Disc 1

1. introduction
My, what a clever title. Ahem, this is an intro track, if you hadn't guessed. It's only a minute long. Very techno, and it leads right into 'Fly High'. In fact, there is no point in me giving it a score. But it is well done.

2. Fly High
The first time I heard this song, I thought I had died and gone to jpop heaven. This is a really fast, really upbeat song from Ayu that is a touch pop, a touch techno, and ALL fun. The verses go by so fast, with Ayu's voice sounding almost too cute. The chorus though has this amazing soaring feel. It is incredibly refreshing to hear music that is this joyous. This song just begs to be danced to. In fact, it would make a good Dance Dance Revolution song, except it is a lot less cheesy. What an impressive way to open the album!
Rating: 10 out of 10

3. Trauma
You would expect a song called "Trauma" to be dark and depressing, right? Not this one! It is also very upbeat, though not as insanely happy as 'Fly High'. As usual, this has Ayu's patented pop-techno feel, maybe a bit heavier on the pop side. The melody is simple but will definitely get stuck in your head. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is up to you. This is a very nice song, and gets bonus points for the guitar solo. j/k!
Rating: 9 out of 10

4. And Then
This song opens seeming like it will be darker than the previous two, and indeed it is. Not a lot, but it is more techno and less poppy. Ayu's voice is a bit stronger and less shrill than it can be, which is always much appreciated. The chorus is pretty good too, and is memorable at the very least. Ayu always manages to inject a lot of emotion into her singing. This is a good track, just not as standout as the past two.
Rating: 8 out of 10

5. immature
This song begins with Ayu singing in a very clear, calm voice, and then the techno beat enters. So, it's not really a ballad, even though the vocals have a ballad kind of tone. The piano in this track is very nice, but could be a bit more prominent. I do, however, love the chorus, especially the "Bokura wa kitto..." that leads in. I'm trying to keep these summaries short since this album has so many tracks. Let me just say that this is a very enjoyable, happy song.
Rating: 9 out of 10

6. Boys & Girls
This song begins with the rock kind of sound that is so prevalent on Ayu's album "I am". However, it drops out for more traditional pop arrangement. The techno feel is still there, but more underlying. This is another song with relatively quick verses underscored by piano. Call me crazy, but I really enjoy this style of music. The chorus has another very recognizable melody. If anything, I would ditch the beeping sounds and allow the disco arrangement to really show. But that's me.
Rating: 8 out of 10

7. TO BE
Ah, our first ballad. The arrangement is piano and acoustic guitar. Ayu's voice is better than usual, and sounds very pure. She does not rely on vibrato or trills as so many American singers do. This song has a very sweet, gentle feel to it that is a nice offset to all the faster stuff at the beginning of the album. I can't really find any flaws in it, and it always soothes me.
Rating: 10 out of 10

8. End roll
This is also a ballad, but with a more R&B beat. The melody feels incredibly similar to "TO BE" which doesn't thrill me. This song also suffers from the arrangement, which is simple and rather boring. Imaging the same vocals backed by a sweeping orchestra and you'll know what I mean. Oh well. A good song, just not a great one.
Rating: 7 out of 10

9. P.S. II
For those of you that don't know, the title stands for Powder Snow II, so this song is a sequel of sorts. Meaning it has many of the same lyrics and the same melody as its predecessor. However, in tone this song is very different. P.S. I was incredibly depressing; this song is hopeful. Ayu's voice can be a little grating in places, but overall is very pretty. I do recommend you hear P.S. before you hear this one, though.
Rating: 8 out of 10

10. WHATEVER
Okay, I hate the title, but I just simply hate that word. This is a more upbeat techno piece similar to "And Then." The intro section with no vocals is too long and fails to grab my interest, but the song does improve when Ayu enters. There's an echo effect that is cool the first time you hear it, annoying every time after that. What else can I say? This is Ayu singing disco-techno. It's just not fast enough to be good dance music though.
Rating: 7 out of 10

11. too late
Oooh, 70's disco sounds! With a techno beat! Didn't expect that. Erm, Ayu's voice is filtered at first, which is neat, but only lasts a few seconds. I do however love the chorus of this song: "Doko made mo, tsuyoku, tsuyoku..." Too bad the verses are less than wonderful. This is pretty good music, and better than "WHATEVER" in any case.
Rating: 8 out of 10

12. Appears
Okay, I have to admit my deep love for this song. It has a wonderful wintery feel without being seasonal, if that makes sense. The melody is instantly memorable, backed by beautiful piano and Ayu's voice, which is better than ever. There is, interestingly, guitar in this song as well, and it has a pretty good beat. The lyrics talk about two lovers walking together in the snow. *sigh* It's a really sweet song that would be great to snuggle to.
Rating: 10 out of 10

13. monochrome
Okay, this songs starts with some weird clanging noises. They disappear, but the persistant percussion continues, backed by piano. This isn't exactly a happy song, but it moves along at a good pace. I do like Ayu's singing in this one, and I of course like the guitar. It's not the soft Ayu we're used to, and that makes it a welcome addition to the album.
Rating: 8 out of 10

14. interlude
It seems a bit late for an interlude, but okay. It's only 55 seconds long, and is kind of dark techno. It also has an ethnic, traditional feel to it. It's neat, but pointless.

15. LOVE~refrain~
I wanted this to be another tender ballad, and I guess in some ways it is. However, it also has this strange male voice at the beginning that creeps me out. It also has a very, very typical beat that reminds me of middle school dances where everyone just moved from one foot to the other. This song seems rather sophomoric for someone as talented as Ayu, and even though the melody is pretty, it's not as good as her other ballads.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10

16. Who...
Ahhh, I love a good piano intro. This song also has some very neat synth-y chimes and a bit of guitar. Ayu's voice is very beautiful, even when she is only "la-la"-ing. This is exactly the kind of ballad I was looking for in "LOVE~refrain~". The backup singers here are uncommonly good.
Rating: 9 out of 10

The second half of Track 16 is an R&B track called "Kanariya" that is completely out of place on the album. It sounds like a bad version of Boyz II Men. Ayu should NOT do R&B. Even though this is a bonus track, I think it really hurts the album, since it ruins the mood. And the sudden appearance of a male, American voice totally threw me. I seriously went, "What the f..." Er, this track pisses me off. Make it go away.
Rating: 6 out of 10

Disc Two

1. Ayu's EURO MEGA-MIX "Y&Co. Mix"
In general, I am not a big fan of remixes, and this first one makes way too many images of Morning Musume flash through my head. It is so insanely fast, with pieces of great songs like "Trust" flashing by so fast you wonder if you are listening to a chipmunk on speed. Yikes. And it's over 9 minutes long. If you like Euro-trance, you might like this, but I'm not patient enough for it.
Rating: 7 out of 10

2. ayu's HOUSE MEGA-MIX "N.S. House Mix"
Now, this is a house mix, meaning it has a more R&B/techno feel. It is still really long though. However, it does have some great piano and a hilarious voice going "whoo" in it. It also makes Ayu sound like an insane R2-D2 at one point. This is a pretty good remix of some of Ayu's better songs.
Rating: 8 out of 10

3. A Song for XX "MILLENIUM MIX"
This was a great song when it was first released, and this remix does it justice. The music still speaks for itself, and Ayu's voice is as pretty as ever. Also, they didn't feel the need to make this overly long. Lots of beautiful piano, guitar and keyboards here. Excellent stuff.
Rating: 10 out of 10

4. POWDER SNOW "Acoustic Orchestra Version"
This version of this song was the first Ayu song I ever heard. It is so exquisitely depressing, and really conveys the image of falling snow. The piano is so perfect. The only complaint is that Ayu's voice is shrill in its upper register, causing some pain to inexperienced listeners. But then, maybe it just adds to the feeling of pain this song is trying to convey. You decide.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10

5. FRIEND II "Make My Mad Mix"
This is just a weird techno piece that seems amelodic and annoying. Parts of it are trance-y and kind of nice, but mostly it is a weak way to end the disc. Ayu needs to learn about making a strong finish. I suppose this would work at a rave, but not in my dorm room. Oh well.
Rating: 6 out of 10

This album had its ups and downs, but I still recommend it. The amount of extra features on Disc Two really adds to the value, and there IS a lot of good music here.

Overall Rating: 8 out of 10