Disclaimer: I know ridiculously little about music and am terrible at recognising instruments and describing sounds... and yet I still try!
tasky ★★★★★
I don't rate this intro quite as high as many people have done, but it's definitely epic. I love the beginning, it sounds so mysterious and foreboding. I feel like the track becomes less dynamic after the beat and shamisen come in, but it's still a great ride all the way to the end. Best introduction/interlude since NEXT LEVEL.
FLOWER ★★★★
This is a cool song, but I can't get over Ayu's voice in the chorus. It sounds... distorted? I've seen people claim she shrieks like a banshee before, but this is the first time I actually feel something like that. Maybe it's intentional, since it definitely builds atmosphere and is an interesting sonic element, but it distracts me from the rest of the song too much. That said, everything else is on point. I love the shamisen plucks and the guitar solo. And I can't wait to read the lyrics for this song!
Mad World ★★★★★
Instant favourite. Other people have already praised this song way more eloquently than I could, so I'll just say: same. Her voice is fantastic and full of emotion in this song, it really sounds like she's making a plea. The arrangement isn't really anything special, but it doesn't need to be, it supports Ayu's vocals perfectly. The chorus is so catchy with the "oshiete yo nee" lines. And again, I need the lyrics in my life.
Breakdown ★★★★★
This song makes me feel like swaying with a lighter. I'm such a sucker for rock songs/rock ballads with nice keyboard sounds, and this song does just that, I love how the keyboard is used post-chorus. And Ayu's singing is fantastic again, she sounds weary and almost ready to resign. I love how the last chorus ends with distortion creeping into Ayu's voice, and how she sings one final "kono mama" when you think the song is already over, these details are so great.
Survivor ★★★★
This song really is like INSPIRE, and in the same way, it's a bit too much for me. I love how powerful she sounds in the verses, and I appreciate the effort to create such a distinctive and interesting song, but I find it a bit exhausting to listen to. Also, I definitely feel the Eurovision vibes some people have mentioned, especially with the modulation at the end, lol.
You are the only one ★★★★★
My first time listening to this song, I was ready to criticise it for not committing to being either a quiet, sparse ballad (something like Shape of Love) or a more fleshed out midtempo ballad. It felt like the song was dancing an awkward line, not quite finding its identity. But when I got to the end, and the magnificent boom that happens, it all clicked, and I fell in love with the whole song. Listening to it more, I've also started noticing how the song already starts adding sounds and growing in the second verse, then quiets down to make the final, beautiful explosion of sound that much more powerful. Sooooo good.
I love the arrangement so much. I've loved many of her more traditional-sounding ballads from the last five years (beloved, SAKURA, untitled 2, Out of control, Story, Shape of love, yes yes YES), but it's so refreshing to hear her do something different, and do it SO WELL. I love the more ambient, electronic sound, the bagpipe flourishes, the booming percussion at the end, the otherworldly synth sounds in the second verse. Ayu's voice is great as well, but I feel like the arrangement steals the show here (at least until I get to read the lyrics, which might emphasize different things in the song).
However... having seen SEOHYUN compare this song to hbya on the last page... I'm starting to see the parallels, and I'd rather not, lol. This song is whole galaxies better though, thank goodness.
TODAY ★★★
It's very pleasant to listen to, but the melody just won't stick with me, it refuses to be memorable. I feel like I might start liking this song more after further listening, but for now, this is kind of the weakest link on the album for me.
Mr. Darling ★★★★
I love how the song opens with just the acoustic guitar and Ayu. The melody is really, really lovely, the chorus is super catchy, and I'm starting to get the verse into my head as well. I feel like this is another song that might grow on me in the future, it's just a lovely piece of well-made pop-rock, which is exactly what I usually like.
Summer love ★★★★
What a generic title, lol. I love the verses, the beat gets me going, but I have some gripes with the chorus. I have nothing against the mood becoming all sunny and cheery in a split second, but I dislike how the arrangement seems to go sparser; this is the chorus, it's supposed to be the big draw of the song, I want it to be beefier and bigger and louder, I want all the sounds! This won't be one of my top dance songs from Ayu, but I really enjoy it, way more than I thought I would at first!
Many Classic Moments ★★★★★
I can't help but give this song five stars, it's one of my all-time favourites. But honestly, Ayu's version is vastly inferior to the original. The breakdown is a disappointment, and this version lacks the dynamics of the original song. Still, Ayu delivers with the emotion, which is the most important thing.
I'm trying to come up with some sort of concluding thoughts about the album but coming up empty-handed. I'll just say: I really liked A ONE, and at first listen, I didn't think I would like this album quite as much, but I'm starting to feel like I might love MADE IN JAPAN as much, if not more. This album has some really outstanding songs that demand repeated, intense listening. I hope the album will surprise me and only grow on me more in the future! Overall, I'm really happy with what Ayu has produced, and also happy to see it being received so well.
