[sxesven]

Alright. Catching up, part three. Rock 'n' Roll Circus. Pre-listening thoughts: I don't think Ayu and I have the same idea of what rock 'n' roll is. This could be a major disappointment. I hope it's not.

Suitably, we start with THE introduction. Let there be no question - other introductions need not apply. THE introduction has been found and it features here. What is that, other introductions that are not featured? You call yourself introductions? Ha, think again! Seriously, what a stupid title, if just for the type setting. OK-ish intro that reminds of both a circus and, as I saw someone mentioned, old school VGM.

Off to the first actual song: Microphone. It rocks in a way that is neither unpleasant nor actually very rock or roll, but alright. For the purpose of this review I'll refer to this particular branch of rock music as 'pebble'. Quite frankly, I like this sound, so this works for me. The arrangement is pleasant, the composition ace. Another song I'd classify as 'vintage Ayu'. It has the timeless quality to it that only the best Ayu material has - wonderful opener. count down shifts down a few gears. Certainly not as vibrant as Microphone, but alright. Decent power ballad, but those guitars need to rock more, girl. Arrangement is unremarkable - the sound of the snare is awful, even. Still, fairly ok.

Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ is pretty. For some reason it feels like an album closer. It's a good song, though I'm finding fault with the album's sequencing, here. Microphone kicks off well enough, but the album then immediately seems to slip into Ballad Mode. Not the best of choices, I think. Makes it feel slightly lethargic. Unsurprisingly, BALLAD is a, yeah, eh, it's a ballad. Would've been a world of fun if it punkrocked the heck out of us, but it doesn't. Too bad. Pretty song. I'm not yawning. I'm not I tell you! Last Links takes us back to the pebble. It rocks in a very polite manner. Decent song. Nice strings. I feel like this could be a favourite, but it's not the balls-out resolution to the previous trio of sleep-inducing balladry I wished for.

Interlude time. Of course. Where would we be without interludes? (About four minutes further down, I reckon.) montage has a pleasantly sinister tone to it here and there. It's a fine interlude indeed, I think. More circus moods. Nicely done. Don't look back is okayish. Unremarkable. I don't like the arrangement. It's flat, it emphasizes the wrong sounds, it's not good. Nothing special overall. Jump! is the ninth new interlude I've heard today and it's too much. Sorry. I fail to see how this thing helps the album. Plus it's awful. Oh my. What bitterness. Lady Dynamite does nothing for me. It's okayish, again. On the plus side, nothing here is as awful as Party Queen. In fact, most of it isn't awful at all. However, most material fails to strike any chord with me. All I can say is that I don't mind it, but honestly, that's not really good, is it?

Sexy little things is a quirky tune, I guess. I don't like it. It doesn't feel very Ayu, at all. Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ provides a pleasant change of pace. The way the chorus breaks out in this nice pebble fashion is cool, and when the multitude of voices joins in I'm reminded of independent and girlish a bit, too - neither of which is not the worst of comparisons in my book (in fact, both rank among my favourites). meaning of Love is an epicish ballad which I dig. Not the best I've heard, but one of the better cuts on the album. You were... is, surprise, another (power) ballad. Again, nicely done, but do we really need this many ballads on a single disc? I think A Ballads had more balls (and fewer ballads) than this. And, oh, the irony, it's called Rock 'n' Roll Circus, too. Well played, max... RED LINE ~for TA~ is alright. Sort of lost interest at this point.

In conclusion, Rock 'n' Roll Circus isn't really bad - that dubious honour goes to Party Queen. However, it's unremarkable and uninspiring for almost its entire length. For an album that's euphemistically titled Rock 'n' Roll Circus there's surprisingly little rocking going on here. (I thought my pebble joke would make for some good quips here and there, but alas, there's so little rock I could barely ever drag it out.) Just barely alright.