Sorry, but there's no difference. One is just a positive extreme, the other a negative.
As long as it's worded nicely and with a reason added, I don't see a problem.
But reading the reactions of some ayu fans here yesterday and today, not all seem to be able to take both.
People are different and they react differently. you don't have to like it, but you should respect it.

It’s not throwing a tantrum. I think it’s getting to the point where one really has to stop living in naivety and honestly ask themselves “what if things actually don’t get better? What if we really have seen the best, and from here on out we continue rolling down the hill?” It’s the breaking point when the hope that you’ve clung to for so long has left you feeling nothing but a lonely fool.

I think it’s really ironic when people just can’t see that and kind of speak as if they are above those who are struggling with such intense emotions, sometimes even as if they somehow care about ayu more, when in fact those who are affected to this degree obviously have been touched by her music in a way those questioning them will never quite understand.

For some of us, music is more than entertainment - it is sustainment. And when what has been a powerful force in said sustainment fails to provide that, it’s a hard reality to face. It’s not completely unfathomable that a mourning process would go along with it. And whom are we to dictate what a person can and cannot mourn?

Nop,I listen to Ayu for 15 years now, trust me I had time to have huge expectations haha

(I don't know if I understand all what you said but I hope)

(I am frustrated because I can not say exactly what I want because of my poor English (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻)

So, I don't think at all that Ayu don't want to be here or doesn't care about us. That just that for a couple of years, she really opens to us, it mean's that we can see her flaws, her limit and when she's fed up or she can't doing more. She's not a machine anymore. It was hard for me too, when I realised she's not so unshakeable, or she doesn't live for us, or make "bad" choice (the 2012/2013 era was a really bad memory on my mind, and everyday I wondered, what did she will find, to make noise)

In a way we are more equal now.

she get down from her throne to mingle with the crowd, with us, that's why we see her as she is, that's why it's easier to hurt her, but that's also why I find her even more touching and heroic.


For me TROUBLE is "It's hard now, but this 5 songs are all I have for now, I put all my heart on them, don't be mad, it's me and I'm proud of it"
that's why as you said, it's so Ayu.


Well, WHAT I WANTED TO SAY (finally) I compared her with a friend, not because I don't expect nothing from her, but as a friend, I know that sometimes a one-way support, waiting for more brillant days and try to learn with the negative and enjoy the positive.
More I grow up more I in this way and more I understand her work.


But yes, she can do more and better than TROUBLE and sometimes I want to tell her off, and then kiss her cheek and tell her "you're stupid but I love you"

Uh, just wanted to make a profoundly uninteresting statement that I actually like the mini and am glad that she released anything at all. I still enjoy We are the QUEENS a lot, especially because it's part of one of the most wonderful memories I've ever made in my life, and I also like aeternal and W. I think even, as far as I can judge that as I'm no music-virtuoso, that her singing in W is interesting somehow and I like her voice there in general.

I agree that the release is neither groundbreaking nor breathtaking, but I still enjoy it. :)

I tend to agree with you. I prefer Five, Brillante has no parallel in her discography and Beloved is so beautiful... Though I understand why people love Memorial Address, I prefer Five.
I would go with:
Five>Trouble>Memorial Address>Sixxxxxx

I must say, I know I didn't like W the first few times of listening to it, but something clicked while listening to it again yesterday and I rather enjoy it now.

I saw on Twitter yesterday that aeternal was #1 on AWA's Top 100 New Releases chart. Not only is it very generic (and not well-produced IMO), but it's been teased for a long time with those demo files. It's always interesting to see the songs showcased by her Japanese fans.

^
Didn't like W at first either, but now I really enjoy listening to it - sometimes it takes a bit longer for a song to catch on ;-)

In my opinion "Memorial address" is such an important release just because it has "forgiveness" on it. That song, to this days, embodies the depth and brilliancy a "mere" pop-ballad can possibly be made of. Sometimes I feel it is not to the advantage of other (weaker) ballads from Ayu, though, because with the creation of "forgiveness" the standard has been set very high and, as I personally think, has never been matched by another ballad, ever since.

Of course there are so many beautiful, valuable ballads on Ayu's discography, but especially with the perceived decline in quality standards these days, I cannot say pieces like right now on TROUBLE would do anything for me - not even remotely.

Ballads actually don't have to feel boring, exhausting, lengthy or like 100-times-heard-before at all. Ayu proved it back then, when she really was the Goddess of ballad madness and songs like "forgiveness" felt like unreal apparitions from outer space xD

maybe Im the only one who loves aeternal, lol, it reminds me of the old Ayu in A Song For XX era and also Words such a tearjerker for me, still cant beat Moon haha

^
I looooove aeternal - it's my favorite track on TROUBLE <3

It's the only song I don't care much about.

But I do like her voice on it. She sounds... old. What is nice in a song ending with Ayu saying she finally became an adult after 500 years saying that would never happen.

yaay! :luv2:luv2

though I too wish that we will get more than this 3 new songs, Ayu could do better than this but hmm :shrug

My least favorite is aeternal. I don't like her voice and the song is a bit boring.

YES! THIS!





My problem with aeternal is just one: When I listen to aeternal and then to Words I think that I was listening to the same song again.

^
true! they are quite similar

Basically my feelings on this release. I feel a profound disappointment, even though I realize that the tracks themselves aren't anywhere near terrible, and I'm glad that others are thoroughly enjoying them. It's just where I'm at now, and it makes sense given that the tracks I listen to now are primarily founded within the 1999-2005 eras.

I think it would be strange if we weren't having these conversations about an artist who has been releasing pretty consistently for twenty years. We're all at different points in our fandom, and that's okay. I hope future discussions can be more tolerant of this.

Also - to whoever mentioned forgiveness, thank you! I'm reminded of it every now and then, listen to it, and am always blown away. Same with walking proud, CAROLS, Dearest, and momentum. :heart

I think I like it about the same as FIVE and Sixxxxxx. Overall it's about equal to Sixxxxx but for me progress and BRILLANTE are better than anything on either release. The rest of FIVE was such a huge miss for me though. It's still new and a stream rip though, I never really know how I feel about an Ayu release until minimum six months. I loved sixxxxxx when it came out but I'm less fond now.

Edit: Just thinking about the state of Ayu's career. She's undeniably important to me, but at the end of the day her music not being as good now does nothing to erode my love of her older songs. Honestly, A ONE and Made in Japan were great to me anyway, so one average mini doesn't matter. I still listen to them. She's comforting at this point, I enjoy the average and when the great moments come it's the best. I cried at Made in Japan, watching tour DVDs gets me emotional. Don't know what to listen to? I'll put Ayu on. I think at one point I idealised her a certain way, but that was still marketing and branding her to be reliable to young women. I think she's guarded now, but more free to just be her. It isn't that I don't care now, but... It doesn't matter to me anymore. Doesn't make me love her music any less.

I'm sorry if this has already been addressed but I didn't see it anywhere.... what ever happened to that song that she was making with Timmy? I didn't see him in the credits for any of these songs.

^The way I am.

They used the same arrangment on the Line live.