ayumi hamasaki - Party Queen (CD+2DVD)

"I am the Party Queen~ I am the Party Queen~"

The Queen of J-Pop strikes back with her 13th studio album on March 21, 2012 - Party Queen!! Like all her previous albums (except her really classic ones before "My Story"), her albums came in different versions. This time round, there are 5 different versions to her latest studio album! That's a lot of variations for the same thing, yes?

This time round though, I did not get the limited edition version of the album because it's seriously way too expensive. Here's how the limited edition version looks like...

ayumi hamasaki - Party Queen (Special Limited Box Set)
Source: http://avexnet.or.jp/ayu/jp/discography/index.html

Well, other than the fact that the box set costs almost S$400 (I can buy my Nintendo 3DS and several games with that kind of money!), I think that the box looks pretty funny. First of all, it features the much overused leopard prints which is conveniently recycled from the concepts of Duty and GUILTY. 

Secondly, the premium items that came with this box set are just coasters and glasses. Why would I need those? The glasses are not exactly pretty as well. Therefore, I feel that it's not justified to get the limited box set because the premiums do not really attract me. The only plus I can see is that they bundled the album with the 2 concert DVDs (which I shall go into later on) for your convenience but they are DVD Region 2 - another reason why I didn't pick the Special Limited Box Set.

You must be wondering why I'm suddenly so critical even on my favorite artiste of all times' packaging, yes? Well, it really hurts me but I have to be honest - Party Queen is by far ayu's worst looking album. No kidding. Here's the version that I've bought (the Hong Kong press one)...

Here's the first press version of the CD+2DVD version of the album. Basically, it consists of the album along with its PV DVD in the same box as well as her "ayumi hamasaki COUNTDOWN LIVE 2011-2012 A ~HOTEL Love songs~" DVD concert - all packed in this transparent plastic case. I wouldn't even call it a box because the material's so flimsy and really unattractive.

This album, probably because of its bad covers and packaging, saw itself on #2 on the Oricon chart, ayu's second album to get this rather miserable charting for her standards. And guess which was the previous album that landed on that spot? GUILTY. Why? Probably because of leopard prints...

I think a lot of people shop for music with their eyes, just like how they say "We eat with our eyes" when it comes to presentation of dishes. If the cover is unattractive, then people wouldn't want to buy it, yes? Well, at least that's for me but considering that I'm such a die hard ayu fan, I would still buy it even if her cover is just blank white. Sigh~ Avex, please sack the person who designed this cover or came up with this creative. If it's ayu, tell her to continue singing and leave the designing to someone else...

This is how it looks like from the side. The COUNTDOWN LIVE DVD box is placed right behind the album so it creates this box set with 2 different covers. I think the COUNTDOWN LIVE DVD's cover is actually quite good but unfortunately, it was blocked. I shall go into that later on...

In terms of music, I would say that Party Queen is actually not that horrendous. In fact, there are songs that I pretty much enjoy on this album after listening to it before even taking photos of it. Some of the tracks that got my attention the first time I listened to them. Note that other than "how beautiful you are", none of the tracks were previously released as a single, making this probably her first album not to feature any physical singles at all.

1. Party Queen
   Whacky lyrics, loads of energy, fun to sing along to
2. NaNaNa
   Even though half the time, you hear this guy singing but when she does sing, it's pretty interesting and catchy - almost like a clubbing song. Again, loads of energy which I simply adore!
3. Shake it
   Sounds a lot like "NaNaNa" and probably why it's placed right behind that track as well. Packed with energy but I don't really get what she is singing. This song made ayu almost sound like she got extremely high on something and lost her mind. Well, perhaps she did lose her mind in this album because it sounded like so...
4. taskebab
   Even though this track is an interlude, I find it really awesome. In fact, I think this is the first "task-" interlude to feature pop-rock elements
5. reminds me
   A rock ballad that simply blew my socks off
6. Return Road
   I think this is the alternate version of "Virgin Road". I love the lyrics and of course, the singing is amazing in this song. Looks like this album actually delivered in terms of music over the unfortunate disaster on the packaging. Oh did I mention that this is a rock song? I love it when ayu does rock.
7. the next LOVE
   Probably the most interesting track on the album. This track is inspired by jazz elements and ayu sang it like a songstress would in the 60s in pubs or bars in Asia. Really love the feel and the different tempos this song offered.
8. how beautiful you are
   What can I say? My favorite track of the entire album. The lyrics are splendid and the singing is fantastic. Furthermore, the PV is one of the best out of the other trashy ones in the album (less Return Road) because it shows the different versions of "Beauty". Simply put, this song is like "Born This Way" in a ballad.

Well, that kinda sums up the songs that attracted me the first time I listened to the album. That's not to say that the rest aren't as good because you know, ayu songs always grows on you the more you listen to them. These songs make the album worthy of buying even though the cover is just atrocious.

This is what I meant when I said the COUNTDOWN LIVE side of the album is blocked. The Hong Kong first press of this version came with a postcard which they inconveniently stuck over the concert DVD, kinda ruining the saving grace of the album in terms of visuals. But it's a freebie so I will take it!

Here's a close up of the postcard which can almost pass of as a poster. Really? Yellow and pink? I don't think they work together, honestly. And leopard prints? Please spare me!

The other side of the postcard - just a blank. Who would actually send such a limited edition post card out in the mail yes? If I were the postman, I would keep this postcard to myself but again, the postman probably wouldn't fancy the bad color choices and themes on the picture side, yes? Gosh~ I'm in such a bitch fit right now~

The album minus the distracting plastic packaging and all. Actually, without the plastic packaging, the album doesn't look that disastrous (but it still looks kinda...) Here, we have ayu in black lingerie in front of a mirror that's so black you don't even know what's on the other side. The mirror, in my opinion, is quite distracting and unappealing. I mean, there are so many places to take a photo of a cover art but they have to pick a mirror... Well, since we are critiquing the covers, might as well do it for the rest of the versions...

ayumi hamasaki - Party Queen (CD+DVD)
Source: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=AVCD-38512

Here's the CD+DVD version of the album. In simpler English, this version doesn't come with the COUNTDOWN LIVE concert. I don't really like how she is hugging a shoe so close to her face, making her look a little whacky. Furthermore, the composition of this photo kinda failed because of what's behind her. I don't even know what's behind her... A little scary.

ayumi hamasaki - Party Queen (CD-only)
Source: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=AVCD-38513

At least the CD-only version has a more interesting composition. In fact, out of the three, I think this version works the best because even though ayu does look a little crazy here, it's crazy with beauty. I don't see how putting a shoe to your forehead is being creative but at least in this one, it does show her as a Party Queen. The previous two either showed her as a person on the table or a person who loves shoes. Where's the Party Queen?

The track list on the back of the album. Why yellow?! Wouldn't it look better if the text were in white instead? Yellow and pink just doesn't go well together, you know.

Another leopard print disaster in ayu's signature A. The obi is promoting this Android/iOS app where you can download this application called "ayupan AR". I have not downloaded it yet but it's apparently some augmented reality kinda game - whatever that means. It features ayu's mascot, Ayupan, and I think you get to play games with her or something. Has anyone tried this one yet?

UPDATE:  The obi is one of the playing pieces of the "ayupan AR" application. Check out my "ayupan AR - How to Play?" entry to learn more on how you can enjoy the game!

When you open up the case, you see more leopard prints. I swear, the next album that I see with leopard prints, I will shoot it down immediately unless they really manage to execute it properly (just like the old times where her third album "Duty" was done properly). This CD reminds me a lot of GUILTY because GUILTY also made use of leopard prints. No originality there eh, even though the person copied from her own album.

At least the DVD's color scheme looks better.

While unboxing this album, I found this envelope looking thing inside the case. Looks almost like a ayu-mi-x cover already, no? Just took a photo of it because it looks interesting and that it deviated from the whole "I love leopard skin" theme of the album.

UPDATE: This is not an envelope nor is it some normal sheet of paper. This is actually the stage for the "ayupan AR" application which you can download from the iTunes store or from Google Play (previously known as the Android Marketplace). Check out my "ayupan AR - How to Play?" to find out more!

I was wondering if this envelope is meant for the postcard that came along with the album but the dimensions does not seem correct - the postcard cannot fit. Furthermore, who would send a postcard in an envelope anyway? Inside this envelope looking thing, there are more details on the ayupan AR thingie - all in Chinese. Took lazy to translate it because I can't read Chinese that well anyway.

I think you might be getting sick of this photo because they used it again for the lyric insert. Maybe it's their way of trying to make people like the cover. You know, the more you look at something, the more you will become indifferent about it and you will actually (to the joy of lots), stop complaining. Well, I can't stop, that's for sure so coming to Dream On (pun intended)~ :)

Perhaps avex is on low budget and that's why ayu is not only wearing so little, she is only wearing one look throughout her entire studio album. Heres' the first page of the lyric booklet featuring ayu writing numbers on the mirror. I have no clue what those numbers mean but I don't intend to find out neither. But honestly, this photo is actually quite good, no? I would prefer this as the cover as opposed to the existing ones though...

More photos of ayu that doesn't depict her as some crazy person. These shots "reminds me" (hee hee~) of her "My Story" photo shoot where she just lies down and do nothing but still look totally amazing. I realized that they used a lot of direct flash on her throughout the whole shoot, resulting in those unflattering dark shadows. I wonder why they would want to do that though...

Don't you think this photo is so much better than the cover arts'? And is that a new tattoo above her puwet? Oh well~ Luckily I'm in it for her music, not really for her appearance, even though I must say that she is still very attractive for a 33 year old woman, yes?

And for the second part of the CD+2DVD version of Party Queen - here's the cover for ayumi hamasaki COUNTDOWN LIVE 2011-2012 A ~HOTEL Love songs~. This photo is so much better than her studio album's no? And that's why I said this would be the saving grace to the album if it wasn't covered up by yet another ayu in lingerie. But again, I think some people wouldn't mind staring at her skin - dirty pervs.

The track list on the DVD case. At least they kept the standard the same for most of her DVD concerts, having her A logo smack in the center and keeping the track list neatly printed on the bottom. This DVD apparently does not include the "making of" of the concert. Poop...

When I opened the case, I was expecting to see a lyric booklet or some form of a booklet inside featuring the costumes she wore for this countdown performance but instead, I saw this miserable card with the track list printed on it. Why would I need that?! I want a photo booklet! I think this album is out to make me angry~

Close up of the track list which I could have simply referred to the back of the DVD casing for. I think Avex is really low on budget this time round with the printing of this album, considering that they cut so many corners just to get substandard things out. But again, Koda Kumi's JAPONESQUE album is kick ass in terms of packaging though so why can't they honor the Queen of J-Pop the same too?

The DVD for the concert. Nothing special but at least the design is clean and sleek and features no prints of animals or whatsoever. 

Well, that's the last photo I have for this album. Sigh~ Has our Party Queen went crazy after partying for too long or did Avex become mean and cut her costs on production? 

Verdict of this album? I think it's definitely worth the money for the Hong Kong press (I paid US$22.99 for this entire box set from YESASIA) but if you're looking at the Japan press, I think it's not so worth it considering that it's essentially the same thing and the quality is not going to differ that much. How different can a plastic case be?

I think the entire album is saved by its content - the concert DVD and the music from the studio album. The packaging definitely did it some harm because of it's confused creative directions and occasionally bad photography and concepts. 

Well, I would say that the music aren't the best in her careers but they are acceptable because they are different (we know this Queen loves to experiment, yes?) and if you love her experimentations, you would - just like I have. Furthermore, there are some classic ayus in this album in the form of "Return Road" and "how beautiful you are" so yes, it's worth it!

I still love you ayu! 

But I would really wish to see something more inspiring 

than leopard prints in your next release! 

No matter what, I will still buy your music! :) 

- your loyal fan~