NEXT LEVEL tracklist + CD2+DVD cover

[darc_aqua]

cover is kinda weird but i think its pretty interesting
her name is placed poorly on the cover

[Andrenekoi]

That's why I never expect anything from my favorite artists...
if I like something, I keep it... If I don't, I pretend it wasn't done

[YuriChan]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

It seems to me that you are the one that needs to cool it. Everyone is expressing their differing opinions just fine. There is no need to shout or anything.

I apologize. I was ranting and that wasn't helping the cause!

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by HONEY_INSPIRE_ME19

I apologize. I was ranting and that wasn't helping the cause!

It's ok.

And Andrenekoi, I like to pretend the Bold and Delicious PV doesn't exist.

[love in music]

@panda♥: I agree with you but you know it's this forum.. it's just.. full of many critical people.. so.. what can you do lol

but i have to say the way some people word things here makes it seem like anytime ayu does something wrong in their eyes, they're happy about it. well not necessarily happy about it being bad, but happy that they get to complain about it. it's kind of..strange.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

It's ok.

And Andrenekoi, I like to pretend the Bold and Delicious PV doesn't exist.

B&D have a pv? o_O
Now, don't tell me that born to be have one too!

[jbrat2219]

Originally Posted by Aozora

After I heard the previews for NEXT LEVEL I just expected a more... balladish album.

I think I would have been more disappointed with that! That's not going to the next level at all, that's going back a few steps and around the corner!

Originally Posted by Aozora

After Namie did the 60s70s80s and Ami Suzuki did Can't stop the DISCO, I'm just kind of sick of the whole "retro" style by now :p. But I'm sure the songs will be amazing. They always are.

Yeah I think the songs will be amazing too, I think even though it may appear that Ayu is following the trend, she always has a knack for turning something "typical" into something "Ayuish." Her songs always similar yet distinguished if you know what I mean.

[darkcarousel]

part of Me: yeah i get that kind of vibe too.

some people are like omg i don't like what she's going for or what direction she's going in. she's literally tried & succeeded every (well most) mainstream genres, so why not go for electonic? i mean, come on, you know disco-munication and EnergizE have that sound. they wouldn't be ballads or that would be weird.

[bluecyclone]

JUST READING THOSE TITLES.... i feel energized :p lol!!!

WOOOOO... i'm anxious... i want that album nowwwwwwww in my handsss!!!!

I don't like Ayu's hair... looks like a broom lol!! But she's AYU and I love her no matter what!!

[darkcarousel]

this is the first time she had bushy hair on an album cover, so i kind of like it. it's something new.

[Andrenekoi]

Well people are assuming she is going to eletronic because of the cover of the album... only one song was eletronic until now, so... I think we are going to have the same amount of eletronic music we got in her past albums....

[panda♥]

Originally Posted by part of Me ♥

@panda♥: I agree with you but you know it's this forum.. it's just.. full of many critical people.. so.. what can you do lol

but i have to say the way some people word things here makes it seem like anytime ayu does something wrong in their eyes, they're happy about it. well not necessarily happy about it being bad, but happy that they get to complain about it. it's kind of..strange.

exactly. i know what you mean lol.

i don't care if someone likes the cover or not, but when you complain about EVERY little detail, it's like you're looking for an excuse to hate it!

[YuriChan]

Originally Posted by panda♥

exactly. i know what you mean lol.

i don't care if someone likes the cover or not, but when you complain about EVERY little detail, it's like you're looking for an excuse to hate it!

So true... Isn't it?

[SolarAngel]

If you google shugyo, it says "conducting oneself in a way that inspires mastery". So a load of that is a lot of mastery i guess lol...

[joshohhhhh]

I think when she says 'load' she probably means 'the weight of' or 'the burden'.

[emi♡]

I don't understand why someone who wants Ayu to succeed would look for reasons to hate something.

Isn't it entirely possible that there are people that just don't like it? Of course there's realms of reason...I guess some people have been in it, and others not.

Details can make the difference from something being awesome and something being awful.

In a piece of artwork, every little thing contributes to the overall picture as a whole. Like a signature. The pictures used, any brushes, any textures, any effects, any colorings, any bit of text. The placement of those things, and what they convey to the viewer.

Covers are the same.

For example...how would it change the picture if that bit of hair wasn't there beneath her ear? Or if the camera had panned out a bit...or if the text NEXT LEVEL wasn't sideways?

What does making the text sideways convey to the viewer? What does it say about what they are trying to get across?

People at this forum are all different. They all have different talents and attributes. Some people more adept to composition, some to color, some don't care, some focus on only this or that.

Just like in music. Some people focus on the composition, others the lyrics, others the arrangements, and others the songs as a whole.

Whatever your talents lie, it's good to bring them to the table...to discuss!

A photographer or artist might see one thing looking at the picture...and someone who's an engineer might see something else.

imo it's important to see everything and be open, to get all points of view...but of course, not everyone is like that.


I really would like to think that no one here who has voiced their opinions wants Ayu to fail, or is looking for things to critique.

Maybe I'm being too optimistic.

[Lady_Eowyn]

Originally Posted by Aozora

Why is it so bad that we're expressing our opinions? Would you rather us all agree on everything and believe Ayu can do no wrong?

I'm not going to stop liking Ayu because of a silly cover or a tacky tracklist. The music IS what is most important. But the tracklist and cover usually gives an idea as to what the music will sound like and I don't like the direction it's headed. You don't have to agree with me. It's my opinion and I'm allowed to have it just like you're allowed to have your opinion.

I'm not going to judge the album until after I heard all the songs. But I can judge the cover. I don't like it. And I can judge the names of the songs. I don't like them. Now it's up to Ayu to prove me wrong and have the songs be amazing.

Amen!!! especially the last phrase. I'm expecting the same thing

Yeah I think the songs will be amazing too, I think even though it may appear that Ayu is following the trend, she always has a knack for turning something "typical" into something "Ayuish." Her songs always similar yet distinguished if you know what I mean.

I know, she manages to be balanced in that term.

some people are like omg i don't like what she's going for or what direction she's going in. she's literally tried & succeeded every (well most) mainstream genres, so why not go for electonic? i mean, come on, you know disco-munication and EnergizE have that sound. they wouldn't be ballads or that would be weird.

Hopefully you will be mistaken. I don't mind electro pop as long is just in a couple of songs, not the entire album ( i really liked sparkle). The idea freaks me out so much

I can't speak for others, just for myself. And i don't wanna hate Panda, but it's just that i have never liked mainstream pop music until i met Ayu and j-pop. electropop it's just not my thing. I don't want ayu to be another copy of Namie Amuro or Lady Gaga or Rihanna or anyone of them. There are too many artists out there making average sounds of pop music with average, stupid lyrics; i mean, there's more than enough of that. But Ayu is different. She is one of the few artists (that i know) that manages to be mainstream, popular, but intelligent and deep at the same time. i don't really wanna see she is going to lose that touch with this new album and the titles doesn't look very promising; Tho i'm really hoping i will be wrong

[SunshineSlayer]

^ Exactly Emiko, exactly. If something is good, I will praise it as such. But if something isn't, I'm not going to softball it either especially when it could have been good had just a few simple things been fixed. I always think it is much better and more meaningful when people earn praise rather than when it is handed out freely even if what they are praising might be on the mediocre side.

Lady_Eowyn: Finally we agree on something! I especially agree with your entire last paragraph.

[NintendoHTF1242]

Wouldn't her LOVEppears era already count as electronica ?

[ArchangelLegend]

Originally Posted by panda♥

i don't care if someone likes the cover or not, but when you complain about EVERY little detail, it's like you're looking for an excuse to hate it!

I do the opposite, I try to find anything good about some minor detail so I'll have an excuse to love it. Unfortunately it never worked. I mean why would one minor detail become any more important than other details. There are exceptions like that of the Wacoal photoshoot where the only detail that matters is the boobs. I mean that's all I stared at and I can't remember the expression on her face at all. ^^;

The cover looks more disco than electronica. I would like to hear at least one funky 70s disco song in this album. Even better would be having Ayu with an afro in one of the PVs. Of coarse I know I am wrong. I always am.