Any Ayumi Fans?

[MindBlast]

I of course am referring to Ayumi Hamasaki.

I guess I listen to her stuff a fair bit because each album was different from the previous, and because she was the FIRST artist I ever heard when listening to my portable music player back in high school. I didn't listen to music at all until my 2nd year of high school (grade 11) when my best friend introduced me to it, and he, being a huge Ayu fan, decided that she'd be the first thing I listened to on the player he bought me for my birthday (back when they were prohibitively expensive mind you).

So yeah, does anyone else like her stuff? I have trouble understanding the lyrics but can get the basics of them. Usually I just look at the translations. But I like that she writes everything herself.

 

[Gomaki]

She's had some good phases. I really liked her from around 2000-2002 (singlewise, "Fly High" to "Free & Easy", which I feel was her "Golden Era", although after this her songs became very hit or miss for me. Unfortunately now is musically probably her very least interesting period, in my opinion.

My favorite of her songs? Probably Endless Sorrow, M, and Surreal.

 

[MindBlast]

Yeah I agree she had sort of a tepid period. Next Level had to the be the worst of the lot, but have you heard anything off her new album Rock n Roll Circus? I liked it a lot better. It's not the same as her old stuff though, but most of the tracks are good.

 

[Gomaki]

I haven't heard the whole thing, but Microphone was a good one from that album. From what I've heard, recently her album tracks have been outshining her singles by far!

In the last few years the songs I have really enjoyed from her were BALLAD, Mirrorcle World, and GREEN. I really hate some of lame, softrock, medium-tempo songs she's done recently, like Sunset/Sunrise. They are very generic, whereas like you said, she has generally shifted styles a lot over her albums in the past.

I still maintain, I am.. was her best album thus far!

 

[originalldoll]

I love Ayumi too!

I'm always jamming to Evolution

Still loving I am.... and LovEppears

 

[MindBlast]

im also a really big fan of hers. i think she was my favorite foreign artist for the longest time. although i agree, that most of her new stuff isnt that great. personally for me, my favorite albums from her have been her I am ..., Memorial Address, and Secret. also her music videos are some of the coolest that i've ever seen from any performer.

My best friend had chance to go to one of her concerts in Japan when he was visiting. Tickets were insanely expensive, but he said it was SO worth it. The performance was, and I quote from him, "on such a grand scale that it made Lady Gaga's stuff look like child's toys."

 

[MindBlast]

I really hate some of lame, softrock, medium-tempo songs she's done recently, like Sunset/Sunrise. They are very generic, whereas like you said, she has generally shifted styles a lot over her albums in the past.

Yeah, Sunrise is very generic, especially for her. She's made a few songs that sound very much like it. And Sunset kind of has the feel of her song 'July 1st'. It's kind of a happy-end-party-concert's-over-low-effort song.

Like you, I also liked 'BALLAD' a lot. 'Last Links' is my second favourite song on the album though.

That said, my favourite song on that album is 'count down' (still not sure why some songs are titled in lower case, and some in all upper case, and some in proper case).

This isn't a music video of it, it's just the song with a bunch of pictures, but I figured it should go up to give a sample to people who haven't heard her stuff. It's got a powerful chorus IMO. I've always liked the meaning behind her songs...the lyrics are usually pretty serious unless it's a fun song.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC0w6s5iO50[/ame]


Here's the lyrics: (from the Divine Ayu fan site)

Omoikogareta toogenkyou wa
Tsuyoku te totemo tsumetai kaze ga
Kono mi o mezame sasete kureta to
Douji ni dokoka e kiete itta wa

Atashi wa warau wake de mo naku wake de mo nai
Tada zetsubou nanka haruka ni toorisugita kara
Mu ni natte shimatta dake na no nannimo kanji nai no

Tooku kara kikoete kite iru wa
Mou sugu de hora owari ga hajimaru
Massugu ni uketomete iku wa
Atashi no kono hidarigawa de
Doujou nanka wa ira nai wa

Soko ga moshimo naraku no soko da to
Shita nara ato wa agaru dake da to

Anata wa nan no mayoi mo naku iikitta wa
Ittai are ga nani o sashita kotoba datta ka nante
Sonna koto wa daiji ja nai no motto hoka ni aru no

* Tooku kara kikoete kite iru wa
Mou sugu de hora owari ga hajimaru
Saigo made mitodokeru furi shite
Anata no sono hidarigawa de
Hoka ni wa nannimo ira nai wa

Tooku kara kikoete kite iru wa
Mou sugu de hora owari ga hajimaru
Massugu ni uketomete iku wa
Atashi no kono hidarigawa de


and the English translation:

In Shangri-la where I had been longing for
The strong and very cold wind
Woke me up
And at the same time, disappeared

I don't laugh nor cry
I experienced despair so much in the past
That I became empty, I feel nothing

I hear some distant sound
You see? The end will begin soon
I'll accept it as it is
On my left side
I need no compassion

"Supposing you are in the abyss
All that is left is to go up"

You said so with no hesitation
It's not important what on earth it meant
There is something more important

* I hear some distant sound
You see? The end will begin soon
Pretend to watch me until the end
I'll be on your left side
I need nothing else

I hear some distant sound
You see? The end will begin soon
I'll accept it as it is
On my left side

 

[MindBlast]

Yeah I only recently heard Last Angel, and I really like it. I'm going to buy the single for sure.

 

[giftart]

Yes! I love Last Angel, Virgin road. i actually love all her singles.

 

[TheFireGod]

Haven't kept updated on Ayu (and Japanese music) for a while now so I don't know if I'm a fan or not.

My favorite albums though are Rainbow and Memorial Address.

That said, my favourite song on that album is 'count down' (still not sure why some songs are titled in lower case, and some in all upper case, and some in proper case).

Upper case and lower case is used sooooo liberally in Japan heheh.

'Count down' sounds good.

 

[Willie Boy]

I had never heard of her before coming across this thread, but from the one song posted I must say she sounds quite good.

 

[Gomaki]

http://www.youtube.com/user/ayu

This is her official YouTube channel. It used to have full versions of all her music videos, but it looks like they are now only clips of about 1/2 the song. Oh well, enough to get a taste of her music and videos at least!

 

[todwod]

I like her on Dangyunhaji XD

 

[TheFireGod]

http://www.youtube.com/user/ayu

This is her official YouTube channel. It used to have full versions of all her music videos, but it looks like they are now only clips of about 1/2 the song. Oh well, enough to get a taste of her music and videos at least!

That's sad now, I used this to see her music videos cause being in the US, you never really see JPOP vids at all.

 

[MindBlast]

That's sad now, I used this to see her music videos cause being in the US, you never really see JPOP vids at all.

Trust me, someone else will have uploaded the full videos. You just have to look around a little.