Ayu: Anything Goes [XXI]

[MeltingCORE]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

I would go to war for Days. I love that you can feel so clearly where the track is going. It gives the sense that “they REALLY nailed this; I can’t imagine it being any other way.” Every note that follows the previous, and precedes the next, makes complete sense, and just feel so “right.” It’s like you guys don’t like a polished track.

Also, I would not say Days is the Kana track - it’s way too grand for that. It operates at 100% and Kana’s tracks tend to operate at around 70; that would be “Zutto..,” because it’s very dry and very forgettable. I could think of a million ways to edit and improve Zutto..., but I couldn’t fathom changing Days in the slightest. It’s like everything just fell into place, and that doesn’t happen with Ayu’s music anymore, or very much at least.

I get that same sense with No way to say, momentum, etc. So it baffles me how Days can be criticized for being “formulaic” or “predictable” when it’s the thing I love the most in this track as well as older hits by ayu.

I knew this was gonna happen. If there's one thing I always remember about AHS, it's that Zeke loves Days. : P

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by MeltingCORE

I knew this was gonna happen. If there's one thing I always remember about AHS, it's that Zeke loves Days. : P

haha, I wasn’t gonna say anything but I when a second disapproving comment appeared I had to speak up, lol.

Also one thing I noticed only recently is how the bass (or maybe it’s the chord progression) creates this beautiful dichotomy with that little “cheerful” sounding 4 bar melody. I really love to hone in on what it is about a certain track that evokes a given emotion, and it’s obvious that Days is bittersweet (not just the lyrics but the track’s composition and arrangement itself), but I didn’t realize it was due to the fact that underneath that prominent melody, the notes that make up the bass during those 4 bars are very mounful sounding and consistently descending. The bass represents the pain that is embedded deep within the root of the situation, and the progression of it successfully evokes hopelessness, that nothing can be done about it, and coming to the realization of that. Meanwhile the cheerful melody conveys that despite the fact that the pain is there, it doesn’t entirely destroy or dominate over the emotions of warmth and happiness that transpired the situation in the first place.

It’s very hard to describe, but the emphasis on which emotion I feel is dependent on which layer of sound I’m focusing on and following at the time. Because the cheerful melody is more prominent, it’s what I gravitated to for many years; but now, I always focus on the mournful melody hidden beneath it. It mirrors the subject matter of the song extremely well. The fact that in this situation, it’s very possible that if ayu chose to focus on the painful aspect of the situation, she could very easily sink into that depressive state; but instead she chooses to acknowledge it, and call forth innocent and pure emotions of happiness to the surface and forefront.

———

Also, on a personal note it’s something I very much can relate to: From 5th grade throughout high school I loved the same girl. We were really close friends, but there was a period of time when she began dating someone else and I felt it was too painful for me to even be around her, constantly being reminded of this reality. So I decided that I would, for my own sake, attempt to cut ties with her. Prior to that, I put together two “memory boxes,” into which I placed funny items that represented specific things and moments we shared laughs and jokes about throughout the years. I presented them to her and she loved them - we both laughed going through the things and calling forth all these “days” of the past.

Spoiler:

Afterwards I informed her of my decision to cease speaking with her because of how difficult things were for me. She was my first love and up until that time I had always clung to the hope that in the end we would wind up together. She was heartbroken, but I had made my decision. The following school year however we had many classes together, and she made strong efforts to always speak with me, and eventually I realized that when it came down to it, I was much happier just being around her, and sharing the relationship we did have together as great friends. I realized then that it wasn’t about whether or not we were together in a romantic sense, but rather it was about simply enjoying each other’s company, and continuing to cultivate funny memories together. Regardless of the circumstances, time with someone you love and care about is really all you can ask for -it really is the greatest gift of all-, and that’s something that I had, and grew to be grateful for.

In the end everything worked out for the best. She got married to a great guy this past summer and I attended the wedding. She even asked me to put together the wedding song for her and her husband to share their first dance to, and to insert this funny sound clip of myself at the end that was representative of one of the memories/jokes I called attention to in the past for all of us and our friends to share a laugh over.

[DonkeyKongRemix]

Despite the hatred they receive, I still find Ayu's performances of the next LOVE and Eyes, Smoke, Magic to be really great.

The lyrics to the next LOVE are still probably some of my absolute favorites she has ever written because they are just so...tragic, in a way. However, the lyrics to ESM are still a little bit of a mystery to me... >.>

[mi|kshake]

And skip it when it starts to play in my head

Haha, I love your post!

And also, I absolutely hated it for some reason for like 2 years

You hated No Way To Say!??

I always love reading people's stories about Ayu's music.

[ExodusUK]

I hate Moments.

[Faiza]

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

I hate Moments.

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

I loathed Because of you when I first got Memorial address, though I can't remember why haha. That didn't last long, though I definitely remember hating it haha.

[ExodusUK]

I don't like Days because it's so formulaic and obvious, you can almost hear them saying "okay this is the Kana Nishonowhatshername 30 second ringtone bit" when the chorus happens.

[primavera♥]

Moments is an amazing song. The My Story ballads are precious. Carols is the only one I don't care for much.

Walking proud is probably her best ballad to me. At least it's always what first comes to mind.

I'm surprised at the Days hate. It's such a lovely song. Beautifully composed. And her voice is so warm.

[EndOfTheWorld]

Days always hits the spot. It's an Ayu ballad done right.
I agree about the arrangement of the song. It flows nicely. It also successfully evokes the emotion and feeling it intends. Bittersweet romantic Christmas. At least that is what I feel listening to it.

[Miduhyo]

I listen to Days I might as well just stuff cheese into my ears for five minutes and call it a day. I find the whole thing cheesy. The music. The lyrics. The MV. The best I can say about anything Days-wise is that she looked so cute in that pink outfit in the video. But EndOfTheWorld is right, it does invoke what it intends, so it's not that it wasn't done well--I just don't like it, is all. Just not my cup of tea. I mean, I feel guilty about not liking No Way to Say. But Days? Nah.

[EndOfTheWorld]

Originally Posted by Miduhyo

I listen to Days I might as well just stuff cheese into my ears for five minutes and call it a day. I find the whole thing cheesy. The music. The lyrics. The MV. The best I can say about anything Days-wise is that she looked so cute in that pink outfit in the video. But EndOfTheWorld is right, it does invoke what it intends, so it's not that it wasn't done well--I just don't like it, is all. Just not my cup of tea. I mean, I feel guilty about not liking No Way to Say. But Days? Nah.

I love No way to say a lot but if I had to criticize it I would say that Ayu's vocals can get a little too harsh during the chorus.
Sometimes I feel guilty about not loving the missunderstood album since everyone here seems to swoon over it and I think it was voted best album in the polls.

[voltron]

I've grown to be OK with Days over the years, but at the time it came out it definitely wasn't my cup of tea. Part of it is that I'm not the biggest fan of her light, airy ballads where she uses that kind of voice -- I'm a much bigger fan of her full-voice ballads. But there are some that I like, such as Together When..., etc.

Days was very well received by the Japanese public, I think, because it's a pretty standard J-Pop song. To me, I think it's just a very uninspired song -- and, as I think can be the problem for a lot of people, in Ayu's huge discography it just gets a little bit lost. There's nothing wrong with the track, it just feels predictable and generic to me a lot of the time.

[rainbow_smile]

Days is one of my favourite Ayu songs (used to be my #1 favourite actually), but even I think it's pretty cheesy and generic

[truehappiness]

Days is like that kind of fast food Ayu track. It's nice but not incredible. Similarly, songs like Sky high are like that too... kind of just 'okay' to 'nice'.

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Days is like that kind of fast food Ayu track. It's nice but not incredible. Similarly, songs like Sky high are like that too... kind of just 'okay' to 'nice'.

Omg strange you say that because to me Days is everything Sky high ISN’T. There is not even a hint of any of the qualities I love about Days present in that travesty of a track.

Days is top shelf at a well established toy store.
Sky high is a 25 cent gadget at a low-budget trinket shop.

[Amalgam]

Days is just so decent that it’s boring to me.
But! I admit that the very end of the corny PV (where they’re all 30 something’s acting like high school kids. The cringe is REAL) when Ayu is crying and her friends hug her is touching. But it’s a juvenile PV and it ultimately kills the song since I’m such a visual creature. CAROLS benefits from the very boring PV in that aspect -though I genuinely love that song on chilly winter nights. Ayu’s Voice/delivery is so pleasant and I love how the chorus kicks in.

Maybe I’m more partial to songs like No Way To Say because the grating vocals convey emotion-especially in a song whose whole point is “there are things people can’t express well with words”.

On another note, Dolls and RAINBOW are so criminally underrated by the fanbase!
Dolls is such an atmospheric song, so unique and up to par with criminal.
RAINBOW is a solid pop song. I love the dreamy beginning with the guitar and vocals and how the song builds to a hopeful sounding and energetic finish.

[Miduhyo]

When I first started listening to Ayu, I knew I liked her but I didn't think anything much more of her than a typical artist until I heard Dolls. It's so atmospheric, so beautifully constructed, the music alone is outstanding only then to be topped by her vocals and the lyrics and the emotions. It's a brew damn near to perfection as I feel she's ever gotten with a song. I heard that song and wanted to send her an apology fan letter for not having listened to it sooner.

Wait. Do people here not like it? O.O

[Zeke.]

Omg, I am fucking heartbroken.

So a few weeks back I posted about this drag night that is all about Ayu. Today I sat down to pencil in all the shows I want to go to in the coming months, and I decided to research that one to see if tickets available. And I found this event at the same place that is like a celebration of all things avex. Apparently it had two rooms; one was all avex artist original tracks - the other, all the HyperTechno/Eurobeat/Cyber Trance mixes!

Spoiler:

Literally happened 3 days ago. Crushed.

Apparently the last one was in March and this was the 13th incarnation. I'll have to catch the next one!

[Zeke.]

Anyone ever seen this video of Ayu and Timmy singing MOON acapella? Wonder where it's from.

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/913944035840028672