Ayumi ~ The Anything Goes Thread 5 ~

[TeamAyu2004]

GAME, the b-side/whatever you wanna call it is SOOOOO much better... lol

[NintendoHTF1242]

Originally Posted by marty

I can't believe someone can dislike INSPIRE, it's so flawless! But I hated the single cover, I recall, lol.

The verse melodies are dreadfully boring; and the music arrangement was awful. I do like the chorus to an extent but I just prefer Ayu's fluffy summer songs to her hardcore rock ones. And I agree with the comment about GAME. It's way better than INSPIRE lol

[marty]

^
I instead always found INSPIRE so sensual and fierce, without being rockish! That's what I really liked about it, it was a summer song but different from the happy, fluffy ones. It's energic in a different way than sugary songs like Greatful Days for example (which I love too, btw, but INSPIRE was so amazingly fresh and irresistable when it was out!).
And I'm not gonna deny GAME is perfection, lol.

[NintendoHTF1242]

Originally Posted by marty

^
I instead always found INSPIRE so sensual and fierce, without being rockish! That's what I really liked about it, it was a summer song but different from the happy, fluffy ones. It's energic in a different way than sugary songs like Greatful Days for example (which I love too, btw, but INSPIRE was so amazingly fresh and irresistable when it was out!).
And I'm not gonna deny GAME is perfection, lol.

Well nothing wrong with differing opinions. I like your take on it, though. I do agree that it's incredibly fierce!

[Corvina]

It's funny, how different tastes can be. I love both Inspire and Game, the single is one of Ayu's best imo!
Also the PVs for both songs are great as well. And Ayu with straight black hair...
I'd die for another single (or mini, lol) like that!

[ComatoseBunnySnatcher]

^ black hair Ayuma ftw.

And lol, INSPIRE is a really cool song! Better than her standard fare.
I also really LOVE Fairyland <3
Perfect song and PV.

Originally Posted by TeamAyu2004

lol. never ever and daybreak for me were the weakest parts of the album! And then ending is what makes it.
M, a song is born dearest, no more words, endless sorrow (although i love the single version more)... it was just such a great way to end the power infused epic beginning...

love everything about the album... even the weak links.

Hehe, really?

I'm a sucker for ballads but the second half of the album feels like a really long ballad in itself, sort of how in MY STORY the last few songs just blend together. I'll give you No More Words, because when I listened to it separately from the album I found it really pretty.

The biggest problem with that album is the stark difference between the singles/pop songs and the "rock" songs. Most of the albums songs (even Daybreak) sound really rough and remind me of demos. The singles and pop songs are very polished and sound great (Naturally especially).
To me it just created this huge dissonance in quality and cohesiveness that the album is unlistenable as a whole. Ayu has albums with different genres in which every song is on the same level (best example is (m)u), so this just ruins everything.

RAINBOW tho... that's her best album from that era. Real me sucks so hard, but everything else on it is what I expected I am... to be from the singles.

[TeamAyu2004]

LOL... at the time I thought RAINBOW was a poor imitation at what she tried to do with I am... it didn't work and was just all over the place, as with the lead single Free and Easy... its like she couldnt decided what she wanted so just blended everything together into one song... on every song. LOL...

but I find it funny you mention that the songs on I am remind you of demos when RAINBOW rushed right after I am... to the point the title track couldn't even be completed to be put on the album...

Now however I love Rainbow in its own right and is in what I consider the golden age of Ayumi (I am - Memorial Address). She has done no better then this in her career for me... I still enjoy her and like most of the stuff on her albums and what not... but everything for me during those three albums were just... perfection.

[ComatoseBunnySnatcher]

Originally Posted by TeamAyu2004

LOL... at the time I thought RAINBOW was a poor imitation at what she tried to do with I am... it didn't work and was just all over the place, as with the lead single Free and Easy... its like she couldnt decided what she wanted so just blended everything together into one song... on every song. LOL...

but I find it funny you mention that the songs on I am remind you of demos when RAINBOW rushed right after I am... to the point the title track couldn't even be completed to be put on the album...

Now however I love Rainbow in its own right and is in what I consider the golden age of Ayumi (I am - Memorial Address). She has done no better then this in her career for me... I still enjoy her and like most of the stuff on her albums and what not... but everything for me during those three albums were just... perfection.

Haha, I can sort of see why if you're a fan of I am...
The reason I prefer RAINBOW to it is because I feel like Ayumi didn't know if to make a pop or a rock record and just mashed THOSE together xD
Free & Easy (the shortened version for the lives) is much more a coherent song, the single version is a hot mess.

I know RAINBOW was pretty rushed, but the way they seem like demos is chalked up to arrangements. Still Alone (for example) was gorgeous in its CM, but the end product sounded really bare bones and flat.
Not that it didn't work for some songs -I am... is an example of doing that sound right IMO, but it just didn't do much for me on the other tracks.
RAINBOW was worth the wait, that song is perfect ...and perfectly underrated.

Hm... I used to think that, but now in my mind she has really good albums sprinled throught. The top 3 for me though are (miss)understood, Memorial Address and Duty/RAINBOW. I do love the singles off I am... though.

[khan5]

basically i love every single ayumi album except for love again, there a few songs in her discography i dont like, but i absolutely love inspire and dislike game because it had unneeded auto tune and cheap effects to it

[Dream]

omg you guys have to STOP
INSPIRE is a great song and the performances for it are absolutely flawless and iconic.

I agree that 2 of her best albums are LOVEppears and RAINBOW. I really like (miss)understood, but it has B&D which I can't stand. BTW, we should make a thread where we could post short reviews of all ayu albums, highlighting our favorite songs and stuff.

[NintendoHTF1242]

Originally Posted by Dream

I agree that 2 of her best albums are LOVEppears and RAINBOW. I really like (miss)understood, but it has B&D which I can't stand.

lmao B&D is amazing

[marty]

Originally Posted by Dream

BTW, we should make a thread where we could post short reviews of all ayu albums, highlighting our favorite songs and stuff.

I'd really like something like this!
Anyway, Bold & Delicious was a fucking masterpiece! I love how Ayu shows with it how she can be a sexy and super glamorous diva still doing her thing, without getting seminaked or anything! I don't have anything against using your naked body, but it's such an obvious and unoriginal move, like, I want to get sexy so I get undressed. Boring. Kind of like in Sparkle or Shake It!, Ayu was so sensual and sexy in her own way, without looking cheap at all!

[TeamAyu2004]

B&D was horrible when i first heard it.... lol
now I love it... LOL... i think it just has this sort of flare to it...
Either I love it because I like it now, or I just LOVE to make fun of it... LOL

[Delicious n Bold]

B&D is the perfect alarm.
Better than that annoying beep.

[ComatoseBunnySnatcher]

Some people should really go back to the gorgeous hair color they had during tour *cough*

[Livey~]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

B&D is the perfect alarm.
Better than that annoying beep.

I think I'd die

[rainbow_smile]

I always liked B&D

I suppose I'm gonna get murdered if I say that my favourite Ayu song is Days XDD

[terra]

^I love Days, it pictures my situation perfectly when it was released so it's only natural for me to like it lol

I want another GAME, and I love her AT05 costume the white beads showgirl one is so sexy and badass

[ComatoseBunnySnatcher]

Originally Posted by rainbow_smile

I always liked B&D

I suppose I'm gonna get murdered if I say that my favourite Ayu song is Days XDD

It's alright... its really boring to me, just because her ballads are usually really nice and this one was so unlike her.
I LOVE the PV though. When she walks to her friends crying it always gives me the feels

Speaking of winter ballads, Do any of you guys find CAROLS unmemorable?

[Kazeyomi]

^
I was quite obsessed with CAROLS back then. But know, I think is just ok. She have better ballads.

Even though, is always on my "Ayu winter songs" playlist lol.