Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - View Single Post - [News] New Album TROUBLE on August 15th ~III~
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Old 5th August 2018, 05:34 PM
Zeke.'s Avatar
Zeke. Zeke. is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Manhattan, NYC
Posts: 9,723
Rating: 2/5

I'm sorry but this album is a huge disappointment, and my expectations were already super low.

I can see myself tolerating the last track, but for that kind of feeling there are other works in her discography I'd turn to to satisfy my craving.

W is kind of all over the place. I really dislike how the 2nd bar (2nd phrase of lyrics) of the chorus already feels resolute. Usually the first half of the chorus of her tracks resolves itself on the 4th bar. I'm not sure if I'm describing it correctly, but there seems to be no "tension" in the chorus after the 2nd phrase already. I prefer to be on the edge of my seat throughout the entirety of the chorus. I listened to is this LOVE? immediately following this track, and W can not stand a chance to it, or other rock staples.

Regarding the other two new tracks, I can't stomach her voice in those kind of arrangements any longer. It's very "rough" but the arrangement is "sparkly" "glittery" "dreamy" "soft," which when combined just sounds so jarring. It is more apparent in aeternal.

I said it for MinJapan and I'll say it again; at this point her voice with all it's flaws really only sounds "at home" in rock arrangements for me (although Shape of love sounded splendid). In rock songs she really "pushes" it out, and she sounds committed. I need that sense of "commitment" from her - I don't feel get that sense of "commitment" to the track in songs like aeternal.

Last edited by Zeke.; 5th August 2018 at 05:36 PM.