Upcoming album discussion thread

[UvegotMail]

Originally Posted by PickleCookies

I'm expecting as much out of this as I did out of MY STORY: nothing.

I have to agree, heh. I just don't really get excited anymore If there's a good song, cool

[HanabiChick]

Do you think with the release of B&D / Pride, she now has an overkill in variety?
Not really, trying new things is good, seems like only one track hasn't worked very well so far


Do you think the variety of composers this year was good or bad?
Some songs are definitely better than others, it's a bit of a mixture with this album, like MY STORY it will be a mixture of strong and weak tracks. I'm not sure what to think about it, it's definitely going to be a lot more different than MY STORY, which was a bit of a standard album with similar styles. If the remaining tracks are strong, it could end up being better than MY STORY. I'm going to wait and judge it finally when I hear the whole thing.

[joesalvation]

i dunno u guys....BUT SERIOUSLY...I THINK THIS ONE"S THE BEST...so many types of genre....i am so proud to buy the album...well she worked hard enuf...and i am totaly NOT dissapointed with her music...she's proven herself as a talented singer dun u think so???

[~K+]

From INSPIRE/GAME onwards, her singles have become a hit or miss thing for me, with more misses than hits.

But like Yvette says, if there's a good song, cool.

I thought alterna, HEAVEN & Will was going to be a good indication for the direction her album was going, but with the release of B&D, I guess I won't be expecting much other than something around the standards of RAINBOW/MY STORY.

[alternarist]

well.. i dont think the songs fit well in an album... MY STORY is a perfect album to me.. while the new album may be something like "rojak"? lol

[ImpactBreaker]

Originally Posted by TeamAyu

I personally do not think there can be an overkill in variety but maybe that's just me. This variety of styles so far has truly been REFRESHING. At time when Ayu's album have a real style/theme throughout it can get tiring at times like take "RAINBOW" or "I am..." "MY STORY" and "Memorial address" are my favorite albums because I think they have the most variety overall and it doesn't bore me like how the many many pop tracks of similar sounding rock tracks on "RAINBOW" and "I am..." did. You all are probably going to say that "MY STORY" is just overkilled with Pop Rock songs but it has a lot more variety in my opinion to her other albums.

Yep, the song UNITE! was completely buried by being put along with "evolution" in I am... I really loved the song but once I started listening to the album as a whole, the mix of 2 way too simillar rock songs made me grow tired of UNITE! way too early.
People overreact too much. A lot of artists makes experimental tracks and other things that are completely different then they had ever done. However, if it is ayu who does it, then she is doing a terrible mistake, she's disrespecting her fans, ah c'mon. Don't like it, don't buy the single, but no need to blame the artist. And if the song will be on the album, and you think the album will be worth buying because you love most of the songs but B&D is extremely outrageous to you, than live with it, how many artists I lovve release albums with wonderful trcks and 2 or 3 tracks that are crap? almost all...

[Raleigh]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

I agree, but I don't want the mood of the album to suffer because it jumps from Alterna to Bold and Delicious or something. Songs can be great individually but sometimes so many styles all put together can make an album sound very disjointed.

Nah let us hope not. Usually there's a sort of buffer track or some instrumental track which separates the genres. I do not think that she is so stupid to put for example HEAVEN just before STEP you or it would really sound awful. MY STORY had a "buffer" instrumental between the first set of tracks : between rock and rock ballads and ballads then another one to separate the upbeat tracks which eventually slowed down to winding road. Though I must say that in the end Humming 3/4 sounded weird placed after a ballad. But it seems a tradition to place the upbeat track after a ballad.. (Rainbow, I Am.., Duty) so that must be it.

Anyhow I do hope that the album will be carefully constructed in order to flow in a less disjointed manner.

[elepop]

So far...

I LOVE: is this LOVE?, alterna, HEAVEN, Will
I HATE: -None-
OKAY: STEP you, fairyland

"B & D" and "Pride" sound AWESOME so far. But not liking the "yeah, yeah, yeah, ya, ya, ya, ta, ta, ta, wo, wo, wo..." in "B & D"...

Do you think with the release of B&D / Pride, she now has an overkill in variety?
You know what? I love variety. And I'm happy Ayu isn't only doing just rock, or just pop, or just ballad. She got some summerish pop, rock, techno pop, alternative, hip-hop/gospel, ballads. I hate when an album has songs that sounds the same. By far, every song from this upcoming album is different. Loving it.

Do you think she is maybe losing her identity as an artist?
Nope. Just because she's doing something new it means she's losing her identity as an artist? No way. Besides, I think she's just re-inventing her style a little bit. Nothing wrong with that. It's funny to see that some fans always think she got nothing new, and everything sounded like something she already did. And now that she has done something totally different and awesome, they complain.

Do you think the variety of composers this year was good or bad?
I think it's good. But I'm expecting more songs from CREA.


To conclude this, I have HIGH hopes for this album. So far, not a song is BAD. Unlike "MY STORY"s single... like "CAROLS", "INSPIRE" and "Moments" that were rather boring. This year's singles ARE GREAT.

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by Demure_Dusk

Anyhow I do hope that the album will be carefully constructed in order to flow in a less disjointed manner.

Yeah, I'm sure there will be instrumentals to help change the mood from one song to the next. There are only 15 tracks total though and I think at least 3 instrumentals will be needed to help keep the flow of the album and I'd rather have more new tracks than a bunch of instrumentals.

[greggerz189]

I love the variety, and personally, I think that Will is her weakest song this year. Bold & Delicious is a wonderfully unique song and I am really satisfied with Pride. I think this will make for an outstanding album. I expect it to be really diverse and I enjoy Ayu's take on different styles. I think it's fresh and different and it's really great. More power to Ayu and her endeavors!

Favorite tracks: STEP you, is this LOVE?, fairyland, alterna, HEAVEN, Bold&Delicious, Pride
Least-favorite track: Will (I don't hate it, I just like the other ones more! ^_^)

With the release of B&D, I don't think she has an overkill of variety. Imo, the more variety, the better. Never does an album have to "flow" or all the tracks sound the same. I'm all about being unorthodox and diversity, and I guess that's why I was somewhat disappointed by the MY STORY album. I'm really excited for this new one -- it seems really diverse and I think that's a huge UPGRADE.

I absolutely DO NOT think that Ayu is losing her identity as an artist. Ayu has always been different in one way or another. I think that's what Ayu's identity truly is -- individuality. This album only further perpetuates that concept.

The variety of composers this year was definitely a good thing based on the end products. The singles were amazing! I love the groove and style of B&D -- it's real slick. HEAVEN was such an awe-inspiring ballad -- I swear I cried. is this LOVE? was a great hard rock song (I love her rock songs), and fairyland means a lot to me for personal reasons. STEP you is such a fun song as well. Pride is really dramatic and I love it. Will was good too. (Maybe the reason why the HEAVEN PV was so simple and there wasn't a Will PV is because she's saving up to really juice up the B&D PV and Pride PV...?) Musically and lyrically, I think that HEAVEN was the superior single. Furthermore, I am in no way disappointed by the Bold & Delicious single, and I am so proud of Hamasaki for the work she has done. She never ceases to surprise and impress me. Everyone -- she is truly the Queen of J-pop. More power to her! ^_^ I wish her all the best with the single and the next album and I'm preordering!!! (I've never done that before! XD)

[Calico]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is probably the most anticipated album I have experienced. (For myself)

I had great hopes since the release of STEP you, one of my favorite Ayu songs ever. is this LOVE? is pretty good, and I can definitely feel the emotion behind it. fairyland was probably one of her weaker songs this year, but I still like the melody. And alterna! Words cannot express how much I adore that song. HEAVEN is a song that is still trying to grow on me, and the reason I like it is mainly because of the instruments and the lyrics. Will is a beauty. I'm really liking B&D, and I can't get it out of my head! The jury is still out on Pride, but so far I like it fine.

I just hope that all the songs I really like make it onto the album. *crosses fingers for alterna*

[Raleigh]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

Yeah, I'm sure there will be instrumentals to help change the mood from one song to the next. There are only 15 tracks total though and I think at least 3 instrumentals will be needed to help keep the flow of the album and I'd rather have more new tracks than a bunch of instrumentals.

Hm.. yeah me too. Maybe there shall only be two? MY STORY had 3 but one was more like an intro instrumental. Or maybe she'll add them later ? Myself I'd prefer new tracks but I do not want a disjointed album.

[hopeorpain]

STEP you
- is this LOVE?
- fairyland
- alterna
- HEAVEN
- Will
- Bold & Delicious
- Pride

Looking at all these songs..

Do you think with the release of B&D / Pride, she now has an overkill in variety?
-what do you mean overkill? Is that a bad thing? To some this new single is lacking variety but also to some it's unique. Personally I believe it's sort of unique...meaning that it's not a work of genius but it's still a special single.

Do you think she is maybe losing her identity as an artist?
-no way. Ayu's identity is in her lyrics. She is herself as long as she continues to sing and write songs. She can also try anything new she likes

Do you think the variety of composers this year was good or bad?
-pretty good, I say! There are so many genres and moods, but the sad thing is that besides 'alterna' (an awesome song) none of the new single songs have that "click" to it, in terms of catchy background music. Songs like step you are definitely catchy but the music isn't as grande/unique as alterna.