RAINBOW is a great album. It was released around Christmas and I was quite surprised that the songs in it have kinda the "spirit" of Christmas inside, that feel I used to have around Christmas which I hadn't had in the past feel xmas but that I could actually feel it when listening to that album. I think the songs are overlooked when people comment on how bad the album is. Songs like "Dolls" when listened by the casual ear demading [SARCASM]ROCK and more ROCK and "I am.." like songs"[/SARCASM] fails to appreciate a very artistic and well worked song. Every time I listen to that song some weird images start to flash into my mind, that song obviously has a strong psychologic effect, it has an interesting combination of waltz with lots of interesting sounds like the tic-tac clock and the water drops. Obviously a lot of people just listen to that song like some boring slow ballad. I don't see how quality wise Dolls would be considered lesser than any other songs by ayumi, but people usually say it's just a filler. Close to you is a song that represents Xmas itself. I was a song made to be listened on December, to think about what are you expecting for this end of year, what will you expect for te year that is to come, it's a reflective song I really love it. Voyage is a classic, I know a lot of people complain about her vibrato and stuff, the song uses rich instruments and no one can deny that. Voyage is actually the only song my mother likes from ayu. That and SEASONS meaning that for her SEASONS and Voyage are very beautiful ballads so I can't really ee how Voyage can be considered an inferior song. I don't need to comment on the greatness of HANABI and Fre&Easy because everybody already knows it. The interludes are among one of the best from any other ayumi album, I don't see people commenting on the interludes of I am... even though it's her "GREATEST ALBUM EVA!!!111". independent and Heartplace carry the rock for those who demand it. And those songs are actually pretty good. In terms of pop Real me, "everywhere nowhere" and July 1st do a great job even if I'm not really into July 1st chorus (the rest of the song is perfect though). Over is among one of the best ayu ballads in my opinion I really love it.
And for last because I know it's probably one o the most hated songs EVA111!!!, WE WISH: I don't see why people find it sooo bad. I love the guitar solo it's fantastic, the back guitars are pretty good too but I don't think people pay any attention on such things =/ I don't see what makes the vocals in NEVER EVER much better than the ones in WE WISH, oh no but it is because NEVER EVER is in the "I am..." album and no one can argue its greatness...WHATEVER LOL
I am glad RAINBOW was not like "I am...", I am... was I am... a great album but no need for repetition, we don't need ayu to turn into "Do As Infinity" (Sorry I really like DAI but anyone can notice their formula got old) and keep on repeating her style over and over.