I am...

　　　　　　　　1. Preface
　Toward the end of the year 2001, when her new album "I am..." started to be put on sale at CD shops, though the official release date was Jan. 1 2002, questioned by an interviewer "What was this year like?", Hamasaki Ayumi answered "I remember clearly what happened and when happened." She also said in the interview of a magazine around the same time,
　The first half and the latter half were quite different this year. There was an unexpected sad incident, but it was also unexpectedly happy year to me. Very long, this year was.　　("R & R Newsmaker" Feb 2002)
　The first half and the latter half were quite different -- the first half was dark and the latter half was bright of course. So, what actually happened and how did she change internally due to them? I would like to clarify them as well as possible, taking up the singles and the best album released in the period in order of production, and to estimate this album which looks like her summarization of the year 2001. But, as there are two songs in this album made in the year 2000, I have to refer to them first.
　As written before, I think she had generally finished narrating her personal affairs by writing the lyrics of "The Trilogy" and "ever free". After taking leave of the adolescence, and clarifying in "SURREAL" that she would bear social responsibility as "Hamasaki Ayumi", what did she think she should do next? -- It was to make the songs clearly making for the outside, more concretely speaking, to sing of the thoughts she and the listeners have in common or to convey her thoughts and messages to the listeners. And I think the fruit of the former attempt was "M", and of the latter, "evolution".

　　　　　　　　2. "M" and "evolution"
　"M" is, however, not a song of pure novelty, and there certainly exists a song which can be regarded as the forerunner of it. It is "SCAR" put into the third album.
　Two people meet
　Understand each other
　And part
　Such a story is repeating somewhere today　　("SCAR")
　Please compare this with the following stanza of "M".
　There should be two people somewhere in this city today
　Who choose the way of separation
　The curtain falls quietly　　("M")
　Based on her words in a magazine interview and a concert, "SCAR" can be supposed to be the song of separation from her close friend. But in the part quoted above, she went farther than singing of the personal experience to thinking about the destiny of other people. From a personal matter to a general metter. It can be said that "M" was also a song made though a similar process, though the theme of "SCAR" was friendship, while that of "M" was love. (She did not sing of her personal experiences any more in "M" but sang of her personal emotions only. Maybe because she had thoroughly narrated about the former.)
　On the other hand, in the musical respect, "M" is the first song that she clarified her firm devotion to rock. Why did she make her way to rock? I think the reason is almost the same as that of the changing of her voice in the third album. The lyrics of "M" is reflecting acute pain. But she would not have felt like making such songs as "SCAR" or "End roll" any more, which were in the mood of "I am in deep grief." Rock in order to carry the weight and go for the outside holding acute pain, for the rythm of rock is the energy of life itself. And, if I point out one more reason, it would be the rebound in her after having done so complicated things in the third album. (From complicated and intricate to simple and straight -- this is not only the characteristic of "M" but that of the whole album.)
　Thus she made her way to rock. And, as any tunes the composers had offered did not appeal to her, she made the tune by herself to every fan's surprise -- with a pretty good result as was hardly thinkable as her first composition. By the way, as she used the pen name "CREA" then instead of "Hamasaki Ayumi", there have been ceaseless rumours that she does not actually compose or it is the name of the composer team, which seems stupid to me. There also seem to be many people who cannot realize why she used the pen name, even if they know she composed by herself. With only a thought that she is modest, it would be easily realized. (She actually told what would prove it in a radio program.) And, if I add one more reason she have not told, it would be her lack of confidence in her own composition at that time.
　The other song "evolution" is a representative message song of hers as well as "UNITE !" and "A Song is born". Which message? -- I don't need to explain here, as no one would misunderstand such simple and plain lyrics. (Simple, but not lacking of deepness.) Are there any precedents for the phrase as "Everyone is born crying in a loud voice"? If not, it can be said to be her remarkable finding. And the melody of this song is even more excellent than "M". The natural melody line quite fit for the quick and pressed lyrics. The strong beat and the dynamic arrangement. Led by the powerful and swinging performance, we get the rejoice of rock, the uplift feelings of life.
　Thus in this way, the composition she had started to do timidly brought her better results than expected, and she made a considerably good start after the release of the third album, too. But she stumbled over an unexpected stone at the very beginning of the year 2001. It was the release plan of her best album proposed suddenly, which I would like to call the "A BEST" affair.

　　　　　　　　3. The "A BEST" Affair
　Regarding "A BEST", Joijoi-san, administrator of the fan site "Ayu! love! ayu!", has recently given out a deal of article. I think the analysis comparing the re-recorded songs with the original version is minute and precise among the others. My impression after listening to "A BEST" was almost as same as this. To be brief, her singing in the re-recorded songs shows technical progress, but bears some undesirable habits at the same time. It has composure, but has lost the whole-hearted sincerity shown in the original version. There may be people who prefer the re-recorded version, but I personally prefer the original one.
　On the other hand, Joijoi-san describes the reason for releasing this best album as "her self-introduction at that time to the listeners." Is it right? It seems the result to me rather than the reason. And the reason in her own words, "As we have stepped into the 21st century" ("CD Data" April 5 2001) is quite likely to be thought afterward. Then, what was the true reason for releasing this album? -- My conclusion is that there was no reason at all. Or, more precisely speaking, no reason for her part, for this album was released due to the intention of the management of avex, not to hers. And the reason why the management of avex had intended to release it by all means was -- the Japanese settlement period in March.
　Regarding the expectations of record companies and the circumstances of the musical industries at that time, Calvados-san, administrator of the site "Calvadoshoff", had given out a long article with the title of "Artists, defend your fans. Fans, defend your artists." I think this is also minute and precise analysis. The only part I don't agree with him is the interpretation of the fact that the release date of "A BEST" fell on that of Utada Hikaru's second album "Distance". Calvados-san says definately "it was the conspiracy of avex and Toshiba EMI", but I don't think things went up to it. Considering that the release date of "Distance" was fixed earlier, I suppose it was avex who hit the release date on purpose.
　Well, then, how do you think about what is called the business strategy of avex?
　�@ No problem. The primal principle of a company is to earn profit, so it was a matter of course.
　�A A little problem. But as the album was released with her consent after all, it was not so big problem.
　�B Big problem.
　I will not agree with the people who think as �@ to the end of my life. So long as the profit first principle of a company is doninant and most people easily accept it, this country will never be better. I imagine that the people who think as �A are the most in number. But is it right? I would not make it into question, if it were not her but many other singers who obey the intention of the companies without much doubt and regard it as good anyways to release CDs while they are selling well. But she is a singer quite sincere to her fans, and must have been stung by conscience to release a CD which she could not find the reason for nor make herself consent to. I suppose her re-recording four songs, which is quite uncommon, was the expression of her intention to add some additional value to this CD somehow or other. (Though it is difficult to say that her attmpt made a success.) Also, in the "ROCKIN' ON JAPAN" interview held at that time, asked by the interviewer, "Weren't you afraid to release the best album?", she answered.
　I was afraid. A best album is, you know, both a starting and an ending. It may happen that the career ends there. Well, something about it. 　　("ROCKIN' ON JAPAN" April 2001)
　She knows of course there are many cases that the singers who have passed the peak of popularity, or more directly speaking, who are losing popularity release best albums. Though she answered lightly in the interview, the plan of releasing a best album must have given quite a shock to her, who is likely to lose self-confidence from the first and had already made such a song as "vogue" with a presentiment of the ending of her singer life.
　On March 28 2001, "A BEST" was released. Partially because avex intentionally produced the mood of confrontation with Utada Hikaru and stirred up the fans (I think neither of them liked to confront), it sold 4,250,000 copies, which was the largest sales of all the CDs she had ever released. Avex got financially stable, and everything seemed to be settled amically. But she is dropping tears in the jacket photo of "A BEST", and looks sadder than in any other jacket photos. (Similar photos were used in the article of "ROCKIN' ON JAPAN", too.) Also, I was surprised to see her CM for the "A BEST" release, which was put into "A Clips 2" released just a while ago. How it is extraordinally that she looks neglectfully and doesn't appear to be looking forward to the release at all! (Wasn't it a failure of avex to insert this CM to the PV collection?) I think the management of avex had obviously done a cruel thing to her then, betraying her trust and hurting her delicate and conscientious heart.

　　　　　　　　4. "ROCKIN' ON JAPAN" Interview
　Not a few people have mentioned about the article of the "ROCKIN' ON JAPAN" interview, held just in the midst of her recording "A BEST". It was an epochal long interview in which she was talking frankly and in detail about her various experiences and thoughts since her infancy, though she had seldom talked about them until then, and I think everyone who wants to know her deeply should read the article. (Without it, I might not have started writing this article.) But, first of all, how many people tried to think of the reason why this interview had been held?
　Worldly-minded grown-ups might say that every interview is held for advertisement. It may be true of 99 interviews out of 100. But, viewing things in such a utilitarian way, you will miss one exceptional case. And I think this interview is just the rare case. Is this interview really good for advertisement? She is letting out some excessive words in it, such as, she was a bad student in her junior high school days, the girls around her looked stupid in her model days, "M" should not have been sold so well as that, etc. Such words cannot be good for advertisement, and indeed, they might break her idol-like pure image, resulting in the decrease of her fans and CD sales. But, in spite of that, and objected by the avex staffs, why did she strongly wish to be interviewed? (Yes, the release of "A BEST" was at first glance intended by her, but actually by the management of avex. This interview was at first glance intended by ROCKIN' ON INC., but actually by herself. We must always confirm who intended it.)
　To my thinking, she was certainly holding repulsive feelings at that time against the management of avex, who forced her to release the best album against her will. But she was at the same time in a position where she could not tell that she had been unwilling to the release. (Actually she didn't tell it in this interview, though she told it in an interview of another magazine in April, after the release of "A BEST".) Not being able to tell the truth is the direct suffering to her who is honest and makes it a principle to be honest. Moreover, as I had written before, she had been feeling strongly since about a year before that she had always been misunderstood. -- "I wish to show my true colours, expose myself once to my heart's content, with any results to come." -- I suppose there had been such thoughts in her for a long time, and the thoughts got especially strong then.

　　　　　　　　5. "NEVER EVER" and "Endless sorrow"
　If the "ROCKIN' ON JAPAN" interview had been to be held a few weeks later, it might not have been realized. Even if realized, it should have been far more low-spirited one. Because she began to be in a serious, stagnant period from around the time, early in February. No other single songs are so contrastive as "evolution" and "NEVER EVER", released just before and after the recording time of "A BEST". The melody of the former was full of vigor, while that of the latter was commonplace and lacking of charms. The lyrics of the former was strong and in believing in life, while that of the latter was the opposite.
　If you show me just a little smile
　It is worth while I am still here, isn't it?
　If you need me just a little
　I can still be living here, can't I?　　("NEVER EVER")
　Had she ever written such a feeble lyrics as this? The song title is all in capital letters, but I suppose it is the exceptional capital letters as well as "WHATEVER", pretending to be strong.
　The following single "Endless sorrow" makes my heart ache, too. I had written before that she had been thinking over whether she had to save others or not while creating the third album, still she had to carry over the question after all without finding a clear answer. But she confronted the question in this song. And the answer she worked out was --- Yes.
　Even if there is
　No wing left for you
　If only there is
　One wing left for me　　("Endless sorrow" single version)
　It is easy to understand the meaning of this lyrics. But I suppose only a few people feel sympathy for it. There would be not a few people who are going to help others when they have mental composure. But when lacking of it and in difficulties, many people think only of themselves, not of others. (I don't say it is wrong. It is the natural motion of our heart and mind.) But, just under such conditions, her heart and mind make for other people. Why? -- There will be only one answer that she is quite moral. Impressive, but at the same time painful. And listeners might be anxious that she may not be able to find the exit, once she sings of such despairing "endless sorrow".
　The main factor which drove her to such a mental state would be the "A BEST" affair. But one more important factor can be pointed out. It is regarding her composition.
　When I started to compose by "M", it was an enjoyable work to me. My thought at that time was it would be good if I could make a tune for a single once out of several times. But in the meantime, I was expected by the people around.... And then, while composing "NEVER EVER" and "Endless sorrow", I was almost crying making the tunes, and I thought I should rest a while.　　("pause" Jan 2002)
　The expectation by the people around -- but it was certainly her producer, Mr. Matsuura, who had the force to her more than any other staffs around her. I hear that he actually said at that time "I thought the person who can write lyrics can compose, too." and said to her "Compose by yourself all the songs of the next album." As they are the postings in BBS of some fan sites, I cannot assert they were exactly true stories. But, supposing they were true, his words must be regarded as too easy and irresponsible. She had long been doing the training of words since her elementary school days. But she had never done that of composition. He should have developed her talent much more carefully. And, generally speaking, a beginner's works directly reflect his state of mind. The melody of "NEVER EVER" compares unfavorably with any other melodies of her composing. The melody of "Endless sorrow" (single version) has got better, but there are still some unnatural phrases. If I express in a conventional way, Mr. Matsuura and she were lacking enough mutual understandings at that time. If I express quite ironically, it seems the management of avex including Mr. Matsuura liked to destroy her talent at the beginning of the year 2001.
　According to her words, she became very pessimistic after making up "Endless sorrow", and was spending the days without appearing in the media nor working. I think it was the critical period to her, second to the first half of the year 1999. She began to think seriously of resting from work. As the Dome Tour was near at hand, she would be going to rest after it. I think it was in fact very likely.

　　　　　　　　6. "UNITE!" and "Dearest"
　But, suddenly in early July, her new single "UNITE!" was released. As I had just got to know her then and could not imagine at all whatever circumstances she was under, I felt rather uneasy about her after listening to "NEVER EVER" and "Endless sorrow". But I remember when this song reached my ears, I was moved and thought "Oh, she is all right with this." "UNITE!" is a great song. I think the melody ranks first together with that of "Naturally" among all she has made, but I will write fully about it later.
　Let's walk, stumbling sometimes, holding
　Freedom in the right hand, love in the left　　("UNITE!")
　The word "love" had appeared in her lyrics many times, but it was for the first time she used the word "freedom". Why? -- I think it was because she became clearly conscious at that time that she was restrained. Has everyone noticed that the theme of the three PVs, "evolution", "Endless sorrow" and "Dearest" is restraint and freedom? Especially the PV of "Endless sorrow" has attained the acme, in which she thought closely about the country where conversation is prohibited and the lives of the people who live there. (What an imagination!) Also, in the CM of "NEVER EVER" made during the time, the shot of her inside the wire netting with her hands bound by chains was shown. When she introduced the new song "UNITE!" in a concert of the Dome Tour, she said, "Making it simpler and simpler, and there remains only freedom and love." I think this is also awsome intuition. Yes, because in Japanese society of today, it is relatively easy to get the other things, but it is much difficult to get the two.
　From the timidity and loss of self-confidence of "NEVER EVER", the loneliness and despair of "Endless sorrow" to the hope and unity of "UNITE!". What were the incidents which led to this desirable reversal drama? -- I suppose there were mainly two. One would be that she came to have confidence in others little by little while preparing for the Dome Tour (June 22 to July 7) together with many staffs. And the other would be the starting or the restarting of the association with Nagase Tomoya. It was later in September that she made it public. But, as she told what suggested it in a concert of the Dome Tour, I suppose it had started just around the time she wrote "UNITE!". (Otherwise, if she had recovered by herself without such a favourable turn in her private life, there is no words to describe it but amazing mental power.)
　Speaking of the Dome Tour, she fell down from the stage in a reharsal and got injured in the ligament of her leg. But as she was helped by many staffs after the accident, her mental conditions got even better. Moreover, after the concert in Osaka, she found a kindred spirit in D.A.I-san (Mr. Nagao Dai), whom she had not been on friendly terms with, and they tried to collaborate in composing. The song made in this way was "Dearest", a warm and tender song at a midium tempo, different from her previous songs in rock style.
　It was very cold, snowstorming until then. I could not look forward and wondered if I could advance. But then, it was like everything melted suddenly.　　("CD Data" Oct 5 2001)
　Until then, but from when? It was probably be the time of making "NEVER EVER" in her mind at the interview. But, looking back upon her musical career now, I think such hard and severe days had started much earlier than that. What I have in mind is "WHATEVER". I think she had been spending the long winter days after the song in general, with occasional Indian summer days, and then could finally feel the arrival of the spring she had wished for so long.

　　　　　　　　7. "Naturally" and "Connected"
　I would like to pick up some from among the album songs, too.
　Firstly, "Naturally" is her trial of summarizing briefly her musical career for about three years and a half since the debut. You will be able to make a rough guess when she "kept on running and running", when her "heart was to be broken", and when she "was taking the matter too seriously". Concise and honest lyrics just like her without any needless words nor exaggeration.
　What is sad is to give up
　No more needs for the days of mere fun　　("Naturally")
　The brief phrases inserted just before the climax parts in the first and the second verse respectively. It is a surprise to see there still remained such marvelous words. And in the last stanza appears the phrase she had never used before -- "sharing freedom and loneliness". I think it plainly shows the desirable change of her state of mind after the time of "UNITE!". As I think the central song of her first, second, third album is "Trust", "TO BE", "SURREAL" respectively, that of this album would certainly be this song.
　On the other hand, "Connected" is an experimental song with a sense of fun, contrasted with "Naturally".
　Look up, see, compare, and
　Hold cheap, waver, forsaken　　("Connected")
　After these words suggesting the bitter ending of a love game, paradoxically the following phrase.
　We are connected at every place　　("Connected")
　You will see if warm words had been used in the second stanza instead of the cold and severe words, this lyrics would not have been a success at all. Her acute sense of words is reflected well.
　I hear that she actually wrote this lyrics for the composer, Ferry Corsten. (His melody and arrangement are marvelous, too.) The idea of alliteration, which is rarely seen in Japanese lyrics, was thought out under the circumstances, and he was kept in her mind when she wrote "kimi" (you) in the lyrics. But, once that the song was completed, "kimi" became the personal pronoun applied to everyone who listens to the song. Also, the power of words is especially cared and taken into consideration in this lyrics, and there are actually two other songs with similar features in this album. But I would like to touch on the point in "Addendum".

　　　　　　　　8. "A Song is born" and her Social Concern
　The lyrics of "A Song is born" was written under the influence of the simultaneous terrorisms acted in USA on Sept. 11 2001. As a very interesting interview article on the making process of this song has recently appeared, I would like to quote it here.
　When making the song "a song is born", I told Mr. Komuro and Mr. Matsuura how I was thinking about the recent terrorisms. But they were thinking differently, as they are adults. They said they wanted to make a song to say "sorry" for not having noticed before the incident which situation the world is in now.
　But I said I was not going to "reflect on" my way of living before it. It's not true that I had been slack in my living until the incident, nor it caused me to think newly that I should live seriously. It's true that the incident was really shocking and stroke my heart, but I told them I was feeling that I, as "Hamasaki Ayumi", should not apologize. I was not going to say as "Let's make the world in peace", either.
　So I sang, "Though I can do nothing but deliver this song from such a place as this." Not in the tone as "Listen, listen", but as "I am pleased, if you listen even just a minute."　　("Nikkei Entertainment" May 2002)
　How did you feel after reading this article? My impression was -- "Which on earth is an adult?"
　Komuro Tetsuya actually made another song entitled "the meaning of peace" as part of the "SONGNATION" project, too, and let BOA and Kouda Kumi sing it. This is just the lyrics of "reflecting on" the way of living and saying "sorry". But it is unclear to the end whom, what and why the narrator is apologizing for. And the song title "the meaning of peace" is not suitable for the lyrics in which some private experiences seem (or is pretended) to be narrated. I feel irritated to read such vague and unnatural lyrics. How straight and sincere the lyrics of "A Song is born" is in contrast to that!
　The lyrics of "A Song is born" is, in fact, almost as same as the opening message of the Dome Tour with slight difference. But it doesn't mean that she was neglect in making it up. The incident of Sept. 11 certainly shocked her, but when she was going to write a lyrics from what she thought then, she noticed she had already uttered such words. In other words, her social concern had started to grow before the incident.
　In the Japanese society of today, where many people think that young female singers always sing love songs or they do not have to sing other types of songs, her uncommonness of not knowing her place and not staying within a framework is very attractive. But, if I say without fearing to be misunderstood, the problem of war and peace is relatively an easy theme and would be the easiest to take up from among all the social problems in this country. Because Japan has not made war for more than half a century, and there has been formed the national consensus that war is evil and peace is good. (Actually, not a few singers have taken up the theme, apart from young female singers.) But, then, why this country is not comfortable? Though we have been in peace for more than half a century and the GDP of our country is over 500 trillion yen, why people cannot have dreams or hopes and cannot enjoy their lives, with unhappy looking faces? The leading politicians and the top managements of the leading companies say in one voice, "Because of the depression". But can we be content with such an answer?
　Of course she cannot confront such problems, either, for her knowledge and understandings of the Japanese society of today are still insufficient. But, as she is a person of insight and not afraid of looking at reality, I expect she will in future step into the fields, too, which the other singers have not stepped into.

　　　　　　　　　9. A Composer, Hamasaki Ayumi
　It is for the first time that so many songs of her own composing have been contained in the album. She composed nine songs by herself and three songs in cooperation with other composers. How is her ability to compose? I think it is on the whole excellent.
　If I point out the virtures of her melodies, would be as follows.
　�@ Many excellent phrases
　�A Clear and dramatic structure
　�B Many key changes at will
　And among them, �B is especially the striking characteristic of hers, compared with other composers' works. "M" (C# - A#m), "evolution" (Am - Em), "Naturally" (C#m - F#m), "still alone" (A - F#m) --- key change is done very effectively in any song, still they are the changes to the relative keys according to the musical theory. (To the parallel, dominant, subdominant, parallel key, in order.) But as for "Dearest" (F# - Am), "I am..." (Eb - Am), "Daybreak" (Em - D), they can be said to be very unique key changes, never written in textbooks. And what surprised and impressed me most is the key change appearing in the shift from the B melody (the second part) to the climax part of "UNITE!". As the last pitch name of the B melody is B and the fitst one of the climax part is D ("Ji" of "Jiyuu o migite ni"), if you try to sing the part without music, for instance, you will realize how difficult it is to jump to the pitch, for it is by a semitone higher than the commonly supposed pitch, C#. A quite unique and acrobatic key change. But, once that D is used this way, it is so novel, more effective than jumping to any other pitches, and it is realized that this is the only right answer. (By this key change, the tonality of "UNITE!" became C#m - Ebm - Em. In other words, this is the form of ascending minor key, just accepting the demand of this lyrics which makes for hope bearing the weight.)
　Why do key changes appear so often in her melodies? There would be several reasons, but the biggest one would be that the main theme of her lyrics is in most cases the conflict between severe reality and her will to make for the light in spite of that. In other words, it would rather be natural in her case that the mood and feelings are wavering. ("NEVER EVER" and "Endless sorrow" alone have no key changes, and their melodies are monotonous and inferior to the others. I think it clearly shows that she had been in the mental stagnation then.) I have often heard the assertion of others that the stock of the song melodies has almost been exhausted. And my thought to it was that it may be so without the technique of key change, but with it, there is still a good possibility that unique and novel melodies will be created. I think it was proved admirably owing to the appearance of D.A.I-san, her, and so on.
　Her ability to compose is excellent, and if it were not for "NEVER EVER" and "Endless sorrow", it would be possible even to use the word, outstanding. Then, why could she get such ability? Did she have the talent by nature? -- Though it is impossible to compose without certain talent of course, I would like to add with confidence her learning and efforts to it. But, looking over her career, we cannot find any traces of her learning composition. When did she do it? -- I think she have been doing so unconsciously ever since she made her debut as a singer.
　It is often said in the circles of antique art that you should try to see excellent things only and try not to see inferior things if you wish to have the first-rate discerning eye. I think that to observe the two rules is effective to get the first-rate sense not only in discerning antique art but in every other field of art, and especially to observe the latter is important. Because if a would-be composer often listens to commonplace melodies and is attached to commonplace phrases, for instance, they will certainly be mixed in his own melodies, too. She had never wandered into such byroads, as she had little been interested in music before the debut. And the music she has listened to after the debut was almost all her own songs. And the melodies, which she had chosen by her own sensibility from among those proposed by excellent composers, were most of all the first-rated works. In other words, she observed the two rules mentioned above unconsciously, and succeeded in getting an excellent ability to compose in a very short time. (But, granting that, I think at the same time that composition was just a challenge to her and especially to make tunes for singles without any studies was just like risky ropewalking. If it had taken her a little more time to master, she would have been obliged to rest from work after "Endless sorrow".)
　Lastly, I would like to add that D.A.I-san's influence is clearly seen in the melody endings of "Naturally" and "still alone". Both melodies end with Do though they are in minor keys, which dams up the enhanced emotions admirably. This is exactly one of the techniques D.A.I-san is good at and uses often, as I had pointed out when writing on "LOVEppears". But I think it doesn't mean she imitated him but it is the results of her having mastered the technique completely.

　　　　　　　　　10. Total Estimation
　From the artistic point of view, it is difficult to say that this album is as almost perfect as her previous three original albums. Excuse me for touching "NEVER EVER" again and again, but it sounds inferior to other songs. (The defect of the melody of "Endless sorrow"has become unnoticeable in the album version.) Several literary words are mixed intentionally in the lyrics of "no more words", as is rare with her, but it is difficult to say the attmpt was a success. On the other hand, the lyrics of "A Song is born" is clear and remarkable with a wish for peace, but as the melody and arrangement of Komuro Tetsuya are too slow and gentle, this song alone sounds isolated in the album. (It would be caused by the difference of their awareness of the issue rather than that of their abilities to compose.) The arrangement on the whole has become simple and straight, in contrast to the elaboration of her second and third albums.. It is not bad in its own way. But I don't admire much the arrangement mixed with noises. ("I am...", "still alone", "Daybreak" and "taskinlude".) I think lyrics can be excellent even if it is not smooth and tasty, but music should be always beautiful, for music is more sensuous and direct to man than words.
　As above, this album has some weak points which were not seen in her previous albums, but at the same time, has its own attractiveness covering them. It is the primitive energy of rock, the strong affirmation of life. As she challenged composition for the first time in this album, it was not amateurish imitation at all but should be called the appearance of a new composer, Hamasaki Ayumi, with excellent ability and unique sense. As she made her way clearly to rock in this album, she went farther than stepping into rock to establish "Hamasaki Ayumi's rock", most sound and healthy of all the genres of rock music. It is quite amazing that she had accomplished them in such a short period, one year and a few months. Her concern has clearly made for the outside in this album, and it has become the "Move" album more obviously than I had expected. I think it may not be perfect, but is the ideal fourth album.
　As there is
　One wing left for me　　("Endless sorrow" album version)
　When she put "Endless sorrow" into the album, she changed not only the arrangement and some parts of the melody but the last two lines of the lyrics as above. She told it was because she had wanted to save the song. ("pause" Jan 2002) -- Can she make her way toward the light, for certain hope or happiness hereafter, after getting out of the long winter season? We cannot make any guesses. But I think the situation has got clearly better than at the times of the second and third albums. (It is for the first time that I have not felt anxious after listening through her original album.) As there are still several things I could not write fully, I would like to supplement in "Addendum".


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