[Official Message] Winter single "Zutto... / Last minute / Walk" 2014.12.24 in stores III

[thinkingoutloud89]

^funny how everyone likes a different song so the single actually is pretty great eh?
The lyrics are actually good, I don't know why you call them horrible? Its basically the standard ayu/japanese lyric content.

[truehappiness]

I love everything.

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

I'm not hating, but does anyone else think that TK and the other guys tried too hard to replicate their past hits for ayu, and came up short? That's the feeling I'm getting...but the songs are definitely starting to grow on me.

[the angel song]

Last Minute makes me think of MOON with more guitars. I feel crazy if I'm the only one who thinks this. I really wanted another alterna or Microphone, so I guess I hyped myself waaaay too much for the "rock" track. it's nothing like Memorial Address. I don't think she'll ever do a throw-back to that song.

But then there's Walk which is like November's older sister. and well, zutto is ayu ballad #12039484 and forgettable for me. Winter singles were never my thing, so I'll just keep jammin' to Movin' On Without You.

[BlackSilence]

Originally Posted by the angel song

Last Minute makes me think of MOON with more guitars. I feel crazy if I'm the only one who thinks this. I really wanted another alterna or Microphone, so I guess I hyped myself waaaay too much for the "rock" track. it's nothing like Memorial Address. I don't think she'll ever do a throw-back to that song.

I can see where you're comming from. And i ended up listening to it right after the other. Moon sounds much calmer and smoother, to me, Last Minute just hits you in the face with very rough guitars. In terms of structure it does resamble MOON but the arrangement is much heavier. And the arangement is different. I mean the intro of MOON already has guitars in while LM doesn't give out that untill the intro of the next verse starts . But yeah you have a point there. Still I think it hits the spots with with a heavier tracks of her rather than MOON. The song itself just feel much heavier to me than MOON, somehow.

You know piano and heavy guitars is the best combo followed by strings and heavy guitars. It reminds me of some of my favorite Evanecsence tracks.

[andraia27]

Originally Posted by the angel song

Last Minute makes me think of MOON with more guitars. I feel crazy if I'm the only one who thinks this.

Don't worry, you're not alone ! I actually went through half of ayu's discography yesterday to find the name of the song I had in mind, I could sing it but didn't remember the name... it ended up being MOON. There's something in the chorus that sounds similar.

In the end my favorite ends up being Walk. I'm such a TK fan.

[Zeke.]

Are we still discussing the confusion? Seriously, it's a plethora of things. Her classic tracks just sound more "complete" - they sound fully mixed and just ... finalized? I don't hear that in her recent tracks. She has struggled with that for some time. I am wondering if it has to do with them switching to new software to produce/arrange her music. Instead of everything sounding cohesive and enveloping, it sounds like everything is a separate layer if that makes sense. Like it's all just disconjointed and each layer is not fully in sync and harmony with one another. Listen to a track from A BEST 2 and the follow it up with one of these tracks.

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

It is still Last minute >>> Walk >>> Zutto... for me.

[mi|kshake]

I really wanted another alterna

Always after another Alterna (and Guilty!)

And I love Far Away and Vogue! Seasons is nice but not as good as the other two for me.

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

I love walk, the end is gorgeous

[Gustavopc]

I don't know why there are people surprised with other having different tastes on music? It's almost 2015 but seems like AHS will always be like that lol

For me the single is Walk > Last minute >>>>(pits of Tartarus)>>>> Zutto...

[andycruize]

I think you guys too fast to judge. For me this single really awesome, I don't too much like when I hear this single for the 1st time, butnow I'm in love with all this songs, every track really awesome. Ayumi did a great job again.

[End1ess_sorr0w]

i tried giving her a chance again today and it's just not happening. i feel like everytime i stop paying her attention to her music like i did when she released that horrific album rock n roll crap circus, she gets her shit together for at least a second. that or she only made good music when she was dating tomoya. now she's just a mess...

also IMO i feel like those who do like last minute, and i mean REALLY like it. you must've came late to the game with being a fan of hers. that song is just utter garbage.

[brener]

Zutto... debuted on #5 at Rechocoku Daily Singles ^^
Last minute: #18
Walk: #23

The single itself debuted on #1 at Recochoku Daily Albums

[dreamlover13]

"Seasons" makes me want to murder puppies, "Far away"" is kind of wack, and "vogue" is not as good as "vogue (Groove that Soul remix)". The best song from the original trilogy is "ever free".

[primavera♥]

Seasons is as basic as it gets. But vogue and far away absolute gems. I only wish this single was in the style of those songs. Though I know repeating distinct styles like those would make people complain about a lack of creativity. But hey, creativity without heavy deviation is a lot easier when you don't have much behind you, which is not her case anymore. Anyway, this single is nothing majorly new for the most part. But Walk and Last Minute still managed to feel great and bring something new to me.

@end1ess_sorrow: imo, becoming a fan later in her career does not diminish someone's taste in music. In fact, it often offers a different, less biased perspective at times. But you can say whatever you want, obviously.

[js_surrealism]

vogue/far away/seasons was when she seriously set the bar for pop music. the composition of vogue is incredible - seriously just listen to those gorgeous VERSES! i still get goosebumps when i hear the opening notes on the groove coverage remix.

far away is also great. The hook is not as distinctive as vogue or seasons, but more than 10 years on, that song still sounds current, and just as moving.

Seasons for me has aged the worst. Which is not to say it's a bad song, it was monumental when it came out, and I loved it so much then, and it will always be an Ayu classic, but now it really sounds like something out of her Catalogue rather than something that still has staying power.

None of the songs on this new winter single compares. Lol.

[jbrat2219]

I haven't gotten to listen to this single in full yet, but as far as the vogue-far away-SEASONS debate goes... In my opinion, I feel like the only song of the three that stands alone is SEASONS (and I'm not even a huge fan of SEASONS). With the other two, I prefer the remixes. I don't agree that vogue is a high quality song, to me it sounds very cheap. And as far as eastern influences, Don't look back did it better. I think far away is better and the remastered version on A COMPLETE actually made me fall in love with the original but I love the HAL remix more because despite it being more "dancy" it gives the song a much darker and more polished feel. Although I agree that ayu's older songs are more unique, don't really find them "technically better".

I think her current music is way more polished than her older tracks. Back then I thought there was nothing better but now that ayu has continued to grow I realize that her sound is much more refined now. Even if I don't care for a track I can better appreciate how well put together it sounds.

[orbitalaspect]

I hate to throw a wrench in everyone's cogs here, but how many of us have actually listened to Ayu frequently within the month running up to this leak? I feel that if you haven't listened to anything from her in months, you probably have a very uninformed perspective on what Ayu sounded like 10 years ago and what this single sounds like.

I'm super confused by some of the ultra negative responses. The lyrics are honestly her best writing in a few years... Maybe you are mostly used to the lyrics of the last few years that didn't have much to say other than very topical, sober stuff? These songs are very targeted at a theme or feeling and are well written. This is light years beyond Colours and LOVE again. It's actually got some serious heart in it.

I've been a hyper-critical fan for a few years now, but this single blows me away. I couldn't stop playing Walk in my head all day at work.

[Tom Punks]

^ Not trying to be snarky but I just don't get this??? Did I suddenly forget what the rest of her discography sounds like because I haven't listened to much Ayu lately??? I mean I could still recite walking proud or Moments by heart, yet you're saying that I'm uninformed and have no idea what those songs sounded like because I haven't listened to them since October? I can quite clearly remember what she sounded like 10 years ago tyvm and it was much more impassioned, lush, atmospheric music than this single has to offer.

Can't input anything on the lyrics though since I lost interest in those back in 2007/2008.