'LOVE' mini album out November 8th, 1st of five 15th anniversary releases [III]

[Keiichi_JPU]

So how do we think LOVE is going to sell? I'm tired of Namie / Kumi stans (not on this forum but elsewhere) calling her a flop! 'Floppy Queen' still hurts my heart. Unfortunately I don't think she's going to sell big again until she drastically changes her sound, and LOVE sounds quite typical Ayu. Which for me personally is great because I love her, and as long as the songs themselves are great, I'm very happy! Unfortunately lately they haven't always been (I'm looking at you, FIVE).

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by Keiichi_JPU

So how do we think LOVE is going to sell? I'm tired of Namie / Kumi stans (not on this forum but elsewhere) calling her a flop! 'Floppy Queen' still hurts my heart. Unfortunately I don't think she's going to sell big again until she drastically changes her sound, and LOVE sounds quite typical Ayu. Which for me personally is great because I love her, and as long as the songs themselves are great, I'm very happy! Unfortunately lately they haven't always been (I'm looking at you, FIVE).

Once might argue she changed her sound too drastically for Party Queen...

[Delicious n Bold]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Once might argue she changed her sound too drastically for Party Queen...

I can see what you mean by that, but how would one argue that?
Any songs in particular that demonstrate that? I'm leaning toward PQ the title track tbh.

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

I can see what you mean by that, but how would one argue that?
Any songs in particular that demonstrate that? I'm leaning toward PQ the title track tbh.

Title track, Eyes, Smoke, Magic, the next LOVE, even HBYA is quite different.

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Title track, Eyes, Smoke, Magic, the next LOVE, even HBYA is quite different.

Party queen and hbya weren't that new nor different. ESM and tnL were random experiments (kinda like Sexy little things and Don't look back). It's not like her whole album sounded like those 2 tracks. So you could hardly say that her sound has been completely changed. As imo the songs that dominate the album do posses the Ayu fragrance.

[TeamAyu2004]

Originally Posted by njanjayrp

Party queen and hbya weren't that new nor different. ESM and tnL were random experiments (kinda like Sexy little things and Don't look back). It's not like her whole album sounded like those 2 tracks. So you could hardly say that her sound has been completely changed. As imo the songs that dominate the album do posses the Ayu fragrance.

Yeah... Party queen wasnt that different... Esm and the next love were different but the album over all was very Ayumi.

[Zeke.]

Honestly I think all of it is very un-Ayu. I can never get why people say Call / Letter are Ayu because I can't even stomach any bit of those two songs.

[TeamAyu2004]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Honestly I think all of it is very un-Ayu. I can never get why people say Call / Letter are Ayu because I can't even stomach any bit of those two songs.

I don't know I feel like any number of those 'rock' songs could of easilly fit on missunderstood or My story or even secret or guilty...
I think they are very very ayumi.

I should of also added nanana on the list of not very ayumi.

[Delicious n Bold]

Originally Posted by TeamAyu2004

I don't know I feel like any number of those 'rock' songs could of easilly fit on missunderstood or My story or even secret or guilty...
I think they are very very ayumi.

I should of also added nanana on the list of not very ayumi.

First thing I thought when I heard Call (for the first time).

[Zeke.]

Lol, MY STORY is my favorite Ayumi album and I cannot hear it on MY STORY at all! It's too American hum-strum or something. MY STORY is full of fierce in-your-face rock / edgy songs (GAME, About You, my name's WOMEN), beautiful ballads (Moments, walking proud), mellow orchestral sadness (HOPE or PAIN, HAPPY ENDING), and bittersweet reminiscent music (winding road, Replace). It's a very sad album, except maybe HONEY. Call on the other hand, is like a campfire song with weird chants thrown in during the chorus. That guitar strum intro is so un-jpop and so un-Ayu. Almost Michelle Branch-type stuff, which I never liked.

[Keiichi_JPU]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Once might argue she changed her sound too drastically for Party Queen...

It was looking like it, but she didn't pull through in the end. The mid-section of the album (Call ~ Tell Me Why) is Ayu by the numbers, and actually my favourite bit of the album. The party songs at the start are different, but the problem is that they're not good. I don't know why! We know she can make brilliant dance songs because she gave us Sparkle / Last Angel etc. And let's not even talk about those awful musical songs.

Gosh I sound bitter! haha. I still love here but lately it's almost like she just thinks "LOL let's try this music style" and hires the cheapest producer she can find. However, to end on a positive note, I like the sound of Song 4 u very much and with 5 releases coming up I am absolutely sure she's going to bring us some great music. Bring it on my queen <3

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by Keiichi_JPU

It was looking like it, but she didn't pull through in the end. The mid-section of the album (Call ~ Tell Me Why) is Ayu by the numbers, and actually my favourite bit of the album.

My thoughts exactly + that's my fave part of the album as well.