Review by Jimmy

For a debut album, A Song for XX is very solid. It is also unlike any of her other albums. For the most part this album is an autobiography of her life up until that point in time. The lyrics of each song touch upon many things, but most of all they reflect the emotions of a young girl finding her way in life. This album offers up songs of all varieties, from cheerful and uplifting songs like SIGNAL and Present to sorrowful and despairing songs like POWDER SNOW. I'm sure the title track holds a special place in many Ayu fan's hearts; I know it certainly holds one in my heart. The lyrics are very heartfelt, emotional, and something I think only Ayu could have written. They are honest emotions that really give the listener a sense of Ayu's despair and sadness. It just affirms some of the unfortunate events she experienced early in life such as her father abandoning her or her inability to trust adults. All of the album tracks are worth mentioning because her lyrics and her way of singing honestly make them praise-worthy. I particularly enjoyed POWDER SNOW for its poetic lyrics and powerful aura of sad emotions. Single tracks worth mentioning are YOU and Depend on you; the former for its excellent way of depicting the passage of the seasons and the latter for being such a classic Ayu pop song. Out of her first 5 singles released, I think I loved these two the most. Overall, this album is very unique. One does not get something out of it just by listening. I know I did not by doing this. I recommend that people actually try to understand what this young girl is writing about. They are pure and honest emotions. Ask yourself if an average 19 year old could write such things. It is quite mind blowing to say the least. As with one of her other albums, this one stands by itself. I would not recommend this for someone who's never heard her before; more than likely it'll turn off people right away. With all things considered, it's a classic worth owning for Ayu fans though.

There's not too much to say about this album. All of the tracks on here were big hits in Ayu's early days. There is a reason this is one of the highest selling albums in Japan of all time. SURREAL and SEASONS were particular favorites. It's nice to have but it's not a must, this album. The re-recorded tracks were a plus but I don't notice too much difference from the originals. Her voice did change from 99-00 but the difference is not so profound as her singing an old hit with her current voice now. It should be noted that this album really was made with tears. There's a reason the cover is what it is. It was not an album Ayu wanted to do at that time. She herself said it was too early for a compilation album. I just cannot bring myself to enjoy something that pained Ayu to create. I respect her very much for re-recording some of the tracks, which definitely gives more value to owning this compilation. She had her fans in mind when she did this; not to mention it was also an act of defiance against her label. In the end, I would recommend this album to someone who wanted to get into Ayu but didn't want to listen to her first three albums first. As a matter of fact this would be better than listening to ASFXX, which might turn off some listeners not accustomed to Ayu's voice during her debut; A BEST is a nice summation of Ayu's first 3 years in the business. If you are a true fan of hers, please buy this album without hesitation to support her works.

This is probably one of if not my favorite album from her. As the title would suggest, this album really is a rainbow, serving up all kinds tunes from fun catchy pop songs to beautiful and forlorn ballads. The singles of 2002 were undoubtedly some of the best works of her career; it was also a time period she exercised control of almost all her works under the pseudonym CREA. Combined with DAI's composing prowess, they really were a duo to reckon with. As such, they made this album extremely worthy acclaimed. Voyage was my particular favorite single of this album. The arrangement of the strings flowed impeccably and the sheer beauty of the song just cannot be compared to anything else. I would argue that it is the gem of RAINBOW. This is not to say that the three tracks of H and Free & Easy weren't just as excellent. As far as album tracks, hard pop songs like Real me and WE WISH were excellent. This was the first time Ayu started to use English lyrics, and I think she used them to great effect, especially in the song Real me. As others have said too, I do not think she could have gotten across her idea of the song with Japanese alone. Heartplace was my favorite album track though. What made it all the more special to me is the fact that it is a work solely of CREA's. The unique composition with the raging guitars and the strings has her signature all over it. It is an ingenious song; the addition of violins into this song makes it very unique. I would never think strings would have a place in a raging song such as this. It's filled to the brim with emotions and the way Ayu sings just affirms the fact. I do admit the English verses sound a little off, but everything makes up for it. Overall, this album stands alone. It was one of her most diverse works until maybe (miss)understood in 2006. That's nearly 3 years. RAINBOW will always hold a special place in my heart. The only regrettable thing is that the actual song "RAINBOW" was not included. I'm of the opinion that a secret track called "RAINBOW" would make it THE Ayu album.

To be honest, my "Kuu fever" had died down in 2008. I felt very out of tune with her. I remember being very anxious for her though, after what happened with the whole controversy. After I gave this DVD, my interest in her was immediately restored. A stunning performance to say the least, showcasing all three sides of Kuu in three segments of the show. I particularly enjoyed the opening to this concert. My heart was racing to see what would happen, and I did not at all expect her to just come out the way she did; a flashy entrance that only someone of Kuu's caliber could pull off. Her voice was near flawless for this show, especially during the ballad segment, where I thought her vocal prowess shone the most. Ai no Uta's performance sent chills down my spine, as did the subsequent hands. The funnest portion of this show had to have been at the end. Wonderland was a very refreshing way of kicking things off and as always, Kuu is very daring with her shows. It's so refreshing to see her do all these kinds of stunts in the air. Other notable performances I particularly enjoyed were anytime and girls. And as always, she closed out with walk, which is not something I mind at all. It's always nice to see her performing such an oldies song. Moon Crying was a nice added bonus too, seeing as this tour was before the release date of Moon Crying or close to it. Overall this was easily one of her most visually and audibly stunning concerts that no person calling themselves Kuu fans should miss.

Something definitely felt different about this album compared to some of her other ones. Feels like a full-blown rock album from the J-pop queen. I like some of her rock numbers but not really the ones on this particular album. It wasn't Humming 7/4 material. That was only the beginning though...all her j-pop stuff is in the second part of the album. One of my absolute favorite ballads and Ayu songs is on this album though: Jewel. It has to be one of the saddest songs I have ever heard...the piano and her voice together are absolutely brilliant. It sets such a sad mood that makes you want to cry. I really love Momentum and Beautiful Fighters too. Very pretty cover art.

Album wasn't bad at all. Though I do like some of her prior albums better, this album is still worth every listen. Unlike Secret this album mixes up the pop and rock tracks. I was kind of disappointed there were only 5-6 new album songs though (I'm not counting the 1-2 minute intro/interludes). Of those new album tracks, the one song that had an impact on me was obviously Untitled (For Her). I particularly loved (Don't) Leave Me Alone as well, but what I really wanted was a PV for Untitled and not (Don't) Leave Me Alone...it was quite boring and I'm sure they could have made a better PV for Untitled.

This live blew me away. It was so well done and fast pace. One song led into another impeccably. The drums they wheeled out for a few of the songs was clever and fit very well. Unlike her other lives there was little downtime between the costume changes and she made it entertaining even when she was not on stage. A lot of my favorite songs were in this concert which made me love it more. Endless Sorrow was probably one of the saddest songs when she was suspended on that cross. It was so beautiful. The acoustic version of Heaven was also very sad. Ayu had so much energy in this concert and she looked damn good. A live for all Ayu fans to watch and enjoy.

For some reason this live didn't live up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong it was a very solid live. Everything from beginning to end was well done. I just didn't like it as much as her other ones. Maybe it was the camera angles...they kept switching to random angles and people. Seeing more of the crowd would have been nice. The whole time it was mainly focused on the stage and you couldn't see how big the audience was. Not my favorite set list but still some great songs. Teddy Bear had to have been my favorite performance...Ayu sitting next to a big teddy bear. I'm pretty sure she lip synched a few songs which ruined it for me. I don't blame Ayu though...she was doing a pretty complex dance routine and she would have been off on her notes. Sometimes when she was singing it looked weird. It was like the audio and video didn't exactly match up...as if there was some lag or the video was being fast fowarded. I blame the rapid camera angle switching... Other than that I would recommend this live to fans of Ayu...not to someone trying to get into her though.

First single since her "suspension". I'm always a fan of these four A-side or "element" singles. They really are worth every buck. Moon Crying is a nice ballad although I think it could be better if it was shortened a little. Some parts just get too repetitive after a while. I'm not a big fan of Fergie...and That Ain't Cool was all Fergie. Kumi had such a small part in that whole song. I have no idea why it's "featuring Fergie". It should be the other way around. Once Again is relaxing to listen to...Lady Go is like your typical Kumi pop song, nothing special about it. Moon Crying PV was sad. I think it told a good story that matched the emotions and feelings given off by the song. That Ain't Cool PV was another story...damn it Fergie I don't need to see you flexing in tight spandex on a table! Kumi looked hawt in it. The making PV for this song was funny though. Kumi trying to speak some Engrish: "yah yah yah...yah yah...yah". Good stuff. For 20 bux I'd say the CD+DVD is really worth the money, thus I would recommend this to Koda Kumi fans.

Verb is a real catchy rock tune. I love the guitar riffs in this song. Hisashi does a great job. The music video for it was pretty cool too, with all kinds of fancy video effects. I expected the Starless Night live on the DVD to be an actual live...not video footage of them playing the song played to the song. It did rekindle my interest for the song though and made me interested in buying their High Communications Tour DVD.

I never knew Ayu could put on a great show. From beginning to end, I saw the type of musician she was. Singing hit songs such as Evolution and Surreal, I really enjoyed watching this performance. She is quite a genuine person. A Song for XX was performed with such emotion it sent chills down my spine. I never knew she had such a powerful voice even if it does squeak at certain parts.

D'espairsRay continues to impress with new sounds. They stick to their industrial metal roots while evolving the sound of their music, taking it in many directions. This single was worth every penny. Cocoon has A-side potential, and like its name implies, Brilliant is indeed brilliant.

Koda Kumi is one of the best entertainers out there. She can do it all. No doubt she has a strong singing voice but she can also dance and perform. This performance at Tokyo Dome really kept me glued to my television set. There were surprises at every corner with guest appearances from The Blue Man Group and Tohoshinki/DBSK. The beginning of this concert was probably her flashiest one yet. She really knows how to get the crowd going and excited. Her sound was off a little on some of the songs but I don't mind. It's not easy to do 3 things at once.

A very solid debut album. Has a lot of different songs that makes for a good listening experience. Great ballads such as Come Back, Your Song and Walk really show off Koda Kumi's vocal talent. The English versions of Take Back and Trust Your Love are a nice bonus. I would only recommend this album to hardcore fans of Koda Kumi. For a first album it's very good but it pales in comparison to some of her latest stuff. After all her style has evolved quite a bit.

I thought this album focused on more styles other than J-pop. She really does a good job with most of the album tracks. 1000 words and Pearl Moon are among some of her best ballads; really sad ones too. Again I feel that I would recommend this only to diehard Koda Kumi fans. I don't think this album is a good portrayal of her music.

By far my favorite album from her. I loved almost every track. Find Me, Daydreamer, Am I Wrong?, Love Is All are all great tracks. To me each one has a potential to become a single. I've never liked so many album tracks on a Yui album before. She combines J-pop with light rock impeccably. Greatly recommended to people who want to get into Yui. Every song has a unique composition and it never gets old with Yui.

One of my favorite albums from her. I really loved some of the album tracks such as Uso Mitaina I Love You, Deep River, and Tokyo Nights. She really does a great job composing each album track. It's got a good blend of different pop songs. Of course, who could forget Hikari? This album should be bought just because that song appears on it. Highly recommended to any fan of J-pop.

Really a diverse album. Some of the tracks on this album really make it relaxing to listen to. Heart Station, Stay Gold, Beautiful World are great. I'm glad Prisoner of Love became a recut single because it definitely has A-side potential. Catchy to listen to.

This debut album was awesome. Ayaka really has a penchant for composing different kinds of sounds. She combines guitars, violin, piano, drums, and other instruments. I didn't absolutely love most of the album tracks but they were still great to listen to. I didn't like them, but I didn't dislike them; I think this says a lot. I can say this album started on a very good note with Start to Love, then went out with a blast with the awesome ballad Mikazuki.

This DVD is loaded with some of Kumi's best love songs. I'd definitely recommend this to any one who wants to get into Koda Kumi...it's in ballads where her voice really shines. Every track is worth a listen. I'm just sad they didn't include Yume no Uta...that would have made this THE compilation album.