Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - View Single Post - 「Party Queen」 Thoughts on album?
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Old 14th March 2012, 08:32 PM
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Minttulatte Minttulatte is offline
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I want too. I tried to give you a review last night but couldn't because I got too tired.

Party queen
I loved this song a lot since I heard that live version but this song sounds even more amazing in 320kb/s in my ears. It's a nice club banger I think. It also makes me wanna dance, and that has happened once before with Ayu: When Sparkle was released in 2009 so I can say that I really love this song. <3 Ayu's and her party group's laugh at the end of this song reminds me of independent. I love her laugh 10/10

NaNaNa
This song was on repeat for 2 hours last night and it really sounded amazing. Timmy sounds so hot here. Those English lyrics were cool too. I don't think I'm the only one who thinks this sounds a bit like Happening Here in style. I can't wait to hear/see the live performance of this song. And I really hope she will perform it live on AT12. This song might also be my favorite song from the album because this really made me go wow. 10/10

Shake it
This is the song I waited to hear the most. It really sounds amazing. Not as good as I expected, but this still amazing. I want the translation of this as soon as possible because I read that this is a bit erotic lyrically. I'm curious of those. But I like this kick ass rock/dance edginess she has here~ Still this needs a bit more time to grow on me. 9/10

taskebab
I listened to this through twice yesterday but it didn't really make me feel anything yet, meaning I'm not impressed enough yet. But it's okay since I felt this way when I first heard taskinlude and taskinst (latter I love now and former is on my ok list). Actually, I don't really know if I like it or not yet. I need a live version. Usually I fall in love with her songs that I hate at first and love their live performances. Kebab might become one of those, but we'll see. Kinda reminds me of pieces of SEVEN and Load of the SHUGYO from NEXT LEVEL too~ 0/10 (because I can't say if I like it or not)

call
This song amazed me because it sounds so easy to listen, much like HANABI ~episode II~, Life and Last Links (and needless to say, I adore this song for sure. Hell, it's the best song on RnRC). I'm not even bothered with those whoa whoa's because HANABI part 2 has those too and I adore Memorial address a lot. After reading two translations (by Misa-chan and tenshi no hane) I've loved this song even more. This song is heartbreakingly beautiful. 10/10

Letter
This song really reminds me of her songs during 2004-2006. Very similar imo. MY STORY's ballads and It was are very similar in style imo. I really felt like a happy fangirl when I listened to this because it was just too amazing. I just want to read translated version because I really want to know what this song is about and what kind of lyrics it has. I only understood 3 words and one sentence in the song and it doesn't say a lot of this song. But even so I love it very much. 10/10

reminds me
This song really brings me to tears at the moment. It's just so sad. When I heard it for the first time, I didn't really feel anything but after reading the translation, I think this is one of the best songs on the album after all. Lyrically this song has already become one of my favorite Ayu songs in a while. Not gonna give it full 10 because when I first heard it, I didn't quite feel it but the grade will rise when I hear it live. I love those dramatic lalala's at the end of this song though~ 8,5/10

Return Road
Ok, this song didn't sound like a ballad at all when I heard the preview because the preview was so short and I couldn't really say what this sounded like but it was definitely rock. And I liked that fact. Full version didn't impress me that much at first, but I did love that Gothic beginning a lot. It made me think of Microphone at once. Chorus of this song is epic. I personally don't think this is the best song on the album though but it's now one of my favorites. I'm not giving it 10 though mostly because of the same reason as I didn't give 10 for reminds me. I don't mind this song being performed live though. :3 8,5/10

Tell me why
This song is supposed to be a cover, or how was it? Either way, I really enjoy this song. It sounds a bit R&Bish in my ears and that's why I like it. Not a bad song. It's good as a 3 minute track. This song also will be one of those I'll overplay. I'm also waiting for the translation for this eagerly. One of my favorite songs on the album. Should've been released as a single imo. 10/10

a cup of tea
When I saw this title, I thought it's a cute song. I didn't expect this to be a interlude but it's okay with me. I kinda like this too for some reason. It's a bit odd to be between ballad section and the jazz section but maybe that's because I like it. Best part of this song is the beginning. When that dubstep/electronica part starts, this interlude becomes a bit less interesting but it's still listenable. 7/10

the next LOVE
This really surprised me too, in a good way. I thought it's going to be a epic classical song like Voyage for example, but didn't expect jazz at all. Hell, this song became a instant love for me. Timmy's turning into my hero soon haha. He really is a talented musician. Why hasn't he composed music for Ayu before? o.O Seriously, this dude needs to work with Ayu on every album from now on because he adds something new into Ayu's music imo, and I really love that. Ayu's vocals in this are gorgeous too. Jazz is Ayu's genre for sure. Please gimme more songs like this! *____* 10/10

Eyes, Smoke, Magic
That odd beginning really made me lol at first, then came the whispers and I was like, "Yey, more kick ass dance *_*", but it was more jazz instead with a twist of a musical haha~ This song is so cute in its own way, melody is a bit challenging for me but Ayu pulls this off nicely. I really enjoy listening to this song. It's also another proof that Timmy is a talented dude. 10/10

Serenade in A minor
This interlude is just plain gorgeous. I don't really fancy fully orchestral interludes when it comes to Ayu (because montaga and overture doesn't sound too good in my ears), but this is amazing. So relaxing in a way. It also makes me think of Hana Yori Dango. This would fit nicely together with that drama imo. I can also imagine a possible interlude movie for this already. Good intro for how beautiful you are as well. 10/10

how beautiful you are
This song is beautiful as hell, I've loved it since I first heard it as a live version from CDL11-12. Musically it brings songs like meaning of Love and beloved into my mind but it's still really different since Ayu doesn't use English lines so much in ballads. It's really nice change. This song also makes me think of Kuu's You're So Beautiful but only because of the themes. But I love songs about self confidence because I can relate to those so I don't really mind. How beautiful you are is pretty and I'll love it forever. It makes me cry. 10/10

Overall I'd say that this album is definitely her best since (miss)understood. Not even Rock'n'Roll Circus, which made me love Ayu again, has this much surprising songs and music variety on it. Party Queen definitely blew me away and it's probably her first album in years in which I love every song now. Usually I only find more or less 50% enjoyable but much like with my favorite 3 albums (miss)understood, Memorial address and Rock'n'Roll Circus, I love about 98% of this album. Party Queen is definitely one of the best albums of 2012 so far. I'm really into this stuff now. <3

Overall grade for the album would be 10/10 because this blew me away in the same way as my Top 3 favorite Ayu albums. Party Queen would be now my 4th favorite Ayu album, followed LOVEppears.

I'm very curious of HOTEL Love songs tour now and I hope she will sing many songs from Party Queen on it to spice it up. I'm sure Love songs and Party Queen will mix together nicely as a concert.
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