Is There Anything You DON'T Like About Ayumi?

[cosmeticmusic]

Is there any bad quality that you think Ayu possesses? Aside from the ocasional squeak, I don't think she really has any...But do you?

[truehappiness]

Recently I've questioned her decisions in fashion along with her choices in PV directors and musical styles..

Like, she hasn't appeared in many magazines at all lately, and when she has, the shots just aren't up to pre-2007's standards... and PV directors/concepts really have gone downhill since the PVs from (miss)understood.

She's been really confusing lately is what I'm trying to get across. I don't really like that. It used to be a given that what she was going to release to us would've been of high quality in SOME way [whether it be the song itself, the PV, or the CD cover artwork], but recently I think that people have started to doubt her. :[

[kirei_ayumi]

I don't think I can find anything about ayu that i don't like, not one bit.

[ImpactBreaker]

The fact she hasn't announced a new single/song yet

[Coelacanth]

The lack of thought being put into album/single covers is particularly annoying.

I feel that GUILTY could have made a bigger impact if it was packaged right visually. I'm talking about like, epic, groundbreaking PV's and a controversial album cover/cohesive booklet.

I don't like how she's extremely focused on her tours. She seems a lot more focused on touring than her actual music, which should never be the case for a recording artist. I also don't like how she's under the impression that she has to release a full-length album around the same time every year. She seems really nonchalant lately about the direction of her musical career.

[ownsarai]

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

The fact she hasn't announced a new single/song yet

^agreed.

[naxxo.licious™]

Originally Posted by Coelacanth

The lack of thought being put into album/single covers is particularly annoying.

I feel that GUILTY could have made a bigger impact if it was packaged right visually. I'm talking about like, epic, groundbreaking PV's and a controversial album cover/cohesive booklet.

I don't like how she's extremely focused on her tours. She seems a lot more focused on touring than her actual music, which should never be the case for a recording artist. I also don't like how she's under the impression that she has to release a full-length album around the same time every year. She seems really nonchalant lately about the direction of her musical career.

I agree with u. Her covers most of the time have nothing to do with the songs, specially her album covers. Like Duty. Yeah, the outfit was ok for SURREAL cause it was....surreal lol. But it had nothing to do with Duty. Or as u said, the GUILTY covers...... They're not bad, but they don't suit the album.
Yes ayu, having claws doesn't mean u're guilty

I also agree about ayu releasing one album per year. To be honest i always want new releases, but this is kinda insane. She works SO MUCH. It's not even healthy.

I think she should release an album until she feels she can release a HQ album.
Don't get me wrong. ALL of her albums are just great, MAGNIFICIENT, but the latest ones feel like they were rushed.
GUILTY was incredible. I think the album was really cohesive, but there were 4 interludes! If she had waited some more time, we could've had some new songs instead.

[truehappiness]

I think Coelacanth meant nowadays. Back then, Ayu was just fine, since she kinda did EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to make all aspects of her releases amazing, but nowadays it just seems like things are "we'll do it as we go".. [starting from (m)u's covers]~

[naxxo.licious™]

^ Yeah i know. Maybe she's a lil bit more mainstream nowadays and that's the reason.
Talking about her recent photoshoots, i think they're all about being glamorous. She looks beautiful, that's for sure. But i'd like to see a crazy photoshoot/photobook again. Like Uraayu (even tho i don't really like it lol)

She used to have some very original songs as well, like SURREAL. Her songs right now are awesome too, but they sound more "usual".

Her lyrics have always been awesome tho, and i think they're still one of the best things from her songs

[truehappiness]

Well, back in 2000/2001, I think it was a lot easier to be original since she was still somewhat new and only had about 2 albums worth of material. :\

Now she has what, 10 albums? Though I don't think we can just say "Oh, she's just got so much material" because it seems she's gotten stuck in a rockish slump. :| [Life proved to be very unlike that so.. I'm hoping for the best.]

[Coelacanth]

Originally Posted by guilty_me

Her covers most of the time have nothing to do with the songs, specially her album covers.

Yeah, one doesn't even have to be that creative to come up with decent ideas for an album/single cover.

I've seen more creative pictures by like, ten year olds on Facebook than any of the post-(m)u shots.

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Back then, Ayu was just fine, since she kinda did EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to make all aspects of her releases amazing, but nowadays it just seems like things are "we'll do it as we go".. [starting from (m)u's covers]~

Yeah. Ayu and her staff seemed very involved in every aspect of her career back then.

To tell you the truth, I'm not too fond of the whole CD+DVD era because I'd rather have there be ONE definitive cover for an album/single than like four different poses in the same setting. It's gimmicky and it truly takes away from the... I guess credibility.. of the record.

[♥ you!]

After (m)u her releases seemed rushed.

[truehappiness]

After (m)u? Seemed like the whole post-HEAVEN era has been really strange.

Like honestly, some of the concepts have been kinda strange. "Ayu in NY from B&D/Pride", "wet Ayu in glitter"..

The only thing I think that has been reminiscent of past covers and such is Together When... minus the text.

[cosmeticmusic]

Yeah, I think text ruins single and album covers.

[Luv ~Venus~]

....that her fans seem to think she's better than Kuu. Kuu is kween!

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by Luv ~Venus~

....that her fans seem to think she's better than Kuu. Kuu ru-rules!

[cosmeticmusic]

2 posts up: I can tell you like Kumiko.

Kuu does indeed rule (ESPECIALLY JUICY), but you said her fans think she's better than Kuu. Um, isn't that a bit normal...?

[naxxo.licious™]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Well, back in 2000/2001, I think it was a lot easier to be original since she was still somewhat new and only had about 2 albums worth of material. :\

Now she has what, 10 albums? Though I don't think we can just say "Oh, she's just got so much material" because it seems she's gotten stuck in a rockish slump. :| [Life proved to be very unlike that so.. I'm hoping for the best.]

The fact that she was original back then, doesn't mean she can't be original right now. For example, i consider kiss o kill an original song and it's from 2006.

About her being stuck in rockish slump, i don't think it's just because it's her recent style. Ayu always tries to reflect her feelings in her songs, and right now it looks that she's not that happy. 2007 was a difficult year to her, and that's the reason why rock reigned in GUILTY.

And talking about her amount of albums, it's quite scary lol. For example Hard Candy from Madonna, who's started in 1983, was her 11th album.
While GUILTY from Ayu, who started in 1998, was her 9th album O________O

Her summer songs. "Fairyland" was great but "BLUE BIRD" and "glitter" were subpar and she needs to quit recycling that junk. I'm glad she didn't do one this summer.

[Luv ~Venus~]

that she doesn't use regular A's on her cds but weird funny looking ones.

Spoiler:

No, I'm joking! Her A's are so cute!