Yup! Don't Look Back was executed PERFECTLY! It's subtle but it packs a lot of power behind it. Not everything has to have some fiercely dramatic composition + arrangement to make a great song. The fact that DLB doesn't need any of that makes it better than many of the songs she's done recently. :yes

Yeah Don't look back is the perfect song on the album...

this album just needs to kick Sunset off and put MOON in and it'll replace RAINBOW as my 2nd favorite album lol

i usually skipped sunset ~love is all~ cos i hated it but now after listening it in the album i love it...

im also starting to love last links and meaning of love but not for countdown yet.

^those three are the hardest to ever remember for me gosh...and its so strange because they have simple melodies but are so hard to remember..

I have to say that I don't love the album yet; there are no surprise gems for me. It does flow very well together but I was hoping for more songs like Microphone and I feel that I already heard the best tracks on the album before the album's release. Maybe it'll grow on me.
Am I the only one who finds meaning of love I identical to You were. Its driving me crazy.

i'm not really feeling this album (yet). maybe its because i was expecting something more 'rockish' like identity, talkin 2 myself etc. guess i have to give the album a proper listen lol.

TO ME, MOON sounds like Last Links. You don't have to accept because that is my opinion. You have your opinion that it sounds completely differently, and I don't blame you.

However, I don't understand why MOON is not included in R'n'RC??? Sunset does not fit for the entire album at all, but MOON should fit (perhaps?)

Yea..i could have been

Microphone -> count down -> Last Links -> MOON -> BALLAD ..that would be beautiful

I agree actually. Very surprising for Ayu, but I find the production on both those tracks kind of amateurish. (her vocals as well)

Wow, I was not expecting the limited box to be this huge.

Just finished listening to the album, I like the flow of the album, each songs goes very smoothly into the next.

My favourite track is meaning of Love, the melody and ayu's singing are really sweet.
The chorus of Microphone is catchy. The arrangement of Sexy Little Things is awesome. I wish the arrangement of her songs will go in this direction in her upcoming production. I'm getting bored by strings and guitar.

I have already forgot how Last Links and count down sound.... but they are quite nice as album tracks. Both reminded me of her MY STORY album tracks and It was.

I don't particular like Don't Look Back as most of you do. The arrangement did save the song from being mediocre.

BALLAD sounds exactly like GREEN. You were is very emotional, Sunrise/Sunset sound like new songs to me. It might be because I have stopped listening to them after the single was released.

I don't mind the album without the 3 interludes. Oh well, Lady Dynamite is just another upbeat track.... I wish she could use a completely new production team, just keep CMJK as the arranger in her next release.

My review is quite choppy, haha.

Overall, the album is very good. There isn't a track that I would skip. Track by track wise, it's not impressive but if you listen from the very beginning to the end, I love it. Nothing beats (miss)understood and Memorial address for me, but RnRC is close, perhaps I always like albums with a dark theme (except GUILTY).

I am buying it anyway and look forward to the MV, making-of, photobook, booklet and the whole design.

LOL I am not expecting you put pictures like that in your sig.

I think limited box should be bigger? I saw one before..
As someone mention before, Last links and count down should be songs for ayu about her deafness.

count down (at the beginning), is a very weird and annoying noise to bring the intro, but it could be taken off. It seems that as a beginning, that noise has some meaning.

Last Link (at the beginning), the music is only from right side, which implies that ayu can only hear the music /anything from her right side of her ear.

are you sure it's the right side? maybe my speakers are switched? I hear it come from the left side.

Use earphone and listen to this song, and you will know what I mean :)

If it's only on the right side, I would not have been able to hear it, because I'm profoundly deaf in my right ear. I heard it from the left.

I am confused left and right then X.X

Well, you can still hear some of it in your left ear too but it seems like they purposely made it louder in the right.

So I was driving home listening to Michael Jackson's Wanna Be Startin' Something and I noticed the thumping beat is the same kind in Ayu's DLB. Is it possible she used those kinds of beats common in MJ music as inspiration for DLB? That would be awesome if she did. She loves This Is It after all.

wow, this album is really quite 'meh' to me.

You can hear it faintly in the left ear but the acoustic guitar in the beginning is a lot more prominent in the right ear. :shrug

I love the album one of her bests. the four Music video songs are great and countdown and Last links are my favorite. They are in the same style as It was... and Liar.

Something me and 2 friends noticed while discussing RnRC:

1. "The Introduction" - intro
2. "Microphone" - Ayu's love/hate relationship with her career and her needing of music
3. "Count Down" - Ayu's losing her hearing
4. "Sunset: Love is All" - Ayu whispering she loves somebody/something
5. "Ballad" - Ayu beging for someone/something to not leave her
6. "Last Links" - Giving up will not end the sorrow
7. "Montage" - interlude
8. "Don't Look Back" - Forcing herself to keep going and not looking back
9. "Jump!" - interlude
10. "Lady Dynamite" - Nobody wanna hear u complaining
11. "Sexy Little Things" - Even if she looks only kawaii, she is smart and strong
12. "Sunrise: Love is All" - and she shouts her love for something
13. "Meaning of Love" - how much love makes life meanful
14. "You Were..." - how much it feels cold and lonely without love
15. "Red Line: for TA" (Album Version) - If we don't give up, and we go on together, we can make it

---

Maybe we were just smoking something really strong, but it seens that this album is basically about her career post deafness... And how she can take strenght from music and her fans to keep going on, even the order the songs have...

ômg the way u put it.... O.O
the album sounds beautiful. But yea, I too felt like the first part was so angsty and raw while the second half felt like its a new start...
I mean, placing Sunset BEFORE Sunrise is the best way to symbolise that the positive energy towards the end.

Well, further emphasizes why "Don't look back" is right smack in the middle... I did a thread about that :laugh

I am disappointed.

This album is just bleh...

i think don't look back is smack dab in the middle of the album to symbolize that you shouldn't go back to the first part of the album cause that's the worst part of it. >>

omg something is wrong with me I liked meaning of Love! _-_

There's nothing wrong with you :yes I like it too.

This album is very diverse, it's funny to see some ppl's favorites are ppl's least favorites. I love the meaning of love too. I love all the songs on this album. The interludes are alright.

Best songs for me~ Microphone/Last links/Sunset

But I feel weird because I called it the worst Ayu song ever not many days ago.:laugh

^ It wasn't my favorite at first either, now I love al~most as much as Days! :laugh

lol she has way worse songs than that *looks at the ASFXX album*
I wouldn't say it's one of her best ballads but it's sweet & nice to listen to.

You should look just a little further back lol *looks at NOTHING FROM NOTHING* :innocent

i think rock 'n' roll circus is the best album since GUILTY.
All the tracks are nice.
THE introduction - sounds like a transition from NEXT LEVEL.

Microphone -best tune in the album

count down - another more of a rockish tune <3

Sunset~Love is All~ - slow tempo ballad, very soothing.

BALLAD - touching ballad

Last links - i love the strings in the tune. (one of the best tune in the album)

Don't Look Back - bollywood style~~ nice~

montage - sounds like some classical song

JUMP! - a jumpy interlude? with ayu saying JUMP! most of the time.

Lady Dynamite - quite a nice song lol

Sexy Little Things - cutesy electropop <3

Sunrise~Love is All~ - upbeat version of Sunset?

meaning of love - slow ballad quite ok for me~
you were... - my least favourite track on the album, i just cannot relate to it lol.

RED LINE~for TA~ - i don't know what to say just that its a nice song to end off the album.

Ohh where to start... I got my limited box today. Listened to the album, and yeah, I just want to skip all the single songs... I don't wanna listen to them.

The interludes are really really good! I'm surprised of how much I like them! is like they are telling a story! I specially love montage but THE introduction is awesome too!



The album is all about count down and Last Links... those songs own the album to me, then comes Microphone/Sexy little things/Lady dynamite... those 3 are in a same level to me.

Don't look back is just epic, but I do not relate it to the album at all, I mean, that song overtakes the album at every single level, is too good to be in the album (to put it in some way understandable).


RED LINE is a good ending, but nothing else than that.


meaning of love is beautiful, but it could have been like a B-side for a single so after that we did not really have to listen to it (kinda like Life).



Her vocals are really weak... I'm amazed that the editing actually helped some of the songs to sound better, while made others to sound really meh/bad.




I like the album, but less than NEXT LEVEL, less than GUILTY.





In my personal opinion, this should be ayu's last album for now. I wish she could work on her vocals and travel a bit more so she can get some new ideas for new things...

I don't see any better album coming out from her next, I really hope I'm wrong... but I just don't see it.



MOON should be her last single too.

^believe me...you are too hard on your expectation and you are too hard on ayu as well...
you put to much expectation on her...that's why you feel dissapointed and unsatisfied

Just listened to the album last night and I really didn't mind it, which is a big thing coming from me since I really haven't liked anything she's done since MY STORY lol. I don't like all the songs, but it's certainly not a bad album. Her vocals though... :/

My favourites are Microphone, count down, Last Links, Jump! and Lady Dynamite.

Ive changed my thoughts about Microphone. At first i was like "OMG OMG this rocks" then i was tired of it. But when i got HQ 320 on my mp3 player, i fell in love again. Especially for the beginning (makes me think of GAME) and with the latest live (she sounded so good) :D

YAYY to all meaning of Love supporters...I think...i might actualy love it more than Days...

Yeah, I realised this playing it on my IPOD. :dead2

...iPods are special in music playback. @_@

I like the album like any Ayu album.
Maybe not as much as NEXT LEVEL that was an awesome album for me.
But I will wait a little longer to judge definitely!

I looo~~ve how she speaks English in the new making-ofs *-*

that is not true

I'm one of the ones that is not asking ayu to go back to how she was before... and I just want her to be happy :/

you cannot judge me for just one comment on one album. If you go and read other of my comments you will see that I am not too hard on ayu or whatever you said

she's happy making music :yes.

:yes

I am still quite iffy about this album still (despite the fact that I bought the 1st Press DVD, CD & Booklet from ebay in a heartbeat). Here's my track Ranking:

1. Red Line
2. Don't Look Back
3. Sexy Little Things
4. Microphone
5. Sunrise
6. Lady Dynamite
7. You Were

But apart from these songs the remainder of tracks and interludes kind of flop for me.

Favorite Tracks
1. Sexy little things
2. BALLAD
3. montage
4. Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~
5. count down
Least Favorite Tracks
1. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~
2. You were...
3. meaning of Love
4. Jump!

Finally got my favorite/least favorite tracks figured out (:

i think she is happy now, in fact she is very proud with this album....so why we aren't proud too?

...because some of it isn't exactly material that one should be proud of.

after listening to the album a few more times, I think I grew more accustomed to meaning of Love, it's growing on me! But my despise and hatred for Sunset grows even more.

EDIT: Like when Sunset starts, my first thought was, "wtf is this. I want to listen to BALLAD now. *NEXT*"

I think it definitely is. I'm glad she's proud of every track.
Obviously the music in the album is the type of music she loves making and is EXTREMELY proud of, so we'll probably be getting more songs like these. That's bad news for the people who don't like it, very good news for us who love it.

ohh I do like the album, don't get me wrong... but I like it less than NEXT LEVEL atm, for example.

I'm sure it will grow on me though, and as I said before, I just don't feel the single tracks atm... the only one I can actually listen to is BALLAD, for now.



I lovee lovee count down... this song is becoming one of my favorites

I still haven't gotten my copy yet and it's driving me CRAZY! But as far as I what I've heard I think this album doesn't offer anything she hasn't done before. Rock, pop-rock, standard winter ballad, typical summer song, love songs, feminist songs, oriental songs, old-school-Ayu songs, even arabian/indian influenced songs have ALL been done before. But what is different about this album is everything is AMPLIFIED. It's like she's taken gems from her past and put a new perspective on it and enhanced it. And I love how she kept her word with this album. It is simply amazing! And I haven't even heard the whole thing xD;.

you put it soo beautifully love :luv2 I hope u get your copy soon so you can enjoy it!! :D

^ Omg, "it" should be "them"! I don't know what's wrong with my English lately, it's getting worse!!! I need to stop studying a million other languages lol! And I hope I get mine soon, too!

Okay. Album review time. If you don't like what I have to say and just reply to call me a troll/Ayu-hater/whatever, save yourself the energy and don't bother. That being said...

THE introduction
It kind of starts out with a dark feel, like you're in the middle of some sinister forest. I like when the synth kicks in about halfway through, and then again when the drums come in at about 1:00. I remember this seeming particularly epic at the concert, but even now I still think it's a little strange when the mood suddenly gets lighter/happier with about 15 seconds left to go, but the ending is nice. I still feel like it's lacking a little something. 5/10

Microphone
The beginning of the song is veeeeery reminiscent of kiss o' kill for me, but the way it kind of EXPLODES! surprised me at first. I don't particularly care for the melody of the verse, but I absolutely cannot deny that the arrangement and the production of this track are brilliant. It sounds extremely full and not lacking in any way. The first time I heard the chorus I didn't like it too much, but it's starting to grow on me the more I listen to it. My favorite part of the song is when it lightens up and Ayu sings "moshi kanpeki na melody ga aru nara, watashi wa mada deaitakunai", though I wish the electric guitar wasn't wailing so much when it first goes soft. It makes the contrast between the softness of that section and the EXPLOSION! of the final chorus that much more powerful. Microphone is slowly but surely growing on me. 7/10

count down
Upon hearing this at AT2010, I was completely blown away. Sadly, the studio version doesn't have the same effect on me. I have a feeling once the tour is released on DVD and I can have a 320kb audio rip, I'll never be listening to the studio version again. My main problem with the studio version is the chorus. While listening through headphones, the production sounds fine and dandy, and the bridge is lovely. But the chorus is just...oh man, it's missing something. I don't know what it is. But when I listen to count down through speakers, it makes me cringe. Every time. It sounds even more muddled after the first chorus, and then I kind of just sigh, give up, and move on to the next track. I even feel like her vocals are lacking during the chorus, like there's just not enough oomph behind it. They're lovely during the bridge, but once the chorus hits, everything seems to fall apart. Good idea, flawed execution. 5/10 (mind you, I'd probably give the live version an 8 or 9.)

Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~
In the Sunrise/Sunset wars, I've always been a Sunrise supporter. This album hasn't changed that, and I don't know that I'm all that fond of the transition between count down and Sunset. My feelings toward Sunset are much the same as they've ever been in that it's very much a 'mood piece' for me. I have to be in a certain mood or setting to listen to it. When done correctly, like it was at AT09, it can bring me to tears. But ultimately, I still prefer Sunrise. It's a shame that I'll never be able to see Sunset as its own song. 6/10

BALLAD
I was feeling fairly lukewarm towards BALLAD when "You were.../BALLAD" came out last year, but AT10 completely revamped my opinion of this song. The vocals aren't Ayu's best, but I love that she still gets the chance to show them off here, even if there is a bit too much vibrato for my taste. The whole song has a sweeping, grand feel, as though it should be the theme song to some epic Japanese movie. I'm a sucker for anything Ayu does that's oriental-sounding to this extent and has lots of strings. <3 The second chorus is my favorite part~ Also totally love the drums that are so prominent in the last chorus. 7.5/10

Last Links
Actually, I wasn't such a big fan of this song when I first heard it. I went to the concert, it was the first song she performed during the encore, I was kind of like, "yawn...whatever." Funnily enough, I woke up the next day and already had it stuck in my head. I enjoyed it much more at the concert that night. Sadly, IMO it's another victim of the count down curse. Amazing live, but the studio version is just not up to par. I love the fact that for the first few seconds, you can only hear through the right speaker. (A glimpse at what Ayu's life must be like, no matter how small.) I really hate the drums (are they snare drums?) that are used throughout the studio version. It gives the instrumentation a metallic kind of sound, which I hate. Another song that I'll listen to like crazy once the tour DVD is released, but until then I think I'll give it a miss. 5/10

montage
I don't actually know what to say about this track, other than the fact that it's my least favorite interlude she's ever done. It actually reminds me a lot of some music I've heard in Sailormoon...like, I'm thinking of scenes from the very beginning of 'Stars' when Nehelenia is going crazy trying to make Usagi's life a living hell. ANYWAY. This interlude really doesn't do it for me, and I don't see myself listening to it, like, ever. 3/10

Don't look back
I was one of the people that didn't think too much of this song when we first heard it in the Panasonic commercial, but I think the studio version is a massive improvement over the CM version. For some reason, this song has a very 80's vibe to me. Maybe it's the synth. My main complaint with this song is that it's too repetitive and gets old really quickly. (2 minutes into the song we're already hearing the chorus for the third time...are you kidding me?) The PV made me like it a bit more, but I don't think it's a track I'll be listening to very often. But like Microphone, it's an excellently produced and arranged track. I particularly like the instrumental bit that starts up around 2:40 or so. 5/10

Jump!
I think I'm in the minority here, but I looooove this interlude. It actually makes me want to get up and jump. :D tasking is my favorite interlude and I don't think Jump! quite lives up to it, but I still love it a lot for some inexplicable reason. 8/10

Lady Dynamite
This song...oh god, this mess of a song. Where do I begin? The only part I can listen to without visibly cringing is the bridge. Everything else about this song is so so so wrong to me. When I first heard it I thought it sounded more like something out of TRF's discography rather than Ayu's, but now I'm convinced that even they wouldn't release a piece of crap like this. Quite possibly tied with GUILTY for my least favorite Ayu song ever. 2/10

Sexy little things
I was pleasantly surprised by this song. The first time I heard a clip of it was when I was sitting at Saitama waiting for the concert to start, and they started playing the commercial for the new album...I tried SO HARD to cover my ears, but the volume was so loud that I could hear it no matter what I did, so I gave up. xD I hadn't been expecting something like that at all, so when she performed it during the concert I still didn't know what to think. But I ended up absolutely loving it! The arrangement and the effects are kind of all over the place, but I don't care. It works, somehow. I think that when you consider the album as a whole, this is the most original song on it. 9/10

Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~
GAAAH. I always have, and I always will, love this song. I have no words. 10/10

meaning of Love
I find this song so incredibly mundane, boring, cliche, etc. It puts me to sleep, and not in a good way. I'm trying to come up with other things to say. And failing. 4 minutes left, still?!? Noooooo damn it I want this song to be over. Tied with Lady Dynamite for the biggest fail on this album. 2/10

You were...
Since the weather today is so nice and I'm sitting here with my window open letting the gorgeous breeze flow through, I cannot listen to this song right now. Skip~ 6/10

RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version]
I love this song. I love it a lot. I've seen it compared to MY ALL by a lot of people, but to me they're not really the same. I see where the comparisons are coming from and everything, but this song is so much more than that to me, largely due to some personal things I was going through when the song was first released as part of YW.../B. And because of that, it will always be cemented in my memory as one of my favorite Ayu songs. Not so sure I like the arrangement of the album version, it sounds quite muddled in some places, but I do quite like the acapella at the end. Yay Ayu. <3 9/10

OVERALL: 6/10 (gulp)
This album really didn't live up to my expectations. When Ayu comes out and says this is her best work ever (though I suppose she would say that about every release, wouldn't she?) and then puts out an album like this...something doesn't add up. Especially when she's included tracks that are so badly produced (count down, Last Links)...these songs have real potential, but that potential wasn't explored here. On the whole, it's a step up from NEXT LEVEL, but I want more! Better! More better! And I know she's capable of it; she just didn't give it to us with this album.

The only song i will skip on this album is You were...
i think this album is 99% perfect but at least its still quite good compared to her previous album, at least for me. :/
i love montage <3

I must say...that there is definitely a circus of emotions in this album, just as ayu said.

I made a playlist of all her studio albums and re-visited her past music. After listening to the album, running away to her older works, and being wow'd over MY STORY again, it appeared to me that once (miss)understood began to play, I could not skip a single track! That was when it occurred to me that what seems to captivate me allll the way to the very end, is the variety of music she puts out in each album.

Rock & Roll Circus has it all for me. <3 Raw passionate lyrics, voice, and the strong character in each track!:love

My review is weird, but it's the only way I can explain why I love this album as much as I do. :p

"Introduction" is unlike any intro she's ever had, and I only think it was put in place to give off that "circus" vibe, without being too lengthy.
"Microphone" brings me back to "talkin' 2 myself", and her voice is so powerful here!
"countdown" was sorrowful and heartfelt like "still alone"...the intro when it goes sharp, made me think of the noise she said she heard when first losing her hearing. I cried...:(
"sunset" uplifts my mood like a lullaby and makes me think of "Voyage". It is sweet and loving, especially when the chorus comes in.
"BALLAD" reminds me of "Dolls" and "Theme of A-Nation" because it is so epic...the whole track is a journey with beginning, middle, and end.
"Last Links" oh god oh god so beautiful and catchy and the violins and the lyrics...it is the new "Endless Sorrow" for me.
"montage" is soooo Miyazaki at the end! The beginning is absolutely haunting though...I love this interlude. Nothing really compares to it for me.
"Don't look back" had the ethnic charm of "vogue" with a kick. The instruments really bring this track to life.
"Jump!" is incredibly energizing holy crap. I love it...she is sooo fierce here, and it reminds me of the introduction before "Fly High".
So when "Lady Dynamite" came on, it felt like "And Then..." and "Naturally" episode II and I was soooo excited that she greenlighted this track, because the beats are so funky. ;D PLEASE MAKE MORE OF THIS AYU -shot-.
"Sexy little things" is fresh, unique, cute, and catchy...this was how I felt when I first heard "STEP you". <3 <3
"Sunrise" is rowdy and fun like "July 1st"/"flowergarden"....love it even more on this album against the other tracks.
"meaning of Love" made me tear up...the melody is so touching and grew on me instantly. This could have been a single. It reminds me of "Key" oh goodness...
"You were..." is the latest "walking proud"
and the best album ender....
"RED LINE" woooo! I mean, wow! The good vibes in her voice, the melody, the lyrics, I can't stop smiling. Playing this song with "Replace" makes me so giddy with happiness. I love it. And the ending is beautiful...

I guess what I mean to say is, the fact that ayu has so many facets to her music makes me enjoy her albums all the more. The more that I can feel like "this reminds me of this track" and hear how it's even better than that, makes me excited to be her fan for so many years...

She just continues to amaze me :D.

Has anyone opened their "Ayu tea" yet? I want to but I'm not sure if I should...

I don't know what to say. It's like a mixture of the old Ayu + more mature. It's sad/happy/hopeful/optimistic at the same time. :D I don't know. I'm loving this.

TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO WRITE THIS SO READ IT LOL

So I FINALLY got my copy of RnRC and I just finished listening to it the whole way through! And I'm not really good at reviewing things but here are my thoughts.

THE introduction: laugh out loud. That's how weird it is, I had to spell out exactly what I did when I first heard it. I know a lot of people do NOT like it and I have to admit my first listen I didn't like it either (especially after hearing montage!). However, I've grown very quickly to like its weirdness and how it was surprising not as explosive as I thought it was going to be. I love how it is called THE introduction and it has to be the weakest piece of **** I've ever heard lol. It's almost like Ayu was making fun of it. Some might argue it doesn't have a place on this album - or any album for that matter - but I like it. Although I can definitely see why most hate it.

Microphone: What else more can be said about this song to be honest? It's amazing! But what I love the MOST about it is how it is the yang to Sexy little things ying. Not only are the PVs polar opposites, the songs themselves represent the album's polar opposites. Microphone being the rock 'n' roll and Sexy little things DEFINITELY being the circus. It also is more apparent by the fact that they both sound the most like what they're suppose to represent.

count down: I absolutely LOVE this song. I love the arrangement and I adore the chorus. This is easily my favorite non-single, non-PV accompanying track on the album lol. It's so dark, creepy and somber. It's like the GUILTY track of the album. I think I heard some say that it also sounds Western? Well I don't listen to a lot of Western music but I can actually hear it. I don't think it makes it any less amazing though.

Sunset ~LOVE is BORING~: Is boring. xD; To put it in better terms, it is one of those songs that only sounds good in certain situations. A nice quiet evening at home, relaxing, reading a book with a glass of wine just before bed kind of song. Not something I'll find myself listening to all the time. But it does have its place to me.

BALLAD: Beautiful, I love the arrangement. Bad point against this song, it sounds the LEAST unique to Ayu to me. It sounds like an alan song to be more specific and if alan had sung it herself it probably wouldn't make a bit of difference to me. Of course alan has her own share of songs that sound "Ayu-ish" well this song sounds "alan-ish." I love this song so obviously the bad doesn't bother me.

Last Links: I was pretty excited to hear this song after all the praise it got but I wasn't really captivated by it really... It felt like it was constantly moving and despite it being over 4 minutes long it sounds like it was only 2 minutes. It is a nice song and I certainly enjoy it but I find count down to be much better. I also don't enjoy the chorus that much but maybe it will grow on me. One thing I DO like about it though is how the song starts off with only the right ear being audible symbolizing her left ear issues I suppose that would have been better suited for count down yet it was only used for Last Links. Very interesting twist there Ayu!

montage: I was disappointed this wasn't a full song and after hearing it I'm even more disappointed! I love orchestra music so if Ayu makes another orchestra album it'll make up for this not being a full track lol. I also love how this should have TOTALLY been the intro yet was not. Further accenting the "circus" theme of the album in how everything is mixed to hell.

Don't look back: I LOVE THIS SONG! I ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT A DOUBT LOVE THIS SONG. By far my favorite song not only on this album but of hers in general in forever (technically since Sparkle). Since GUILTY, Ayu has had that ONE song on an album that totally stands out and outshines everything else (GUILTY - Marionette, NEXT LEVEL - Sparkle, RnRC - DLB). No wonder it's sandwiched!!! :D Not only does the song stand out, the PV does to. A lot of people argue that this song isn't that great because it feels like its missing something or there's no climax or it's flat whatever. But I think that's what makes this song even better because it truly doesn't need it. I think over producing it would have hindered the song instead of helped. Not gonna lie, much like BALLAD the song depends heavily on the arrangement. But think about it, isn't that what makes both songs so great?

Jump!: Thanks Ayu for having another interlude with the "needs to be a full track syndrome." Like her past two albums, she includes interludes that actually has us wanting an "interlude turned full track" compilation lmao. Ever since what happened to Mirror I have been HOPING AND PRAYING SO HARD YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW for tracks like The Judgement Day and Disco-munication to be transformed into full masterpieces. UNLIKE her past two albums, she has TWO interludes that need to be full tracks this time.

Lady Dynamite: I love this song! It's such a fun song. I always feel like dancing when I hear it and I love how Ayu had so much sass in the PV. It's not a club thumper like Sparkle but it's still pretty good! Yay Lady D ;D

Sexy little things: It's no secret I was not as impressed with this song as everyone and their moms seem to be. However, I luckily found out the source of indifference to this track - the PV. This is the first time I heard the song without watching the PV and I am absolutely IN LOVE. It's strange how a PV can make or break a song for you. I won't be watching the PV again for a while but I'll definitely be jamming to this song for days to come. :yes

Sunrise ~LOVE is GREAT~: I don't want to offend anyone but I think people who think this sounds like "just another Ayu summer song" needs to go back and relisten to Ayu's earlier summer jams. It was almost like she was practically telling you this song is different by putting a mesh up of her old summer songs together on the single!!! In my opinion it is far superior to her old summer songs which seem to be continuations of each other. It has reminiscent of independent but still remains independent of all her summer tracks.

meaning of Love: Not a bad song, but I don't care for it. It is my least favorite song on the album next to Sunset (but still better than Sunset). I think the reason I can't get into it is because everyone said if I like Days I'd like this. NOT TRUE. Not true at all. Days is far better than this to me but I can see DEFINITELY see why the Japanese love it. Drama/Anime ending song anyone??? This song seriously should have had a tie in. I think it would have been a better pick than Last Links. Seriously, whoever her PR person is should be fired for not figuring that **** out. All in all, a very sweet song! Maybe after a few more listens I'll love it. :)

You were...: You were... gets a lot of flack from people but I really LOVE this song. It's probably my favorite ballad on this album and has my second favorite PV on the album. It's just so appealing to me. This song reminds me of No way to say the most and I absolutely adore that song. I also like the guitar in this song, gives it a rock n roll feel.

RED LINE ~for Jorge~ [album version]: Not much difference from the single is there? The acapella at the end is GORGEOUS. Outside of that I don't really see too much going on with this version. Definitely beats out MY ALL (hope it replaces it too!) and it is definitely a song made for FANS. You can tell, it has everything us fans love in it.

Overall, I've heard a lot of mixed reviews from a lot of people. On one side people say it's not really bringing too much new to the table outside of SLT and on the other side people saying it's the best album since MY STORY. I've come to the conclusion that both sides are absolutely correct. No side more than the other. I think people who are looking for the "revolutionary Ayu" are kind of deluding themselves. I think at this point in Ayu's career, it's not about what songs sound revolutionary or not so much as do you enjoy them? Ayu seems to be making "enjoyable" songs with this album. Not too much stands out because they all stand together much like with NEXT LEVEL. I think that's scary for some fans because they want Ayu to be pushing boundaries constantly and I think she's kind of done with all that. I wish I could find the source, but I remember her saying she use to make music for herself and now she's making music for fans. And it's totally obvious. Look at the recochoku charts? Days is practically immortal, Sunrise is widely accepted, meaning of Love is climbing the charts, Microphone debuted #1 and the PV is still #1 etc etc. I'm not saying it's the first time this has ever happened, but these songs aren't that "revolutionary" and yet they still appeal to the masses.

Another thing I want to point out is how everything is so mirrored and random and out of place in this album it's mind blowing. Microphone/Sexy little things, Sunrise/Sunset, count down/Last Links (with the ear issue mentioned above). Also with that wack ass introduction versus the should-be-introduction montage. The fact that all the dark songs are at the beginning and light (non-dark) songs at the end. With the EPIC and probably best song of the whole album being SMACK in the middle of the two sides of the album. Even more oddly enough having a dark and light interludes to accompany it. The "flow" is non-existent in this album and nothing is where it should be which really does make it like a circus. I personally think some people don't appreciate this being the point of it all and why some things are the way they are.

I don't believe in grading albums or whatever because I'm really really not good at that. But I definitely love this album and I can definitely see - now much than before - why some people don't like it. But then again it goes along with my point: love vs. hate. Ayu has us mirrored. ;) I bet you didn't even notice.

@jbrat - i very much liked ur review. and what u said about last links is too true. it was too short sounding to me. and yeah i just like ur review. and i have seem feelings for montage too. oh and DLB and Microphone lol

OMG Jbrat! I love your review! :) I cracked so hard. Maybe it's an album filled with mirrors? Because all fans seems to like different tracks of this album. XD

I´m just going to give it a mark
THE introduction: -

Microphone: 9,65

count down: 8,75

Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~: 9

BALLAD: 9,5

Last Links: 9,2

montage: -

Don't look back: 9,5

Jump!: -

Lady Dynamite:9,3

Sexy little things: 9,5

Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~: 8,5

meaning of Love: 9,3

You were...: 9,75

RED LINE ~for Jorge~ [album version]: 8,5

Overall: 9,2

Had the album for about a week now, so I now have a feel for the tracks, so here is my review!

THE introduction - This is really...strange, it doesn't really have the power for an opening track, but at the same time it's REALLY PS1 era Final Fantasy, so it's really tense at the same time and builds up to the explosion of Microphone! It's good! ♥ 3/5

Microphone - I was crazy over this when it was all we had of the album, it's kinda lost its oomph now though, I really like it though! 9/10

count down - I like this until it gets to the chorus, it's very similar to GUILTY, which I don't really like much, it's better though. The mood of the song is really good though, emotive! 7/10

Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ - I hated this when the single was released, I love it so much now though! It's so peaceful and calm. This starts my favourite section of the album. 8/10

BALLAD - I love this song so much too! I can't really explain why I like it, it's so magical and beautiful. The PV is so stunning too.9/10

Last Links - My favourite song on the album! Wow. Just wow. This song is everything I love from Ayu, it's emotive but not melodrama. I love the sound of this song, I don't think Ayu has had a song with this sort of feel. 10/10

montage - So dramatic! THE introduction is the game opening and this is the villain wanting to destory the world! I only wish it was longer, it ends rather abruptly. 4/5

Don't look back - This was my least favourite song when we have the 4 PVs, but I love it so much now. I especially love how Ayu says "don't look back" - so mysterious and seductive! 10/10

Jump! - Neutral towards this, don't really dislike or like. 2/5

Lady Dynamite - This is so good! I really love it, and the PV too. It's a fun song, but Ayu is really in your face with it too. 8/10

Sexy little things - Uhhm... I appreciate how different it is, it's catchy, and I do like it. But I just don't get it and the hype, I like it as much as Lady Dynamite, but it doesn't beat the less daring, like Last Links. 8/10

Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ - This is catchy! I never got into this last year as we got it too late for summer, but with spring being here I'm really getting into this! 8/10

meaning of Love - After Sunrise?! I like this, it's typical Ayu, but it sounds very different in places at the same time - kinda confusing! 7/10

You Were... - A nice strong winter ballad, right in Ayu's comfort zone! Not the best, and far from being the worst. This was the song that I listened to after meeting Ayu and cried - so it's got a sentimental place now. 8/10

RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version] - I really like this song, and the a capella at the end it really touching, even if sort of weak in vocal power - but I love the sentiment nevertheless. I love the lyrics to this song too, they go right to my heart right now. 9/10

Overall: 8/10 I like it less than Secret, more than GUILTY and about the same as NEXT LEVEL - but for totally different reasons.

favorite songs:
Sexy Little Thing - Don't Look Back - Last Link - meaning of Love

least favorites:
microphone - count down - BALLAD

Microphone - i think "kiss o kill" or"talking 2 myself" are better songs than this
the song have so many breaking points and melody twists (?) that i can get into for now 6/10

count down - is like guilty...even worst,,,,i don't like it...even i delete this song from my player 3/10

Sunset~LOVE is ALL~ - I Love this song, soft melody and give me a sweet feeling 8/10

BALLAD - i don't like it...for me is really boring and the melody is very similar to a lot of japanese songs 5/10

Last Links - great...perfect and so positive, was a big surprise..one of my favorites 10/10

Don't look back - is a great song,,very simple, with a great electronic feel, 9/10

Lady Dynamite - Good Song,,is very MATRIX music style...i love the bridge!
i think this song will be one of my favorites in the near future 8/10

Sexy little things - for me the BEST SONG OF THE ALBUM ..no comments is just perfect and i can't stop to listen it. 10/10

Sunrise~LOVE is ALL~ - very catchy! but one point beyond Sunset 7/10

meaning of Love - this songs was a surprise too..because i read a lot of bad comments about this song...but is awesomet! i love the melody..the long chorus is great! 9/10

You Were... -strong ballad, i'm not really into the chorus..but the rest is very good 8/10

RED LINE ~for TA~ i love this songs since "you were..CD-SINGLE" is one of my favorite "closing concert type song" like MY ALL and Who.... 9/10

PV microphone: the ony thing that i like about this video is the link with SLT PV. 6/10

PV Sexy Little T: I JUST LOVE IT!... i love creepy, plastic and wear things.. 10/10

PV Don't Look Now: is good...but i think the video need an additional segment, because is a little boring watch ayu seating there, and standing smiling front of the big picture. 8/10

PV Lady Dinamite: The first part, on the line is so long..and repetitive, then the video is awesome 9/10

Finally I can review
These are my thoughts listening to it for the first time

The Introduction: Very cheesy but obviously it's meant to be in this style.. I like the epic note at the end..

Microphone: I love this song a whoolleee lot!! It's great!!! Thank you Yuta Nakano <3
Epic arrangement and catchy melody!!! (and engrish)

countdown: this song makes me sad because the verses are AMAZING!! But the chorus falls short :( Still a very good song nonetheless... I like the arrangement of it... I like the different style of chorus near the end.

Sunset ~Love is all~: I have always thought this was a very pretty song and I love the way she sings it. Sounds a bit misplaced here though... however it's nice to have it first and nowhere near Sunrise as I thing it;s downfall in the single was that it was right after Sunrise.

BALLAD: Still a beautiful song!!! Love the last note!! Fits nice after Sunset... I think I'll like the pacing of this album :)

Last Links: ooo acoustic guitar!! love it!!! ooo strings!!! even better! I love this arrangement a lot!!!!! Not a very strong melody though... This reminds me a bit of It was in a way... I do like this song... love the yeah yeahs!!!

Montage: Scary!!! Why wasn't this the Intro??

Don't Look Back: I LOVE this song! From the cm I didn't really like it but full version is sooo good!! (thanks again Yuta and also CMJK) I love the arrangement and the good melody line!!!

Jump!: ooo great!! I love it!! great job CMJK!! It sounds like it's from a concert!

Lady Dynamite: I love the arrangement in this one too!! All around the melody is nice... again I like the verses better but the chorus is pretty catchy... I shall try to forget the PV it has... X_X

Sexy Little Things: Also love the arrangement and a VERY catchy melody (Nobita-kun stay with Ayu forever please!!) How she sings it - well I shall have to get used to it... the song reminds me of the Inspector Gadget theme and the Triplets of Belleville song :P Weird ending....

Sunrise ~Love is all~: Fits in here great!! All the arrangement styles fit so well! I still love this song!!

meaning of Love: oh it's really sweet!! Like a better version of days!! Very Disney! I really like it!!! Reminds me a bit of Untitled ~for her~... I really like it!!! Sounds just very Guilty ish I think... like it could be on GUILTY.... OMG I love it more and more as it goes on! Great great great! Thank you Tetsuya Yukumi and HIKARI!!! Perfect for an encore song...

You were...: Fits great after meaning of Love!! I've grown to enjoy this song but the chorus is still just okay... there's just something that holds me back from fully enjoying this song... not sure what it is... still, a good song! I love the whole end bit...

Red Line ~for TA~: ooo sweet the arrangement sounds really spiced up! (oh guess who did it? <3) I love this song... it's so cute and a perfect closer for this album!! Nice to end on a positive note!! Reminds me of Duty with girlish that way... ooo I love the end!! OMG... ;_; and the organ.... incredible!! Amazing!!

PVs

One thing overall: she wears an awful lot of contacts XD

Single PVS: still like em especially BALLAD!! <3 I'm so glad to have it on DVD now!

Sexy Little Things: Creepy blood... hmmm I like it... but nothing much happens... except the cool guitar smashing XD I do like how it connects to....

Microphone: Very weird.... wasn't what I was expecting... Ayu looked awesome though!! And I especially like the part with her family, and all the special effects... too many weird people though XD

Don't Look Back: My favourite!!! Totally awesome!! I just wish I hadn't seen so many spoilers before... cause I knew what was happening in it already >_> I really love how Ayu looks in it!! The blue contacts really freaked me out!!

Lady Dynamite: .......... uh.... I'm not sure what I just watched 0_o XD
very fun? Maro looked hot <3 and Subaru looked so cute!! And Ayu looked amazing too! But it was really weird to watch XD

Overall: I love the photobook!! The arrangements of the songs are all amazing!!! It's just the melodies that I have troubles with... however I know that this album will grow on me! I really like it... It has incredible flow! The PVs are really interesting! I know I will enjoy watching them again (maybe not Lady Dynamite... well only for Maro XD)
I'm still not sure whether I love love this album... for the moment I like Next Level more but it's definitely not a bad album, it's really enjoyable! I'm really looking forward to listening to it again!!

OMG sorry about the ridiculously long post... X_X

I've been listening to Rock'n'Roll Circus since I got it on Tuesday. Didn't listen to any leaks before, so a lot of songs were new for me. Although they were new I kind of feel like I've heard them all before somehow. Compared to NEXT LEVEL, I think atm, I still like NEXT LEVEL more. I don't know, it's not like I hate or dislike the album, but I feel no excitement for it either. I will listen to it more, sometimes I change my mind about an album 1 year later even. (happened with GUILTY, for example) I really don't know why but right now I feel very indifferent about Rock'n'Roll Circus. :(

Am I the only one who doesn't like her vocals in the chorus of Last Links?

I always feel like my opinion is opposite everyone else! :laugh

People love Last Links chorus, I find it odd. People think count down's chorus is weak, I think it's so strong if it punched me in the gut all the wind would be knocked out of me lol.

Dont look back is my favorite song on the album and then BALLAD (my favorite single and PV of all time :P)

I reeeeeeeallllllyyyy like Microphone, Sexy little things, and Lady Dynamite
Last links and countdown really havnt hit me yet =\ maybe i need to listen to them more?

Like jbrat2219 said, Days is untouchable. But BALLAD is the only exception :P

I love this album and it is definetly one of my favorite! I didnt listen to any leaks so I was really surprised by how good each track was!

meaning of love is really beautiful...

I just read in some polish most famous gossip site, that the most horrible polish artist (Doda :/) called her tour "Rock'n'Roll Palace" and the intro is so horrible. Damn, i hate music from my country.

I love Countdown (love the guitar and drums!) and Don't Look Back

mi|kshake~

I really like the album, not her best, but really good. Great PVs, amazing photos and mostly really good songs. Still waiting for my copy though, so the past 16 days I haven't listened to songs from the album
I might post a longer review later.

I recieved mine on Wednesday, and I was waiting until I gave it a few listens to write my review.

THE introduction- I can't put my finger on it, but I really like this track. It gives me a since of being in some surreal place, and it is a pretty good altogether opener in my opinion. I can definitely see why people don't like it, but It is cool that she tried something different in this opening 9/10

Microphone- when I first heard the preview for it, I liked it but not too much. After a few listens to the real thing, I started to really enjoy it, and I am so in love with how emotional she sounds, like she just wants to rip everything up ( lol ) +1for the organs! 10/10

Count Down- I really love the dark/somber feeling in the beginning, and that feeling comes again at the end when there is that few seconds of A cappella. The verses are okay and the chorus and is okay the first 2 times, but it really makes up at the third and fourth time. 8/10

Sunset: Love is All - This track is very pretty, and it gives a warm feeling of summer. Her vocals are also very good in this track. 8/10

Ballad- What can I say about this track... the asian orchestra mixed with her raw emotion couldn't be a better mix together. Simply beautiful.
10/10

Last Links- I don't remember this track too much,( I think I have listened to it 3 times) but I remember liking it. Hopefully it will grow on to me. 6/10

Montage- pretty much what I said about THE introducion. It ties in with the next song well. 8/10

Don't Look Back this song makes me think of luigi's final smash in SSBB hahaha with that out of the way, I feel like I am floating on clouds when I listen to this song ( the first part anyway) and then it gets really intense without sounding bipolar. The visual of the music video made me REALLY like this song, but it is a nice song on its own, too. 10/10

Jump!- Makes me want to jump myself. I find it so catchy, and perfect before the next song ( again ) 8/10

Lady Dynamite-seeing the video a month ago really did not help with my oppinion of this song (lol) I liked it, but the pv made me stay away from it. Now I enjoy it thoroughly. 9/10

Sexy Little Things- I always dance a little even when I am sitting down whenever I hear this song. I am so addicted to it since it is crazy, cute, funky, and all without being annoying. ( but hey, when has any ayu song annoyed me?..) 10/10

Sunrise: Love is All- A very fun and catchy song. Though it isn't super special, it has a special place in my heart 9/10

Meaning of Love A cute and pretty song ( from what I remember ^^U ) I hope that I fall more in love with this song with every listen 7.5 /10

You Were... I don't care what anyone says, this song is packed with so much emotion that I just want to start crying by the end. Her voice isn't the best, but I never really cared about ayus vocal level in any of her songs 9.5/10

Red Line: for TA (Album Version)- A nice catchy song that is starting growing on me. It reminds me of MY ALL, which I really love 8/10


Over all, this album was really great. It felt really short because I was DYING to hear and see the leaked music videos, so there were only 3 new full tracks for me. That isn't really a problem, though.

9/10

I absolutely love the Lady Dynamite PV and greatly appreciate Ayu acknowledging her gay fans. ^^ This may sound stupid but just because of that I fell in love with her again all over hahah.

I listened to it a few more times. I really like Microphone. Especially the little elephant trumpet! I didn't even notice it before, it's so londonish (Elephant & Castle, haha) and fits the circus so much. Elephant!! Great.

My other two favourites (besides the single songs, I'm not going into them, because it's been done before) are count down and Last Links, although the latter reminds me a little of Heartplace. Don't look back is nice, but not my favourite. Lady Dynamite and Sexy little things are not what I expected and somehow I have problems liking them. And I think Sexy little things would've worked better on NEXT LEVEL with its videogamish sound effects. meaning of love is cute but she has loads of better ballads.

I still prefer NEXT LEVEL to Rock'n'Roll Circus. :(

you're not alone. I hate how rough, harsh, choppy and forced they sound... especially when the lyrics are REALLY opposite of such a sound, you know? it doesn't really register , but I still enjoy listening to the song. :)

OMG WTF REALLY? :thud


... I wouldn't be shocked if she heard about Ayu's album. And if the rumour that some "fantastic disco singer" cried watching fairyland PV were true. :/


Going off of OT, I don't like Last Links' chorus too.

I love the chorus to Last Links. It reminds me of Gackts voice.

Maybe Gackt should sing it then! :roflmao

the violins and guitars really draw me into last link from the beginning, i think that's what makes me want to listen to the entire song, to hear more of it. I love the intro/outro of the song. the chorus is just ok though.

^ I only like the intro. I dislike everything else.

he really should .i would faint. his voice is angelic. he should sing a few others too *is dreamy right now*

anyhow i do love last links. i just think it goes by kinda fast. idk. its not like 3 minutes or anything but it feels that way. but then i kinda need it too. :)

count down reminds me of a Linkin Park song lately but without the screamy vocals . . .its just some parts of the arrangement. however i love it reminds me of LP cuz i LOVE LP a lot. sooo i love count down a lot too ^___^

:yes but I love ayu's vocal technique in it because she has never sung like that in a song before. I hope it's not just a one time thing and she does it again in the future, I'm loving the female-gackt voice.

This is my first post here in a long time (new comp finally!).

I finally had a chance to listen to the new album. I really do have to say that Ayu did not disappoint me. I enjoyed every song on Rock n Roll Circus, my favorite track actually being a toss- up between "Count down" and "Last Links", but "You Were..." is definitely a close second for me. I've always loved how Ayu's lyrics are so organic, which is especially apparent with this new album. I think it's awesome that her songs are legitimate reflections of life through human eyes (if that makes sense?), and though I do like other artists like Otsuka Ai, etc., I like that Ayu's songs (for the most part) are not just saccharine, upbeat poppy songs that all have the same basic message and remind me of being in second grade. Ayu's music is very mature, and though I love her remixes and happier songs, the more "Rock"-y style songs such as "A Song for XX", "It Was...", "Is this LOVE?", etc. are my favorites when it comes to Ayu.

I truly loved the album. I could not find a discouraging remark to make about a single track.

i love this entire album! i thought that rock n roll circus was on the same level of excellence as thriller ^^ every song on the album was a masterpiece, i just wish there were more amazing songs <3 all hail queen ayumi!!

Love, like everything except sunset.

Favorites are count down, I share the same feeling than jbrat, the chorus is far to be weak and just punch me in the face ! Microphone even if heard and heard I still like it. Last links because it sounds fresh, at last to me, true that it could be a Gackt song but I don't mind at all lol

Still love BALLAD !

Don't look back is very new from her and works well.

Lady dynamite give you energy for a good moment, Sexy little things own a jazzy, charleston, vintage, whatever, feeling that I really enjoy, too bad she choose a cartoon voice to sing it *sigh*

Sunrise is the typical summer song you sing along without asking you too much and it does its job I guess.

meaning of love for the moment has no impact on me at all, should give it a try once more.
You were... blah I like it since its release, won't change now.
RED LINE is sweet and ok. Nothing more to say about this one.

No really my fav. is count down for the moment and since I listened it first = yesterday.

THE introduction beginning remind me Dir en grey intro in live o-O lol WTF the one they used for lives here and I don't like and would prefer G.D.S, until it changes totally and become very "british" with the drums. Dunno how to explain !

montage made me think : Interview with a vampire, then Sweeney Todd and then Emilie Autumn *rofl*

jump! remind me Kyo shouting at us jump!jump!jump! for the live at Zenith XD WTF with Dir en grey and this album ... I'm just so weird lol

Very short review of the one I did somewhere else.

Finally got my copy last week, here's my thoughts so far:

The Introduction - mixed reviews on this one, so had no idea what I would think, but I really like it! Though vocals would have made it seem more Ayumi-ish. It would be great if it was made into a full length song.

Microphone - not as good as other "organ songs" like Kiss O Kill or Free & Easy but it's growing on me and I'm quite enjoying it now.

Countdown - love the guitar riffs and drums! And the piano does sound vaguely Silent Hill-y at the start.

Sunset - at first I found it rather dull and that it really ruined the flow. Now it's OK.

Ballad - it's not as good as Will or Green but it's a really nice tune. The instrumental sounds like a film score. Also was impressed by her vocals at the end and I love the PV

Last Links - this felt really new for Ayumi. Loved the strings! Hope she does some more songs like this but perhaps a bit more folky sounding. I remember one poster comparing her vocals here to Rainbow makes it sound like two completely different people. Gotta say I agree the "ooohs" at the end sound pretty weak and rough.

Montage - wow this has a sudden intro. Very dramatic, but fits the album name like The Introduction.

Don't Look Back - love! It's nice to hear an Indian sounding song which isn't just some R&B tune with a sample looping around. And the fact that it does feature indian instruments and wasn't just programming

Jump - didn't do much for me at first but now I love it!

Lady Dynamite - pretty generic but now I really enjoy it

Sexy Little Things - not sure if I quite "get" this song, but I do like the instrumental part after the first chorus. Will be interesting to hear live

Sunrise - pretty standard Ayumi but it's fun! Should be good on tour!

Meaning of Love - how does this go again? Possibly weaker then Sunset

You Were - not very memorable for me but has potential to grow

Red Line - love this song! Catchy melody and a great concert ender!

mi|kshake~

Finally my copy arrived...here is my thoughts about it

THE introduction - very haunting, very old fashioned RPG background song...hmm...not her best and lack of climax, but still good (7/10)

Microphone - very powerful ROCK song... one of her best rock song...perfect, love the bridge and the ending part (10/10)

count down - the intro is so scary, hmm...start to have beat on it... love her voice so much, so powerful, love the first part of chorus, the interlude part is so cool, love the ending part (9/10)

Sunset~LOVE is ALL~ - hmm...kinda weird from rock to this song, the transition is kinda weird, but maybe ayu want from hard flowing to soft, so our ears can relaxing... nice song, i listened to this song before sleep (9/10)

BALLAD - flowing very nicely from sunset to this song... love the oriental ayu song... her voice on the chorus is so powerful, love..love..love the arrangement (10/10)

Last Links - love the guitar intro part, very emotional, love the string on the chorus, the verse is so nice, love the interlude, really good song for anime. I think it will be nicer is she overtuned it on the last chorus, so the emotion will be higher. Love the guitar on the ending part (9/10)

montage - another haunting interlude, like watching an old horror movie, remind me of tom n jerry, LOL... hmm...kinda weak, i don't know just weird... (6/10)

Don't look back - love the middle east style song, somehow remind me of my country music "dangdut", there is some dangdut feels on it, but more modern and more middle east, love the chorus, love the bridge and interlude. (10/10)

Jump! - love the beat, this is the last interlude right? i think this one is the best interlude, i like it, very energic (8/10)

Lady Dynamite - the song need to grow on me, but i love the techno arrangement, the verse part is more interesting for me than the chorus...too repetitive... (8/10)

[B]Sexy little things[B] - really interesting song, the swing touch is very unique and cute, but there is some dark touch on the song, her voice is so match with the song, very genius, the chorus is so addicting (10/10)

Sunrise~LOVE is ALL~ - nice transition from SLT to this song, very fun song and cheering up. But sometime a little bit too noisy and annoying. (9/10)

meaning of love - the intro part is so relaxing, the verse is relaxing as well, love the raw way of singing that she put for this song. Love the interlude, love this song..love..love..love (10/10)

You were... - love this song very much, really emotional (10/10)

RED LINE~for TA~(album version) - i never like this song that much, but the ending part is different, and yeah..its give a little more point for this song, i hope ayu will change this song for her concert ending, i prefer My All, who or meaning of love i think its suitable for concert ending (7/10)

Total : 8.8/10

overall : i think this album is better than guilty and next level, i can picture myself hear all song from this album. I skip some songs on guilty and next level, so i think this album is better than those two.

It has finaly arrived with a photobook!!!!!!!!!

YAY! How do you like the album?

Let´s start:
The Introduction:-
Microphone:9,5
Countdown:9
Sunset:9
BALLAD:9,2
Last Links:9
Montage:-
Don´t Look Back:9,35
Jump!:-
Lady Dynamite:8,5
Sexy little Things:9,2
Sunsrise:8,75
meaning of Love:9,1
You Were...:9,75
RED LINE:7

OVERALL:9,3/10

I wrote a review in Spanish, but I made it as if it were a tour in London, visiting the spots related to the making of the album (or that inspired to me) with a group that end up clubbing and more or less drunk (and I have to take care of them xD).
http://rebirthia.wordpress.com/2010/...-tourist-info/
If you understand Spanish, take a look at it please ^^

You can read a translated version of google here:
http://translate.google.com/translat...2F&sl=es&tl=en
(I've looked through it, it doesn't look too bad)

oh, well, to sum it up.... one of her best albums since (m)u, certainly... 8/10...
I do enjoy listenning this album. SLT things has been a very nice surprise, overall, this albums has surprised very positively... the only song i don't really like it's You were...

I'm a new Ayumi Hamasaki fan so I haven't heard much of her other works outside of Rock n Roll Circus yet (just got the CD+DVD+Photobook today!) but I really enjoyed the whole album. I bought it because I was under the impression that it was going to be more J-Rock than J-Pop but I am still very pleased with the album. I enjoyed every song but Microphone is my favorite. I would like to give it another listen so I can speak more on each single but I did want to share my thoughts first for my first time listen.

I just got my copy yesterday. I love it so far. :D

I'm sorry, but I'll be honest. I actually hate this album. Even more so than NEXT LEVEL. At least I liked the covers for that album. I just.. hate rock. I think Ayu's face in the covers was trying to look too young and unnatural too. But I didn't like the songs.

^ How about the many songs that weren't rock? Didn't feel those either?

well doesn't that suck? imo it seems like with every album, ayu moves farther and farther away from pop and more into just rock and ballads. imo that's all rnrc was. rock and ballads. it annoys me actually. but i think she has more ballads than anything else and she needs to slim that number down a lot. tired of hearing them.