[sxesven]

Cool beans, was just looking for a thread like this and wuddayaknow. In my quest to review all Ayu albums in reverse chronological order I got tired of the new albums (new for me, that is) quick - after working my way through Party Queen, Love songs and Rock 'n' Roll Circus, of which I only really dug Love songs, I decided I needed something fresh and old. So heck, I might as well just review everything. I like the trip down memory lane. Will read up on this thread later. Cool to see what everyone thinks of these albums in retrospect.

March 18, 2003. Through some fortunate accident I discover Ayu. This was, I would later learn, within a week of A Ballads' release. The most recent album at that point was Rainbow, an album I have fond memories of, so for these two reasons I'm using Rainbow as my new review starting point.

everlasting dream is one of the best album openers, I think, especially interludewise. It immediately invokes the dreamy atmosphere that like a blanket lies over the whole of Rainbow. Fantastic! WE WISH follows it up nicely. Great arrangement, which I think was typical of any Ayu track up until Rainbow, with lots of detail and neatly picked sounds and samples. It's a very lively, vibrant opener. I don't even generally consider this to be one of my 'favourite Ayu songs', but I absolutely love it! Also has some classic vocal delivery, kinda nasal, which I what I fell for, head over heels, way back when. Awesome.

Real me I have always had mixed feelings for. It's in this sort of hip R&B mode that I think was new for Ayu at the time - marking the first major departure in sound (not counting A Song for XX) which would alienate some old school fans. It seems like a typical 2002 urban pop track. Quirky beats, semi-sensual vocals. Somehow it just doesn't seem to fit Ayu all too well. As beautiful and inspiring a woman I've always considered her, I never really thought of her as sensual. Mind that a certain live performance of this track changed my views somewhat, but that's another story altogether...

Free & Easy is so epic. Maybe it's the artwork for the single that contributes to this feeling? Ayu with a sword, all geared up. Washed-out colours. Medieval moods. The opening melody immediately makes it feel like 1400 A.D. Stylistically this isn't really my cup of tea otherwise; not really too fond of these quasi-powerful mid-tempo choruses. Still, though, can't find much fault with it. Enjoyable. Insofar as Free & Easy is epic, though, Heartplace is EPIC. Oh boy. Such a great song. Builds up excellently. Love the powerful power ballad style. Another prime example of great, detailed arrangement. So ace.

Over has never been my favourite. All too standard of a ballad that neither stands out melodically or arrangementwise. The final seconds are cringeworthy. I can't believe nobody vetoed this. It's ovhruuruueurur. Ack. Terrible. Fortunately it's followed by one of the album highlights, HANABI. Brilliant song. Everything is right here. The vocal delivery is so great. The arrangement is truly astounding (seriously, take a good set of headphones and just listen to it closely - there's so much to enjoy here). The chorus goes straight to the heart. Great composition. Excellent tune.

taskinillusion is a faster-paced interlude that is a good prelude for what's to come. I love the task-interludes, dearly so. This one is no exception. everywhere nowhere MUST be a love-it-or-hate-it song, but I absolutely love it. I love Ayu's dance tunes, pretty much all of them. It's so energetic, and fresh. I love the little laser sounds. Awesome. July 1st is even better. This one is easily up there in my top 10 fav Ayu songs. I love the serene beginning, with the calm guitar picking, and then it bursts into something so alive and positive. How can you not totally love this. If July 1st were edible I'd eat it every day and secretly brush my teeth with it, too, and then dream sweetly of it all night. The ultimate summer song for me.

Dolls is a bit of wtf-song for me. What's up with the chirping baby in the beginning? Regardless, it's another ballad, and while I do love some Ayu ballads, this isn't one of them. It drags a bit, isn't very special. It doesn't really have any highs and lows, in whichever way, and just meanders on for its nearly 6-minute duration. Just nah.

A final interlude before we hit the last few songs of the album. neverending dream is pretty, again. Another classic interlude. Voyage is another ballad, but a decidedly better one than Dolls. It's very pretty. The piano works so well, the strings do too. I have a major weak spot for this type of arrangement. Not Ayu's best ballad, but a good one, certainly. Close to you is a ballad yet again, but it's also a pretty one. It always kind of reminds me of no more words (which I love) and has some good bits, despite not standing out in any particular manner. Just a solid, decent song, I guess.

independent though, man. I love this song so much. Again we're moving into more upbeat territory and I'm generally just very fond of this sort of material. independent is fantastic. Everything about it is so right. The hand claps, the great guitar sound, the full sound. Totally amazing, and probably Ayu's most energetic song ever. Except for, of course, +. Which is, basically, independent and then even crrrrrazier. Gotta love the la las. I'm no longer coherent. Soz.

Overall, a fine album with some weak spots, but some truly stand-out material to more then compensate for those.