Ayumi's New Album: NEXT LEVEL

Tada! I finally got my hands on Ayumi Hamasaki's latest album release, NEXT LEVEL. I am actually quite late in buying this album because I totally forgotten about it. It was only until my colleague had asked me whether I enjoyed listening to the latest album, then it dawned on me that I forgot cleanly about the buying.

So I went down to Plaza Singapura yesterday and promptly bought the album from Sembawang CD shop. It was quite expensive, being pegged at S$27.50 but since it's a 2CD+DVD packaging, I didn't mind it that much. After all Ayumi's albums are always very impressive.

This new album is so pretty that it makes me feel as though I'm carrying a candy around with me. See the CD cover below:

She's very pretty, right? Awww...

In fact, I had just realised that I have been supporting Ayumi's works for a decade, well almost a decade anyway. That's a long time, isn't it? Right from her early days when I first heard of her in the song, SEASONS. That song was first released in the album, Duty, way back in 2000. However I only started buying her albums when she released a compilation, A BEST, in 2001. That was my very first Ayumi CD and I was immediately drawn to her wonderful and strong vocals and moving music.

In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she wrote all the lyrics in her songs and even arranged some of her own songs too. Sometimes she would credit herself as 'crea' but sometimes she would also use her own name.

However, I am honest enough to admit that I don't own ALL her albums at all. By this, I mean all her singles, all her remixes albums, all her compilation albums as well as her regular studio albums. That would break my bank, not to mention that I would be buying the same songs over and over. I'm not such a fanatic fan after all. But I do own almost all of her studio albums and compilation albums.

Nonetheless, I still get to enjoy her songs and she's really the best in Japan. Too bad I don't have the opportunity to attend her concerts. That has been one of my longest dreams but sadly enough, Singapore can't afford to host her concert here due to economical reasons. Well, that is to be expected, since she's the top earner in Japan's entertainment world.

Too bad I don't get to share the same birthday as her. She is born on 2 October while I'm born on 3 October. Argh.... Just 1 day difference. Well, at least we share the same horoscope, Libra. Wee!

All right, I'm off to listen to her new album and wander into Ayu-land!!!