Lets vent about ayu?/why did your fandom decrease

[spanishfan]

People talking about bad vocals since 2008, do you remember Power of Music tour? o.o

I like her voice more mature since '05~'06 to now, I can't stand her over pitched fake voice from the '99 ~ '03 era (when it's not faked I can stand it xD)

[Chris85]

Originally Posted by spanishfan

do you remember Power of Music tour? o.o

POM vocals were bad to my mind, I can hardly listen to even fixed DVD version. I think all later tours and CDLs had much better vocals.

Originally Posted by spanishfan

I like her voice more mature since '05~'06 to now, I can't stand her over pitched fake voice from the '99 ~ '03 era (when it's not faked I can stand it xD)

I agree. I just wish she would use her natural voice more often and stop forcing her voice to sound cute in some songs.

[Shirlaay]

I used to love Ayu but I feel recently her songs have gone downhill. K-pop has taken over my music playlists for now hehe ^.^

[Ninix33]

I was cringing when I watched her Lelio PV. She just looks odd as a 35-year old singing and dressed as if she were a person in her early twenties.

A majority of the things that came out when she was at the peak of career did get refined and shaped by other people, even if they were all her ideas. Now that she's lost that filter, all her current work is just sad to see.

She does have difficulty reinventing herself since she was never trained to be a dancer but an artist/singer. I see her posing a lot in her PVs and I'm disappointed to see why she won't learn basic choreography with her dancers since dance groups/kpop are big now.

My friend went to one of her concerts in Osaka recently and she was amused by how staged it was. She had a good laugh about Ayu's fake crying and looking sad for all the ballads. She did struggle a lot with her voice too. Sigh. Her career the last 6-7 years is just

I just feel sad for her

[channy]

Originally Posted by Ninix33

My friend went to one of her concerts in Osaka recently and she was amused by how staged it was. She had a good laugh about Ayu's fake crying and looking sad for all the ballads

At least she enjoyed herself laughing at Ayu, so what's the matter? Doesn't sound like she's had no fun at all.

[~*Mabushii*~]

This latest album... *sigh* The music videos especially are killing it for me. This is the first time I've been REALLY really unhappy with something Ayu has pulled out. Even though the songs are as awful as they could be... the music videos. Man the music videos...

[Kanzaki]

I gotta say, Colours is just the tiniest fresh breath of air from her, after the endless ballads. Idc about the music videos, I'm not going to glare at her awful lipsynching. Songs like that aren't really optimal for big, deep and impressive PVs. She needs to step up her game when it comes to themes for her albums though. They really feel half-done these days.

[Embleu]

I feel as if her artistry has been going downhill ever since the My Story/(M)u era, but it's been especially disastrous these past few years. What attracted me to her artistry (and I say "artistry", not "music", because it's the visual as well as the audio) was the fact that it was the perfect combination of quirky, deep, fun, and beautiful. Sure, it looked and sounded nice, but there was substance behind it as well. Her earliest lyrics resonated with me, not just because she was able to put her finger on the common elements of the human condition, but because she was able to express these elements in a way that was poetic without being over-polished. Her music videos resonated with me because of the way they told a story (even if the meaning was not always immediately discernible), juxtaposed seemingly incongruous elements to form a harmonious end product, and did so without seeming like she was trying to make her point with a sledgehammer. Her compositions resonated with me because, well, they were catchy, but also because they were not the kind of music you would expect from a seasoned tunesmith--someone whose job was to just grind out melodies.

In short, it was the fact that she was honest, profound, and original (okay, that last one is disputable, but let's not get into it here.) Actually, I believe she was original because she was honest--she didn't necessarily filter her experiences to fit the expectations of the musical scene (beyond reason at least.) But I also believe she was original because she was profound. Now it seems as if all she can sing about is romantic relationships; she used to look at the finer points of existence--loneliness, resolve, self-doubt, and so on with an almost philosophical gaze--but now when she does sing about those things, it's always within the context of romantic love. And there's none of the wistful half-curiosity that colored her earlier works. Now it seems as if all she's concerned about is having love and having fun. It's a trend that I've noticed starting from the My Story/(M)u era.

There have been a few bright spots since then, like Return Road, but they're getting fewer and farther between.

[rikku1994]

Originally Posted by Embleu

I feel as if her artistry has been going downhill ever since the My Story/(M)u era, but it's been especially disastrous these past few years. What attracted me to her artistry (and I say "artistry", not "music", because it's the visual as well as the audio) was the fact that it was the perfect combination of quirky, deep, fun, and beautiful. Sure, it looked and sounded nice, but there was substance behind it as well. Her earliest lyrics resonated with me, not just because she was able to put her finger on the common elements of the human condition, but because she was able to express these elements in a way that was poetic without being over-polished. Her music videos resonated with me because of the way they told a story (even if the meaning was not always immediately discernible), juxtaposed seemingly incongruous elements to form a harmonious end product, and did so without seeming like she was trying to make her point with a sledgehammer. Her compositions resonated with me because, well, they were catchy, but also because they were not the kind of music you would expect from a seasoned tunesmith--someone whose job was to just grind out melodies.

In short, it was the fact that she was honest, profound, and original (okay, that last one is disputable, but let's not get into it here.) Actually, I believe she was original because she was honest--she didn't necessarily filter her experiences to fit the expectations of the musical scene (beyond reason at least.) But I also believe she was original because she was profound. Now it seems as if all she can sing about is romantic relationships; she used to look at the finer points of existence--loneliness, resolve, self-doubt, and so on with an almost philosophical gaze--but now when she does sing about those things, it's always within the context of romantic love. And there's none of the wistful half-curiosity that colored her earlier works. Now it seems as if all she's concerned about is having love and having fun. It's a trend that I've noticed starting from the My Story/(M)u era.

There have been a few bright spots since then, like Return Road, but they're getting fewer and farther between.

Because those are the only things she wasn't able to do during her peak? And the reason why all of her lyrics were about romance, love and etc. is because that's what her life is like nowadays? Before all she did was to work even if she had a relationship with Nagase, and now she's simply wants to fall in love and have fun?

[Embleu]

Originally Posted by rikku1994

Because those are the only things she wasn't able to do during her peak? And the reason why all of her lyrics were about romance, love and etc. is because that's what her life is like nowadays? Before all she did was to work even if she had a relationship with Nagase, and now she's simply wants to fall in love and have fun?

I'm not accusing her lyrics of not reflecting her current situation; and my beef isn't with the fact that she's pursuing romantic relationships and fun, but rather with the fact that in these pursuits, she's lost the insight that characterized her earlier works. I'm happy that she's happy, but in any case, the quality of her music has suffered for whatever reason.

@Andrenekoi: Yeah, I realize that it's not all hearts and cupids or parties, cases in point: Wake Me Up, Untitled 2, SLT, etc. And yes, Party Queen is less heavy on the romantic love; but Love Songs struck me as being predominantly about romantic love ... huh. Different impressions I guess?

[Andrenekoi]

People only seeing romantic love on Ayu's recent lyrics are only going as far as the album titles go...

[Andrenekoi]

^Even so, besides MOON, Last angel, Sweet Season and November, the rest of Love songs isn't really about romantic love, and besides call and Tell me why, the rest of Party Queen isn't about romantic love either.

Almost every track on LOVE again does concern romantic love, what makes sense considering it's a concept album about romantic love. Gloria, untitled for her… story 2 and Ivy aren't about romantic love.

SAKURA was composed for her driver that died during AT15;
Wake me up can be interpretated as a song about facing your mistakes while being bashed by the public;
And Melody doesn't go that far from her other songs dedicated to her fans like Key or Who.

[waterballoon]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

^Even so, besides MOON, Last angel, Sweet Season and November, the rest of Love songs isn't really about romantic love, and besides call and Tell me why, the rest of Party Queen isn't about romantic love either.

girl you delusional?

Love songs: MOON, sending mail, Last angel, Virgin Road, November, blossom.. romantic love. Not sure about Sweet Season but it feels more nostalgic than romantic.

Party Queen: call, Letter (some argue it's about Max but solely lyrically Letter is referring to romantic love), Tell me why, the next LOVE (lamenting about the lack of romantic love), Return Road.. romantic love.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by waterballoon

girl you delusional?

Love songs: MOON, sending mail, Last angel, Virgin Road, November, blossom.. romantic love. Not sure about Sweet Season but it feels more nostalgic than romantic.

Party Queen: call, Letter (some argue it's about Max but solely lyrically Letter is referring to romantic love), Tell me why, the next LOVE (lamenting about the lack of romantic love), Return Road.. romantic love.

YOU are delusional. Or didn't read the lyrics. Or both.

sending mail is another of her songs about suffering for not being forgiven, she has tons of that through her discography. Virgin Road is about married, but the focus isn't on her marriage, is on the dialogue with her mother. She herself said it was an answer song to A Song for xx. Blossom is her summer song about never becoming an adult, she also have released those during her whole career.

Letter is about HERSELF (and yeap, she confirmed that on an interview), unless is a song about masturbation (while drunk and throwing her life way), it has nothing to do with romance. the next LOVE is far more about her cynicism concerning relationships than it is about romantic love. Return Road is about her divorce, you can reduce that to "romantic love", but really? It's not like that didn't happen, or didn't caused her any pain.

Since Rock'n'Roll Circus she is dealing with some pretty mature subjects... alcoholism (Party queen, Letter), divorce (Return Road), the failure of her family (Eyes, Smoke, Magic), her deafness (count down), her relationship with her mother (Virgin Road), her public image (Wake me up, Ivy, Beloved), the actual state of her career (Don't look back), getting old as a popstar (crossroad), her relationship with her art (Microphone, Do it again, Love song), hope while facing a disaster (Progress), becoming apathetic while trying to protect yourself from suffering (like a doll), going from sex partner to sex partner due low self-esteem (Last Angel).

Can you reduce it all to "songs about romantic love"? Yeah, if you apply a really narrow view while reading those lyrics (as a lot of them don't even mention love or romance) and you are missing out on a lot, like Coelacanth said.

[waterballoon]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

YOU are delusional. Or didn't read the lyrics. Or both.

sending mail is another of her songs about suffering for not being forgiven, she has tons of that through her discography. Virgin Road is about married, but the focus isn't on her marriage, is on the dialogue with her mother. She herself said it was an answer song to A Song for xx. Blossom is her summer song about never becoming an adult, she also have released those during her whole career.

Letter is about HERSELF (and yeap, she confirmed that on an interview), unless is a song about masturbation (while drunk and throwing her life way), it has nothing to do with romance. the next LOVE is far more about her cynicism concerning relationships than it is about romantic love. Return Road is about her divorce, you can reduce that to "romantic love", but really? It's not like that didn't happen, or didn't caused her any pain.

Since Rock'n'Roll Circus she is dealing with some pretty mature subjects... alcoholism (Party queen, Letter), divorce (Return Road), the failure of her family (Eyes, Smoke, Magic), her deafness (count down), her relationship with her mother (Virgin Road), her public image (Wake me up, Ivy, Beloved), the actual state of her career (Don't look back), getting old as a popstar (crossroad), her relationship with her art (Microphone, Do it again, Love song), hope while facing a disaster (Progress), becoming apathetic while trying to protect yourself from suffering (like a doll), going from sex partner to sex partner due low self-esteem (Last Angel).

Can you reduce it all to "songs about romantic love"? Yeah, if you apply a really narrow view while reading those lyrics (as a lot of them don't even mention love or romance) and you are missing out on a lot, like Coelacanth said.

I'm not one to back down so easily but I must say what you just typed really made me nod my head.. thank you for the insights.

Btw I have never said they are all 'songs about romantic love'; just citing small excerpts from here and there, like Coelacanth's take on petal and my use of End roll. My point wasn't how she has resorted to writing songs about love relationships... but more on how she has shifted to writing about romantic love a lot more blatantly than in the past

I can tell you are really a big fan of the Party Queen era... it's one of her more insightful albums too. I wasn't too hot on it cos it was everywhere but I like your insights on the album. Hopefully more people will understand what she was trying to say then (no excuse for the self-indulging I am a Lonely Queen stint in the tour but whatever)

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by waterballoon

I'm not one to back down so easily but I must say what you just typed really made me nod my head.. thank you for the insights.

Btw I have never said they are all 'songs about romantic love'; just citing small excerpts from here and there, like Coelacanth's take on petal and my use of End roll. My point wasn't how she has resorted to writing songs about love relationships... but more on how she has shifted to writing about romantic love a lot more blatantly than in the past

I can tell you are really a big fan of the Party Queen era... it's one of her more insightful albums too. I wasn't too hot on it cos it was everywhere but I like your insights on the album. Hopefully more people will understand what she was trying to say then (no excuse for the self-indulging I am a Lonely Queen stint in the tour but whatever)

IMO Party Queen is her most personal album since A Song for xx, the one she despicts herself on her most human imperfect self. There's no playing victim, no glam, no tries to get empathy, just the story of a woman whose problems on confiding on other people and tendence to resorting to escapism (being it through drugs, parting or "smoke and magic") led her to loneliness. And that's why I don't see the "lonely queen" thing on the tour as self-indulging; the whole point of that was that she put herself on the Lonely Queen role. Not the "cruel, evil, world", not "those people unworth of trust", not the stuff she blamed for her problems during her whole career, only herself.

Party Queen is my 2nd favorite album from hers, behind only Love songs.

[Surreal17]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

YOU are delusional. Or didn't read the lyrics. Or both.

sending mail is another of her songs about suffering for not being forgiven, she has tons of that through her discography. Virgin Road is about married, but the focus isn't on her marriage, is on the dialogue with her mother. She herself said it was an answer song to A Song for xx. Blossom is her summer song about never becoming an adult, she also have released those during her whole career.

Letter is about HERSELF (and yeap, she confirmed that on an interview), unless is a song about masturbation (while drunk and throwing her life way), it has nothing to do with romance. the next LOVE is far more about her cynicism concerning relationships than it is about romantic love. Return Road is about her divorce, you can reduce that to "romantic love", but really? It's not like that didn't happen, or didn't caused her any pain.

Since Rock'n'Roll Circus she is dealing with some pretty mature subjects... alcoholism (Party queen, Letter), divorce (Return Road), the failure of her family (Eyes, Smoke, Magic), her deafness (count down), her relationship with her mother (Virgin Road), her public image (Wake me up, Ivy, Beloved), the actual state of her career (Don't look back), getting old as a popstar (crossroad), her relationship with her art (Microphone, Do it again, Love song), hope while facing a disaster (Progress), becoming apathetic while trying to protect yourself from suffering (like a doll), going from sex partner to sex partner due low self-esteem (Last Angel).

Can you reduce it all to "songs about romantic love"? Yeah, if you apply a really narrow view while reading those lyrics (as a lot of them don't even mention love or romance) and you are missing out on a lot, like Coelacanth said.

completely agree

[Coelacanth]

This thread is the perfect example of fans looking at the past through rose-colored lenses.

If you think recent lyrics in Sweet scar, petal, and BRILLANTE are just about banal romantic love, then you're really missing out on a lot!

I believe her lyrics are profound as always. Sadly, they've been overshadowed by the 'antics' in her persona life, poorly executed PVs/image, and schmaltzy acting in stage performances with her lead male dancers.

[waterballoon]

Originally Posted by Coelacanth

This thread is the perfect example of fans looking at the past through rose-colored lenses.

If you think recent lyrics in Sweet scar, petal, and BRILLANTE are just about banal romantic love, then you're really missing out on a lot!

I believe her lyrics are profound as always. Sadly, they've been overshadowed by the 'antics' in her persona life, poorly executed PVs/image, and schmaltzy acting in stage performances with her lead male dancers.

you know, I think things like lyrics are subjective. i can't say you're wrong, just like how you can't say I'm right. we each have our own opinions on her lyrics, and that's what makes reading the forum fun sometimes.

I'd have to say though that her recent lyrics spell out romantic love a lot more blatantly than the old lyrics. Memorial address for example, could very well be interpreted as romantic love, but you can't really say that either if you read them again, because there are lines that point to a certain other kind of love.

of course in her older works she also had many songs that were written specifically for romance: appears, End roll, monochrome, LOVE ~Destiny~, Far away, Voyage, Dearest etc... but in the past while I could personally think they're for romantic love, the context of the lyrics as well as the way they were written put many questions. you can really think of them as for any kind of love, because the settings in which the lyrics were placed in are all seemingly generic and abstract.

let's take one of your examples, petal, vs one of mine, End roll.

in petal she cites peeling off the petals of a flower in a typical, "he loves me, he loves me not" manner as a main theme in the chorus, while in End roll, a strong emphasis of "you go your way and i'll go mine" is present. To the layman, if you take the context of both of these settings, it's clear which one indicates romantic love even more.

of course I get what you mean... like in petal, when she writes in the verses about observation to a "normal flower along the street", which brings me back to Hana in the ASFxx album, you can't deny the central theme of "petal" is "He loves me, he loves me not... can I take that risk?". In older songs, it's slightly more challenging to do so.

and that's why some people feel the lyrics are a little lackluster these days (I don't). I used to quote her lyrics on my blog and my Facebook. back then it was a little hard to just pull a stanza because reading it alone, not every song was referring to romantic love... that's the kind of challenge I was referring to - you can't say for sure what she means, there's an enigma that's charming and alluring. she still has it in her now I believe (Angel is a good song on abstract love)... but we can't force people to see that, but we can't deny her older works were just slightly better in putting this "Love" concept on a more abstract and mysterious context than say, from Rock'n'Roll Circus onwards.

[marty]

Originally Posted by Coelacanth

I believe her lyrics are profound as always. Sadly, they've been overshadowed by the 'antics' in her persona life, poorly executed PVs/image, and schmaltzy acting in stage performances with her lead male dancers.

Pretty much what I think.
Not to say people can't complain (Ayu did spoil us in the past, and she's now paying the consequences, lol), but I get irritated when they get out of line and act like EVERYTHING she does nowdays is garbage.
Like, it's not. Some things are getting worse, but others are just as good as before, and if you liked those in the past good, ol' days (example: lyrics and her way of singing being super emotional), you can enjoy some of her current songs too.