Ayu's music: when did it start to go downhill for you? - Page 3

kagami · #41 1st August 2010, 04:17 AM

I agree with everyone that has said she is still experimenting. And I absoloutely still think she puts passion and heart into her music, it's just not as desperate as before as she is in a better place (emotionaly) right now. She is a strong confident woman, not a lost and sad child and I for one love that. I love that Ayu has been able to grow and accept herself through her music. And heal...Not many people get to do that and I think it's a beautiful think. As a great man once sais 'if I can't heal from my art, then how can you heal?' I think that's what Ayu has always been aiming for.

I honestly think she has had some great and not so great music throughout her entire career...And some of her more recent stuff is more out there than some of the things she produced before (Mirrorcle World, SLT et cetera).
I guess it all just comes down to what you personally want to hear.

P.s. I love her deeper huskier voice, it ain't boring or bad to me at all...It's sexy

RyRyMini · #42 1st August 2010, 04:25 AM

I like her new albums more than her old ones. Singles have been kind of lackluster though.

untitledforayu · #43 1st August 2010, 05:11 AM

In my opinion, her peak was during the Duty/I am... era. She hasn't yet made an album as solid as Duty and as impressive lyrically, thematically and stylistically as I am...

Since then, she only went slightly downhill until around GUILTY where her music just became generic pop, with notable exceptions. I quite enjoyed NEXT LEVEL as it was something new for her and quite refreshing. However, as far as I'm concerned, she hit rock bottom with Rock'n'Roll Circus. It's like she has nothing new to say anymore, so her music just sounds boring and repetitive these days.

**ayumisrael** · #44 1st August 2010, 05:17 AM

No downhill for me either.

I think though that until around Memorial address ayu's music was really oriented with the help of her manager/producers (hence the need for ourselves) and that's where you would find her releasing a lot of different things both in singles and albums.

Since then she became more and more independent with each release and she also has changed, she got a bit more matured, she changed perspectives, she likes releasing summer/winter singles in order to make her fans and management happy (thus make her happy) and she mainly experiments with her albums tracks nowadays, NEXT LEVEL album is a good example, Rock'n'Roll Circus' Don't look back and especially Sexy little things which was kind of a "breakthrough" since how many artists make swing pop nowadays?

She still has brilliant songs, and still has emotional explosers (MOON was one for me) but they are different (I wouldn't say in quality) and ayu is different and her way of doing things is different. It's either you get along with it, you might lose her sometimes or keep on track regulary enjoying the great or less things she has to offer. ^^

Don't look back · #45 1st August 2010, 05:23 AM

it didn't yet. sorry to say, but she has so many bad songs in the past. i used to not like her because i only tried out albums like Duty and MY STORY and thought she was boring and overrated. Rock 'n' Roll circus made me realize she does have talent and can make an exciting album. then looking back at her past 4 albums i realize how good they are too (not as good as Rock 'n' Roll circus though ha). i was missing out not giving her a chance before because of her boring old music. sorry if i offended anyone by saying this, it's just my opinion. a lot of people like her old music and i respect that and can enjoy a few old songs too.

Jwiz · #46 1st August 2010, 06:38 AM

It went 'downhill' when my expectation for her music heightened rapidly while being an ardent fan of her.

pommy48 · #47 1st August 2010, 06:57 AM

It hasn't really gone downhill for me because I'm bound to dislike some songs and love others on her albums.

She's always experimenting with new things, so the only thing that has changed is my expectations for her releases.

Ranma Matsuri · #48 1st August 2010, 08:54 AM

Can't really say. I wouldn't use the word "downhill" at this point but rather she's gone in a direction that for the most part, I haven't been feeling. I still consider myself a new fan (not getting fully into her until around the 50th singles/NEXT LEVEL). I enjoyed NL and that album is what convinced me to get into all her other albums (excluding MS and MA which had been the only ones I previously heard). I found that I prefer her older works to her newer works.

While I do acknowledge her vocals have gotten immensely better, I prefer her old voice because I feel more raw energy and I could really feel the messages she was trying to convey even though I can't understand the words. It's a little difficult to read her emotions in her post-GUILTY work. Musically and lyrically, though she's had really good albums before and after, I think her songs were at their highest quality from Duty to Memorial Address. The songs from those albums consistently had songs that imho deserved to be called 'classics' in her discography. But the albums certainly didn't go 'downhill' she just... changed (I think 'mature' is the wrong word for debatable reasons) and because of that, there's been more hits and misses. Secret had to grow on me, GUILTY had some great tracks but as a whole album was a complete bore, and after the 3rd time I can no longer listen to RnRC all the way through without falling asleep or forgetting I'm listening to it in the first place (that's a major indicator that something is boring me lol). I loved NL though (still do) and blossom is amazing so what can I say? lol

I will say with certainty that I agree with the comments on her lyrics feeling the same. It's like, 90% of her lyrics include something about walking together and holding hands. It's not like I want emo Ayu back and her lyrics for the most part are still pretty and more meaningful than most of what's out there but can she seriously write about something else?

love in music · #49 1st August 2010, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranma Matsuri

I will say with certainty that I agree with the comments on her lyrics feeling the same. It's like, 90% of her lyrics include something about walking together and holding hands. It's not like I want emo Ayu back and her lyrics for the most part are still pretty and more meaningful than most of what's out there but can she seriously write about something else?

Uemarasan · #50 1st August 2010, 09:57 AM

Thank you, everyone, for contributing to this discussion! I would reply to each and every one of you, but unfortunately I'm only human

But thank you for allowing me to read all of your points-of-view!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jwiz

It went 'downhill' when my expectation for her music heightened rapidly while being an ardent fan of her.

You know, you've hit the nail on the head. That is exactly what I've been going through with Ayu these days.

Uemarasan · #51 1st August 2010, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranma Matsuri

Can't really say. I wouldn't use the word "downhill" at this point but rather she's gone in a direction that for the most part, I haven't been feeling. I still consider myself a new fan (not getting fully into her until around the 50th singles/NEXT LEVEL). I enjoyed NL and that album is what convinced me to get into all her other albums (excluding MS and MA which had been the only ones I previously heard). I found that I prefer her older works to her newer works.

While I do acknowledge her vocals have gotten immensely better, I prefer her old voice because I feel more raw energy and I could really feel the messages she was trying to convey even though I can't understand the words. It's a little difficult to read her emotions in her post-GUILTY work. Musically and lyrically, though she's had really good albums before and after, I think her songs were at their highest quality from Duty to Memorial Address. The songs from those albums consistently had songs that imho deserved to be called 'classics' in her discography. But the albums certainly didn't go 'downhill' she just... changed (I think 'mature' is the wrong word for debatable reasons) and because of that, there's been more hits and misses. Secret had to grow on me, GUILTY had some great tracks but as a whole album was a complete bore, and after the 3rd time I can no longer listen to RnRC all the way through without falling asleep or forgetting I'm listening to it in the first place (that's a major indicator that something is boring me lol). I loved NL though (still do) and blossom is amazing so what can I say? lol

Exactly. I miss that rawness in her voice, that imperfection that gave her songs so much emotion. Like I said, that quality of her losing herself in her music, of her being almost overwhelmed by emotion. I find her voice these days too controlled, almost too pretty.

Guilty has some good songs, but it is such a weak album for me. The only song that can stand alongside her "classics" is untitled ~for her, I think. Maybe fated and Guilty as well. Next Level is much better. It's slowly growing on me, so I'm giving it a chance. Rock 'n' Roll Circus, though, has yet to offer me anything. Sunset is lovely, I have to say, but I was hoping that it would be the album to revive my great love for her. I'll give it time to accept it as a typical Ayu album. I really have high hopes for the next one. She seems to have broken away from the usual mold of her summer singles.

ayu_ready? · #52 1st August 2010, 01:03 PM

I felt like Moments was the last good single and MY STORY the last awesome album, sorrey

Maemi · #53 1st August 2010, 01:14 PM

After GUILTY. Or even before? I dunno

But I still love her music

Yumsushi · #54 1st August 2010, 02:50 PM

To be honest, I think Ayumi's music has always been hit or miss for me (since I can’t say that I’ve ever loved an entire album from beginning to end) despite her experimentation on so many levels but her music had a unique sound that was not formulaic that appealed greatly to me. That is not the case now; case in point RnR circus. This is her STUCK in a formula for the most part, and with the new single there is no improvement. I picked up the album at home a few days ago and listened to half of it and had no desire to listen to the other half when I had already heard the melodies elsewhere and they all sounded like each other anyway.
I don't know that it simply has to do with her growing up or becoming confident. She used to say that her inspiration was herself and other people's stories so if most of her lyrics nowadays is just about holding hands, and voice reaching the others heart etc etc then its simply lack of inspiration on her part to venture outside of this idea. In SLT she is so confident that it is spectacular, and in DLB there is so much doubt that it is painful. Unfortunately, these 2 are the only recent examples of inspiring music that I can give but it proves that she can still hone those feelings and release an enjoyable song. Someone earlier made a comment about her losing confidence in her voice and that could very well be a reason for the formulaic sound; if her voice isn't as versatile as before then of course she’s just going to stick to a formula.
If my favorite artist has no inspiration then I am honestly content to wait years for another amazing album rather than releasing for the sake of ...well releasing. I feel that she is taking her fans for granted with these uninspired/uninspiring releases.
So, to answer the question, I would say only recently. Her music, her voice, her image….they don’t need an overhaul, but they need that Ayu factor that is simply missing.

Keiichi_JPU · #55 1st August 2010, 03:47 PM

Nope, no down-hill here either.

I do have to admit I didn't like NEXT LEVEL.. I only liked Rule, Sparkle and EnergizE but the rest of the album I've hardly listened to. But I think SECRET is amazing, GUILTY is amazing, Rock'n'Roll Circus is amazing.. So it never went downhill, the only "low" for me was NEXT LEVEL.

Also after NEXT LEVEL, with Sunrise/Sunset and all.. I got a bit worried, thinking that she was going down-hill for me. But then came Microphone, Sexy Little Things, Don't Look Back, MOON, blossom

she's still as amazing as ever for me!

primavera♥ · #56 1st August 2010, 05:23 PM

I think I look at ayu and how I still love all her albums as a whole and appreciate her music so much more for the fact that I can. Most of my other fav artists have all taken a downward spiral for me. I can't listen tolerate Namie, Hitomi shimatani, hikki, kumi (except gossip candy) and their latest releases. Like I can't take it anymore.
So I appreciate the fact that I still love all her releases as wholes etc. Especially knowing how picky I am. Even some of my fav jrock bands are just ugh. Nowadays
But ayu. She's just owning to me. And growing. And forever glowing, glittering, and sparkling. ^^

I hope that I never has to say that in general her music has gone downhill.

PoetGirl · #57 1st August 2010, 06:32 PM

Never, and I listen to her for ages, since Duty. She's always trying new things and do epic stuff, just a recent master piece is Microphone. If people call that generic or not experimental you are in denial. I dont know which artist is more fun than her.
Ayu's fans just love to complain even when there's nothing to complain about. I wonder how it would be if Ayu really dont put anything out for a year or two. Maybe you would appreaciate her latest album.

Delirium-Zer0 · #58 1st August 2010, 06:43 PM

I absolutely think she changed in a way I found unfavorable, but she came back up from it in some ways.

"RAINBOW" was a maaaaaajjjooorr disappointment for me personally. One of the things I loved Ayu for back in the day was not using English in her songs the way most jpop artists did. It almost never happened, and I loved that she was expressing herself honestly and sticking with what made her comfortable. Ayu was personal - she wrote for herself, and about herself and her friends. After her trip to HK for uraayu, she realized she had listeners who spoke english and suddenly felt the need to cater to them. This, in my opinion, was a bad move - she was suddenly writing for us, but for most of us, that's not what we wanted. It cheapened her influence on us, it made her seem less genuine. If I have fun watching a bear do his thing at the zoo, I don't want him to start posing when he notices me. It's cheesy. And that's what Ayu started to do, which was disappointing.

Her other problem since then has been her insistence on sticking with alot of the same people over time. Many people who she's worked with have been dismissed over time, and good thing too - not that they were bad, just that their time was over. But she should have switched graphic design companies ages ago. She should really replace Peco as a backup vocalist since, whether you like her or not, she's not a good choice to back AYU. Her voice is just too different.

In any case, she needs to surround herself with people of different backgrounds and mindsets. Co-workers aren't supposed to be friends, they're supposed to be co-WORKers. But she keeps them around as her family, and creative energy gets stale. When she shifted people out more often, her sound changed more often.

She's trying way too hard to please other people - her staff "family", fans, etc, and as a result she only takes creative risks occasionally.

RnRC was a gigantic step forward for her. "Sexy little things" is one of the best songs she's ever done - it is just WEIRD in places. "Don't look back" is her first time relying on being understated and honest since "JEWEL," but she adds a real world music twist on it for the first time since "Duty." Fans are really divisive about alot of the tracks on the album like Last Links and meaning of Love and that is what I like to see. If fans aren't arguing passionately over whether a song is good or not, it's probably not great. And Ayu used to be great. Now she's just good.

That said, if you listen to as much j-music as I do, you can still hear that Ayu's stuff is still WAY above average compared to almost everything else. She still feels so much more epic than most other music, and even her newer stuff attracts new fans quite efficiently (as I have learned firsthand recently!). So I'd argue that she's gone downhill, but only compared to herself. She's still amazingly honest, puts on incredible shows, and has brilliant videos. Her ratio of crap-to-awesome hasn't really changed that much, it's still pretty low.

Uemarasan · #59 1st August 2010, 07:34 PM

Thank you all for the further discussion!

Poetgirl, I'm not complaining for the sake of complaining. I've tried to articulate what I've been experiencing with regards to her music, and I hope I've managed to express myself clearly and honestly. The last thing I want to achieve with this thread is to get other people to participate in a senseless whinefest.

And I really think she needs to stop releasing for a while. After the 50th single, hopefully. Or at least find some other source of inspiration. Enough of the repetitive vacations in Bali, Hawaii, New York, shopping binges in Hong Kong. Enough of the enclosed and half-hearted immersions in foreign cultures. Even her music videos show this (Mirrorcle World, Lady Dynamite). She parties in gay clubs in Tokyo, she parties in gay clubs in London. Can't she try something new? She could be learning so much more and enriching her life experience, and I think that would translate into better music. She needs to break out of the predictable cycle of her life.

Delirium-Zero, very interesting points you bring up. I agree: as I said somewhere in this thread, at some point she began to shift the focus of MOST of her writing and music towards what her fans and creative team and label expected of her, sometimes even catering exclusively to that, and her music has suffered. She really needs time to herself, work with new composers and arrangers, try out new staff, discover new aspects of herself as an artist.

By the way, I didn't mind Rainbow so much

It was a mess of an album in terms of the arrangement and style of its tracks (it lacked musical direction), but it had very good songs. I don't mind the English. They added a quirkiness to her music (Real Me) that really wasn't there before.

Uemarasan · #60 1st August 2010, 07:41 PM

Just a small point: I think having been a fan of her music for such a long time, my experience with regards to her music is a bit different. I've grown up with her, I've gone through years of my life with her, I've gone through milestones with her, and that definitely colors what I think of her music.