Now that it's not 2:00 a.m. for me and I can think more in detail about this album.
In a simple summary statement:
She has stuck to what is Ayumi Hamasaki but has intensified it ten fold, it's like Ayu going Super Seiyan or Super Sailor Moon. I can honestly say that this album is the best she has done in YEARS, that doesn't mean I feel like everything else before this was crap, but my personal opinion is this is her best since her I am.../RAINBOW days. I was afraid that after Party Queen she wasn't going to give us golden tracks like Return Road ever again or uplifting and simple songs like call or Letter. I do agree this song doesn't push boundaries or break trends in Ayu's style but I do agree when she says this is a reboot of her career and that she put her whole heart into this. This is the first album in years where songs didn't have to grow on me I just loved them all instantly. Listening to this album lifts my heart and reminds me of my teen years and how happy I was to have discovered her incredible music in 2002 it brings back my love for Ayu. The sounds of this album range greatly mostly comparing to Memorial Address, Love Songs, I am... and RAINBOW. Almost every song brings tears to my eyes.
This is the first album I have been able to listen to beginning to end without feeling the itch to skip a song since NEXT LEVEL.
Song ratings average: 8.18 Album rating: 9/10 <------ best ratings I've given since Memorial address and Love Songs.
a Bell 9/10
A beautiful opening song and I'm so glad it's the only interlude in the album. It's so pleasant to listen to, it's an interlude I would actually crave to listen to on it's own and not just with the album. My favorite since RAINBOW's
WARNING 9/10
WOW this song is so good, the layers of music. The guitar is just the best thing ever, this song is so fierce! My favorite rock song since Microphone. I can't really comment specifically but all I can say is this song is extremely addicting and awesome!
NO FUTURE 9/10
This song is like if you put Love Song (the song) and WHATEVER together, I really love this song! Her vocals are a bit sub par but the mixing oooooooh the mixing and the change in tempo near the end. It just builds and builds it's so exiting it's like an anime opening song! Then the lovely slow bit at the end
This reminds me of progress a bit, and I feel it's just as good or maybe even a bit better (so sue me).
Anything for You 9/10
The background vocals really add to the depth of this song giving an almost eerie but lifting sound. This song is incredible near the end with the intensity building. The melody is lovely with hints of sadness, it sounds like something out of a tragic love story movie. I totally didn't expect this, this is Angel II but twice as good! It brings me back to feelings of Who...
Last minute 8/10
Her vocals in the opening are a bit hard to listen to but then the droooooooooooooooooop
This song gets stuck in my head often and the PV was so cool my favorite since BRILLANTE and the essence of Daybreak (yes, I liked Daybreak I thought it was beautiful because it was so simple).
Zutto... 6.5/10
This song is the weakest on the album in my opinion, it's very stagnant to me and sounds like the reject song of Love Songs they decided to throw in now. Her high note vocals are annoying and not even in the cute annoying Ayu way we know and love, just annoying. It's still an O.K. song, I like it enough to not have to feel the need to skip it. There isn't really anything special that stands out to me that I can comment on, it's just a B-list Ayu song, she can't always give us a 10/10.
Out of control 7.5/10
This song isn't really that unique but it is easy listening, happy, and classic Ayu. It brings me back to her "H" single feeling with July 1st and independent only better. It's very call and Letter-like. The musical break is awesome with the synth guitars. Not an instant classic but it's better than 80% of Love again (sorry, sue me)
Story 7/10
Like most of the album she didn't branch out too far from her classic "Ayu style" and this song is a prime example. Probably the most boring song on the album but not my least favorite, I found this song much more enjoyable than Zutto... it reminds me of Tuxedo Mirage the Sailor Moon S ending theme song which I love, just reminds me of classical love songs in Japan in the mid 90's in a good way.
The GIFT 7.5/10
I'm not quite as in love with it a Ayu is but it is still very lovely. Her vocals are very nice and the piano melody at the beginning and end are sooooo lovely
I can see why some people find this song boring. Even though this is one of my less-liked songs from the album I tend to find that this song gets stuck in my head more than any of the others (along with Last minute). The soft drop near the end is so nice. The key thing about this song that makes it so nice is the layering, when they decide to intensify and drop the melodies and music, very lovely.
The Show Must Go On 7.5/10
While I loved snowy kiss this is not nearly as good to me. The reason I loved snowy kiss so much is because of how sad and raw it was and the PV really added to it with the fighting scenes. The vocals are just terrible in the opening of the song
but I love the drop and the song is much better after the first part. The second half is really good. The song somehow reminds me of Sparkle a bit.
Walk 10/10
I LOVED this song when it first came out, it seems is a bit boring but if you really listen, it's so mystical, it sounds like Ayu singing a bedtime story. The lyrics are the saving grace for me. I guess I love this song so much because of how strong of a personal connection is has to me. I walk to work everyday and have a lot of people in my life who judge the choices I have made in my life so this song lifts me when I walk to work to stand proud by the choices I have made. The song just builds and builds and then the end is just so amazing. I really wish this sound would have had a PV, I would have had it be Ayu walking in snow and a storm intensifies through the whole thing until Ayu has to walk faster and faster and then on the last note of the song she bursts with a magic ball of light pushing the storm away from herself in all directions. This song always brings tears to my eyes, it gives me the same feeling when she did crossroad and Key.