Ayu ~Anything Goes~ XV (AHS' Ayumi Hamasaki General Discussion Thread)

[rainbow_smile]

Imo the only truly bland track on A ONE was The GIFT. And maaaybe Zutto... I love A ONE and I still listen to most of the songs even now, I didn't get tired of them even a little bit. So, I don't think it was a bad release at all.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I loved A ONE, but it has quite a lot of "bland" J-Poppy tracks. However, there was a bit of a concept going into it and you can't say she didn't follow through.

Ayu is a popstar and she follows market trends as much as any other popstar in the world... This works for any of her albumw, including A One.

[Aderianu]

it's funny how most of fans don't like The GIFT while Ayu adore it so much

[labello]

Ayu usually says she likes any new release and she probably couldn't even say The Gift is mediocre even if she believed that and wanted to say so. She released the track because she likes it. Of course she'll "adore" it
I think the classical version of the gift is beautiful, but the regular one doesn't do it for me.

As for A ONE, I have a few tracks I love, that stand out to me because of the lyrics or arrangement but as a whole it's pretty standard; nothing super special. I still like it though. To me it's a good album

[ExodusUK]

The Garbage is crap and JJ Lin should reflect.

[truehappiness]

I want to hear what else was on that demo tape from Alvin or w/e.

[280301]

Ugh, I LOVE A ONE and Sixxxxxx.
As others have mentioned though, the production on them isn't great (particularly for Last minute and Sorrows), but for me personally, they are the albums that should have come after Rock 'n' Roll Circus. Seriously, Love songs - Colours was a mess in terms of production also. Love songs and Party Queen really hit hard for me, because if she had just put more time into their production, they could have been fantastic albums. Both sound terribly...cheap? dated before their time?, unlike Duty which still sounds perfect af. I think A ONE will age better than the releases from that period (2010-2014).

Speaking of Zutto..., Zutto... is a bit like Melody for me, considered the weakest songs on their respective singles, but I love them dearly.

[truehappiness]

All of LOVE was super strong IMO. Melody takes time to grow, however, but once it does, mmm...

I thought Love songs was produced just fine, but Party Queen is where mixing and such became issues. FIVE was fine IMO as well.

[axmish87]

I don't have that many issues with A ONE as it is. It's a solid album although I could probably live without Anything for You since that song is a knockoff of Walk and Story because I really need to be in a mood for it.
Love songs is perfect. Love songs "dated" sound is purposely like that and it captures a nice 90' nostalgia.

[Delirium-Zer0]

I liked the dated aspects of Love songs' sound, I just think every song on it is like.... someone else already did this in the past, and they did it BETTER. Like "sending mail" to me sounds like "Get it on now" by globe meets "Mirrorcle World," but without committing. "Like a doll" is a song with the same lyrical concept as "Marionette" but with no dynamism (and the keyboards sound very sleepily/lazily played).

I like the melodies on that album more and more over time, but EVERY track on the album aside from "Last angel" and "Love songs" needs some kind of new mix or a replaced instrument or two. "November" is good as it is also, but that one just isn't to my taste as much as the rest of the album frustratingly COULD be if it were just.... I mean it just needed another couple of weeks, a few test listens from outside parties, you know?

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

I liked the dated aspects of Love songs' sound, I just think every song on it is like.... someone else already did this in the past, and they did it BETTER. Like "sending mail" to me sounds like "Get it on now" by globe meets "Mirrorcle World," but without committing. "Like a doll" is a song with the same lyrical concept as "Marionette" but with no dynamism (and the keyboards sound very sleepily/lazily played).

I like the melodies on that album more and more over time, but EVERY track on the album aside from "Last angel" and "Love songs" needs some kind of new mix or a replaced instrument or two. "November" is good as it is also, but that one just isn't to my taste as much as the rest of the album frustratingly COULD be if it were just.... I mean it just needed another couple of weeks, a few test listens from outside parties, you know?

I had the exact same impression and it's totally legitimate. That's exactly how it sounds. But I (relatively quickly) just came to accept the tracks as they were. I think they are all gradual builders, and you really only get a taste of some sort of climax for a very brief moment, usually toward the end, in each track. We're used to the first chorus just exploding and setting the pace for the entire track; which is what I usually expect, and prefer. After that first chorus, the enjoyment of the song comes from the fact that you know it will come back again, knowing what to expect, and the verses tease you leading up to it's reintroduction. However, the entire LS tracks themselves lead up to one monumental moment, and then it's done; so you have to sit through 5 minutes of a tease for that kind of redemption and release, and along the way you feel the refrains are just masquerading as choruses. But it's also something that's very unique about this album, and I think it works because now she has released stuff that's just dry all-around. It's like in Love songs, the tracks were purposely made to feel that way so that when that short climax came at the end it was more of a relief than anything; where as in tracks she's released since, the first chorus sucks and there isn't even hope that a better climax awaits later into the song.

[ExodusUK]

No Future, Anything for you and TSMGO are just like that. TK is good at building up <3

[truehappiness]

The Show Must Go On still gives me goosebumps.

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

No Future, Anything for you and TSMGO are just like that. TK is good at building up <3

I disagree. The show must go on kicks in right after the introduction. No future's first chorus is also all-out. You don't feel a sense that anything is missing when they both go off for the very first time. Anything for you's initial chorus is also very heavy. These songs do have slight changes at the end, but it's not at the expense of the versions of the choruses that proceed them holding back.

[attractive nausea]

^^ My dream is to experience it live

[DonkeyKongRemix]

All I know is that I think The GIFT is a wonderful song. I love her voice, the piano, the build up and the soothing ending. I think it's miles better than most of the songs on A ONE. Story, Walk, and Out of Control are the only other songs I like just as they are from that album, though I think Last Minute was a great idea but not executed well. I love her voice in it but the song sounds terrible quality-wise, a huge shame considering what it could've been.

[truehappiness]

Personally, I think Sorrows suffered the most from production issues of the tracks that "could've". Last minute is pretty great by comparison.

You know, I think Ayu needs to really bring some compositions to us... I know we may be overexcited at the prospect, but I personally have loved just about every CREA composition so what's the harm in letting us have another album of CREA?

[Gustavopc]

Walk, guys. That's an amazing example of building up in a song. The way the instrumental goes off in the end and the way she sings "ikiteruyooo" ALWAYS give me chilla

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

I prefer the gift to how beautiful you are, that's for sure.

I always forget the melody to Walk :-/ not because I don't like it, it's just not something that sticks out to me. I remember I initially thought I'd listen to it the most of the three songs on the single, but i listen to Last minute far more. Zutto...is the dullest though. Bland and generic.

[DonkeyKongRemix]

Originally Posted by Gustavopc

Walk, guys. That's an amazing example of building up in a song. The way the instrumental goes off in the end and the way she sings "ikiteruyooo" ALWAYS give me chilla

YES 100%