[Official Message] New Christmas Single 2013.12.25 In Stores

[heymrdj]

I just can't with people comparing the epic Boys & Girls to this... this s*** can't even be called music. I don't hate EDM, I hate it when it's not done right. Tommy february6 released one of the best albums of the year and it's full of EDM, ayu is the one to blame.

[Andrenekoi]

^Funny enough I find this song to be pretty good and the studio version of B&G a piece of shit...

Tastes... how to explain them?

[YUKARI]

covers need to be fantastic!! I can't wait them to be revealed

[maikaru]

Look, this is not about criticizing everything Ayu does and puts out just for the sake of criticizing.

If this song had the production value of say, Zedd's Clarity, or David Guetta's Titanium, I'd be ecstatic.
But it's not. It's Komuro Tetsuya, and this song is a copy and paste from Japanese music history, circa 1996.

Ayu can work with this sound, but it's just bringing her down working with this guy. His day is over.
Give us something new, not something I was dancing to when I was 5.

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by maikaru

Look, this is not about criticizing everything Ayu does and puts out just for the sake of criticizing.

If this song had the production value of say, Zedd's Clarity, or David Guetta's Titanium,

I would not expect ZEDD, Avicii, David Guetta, or even Daishi Dance levels from DJ Hello Kitty's first foray into production. This song is fun and catchy, and honestly that's all that matters imo.

I'm aware it's 'not just for the sake of criticizing' but in the long run, I find it's better to just take things as they come. When it comes to Ayu, I don't think she really needs more people telling her that everything she releases is shit when practically everyone who isn't a fan already does that. (and even some fans to be blunt)

[adantatu2]

In this year we got ballads, a rock song and now an EDM single, and i can't understand some people. Now that we got something different they prefer a winter ballad, other a rock song. I'm so confused.

[khan5]

i get really picky about production but the song imo is not that bad in production
lol i have heard worse

[maikaru]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I would not expect ZEDD, Avicii, David Guetta, or even Daishi Dance levels from DJ Hello Kitty's first foray into production. This song is fun and catchy, and honestly that's all that matters imo.

I'm aware it's 'not just for the sake of criticizing' but in the long run, I find it's better to just take things as they come. When it comes to Ayu, I don't think she really needs more people telling her that everything she releases is shit when practically everyone who isn't a fan already does that. (and even some fans to be blunt)

If this is DJ Hello Kitty's first foray into Production, it shouldn't have been Ayu's "comeback" single. Make it a B-side until the cat has figured out where its paws go on the mixing board.

Obviously she needs this. I don't want her making "catchy" and "fun" songs at the expense of production value and just plain song value.

I remember the first time she put out Whatever, and even Naturally and Connected. These songs were soooo cool. They sounded mysterious, they sounded new, and they sounded modern. The lyrics were so good, and I still continue to love every single thing about these songs.

I want her to make something new, of course. But I want her to make something good, not just fun or catchy. Because that's the kind of artist she is, and that's the standard she put out throughout her entire career.

And before anyone tells me "oh, catchy and fun can be good too. You know she doesn't have to make a masterpiece every time she makes a song," ... that is the music equivalent of telling Picasso that he doesn't have to paint using his full effort, or telling an architect to build a building half-assed. Throw some stain glass onto an unstable building, at least it'll look pretty.

Because that's exactly what she's doing with this Komuro infested song. Gahhhhhh.

I hope merry-go-round is better. I just can't. My table is still flipping.

Originally Posted by khan5

i get really picky about production but the song imo is not that bad in production
lol i have heard worse

The effect making the vibrato turning into a fast, high pitched whirr at the beginning of the song (the Night and Day part) should be a crime against humanity.

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by maikaru

If this is DJ Hello Kitty's first foray into Production, it shouldn't have been Ayu's "comeback" single. Make it a B-side until the cat has figured out where its paws go on the mixing board.

Obviously she needs this. I don't want her making "catchy" and "fun" songs at the expense of production value and just plain song value.

I remember the first time she put out Whatever, and even Naturally and Connected. These songs were soooo cool. They sounded mysterious, they sounded new, and they sounded modern. The lyrics were so good, and I still continue to love every single thing about these songs.

I want her to make something new, of course. But I want her to make something good, not just fun or catchy. Because that's the kind of artist she is, and that's the standard she put out throughout her entire career.

And before anyone tells me "oh, catchy and fun can be good too. You know she doesn't have to make a masterpiece every time she makes a song," ... that is the music equivalent of telling Picasso that he doesn't have to paint using his full effort, or telling an architect to build a building half-assed. Throw some stain glass onto an unstable building, at least it'll look pretty.

Because that's exactly what she's doing with this Komuro infested song. Gahhhhhh.

I hope merry-go-round is better. I just can't. My table is still flipping.

The effect making the vibrato turning into a fast, high pitched whirr at the beginning of the song (the Night and Day part) should be a crime against humanity.

Catchy and plain is what worked for her before (You & Me) and I see this as a way to make that work for the 'comeback' single. I wonder what's in store for the next single if we get one... two ballads maybe?

It's obvious you're not pleased, but I think you're completely overreacting.

I feel as though you're sticking Ayu in a bit of a box, and that's not what she's about at all.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Catchy and plain is what worked for her before (You & Me) and I see this as a way to make that work for the 'comeback' single. I wonder what's in store for the next single if we get one... two ballads maybe?

It's obvious you're not pleased, but I think you're completely overreacting.

I feel as though you're sticking Ayu in a bit of a box, and that's not what she's about at all.

Boys & Girls, AUDIENCE, Unite!, July 1st, Greatful Days (ARGH!), Fairyland, Blue Bird, Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~... Catchy and plain worked for her before kind a lot. Actually, most of her biggest hits are just that, catchy and plain stupid and generic pop music. Most of her biggest hits that aren't like that are generic melodramatic ballads.

[truehappiness]

I never thought Greatful days was all that great, tbh. It's catchy, but I think I played way more of ourselves and HANABI ~episode II~ (AND THEME OF A-nATION AHDAHHAHAAAHGHHH).

[douggn]

I wish she would make some type of club for her international fans. Every time I read something like this

Member of Ayumi Hamasaki's official website, you can also purchase this new Member limited edition disc.

feels like a stab in the back from ayu. Its like she taunts her international fans. And that whole tento thing is crap and annoying. How hard is it to create a international fan site. She's in LA enough so why not a international fan site. Its even not that hard to send something to another country either with the whole no JP address or make a special international shop at her website for international customers, its not that hard

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by douggn

I wish she would make some type of club for her international fans. Every time I read something like this
feels like a stab in the back from ayu. Its like she taunts her international fans. And that whole tento thing is crap and annoying. How hard is it to create a international fan site. She's in LA enough so why not a international fan site. Its even not that hard to send something to another country either with the whole no JP address or make a special international shop at her website for international customers, its not that hard

It's actually very hard, especially with physical goods. (you know how much shipping would be, right?) Enough people probably have to bring it to her attention for her to get someone on top of that on Twitter or something.

[maikaru]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Catchy and plain is what worked for her before (You & Me) and I see this as a way to make that work for the 'comeback' single. I wonder what's in store for the next single if we get one... two ballads maybe?

It's obvious you're not pleased, but I think you're completely overreacting.

I feel as though you're sticking Ayu in a bit of a box, and that's not what she's about at all.

Have you never been exposed to exaggerations being used as a device for comedy? I'm trying to inject comedic relief into my rant.

If I truly wanted that effect to be a crime against humanity, I'd be crazy. Jeez.

Some people.

Anyways. About that "box?" Yeah. I'm not sure how wanting her to be a great artist is putting her into a box. Like our friend just posted above us, lots of her songs, like July 1st and Fairyland, are catchy, fun, but the lyrics are great, and the production of the songs are perfect, top notch (Don't get me started on Sunrise, though. I still hate this song too.) The bass is perfect, the synths are in place, and the effects used are neither annoying nor useless. July 1st is a freakin' Mona Lisa, okay. It's my jam. So is INSPIRE, GAME, Boys & Girls, I am..., progress, Song 4 U, Missing, A song for..., etc. The list goes on. I absolutely LOVE Love Again. It's almost perfect for me. Even You & Me has its place.

Praying for a miracle with merry-go-round. Except I kind of hate Verbal. God, this single is not for me. (I guess I should insert the LOL here to illustrate my comedic relief here too, right?)

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by maikaru

Have you never been exposed to exaggerations being used as a device for comedy? I'm trying to inject comedic relief into my rant.

If I truly wanted that effect to be a crime against humanity, I'd be crazy. Jeez.

Some people.

Anyways. About that "box?" Yeah. I'm not sure how wanting her to be a great artist is putting her into a box. Like our friend just posted above us, lots of her songs, like July 1st and Fairyland, are catchy, fun, but the lyrics are great, and the production of the songs are perfect, top notch (Don't get me started on Sunrise, though. I still hate this song too.) The bass is perfect, the synths are in place, and the effects used are neither annoying nor useless. July 1st is a freakin' Mona Lisa, okay. It's my jam. So is INSPIRE, GAME, Boys & Girls, I am..., progress, Song 4 U, Missing, A song for..., etc. The list goes on. I absolutely LOVE Love Again. It's almost perfect for me. Even You & Me has its place.

Praying for a miracle with merry-go-round. Except I kind of hate Verbal. God, this single is not for me. (I guess I should insert the LOL here to illustrate my comedic relief here too, right?)

Comic relief is obviously not your thing. A LOL would only serve to make your post look confusing. I feel like any further commenting about this song or even this single is just going to be more of the same. (She's done fun/whatever before and it was better than this!, I want her to be like she was before!)

I also think it's really insulting to people who like the track (Ayu herself? Fans? People who made it?) to talk about it like this, but maybe that's just me.

[jbrat2219]

I think the production is perfect. I loved the arrangement from when I saw the first TA video. I'm glad they polished it and didn't change it too much.

Still dancing to this song

[truehappiness]

Yeah, still looping it and playing it on my iPod when I'm not at the PC, mmhmm~

[jbrat2219]

What's strange is that this song has made me appreciate You & Me more. I forgot how fun that song was lol. I've been listening to You & Me, Wake Me Up and Feel the love in one giant loop!

[truehappiness]

I feel like it really is an answer track to You & Me of sorts... I hope she has a few more tracks like this on the upcoming album!

I hope that all the photoshoots for this are fun and colorful~~

Spoiler:

NO REGRETS WE DANCE ALL NIGHT

[jbrat2219]

I hope in the video she's in the club Lady Dynamite meets Fly high style! <3