Reviews written by Moon Shadow
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Voice of EARTH (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version)
Voice of EARTH (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version) DVD Region 2
(5)Our Price: US$44.25Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
April 6, 2009 The Tibetian Songstress tackles Japan full force!Well, she actually debuted in 2007, and then released eight singles before this album, but most of those singles were comlete amazingness (even the b-sides (which weren't included))! This album overall is pretty solid with only a few "meh" track *coughLibertycough*. It is also mainley composed of ballads, but when she does faster mid-tempoish songs, they are pretty amazing, like BRAVE and Sora Uta. Together is also a pretty good track that alan composed and wrote lyrics for. This album is definitely one of the best of 2009 and in my opinion, better than Kuu's TRICK and Ayu's NEXT LEVEL (which I already listened to 50 times and still am).
Favorite Tracks: Ashita e no Sanka, RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~, Sora Uta, Gunjou no Tani, BRAVE, Tsuki ga Watashi, Together, and Tennyo ~interlude~ (which is completely amazing)
Ok Tracks: Megumi no Ame, my friend, Yume no Garden, Hitotsu, Kaze no Tegami, and Natsukushii Mirai
Generic/Crappy tracks: Liberty -so generic and horrible-
The rock version of Shin Sen is also pretty good, but not hardcore enough for my tastes.
Overall score: 9.5/10Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
(12)Our Price: US$72.99Related promotions:1 people found the following helpful
April 3, 2009 Edgy Perfume Part 412. Pieces of SEVEN- Frick! Another interlude now impales us again. Too bad it pales in comparison to her other interludes in this album since those were completely amazing. It also does a horrible job of transitioning the album to the ballad phase. It's constructed ok, but.... ya. 7/10
13. Days- Ugh. I am sorry to say this, but I am sick and tired of this song. It has no reason to be on this album and just brings the whole thing down. I was really obsessed with this song when it was first released, but now I hate it, a lot. Maybe if i just don't listen to it for a while it will become amazing again, but right now I just can't stand it. SINGLE: 9/10 ALBUM: 6/10
14. Curtain call- It seems like Ayu has ended all of her albums with ballads lately (from (miss)understood on) and I have to say that is not a bad thing. This ballad also seems original and not something like she has ever done before (in music terms). This song overall is a well made track and an effective album closer. The chorus seems like the only problem since there really isn't one, but it is catchy enough, especially for a ballad.
Overall Score: 9/10Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
(12)Our Price: US$72.99Related promotions:1 people found the following helpful
April 3, 2009 Edgy Perfume Part 37. GREEN- This song did a really bad job of representing this album. Everyone was so excited to her a heavily influenced Chinese song from Ayu and the album doesn't even have other songs like this. This still has to be one of my favorite ayu song, though. I just wish we had more Chinese Ayu. Chinese + Ayu= Amazing Awesomeness! 10/10
8. Load of the SHUGYO- When the tracklist was first release, I automatically knew this was an interlude. After hearing it though, I wish it wasn't. It just sounds so heavy and hardcore. This should be re-released with Disco-munication as a single! 9/10
9. identity- We finally get to my favorite song of the album! This song is just so catchy that I'm pretty much obsessed with it (like I was with Mirrorcle World). The sporadic noises that go on and off in the verses is a little weird, but I think it fits with the entire flow of the song. I also like how she repeats ID in the chorus! Hooray for more english! 10/10
10. Rule- I have to admit that before this single came out and there were little snipits of the song on the internet (since it is tied with Dragonball), I really hated this song. It was just so strange and different than any Ayu song I heard before. That made me dread her next album, but now that I listen to it more and more, it is not as awful as it was when I first heard it. It's pretty good now! 8.5/10
11. LOVE 'n' HATE- Another amazing song on this album. When I heard the counting I thought it was Namie Amuro, though. Either it is Namie or she was Ayu's english coach since that counting is like SEDUCTIVE AYU!!! The overall feel of the song is pretty intense. The change from the verses to the chorus is a little weird though, but that is a very small complaint. 9.5/10
OK I'm getting getting mad... we should be able to make longer reviews..... I should just sart my own blog.... soon to come: Part 4Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
(12)Our Price: US$72.99Related promotions:1 people found the following helpful
April 3, 2009 Edgy Perfume Part 21. Bridge to the sky- This is definitely no Mirror (which is an amazing opener). Even though it's not as well crafted, it still introduces the album very well and gives us a taste of what is in store. The lyrics are truly touching: I smile softly, Tears roll suddenly. That in itself is why I like this song so much! 8/10
2. NEXT LEVEL- I just have to say that song does a very bad job of representing this album. Other than that it is a very solid track. The chorus is just so catchy. Well, it does have some electronic songs... but it is still very poppish. A very good album track overall. 9/10
3. Disco-munication- Oh how I wish this was a full song. She should definitely "Mirrorcle World" this song! It does a good job of transitioning the album from light to dark in my opinion. Ayu really needs to cut on the interludes, but I can forgive her since this is one amazing interlude! 10/10
4. EnergizE- This song is like an average Perfume song without a vocodered, childish/annoying voice. It's a little weird that we had this "hot" interlude lead to a song like this. Sparkle should have been here, but oh well. Anywho, this song is another good album track even though it is one of the weaker tracks. I just can't believe that Ayu actually uses English! It seems like it has been forever. It still is a very catchy song and I enjoy it a lot. 8/10
5. Sparkle- This actually turned out to be a really good and different song. I was expecting another Jewel or Glitter, but this a dark techno song that is pretty much amazing. I can't explain how good this song is with it's dark synth/techno riffs and everything. Best single song ever! 10/10
6. rollin'- Ok. I can't even hear the beginning. So I turned my iPod really loud only to be blasted amazingness! That should have been louder the faded out, then the music fades in and gets louder. Anyway this is a really awesome song overall. This is definitely the "Marionette" of the album. 10/10
Part 3 is next!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
(12)Our Price: US$72.99Related promotions:1 people found the following helpful
April 3, 2009 Edgy Perfume Part 1After last years amazing dark and heavy album, GUILTY, I thought it would be hard to get another album that was as amazing. NEXT LEVEL is a big change from rock/metal Ayu with it's electronic songs. It also includes some poppy songs and amazing interludes. The singles for this album actually did a really good job of representing this album, well Rule/Sparkle did.
NEXT LEVEL was a very new approach for Ayumi Hamasaki, but not for the Japanese music industry. This album seems more like a marketing plan to me since techno seems to be the "in" think in the industry. This album by over exceeds any current techno styled albums in my opinion since it isn't fully a techno album. The songs, however, that are techno-ish do exceed the songs of artists (ie: capsule, Perfume, and Ami Suzuki's SUPREME SHOW album). I have been hooked on techno music since Perfume's album GAME came out. With that i have been buying other Japanese techno albums, such as the ones previously stated, and in my opinion Ayu's album (or rather techno songs) blow those main based techno singers out of the water! While this may not be her best album ever, I still can't wait see what Ayumi delivers NEXT!
The song by song review will be next hopefulley
On another note, YesAsia decided to back my shipping date to the 14th of April for some reason. Oh well, as long as get the flashdirve!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
(12)Our Price: US$72.99Related promotions:1 people found the following helpful
March 4, 2009 Finally.... more info!I'm so happy more info has come out about NEXT LEVEL! Many of those new songs sound interesting just by there names and I'm happy that the title track sounds amazing a Chinese-ish. Well here is the list of songs that are going to be released if no one already knew....
1. Bridge to the Sky - most likely a intro song!
2. NEXT LEVEL
3. Disco-munication - sounds like a dance song, and it seems's like everyone is releasing a song with disco in it ie: Perfume: ONE ROOM DISCO and Ami Suzuki: can't stop the DISCO
4. Energize
5. Sparkle
6. Rollin - (rollin' on the river!) jk
7. GREEN - This is already one of my favorite Ayu songs!
8. Load of the Shugyo - What a strange title... most likely an interlude
9. Identity
10. Rule
11. Love 'n' Hate
12. Pieces of Seven
13. Days
14. curtain call
I'm very excited to see how each of the album songs turned out! On another note, I was wondering if anyone has seen the covers of the 2CD-DVD version. ....I'll just say they are very different....much like Rule/Sparkle's covers. Oh well, I'm getting the flash drive! =)Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
Next Level (USB Memory Stick)(Encore Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
(12)Our Price: US$72.99Related promotions:2 people found the following helpful
February 26, 2009 Ayu outdid herself...I am very excited for this and I'm so happy I bought this! I love the design and everything too! I have
listening to Ayu for around 8 years and I'm not even 18 and live in America, so her influence has definatly breeched global boundries. I also bought her sing Rule/Sparkle last week (preordered and I have to say
that I already love both of those songs. GREEN and Days were also fantastic. I'm not some Ayu cultist or
anything (I also like Koda Kumi, Namie Amuro, Nami Tamaki, Perfume, Maki Goto, Utada Hikaru, and others),
but I have to say that Ayu, to me, has been the most consistant artist out of all of them. I very excited for
this album and I think everyone should buy it (even if you don't get the USB)!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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