Flashback ten years ago..how do you feel about I Am... and RAINBOW?

[pimenta]

Both are AMAZING albums! I am... is just epic

[Chiharo]

I never liked I am... much. RAINBOW is a masterpiece, though.

[Deep snow]

I am... definitely wins the battle for me. The album's packed with some of her greatest hits ever. It flows perfectly from I am... until flower garden (that silence after Endless sorrow ~gone with the wind~ creates a happy surprise effect for me) and there's almost nothing to object against in that album (I don't really like still alone, Dearest and no more words, but that changes nothing out of the album's perfection). Plus, I am... is where ayu was at her creative and commercial peak. CREA PLEASE RETURN. And I don't mean the dog.

Whereas,

RAINBOW, I think, pales in comparison. I skip a lot of tracks here. I needed to grow into liking songs like WE WISH, Dolls and even independent and +; I still dislike HANABI, Close to you and Heartplace and I'm just 'eh OK' with everywhere nowhere, Real me, Over and Voyage. The album's appeal is limited to July 1st and Free & Easy for me (I don't count the song RAINBOW because it's not technically in the album). I used to think the album was rushed, but now I doubt if that has anything to do with me not liking it. RAINBOW's just not my cup of tea.

I can't believe it's already ten years. God I'm old.

[Kacku]

Originally Posted by Chiharo

I never liked I am... much. RAINBOW is a masterpiece, though.

THIS so much. I've never been able to feel the all-encompassing love for I am... most of the fans seem to have. I've seen very good points from people praising it, but I don't think I'll ever even like the album much because I dislike so many songs, the interludes are very unmemorable and not that good (this from someone who tends to love interludes) and at some points I really don't like how the album flows.

But I absolutely love RAINBOW. It's an amazing album and I think I'll be showering it with praise once I have the time to put in my two cents at the "review ALL the albums" -thread.

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

I still adore both albums, and they're some of the best works of her career. There is not a single song that I dislike from those eras.

[Larisa-chan]

Well. The year where she released my favorite album of hers and 2nd worst album in her career. Not really sure what happened in 2002, but it was a turning point in her career where she lost a certain spark that, 10 years later, she hasn't ever gotten back.

[Jason]

Around the time I became a fan RAINBOW was coming out. Up until recent years I always considered that album to be my favourite album from her.

A few years back I had a bit of an Ayu marathon and I sort of rethought my stance on that album. The second half of RAINBOW (except Voyage) really lets it down for me.

Then there's I am..., where nearly every song is perfect, beautiful and golden. It recently morphed into my favourite Ayu album

[AyuBlackwind]

I could write a book about how much I love I am...
It's my favorite album of hers. It proved to me that no one can do a better job composing songs than Ayu herself. She did her share on Rainbow too, all my favorite songs on that album were composed by Crea.

The one thing that got me was that the song Rainbow wasn't on the album Rainbow. That used to annoy me so much that it was on A Ballads, lol.

[Delicious n Bold]

I am... would definitely be in my top 5 ayu albums. i like every song except 'a song is born'. disregarding the lyrics, i cannot stand that song. i believe it goes absolutely knowhere. However, i love it when ayu is all angsty and ballad-y, as well as energetic and rock-ish, which this album provides with the exception of the song above, it's an amazing album. M is one of the best song i have ever heard in my entire life.

rainbow on the other hand... i don't detest it but it is not my "go to" ayu album. i don't really like the singles, with the exception of july1st and independent (forget hanabi). i don't understand why people like voyage, i find it bland. i am 50/50 with free and easy. when i listen to that song, ayu sings so beautifully and softly. then, she belts and everything gets loud. the problem is that i know she's gonna do that but it gets me off my guard and completely ruins me from the mood set at the beginning of the song.
if only "rainbow" (the song) was included on this album. the ending of that song was bliss and i would have loved this album just for rainbow.

[sxesven]

Cool beans, was just looking for a thread like this and wuddayaknow. In my quest to review all Ayu albums in reverse chronological order I got tired of the new albums (new for me, that is) quick - after working my way through Party Queen, Love songs and Rock 'n' Roll Circus, of which I only really dug Love songs, I decided I needed something fresh and old. So heck, I might as well just review everything. I like the trip down memory lane. Will read up on this thread later. Cool to see what everyone thinks of these albums in retrospect.

March 18, 2003. Through some fortunate accident I discover Ayu. This was, I would later learn, within a week of A Ballads' release. The most recent album at that point was Rainbow, an album I have fond memories of, so for these two reasons I'm using Rainbow as my new review starting point.

everlasting dream is one of the best album openers, I think, especially interludewise. It immediately invokes the dreamy atmosphere that like a blanket lies over the whole of Rainbow. Fantastic! WE WISH follows it up nicely. Great arrangement, which I think was typical of any Ayu track up until Rainbow, with lots of detail and neatly picked sounds and samples. It's a very lively, vibrant opener. I don't even generally consider this to be one of my 'favourite Ayu songs', but I absolutely love it! Also has some classic vocal delivery, kinda nasal, which I what I fell for, head over heels, way back when. Awesome.

Real me I have always had mixed feelings for. It's in this sort of hip R&B mode that I think was new for Ayu at the time - marking the first major departure in sound (not counting A Song for XX) which would alienate some old school fans. It seems like a typical 2002 urban pop track. Quirky beats, semi-sensual vocals. Somehow it just doesn't seem to fit Ayu all too well. As beautiful and inspiring a woman I've always considered her, I never really thought of her as sensual. Mind that a certain live performance of this track changed my views somewhat, but that's another story altogether...

Free & Easy is so epic. Maybe it's the artwork for the single that contributes to this feeling? Ayu with a sword, all geared up. Washed-out colours. Medieval moods. The opening melody immediately makes it feel like 1400 A.D. Stylistically this isn't really my cup of tea otherwise; not really too fond of these quasi-powerful mid-tempo choruses. Still, though, can't find much fault with it. Enjoyable. Insofar as Free & Easy is epic, though, Heartplace is EPIC. Oh boy. Such a great song. Builds up excellently. Love the powerful power ballad style. Another prime example of great, detailed arrangement. So ace.

Over has never been my favourite. All too standard of a ballad that neither stands out melodically or arrangementwise. The final seconds are cringeworthy. I can't believe nobody vetoed this. It's ovhruuruueurur. Ack. Terrible. Fortunately it's followed by one of the album highlights, HANABI. Brilliant song. Everything is right here. The vocal delivery is so great. The arrangement is truly astounding (seriously, take a good set of headphones and just listen to it closely - there's so much to enjoy here). The chorus goes straight to the heart. Great composition. Excellent tune.

taskinillusion is a faster-paced interlude that is a good prelude for what's to come. I love the task-interludes, dearly so. This one is no exception. everywhere nowhere MUST be a love-it-or-hate-it song, but I absolutely love it. I love Ayu's dance tunes, pretty much all of them. It's so energetic, and fresh. I love the little laser sounds. Awesome. July 1st is even better. This one is easily up there in my top 10 fav Ayu songs. I love the serene beginning, with the calm guitar picking, and then it bursts into something so alive and positive. How can you not totally love this. If July 1st were edible I'd eat it every day and secretly brush my teeth with it, too, and then dream sweetly of it all night. The ultimate summer song for me.

Dolls is a bit of wtf-song for me. What's up with the chirping baby in the beginning? Regardless, it's another ballad, and while I do love some Ayu ballads, this isn't one of them. It drags a bit, isn't very special. It doesn't really have any highs and lows, in whichever way, and just meanders on for its nearly 6-minute duration. Just nah.

A final interlude before we hit the last few songs of the album. neverending dream is pretty, again. Another classic interlude. Voyage is another ballad, but a decidedly better one than Dolls. It's very pretty. The piano works so well, the strings do too. I have a major weak spot for this type of arrangement. Not Ayu's best ballad, but a good one, certainly. Close to you is a ballad yet again, but it's also a pretty one. It always kind of reminds me of no more words (which I love) and has some good bits, despite not standing out in any particular manner. Just a solid, decent song, I guess.

independent though, man. I love this song so much. Again we're moving into more upbeat territory and I'm generally just very fond of this sort of material. independent is fantastic. Everything about it is so right. The hand claps, the great guitar sound, the full sound. Totally amazing, and probably Ayu's most energetic song ever. Except for, of course, +. Which is, basically, independent and then even crrrrrazier. Gotta love the la las. I'm no longer coherent. Soz.

Overall, a fine album with some weak spots, but some truly stand-out material to more then compensate for those.

[sxesven]

Reading this thread, by the way (which is a fun experience in itself), I'm surprised I am... isn't applauded more vehemently. Back in the days everyone was always all over I am...; RAINBOW was the album to make fun of. Funny how things have changed. Heh.

[primavera♥]

Though I am... is also in my top 5.... RAINBOW is number 2 and even 1 sometimes lol

That album is magical imo. Something that the previous isn't so much. Now, I do love Connected, M, Naturally, and still alone are my favorites from I am.... And I do love the other songs. But over time, I just don't feel the need to listen to songs like Dearest and that lame Endless Sorrow arrangement. Not when I have songs like Over on RAINBOW.

Idk, the interludes on RAINBOW are her best imo, and they really set this magically lovely mood. I just adore the arrangements on this album a lot more. Idk, a lot more beautiful for songs like Over, dolls, Free & Easy....and love the fun songs on this album like everywhere nowhere and July 1st. They're a lot more easy to listen to for me than evolution or UNITE!

Both good albums though. That was a while ago. 5 or 6 years before I became a fan

[axmish87]

I am and RAINBOW have those dreamlike arrangements that most of her followup albums lack but that doesnt mean that i don't like them it's just the fact that i am personally more atached to Rainbow and I am albums

[sanzo2011]

Both are great! ( not that epic of "duty")! Both have very strong singles (unfortunately, the album tracks are not that epic!) the two album's jackets are among her best! BUT i think I am... is a bit better and i maybe biased as I am... contains M and evolution ( her 2 greatest tracks ever)!

[KillTime111]

I gotta say.. I am... is still one of my favorite albums.. It`s a compilation of some of her most highest ranking songs, probably at the peak of her popularity.. Both are great albums still in my book though ).

[LONJJONG]

Both are great albums!
I am... was composed by Ayu, it showed her extreme hardworking.
RAINBOW is just awesome...

[jang-kun]

Ever since I became a fan like five years ago I considered and solidified Duty, I am... (for me the highlight of Ayu's career), and RAINBOW as the rock-solid epitome of greatness. I mean, MA is one thing, it's just unique, but these three are just... the standard. Every album in Ayu's discography is below these three, imo.

[Delicious n Bold]

Looking at my March 23 post, whoa, what was I thinking? I love RAINBOW now. I love Voyage. Free & Easy is still meh. But the album as a whole is YES!.

[jang-kun]

^You lost pup F&E is, in a matter of debate, considered the best CREA composition ever. That sudden boom is just perfection

[kotora]

I miss CREA. Thats all I want to say.