Thoughts on GUILTY - Page 9 - Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai
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  #1  
Old 25th December 2007, 02:57 AM
s1012h s1012h is offline
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great review InoriNoUta!
GUILTY definitely is a very deep album
it just takes some time to enjoy it
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  #2  
Old 25th December 2007, 03:48 AM
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Originally Posted by s1012h View Post
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.
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Old 25th December 2007, 03:38 AM
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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.
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  #4  
Old 25th December 2007, 04:45 AM
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i was expectin more new "songs" for this album...and not interludes...there are too MUCH interludes on this album..
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  #5  
Old 25th December 2007, 05:25 AM
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Originally Posted by hiroshi_ben View Post
i was expectin more new "songs" for this album...and not interludes...there are too MUCH interludes on this album..
Srsly, I've had it up to here with these dumb complaints.

IMO, they do nothing but help the album become stronger. And if you think otherwise, at least say something more than just "omgwtf 2 many interloodz" :|
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  #6  
Old 25th December 2007, 05:01 AM
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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.
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  #7  
Old 25th December 2007, 05:09 AM
s1012h s1012h is offline
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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
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  #8  
Old 25th December 2007, 05:24 AM
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Originally Posted by s1012h View Post
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
Mirror has some lyrics too I mean it's a very short song but it has a verse, chorus, ending... it's just really short, isn't it all a song need though? I don't know if Mirror should be considered as an interlude as well...

Judgement Day and reBIRTH are totally interludes.
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  #9  
Old 25th December 2007, 05:42 AM
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Okay... I shall review GUILTY a 2nd time cos my first review was so biased... Anyway, I shall assume the guilts reflected in this album as three kinds. Towards Tomoya, life and friends. So here it is.

Part 1: I hate you, Tomoya! + Inspiration for fans

Mirror
GUILTY starts with this strange intro, leaving us to think if this IS the intro after Catcher In The Light. Naturally, all of us weren't disappointed at the amazing composition of the album. From techno/trance to pure rock and then to a soothing ballad-y sound... Mirror reflects the whole album from head to toe.

(don't) Leave me alone
This pop song leaves us hanging for more as Ayu belts this song out. Bringing out the trance part from Mirror, dlma will leave you wanting for more as the unique sounding chorus gets repeated in your ears.

talkin' 2 myself
This angsty rock song reflected with the very strong line 'Creation comes after destruction'. t2m is sure to impress with the lovely chorus and its fantastic last lines. This song will inspire all of us as she sings about life.

decision
The song to Tomoya as she seeks his understanding on how she chose not to slit her wrists, or beg him to stay. You can hear the pain in Ayu's voice as she explains to Tomoya why she must remain as herself.

GUILTY
Although the song I hate the most on this album, GUILTY still has its own story to tell. A song that tells of how she's trying to get over her break-up with Tomoya... yet seemingly unable to... It's subtle and quiet as if Ayu is exhausted by everything that is going around her...

Conclusion for Part 1: The darkest part of the album has ended. With wrath and pain over, it's tears and hope next...

Part 2: Don't leave me, Tomoya... + Let's rip off the masks with our own hands!

fated
First of the two emo ballads in GUILTY, fated starts off with the amazing stanza, and Ayu's question to you: Do you believe in Fate? She's guilty that she wasn't being true to Tomoya, wishing that she meant it when she said "I love you" to him. It's deep but... the song doesn't reflect the sorrow in the lyrics as of yet. I would say fated has more room for improvement.

Together When...
Morose, despondence, sorrow, depression. These are the words I would describe Together When... the star of the album. The song starts with a quiet piano melody as Ayu sings out breaking up with Tomoya to "avoid getting hurt". As the song reaches its first climax in the chorus, the morose in her voice will send your goosebumps rising.

Marionette -Prelude- + Marionette
The second start of the album, Marionette starts with a prelude that although regarded by many fans as being 'creepy', I beg to differ. The flute in the prelude apparently makes this prelude sound very cheeky, although the sound effects at certain parts of the prelude was very scary indeed.
The prelude ends and Marionette immediately comes in. The atmosphere of the song is given off with the subtle melody at the beginning. The song appears as dark, but it's far from dark. As she tells her fans and Tomoya to stop depending on the beauty of memories and move on with life. The highlight of the song as given by the lyrics 'We were not born to live, just putting on a front and hiding a face like the dead.'
Yes! Ayu wants us to show our emotions and not hide everything, unlike a marionette that must be controlled by fate. She wants us to take control of our own lives, as she reassures herself as well, that Tomoya and her must move on, although the break up may be sorrowful...
The song sounds dark but yet the lyrics speak of so much hope and power that I get inspired upon reading the lyrics and singing along to Marionette. Ayu is telling us "perhaps... I should move on..."

Conclusion of Part 2: Ayu is morose about her break up with Tomoya... but she knows she must continue on with her life, and at the same time telling us fans and Tomoya to move on together with her. We can do it!

Part 3: I love you, Tomoya! + I'm finally happy again... or maybe not.

The Judgment Day
"Miss Ayumi Hamasaki, it is your judgment now. Whether you shall live in the shadows of Tomoya and be emo forever or move on with your life... It shall be decided here" That's what TJD is all about. The whole interlude reflects Ayu's dilemma. As the creepy interlude makes me jump... her lalalas turned into something more hopeful and happy. Ayu has been judged! She shall not be emo!

glitter
The song that was hated by thousands of fans, except for me and a few others... Oh well. This could be the song that can't be decided if it's happy or sad... As Ayu appears to be delusional in this song with overtly blissful lyrics... Was she guilty because she didn't do what the lyrics told her to? We will never know...

MY ALL
The album reaches its happiest point in MY ALL as Ayu recalls her good ol' days with Tomoya. This song, if performed live, could bring tears overflowing to Ayu as she regrets her decision to break up with Tomoya...

Conclusion of Part 3: Ayu decides to be happy but gives an ambiguous note to us in glitter and MY ALL. Is she really happy? Or as many say, "happiness is temporal"? Ayu will give us an answer soon, I believe.

Part 4: Away with the emo-ness on love! Friends ftw!!!

reBiRTH
Weird choice of caps aside, this interlude sucks with GUILTY for me although I must admit is a necessity. With reBiRTH, Ayu seems to be telling us "I shall be reborn, perhaps as a person who is not troubled by love anymore..." The subtle and quiet interlude appears to be like a phoenix rising from the flames and getting reborn. It is elegant and beautiful.

untitled ~for her~
The song dedicated to Ayu's friend who died while she was recording Together When..., untitled is a very mellow and sad ballad as Ayu remembers her times with her friend and she seems to be telling her to wait for her at that place where all the souls gather... At certain points of the song, you can hear Ayu's voice getting a little shaky and soft... I believe that is when Ayu is crying. Perhaps by ending GUILTY with untitled... she knows that friends are sometimes more important than emoing about a break up. We wish all the best for Ayu...

The Living Cherished The Dead: Eternal Embrace of The Radiant Souls...

Conclusion for Part 4: Ayu is reborn as a person who's not trapped in love... and she regrets not spending enough time with her friend who has already passed away.

Note: My analysis for GUILTY this time round doesn't really focus on her vocals or how the songs sound like... but more on what she's trying to tell us with each song on this album. I hope you guys understand that GUILTY could be worse than Secret or MY STORY or whatever album... but it still is a story Ayu wishes to tell us. A story that goes from wrath to regret and morose to hope to bliss and finally... to something else that wasn't her at the beginning.

Last edited by waterballoon; 25th December 2007 at 05:51 AM.
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  #10  
Old 25th December 2007, 06:35 AM
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BOLD = LOVE
S = Don't Like
Italic = Ok

1. Mirror
2. (don't) Leave me alone
3. talkin' 2 myself
4. decision
5. GUILTY
6. fated
7. Together When...
8. Marionette -prelude-
9. Marionette
10. The Judgement Day
11. glitter
12. MY ALL
13. reBiRTH
14. untitled ~for her~



BEST TRACK:


Talkin' 2 myself
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  #11  
Old 25th December 2007, 06:59 AM
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This album grows on me every day...I was skimming the tracks on her older albums and doing checklists in my head how many songs I disliked, and how many times I can bother to listen to 'THAT 1000TH BALLAD' and safe to say, I actually won't skip ANY of these songs. I couldn't appreciate (miss) as much because most tracks were GEO's, MS had too many slow ballad rock type songs, I would skip at least 2 songs on Secret, etc., so GUILTY as an album I can listen to fully is up there with I am...

Sure people don't like it on first listen, but if they try to delve further and see the story she is clearly telling with the careful placement of all the tracks, this album is a gem.
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  #12  
Old 25th December 2007, 07:00 AM
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I wonder how many people here actually care about the lyrics and not just the way the song sounds. Not trying to hate on anyone here, and I know that different people enjoy music on different levels....but I think a lot of people need to take into account what is being said in the songs before declaring them bad or not.
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  #13  
Old 25th December 2007, 07:07 AM
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namiie I agree with you! First thing with ayu's music is obviously if the song sounds good or not, because come on...it's music, and she's selling music not poetry. But second is what her lyrics say! That's what got me into her in the first place...her voice was different and I was curious what she was saying, (it was for 'M'), and when I read those lyrics and heard her singing, I was sold. It goes much deeper than 'what the song sounds like' when it comes to ayu, that's why she has so many fans after all these years, because there's something sincere in all her words. Maybe I'm just being too defensive for this album, but sometimes I think people are just too quick to judge when she puts out new material.
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  #14  
Old 25th December 2007, 07:35 AM
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Originally Posted by the angel song View Post
namiie I agree with you! First thing with ayu's music is obviously if the song sounds good or not, because come on...it's music, and she's selling music not poetry. But second is what her lyrics say! That's what got me into her in the first place...her voice was different and I was curious what she was saying, (it was for 'M'), and when I read those lyrics and heard her singing, I was sold. It goes much deeper than 'what the song sounds like' when it comes to ayu, that's why she has so many fans after all these years, because there's something sincere in all her words. Maybe I'm just being too defensive for this album, but sometimes I think people are just too quick to judge when she puts out new material.
AGREED.

Or some Ayu fans are just impossible to please no matter what. Honestly--you can not like something, you can even be really critical of an artist, but some of the fans here seem to be the most vicious, picky people I've ever seen on a forum. It's almost like why do you bother listening or liking her if you're only going to spew such venom and inane criticisms? o_o
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Last edited by Bad Wolf; 25th December 2007 at 07:48 AM.
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  #15  
Old 25th December 2007, 07:18 AM
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Okay I'm going to be incredibly lazy and just give scores to the songs and not explain why XD

1. Mirror 9/10
2. (don't) Leave me alone 8.5/10
3. talkin' 2 myself 10/10
4. decision 8.5/10
5. GUILTY 9/10
6. fated 6.5/10
7. Together When... 7/10
8. Marionette -prelude- 10/10 (It's a nice set up for the song)
9. Marionette 10/10
10. The Judgement Day 9.5/10
11. glitter 3/10
12. MY ALL 6/10
13. reBiRTH 7/10
14. untitled ~for her~ 7.5/10
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  #16  
Old 25th December 2007, 07:40 AM
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^Couldn't have said it better myself! But a good thing is...so far I think for this album there hasn't been half as much overreacted hate on this forum, like her previous ones, if memory serves correct. At least people are more civil this time around!
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  #17  
Old 25th December 2007, 07:48 AM
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I think this is one of Ayu's best albums~ I love how everyone was so anxious for it to come out, and now everyone is so disappointed because it's all 'dark and sad'...wasn't that already pretty much known before it came out? Meh, of course everyone has their own opinions. But, I personally love all the tracks on this album.
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  #18  
Old 25th December 2007, 07:48 AM
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Whoa!!! guys, im really touched...all of those reviews... from Demure_Dusk, amorphose and InoriNoUta...simply amazing
and the fact that Ayu wants to tell us something really makes me...touched (sry i cant find another word) because its just like she is revealing her feelings to us fans and hope we all understand and stand by her...
and its amazing that most of us here and discovered something very worthy of this album...its a nice thing
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  #19  
Old 25th December 2007, 07:54 AM
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Originally Posted by freedreamer View Post
Whoa!!! guys, im really touched...all of those reviews... from Demure_Dusk, amorphose and InoriNoUta...simply amazing
and the fact that Ayu wants to tell us something really makes me...touched (sry i cant find another word) because its just like she is revealing her feelings to us fans and hope we all understand and stand by her...
and its amazing that most of us here and discovered something very worthy of this album...its a nice thing
I agree. I think it's wonderful that this album can touch so many people, can speak to them and strike a chord in their hearts.. I just like that Ayu can do that. Hell, when ANY artist does that, I see it as a testament to their talent and ability to transcend even languages.
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  #20  
Old 25th December 2007, 12:34 PM
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Wow...reading everyone's reviews really amazed me. Some even changed my opinions on different songs but anyways...should I update the first post with some references to pages with good reviews by different people?
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