Quote:
Originally Posted by //ABEST
i don't get why everyone is so obsessed about waiting her to re-sing everything and do a re-shoot and give everything related to original release back in 2001.  i think a t-shirt and some photobook is so ayu-like so what did you guys really expected? deluxe edition looks so good imo. even if i'm not going to buy it, i like this release even when we don't have scan etc yet |
I'm not sure what the obsession is with re-singing, to be honest lol... And I think if she DID re-record some of these songs, I think it wouldn't be as good. Not nearly. I don't think her vocal technique nowadays is good for the sort of young, naive, pained, broken, etc. sort of song she used to do. Her voice is TOO confident now to deliver those songs properly, in my opinion. I just feel like it wouldn't work as well. She's MUCH better at conveying regret, anger, hope, etc. nowadays as opposed to the anxiety she expressed when she was younger, which required a more strained, squeaky type of voice. She used to meow, now she roars. It's very very different.
I think the photobook is the only good thing about this release. I LOVE that it's there, and I'm loving the contents I've seen so far. I'd LOOOOVVVE to just buy the book. The inclusion of both video discs is a lame cash grab. The shirt is half-assed and won't fit everyone so it's useless to a lot of us (I mean I can't even put that on my wall - it'll just look like a mounted printout or LP or something)... also, why is it white?? A black shirt would have fit the overall mood of the release much more, and I MIGHT have been interested in that.
The box is certainly not bad, I like that they fit the CD itself into a tray inside the oversized box so the book could be a nice size. It's not badly planned.
But I wish there had been more re-creations/re-printings/re-releases of older things that either have NEVER been released or things that WERE once available but aren't anymore.
-Behind the scenes reports/videos/photos that used to be on TeamAyu but aren't anymore
-Secret Live at Akasaka Blitz
-Tour pass reproductions
-Reprinted ads/flyers for A BEST era singles & albums
-Vocal tracks for EVERY track on A BEST
-Just the addition of "monochrome," "POWDER SNOW," and "evolution" to the tracklist would have made this version of A BEST the absolute most essential version for every casual and/or old school fan, but it woulda been great to spread the release out to two audio discs to add those songs, vocal tracks, and some of the more essential remixes from the era (like the HAL's Mix of Fly high).
Also, a vinyl edition would have been unbelievably cool, and the 15th anniversary would have been a great time to release that. I don't have nearly enough Japanese music on vinyl, and "sixxxxxx" is such a delight to have... but older Ayu stuff on vinyl? omg. <3
Re-recording, to me, isn't necessary, and yeah I do think Ayu has other stuff she coulda done. But I would have preferred if Ayu & her team had a meeting and said "Okay, how can we make A BEST
actually better than it was? How can we balance novelty and nostalgia in an effective way? How can we release A BEST in a way that's comfortable and welcoming for ex-fans and casuals, but also exciting and respectful for current and long-time fans?"
I feel like there are SO many ways to accomplish that, and... they just really dropped the ball.