Ayu: Anything Goes [XXIX]

[barisuta53]

^^^

I got a YouTube notification about that! It was pretty good.

[YUKARI]

^^

omg is it yours???

I've just randomly found it on YouTube. I love it! her voice at the original 2003 footage was just priceless. it's a pity they haven't made the studio version with orchestra back that time.

[M.A.X.]

Originally Posted by YUKARI

^^

omg is it yours???

I've just randomly found it on YouTube. I love it! her voice at the original 2003 footage was just priceless. it's a pity they haven't made the studio version with orchestra back that time.

OMG You’re right the 2003 version is just perfect. Her voice was so clear & powerful at this time. This is pure gold.

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

Been listening to Lindsay Lohan’s A Little More Personal album, and it gives me huge Ayu vibes? Like the structure of the songs and the instruments used? The lyrical content? “I live for the day” sounds like it definitely could’ve been an Ayu song lol. Even the cover is reminiscent of Ayu photo shoots lol.

I realize this was the trend of the time, but it really struck me haha.

[Uknow!]

Originally Posted by tokyoxjapanxfan

Been listening to Lindsay Lohan’s A Little More Personal album, and it gives me huge Ayu vibes? Like the structure of the songs and the instruments used? The lyrical content? “I live for the day” sounds like it definitely could’ve been an Ayu song lol. Even the cover is reminiscent of Ayu photo shoots lol.

I realize this was the trend of the time, but it really struck me haha.

I''ve always thought that, and Confessions of a Broken Heart has the same structure musically and lyrically as Memorial Address.

Btw, A Little More Personal has my favourite cover ever of Edge of Seventeen

[280301]

Maybe a controversial opinion here, but I feel like Ayu probably could have imitated her 2003 vocal tone/approach to the current Haru Yo, Koi cover if she wanted to (of course, within current limitations - she would never have sounded 'exact'), but she clearly thought that a different tone/approach suited this arrangement.

I like it, it's definitely one of the better releases Ayu's had in a while. Saying that, I hope she changes up her arrangement team - I don't mind Nakano here and there, but greater diversity would really help to renew Ayu's career imo.

[barisuta53]

Here’s a controversial opinion: I don’t like the original 春よ、来い cover. I think it lacks power and I don’t like the arrangement. To me, the A BALLADS II version is superior in arrangement and vocal delivery.

[280301]

Originally Posted by barisuta53

Here’s a controversial opinion: I don’t like the original 春よ、来い cover. I think it lacks power and I don’t like the arrangement. To me, the A BALLADS II version is superior in arrangement and vocal delivery.

That is controversial!! But hey, it's so lovely to see that this cover is being so well received - I do prefer the 2003 live version, but I also think that the clout that surrounds it is generated by musings of 'imagine if'. Her delivery isn't perfect in the 2003 live, yet it was still such a great performance that one would assume that a studio version would only improve upon it and iron out the creases. As there was never a studio recording (that we know of), and as the song was performed relatively early in Ayu's career, I feel like over time it gained a legendary status, an example of a missed opportunity in an era where Ayu really didn't seem to 'miss' so to speak.

With A BALLADS 2's release, what, three weeks away? it'll be interesting to see how Avex promotes the album from here on. It's clear they're trying to build hype.

Also, thank you so much M.A.X. for sharing your Haru yo, koi rebirth mix, I'll be playing it on high rotation!!!

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by barisuta53

Here’s a controversial opinion: I don’t like the original 春よ、来い cover. I think it lacks power and I don’t like the arrangement. To me, the A BALLADS II version is superior in arrangement and vocal delivery.

I feel similarity. I never really got into it. I knew if it’s iconic status but never sunk into it like most. Maybe that’s partially why I prefer the new version, but I also seriously think the new version is superior and better suited to the song itself.

[Evan Odinson]

Avex has launched "aNDLESS MUSIC LIVE", a 24-hour endless live stream of music videos with all of their artists like Ayu, Kumi, AAA, TFR, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra and more.

[mizuki-7]

At first I found the 2003 version superior because obviously her vocal tone was better back then but now after listening several times the A ballad II version I think I prefer this one I feel more emotions in her singing and some sorte of maturity it’s difficult to explain. She lost a part of her beautiful tone but at the same time she improved other things.

[Andrenekoi]

Her tone and the amount of emotion she had on her voice back in the 2003 live makes it one of her greatest performances ever.

But there's a sense of maturity, of understanding more how to convey feeling through her voice, that makes the current version more subtle and more complex, in a way, and I really like that. There's some stuff that only make sense for you to produce once you reached a certain age, in the end of the day.

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

Happy 9th anniversary to Party Queen!!


Such a controversial album back then, but it had so many innovative things! The AR app was ahead of its time.

Also so much undeserved hate towards this album by many!

[MKAyu]

Originally Posted by SURREAL__RAINBOW

Happy 9th anniversary to Party Queen!!


Such a controversial album back then, but it had so many innovative things! The AR app was ahead of its time.

Also so much undeserved hate towards this album by many!

I agree, I wonder if it gets hate because people thought she was trying to imitate Koda Kumi. And hey, maybe she was, but some of the resulting music was really good. I think I'm the only one who likes the actual song Party Queen, though, ha ha!

[Toniayu123]

Seriously? It’s been 9 years already? I feel OLD. Party queen is awesome and so was the whole 2012 era with all its drama. I miss those times.

[maxikot]

Happy 9th Anniversary Party Queen! Such an iconic album. When I got it last year it felt so good. It's just so unique and in a very good way.
Recently I subbed "Letter" so I'll just leave it here

[Evan Odinson]

Happy anniversary Party Queen! One of my favorites albums! it's on my top 5

[KPL]

I always thought that Party Queen as an album is the conceptually strongest among all her work. Unfortunately the vocal, mixing, and the arrangement for the titular track were a mess.

But the structure, the rawness of the entire rock ballad section unseen in her other albums, and the exploration of new genres, as well as the flow, makes it truly unique in a good way. This is the only album of hers where the tracks tell one story from beginning to end, in my opinion.

This period is also when her personal life news got a bit out of hand and causes major controversy. To me, in a way, the shattering of the strict separation between ayu the person and ayumi the product was quite avante garde

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

I still think PQ has terrible covers, but I was thinking how, IMO, they could have been infinitely better as textless, unedited (without the leopard print) shots.

Also, if they added a slight blur effect (like Fiona Apple’s Tidal album) it would’ve given that underlying message of not everything is as perfect as it seems. Perhaps this wouldn’t have worked for the actual images chosen, but from the same photo shoot.

Because the actual images are nice, in fact I love how Ayu looked during this era. It was the over editing that ruined them for me haha. I get what they were going for, but it feels a little too... on the nose, if that makes sense.


In terms of the music, it’s certainly grown on me over the years. But I still rank it towards the bottom of my list. But I do give it credit for being cohesive and conceptual.

[KittyKathy]

Party Queen. Her worst album ever. I'm trying to forget it exists.