Crossroad 49th Single Speculation Thread I

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

Originally Posted by identity

^ Hmm, I can't at all with her music, since even songs she composed (which I think are some of her best songs) were pretty much rushed.

I agree, mostly...

Originally Posted by all.night.raver

Secret was totally rushed and you can tell. I mean I like it... but the full production isn't there in a lot of the songs. Don't feel 100% as they could have been.

I only feel like it was in Momentum. I also don't like the title-track very much. Other than that, it's as good as any other ayu album, IMO.

[Kanzaki]

Originally Posted by all.night.raver

Secret was totally rushed and you can tell. I mean I like it... but the full production isn't there in a lot of the songs. Don't feel 100% as they could have been.

Secret is one of my favorite albums, and it didn't seem the least bit rushed to me. But here's why: at the time, I wasn't up to date and following her singles releases nor her albums. I first listened to Secret in early 2007, and I just fell in love with it. Overall, a fantastic album for most who listens to it without having heard any of the pre-released singles on it. That was my experience anyway If I had been following her, and listening to the singles a million times before the album came out, I would have felt like it certainly needed a lot "more".

[C+R+E+AYUMI]

Originally Posted by Kanzaki88

Secret is one of my favorite albums, and it didn't seem the least bit rushed to me. But here's why: at the time, I wasn't up to date and following her singles releases nor her albums. I first listened to Secret in early 2007, and I just fell in love with it. Overall, a fantastic album for most who listens to it without having heard any of the pre-released singles on it. That was my experience anyway .

that's absolutely true..I feel the same about RnRC but Secret has more fascination, is something you can dive in totally.

anyway, hope crossroad will be better than MOON. Nothing else..it could be upbeat, rock, ballad or whatever, but should be better than MOON

[jbrat2219]

Originally Posted by all.night.raver

Secret was totally rushed and you can tell. I mean I like it... but the full production isn't there in a lot of the songs. Don't feel 100% as they could have been.

Are you serious? Secret is a masterpiece! It's probably one of the few albums I can listen to from start to finish. Sometimes I feel like if Ayu says, "Oh yeah we really rushed to get this album done" fans say "[insert whatever here] SOUNDS SO RUSHED YOU CAN SO TELL!!!" But if Ayu were to say "I've been preparing for this album for a long time" fans would turn around and say, "Why can't she take her time with all her music so they can be masterpieces like [the same insert whatever here]" Ayu is known to rush almost all of her music and yet it still comes out amazing (or not amazing depending on taste). But in Secret alone, there is maybe ONE filler song, it was. Which I personally don't think is but whatever. But ever other track on that album is top notch. But hey, if you say it sounds rushed, then it sounds rushed.

[Zeke.]

No way momentum was good!

1 LOVE, JEWEL, and momentum were produced very well, as those were the songs to be included in the "mini-album" (most speculate).

Until that Day... and Kiss o' Kill are both harsher in production. They are good songs, but don't sound as "polished" as 1 LOVE, JEWEL and momentum.

Don't get me wrong, I love Secret. But I can't help but think how much better even the good songs could have been.

And yes, the title track "Secret" is boring.

[primavera♥]

Originally Posted by all.night.raver

No way momentum was good!

1 LOVE, JEWEL, and momentum were produced very well, as those were the songs to be included in the "mini-album" (most speculate).

Until that Day... and Kiss o' Kill are both harsher in production. They are good songs, but don't sound as "polished" as 1 LOVE, JEWEL and momentum.

Don't get me wrong, I love Secret. But I can't help but think how much better even the good songs could have been.

And yes, the title track "Secret" is boring.

Lol. Wtf are u listening to (don't worry I get its just ur opinion)? How is kiss o' kill and until that day less polished than jewel, 1 love etc.
The arrangements are perfect. Kiss o kill especially. The song is constantly changing. It sounds like way more effort than jewel and momentum
Same for until that day so many little details I could pick out. I'm always too observant of these things though. Lyrically fantastic though too.
Secret (one of the like 3 songs from her that can't give me a headache). U have to have a certain appreciate for slow beautiful songs like that. The composition is so perfection.
T.T secret easily ranks in my least fav ayu albums. But I adore it


I think ayu has has a lot of rushed things. Especially in the past. But they sound fine ^____^
I expect her to pull through for these singles. She's proved before as hard as it is
God I seriously need more info on this single. It really interests me now.
Like it has that simple arrangement feel. With drums etc. But I'd rather have a serious rock song than anymore rock-influenced ballads
Forget pop at this point. What owns her little pop songs is trance. Another cconnected would make my whole next 5 yrs ^___^

[kotora]

Can someone delete or remove some off-topic messages? This is a thread for 49th single but not the conversation for if Secret was a rush album. Thanks.

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by StrawbariSnowAyumi

Lol. Wtf are u listening to (don't worry I get its just ur opinion)? How is kiss o' kill and until that day less polished than jewel, 1 love etc.
The arrangements are perfect. Kiss o kill especially. The song is constantly changing. It sounds like way more effort than jewel and momentum
Same for until that day so many little details I could pick out. I'm always too observant of these things though. Lyrically fantastic though too.
Secret (one of the like 3 songs from her that can't give me a headache). U have to have a certain appreciate for slow beautiful songs like that. The composition is so perfection.
T.T secret easily ranks in my least fav ayu albums. But I adore it

I know this is off-topic talk but I just want to clarify what I meant again.
Take all Ayu's rock songs like GAME, About You, Mirrorcle World, is this LOVE?, Microphone, Because of you, etc... those songs all have a more "polished" feel. Until that Day... and Kiss o' Kill feel "harsher" - like more "raw" in the mastering department is what I am talking about. A more "classic rock" feel to them I guess I would say. I am not saying they are bad songs (although Until that Day... took me a while to warm up to and I still don't think it's that amazing), but they are much more "raw" than her other music.

As far as appreciation for slow beautiful songs... if JEWEL is anything at all it is a slow beautiful song. So simple but perfect. Secret just doesn't have that strong of a melody to carry the song along like that. The chorus is just like ... um, this is it? Lol.

[Zeke.]

I love It Was! It's a mellow-er track but it doesn't cross the fine line of "mellow=boring" - it has just the right balance. I love the Island Mix too! So great to listen to on a Summer day (I actually brought my iPod out on a paddle boat this Summer and listened to it on a nice sunny day, just lounging in the middle of the lake - it was perfect!).

[Ranma Matsuri]

I'm still fairly certain they're going to try to release the next two before the Tour Final.

[jbrat2219]

Ayu herself said she doesn't have time to promote it... so maybe that's why it's not being promoted lol.

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

Ayu herself said she doesn't have time to promote it... so maybe that's why it's not being promoted lol.

I get that, thats why they are both to blame!

[love in music]

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

Ayu herself said she doesn't have time to promote it... so maybe that's why it's not being promoted lol.

I think you're onto something!

[primavera♥]

I think they're all just in over their heads. Just trying to do to much. It would be nicer for a 50th single in december. And as far as crossroad. It will have a hard time getting number 1 in august. Espexially the way they're doing things. They need to release it in september

Overall. What ayus planning is cool. But realisticly timing is just ridiculous

[jbrat2219]

Originally Posted by Yumsushi

I get that, thats why they are both to blame!

I don't think they should necessarily be blamed for anything. The single is still selling well. She'll still get number one. There have been other times where there was little promotion for her releases and they still sold well. I'm sure Ayu knew what her schedule would be like when she decided to do this single project and I'm sure she knew she would have to make sacrifices. Promotion for MOON/blossom is probably one of those sacrifices. An artist like Ayu doesn't really need all that much promotion anyway.

Originally Posted by identity

I think you're onto something!

I know, I'm so smart!

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

I don't think they should necessarily be blamed for anything. The single is still selling well. She'll still get number one. There have been other times where there was little promotion for her releases and they still sold well. I'm sure Ayu knew what her schedule would be like when she decided to do this single project and I'm sure she knew she would have to make sacrifices. Promotion for MOON/blossom is probably one of those sacrifices. An artist like Ayu doesn't really need all that much promotion anyway.

I get what you're saying, but I can't agree that Ayu doesn't need promotion. I read what alot of the fans on ahs living/visiting Japan are saying which is that the general public doesn't follow Ayumi or her releases. Avex is simply relying on TA and hardcore fans along with concert goers, and even at that only 30% of the concert sales are counted towards oricon, no?
Remember that boyband that nearly cost her the Mirrorcle world #1? That was certainly not expected. Its impressive that shes selling well without promotion but it just seems like a silly gamble when she's so close to breaking the consecutive singles record.

[jbrat2219]

Originally Posted by Yumsushi

I get what you're saying, but I can't agree that Ayu doesn't need promotion. I read what alot of the fans on ahs living/visiting Japan are saying which is that the general public doesn't follow Ayumi or her releases. Avex is simply relying on TA and hardcore fans along with concert goers, and even at that only 30% of the concert sales are counted towards oricon, no?
Remember that boyband that nearly cost her the Mirrorcle world #1? That was certainly not expected. It just seems like a silly gamble when she's so close to breaking the consecutive singles record.

LOL. Not aiming at you personally with the following comment, but it's hilarious how some people criticized Ayu/Avex for switching the date of You were.../BALLAD to preserve her streak and now they are criticized for not doing enough to preserve it now lol. Ayu has been relying on hardcore fans for a long time. And sales like these are not sudden, her singles have been selling within the 70-150k margin for a while.

Like I said before, I don't really expect super heavy promotion until the 50th single. Even then I don't expect drastically different sales. You also have to remember that these singles are very close together, fans could simply be picking and choosing right now. Also, she's not doing poorly right now, so in reality choosing to do less promotion now could save up resources to do major promotion later. She still has her tour to promote to hardcore fans and a-nation to promote to everyone else. And, MOON has been promoted since April when the album came out. Fans, and regular concert-goers have had this song fed to them for months now. Just because MOON/blossom is on the back-burner right now doesn't mean they're going to be doing this for the rest of the singles.

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

You also have to remember that these singles are very close together, fans could simply be picking and choosing right now.

Do we have a date for the next 2 releases already? and as for the rest, I certainly hope so.

[truehappiness]

The 7 days of concerts at Yoyogi were supposed to commemorate the 50th single, but that subtitle was switched out.

(meaning that they might not release everything by then, but it was stated that the 48th, 49th, and 50th singles will be performed at these concerts.)

[primavera♥]

They just can't come out in the next two months. They haven't even announced the next single yet.
And most weeks she has no chance at maintaining her steak

I would like an announcement soon though.