Reason for Ayu's lackluster title tracks?
 

So.

I've been wondering why the album tracks have been so lackluster lately... and I think I've found out why. The compositions were all pretty good up until she didn't do one for MY STORY and used the same person three times in a row afterwards who worked on Memorial address.

Let's recap who composed what:
A Song for XX : Yasuhiko Hoshino
LOVE~destiny~: TSUNKU
appears: Kazuhito Kikuchi
Duty: Ken Harada
I am...: CREA
RAINBOW: CREA+DAI
Memorial address: Tetsuya Yukumi
(miss)understood: Tetsuya Yukumi
Secret: Tetsuya Yukumi
GUILTY: Tetsuya Yukumi


I think she should really give someone else the reins for the album track... maybe tasuku or something, because Tetsuya seriously went down in quality like WOAH after Memorial address. Anyone else think so?

It would definitely be nice if Ayu composed her title song herself. :D

I don't really think Tetsuya Yukumi is a bad composer though.

I think that his stuff has gotten really mediocre though. He used to be really good, if you listen to ANGEL'S SONG, Memorial address, and some of MY STORY... but now.. I dunno.

Ayu should've had a composer do her title track ONCE and then move on instead of resorting to.. Tetsuya. Either that or just do it herself :|

i miss CREA...her a song is born classical version is good. actually, most if not all of the ayu-composed songs are good...

A Song is born was composed Tetsuya Komuro, of Namie Amuro/hitomi/KEIKO/move/TRF fame.

Ayu just wrote the lyrics.

I actually like all the title tracks so I can't really have opinion why they're lackluster, most of them (the new ones) are my most fav songs of ayu so I enjoy them ^-^
Secret may be the only bit of a lackluster for me.

Wow good observation, I really agree with you o.o. I think for every composer there are times when they just run out of inspiration and such. Yukumi is still a great composer for melodies...it's just that recent works don't top previous works. Ayu really should start experimenting with others...I really did love Bold & Delicious to be honest. Just not the beginning...haha.

I really liked "Secret" and "Memorial address".

I can't give my full opinion on "GUILTY" yet, but I do agree that she needs to hire a brand new set of composers AND arrangers...

Preferably introduce a new composer and arranger at every album release...

Yeah I guess that's why. XD I found that the title tracks have been really weak lately as well. I mean, they are supposed to represent the whole album? I just find them kind of boring. The song GUILTY is much better than (miss)understood and Secret IMO, but yes I think she should get some new composers, or revisit old ones.

I want to see her work with BOUNCEBACK again. ):

Well, she does try new ones and revives older ones at times...

[See Yoji Noi, Naruya Ihashi, pop, Raita Ikemono, Kunio Taho, Yuta Nakano, Miki Watanabe.. and so on]

The thing is, she should've had some of her stronger composers work on the title tracks.. like maybe Yuta or Kunio this time. Hopefully next time, we don't get the Yukumi again..

Yeah, BOUNCEBACK should do an album title track. They were such a good set... and then my name's WOMEN was their last work :<

Personally, I love those title tracks.

I actually like all of them...but GUILTY is the most lackluster of them all. The song is not bad...its just missing something.

Well, they certainly don't have the oomph that her previous album title tracks have, right? :O

Some dont but music as a generic genre has changed much since 1998- 2002

She needs to go back to CREA ¬¬

Yep... it's definitly different from what it used to be, and ayu still can do wonders with it so I'm happy.

I don't hate Yukumi, but.. too much of him on one album can get tiring. That's why (m)u was so good. 1 Yukumi composition.

part of Me and momentum are two of my least favorite songs.. and um, he happened to compose them, so...

I don't like Secret, LOVE ~destiny~, or appears, but the other tracks are good. I don't know, maybe she should try going back to guy who did Duty. That was some good stuff right there.

Well, his length-of-time-as-Ayu-composer to amount of songs on album = RIDICULOUS.

He started in 2003 with ANGEL'S SONG and Memorial address, so let's count from there.

2003: ANGEL'S SONG, Memorial address for a total of 2.
2004: HOPE or PAIN, HAPPY ENDING, Moments, walking proud, INSPIRE, HONEY, for a total of 6.
2005: (miss)understood for a total of 1 [OMG BEST YEAR? XD]
2006: JEWEL, momentum, kiss o' kill, Secret for a total of 4
2007: part of Me, (don't) Leave me alone, GUILTY, MY ALL for a total of 4.

That's 17 songs in around 5 years with Ayu. Average of around 3 - 4 songs per year. WHY DOES HE GET TREATED SO WELL? D: lol

Let's analyze DAI for the heck of it. [with CREAs and others are counted]
1999: Fly high, Trauma, Boys & Girls, TO BE, end roll, too late for a total of 6.
2000: Far away, AUDIENCE, SEASONS, teddy bear for a total of 4.
2001: Daybreak, Dearest, no more words, flower garden for a total of 4.
2002: WE WISH, Real me, Free&Easy, HANABI, July 1st, Voyage, independent, + for a total of 8.
2003: RAINBOW, HANABI ~episode II~, forgiveness for a total of 3.
2004: NONE.
2005: Will for a total of 1.
2006: BLUE BIRD for a total of 1.
2007: NONE.

This adds up to 27 songs divided by 9 years with Ayu.. around 3 songs a year. :<

DAI's absence is like... serious. XD

Let's look at Kazuhito Kikuchi too [mastermind behind Who... and a few other Ayu hits]:
1998: Depend on you for a total of 1.
1999: immature, WHATEVER, appears, Who... for a total of 4.
2000: vogue, Far away for a total of 2.
2001: NONE
2002: NONE
2003: NONE
2004: About You, HONEY, Replace for a total of 3.
2005: HEAVEN for a total of 1.
2006: Beautiful Fighters for a total of 1.
2007: NONE

12 songs in 10 years? That's roughly 1 song per year D:

i have to say
Secret and Memorial address are the best title tracks