The lyrical content and the delivery is so spot on in this album. I can imagine 20 - 23 year old Ayumi Hamasaki singing all of these songs, waving her left hand around as she is singing. The lyrical content is so nostalgic and I don't think she's had such a return to the lyrics that made her big in the first place in recent years...
I do really love The GIFT. I wish it was just a piano ballad kind of like JEWEL. Out of Control is exactly the songs call and Letter were trying to be, I can see this on MY STORY, or I Am... after still alone. The lyrics are so so poignant.
Yes, there are a lot of ballads on this album but each ballad deals with something different in their lyrics which makes everything come together. The upbeat songs are also so so nice. WARNING is definitely being played out right now in this thread (LOL), and The Show must Go On is so nice. I do get the snowy kiss reference but for me, lyrically the songs are so different so I cant say that they are related at all...
New mix for Last minute is pretty good, but still not spot on.
A ONE is shaping up to be the album that brings back the passion and fire in her. I like it.
I feel that at least in the tour, Last minute will be proceeded by Out of control in performance. I just did the playlist like this, and they sound so complimenting of each other. Lyrically and musically.