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  #141  
Old 21st December 2010, 05:48 AM
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^ I definitely noticed that too, the drums in all the songs basically sound muffled to me. I thought it was just my speakers.

Last edited by SunshineSlayer; 21st December 2010 at 05:56 AM.
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  #142  
Old 21st December 2010, 05:56 AM
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I noticed that with RnRC. I got a really bad rip, and everything sounded quiet and muffled. I think that's one more reason to wait until the album is actually released before hearing it - you get to hear it in the best quality possible (save for microSD ;_; )
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  #143  
Old 21st December 2010, 05:58 AM
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My review is done! Pretty long so, can only direct to my LJ lol

http://junniejunxiang.livejournal.com/2592.html
I totally recommend this read, it doesn't seem as lengthy as he probably thinks it does.

A great review, this really made me think about the music again and listen to it even more closely.
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  #144  
Old 22nd December 2010, 05:04 AM
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I'm NOT good with reviews, so one word: perfection

As far as how I rank the new songs... November = do it again = Thank U, Love song, sending mail, like a doll.

I honestly adore Thank U! If Ayu does do cute songs, I hope they're like this. ANGEL'S SONG and HONEY are terrible compared to this song, as if they weren't terrible enough already!!!

Last edited by jbrat2219; 22nd December 2010 at 03:05 PM.
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  #145  
Old 22nd December 2010, 05:26 AM
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in my opinion this is one of her best and solid album after I am.. with planned theme like I am... MY STORY, LOVEppears. thats all,
1. Love songs - 9/10 great song but not really memorable for me
2. Crossroad - not my favorite 1/10
3. MOON - absolutely 1 of the best single she ever rlease 10/10
4. Sending Mail - love this rock tune but its too repetitive 8/10
5. Last Angel - the song that I want for sooo long ago from Ayu 10/10
6. Insomnia - I would love this track for number 5 before Last Angel. 4/10
7. Like A Doll - this is the highlight track for this album. really inspirational track 8/10
8. Aria - it's like 1 of Bond's song (the most popular quartet strings) 6/10
9. Blossom - boring summer track 5/10
10. Thank U - I hope Ayu choose this song for the ending of her CDL LIVE. really love this track because its really refreshing although is just lalala 10/10
11. Sweet Season - very sweet and happy. nice choose after Thank U 10/10
12. Overture : boring but it made me feel like a sailor 4/10
13. Do It Again - nice upbeat track 8/10
14. November - warm lyric and very sad. one of the best track of the album 10/10
15. Virgin Road - very emotional lyric and the song. I love this song alot 10/10
16. SEVEN DAYS WAR not very Ayuish 4/10

overall : 8/10
Crossroad and the instrumental really killed this album
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  #146  
Old 22nd December 2010, 05:38 AM
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Crossroad and the instrumental really killed this album
HOW DARE YOU! Take that back!

LOL j/k
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  #147  
Old 22nd December 2010, 06:43 AM
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^ hahaha. I cant help. I real dislike Crossroad. it's one of her worst single ever,.
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  #148  
Old 22nd December 2010, 06:51 AM
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1.Love song 8.75/10
2.crossroad 8.75/10
3.MOON 9.3/10
4.sending mail 9/10
5.Last Angel 9.2/10
6.Insomnia 7/10
7.like a doll 8.75/10
8.Aria 6/10
9.blossom 8.5/10
10.Thank U 4/10
11.Sweet Season 8/10
12.Overture 5/10
13.do it again 7/10
14.November 8/10
15.Virgin Road 9.7/10

Conclusion: 7.5
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  #149  
Old 22nd December 2010, 07:17 AM
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Okay, so now that I've had a few days to listen to the album and digest it, I shall write a full length review of each song. Granted, I still don't really like this album, but a couple moments have grown on me.

First off, there's Love Song...definitely my favorite song on the album. It's right up my alley, simply because of the lush progression of the song as a whole. For me, this song is the gem of the bunch. I especially love the strong vocals of the verses, but it get's slightly watered down with the slightly boring chorus composition...anyway, all negatives aside, I give this song an 10/10.

Next up, Crossroad continues to enchant me. Even though my knowledge of Japanese is limited, I can feel a lot from this song, and ultimate relate to it...which makes it an awesome song in my eyes. I'm not particularly bothered by the loud background vocals, because I always love some good harmony. Again though, the chorus is slightly boring and repetitive. It gets a 6/10.

Moon.....ehhh, this is a primary example of how I don't particularly favor her last few singles. This song just ends up sounding forced and unimportant. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty...but it feels, to me, a lot like Duty-sounding album track. I'm not a big fan of this one.. 4/10

And then comes Sending Mail..I actually like this one, even though I don't understand the concept at all...it feels a bit too epic for a title like "Sending Mail"....apparantly, she's really excited about pushing those envelopes :p It feels a bit like Mirror/Mirrorcle World, which is one of my favorite songs from the past few years. I give it 7/10.

Then there's Last Angel. This is another song that I just don't like, even though I don't know why. The mix of pop and techno in this form just sounds awkward. I just really don't have much love for the L songs. The chorus melody really bothers me :p 5/10

Hooray, an interlude! Insomnia continues my undying love for interludes, especially since it's really dark. I love how it transitions smoothly into the next song, beginning the better half(ish) of the album. 9/10

Like a Doll...HERE WE GO, Ayu! The tease in the beginning of the song is what initially sucked me in. The string/techno aspect of it is something I reeeaally love. When Ayu meets violins, gold is born. This one rivals Love Song to me. 8/10

Weeee, another interlude...only Aria isn't as good to me. It's pretty, but it doesn't stand out to me. It's not an interlude that I'll listen to with the thoughts "Ohh, I'll listen to Aria." To me, it's only function is to transition to blossom. 4/10

Speaking of blossom, here's another track that I adore. It's the only single track of the entire album that I actually LIKE! To me, it's like a flawless version of Crossroad. I feel like this is the stongest single track of the album, even though it sort of gets brushed to the side...it's the 2nd A-side curse, I tell ya :p Just like Is this Love, Pride, or Sparkle. Ahh well, it gets a 9/10

Ugh...then there's Thank U. I'm not a big fan of the cutesy songs near the end of the album, and I particularly despise them live.. this song ends up being a carbon copy mash-up of Everlasting Dream from RAINBOW and Honey from My Story. This is the ultimate pitfall of the album for me...3/10

Sweet Season..I've skipped this song everytime after the first listen...it's just so bland and unnecessary. I detest this song as much as Thank U. It sounds like one of Tomiko Van's awful solo songs. 2/10

Overture is just another pretty interlude to me, too...it kinda sounds like God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen to me :p I don't really like the fake medieval-fairytale sound of it. I don't think it transitions well to Do It Again, either. 2/10

Do It Again is the one song of the album that I'm REALLY confused about...I don't know whether to love it or feel lukewarm about it. I utterly detest the english in this.. I have no qualms about English in Japanese music, unless it serves absolutely no purpose. This song wouldn't have been any weaker if those lines were Japanese. It makes the song a big campy to me. The verses are very strong, and I like them...and I adore the harmony in the chorus, even though I don't like the chorus itself. Since I'm in the middle on this one, 5/10

Aha, then's there's November, another treasure nestled in the mess. It's a very close 2nd place to Love Song in my book, simply because it's incredibly interesting. The arrangement is unique, breaking the mold Ayu has kept for a year or so. It's refreshing to hear something so whimsical, folksy, and powerful all at the same time. 10/10

Last, AND least, there's Virgin Road...another song I view with contempt...it's just another recent single track that I don't favor at all. It doesn't interest me, and I don't feel much raw emotion from it. It's too light and minimalist to do that for me. The part before the chorus truly kills it for me, as it attempts to build...the chorus is the only part of promise in the song. That's not saying I like it though....as scathing as it may seem, I'm giving this wallflower a 2/10 as well.

And finally, an overall summary. First of all, Ayu never needs to work with TK ever again...almost every song on this album (save for the single tracks and the interludes) are incredibly repetitive and forgettable. Years from now, I wont look back and listen to Do It Again or Sending Mail like I do with Kiss 'O Kill or It Was. I'm not in any way saying the album is bad, but I'm saying it's weak in my opinion. I'll go ahead and wager the only songs I'll continually listen to are Love Song and November. As a whole collective work, I'll give it a 6/10..

Pros: It's cohesive, the songs function well together and transition well in most places, there are some signs of stylistic experimentation, and it introduces a folksy sound in songs like Love Song and November that work REALLY well for her.

Cons: It's really repetitive, from a composition stand-point. I miss the intriguing breakdowns and guitar solos of albums like NEXT LEVEL and Rock'n'Roll Circus, to interrupt any chance of repetitiveness.

I'm a tough cookie to please, but she still remains the most amazing Jpop performer I've had a chance to follow the career of. Her albums are consecutively splendid, and many of her songs have become part of my childhood/teenage years. She's truly an artist, and even an album like this that feels lukewarm to me can't shake that up for me.
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  #150  
Old 22nd December 2010, 07:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Keiichi_JPU View Post
Are you on XTC or something?

In my opinion it's better than Rock'n'Roll Circus, perhaps better than Next Level, but it can't even come close to albums like Secret or My Story.
100% agreement by my side.
I have to add that i was excited for the appearance of SDW but the live in Yoyogi is..bleh. Moreover my favourite songs are the singles this time and this is a lil bit sad but complexively it's a nice/new album.
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  #151  
Old 22nd December 2010, 07:58 AM
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Originally Posted by DA1SUK1DAY01691 View Post
I totally recommend this read, it doesn't seem as lengthy as he probably thinks it does.

A great review, this really made me think about the music again and listen to it even more closely.
what a sweet thank u~
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  #152  
Old 22nd December 2010, 06:57 PM
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I'm still in love with the album. I just can't stand November. I still don't get what people loves about this song. I listened over and over again but I don't think there's anything special.
For me is her best album since Guilty ^^ (sorry I think I'm the only one here who adore Guilty). Just like Guilty I don't like one track and still can't skip any track. I'm really happy how her vocals are more stronger and confident. It's like I can feel her passion for music and she really believes what she's singing. Over the time she lost it somehow and now she have it again =D
My favorites tracks: Sweet Season, Love Song, Sending Mail and Thank U (Turned to be my favorite happy-cute song of ayu. Because is so soft and isn't annoying and forced "LET'S BE HAPPY FOVERER AND EVER UNTIL THE VERY END" like her previous).
Overall I give 8/10 for the album =). I can't give a higher note 'cause this album is a bit repetitive. For example, I love do it again but is so repetitive that give me headache if I listen more then 3 times.
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  #153  
Old 22nd December 2010, 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted by gogirlanime View Post
I'm really glad to hear most people are loving this album very much, makes me happy for my fellow Ayu fans. My feeling were a bit different though unfortunately

This album didn't speak to me as much as most of her albums. (miss)understood and Memorial Address are my favorites so far. I love her up-beat and funky music. I also do love her ballad songs, though I felt this album lacked quite a bit. There was a clear unison in this album unlike Rock n' Roll Circus where the title throws you off a lot, if you're not an Ayu fan, you would think that album was all about hard rock songs. Love Songs is very obviously a mid-tempo ballad type of album. The whole album fits together very well.

As a huge Ayu fan, and with my honest critique, some of the tracks I had to bite my lip to get through. 1/2 of the tracks I love and the other 1/2 I cannot stand! I love that she made an honest effort to go back to her A Song for XX days and for the most part she succeeded with that. My biggest problem with Love Songs is that most of the songs sound too much alike. The exact same instruments, feeling, tempo, and vocal feelings. I believe that if she threw in a few more up-beat songs that still fit the theme of the album and changed up the sounds and instruments a bit this album would have been perfect for me.

Her vocals stand out extremely in this album, each song has beautiful and of the highest quality Ayu vocals! In terms of her singing abilities, vocals, and skills this album shines the most so far out of all her albums. She obviously practiced and worked hard to sound her best for this album.

So far, unfortunately this is still my LEAST favorite Ayumi album so far (sorry guys I LOVE her but this is my honest review). Rock n' Roll Circus wins by a small land slide because the songs were more original and the album varied a bit more even though it was all over the place. Plus I prefer Ayu's rock songs over her ballads.

1. Love Song (#2 fave)
VERY powerful and beautiful. I love how the song switches up so that the versus are unpredictable. The two vocal peaks were unexpected and I think make the song over all. I like how this song has a very subtile american country type of sound to it. This is one of the best songs on the album 8/10

2. crossroad (#1 fave)
My favorite track on the album. Very peaceful and nostalgic and VERY Ayu to me. The chords and vocals are so sweet and delightful it puts me in a good mood every time. The melody isn't super original but it's beauty covers for that. 8/10

3. MOON
I'm surprised this song became a single honestly, to me the song is very predictable, J-pop typical, and unoriginal. The melody is pretty and her vocals are great, though the song lacks a lot 4/10

4. Sending Mail
The song didn't speak to me as strongly as Love Song the first time I heard it, the melody is a bit J-pop typical yet original. Her vocals are very beautiful. The track isn't bad, I listen to it, but skip it over sometimes 5/10

5. Last Angel
A very interesting song, the beginning instrumental is very powerful and sinks you in right away. The melody is a bit awkward, but it grows on you and then you like it a lot. The chords are interesting and the lyrics are nice. I like the low "speaking" parts that low of vocals is rare for Ayu and a special treat. 6.5/10

6. Insomnia
An odd interlude that doesn't really fit with the album that well, the distorted vocals would be awesome in a remix album but in a ballad album called "Love Songs" sounds like this are disturbing mixed with the rest of the tracks 3/10

7. Like A Doll
I think her vocals lack a liiiittle here, they could have been better. The melody is pretty and the main line "like a doll" in English is catchy. I think the song is a bit bland kinda like a book where "the plot doesn't thicken" this song leaves something to be desired a bit. I think if the main verse were a bit more powerful instead of at the same pace and sound as the rest of the song it would have been better. 5.5/10

8. Aria
Very beautiful and suits with the rest of the album well. One of my favorite Ayu interludes yet, the ending ends a bit awkward though, very anti-climatic 8/10

9. blossom
This song has grown on me since it came out. It's a pretty typical Ayu ballad in terms of the melody. Her vocals shine very well and are super sweet. It's one of the better tracks on the album. When comparing to the rest of the album this song shines over more than half the album 6/10

10. Thank U
The sounds and background music to this song are super cute and addictive, Ayu does a good job controlling her sometimes ear-piercing "ii" sounds well. Though her vibrato is her typical "forced out" vibrato, it's not the natural kind that comes out when singers sing, it's obviously controlled and overly "bouncy" so to speak, it's not a vibrato that has a clean natural sound to it. 5/10

11. Sweet Season
Again, nothing special in terms of melody, the song doesn't speak to me. Her vocals are beautiful but the song again is nothing special I don't even know where to compliment it specifically 5/10

12. Overture
Really powerful and it suits well with the album. It sounds a lot like it would fit in with a Final Fantasy soundtrack (especially Final Fantasy 9) 7/10

13. Do It Again
The feeling of this song is very sad and beautiful, it makes me think of Batman for some reason like this would be the love song for Batman and Catwoman, a dark and beautiful love. The beginning is a bit anti-climatic and I think it should have been cut in half to get the song rolling because it feels like the song is going nowhere and you get bored. Though the English parts are the best part because then the song switches up to this different pace and melody that has a totally different feel, it's like two songs were put into one, this song wasn't well-composed. 5/10

14. November (#3 fave)
The chords and vocals in this song are wonderful and pull you in. The melody is quite unique but the song runs a bit "dry" in the middle and you get a bit bored but then the chords come back and remind you how the beginning pulled you in. One of the nicer songs in the album. Ayu's vocals have a uniqueness to them that I've never heard and I like it, her vibrato is a bit more "shaky" but not in a bad way. 6.5/10

15. Virgin Road
A pretty song and it took quite some time to grow on me, again, there isn't anything super special or original about it. I like the part where the melody and violins go up-beat a bit and play in synch. The vocals like all the songs on this album are very beautiful though. 6/10

16. Seven Days War
The melody is nice and this is one of the better "almost a cappella" songs on the album where there is hardly any music and mostly Ayu's vocals. The chorus in the background adds a lovely touch at the end and you get Ayu's classic style of just humming and singing without words at the end which is quite uniquely hers in the Jpop world. 6.5/10

Over-all rating I give this album 5/10

The reasons being is that there are basically 2-3 songs I listen to over and over, about 2-3 that I sometimes listen to, and the others I just don't care for them. The album lacked originality and was pretty typical of Ayu and J-pop. The album was NOT BAD but wasn't great either.

P.S. I LOVE AYU AND THIS IS JUST MY HONEST CRITIQUE AND FEELINGS ABOUT THE ALBUM. So PLEASE don't reply saying, "you obviously aren't an Ayu fan and this was a terrible thing to say" because I've had that before and it wasn't a necessary comment towards someone who loves 99% of what Ayu does. Please and Thank you!
I took the advice of a lot of people and really listened to the album and I must say my feelings have changed quite a bit!!

Even though the songs can sound very uninteresting and unoriginal when you first hear them, when you begin to really zone in on the music in a quiet spot with good headphones you can really hear all the layers of the music and truly appreciate it

I still feel the album lacked a little bit, there isn't anything on the album that's a super "pow" like "microphone" everything is kinda at the same pace, but it works with this album because it's pretty much an all ballad album. The over all feeling of the album I think was purposely made to be on "the down low"

Here is my new review

1. Love Song (feelings haven't changed) (#3 fave)
VERY powerful and beautiful. I love how the song switches up so that the versus are unpredictable. The two vocal peaks were unexpected and I think make the song over all. I like how this song has a very subtile american country type of sound to it. This is one of the best songs on the album 8/10

2. crossroad (feelings haven't changed) (#1 fave)
My favorite track on the album. Very peaceful and nostalgic and VERY Ayu to me. The chords and vocals are so sweet and delightful it puts me in a good mood every time. The melody isn't super original but it's beauty covers for that. 8/10

3. MOON (feelings haven't changed)
(I'm surprised this song became a single honestly, to me the song is very predictable, J-pop typical, and unoriginal. The melody is pretty and her vocals are great, though the song lacks a lot) my feelings haven't changed much from this, the song has grown on me a bit, I give it a 4.5 now instead of a 4 but this song just does not truly grow on me 4/10 --> 4.5/10 4.5/10

4. Sending Mail
I now like this song because of how the layers of music pick up and get stronger as the song progresses. The main verse it powerful and packs a punch I like the layered vocals near the end. Still not one of her best ever but I like it a lot more! 5/10 --> 7/10 7/10

5. Last Angel
(A very interesting song, the beginning instrumental is very powerful and sinks you in right away. The melody is a bit awkward, but it grows on you and then you like it a lot. The chords are interesting and the lyrics are nice. I like the low "speaking" parts that low of vocals is rare for Ayu and a special treat.) My feelings are pretty much the same but I have a bit of a stronger love for it now 6.5/10 --> 7.5/10 7.5/10

6. Insomnia (same feelings)
An odd interlude that doesn't really fit with the album that well, the distorted vocals would be awesome in a remix album but in a ballad album called "Love Songs" sounds like this are disturbing mixed with the rest of the tracks 3/10

7. Like A Doll
The melody is a little plain and I still feel her vocals lack the most in this song out of all the songs on the album. The feeling of this song is really interesting it goes from almost a Christmas beginning to a slightly R&B song, it progresses wonderfully and the different elements work well together. This song is addicting! I can listen to this one several times in a row. 5.5/10 --> 7/10 7/10

8. Aria (same feelings)
Very beautiful and suits with the rest of the album well. One of my favorite Ayu interludes yet, the ending ends a bit awkward though, very anti-climatic 8/10

9. blossom
I now consider this one of the more weaker songs on the album, it has grown on me a bit, though I still feel the same about it, it's not good and it's not bad, I won't skip the song, but I don't love it. There is still something very Jpop typical and unoriginal about it to me, it's another typical Ayu ballad 6/10 --> 6.5/10 6.5/10

10. Thank U (same feelings)
(The sounds and background music to this song are super cute and addictive, Ayu does a good job controlling her sometimes ear-piercing "ii" sounds well. Though her vibrato is her typical "forced out" vibrato, it's not the natural kind that comes out when singers sing, it's obviously controlled and overly "bouncy" so to speak, it's not a vibrato that has a clean natural sound to it.) I still feel pretty much the same though the song has grown on me quite a bit I now think it's very pretty especially during the end despite the unnatural vocals by Ayu 5/10 --> 7/10 7/10

11. Sweet Season (same feelings)
Again, nothing special in terms of melody, the song doesn't speak to me. Her vocals are beautiful but the song again is nothing special I don't even know where to compliment it specifically 5/10

12. Overture (same feelings)
Really powerful and it suits well with the album. It sounds a lot like it would fit in with a Final Fantasy soundtrack (especially Final Fantasy 9) 7/10

13. Do It Again (#2 fave)
(The feeling of this song is very sad and beautiful, it makes me think of Batman for some reason like this would be the love song for Batman and Catwoman, a dark and beautiful love.)[/B] This song has grown on me a lot and now I love it, it's actually quite powerful when you really listen to it in depth. PV's always help me gain interest in songs and amplifies the strength in it. The beginning no longer sounds too long to me and I like the whole song. I'm not gonna call it "brilliant" like many but it is an awesome song! 5/10 --> 8/10 8/10

14. November (almost same feelings) (#2 fave)
(The chords and vocals in this song are wonderful and pull you in. One of the nicer songs in the album. Ayu's vocals have a uniqueness to them that I've never heard and I like it, her vibrato is a bit more "shaky" but not in a bad way). The song has grown on me the middle verses no longer bore me, I don't wait for the main verse to come. Her vocals are very beautiful! 6.5/10 --> 7.5/10 7.5/10

15. Virgin Road (same feelings)
(A pretty song and it took quite some time to grow on me, again, there isn't anything super special or original about it. I like the part where the melody and violins go up-beat a bit and play in synch. The vocals like all the songs on this album are very beautiful though.) My feelings haven't changed much it still isn't bad, yet it isn't like "wow" to me. 6/10

16. Seven Days War (same feelings)
The melody is nice and this is one of the better "almost a cappella" songs on the album where there is hardly any music and mostly Ayu's vocals. The chorus in the background adds a lovely touch at the end and you get Ayu's classic style of just humming and singing without words at the end which is quite uniquely hers in the Jpop world. 6.5/10

Over-all rating I give this album 7.5/10 Thats from 5/10 --> 7.5/10

The album has really grown on me and I now consider it her best album since Secret. Some of my most favorite songs by Ayu ever are on Rock 'n' Roll Circus and NEXT LEVEL though they are the only songs I really liked on those albums where as here I have 3 songs I give an 8/10 and a lot a 7/10 so each song individually I like a little less but I like more of them.

Examples: (this is comparing all her albums ever)
Rock 'n' Roll Circus: Microphone 9.5, Don't look back 8, You were... 7.5, RED LINE ~for TA~ 7, the rest, about 4-5 Average score: 6
NEXT LEVEL: Sparkle 9.5, identity 9.5, LOVE 'n' HATE 7, NEXT LEVEL 7, Curtain Call 7, the rest, about a 3-5. Average score: 7
GUILTY: talkin' 2 myself 8, decision 8, (don't) Leave me alone 7.5, Marionette 6.5, Together when... 6.5, the rest 3-4. Average score: 6.5
Secret: until that Day... 8, 1 LOVE 7, JEWEL 8.5, Born To Be... 9, the rest 5-6. Average score: 7.5

P.S. I LOVE AYU AND THIS IS JUST MY HONEST CRITIQUE AND FEELINGS ABOUT THE ALBUM. So PLEASE don't reply saying, "you obviously aren't an Ayu fan and this was a terrible thing to say" because I've had that before and it wasn't a necessary comment towards someone who loves 99% of what Ayu does. Please and Thank you!
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  #154  
Old 22nd December 2010, 09:49 PM
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sending mail's repetition, imo, is a really good effect. The lyrics speak of deleting and retyping the same line over and over, and then she gives the listener that feeling by repeating the chorus four times like that, it's really clever imo.

The more I listen to this album the more I fall in love with it. It's cohesive and works VERY well together, but at the same time all the songs stand out to me and I can remember all their melodies very well.

I posted a long review on Facebook, but I'll do a bit of one here.

Love song: 8/10
crossroad: 8/10
MOON: 10/10
sending mail: 10/10
Last angel: 9/10
Like a doll: 8/10
blossom: 6/10
Thank U: 7/10
Sweet Season: 2/10
do it again: 10/10
November: 10/10
Virgin Road: 9/10

Total: 8/10
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  #155  
Old 23rd December 2010, 01:15 AM
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jbrat2219 jbrat2219 is offline
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gogirlanime, I'm really glad the album grew on you! I think with any album, whether you love or hate it at first, takes a few listens to really get what the album's all about; to really discover the dynamic of the album. Even in her worst album, Ayu puts a lot of effort into the message she's trying to over all convey. We just have to really pay attention to figure it out lol. As I told a friend of mine, Ayu's music isn't something you can just turn your brain and heart off to and just drown yourself into a hot, dance-oriented club mix (that's what her remix albums are for ). Her music is meant for expression before enjoyment, I believe. Her albums sound a certain way because it better expresses her message. And to me, that's the best kind of music you could ask for.
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  #156  
Old 23rd December 2010, 01:17 AM
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Zeke. Zeke. is offline
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You know, I would totally love this album more if someone else sang it. I think Ayu's voice is just too... strong for these songs. Take November, I am in love with it but her voice is still a little too rough for most of it. The last few lines are powerful with her voice but I would like to see someone with a softer voice do a take on this - maybe Hikki's breathy vocals.

But yes, I do really like this album but I would like it more if someone else sang the songs, or if Ayu wasn't singing at all. Lol.

I mean, her voice sounds much better in this album I have already said but I still think it's a little too harsh for the softness of some of the songs.
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  #157  
Old 23rd December 2010, 06:33 AM
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gogirlanime gogirlanime is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbrat2219 View Post
gogirlanime, I'm really glad the album grew on you! I think with any album, whether you love or hate it at first, takes a few listens to really get what the album's all about; to really discover the dynamic of the album. Even in her worst album, Ayu puts a lot of effort into the message she's trying to over all convey. We just have to really pay attention to figure it out lol. As I told a friend of mine, Ayu's music isn't something you can just turn your brain and heart off to and just drown yourself into a hot, dance-oriented club mix (that's what her remix albums are for ). Her music is meant for expression before enjoyment, I believe. Her albums sound a certain way because it better expresses her message. And to me, that's the best kind of music you could ask for.
Thanks me too! Maybe I forced my thinking into liking it. And you couldn't have said it better!
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  #158  
Old 23rd December 2010, 06:44 AM
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Quick note upon re-reading: Sorry about the length, I get carried away ^-^;. Read the whole thing if you want, or ignore it altogether. I don't care. I'm just happy to get to finally review and listen to this album!!

YAY I finally get to do a review of my own! I've been listening to the album all day today to make sure I'm not just working off first impressions alone. I'm also going to listen to each song as I go along to make sure I know exactly what it is I'm talking about xD

SO EXCITING. Kayy here goes.

01. Love song - 9/10
I love this piano intro. Love it to death. To pieces, in fact. Ayu sounds really strong on this, and very healthy. The song itself is just the right balance between catchy and heavy. The only thing I have a problem with is how she pronounces the syllables "-masu ka". It's just weird for some reason. Other than that, this is amazing.

02. crossroad - 9/10
Probably my favorite single from this album. But I really like all the singles. I don't know. Whatevs, this song is great.

03. MOON - 8/10
A solid single, lots of heavy instrumentation... it's emotional yet not so much so that it becomes unpleasant to listen to due to its heaviness. I'd go so far to call it a 'typical Ayu song', but I mean that in the best sense possible.

04. sending mail - 9/10
I like how this song starts with the piano (more classical influence) then slowly brings in some electronic feel into the album. It's very powerful and energetic, and has a nice build into the chorus. That being said, I find the melody of the chorus to be a little strange. Maybe I'm just not used to it yet, but the whole "MUSICMUSICMUSICMUSIC -quick silence- MUSICMUSICMUSIC" thing is a little jarring. Not a huge problem though.

05. Last angel - 10/10
Okay I lied. THIS might be my favorite single. Once again does the whole classical-into-electronic thing, but it works. It's just a pleasant song to listen to.

06. insomnia - 9/10
I love this interlude because it really does sound like its name. Very tense like a sleepless night... it's haunting in some respects too. Once again, we have strings and electronic sounds together, which make me happy. Only beef is that I wish more was done with this idea... I don't want this particular interlude extended to a full song, but make 'insomnia' into a full song that does sound like a sleepless night.

07. Like a doll - 7/10
This miiiiight be my least favorite song on the album but it's not definite yet because it may just need to grow on me. As it stands though, it seems sort of jumpy. Almost as though it can't decide on a mood or a style. It does too many different genre-jumps for one song. Like I said, it might grow on me though.

08. Aria - 9/10
Pretty, classical-inspired interlude. Very happy sounding. Only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because I can't imagine myself giving any interlude a 10... haha I don't know. It's just a weird thing with me.

09. blossom - 8/10
It's a good song. I feel like there's nothing more to say about it. It fits, it sounds good, and it doesn't make me want to drive a drill through my skull. That's really all I ask for anyway.

10. Thank U - 10/10
I'm so freaking happy she decided to put on a BLUE BIRD type upbeat tune on this album. It's something she hasn't done in awhile. I just smiled myself silly when I heard this song.

11. Sweet Season - 9/10
This song gets stuck in my head. It's beautiful and sentimental. I remember sitting on a bench at school with this playing on my ipod, and in front of me was a lawn covered in fallen leaves. I was just enjoying the sunshine and the breeze, when suddenly the wind blew toward me right as the chorus came in and all the leaves began rushing toward me. It was such a lovely moment... the song fit it so well and I felt so good right then. So I'll always associate this song with that moment.

12. overture - 9/10
Another classical interlude to please the music geek in me. It builds fantastically and feels almost like that point in a video game when your party is headed toward the final boss and there's that determination and heroism in the air. Haha strange analogy I know...

13. do it again - 8/10
I listened to this song with my boyfriend for the first time. We were enjoying the piano opening very much, and then, god, her Engrish came in. He collapsed on the floor laughing - keep in mind he loves J-music just like me so it's not out of a lack of understanding - but he just couldn't get over how she sounded. I sort of agree that the chorus is odd due to the Engrish issue, and GOD I wanted this song to be danceable when I heard the title. All in all though, save for the chorus, it's still a good song... completely works after overture.

14. November - 8/10
Yay more orchestration! I expected to this song to be, well, sappier, and slower, but I'm not gonna complain. I'm not crazy about ballads anyway. Like the rest of the album, it fits well with the rest, makes the big picture prettier by its presence and doesn't really piss me off so it's all good. The melodies in the orchestral transitions can be a little odd though.

15. Virgin Road - 10/10
God. This song's so pretty. The lyrics tear me up. I wish this song was in English or I was born Japanese or something, because I'd love to sing this for my mom at my wedding. It's wonderful.

16. SEVEN DAYS WAR live - 9/10
It's different. Hearing songs live for the first time is always weird for me, because her voice isn't what I'm used to it sounding like on the recording, and here, she seems to be chopping the ends of phrases short for whatever reason which is odd. The performance seems to be very emotional though, and knowing when it was from, it makes sense that she'd cry while singing this particular song... even though this isn't my favorite song ever, I applaud the performance more than anything.

OVERALL: 9/10

Amazing album, truly. Each piece makes sense. It doesn't seem like just a collection of random songs she decided to sling together. This album seems more purposeful than many of her recent releases... as though the same thoughts, ideas and emotions flow through the songs. I have to admit, it's something to enjoy more as a whole. I always have trouble figuring out which song I want to listen to out of all of them, but if I just start at Love song and let it go, I enjoy it more.

Plus, I'm crazy about the orchestral and classical influences here, since I'm a music major at school. I wish I heard more classical influenced pop these days. The electronic stuff is amazing as well, feels like a nod to Next Level a bit, which is one of my favorite Ayu albums.

So much wonderful here. I'm beyond satisfied.
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Last edited by Sirea; 23rd December 2010 at 06:49 AM.
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  #159  
Old 23rd December 2010, 07:54 AM
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truehappiness truehappiness is offline
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It's a bit funny how this album seems to be Ayu's most cohesive in a while and yet it was pieced together in the shortest amount of time ever for an Ayu album, which is a little over 8 months from Rock'n'Roll Circus to now. The previous "record" was 10 months for LOVEppears and Duty, I think? And yet people seem to think Ayu puts out her best work if she spends more time on an album and doesn't "rush" it.
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  #160  
Old 23rd December 2010, 10:52 AM
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I'll post a full review later but just to say..
this album really IS cohesive hahha..yea its overused but i totally get it now. I felt like I was in a dream..and was wondering..IS THIS REALLY AYUS ALBUM? It doesnt fully have that Ayu sounds actually..

best new song: Love song (i only have 3 letters for this song.. - O.M.G.)

i think Like a doll is the weakest though..

this was just based on my FIRST LISTEN...so yea...I wanna go back to Love songs dreamland
and Aria is superb
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