♪♫ Official thread for Rock'n'Roll Circus Album Reviews ♪♫

[pepper]

Please keep the pattern, the other threads are for discussion!~
like here: Discuss thread


1.THE introduction 4/10
I can't say much about this. It could be better, it sound really 'corny' for me.

2.Microphone 7/10
This song is from my rule/talkin'2myself/decision scheme. At first i was like "omg, this songs rocks" but now, im a bit tired of the verses, and the "massive" sound of the song. But it's still very, very good song

3.count down 8/10
Reminds of Guilty (which i hate) and (miss)understood and criminal (which i love to death~) so it makes about 70~ percents to love it I love the sound of ringing. Sound very sad, i love sad songs in that way.

4.Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ 8/10
I never was fan "of this version". The fact that it's just a "remix" for me, made me never really listen to it, while it was single song. But for now, i feel really good with the melancholy sound of it. Good song!

5.BALLAD 9/10
I always love this... ballad. Very soft, very oriental. It's just a very emotional, pretty damn song. But prefer you were...

6.Last Links 10/10
Again reminds me of songs like (miss)understood, which i love that type! Very emotional, very melodical. This song it's just a simple perfect. AND THE GUITAR AT THE BEGGINING. And i love the chorus so much.

7.montage 6/10
Very unique. But im gonna listen to it only while im listening to whole album (too unique...) Pretty classical sound. But it should be whole with the creepy sound at the end.

8.Don't look back 5/10
There goes this one... I don't get the "OMG THIS IS EPIC" wibe (wth) This song it's too seamless for me... It's ok, but just ok. And that's the saddest for me. Can't stand "ok songs". I always think "they should work with that song more!!"

9.Jump! 9/10
At first i was like "woot a mainstream electro sound at the begging..." But it's still very Ayu-ish awesome interlude~

10.Lady Dynamite 8/10
This song grown on me a bit. I love the music, just the fast not melodical vocal irritates me a bit. But chorus is very powerfull and fun.

11.Sexy little things 10/10
This is very proffesional song for me. I can hear that everything is perfectly done in it. I love how unique it sounds. It's so DANCE'able! Im always moving my feet like crazy, or... dancing.

12.Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ 10/10
I love this song from the single I LOVE HOW IT EXPEDITE!!! Very Ayuish, very happy, but not too cute (like my less favorite BLUE BIRD >_<)

13.meaning of Love 7/10
Very good ballad, but in fact not my type of ballads i like. But still very emotional, i really like the melody.

14.You were... 10/10
I can't sing this song, because when it comes to chorus, i starts to cry.
Winter feeling, the epic chorus.

15.RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version] 7/10
Never a big fan of it, but not a hater (XD) it's just too random at first (like NEXT LEVEL) But the chorus and the melody it's pretty catchy!

Pv's:
Sunrise - 6/10 (pretty Ayu, but repetitious~)
Sunset - 6/10 (pretty Ayu, but repetitious~)
you were... 10/10 - simply gorgoues. i love the psychodelic motives in there.
BALLAD - 8/10 - cheesy story, but everything done very smart. (+ pretty Ayu again)
Microphone - 8/10 - like the randomness, love the guy in a hat (XD)
Sexy little things - 8/10 - very funny at all! and stylish~
Lady Dynamite - 7/10 - VEEEERY pretty Ayu. and fits song
Don't look back - 9/10 - simply gorgeous, just -1 because of song.

Results: i will not counts arithmetic average right know XD but as you can see, it's a very, very GOOD album. Not that perfect as my favorite (m)u... But, who cares?!

i would give whole album... 7,5-8/10~
airthmetic average (i was bored and did the counting...) = 7,8 (i was so close!! wow)
pv's average: 7,75

[love in music]

1. THE introduction - I expected more from this but it's interesting and different, it's not bad at all but could have been better. 7/10
2. Microphone - I *LOVE* this song so much! Seriously, I never thought she'd come out with a rock song I could enjoy more than Mirrorcle World but here it is. The arrangement is great and I love her vocals too. This is such a strong song. Why can't any other female artists in Japan release something this amazing? TELL ME WHY TELL ME WHY. idk idk. 10/10
3. count down - This is a really different sound for her imo. Some people compare it to criminal but I think it's very different and even darker sounding. I love her emotion in this song, the way she's singing it really gets me. This is one of my favorites on the album. 10/10
4. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ - This song is pretty and sweet, I love the intro. I think people totally overreact to it and how "bad" it is. The worst part about it is the length and how it drags a bit and could be considered a bit boring, but that's it. The lyrics, music, and her voice are so sweet. Not all ayu ballads have to be ~epic~. Give me a LOVE ~Destiny~ type ballad every once in a while and I'll be very satisfied 8/10
5. BALLAD - One of my favorite ayu ballads, the arrangement is gorgeous and she sounds so sad in it, truly a masterpiece. 10/10
6. Last Links - WOWOWOW. Can you marry me pls ayu? This is so ****ing amazing. One of her best album only tracks on an album, it's right up there with "I am..." 10000/10
7. montage - I love this! It's so dark sounding to me and it's a nice change for an interlude. 8/10
8. Don't look back - Despite what other people say I think this sounds NOTHING like vogue or any other song in her discography. It's completely fresh and I love it. It has this creepiness to it and I love the intro. 10/10
9. Jump! - AHHHHHH this is SO SO SO amazing! I can't get over how awesome this is, srsly. I love how it builds up. 9/10
10. Lady Dynamite - This goes perfectly after "Jump!". This song is WAY too catchy! The arrangement is nothing special and it's repetitive but it's just so addicting. 8/10
11. Sexy little things - This has to be my favorite on the album and one of my favorite ayu songs ever. It's cute/creepy/wacky and just ugh so amazing. This kicks all of her other cute songs asses lol. 1000000000000/10
12. Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ - One of my favorite ayu summer songs, unfortunately I overplayed it quite a bit so I don't feel like listening to it for a while. It's still an awesome song though and is great live. 9/10
13. meaning of Love - The chorus could be better, but I have to say I LOVE her voice in this song. There isn't too much vibrato and it just feels natural. This sounds so sweet and I just love the lyrics. 9/10
14. You were... - One of my top 5 ayu ballads. LOVE the chorus, arrangement, and emotion in her voice. 10/10
15. RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version] - SOOO much better than the original song!! I like her vocals here and the ending is PERFECTION. Seriously, what a perfect way to end an album. I love her acapella, she sounds so sweet. 1000000000000000000000/10 (lol sorry for the rating but it's just so perfect as an ending imo)

Overall this is an amazing album and I am more than satisfied. I love the variety it has! She could not release anything for 2 years and I'd still be satisfied with all of the amazing stuff on this album (but of course she won't lol, such a workaholic). I notice the music is a lot more exciting/amazing/wow-ing with this album, it's like she really stepped it up and experimented this time and just pulled it off perfectly. I love/like every single bit of this album, even the weaker points aren't as bad as the weaker points on NL or GUILTY. With her last 3 albums I have a love/hate relationship with at least one track, but there is not one on this album and that's another thing I really love about it.

[JackieRos]

1.THE introduction 8/10 (pretty awesome)
2.Microphone 9/10 (that IDK IDK part is annoying but it doesn't ruin the song for me)
3.count down 8/10 (do like it but don't love)
4.Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ 10/10 (omg one of the few ayu ballads I love)
5.BALLAD 3/10 (I like it that it sounds oriental but I don't like this song)
6.Last Links 8/10 (I like this song alot)
7.montage 1/10 (RnR could have done without this interlude)
8.Don't look back 9/10 (I actually thought I wasn't going to love this song but I do)
9.Jump! 5/10 (annoying at first but I love that JUMP! JUMP! (yeah eah eah) part)
10.Lady Dynamite 10/10 (AMAZING SONG that I hated at first LOVE THIS SONG!)
11.Sexy little things 8/10 (idk if I like or love this song. is kinda annoying and then is not -.-)
12.Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ 1/10 (absolutely hate this song soooooooo much)
13.meaning of Love 1/10 (BORING!)
14.You were... 7/10 (is a nice song to listen to)
15.RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version] 1/10 (BORING!)

Pv's:
Sunrise - 3/10 (hate it never watched it again atleast ayu looked cute)
Sunset - 6/10 (the female dancers ruined the pv)
you were... 10/10 (simply amazing love this pv)
BALLAD - 1/10 (shuya gtfo)
Microphone - 8/10 (I do like the pv I just want more ayu to be shown)
Sexy little things - 9/10 (oooooooooh love this pv so cute and dark)
Lady Dynamite - 10/10 (I would love to hate this pv but I LOVE IT SOOOO MUCH)
Don't look back - 8/10 (I like this pv)

Results: I like 10 songs out of 15 not bad actually
I'll give it an 8 YAY!

but I'll only put the 4 songs that I don't skip in my ipod

I strongly feel that this album was too hyped
is not one of her best albums but an 8 is not bad though

[U-GO-BOY]

01 THE introduction 6/10
it's okay. I like the creepy sound and the classical ending.

02 Microphone 9/10
Love it. The organ at the beginning is perfect. This song rocks!

03 count down 8/10
Wow.. when I first heard that screeching guitar sound I thought the song will begin with boom but it has got slow verses. The refrain sounds much cooler. I like it

04 Sunset ～LOVE is ALL～ 7/10
It's okay.. I like its counterpart more..

05 BALLAD 9/10
I love this song. It reminds me a little bit of Dolls. Great!

06 Last Links 8/10
The beginning reminded me of girlish somehow lol But it became a very touching song.

07 montage 7/10
wow.. If there'll be a Rock'n'Roll Circus CLASSICAL this one HAS to be on there.

08 Don't look back 10/10
One of the best songs on this album. The oriental sound is very cool and when it has this mystical feeling when she sings "Don't look back"

09 Jump! 8/10
Yay for electropop! xD At first it got this normal beat but after half of it it changes into a fast-paced electro-interlude. Would be great as a full song

10 Lady Dynamite 9/10
A party rock song as its best! The verses are somewhat boring but the chorus is great!

11 Sexy little things 100/10
THE best song on this album xD The beat just makes you wanna move your feet!

12 Sunrise ～LOVE is ALL～ 8/10
Like I said earlier I like this more than Sunset. It has some light electro parts but Ayu's voice sounds soo tiny..

13 meaning of Love 6/10
Another ballad. It sounds okay.

14 You were... 9/10
ooh I like this song. It's a great winter ballad.

15 RED LINE ～for TA～ [album version] 8/10
I think it's okay. Actually I find it too long xD But the ending is really touching.

final score 8,13/10

[cavonzia]

make mine too
01 THE introduction (5/10) = her worst intro ever,just like intro of cheap game
02 Microphone (10/10) = my favorites track of this album,really giving emotion yet a sadness on the bridge part,the best part was the organ sound,sound very classic & gothic
03 count down (7.5/10) = pretty nice song in fact that this is album material without PV,the last part is the boring part of the song,but it has nice verse,& i love broken piano sound as the opening,really show how ayu's gloom when lost half of her hear
04 Sunset ~LiA~ (5/5) = never like this song from beginning,the arrangement pretty good,but i'm always feel that this song was an upbeat that forced into ballad.and morely this song too loooong for me,makes me feel sleepy
05 BALLAD (9/10) = my favorite ballad song on this album,really love the oriental sound,kinda an alan's song
06 Last Link (8/10) = another non PV album track like count down,i morely like this than count down.has the same problem with count down about boring part on the last part.the melody on the top of this song gives me "moments" feel (both this & count down remind me of (miss)understood & it was)
07 montage (8/10) = very interesting interlude.the beginning too loud for me,but this song really give classical feel.well,pretty good as prelude before next song
08 Don't look back (9/10) = another great song of this album.from the preview i don't like this song,but the full song really made me love it.it has perfect arrangement.the weakest part is too monotonous chorus & really short verse
09 Jump! (7/10) = well,pretty good interlude.i just hope that ayumi'self that said JUMP!
10 Lady Dynamite (8/10) = pretty catchy,even not as great as SPARKLE,but this one pretty promising track
11 Sexy little thing (9/10) = never a huge fans of ayu's cutiness song.but this one really different on the arrangement,gives me feel of game/classic cartoon/s song
12 Sunrise ~LiA~ (6/10) = never like summer song,just like common ayu's summer song.but the chorus really nice when she sing it fast
13 meaning of love (6/10) = weakest album track,but still better than sunset IMO
14 You were... (7/10) = just a common ayu's ballad song.pretty emotional.but i don't really like ayu's voice here
15 RED LINE ~for TA~(album version) (7/10) = well,another common ayu's song.personally morely love the single version vocally,but this version has nice ending.perfect track as ending song

PV
Sunrise ~LiA~ (6/10) = boring PV
Sunset ~LiA~ (5/10) = m,orely boring PV,the dance really annoying me
You were... (7/10) = nice randomness,but not fit with the song
BALLAD (9/10) = very touchy PV,the background really good,love the nirvana garden,clockhouse n the grass field
Microphone (9/10) = love the randomness of this PV,and the paper effect really awesome
Don't look Back (9/10) = looks boring at first but when ayu show her full face become really touchy
Sexy Little Thing (9/10) = really love the randomness,n connection to Microphone pV
Lady Dynamite (8/10) = ayu looks pretty wild here,love it.and also like the guy?'s background...

total average of song = 7.9
well pretty good but not the best album ((miss) understood still the best album for me,more than 8)
(album amterial win)

[AyUta]

Okay, lets do this.

THE introduction It's weird and odd. I don't like it as an opener.
1 out of 5

Microphone I've already expressed my love for this song lol. Awesome track.
4 out of 5

count down This song is nice, I really connected to it. I enjoy the chorus and her vocals.
31/2 out of 5

Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ Already expressed my love for this song a while back Like it better than Sunrise, yup.
31/2 out of 5

BALLAD LOVED this song when it came out, still do.
4 out of 5

Last Links I love everything about this song. Favorite so far.
5 out of 5

......*has to stop listening* Will come back later with more reviews.

[waterballoon]

Here we go:

1. THE introduction
Bleh. The intro itself sounds all right; nothing special or anything that captures my attention. Heck, even Bridge to the sky was better than this random hot mess. Totally inferior to Catcher In The Light, Not yet & Mirror. Not fond of this... at all. There were really very interesting sounds that were unfortunately scatter, so it's all really messy to me @_@

2/10

2. Microphone
Definitely one of the better album tracks. I loved the organs and the beats are to die for. I find the verses really monotonous actually... which isn't exactly to my liking. The choruses are fantastic though. It's a good rock song, but it certainly isn't one of the bests song on the album to me.

7.5/10

3. count down
A surprising rock ballad to link Microphone and Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~. I like the style a lot, it reminds me a lot of the songs in MY STORY and GUILTY, yet there is no other song from Ayu that I can think of that even resembles count down. This is a refreshing and lovely song from Ayu. One thing though; the verses are again, kind of weak, but I can let that pass.

9/10

4. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~
Worst song on the album. Worst single track on the album. By all means, it's a very pretty ballad with a gorgeous melody and soothing atmosphere, but it's just garbage compared to the rest. If I had to pick a worst song of the album, it will be this, unfortunately.

6/10

5. BALLAD
Gorgeous song, lovely vocals, haunting melody. <3 Loved it when the single came out and never stopped loving it.

8.5/10

6. Last Links
This is a rock ballad similar to count down to me. The acoustic guitar and strings are a lovely surprise and addition. Lyrically, it reminds me of evolution, and musically... there's a slight resemblance to (miss)understood; a lighter chorus of it, haha. I really like it though... definitely a very interesting song.

The one big problem I have is that Last Links should be placed after count down or something.

8/10

7. montage
Our first interlude gives us a listen on classical music. I have no idea how this serves as an interlude, but it sounds really beautiful. I just think it kinda fails as an interlude in every sense of the world, and there's no real climax in montage as well. Pretty, but that's about it.

6.5/10

8. Don't look back
Arguably the best album track imo. The sound here is very refreshing and unique, and the comparisons of it being similar to vogue and INSPIRE is bull imo because there are elements of Indian music here as well, which I find interesting and beautiful.

In addition, the lyrics are perfect and this song is catchy and an earcandy.

10/10

9. Jump!
Our second and last interlude throws us back to the NEXT LEVEL sound. Infused with electronic beats, Jump! is a fun interlude that sets the mood right for the latter half of the album. It probably is also the only interlude that actually functions well.

7/10

10. Lady Dynamite
When I first downloaded the PV, I got instantly hooked to the song. The chorus is catchy as hell and the verses sound really sexy and hot. The atmosphere in the song is really fun as well, so I like it a lot. My favorite of the song is definitely the electric guitars at the beginning and towards the end of the song. So addicting. <3 Second best album track to me.

9.5/10

11. Sexy little things
Definitely one of the most unique songs Ayu has ever created. The melody is very hooking and there's no stopping yourself from dancing to this funky electro-pop song.

9.5/10

12. Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~
This is the stronger side of the Sunrise single, and it is an infectious and fun song. I love the energy level a lot, and it makes me happy whenever I listen to it.

8.5/10

13. meaning of Love
Bleh. The song drags on and on and nothing much seems to come out of it. The arrangement is boring as hell too and pales in comparison to the rest of the album. I don't really like this song at this point of time, but the beautiful melody of the chorus might just make me like it... I just don't see myself listening to this over and over again. Sweet and lovely lyrics though.

6.5/10

14. You were...
Typical Ayu winter ballad. I like it a lot definitely, strong chorus and a beautiful melody.

8/10

15. RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version]
There isn't too much of a difference between the single and album version, except the extended ending and apacella at the end. It's an okay addition, but I find myself preferring the raw sound of the single version more... it just feels more sincere and personal to me, as compared to the album version which sounded more polish.

7.5/10

Overall: 8.5/10
Rock'n'Roll Circus is definitely a step up from Secret, GUILTY and NEXT LEVEL. A lot of the songs here are gorgeous, and I can feel and hear that Ayu has put in more effort into producing this album than the previous 3 albums. It's a nice surprise and improvement, and I hope it continues.

Best single track: BALLAD
Best album track: Don't look back
Worst single track: Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~
Worst album track: meaning of Love
other highlights: Microphone, count down, Lady Dynamite & Sexy little things

---

PVs

I won't say much cos I'm lazy xD but I believe I have posted my interpretations of the various PVs around the forum, so... I will just summarize it

Best PV: Don't look back
Worst PV: Sunrise/Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ (they both suck to the core)
Other highlights: BALLAD, Lady Dynamite

[Beauty4123]

THE introduction 5/10 - it's not a bad intro, but it dosen't really do much for me. bridge to the sky, mirror, and Not yet, are much better introductions, IMO.
Microphone 10/10 - i've loved it since the day i heard it in that HONDA commercial. i'll never get enough of ayu's rock songs! this song also reminds me of the rock songs you'd hear in GUILTY.
count down 10/10 - i love this rock ballad so much! i love the kind of sad feeling the song gives me. very powerful!
Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ 7/10 - i've always preferred Sunrise, to be honest. i just prefer upbeat songs instead.
BALLAD 10/10 - loved it since i first heard it, as well. her best ballad since Days, IMO. and i STILL love Days
Last Links 8/10 - i like the song, but even after hearing it quite a few times, i dunno if i really love it yet. but it's a great song, anyway.
montage 5/10 - honestly, it's kinda..boring. definately not one ayu's best interludes, IMO.
Don't look back 10/10 - always loved it because of how different this music style is. i hope ayu can do another song like this in the future.
Jump! 10/10 - although it's not as good as some of the interludes on NEXT LEVEL, i just love the fun sound of it.
Lady Dynamite 10/10 - even after watching the crazy PV, i still love the song, lol. it's not a hard rock song or anything, but i love it. it's good to listen to.
Sexy little things 10/10 - i never thought i'd like this song when i heard it was using ayu's "cute" voice, but omg do i LOVE it now. it's probably my most played song of the album (along with count down). it's so crazy and i looove it!
Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ 9/10 - i always love to listen to this song cause it's so fun.
meaning of Love 9/10 - reminds me of something i'd hear on GUILTY. it's a nice ballad! not my favorite, but i like it.
You were... 9/10 - this is the second "Days" to me, but just not as good, lol. but still, it's a pretty ballad. but i will always love Days much more.

RED LINE ~for TA~[album version] 9/10 - it's a really nice song, and i thought the album version was a bit better, for some reason.

overall ranking 9/10
PV ranking (from most favorite to least favorite)
1. Sexy little things
2. BALLAD
3. Microphone
4. Lady Dynamite
5. Don't look back
6. You were...
7. Sunrise ~Love is ALL~
8. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~

i think the album tracks were much better than the single tracks. NEXT LEVEL was the opposite, to me. it had better single tracks than album tracks. but i need to say that i still love all the interludes from NEXT LEVEL much more than the ones on this album. either way, this is a really good album and i'd buy it if i could. hopefully i can in the future.

[Andrenekoi]

Taking my review from the other topic

IMO this really is one of Ayu's most generic albuns to date... Everything sounds recyclied... that being said, I don't find it bad, actually, I don't have problem with recycling now and then if it's well done... and the recycling here was very well done^^

THE introduction : The evil circus of death! Loved it!

Microphone : T2M with organs... But I like how fierce it sounds

count down : IMO it really sounds like a My Story album track... and I'm not really that found of MS album tracks... But I like how emotional she sounds^^

Sunset : Hello Disney!

BALLAD : Hello alan! P

Last Links : Goes to the list of Ayu songs I never remember how sound, together with It was... and Life...

montage : Horror movie time! Dark and creepy! Loved it! XD The ending makes the horror movie feeling sounds sarcastic, what makes it even better IMO xD

Don't look back : the first big surprise on this album! Interesting arrangment, nice lyrics! Maybe one of Ayu's best songs^^

Jump! : A dark and messy club song? <3

Lady Dynamite : Angry girl electro-rock... Nothing new, but really catchy^^ The "hey" on the background reminds me of seiyuu live concerts xD

Sexy little things : The 2nd and last big surprise on this album! It's cute, it's catchy, it's electro and it's kinda dark^^ Even if Ayu has some songs like this, it doesn't sound like the past ones! <3

Sunrise : Ayu best summer single for live performances ever, period.

meaning of Love : It's nice, and sweet, and anyone on jpop could release it... Points for being a happy ballad, cuz she has only a few of those, and again, very catchy^^

You were... : I hate how much they made me love this generic song only by having a catchy chorus and nice guitars xD It doesn't matter when I'm listening to it, I'm always singing the chorus with Ayu without even noticing it xD

RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version] : Her generic "concert ending track" with a VERY raw and emotional acapella totally made of love and win in the end <3

Nice album, catchy tunes... not memorable or original, but still, very entertaining^^

Overall rate: 7,5
Still prefer NEXT LEVEL^^

[joshohhhhh]

THE introduction - 10/10 Very 80s epic movie; reminds me of 'The Neverending Story' at some points. I adore this intro.
Microphone - 9/10 The beginning/end (organ) is wonderfully done, I wish it had made more appearances throughout the song. One of her better rock songs.
count down - 10/10 Easily my favorite track on the album. It just gives off such strong feeling, a similar feeling to what 'is this LOVE?' and '(miss)understood' give off. Great vocals, melodies, arrangement.
Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ - 8/10 While I prefer 'Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~, this is a very underrated ballad. It gives a feeling of warm memories. Very soothing summer ballad.
BALLAD - 9/10 Definitely gives off an oriental vibe like 'GREEN', but in an entirely different way. This song is very expansive and beautiful. Wonderful vocals, especially the belting at the end.
Last Links - 7/10 The instrumental sounds very flat in comparison to her voice (yes I have the HQ). Not my favorite song vocally and I'm not really feeling the chorus melody. Reminds me of 'Witch Hunter Robin'.
montage - 10/10 Very dramatic and dark. It's very medieval at times. Gorgeous interlude.
Don't look back - 10/10 Perfect song. Huge Middle-Eastern feel combined with a very 80s chorus. Comparable to 'vogue', but much darker and easily bests it.
Jump! - 10/10 This should have been made into 'Sparkle ~episode II~' without a doubt. A dark electro interlude that is definitely song-worthy.
Lady Dynamite - 9/10 A fun, sassy and upbeat track. I love the 'ooh' and the 'ahh' in certain parts of the song. Nice vocals and a really fun chorus. Definitely competes with 'Startin' and '1 LOVE'.
Sexy little things - 8/10 While this is something extremely fresh and I love Ayu's "cutesy" songs, I'm not a big fan of the swing sound. I do however love the bizarre side of the song which comes at the end (that is what saves this song for me).
Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ - 10/10 Probably my favorite summer track from her aside from 'July 1st' and 'fairyland'. Perfect mix of rock and electronic. One of the songs that define summer for me.
meaning of Love - 8/10 Sounds like an anthem song, like it could be put at the end of a movie or something. The chorus vocals are the only problem I have with this song.
You were... - 7/10 Similar winter-feel as 'Days'. A decent winter ballad, but not her best. The chorus is nice, I was put off by the live version of this song though.
RED LINE ~TA~ [album version] - 9/10 A really uplifting song. While this version of the song is extremely similar to the single version, the end a cappella is worth it. Nice vocals.

Overall ranking - 8.8/10 90% of the time, I wish her interludes were full songs.

PV ranking
1. Don't look back
2. BALLAD
3. Sexy little things
4. Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~
5. Microphone
6. Lady Dynamite
7. You were...
8. ~Sunset~ LOVE is ALL~

Best single track: Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~
Best album track: count down
Worst single track: You were...
Worst album track: Last Links

[zellyx]

My review: (listened to full album 320k)

1. THE Introduction: 7/10
I love the creepy beginning. Although it has a little bit of an odd 80s feel to it... which doesn't really go with Microphone. It gets better towards the end, with the harps and bells. I love the finish.
2. Microphone: 10/10
It's easily earned a place on my top 10 all-time favorite Ayu songs. Powerful, strong, and I can REALLY relate to the lyrics at this point of my life. "Tell me why, tell me why. I don't know, I don't know." Easily distinguishable; her English is very good. Guitar riffs throughout are powerful and make me feel empowered while listening to it. Good vocals too; not too soprano for her. I could sing this all day. Or at least, every time I'm angry. 3:28 is one of the best parts.
3. Count down: 9.5/10
Another fantastic track. The transition from Microphone is near flawless. The piano intro is great... It's a very dark track, and I love her vocals here. Best vocal track on the album, in my opinion. GUILTY-esque, but somehow a little less 'heavy' feeling. Less angry, more haunting.
4. Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~: 6.5/10
Strange transition from Count Down. We were at a song of despair, and now we're at a slow love ballad?
For a ballad, it feels forced... I enjoy it in the mornings, but other than that, I can't listen to this song as much as I can with others. I prefer the upbeat Sunrise.
5. BALLAD: 7.5/10
I love this winter ballad. It's sweet, and her vocals are beautiful and patient. The chorus is powerful and sweet as well, which thankfully doesn't completely put me to sleep. The strings are a nice touch, and I'm one to love the oriental feel.
6. Last Links: 8/10
What a shock from Miss Hamasaki! Is this acoustic guitar I hear...? It's calming. The melody is great, and I'm surprised to hear acoustic...still surprised. It's a pleasant surprise, though. It's a bit repetitive, but that's one of its only faults.
7. Montage: 6/10
I feel like this would have made a better transition into Microphone... It's also strange to see it before Don't Look Back. By itself, it's a nice piece. I don't like it as much as I have taskinst, tasking, pieces of seven... and it's in an odd place. This should go before Microphone or Count down.
8. Don't Look Back: 10/10
Excuse me, I have to rave about this song. Currently has over 200 plays on my ipod, and it's officially in my top 5 Ayu songs list. The arabic/hindi feel is FANTASTIC. It's creepy and enduring... The chorus is catchy, and I can't help but sympathize with Ayu, because of how emotional it really feels. The drums and instrumentals around the 2:50 mark really bring this out. The PV also does it the justice it deserves.
9. Jump!: 8.5/10
The vocals in the beginning remind me of traditional Hindi music, or Bollywood music...
She should make a full song with that style of vocal. I love it so much. The "jump jump jump jump" part is a little strange... but It's growing on me. Best interlude by far.
10. Lady Dynamite: 9.5/10
Another powerful, great song. Nice guitar in the background, and again, strong vocals. As a girl, the vocals ARE very empowering, and I'm happy she's made another empowering song! It could do without the "ooh, hey!" of the crowds in the background, but those are only present for a short time. Great chorus!
11. Sexy Little Things: 9.5/10
Interesting title, Ayu...
Unique to say the least. The electro-swing was strange at first. In fact, when I first heard it I was taken aback. Now it's FANTASTIC, especially the catchy chorus. Definitely the strangest track I've ever heard from Ayu, but she pulls it off. The "ooh ooh ooh" "ah ah ah" is also pleasant.
12. Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~: 8.5/10
Best of the singles on this album, in my opinion. Happy and upbeat! It makes me want to get up and jump for joy. I didn't like the PV much, though...
13. meaning of Love: 8/10
Okay, why isn't this song by the other ballads...? uh, strange placement. It's like the poor song was forced next to Sunrise. Anyways, pleasant, calming song. Great chorus as well, though it's the weakest album-only track.
14. You Were...: 7.5/10
Hey look, meaning of Love has a ballad buddy! Slightly better than BALLAD, because of the chorus, which I adore. "kimi ga..." etc. Not much to say about this, although the album tracks definitely overpower the single tracks like this.
15. RED LINE ~for TA~ (album version): 8.5/10
Strongest (originally) single track. Upbeat and calming at the same time (I guess it's possibly, right?). The acapella end is wonderful, and I didn't mind that she added an extra line after the "la, la, la" lines. My hope is that we can hear an acapella version of this at a concert...

Overall: 9/10
I really, REALLY love this album. It beats NEXT LEVEL (which I liked), and has made it's way into my top 5 albums. I'd say #2 or #3. Close to perfection, if it weren't for the strange arrangement of tracks and single tracks.
Album tracks: 10/10
wow. just wow. I'm too lazy to say anything more.
Interludes: 6.5/10
Not her strongsuit. I liked NEXT LEVEL's better, and these were put between songs that they didn't really go with. At least there were only 3.
Jump! should be a full song.

PV ranking:
Don't Look Back
Microphone
Lady Dynamite
Sexy Little Things
BALLAD
You were...
Sunrise
Sunset

Best Track: Don't Look Back.
Worst Track: Many of the ballads, although Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ is worst.

[rainydayumi]

THE introduction 7/10 - not bad but sounds like videogame music.
Microphone 10/10 - one of ayus best new songs!
count down 4/10 - i hate this song so much! the verses are so pretty but the chorus is soooo baddd!!!! am i the only one that hates this??
Sunset 8/10
BALLAD 10/10
Last Links 7/10 - its a good song but a bit average...
montage 9/10 - omg this was so shocking!! i was so surprised by it throughout, i love the good part of it!
Don't look back 9/10 - such a pretty song in full! i love the bridge.
Jump! 8/10 - a very good interludem but sounds too much like next level..
Lady Dynamite 9/10 - this is so good! at first i thought it sounded like it belonged to next level, but its like a very good next level song! it also reminds me of my story.
Sexy little things 100000/10 -THE BEST AYU SONG EVEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! OH MY GODDDDDD I WISH EVERY TRACK ON THE ALBUM WAS LIKE THIS. ITS SO CREATIVE AND AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 WHY ISNT THIS A SINGLE it could have been a huugggeeee hit, nothing else sounds like it
Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ 8/10 - i want sexy little things part 2 sunrise is good but its no sexy little things...
meaning of Love 8/10 - this sounds like a ballad from her GUILTY era.. its not bad but its not very exciting.. the bridge really saves it from being an average song. but its still a song that could have been sung by any other artists..
You were... 4/10 - ayu's worst ballad. i really wish it wasnt on the album. it sounds like something a jpop artist like koda kumi would release.
RED LINE ~for TA~ 6/10 - her voice sounds very weird in the first line.. this song is very confusing to me.. i like a lot of it but the chrous puts me off, it reminds me of my story era album tracks.. its not bad but i wont voluntarily play it..

OVERALL: 8/10

Best Track: Sexy Little Things
Worst Track: Count down

sexy little things has made me biased. i love the song so much.

[behwatch]

THE introduction 5/10 - sounds like Evil boss is coming! lols. Doesn't suit ayumi's image.

Microphone 10/10 - The song I liked best! Organ + rock great combi for a dynamic contrast!

count down 6/10 - this song is a means for her voice out her left ear trouble that borthers her everyday of her life. I feel the heaviness in her voice but the tune is not that nice to listen to.

Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ 8/10 - I like this better than the sunrise. The tune is much suited for slow tempo.

BALLAD 10/10 - this song made me cry in the chorus. Liked it so much that I made a recording in my blog There is a tough part to sing this at the 3.07 mark of the song where the "ite" needs to go down a semitone before doing a crying technique.

Last Links 6/10 - this song at first impacted me because it started with audio coming from right side only which symbolises her left ear problem. quite hard to adjust to it when u listen to it, right? The song is a normal song to me.

montage 9/10 - church bell + strings + organ shows orchestra style emotion.

Don't look back 7/10 - the song is very arabic haha... but i dont like it that much.

Jump! 8/10 - sounds very techno to me lols. At the ending there is a show of digital signal processing for surround effect which is linked to my thesis in my University. I liked it.

Lady Dynamite 9/10 - Great song with good mastering effects. The virtual space created is wide and cosy at the same time.

Sexy little things 10/10 -I would agree with everyone that it is the best song! It is already used by my friend to show his project demonstration haha. Realli sexy. The layering is great where the midi tune is "floating" behind the drums. Then the accompaniment instruments are at the far left and right with ayumi voice right at the center. Tempo is right to let ppl wan to dance with the song

Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ 5/10 - This fast song shouldn't be put here behind sexy little things cos it will contrast and sound worse than sexy little things. personally also dont like this song that much. cos the instruments clashes together like a mess sounds untidy to me. Ayu's voice also dont stand out well. The mastering is not good at all.

meaning of Love 10/10 - this song made me cry like mad... I disagree with others that it is a bad song. the first phrase already made me cry. the chorus is even more emotional. This song can be used in a drama theme song.

You were... 8/10 - This song shows huge emotion but does not made me cry. its just letting listeners have a place to escape to...

RED LINE ~for TA~ 8/10 - this song encourages me to go on with life and take it easy on things. Nice song to sing along also I realised the drums sounds very live, like Ayu is doing it on stage.

OVERALL: 8/10

Best Track: Sexy little things
Worst track: Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~

For me, maybe because I have better than average equipments to listen to songs, I tend to hear more details so that is why my ratings are like this haha. I always seek neatly mastered songs + good tunes.

[Zeke.]

I'm trying to hold off but just watched PV for Don't look back. Already saw Microphone and Lady Dynamite! Really fighting the urge to hear and see Sexy little things. But I honestly say my hopes were so high for this album, then as it approached my expeactations dropped. With her hyping it as "the best ayumi hamasaki album" - but I really like Don't look back! Her voice I love and how she's says "Don't look back" and the bridge is amazing! Now I'm listenin to count down - I can really feel the emotion in the song - regarding "her left side". I must say though the buildup was much better - not feeling the chorus too much but I like the part leading up to the chorus at the beginning. Good so far but I'm gonna really wait to listen to too many songs til I get my copy! I'm having a "Rock'n'Roll Circus" party for myself! Ha ha.

[Tony G]

THE introduction
This is totally now how I expected an ayu album to start. Feels like the soundtrack to an 80s sci-fi movie. The ending sounds more modern and current though, which sets for a decent transistion to Microphone. It stills feels a bit disjointed from Microphone though. It would have been nice if the track led right into Microphone, instead of a couple of seconds silence leading into the next song.
7/10

Microphone
Loved this song from first listen. Love the softer section before that fierce-sounding chorus. You can feel the anger and attitude in Ayu's voice, something I haven't heard in her rock songs for a while. and "tell me why, tell me why, i don't know, i don't know" - what a hook. Just an insanely catchy rock eargasm. For some reason though, I think this track could have started off the album instead of an interlude.
10/10

count down
There's a definite (miss)understood/it was/guilty vibe here, but I think I can honestly say she has outdone most of those songs here. Emotional lyrics, and FANTASTIC guitar work. The guitar in this song has to be the best on the album.
9/10

Sunset ~Love is All~
Horrible, terrible, boring. Its listenable, but thats about it. Sunrise is SO much better.
3/10

BALLAD
One of her best ballads. Perfect placement on the album, glad she didn't lump it with You were... at the end.
9/10

Last Links
Really like the mellow rock sound from Ayu, and she does it well here. Catchy chorus and melody, and I like the varying pitches to her voice. Does anyone think the instrumental bridge before the last chorus sounds like Moments? The acoustic guitar is <3. Ayu sounds way too good doing pop/rock, she is at home with this style.
9/10

montage
By itself, this is a nice instrumental. Reminds me of Marionette ~prelude~. But as a lead into don't look back, it doesn't work.
6/10

don't look back
Easily the best track on the album. Its perfect in every single way. The asian/arabian themed instruments.. the pulsating electronic beats and drum machines.. the lyrics and meaning behind the song... perfect. The PV makes the song even better, it just has a fantastic meaning to it that everybody can relate to. I love when she whisphers 'don't look back' before the last chorus.
10/10

Jump!
The best interlude on the album. It does its job - smooths the transition from don't look back into the electro-rock section of the album. JUMP JUMP JUMP JUMP! Becomes epic when the guitars kick in. Anyone else think she'll open her concert with this song? It makes my car shake, which is always a plus <3
9/10

Lady Dynamite
So. freaking. catchy. Nothing new though from her, this would have easily fit after Sparkle/rollin' on NEXT LEVEL. I can't help but love this song. But it will forever remind me of Ayu grinding against gay men in a club. Doesn't ruin how good this song is though. The composer (who also did Sparkle) is a genius.
9/10

Sexy little things
When I first heard this song, I thought WTF is this. Couple of more listens, and its the catchiest song on this album. What stands out more to me is the composition/arrangement. Its electronic.. its pop.. but its nothing like any electropop you hear these days. I hear some 8-bit/chiptune inspiration here (was also in Disco-munication) and ayu's use of vocoder is love. Nothing like any song Ayu has ever done before, and there probably won't be another one like it.
9/10

Sunrise ~Love is All~
Catchy electropop, hard to not like this. Perfect placement on the album.
8/10

meaning of Love
This has taken a couple of listens to grow on me. Its probably the weakest of the new tracks. That doesn't mean its bad though. It sounds pretty, but I don't feel the emotion from Ayu as well as the other ballads. Decent song, and it does have its moments, but on an album full of very strong ballad/mid-tempo tracks, this track just doesn't cut it.
6/10

You were...
THIS is a rock ballad people. Not count down or Last Links. This song just comes alive when the guitars kick in. Perfect.
9/10

RED LINE ~for TA~ [album version] -
way better than the original. Its amazing what a few little changes can do to a song. And the acapella ending just tops it off. This is going to be an epic ending for the concert, and is the perfect ending song for the album.
8/10

OVERALL
8/10

This met each and every expectation I had for this album. Whether its the best album she's ever made.. I'm not sure yet. Its not perfect, but none of her albums are perfect. I need to listen to this for weeks and months before I can compare it to her other albums.

[channy]

I won't act like an American Idol adjudicator xD so I wont give marks or anything for each song. But let me put it this way:

This album comes out much better and stunning from what I was expecting! Only BALLAD and Sunrise are not to my liking (I deleted Sunrise from the album, so it won't disturb the albums harmony) but except of those two songs (BALLAD is actually not that bad, I just dislike that "asia-clichee-sound" on it) I must say, its AWESOME!

NEXT LEVEL was also OK, it came out with a very new sound, but at some points, it was too far away from Ayu's usual sound. Rock'n'Roll Circus combines new sounds with accustomed ones, so it's perfect for me.

Btw, I did delete a song from an Ayu album before. It was on Memorial address. I can't stand Grateful days, so after deleting it, I could enjoy the album xD I just deleted it on my MP3 player, of course I still have it on my external HDD.

Rock'n'Roll Circus ROCKS

[js_surrealism]

I can't really decide what I feel about this album I will just talk about what I like and what I didn't like.

LIKED:
- The awesome pop-rock songs that mysteriously appeared out of nowhere (count down, Last Links) - she can sound So Good with a stripped down guitar + bass + drums arrangement and a great hook (see Memorial address), I don't know why she hasn't been doing it more often! This is such a refreshing change from her usual bombastic tunes

- The campy/quirky i.e. Lady Dynamite and Sexy Little Things; both are great, great songs. Endearing and musically interesting enough to not bore me. I liked them a lot.

- meaning of Love - a ballad with a half decent hook, fancy that! Best ballad since Days, which still isn't saying much but...yea I liked it.

DISLIKED:
- Uh, circus theme? Okay to clarify, I didn't really have a problem with the circus theme as I do with the fact that it seemed really RANDOM and incongruous, considering the music. What on EARTH do count down and Last Links or ANY of the ballads have to do with a circus?

- The interlude/intro pieces; they seemed to be there just for the sake of creating the circus theme, and given that the music didn't really fit with it, these pieces just seemed really incidental. And it isn't like they were great songs to begin with; the intro here must be one of the worst she's ever done.

- The identity crisis that this album suffered from. There were a handful of great songs, but I thought definitely songs like count down and Sexy Little Things don't belong on the same album. It's just...weird. I thought with count down and Last Links and maybe Red Line and Sunrise she had a great opportunity to do a great, unpretentious, pop/garage rock album, but she decided to do a mixbag kinda thing instead, except this time it didn't really work cos the range of songs is just far too drastic, and the interludes just don't match the quality of the ones on her previous albums.

MEH/DIDN'T CARE MUCH FOR:
- Don't Look Back; I really hated this song when I first heard it, but now that I'm used to it, I think I can sort of tolerate it. It's just a very bland song for me though. I don't really care that she used interesting instruments here when the melody of the song is so monotonous to begin with.

- The singles - most mediocre bunch of singles yet, no? NEXT LEVEL at least had Sparkle, GUILTY at least had decision, Secret had loads of good singles; the singles here were just kind of blah. Not horrible, but mostly just lesser versions of things she's done better before (upbeat summer single, emotional ballad, ballad with Asian sounds etc). But then again, I don't know I kind of want to kill something each time I hear You were..., yet I allow it to play in its entirety, so there must be something there... I don't know, maybe a couple of weeks later I will start liking it. Maybe.

- The over the top stuff ala Microphone - I do kind of like Microphone? But it's just really something she's done a million times before. I can't bring myself to WANT to listen to Microphone when there are songs like Because of You, like decision, like kiss'o'kill. But it's not a bad song by any means.

OVERALL:
This was an alright album with quite a handful of likable songs, some of which I would even say are the most refreshing to come from her in awhile, and are songs I will continue to revisit in time to come. But overall the album was kind of let down by the incoherent theme and the weak writing on the singles and the really blah instrumental tracks. If by circus she meant a random assortment of songs with no relation to each other, then she surely has succeeded.

[Not~Yet]

A review I wrote in the other thread:

Originally Posted by Not~Yet

One thing I have to say.... I love the melodies on this album. I won't be giving grades this time because I know my opinion would change daily anyway. XD

THE introduction: At first I was waiting for a climax a la Load of the Shugyo or something and was left confused when there wasn't any. But when I too realized the similiarity to Clockwork Orange it became interesting.
Microphone: Needless to say, I love it. Clearly the most powerful track on the album, plus it's awesome.
count down: Omfg just when I thought no other song on this album could be on the level of DLB and SLT. I get a really strong GUILTY-vibe from it. I don't know if it's just me though, but while the feel is really dark and sad I also get a bittersweet/relieved feel from it. O__o Loving it. <3 This one's probably also gonna be one of my all time favourites.
Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~: Grew on me. <3 Now I really like the laid-back and soft sound it has.
BALLAD: Been obsessed with this song lately, the arrangement is simply gorgeous and her vocals haunting.
Last Links: I love the summery feel, haha. The verses are pretty boring but the chorus definitely makes up for them. The little violin solo is so beautiful!
montage: First minute -> pretty boring. Last 30 seconds -> LOVE.<3 It really makes me think of those antiqued tent-like circuses with creepy vibes.
Don't Look Back: This song is just near perfection. I can't express how much I love it. XD
Jump!: I felt dizzy after hearing it LOL. I was afraid it was going to be something cutesy and was positively surprised when it wasn't. I like the guitars and electro-ish effects.
Lady Dynamite: Sounds so much better in HQ. I don't really care for the verses of this one either, but the arrangement and chorus are good.
Sexy Little Things: It's . The electro-swing-pop = genius idea. Also one of my faves.
Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~: Like Sunset, Sunrise also grew on me. It just clicked one day, and now I find it really groovy and entertaining. ^^
meaning of Love: It's simple and pretty. Also kinda forgettable, but I really like the melody of the chorus.
You were...: The guitars in the chorus are great and the song is overall good too, but right now I can't really feel it. I guess it's because it lives in the winter time and I'm already changing to summer mode. XD
RED LINE ~for TA~ (album version): Like I said before, I wanted more changes for the arrangement but it's good like this too, and the ending is just perfect.

It's amazing how Rock 'N' Roll Circus impressed me right away. I love almost everything, from arrangements to melodies to lyrics to vocals. I'm so happy

[Corvina]

I listened to the album in HQ now, but I need some time to make a proper judgement.
So far I'm not that impressed with it, too much ballads and mid-tempo songs and the weak single songs.
I'm glad the album tracks are stonger though.

Like:
THE introduction
Microphone
count down
Don't look back
Sexy little things
Jump!

Neutral:
BALLAD
Last Links
Lady Dynamite
You were...
RED LINE

Dislike:
Sunset
montage (what's that? doesn't fit at all)
Sunrise
meaning of Love (so boring)

So yeah, the album is alright, but nothing special or better than the last ones.

[♥Rain]

ok. i LOVED this album. it blows the whole of NEXT LEVEL out of the water with only 3 songs! but but but i love a lot more than 3 songs and i hate no song other than sunrise which isn't THAT bad.

Love: (no order)
Microphone
Don't look back
count down
meaning of Love
Lady Dynamite
You were...
Last Links
Sexy little things <---( YES! i got over her voice, this is a kickass song )

Like:
BALLAD
Sunset ~LiA~
RED LINE ~fTA~

i dont care for intro's/interludes so i wont rate them. they were nice tho.

all in all, awesome album tracks, nice single tracks, good variation & awesome music!♥♥