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Ok, I've listened to the album 5 or 6 times now and I think I can give an opinion.
I really like Flower, the way she sings the whole song is just so good. Her voice becomes part of the song, it gives it more texture too. So so good. Love Song was like that - if it was sung differently it wouldn't work as well. It feels very new for Ayu, but it just feels so Ayu too. I love it. I really would love it if she sung differently to suit songs more often - not all the time, just when it would really suit the song. It totally makes the song here.
Mad World is THE standout song on the album. It's everything Ayu does best executed perfectly, in some ways it's understated but the emotional punch is right there. I think that's when she works best, when her emotion in her vocals and the music come through perfectly together. The instrumental that comes in reminds me of Endless Sorrow - I don't mean that as much in a musical way, but in the way it makes you feel - and I genuinely thought she would NEVER have another song that felt like Endless Sorrow. When you listen to it and you feel the emotions all through you - that is what makes me love Ayu. I agree with the people saying it really feels like a plea. Ugh, just so good!! Other people have praised this song far more articulately than me.
The first time I listened to Breakdown I just thought, 'ah, so this is what Love Again could have sounded like'. After listening a few times that still stands, but it really does have that much more of a punch too it in the chorus. I was thinking too, what makes this so much better than something like Shape of love? It really does feel like everything has been given much more purpose on MIJ - the ending of Breakdown, the way her singing sounds so much more engaged with the songs instead of just feeling like a vocal on top. (That's something that bugged me for a few albums, but it definitely got better with A One, and is back to old Ayu here).
It really don't like the chorus to Survivor, but I do like the verses. So I'm a bit conflicted, maybe whenever we get to see it live it'll be better. I guess from here on I do get a lot less... excited about the album too. I love how You are the only one starts, it's so beautiful but it's not really carried through the song, I like the end more where it reappears... what a disappointment! Overall, it's not a skip but it does get a little cheesy in places for me.
TODAY grows on me with each listen and surprises me, but I can't sing the melody, and I don't really have anything special to say about it? It's just there, and nice. The album is short, so it gets away with it. I prefer Mr Darling, it was such a relief when it started playing because I know I'm not the only one who saw that title and thought the worst lol I feel like this style just really suits her now, and the way she sings now. I don't think it'll be making my favourites anytime soon, but it works to wrap up the main 'meat' of the album. Much like TODAY, I just like listening to it but don't feel much towards it like I do with the first 3 songs.
Summer Love is leftover from Sixxxxxx right? It feels so out of place. It's catchy, better than Feel the Love/You & Me etc... I bet this gets the PV though. It's nice that we got Many Classic Moments too, it's always sounded like it could be an Ayu s ong anyway. I like her cover - it IS Ayu singing Many Classic Moments!! - but I prefer the original.
That was longer than I expected oops, but I have a lot of Ayu feelings....
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