Official thread of your thoughts on (You were... / BALLAD / RED LINE) [Songs & PV] #1
 

This is the official thread for people who want to make comments on any songs in her next single.

This thread is for the following questions:

What do you think about her new songs?
What do you think about her new PVs?

This thread is a-must when ayu has new songs or PVs out. We better have an "official thread" for it.

lol.

My opinion of You were... preview... the first part sounds like JEWEL, and the second part is wow - powerful.

(November 26, 2009) --- Preview of You were... is out now. ---
Download -> http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=96346

they all haven't leaked in full yet..
i can only give my opinion on the preview of You were... and it sounds very, very promising so far. i'd say her best ballad in years. if the other two songs are even half as good as it, i'll be happy :)

Yes yes yes, IMO, it is very powerful and emotional in the 2nd part. I totally love it. I am so curious how she sings this powerful and emotional chorus in You were... (Music Box mix -retake version-).

I agree. You Were... is very, very strong and very promising. I've liked what she's released previously but I haven't LOVED it. I've listened to the preview of You Were... about 50 times now. I love it so, so much. This single... covers... songs (at least You Were...) hopefully PV as well will all be this breakthrough out of the kind of "boring-ness" of what she's been previously releasing. Not that it was boring, it just didn't have that sparkle that she usually has.

I'm really loving the single so far!

same here, i think she will sing it softer like how she did with the re-recording of Dearest for the acoustic piano version

It's an okay song... nothing special.

this. > _ < it is emotional, but it doesnt sound THAT good, i mean, i barely even LIKE it. =/ i hope the PV will make me like it moreee...

totally looking forward to BALLAD & RED LINE, they have super cool titles ;)

i love it...i play it in repeat...and i love it..really can't wait for PV, and full song

Mmmm...

I don't think it's that great. It's ok. So far, i find the music too generic.Sounds like the average winter ballad... but i could be wrong. (May be it will grow on me eventually? i hope so.)

Wow. Just, wow. "You were..." sounds amazing! I can't wait! :D

I really like how the You Were... chorus sounds, I'm trying to refrain from listening to the preview too much so I don't ruin the song when HQ comes out lol

I'm not in love with it by any means yet, although all she has to do is cry in the PV to reel me in. LOL

I love You were...
especially the chorus

I also love that song. I really like, when Ayu is singing Ballads.
I hope, BALLADS also will be as good a You were...
And I can't wait for the PV.

It sounds nice so far. :)

I love it so far! I can't wait to hear BALLAD! :D

The preview of "You were..." is okay, I will wait for the full song for a more accurate opinion.

so far, my favorite ballad after HEAVEN. :D

vor vocally IMO you were... really awesome. but for music IMO NWTS still the best

You Were... I love this song. The song reminds me for SEASONS. I think, the vid also is almost the same to SEASONS.

Loved it, loved it, loved it, loved it, loved it!!! *heart*

Okay, I have done XD
I really love You were... (well, the prieview of it), it's just very Ayuish and I loooove these kind of winter ballads <3
Can't wait for the rest of the songs XD

I really fear that at least half of you are going to be sick as hell of this song by the time it comes out..... ;_;'

You were... is set to become one of my fave ballads, right up with HEAVEN and Days... *__*

I've only listened a few times, it will kill me waiting til my CDs arrive to hear the proper HQ versions though! >_<

obviously about You were..
musically is finally something more classical and less experimental.
The lyrics include a new deep strenght, it's maybe a sort of new self-consciousness and awareness.
The voice confirms this sort of feeling.

i have high hopes for the You were... PV, considering the clip. but i keep imagining that she'll pop out another JEWEL or something. i hope it's as dynamic and clamactic as the song.

I love BALLAD! So simple and "stripped", but yet somehow very emotional and mellow . Sounds really wistful to me, and I love that. The final notes really surprised me, so powerful! Some compared it to Will, GREEN, HEAVEN etc but I don't think it sounds much like of any of those. It does have a theme of a-nation feel to it though, except more sorrowful. I love the arrangement. Especially the wavering sound of the violins.

This single is looking pretty freaking amazing to me atm. :yes :love Can't wait for Red Line and the HQ versions!

It sounds really grand. Sounds like one of the songs that can belong in MY STORY CLASSICAL hahaha. Yes it is OOZING with chinese flavour but i actually really like it. the vibratos were as bad as I thought..it made the song feel so ethereal and gentle. I think the chorus was wonderful. Really climatic and emotional. About her voice, the ending portions felt sooo raw..definitely distinct Ayu vocals of this period of time..

I don't wish to compare it to You were... because I think one song is more contemporary, one song is really more period..and it's cool in this way that both songs are contrasting with each other.

This single is great. I just wonder how the PVs will be. They MUST be epic gosh. I dont want the same fate to happen to BALLAD like it did for GREEN.
i think people will need time to get used to BALLAD though. (im so happy she made a ballad like this haha...slower and more grand...very alan too )

I hear the preview of Ballad now. I really like it. Sounds so "chinese". Really good.
So.. that will be a really good Single. I also love "You were".
So.. I can't wait for the PV'S... and also "Red line".

i love BALLAD. her vibrato did bug me a bit at first, but it's really not that bad. the song has some surprises in it that i wasn't expecting and it is in no way bland or boring for me. it reminds me of songs on I am... or Duty - it's like the vocals aren't perfect, they're flawed, but it doesn't matter because of the emotion.

I wanna waiting HQ previews for judge them but I'll write my thoughts already.

You were...

Classic ballad from Ayu, at first I wasn't impressed but after it's grown on me. The guitars are amazing (sorry I always repeat it lol) her voice isn't awful like Curtain Call but powerful than her latest ballads. The lyrics are touching but is a sort of Ayu's trademark :D right? lol.

BALLAD

This song surprised me. It's kinda unexpected lol.
BALLAD sounds ethereal and more traditional than GREEN. Her voice isn't powerful as Yw unfortunately.. it doesn't bother me but it's just ok (as her vibrato). Like Yw that songs needs to grown on me.

Now I wonder how it sounds Red Line! But overall Yw/BALLADS seems her epic single so far :yes

BALLAD sounds a bit like GREEN, in terms of the older Asian sound it has. I do love that, and it sounds like it'll fit well with the Japanese-Chinese drama that'll air next month. It also reminds me of HEAVEN, because of how quiet it is, and then how it slowly builds up.

I love both songs, but I prefer You were... more. For now, anyway. Hah.

ballad>you were definetely reminds me of alan....which is great. Ballad sounds great

hopefully...red line>ballad>you were

alan would never make a ballad as boring as BALLAD imo.

BALLAD is pretty, but it's INCREDIBLY underwhelming

So far I prefer You Were... But both are pretty songs. Ballad might really get boring after a few listens I feel. I doubt we will be getting any tv performances of it.

I am seriously worried about her vocals though - it seems like it is getting to the point that it is impossible for her to sing without a "breathy" tone to her voice.

have you listened to all of the ballads on "my life" besides the last 3? they're all boring as hell and have no emotion whatsoever.

what ballads? Nobody knows but me, Mitsumetitai, my life, and BALLAD~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ are the only "ballads" on my life. The rest are pop songs.

i thought there were more? or maybe some songs were just so boring i mistook them for ballads. i think it's odd to say alan wouldn't create a ballad as boring as ayu's "BALLAD". i don't even see it as boring, and it certainly isn't as boring as a lot of alan's ballads. don't get me wrong, she has some epic ones but the boring ones definitely outweigh them.

I can't think of one alan ballad that's boring =/ I'm just stating my own opinion, it's very blah.

I agree alan does have some boring ballads...but her epic ballads are EPIC!!!! they are freakin amazing

Ehm....from the preview it sounds boring. BUT, it's just the preview, and it's LQ. So we'll see. :)

I think BALLAD sounds amazing...@_@ especially at the end.........

omg. BALLAD is just something I hoped she will do!! I love it so much. It does reminds of GREEN, but I love GREEN so much that Im sure BALLAD will be in my top 5 fav ayu ballads!

BALLAD sounds like the better of the two A-sides. You were...'s verses don't sound like anything special, but I love the chorus.

You were sounds very promising....

I haven´t listened BALLAD so much to make an opinion right now... I would like to listen the HQ version of it...

I think You were... and BALLAD sound both really amazing. :heart I think this single is going to be great. I don't know if I like You were... or BALLAD more, because they both are really pretty. I can't wait for the HQ songs!

i love you were... (even from the previews)...
but BALLAD is just so SURPRISING me!!!
i didn't think that it would be that kind of Asian-ic songs...
it's just so-so~

BALLAD is great...you were is meh.

I..am not a fan of her vocals in BALLAD though...it's very raw, and sounds like she's struggling and/or pushing all the verses out, when for a song like this, her vocals should be lighter and not so forced or something.

BALLAD is like jewel + theme of a-nation, and I really like that...but I'm not really liking her new melodies.

BALLAD is unoriginal and you were is so complex that it's convoluted...I know it's hard to come up with simple, powerful, and emotional melodies...when so much has been done before...but it's not impossible and artists are doing it every day...so...I dont know.

I guess I'm just picky.

It's a good single though. It's definitely more solid than her past few singles...so that's a plus.

That's the end of my thoughts on these songs.

Meh... both songs sound pretty generic for me so far. Still, I hope that they will grow on me with the release, PV's and some performances

And about the alan-Ayu comparison, let's be fair, its much harder to come up with something new for Ayumi, who has been around for over a decade and has released like 150 different songs than a new artist whose material will be evidently more interesting

initially, i dont really like You were... because i felt that it was too noisy and dramatic for a ballad. But after listening to BALLAD, You were... was just so much better cos BALLAD was kinda boring to me with weird tunes.

IMO You were video is among her best... Gorgeous...
And i'm waiting for people to say that this is her worst video ever and that she should retire ^^

^sure people are gonna complain, this is AHS :laugh
for me, i LOVE it! ayu looked so gorgeous, and looked so young but mature at the same time!!
but.. i don't undertand the PV :laugh maybe someone know the meaning behind it?
ahh.. ilove the song more thanks to this PV!!

On you were PV:

A rather simple but visually pleasing PV. It reminded me a bit of this Leslie Kee photoshooting: http://siesuchen-wirfinden.de/ayu-ga....php?album=626
Some of the costumes of the masked dancers/robots and the glove puppet looked weird to me. Ayu's look in the PV was also quite simple, save for the gown, but I think they could have done something else with the hair. Overall, there are some nice shots that are enhanced with a lot of particle effects, which I liked a lot.

I will target and quote all these stupid people out if they complain. HAHAHAHAHA

I am curious who is the producer of this PV, it looks a bit different from her pervious PV.

wow! It was a gorgeous PV!! Very different!! And Ayu looked fabulous!!! The editing with the lights breaking apart and forming something else reminded me of Namie Amuro's White Light PV. I really like that effect!!!
I thought it was neat with all the strange costumed dancers! Kind of like she was in this weird fantasy world!! A great concept!! Definitely made me like the song more!

you were... PV is visually stunning in how it was shot. The lighting and angles are crisp and beautiful.

Not sure how it all ties in to each other (a teddy bear hand and a high fashion android) but oh well.

You were is the best PV of 2008 and 2009, among her best overall.

I LOVE IT!!!

wow... i'm speechless... I don't know what to say about you were... PV... i'm in shock... it made me cry and I don't know why... it's so strange, and I think I like it, long time since the last "I don't know what's this PV about"...

I have to see it more times... and now I love this song even more *-*

and well.. when she said she was covered by brillian things, she meant purpurin and this dress xD I hope that with HQ or when I get my copy the purpurin will be brighter ^^

lol for You were... my fear came true i was like *please please let this PV be one i can understand* but nope. it's really pretty though, but some scenes are just odd.

the full You were... song is AMAZING though. it's going on my winter playlist right now! :heart

whats purpurin?

and i thought she said diamonds?

I'm so happy You were... is getting all this love because it's probably one of my favorite PVs from Ayu, if not my most favorite! :D:D:D:D Keep spreading the love everybody!

:love

Omg I cried too! Something about the PV brought out the tears :'). Her best PV in years! Somehow her simple beautiful PVs are her best. This PV reminds me of JEWEL :D Which is another one I consider her best.

I thought the diamonds were for BALLAD?

aren't you going to see Utada in Chicago?

xd google said me this XD let me search again a translation por the spanish word "purpurina" XD

....

I found purpurin again... aix... "purpurina" is a briliant powder, you know?? normally people use it for plastic works... or dancers put it over her arms and face so they skin will bright with the focus... I don't know if I explained it well...

you're probably right.

and yeah, i will definitely be in chicago to see utada.

oh, and walking.proud, i understand now. i thought maybe you were talking about the lights under her dress.

a shimmering makeup?

wikipedia says:

so i'm not sure...i assume its the shimmeriness on her skin, but not sure if purpurin is the right thing or not.

The PV is BRILLIANT.

The idea might revolve around the "we are the marionettes of our brains/minds" theme.
Besides the meaningful strangeness, it's really pretty and so is the song.

Kudos to ayu and the director.

honestly im sorry but do i have the feeling ayu suffers from same-scene haapening-for-a-whole-minute syndrome

The PV is amazing.... It's a little scary though (:laugh) but makes it even more fascinating. I hope to see lots of interperations over this! There were many parts that left me curious for explanation.

I love her dress and the use of those light/sprinkle effects. The song has even gotten better with this PV. :yes I love the dark feel.

My thoughts on the PV: . . . . . .

It's making me lol in the worst way possible, but I love the song.

I love You were... as a song. It's lovely and even better in full and HQ.

The PV.. she looked nice, I liked her dress & make-up but scraped back hair never works for her :no and that shimmery thing all over her made her look sweaty instead of glittery.

The effects were so pretty though and I liked the weird dressed dancers. It's probably all meaningful but I didn't understand it lol What ayumisreal said makes good sense though!

The only complaints I have is I wish she moved around more and the background looked cheap.. the trees looked like cardboard cut outs

^they were cardboard cut outs...

Those trees remind me of a street in Tokyo, Japan with white trees that are decorated for Christmas and light up at night. Does anyone know what I mean? I'm curious to know what that street is.

Well yeah okay, but was it intentional? Like, is it supposed to be obvious that they are?

Probably, if they wanted them to look better, they would have made them look like the ones in JEWEL.

The video is out?! Must find it!

It is so obvious they do it on purpose.

I am curious if ayu the plug of the lighting in her dress under her feet. It is because she cannot move, but she seems want to move! :(

I'm sure the cardboard cutout trees were intentional, it fits in with all the other strange on-goings in that PV. It felt sort of...boring though? I don't like her hair, though the effects are actually beautiful.

maybe the battery pack would fall out?

Or they are too heavy and ayu cannot even walk with them. ayu is only around 5' and she needs to do the best effect for the PV and carries all these heavy stuff.. :(

I like the You were PV... but.. it would be better without the dancers. Are this her dancers? I don't know. But.. I would be better without them.. I think.
SO.. I can't wait for BALLAD PV.

purpurin. sounds like an engrish version of purple. purpre.

Yes I love You were. I think it's so beautiful. and ayu looks so gorgeous in the pv. I love the light up dress. makes me think of that one dress from her my story tour. the transitions are amazing. but the pv leaves me thinking....what is going on? what is it about?

I love You were's PV :heart
it reminds me some of her old PVs, with random plot but visually extremely stunning.
The beginning is really cute I like that teddy-glove XD and the simply background is nice.

Now I can't wait for BALLAD PVs and it should be EPIC, right Ayu? Lol

those weren`t her dancers... they were western...

Yeah, they looked like western ballet dancers wearing GaGa-esque clothing. [FINALLY!?!?]

Sifting through here, it looks like everyone loves the PV for You were...? =\

I think it's awful. Actually, I didn't think it was serious when I saw that random bear hand puppet at the beginning. WTF? It looks cheap and gross. Those weird people look like they got rejected from being in a Lady GaGa or Olivia Lufkin video. (They kind of remind me of some of the people from FINAL DISTANCE by Hikki... but that didn't look CHEAP.)

Hopefully the PV for BALLAD will be decent. Anything except... no, anything would be better than this. xD

The song does sound super great in HQ though! And Ayu looked very beautiful. :)?

I LOVED the dancers and the cut-out trees!! :heart I was so happy to see something interesting and weird in a ballad PV!! :D So the PV itself I liked a lot! :yes

Now, someone's going to tear me a new one for saying this, but I though Ayu looked horrible. :no She looked like--someone's going to kill me, someone's going to kill me--a banshee. >_< She was so scrawny, so malnourished-looking, her dress strap made it look like 1/3 of her torso was missing, her nails in comparison to her tiny fingers, and her black eyes were kinda creepy. :weep And that face-shot scene where she's completely still made her look SO SCARY!!! LIKE A DOLL!!! :dead2

I'm sorry, don't kill me. >_< Her hair was very pretty, and the lights in her dress were super cool, but she looked like skin and bones to me. :headache I'm not saying she needs to eat more or anything, just that for some reason the lighting or the dress or everything made her looks so scrawny. :(

Ahh... a basic ayu conceptual pv. YEAH!

@ sugarbasil: I dun think her hair is that pretty.. but I agree with you that some of her facial scenes are kinda scary. I dunno why but I feel like her eyebrows were painted white and they're quite invisible sometimes. I dun like the make up at all. But I love her dress and nails tho lol.

And her hand movements were simple (something she would do before Kaz stepped in). I'm so glad that there's no tears, no exaggerated acting, etc :P.

i kinda love this PV..but i thought ayu said she'll be covered by jewel?NO???!!!
i really like the effect they are using :D

that's for the BALLAD PV :)

Are we sure about that? She was kinda body-glittery in this one, and her body was pretty kirakira with the glitter + light dress...

Maybe it was translated differently...?

I always thought that she said the diamonds thing that it will be for the BALLAD PV (as I recall there was a reason for that, it might be that it was the 2nd time she wrote she recorded a PV but I don't remember well now =P).
Unless course if she meant glitters and not diamonds.
We will have to wait for BALLAD PV to see I guess.

Just saw the You Were PV and what I have to say is - I don't know what to say. I either really love it or hate it. lol. One thing for sure though is it is definitely something different.

Do we know who the director is? I'm guessing not Kazuyoshi since her facial expressions and mouth movements actually look normal.

It's the guy who was behind Depend on you, is this LOVE? and Ladies Night, Masashi Muto.

I swear this video is making me think that the song from the perspective of a Christmas tree that has seen many Christmases go by, haha.

And the video is rather filled with GaGa-lite outfitted dancers...

^ lol possibly. And good it's about time! Finally back to one of her old directors!

Well, Sunrise/Sunset was Wataru Takeishi... so for the album, so far, so good!

Woo! I'll be a bit down if Kazuyoshi or Takahide take BALLAD though, haha.

Yeah me too. I don't count Wataru though because for some reason despite his talent, he has been getting the throw away PVs like Sunrise/Sunset and Decision. You Were is the first time in a looong time that a PV with some actual substance to it was not done by Takahide or Kazuyoshi.

^That's the thing I really want from ayu's pv. I want some (visual) meanings, not a glamorous or exaggerating ayu. If she was gonna use Kaz or Takahide for the pvs, I would rather choose the latter one. Kaz has made ZERO wonderful pvs for ayu. I was kinda 50-50 to GREEN the song itself, and the pv totally killed it. I love Sparkle, but the pv absolutely ruined the song.

At least Takahide made something nice sometimes (such as Days, momentum). :P

I guess I'm one of the few that likes the cardboard trees...and its intentional. I wouldn't like it as much if the trees are 3D. It feels like ayu is in a different dimension. This pv is just so different than her other pvs...I love it! The fade away sparkles remind me of A BEST cms.

The PV is really awesome imo.

Give me a couple of days and this crazy person would work out the symbolism, XD. And ugh Kazu can't do BALLAD, it's way too soft for him! It seems like he loves the omg kind of songs with loud beats and stuff that actually make it "logical" for him to get Ayu to do stupid faces.