A Song for XX - Page 2

jimex289 · #21 1st January 2009, 08:45 PM

Oh I think she still went into other genres after A Song for XX, the most notable being a firm devotion to rock from I am... and onwards. If you're referring to not ever doing jazzy stuff again, then maybe ("Two of us" is all I can come up with because it gives off a similar feeling to that of "from your letter" but that was not in ASFXX, though it was during the era of it), but if you are saying she never went into any other genres then no. Don't forget songs like kanariya and Bold & Delicious for example. I feel those two songs were quite a far cry from her usual stuff but still excellent. She's always been experimenting with various things after ASFXX.

Bad Wolf · #22 1st January 2009, 09:38 PM

I appreciate ASFXX for its lyrical content but that's ... about it, sadly. I just really can't stand the music on most of the tracks, and I really need to be in a particular mood to listen to Ayu's early vocal style. Her squeaking is sometimes a little unbearable... and the style of the music isn't to my taste at all. However, I really like the lyrics for these songs, even if I'm not a fan of the songs themselves. I find this to be one of her most honest albums--each song feels like a letter or a journal entry. I mean my god, I was stunned when I read the lyrics to POWDER SNOW. They were so personal and so painful...

Overall, though, I really don't think much of the album as a musical contribution, but I think it's great as Ayu's starting point and shows us just how honest and poetic she could be.

Quote:

She's always been experimenting with various things after ASFXX.

Yeah, I agree. LOVEppears sounded like nothing that was featured on ASFXX, and same with LOVEppears to Duty--there may have been some similarities but as a whole, she's dabbled either for a full album or just for one song. kiss o' kill, GUILTY and GREEN are three of her recent songs that strike me as really different from the standard Ayu-song procedure.

jimex289 · #23 1st January 2009, 09:50 PM

Heh I guess the voice is the thing that people can't stand as much. From what I've seen and heard, there were actually people that actually wished she would keep the ASFXX voice xD. There were already some changes in her singing from ASFXX to LOVEppears, and by Duty, the characteristic squeaky and high-pitch voice is virtually gone, probably due to the fact she just could not sing in the same way anymore if she wanted to convey and express the feelings/emotions of each song. The results turned out very good I think with songs like SURREAL and Duty.

Gus-tave · #24 5th January 2009, 05:38 AM

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Originally Posted by jimex289

Lol to me a multiplication sign and a regular X are the same thing. That is, in the end it's meant to reflect whatever we make it out to be. I guess I can see why some people get annoyed when it's tagged wrong though hehe.

lol yes... I just thought it was an interesting fact... I don't get annoyed (I write it as an X (eks) at times too... My keyboard has the multiplication button since I bought my computer in Europe, so I use the multiplication sign too~

To tell you the truth... I don't know who's name I would insert in the ×× spot... I've never deeply thought about who it would be... Maybe multiple people~?

SheFliesHigher · #25 5th January 2009, 05:41 AM

I'm not too fond of it primarily because I don't like Ayu's squeaky, flat voice, and the composition of most of the songs is pretty simply. I do love the actual song "A Song for XX", though. The version on A Best is awesome.

jimex289 · #26 5th January 2009, 07:31 AM

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Originally Posted by SheFliesHigher

I'm not too fond of it primarily because I don't like Ayu's squeaky, flat voice, and the composition of most of the songs is pretty simply. I do love the actual song "A Song for XX", though. The version on A Best is awesome.

A BALLADS version is good too actually. I don't know which version I like better. I think in ASFXX and in A BEST, she's expressing her feelings very purely with her old voice whereas in A BALLADS, her singing voice is apparently a lot stronger so it really belies the emotions that are suppose to be given off by the song. That and the arrangement of the song is different with new instruments etc. Honestly I think each of the three versions of this song has its own strengths and weaknesses. I can't say which one I prefer now that I listen to all of them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus-tave

lol yes... I just thought it was an interesting fact... I don't get annoyed (I write it as an X (eks) at times too... My keyboard has the multiplication button since I bought my computer in Europe, so I use the multiplication sign too~

To tell you the truth... I don't know who's name I would insert in the ×× spot... I've never deeply thought about who it would be... Maybe multiple people~?

You're not the only one heh. It's just that...I think this song is meant to relate to a certain group of people. And within that certain group of people, each person will relate the song differently according to their own life/experiences. Overall I still love it even if it doesn't affect me as deeply. Just by listening to it I can still get something out of it, by feeling all the emotions that overflow from it.

tinka69 · #27 6th January 2009, 10:29 AM

i dont mind her voice. its better then ai's

jimex289 · #28 6th January 2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinka69

i dont mind her voice. its better then ai's

Lol are you talking about Otsuka Ai or the dubbed "Queen of J-pop R&B soul" AI?

Not~Yet · #29 6th January 2009, 08:56 PM

I lovelovelove ASFXX lyrics. And the songs. And I don't mind so much about her voice, it's not THAT bad after all imo... But back to the lyrics, I just love how pure and original they are. A Song for XX probably has one of the best lyrics by her ever. And I love how she "returns" to the title song in And Then.

POWDER SNOW is imo her best winter song with TW... The lyrics are so sad and beautiful and I'm sure everyone has times when they can relate to them so much. And for some reason I love the sarcastic play on words at the part "itsu mo donna toki mo ima o ikite kita"="always, at any time I've been living in the present".

Also, I LOVE As if. Such a great song! xD

**ayumisrael** · #30 6th January 2009, 09:09 PM

A Song for ｘｘ is a great album!
Lyrically and composition-wise.
The arragements kind of sound old style even for the period of time it was released but the songs still sounded good. Maybe the idea of the album's music style was to bring not so modern pop and mix it somehow.
This album got songs with some of the best compositions (Depend on you has the best composition in the world for me) and songs like As if..., POWDER SNOW, YOU etc.
I think that the arrangements (music style) and ayu's younger voice are what makes people off it but nothing besides it I suppose. Great album.

rusuke · #31 18th January 2009, 10:50 AM

I just got this album and at the 1st time listening to it, it's great! I wonder many people don't like this album.. I think it outsells GUILTY, in my own opinion.. The innocence and the ambience of the whole album makes me think old Japan, full of dreams...
It will rank on my top 3 list!

Deibel · #32 18th January 2009, 07:41 PM

I think she should re-record the entire album =)
It would be good, wouldn't it?

The lyrics from ASFXX are the best of her careen in my opinion (with the lyrics from "I am.."), and would be interesting hear the songs with her "new" voice.

=)

**sorry for my bad english

PinkShinigami · #33 1st February 2009, 11:06 AM

It's my least favorite albm too, not because I don't like the songs (I love many of them!), but i can't listen to the whole album in a row without screaming! I can't stand her old voice in a time of about 60 minutes, but i really like many of the songs, but not after eachother.