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Ripples...
+ Learn Some Japanese
Reviews,,,
Here you will find a few opinions/overviews of an anime/jpop concerts (or CDs) that either myself or a friend viewed. Hopefully, you'll get a better idea of these shows after reading these.
Duty
Written by Meg-chan
Title: Duty
Artist: Hamasaki Ayumi
Distributor: avex trax
Composers: Ken Harada, Katsuhito Kikuchi, Yasuhiko Hoshino, Kunio Tago,D-A-I
All lyrics by: Hamasaki Ayumi
Type: Album
Tracks: 12
Version Reviewed: Overseas Version
Grade: 97% (A)
People. Searching for what they can't see.
People. Learning from what they can't learn.
There are many things
Existing in nowhere
Finding each creation.
They can find you.
They can find the future.
The future is at hand.
"Duty", my personal favorite album from Hamasaki Ayumi, takes on a different tone than her previous two collections. "A Song For XX" focused mostly on the explanation of Hamasaki, what had made her into what she is. The music consisted principally of an upbeat, poppy sound and sported little variety. "LOVEppears" contained songs of romance, of love that Hamasaki had either experienced or heard of and mainly focused on a techno style.
But "Duty." "Duty" introduced something different -- an Ayumi that no one had before seen or heard. It was during the creation of this album that Hamasaki was transformed. Her voice took on a more unique sound, making it distinguishable from any other. Her lyrics began to focus on pain and hardship, of people that had hurt, lied, or abandoned her. Her fashion style changed into an exotic class. And her music became stronger, more emotional, felt more influenced by rock.
This is the true Hamasaki Ayumi.
The sudden change in Hamasaki was evident in the cover art. Ayumi has always had a unique sense of style; she's always tried to surprise her audience with a new and interesting picture. Mystery and bizarre are both featured, but few expected to see on the cover of this new album a leopard-clad Hamasaki, staring intensely at the viewer with a seductive half-smile, bending the bars of a golden cage that once had her trapped. But she has broken free.
"starting over" gives a sense of rebirth. It sounds distant and strange, with the voice of a man reciting statements about people and how they act. Although when I first heard this piece, I overlooked it and considered it a filler, I now realize that this introduces the album's purpose. When listened to closely, it has a great impact and prepares the audience for what they will hear next.
Beautiful string instruments. A Spanish guitar. Violins. A memorizing and almost primitively tribal beat. The chanting of distant souls begging to be heard. Hamasaki singing with her unique vocals dismally, mischievously. This is "Duty." "I saw the end of an era with my eyes. I had no idea that I would be next." Her voice grows more and more desperate and abrupt as the instruments continue to play. It is all a perfect combination of beauty, gave me goose bumps the first time I heard it. "Duty" is my favorite song by Hamasaki , and amazed me to a great extent.
The second track, "vogue", has a similarly foreign sound to it, beginning with sudden and strange instruments and leading into Hamasaki's voice traveling up and down the scale. "You bloom fully, like a beautiful flower, but soon your petals will fall." Perhaps the whispers of a girl realizing that perfection is a myth? "vogue" is a beautiful piece, and has gained popularity over the years.
Roaming still further into the pessimistic view of our society, "End of the World" introduces a dismal Hamasaki nearly screaming her views and crying to that invisible person, "What should I think? What should I say? You're the only one that understands me." It seems that Hamasaki is a troubled individual and has begun to express it with her music. Hard and loud guitars reinforce the emotion, and shows us that Hamasaki truly has transformed.
"SCAR" guides you into a fantasy world, beginning with a message of French and finally the words, "This is a recording". I have truly never heard Hamasaki release anything quite like "SCAR." It is a beautiful track of mystery and perhaps royal feelings. She sings about someone leaving, someone saying they're sorry, and someone that has wounded her. Hamasaki has also pained this person, and she sounds utterly remorseful.
"It's new. It's you. It's me." The statement that has been used in numerous TU-Ka cell phone commercials, originating first from "Far away". There are really no words to describe this piece...it has a unique and memorizing beat, ranging from slow to fast, and is incredible. Hamasaki sounds sad yet determined in it, repeating over and over again that first sentence. Near the end, the screeching guitars reinforce the point she is obviously trying to make. I believe that this can be interpreted as relating to her personal change.
Of each song I've heard of Hamasaki's, none quite remind me anything of "SURREAL". It is truly one-in-a-million. A persistent rap mixed with musical vocals makes up the first verse, melded with guitar and percussion beats. There is really no chorus at first, merely the continuation of the second verse. The rapping grows stronger and the vocals and guitar interfuse, finally producing a verse of slower tempo, although continuing the strong vocals. I don't believe that this piece has a true organization. In most songs, there is the mix of a verse, the chorus, a second verse, a second chorus, a bridge, and finally the ending chorus. However, in "SURREAL", there are merely ideas put together in a melody. This bold statement moved me, and I wish that I could hear more songs like "SURREAL" from this magnificant woman.
"AUDIENCE" begins with a soft guitar solo, followed by vocals of a chipper Hamasaki, sounding happy and thankful. This is her contribution to her fans; "Come, now clap your hands together!" Although not anything special music-wise, it is refreshing to hear a more excited Hamasaki rather than a dismal one.
"Duty"'s most well-know track is "SEASONS", and for good reason. I did not recognize this at first (as my Ayu-fandom began following the release of this album), but "SEASONS" was Hamasaki's first true ballad. Of course, there were others on her first two albums, but none quite matched up to this piece. Once again Hamasaki's voice turns sad, but hopeful, and she sings to that person that she believes her voice will someday reach.
A light piano opens the next track, and turns out to be the only instrument played in this particular portion. Hamasaki's quiet voice breaks through, and sings a simple yet beautiful tune. She continues, and never quite moves from her dynamic of broken sorrow. Near the end of the song, she sounds as if she might break into tears. "On my pillow I found a teddy bear, instead of you." Some say that Hamasaki sings this song to her father, who left home during her childhood and told her a lie upon his exit. "teddy bear" introduces Hamasaki's truest sorrow, of a girl who considered herself not good enough for her father's love.
I have never been able to consider "Key~eternal tie ver.~ a true full-length song. It is about three minutes in length, contains a beginning, middle, and end, but has never truly satisfied me. It contains merely one verse, a heart-breaking chorus, a guitar-filled bridge, and finally a concluding chorus. It is truly an inspirational piece, and would be breathtaking if lengthened.
Perhaps the most different piece of music on this entire album is in fact "girlish", which reminded me strongly of the Partridge Family, or a similar group. For some reason, hearing Hamasaki singing with her male band members clapping and "la laing" in the background made me think of this particular band. "girlish" is a peculiar piece, and holds a wide range of opinions: some adore it, while others absolutely despise it. I am neutral on the subject, feeling refreshed to hear such a different style, but not particularly fond of it. I believe that she took an enormous step in journeying so far from her usual territory, and I admire her for that, but the song itself does not impress me greatly.
"Duty" is truly a masterpiece. Hamasaki captured the souls of sorrowful individuals and put them into the heart of this album. With those deceptive eyes of hers peering at you from the cover, she fools you into believing that she is merely an emotionless feline, an easy target that can be trapped within a cage. But during the tracks on "Duty" she reveals that nothing will ever contain her, not even the people in her life that have hurt her most of all.
People.
Searching for what they can't see.
People.
Learning from what they can't learn.