New album (January 2023)

[krtman2002]

Originally Posted by Insanes

This album is a joke.
The title, the song titles, the (I guess) 2 interludes.

Clearly a lack of inspiration. That's too bad because with nonfiction and summer again it looked like she was back but ... well, nope.

And the covers, come on. No inspiration at all, the place looks cheap as f**, she's past the thinnest waist ever but no, let's make it flat just like she's 17yo with a cruel lack of imagination (hello Panasonic 2004 CM)

And the pose ... seriously. Well, it annot be worse than the junkie fake smile of missunderstood but it's really, really bad.

I'm pretty sure "I remember you" will sound as bad and cheap as "Days" and "You are the onle one".

Ayu, it's the first time I'm so disappointed in an album release. Not gonna buy it this time, sorry not sorry.

I think it's not fair to say covers are bad. She is presenting her as a more mature woman. I like the covers, much more natural than Secret, for example.

I'm afraid we are going to have more interludes than we expected, but.. anyway! This is what it is, her comeback in a long, long time, so let's try to enjoy it as much as possible.

I don't remember the last time we had the chance to speak about the covers and the kind of songs we'll be finding out with just the titles of the songs. Let's enjoy this moment, because it will take a long time to be repeated again.

[LOONAppears]

Originally Posted by Insanes

This album is a joke.
The title, the song titles, the (I guess) 2 interludes.

Clearly a lack of inspiration. That's too bad because with nonfiction and summer again it looked like she was back but ... well, nope.

And the covers, come on. No inspiration at all, the place looks cheap as f**, she's past the thinnest waist ever but no, let's make it flat just like she's 17yo with a cruel lack of imagination (hello Panasonic 2004 CM)

And the pose ... seriously. Well, it annot be worse than the junkie fake smile of missunderstood but it's really, really bad.

I'm pretty sure "I remember you" will sound as bad and cheap as "Days" and "You are the onle one".

Ayu, it's the first time I'm so disappointed in an album release. Not gonna buy it this time, sorry not sorry.

I understand everyone has a different opinion and that is totally valid, but we haven’t even heard any snippets of the songs to assume they’re already going to sound bad just cuz the album cover and tracklist wasnt to ur taste. I don’t expect everyone to be optimistic or have the same expectations for the album because again, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but some of the comments you’ve made seem a little harsh.

[Insanes]

Originally Posted by krtman2002

I think it's not fair to say covers are bad. She is presenting her as a more mature woman. I like the covers, much more natural than Secret, for example.

I'm afraid we are going to have more interludes than we expected, but.. anyway! This is what it is, her comeback in a long, long time, so let's try to enjoy it as much as possible.

I don't remember the last time we had the chance to speak about the covers and the kind of songs we'll be finding out with just the titles of the songs. Let's enjoy this moment, because it will take a long time to be repeated again.

It is fair to criticize the covers because we have like 100+ others to compare (album/single).
Some of them are REALLY stunning and some are really bad/cheap.

You can be a mature woman with a proper background and less use of photoshop to look like you have the body of a teenager.

A woman of 44 does not look like this physically speaking.

[AyuCanada]

I don't understand the rage for the covers... actually I do understand it. After 6 years people have made a specific image of what they expect for covers and disregarded that those covers are really similliar to the album covers she had the past 10 years. It is a mix of ''A One'' and ''secret''. I this she looks great on them.

the tracklist... it feels like there are at least 3 interludes and a remix... so 10 songs total, which is usually the lenght of her albums (Guilty, Next Level, Colours had 10 songs). Also the number of songs was told earlier (12) and we were expecting to have 1-2 interludes, now they changing it to 14 and we have 3-4 interludes, so... it is about the same.

My main concern is that I don't like half of the previously released songs.

[Surreal17]

I'm curious about VIBEES. Overall, I'm glad the album has 14 tracks.

[RealLight]

I dig the covers, specially the CD only ver. But hell, I wish my whole house was as "cheap" as the room she used

[truehappiness]

I think the covers are fine. Masayuki's first covers with Ayu but IMO his photography doesn't translate well to cover shots.

[YUKARI]

taskinson looool
the dress reminded me of that old Panasonic CM hehe
I dislike the covers, sorry. it looks like she spent 10 minutes posing and then they did some 10 minutes editing and that's all. kinda feels like there's no big concept...

and, God, her chin... makes me feel pain. she chopped it too dramatically!

but overall I'm happy we'll finally get something new!

[//ABEST]

Covers feels really instagramish after Nonfiction and Summer Again since they had lavish photoshoots (Nonfiction having that in you face-pink and Summer Again had drop-dead gorgeous cover) but as krtman2002 said, she is mature woman in her 40s. I'm more happy with these than something overly sexual trying to be 20yo-style some artist in her age seems to convey. Covers are boring but STUNNING. I don't think she ever had album covers which had huge WOW-factor. NEXT LEVEL maybe?

Many of the new songs sounds like interludes but I'm eager to see how they turn out! All of us are entitled to have our own opinions but let's wait for the final product before slamming it to the ground? After her amazing almost 25 years old career we should know her already well enough to say she is anything but lazy!

We all have been waiting this day for so long so I understand if some have high hopes for this release. At the same time we all wish this album to be worth waiting but at the same time she can't please us all since we have our own opinions.