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^why the negative towards JJ? He's quite a talented singer.
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I'm definitely ready and excited for her new album. I hope there will be some nice teamayu versions because I'd then register in order to buy one.
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All of Ayu's album titles mean something...never nothing |
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But he made a terrible duet with Ayu :/ |
is it confirmed that the gift is a ballad?
that song made ayu cry, but when I heard song for a first time - it is made me cry too. Last minute is not a 100% ballad song |
it is only confimed that it is NOT a duet, he probably just wrote the score
and The Gift sounds supsiciously like a ballad, underlined by the fact that she had to cry I'm indifferent to this album. The banner reminds me of MY STORY and I kill her if A ONE really means ASIA ONE, thats just bullshit and nothing to make a mystery of that said, I expect a pretty calm album... |
The album title sounds odd, but I hope and pray to god that there are no more embarrassing low budget PVs. I still don't know how she thought XO or Angel were appropriate for release and not some awful awful joke.
I also hope to god the collaboration with this JJ fellow will be nothing like their Seasons duet, which was awful! A song that is a gift from the sky sets the standard pretty high. I'm expecting something Akin to Heaven or Hanabi now lol. Quote:
I think its not just production (or PVs) that Ayumi has become lazy with but also the instruments she uses on her tracks often seem artificial, muted and lifeless. All of that maybe fine for a casual listener who may not invest the time to thoroughly enjoy a track, but to keep fans coming back, these things are important. Many fans will say we are asking for too much from her, but it was her that elevated this herself to that standard and didn't care to maintain it *shrug* And the end of the day though, its reached a point (for me) where if she can continue to release songs that I can listen to and enjoy even on a superficial level, then that's good enough for me (i'll still criticize her awful/embarrassing videos though). Hopefully the rest will come back in time?? |
And what if A ONE means...
A(ph)ONE and is just an instrumental album without voices ? :shakehead nevermind, I have to sleep :D |
Well, I just hope it's not a album filled with ballads because that's not the Ayu I love the most. I love some of her ballads, but I seriously can't listen a album full of them so that's why I hope she will have some diversity like with (miss)understood or Party Queen. I like the albums with diversity in music styles. :)
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I'll probably like just about anything she comes out with. I've learned to like her ballads a lot so I'm not too worried.
I would love to make a fan-made album cover but my photoshop program is no more... Maybe I'll have to...hand draw a concept, lol XD |
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The standards for what sounds "professional" in general have really changed over the years and because of the accessibility of music production software, demos sound more like pro songs and pro songs sound more like demos. There are certain marks of professionalism that GOOD music still has, even when it's programmed, like a good mix and deliberate, careful creation of loops and beats, and anything played with a real instrument now stands out as being especially professional sounding. I think Ayu needs to have some higher standards regarding those aspects of her music - her stuff lately has all sounded, to me, like just really really competent demos, but still like demos. |
Sometimes I wonder if ayu really ever paid a lot of attention to those kinds of things. I feel like if she did, she'd notice the differences in quality by now. I mean, she's not stupid, but I do wonder what it is that she does and what she focuses on, and if she's paid attention to the things she's left/is leaving to others that may or may not turn out well.
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A ONE can highly possibly mean LOVE of the only one.
Imagine this is the logo of the album http://i.imgur.com/5vlBqax.png |
I pray to the lort that nothing about this release ends up being tacky. There's just too much mystery right now. She seems like she's finding the right track again but who knows.
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There's also an indescribable feeling in her music lately that translates as a rush Unfinished project to me.:no Even though back in the day her releases were more frequent. It's like... There's something missing, could be low standards, or lack of creativity but whatever it is, it's making new comers keep their distance and old timers bored and almost retire from being an Ayu fan.:( ( example: colours plus PVs. |
I am so worried now that this album will rehash the LOVE theme that has plagued Ayu's career since MOON/blossom. I am genuinely so tired of her writing about love that I'm ready to ask the FDA to schedule the last five years of her career as a controlled substance due to it being a highly effective sleeping aid. I get that her biological clock has been ticking, but this LOVE shit is getting old. I mean, for crying out loud, at least do something creative with it like Otsuka Ai.
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Can someone give me an example of some songs with "perfect" mixing and songs with "bad" mixing?
I honestly have no idea what mixing even is lol. I just judge a song on if i like it or not |
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Good mixing makes the music sound "full" - it expands the scenery. Bad mixing is either flat, dead center, with little variation and utilization of space. Or just improper mixing levels regarding volume. |
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To me, it sounds great. |
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Here we go again - I think now we might fear this could happen... We understand some of us are really getting tired of "LOVE" on titles, explicitly or implicitly (although Colours wasn't titled with Love or something)... |
I feel like Last minute would have benefited from having a recording session like Memorial address'.
Looking at the title in text form... A(L)ONE seems like such a likely end to this. |
Maybe A One will turn out to be a giant prank where when we open up the case, there's only one song on the tracklist.
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I feel like the title is an homage to a series. It would make sense.
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"I will never forget the best time of my life." :grumpy |
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@melissalove Glad I could make you laugh!! :D :D Nice to know others have a sense of humor, too! XD |
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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bc4IhriIAAAVqn4.jpg:large |
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I think The GIFT will be the first songs to promote album
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I love how negative ppl (mostly the western fans) are with the unreleased album, just lower your expectations now so most of ya'll won't complain as much when the album gets released lol
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I just still hope it will be ONE ballad like she did with (miss)understood. This one = for HEAVEN, Last minute = criminal, Zutto = Will, Walk = rainy day.
AND THE REST WILL BE POP AND ROCK. Perfect harmony. |
we have to wait long for now :(
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#SoSad Quote:
1. THE GIFT Melody ~ZUTTO / LAST MINUTE / WALK / THE GIFT ~ |
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@kotora Or the live recording of jj's and ayu's seasons duet. lmfao i gotta stop, i'm having to much fun with this. |
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The Gift will be included on the album, so that's make 11+1 ? was it included since the announcement ?
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It's included in the 11.
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It's included in the 11 because it seems like it was planned for 1uite a while what with jj saying he started memorising the Romaji for seasons 2 months ago
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So that's 7 songs she did in the last month or so?
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I really don't mind if she recorded 7 or so songs within a month but I just pray "dear gods of thousands heavens" please I hope the songs won't sound rushed!!
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http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...psgfzlj4y1.gif |
Wait, who's Beyonce?
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There's an interview from around Duty's release where it seems like Ayu says that much of Duty was recorded in between the 2nd week of August and the first week of September. Even more impressive..she followed up Boys & Girls with 4 classic (then) new songs almost exactly a month later.
I wish Ayu and Avex would release some sort of Ayu encyclopaedia with dates/logs/diary entries from over the last 15 years. Including things like working title song names, provisional tracklists, original draft lyrics, when exactly songs were recorded, PV shoot dates, etc |
Competition...from...miwa?
I'm trying to be neutral here, but there could be ONE that might have a serious challenge to ayu...and that would be miwa.
Just recently, miwa and the management has announced they would releasing a new album called "ONENESS" - and the miwa team has decided to throw their hat into the April 8th ring and attempt to spoil Ayu's 17th anniversary. http://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000112854 I understand this is an ayu thread and not miwa (see here), but miwa's new album announcement may pose a challenge for Ayu in therms of the #1 album battle. As of now, when I checked CDJapan, miwa's new album isn't listed on CDJapan yet, but I don't see any other artists - especially Johnny's - that might steal that #1 spot (please no Kisumai album!!!). Last time miwa released a new album ("Delight"), she got #1. And that was back in 2013. The last time Ayu got a #1 album was "LOVE again", that was also back in 2013. We understand "Colours" didn't do as well because of the stiff competition (and, yes, Kisumai), but as of now, the only REAL competition that I am seeing is miwa - and she just announced it yesterday. Yes, I do like BOTH ayu and miwa, but this is interesting when you've got the ONE empress dueling out against the ONE rising 24-year-old superstar trying to duel out for the #1...! This is going to be an interesting duel to watch. miwa just recently went to LA area, supposedly for her new album, so hopefully she can put out some good songs. Hopefully Ayu can put out good songs (those eight new songs) as well. My other favorite artist, Yanawaraba, is also releasing a new album on April 8th as well, but they're doing a cover album consisting of folk songs from the 1970s and 1980s, and I don't expect them to compete for #1... |
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miwa... she's pretty decent. But it looks seriously too coincidental to be a coincidence. I dunno. ONENESS? The date? Way too similar. |
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miwa has had quite a few singles, but I think she'll experience the BoA effect with ONENESS. I genuinely think the album will sell poorly because so many of the tracks will have appeared on singles over the last two years (6 single releases since Delight). She's really stuck in this crappy spot where she'll be hurt if she leaves off songs from the singles, but she'll hurt if she includes them all because of how many there are. Anyway, I think it's unlikely. What I'm more concerned about are Koda's sales for WALK OF MY LIFE. Koda usually just barely outsells Ayu each year, so really, whatever Koda sells will be a super strong indicator of how well A ONE will sell. I think most of us will cry a little if A ONE hits #1, but most of us are just hoping this album reflects Ayu more than her last several albums have. It's been so spotty and bad, I think we're all just hoping for a real Ayumi record again. If Ayumi SOMEHOW pulls this off, I think more of us will cry about that than anything else. Hell, I'm just hoping she can make Zeke's adorable ass happy for the first time in several years. |
I thought LOVE again was pretty Ayuish... LOVE and again were fantastic but then the execution of the full album was a little funky. So much pink that era. I think LOVE again is going to be the era that people go back to and appreciate a lot more... like 2009 and NEXT LEVEL.
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RnRC mixing never bothered me until the concert came out and I started listening to most live versions instead of the studio ones :P Don't look back is still better at studio tho
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Also the whole battle for no1 thing is just plain stupid... Quote:
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njanjayrp take a deep breath and count to ten
Ayu shooted music video today! She cried while watching it. Was it Last minute? and she going to announce something tomorrow (?) not sure in translation |
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tbh... I didn't even think about where she'd chart lol. I feel like in Japan, once your sales start to decrease, there's not much going back up from there. So I definitely don't expect her to hit #1 with this album since Colours barely broke top 5.
Also, noooooooo @ LOVE again eventually becoming appreciated by fans lol. I can't even imagine how bad her works would have to become in the future for me to go back and think that was an acceptable quality for a release. |
I love the title!!
can't wait for the release!! |
I also think the mini albums deal and beige-photoshoots made people dislike LOVE again, I really like that album! Wake me up, Song 4 u, Missing, SAKURA and Sweet scar alone are already worth it, and I guess apart from Bye-bye darling I find all songs at least great. A shame the album wasn't supported by a proper tour, it could have made people appreciate properly the album.
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but still this album have too much ballady side :P but well, for my opinion Colours had great covers (simply but not peachy, lovely etc) and the music was a disaster. But well, PQ and (miss) have worst and they are my favorites... Music defended itself... |
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Who is miwa...... |
^ she had that good song with kimi ni deaeta kara.
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One day Ayu will also admit that THE introduction was composed by Nintendo. One day. |
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Wouldn't mind another one. |
^I really could never get into Don't look back. The chorus is just so lifeless. I mean, I see a bit of potential there, and the atmosphere they were trying to go for works successfully in a few places... but I feel like they never really tied it all together. I think they used a mixture of modern sounds with some stale sounding ones. For example, the instrumentation for the parts that echo after each line during the chorus sounds really cheap. The song sounds like halfway between a demo and a master copy.
However, I will say the bridge in this song is one of her best! It's the only part I love, but I love it A LOT. I wish the entire song evoked more of that feeling, rather than being so lifeless. The bridge is very emotional and captivating. But the chorus feels too removed. |
it's all subjective x
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This is fairly common practice in the music industry on both sides of the pacific, however, and I'm not sure how many people even notice it. The levels in the song are fairly good, but better in "Mirror." Ayu's vocals get drowned out a bit too much for my taste in MW, as much by background vocals as by the instrumentation. "Mirror" has her sounding much clearer. Quote:
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I think it does the moody, pensive, sad, mopey sound far better than "Tell me why" did. And now I know what to write when I finally put together my blog entry for the song (which was supposed to be today lol) |
Don't look back is probably one of the most unique tracks she has in her repertoire. Sexy little things too.
Rock'n'Roll Circus, to me, is the most 'Ayu' album that isn't 'conventional Ayu'. |
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The entire R'n'R album was the opposite. Every single song built you up to something that would take a turn in the opposite direction. Everythibg lacked a full on hook. I guess, her strongest pieces seem to have verses that were constructed in a way that was meant to enhance the chorus - to really enhance that peak. But R'n'R has some of her weakest Chorsus in her career. I will even go as far as saying they are her weakest. The only gem was Microphone. That's not to say I dislike everything else on the album. I grew to accept countdown (although the prechorus initially built you up to something that didn't fully escalate in the way you'd expect), Last links is enjoyable, and I love BALLAD now that I've discovered the correct atmosphere for the song. But, sexy little things is really absurdly annoying. It certainly had that circus theme down, but it's like they just took the goofy loop you hear at circuses when clowns are riding around on unicycles and tried to turn it into a compositon when that jingle/melody is annoying to begin with. It doesn't even feel like a song - it's too gimmicky. And don't get me started on lady dynamite. Seriously tragic. Yet another song that turns into something completely unexpected. The prechorus is really good though. The "datte..." Or whatever. I just really hate most of it for the fact that it teases you with snippets, mere moments of brilliance, only to lead into something substantially less enjoyable. |
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Try listening to That Man by Caro Emerald and behold how the style sounds like Sexy little things. I really liked what they did there because it was extremely original, unique and sounded really good (to my taste). Btw I loved Don't look back's bridge with the real Darbukas, the instrumetal bridge in that song is to die for. I wish they would use the real darbukas in the whole song but I still like it. I sometimes wish ayu would try to make a Mediterranean music style song. Don't look back is the closest, especially the bridge. |
it's strange but all of zeke's criticisms of RnRC are basically the problems I have with Love songs. but I'm not gonna argue for the sake of arguing. both albums are def the weakest of her discography for me. I really miss the days when you'd hear the opening chords of Endless sorrow and immediately get shivers. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic.
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the gift.... she should give it away for free
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so the today announcement
ayu will held special events 27,28 febriary and 1 march with prelisten 6 songs from new album |
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i'm not that good in english so I coudn't write this down here I also got this feeling about "Return Road"... I love this, I do. But there is soooomething misssingggg... and you got exact same opinion about Don't look back chorus. It sound like a demo or whatever. So not polished and so lifeless! and Lady Dynamite, yusss. This song should burn in hell. Sexy little things are perfect though. I would not change anything except PV - it looks cheep. |
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Also I thought Love songs was a general 'return to form' with Ayu for most Ayu fans. |
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And thank God, I though I was the only one who hated Lady Dynamite |
Whooa..can' t wait to hear more about these special events :)
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Maybe they are holding some songs back?
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That probably means there wont be previews released before these events :/ Oh well, gotta wait then
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maybe other songs are interludies xDD
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If she has an intro with vocals, it'd be nice. It's been a long while since we've had one of those... and they were an Ayu staple.
When she did the Party Queen listening party, they got to hear the entire album and saw PV clips. |
Hopefully it just means they want 2 songs to be completely new but we will only be able to know when we get the album or something...
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Cannot wait! I hope we can prelisten to The Gift. I am really curious about that one.
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we should be getting a tracklist by the beginning of March then?
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OMG, Ayu will appear in Avex headquarters' studio in Tokyo to grant special interview that will be broadcast live through LINE LIVE CAST on March 1st ( for about 1.5 million domestic subscribers of Ayu's official Line account). I hope someone records it.
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I'm subscribed to her official Line account. Anyone know how Line Live Cast works? Just through the Line app?
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yup..how to watch the broadcast?
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Loving the album title ^O^
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