Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - View Single Post - 'again' mini album out December 8th, 2nd of five 15th anniversary releases [IV]
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Old 6th December 2012, 09:09 AM
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SunshineSlayer SunshineSlayer is offline
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Just got home from work; now I can finally listen to these songs. Prior to this the only full version I heard before was Wake Me Up. So, this is all pretty much new for me.

Wake Me Up - Sounds so great in HQ. I noticed a lot of small things I couldn't before; lots of nice little touches are in the background. I liked this song immediately on first listen. Not perfect, but I think the more I listen the more I'm going to like it.

Sweet Scar - basically what I expected from the PV version. Very pretty, but kind of boring. It does fit her vocals right now though. Her vocals in general sound like they are getting this thinner, kind of breathless quality to them - so actually this kind of slow, soothing sound might be the best style for her voice right now.

Ivy - hmmm, Not sure I like the melody at the beginning. The words are all too over enunciated. Something about the delivery and phrasing seems kind of strange. The music is really pretty. Honestly I'm not sure what I think of this song. lol

Snowy Kiss - Very TK. haha. It sounds like something he would release in his more experimental late 90s/early 00s phase. That's a good thing. I love TK. This song has soo much going on in it, I need some time to digest it. Also, does this maybe qualify as the longest song in her discography? Criminal I think comes close but I don't think it broke the 6 minute mark. And I may be mistaken, but that sounds like TK doing backup vocals to me.

Overall, way better than Love, that's for sure. Best track is Wake Me Up, but Snowy Kiss is right up there too. Ivy and Sweet Scar I could take or leave for the most part.

Quote:
Originally Posted by elvis810 View Post
i thought this album is supposed to showcase her creativity but i don't hear it (may be a little bit in the arrangement of snowy kiss otherwise the song is a typical jpop ayu tune). The upbeat tracks in the first half of PARTY QUEEN has more creativity than this whole mini-album IMO.

It could be the lyrics but i haven't read them though.

snowky kiss doesn't sound like 6 minutes to me but on the other hand Ivy sounds like an hour long...
haha, I agree. Snowy Kiss actually felt like it went by pretty fast for a 6 minute song. It was Ivy were I was checking my watch.

Also, I rarely pay attention to remixes, but I like the one of Wake Me Up.

Last edited by SunshineSlayer; 6th December 2012 at 09:22 AM.