Rock Influence in Secret vs. MY STORY

[emi♡]

I'm making quite a bit of threads today, anyway, something I've been thinking about since Secret was leaked.

Alot of people who dislike MY STORY say that there's too much rock in it. Well, now that Secret is out, and I think we can all agree that the rock genre is pretty heavy in this particular album, do you think that in the future, that could possibly become a reason for people not to like the album?

Or do you think that maybe, she just pulled it off better this time?

[explodingbird]

I am... was pretty heavy on the rock too.

I dunno! I honestly... don't. I mean... here's the thing. Two songs can both have rock influences.

But those two songs can sound drastically different, even if stylistically they're similar. Greatful days, fairyland, BLUE BIRD - they're all summery dance-pop songs, but people tend to hate one and prefer another, yet they all three sound very similar. But there are differences enough between them to make one more or less pleasing.

It could be reason to hate the album in the future, yes, but it comes down to what you prefer. MY STORY felt dark and stormy yet didn't feel as gritty or mechanical or explosive as Secret did with the rock tracks, to me. There was an air of refinement to MY STORY. Or... something. I dunno - it's hard to explain how exactly they share so much but still have so many differences as well.

[freedreamer]

i dun dislike MY STORY..i like it..my first album from her..Secret is just better in the rock...

MY STORY's rock is nice too for me..actually the only rock i noe from MY STORY is the first 2 and last song..(i noe Liar is rock too but i dun listen to it)..

[kaue_]

I like both albums, but like emiko-chan said... she pulled it off better this time!
I <3 Secret!


PS: I am... has some rock influence too, and so far is her best album imo.

[elepop]

People hated "MY STORY" because it had rock songs? No, no, no. I think that the rock songs were almost the only good songs! (About You, GAME, Liar, Catcher In The Light) Just like "(m)u"! (alterna, is this LOVE?, (miss)understood) And "MY STORY" didn't really had that much rock songs... "I am..." wasn't that rock either. It had "NEVER EVER" and "Daybreak".

[alternarist]

i have to agree that Secret has more rock influence than MY STORY. but the rock songs in Secret are awesome arent they? Secret is equally good as MY STORY.

[AyUmIXx]

i lurveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Secret so much..
the album is sooooo rockkkk!!
rocker than MY STORY..

[slowmoth]

All tracks on MY STORY are perfect for me, I loved the rock style and Ayu's voice sounds soo good behind the guitars

[*Petit*]

In danger of repeating myself...


I don't think MY STORY had a lot of rock influences at all. Nor did I am...
Basically you could say that there were some rock elements, but there are hardly any rock songs at all. On I am... except for the first and final track perhaps with still alone and perhaps even Never Ever there aren't really any. On MY STORY there were about you, perhaps catcher in the light, humming and you may even count liar. ANd of course GAME.

But to me Secret brings on a totally new and purer rock sound in many of the songs. It's not really comparable to what was "dark themed pop" on the other albums. El guitar is probably th most common instruent used in Jpop (synthed or otherwise) and does not make it rock.

Secret differs from the other albums because there is not any problem to see whu\ich songs qualify as "rock" and not, because they sound a lot purer. 1LOVE untill that day, it was, taskinst are clearly rock sounding. Tracks that also may qualify are Startin' and kiss o kill. These songs don't leave much doubt. And that's the main difference IMO from I am... and MY STORY.

An old rock fan like my father f.ex. does not think of much of the material on MY STORY as rock, but I'm pretty sure He'd (when he hears it) would agree that these tracks on Secret are.

[Terri]

I don't mind the rock and roll, but I think it does not fit Ayumi's voice very well. I also do not like the way the her rock songs are composed.

It's heavy, turns into pop, then has a break with no music, then gets heavy again.

I just don't think it suits her well. If her voice would cooperate with the instruments better, than I wouln't mind.

Also, if all her rock songs sounded DIFFERENT, that would be a plus. The actual GUITARS are tuned the same in every track and it sounds like the same power chords are played continually, except in different order...

I perfer Ayu's earlier styles with 'Never Ever', 'Free & Easy' 'Unite' ect...I honestly believe RAINBOW is an unbeatable album at this point. There was a perfect combination of different styles. Although I do think Ayumi did a great job on 'Memorial Address'

[explodingbird]

Originally Posted by *Petit*

In danger of repeating myself...


I don't think MY STORY had a lot of rock influences at all. Nor did I am...
Basically you could say that there were some rock elements, but there are hardly any rock songs at all. On I am... except for the first and final track perhaps with still alone and perhaps even Never Ever there aren't really any. On MY STORY there were about you, perhaps catcher in the light, humming and you may even count liar. ANd of course GAME.

But to me Secret brings on a totally new and purer rock sound in many of the songs. It's not really comparable to what was "dark themed pop" on the other albums. El guitar is probably th most common instruent used in Jpop (synthed or otherwise) and does not make it rock.

Secret differs from the other albums because there is not any problem to see whu\ich songs qualify as "rock" and not, because they sound a lot purer. 1LOVE untill that day, it was, taskinst are clearly rock sounding. Tracks that also may qualify are Startin' and kiss o kill. These songs don't leave much doubt. And that's the main difference IMO from I am... and MY STORY.

An old rock fan like my father f.ex. does not think of much of the material on MY STORY as rock, but I'm pretty sure He'd (when he hears it) would agree that these tracks on Secret are.

It depends on your own personal definitions. I think MY STORY could also count About You and INSPIRE among its rock roster. People have different definitions of pop and rock and country and R&B and hip-hop and whatever else. None are wrong and none are right, they just... are.

[moombasista]

The "rock" on MY STORY was bland, boring and uninspired.

It was some of her worst moments IMO

The "rock" on Secret seems more alive, raw, and emotional.

Kinda hits you in a way

I dunno

[paperbag]

Originally Posted by moombasista

The "rock" on MY STORY was bland, boring and uninspired.

It was some of her worst moments IMO

The "rock" on Secret seems more alive, raw, and emotional.

Kinda hits you in a way

I dunno

Completely agree with moombasista on this one

[ImpactBreaker]

Originally Posted by asongforXX

"I am..." wasn't that rock either. It had "NEVER EVER" and "Daybreak".

R u sure you listened to I am...? Cause "I am...", "still alone", "flower garden", "evolution", "UNITE!" and Endless sorrow (the single version), were all rock (if you consider songs like NEVER EVER and Daybreak to be rock).

[elepop]

^ Umm, for me, the only "rock" songs from "I am..." are "NEVER EVER", "Daybreak" and I forgot "I am..." earlier. "Endless sorrow" the single version is rock to me, but it isn't in the album. "flower garden" had some rock element, but overall it's a pop song for me. "evolution" and "UNITE!" are more pop/techno to me, *Petit* would probably disagree on the "techno" thing. "still alone" is somewhere near the power ballad category.

Besides, it's all in a personal view. Someone said earlier that he would have put "INSPIRE" in the rock category. Personally, I think this song is straight pop.

[ImpactBreaker]

Originally Posted by asongforXX

^ Umm, for me, the only "rock" songs from "I am..." are "NEVER EVER", "Daybreak" and I forgot "I am..." earlier. "Endless sorrow" the single version is rock to me, but it isn't in the album. "flower garden" had some rock element, but overall it's a pop song for me. "evolution" and "UNITE!" are more pop/techno to me, *Petit* would probably disagree on the "techno" thing. "still alone" is somewhere near the power ballad category.

Besides, it's all in a personal view. Someone said earlier that he would have put "INSPIRE" in the rock category. Personally, I think this song is straight pop.

LOL INSPIRE, and while we're at it, STEP you, won't ever be rock songs.
still alone is definitely a rock song. It's not by personal view, the song does have rock elements. I don't usually consider most of her songs to bbe rock anyway...not even 1LOVE (which is probably one of the songs with most rock influence, but still pop at nature). But if songs like NEVER EVER (a pop lullaby that switches to guitar infused pop) and Daybreak are to be considered rock, most of the I am... is a rock album for sure. I don't see why we should be nitpicking on how technically they aren't rock songs or not, I'd focus my commewnts on how most people consider them rock instead.

[JaysenRyan]

Honestluy I couldn't say, I love both albums, but I do tend to listen to the morepop/ballads off MY STORY than I do with Secret, where I listen to all the songs equally. I really think Secret is Ayu's"perfect" album. Had lots of rock style, but it mixed many genre's very well.

[Kikaru]

Honestly I can't say. For me I think most of her "rock" songs are really pop/rock, some just have a heavier rock influence than the rest.

The difference between MYSTORY and Secret is to me, Secret came out darker, while Mystory is more laid back.

[alt.total-loser]

The rock songs on MY STORY seemed more rock to me than the rock songs on Secret.

Either way, Secret has more appeal because it seems to have more variety in it than MY STORY does.

[Syphex]

Her strong rock on Secret is 1LOVE. The rest is rock/pop, rock/techno, rock/dance, rock/alternative or whatever. I'd say MY STORY had tracks with a more "pure" rock sound such as About you and GAME.