Deep Dive: Ayumi Hamasaki Part Nineteen (Party Queen)

    We're back again with a hot take today! Today we're talking about Hamasaki Ayumi's 13th studio album, Party Queen. This is without a doubt her most controversial, divisive, and polarizing album. I remember back in 2012 everyone just being so turned off with this album and it divided the fanbase. I was one who met it with cold reception. At the time I didn't like anything about it from the concept, the album covers, and the material itself. But! A few years ago I relistened and rediscovered Hamasaki's whole discography, and I was surprised by how much I like Party Queen. It's almost a no skip for me now. Before you think I'm crazy let's give it a chance. Let's party on and deep dive!

    Okay so to begin our party, we have the album's first song and title track, "Party Queen." I liked this one back in 2012, but I wasn't in love with it. I've come to respect it as perhaps Hamasaki's most blatantly fun song, and her first "party" song that littered the landscape at the beginning of the last decade. 2012 was an interesting time in pop music in particular because people and artists were beginning to completely abandon electropop and that cheap club lifestyle in favor of more avant-garde attempts at pop and carving out their own sound. Adele's 21 was the album during this time. But you also had Lana Del Rey bursting onto the scene with her unique, old Hollywood, cinematic masterpiece, Born to Die. Beyoncé was beginning to shift into an high art album artist with 4. Even Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift were blurring boundaries with Blown Away and Red respectively. Even the home team, Amuro Namie and Koda Kumi, released Uncontrolled and JAPONESQUE two records that became career standouts and memorable successes for them that set them up for 2012 and beyond. All these records were fun, but they also contributed to the artistic zeitgeist. Even the upbeat club songs were giving way to dubstep to give them a more unique flavor. 

    I mention all these artists because it was like Hamasaki was behind on trends for the first time sonically, thematically, and conceptually to a point. I think this is false though looking back as "Party Queen" was a sign of the times done in the style of Hamasaki. It was actually a risk for her specifically. Hamasaki could have given us more of what we're used to with another upbeat and bright "glitter," "Fairyland," and "BLUE BIRD." Another beautiful, lush winter ballad like "You Were...," "JEWEL," or "HEAVEN." But she expanded her scope especially with the album's cinematic last third. Here we got a party song in the form of "Party Queen" with winks to us through the lyrics that we've come to expect from Hamasaki. "I'm the lonely queen" she sings on "Party Queen," when loneliness is a theme Hamasaki has covered all too well. Taking it as it is, "Party Queen" is a fun song that Hamasaki could open every concert with if she wanted to. 

    The second track, "NaNaNa" has a grating "nananana" hook which works, but if you were turned off by "Party Queen" you'd probably feel the same way here too. The alarm on this song is a kind of loud and unreserved sound for Hamasaki that we aren't used to. Her partner-in-crime for this album, Timothy Wellard, is the male voice on this track, I believe. He's also responsible for the title track. This song simultaneously looks to the cyber trance of the past and yet the pop trends of the future and blends it all with Hamasaki's signatures. There's some unneeded autotune in the second verse. I think this is also Hamasaki first song whose lyrics are such a shoutout to the LGBTQ+ community. She's had music videos that are shoutouts, but this is blatantly in the lyrics. 

    Our third track, "Shake It❤," is Hamasaki blending the current with an eye on the future. A true sign of 2012. It's pretty much Hamasaki combining all her sonic trademarks into one song. The "ohlailai" hook. The rock-tinged pop sound. It could have been a track on Rock 'n' Roll Circus, but the chorus is pure Party Queen. The chorus is exciting and thrilling. There's a lot going on during it. The bridge before the last chorus is also as playful as she is on the track.

    Then we have the album's first interlude, "Taskebab," which is another legendary Hamasaki interlude that would kill as a full-length track. This one is no exception!

    

    "Call" is a nice song that could have also been on Rock 'n' Roll Circus. Hamasaki's vocals on this whole album are very mature and aged. I don't mean that in a bad way, but her vocal style has really changed. And you really notice it on the verses of "Call." The chorus is pure perfection though. You can't resist it. We've abandoned the electronic elements in favor of a band. Hamasaki always does so well with these types of tracks. I think that's Wellard providing the backing vocals on the chorus? I can't find anything about it though on the album's linear notes. It's the same voice that has provided vocals on the last couple of tracks and "BRILLIANTE" from FIVE which he produced. Anyways, the background vocals give the song such a lovely flavor and make it unique.

    "Letter" keeps the fun going. It's what you would get if you combined Rock 'n' Roll Circus and Love Songs into one songs with the hard rock and the gorgeous strings. Hamasaki hits it out of the park again. "Call" and "Letter" are two of the songs that piqued and gained my interest during that Party Queen renaissance that I had a few years ago. They're just really good. And they're Hamasaki in her comfort zone.

    Which is possible my main gripe with Party Queen. Conceptually, it's a mess like NEXT LEVEL was as Hamasaki didn't want to lean totally into the "party queen" concept. "Call" and "Letter" are classic party songs, BUT they do sound like something that would play at like a beach-side party or something during the summer. So they get a pass. Barely. Later songs, especially "How Beautiful You Are," do not fit the concept whatsoever. "Reminds Me" falls into this same trap. Hamasaki, as of late, has began to not flesh out a concept and just add 3-4 new songs that fall into it, and then do what she feels comfortable on the rest of the album.

    This doesn't create a bad album per se, but it does seem like Hamasaki is throwing in the kitchen sink just to try to appease every single listener. Which is fighting a losing battle. Party Queen and later albums could have really benefited from Hamasaki just picking a single concept and seeing it through to the end. Then picking up a new one for the next album. 

    Party Queen is famous for being one of the first albums around this era that did not see one single released from it beforehand in a traditional sense like Hamasaki had done with prior albums. "How Beautiful You Are" got a digital release, but it almost had 0 impact and did not promote the album in the slightest. And it was also a red herring for what was to come from the album. The rollout for the album really hurt its commercial appeal too. But! Imagine if Hamasaki did all "party queen" type songs and even played around with dubstep from beginning to end or had a unique flavor of song like Amuro's Uncontrolled did. And committed to the concept. I think it could have been legendary for her. I really think this is where Hamasaki began to lose credibility as both a single and album artist.

    ANYWAY! Back to the album and off the ramble, "Reminds Me" continues in the same vein that "Call" and "Letter" set us up with. It's nice and dramatic. And not part of the concept unless you think in convoluted way that "it's Hamasaki's party, and she can cry if she wants to." Which makes the whole thing work, but doesn't really match the visuals we've been given. I digress though. "Reminds Me" is good. It's Hamasaki doing what she does best.

    "Return Road" is also Hamasaki doing Hamasaki in a very Hamasakian way. Fans were very hyped for this song and for good reason at that. That bridge before the final chorus is super cinematic. Hamasaki has finally polished up that style and the end result is given to us here on Party Queen. It could almost be used in the soundtrack for Twilight. Not a diss, by the way. It's very gothic.

    On a song by song basis, you can find lots to love about the tracks here. If you're looking to shake your ass at a party, you might be disappointed given there's a different type of "fun" featured here. 

    A lot of the songs on the album make me think about British theater, and "Tell Me Why" is no exception. Can you imagine a bard on this one or not? Is that just me? Just me? Okay. The beat is the best thing about this song along with the dramatic piano. It gives the song a nice flavour. British spelling. There's also some cool instrumentation happening after/during the second chorus. The Rock 'n' Roll Circus template has been polished up here on Party Queen as I think the sound is a lot alike though with about 25% rock and about 30% more electronic elements. 

    "A Cup of Tea" should have been a full-length track. This sound should have been explored more on this album. It's dubstep tinged, right? Anyway, been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. Next!

    Cinematic is a theme of Party Queen that Hamasaki hadn't explored as much until she got here. Case in point: "The Next Love." It's a nice little number that explores some jazz and bossa nova. New territory for Hamasaki. I wish she would have gone with another United Kingdom concept for this album and then leaned all the way in for that. It's moments like this where the album shines the most and is at its most unique. 

     A magician concept would have been nice too. Because our next song is "Eyes, Smoke, Magic." Hamasaki whispers to us on this one! She continues to explore vocal techniques and play with her vocals some. But you get where I'm picking up the theater at from with this one, right? The background vocals help make the song. It's very jovial. You have to be in a certain mood for it though. It's Hamasaki taking risk and covering new territory though. But does it work with the whole album as a singular body of work? That's shaky ground when you start out with 3 straight club bangers. 

    "Serenade In a Minor" is a nice cinematic interlude that winds us down. Next.

    "How Beautiful You Are" is a boring misfire of an album ender that leaves you scratching your head. The positive message is always welcome and nice, but... It's so boring. Just a low-tempo, low-stakes piano ballad. That opens up a little bit but not enough. Literally anyone could sing this song. There's nothing about it that makes it belong to Hamasaki which is an oddity for her. She usually puts her unique touch on every track. 

    It's a headscratcher that an album titled Party Queen would end with a piano ballad. The concept's just all over the place, y'all. It's not well-thought out. I think that's the album's fatal flaw. Most of the songs themselves are quite good. It doesn't really work as a full-length album though. Hamasaki should have pulled a Beyoncé self-titled moment and made an absolute statement. For now we'll have to be content with what we have here. 

    I feel like I was a little mean with this one, but I think that's because I just wanted more for Party Queen in hindsight. You can't really point at one thing in this album and say "this is exactly what is wrong with it." And you can't point at one thing and say "this is bad." Because it's not bad. It just doesn't really work as a cohesive body of work with a planned concept. Though there are some standout tracks here.

Rank: B Rank. It's Ayu's party, and we aren't invited. 

Recommendation: when it's a sad party.

Standouts:

    The first 9 tracks.