New album titled 'MADE IN JAPAN'

[truehappiness]

Will is probably a given I think. I wonder what the new songs will be like.

[Party_King]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Will is probably a given I think. I wonder what the new songs will be like.

Will would be awesome *-*

also BALLAD and ourselves would fit in perfectly...

[susiowong]

Dark lyrics? Yes, bring it. That's what I live for.

I came back to the Ayu fandom just in time for a new album it looks like. That's a first. I usually come back sometime after an album's release.

[Bigtop]

Good news: New Ayu release!

Bad news: Well...there's multiple:

• It's not a new single, for those who think Ayu's going to release a new single (don't think that's pretty much viable anymore because of Johnny's and AKB/Nogizaka)
• It's not A BEST 3
• Umm...July 13th - isn't that the same day as Ayaka's best album?

But "dark" lyrics? Ooh... We'll see...

Anyways, looking excited nonetheless!

[oaristos]

Originally Posted by Bigtop

[*]It's not A BEST 3

And why would anyone want A BEST 3 right now?

[Aderianu]

who said she will not release single before album? Release date is fake
if ayu will sing one of the new songs at the tour, I think it's highly possible that she may release it as digital single really soon

[!Lawi!]

I truly don't see how not getting a single nor ABEST 3 is bad news.
I must be really bad at music too because the version of GREEN from the last CDL doesn't sound anything like rock to me o.O can somebody's day enlighten me on this point?

Anyways, I'm getting excited for this album, I like the title and it could be very promising. I just hope the pictures from that TOKYO numero thing aren't related to the cover, she needs to use the Japanese theme fully.

[Chris85]

Originally Posted by !Lawi!

I must be really bad at music too because the version of GREEN from the last CDL doesn't sound anything like rock to me o.O can somebody's day enlighten me on this point?

Maybe it's not evident in TV version, but even before concerts, when I was listening to rehearsals it was clear that guitars play big role in this new arrangement and the sound was really bass heavy, so combined it all sounded kinda heavy and rockish. And then at the actual concerts this effect was even bigger.

[!Lawi!]

Originally Posted by Chris85

Maybe it's not evident in TV version, but even before concerts, when I was listening to rehearsals it was clear that guitars play big role in this new arrangement and the sound was really bass heavy, so combined it all sounded kinda heavy and rockish. And then at the actual concerts this effect was even bigger.

I see, thanks !

On another topic, I now hope she won't include Winter Diary on the album, I don't think it would fit the Japanese theme... But I guess she will anyways.

[njanjayrp]

I don't really get the obsession people have with singles nor do I see why would anyone want a best of filled with tracks we've heard instead of a new album...

[~angel*ayumi~]

Originally Posted by njanjayrp

I don't really get the obsession people have with singles nor do I see why would anyone want a best of filled with tracks we've heard instead of a new album...

Totally agree!
Back then I rly loved singles because of Remixes, but nowdays the only thing we get is an instrumental, and maybe a good Cover art.

[tenshi no hane]

Maybe you should edit out the fake release date in the first post, truehappiness? To prevent misunderstandings by people who can't be bothered to read properly.

Originally Posted by njanjayrp

I don't really get the obsession people have with singles nor do I see why would anyone want a best of filled with tracks we've heard instead of a new album...

This. So much. What's better than getting a lot of new material?

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by tenshi no hane

Maybe you should edit out the fake release date in the first post, truehappiness? To prevent misunderstandings by people who can't be bothered to read properly.



This. So much. What's better than getting a lot of new material?

Getting two lots of new material. Only this. Or maybe three lots of new material.

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by tenshi no hane

Maybe you should edit out the fake release date in the first post, truehappiness? To prevent misunderstandings by people who can't be bothered to read properly.

I usually try to keep the original posts there for posterity but I edited it out just to keep things clear. Kept my crossed out "THIS ISN'T TRUE" part though.

[NintendoHTF1242]

Originally Posted by njanjayrp

I don't really get the obsession people have with singles nor do I see why would anyone want a best of filled with tracks we've heard instead of a new album...

Because that's how artists promote themselves. Like tokyoxjapanxfan mentioned, it always meant lives and interviews and whatnot. Not to mention singles usually come with B-sides and remixes. But Ayu rarely promotes herself nowadays so whatever lol

[Zeke.]

I think also, singles provide for the opportunity to deliver a concept. A mini "world" and environment can be fleshed out from the songs and turned into a visual spectacle. It allows for a bit of extravagance, and the world of Hamasaki Ayumi seems much larger and expansive when you look back on a year and see all the different places she took you with her paintings of works. It's like the door opens every 3 months and it's a new place to explore, a new vision to be seen. I miss that feeling of waiting for the door to open again, and the curiosity as to what we will be shown this time. As the release date gree closer, we'd all have our ears pressed to that door. We'd begin to hear muffled sounds (snippets, CM spots) - processing the tease of what's to come. That's how I remember it.

It happens once a year now, and it seems to close faster than ever before. Also, it rarely feels like a world at all anymore. It's like a closet door with creaky floorboards and cobwebs. You can tell someone made an effort to clean it up; there are finger trails left in the piles of accumulated dust - but you always feel like more of an effort could have been made to really make that room shine. And you think to yourself "ah, I guess this is how it is now," and you try to accept the fact. But, when you leave that room, and after the door shuts once more, you can't help but wonder if when the next time it opens, what it would be like to see the room completely luminous again.

[Heavenly]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

I think also, singles provide for the opportunity to deliver a concept. A mini "world" and environment can be fleshed out from the songs and turned into a visual spectacle. It allows for a bit of extravagance, and the world of Hamasaki Ayumi seems much larger and expansive when you look back on a year and see all the different places she took you with her paintings of works. It's like the door opens every 3 months and it's a new place to explore, a new vision to be seen. I miss that feeling of waiting for the door to open again, and the curiosity as to what we will be shown this time.

It happens once a year now, and it seems to close faster than ever before. Also, it rarely feels like a world at all anymore. It's like a closet door with creaky floorboards and cobwebs. You can tell someone made an effort to clean it up; there are finger trails left in the piles of accumulated dust - but you always feel like more of an effort could have been made to really make that room shine.

I love your metaphor :'D

[Chibi-Chan]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

I think also, singles provide for the opportunity to deliver a concept. A mini "world" and environment can be fleshed out from the songs and turned into a visual spectacle. It allows for a bit of extravagance, and the world of Hamasaki Ayumi seems much larger and expansive when you look back on a year and see all the different places she took you with her paintings of works. It's like the door opens every 3 months and it's a new place to explore, a new vision to be seen. I miss that feeling of waiting for the door to open again, and the curiosity as to what we will be shown this time. As the release date gree closer, we'd all have our ears pressed to that door. We'd begin to hear muffled sounds (snippets, CM spots) - processing the tease of what's to come. That's how I remember it.

It happens once a year now, and it seems to close faster than ever before. Also, it rarely feels like a world at all anymore. It's like a closet door with creaky floorboards and cobwebs. You can tell someone made an effort to clean it up; there are finger trails left in the piles of accumulated dust - but you always feel like more of an effort could have been made to really make that room shine. And you think to yourself "ah, I guess this is how it is now," and you try to accept the fact. But, when you leave that room, and after the door shuts once more, you can't help but wonder if when the next time it opens, what it would be like to see the room completely luminous again.

Love that post!

Also I think that when she had a few singles over the year her albums where more diverse. Party Queen was the only album since she stopped releasing regular singles that had a diverse sound. LOVE again, Colors, A ONE... they're all pretty boring albums when listening from start to the end.

[pepper]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

I think also, singles provide for the opportunity to deliver a concept. A mini "world" and environment can be fleshed out from the songs and turned into a visual spectacle. It allows for a bit of extravagance, and the world of Hamasaki Ayumi seems much larger and expansive when you look back on a year and see all the different places she took you with her paintings of works. It's like the door opens every 3 months and it's a new place to explore, a new vision to be seen. I miss that feeling of waiting for the door to open again, and the curiosity as to what we will be shown this time. As the release date gree closer, we'd all have our ears pressed to that door. We'd begin to hear muffled sounds (snippets, CM spots) - processing the tease of what's to come. That's how I remember it.

It happens once a year now, and it seems to close faster than ever before. Also, it rarely feels like a world at all anymore. It's like a closet door with creaky floorboards and cobwebs. You can tell someone made an effort to clean it up; there are finger trails left in the piles of accumulated dust - but you always feel like more of an effort could have been made to really make that room shine. And you think to yourself "ah, I guess this is how it is now," and you try to accept the fact. But, when you leave that room, and after the door shuts once more, you can't help but wonder if when the next time it opens, what it would be like to see the room completely luminous again.

+1

I don't even care about the number of singles etc, I was even angry that singles have 2-3 maximum new songs and album gives me a loads of more.. but everything you said above created Ayu. I coudn't write it more clearly.

[voltron]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

I think also, singles provide for the opportunity to deliver a concept. A mini "world" and environment can be fleshed out from the songs and turned into a visual spectacle. It allows for a bit of extravagance, and the world of Hamasaki Ayumi seems much larger and expansive when you look back on a year and see all the different places she took you with her paintings of works. It's like the door opens every 3 months and it's a new place to explore, a new vision to be seen. I miss that feeling of waiting for the door to open again, and the curiosity as to what we will be shown this time. As the release date gree closer, we'd all have our ears pressed to that door. We'd begin to hear muffled sounds (snippets, CM spots) - processing the tease of what's to come. That's how I remember it.

I agree with this to a certain degree. She was SO prolific in her earlier years, and so EVERYWHERE across multiple media, and that just isn't the case now. I'm also not sure it COULD be the case now, even if she went full-force with promo.

When she was in new CMs monthly, getting to hear a snippet of a new song was always so exciting. It usually started out with a 15s CM, then the hunt for 30s one would commence. Rips were so much harder to come by then and unless it was posted on the product's website, it was a HUNT. Then even the wait to see if the full song would be the same, or how they would be altered (different lyrics, different key, etc.). And honestly leading up until Rainbow, we had full single lead tracks MONTHS in advance before the single release in many cases. That still did nothing to diminish the hype for the physical release, and any bonuses on the singles themselves. Then, once the release came by we had covers, magazines, TV appearances. So much of that just isn't aligned to what the reality would be today. So while I'd love to see her really go full force again, I'm afraid it would just make me nostalgic in a bad way at something that is no longer attainable.