Do " NEXT LEVEL" really gonna be the Next Level??

[s1012h]

If any of NEXT LEVEL's album tracks are like Sparkle... I will completely overlook the blandness of her single tracks (MW, Life, Days, and GREEN). I'm really hoping there's more songs like Sparkle... what a great change.

[Kingdom]

i think next level will be a huge step up from guilty, and ayu will gain a lot of her popularity back.

green / days was successful and so was MW.

[RikkuChii]

So far, it definitely seems like a new era.

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

Originally Posted by juicy

i think next level will be a huge step up from guilty, and ayu will gain a lot of her popularity back.

green / days was successful and so was MW.

yea
GUILTY was great but maybe not very attractive to the people in Japan

I guess because they don't really care if she is Ayumi Hamasaki or not, they don't care if shes a Diva or not, they just want to hear good music, and this new album seems filling up all those needs of Balads, Asian style, up beat, etc etc (as melrose said)

so im guessing this album is gonna me way more succesful than GUILTY and maybe also more sales than Secret!

[freedreamer]

Originally Posted by alternarist

well i suggest dont bear too much an expectation on everything..

not that im not looking forward to the album..but yea i agree.
In the end, people will whine and all that. I think its best to keep our hopes low. and i saw some people talking about the sales bit....somehow, as much as the content is promising, the sales might be around the lvl of GUILTY or Secret because of the USB thing and yes, the better variety and new style.

if this album followed the same formula, the sales are bound to dip.

[yoshino]

I hope Ayu will go more towards the rock. and dance even more!

[jimex289]

Well after listening to Sparkle, I think it will be now. Hopefully all of her songs aren't like that in the album and I don't think it will be. That song is a signal of new stuff she's trying.

[mcluva420]

ayus probably gonna take her music to the NEXT LEVEL, as in maybe a new style or upgrade or smthin

[Jason]

Originally Posted by orangedream

I hope Ayu will go more towards the rock. and dance even more!

I've had enough of, what I like to call, ayu's "Rock Era". Sure, GUILTY is a fantastic album, but musically, it's time for a change. I think with the diverse selection of singles that have come out, we'll be getting just that. I hope...

The title seems to suggest that we're entering a totally new era. GREEN and Sparkle have me sure that NEXT LEVEL surely will be something to completley surprise us. Something that will be so different from her recent works that it'll be completley refreshing.

I think we will be entering the "next level". This album is truly looking like her best in a long time (so far).

[bluegie]

^I totally agree with you. I don't want Rock anymore. She has been doing rock songs since MY STORY. It comes to a point that I'm sick of the loud guitar/drum/bass/etc. Also, she must ditch the rock tune because the music and arrangements on the rock songs are following the same formula.

I guess Sparkle gives me a shock because it's not a stone anymore... LOL. I won't say I'm 100% in love with Sparkle, but it really makes me heart bumping faster. Haven't got this feeling from ayu for quite a long time.

[perfectodub]

Originally Posted by bluegie

^I totally agree with you. I don't want Rock anymore. She has been doing rock songs since MY STORY...

Correction...since "Memorial Address" (because of you)
and yea..im really sick about her consecutive rock singles..i think 5 year of the same rock songs is enough.
i love sparkle and i love the way the electro style sounds with ayu.
i hope that this new album not include MW and LIFE...this album need more room for the next level songs.

[blackmage]

Its the first album since her 10th year anniversary so maybe "NEXT LEVEL" is just referencing the next level of/in her career? =)

[Bashumaru]

I want more sparkle like songs

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by perfectodub

Correction...since "Memorial Address" (because of you)
and yea..im really sick about her consecutive rock singles..i think 5 year of the same rock songs is enough.
i love sparkle and i love the way the electro style sounds with ayu.
i hope that this new album not include MW and LIFE...this album need more room for the next level songs.

I will exclude Because of you, because it's a good song LOL.
If Life is not included, then it will be quite amazing.. The last "truly B-side" in ayu discography was ever free (well theme of a-nation '03... I dun really consider that as a song anywayz ), and since then she basically included every single B-side into the album. And yeah, I dun like LIFE anyawyz, so I dun mind if it's excluded in NEXT LEVEL .

[Jason]

Originally Posted by perfectodub

Correction...since "Memorial Address" (because of you)
and yea..im really sick about her consecutive rock singles..i think 5 year of the same rock songs is enough.

I don't really count Memorial address as part of the whole "rock era", though. Since 'Because of you' was the only rock song on that mini album. Memorial address (the song) is a power ballad, so I don't count that either.

I think the whole rock sound kicked off with MY STORY. I'm just happy she's starting to change it now

[waterballoon]

Based on her works in 2008, Mirrorcle World, Life, GREEN, Days, Rule and Sparkle. I think NEXT LEVEL is gonna be HOT. I love all of these so much, especially Days!

[Melrose]

Originally Posted by bluegie

I will exclude Because of you, because it's a good song LOL.
If Life is not included, then it will be quite amazing.. The last "truly B-side" in ayu discography was ever free (well theme of a-nation '03... I dun really consider that as a song anywayz ), and since then she basically included every single B-side into the album. And yeah, I dun like LIFE anyawyz, so I dun mind if it's excluded in NEXT LEVEL .

teens.

Originally Posted by SURREAL__RAINBOW

yea
GUILTY was great but maybe not very attractive to the people in Japan

I guess because they don't really care if she is Ayumi Hamasaki or not, they don't care if shes a Diva or not, they just want to hear good music, and this new album seems filling up all those needs of Balads, Asian style, up beat, etc etc (as melrose said)

so im guessing this album is gonna me way more succesful than GUILTY and maybe also more sales than Secret!

^^

Hopefully, but so far every new album has had lower sales than the previous one right? At least since her "top". And with the low amount of tracks, idk if it will sell better than GUILTY. Though we don't really know how good GUILTY sold the first week because the first two weeks were combined. :3

[wannajoin_Team Ayu]

yayaya I want something more shocking than Sparkle (it's spinning in my brain again and again today )

if NEXT LEVEL's sales higher than her previous albums, that will be awesome~ and it will encourage all of us step forward

[jbrat2219]

I hope it does at least outsell GUILTY! All the USBs are gone so that's a good indication that people are at least interested!

[Chibi_Venus]

I feel like she's really taking her time with this album. Nothing feels rushed at all. I feel like with each single she released, she sat down and wrote the lyrics from her heart. Nothing was just "music" to satisfy fans (or even avex).

I have a feeling this is going to be a great album.

Originally Posted by blackmage

Its the first album since her 10th year anniversary so maybe "NEXT LEVEL" is just referencing the next level of/in her career? =)

That's a very good point, actually.