[Official Message] new album "A ONE" 2015.04.08 in stores

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by Bigtop

I'm trying to be neutral here, but there could be ONE that might have a serious challenge to ayu...and that would be miwa.

Just recently, miwa and the management has announced they would releasing a new album called "ONENESS" - and the miwa team has decided to throw their hat into the April 8th ring and attempt to spoil Ayu's 17th anniversary.

http://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000112854

I understand this is an ayu thread and not miwa (see here), but miwa's new album announcement may pose a challenge for Ayu in therms of the #1 album battle. As of now, when I checked CDJapan, miwa's new album isn't listed on CDJapan yet, but I don't see any other artists - especially Johnny's - that might steal that #1 spot (please no Kisumai album!!!). Last time miwa released a new album ("Delight"), she got #1. And that was back in 2013. The last time Ayu got a #1 album was "LOVE again", that was also back in 2013. We understand "Colours" didn't do as well because of the stiff competition (and, yes, Kisumai), but as of now, the only REAL competition that I am seeing is miwa - and she just announced it yesterday.

Yes, I do like BOTH ayu and miwa, but this is interesting when you've got the ONE empress dueling out against the ONE rising 24-year-old superstar trying to duel out for the #1...!

This is going to be an interesting duel to watch. miwa just recently went to LA area, supposedly for her new album, so hopefully she can put out some good songs. Hopefully Ayu can put out good songs (those eight new songs) as well.

My other favorite artist, Yanawaraba, is also releasing a new album on April 8th as well, but they're doing a cover album consisting of folk songs from the 1970s and 1980s, and I don't expect them to compete for #1...

You know if you say miwa one more time she might appear like beetlejuice. I don't have much to add to this except that I think she is far less relevant than you make her seem.

Also the whole battle for no1 thing is just plain stupid...

Originally Posted by maikaru

Let's call a spade a spade. Colours didn't work out because everyone thought Ayu had finally gone completely insane with her music videos and stuff. Like actually I think a lot of Colours was a parody and she was trying to be intelligent and witty (Lelio and stuff), but it just came off as her being a bimbo who just liked to party... a la Party Queen fiasco.

Who is everyone? I thought Ayu's PV issues have started years ago. She didn't have that many great PVs since who knows how long, with a few exceptions. Colours was a nice album, the videos were dumb though, the majority of people prolly didn't even see them nor heard any of the tracks. You always seem to try to push your opinions and present them as if it was the opinion of the vast majority.

[Aderianu]

njanjayrp take a deep breath and count to ten

Ayu shooted music video today! She cried while watching it. Was it Last minute?
and she going to announce something tomorrow (?) not sure in translation

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by orbitalaspect

I think most of us will cry a little if A ONE hits #1, but most of us are just hoping this album reflects Ayu more than her last several albums have. It's been so spotty and bad, I think we're all just hoping for a real Ayumi record again. If Ayumi SOMEHOW pulls this off, I think more of us will cry about that than anything else. Hell, I'm just hoping she can make Zeke's adorable ass happy for the first time in several years.

Lmao! Truth.

[Tom Punks]

tbh... I didn't even think about where she'd chart lol. I feel like in Japan, once your sales start to decrease, there's not much going back up from there. So I definitely don't expect her to hit #1 with this album since Colours barely broke top 5.

Also, noooooooo @ LOVE again eventually becoming appreciated by fans lol. I can't even imagine how bad her works would have to become in the future for me to go back and think that was an acceptable quality for a release.

[kawaiihime001]

I love the title!!
can't wait for the release!!

[Gustavopc]

I also think the mini albums deal and beige-photoshoots made people dislike LOVE again, I really like that album! Wake me up, Song 4 u, Missing, SAKURA and Sweet scar alone are already worth it, and I guess apart from Bye-bye darling I find all songs at least great. A shame the album wasn't supported by a proper tour, it could have made people appreciate properly the album.

[pepper]

Originally Posted by Gustavopc

I also think the mini albums deal and beige-photoshoots made people dislike LOVE again, I really like that album! Wake me up, Song 4 u, Missing, SAKURA and Sweet scar alone are already worth it, and I guess apart from Bye-bye darling I find all songs at least great. A shame the album wasn't supported by a proper tour, it could have made people appreciate properly the album.

good point... if the Love songs and LOVE again had more "visually" covers etc I think I would like them more. But still Love songs are better than LOVE again. Plus LOVE again had VERRRRRRRY weak PV's (those You&Me nonsense...) - yet Love songs had do it again (which I think it's the best PV since forever...)

but still this album have too much ballady side

but well, for my opinion Colours had great covers (simply but not peachy, lovely etc) and the music was a disaster. But well, PQ and (miss) have worst and they are my favorites... Music defended itself...

[kotora]

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN

"EVEN" Beyonce.

I can't even. LMAO

Who is miwa......

[Delicious n Bold]

^ she had that good song with kimi ni deaeta kara.

[orbitalaspect]

Originally Posted by Gustavopc

RnRC mixing never bothered me until the concert came out and I started listening to most live versions instead of the studio ones Don't look back is still better at studio tho

Don't look back is the biggest sonic letdown of the last 10 years for me. It has this intro that makes you think the whole song is going to explode into this awesome techno track... then in comes this indie electronic beat that reminds me of Berlin from the 80's.

One day Ayu will also admit that THE introduction was composed by Nintendo. One day.

[mi|kshake]

I wish Ayu and Avex would release some sort of Ayu encyclopaedia with dates/logs/diary entries from over the last 15 years. Including things like working title song names, provisional tracklists, original draft lyrics, when exactly songs were recorded, PV shoot dates, etc

OMG I would so buy an English version!!

[BlackSilence]

Originally Posted by Aderianu

njanjayrp take a deep breath and count to ten

Ayu shooted music video today! She cried while watching it. Was it Last minute?
and she going to announce something tomorrow (?) not sure in translation

hmm one of the articles said that the video for The Gift is set to be done after chinese new year...but it's a bit early for that one. So it probably is LM?

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by orbitalaspect

Don't look back is the biggest sonic letdown of the last 10 years for me. It has this intro that makes you think the whole song is going to explode into this awesome techno track... then in comes this indie electronic beat that reminds me of Berlin from the 80's.

One day Ayu will also admit that THE introduction was composed by Nintendo. One day.

Don't look back is ayu's best song ever. At least my last.fm playcount says so, but I agree with it.

Wouldn't mind another one.

[Zeke.]

^I really could never get into Don't look back. The chorus is just so lifeless. I mean, I see a bit of potential there, and the atmosphere they were trying to go for works successfully in a few places... but I feel like they never really tied it all together. I think they used a mixture of modern sounds with some stale sounding ones. For example, the instrumentation for the parts that echo after each line during the chorus sounds really cheap. The song sounds like halfway between a demo and a master copy.

However, I will say the bridge in this song is one of her best! It's the only part I love, but I love it A LOT. I wish the entire song evoked more of that feeling, rather than being so lifeless. The bridge is very emotional and captivating. But the chorus feels too removed.

[ExodusUK]

it's all subjective x

[Delirium-Zer0]

Originally Posted by mellody

Then, I just wanna ask this, what do you think of Mirrorcle World mixing?
To me, it sounds great.

Mirrorcle World is mixed reasonably well, but mastered badly. It's a bit too compressed, and the clipping makes it distorted and noisy all through the chorus, especially if your equalizer is balanced for less compressed music (I used to LOVE to have my bass turned up where I could feel it - now if I can feel it, it's distorted).

This is fairly common practice in the music industry on both sides of the pacific, however, and I'm not sure how many people even notice it.

The levels in the song are fairly good, but better in "Mirror." Ayu's vocals get drowned out a bit too much for my taste in MW, as much by background vocals as by the instrumentation. "Mirror" has her sounding much clearer.

Originally Posted by orbitalaspect

Don't look back (has) this indie electronic beat that reminds me of Berlin from the 80's.

I felt like that about And Then, too... and I ADORE both songs. And I liked "Metro" too so ~!!!

Originally Posted by orbitalaspect

One day Ayu will also admit that THE introduction was composed by Nintendo. One day.

I always got more of an amateur Pink Floyd vibe from it...

Originally Posted by Zeke.

^I really could never get into Don't look back. The chorus is just so lifeless. I mean, I see a bit of potential there, and the atmosphere they were trying to go for works successfully in a few places... but I feel like they never really tied it all together. I think they used a mixture of modern sounds with some stale sounding ones. For example, the instrumentation for the parts that echo after each line during the chorus sounds really cheap. The song sounds like halfway between a demo and a master copy.

However, I will say the bridge in this song is one of her best! It's the only part I love, but I love it A LOT. I wish the entire song evoked more of that feeling, rather than being so lifeless. The bridge is very emotional and captivating. But the chorus feels too removed.

I always LOVED the whole "real sitar + fake drums" sound of it. It doesn't come across as being demo-like to me (thanks to - say it with me kids - good mixing), it instead felt more like deliberate juxtaposition of warm and cold instrumentation.

I think it does the moody, pensive, sad, mopey sound far better than "Tell me why" did.

And now I know what to write when I finally put together my blog entry for the song (which was supposed to be today lol)

[truehappiness]

Don't look back is probably one of the most unique tracks she has in her repertoire. Sexy little things too.

Rock'n'Roll Circus, to me, is the most 'Ayu' album that isn't 'conventional Ayu'.

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Don't look back is probably one of the most unique tracks she has in her repertoire. Sexy little things too.

Rock'n'Roll Circus, to me, is the most 'Ayu' album that isn't 'conventional Ayu'.

I think it depends on what "AYU" is to you. For me, "Ayu" is seriously melodic compositions that are complimented by arrangments which create the feeling that such a song just born to be that way. A song that, I don't want to say is 'predictable', but one that feels like it makes sense as you listen to it. One that seems to make sense logically.

The entire R'n'R album was the opposite. Every single song built you up to something that would take a turn in the opposite direction. Everythibg lacked a full on hook. I guess, her strongest pieces seem to have verses that were constructed in a way that was meant to enhance the chorus - to really enhance that peak. But R'n'R has some of her weakest Chorsus in her career. I will even go as far as saying they are her weakest.

The only gem was Microphone. That's not to say I dislike everything else on the album. I grew to accept countdown (although the prechorus initially built you up to something that didn't fully escalate in the way you'd expect), Last links is enjoyable, and I love BALLAD now that I've discovered the correct atmosphere for the song. But, sexy little things is really absurdly annoying. It certainly had that circus theme down, but it's like they just took the goofy loop you hear at circuses when clowns are riding around on unicycles and tried to turn it into a compositon when that jingle/melody is annoying to begin with. It doesn't even feel like a song - it's too gimmicky.

And don't get me started on lady dynamite. Seriously tragic. Yet another song that turns into something completely unexpected. The prechorus is really good though. The "datte..." Or whatever.

I just really hate most of it for the fact that it teases you with snippets, mere moments of brilliance, only to lead into something substantially less enjoyable.

[Aderianu]

Originally Posted by artcika

hmm one of the articles said that the video for The Gift is set to be done after chinese new year...but it's a bit early for that one. So it probably is LM?

yeah, I think she started from Last minute, since that's old song and maybe she started to think about visualisation long time ago

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

But, sexy little things is really absurdly annoying. It certainly had that circus theme down, but it's like they just took the goofy loop you hear at circuses when clowns are riding around on unicycles and tried to turn it into a compositon when that jingle/melody is annoying to begin with. It doesn't even feel like a song - it's too gimmicky.

They had to take the clowns riding unicycles (which usually play a trombone or a trumpet), besides giving it a circus theme to actually make it jazzy. The whole thing that unique about Sexy little thing is the swing pop style that it is. You won't find many songs in this style in the world.
Try listening to That Man by Caro Emerald and behold how the style sounds like Sexy little things. I really liked what they did there because it was extremely original, unique and sounded really good (to my taste).

Btw I loved Don't look back's bridge with the real Darbukas, the instrumetal bridge in that song is to die for. I wish they would use the real darbukas in the whole song but I still like it.

I sometimes wish ayu would try to make a Mediterranean music style song. Don't look back is the closest, especially the bridge.