an ayu article in a magazine [8 Days]

destiny_ayu · #1 23rd January 2003, 08:44 AM

The cover of the J-pop queen's fifth album intrigued us: the computer generated image revealed an Ayumi that was so beautiful, so perfect and so android-like we thought Rainbow was a comment on how she has become less human the more she becomes a mega-star. This observation is both right and wrong. In collaboration with Do As Infinity, CREA and HAL, Ayumi has come up with a hard-driving techno-rock album that simply bursts with irrepressible energy in the fast numbers and drips with emotion in the slower ones. Rainbow is far from being a cold, unfeeling electronic release, although Ayumi's force of personality is often subsumed by its slick production values. That said, there are too many TV commercial themes here ('Everywhere Nowhere', 'Heartplace','Real me',Free and easy','July1st'), making Ayumi seem less like a bigger-than-life star in the vein of, say, Madonna, than a walking endorsement of MD players, digital cameras and cosmetics. But when a commercial tune is as achingly lovely as the slow-burning torch song 'HANABI', we don't really care. " I don't want the kind of weakness that dares not shed tears/ And I also don't want the kind of strength that holds back the tears," Ayumi sings with faint tremble in her voice, as if reaching for a love that is as intangible as a rainbow. Contemplative, emotionally generous and as dramatic as its title, "HANABI" (Japanese for "fireworks") is arguably the best song here. 'Everywhere Nowhere' and 'Free and easy', on the other hand, represent advertisement songs at their worst: they are unimaginative ad mechanical, and Ayumi sings them as if she's already distracted by the thoughts of the money rolling into her bank account.

Star: 3/5

**EdenZone** · #2 23rd January 2003, 11:45 AM

haven't we seen a similar thread ???

destiny_ayu · #3 23rd January 2003, 12:26 PM

Where???

***isaac hiew*** · #4 23rd January 2003, 12:51 PM

Ayumi's albums, except LOVEppears, which IMHO the best album ever, never enjoyed much praise from various music critics. They just try to do what they are capable of, picking out bad things out of her.

Normally I just ignore these, unless it's very shocking, I then will post them onto here and let it enjoy a little bit of critics.

fantaisie.sign · #5 23rd January 2003, 03:08 PM

This "review" of RAINBOW really stand out from the ones I've seen in the past. Instead of completely bashing the album, it does give credit to the emotion in the album and much praise to HANABI then bashes the commercial jingle-type songs. Even though I agree with the reviewer on everywhere nowhere, how could anyone say Free & Easy is unimaginable? I've never heard a song that goes from a medieval feel, to a lullaby-like piano feel, then to an urgent rock feel, then it starts over again. It's pure genius to me.

#6 23rd January 2003, 03:08 PM

Woof... that's a hard pill to swallow. "Free & Easy" is mechanical and unimaginative? Yeah, okay. Well, unfortunately, we can not make everyone love Ayu. This is a poor review, nonetheless.

Love ~since 1999~ · #7 23rd January 2003, 07:13 PM

Let the guy think what he wants to.. XP

destiny_ayu · #8 25th January 2003, 01:30 PM

This person hu writes the article.. looks like she/he doesnt really like ayu that much...

Sakura_Drops · #9 27th January 2003, 06:53 PM

Thanks for the article.

boogieordie · #10 28th January 2003, 09:05 PM

Isaac - I've seen some wonderful reviews of I am...

Ashley

romi9 · #11 29th January 2003, 03:40 AM

I like Free & Easy, and it's not mechanical or unimaginative have the reviewer ever saw the PV for it?O_O..probably NO.....obviously this reviewer do not like the music in the album..at least he/she did not bash Hanabi >_<