14th album 'LOVE again' out February 8th, 4th of five 15th anniversary releases [IV]

[Ayu-me]

Originally Posted by AyuWorld

^
maybe they filmed it earlier and dont have time for the new songs *shrugs*

The first announcement of "LOVE"'s tracklist included "Melody" as a PV on the DVD instead of "Missing" (which they later changed, of course), so I definitely think it's possible that the PV for "Melody" is finished since long ago.

[Delicious n Bold]

I wonder why they changed the pv from melody to missing...

[truehappiness]

Wow, such early confirmation of what is what.

And as for the Melody switching with Missing thing... I think maybe they realized Missing had more potential or something?

[LeeLeeNeko]

I'm wondering if back then (before LOVE's release) the PV was actually shot. Who knows, it might also be like "blossom" and ayu won't be in it lol.
I wish there was at least one PV for an album track though... :/

[truehappiness]

No, we know Ayu is in it for sure, haha.

It was shown in a LOVE again CM before CDL started in the venue.

[LeeLeeNeko]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

No, we know Ayu is in it for sure, haha.

It was shown in a LOVE again CM before CDL started in the venue.

Oh really? Is there any fancam? I'm wondering what they saw

[& + H]

I was about to write "I can't wait for the covers" and then I remember
Oh yeah we already have them lmao.

[truehappiness]

The reports state that the PV has Ayu in black/white (like white top/black pants) surrounded by the dancers dressed in red. There's also a bit of a kaleidoscope effect a la TO BE or Not yet from AT07. It's also kind of artsy?

http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=199
http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=197

[Delicious n Bold]

Sounds promising.
But Song for u's PV also seemed promising. Then we saw the whole thing.

[truehappiness]

Song 4 u wasn't that bad. It's visually pretty out there for Ayu. However, the lack of cuts to anything other than the chess board scenes was probably a bad idea since like almost all of Ayu's videos at least have different angles in the same scenes if not with different scenes/backdrops entirely but I get what their concept was going for.

And actually, it's one of Ayu's most 'reblogged' things with 12,000+ since people like the 'look' of the PV.

[Delicious n Bold]

It definitely looks better than most of her PVs as of late, but Im the kind of guy that needs more than looks. they could have done so much.. they could have done so much with every PV, but Slavex's budget is just sad these days.

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

It definitely looks better than most of her PVs as of late, but Im the kind of guy that needs more than looks. they could have done so much.. they could have done so much with every PV, but Slavex's budget is just sad these days.

I don't think it's the budget, but just the concept/storyboarding/execution overall that is different. It seems to me like Masashi is just burnt out maybe. He did Ladies Night which was pretty good as well as is this LOVE?, both of which are loved by Ayu fans and had his usual 'twists' at the very end, but his PVs since late-2010 aren't as well liked. It's possible it's just being stretched too thin because he has to direct everything.

It was nice to see Wataru Takeishi back for Sweet scar though.

[kimmeh]

I don't want to be, but I'm super excited for the 5th and final release.
IF, AND IF its gonna be A BEST 3, I HOPE FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY, she actually bothers to record new vocals (and instruments?)

Like Gackt did for The Sixth Day ~Single Collection~. It just makes that single compilation so, so so amazing. For Gackt it shows an extreme improvment in his voice. So please, please, PLEASE Ayu!! NEW VOCALS!!

[RylanJames0]

For an artist of her status, her music videos are rather lackluster to me. Visually they may be nice but boring.

Sweet Scar was cute but Snowy Kiss was too dull.

My favorite still has to be Rule and Marionette.
and Fairyland because the guys are hot.

[Tony G]

Not holding my breath for Melody. The inclusion of dancers already has me worried.

Song 4 u had potential, had the idea, but the execution was beyond terrible.

In fact, I've stopped expecting amazing PVs from Ayu because I know they are going to be few and far between from now on. They feel like afterthoughts instead of a visual expression of Ayu's music. Coming from what her videos were like circa 2003-2005, it's a pretty depressing thought. Return Road and sweet scar and the only great PVs she made in 2012.

I really hope she puts more effort into her videos and that maybe, just maybe, Melody will deliver. If the director's ideas are drying up, use new ones.

[truehappiness]

I liked the simple beauty of how beautiful you are but Shake It and NaNaNa were kind of... odd choices for PVs and the concepts were kind of just "eh?".

I suppose the point of those two PVs from Party Queen was to be that kind of "TRASHY EH" like the covers, but that doesn't really make them that great or worth more than a few playthroughs. I enjoyed the PVs from 2010-2011, it's just the 2012 had too many love-y PVs (3 of them) or PVs that probably should have been executed differently or had an entirely different concept altogether (Shake It/NaNaNa).

For me, it's not so much that it should be 'expected' that her PVs are no longer creative or anything but there have been a few too many storyline-centric multi-part PVs that deprive songs that would otherwise get an individual video that's 'different' from the other PVs as of late. Just in the last two or three years, there have been two 'trilogies' involving love and one 'two parter' that was kind of just there. (I suspect it may be to save money but I don't think that's the case since an in-studio PV is probably cheaper than an extra overseas one) We can only hope that she slowly starts to trickle in the older directors she used to use very often and let Masashi Muto take a break for a while.

[Tony G]

Shake it wasn't that bad actually, good for a laugh. I forgot that one. NaNaNa was downright terrible. HBYA was nice in a way for its simplicity but Ayu has done that type of video too many times and executed it far better on other occasions (CAROLS, curtain call, even sweet scar). I miss the epic ballad videos like Together when...

[Delicious n Bold]

I thought shake it was a bit cute with ayu in that getup.
But I also agree that Nanana was just... Yeah

[Gustavopc]

Have we got who are the guys behind the new songs? I'd be much disappointed if tasuku is only behind an interlude. again.

[truehappiness]

The composers for the new songs that were listed were Yasuhiko Hoshino (he did Melody), Kunio Tago (did untitled ~for her~), and Yuta Nakano (does basically all songs for Ayu nowadays).

Arrangers have not been revealed, but tasuku worked on some stuff for Party Queen, Wake me up, and You & Me.