NEXT LEVEL album thoughts - Page 5 - Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai
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  #1  
Old 22nd March 2009, 05:24 AM
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i love the whole energy of this album! i just wished it was arranged better...for some reason the placement of days, GREEN, and EnergizE just feel outta place. :/

i can just imagine the concert...these songs are spectacular. DD
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Old 22nd March 2009, 05:43 AM
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i think...it's a pretty good and fresh album from AYU... but... like others say, the disco feeling took too much space and the interludes were somewhat out of place... maybe the only solution i can do for my OWN is re-shuffle the tracklist and... insert Mirrorcle World and Life. LOL
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Old 22nd March 2009, 05:54 AM
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It's very different from her albums since Mystory, but I actually like this difference. I'm usually not that inclined toward electro-pop, but for some reason in the past few months have miraculously became a electro-pop lover...

So anyways, my favorite track, hands down, is Love 'n' Hate. Something about the melody is just so catchy. EnergizE, which I didn't thought I'd like from the previews, is also amazing. I kind of wish instead of the electro sound because the composition had that 50's feeling to it she'd replace it with a more jazzy arrangement. Rollin' took me a few listens to get used to the electro sound (which reminded me of those scifi green aliens for some reason), but I really like the chorus.

My only complaint is that I got the "that's it?" feeling, and the overall feeling that the album was over too soon. Also I feel like the PVs weren't that spectacular. But I feel like although maybe to another artist, it wouldn't be new, this is kind of new for her, but at this same time it still maintained that "Ayumi" sound.

I do think the album has a problem with the flow, and Green was horribly out of place. But it doesn't matter to me, since I listen to things on shuffle anyways.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 10:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sugarbasil View Post
Despite everything, though, I feel it's arrangement is INCREDIBLY messy, and I'm actually surprised no one else has mentioned the same. The song genres are just SCATTERED everywhere, sometimes having a few similar songs next to each other, but then putting the same type of song later on. For example, GREEN should have gone after NEXT LEVEL, imo. It would have fit perfectly there. And I really think it was kinda of pointless and silly to put an interlude right after the first song. That kind of ticked me off, to be honest.
I noticed that again last night when I listened to the album again, NEXT LEVEL seemed very out of place where it was, it should be next to GREEN, as the mood of the songs are similar. The tracklist was all over the place for me, and seemed poorly planned out compared to her previous albums.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrenekoi View Post
the "lack of emotion" is just because people only think something is emotional when it's depressed...
Not for me. Ayu has happy songs, songs that are angry, songs that have strength, songs that are calming, not just sad songs. When I first heard GREEN a few months ago it was when I had some very sad news and I kept listening to it because it made me calm when I needed to be calm. When I listen to these new style of songs in the first part of NEXT LEVEL I feel nothing from them. They just seem empty of any emotion to me.
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  #5  
Old 22nd March 2009, 11:23 AM
x-megumi-x x-megumi-x is offline
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Bridge to the sky: 8/10
NEXT LEVEL: 7.5/10
Disco-munication: 7/10
EnergizE: 8/10
Sparkle: 10/10
rollin': 9.5/10
GREEN: 7/10
Load of the SHUGYO: 8/10
identity: 8/10
Rule: 8.5/10
LOVE 'n' HATE: 9/10
Pieces of SEVEN: 10/10
Days: 8/10
Curtain call: 7/10

Overall: 8/10

Not her best album but definitely better than GUILTY and Secret. To me, the best new songs are rollin' and LOVE 'n' HATE and I totally love Pieces of SEVEN. What an amazing interlude!
However some songs are out of place (GREEN, Days) and it's a pity that she made PVs for NEXT LEVEL and Curtain call because to me, these songs are the weakest and the least representative of the album music style.
But this album doesn't disappoint me at all. I love the new direction she's taking and I hope her next releases will be in the same electro/pop/rock style.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 06:14 AM
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i love all track except d least fav track like <rollin'> and <LOVE 'n' HATE>,
n i think <Pieces of SEVEN> put in wrong track,
suddenly that rock end n start <Days>, no no no ...
unexpected <EnergizE>! i love till repeat non-stop!
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  #7  
Old 22nd March 2009, 01:21 PM
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I'll be posting a full review tonight.

Basically, I think it's a good album that has some problems. It's not her best album but it's far from her worst.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 06:29 AM
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i thought i hated rollin', after the first listen. but im listening to it again now, and its pretty cool. but yeah i think the album feels short even thought it's 14 songs.

i think this album is just ok for me. curtain call and next level are really great, but i dont know. i think it will take a little bit for me to appreciate all the somewhat annoying "pac man" effects >:[
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Old 22nd March 2009, 06:36 AM
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I was kind of irked by the 4 interludes thing, but i think the album as a whole is really great. I love dance/pop kind of stuff, and if anybody can do it in a way I'll like it, it's Ayu. Identity & LOVE `n` HATE are my faves off the new tracks. <3 Overall I'm very pleased. A good summer album especially.
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Old 21st March 2009, 07:21 PM
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I'm impressed with several of the new songs, specially Identity and LOVE ‘n’ HATE, I love how the album flows and I thought GREEN would be out of place there in the track list but it makes sense actuallyl.

When I first heard Bridge to the sky I thought it was out place, when you hear it with NEXT LEVEL also makes sense.

The interludes are beautiful.

Lovin' the album, I kinda like the rock part bit better but it's all so nice.
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  #11  
Old 21st March 2009, 07:37 PM
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Someone already posted a thread like this ^^;;
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Old 22nd March 2009, 03:29 AM
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^lol actually i posted it slightly earlier...o well
Mods can combine it
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  #13  
Old 22nd March 2009, 07:35 AM
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Well, I've listened to the album, and I'm gonna give my review now.

Bridge to the Sky: It's a good SONG, but a bad INTERLUDE. I mean I like how it's all techon-y and yet very "everlasting dream", but something about this song doesn't flow well to NEXT LEVEL.
7/10

NEXT LEVEL: IMO, one of her best title tracks. It's really very laid-back and relaxed, and you can really forget about your worries while listening to it. I'm really surprised to know it's a D.A.I composition!
8.5/10

Disco-munication: I don't really like this interlude, despite the cool name. It, however, is a good interlude, cos it really flows well to EnergizE. But yeah it just sounds so messy!
5/10

EnergizE: I really like this one! It's sugar-pop ala HONEY and ANGEL'S SONG... but in a edgier tone! There are a lot of electronica and rock influences in this song, but her voice still sounds really cute and sweet! It's a song that will get me flailing around!
7.5/10

Sparkle: Easily one of the better tracks in this album. I'm not Japanese, so I can't comment much on the "shallow" lyrics, but I really like the song as a song.
9/10

rollin': LOL @ intro. It sounds like a more serious EnergizE if you ask me. Honestly, I think they're really almost the same song. XD But having said that, I like both EnergizE and rollin' a lot, but they are songs that are very... how do we say it? A lot of people will love them, and a lot of people will dislike them as well. I'm one of those who love them.
7.5/10

GREEN: Hmm. GREEN is a very fresh and good song, but it feels SO out of place here! I agree with what some other users have said... it's gonna be more fitting if it's after NEXT LEVEL. At least glitter feels fitting in GUILTY lol... oh well.
8/10

Load of the SHUGYO: Once again, this interlude is actually working. I'm liking the rock here... it sounds very exciting! Like a video game!
7/10

identity: OMG I LIKE THIS ONE. It continues the thrill from Load of the SHUGYO and identity is just VERY COOL. I can hear influences from decision, but this sounds more edgy and 'cool'. The chorus... I can hear it in a Super Sentai show!!! It's like so cool... you know. I mean omg I like this one. A LOT.
8.5/10

Rule: I liked this at first, but now, it gets kind of boring... and stale. The bridge is awesome though.
7/10

LOVE 'n' HATE: OMG. I LOVE THIS SONG!!! It screams attitude, and I love the beats and all that... and the chorus = <3 It's very cool, just like identity, and to a certain extent, Rule. These 3 rock songs in NEXT LEVEL are like a different kind of rock... the 'cool' rock, not the rock you hear in GUILTY. It's very different and refreshing!
8.5/10

Pieces of SEVEN: IMO, this is the best interlude in NEXT LEVEL. I'm not sure if this an outro to LOVE 'n' HATE or an intro to Days. I'm thinking of the former. LOL. I mean it sounds very good and cool... but the transition to rock in the middle is like so misfitting for Days! So I think this is a good outro to LOVE 'n' HATE!
8/10

Days: Enough said. Best song in this album; my favorite song from her. This is a song that can make people (at least me) cry, and the emotions in her voice in this song and Curtain call is enough to make up for all the lack of emotions in the rest of the album.
10/10

Curtain call: Simple. Sweet. Touching. I cried several times while listening to this song... it's very good IMO. And her voice is just so touching... T_T
9/10

Overall: 7.5/10

To me, the best songs in this album are the rock and ballad section. GREEN feels SO out of place... and oh from Disco-munication to rollin'... I'm hearing Pokemon all over... it's like the instrumentals can just be put into a Pokemon game or something!
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Old 22nd March 2009, 07:49 AM
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I LOVE the album, though I find Pieces of SEVEN redundant because it's like rock and electro then suddenly the next song is Days, wtf? The transition isn't there at all imo.

I think the worst song on NEXT LEVEL is EnergizE, but the song is not bad, just that the other album tracks are better, not that it really sucks lol.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 07:50 AM
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Must say I am loving the electronic shift Ayu's made, but still keeping her rock and pop sides. What I don't like is the way songs are grouped in the tracklist, it could have been spread out better.

First impressions are good.
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  #16  
Old 22nd March 2009, 10:02 AM
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i wanna listen tooo
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Old 22nd March 2009, 11:20 AM
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I think the cover refects the album. It's a very colorful album. We can listen to songs who are ballad, rock, pop, electro

Bridge to the Sky: Beautiful intro. I like the crescendo for starting it!

NEXT LEVEL: Is a nice pop song. Now,when I listen to it I imagine that I'm in a car XD. The chorus is really soft and not boring! This song can bring us to the sky where everything is peace

Disco-munication: I love the chines touch when the interlude begin! It's really great! I feel to hear a remix of bold & delicous with the "Dadadaa" of Ayu.

EnergizE: this song have really the good name. When I listen to it, I have punch! It's a good pop electro song but not only, Boogie-woogie is here in the chorus! It's a perfect mix

Sparkle: It's a nice electro pop song. I like the "no no no" of Ayu. It make me to jump XD. I like the difference between the calm verse and the explosive chorus!

rollin': It's the song that I don't like very much! The intro is really beautiful. When I listened to it for the first time, I believed that it was a tiny interlude! It's the most electro song. There are not pop or rock with it! It's why I don't like very much. I can hear it but not repeat it indefinitely.

GREEN: It's a gorgeous traditionel chinese pop song! It break the electro atmosphere that Disco-munication , EnergizE and rollin' had created. It's like we have push the door of another world! we are in the greenland ^^

Load of the SHUGYO: this interlude break with other interlude. It annouces the beginning of a new era. The rock!

identity: is a beautiful dark rock song! The electro doesn't totally vanish from this song!

Rule: It's a beautiful rock song again!

LOVE 'n' HATE: here is again rock and electro are mixed perfectly! The intro is influenced by R&B too. I feel like this song is the dark side of Step you. Maybe because she counts! XD

Pieces of SEVEN: it's a nice interlude. It's just a pity than she don't introduce Days very well, even if the begining is really calm.

Days: It's a nice and powerful ballad! the emotion really is here! When I close my eyes the tears try to run away them!

Curtain call: this is a beautiful ballad to finish this wonderful album. Ayu's voice is thrilled me. This song is a really bic crescendo. We begin with piano and we finish with choir!


Ayu really reached the NEXT LEVEL with this album!
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Old 22nd March 2009, 11:15 AM
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Lol, why the heck do the very beginnings of rollin' and identity make me think of Stairway to Heaven. And identity's beginning is really similiar to Christina Aguilera's song "Hurt" beginning. And I've heard the beginning of LOVE 'n' HATE in a dozen of hiphop songs. Sparkle also reminds Britney Spears' song Ooh ooh baby quite a bit in the verses.
That's probably my second biggest problem with the album, almost every song makes me think of other songs by other artists. In other words the album lacks the "Ayu" originality. I like LOVE 'n' HATE, Sparkle and identity a lot though. EnergizE and rollin', for some reason seem like the same song to me. Probalby because the arrangement is really alike and the melody also. NEXT LEVEL is nice though not really my type.

Well then, the issue nro 1, the lack of emotion. Yes I think it lacks it. Every non-album track, including Curtain Call, make me feel nothing. Maybe with the expection of NEXT LEVEL. Like, when listening to Curtain Call I can imagine Ayu singing it in the recording booth in fancy dress and high heels and thinking something like: "My ballads always sell like hot cakes. Gosh people are so gonna love my emotionality in this song. This is the 100th time I've sung about these kinds of things but well yeah my fans love it. I wonder if I should buy the latest Gucci dress today or tomorrow.." So yeah. It just doesnt move me like JEWEL or Together When or any other Ayu ballad, unfortunately.

If I put aside the lack of emotion and originality it's really not a bad album. I just really dislike superficial music such as elektro-pop and tehcno... I'm so glad the album still had strong rock elements because it's her rock that has kept me hooked to her music. I'd give the album... 7/10. n__n
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  #19  
Old 23rd March 2009, 07:45 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kyuutii_hanii View Post
If I put aside the lack of emotion and originality it's really not a bad album. I just really dislike superficial music such as elektro-pop and tehcno... I'm so glad the album still had strong rock elements because it's her rock that has kept me hooked to her music. I'd give the album... 7/10. n__n
This.
Really, if you go from listening to some NEXT LEVEL tracks, and then play one of her old songs (for me, it was "End of the World"), you'll be blown away. :-/
I really can't stand the sound of Love N' Hate and rollin'.
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Old 23rd March 2009, 10:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kyuutii_hanii View Post
I can imagine Ayu singing it in the recording booth in fancy dress and high heels and thinking something like: "My ballads always sell like hot cakes. Gosh people are so gonna love my emotionality in this song. This is the 100th time I've sung about these kinds of things but well yeah my fans love it. I wonder if I should buy the latest Gucci dress today or tomorrow.."
way to think the worst of ayu. if you think that she's seriously not more than designer clothes & money now and that's all that's on her mind then wow.
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