[Bad Wolf]

I'm really getting an "old school" vibe from this album so far, reminiscent of "RAINBOW", actually. She may not have songs that are funky like Real me, July 1st, and everywhere nowhere on it, but there's something about the overall structure -- the softness, the theme, the lyrics, the songs -- that just make me think of that record. Truth be told, I really do prefer her having songs that all link together thematically and musically. When she has songs that stand out like sore thumbs thrown into the mix of really pretty ones, I get a little bummed. It just feels like she did them to placate the expectation of creating super pop songs (I don't think she's done a sugary pop song since, what, Sunrise?). I guess if you're in the mood for it, it's perfect to hear her take on it. And it did kind of help establish her early on, but it never felt like something Ayu really had her heart in. This darker but also more melodic, midtempo stuff seems to be her speed, and there's definitely a lot more of those songs in her discog than anything else.

However! I look forward to see what she'll be doing AFTER this 15th anniversary business is complete. It's like "NEXT LEVEL" all over again: the idea that she's going to take a different approach to her career and her albums, her style, her shows, etc. Some changes may have been subtle or just plain small (the set up of her shows, for instance, going from a flat stage to a round one on all sides) but I think that "NEXT LEVEL" to "LOVE again" is kind of like her 'softer' years. She's older, she's reached several mile stones in her career; she's no longer one of the only massive solo female artists out there, so she doesn't have to constantly worry about hits, sales, image, etc. That's not to say she's taking it easy, but simply that Kuu and Namie are also reigning queens who do their own thing, and it's therefore easier for Ayu to do her own approach, too.

Am I explaining myself properly? lol I just think if you take a step back and look at the progression of Ayu's albums through the years you can definitely see an evolution of them, all kind of building up to her sound and style in this current post-NL era. I hope "LOVE again" is sort of like the 'finale' to that approach, though, and she'll be trying for some different stuff in the next batch of releases. Personally, I'm jonesing for a concept album.