'again' mini album out December 8th, 2nd of five 15th anniversary releases [IV] - Page 2 - Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai
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  #21  
Old 5th December 2012, 06:23 PM
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I still love Wake Me Up and Sweet Scar! These songs are so good!
Snowy Kiss is awesome too, reminds me of the Love Songs era!
Ivy is nice but classic. Sweet Scar is so much better!
  #22  
Old 5th December 2012, 06:25 PM
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Yaayy it leaked! Finally ^^

Such an awesome mini *.* Really enjoyed it.

I guess I'm the only one, whose favourite tracks on this one so far are Sweet scar and Ivy
  #23  
Old 5th December 2012, 06:32 PM
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its nice that AHS is DOWN about 80% of the time... =.=
  #24  
Old 5th December 2012, 06:34 PM
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Okay, so despite my promise to not listen to "snowy kiss" and "Ivy" so I hear some songs completely fresh when I get my hard copy of the album , I decided to listen anyway.
People's comments about "snowy kiss" made me think that song was going to blow me away like "Microphone" and "BRILLANTE" did when I first heard them, but while "snowy kiss" is definitely good, and absolutely unique and memorable, for me it falls short sounding too chaotic and embarrassingly unpolished. There are so many things in this song are right, and there are also so many things that are wrong. But maybe it will grow on me...
"Ivy" is, bluntly put, beautiful but also a bit boring. After "Party Queen" I thought Ayu had finally reached a higher vocal finesse and it would only get better with time, but both "LOVE" and "again" have served to prove me wrong. Her vocals were unimpressive and seemed almost unfeeling against the beautifully dramatic and emotional music playing, but that's just my opinion.
"Wake me up" I think is a great song, better than "Sparkle" and "Party queen" with more power and finesse, and "Sweet scar" is equally good but in a different way with beautiful vocals and music. Both songs are very good, but not incredibly amazing.
So my opinion on this mini is "good, but not awesome". There's still a chance for the remixes sway my opinion, but I doubt they will. The remixes on "LOVE" didn't change my overall view on the album, I don't think "again"s remixes will be any different to me.
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  #25  
Old 5th December 2012, 06:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ayu-me View Post
Okay, so despite my promise to not listen to "snowy kiss" and "Ivy" so I hear some songs completely fresh when I get my hard copy of the album , I decided to listen anyway.
People's comments about "snowy kiss" made me think that song was going to blow me away like "Microphone" and "BRILLANTE" did when I first heard them, but while "snowy kiss" is definitely good, and absolutely unique and memorable, for me it falls short sounding too chaotic and embarrassingly unpolished. There are so many things in this song are right, and there are also so many things that are wrong. But maybe it will grow on me...
"Ivy" is, bluntly put, beautiful but also a bit boring. After "Party Queen" I thought Ayu had finally reached a higher vocal finesse and it would only get better with time, but both "LOVE" and "again" have served to prove me wrong. Her vocals were unimpressive and seemed almost unfeeling against the beautifully dramatic and emotional music playing, but that's just my opinion.
"Wake me up" I think is a great song, better than "Sparkle" and "Party queen" with more power and finesse, and "Sweet scar" is equally good but in a different way with beautiful vocals and music. Both songs are very good, but not incredibly amazing.
So my opinion on this mini is "good, but not awesome". There's still a chance for the remixes sway my opinion, but I doubt they will. The remixes on "LOVE" didn't change my overall view on the album, I don't think "again"s remixes will be any different to me.
Yeah I knew AHS was over-reacting to snowy kiss - I can't take anyone's reactions to fresh material seriously. It's good but it is no Microphone POWER ROCK or anything - it's good in a Love songs way.
I think her vocals are good and Ivy is much better than Melody. Her vocals are worst on Sweet scar so I feel it's funny you say they are unimpressive on the other tracks.
  #26  
Old 5th December 2012, 06:49 PM
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Yeah I knew AHS was over-reacting to snowy kiss - I can't take anyone's reactions to fresh material seriously. It's good but it is no Microphone POWER ROCK or anything - it's good in a Love songs way.
I think her vocals are good and Ivy is much better than Melody. Her vocals are worst on Sweet scar so I feel it's funny you say they are unimpressive on the other tracks.
I agree that "Ivy" is better than "Melody", and while I'd say I think the vocals in "Sweet scar" are on a similar level to those in "Ivy, "Sweet scar"'s vocals fit the music much better. The underwhelming, more limited vocals in "Sweet scar" fits with the serene and nostalgic piano, but in "Ivy" there are majestic violins and power which shouldn't be accompanied by the "girly" vocals Ayu had, in my opinion.
And overall, I wouldn't say her vocals are directly "bad" but they were so much better on "Party Queen". It feels disappointing to hear her voice like this when I feel that she can sing better.
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  #27  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:11 PM
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I would like Ayu to open this CDL with snowy kiss, though Wake me up has a bigger chance of getting that spot, if the title is anything to go by.
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  #28  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:15 PM
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well she did those songs a while ago, because everytime i listen to them it seems like i have heard somethign simmilar already lol

i've gotta say i love all of them but Ivy the least, it has too much stuff that's unnescesarry in it, and Ayu's vibrato in a couple of places got me cringin'. I kinda have hard time listening to it, but i do like the melody i just think they should have layered it down a bit, like some of the back vocals and some random instruments, it starts nice but the chorus go messy..... In my ears it's the weekest out of the 4. And to me it isn't even NEAR to where Melody was.

I think i love Sweet scar, especially the intro...and for it being simple and airy and a little bit haunting. I like her vocals somehow, mostly because of her vibrato flowing so freely and naturally and melody. At first i thought it was way too plain, but there are bits and pieces that come out intrumentally here and there that gives it a little bit of a sprinkle

Snowy kiss is very "Love songs" but with better vocals and way better arangement. Definitelly slays Last angel (tho I never was a fan of that song anyway *shrugs*) to death and beyond.

Wake me up..... THAT'S A FREAKING POWER ENGINE. and i adore that "Anatta no yo" part >D i have nothing bad to say about it lol
  #29  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:24 PM
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I love love LOVE this mini album ^-^ I'm addicted to Wake me up Can't wait for my copy
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  #30  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:25 PM
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I don't understand why she uses the girlie voice in IVY..... Could have been awesome if she sings it like Melody..... What a WASTE!!!
  #31  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:32 PM
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so many haters on this site just need to retire from being ayu fans~
  #32  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:32 PM
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I think this release is fantastic. All of the songs on this release are wonderful. I don't really have any complaints and that's a first in a long time. I enjoy all of the songs on this release more than those on LOVE and also those one PQ (but that's her least enjoyable album to my ears ....)
  #33  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:35 PM
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Very strong release. WOuld be perfection if minus the maro drama hahhaha
  #34  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:36 PM
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Certain parts of Ivy's melody reminds me of Missing, 1:24 to 1:40 in particular. Definitely my least favorite of the bunch too.. it doesn't go anywhere, it's like Beloved.. nice sounding but dry all together.

However this release is amazing, even Wake Me Up (which annoyed me to death at first) i love now
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  #35  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:37 PM
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Why always compare a song with another to make song X appear less valuable than song Y?

I think everything on this release works really well with each other, by the way
  #36  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:44 PM
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This mini is amazing <3
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  #37  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:48 PM
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The songs are awesome
  #38  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:54 PM
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My favourite Ayu release in years I liked Ivy from the previews and the full version sounds great. All the songs are so different

I'm surprised people are comparing songs. They all sound so unique and different :O
  #39  
Old 5th December 2012, 07:58 PM
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Just listened to the leak. Her voice in Ivy was not so good but still, a beautiful song and my favorite track on 'again'.
  #40  
Old 5th December 2012, 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by *Petit* View Post
I think this release is fantastic. All of the songs on this release are wonderful. I don't really have any complaints and that's a first in a long time.
Agree Maybe I can't say the songs are top of perfection - for me nothing can beat BoY, GAME, is this LOVE, STEP you, Days and other nice things we had in our past.. However, it is a really remerkable release for me, as I enjoy all four songs - some more, some a bit less, but I will definitely listen to them a lot, as they ARE good. Sweet Scar and Ivy are really melodious. I was looking forward to special melodies for a long time. The first tender notes of Sweet Scar make me smile and blow me away immediately Snowy kiss was a pleasant surprise for me. Maybe I could agree to the opinion that it could be better mastered at some points, but in general I am absolutely satisfied - it sounds fresh, original, and it is not a ballad as I was sure it would be And Wake me up is energetic and motivating. For me nothing can beat Sparkle, no-no... Nevertheless, the song sounds good, especially the verses (again an unusual melody!) Maybe I lacked something in choruses... But still. I am really glad to listen to what I hear Agree that all this Maro-thing might spoil the impression for some people, which is a pity, because this mini deserves to be noticed and remembered. Ayu and her team have really shown their creativity.

Last edited by Nadya; 6th December 2012 at 10:38 PM.
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『again』, 浜崎 あゆみ, 浜崎あゆみ, 15th anniversary, ayumi hamasaki

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