Ayumi Hamasaki: RULE

by Bradley Stern
filed under: Ayumi Hamasaki, Single Review

83a2cad3ae744e362f0b39e450aabc88 Ayumi Hamasaki: RULE
It’s the New Year…Must be time for another Ayumi Hamasaki release!

“RULE” is Hamasaki’s forty-fifth (sweet Jesus) single, planned as the international theme song for upcoming film, Dragonball Evolution.

With this new release, we find our Ayu returning once more to her classic rock roots, Grinding guitars and unstoppable, driving synths, as well as filtered vocals and a shouty chorus propel the track into familiar grungy musical territory (“Evolution”, “GAME”).

Sadly however, I remain unconvinced.

Similar to my sentiments regarding the previous single (“DAYS/GREEN”), I feel compelled to lament that, once again, the new single fails to inspire the same satisfaction presented within I Am…, Rainbow, or even MY STORY. I cannot help but declare the track to be ultimately…safe.

In some ways, I fear that Hamasaki has sonically surpassed her peak position, and is now preparing for a safe route back down toward the summit. She’s proven herself an icon, garnered an impossibly successful record run, and managed to stay relevant in an industry known for shape-shifting. However, nothing she’s done in the past two or three years seems to be connecting with me as well as her earlier work.

Perhaps it’s just my natural progression away from the J-Pop scene in the past few months?

Either way, I hope to be proven wrong in the near future.

The single “RULE/SPARKLE” will be released February 25. Click here to pre-order now!

DL: Ayumi Hamasaki – RULE (Sharebee)

Ayu…Return to the underground dance scene. For me? …Please?

pixel Ayumi Hamasaki: RULE

  • Anonymous

    Hey, I’ve been reading your blog for a while now but this is my first time commenting – Great site!

    Anyway, I agree she hasn’t done much that’s been original or interesting since… let’s say Memorial Address. There are exceptions though, for sure. Alterna, for example, is one of her best songs and Together When, Jewel, Until That Day, and some others are really good too. She does seem awfully comfortable resting on her laurels though, unfortunately. None of the former big name female artists are really doing much, though Namie seems to trying new things. There’s definitely good J-pop outside the familiar names though :)

  • Brad

    You’re right on the money…I’m so glad you’ve posted!

    There have certainly been a few stand out tracks, but I definitely think everything post-SECRET has been absolutely sub-par.

    Namie seems to be doing the unthinkable…Expanding into new and exciting territories. I’m only loving her more and more each day (while still loving hip-hop Style Namie of yesterday)!

    What are some of the artists you’ve found outside the larger sphere?

    Eri Nobuchika is one of my all time favorite “underground” stars.

  • Anonymous

    I do think that a few good tracks came out of GUILTY though – namely Together When and talkin’ 2 myself. (don’t) Leave me Alone almost worked but the structure or something made it awkward. Mirrorcle World wasn’t at all bad either, but none of her recent stuff ever has me thinking “Wow, I have the urge to listen to ___!”

    As for Namie, 60s70s80s was an iconic single in my view, but I’m a little wary of the new single, or at least Dr. from the preview. J-pop artists seem to have a tendency to try and be original i.e. classical music + grunge rock + pop and it comes out messy. Maybe she’ll pull through though, who knows right?

    As far as fringe artists, I don’t know how much you like your pop on the rockier side but ONE OK ROCK are really good as are UVERworld. Either band’s most-vieweds on Youtube are worth checking out. Also, Tentai Kanzoku by Bump of Chicken and 11 AM by HY.

    Electropopwise, I’m sure you’ve already heard and formed your opinions on Perfume and capsule but I love them. Aira Mitsuki and Ami Suzuki’s recent stuff too. There’s also this indie group called Portable out with 2 songs called Hajimesasenai and Boku no Bunshin which I’ve had on my workout playlist since I found them. What else… Big Bang’s basically Korean Justin pop (haha) and you may know them. Some real good stuff there, esp Haru Haru and Sunset Glow. Promise by Michi is a Japanese Miley’s See You Again. Depending on how much overproduction you can take, Sayonara Revival by saori@destiny.

    I’m kind of just rambling on and I probably have alot more, I don’t really know how much you’ve already come across. Also, I agree Eri Nobuchika is great – Voice and Lights are really the only songs that have grabbed me but if I gave her some time I think I’d find more because she has a great voice. Maybe not so much your genre, but Shiina Ringo is amazing, esp if you can understand Japanese but even if not her music is ace.

    Sorry that was looooong

  • Brad

    60s70s80s is one of the finest releases in J-Pop’s history post 00′s, as far as I’m concerned. SOLID SMASH.

    I’m also rather into the pico-pop scene, so I’m totally on board with your selections (Ami, Capsule).

    For some reason, I never connected to Ringo as much as I know she is important culturally for her lyricism.

    I’m definitely going to check out Portable. Thanks for this…You should definitely e-mail me sometime to discuss more j-pop :)

  • Anonymous

    http://www.myspace.com/groovyrecords

    is portable’s MySpace. I thought it might be somewhat hard to find as they’re kind of obscure and their group name is a common word. And I’ll definitely hit you up by e-mail. Maybe I could find out about some artists from you as well.