[Article] Finnish J-culture magazine JapanPop reviews Party Queen

[Eewyi]

Finnish J-culture magazine JapanPop reviewed Party Queen in the issue 04/2012.

[scan of the article]

Here's translation for you guys :3

Ayumi Hamasaki - Party Queen
By Maritta Kela
Translation by Eewyi

Ayumi Hamasaki's 13th studio album Party Queen was released on 21st of March 2012. Interestingly though, it didn't have any psychical single tie-ins. Only the last track of the album, how beautiful you are got a digital single release about one month before the actual album. It was also used as a theme song for drama Saigo kara nibanme no koi. The actual album was released afterwards, as a several different versions, which is typical in Japan.

Without having any big scale knowledge of the artists previous works, the album starts as expected. The first tracks, Paty queen which the album is named after, NaNaNa and Shake It ♥ invite the listener to party, and they have this certain club feeling in them. The most catchy of the three is NaNaNa, which would get you on the dancefloor more than once.
Shake It ♥ on the other hand is a bit more rockish, and it begins noticeably different theme in the album, followed by interlude taskebab. Its melody is a mashup between previous upbeat songs and the songs yet to come.

The middle part of the album begins with call, which is a enjoyable pop rock song. It's easy to like and nice to jam along.
The pop rock theme is continued with Letter, though having more melancholical lyrics, and reminds me takes the same road. Reminds me includes more unleashing of negative energy, and lalala harmonization is repeated.

Return Road is speculated to be a sequel to song Virgin Road and taken its story from singer's actual experiences and relationship problems. It's by no doubt one of the songs to be remembered from this album.
Tell me why as a song is already more mellow and has a forgiving tone.

The second interlude of the album a cup of tea transits the listener to yet another theme, lasting two songs. Broadway theme presented by Hamasaki comes in mind when listening to the next LOVE, and it has almost jazzy sounds. Eyes, Smoke, Magic sounds like a bizarre circus show instead.
Serenade in A minor interlude has a melancholical tone, having musical-like sound.
How beautiful you are is one of the greatest songs in the album, a tedious ballad, which gives album beautiful ending.

At first listen, it's difficult to notice a clear link and story between the songs, but at second listen they connect to each other way better already.
A young woman comes to mind, which at first, parties at the peak of her fame, then taken to her relationship problems, and at last finding herself again, being grateful.
Hamasaki's eccentric pronounciation might confuse listeners. Also, the overusing of all kinds of special effects might sting the ear.

3 out of 5

Well, what do you think? I find this review quite good actually. It seems that she has really listened to the album more than once, even looked at the lyrics. Also, I find it admirable how she has done so much, even though she is unfamiliar with ayu's music.
It also gives a perspective what first time listener might think of her. It seems that ballads are really admired by many.

I found it funny how she said that call is nice to jam to, as it doesn't have that kind of lyrics XD
It's also nice that she actually realized that this is a conceptual album. That was the point.

Oh, and it's interesting how she couldn't link the songs at first listen. 'Cause the same thing happened to me too, when listening to PQ the first time.

Oh, and she commented about ayu's pronounciation! It surely is kinda eccentric, but I personally like it. Does ayu speak with some kind of dialect by the way? Because I've wondered that time to time too.

I find it kinda odd though how she gave "only" 3 out of 5, because she didn't seem to particularly say anything negative about it? But it's still good though!

I hope my translation was understandable, please say if something feels off ^__^~

This magazine has also rewieved Rock'n'roll Circus [it's not this precise though, way shorter too] and made an article [heavily sourcing from her interwiev with TIME magazine in 2001, so it's not really recent, although made in 2009] of ayu before. I can scan and translate those later as well if you want to~