Ayu ~Anything Goes~ XV (AHS' Ayumi Hamasaki General Discussion Thread) - Page 6

truehappiness · #1 19th March 2016, 03:33 AM

One of her best traits and worst traits simultaneously IMO.

Are they pointing fingers at me again?
Have they not forgiven me yet?
Are you crying as you see me like this?
Even if I look ridiculous
Even if they laugh at me
I won’t give up again, just for you

I adore your beauty so much it brings me sorrow

relmy · #2 19th March 2016, 05:02 PM

I think HBYA would get less hate if the 'you don't know....' part weren't in English? There's definitely an overabundance of slightly cheesy one-too-many to be taken seriously 'you don't know how amazing you are! Here I am telling you!' songs in English. And the English part of HYBA is just a bit too cookie cutter in that sense. Combined with the cheesiness of the arrangement, it just becomes a little bit awkward. The sentiment is nice, but the packaging is frustrating. Without the English, I think the attitude would be more 'aaaaw, that's sweet', instead of 'oh god HBYA is really bad', or maybe even if the English part was something more unique people would be more accepting of the song? I think that's a shame too, because the lyrics to me are far more than just the 'you don't know how beautiful you are' fare, it's about being that way and still finding a way to encourage others too. Ayu can see this person, and is encouraged in turn too, and finding worth too.

It doesn't help that Ayu is being so sincere in the song too, you know she really really feels that way! It's nice, but adding a huge does of sentimentality to the above mix and it can just topple over into far far too sweet to handle. It is quite nice when you think about it, but that doesn't mean I can handle listening to the song without cringing a little.

truehappiness · #3 20th March 2016, 05:03 AM

My point is that people are NEGATIVE about a song that preaches POSITIVITY. It isn't that hard to understand. That is why the line came out.

You may not like that song but there is no reason to take offense at a jab at the truth, or rather the reality of a situation. It is what it is. Let it be. And IMO it isn't so cut and dry that hbya is so 'bad' even though it does amp the cheese levels to 99. Personally, I think the song is super charming but she definitely doesn't need another one. But songs like call or Letter? MORE PLEAAAASE. Her discog only really has room for one how beautiful you are with the English and the video and the refrain... since then we have had some SLIGHTLY similar all Japanese tracks though.

Thank you again for today
Your smile saved me

Thank you again for today
Just stay there as you are

ExodusUK · #4 20th March 2016, 06:16 AM

The Show Must Go on is amazing and doesn't deserve to be torn down by comparisons to Snowy Kiss.

truehappiness · #5 20th March 2016, 06:30 AM

They are both incredible IMO.

Uknow! · #6 20th March 2016, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness

They are both incredible IMO.

+1

xLuna&1LOVE · #7 20th March 2016, 10:43 AM

They are both terrible IMO.

truehappiness · #8 20th March 2016, 11:08 AM

snowy kiss' bassline sings to me, but The Show Must Go On has that amazing build up.

DevilsClap · #9 20th March 2016, 04:39 PM

At first I wasn't liking both call or Letter much, but as of late Letter is a song I listen to a lot.
It's a good song to me. I don't know why since I suck at explaining in general

ExodusUK · #10 20th March 2016, 07:29 PM

Is it true that ayu's dancers aren't allowed to sleep with each other?

truehappiness · #11 20th March 2016, 07:35 PM

It's possible. May be why some went missing for a while.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke.

No wonder I had an existential crisis after the release of that album. Lol.

I'm pretty sure you've had one of those after almost every release since 2009, haha.

Zeke. · #12 20th March 2016, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I'm pretty sure you've had one of those after almost every release since 2009, haha.

Lol, well I definitely was severely disappointed in R'n'R Circus, going into the listening experience with a fully conceptualized idea of what I thought the album's songs would be like based off all the visual teasers she had given us leading up to its release. But with PQ, I specifically avoided constructing images of what the songs would be like in my mind to avoid that pitfall. I said to myself "This is unprecedented; an Ayu album filled with never-before-heard material! Out of 14 tracks, I'm sure to love at least 4 of them." But that most definitely was not the case. I try to set my expectations low, and now I'm thankful if I get even one track that I love 100%. I just want a track that makes a monumental impact from the first listen; I've grown tired of tracks that I become partial to only with time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness

The taint around LOVE again mostly has something to do with the LOVE -and- again releases and then coming together as LOVE again as though it was some sort of strange joke.
I'm thinking that mashing together the minis as LOVE again and not attempting to create a concept in any way other than "here's LOVE and again with some other tracks" left a sour taste for most people.

At first this may have been the case, and certainly had an influence on how the album was received, but it has no bearing on the album itself in retrospect. It always comes down to the material, IMO. Had the new songs on the cumulative album been (just as) stellar, it would have softened the blow. When I look back on the album now, I completely forget that LOVE and again were marketed as "albums", and my perception of LOVE again is influenced only by the full-length's material. Going off of that, the best material on LOVE again are the tracks that were released prior (from LOVE and again), with the rest of the tracks being perceived as dull by comparison. I don't mind that she put the minis' tracks on another album; I mind the fact that she put them on an album filled with tracks that sound as if they haven't been properly finished. They sound like demo recordings you would send off to an agency for reference purpose only, before investing time and effort into polishing them up for official release.

truehappiness · #13 20th March 2016, 07:38 PM

The taint around LOVE again mostly has something to do with the LOVE -and- again releases and then coming together as LOVE again as though it was some sort of strange joke. Maro was an issue too, but I think for the most part, the Western fandom at least was rolling their eyes at the LOVE again announcement. Both minis were super strong IMO but then... that happened.

Knowing that most of the tracks were older probably didn't help, but they fit in their own weird way.

I'm thinking that mashing together the minis as LOVE again and not attempting to create a concept in any way other than "here's LOVE and again with some other tracks" left a sour taste for most people.

Yumsushi · #14 21st March 2016, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness

The taint around LOVE again mostly has something to do with the LOVE -and- again releases and then coming together as LOVE again as though it was some sort of strange joke. Maro was an issue too, but I think for the most part, the Western fandom at least was rolling their eyes at the LOVE again announcement. Both minis were super strong IMO but then... that happened.

Knowing that most of the tracks were older probably didn't help, but they fit in their own weird way.

I'm thinking that mashing together the minis as LOVE again and not attempting to create a concept in any way other than "here's LOVE and again with some other tracks" left a sour taste for most people.

Personally I really enjoyed Love again when I got it a year after it was released and I forgot about the whole ripping the fans off fiasco. I think it has alot of solid songs. Too bad about the production like many have said.

Just adding that I think the fans had every right to be angry over the Love and Again releases that were promoted and sold to fans as albums but were not.

Andrenekoi · #15 20th March 2016, 09:27 PM

^Getting pissed off because the tracks were old was really silly... Every single musician who released more than 2 albums have several unreleased tracks either because they aren't finished yet or because they don't fit current projects. It's not that rare for some big hits to be around for years and years because the composers didn't figure out before the proper way to finish it.

rainbow_smile · #16 20th March 2016, 11:03 PM

I never really minded the "LOVE + again = LOVE again" fiasco that much, I personally kinda liked the idea of combining the names like that actually.

But now after some time has passed I got bored of this album pretty fast, unlike A ONE for example. I only listen to Wake me up, Ivy, untitled for her... story 2, Sweet scar and You & me on a regular basis these days. Maybe also Song 4 u.

I never understood the comparison between petal and Marionette by the way

Zeke. · #17 21st March 2016, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rainbow_smile

I only listen to Wake me up, Ivy, untitled for her... story 2

How long did it take you to come out of that coma the first time untitled for her... story 2 lulled you into it?

attractive nausea · #18 20th March 2016, 11:19 PM

^ I think it was petal and Pride, not Marionette

Andrenekoi · #19 20th March 2016, 11:52 PM

^It was Petal and Marionette, and I never got that one either...

Surreal17 · #20 21st March 2016, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

^It was Petal and Marionette, and I never got that one either...

Ayu herself stated in a 2013 magazine interview that petal is one of those songs with a mysterious allure, similar to Marionette. Trying to find the original quote.

She was probably refering to the sound of these two songs, the way the synths are used which I agree.