Curaga Posted October 7 Posted October 7 (edited) The way all 3 so far were in my 1s, but I haven't been listed as the lowest scorer for any yet edit: wait the first 5 omg Edited October 7 by Curaga
Graves Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 And I hate to leave things hanging on just an interlude, so have a track too! Track #12 on I am... HIGH SCORE: 9 x 1 (Katamari) LOW SCORE: 0 x 1 (Bad Decisions) HOST SCORE: 6 dddd; me being confused as to why generasia doesn't list this with Ayu's other singles and then seeing that she doesn't claim it. Not even an appearance on A COMPLETE BEST, mama? Ayu really said "Oh, that? No that was just a promo single..." Valid and fair. Originally released as a duet with Globe songstress Keiko, A Song is born was part of the Song Nation compilation album. It was released to raise money in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. We know that the attacks had a big impact on Ayumi especially, even leading her to scrap the original concept for I am... and rebrand it with the utterly camp earth-mother cover that we know and love. She was definitely feeling her generous oats in that era, which is perhaps the only explanation for this song getting a full slot on the album. Only a solo mix though, ddd. She said "I'm doing enough charity as is." I've gone this long without talking about the song itself because... well, I don't have much to say. It's nice. It's nice to hear Ayu duet with another female artist and it obviously was for a good cause. You know, it's um, pleasant. Did I mention that it's nice? Yeah, I'm avoiding the main point here which is that it's just a boring song that goes on for too long and plods through the six minute runtime. I'd take the duet version if forced to choose, but I'd probably prefer silence if it were up to me. And although Ayu might not claim this as one of her own singles, she damn sure claims the #1 peak this gave her when flaunting her stats! Scammer queen! You better turn a national tragedy into an opportunity for clout, sister. George W Bush teas. Suilen: The only good stuff the Japanese Dr. Puke gave her was on Love songs, and even then partially; this still has traces of his usual production. Kyle-x: I definitely prefer this as a solo track… I like this song but it goes on a bit too long. Invisibility: The production is technically ass, but I'm a bit of a rimmer. Queen was straining rhat range for the choruses and for what? The Keiko duet is very cute, probably the better version since it's a bit more versatile over 6 minutes Curaga: Whyyyyy are these songs so fuckiing long, oh my GOD! AMIT: songnation could have kept this one I fear, drags on too much, but I guess it fits with the rethought concept of the album 15/16 3
Graves Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 @Curaga Track #5 on MY STORY HIGH SCORE: 10 x 2 (sanzo, AvadaKedavra) LOW SCORE: 0 x 3 (SA*KURA, Invisibility, Curaga) HOST SCORE: 5.5 A mess. Well, what else does one even say about this track? One of the weirdest things in Ayu's recorded history (second only to the Timmy songs I fear), WONDERLAND is a 94 second carousel ride through hell. Such an odd choice to go with a circus-esque theme for this one. Is it symbolic? We know Ayu was frustrated with her label a lot while recording MY STORY, so is this a subtle dig at them being clowns? Am I just looking too deeply into this? Almost certainly yes. I just don't understand the intent, nor the tracklist placement tbh. Slotted between her feminist rallying cry and the painful reflections of Liar? What was she trying to tell us...? Suilen: me laughing after seeing how Kana's recent single performed. Kyle-x: Another song that plays while I watch AMIT through the windows. Invisibility: Possibly the worst 2 minutes of recorded music of all time. Curaga: Children's voices, creepy circus music, evil laughter? If this isn't the 1st elimination... Meloetta Carey: so fawkin silly (complimentary). AMIT: I like the eerie vibe of this one, though I think it would fit something like memorial address more than this album. 17/17 1 2
Suilen Posted October 7 Posted October 7 Me laughing after seeing Kana's new album tumble down the charts after the first day. 2
Curaga Posted October 7 Posted October 7 Not the 10s for this circus music I was kinda hoping someone could possibly explain to me why it's there, like if it represents a shift to a dark section of the album, but alas...
Graves Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 Track #4 on A Song for ×× HIGH SCORE: 10 x 1 (AvadaKedavra) LOW SCORE: 2.9 x 1 (Curaga) HOST SCORE: 4 As one of the earliest Ayumi songs ever heard (it was the B-side to her first ever single release) did FRIEND do a good job of selling the Hamasaki fantasy to audiences? ...If my score didn't give it away already, I'm going to say no. Sorry to this track's fans, but outside of some cute instrumental quirks I find the song to be rather boring. A simple and repetitive melody with a rather uninspired soundscape. I'm sure it's a great track to skip along the sidewalk to, though. FRIEND is, unsurprisingly, a song about friendship and having somebody to depend on. Groundbreaking. In something of a rarity for early Ayu tracks, FRIEND doesn't have any official remixes. Not one. Not across any of the countless remix albums or single re-releases. Her serving fake friend, not a girl's girl. The most interesting part of this track being the lack of interest, a mess. I can't believe we live in a world where this got on the album proper, but not Two of us. We need to go back. Suilen: happy that she has a friend, but the song doesn't do much to me. Kyle-x: Quite a darling song, I love the little instrumental break towards the end of the song. As a b-side it kind of clears poker face? I wish there were some remixes of this one, very odd for her early discography. Invisibility: I just know national news broadcasts were tripping over themselves to play the instrumental of this song during intermissions. Curaga: That hand drum sounds so funny to me on a song like this lol. This might be the closest she gets to being flat on this album (either this, poker face, or from your letter)... I can see why people critique her vocals on this album, but they hardly bug me since her voice is generally quite nasal anyway. 16/17 ...and why not make it a double? Track #7 on A Song for ×× HIGH SCORE: 10 x 1 (Kyle-x) LOW SCORE: 3 x 3 (Fevesy, sanzo, AvadaKedavra) HOST SCORE: 3.5 Wishing is like... a trial run of an Ayu ballad. A beta test, if you will. Like, yes, there's some DNA of the classic Ayumi ballad track in here but you have to squint to see it. It all feels a tad under-cooked. There are nice melodic moments to the chorus, but the rather sluggish pace of the track paired with an uninspired arrangement behind her? It's a chore to get through. I appreciate it at as a piece of Ayumi history, an early building block of what was to come, but it just doesn't do anything for me personally. Kyle-x: Moody and emotional, I think AMIT was the one in the studio shaking the tambourine. I think the R&B influenced version remixed by m-flo's Taku that was included on the YOU single is my favorite iteration. Invisibility: The beginnings of her career as an incredible balladeer, you can definitely sense the start of something great even through the very derivative instrumental. Curaga: Beautiful chorus melody that gets stuck in my head easily, very longing, or... wishing Suilen: We'll be wishing on the same star, looking at the same moon... AMIT: the worst song on debut, but still decent I suppose. 15/17 1
Graves Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 2 minutes ago, Curaga said: Not the 10s for this circus music I was kinda hoping someone could possibly explain to me why it's there, like if it represents a shift to a dark section of the album, but alas... NEVER trust an Ayu fan to give you the the meaning behind something. They're charlatans, one and all. Just now, Graves said: Kyle-x: I think the R&B influenced version remixed by m-flo's Taku that was included on the YOU single is my favorite iteration. This is tea though. That version is like night and day to the original. Debut needed more R&B touches and less... whatever it ended up as. 1
Suilen Posted October 7 Posted October 7 FRIEND is something you send to a person to signify that your friendship is over. Model's Wishing ended this one. 2
Curaga Posted October 7 Posted October 7 Just now, Suilen said: FRIEND is something you send to a person to signify that your friendship is over.
Curaga Posted October 7 Posted October 7 Dang, not Wishing out already Love that one! @Kyle-x is so real for that 10 1
Graves Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 Track #1 on A Song for ×× HIGH SCORE: 10 x 4 (Kyle-x, blueberries, Maresia, AvadaKedavra) LOW SCORE: 0 x 2 (SA*KURA, Bad Decisions) HOST SCORE: 5 The first track on the first ever (official) Ayumi Hamasaki album. As an instrumental introductory piece you have to wonder: does it do a good job of setting the tone for the record? Well... maybe. While Prologue is a perfectly pleasant piece of music, it just seems to end right as it is building up to something interesting. The album version also suffers from some tinny-sounding instruments that do not help much in that regard. The orchestral remix from the first ayu-mi-x album gives the song a better and clearer soundscape to inhabit for sure, but at the end of the day it is still a minute-long instrumental piece. It was never long for the rate in any form. Scream @ this intro outlasting a chunk of the album proper. It's a bad omen, girls. With all that said, a special shout-out is warranted to the vibe-y trance remix that this got on the ayu-mi-x II album. If you weren't aware how dense her discography was with hidden treasures like this... even a forgettable intro track can be remixed into a bop in the Ayusphere. Go get your life before we move on to some real tracks. Kyle-x: The fact there are remixes for this intro is so funny, truly the queen of remixes. Curaga: The album version is cute, but the ayu-mi-x version is heavenly! Meloetta Carey: cute for a first try. AMIT: cute and wholesome. 14/17 1
Curaga Posted October 7 Posted October 7 2 minutes ago, Graves said: I promise that Debut will get a bit of a break now Even as its biggest fan here (except for maybe Kyle-x), its eliminations make sense so far ddd But I'll be sad when Depend on you goes, no matter how high it gets 1
Suilen Posted October 7 Posted October 7 (edited) With how many people professed their love for the debut, I expected it to do better. Oh well. Edited October 7 by Suilen
Graves Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 Is everybody ready to start jumping? Track #17 on MY STORY HIGH SCORE: 9 x 1 (UrMom) LOW SCORE: 0 x 1 (Bad Decisions) HOST SCORE: 6.5 Now onto a track that Ayu seems to love, while the fandom does not. Humming is a live staple of Ayu's tours, because... you tell me, I guess. Nah, jokes aside I can sort of see the appeal. "Everybody go, everybody jump," is the call and response, crowd-motivating chant that artists love to wheel out because the audience loves to play along. You see? People WANT to be told what to do. Ayu says jump? Get those clogs off the floor, buddy boy. The Empress has spoken. And really, I don't mind the chanting parts. Honest! I haven't been to an Ayu tour in person yet but I'm sure it's electric when she wheels it out. (Though it seems she has yet to perform it this decade? Mayhaps we are saved after all.) I just don't think it makes for a very good song as a total package. I complain about some of the other closing songs on MY STORY being too sweet and not "rock" enough, but now I'm taking the opposite stance. This is just too obvious. You know how we hear some Ayu interludes and think "whoa, that should be a full song"? This is the opposite. This should be an interlude between two better tracks. Keep the chanting parts and dump the rest. Album saved. This song also got a video for some reason. I assume avex was making TOO much money that particular month, and needed some write-offs. Ayu dons her best '80s lesbian rocker get-up and hops around in a red cage for a bit. I suppose there are worse ways to kill five minutes. Also, can you believe that this and WONDERLAND are the only songs that Ayu wrote the music for on this album? ...Maybe it's for the best that she retired the composing baton. Suilen: no offense but the last 4 songs here and on another album of hers from the next part that I won't mention lest gays get triggered could be trimmed, and nothing of value would be lost, though this song in particular kinda bops. Kyle-x: The PV is great and this is obviously a concert staple. While it's a fun song, it's not one I ever actively seek out. Invisibility: This with a proper, good chorus would eat up girlish, Flower garden and + with ease, alas... it's okay. Meloetta Carey: i love when pop stars make bops about how much they hate their jobs. Bad Decisions: fun in concerts but that's all. I often forget this song exists. AMIT: a decent encore track, overall it's just there for me though. 16/17 1
Katamari Posted October 7 Posted October 7 (edited) 28 minutes ago, Graves said: And I hate to leave things hanging on just an interlude, so have a track too! Track #12 on I am... HIGH SCORE: 9 x 1 (Katamari) LOW SCORE: 0 x 1 (Bad Decisions) HOST SCORE: 6 dddd; me being confused as to why generasia doesn't list this with Ayu's other singles and then seeing that she doesn't claim it. Not even an appearance on A COMPLETE BEST, mama? Ayu really said "Oh, that? No that was just a promo single..." Valid and fair. Originally released as a duet with Globe songstress Keiko, A Song is born was part of the Song Nation compilation album. It was released to raise money in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. We know that the attacks had a big impact on Ayumi especially, even leading her to scrap the original concept for I am... and rebrand it with the utterly camp earth-mother cover that we know and love. She was definitely feeling her generous oats in that era, which is perhaps the only explanation for this song getting a full slot on the album. Only a solo mix though, ddd. She said "I'm doing enough charity as is." I've gone this long without talking about the song itself because... well, I don't have much to say. It's nice. It's nice to hear Ayu duet with another female artist and it obviously was for a good cause. You know, it's um, pleasant. Did I mention that it's nice? Yeah, I'm avoiding the main point here which is that it's just a boring song that goes on for too long and plods through the six minute runtime. I'd take the duet version if forced to choose, but I'd probably prefer silence if it were up to me. And although Ayu might not claim this as one of her own singles, she damn sure claims the #1 peak this gave her when flaunting her stats! Scammer queen! You better turn a national tragedy into an opportunity for clout, sister. George W Bush teas. Suilen: The only good stuff the Japanese Dr. Puke gave her was on Love songs, and even then partially; this still has traces of his usual production. Kyle-x: I definitely prefer this as a solo track… I like this song but it goes on a bit too long. Invisibility: The production is technically ass, but I'm a bit of a rimmer. Queen was straining rhat range for the choruses and for what? The Keiko duet is very cute, probably the better version since it's a bit more versatile over 6 minutes Curaga: Whyyyyy are these songs so fuckiing long, oh my GOD! AMIT: songnation could have kept this one I fear, drags on too much, but I guess it fits with the rethought concept of the album 15/16 Ugh Yall just hate women and charity! Edited October 7 by Katamari 1
Curaga Posted October 7 Posted October 7 Not a 0 for this I thought I was going to be the one with the most 0s, but I guess not!
Suilen Posted October 7 Posted October 7 5 minutes ago, Graves said: Also, can you believe that this and WONDERLAND are the only songs that Ayu wrote the music for on this album? ...Maybe it's for the best that she retired the composing baton. She made some questionable production choices but I wish she hadn't given up completely. Her recent music would benefit from CREA's return 1
Graves Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 Just now, Suilen said: She made some questionable production choices but I wish she hadn't given up completely. Her recent music would benefit from CREA's return WILL from missunderstood was the last time, right? At least she went out on a hit 1
Graves Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 9 minutes ago, Graves said: I promise that Debut will get a bit of a break now Aight, break's over. Track #16 on A Song for ×× HIGH SCORE: 10 x 2 (AvadaKedavra, Curaga) LOW SCORE: 1 x 1 (Invisibility) HOST SCORE: 3 ...Does this present come with a receipt? This is so corny, I'm sorry. This "world peace, let's hold hands" ending? I'm not buying it. The package as a whole is rather middling already, but the horns take it to a dated area that just isn't pretty. This was my lowest score in the entire rate and I ain't sorry. This one doesn't even have any remixes to maybe help endear it to me, just the fetid album version stinking up the tracklist. I'm sorry, but nothing grates more on me than forced joy. This doesn't come across as joyous or celebratory, it comes across as canned. Boot! Now, see that high scorer up there? Miss Curaga with that questionable ten? Keep that score in mind for when you see what she gave to some of the other songs in the rate! Bookmark this post, girlies. Suilen: some cute production moments, but it accurately represents the feeling of not getting what you want for your birthday. Kyle-x: Such an endearing song that sounds like it'd play during the opening credits of a sitcom in the early 90s or something. The lyrics are adorable too. Invisibility: Horrible note to end the album on... it's giving Love Makes the World Go Round *shudder* Curaga: Those fake horns absolutely send me I feel like this instrumental was probably received as dated and out of place in 1999, much like Chromatica was in 2020, but unlike Chromatica, I love this! 13/17 ...you knew this was coming too. Track #5 on A Song for ×× HIGH SCORE: 10 x 1 (Kyle-x) LOW SCORE: 1 x 1 (Bad Decisions) HOST SCORE: 5 Though I like the energetic infusion on this track, I can't say I love the second iteration on FRIEND that much more than the first. Unfortunately, that blast of energy that opens the song is also about where it peaks for me. It's another one of those meandering, pleasant tracks that doesn't set itself apart enough for me. Decent but nothing special. And on an album that desperately needs more spark, it just feels like a waste. Luckily, remixes are here to add some spice to the mix! Whether the campy spy-flick sounding JAZZY JET MIX, or the chaotic mess that is the MAKE MY MAD MIX. This song is much more engaging in remixed form, an interesting trend I'm picking up about this album... ...and might I ask who's idea was it to put the two FRIEND tracks side by side on the tracklist? Don't sequel songs usually act as bookends or something? I'm unable to tell whether she loves or hates this friend... Suilen: now she has 2 friends, and the song has a bit more life in it. Kyle-x: Girl, you know I love a guitar solo. The "MAKE MY MAD MIX" of this song goes crazy. Invisibility: If part 1 was the TV news intermission, this plays during the opening of the broadcast when they show wars, natural disasters, protests, etc. AMIT: ate the first friend up I fear. 12/17 1
Graves Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 1 minute ago, Graves said: Curaga: Those fake horns absolutely send me I feel like this instrumental was probably received as dated and out of place in 1999, much like Chromatica was in 2020, but unlike Chromatica, I love this! Do not quote me on this - and if you do I'll delete this and smear you as a liar - but I'd rather listen to Chromatica. 1 1
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