｢Party Queen｣ Thoughts on album?

[pepper]

now I am listening mostly to reminds me and Tell me why <3~

[tinka69]

There is no consistency in this album at all XD it's just like Rock 'n' Roll Circus all over again, random meshes of different kinds of music everywhere.

[tinka69]

Originally Posted by relmy

teehee.


I don't like the interludes on this album, I don't like many of the interludes at all really. Why not just make them full songs? I know they're meant to "transition" the album, but the albums flow perfectly fine without them and do for pretty much every artist but Ayu lol

THIS!

Or at least now I do, she used to put a lot of effort into her interludes, and I used to enjoy them as they were (Are You Wake Up, tasking, Not Yet, Taskinst, Judgement Day, even LOVEppears freaking Introduction number!!!!) But the interludes from her last four albums? No. Just no

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by tinka69

There is no consistency in this album at all XD it's just like Rock 'n' Roll Circus all over again, random meshes of different kinds of music everywhere.

All the lyrics works wonderfully together

[Chibi_Venus]

I haven't read any of the lyrics yet, so I can't give an opinion on that... Actually, it's probably unfair of me to give anything from this album a decent/fair opinion considering I haven't been following Ayu for the longest time. x) (Don't hate, kids lol.) All I've heard so far is the live version of Party Queen and I just got done listening to Eyes, Smoke, Magic.

Party Queen reminds me a lot of Sparkle, though that doesn't mean it's bad or good. I enjoyed it. No, it's not very "Ayu" (even though we can't all expect consistent masterpieces, or else we would grow tired of them!), but the fun feel is nice. I don't know, I kind of like the new Ayu. Not that I didn't like the old one, but I like where she's going. I like that she changes things up.

Eyes, Smoke, Magic was (I'm sorry to say) amazing. xD I'm not even joking. Maybe I'm a little biased because I like this kind of music (jazz, show-y, Broadway-ish). And let's face it, I (and if I recall correctly, quite a few other fans) have been dying to hear Ayu pull off a jazz track. No, her vocals weren't superb, but you can't expect exceptional quality vocals with this kind of song. It's doable, but I don't think one should set their standards too high. I don't know, I thought the song was pretty cool. Literally, it was "cool". I had every image in my head: the spinning, snapping fingers, fedoras on heads tilted to the side, hip bopping... Heck, Liza Minnelli popped in my head many times! XD

Alright, enough chit chat. Time to see what the other tracks sound like.

[jewelbox]

Originally Posted by relmy

I don't like the interludes on this album, I don't like many of the interludes at all really. Why not just make them full songs? I know they're meant to "transition" the album, but the albums flow perfectly fine without them and do for pretty much every artist but Ayu lol

This is pretty much what I've been thinking for long time. I think albums like I am..,(m)u and everything since GUILTY could have managed perfectly without interludes. Nowadays her interludes are boring, not necessary and the albums work fine without them. Like taskebab and cup of tea are so irrelevant. Seriously. But this is Ayu and she has had interludes from the beginning. imo,They're not just top quality anymore. They just are "there".

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by Chibi_Venus

I haven't read any of the lyrics yet, so I can't give an opinion on that... Actually, it's probably unfair of me to give anything from this album a decent/fair opinion considering I haven't been following Ayu for the longest time. x) (Don't hate, kids lol.) All I've heard so far is the live version of Party Queen and I just got done listening to Eyes, Smoke, Magic.

Party Queen reminds me a lot of Sparkle, though that doesn't mean it's bad or good. I enjoyed it. No, it's not very "Ayu" (even though we can't all expect consistent masterpieces, or else we would grow tired of them!), but the fun feel is nice. I don't know, I kind of like the new Ayu. Not that I didn't like the old one, but I like where she's going. I like that she changes things up.

Eyes, Smoke, Magic was (I'm sorry to say) amazing. xD I'm not even joking. Maybe I'm a little biased because I like this kind of music (jazz, show-y, Broadway-ish). And let's face it, I (and if I recall correctly, quite a few other fans) have been dying to hear Ayu pull off a jazz track. No, her vocals weren't superb, but you can't expect exceptional quality vocals with this kind of song. It's doable, but I don't think one should set their standards too high. I don't know, I thought the song was pretty cool. Literally, it was "cool". I had every image in my head: the spinning, snapping fingers, fedoras on heads tilted to the side, hip bopping... Heck, Liza Minnelli popped in my head many times! XD

Alright, enough chit chat. Time to see what the other tracks sound like.

If that's all you've listened to, then you will be pleasantly surprised by the middle of the album, haha.

IMO, the album flows very well despite being broken up into obvious parts. The beginning of the album is a lot like the covers. Very un-Ayuish and quite out there, but once you get into the heart of the album, it's a lot darker and personal which I think was her point to begin with.

Every Ayu album has abrupt genre switches mid-album so it's really not any different from most of her other albums with the exception of maybe Love songs which was a midtempo/strings+synth wonderland.

I feel that the interludes on her albums lately are ALWAYS superb and unlike most other artists', they can hold their own as tracks to listen to over and over again. I've never not liked a recent interlude but I can't really say the same for a lot of her older ones.

[Mr. Goto]

Fave album since Secret! will try and keep it brief

Party queen - 10/10 THIS IS THE CHEESY POP MUZIK I LIVE FOR OGM gets stuck in your head so easily

NaNaNa - 8/10 Timmy sounds like Marc from globe here, that is a good thing

Shake It - 6/10 Annoying chorus but it might grow on me...

taskebab sounds nice. idk i don't really rate interludes!

call - 7/10 nothing special but i like it, great for a album track

Letter - 7/10, same reasoning as call

Return Road - 10/10 how can any ayu fan dislike this song?? if this was a single it would have been hugeee

tell me why - ??/10 i forget what this song sounds like

i love a cup of tea.

the next LOVE - 7/10. PRIDE's cousin! that sounds worse, but it's still a good song! really like the jazz elements to it i can maybe see it growing on me.

Eyes, Smoke, Magic - 8/10 I appreciate her trying something new. I hate how her vocals sound at some parts on the chorus but I can overlook that. LOVE the French parts.

Serenade in A minor - nothing special

how beautiful you are - 5/10 I like the choir parts but...

Can't decide on 7.5 or 8 for a overall score! but good job ayu

[millie47]

I like everything BUT eyes, smoke, magic and the next love. No wonder I didn't like it, Timmy's behind the composing.

[Diego-kun]

Overall, I like the album. I'd change the three "party songs" which are kind of crappy and cheap and don't match the rest. The title and covers should be different too because they aren't representative at all of most of the songs.

Love Songs >>> Party Queen > Rock'n'Roll Circus

[owlflight]

While I'm not jumping for joy and calling this the best album, I think it will grow on me after a few listens. Surprisingly, I really like the studio version of Party queen but that middle section for Return Road is strange.

[TeamAyu2004]

Party Queen is still amazing to me, just wish the jazz was replaced by something else...

[gogirlanime]

I continue to love this album and I'm not sure where I'd rank it with the rest of her albums but at least in the top 5 I think. This album is really different it's like Rock 'n' Roll Circus part II 100x better. The tracks are random and all over the place in genre like Rock 'n' Roll Circus but much much better (except for the glorious Microphone <3) I listen through the entire album every time (unless I want to listen to a certain song specifically) this album is the only thing I've been listening to since it leaked I just need to calm down every time an artist releases something and realize that my brain just hates new songs from any artist right away, I take back my first review lol. The weakest track for me is Eyes, Smoke, Magic but even that song is way better than most of the filler junk she's done in the past which are for me: almost everything on A Song for XX, Close to You (terrible, probably Ayu's worst), HOPE or PAIN, HAPPY ENDING, HONEY, Replace, In The Corner, Secret, MY ALL, Most of Rock 'n' Roll Circus

[RayJason]

Originally Posted by millie47

I like everything BUT eyes, smoke, magic and the next love. No wonder I didn't like it, Timmy's behind the composing.

What about how beautiful you are and Party queen? Timmy composed / contributed to those songs as well, and you like them.

I suspect another ANTI-TIMMY fan.

[Yank_]

One of her best... I'm in love with this album...

[xLuna&1LOVE]

I got over the jazz songs. I think I even like them ^^

La La La La Laaaaa. - Oh E,S,M is stuck in my head!

[AyumiAi]

Im loving some of the songs that at first I really was hesitant about
will do a longer review later X) but this album is definately differetn! The love for it isnt an ayu love of thinking that the music is so beautiful and its so artistic this one is more like oh nice the songs are really catchy (the start of the album) and it's a fun listen it's weird but i dont mind it though I do miss the old style but thats why we have the middle part of the album like return road and call!!

[ayumint]

-NaNaNa, tell me why,HBYR are masterpieces form this album for me.
-Party Queen,Return Road are good.
-letter,reminds me,call, the next LOVE, ESM aren't in my taste. i'm sleep during both jazz songs.
-3 interludes aren't good as previous, it's so noisy
so,there are just only 5 songs in my iPod right now

[haikudasai]

I guess I'll give this a go. I'll be honest.


Party queen
Despite the awkward interjections of talking, this is a fun song. It is a great way to open up an album. There are moments that fall flat though. The Engrish is really rough to process and hear as music. It sounds like: "I am a potty cream." Not a strong enough song for a single though.
7/10

NaNaNa
Absolutely painful. This song should have made it only to the cutting room floor. Despite any feelings towards Timmy, he should always stay in the background. There is nothing provided by him. The only redeeming aspect was the jolt into the chorus, which Ayumi has always been great at.
3/10

Shake It♥
Not cute. From the strange "oh lai lai" to the idea of Ayumi shaking her torso and not her butt this song should never have seen the light of day. The video game metal clashes in the background make me feel like I was defeated in a battle. It then jumps from a dubstep to elevator music. RANDOM but doesn't work. Her vocals do seem ok during the verses.
2/10

taskebab
Not a bad interlude following the heavy clashing songs just before it. It does work with those for sure. It does not transition well into "call" though.
6/10

call
A fresher feel for Ayumi while remaining to her signature style. The backing vocals are a little loud but if corrected would work well. There's something that reminds me of Do As Infinity here; which I will always welcome. The vibrato is certain places is a bit grating.
8/10

Letter
I get another slight Do As Infinity vibe from the opening verse. That feeling fades once the chorus comes. The chorus is pretty standard. Nothing inventive. Ayumi's voice does seem to go all over the place in parts. It was a little distracting, even after the processing they did to this. I do notice her trend of stripping away the music for a bridge and its just not emotionally effective anymore. Decent song nevertheless.
6/10

reminds me
I'm not sure if its the version I was listening to but there is some strange distortion on her voice. Making the backing vocal feel even more stronger and really distracting. There is a nice melody during the lalala part but other than that I was not very interested. Definitely a filler song.
4.5/10

Return Road
The beginning is the drama you expect of Ayumi. The big build up of her drag queen entrance. Enter her vocal into a pulled back almost making you think she's not going to deliver and then WHAM the drag queen Ayu snatches a wig. Very Ayumi style. I quite like this song. I sometimes hear I am... genre in the verses... Maybe M mixed with something.... Chorus could get stuck in your head. Then another WHAM, piano and Timmy-Moan. Really knocked off a lot of the score. What the hell were they thinking with that moan???
7/10

Tell me why
The beginning adlibs were pretty. A really nice filler song. Would be something nice to see live as it could be nicely stripped down and see a less over the top Ayumi. Her voice sounds decent for her. Although she did her stripped down for drama bridge which is stale.
6.5/10

a cup of tea
Its so bizarre and trippy and I just love it.
8/10

the next LOVE
Beautiful intro, it really is. Just not with Ayumi's voice. This is a song I could see being in an animated movie with some slinky soulful misunderstood person singing. Someone who has a smokey and soulful voice. Unfortunately, that voice is not Ayumi's. For this jazzy song she's projecting wrong. She's too sharp, which she's struggled with for years. It just doesn't work for me.
4/10

Eyes, Smoke, Magic
SIGHS, JOKE, TRAGIC. This song is horrendous. Absolutely nothing could save this. I foresee really corny stages if she sings this live. Like gimmicky to hell that no one would enjoy.
1/10

Serenade in A minor
A beautiful piece. How does it fit with the album? It doesn't. Still it is quite beautiful.
5/10

how beautiful you are
Opening vocal is pretty despite the harsh vibrato. The climb and fall building into the first chorus are a true Ayumi form. Vocally the only complaint I have up to this part is how sharp she goes into saying "beyouteeful." Over all vocals are ok. Still straining at parts though. I rate this high because I still love Ayumi and her over the top ballads always do something to me.
8/10

There has been so much talk about Timmy and it is relevant to bring up when reviewing this album. He's in a lot of it. I think he needs to be subtracted. He doesn't mesh well with her voice and often times it is distracting. There are moans that make me wish PECO would come back and wail that mountain witch banshee voice she has. I miss that Big Ang lookalike.

Of course having Timmy was her choice, but like every human, sometimes our choices are the wrong ones. For the very reason of him being a mess in most songs this album was marked down much lower than I think it could have been.

I have stated before that if she wants to include him so much, maybe create a pseudonym to go under rather than releasing as Ayumi Hamasaki. Her name carries a lot of weight and expectation.

There is always room for growth, no matter how seasoned you are. She did some growth and she stumbled as well. Good effort nevertheless. Just don't do anymore of SIGHS, JOKE, TRAGIC.

Songs average rating: 5.1
Interludes average rating: 6.3

[jewelbox]

^Yes, Timmy in RR is very painful to listen. I just wish and wish that she had used a real (gregorian) choir, or haunting female church-likish choir moaning (<--lol I'm so good in this writing thing ).