Next Level [w/ DVD, Limited Edition / Jacket A]

Ayumi Hamasaki

Price 4286yen (4500yen Tax incl.)
US$ 47.59
Points You Earn: 257 points
Format CD
Release Date 2009/03/25
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Ayumi Hamasaki
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Edition Details

Catalog No. AVCD-23856
Number of discs 3
Item weight 280g
Label/Distributor avex trax

Description

Tenth album release from Ayumi Hamasaki includes 13 tunes total (subject to change). First press packed in special pink case. Limited edition includes bonus CD featuring 14 tunes from her "Premium Countdown Live 2008 - 2009 A" performance (subject to change). Also includes bonus DVD with six music videos and making-of the footage (subject to change). Features alternate package. *Unless otherwise indicated, DVDs are region-2 encoded (Japan, Europe, and Middle East), and carry no subtitles.


First Press: Sold Out special package

(All product details, including availability, images, language(s), special features, and bonus extras, are subject to change without prior notice. Actual item weight may be different from the one indicated above.)

Tracklisting

1. [Disc1] Bridge to the sky
2. [Disc1] NEXT LEVEL
3. [Disc1] Disco-munication
4. [Disc1] EnergizE
5. [Disc1] Sparkle
6. [Disc1] rollin'
7. [Disc1] GREEN
8. [Disc1] Load of the SHUGYO
9. [Disc1] identity
10. [Disc1] Rule
11. [Disc1] LOVE 'n' HATE
12. [Disc1] Pieces of SEVEN
13. [Disc1] Days
14. [Disc1] Curtain call
15. [Disc2] GREEN
16. [Disc2] Will
17. [Disc2] End of the World
18. [Disc2] Heartplace
19. [Disc2] And Then
20. [Disc2] Naturally
21. [Disc2] POWDER SNOW
22. [Disc2] HOPE or PAIN
23. [Disc2] Over
24. [Disc2] SCAR
25. [Disc2] SIGNAL
26. [Disc2] Hana
27. [Disc2] too late
28. [Disc2] everywhere nowhere
29. [Disc2] Days
30. [Disc2] For My Dear
31. [DVD] Days (video clip)
32. [DVD] GREEN (video clip)
33. [DVD] Rule (video clip)
34. [DVD] Sparkle (video clip)
35. [DVD] NEXT LEVEL (video clip)
36. [DVD] Curtain call (video clip)
37. [DVD] Days (video clip)
38. [DVD] GREEN (making clip)
39. [DVD] Rule (making clip)
40. [DVD] Sparkle (making clip)
41. [DVD] NEXT LEVEL (making clip)
42. [DVD] Curtain call (making clip)

Credits

Ayumi Hamasaki (Artist)

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Neolog Reviews

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neolog No 'Next Level' of her Career 1

I appreciate the sentiment. Apparently Ayumi knows she's been recycling things for far too long, and so she set out to step up to the 'next level' of her career. With the release of the Rule/Sparkle single shortly before the album, there appeared to be a glimmer of hope that the album would live up to it's name and actually be different.

However, old habits die hard, and this album os filled with Ayu's usual problems. First off, the singles are all over the place and, aside from Sparkle, are completely rehashed and old news. The other songs to get PVs (Next Level, and Curtain Call)aren't exactly standouts either. The title track is actually a pleasant, upbeat poppy number, but it has some moments that are so much like fairyland/Blue Bird/glitter that it makes me uncomfortable. I cringe at the pre-chorus every time. The last minute switch up of melody saves it from being the same song (for the 4th time), but it's still too similar. Curtain Call is strange. It feels like it was trying to be powerful and epic, but it's too raw and naked to have the impact it was aiming for. It feels completely disconnected from the album, and is an awkward way to end it.

Other tracks are just pure failure.. EnergizE is an awkward mix of corny peppy-pop melody and this new 'rock with electronic noises' production that is prominent in this album. A lot of the new album tracks just feel like songs she could have done before, but are styled with this new production sound. In a lot of ways her 'Next Level' is superficial - it's a bit of a face-lift, but there's no real change to the substance. She does fool around with a couple tracks (rollin' Love 'n' Hate sorta), and it's greatly appreciated. Now it's time to move forward and make an entire album with new sounds and ideas.

There were a couple of things that really crippled this album for me. First off, the singles don't really sit well. Sparkle is fine, Rule does alright, but Days and Green just can't mesh with the album. Green has a pretty good transition from rollin' that greatly helps it settle, and they really tried on the way out too. But when you think of the song itself compared to the albunm, it just doesn't fit. Days is simply too poppy. It shouldn't be here.

Despite some new ideas, and some fresh material, Ayu manages to make most everything sound like old news with her vocals. She approaches these songs the exact same way she's approached all of her material since Memorial Address. She sings every song the same way, and it's infuritating. Of course, every singer has their own style, but a good vocalist would adapt themselves to new types of music in some way. Ayu simply doesn't She just doesn't invest enough of herself into this 'new stage' of her career to actually put some renewed effort into her vocal delivery.

The other thing that bogs this release down is the lack of new material, and the lack of REAL material.
The album has 14 tracks;
subtract the 4 single tracks, we have 10 tracks left;
minues the 2 songs released with the PVs prior to the album, we have 8 tracks;
take away the interludes and introduction, and we're left with 4 tracks.
Yes, out of a possible 8 new songs, half of them are short interludes, and two of the full-length songs are crap. Now some of those interludes are rather neat and could've made decent full-length tracks. They probably wouldn't have feasably been made into the type of pop that Ayu does, but that only would have increased the credibility of the concept of the album. It should be completely different from her other works, but it honestly feels like they just chickened out partway through and decided to play it sage with a mostly typical Ayu pop-rock feel (with an electro edge) and cheaped out by filling the rest with interludes.

I really do appreciate the sentiment, and it's LOADS better than Guilty. But really, the next time she decides to make a big deal about changing her sound and moving on to the next part of her career, it'd better be for real. It's a step-up, but it's too superficial to be completely convincing. Ayu, next time, put your money where your mouth is.
Best and Worst of 2009 By sorakara(2009/11/02)

neolog Next level of music 4

This album is a new sound for Ayu, but is still deffinately Ayu. She has more filler tracks then I like (Bridge to the sky and Load of the SHUGYO) but the full tracks are really freash and make me want to move!
Ayumi Hamasaki By musumemusic(2009/07/10)

neolog Next Level 4

A lovable album, Next level delivers good songs, Rule is a powerfull song, Next Level gives you the impression that you're on the beachside and Sparkle has a strong electro feeling. Overall, this album is good but the interludes are off. As for the seccond cd, all I can say is that the songs that were selected were both old ones and new ones but the most impressive one is And then. The dvd is so beautiful the PV's are really cool especially Rule and Sparkle. Curtain call was a disappointment for me, I expected more.
Ayumi Library By adriana88(2009/07/09)

neolog On to the NEXT LEVEL with Ayu! 4

It has been a while since Ayumi Hamasaki's last studio album (GUILTY) was released, at least for Ayu's standards more than a year of wait is a pretty long time! The wait was finally over in March 2009. In the end we've got a really solid pop/rock album with impressive electro pop notes. So, unlike with GUILTY this time Ayu and her composers experimented by combining the old Ayu flavor with new music tendencies.

As the result we've got tracks like "EnergizE" which combines electro pop with electric guitars, "rollin'" and most notably "Sparkle" which was previously released on her double A-side single Rule/Sparkle.

The other part of NEXT LEVEL consists of songs with notable rock hooks with urban sounds such as "identity" and "LOVE'n'HATE", while "Rule" is continuing Hamasaki's series of harder rock songs. Unlike a couple of her previous albums, NEXT LEVEL has a bright note to it.

On another hand, I find that the album lacks impressive ballads, as even though Days had amazing lyrics, the arrangement turned out to be pretty generic for Hamasaki's standards, while Curtain call has a really pretty composition and arrangement, but it lacks powerful lyrics. Over all it's a nice track to close the album with, but not really on pair with most of Ayu's ballads.

NEXT LEVEL is a fun album with a great repeat value and you shouldn't miss it, even though it might not be the greatest album Ayumi Hamasaki has produced and that's the only reason it's getting 4/5.
ΙΝΊκ€’€ζ€ί By njanjayrp(2009/06/27)
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Customer Reviews

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NEXT LEVEL - Meh Level 4

I pre-ordered this, and unfortunately I regret it. For while the singles for this album were all great songs (GREEN and Rule in particular), the album-exclusive tracks overall lacked punch and didn't grab my attention. It's a good normal j-pop album, but Ayu's worst album yet. Perhaps if there were only one or two interlude tracks, and the songs were recorded to reflect the quality of the singles, then this album would have been AMAZING. Hopefully her next album will floor me.
The live disc is the disc I am very pleased with. This particular live featured many songs that fans the world over wanted her to perform live, and she performed them, and performed them WELL. What a truly amazing performance it was.
The DVD was, of course, lovely, and the videos are truly Ayu: enjoyable and not what is usually expected.

NEXT LEVEL album: 3.5/5
LIVE CD: 5/5
DVD: 4.5/5
By Sarah @UNITED STATES (2009/07/22)

not exactly next level 4

While the singles on the album are great, most of the album tracks themselves cant match. rollin' is one of the good songs on here. The opening interlude is nice and aside from disco-munication, the rest of the interludes on the album suck. The Live CD is awesome and every track delivers. The DVD is great too. The Sparkle PV alone is reason enough to at least get the cd+dvd version.
By Dario @UNITED STATES (2009/05/28)

Next Level Limited CD 5

Aside from the DVD which includes the music videos and therefore exactly the same content as the regular +DVD edition, this limited version comes with a 2nd CD which includes the live versions of a total of 14 tracks recorded at the 'Premium Countdown Live 2008 - 2009'.
I highly recommened this edition to any Ayu fan, this live CD is the first ever released and therefore a real treasure for any collection.
By Mikomi @GERMANY (2009/05/14)

Back to Electronic Ayu 3

I prefer the Ayu who works on with her voice, not the electronic Ayu, to be honnest.

Here, we have a lot of musical arrangments, and songs where the voice is not the most important. Days and Green, which I did really like, look like UFO in this very electronic-styled album.

Actually, it is really energetic. I like Sparkles, Rollin', Identity. You want to dance and to bounce, even if the song's words are not so full of hope and dreams.

But these are fashionable songs, and they will be forgotten fast. Sad. She's done far better.


The song entitled "curtain call" is the next to be the last during her lives.

I do truly think that she should take care of herself, take care of her voice ( obviously such an album is meant for her not to push too hard on her voice, and maybe she cannot go as high as before, because she just never let her voice rest).

Then, she would be able to come back with a true, original, devastating album.

She needs to recreate herself a little bit, in my opinion.

By Zhealy @FRANCE (2009/05/08)

Move to the NEXT LEVEL with Ayu 5

I have become Ayu fan since her single talkin' 2 myself. So NEXT LEVEL is actually my 2nd Ayumi Hamasaki album. It is completely different GUILTY! And now I understand why she is called Empress of Japanese music, because all her works are different, she's never disappointed and the main thing that is ALL HER WORKS ARE SUPERB HIGH QUALITY! Also she's one of the few mainstream artist who are not afraid of experimenting with new styles and that is great! GUILTY was rock album, while NEXT LEVEL uses more Electro sounds. However even rock LOVERS will find here song called Rule, which is real rock song that RoXXX!! Album is A MUST BUY for any Asian Music fan, do not even think, just buy it! Damn, it is not just somebody it is Ayumi Hamasaki Empress of J-Music! Do not hesitate! Go and grab it already!
By Vasily -ALfromHELL- @RUSSIA (2009/04/18)

Awesome. 5

When I first heard the singles from this album I was very excited but when I got the album I was dissapointed but after a few listens the album grew on me! Now I think the album is amazing. If you are a fan of Ayu or a fan j-pop then I recommend buying this album.
By CMS @UNITED KINGDOM (2009/03/30)

Ayu over the nex level 5

This 10th album from Ayu is a pretty treasure. All the songs are good and sweet.
The second CD with live versions is also absolutely good and the DVD with the PVs is beautiful !!
By Clotilde @FRANCE (2009/03/29)

Awesome album! 5

A great 10th album from Ayu! A departure of her heavy rock tunes, we now have dance songs, full of attitude! Some of my favourites are identity, LOVE n' HATE, and Rollin'. Though there are four interludes, they are very awesome, and I listen to them as much as the full songs. The PV's are very well produced, and very fun to watch. Overall an excellent album from Ayu!
By Caroline @CANADA (2009/03/28)

Good album 5

Exellent album. Rule, SPARKLE are a Great songs. Curtain call is so beautiful. This album is very electro but I love because is a new style for Ayu. PV's are very good.And the bonus CD is very amazing.
By Aurelie @FRANCE (2009/03/28)

Ten points for Ayu's 10th album 5

I got my copy yesterday and first off, I need to say I was amazed at how fast it arrived - shipped from Japan on Monday and got it the net day! That's a new record for Air Mail.

I was a bit disappointed with Guilty, so my expectations for this album were high - and it truly was worth the wait, for what an album it is! This is an excellent release for her grand 10th full album. The tracklist is nicely balanced even though the main focus is on dance/disco type songs and it's full of good, catchy melodies. There are only two songs that weren't that memorable and even those are listen-worthy and will surely grow on me over time. My only complaint is that again, like on Guilty, there are few too many instrumentals. But it's an extremely enjoyable release. My favorites are GREEN, Rule, Next Level, identity and LOVE 'n' HATE.

As for the DVD, all the PVs are very enjoyable and of the usual Ayu quality - pleasant to watch and very fitting for the songs. And the Live CD was surprisingly good! I'm not one who normally enjoys live CDs but Ayu's vocals were so good that I could enjoy it even though it was just audio and you couldn't see the outifts or performances. I was so glad to hear her permorming many older songs, many of which she hasn't performed live in yars. I just wish they'll also release a DVD for this concert as well, I know I'd buy it.
By Linda @FINLAND (2009/03/26)
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