[News] 『A BALLADS 2』on sale 2021.04.08 [II]

Aderianu · #1 21st February 2021, 02:20 PM

The second installment in the Ballads Best series, 18 years after A BALLADS. The main release consists of two discs with 30 songs total (subject to change), remastered from their original master tapes. Other versions will include blu-ray discs and goods (40 page photobook).

As per the TA store, the album will only include songs released after the first A BALLADS. No rearrangements or re-recordings have been mentioned in the announcement text.

=== EDITIONS ========

[2CD＋2DVD＋GOODS＋Sumapura Music]
¥11,400 (AVZ1-96674～5)

✦ TeamAyu / mu-mo shop limited edition
✦ Luxury BOX specification
✦ Digipak specification
✦ Goods: Special book (40 pages)
✦ Goods: T-shirt with jacket photo print
✦ Other jacket card included
‣ DISC-1 - CD
‣ DISC-2 - CD
‣ DISC-3 - DVD
‣ DISC-4 - DVD

[2CD＋2Blu-ray＋GOODS＋Sumapura Music]
¥12,400 (AVZ1-96676～7)

✦ TeamAyu / mu-mo shop limited edition
✦ Luxury BOX specification
✦ Digipak specification
✦ Goods: Special book (40 pages)
✦ Goods: T-shirt with jacket photo print
✦ Other jacket card included
‣ DISC-1 - CD
‣ DISC-2 - CD
‣ DISC-3 - Blu-ray
‣ DISC-4 - Blu-ray

[2CD＋DVD＋Sumapura Music]
¥4,800 (AVCD-96668～9)

✦ sleeve packaging
‣ DISC-1 - CD
‣ DISC-2 - CD
‣ DISC-3 - DVD

[2CD＋Blu-ray＋Sumapura Music]
¥5,200 (AVCD-96670～71)

✦ sleeve packaging
‣ DISC-1 - CD
‣ DISC-2 - CD
‣ DISC-3 - Blu-ray

[2CD+Sumapura Music]
¥3,200 (AVCD-96672～3)

‣ DISC-1 - CD
‣ DISC-2 - CD

=== CD CONTENT =======

Spoiler:

=== DVD/BD CONTENT ====

Spoiler:

=== COVERS ===========

Spoiler:

Aderianu · #2 21st February 2021, 02:46 PM

Tracklist preview

Cover photo by Kazutaka Nakamura

Video(?) by Kazuyoshi Shimomura

pedronekoi · #3 22nd February 2021, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aderianu

Video(?) by Kazuyoshi Shimomura

Apparently the set behind her is an artwork by Ogata Kōrin, a famous artist from 17th century Azuchi–Momoyama period. I wonder which song it will be! I'm getting vibes of a new song and not pray for you.

KPL · #4 22nd February 2021, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedronekoi

Apparently the set behind her is an artwork by Ogata Kōrin, a famous artist from 17th century Azuchi–Momoyama period. I wonder which song it will be! I'm getting vibes of a new song and not pray for you.

Amazing! How did you find out?

I hope it’s another song other than Pray for you, although if she actually does the unholy union, I won’t be that surprised

pedronekoi · #5 22nd February 2021, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KPL

Amazing! How did you find out?

Shimomura have posted it using the hashtags #Rinpa (the name of this kind of art/technique) #Gorgeous #Japan #Azuchi-Momoyama (the name of the era) #Renaissance so I just googled it and this artist came out

That kimono shot is so flawless!! It reminds of part of me. Maybe that's her thing, releasing compilations and getting full japanese historic culture traditions on a new PV lol Love it!

Deep snow · #6 22nd February 2021, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedronekoi

Apparently the set behind her is an artwork by Ogata Kōrin, a famous artist from 17th century Azuchi–Momoyama period. I wonder which song it will be! I'm getting vibes of a new song and not pray for you.

amazing find! thank you for sharing. I hope it's some sort of spiritual sequel to part of Me that sounds just as great

Katsuyuki012 · #7 21st February 2021, 02:54 PM

Still not over how gorgeous she looks in that photo!

Evan Odinson · #8 21st February 2021, 02:57 PM

I love the cover and I'm so excited for the new MV (?) she always looks amazing wearing kimonos!

Aderianu · #9 21st February 2021, 03:08 PM

I'm glad color theme is not peach/pink

Is it ayu in kimono? I can't recognize her

ayuPanda · #10 21st February 2021, 03:47 PM

I can't. She looks soooo stunning at the cover. Love it.

Zeke. · #11 21st February 2021, 04:20 PM

The original A BALLADS was soft and gentle somehow, despite the glamour. Difficult to put into words, bet it felt personal and real. This doesn’t feel honest.

DavidChaiLatte · #12 21st February 2021, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke.

The original A BALLADS was soft and gentle somehow, despite the glamour. Difficult to put into words, bet it felt personal and real. This doesn’t feel honest.

Agreed, but tbh her cover art game hasn’t been on point since FIVE/Party Queen so I’m not entirely shocked. The video looks pretty promising tho assuming it’s her

Chibi-Chan · #13 21st February 2021, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke.

The original A BALLADS was soft and gentle somehow, despite the glamour. Difficult to put into words, bet it felt personal and real. This doesn’t feel honest.

This. It just looks like another beauty shot. If I want beauty shots, I'd buy a glossy magazine. I'm so over those beauty shots and couldn't care less how gorgeous she looks, which she does. But her looking beautiful is not the reason I fell in love with the artist 浜崎あゆみ, on the contrary.

tokyoxjapanxfan · #14 21st February 2021, 04:30 PM

It’s certainly not inspiring but she and the colors are lovely.

I wonder how many versions we’ll get. Personally I’d love something like MY STORY, which had a great variety (IMO).

BlackSilence · #15 21st February 2021, 05:02 PM

Well it's the easy way out. You don't need a concept, nor art director, you just do a magazine photoshoot and use it for everything. It's a nice photo, but yeah, we've had a million of those by now as covers for singles and albums.

KPL · #16 21st February 2021, 05:16 PM

Beauty shot, which was expected in my opinion and executed fairly well this time. I wish the title text is not translucent though - solid white would appear much more confident!

In terms of cover arts with concept, in my opinion those really started at Duty and peaked at A BALLADS. Ever since Memorial Address, which was beautiful, the cover arts have become more or less beauty shots most of the time with a big face on it...

TheRainbow · #17 21st February 2021, 05:24 PM

I like it.

maxikot · #18 21st February 2021, 05:42 PM

I really like it. It gives me an impression of her being in her thoughts during/before shooting a video or maybe a concert. That's why I see it as something more than a beauty shot

It will look amazing on the box.

owlflight · #19 21st February 2021, 05:54 PM

Cover looks nice and I do like the color tone.

KPL · #20 21st February 2021, 05:55 PM

I’m so curious what the kimono video is about though! Can’t imagine that’s for Pray for you ... but still anything can happen