Your Love Songs reviews!!!

[Zeke.]

I just don't get how people can't absolutely love November. It's so beautiful! Do it again has gotten to be more boring to me though and sending mail has surpassed it in my books.

[jbrat2219]

You know, I believe every Ayu album has something about it that makes it stand out from the rest, whether it be the theme, lyrics, PVs, experimentation, mood etc. I think what makes Love songs stand out so much to me and make it an instant favorite are the arrangements. I'm all about instrumentation and the way they used instruments and synths and beats in this album really stood out to me. Even the least liked song, Thank U, has an AMAZING arrangement.

And in November when that random flute was thrown in during the climax, my heart stopped! Do it again, although super repetitive lyrics-wise, is anything but music wise. It's almost as if they had multiple ideas for how the music should be for each part and instead of just picking one and repeating and repeating they made the chorus, verses, bridges all sound musically different almost each time. Don't get me started on crossroad, which has a heavenly arrangement sent from above in my opinion.

I just can't get over how well done all of the arrangements for all of the tracks were for this album. None of the songs have a "typical" Ayu arrangement (except for MOON and maaaaaaaaaybe blossom), each song (even interludes) has something about it that stands out as a great song in general. It's hard for me to hate or dislike anything about these songs. I will admit, I don't listen to much music outside of a few artists (Asian or Western) so if anyone knows artists with breath-taking arrangements like these, please let me know. Because so far for me only Ayu, Gackt and alan are the only ones I know with the best musical arrangements in the business.

[thatstacey]

Originally Posted by Picaflor 7/4

she should have nixed the rock n roll part. if it was just called "circus" I would have been fine with the title. the first part of the title makes you feel like you're going to get an album chock full of because of you, game, about you, microphone, talkin' 2 myself, rule, and taskinst. we only got 2 songs though (microphone, countdown).

But those aren't exactly "rock and roll" songs, either. I agree that "Rock'n'Roll" doesn't exactly fit the songs, and we'd probably also agree that a pop artist is as much about image as she is about music, right? Since we know she isn't going to sound like the Rolling Stones, John Lennon, or The Who, I think calling her album "Rock'n'Roll Circus" was done less to accurately describe the sound she was going for and more to evokes the (Japanese) image of British rock the participants in the original Rock and Roll Circus have come to represent. This is the album with a jacket and photobook plastered with the Union Jack, after all.

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

You know, I believe every Ayu album has something about it that makes it stand out from the rest, whether it be the theme, lyrics, PVs, experimentation, mood etc. I think what makes Love songs stand out so much to me and make it an instant favorite are the arrangements. I'm all about instrumentation and the way they used instruments and synths and beats in this album really stood out to me. Even the least liked song, Thank U, has an AMAZING arrangement.

And in November when that random flute was thrown in during the climax, my heart stopped! Do it again, although super repetitive lyrics-wise, is anything but music wise. It's almost as if they had multiple ideas for how the music should be for each part and instead of just picking one and repeating and repeating they made the chorus, verses, bridges all sound musically different almost each time. Don't get me started on crossroad, which has a heavenly arrangement sent from above in my opinion.

I just can't get over how well done all of the arrangements for all of the tracks were for this album. None of the songs have a "typical" Ayu arrangement (except for MOON and maaaaaaaaaybe blossom), each song (even interludes) has something about it that stands out as a great song in general. It's hard for me to hate or dislike anything about these songs. I will admit, I don't listen to much music outside of a few artists (Asian or Western) so if anyone knows artists with breath-taking arrangements like these, please let me know. Because so far for me only Ayu, Gackt and alan are the only ones I know with the best musical arrangements in the business.

QFT. I think the only arrangement I'm not in love with is "Last Angel," though I think that may have to do with me getting my single late after reading all of the praise for it.

[ayulove_18]

I've only listened to the album fully once but the way i feel about this album right now is that it's not my favorite one. It's the kind of album that i have to play all the way threw multiple times to really get a good feel of it. From what i've heard so far, a lot of the album tracks don't have a substantial, steady beat/rhythm/vocals to it that makes any of the songs "that song". When I play a new cd i try to sit alone in the dark, no distraction and listen carefully and get a feel of what kind of album it is,what the meaning is and what the artist is trying to convey. I don't really have one for this one yet. How she and alot of other artists release is with a few singles then make the album tracks around them and they seem to have different feeling to them than the singles do. Cause the single were made months apart and the album tracks all at the same time. The album doesn't really flow well for me. I just think ayu just doesn't give herself proper amount of time to create a album. It feels rushed and a little bit slapped together. She seems to give herself a set amount of time for the whole thing to be created. I think a album shouldn't have a release date until the artist/production/label feel that it if fully completed and ready to share. I'm not saying she gave us a half-ass album, i'm sure she believes she did well and that we would like it. i've got a really good feeling that once I find that groove/feel to it i'm sure i'll really like it, and my opinion about it will change. I'll take another "listening season" and see what happens. Out of all of the songs on this cd i love crossroad/sweet season/love long/do it again, the rest will take a bit of time.

[gogirlanime]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

It's all over the place and it's named as such. It's a circus of an album.

Anyway, tying Ayu to one genre per album is probably like trying to tell the sun to stop shining. Generally, her albums are a clusterbleep of genres and I think that is one of her strengths. It may produce albums that aren't too cohesive for the most part at first listen, but eventually you realize that they are her most cohesive because they are lacking in cohesion. Sure, she doesn't have a specific musical genre with every album, but everything still has a trademark Ayu sound to it. So what if the entire album isn't rock or electro or whatever... as long as she's working in the way that the Japanese record industry works with singles coming out, there's almost always going to be a single or two that stick out like a sore thumb. (Perhaps this case with Love songs is not the same because everything was made in a quicker time span and VERY close to each other) I just wish people wouldn't see this "lack of focus/vision" as a bad thing because it's not necessarily the case. It's just how it works out and imo it's worked wonderfully for all of her albums that are melting pots of genres. And just wondering, but since when did an album have to maintain a genre?

yeah I agree and understand what you're saying. I think I forgot that I posted more of a reason in another thread (the rate your worst album) Having mixed genres in an album isn't bad and almost impossible to stick to one genre per album for any artist. What I'm saying about Rock'n'Roll Circus is that it's WAY mixed in genres, it made me confused listening to it. My emotions went all over the place, the placement of where each song was the main thing that threw me off.

In terms of the "lack of focus/vision" I mean as in where they want the album to go, what direction. I think that in all of her albums she did well (or her team) picking a general direction for those albums. Rock'n'Roll Circus to me was just kinda thrown together. She didn't lack vision in each individual song, though the feeling and direction when you look at the album as a whole is all over the place.

That's just my opinion you don't have to agree with it, only a fraction of what is stated on these forms is a fact.

[Tony G]

RnRC for me was very experimental in sound, which is kinda the album's "thing". I loved tracks like "don't look back" and "sexy little things" because they sounded so fresh.

[emi♡]

@jbrat: no worries love lol

I know people use it as a cop out excuse lol But that's not really what I meant, but I know they do it.

And yeah...your post kinda...said what I was trying to say lol

And I don't see what is so weird about RnRC...every album since...(m)u has had it's share of rock songs, then pop songs, then ballads, interludes...sometimes experimental songs...

so idk, it seemed like the way ayu did albums. And I think it's way more interesting when an album has many songs that change the feel of an album a few times.

[zaqwanbadli]

For me, in short, "Love songs" is definitely better than "Rock 'n' Roll Circus".

But the downside to this is, too many songs are repetitive.
I feel like I've been put on a loop.

But I might grow into them. Hopefully.

The cover's great though. Especially the one where she looked to the side. It looks like something from the "Secret" era.

[Kanzaki]

I'm just going to post how many stars I gave it in my Itunes, no vast explanations and such.

01. Love Song ☆☆☆
02. crossroad ☆☆☆
03. MOON ☆☆☆☆☆
04. sending mail ☆☆☆☆
05. Last Angel ☆☆☆☆☆
06. insomnia ☆
07. Like a doll ☆☆☆
08. aria ☆☆
09. blossom ☆☆☆
10. Thank U ☆☆☆
11. Sweet Season ☆☆☆
12. overture ☆☆☆☆
13. do it again ☆☆
14. November ☆☆☆
15. Virgin Road ☆☆☆☆☆
16. SEVEN DAYS WAR ☆☆☆☆

[kiseki89]

Finally I get to listen to the album for the first time.

01. Love Song ☆☆☆☆☆
02. crossroad ☆☆☆☆
03. MOON ☆☆☆☆☆
04. sending mail ☆☆☆☆☆ - i knew it! not listening to the preview, the song sounds so much better
05. Last Angel ☆☆☆☆☆
06. insomnia ☆☆☆
07. Like a doll ☆☆☆☆
08. aria ☆☆☆
09. blossom ☆☆☆☆
10. Thank U ☆☆☆ need time to grow onnme
11. Sweet Season ☆☆☆☆
12. overture ☆☆☆
13. do it again ☆☆☆☆
14. November ☆☆☆ need time to grow on me
15. Virgin Road ☆☆☆☆
16. SEVEN DAYS WAR ☆☆☆

PS: I'm not an interlude person

[HarukaKamiya]

I did a review of the album here at a review community I mod at, Ongoing Melody:

http://community.livejournal.com/ong...dy/267795.html

tl;dr I LOVE the album, and it shares the #1 Ayu Album spot with RnRC. (I SIMPLY MUST HAVE THEM BOTH AS #1. DON'T MAKE ME CHOOSE. T_T)

[RayJason]

01. Love Song ☆☆☆☆
02. crossroad ☆☆ (I listened to this to much before this album)
03. MOON ☆☆☆ (Nice song)
04. sending mail ☆ (This is not my kind of song)
05. Last Angel ☆☆☆☆ (I really like this, no matter how many times I've listened it *unlike crossroad*)
06. insomnia ☆ (This REALLY is music for the last boss in a game)
07. Like a doll ☆☆☆☆ (I really disliked this in the beginning, but it's growing on me)
08. aria ☆ (Another video game music *would be great for Mario galaxy or something XD*)
09. blossom ☆ (I find this to be really misplaced.)
10. Thank U ☆☆☆☆☆ (This always get me happy)
11. Sweet Season <- I don't even want to rate this.
12. overture ☆ (Another mario galaxy OST)
13. do it again ☆☆☆☆ (At first I hated it because of the repetitive phrases, but now I like it. I always skip towards the end, when everything goes so quick (tempo) )
14. November ☆☆☆☆☆ (I really love this song)
15. Virgin Road ☆☆ (Cool song, but not really my kind of song)
16. SEVEN DAYS WAR ☆☆ (Really emotional, but I'd rather have a Video of this instead of the song)

[zellyx]

Kanzaki, that was a really good idea!

01. Love Song ☆☆☆☆☆
02. crossroad ☆☆
03. MOON ☆☆☆
04. sending mail ☆☆☆☆☆
05. Last Angel ☆☆☆☆☆
06. insomnia ☆☆ (I like the parts until her voice is used. I like the premise, just think her voice should have been deeper and held notes instead of high pitched and choppy!)
07. Like a doll ☆☆☆☆☆
08. aria ☆☆☆
09. blossom ☆☆
10. Thank U ☆
11. Sweet Season ☆☆
12. overture ☆☆☆
13. do it again ☆☆☆☆☆
14. November ☆☆☆
15. Virgin Road ☆☆☆☆☆
16. SEVEN DAYS WAR ☆☆☆☆

Overall, very versatile, and yet, IT HAS GOOD FLOW. No parts where it's happy summer ballad to angry rock song.
The album tracks far outdo the singles...and I love how she's branching into new experimental sounds!! (Like a Doll, Sending Mail especially).
probably my 3rd favorite album!
1. (miss) understood
2. GUILTY
3. Love Songs
4. Secret
etc.

[NintendoHTF1242]

Quick review of each song

Love song - The instrumentation is so pretty! But her voice man, it just ruins it for me. Her voice is terrible.

crossroad - Never got into the song when it was a single, still can't get into it being on the album

MOON - The strongest single of this era, in my opinion. Beautiful.

sending mail - This song kind of annoyed me. The piano is really pretty though.

Last angel - I LOVE the beat! But I don't like Ayu's vocal technique at all.

insomnia - This is terrible. Yuck.

Like a doll - The lyrics are absolutely amazing. As for the actual song, it's alright.

Aria - I could barely remember this interlude, I do know it's a LOT better than insomnia

blossom - Still can't get into this song. The PV is so sad though.

Thank U - This falls into the stereotype of J-Pop music that lasts too long. This song is two minutes too long. The instrumentation at the beginning is beautiful though. But the La La La La's are so ANNOYING! She repeats them over and over and over! Just irritates me after a while.

Sweet Season - I stated that this song was terrible, man I was crazy lol. This is a really good song! I love the laid-back summer feel to it. Like as if I can blast this while driving an endless road on a beautiful, cool summer day.

overture - Beautiful! Epic! Wonderful!

do it again - This is also really annoying ~.~ And the Engrish is too much for me lol

November - I can't remember this song XDD I do like how it's very gentle though

Virgin Road - After watching the PV, I fell for this song. It's beautiful ughhh

SEVEN DAYS WAR (Live at Yoyogi on Oct.11.2010) - *VOMIT OVERLOAD* at her voice. YUCK!

So, this album...maybe it's a grower? I remember disliking Rock'n'Roll Circus (save Sexy little things, BALLAD and Sunrise) but then liking it after a few weeks of listening to it. Maybe my opinion on the songs will change after a while of listening to the album. But the album is just "okay" to me. It's not the worse (I honestly can't pick a ~worse~ Ayu album since each album has a really good song I love) but it's definitely not the best.

[love in music]

ohh I want to do star ratings too

01. Love Song ☆☆☆☆☆
02. crossroad ☆☆☆☆☆
03. MOON ☆☆☆☆☆
04. sending mail ☆☆☆☆☆
05. Last Angel ☆☆☆☆☆
06. insomnia ☆☆☆☆
07. Like a doll ☆☆☆☆☆
08. aria ☆☆☆☆☆
09. blossom ☆☆☆☆
10. Thank U ☆☆☆☆☆
11. Sweet Season ☆☆☆☆
12. overture ☆☆☆☆
13. do it again ☆☆☆☆☆
14. November ☆☆☆☆☆
15. Virgin Road ☆☆☆☆☆
16. SEVEN DAYS WAR ☆☆☆☆

[brener]

i did my star ratings too


01. Love Song ☆☆☆☆☆
02. crossroad ☆☆☆☆
03. MOON ☆☆☆☆
04. sending mail ☆☆☆
05. Last Angel ½
06. insomnia ☆
07. Like a doll ☆☆
08. aria ½
09. blossom ½
10. Thank U ☆
11. Sweet Season ☆☆☆
12. overture ½
13. do it again ☆
14. November ½
15. Virgin Road ☆☆☆☆☆
16. SEVEN DAYS WAR ☆

yeah... i didnt like the album that much :// specially the new songs x__x
it's like a new "Secret" for me, i can only hear barely half of the album till i get effing bored :x

[brener]

for me November is so drab i could sleep listening to it... x__x in my opinion ayu should have shot a PV for sending mail instead of do it again , and for Like a doll instead of Last angel

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by brener

for me November is so drab i could sleep listening to it... x__x in my opinion ayu should have shot a PV for sending mail instead of do it again , and for Like a doll instead of Last angel

I fell in love with it when I noticed how amazing the composition and strings are. I just love that. Reading the lyrics really helps but also... I had done something to enhance the sound of the music so I really fell in love with it because I listened to it then.

[brener]

Originally Posted by all.night.raver

I fell in love with it when I noticed how amazing the composition and strings are. I just love that. Reading the lyrics really helps but also... I had done something to enhance the sound of the music so I really fell in love with it because I listened to it then.

that's what I feel for sending mail when I listen to it, and the lyrics help me also like it more, and the fact that I feel conected to the song...

well, i'll receive my album tomorrow, so i'll take a better listen with my headphones and maybe i'll start liking it more (i hope)

Originally Posted by waterballoon

up to this date, I'm still pissed that great songs like do it again, November & Like a doll didn't exactly have any climax & that's just so lacking it reli angers me...

and I HATE how in November, after the music all dies down and goes downward when the 1st chorus comes in. it's like the part before it was like building up to SOMETHING and then it died down to a quiet chorus like.. wtf??

yeah... for me 'do it again' and 'Like a doll' really have something missing :S

[waterballoon]

oh i wanna do stars too!!!

Love song: ☆☆☆☆☆
crossroad: ☆☆☆☆
MOON: ☆☆☆ 1/2
sending mail: ☆☆☆☆☆
Last angel: ☆☆☆☆
insomnia: ☆☆☆☆
Like a doll: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Aria: ☆☆☆☆☆
blossom: ☆☆☆☆☆
Thank U: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Sweet Season: ☆☆☆☆☆
overture: ☆☆☆ 1/2
do it again: ☆☆☆☆
November: ☆☆☆☆
Virgin Road: ☆☆☆☆☆
SEVEN DAYS WAR: ☆☆☆☆☆