The official thread for your thoughts for "Rock'n'Roll Circus" (Anything!)

[asmAyumi1992]

RnRC is a PERFECT album all I can say

[Not~Yet]

RED LINE (album version) is nice. The ending is pure love. A perfect way to end the album. Though I hoped they would have changed the arrangement a bit more, it's good like this too.

[SunshineSlayer]

It's too early to give an actual point rating out of 10 for any of the songs on the album, but here were my initial thoughts:

THE introduction: I like it a lot! But probably because I like creepy sounding things, haha. Very reminiscent of late 70s/early 80s synth. I can picture it in A Clockwork Orange or something - which is a good thing for me, but probably a bad thing for some people.

Microphone: I like this song, but I don't love this as much as some people seem too; I think she definitely has better rock songs but it definitely has some nice parts. I like the Kiss o' Kill vibe.

Countdown: Really like the way that it starts. Overall though it ends up just sounding very middle of the road. But it also sounds like it will really benefit from having it in higher quality.

Sunset/Ballad: Doesn't really fit well after the songs that preceded. Never was a huge fan of either of these songs. To me they just kind of bog the album down (and pretty early on too). I wish at least one of them had been left off.

Last Links: Acoustic guitars and violins? Yay! Seems like it'll sound great in high quality. Love the instrumental section. I think the flow would be better though if this were placed between Countdown and Sunset.

Montage: Another great interlude! The interludes on this album really kick Next Level's ass...

Don't Look Back: Perfection? My favorite.

Jump: Least favorite of the interludes, but not bad. Probably good in concert.

Lady Dynamite: This is slowly growing on me. Not a fan of the PV but the song is alright.

Sexy Little Things: I was wondering if the scream from the PV was actually in the song or not - I was a bit disappointed that it wasn't, haha. An interesting song to say the least. I wish the chorus was a bit more stand outish but overall I like this song.

Sunrise: I'm one of the minority on this board that really likes this song; especially live.

Meaning of Love: Maybe the most normal sounding track on the album. Pretty typical j-pop. Pretty melody; not a fan of the breathy vocals that she does though. I need to listen to this one more.

You We're: In the grand scheme of Ayu ballads its not one of her absolute best, but better than some at least. Pretty solid.

Red Line: Loved the original version of this song. Not really much difference in the album version. I was thinking it might be something totally different like Endless Sorrow. Still a great song though. The accapella at the end is a nice touch.

I don't know where this will land overall in her album rankings for me, but at this point I at least know I like it a lot better than Next Level. I'm not sure if the album comes together as a cohesive unit (the interludes don't really seem to necessarily match the songs, haha) but as individual units they are great.

[ayumiyee]

Originally Posted by Not~Yet

RED LINE (album version) is nice. The ending is pure love. A perfect way to end the album. Though I hoped they would have changed the arrangement a bit more, it's good like this too.

yea, i like album ver. of RED LINE, it's quite good arrangement to hear the only vocal at the end. I love count down & meaning of Love so much!!

[kotora]

wow THE introduction reminds "the opening" in DOME TOUR 2001. Powerful.

Don't look back seems like very special in this album because it is placed between two music-only track

LOVE RED LINE [album version] at the end.. It reminds me ayu says "thank you" at the end of every tour!

LOVE - Last Links - the guitar opening is what I have been looking for!


However, this album is Rock 'n' Pop Circusto me.

[love in music]

Originally Posted by Not~Yet

RED LINE (album version) is nice. The ending is pure love. A perfect way to end the album. Though I hoped they would have changed the arrangement a bit more, it's good like this too.

Yeah seriously! This might be my favorite album ending. The ending she added is so perfect to me.

Seriously, I can now officially say her last 3 albums pale in comparison to this one (not dissing them at all as I really enjoyed them) but to me this album is just on another level. I'm so happy with it! It has that classic ayu sound mixed with something new.

[amorphose]

THE introduction : ehh... I really was bored and disappointed by this track. I think it is definitely THE (worst) introduction she's had in years. It actually kind of sounds fan made to me too. I really don't like it.

Microphone : I LOVE this track. I didn't think I'd love it as much as I do when we first got the preview in the Honda commercial, but as soon as the full track leaked I fell in love. This song really made me think, "Hamasaki Ayumi has returned!" It's not her absolute BEST rock track, but it's definitely up there in my opinion. This is definitely one of the album's standout tracks and it's got a wonderful video!

count down : When I first found out this was a full track and not an interlude, I was shocked; especially when it was revealed to be a ballad following Microphone. I thought, "There is no way a song can link Microphone and Sunset properly" and although the transition to Sunset is still a bit odd, I really like this song a lot and it follows Microphone really well. It's a really, really great track with powerful lyrics. It's just great!

Sunset : I don't hate this song nearly as much as I used too, but I still think it's one of Ayu's worst ballads ever. It feels so forced. The melody definitely doesn't work for a ballad at all. It's just such a boring song, but there's something about it's spot on the album that makes me not want to skip it.

BALLAD : I absolutely love this song. I loved it when it first came out back in December and I still love it now. It's definitely going to be a classic. It's so powerful and the lyrics are absolutely wonderful. I've heard this song so many times, but there last chorus still gives me shivers. I can't wait to see this live (hoping it's on the setlist for the tour!)

Last Links : This song is another one of the stand out tracks of the album! It absolutely blew me away. I love the raw sound of it so much and I can feel that classic raw Ayu emotion! I love the beat of this song too. It's one of the best new songs, I think!

montage : I'm really not sure how I feel about this interlude. I either love it or I think it's complete ****. I haven't decided yet. It's so weird and different, but if you ask me, it's definitely a suitable lead-in for Don't look back.

Don't look back : Agghhh! This is a really amazing song too. I love it so much. It's something new and different Ayu, soundwise and the lyrics are so empowering and in your face, I think. It's really quite addicting, and the music video is by far her best video ever ever ever, but all of the new music videos this time around were great!

Jump! : ehh... I can't think of much to say about this interlude. The first half is nice, but typical. It's actually a pretty tolerable interlude and I like her vocals on it, but I do find the part where the people are yelling "Jump!" kind of annoying. I was glad that this was the final interlude.

Lady Dynamite : This song is really not what I thought it'd be like, but it's a really catchy little tune that makes me just wanna dance! At first listen, I was somewhat indifferent to it, but I've grown to like it quite a bit now! The video is hot as hell too!

Sexy little things : Okay, so if Lady Dynamite wasn't what I expected it to be then I might as well not have made any preconceptions about Sexy little things. I was really expecting something like Sparkle, but this is so totally different from anything she's done before. At first listen, I wasn't really sure how I felt about it and I'm still kind of unsure. All I know is when I hear it I want to dance and that the chorus is very catchy. Another good, new video, but nowhere close to Microphone or Don't look back!

Sunrise : While being fairly different from past summer singles musically, melodically this song really isn't anything different so I never really loved it, but I do enjoy it. It's a really fun song and watching it live is so fun. I still wish that either it or Sunset (or both) had been excluded from the album. They feel so old now. I think the more summery it gets outside, the more I'll appreciate both songs being included on the album.

meaning of Love : As soon as the song started I was reminded of Secret and rainy day. It definitely sounds similar to both of those, but ends up a lot more upbeat than those two songs. It's one of the weaker new songs, I think, but it's still pretty nice. It just feels like I've heard songs like this a million times. Not bad though.

You were... : I kind of feel the same way about this song as I feel about meaning of Love. I feel like I've heard it done by Ayu so many times before. Another thing, this album has a lot of ballads and You were... is the only one that has a strictly wintery/Chirstmasy feel, I think, so I'll probably be skipping this the most of any of the tracks on the album. It's not a bad track, though.

RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version] : I was excited when I found out we'd get a new version of RED LINE cause I didn't really like the original that much. This one sounds like it has new vocals and a new arrangement? While it's still not my favorite, it's MUCH better than it was on the single-- and the new ending to the song with the acapella is a perfect ending for the album. I really liked that new addition!

Overall, this album is very good! Much better than NEXT LEVEL was, for sure! There is a little something I can't put my finger on that feels wrong with it, but compared to all the things right with it, it's nothing! I'd give this album something like an 8/10... It's really very good! Heck, maybe I'd even give it a 9!

Best tracks:
Microphone, Don't look back, BALLAD, Last Links, Lady Dynamite


[edit]
I think the reason it feels a bit weird, is because this really feels like a new beginning for Ayu, to me. It's almost like I just can't compare it with her older albums at all. It's just a very different feeling from her this time around, even if some of the sounds are the same. Don't look back conveys that feeling the best, for me, and I think that's why it's stand alone in the middle of the album. She seems to definitely not be "looking back" on this one.

[Tom Punks]

I really don't like the intro/interludes. They're kind of... Well. They're not nearly as good as any of her past interludes and they don't really fit the songs they're supposed to be connecting together. NEXT LEVEL's interludes did a much better job... Even Pieces of SEVEN worked better. THE introduction is okay by itself, though it's not as good as anything since probably introduction on LOVEppears, and it doesn't really work as an intro OR flow well into Microphone. montage is fine too but it just doesn't work for me as an AYU interlude on an AYU album, and ESPECIALLY not on this one. Jump! is really wtf... That's all I can say about that. I'm not gonna listen to the other three songs until they leak in HQ.

[Andrenekoi]

IMO this really is one of Ayu's most generic albuns to date... Everything sounds recyclied... that being said, I don't find it bad, actually, I don't have problem with recycling now and then if it's well done... and the recycling here was very well done^^

THE introduction : The evil circus of death! Loved it!

Microphone : T2M with organs... But I like how fierce it sounds

count down : IMO it really sounds like a My Story album track... and I'm not really that found of MS album tracks... But I like how emotional she sounds^^

Sunset : Hello Disney!

BALLAD : Hello alan! P

Last Links : Goes to the list of Ayu songs I never remember how sound, together with It was... and Life...

montage : Horror movie time! Dark and creepy! Loved it! XD The ending makes the horror movie feeling sounds sarcastic, what makes it even better IMO xD

Don't look back : the first big surprise on this album! Interesting arrangment, nice lyrics! Maybe one of Ayu's best songs^^

Jump! : A dark and messy club song? <3

Lady Dynamite : Angry girl electro-rock... Nothing new, but really catchy^^ The "hey" on the background reminds me of seiyuu live concerts xD

Sexy little things : The 2nd and last big surprise on this album! It's cute, it's catchy, it's electro and it's kinda dark^^ Even if Ayu has some songs like this, it doesn't sound like the past ones! <3

Sunrise : Ayu best summer single for live performances ever, period.

meaning of Love : It's nice, and sweet, and anyone on jpop could release it... Points for being a happy ballad, cuz she has only a few of those, and again, very catchy^^

You were... : I hate how much they made me love this generic song only by having a catchy chorus and nice guitars xD It doesn't matter when I'm listening to it, I'm always singing the chorus with Ayu without even noticing it xD

RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version] : Her generic "concert ending track" with a VERY raw and emotional acapella totally made of love and win in the end <3

Nice album, catchy tunes... not memorable or original, but still, very entertaining^^

[primavera♥]

im lovin the intro (A LOT!!!) and interludes. montage sounds so cool. phantom of the operaish. or something a band like Malice Mizer or Versailles would use. its love. one of my fav nows. its lieka beautifully composed piece of classical music. a sound that i adore. its like an dark overture (ish) squeezed into that little time frame. i wish it was a whole song

count down is a beautiful and depressing song.
jump! is really cool and fun sounding. very clubby and fun

havent listened to last links and meaning of love. so busy this day. anyhow. . .i love the new step ayu has taken with this album. i think amorphose was right in not really being able to compare it with others in the past ^___^

edit: okay i dont feel like explaining how much i love the tracks of this album

[Bad Wolf]

Originally Posted by AyUta

EVERYTHING SO FAR IS AMAZING. PERFECT.

THIS THIS THIS.
THIS.
HOLY **** THIS.


I'M REALLY EXCITED AND MY THOUGHTS WILL BE COHERENT SOON, I PROMISE BUT HOLY ****, YOU GUYS, I HAVEN'T BEEN THIS PROUD OF AN AYU ALBUM SINCE (miss)understood. FJDSLKFDS.

count down is just... ;_____;

[Kingdom]

i don't like the title of the album. dislike the over-photoshopping on the covers but i like the look she was going for. hate the pvs, though adore most of the songs i've heard (haven't heard any of the leaks yet)

don't care for interludes on any cd so i will probably delete them. i think this will be a good album!

[pepper]

So far i am listening to lg of LastLinks/count down... i can say...

I didn't expect that good album after GUILTY/NEXT LEVEL.

I got faith in Ayu again. This album isn't perfect - but i got a feeling that in complete - it's a very good album!

[Jason]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

Sunset/Ballad: Doesn't really fit well after the songs that preceded. Never was a huge fan of either of these songs. To me they just kind of bog the album down (and pretty early on too). I wish at least one of them had been left off.

I completely agree. Neither of these songs, imo, fit in with the album and especially after Microphone and count down.

After hearing the songs, my opinion so far is that; I think Rock 'n' Roll Circus is a great album (though, there are some songs I know will sound like perfection with HQ). The interludes really surprised me, aswell.

Last Links and Don't look back are absolutely the best things on the album so far and maybe count down after I hear it in HQ

Still, loving what I'm hearing

[R_Hikki]

Now that we've seen the videos and heard the songs all we have to do is wait until it's released and hope it's as much a success on the charts as it was to our hearts. I have a feeling it won't sell more than NEXT LEVEL though. I hope I'm wrong!

[Maraschino]

I love meaning of Love and Last Links and the interludes and everything!!!
Great album! Luckily that I ordered both versions at the first time, now i'll just wait for my CD to come to enjoy the HQ songs, haha!

[kotora]

This album apparently demonstrates that ayu notices that her voice is changed, and she knows that she cannot do anything like her past songs anymore (e.g SEASONS), so this album she changes and finds a "new" (you can argue not new) style and fits for her voice.

[Picaflor 7/4]

don't like red line, don't look back, sunrise, sunset, sexy little things. you were and ballad are just ok. not really liking this album so far.

[Larisa-chan]

Man, are you people serious when you say the interludes suck?

I loveeee The introduction and montage. SO refreshing to hear ... no longer Labyrinth ver. 3.0

THE introduction is amazing, reminds me of something out of A Clockwork Orange (very late 60s, early 70s synth)

And montage? Whoa.. this is definitely a malice mizer piece, hahaha. Do any of you think this is an original song, though?... It sounds so familiar. Is it a montage of maybe famous classical music pieces? x.x I love it, though.

[AyUmIXx]

THE introduction and montage sound like watching a vampire movie haha XD
as for Jump! it's energetic..
but i'm glad that we only have 1 opening and 2 interludes..
i want to hear more songs from ayu not interludes or preludes ~
and i love this album so much!
i love the acoustic rock feel on this album alot!
i kinda feel that this album is like going back to the old Ayu era but with a new touch~