[ohsixthirty]

this is all very subject to opinion. just because one person doesn't like the direction ayumi is going in, it does not mean that another person won't love it.

personally, i would say she is getting better. i hesitate, but next level might be my favorite ayumi album. its hard to say, because when i was a new fan and was completely obsessed with ayumi, i listened to her albums nonstop on repeat day and night. i couldn't get enough of her! now that i've been a fan for almost a decade, i have cooled off a little, but that said, i honestly believe that ayumi is growing as an artist. i enjoy every album, but i really thought that next level was amazing! and i would say that ayumi is better in that she is doing more experimentation and branching out to try new sounds.