Ayu - Anything Goes Thread -XIV-

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

I actually HATED that about much of HLS. I didn't like how far back she was on the stage, how the dancers were the main performers and she was just providing the soundtrack.

I don't mind that ayu does "shows" instead of "concerts," I just kinda wish she alternated between the two. Sometimes I wanna see a show - DOME TOUR was freaking unbelievable - but sometimes I get sick of that and I wanna see Ayumi Hamasaki Performing Her Songs Live which is very different obviously. The only chance anyone's had for that have been like, the early shows of PoM 2011 which she never released, Secret Live which she never released, and her TeamAyu tours which were open only to her fan club members who were physically in Japan (and the 2003 one took 5 years to get even a partial DVD release, which really only got us better quality than the internet stream, no new material because the encore still wasn't included).

My favorite tours are the stripped-down and lower-budget ones just because at least I can find Ayu on stage during those...

The DVD edits of the bigger shows are AWFUL about this too, because they're edited to show the crowd & dancers more than Ayu... If you skip to a random frame of any Ayu concert, the likelihood that Ayu is visible in it is MAYBE 20-25%.

I guess as I see the whole concert as her production and as her vision, I don't care when I can't see her (what I do for 90% of the performance) because in the end of the day what is happening on stage still is the realization of her vision and of her art.

Still, I can get why people dislike that concert, I only find it interesting that even if tons of pop musicians (and even indie and "artisier" ones) try bending theater and music concert, most of the time the result is pretty superficial, while HLS is basically filled if great theater moments.

[MessiahofSilence]

I kind of like a blend of concert and show, but I'd love to only have Ayu by herself onstage for half of a concert.

[DonkeyKongRemix]

After six years of totally loving this album more than any other, I FINALLY got Love Songs. I don't know why I waited so long but oh well. When NEXT LEVEL came out, I listened to it none stop and to me, it was the best thing ever. Love Songs, though, really was powerful when it came out and I still think it is one of her best albums EVER.

Her voice is very nice in tracks such as crossroad and MOON.

I can't rant on enough about this damn album....UGH it is making me so happy. Maybe my winter depression will go away now that I have this. <3

(I keep wanting to post while listening to my CD)

I like how Thank U is kind of like a really long interlude, IMO. I never liked that song much before but it is actually kind of cool. A lot of the songs have great melodies and awesome background music. Sweet Season has an awesome melody, too. It's so relaxing and her voice is really pretty. I never noticed just how pretty her voice was on that song.

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

Though I super duper complained about PoM when I first heard the concept (I was bitter about having no Love songs tour more than anything) it's become one of my favorites.

I listen to the forgiveness live recording quite often and it was a very rare opportunity to see such a tour.

[Aderianu]

I forgot how cool blossom is

[//ABEST]

i liked blossom way more than i liked MOON when they were released but now MOON feels more like me

[MessiahofSilence]

I'm surprised that I actually remember blossom, since it's a total album track to me.
Love Songs is great as a whole. The standouts for me are:
*Love Song - reminds me of Rainbow Ayu for some reason. The guitar is perfect.
*Crossroad - My personal favorite of the albums/singles. Love the lyrics.
*Moon
*sending mail
*virgin road

That's basically it. The album has its own identity and I enjoy that, even if I may not listen to it often. I'm more of a Rock N' Roll Circus fan anyway.

[primavera♥]

No not blossom lol. No more blossoms. That is one of the few songs in ayu's disco that I just can't get into. Good song. Just really hard to listen to for some reason. The rest of Love Songs is godly though

[Gustavopc]

^ That's Sweet season for me, it's the only song I skip on Love songs. And yes I adore Thank U and I am proud of it

[MessiahofSilence]

^ sweet season is ambien in musical form
Thank U isn't bad, but the " LA la la LAAAAAAAs" make me feel like I'm in purgatory.

[DevilsClap]

I listen to Thank U more than Sweet Season as well.
MOON, Last Angel and sending mail are my favorite tracks on the album though.

[NintendoHTF1242]

I LOVE the part in sending mail where she raises her voice. It's in the pre-chorus. Idk how to describe it but the melody and the way she executed it was spot-on.

[Heavenly]

Originally Posted by primavera♥

No not blossom lol. No more blossoms. That is one of the few songs in ayu's disco that I just can't get into. Good song. Just really hard to listen to for some reason. The rest of Love Songs is godly though

I don't listen to blossom anymore, but instead I listen to the Clockwork Yellow Remix. It's soooo good it makes me forget about the original !

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by nalini-dahlia

I like how Thank U is kind of like a really long interlude, IMO.

Didn't she say this song was originally supposed to be an interlude? Or maybe people just commented it sounded like one. I think she did some interview on the album though and mentioned it?

I'm basically the pickiest and most critical person when it comes to music, so when I have come to like tracks that others find loathsome, it's strange. Sweet Season and blossom are two examples of that.

Sweet Season, although at first I hated it, have come to thoroughly enjoy it. I think if you find the right context to listen to it within, then you will come to accept it as it is, and find it perfect for said context. In the case of this song, it's very mellow, soothing, relaxing, reflective, and easy-going. It's certainly not "showy" at all, which is what I think so many people hate about it. But I find it's perfect for at the end of an early-autumn day, when the sky's hue is a mixture of burnt oranges, faint yellows, and tinted pinks. When the sun is beginning it's descent, and it's rays are being reflected off the gently shimmering leaves of beautiful but dying foliage. When you're driving in the car, maybe returning from a days trip, and it's just you, the road, and the journey back. Play this track, during this time of day, and maybe you will learn to appreciate it's hidden beauty.

blossom is a song I have loved since the beginning, and never understood how anyone could dislike it. It's the summer ayu track that broke the monotony of fairyland, BLUE BIRD, glitter-type tracks. It went for a more organic, crisp feeling (rather it's a spring-time or cool summer's day track vs the former which are better for hot days). Actually, a better way to describe it in contrast with tracks like fairyland, BLUE BIRD, glitter, and even Sunrise (which evoke celebratory feelings), is that it's very comforting. The gentle sadness that it alludes to is now being comforted in present day. I got this even prior to looking at the lyrics. Additionally, I love it's use of guitars and it's piano base. The bridge is the perfect length, and the gentle refrain that follows is perfectly contrasted with the way the guitar reintroduces the energy. Furthermore, I love Ayu's unexpected increase in pitch for a single note after that point, introducing an optimistic and hopeful feeling as she looks toward the future. I don't understand what's not to like about all of that, so if you can enlighten me, be my guest... But I find that it perfectly encapsulates and conveys a very specific type of feeling and emotion, and that's what I look for in a great track.

[DonkeyKongRemix]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Didn't she say this song was originally supposed to be an interlude? Or maybe people just commented it sounded like one. I think she did some interview on the album though and mentioned it?

I'm basically the pickiest and most critical person when it comes to music, so when I have come to like tracks that others find loathsome, it's strange. Sweet Season and blossom are two examples of that.

Sweet Season, although at first I hated it, have come to thoroughly enjoy it. I think if you find the right context to listen to it within, then you will come to accept it as it is, and find it perfect for said context. In the case of this song, it's very mellow, soothing, relaxing, reflective, and easy-going. It's certainly not "showy" at all, which is what I think so many people hate about it. But I find it's perfect for at the end of an early-autumn day, when the sky's hue is a mixture of burnt oranges, faint yellows, and tinted pinks. When the sun is beginning it's descent, and it's rays are being reflected off the gently shimmering leaves of beautiful but dying foliage. When you're driving in the car, maybe returning from a days trip, and it's just you, the road, and the journey back. Play this track, during this time of day, and maybe you will learn to appreciate it's hidden beauty.

blossom is a song I have loved since the beginning, and never understood how anyone could dislike it. It's the summer ayu track that broke the monotony of fairyland, BLUE BIRD, glitter-type tracks. It went for a more organic, crisp feeling (rather it's a spring-time or cool summer's day track vs the former which are better for hot days). Actually, a better way to describe it in contrast with tracks like fairyland, BLUE BIRD, glitter, and even Sunrise (which evoke celebratory feelings), is that it's very comforting. The gentle sadness that it alludes to is now being comforted in present day. I got this even prior to looking at the lyrics. Additionally, I love it's use of guitars and it's piano base. The bridge is the perfect length, and the gentle refrain that follows is perfectly contrasted with the way the guitar reintroduces the energy. Furthermore, I love Ayu's unexpected increase in pitch for a single note after that point, introducing an optimistic and hopeful feeling as she looks toward the future. I don't understand what's not to like about all of that, so if you can enlighten me, be my guest... But I find that it perfectly encapsulates and conveys a very specific type of feeling and emotion, and that's what I look for in a great track.

Amen to all of the above. I think Sweet Season and Blossom are both great songs, so subtle and not showy. They sound sincerely happy without too much sparkly or anything. And her voice is awesome in these two songs. To me, she didn't push too hard for something she couldn't do, but did what she could and did it really well.

I am so impressed with this album. Like...November is UHmazing. The style is so out there compared to most music I listen to, but there's actually something so complex about it. <3 It's awesome.

My personal favorites from the album are Sending Mail, Crossroad, Like a Doll, do it again, November, and Virgin Road but I love EVERY song on the album to a different degree. It's a very inspiring and unique album that I think has outshined all of her albums of recent years.

[MessiahofSilence]

Originally Posted by NintendoHTF1242

I LOVE the part in sending mail where she raises her voice. It's in the pre-chorus. Idk how to describe it but the melody and the way she executed it was spot-on.

Yeeeees! The intensity of the guitar and her singing just creates this feeling of anxiety but it's so good!

Sweet Season may be good for some under "the right context" but it's such a chore to me. I don't think that people hate it because it's slow since the forums seem to love the hell out of Sweet Scar and Shape of Love, and other more understated ballads. It just doesn't resonate with people and that's fine. Ayu DOES have hundreds of songs by this point, it's bound to happen. Hell, it happens to some of my favorite songs (like beloved. I don't get the hate for it).

As for blossom, NEXT LEVEL did it better
Fairyland/Blue Bird/glitter aren't even super similar, though? Never understood the comparison, ESPECIALLY for Fairyland? That's such a unique song. The interlude in the middle of the song is everything, so emotional.

[hayasaki]

I think this has been discussed a lot and I may sound like a broken radio but Ayu could possibly get higher sales again with more TV appearances.

Has anyone realized how she always receive good feedbacks whenever she appears on TV even for non fans and her older songs charts back almost around the same time as each performances.

I think Ayu can still do it, its just she doesn't really care at all.

[ExodusUK]

Sweet Season and blossom are blights on an otherwise FANTASTIC FLAWLESS AMAZING album.

[love in music]

I completely forgot about blossom and Sweet Season. I got bored with them, but listening again, blossom is a good song even if it's generic. It's a generic ayu sound I'm into
Sweet Season is still boring to me.

[280301]

I enjoy Love songs, it's not in my top 5 Ayu albums, but I love how cohesive it is. Sweet Season is .