Thoughts on GUILTY

[s1012h]

^for sure
i think this is the first time that the interludes WORK with the album, at least for me

[RoboNyanya]

Dare I say they're the BEST parts of the albums these days?

[HanabiChick]

Mirror - I liked the preview, but I didn't like the full version much. It started off well, but then it descended into just this horrendous NOISE which sounded like there was no composition at all. It got a bit too chaotic for me, but it does fit the mood of the album, though I'll probably end up skipping it.

(don't) Leave me alone - I love it, quite a good strong upbeat track.

Marionette -prelude- - I liked it, slightly spooky but sad.

Marionette - I liked the preview and loved the full version, seems like quite a bit of sadness and anger in the music.

The Judgement Day - reminded me a lot of the songs on MY STORY with the sound and vocals - quite a refreshing break which lifts the mood before the next song.

MY ALL - meh, just another typical pop song, pleasant to listen to but just a bit too long for what it is, started tuning out halfway through because it got boring.

reBiRTH - brings the mood down a bit again after the pop tracks in a gentler way, sounds quite dreamy, reminds me of RAINBOW album

untitled ～for her～ - okay, not really grabbing me much, seems like the music and Ayu are a bit emotionless and tired. I'm not sure whether I like it or not as I've listened to it only once.

Overall, a good album, the only thing that's missing is a track that stands out from the rest. It hasn't got as much energy as Secret had, but that's because the mood of this album is different, more sadness and anger.

Mirror; 9
(don't) Leave me alone; 10
talkin' to myself; 10
decision; 8
GUILTY; 8
fated; 8
Together When...; 10
Marionette -prelude; 9
Marionette; 9
The Judgement Day; 10
glitter; 7
MY ALL; 6
reBiRTH; 6
untitled ~for her~;8

9+10+10+8+8+8+10+9+9+10+7+6+6+8 = 118

118 divided by 14 = 8.4-ish

There we go.

[Raleigh]

Mirror - I always seem to love the preludes and this one leaves little space for disappointment. It reflects the whole spectrum of emotions within the album. It starts off with melancholy tinged with regret and suddenly moves onto anger and bitterness and finally dies down with the fact that she's accepted what has happened to her and moves on carrying her pain with her.

The whole image of self-reflection matches well with her current emotional state, where she's faced with a new reality that she must live with. The lyrics seem to depict how she's still holding on to some stuff and she's not without regret but is realistic enough to realise that she has to move on.

(don't) Leave me alone - Well this song took a while to sink in but once it did I really grew addicted to this song. It's quite a powerful song speaking about her public image and probably attacks how she's perceived by the media and how people keep on prying on her personal life pretending to care.

My complaint was the PV. I know that album PVs are meant to be cheaper but this was a bit too tacky. The setting was fine but there was nothing that stood out and the choreography seemed to be drafted in 5 minutes.

talkin' 2 myself & decision - Strong tracks and manage to feel more at home into this album. Still manages to retain their replay value. However since Japan seems to dislike these darker songs maybe she should've left them for the album.

GUILTY - Not overly crazy over this track but feels like those tracks which grow on you with time.

fated - Okay ballad though feels very dry compared to the other ballads.

Together When... - Best power ballad in a while.

Marionette - Both the prelude and actual song are excellent. It's a sort of new direction for her and it turned out really well. I'm a huge fan of the whole creepy and tragic atmosphere.

The Judgment Day - I like this one very much. Sounds like something you'd listen to on Duty. It has this dramatic and apocalyptic feel that fits really well with this album.

glitter & MY ALL - Sorry to say but these two are a snooze fest and clash horribly with such a sad album. MY ALL sounds a rehash of HONEY and glitter sounds too summer for a dark and wintery album. Guess MY ALL is done for concert purposes and I'll like it once I listen to the concert.

reBIRTH - Okay interlude but was kind of unnecessary for a single song. Sounds like a recycle of RAINBOW with the strings and fantasy element.

untitled ~for her~ - I like this song because it reminds me of a friend who has died last summer. I really like the whole ballad because it seems to reflect the innocence and joy of their friendship. Also her vocals sound so fresh and more relaxed here. The lyrics are beautifully crafted too.

---

The interludes are very good but they leave little space for new full songs. I don't know about you guys but for me I feel that an album has to last a year and when the album has a lot of new material you enjoy it more and discover new aspects about the album. This time we're left with only 5 new songs when last year we had 7. Even (miss)understood which had a load of double a-side singles had 6 new songs. It sucks to see so little new material. They should've included more songs to make up for the interludes.

About the album as a whole.. well it wasn't bad though it definitely does feel a bit lacking in some aspects. The album seems focused on the musical quality and only songs like glitter and MY ALL sound substandard.

[ayu DIOR]

I'm not going to rate the songs (I have to hear them again) but I will comment on my overall impression.

The album flowed very nicely and I played the album all the way through and I never skipped a song! The last CD that happened was 'Duty.' One of my complaints however was that there was no songs that made me go WOW! No songs that shined. The only song that gave me that feeling was 'Mirror' and that wasn't even a full song.

Secret had until that Day, JEWEL, and even taskint!

Suprisingly, the album was very cohesive despite having happy songs like 'glitter'. IMO what ruined Secret was the inclusion of 'Born to be' and 'Beautiful Fighters.'

Talkin' to myself sounded amazing paired up with the rest of the album. As a single, it's pretty weak. Same goes for generally all the singles on GUILTY.

Another complaint is that it felt too short. I had the feeling that I wanted more. When it was over, I was like...that's it? IMO the prelude to Marionette was not needed.

Overall, the album as a whole was very good. It just needed some more...spark to it! I really liked the new composer who took charge of the album. I think he was a freshing change. She now needs new arrangers. Maybe that can give the album more spark?

Overall I give it a 8.5/10

[amorphose]

GUILTY
01.01.08

ayumi hamasaki

01 Mirror
The album starts off with what I would say is ayu's best introductions in probably forever, or at least since Catcher In The Light from MY STORY. The old fashioned internet, dial-up, static tech noises are quite an interesting way to start off the album. Mirror does an amazing job at doing exactly what it's supposed to do, give a feel of the album that lies ahead. Everything from the composition to the lyrics and ayumi's intriguing style of singing does just that.

02 (don't) Leave me alone
The first full song on the album, (don't) Leave me alone, picks up right where Mirror left off. The synth-like sounds accompanied by powerful guitars and drums makes you want to bob your head along with the catchy verses and chorus. At first I found myself wishing that (don't) Leave me alone would've been the introduction and Mirror could've been the first full track, because in truth, the song does get a little bit repetitive. But after analyzing the tracks again, repetition isn't always a bad thing. You'll find yourself sticking this track on repeat because you won't want it to end.

03 talkin' 2 myself
The songs just keep getting darker and darker as we progress... As soon as ayu's official site released the preview for this song way back in late August or early September I fell in love with it. In my opinion, ayumi's best songs are her rock songs. I just love it when she gets angry, and that's exactly what she does in talkin' 2 myself. I think talkin' 2 myself is definitely ayumi's best song of 2007. It's definitely one of the most catchy songs she's ever released as well. No matter where I am or what I'm doing I've gotta sing the chorus when I hear it, and it's constantly in my head. genjitsu wa itsu datte~ But, not only is this song catchy, it's extremely powerful in the message it's lyrics convey too. Take charge of your future and don't let reality fool you.

04 decision
decision is definitely GUILTY's peak of darkness, or at least the first one anyway. Just as with talkin' 2 myself, I fell in love with the preview for this song when I heard it. For me, it was alterna all over again (which is one of my most favorite ayu songs.) Coupling an elegant, sweet piano with the dark rock instruments and ayumi's deep, powerful voice makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The lyrics for decision are some of ayu's best as well. But that shouldn't even need to be said, because everything she writes is near perfection. If your not going to listen to GUILTY as a whole, at least pick up the talkin' 2 myself single so you can hear it and decision.

05 GUILTY
Oh, the title track. The song we've all been dying to hear. This is where the music starts to tone down a bit. Don't get me wrong though, we're still in the sort of dark, rock part of the album. However, we're getting close to a transition point. The song starts out slow. The first few seconds actually remind me of Linkin' Park's What I've Done. There is very little background music in GUILTY, compared to the first four tracks on the album. That doesn't take away from it at all though. The lyrics are some of vaguest and deep on the album and that's the exact feeling you'll get when you listen to GUILTY. The feeling conveyed by the song is very at peace, but lost and static all at the same time. You can even get a sense of unsureness from ayu's voice as she's singing the chorus and the other verses as well.

06 fated
Yet another single track... Just like with talkin' 2 myself and decision when I heard the preview for fated I was extremely excited to hear the full song. However, unlike talkin' 2 myself and decision I hated the song in full when I heard it. fated is the first song on the album that is classified as more of a ballad than a rock song. The song isn't all that terrible. It just builds up and builds up so much over the verses for a climax that the chorus fails to deliver. This song isn't a total disappointment though, at least not when you listen to it with the rest of GUILTY, for the climax that fated fails to deliver is delivered in the next track, Together When... I've grown to like the song a lot more after listening to it between GUILTY and Together When...

07 Together When...
The first true ballad of the album, Together When... The beginning of the song is very serene and comforting, the first few verses slowly build up for one of the most amazing choruses ayumi hamasaki has ever put together. This song was chosen as the final single from the album and was only released digitally, rather than physically like all of ayu's other singles. My favorite thing about Together When... is definitely the lyrics. I know I've gone on and on about how good the lyrics to each song are, but Together When... really takes the lyrical cake. The lyrics to each of the choruses are especially amazing. Together When... is a wonderful, heart-felt, winter ballad. Classic of ayumi.

08 Marionette -prelude-
The first interlude on the album since the introduction, Mirror, Marionette -prelude- sets the stage for Marionette. Marionette -prelude- absolutely makes my skin crawl. It is definitely ayu's creepiest interlude since WONDERLAND, of MY STORY. It'll make you feel as if your being watched by thousands of tiny eyes, and as if your falling or suffocating. That makes it sound very bad though, however, it's quite an interesting experience. Just make sure your not sitting alone in your bedroom at 3 am trying to listen to it. That'd be a mistake.

09 Marionette
As I mentioned earlier, decision wasn't the only 'peak of darkness' on the album. We've reached the second one with Marionette. Perhaps Marionette is the climax of the whole album. It blends exceptionally with Marionette -prelude- and it's an extremely powerful and emotional song. It's a rather different turn for ayumi though, as the lyrics are full of references to death and giving up hope. Although her music has always had a dark side, she's never made references to things as dark as death or losing all hope before. Marionette has amazing arrangement, acoustic orchestra meets violent rock sounds. What could be better? Marionette is definitely the highlight of the album, gaining more attention than the title track, GUILTY on more than one occasion. If your only going to choose one song off the album to listen to, be it Marionette.

10 The Judgment Day
The Judgment Day is the second interlude on the album. I know what your thinking... Another interlude already? Yes, another interlude already. Come on, you know it was necessary. Marionette is in a league of its own. Anyway, back on subject, The Judgment Day. It begins as a quick paced rock track, reminiscent of a lot of the tasuku interludes and Not yet from Secret. Around midway though it explodes into a full blown disco/trance track. The pipe organ along with ayumi's sweet voice accompanied by hymns in the background is definitely not something to miss out on, even if it is only an interlude. Now for the glittery portion of the album...

11 glitter
glitter, glitter, glitter. I was really praying that this track would not be included on the album at first. I mean, come on! It doesn't fit with fated, talkin' 2 myself, or decision at all! Although I didn't hate this song as much as fated, I still disliked it quite a bit. But it's catchy and I mean it's ayumi, so of course it's cute, and it grew on me. I was sure glitter was going to just absolutely kill the flow of GUILTY. However, I was proved wrong once listening to the album in full. In fact, just as with fated, listening to glitter with GUILTY as a whole, the song really really grew on me and I've stopped skipping over it. It's a happy, bubbly, summery, pop song. Definitely a first on this album, so far. It'll be sure to perk you up after Marionette's doom and gloom. Whatever you do, just don't skip this track. It's key in the flow of the album!

12 MY ALL
The beginning of MY ALL makes me reminiscent of the MY STORY Arena Tour. MY ALL is the type of song that fits in well with HONEY and Replace from MY STORY or even something as epic as Boys & Girls or girlish. It's a very upbeat song about reminiscing on the past, similar to fairyland. It sounds like a mixture of Beautiful Day and Humming 7/4. If glitter didn't plant a wide smile right on your face, then MY ALL definitely will. You'll be swaying and bobbing back and forth as you listen to the chorus which you'll be eager to learn the words so you can sing along. MY ALL is going to make an amazing live performance, as will many of the other tracks on the album.

13 reBiRTH
The final interlude, reBiRTH begins very mystically. It feels like you've heard it before, maybe because it sounds quite similar to LABYRINTH from 2006's Secret! Regardless, reBiRTH is still a nice, calming interlude. Oddly enough, it's also quite similar to Utada Hikaru's Eclipse (Interlude). It does a great job of relaxing you and toning down the hype that glitter and MY ALL left lingering the air. For the ending of the album is approaching.

14 untitled ~for her~
The final track of the album, untitled ~for her~, sounds a little bit like a song is born meets Memorial address meets Secret. But, in actuality, it really is unique to itself. The lyrics seem to be written to whoever 'she' is, most likely one of ayumi's childhood friends? Anyway, untitled ~for her~ is certainly a proper closing to the album. Near the beginning of GUILTY you'll feel angry and lost and near the middle it feels as if though you've found a flicker of hope but then it was wrongfully snuffed out and you've hit rock bottom. Then you've gotta pick yourself back up though and you move on as a better, stronger person. untitled ~for her~ closes the album on just that type of note. It's definitely going to become a fan favorite, just as all the other ending tracks before it.

Overview:
At first glance, GUILTY is nothing but another typical ayumi hamasaki album with nothing new to offer. But it's really much more than that. The first few listens I felt like all of the songs were solid, but something was missing. It felt like there were songs cut right out of the middle of the album that made it incomplete, but after listening to the album a consecutive number of times you'll uncover the story it's trying to tell you. Then you can fully appreciate this gem. GUILTY is one of ayumi's deepest and most heartfelt albums since Duty or I am... Definitely a must buy for all her fans.

review by amorphose

- - - - - - - - - -

That's my review.

[atashida]

I'm not too impressed. I didn't like any of the singles from this era either except for Together When..., so it's not a surprise.

I kept thinking "overproduced" while listening to it, which is odd. I think maybe she's putting out too much - when I listen to the music from and watch the PVs for I am... and Memorial Address (my two favorites) I felt that she had a unified feeling throughout the music, and it was her portraying her own feelings. In a lot of these songs, especially glitter/fated (even though I do like fated) I felt like she was reaching too hard for an emotion she didn't really feel. I would MUCH rather have a longer wait between songs and have them be better than have an album every year and something that doesn't feel right in all of them.

As a positive, though, her track placement and link up between interludes and is still pretty stellar. Except for glitter, which a lot of you have already said.

[v3lun420]

WHen I first heard the preview, I put a high hope in this album, but then, after hearing the full songs in the album, I must agree that I put my hope lower than I first put it.

I am dissappointed becoz for an album, this one don;t have much songs in it, and I really disappointed with guilty eventho at first, in the preview, I loved this song.

The best songs in this album are marionette -prelude- and marionette, untitled ~for her~, my ALL and the intro, Mirror who really gives a 'turn on'

As for pre-released songs such as Together When..., Decision, T2M, Glitter and Fated are as they are used to be, I love Decision, T2m, Fated and Together When... so much, but since they are pre-released, they don't give me much impact.

As I mentioned above, I am a bit dissappoinnted with GUILTY and (don't) Leave me alone , tho now (don;t) leave me alone, probably becoz of its PV, already grow on me bit by bit.

and for the instrumental, mariionette ~prelude~, reBirth and the judgment days are also good

After all, I am pretty satisfied with this album, but not the best of Ayumi Hamasaki's albums

[truehappiness]

I think after listening to GUILTY for 8 hours straight in the car, I've realized that she really is trying to tell us a story. There's something more to each track, and even the single tracks have their place. Instead of looking at the album in 14 parts, we should be looking at it in like, 3.

It makes sense if you've listened to it as much as I have.. I think.

[amorphose]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I think after listening to GUILTY for 8 hours straight in the car, I've realized that she really is trying to tell us a story. There's something more to each track, and even the single tracks have their place. Instead of looking at the album in 14 parts, we should be looking at it in like, 3.

It makes sense if you've listened to it as much as I have.. I think.

Exactly what I was trying to say. At first its hard to see, and it leaves you wanting more. But once you see the light, your like "wow..."

[Bad Wolf]

... --; Goddamn internet, deleting my post. Anyway, I wanted to edit in my review of the album so.. let's start again.

I'd first like to draw your attention to the album cover--no not the image, but rather the album title.


Note the way GUILTY is written. It has a line splitting it down the centre, and I think it can mean quite a few things: the guilt expressed in these songs isn't just her guilt but that of someone else's. Perhaps this guilty shared by the people to whom some of these songs are dedicated? Or perhaps it's a guilt that's tearing her emotions apart--she's split and conflicted about the guilt and it leaves her feeling torn and indecisive.

Now as for the tracks...

01. Mirror - The introduction/instrumental track. An upbeat, almost cutesy little melody. I like the use of "children's" instruments as it makes me think of a music box and it fits in with another instrumental track to be found later on the album. The light-hearted tone of the song is very deceptive, though: I think the purpose of Mirror is for the listeners to look into it and see the rest of the songs in the reflection, to see these various "faces" shown in them and the face of the album as a whole.

02. (don't) Leave me alone - This track took a little while to grow on me but I have to say it's just fun. It's got a nice beat, one that makes me want to get up and dance. But even this, too, is deceptive as the album is by no means a "dance friendly" one. This track makes me think of how fun it is to listen to About you from MY STORY, but even About you dealt with a rather serious matter of the heart, as I believe (don't) Leave me alone does.

The wording of the track is a really interesting one: it's contradictory! Without the (don't) the title almost seems like a childish, petulant plea to be left alone, to not be bothered, but the (don't) isn't exactly included with the rest of the words: it's distanced, it's contained in parentheses, almost like the plea to not be left alone is an admission Ayu is not willing to make out loud.

03. talkin' 2 myself - I was blown away when I first heard this track. Ayu sounded so confidant and determined, and the full song/music video for it only asserts this message. "Creation comes after destruction" seems to be the theme of talkin' 2 myself and I think if there was a track that really captured the "face" of the album, this one would be it. It's about recovery, about emerging from the pain and the flames, crawling from the ashes and standing tall.

The music itself reaffirms this message: it's as "hard" as Ayu's ever gonna get. It's "danceable," too, but instead of dancing the guitars, the drums and the beat of this song make me want to stand up, raise my fist and sing along. It's a very hopeful anthem that gets stuck in your head--not in a bad way. It's good to hear Ayu's message on loop in the background of your thoughts.

04. decision - Oddly enough I never really "got into" decision. I think it's the only new song from Ayu that I honestly didn't pay much attention to in the slightest, and I can't help but feel regret for that. decision is as "hard" and powerful as its predecessor, talkin' 2 myself, and yet it almost has a push/pull element going on with the music. The guitars and drums come in, rockin' out and fierce--and suddenly they cut out and an airy melody plays with Ayu's voice to accompany it. Then the guitars pick up, the drums come back to life and Ayu charges on singing, while the airier music seems to get overshadowed by the force of other instruments. Even so, I really haven't given decision the credit it deserves: it's a powerful, determined song just like talkin' 2 myself. Hell, I'd say that decision is like t2m part 2: it states the same message, it sticks with the same theme and just like t2m, I not only want to stand up and raise my fist but I want to sing along as loud as I can, opening my hands to the sky... Sing it, gurl. :3

05. GUILTY - A distorted sort of beginning is made ethereal due to the peal of bells and a rising/falling/rising string of piano keys. The title track to the album is the start of "the descent" from powerful, determined anthems into painful, poignant tracks that strike the heart.

I'm honestly in love with GUILTY: the melodies and composition, it's all so haunting and eerie. I think it fits in with the album's theme and I can definitely see why it was used for the album title (or the song was named after the album): even the music can't seem to make up its mind. Pianos, bells, techno beats, guitars, drums, violins--all these elements of being "tough" and strong, and yet Ayu's voice sounds so unsure and a little timid. I think this is a key element to the album and to the story Ayu is telling us.

06. fated - The first song of two that will be really... really hard for me to listen to and write about. When I first heard fated I was driven to tears and all the times after that first listen I've still cried: sometimes I've even put the song on a constant loop for a full day, unable to listen to anything else and unable to stop the tears. fated and the next track strike me as "the heart" of the album. We've reached the core, the focus and the true essence of what GUILTY is trying to convey to us--and considering the content and nature of both fated and it's follower, GUILTY is one of the most sorrowful, pained and touching albums I've heard by any artist.

fated's composition is delicate and sweeping--it builds and swells, reaching an almost feverish pitch that strains my heart to hear, and throughout it all Ayu sings her heart out. Her voice, too, grows and swells, building up from the quiet tone of the song's start into what seems to me an "emotional scream." She isn't really screaming, but you can just hear the strain and the emotion in her voice. Honest to goodness, I have not been able to listen to this song without tearing up. The little "piano breakdown interlude" at the song's middle is really what gets to me, I think.

07. Together When... - The second track of two that's really hard for me to write about while listening. Together When... starts off with a simple batch of piano notes, soft string instruments and Ayu's equally soft voice. And yet several times throughout the song we get almost abrasive interjections of "harder" instruments and sound, like the fragility and tenderness of the song is being ripped apart or is crumbling. I like that Together When... is the center-most track on the album as I feel like we've come half way on our journey... and yet we pause. We stop and start feeling regrets. Should we turn back? Should we have left at all? Should we go back the way we came, or keep moving forward with all those unsaid words left to rot in our hearts? It's a very tender song that also makes me cry whenever I hear it, but even so... the song tells us we can't go back now. Ayu expresses this in the lyrics: "Maybe I shall be born again to myself some day/And start a journey to seek for you..." We can't stop now. We can only hope for a reunion some time in the future.

08. Marionette -prelude- - Hands down the most disturbing interlude track I've heard from Ayu. The tentative "musix box" melody seems so... broken to me, and slightly off, as if there's something missing to it. I just get this mental image of puppets sitting askew on a shelf or jerking slowly to life. In all honesty the track makes me think of American McGee's Alice at some points: the clocks, the winding noise, the little pianos and airy, creepster melody. All this leads into...

09. Marionette - Possibly my favorite track on the album that isn't a single. If the prelude to Marionette makes me think of Alice, Marionette itself makes me think of a broken doll in pieces, its arms and legs shattered. I just get the image of only the face remaining in tact with Ayu's voice coming out of it and admittedly it's a pretty creepy thought. I'd love to see Ayu do some kind of PV for this as I think it has real potential.

The only other band/artist I know to have a creepster!doll song are The Dresden Dolls/Amanda Palmer. Kaledrina sounds like a cousin to Marionette--but I digress. Marionette is probably the best track on GUILTY that, sadly, wasn't used for a single. All around it's a powerful, brilliantly composed and produced song that truly deserves its place on the track list.

10. The Judgement Day - A very spooky track when it first starts out, and yet it builds up to an almost light-hearted interlude. I was surprised to find that this was the lead-in song to glitter--I almost felt that glitter didn't warrant such a "dark" track to precede it, but that's where this song kind of fools us. The organ in the background is met with Ayu's "la la la's" and a building electronic beat, and it almost sounds hopeful and free. It's like a breath of air being given to you after the "heaviness" of previous tracks.

Curiously enough, Judgment Day often has very negative connotations, akin to the end of the world and the destruction of life. Strange that this song, then, sounds almost... peaceful and upbeat. I feel that, in Ayu's frame of mind, the Judgment Day of GUILTY really isn't one of condemnation and damnation but a relieving release: time to start anew.

11. glitter - Ahh, yes. Honestly I can't find a reason not to like this song. I've read other people's dislikes about it and while I can understand it, I just don't hear it in this song. glitter isn't all fluff and happy rainbows, either. Just reading the lyrics will be able to tell a person that. And while it is the counterpart to fated, glitter is curiously distanced from that track and even comes on after it. There's no denying the cuteness factor of this song, though. It isn't the album's strongest, but by no means do I think it's too awful that it shouldn't have made the cut. Ayu seems to think it had a rightful place on the album, and I have to say that I agree with this assessment: I also really enjoy the composition. It's a fun song in the same vein of fairyland, or even Beautiful Fighters.

12. MY ALL - This track does seem to pick up where glitter ends off; up-beat tempo and style, bubbly singing from Ayu--I'd think if there were a track that doesn't really stand out to me on the album, it'd be this one. By no means does that make it a BAD song, it's just that I personally didn't feel it really had as much presence as some of her other songs. I do, however, really like the chorus: it strikes me as a really sweet song, like a gift to someone dear to you.

13. reBiRTH - Closing my eyes while I listen to this makes me think of the sun rising, or at least light bursting through a hazy cloud of the darkest gray. A lot of Ayu's songs feel this way to me, like you're getting that first shock of air and light after so much darkness and feeling smothered. The piano notes in the back give this song an almost gentle, tender mood to it, as if Ayu's preparing us for the feel of the next track. The song slowly fades off and I get the feeling of someone's eyes slowing opening, waking up and facing the light.

14. untitled ~for her~ - Starts off rather good--string instruments, a some-what light-hearted melody with Ayu singing quietly. If anything I'd call this track a definite "ode"--the mystery, of course, is to whom could this song be? The mysterious "her" to whom Ayu has written and dedicated this track seems to have been very dear to her; if reBiRTH is the light breaking through the clouds of gray, untitled ~for her~ is the feeling of the sun on your face, warming you and lighting the way.

With untitled ~for her~ I feel almost as if it's a "closure" song. Your bags are packed, you're just now out the door and turning to get one last look of the place, one last breath of the air before you head off and away from it forever. It reminds me of this most especially with the way it ends: everything fades out but Ayu singing quietly and only the piano to accompany her, a very beautiful instrument that's been used quite often on this album. Everything about this song just SCREAMS "goodbye" to me, and I think it's a proper way to close off the chapter of GUILTY's story.

---
I don't know if I'm just entering that "time of the month" where everything strikes me as so poignant and heartfelt, but I've teared up a lot listening to this album. Even on the songs that weren't sad, tears came to my eyes and I oddly found myself smiling, too. Such a contrast, huh? It's because I can feel the hope in this album, the heart in the songs and in Ayu's own creativity that strung this album together. It also speaks to me on a personal level due to various issues of my life--love, family, personal guilts and regrets... It's like Ayu took out a part of her heart and gave it to all of us, and that's an image that gives me chills.

I think my only pet peeve about the album is the order of the tracks: we get a whole slew of full songs without a single interlude throughout the first half, and yet the interludes are just crammed in there almost.. out of place towards the latter half O_o. The fact that these interludes come one after another, with one full song in between, just hits an "off" note for me. I think some of them would have worked much better towards the beginning part of the album or just full-on instrumental tracks. I'd love to see Ayu do that: make those instrumentals worth while, girl! Or at least tag them on into the songs they lead into...

Despite this, I'm really enjoying GUILTY. I wasn't sure on my first listen but I'm on the tail end of my second, going into my third, and I have to say that the album really is as strong as previous releases. I'd rank it up there among my favorites (DUTY, I am...) but I'd say it has room for improvement. Ayu has given herself a new platform on which to stand and all new heights to reach with her later releases. I look forward to whatever she gives us!

GUILTY rank: 5/5.

Edit'd for clarity.

[panda87]

i really like this album... but the tracks i always skip without thinking is "glitter" and "(don't) leave me alone". other than those two, i love the rest. it's her best since My Story. i love every track and love the lyrics and mood of the album. i'm not disappointed at all this time and have high hopes for this album and its concert!

[s1012h]

great review InoriNoUta!
GUILTY definitely is a very deep album
it just takes some time to enjoy it

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I think after listening to GUILTY for 8 hours straight in the car, I've realized that she really is trying to tell us a story. There's something more to each track, and even the single tracks have their place. Instead of looking at the album in 14 parts, we should be looking at it in like, 3.

It makes sense if you've listened to it as much as I have.. I think.

*hi five*
I think that all of ayu's albums are like this, we should alll listen to all of them 8 hours straight which in the car to realize it, most likely

[Jwiz]

GUILTY wasn't that disappointing to me anymore after i've listened to it a few days..the title track which i disliked at first grew on me and i seem to love it now!!..as for marionette i feel that listening to the prelude before-hand is a must and it helps to see the whole song in a much better light...i do hope that marionette's pv wil include the prelude too =p

i feel that t2m is has the ''heaviest'' mood in the whole album.

[Bad Wolf]

Originally Posted by s1012h

great review InoriNoUta!
GUILTY definitely is a very deep album
it just takes some time to enjoy it

Thank you!

Honestly, listening to GUILTY makes me REALLY want to work my arse off to learn Japanese more fluently. I really do agree with other people who have said that GUILTY is like a story Ayu is telling us, with each track not as a stand-alone story but one chapter in a single tale. I feel like I'm unable to truly and fully grasp the meaning because I can't completely understand her.

[hiroshi_ben]

i was expectin more new "songs" for this album...and not interludes...there are too MUCH interludes on this album..

[Bad Wolf]

GUILTY: 4 interludes

Other album interludes:
A Song for XX: 1
LOVEppears: 2
Duty: 1
I am...: 2
RAINBOW: 3
MY STORY: 3
(miss)understood: 2
Secret: 3

.. Basically the point I'm trying to make here is that she only has one more interlude song than usual on GUILTY, but I don't think "Mirror" should count as it's the opening track (and typically she has brief instrumentals as her opening tracks). So... she's got 3, technically.

I still believe that the way they're placed is a bit awkward on the album. They should've been more spread out.

[s1012h]

i would classify GUILTY as having 3 interludes
Marionette -prelude- is pretty much Marionette, hence the same title
so i wouldn't call it an interlude

and i think Marionette is the most dramatic song, t2m is second