Official thread for Duty reviews

[sxesven]

Since I'm working my way through writing reviews for everything, and since I'm sure other people will also be keen to give their opinion, I'm opening this thread (the recent albums have dedicated threads - the older ones don't all). The most relevant thread I could find was 5 Years of Duty, but since it's been 12 years now I think starting a new thread isn't the worst of ideas.

I posted in said thread myself, saying this:

Originally Posted by sxesven

Still my favorite album by far! Along with Memorial Address, Duty is pretty much the only album I listen to when I want to hear some Ayu. Very strong from start to finish, with nothing but good songs and a large portion of personal favorites, among which the entirely brilliant Girlish. Excellent album!

Fun to see that in 2005 Memorial address and Duty already were my favourites, too (they still are). Judging from the comment, I gather I was growing slightly Ayu-weary in 2005 already, after two years of heavy listening (like most fans, probably, I literally listened to nothing buy Ayu in the first few months after discovering her - and well, there's risks there, then, like getting really sick of it fast, which eventually happened. I'm over it now. Huzzah.).

So, Duty. The album I used to call my favourite out of everything, even more so than Memorial address, but this has changed a bit, since I consider Memorial address to be my favourite (mini) album now. This is the first time I'll be playing Duty since, well, a while, so I wonder how it holds up.

In all honesty, I think the opening track/prelude is kind of tacky now. starting over has a sort of happity-hippity-hoppity cheerfulness to it that is slightly annoying, and it feels extremely dated. S-s-s-s-s-searching. Ouch. Honestly, though, this is probably the only real flaw to Duty. Songwise, it's extremely solid. A different opener might've worked wonders, though.

Duty is the first actual song and it kicks in well enough. The moody strings and the choir set the mood fast. It's a kind of dark, understated sort of R&B affair. It's very constant, never lets down in its menacing feel, and is a special song for those reasons alone. Still, it's not a personal favourite. It's too R&B-poppy (for some reason it always makes me think of Destiny's Child), and the Spanish-sounding guitar puts me off. While it is quite admirable for its composition and arrangement it fails to really move me. Still, good opener.

vogue is nice. It's a fairly standard pop song with some slight Middle-Eastern influences. For me, it's typical of golden era Ayu - even if it's not a particular standout track, it is still immensily listenable. It's why an album like Duty is so admirable; there's amazing tracks, and there's good tracks, but no bad ones. This one is good by my reckoning. Not spectacular though. Interestingly, I have always felt, the slightly melancholy mood is retained. In a way, vogue is summery, but it's neither happy nor cheerful. There's a moody undercurrent at all times, which is quite impressive.

End of the World I have always loved. Like I have said before I am always particularly fond of Ayu's dance tracks and power ballads (and by power ballad I mean any ballad-like song with a rock-yer-balls-out chorus). End of the World is right up there, for me, with Still alone, Memorial address, NEVER EVER, the A Song for XX version off A Ballads. I dig it. I love the vocal squeals (eeeeeeeeeeee). Solid song. Again, notably, this is a track with a noticeable moodiness to it - something that I feel characterizes Duty as an album at least until SURREAL, and which seems to stem from the bass lines.

SCAR is a wonderful power ballad. It's perfect. I love the percussion on this. The chorus is lovely. It was one of the first songs in Ayu's discography, I have always felt, that adequately and maturely expressed feelings of sadness and loneliness. Far away I have always had a soft spot for. It has a very mysterious and magical feel to it, and despite the fact that it's fairly standard pop fare in some ways, it manages to stand out through various means. The percussion again deserves a special mention. It has a very particular drive to it that really defines the song. Good.

SURREAL may be my favourite song off Duty. Despite the first half being good, it's where the album takes a turn for the (even) better. It's the first song that seems free of the (needlessly) moody bass lines. Compositionally, it's pure joy. It builds up amazingly, piano, vocals, drum-and-bassy beats, guitar squeal, blast off. The song is like a huge climax, and when the chorus bursts out it's like you're in heaven. SURREAL has fantastic vocals, I think. I love Ayu's squeaks. So much. Augh. Irresistible drive. Great melodies. Fantastic song.

AUDIENCE is another old-time favourite. Such a great dance tune. It is a pure, positive burst of energy that is cheerful and upbeat without ever feeling cheap. Truly amazing. Great arrangement. Love the hand claps. AUDIENCE is one of the songs I most vividly remember falling in love with (besides SEASONS, which was my first Ayu song). We had visited some family and were driving back home; I was in the passenger's seat and had brought my MiniDisc player with a MiniDisc freshly filled to the brim (33 songs) with Ayu tunes I had just downloaded off KaZaA after discovering Ayu by almost-accident only a little earlier. I put it on, AUDIENCE started playing and right there and then I thought, 'well, isn't it weird how I, a hardcore punkrocker, am totally friggin' loving this uplifting dance music?', and I immediately realized it wasn't weird at all, and that loving music is only a matter of whether you dig it, not of what kind of music it is and what the popular opinion of it is. Probably the most important realization of my life - musically at the least.

SEASONS is the first Ayu song ever heard and so it always will be special to me. I love it to bits - it's no miracle I fell in love with it, and consequently Ayu, only 10 seconds in. It's the quintessential Ayu ballad. Pure, serene, beautiful. Totally essential.

teddy bear is such a sweet song. It's the ultimate display of how little Ayu needs to shine. Simple yet elegant piano playing supports her heartfealt singing. I'll be frank - I've never concerned myself with Ayu's lyrics, never looked them and their translations up, and to some people this may be incomprehensible, but for me it's the ultimately beauty - Ayu has demonstrated to me, like no other, that conveying emotion through voice need by no means rely on the words. I can guess for myself what stories, contexts and emotions the song may tell to the listener, and I love that.

Key ~eternal tie ver.~ I guess you could say is a power ballad (a ballad at the least, of course), too, despite a truly rocking chorus. Still, it's very powerful. It's short and to the point. It's, simply, a good song. I dig it.

girlish used to be my favourite Ayu song for a long time. I recently described in my review of Memorial address how I love the evident 'band feel' in Memorial address, the song, and it's even more evident in girlish. It sounds like Ayu and her band are right there in the studio, jamming this song out in one go. It makes me feel good like nothing else. The way in which everyone joins in eventually, singing along and clapping hands, is pure magic. The live instrumentation works wonders. As a drummer, I always focus on the percussion, and nothing sounds as good as someone actually drumming the song. No matter how fancy you arrange a song, no matter how fancy a drum track you devise, it will never have the liveliness and authenticity of the real deal. girlish is ab fab. The perfect closing song. This could lift my spirits anytime.

So, in conclusion? It's evident that Duty has a lot of strong material. There's so many good songs here, and especially the second half of the album has classic upon classic upon classic. What bugs me more than it used to is the slightly oppressive feel the first half of the album has to it. I already described at some points that there seems to be an inherent moodiness to all these first few songs, and I'm not the biggest fan. It's not like Memorial address, which also has sadness, angriness, and what-not. It's a sort of weariness I could swear is just audible (which wouldn't be odd if you consider the period this was released). Still, the second half is pure joy for me. In all, not as brilliant an album as I remember it - the first half is good, but that's all there is to it. Just a second half as brilliant as I remember it. Which is absolutely fine with me.

[Delicious n Bold]

^ I hope there are album review threads for all the other albums (ASfXX, loveppears, i am..., rainbow, my story, (m)u, secret, guilty, next level).

Here's my review

1. starting over
I love how the song sounds so funky. It really sets the mood for the album and it transitions smoothly for the album. My only gripe is that they didn't include the lyrics of the song so that we could know what that man is saying.
9/10

2. Duty
This song starts off with the violins. That in itself is a good start. I love me some violin. The chorus is okay. Ayu's voice isn't too bad. Her voice has improved from LOVEppears and her superbly sung debut. I just love the instrumentation of this song.
8.5/10

3. vogue
Oh yeah. What else can I say about the song. It's lyrically sparse, but I don't care. That arrangement. Oh yes. It sounds very oriental/asian, and thats a great thing. One of the best songs on the album.
10/10

4. End of the World
I listened to vogue while I was writing this review. I couldn't switch to End of the World because, well, vogue is the shiz. Well, I love how the song builds up to its chorus. However, with headphones, Ayu sounds like her super-dee-duper ASfXX days during the chorus. Ugh shoot me now. The arrangement and versus save this song. By no means a bad song. Just don't use head phones.
7/10

5. SCAR
The arrangement sounds like a fairytail. Oh, it's magnificent. I hated the song at first, but then I grew to love it. The chorus is alright. You're here for that arrangement though.
9/10

6. Far away
Ayu was doing that ethereal pop shiz way before Hikki, and this song is proof. I love hikki, but this song just snatches all of Hikki's weaves when you play it whilst walking out late at night with headphones. Most of these songs rely on arrangement, and this song does not lack in that department. It's nostalgic beauty. Amazing.
10/10 *if this song were to go heat to head with Beautiful World, then I don't know any more*

7. SURREAL
I went through phases with this song: neutral, like, intense love, boredom, meh, meh, alright. What touched me the most are the lyrics at the end of the song. I know there was a thread with the interpretation/flow of the lyrics, but I still disagree with everything said in that thread. Much like the Japanese fans, I can relate to these lyrics in my own personal ways. Although I'm not as phased by the lyrics, they're still some deep shiz.
9.5/10

8. AUDIENCE
I like it. There, I said it. I love how it's so poppy and happy. Not much I can say about this song. It might or might not get you moving. A recommended track.
9.5/10

9. SEASONS
I used to hate this song. I still do, to a degree (based on old feelings). But I like listening to it (go figure). Ayu's voice is not the best in this song. The arrangement is where it's at. It's some old nostalgia thing. I love nostalgia. My current feeling towards this song is much stronger than the old feeling. A must listen. Also, the Japanese went caca for this song. Ask any Japanese person about Ayu and you'll get these songs : ASfXX, Boys & Girls, Evolution and Seasons. SEASONS is easily in Ayu's top 5 songs ever (for the Japanese). Just an addition: I have talked to a gazillion Japanese people, and the first song they say "OMG I KNOW THAT SONG" is Boys & Girls. Just an FYI.
10/10

10. teddy bear
This is where things get messy. It's definitely a sweet song. It's better than most of Ayu's cute songs. The lyrics are also okay. The song itself is not a mess, but it marks the beginning of the end for the album.
8/10

11. Key ~eternal tie ver.~
Weird name titles come with flaws. I don't want to admit it, but I am going to review this song for what it is not, like many reviewers on high-profile websites do. AYU, WHY YOU NO BELT DURING THE CHORUS?!? She could have made it epic. She could have. Who directed her during this song? They need to go to the 3rd floor corridor in Hogwarts. They need to go see Aragog. You catch my drift. I do like the arrangement and Ayu does sound nice during the chorus for what she does sing. *dies* THIS SONG IS MISLEADING. IT LEADS YOU ON TO AN EPIC CHORUS THEN SHATTERS ANY HOPES YOU MAY HAVE HAD.
7.5/10

12. girlish
Ugh. What is this? It's a bit cute, but the song drags like that bride dress Ayu wore to that concert which I've conveniently forgot the name of. There are better ending songs.
6/10

Overall
8/10
Just ditch the last three songs and you've got a classic.

[Sandy]

01. starting over
Why this album starts with this song, I do not know. It sounds more like something that would fit her RAINBOW-era. For me, the whole album has a deep, dark feeling, and this instrumental would just be something put together in a rush that Ayu didn't have much say in. The sound is not my style and seems a bit rushed, but overall: 6/10

02. Duty
Fantastic. Simply, because it feels like she's talking, not singing. And the way she sings the high notes is amazing and shows what Ayu can do with her voice. But the question is, what is "it"? Just like in "A Song for XX" the XX stands for whatever the listener is feeling. Ayu is giving us the freedom, whilst this song for me is about being scared of the future, but what is it about the future that scares us? 10/10

03. vogue
I see vogue as a very simple song, which makes it a bit disappointing. The melody is very soothing and she performs this songs with grace. It's too sugary to follow Duty and it stays in the shadow of its previous and following track. 8/10

04. End of the World
Very strong and I love Ayu's voice. It steals the spotlight from vogue so quickly it's kind of scary. It's not as popular as the other tracks and people seem to have forgotten its existence. Pay attention to it, with the lyrics in front of you. Be amazed. 8/10

05. SCAR
It's so sacred you might miss it. The lyrics are touching. The song is a mix of EotW and vogue - melodramatic and silent. I feel it's not as strong whitin melody as it could be, on purpose, and I feel it makes the song pop out more. Because, the truth is, it doesn't pop up. 9/10

06. Far away
I find the arrangement to be too messy, but the PV is outstanding. This is the weakest song from the trilogy and too much is happening in the song at the same time. The lyrics are confusing at first and overall confusing. 4/10

07. SURREAL
Many fans love this song. I am not one of them. The songs starts very good, promising lyrics, independent and so on. But when it starts running towards the "la la la la" -stage, I find myself losing interest. This song doesn't offer me much and I still find this song to be a dark song, instead of the happy-go-lucky -song Ayu performs it as. 5/10

08. AUDIENCE
Very nice, happy song with good, inspirational lyrics. It's not too sugary for my taste. I like the clapping and the arrangement is catchy and the clapping stays in your head for days and you just wanna clap with her. Check out her perforamnce from Dome Tour, it's reallysomething (don't pay too much attention on Ayu' hair, though!! ) 8/10

09. SEASONS
Amazing ballad, although the lyrics may seem a bit childish for some. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but the song is more "kawaii" than "kanashimi" than what it used to. I still feel it has a deep meaning for Ayu and the song is a big part of her career. The melody is fantastic, the whole arrangement is, and some of the remixes (acoustic/acoustic orchestra) are the best ones out there. 10/10

10. teddy bear
This is amazing. As I remember, this tells about Ayu's mother and her being away a lot and Ayu having to grow up fast and missing her mother. The key of this song is the melody and how her voice hits the sound perfectly. The lyrics are really close and personal and the way Ayu looks and sounds when she sings this - priceless. 10/10

11. Key ~Eternal Tie Version~
This is cute and the lyrics make me cry. I feel the lyrics are cut short and that the story Ayu tries to tell is left half-unsaid. The song itself feels more like an intro and doesn't take its time to hit with amazement. Ayu sounds good in a weird way that fits the song and its arrangement. It's a pleasent song, but something is missing. 8/10

12. girlish
It feels to be some kind of live/studio version (listen to the beginning) and Ayu's voice seems more raw here than it does on rest of the album. It might be underrated as a track, but I still don't find it to be anything special. It does its job as the "ending theme", but lacks the power to finish the album as stronly as it started. 5/10


This album is one you can only appreciate if you actually take the time and effort to focus on it. If you don't know Japanese, take the lyrics. It is no secret this is her best selling album to date. If you're not "with" the album, it may lose you and you may find it to be very unmemorable.

[Mirrorcle Monster]

Let's start with this album. Duty was Hamasaki's third studio album, and her best-selling studio album. Released in 2000, it was a departure from her previous work, and remains as one of the best albums ever created.
starting over: it just couldn't start better. An opening which mixes electronic beats, ayu's vocals and gives an accurate feeling about what the album is about

Duty: the title track is just a masterpiece. It starts with guitars, violins and choirs. It has something specials, as long as you listen to it you percieve despair, even anger, loneliness. "I saw the end of an era", certainly it reflects how Ayu was thinking about ending her own career.
9,5/10

vogue: sudden change, at least in music. It certainly sounds very asian, it also sounds very girlish and even cute. The lyrics, on the other hand, deal with feelings such as having to enjoy before we grow older and so. It's melody is beautifully composed, really haunting.
9/10

End of the World: probably the rock sister of "Duty". And probably ayu's first pure "rock" song. Its deffinetly a new Ayu here, she is discovering new types of music and sounds. This is probably the precursor of Because of You, decision, Heartplace and so many others. The lyric are just beyond epic, and deal with different human feelings with 100% honesty
9/10

SCAR: time for some ballads. It also has those "technology" influences in the beginning like "starting over". Ayu's voice really sounds amazing here, a good example of how her voice was improving at the time.
7/10

Far away: the second single of the album, probably ayu's most experimental summer song ever. We can't consider it upbeat, even if it is more upbeat than her ballads. The melody has the same "apocalyptic" feeling (similar to Duty, SCAR or End of the World). The lyrics are just beautiful. It was a risky choice, but the result was impressive
8,75/10

SURREAL: BEST ****ING SONG EVER CREATED. Enough said.
100000000000/10

AUDIENCE: It was, also for the first time, ayu saying "thank you" to the fans trough the music. It is funny when she performs, but meh comoared to other similar songs
5,75/10

SEASONS: One of Ayu's classics, well-known among japanese people. An amazingly beautiful ballad. The lyrics deal with how we realize that everything is not funny when we grow up. Just amazing
9,75/10

teddy bear: Ayu's father left her when she was just a kid. And she wrote this song about him, about how he left her a teddy bear and left forever. It is simple, just the oiano and her voice. But at the same time is haunting, sad and beautiful. Just pure perfection
9,25/10

Key~eternal tie~: acoustic guitar-driven ballad, it somehow feels so nostalgic everytime I play it. I kinda miss this time, and Key is just so "Duty" for me
9/10

girlish: the most amazing thing about this song is that I know that Ayu will never ever do something like this. Funny, almost live, with the band, lovely
9,25/10

Conclusion: the melodies, the lyrics, the arrangements, everything slays in this album. Ayu's best album by far, pure Jpop perfection, and the first time Ayu tries some new styles which would later become her signature

9,5/10

[bluegie]

Yeah let's give a review for Duty .

starting over: My first impression for this intro was ok, since I was thrilled with Introduction in LOVEppears, but it does it work for showing what the album would sound like. 8.5/10

Duty: I can never forget the Takanoyuri cm... Wait I should talk about the song. I still think it's one of the most power title songs from ayu, and the arrangement is fantastic. 10/10

vogue: I used to prefer this song over Far away in the trilogy, but somehow it is not as durable compared to the other two. Nonetheless, comparing with other newer songs, it's still a classic. 8.5/10

End of the World: I guess this song defines the beginning of the rock side of ayu. I always connect this song with Duty in the album (probly both have that strong edgy arrangement), somehow this song sounds more despair. 9/10
PS: again it reminds me how beautiful she was in colour TU-KA cm....

SCAR: This is probly the weakest song in the album. By that I mean it cannot portray enough feeling compared to the others. It doesn't sound dark enough. But I guess ayu can't shout out her despair in every single song. Even tho I don't listen to this song as much as the others, I don't usually skip this one whenever I listen to the whole album. 7/10

Far away: Probly the weakest song in the trilogy in the beginning (I guess the sales figure agrees with me), somehow it withstands the test of time and actually I favour this song over vogue. 9/10

SURREAL: I was confused by the arrangement of the song in the beginning, because it sounded so different compared to any fast song in LOVEppers (yes, it's the first fast song you heard after lots of fast songs from the last album). I couldn't define which is verse which is chorus when I first listen a couple of times. I would say this probly is one of the unique songs in ayu discography. I also love how the transition from piano to electric. 10/10

AUDIENCE: I dunno why ayu didn't put the Dave Ford Mix into this album. It's just practically the same arrangement except DFM is must cleaner (and better). This is probly the song that I would skip when listening to the album, and now I just replace this with DFM on iTunes. 7.5/10 (9/10 for DFM)

SEASONS: It was very powerful when I first the pv. I dunno why but when I first saw the pv, I was like, "this is what she should have released in the beginning. I can ignore the previous two (singles)..." Of course now I think it should stick with the other two songs since the trilogy has been imprinted in my heart for 12 years. But even with itself, it is one of the most powerful classic ayu songs. 10/10
PS: I remember how happy I was when it got no. 1 on oricon, selling 500K on the first week... Oh also oricon changed it interface during that week. (I know I'm so random lol).

teddy bear: I love it's piano driven. It doesn't really connects me somehow because probly I'm a guy and I dun really like teddy bear. Also, probly because it's written for her father and I have no connection with it. Still it's a really good song and can't deny the sad feeling from it. 8.5/10

Key~eternal tie ver.~: It's a mystery... This one is ~eternal tie ver.~, so where is the original version? Don't tell me the one on ayu-mi-x III AO is the original version... Anyway, my brother and I used to debate whether this one or teddy bear was the better song. I preferred this one while he loved the other one. It could be a strong single if it's goes further. It seems it's too short and she could actually write more, but I guess like what she wrote, she would sing her feeling instead of write a lot. 9/10

girlish: I admit that when I first heard the intro music of the song, I didn't like it and just skipped the song without hearing her voice. But then I finally gave it a try and surprisingly it was a good song. It might sound too happy to be in Duty, but I guess it serves as a bright exit after hearing lots of blue. 8.5/10

Duty is still her strongest album to date. When I first heard the album it sounded too different from her previous one (I was imagining for another techno), but after a year of listen I declared it as a better album compared to LOVEppears. Don't get me wrong tho, LOVEppears is still in the top 3. It's just that nothing can beat Duty at all.

[Delirium-Zer0]

Eh, I'm a music critic, I can't help but be long-winded, but I do apologize. XD

starting over: It's darker, more mysterious, more raw, and less slick than anything on LOVEppears, and it does a good job telling you that this album will lean more in that direction than LOVEppears did. That said, it's a bit flat and doesn't have the "BOOM this album's gonna be awesome" impact that it should. (6/10)

Duty: The use of Gregorian chanting is perfectly ominous and serious, the strings are beautifully arranged, and Ayu uses more of her vocal range here than we'd EVER heard up to this point, I remember being blown away by the vocals when the album was new. My only issue with it is the TINY bit of the "starting over" fade-out that's left over at the very start of the track. (10/10)

vogue: It's certainly dated sounding these days as far as its melody, but the arrangement was SO ahead of its time. The contribution of south Asian music to a song with a french title made the whole thing very exotic, and continues some of the lyrical themes of "Duty." The desperation and doubt in her voice is apparent even without reading the lyrics, but I feel the arrangement doesn't QUITE match. (8/10)

End of the World: When I first heard this song in the Tu-Ka color commercial, I was blown away. I NEEDED this song!! I couldn't wait to hear it when it finally came out. The song is SO powerful and SO honest, and was an instant favorite of mine. It's the kind of song that made me certain that Ayu should be doing rock music, not so much slick pop. The high-pitched vocals in the chorus, however, bother me now, when they didn't bug me when I was 16 years old. The live version from PCDL is the version I listen to now, almost exclusively. (8.5/10)

SCAR: I feel like this is such a hidden gem. Something about the production... there's so much depth & color to it even though it's not a thickly layered song instrumentally. The phone messages at the start set a tone of worry and concern that carries over very well throughout the song. Lyrically it's a bit more cliche than her usual fare, but the melody is very good, albeit simple. The song isn't a work of art, but the production really makes it shine. It's quite underrated, IMHO. (7.5/10)

Far away: The "artsy" addition to the trilogy, perhaps the least accessible to the typical pop listener, which is its only failing, if it has one at all. It sounded like the trip-hop I was listening to at the time, only louder & more dramatic. While "TO BE" was the first song I ever heard by Ayu, this was her new single at the time and it's the song that made me a fan. I had never heard ANYTHING like it. The atmospheric synth, the guitars, the echoing drum track... the song sounded like a foggy, dark crystalline cave and I wanted to live in it and breath its cool, humid air forever. I love getting lost in this song even now. It was WAY ahead of its time. (10/10)

SURREAL: Why doesn't Ayu do songs like this anymore!? I don't know anyone who dislikes this song. It's powerful, fast, danceable, rocking, and unique. The piano intro reels you in right off the bat and the song just doesn't let up. I, like many, love that it doesn't have the textbook verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure, it just builds up. It feels like Ayu just talking to you about what she believes about life. Her vocals are more nasal than usual here, which should probably detract from it, but on the contrary it gives the feeling like she's just been crying, but has now made a resolution that she's sharing with you in the lyrics. It feels like a song of self-realization and strength in the face of doubt BECAUSE of the silly nasal vocals. It's amazing how it all comes together, really. (10/10)

AUDIENCE: The song just sounds unfinished, which is probably why we got the Dave Ford Mix at all. The melody is good, the lyrics uplifting, the clapping is so much fun. But it's just so FLAT on the album! I'm so glad it got remixed cuz it's the weakest track on the album & sticks out like a sore thumb because of how dull the mix is. (6/10)

SEASONS: This is exactly the kind of song I don't like... the manufactured ballad. The lyrics in this song are full of cliches, and lines taken out of other pop songs... it doesn't feel at all like Ayu's heart was REALLY in this song. The arrangement is homogenous throughout (something I know many people like, but I'm not a fan of it), and I feel like all the emotions she pretended to try & convey here are MUCH more honestly expressed in "ever free." I understand WHY it's a classic - it's very simple, from the catchy & memorable melody to the vocabulary used, making it EXTREMELY accessible to everyone from 6 year old girls to 90 year old grandfathers, and it does talk about feelings everyone has regarding life & loss - but it's not in any way my taste, nor is it artistically "good." It was designed to be a top-selling pop song, and you can tell, and that does hurt it. It's not even the best example of this type of song in her discography - I find Dearest to be melodically (and in the emotional delivery of the vocals) FAR superior, and slightly better production-wise. The 2003 ReBirth mix fixed many of this song's issues though, giving it more depth and more emphasis on the very good drum track. (6.5/10)

teddy bear: This song makes me absolutely weep. The lyrics are SO sad, and the innocent tinkling piano makes this the most upsetting lullaby ever. I cry every time I hear this song even 12 years later, it's just SO effective! With such an understated arrangement, the feelings come across in her voice, and that's what really carries the song. It's perfectly done. (10/10)

Key~eternal tie ver.~: This is another one I feel is a hidden gem. This brings "rock" ayu back, but in a more Lilith Fair girl-with-guitar sort of way, at least at the beginning. The song gets more pop-slick later which disappoints me, but it's still so good - it had such great dramatic build-up that I had to forgive the more poppy style that came later, and the melody was still so dark that you barely notice the synth having taken over the guitar completely. This is another one where the emotion in her voice is just amazing, and I ADORE the imagery in the lyrics. (9/10)

girlish: This song is fun and nice but it doesn't thrill me at all, and it's not all that creative - it's essentially an extended, girl-centric version of "Aikawarazu na Bokura" by B'z (a fairly little-known album track of theirs) - which was a sing-songy, acoustic-guitar driven, short little fun ditty with all the studio musicians singing together.... and it even had a sneeze in it. The outro for "girlish" goes on way too long in my opinion, too, but it reminds me of "Hey Jude" by the Beatles (the song my daughter is named after) so I simultaneously love it and hate it. (7/10)

There's really nothing skippable on "Duty." At all. It's one of those albums that feels less honest because she's suddenly become conscious of the listener and you can tell, which is its only issue, but at the same time, that only means that she made good manufactured pop AND good art-pop on the same album. The variety here means there's something for everyone, and NONE OF IT SUCKS. Even the songs I don't like, I acknowledge that they have redeeming qualities. Everything here easily EXCELS compared to most pop music (especially most solo female jpop at the time, which was mostly unlistenable), and it's all above average for Ayu's discography. One of her best albums ever, hands down.

[NintendoHTF1242]

Album is flawless.

[Tony G]

2nd or 3rd favourite Ayu album for me but the defining album of her career, no doubt about that. Being one of her shortest albums (and very short for j-pop 2000 standards) only served to strengthen the best tracks, basically being every single song on here. There is not a single dull moment. The trilogy tracks deliver, ballads are downright amazing and who knew at the time that SURREAL would become a j-pop classic? Even the weakest song, girlish, is above average. Weakest only because it has so many classics to compete with.

Ayu's albums usually suffer from lack of flow and consistency because the singles can precede the album by many months. This album does not suffer from that. The singles here came out thick and fast and the album followed very soon after. Because of this, every song complements the next, flows perfectly. Flows so well you tend to forget that half the songs were released prior to the album dropping. Album feels like a whole piece of work, meant to be heard in its entirety instead of as singles.

My absolute favourite thing about the album is that it gave birth to Ayu's rock-influenced pop sound. The album that gave way to her rock sound's climax song, "M". A sound that would define her career and still does to this day. She put her cheesy 90s dance tunes behind her and created a mature masterpiece. With this album, she became a true artist.