Secret was Ayumi Hamasaki's eighth studio album and was released on November 26th 2006. At the time Ayu called it her best album (I don't know if she still counts it as her best) and was one of her most personal. After the amazing (Miss) Understood album Secret had alot to live up to and with her calling it one of her best did it live up to expectations? Read my review of it below and please leave a comment^_^
The introduction to the album is Not Yet, a song which starts off softly and quiet. Ayu begins to sing over an almost trancey sound but as she begins to sing faster the beat becomes faster and more dancey. "HIMITSU O" comes out of nowhere over a fast dance beat. Ayu begins to sing "Himitsu o, kiseki o" continually over the beat whilst at the same time sounding a little trancey, I could imagine a PV with her lost in space to go along with this opening. After singing that the beat slows down again until once again becoming fast at the end. It is a good way to start the album off, she sounds reved up and will get the listener in the mood for the album. As I stated in my Next Level review this introduction reminds me of a more mature version of Bridge to the Sky (the introduction to Next Level). There arent' alot of lyrics in this song but the lyrics there are talk about finding the secret the listener doesn't yet know.
"I'll show you my secret, you don't yet know"
Unfortunately the first full track on the album is a lowpoint to the album, the interlude turned full song Until that day. The song starts off with an electro pounding beat before guitars are heard playing. The first time we hear Ayu on this track her voice has been tuned to sound electro. The guitars continue to play during the verse whilst an electro Ayu is singing. At the 1:14 mark we hear Ayu's real vocals and as always they sound clear and on point. Throughout the song her voice changes from electro to real (similar to the song Rollin). Once the breakdown kicks in the electro sound goes away for the sounds of just Ayu singing and the guitars being played, however the electro returns just before the chorus is replayed. The problem with the song is that it drags on and I don't find the beat that good to be turned into a full song (I would have preferred if Not Yet was turned into a full song), the chorus isn't that strong either though the "Uh-la, la, la's" are catchy. I think Startin would have been a better way to start the album and I prefer Rollin to this song. The lyrics talk about that besides what she may do only she knows the true her and she doesn't care about what others may think.
"Whenever and however I may sell this body by the piece, but I never give over my heart alone to anyone else"
We then hear one of the first songs that was released from this album, Startin! The song starts off with an electro beat before being played over a rock beat. Ayu begins to sing over the pop/rock beat until her voice becomes echoed in the pre-chorus. Once the chorus kicks a new pop/rock beat is heard, Ayu's vocals mould well into the song and whilst the chorus might not be "massive", it is catchy and recognisable (a much better song that Until that day in my opinion). The electro sound returns during the breakdown until the pop/rock sound returns for the final chorus. She ends the song by singing "Lalalala" as the electro beat once again appears. Whilst I do like the song and find it better than Until that day I still don't find it amazing. When I listen to it I think of Step You 2.0 even though it doesn't sound like Step You and when you finish the album if you are like me you probably won't find it one of the highlights of the album. The lyrics on the other hand are strong and are definitely a highlight by a lyrical standard. She talks about not hesitating ones self, we shouldn't be ashamed of ourselves just because we may be different.
"You are the only one in this world, no one can replace you"
Finally we hit one of the highlights of the album, the rock track 1 love! The song starts off with guitars being played until a dark and mysterious sounding Ayu enters the song. Her vocals as always suit the song and as the pre-chorus begins she begins to sing faster as the guitar beats prepare us for a build up. Just before the chorus starts she sings "Just 1 love". The chorus is strong and the guitars go insane as Ayu sings faster and with a more passion sound than was in Until that day and Startin. She slows down for the second chorus but picks right up where the first chours left off the second time around. The breakdown is just guitars being played and don't be surprised if your feet tap along during the song. The PV was one of my favourites from this album, the dark underground atmosphere and the circus tinge just added more to this already strong song. 1 love is defintely one of the songs you will remember from this album and is definitely a highlight to watch out for. Rock and Ayu just go hand in hand it seems^_^
"It's my nature to always get out of a line somehow"
We then head into our next song, It was. The song starts off with a quiet guitar sound until a quiet Ayu begins to sing. Her vocals aren't fast but they are clear, at 0.48 mark when the chorus kicks in she begins to sing faster and the beat becomes a little more rock tinged. Once the second chorus begins it slows down and becomes more calm again. The breakdown is calming and sounds very much like a summer song, the guitars sound calm until fastening up during the final chorus. The lyrics talks about how one season she spent with someone was the most fun yet quickest and she wishes it could happen again, they however are no longer/currently not in the picture. The song is good yet it was the one song I couldn't remember the sound of when I looked at the tracklist again. Unfortunately I didn't find it a highlight but it is far from being a bad song.
"The season I was with you was the most dazzling one, everything we saw was full of brilliance"
We then head into the first interlude to the album, LABYRINTH. It starts off with quiet Winter sounding bells being rung. The interlude is nice and calming and prepares us for the next stage of the album. It reminds me of a tad faster version of Jewel (the next track on the album). Listening to this and Jewel on Christmas Eve will definitely put you in the Christmas mood^_^
We then head into the next highlight of the album, the ballad Jewel. The song starts off with the piano being played softly and with a Winter sound until Ayu beings to sing softly. Her vocals (as always) sound great and if anyone doubts her ability so sing then they should listen to this song. Once the chorus kicks in she begins to sing a little louder and faster however even during the chorus the piano isn't being played any faster. Instead of a breakdown Ayu continues to sing however the piano has become quieter and it is almost just Ayu singing. Ayu's vocals make the song sound emotional and the song is definitely a treat to the ears. The PV (one of the most expensive in the world) is enjoyable and is worth watching, it will put you in the Winter mood. The lyrics talk about even in a world of temptation (not always good) there is light in her eye and there is someone who is innocent and trustworthy, her treasure. This song is definitely a highlight and shouldn't be missed, especially if you are a fan of ballads.
"Under the grey and square sky, is filled with all kinds of desires today"
We then head into the next highlight of the album, Momentum. The song starts off very airy until a clear Ayu is heard singing over a piano being played. The piano sounds more uplifting and more Summer-like than in Jewel however Ayu isn't singing fast. Once the chorus kicks in she begins to sing faster as the beat turns more dancey, it reminds me of Next Level (the song), the beat is dancey but not very electro, almost an organic dance beat if that makes sense? Despite the song sounding like a Summer ballad at times the lyrics paint more of a Winter ballad picture, she talks about how she longs for the times when she would spend Winter not alone and with the one she cares about. I count Momentum as one of the highlights of the album, it sounds "refreshing" and the song is catchy, I even found myself humming it after listening to it.
"The season when everyone longs to be around people, has come again this year"
Next up comes the second and final interlude to the album, Taskinst. The interlude starts off a catchy beat, its hard to describe it but it sounds like a song you would find in a babies music box. That is until the 0.39 mark when the song becomes a full fledged rock song with guitars being played before ending the same way it started, the sound of a babies music box. Listening to the introduction and these interludes its a shame Until that day was the interlude made into a full song, any of these in my opinion would have made much better full songs.
The song coupled with Startin is now heard, Born to be. The song starts off with an echoing sound of a gospel choir singing "Born to be free" until the echo stops and you can hear them full on. Drums are heard in the background as Ayu sings, listening to her in the verses I can't help but feel she is having a fun time singing this song, at the very least this song feels very close to her. Once the chorus kicks in she sings faster and sounds like she is having even more fun. The hook is the gospel choir singing "Born to be" and quite a hook it is. It fits with the songs sound and makes this song sound even more uplifting than it already is. The breakdown is a crowd cheering until just before the final chorus is played we hear island drums being played. The lyrics talk about keeping a promise she made as a child and even though at times that promise seems distant she will continue to follow it. I didn't think it at first but the song is definitely a highlight of the album, it may take more than one listen to convince you it is a highlight but it is worth it at the end^_^
I terribly made one mistake after another, but i've lived so to as not to regret my deeds"
After a string of highpoints we now head into the second lowpoint of the album, Beautiful Fighters. I use to enjoy this song but after listening to the album in full a few times I find this and Until that day as my least favourite tracks on the album (though they are far from rubbish tracks, just not as enjoyable). The song starts off with a whistle being played as well as an electro sound being played. Ayu beings to sing over a "cute" electro sound (cute/soft is the only way I could describe the instrumental). The beat begins to fasten as Ayu sings "We are beautiful fighters". The chorus is actually catchy and Ayu sounds great but the thing that turns me off the song is the electro sound which is played after each chorus. It's hard to describe why I don't like it but I don't find it enjoyable, it's a shame considering Ayu sounds to be having fun singing this track and the chorus is catchy. The breakdown is pretty much a whistle being played with this electro sound being played as well. The lyrics talk about girls who can fight past hard times without stopping or giving up are "Beautiful Fighters".
| "I wonder, about what time I noticed, that a fairy tale is no more than fairy tale" |
We then head into the Summer single, and what could potentially be one of Ayu's most popular Japanese singles if itunes Japan is anything to go by, Blue Bird. The song starts off with soft dance sounds being played (they sound like Summer) until Ayu begins to sing at a medium-to fast pace over the quiet sounds. Just before the chorus begins the beat slowly begins to fasten and Ayu begins to sing with more excitement. Once the chorus starts the beat becomes a more fast, dance beat and Ayu sings faster as she sounds like she is having Summer fun. The breakdown is relaxing after the fast dance beat, it is a mid-tempo dance beat that starts to get faster and make you more anxious as to whats coming next. She begins the final chorus with the beat being quieter than usual, that is until the beat explodes once more. The lyrics talk about her and the one she cares about flying across the blue sky looking at the beautiful land below them. The song is enjoyable and once again sounds uplifting, however I wouldn't call it a highlight of the album and I preferred the previous Summer single from (Miss) Understood, Fairyland.
"Words were not necessary, my place was always here"
As we draw closer to the album close we are once again hit with another album highlight, Kiss o' Kill. The song starts off with the sounds of echoing children chanting until Ayu sings over the sound of strings being played. At the 0.42 mark the beat becomes more orchestra/rock influenced before once again becoming quiet. The chorus really packs a punch as the orchestra/rock instrumental from before returns and Ayu begins to sing faster and with more emotion, she almost sounds angry and sounding like she wants revenge. The second verse's instrumental is more rock influenced and the second chorus is packed with more punch because as you listen carefully a drum sound is more clearly heard. The breakdown is music to the ears, the orchestra sound as well as the playing of guitars make this song more "epic", a way I would describe this song. As she begins the final chorus the instrumental is replaced with the sounds of the children chanting from the beginning as well as guitars being played. As always the lyrics are worth a read, she talks about however far she may be from someone she will always be close to them and they don't have to act different in front of her, she'll accept the real them. It's a shame this song didn't get a PV but the song is definitely one of the highlights of the album.
"The more you pretend to be strong, I see your weakness, the more you bare your fangs, I see your pain"
We now head into the final track of the album, the ballad title track Secret. The song starts of with the sound of a piano being played softly. Ayu begins to sing softly and quiet over the beat (this song sounds more quiet than Jewel). Once the chorus kicks in the piano starts playing more notes but it isn't much louder, Ayu begins to sing a little louder and faster but the song is still quiet. Her voice sounds perfect for this song (as it does for all her songs) and as I said about Jewel, if you doubt her singing abilities then you should listen to this song. The breakdown is a piano being played with other instruments being played on top. The lyrics talk about how she wants to leave a dark place and fly to a lighter/happier place. Secret is again one of the highlights of the album and is a song i'm sure you will enjoy, even if ballads aren't you type of music.
"Even if I search for a light place over the darkness, spreading the only wing left for me, I can't reach the truth alone"
Overall Secret is an enjoyable and worthwhile album for any new or longtime Ayu fan. The albums highpoints are really high (e.g. 1 love and Secret etc), but the album suffers from having even songs that don't provoke an emotion (It was) to disappointing tracks (Beautiful Fighters). Maybe the fact it came after (Miss) Understood put to much pressure on it to be good but the album lacks something other Ayu albums have. One thing which I enjoyed about this album (and i'm sure you will too) is the fact it sounds so personal, Ayu albums are always personal but this one feels very emotional and I give it props for that. Another thing I have noticed about Ayu albums is that they are hard to rate from favourite to least due to the fact each album brings something new to the table (which is good) so I can't say I hate any Ayu album but of the albums I own of hers Secret is the one I feel the least to replay which might hint at me not hating the album, just not enjoying it as much as others. One thing I have learnt from this review is that there are some songs I have just re-discovered (Born to be, Momentum). Overall give this album a listen to, it might not be my most played of hers but it might be one of your most played^_^ I hope you enjoyed this review and please leave a comment^_^
The song starts off with a very Euro sounding beat, quite loud before slowing down when Namie starts to sing. Already you feel quite calm listening to this song. The song starts to fasten up at the 0:59 mark after she says "Flight to the light". The song becomes faster during the chorus and sounds even more Euro. The hook "Wasenaide We Fight Together" is catchy and you will find yourself singing it even after listening to the song. The breakdown is slower but she doesn't seem to really sing any slower or quieter. Her voice throughout the whole song is good and whilst she may not have the clearest voice her voice does suit the song. Apparently the song won't be getting a PV and I haven't been able to find English lyrics yet.
Overall I find the song quite enjoyable. It's very refreshing and Summery and reminds me of Get Myself Back's more upbeat cousin. The song continues the recent quality of Namie's singles and if the other two A-sides are like this then we are in for another great single.
The album opens with Introduction. The song instantly starts off with a fast dance beat before it starts to get more of a "thump" sound at the 0:14 mark. Her voice appears at the 0:42 mark but it is echoed until we hear her more clearly at the 0:57 mark. Overall it is a good introduction for the album, very dancey and will prepare you for whats ahead!
We now head into a fan favourite and one of Ayu's most known singles, Boys and Girls! The song starts off with her singing ta-la-la until an electro-rock beat is heard until finally she begins to sing the chorus. The beat is dancey (much more than Immature's was) and her voice is clear and nice to listen to. She sings to song fast and with that plus the beat you get excited for whats ahead. The chorus is fun if that makes sense. The beat becomes fast and during most of the chorus she sings in a higher pitch, probably the highest pitch we have heard on this album so far. Both the pre-chorus and breakdown are catchy and during the breakdown the beat begins to slow down, it sounds quite dark and throughout the song you do get a dark vibe, a dark dance track! The lyrics talk about what makes someone happy, someone she knows has everything and still isn''t happy. It took me a while to like this song but once I did I deemed it a highlight of the album!
The next track on the album End Roll starts off with a soft sound of bells being jingled, it sounds very Winter-esque. Ayu begins to sing over an almost non-existent beat, the beat isn't really dancey but has dance elements in it. She continues to sing slowly until the chorus kicks in when she sings louder and higher as guitar are soflty played in the background. The song gives off a Winter vibe throughout it and her voice sounds nice to listen too. During the breakdown a guitar solo is played and it suits the song. The lyrics talk about how she is missing a time in her life but she realises it's time for her and the one she loves to go on seperate paths. The song is good but the chorus isn't what I expected, a great song but not a highlight.
We now head into Too late. The song starts off with a dark dance beat before Ayu's vocals are heard, they sound echoed like earlier tracks such as Fly High. Infact, this track will remind you of earlier songs on the album. During the chorus Ayu begins to sing faster over an uplifting dance beat before just after the chorus we hear the dark dance beat and echoed Ayu singing again. Her voice sounds good throughout the song and you will be tapping along but there isn't much besides the dark dance beat to remember of this song. The breakdown however is enjoyable and you will want to dance to that. The lyrics talk about how there is more to life than money and honor and how we continue to make ourselves believe that's all to life. A great song but not a highlight to the album.
Overall this is a great album, the fact that 3/4 of the album is highlights speaks volumes, I don't know why people don't mention this album more. The dancey feel suits this album and even though some people criticise her vocals being too high pitched I don't find that this album is too high pitched and everytime it is I think it suits the song. Even after a decade I can still play this album and this is going to be one of my most played Ayu albums!
The song starts off with her singing over the sounds of people clapping, already her voice sounds highly autotuned but as the song begins to start more we hear more of her voice, at first she has quite a deep voice but becomes less deep throughout the song. Throughout the song an electro beat is playing until it begins to fasten up at the 1:02 mark. Once the chorus begins she begins to sing faster and you can't help but tap along with the song. The beat is energetic and her voice is nice, it fits in with the song. The breakdown is nice as well, at first the song slows down before we begin to hear the instrumental before her voice once again returns. The PV is interesting, its very energetic and will for sure cause waves throughout Japan. I haven't been able to find English lyrics to the song yet but i'm sure they will be uploaded around the release date of the single.
Overall I find this single enjoyable, it's a great way to debut and she is already making a unique personality for herself. A singer I will be watching to see what else she releases in the future^_^
Overall I prefer The Speed Star to Girl Talk and if I had to pick one for Queen of Hip-Pop I would have picked The Speed Star. The song isn't that great though, I don't find myself listening to it much but it isn't terrible (Break it/Get Myself back are better than this though). I find Namie's songs are always hit and miss (especially pre-Style) and whilst this song is alright it definitely isn't one of her best songs, anything from Play and Past Future in my opinion pretty much beat this song.
BoA Identity!
