Album Listening

[HarukaKamiya]

1. starting over - This interlude has very subtle beats, and I love the mystery it creates.
2. Duty - This is of course one of her most epic songs. With the sampling of a classical piece mixed with the beat and Ayu's emotion, the poignant lyrics come to life. I love the dark overtones, and the subtle guitar in the bridge.
3. vogue - Ah, yes, the light-hearted Middle Eastern piece. At least, it sounds light-hearted. I do adore this song, particularly the melody.
4. End of the World - *A* It's emotive dark rock. What more could I want?!
5. SCAR - This song is so gorgeous, and I nearly cried when it was performed at PCDL. ;_; Such a sad song, and the mixture of mild electronic bits, deep resonance in the instrumentals, and steady vocals really make this seriously underrated song one of her greatest album tracks.
6. Far away - The distorted loop plus the melancholy instrumentals make this song somewhat haunting, and Ayu's vocals are quite strong in here.
7. SURREAL - This was the song that changed me from a casual fan to a stan way back in 2005, and to be honest, I don't understand why some people don't like this song. It's got a great melody, the bass is light and very subtle, and I love the piano intro and outro. Overall, one of Ayu's best songs ever. Pure magic.
8. AUDIENCE - While I do love its upbeat tone and I love the theme, it's a hit or miss song. I have to be in the mood for it (and usually I'm in the mood for this song when I'm listening to this album). I do like how it picks up from SURREAL's somber tone, and when I AM in the mood for it, I love how empowering it is.
9. SEASONS - This song is powerful, mostly because it is so simple, and the lyrics DID win the Best Lyrics award. I would love to hear her re-record it. An Ayu classic.
10. teddy bear - This is one of my favorite Ayu songs. Ever. I'm a sucker for piano ballads, and this one is no exception. I love how soft and nostalgic the whole song sounds, including Ayu's vocals.
11. Key ~eternal tie ver.~ - I love the guitar and percussion in this song, and how Ayu goes from soft and tender to strong and particularly emotive so quickly. It may be one of her shortest full-length songs, but that's why it makes such an impact.
12. girlish - Damn, I love this song. It may sound weak in comparison to the others on this album, but I find it really strong and awesome because it's a live track. It just sounds like a chillout jam session type of a song, and I love the confidence that oozes from Ayu's vocals.

In conclusion, this was my favorite album by Ayu, and then RnRC went and kicked its ass. Its full of power, impact, and emotion. I will never understand why it's so disliked (although I think it's because it's so SHORT that people tend to dismiss it ), but I will continue to love this album.