Ayumi Hamasaki Discography Rate: Part 2 (FIN)

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Seems fitting to eliminate this one when I'm waking up early

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Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~
(6.613)

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▲10 @digitalkaiser @soratami
▼0 @Cutlery

Whew, these sunny songs got y'all in ya feels with Sunrise losing the battle between the two, which can be equated to two stray cats fighting over a moldy pastrami sandwich in a back alley. I find them both pretty inoffensive but I know how passionate the fans are about her summer singles. I'd probably reach for July 1st myself, but if this comes on shuffle I can bop to it. I really do enjoy the music video as uneventful as it is, though. She's so cute and happy in it. Plus I caught a glimpse of a hairy armpit or two, Joaquin would be proud.

"I once read in a blog that this sounds “like a fairy was just born… but not in a good way” and that's the mood," spits #1 hater Cutlery. A fairy being born being a bad thing? Come for my roots a bit. vague sizes Sunrise up to its superior sisters, "putting the summer singles mash-up as the b-side to this single really reinforces how weak this is in comparison. it's very bland, sounds a lil cheap, and is missing that spark of magic that made her other summer bops so great." Perhaps otenkiame could've appreciated it more as an album track, "Vaguely sounds like a remix rather than a proper original track. The choruses offer some feel-good sounds and bright energy, so there's that. Not sure why it was released as a single though." I doubt that'd help eliminathan though, "Pretty lame, Milhouse."

#teamballad sounds off starting with less-enthused member Weslicious, "I found nothing great about any part of this single. I think this upbeat version is slightly more grating than Sunset." His twin RUNAWAY adds, "even though this is the same song, somehow it’s much worse than the ballad version." TABOO is considerably more enthusiastic to be part of the team, "Sunset should have left Sunrise alone, because she is a certified bop all on her own. I feel that this is one of Ayu’s better Summer songs, although I could do without all the chanting during the post-chorus." And One Stop Candy Shop is right there with them, "Anthem of waving a towel and singing along." Speaking of things I did at the bathhouse, here's evilsin to finish us off, "I love this fucking cheese with those suitably farting synths! MOTTO OOKINA KOE DE! MOTTO OOKINA AI WO! Such fun!!!"



I've got my quote game to do but I'll be back once that's out of the way!​
 
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ddd okay now I'm off for my quote game​

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Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~
(6.636)

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▲ 9 @Animalia
▼ 0 @Cutlery

Welp that was a short-lived victory. Sunset was #94 for half the voting period until the final batch of balladeers launched it above it's sibling. As previously stated, I find it fairly inoffensive and there's definitely a plethora of better ballads I'd sooner reach for. I think my favourite part of the song would be that beautiful piano riff at the beginning. On the PV end of things, it's considerably less captivating than Sunrise, but I'll be damned if that orange sunset ain't gorgeous. I'm still confused as to how these videos were shot, did they sit around for 12 hours waiting for the sun to set or leave and come back? Maybe I should actually watch her making of videos for once, ddd.

Like me, eliminathan reaches for different ballads, "Great ballad but she has much better ones so it's not getting a 10." And vague feels the same, "i do think this works a lil bit better as a ballad, but it's still kinda bland and unremarkable." TABOO is #teambop, "I understand and appreciate what is being done here, but sis should have left her to flourish as Sunrise. This goes on for longer than it needs to, and really slows down the album." RUNAWAY is #teamnobody, "no to both Sunrise and Sunset. They’re well sung, but they don’t evoke any feelings whatsoever to me." And we have a balladeer in Weslicious, "Slightly better as a moodier song."

Cutlery found something to enjoy in this 0 of theirs, "Probably the only thing I enjoy about this ANNOYING and bloated ballad are the short ah ah’s adorning the background during the post choruses." ThisIsRogue, however, found plenty to enjoy, "Her voice sounds quiet in this. Not as prominent in the mix as it normally is, even for a ballad. The song is pleasant enough." And this will do for otenkiame, "Pretty. That's the word I'd use to describe this ballad. It's not really the greatest ballad she's released (seems to be a common phrase I use with her later ballads), but it does the job without dragging too much." We dip into some positivity with evilsin, "All of those "this melody was so nice, I felt it might express two opposite feelings" things are so weird to me. Usually only one take on the melody works to perfection and in Ayu's case it's Sunrise. (In Kumi's it's Futari de... FIGHT ME!)" And finally One Stop Candy Shop makes you feel bad, "We played this at my wedding because you know... love is all." Great going guys, you bashed his wedding song. @digitalkaiser



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Beautiful Day
(6.772)

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▲10 @ohnostalgia
▼3 @soratami

D'aww I love this lil' song. I originally gave it a 10, but upon reflection it really doesn't live up to the other beasts in the rate and settled on a 9. I especially love the little whirs throughout the production. I had a really special moment with this song: I had a bad night out once and was walking home feeling fucking miserable. On my way home, I was walking through a quiet path and whew, it was downright stunning. You know early mornings after a rainy night? The sunrise was sparkling on all the little rain puddles and through the trees, and then this came on shuffle. So whenever I hear this it reminds me that no matter how shitty I feel, there's beauty in the world and I'll make it through. A Poor man's Be Alright really. For those keeping tabs on statistics, this is the lowest rated album track of the rate.

vague thinks she's a cute girl, "there's a sweetness to this that i appreciate, but i've just have never been a big fan." evilsin adds, "A cute little pop number. Very sing along like, makes me wanna hop into a car and right to a seaside. Ah, if only I had a car, knew how to drive and lived near a seaside." I can drive, is Loona 1/3 okay? I suppose otenkiame will be alright with these results, "More laid-back and cheerful than anything else on "(miss)understood", I'd rather this had not even been included. It's not bad, but it's nowhere near the same quality as the other tracks." And it seems Cutlery won't be joining me on morning walks anytime soon, "This album cut serves me a bit of Disney Original Movie soundtrack song reject; it sounds more dull and uninteresting than it does uplifting as it probably intends to."

The hits keep rolling as Weslicious takes a jab, "The most 'uninspired' of the Sweetbox tracks. Like, I prefer Ayu's versions of all the other songs but this one still sounds so demo-esque and I sort of like Beautiful Girl a bit more." Stop stop TABOO she's already dead, "An incredibly positive song, but one of her weakest tracks from this period of her career." Said positivity was lost on eliminathan as well, "This song is fine, a bit too happy for my emotional ass." Well this commentary stung, but at least it's a beautiful day.


Anything without a PV gets an iffy vid, but still nowhere near as iconic as Namie's​
 
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Well I want a fresh page so here's this fresh bop in the meantime

 
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meaning of Love
(6.863)

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▲9 @send photo
▼5 @yuuurei @EachSmallStep @Cutlery

Is this generic? Absolutely. Is this an Ayu ballad by the numbers? Absolutely. Does that mean I'll stan it? Absolutelyyyyyyy. This pile of sap is basically "be urself ur beautiful babe(:", and teebs sometimes I just need that. I will admit she did it better with how beautiful you are. I'll make it quick since no one else seems to be here for this.

I'm afraid to go snooping through Cutlery's scores, "Textbook definition of forgettable ballad, although it's still not the worst one in this album… The is this LOVE? reference is good I suppose" Pretty sure he's just talking about Sunset, we're good. vague vaguely remembers it, "these lyrics are kinda sweet and i probably wouldn't skip this if it came on shuffle, but i can't see myself ever seeking this out to play again." It blurs with the rest of otenkiame's pile, "Sweet, hopeful, and a ballad. I mean, she's done a lot of these, and this doesn't quite make the cut. Not at all bad. Just very...been there done that."

As eliminathan states, it exists, "Yep, it's a decent lovesong. Nothing else of note." Going back to the old days is evilsin, "This is a clear throwback to the sound of her earlier ballads, circa 1st-3rd albums. A cute kokuhaku track." At least it satisfies TABOO's sweet tooth, "This one can be a little forgettable, but I enjoyed revisiting it. It is genuinely a sweet song."

@eliminathan @BEST FICTION here's some karaoke for you

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