made the rest during the downtime? Maybe not. Yeah, I meant composers, sorry about that.

Coelacanth

20th November 2006 02:04 AM

They originated at the ayuchina BBS and the rest haven't been posted there, or anywhere I guess. It's really a shame if they never get posted, they'd be really interesting to have since we hardly ever get album interviews of this nature. TeamAyu is really no fair.. I guess we'll know the composers soon though, hoping for some CREA and/or DAI.

immel

20th November 2006 02:09 AM

Yeah, if there's no CREA I wont be happy. First time with no CREA in a looooong time.

If there's no CREA on this album the next single better have her.

SunshineSlayer

20th November 2006 02:17 AM

Thanks for reposting this thread immel. I was about to do so myself. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluegie (Post 950280)

yea... it really looks like No way to say to me to a certain extend, yet it's a rock..

Yeah, Momentum is difficult to picture. Wintery but not a ballad - it seems like such a hard concept! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantoma (Post 950278)

This album is gonna be hot, then. :luv2
Judging by the TeamAyu interview, I think this album will have excellent lyrics.

Yeah, to the best of my translation ability, the person remarked along the lines of "When I first heard it I was like, 'is this B'z?!'" haha. Sounds pretty cool.

explodingbird

20th November 2006 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by immel (Post 950380)

Yeah, if there's no CREA I wont be happy. First time with no CREA in a looooong time.

If there's no CREA on this album the next single better have her.

I don't mind as long as we get some awesome songs, but... CREA compositions tend to be very rocky, and... well...

(Although now we only have these candidates for CREA compositions:

momentum
JEWEL
LABYRINTH
kiss o' kill
Secret

...About right, yeah?)

SunshineSlayer

20th November 2006 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by explodingbird (Post 950396)

(Although now we only have these candidates for CREA compositions:

momentum
JEWEL
LABYRINTH
kiss o' kill
Secret

Jewel is composed by Tetsuya Yukumi. I'm doubting that we will be getting any CREA on this album unfortunately.

immel

20th November 2006 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer (Post 950387)

Thanks for reposting this thread immel. I was about to do so myself. :)

You should be yelling at me for stealing it :laugh. I was almost reposting the translations by Isaac, too, but he was pretty precise about no one reposting it without his permission.

Quote:

Yeah, Momentum is difficult to picture. Wintery but not a ballad - it seems like such a hard concept! :)

...and wonderful :).

Quote:

Originally Posted by explodingbird (Post 950395)

I don't mind as long as we get some awesome songs, but... CREA compositions tend to be very rocky, and... well...

I, too, doubt we'll see CREA, but I'm definitely keeping my hope alive.

Coelacanth

20th November 2006 02:35 AM

kiss o' kill
Secret

Maybe these will be the new winding road / Humming 7/4?

immel

20th November 2006 02:36 AM

But in inverted order :).

I doubt they'll be very similar to those two songs, but who knows. What they have in common is the genres, as least.

truehappiness

20th November 2006 02:51 AM

I do think that CREA will have some sort of input on a song..

I hope that Tetsuya Yukimi doesn't do Secret, and it ends up like RAINBOW with a CREA+DAI composition.. <3

Coelacanth

20th November 2006 02:57 AM

I think one Tetsuya Yukimi composition is enough for each album, especially since his overload of compositions of MY STORY.

Oh sorry, I figured the person from ayuchina would have gotten them first. Is YaMaYuMi a member of TeamAyu?

truehappiness

20th November 2006 02:58 AM

Yeah..

We first got the TeamAyu special interview here from YaMaYuMi.

Then akane at ayuchina posted it. :P
The dates for release will go from 11/16 -> 11/22 -> 11/29 with 5-5-4 songs in each 'release'.. :D

Composers so far are:
Not yet -> CMJK
until that Day.. -> CMJK
Startin' -> Kazuhiro Hara
1 LOVE -> Yoji Noi [Nanairo no Ashita by BoA]
It was -> Naruya Ihashi
JEWEL -> Tetsuya Yukimi

CREA please. Now.

immel

20th November 2006 03:04 AM

Did Tetsuya make the ballads or rock songs of MY STORY? I'd guess ballads considering he did JEWEL.

Coelacanth

20th November 2006 03:06 AM

I googled Naruya Ihashi and he apparently has composed for a boyband FLAME.

truehappiness

20th November 2006 03:08 AM

He made the majority of.. all the songs. LOL

Tetsuya Yukimi composed:
Memorial address
GAME
HONEY
INSPIRE
HAPPY ENDING
HOPE or PAIN
walking proud

I think.

Coelacanth

20th November 2006 03:14 AM

^ Replace Liar with HAPPY ENDING.

truehappiness

20th November 2006 03:20 AM

Oops. Sorry, Raita Ikemono.

Ayu's one time composers should make a comeback..
Raita. Miki Watanabe, and Tomoya Kinoshita.. <3

JaysenRyan

20th November 2006 03:29 AM

Leak, leak, leak, leak, leak, leak, leak. There 7 times for good luck. I've said it beofre I don't have the money to buy this cd, but now i'm so excited, and I sold my Wii online for $450 on Ebay, I think I may buy it. I LOVE YOU AYU!

JaysenRyan

20th November 2006 03:30 AM

bluegie

20th November 2006 03:39 AM

wow.. good for you... selling your Wii for ayu LOL!

freedreamer

20th November 2006 03:44 AM

GAME was done by BOUNCEBACK

elepop

20th November 2006 03:54 AM

All those rock songs are making me super happy. :)

This album will ROCK!

alternarist

20th November 2006 04:13 AM

wow!! i seem to like this album a lot. there are some rock, ballads, upbeat winter songs.. and Not Yet sounds like RAINBOW!!! awesome!!!!!

Nu-NRG

20th November 2006 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantoma (Post 950278)

I'm still having a hard time imagining 'momentum', the PV really looks like it'll be a ballad. uptempo rock feel? as in... flower garden? or HOPE or PAIN? :conhuh

or...could be another one of those "HANABI ~episode II~"

SunshineSlayer

20th November 2006 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alternarist (Post 950516)

wow!! i seem to like this album a lot. there are some rock, ballads, upbeat winter songs.. and Not Yet sounds like RAINBOW!!! awesome!!!!!

What they meant was that it sounds like Everlasting Dream on the Rainbow album, not the song Rainbow.

elepop

20th November 2006 04:55 AM

They said it sounds like "everlasting dream" in the beginning, and turns like "Catcher In The Light" after. :D From sweet/gentle to rock! Pretty cool.

ayu_fan929

20th November 2006 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness (Post 950438)

Yeah..
1 LOVE -> Yoji Noi [Nanairo no Ashita by BoA]

It's weird to see that this person composed two completely different songs. (Wished he composed something less poppy for BoA....)

DA1SUK1DAY01691

20th November 2006 05:27 AM

Hopefully those three instrumentals signal a longer tour?

But this album makes me wanna pee in my pants. It's so exiting, like I can't even wait anymore! grr, two more weeks.

Qt Mashi

20th November 2006 05:35 AM

i can't wait to hear the full album, all these reviews and news are making me so excited!!

*hearT_Place*

20th November 2006 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asongforXX (Post 950494)

All those rock songs are making me super happy. :)

This album will ROCK!

:yes

Raleigh

20th November 2006 07:56 AM

Sounds like a great combination. Can't wait to hear some tracks.

jeffycue

20th November 2006 08:04 AM

omg!!! share!!!!! heheheh

truehappiness

20th November 2006 08:55 AM

I'm slightly excited.

Slightly meaning so excited that I'm like gonna pass out.

explodingbird

20th November 2006 08:56 AM

It's so close we can almost TASTE it.[/NatashaBedingfield]

Cyria

20th November 2006 08:56 AM

Everlasting Dream, evolution, monochrome - some of my favourites are mentioned. And rock, and Secret being the only other new ballad! Now I'm so excited!

explodingbird

20th November 2006 09:01 AM

Initially, I was all "WTF three interludes?" (because Not yet definitely is gonna be an intro from the sounds of it). So that would technically leave us with... six new songs. But then I remembered her interludes are often awesome (don't care much for Interlude from LOVEppears, or taskinlude off I am... - or [b[opening Run[/b] either, really) and... y'know, I'll count em. Nine enw tracks to anticipate, then, it'll be.

Sounds like we'll get our long-awaited A ROCK album. With a few exceptions.

truehappiness

20th November 2006 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by explodingbird (Post 950815)

It's so close we can almost TASTE it.[/NatashaBedingfield]

Release your inhibitions~
Feel the rain on your skin..

Secret's gonna be so hot.

Anyways: To those thinking that what she has on during the JEWEL / Secret mu-mo CM is the same as what's on the cover.. it's not. Look closely! It's not a bra she's wearing, it's a sparkly top. :D

extepan

20th November 2006 09:11 AM

oh dear. only 2 ballads. the rest are all rock. i wish there are more ballads!!!

immel

20th November 2006 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness (Post 950810)

I'm slightly excited.

Slightly meaning so excited that I'm like gonna pass out.

I never expected any less of you, I'm pretty slightly excited, too... Ayu, you rock.

If there wasn't so much rock on the album, the interludes would be what I'd be looking forward to the most. After giving us songs like Are You Wake Up? I expect a lot from them.

truehappiness

20th November 2006 09:21 AM

I really hope Ayu did LABYRINTH, since we already have CMJK doing Not yet.. :|

But then again, CMJK did Kaleidoscope and Catcher in the Light :<

immel

20th November 2006 09:23 AM

I wonder, it's like the RAINBOW instrumental... did Ayu compose RAINBOW?

truehappiness

20th November 2006 09:24 AM

She composed it along with DAI.

Supposedly though, Not yet is to be like everlasting dream at first, and then go to a rockier-section like Catcher in the Light.

extepan

20th November 2006 10:31 AM

i think there are three interludes so that it can be made into a full, 14 track album.

truehappiness

20th November 2006 10:36 AM

Hm?

Before the full-album announcement, Secret was to contain:
Startin'
Born to Be..
BLUE BIRD
Beautiful Fighters
JEWEL
1 LOVE
momentum..

But then they added 7 more tracks :D

Axel_Grease

20th November 2006 07:37 PM

This is good to hear. :D It's a mini A ROCK. xD

immel

20th November 2006 07:40 PM

Haha, that statement is quite true.

I'm glad she's following her recent vein of doing a lot of rock songs. Ayumis rock is so fresh.

I still want an http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/5261/logoaot4.gif ROCK, with all her ballads made with rock arrangements, though :).

KyahRyorin

21st November 2006 12:53 AM

OMG. I WANT ANOTHER HEARTPLACE. *dies of excitement* I can't wait!!!

Diana

21st November 2006 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by realize_! (Post 950282)

I'm still a little dissapointed that LABYRINTH is an interlude. it was such a beautiful title for a beautiful song, but you can't have everything.

Yep I agree!! I wanted it to be a song :(

LacusClyne

21st November 2006 02:24 PM

i'm happy that there are more rock songs! i love rock. this make me look forward to the album even more!!!!

PURIN

21st November 2006 05:30 PM

i wonder why its taking so long to get leaked :(

*+Dark.Night.Angel.+*

21st November 2006 09:05 PM

I'm getting such a good feeling about this album!

I'm dying here to listen to it!!

*+D.N.A.+*

immel

21st November 2006 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *+Dark.Night.Angel.+* (Post 952545)

I'm getting such a good feeling about this album!

I never had any feeling about this album, until we were confirmed so many of the songs was of the rock orientations, that gave me a very good feeling, I need fresh music, been missing it for a while.

Ayumiko

21st November 2006 09:22 PM

I wonder when the album will be leaked...only 8 more days till release. I can't wait to hear all the album tracks:D The song secret is the one I want to hear the most...other ppl are more excited about 1love, momentum, etc but since I like all her previous title tracks, I have a feeling I might like this one as well...and its from the same ppl who did memorial address and walking proud :)

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