AMIT Posted October 9 Posted October 9 1 minute ago, Curaga said: Yesssss, same for me. SIGNAL just sounds like such a classic J-pop song to me, like Sailor Moon era for some reason. The vocal doesn't bug me in the least, so I'm surprised to see others complain about it because I feel like I'm usually the first one to complain about imperfect vocals nnn the way you ruthlessly dragged Utada's 14yo vocals did make my once low key OHUH ass smirk for a second ngl 1 2
Graves Posted October 9 Author Posted October 9 Track #9 on LOVEppears HIGH SCORE: 10 x 4 (Kyle-x, UrMom, blueberries, AMIT) LOW SCORE: 2 x 1 (Fevesy) HOST SCORE: 8 PS II is in fact not related to the Sony device of the same moniker, but rather is a sequel to the A Song for ×× album track POWDER SNOW. While that earlier track is a very tumultuous and dramatic affair, PS II is an older and more mature song. A direct response song, you could say. Where the previous incarnation sees a younger Ayu questioning if it is really ok for her to break down and cry or not, PS II directly addresses that past self and tells her to cry. It tells her to scream as much as she wants to. The sparkly synths and bells of the past are traded in for suffocating drum machines this time, giving the impression that this older Ayu is more hardened and perhaps even bitter compared to her younger self. I love the darker atmosphere this song summons, and the more I researched about it the more I liked it. Reading the lyrics and realizing that they were direct references to the same ones on POWDER SNOW... that's art, mama. This song is perhaps the most unfortunate of all of the LOVEppears album tracks, not receiving even a single live outing during Ayu's career. I find it one of the more interesting and challenging songs on the record, but I'm equally unsurprised at how low it placed compared to the other tracks here. It will have to remain a gem for only those who want to unearth it. Kyle-x: The way she took an incredible song is made an even more incredible sequel… oh her mind, she's so powerful. The production on this song is some of the best on the album. Curaga: I prefer both versions of POWDER SNOW to this, so I put P.S II pretty low in favor of other tracks, but I don't dislike this mix. AMIT: part 1 is more up my alley, but I love the vibe of this one too. 15/17 3
Kyle-x Posted October 9 Posted October 9 Just now, Curaga said: P.S II Now that would just be completely unacceptable… let me get the chainsaw myself 1
Suilen Posted October 9 Posted October 9 Just now, Curaga said: P.S II Not it being out before the original
Graves Posted October 9 Author Posted October 9 2 minutes ago, Suilen said: Not it being out before the original ntm now, Powder Snow is the best track from debut I fear. 1
Kyle-x Posted October 9 Posted October 9 3 minutes ago, Graves said: LOW SCORE: 2 x 1 (Fevesy) Step up to the plate
Invisibility Posted October 9 Posted October 9 P.S II is really a welcome surprise for how dark almost industrial it sounds for the album and stage of her career, but I'm not suprised it's down here at the near-bottom. Flop non-single without live performances no video, a sequel... the odds were against ha 2
Kyle-x Posted October 9 Posted October 9 She was giving experimental industrial pop with this one like this is in different areas 3
AvadaKedavra Posted October 9 Posted October 9 This one gives me such an apocalyptic or desolate land-doomday vibes. The instrumental is really dense i feel very darks with this song 2 1
Suilen Posted October 9 Posted October 9 I expected it to be among those five album tracks that were in top 10 with 10 participants
Kyle-x Posted October 9 Posted October 9 This should have gotten a really cool HAL's MIX or something, that would have ate down even more
Graves Posted October 9 Author Posted October 9 Track #1 on MY STORY HIGH SCORE: 10 x 3 (Kyle-x, Curaga, blueberries) LOW SCORE: 0 x 1 (SA*KURA) HOST SCORE: 7 MY STORY is a totally transitional Ayumi album and it is only fitting that Catcher In The Light is similar. Starting out as an ethereal vessel, not too dissimilar to the earlier interludes on RAINBOW, this introduction to MY STORY wastes no time in shredding some serious guitars over all of that trance nonsense. It's Ayu's way of telling you that this album is a little bit harder-edged than past affairs. She has some bones to pick and some grievances to air. It does quite a good job at setting the scene for the record, and for that reason I'd hold it as one of her better introduction tracks. Certainly for this part of the rate at least. Congrats to the winner of the unofficial interludes rate! It was funny a little bit earlier in voting when MY STORY had both the best and the worst interlude, but I digress. Catcher In The Light is a deserving winner of this elusive title. Suilen: I personally hate Catcher in The Rye, but isn't it great that such a mid book inspired her to make all these gospels? Kyle-x: I love how this combines the ethereal vibes of the previous full length album and then transitions us into the rock chick vibes of the new record. Curaga: Maybe my favorite interlude honestly... love this vibe a lot. AMIT: a gorgeous intro, one of her best. 12/17 2
Invisibility Posted October 9 Posted October 9 1 minute ago, Suilen said: I expected it to be among those five album tracks that were in top 10 with 10 participants That's gonna be And Then I fear, the only other album track amidst LOVEppears' 573 singles 2
Kyle-x Posted October 9 Posted October 9 I always see Japanese netizens stanning this one and shouting it out randomly like it's a full album track ddd deserved
Suilen Posted October 9 Posted October 9 A cute interlude, better than some songs from the album that are still in somehow
Graves Posted October 9 Author Posted October 9 1 minute ago, Invisibility said: That's gonna be And Then I fear, the only other album track amidst LOVEppears' 573 singles For real though. The way LOVEppears was my first ever J-pop album and I could not even figure out which were the singles and which were the album tracks... "What the hell is A???" - me reading the Wikipedia page for the album. 1 4
Invisibility Posted October 9 Posted October 9 Just now, Graves said: For real though. The way LOVEppears was my first ever J-pop album and I could not even figure out which were the singles and which were the album tracks... "What the hell is A???" - me reading the Wikipedia page for the album. Real. Kuu and Ayu being frequent customers at the quadruple A-side store, especially with the single having an unrelated title, made my headache strong nnn 1
Kyle-x Posted October 9 Posted October 9 2 minutes ago, Graves said: For real though. The way LOVEppears was my first ever J-pop album and I could not even figure out which were the singles and which were the album tracks... "What the hell is A???" - me reading the Wikipedia page for the album. See when you're the cultural reset 1
AvadaKedavra Posted October 9 Posted October 9 (edited) Is cute. I feel like im trascending to heavens with this and is a good hybrid of past ayu-new ayu like everyone said. She used to be more ethereal in the past and with her records post-my story things feels rockier I approve Edited October 9 by AvadaKedavra
Graves Posted October 9 Author Posted October 9 23rd Single Track #4 on I am... HIGH SCORE: 10 x 3 (Kyle-x, blueberries, AMIT) LOW SCORE: 2.5 x 1 (Bad Decisions) HOST SCORE: 7 See, now this is what happens when you cop out on a music video, miss Ayu. Stans will downvote your singles 23 years later. UNITE! was the fifth single off of I am... and came out in July of 2001. Being a '00s Ayu single it almost goes without saying that this was another number one for her with a cool 500,000 copies sold. No music video was released for the track, instead receiving the much-reviled tour performance video. Perhaps that was only appropriate though, as UNITE! became something of a live staple for her years afterwards. I think UNITE! is just fine. It's a good pop-rock bop but unfortunately it happens to exist on an album of... significantly better pop-rock bops. Certainly far from her worst, and it does have a push and pull rhythm to the chorus that makes for a great live number. It is funny how this predates the change in direction for the album, while still being so thematically appropriate for that new version. Clairvoyant queen. Suilen: communist queen. Kyle-x: When that instrumental bridge hits…. hold onto your wigs girls. This is another one of those songs where every remix HITS. The "Huge UR-Chin mix" is so Y2K in the best way, "Airwave remix" is a trance BANGER, "No.1 Blueberry Wonderful" is weird as ****, "re-Formation MIX" is a spiritual experience, and the "ROBERT GITELMAN REMIX" sends me into a new dimension. Invisibility: Her vocals have always been a bit questionable in the chorus, but the piano melody is an absolute classic and I love how staple these sort of guitar riffs were for the early eras. Curaga: That super high pitch ringing in the back is killing this song for me, omfg; HATE this recording, but the song itself is good. AMIT: I remember this one took a while to grow on me, but whew what a banger. 12/16 2
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