Ayu - Anything Goes Thread -X-

[NintendoHTF1242]

Story is still flawless

[HarukaKamiya]

I became a fan in 2005, around the time the HEAVEN single was released. And my perception of "I am..." was that it wasn't that great compared to "Duty" but it was still the second best Ayu album, and (miss)understood was third. But nowadays, (miss)understood is lower on my rankings even tho it's amazing but I don't quite get why it's so popular among the Western fandom.

And then my last.fm rankings are so WEIRD for "I am..." it's one of THE best jpop albums in jpop history and it's so low in plays. O_o

"NEXT LEVEL" for me wasn't actually HATED; I was just quite UNIMPRESSED with it, when comparing it to "GUILTY" which when it was released became my third favourite album of hers, mainly because teenage angst so I was able to relate to it a lot haha. idk my thoughts are all over the place

[TeddyGrahams]

It's was hard to fit green in that album when it was made like almost a year before next level lol. I will always remember the song for the commercial with ayu spinning around in a teacup while promoting a camera. I thought it would be a bubbly ballad until we got the full version. Haha, the full version was much darker and it's an awesome song.

I love Next Level alot. It was something different for ayu but it has her personality all over it. It reminds me of my favorite, RAINBOW.

[terra]

Originally Posted by NintendoHTF1242

Story is still flawless

It is flawless, the chorus is pure love and beauty
For me it's like a bitter version of walking proud, and a more generic version of part of Me in terms of instrumentation chosen.

[truehappiness]

(miss)understood as a whole is very easy to digest which may explain why it's so favored among fans. I feel like while at the time, GEO collaborating with Ayu was looked down upon, it was really a good decision for her musically.

[Irish_Ayu_Fan]

Next Level is amazing for me. The title track is my favourite Ayu song of all time, and with other songs like Rule, Sparkle, Green, Identity, Love 'n' Hate I don't understand how anyone could dislike the album, although the covers definitely aren't the best haha.

[chocopockymaster]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

(miss)understood as a whole is very easy to digest which may explain why it's so favored among fans. I feel like while at the time, GEO collaborating with Ayu was looked down upon, it was really a good decision for her musically.

I feel like the album tracks of (m)u work together very well, and I think that's down to GEO's influence. It works in the album's favor when you think about how everything came together IMO. I feel like they tried to emulate that with Love songs (having one composer ~make their mark on the album) and to me it never lived up to (m)u because Ls has aged so horribly.

That was a really roundabout way of saying (miss)understood for the win, lol

[Gustavopc]

For me it's the opposite when it comes to Love songs, it gets better everytime I listen to it - I can even listen to crossroad today and not fall asleep in the middle of it! otoh I find half of (m)u to be forgettable, still good but I just forget they exist.

About GREEN on NL, am I the only one who think it could work opening the album? It could start with a retro intro, then GREEN and a transition song for a pop style? Either this or closing the album, but Curtain call makes an awesome closing song for me

[HarukaKamiya]

I think after nearly a complete decade, (m)u for me is just... there. I love most of the songs on the album, but it's kind of a mess compared to Love songs, which is my #3 Ayu album ever.

Been six years since "NEXT LEVEL" was released and now I can't really picture any other track arrangement than the official one, even tho when it came out I was always trying to re-arrange it to suit my personal ideas of how an album should flow.

[terra]

I recently wrote a verse from Replace in my letters that I wrote for my resigning besties. I thought the song fits perfectly.
----------------------------------
(m)u is an album that gives a kinda fun vibe for me, it grows dark but not falling into oblivion like GUILTY did (which done its job perfectly). NEXT LEVEL's contents is nice, love greatly except for Curtain call I guess, it's nice but that's it.

For me somehow every Ayu album released had their own place and category in my mind. The albums just fits in their places one by one, and for me my biggest disappointment of an album from her falls on LOVE again for having half of the album sounding so generic and boring like lacking of life.

[Delicious n Bold]

All these opinions are very interesting!
For me love songs has aged alright, but it isn't my favourite ayu album. Crossroad, sweet season, love song, and November are definitely my stand out tracks. The others are good and the album is without a doubt very cohesive but it feels like I've outgrown it despite being once obsessed with it. I used to play it so much that the album had an average of like 1600 plays.

Now I don't really listen to albums but to individual songs that interest me. Criminal, about you, melody, unite, last links, ivy, whatever, from your letter, heart place, walk, warning, ust a mix of songs. I don't think I can say I have a favourite album at this specific point but if I was forced at gunpoint for example, I would choose misunderstood. I just really appreciate what it was. Bold & delicious remains one of her best imo. Ayu was so bold releasing something so polarizing. I wish she released more polarizing music.

[chocopockymaster]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

I wish she released more polarizing music.

That's what I used to think...but then I got what I wished for when she released the next LOVE and Eyes, Smoke, Magic. Gag me with a spoon.

[//ABEST]

the next LOVE & Eyes, Smoke, Magic are the most horrific songs in her discography! i hope she will never return to release those kinda songs

never gonna listen to them again

[chocopockymaster]

Originally Posted by //ABEST

the next LOVE & Eyes, Smoke, Magic are the most horrific songs in her discography! i hope she will never return to release those kinda songs

never gonna listen to them again

I brainwashed myself to forget what they sound like.

[Delicious n Bold]

Originally Posted by chocopockymaster

That's what I used to think...but then I got what I wished for when she released the next LOVE and Eyes, Smoke, Magic. Gag me with a spoon.

I oddly appreciate those songs lol. Back in 2012 I was younger and more naive with music. I actually had no musical preference because I was just so open. Which means I also listened to a lot of Koda kumi (which still surprises me to this day how open I was with putting her music on. Not to say I don't like some songs but.. I also did find some artists I love to this day like Broadwayla Aki, Ayaka and the smile of doom, tommy and the 80s of February, slaynamie deadmuro, and even globe :O. Dark times when I listened to globe. And nostalgic too). Party Queen just happened to be released when I was in my musical acceptance phase and I listened to the album like I was gonna die the next day and now I have odd nostalgia for those two songs.

I need a rock playlist. Can anyone who has made one post theirs? My rock playlists always flow like crap.

[terra]

^Wish I could, I was initially looking at my playlist notes and realized what mess I had made back then when I was still actively making playlist lol

My present self would totally arrange the playlist differently,
And at this point idk which song is rock or not because she keeps putting many layers of instruments and sound, I'm just...is this rock? lmao

[//ABEST]

Originally Posted by chocopockymaster

I brainwashed myself to forget what they sound like.

brainwash me as well finally someone who agrees with me about these songs

[DonkeyKongRemix]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

I oddly appreciate those songs lol. Back in 2012 I was younger and more naive with music. I actually had no musical preference because I was just so open. Which means I also listened to a lot of Koda kumi (which still surprises me to this day how open I was with putting her music on. Not to say I don't like some songs but.. I also did find some artists I love to this day like Broadwayla Aki, Ayaka and the smile of doom, tommy and the 80s of February, slaynamie deadmuro, and even globe :O. Dark times when I listened to globe. And nostalgic too). Party Queen just happened to be released when I was in my musical acceptance phase and I listened to the album like I was gonna die the next day and now I have odd nostalgia for those two songs.

I need a rock playlist. Can anyone who has made one post theirs? My rock playlists always flow like crap.

I think ESM and the next LOVE are really cool songs. I love the next LOVE more than most of the tracks on Party Queen to be honest. Plus, the live performance of those two were SPECTACULAR! I don't understand how some people can qualify them as her worst songs.

I know it's a cover, but if you were to ask me what her worst song was, I would very quickly say "teens." I want to punch myself every time that song gets into my head.

[HarukaKamiya]

cries at the hate for Eyes, Smoke, Magic ;_;

[chocopockymaster]

Originally Posted by HarukaKamiya

cries at the hate for Eyes, Smoke, Magic ;_;

Are you serious? It's nothing more than a rip-off from the soundtrack for Chicago.