From: "MIRYO aka JOHONEY" Format: EP Released: February Territory: South Korea Previous Best of Appearances: First Appearance
Rap has never really been my taste, mainly because it was one of the few forms of music that I wasn't really exposed to as a kid, and so I never really understood it, let alone developed an ear for it. So it's probably surprising that I really like two songs from Miryo's solo EP this year, as in really like. But I'm not that surprised, to be honest with you.
"I Love You I Love You" is a stunning song, it really is. The production is spot-on It's graceful, it's ethereal -- it sounds glorious. That would be the one word I'd use to describe the song as a whole -- glorious. If songs could glow, this one would. The melody is beautiful, the arrangement is graceful but forceful (those drums!), and this is the kind of song that gives me the impression of a rap part that wasn't thrown in just because.
I hardly talk about emotion in a song unless it's to point out the presence or the lack of it in the performance, but this is one of the few songs where I really felt the emotion of the song itself, and not just the delivery. Before I even heard the English lyrics in the song (and of course with no help from the little Korean I know), I got this bittersweet verging on sad feeling -- this wasn't a happy song.
The key of the song was a big giveaway, but also the piano line -- it was confident, but the notes it was playing were kind of limp. Even the rap part matches, it's not because it's feminine, it's because it's gentle. Even when Miryo pushes, there's this mildness to it. And of course once the melody comes in it gets even more obvious.
Sunny's chorus is my favorite part, and was the one that got me in to the song in the first place. Sunny sounds phenomenal on it, and she gives the chorus this youthful grace. Even if I knew she did have some kind of voice, this just verifies the fact that she's singing all the wrong lines in SNSD songs.
The melody itself has this bittersweet thing going on as well -- it's beautiful in every single sense of the word, but because it's so beautiful it makes the song even more heart-breaking. You want to be happy because it's such a beautiful melody at first glance, but then you get sad because that beauty hits you over the head and breaks your heart.
From: "The Original" Format: Digital Single Released: July Territory: South Korea Previous Best of Appearances: #6 -"Me In" (2011)
The Brown Eyed Girls have become K-Pop's resident fierce girl group, but at the same time they've also become known for the fact that they're one of the few groups with members who are all talented, who are all musically useful. And it's for that reason that they have no problem pulling off a song like "Come With Me", despite the fact that it's not along the lines of your "Abracadabra"'s and "Sixth Sense"'s.
"Come With Me" is a glorious song in every sense of the word, because when I say glorious, I really mean glo-ri-ous. It's like one of those songs an act would sing for a lifetime achievement award stage or as a grand finale. It's beautiful, and it flaunts it like second nature. The melody is stunning, and the vocals that deliver it really give it the body and the conviction that it needs. The harmonies are so pretty I feel like melting every time I hear them, and they're in a prominent enough position to influence just how gorgeous the entire song is.
But at the same time, "Come With Me" is also a quite humble song -- no major theatrics, no big, big explosions. It's as if it's saying "I may be gorgeous now, but this is what it took to get here". It's the type of song that you can imagine people swaying or waving their nightsticks to, and not just staring in awe over. It's beautiful, but it's not alien, it's epic, but it's a simple kind of epic. The simplicity of the song gives the vocals a chance to not only carry everything, but really shine.
That's something I really like about music, and even art in general, and why I don't regret choosing essays and critiques over other forms of writing. There are times when you don't need big words or complex metaphors, when you don't need to jump through hoops and fire to make a point. There are times the simplest of things are the most beautiful, the most expressive, just like "Come With Me".
It's January first pretty much everywhere now, I guess, so happy new year to all you guys! Thank you for making 2011 such an amazing year for me, without you guys and your constant pestering and all your tear-jerking comments, as well as all the trolling I got this year, I would've never been able to get through the year in one piece, and win my very first Philippine Blog Award! Thank you so much for taking time out of your lives to read my work, and even more time out to comment on my posts. I may not answer your comments, but I read every single one of them. You've made Pop Reviews Now one of the leading critical K-Pop review blogs, and although I still have a long way to go, I promise to make an effort to repay you guys this year for all your support. Also, thank you for reading this, because it means you're sticking with me this 2012!
Allow me to explain this post first though. I really meant to do a recap of the 2011 Gayo Daejuns, but the original plan was throwing everything in to one huge post with all three networks' shows divided into several categories. However, due to the fact that I want to get the Gayo Daejun post out as fast as possible before it becomes stale news, and also the fact that I'm still in the process of getting a copy of the MBC show (which I've heard is the best out of the three), I've decided to split the posts by network. Today's recap is of the SBS show, which was broadcast on December 29th. Tomorrow I will be recapping the KBS show, and on Tuesday the MBC show (hopefully I have a copy of it by then), if everything goes as planned.
The first of the three Gayo Daejuns this year, SBS delivered a solid show with 170 singers packed in to three and a half hours of running around stage. The show was divided into several themed stages, including a special suite for SM Entertainment artists (and the debut of several EXO members), one which featured CN Blue and FT Island collaborating with f(x) and the Wonder Girls, and a hip-hop stage. The SBS show was a balance of familiar, hit singles from 2011, and special stages.
But that doesn't mean it was immune to disasters, because there were quite a few. And there were those performances that could've been really amazing, but didn't really come out right. I won't be recapping the entire show, instead, we'll talk about the best, worst, and the most promising performances.
THE BAD
B1A4 - Beautiful Target And the award for the worst performance of the night? Well, that goes to none other than B1A4. For several reasons. First, obviously the song itself is a complete and utter disaster. It's all over the place in the most spread-out way possible. You look away for a while and the song sounds completely different, plus, about 99% of the song has to utilize a backing track, because the vocal treatment changes every five seconds, so basically all these guys are doing is screaming "yeah!" and running around stage. I'd hardly call that a performance. Second, what is with that choreography? My eyes. And third, when you put the song, together with the horrid choreography, and the fact that they're actually trying desperately, it's hilarious.
Gain (Brown Eyed Girls), Jiyeon (T-Ara), Hyun A (4Minute), Sunhwa (Secret), Fei (Miss A), G.NA - "Run the World" Oh wow. Where do I start. Well, I appreciate the effort, and I appreciate the fact that they included Ga-In (even if she forgot some of the choreography), but this performance was another mess. Too many girls, and I guess they didn't have enough time to learn the whole song, because for the majority of the song they danced in shifts, and yeah, choreography was forgotten. The dancing in shifts really irritated me though, because it really shows how unprepared they were, and it's like the performance was half gyrating all over the place, and half dead air. At the same time. It's inconsistent, three or four of them are dancing, then there are two or three just standing there on the side. What are they, mannequins? If they didn't have enough time, then they should've just done one verse and a chorus or something. I'd rather they did that then haphazardly do a full, 3-minute performance. And really, people can only take so much of that kind of dancing.
G.NA - "Top Girl"+"Black&White" It really breaks my heart to see G.NA like this. With that horrid choreography at the beginning, those pretty weak vocals throughout, and the cheap repertoire. She's talented, she shouldn't be singing songs like this, because they do her absolutely no justice.
KARA and 2PM - "Every Little Step" Everyone was so dead during this performance. I mean I understand that KARA and 2PM aren't the best singers around, but what makes this so bad is that it was already lip-synced for heaven's sake, and yet the singing was wimpy and lifeless. I would've written it off anyway if the vocals were fixed up, but not as much as I am now. If you're going to lip-sync a performance anyway, at least use all those studio tricks to make the track sound damn good. Such lazy, lazy people.
THE PROMISING
Miss A - "Goodbye Baby" I adore this arrangement, I really do. It's so fierce, and it matches the melody so well. It's obvious that this was thought about. However, their vocals on this were so disappointing, bad almost. Like, really, they were weak and everyone sounded like they were being strangled all the way through. I've dealt with the regular Miss A breathlessness since they debuted, and they got better this year, but this performance was so painful to listen to. It's such a waste though, because the arrangement was really good.
After School - "Diva" This was a really interesting song choice, but also a very logical one, because "Shampoo" would bore people to death. Just the idea of hearing them perform "Diva" after so long is enough to get people interested, but in true After School fashion, they failed to deliver. Add the fact that line-stealer Raina struck again, STEALING LINES FROM JUNG AH (HOW DARE SHE), and that they didn't do the entire song and it just disappeared into them and Pledis boys dancing to dubstep (snore..), the originally good idea turned into bad execution.
KARA - "Step" This is another arrangement I really like. "Step" in itself is already a big performance-ready song, and there's little you can do, but I like how they made the percussion sound a lot more real as if they had a live band behind them. They didn't lose that high-energy, yet girly, sound, but they made it a lot more apt for a live performance, and the transition to and from the dance break was very smoothly done. The let down? Again, the vocals. I'm not surprised, in fact I was expecting worst, but just because this is the best they can do, doesn't mean I'll forgive them for being inferior. They can't sing live, and it's such a shame because their material is really, really good, fun, pop.
T-Ara - "Cry Cry" If this was done completely live and pulled off just as well as it was lip-synced, this would've been one of the best performances. But no, the backing track wins and you hear next to no live vocals. The arrangement is brilliant, the dance break is different but not disjointed and they kept the distinct piano line, even a bit of the original feel of the song, but made it fresher, and interesting. And believe me, after looping this for over 200 times this year, thus making the original arrangement pretty stale for me, this is really a strong, new, but faithful take on the song. It's an amazing arrangement ruined by bad production decisions and possibly the lack of solid live vocals.
CN Blue and The Wonder Girls - "Tainted Love" First of all, Yoobin shouldn't have been the first to sing, because I was turned off right away. Yoobin isn't a bad singer, but you have to have a certain level of proficiency to sing songs like this, and she doesn't have that. She sounded like she was drunk and singing this on karaoke or something, not on stage. But Sohee and Lim don't have that proficiency either. Lim needs more power and this is a song she can't get away with because she has an American accent. And really now Sohee, why do you even try. Her line was all air and no singing, she was useless. It should have been just Ye Eun and Sun Ye doing this, because if it was it would've been an amazing performance.
Wonder Girls - "Be My Baby" It was a classy performance, with decent vocals and a very polished arrangement, but even if the arrangement was fresh, it was boring. Pretty piano line, yes, and if you think really hard it's actually not a bad performance or anything, it surprisingly matches the lesser members' vocals even if it's now more dependent on the melody, but this is a performance, it's supposed to really catch your attention from the very beginning. In a sense, this arrangement was so predictable, but on the other hand, had they done a rock remix it would've been boring too considering all the other rock-ish arrangements that came before them. But actually, I liked the track that was playing during the intro, if they turned that into the remix things would've been interesting. Basically, what this performance lacks is shock. I know I have very high expectations of them, but after "Wonder World", why wouldn't I?
SMTOWN - "The Sound of Hallyu" I loved the idea of this, and I loved how, even if majority of them weren't playing live, it was made very obvious that the people who played instruments actually know how to play them in real life. And I like how the people who sang were actually the people who can sing, and they didn't force people who are dancers, not singers, to sing. Like Taeyeon and Changmin's duet. Even if Changmin out-screamed Taeyeon, she was definitely the right choice for the song. If it had been Jessica I would have raised hell. The Shinhwa and H.O.T. covers were tame, and that's one of the two reasons why this is a "promising", but not one of the best performances. The songs they chose need savage vocals. Raw, powerful, with minimal processing, but seeing as the people they got to sing those parts, although good singers, simply don't have the vocals to do those songs justice. Of course the Exo members were a big part of the thrill of this suite, but they, or actually just one of them, are the second reason I didn't put this down as one of the best performances. Towards the end, the second guy to the left of Changmin, I think he was the one who danced after Victoria, was TALKING to the other Exo guy beside him. That's such horrid stage deportment. It may not be a lot to you guys, because the standard reaction is "So what's wrong with that? They're just talking.", but this is one of the most basic forms of courtesy towards not only the audience, because they have a responsibility to give their full attention to the audience and their performance, but also towards the other artists on stage. How would you like it if the guy beside you was talking to someone during your big solo? If, this early, that kind of behavior is just let go, forgiven and forgotten, it will get worse. Trust me, I've seen it happen, and it definitely doesn't end pretty. And considering how Exo are being hyped to be extremely talented, if they don't have basic stage manners it will be a huge waste of their talent.
THE GOOD
Yoon Mirae with Gary, Dynamic Duo, Jun Hyung (BEAST), Hoya (Infinite), Mir (MBLAQ), Taecyeon (2PM) - "Get It In"+"Monster" And the award for the best singing of the night goes to Yoon Mirae. All these idols should be ashamed to call themselves singers after Yoon Mirae, who I believe raps majority of the time (the new times I've heard her material), out-sings them all without lifting a finger, by just by singing a few lines. Backing track, yes, but you know she's rapping and SINGING live, it's so obvious, but she does it so well that to untrained ears it may be a bit confusing. But apart from the strong vocals, she has the stage presence to not have to jump around too much. She still does towards the end, but she has a certain air to her that you know she's having so much fun and you want some of it too, but she still commands the stage, and all the guys sharing it with her. This, my friends, is a true performance.
2NE1 - "I Am The Best"+"Ugly" I didn't like "I Am The Best", but like I always say, you have to watch 2NE1 for their material to make sense. It's not that their recordings are bad, because the production on them is outstanding, it's not that they can't sing, because my God can Minzy and CL sing, it's that their material is made to show off their strengths, and 2NE1's strengths lie in performance. They don't exactly run around stage because the majority of their performances are choreographed, but they have a command of it that's like no other. It's not just stage manners, or presence, it's really a command and it shows in everything -- the way they move, the way they sing. Pair that with a very creative and accommodating talent agency, and you have familiar, but stellar performance.
Brown Eyed Girls - "Sixth Sense" I noticed that hardly any of my favorite performances were full remixes. But I guess that it's harder to perform a familiar arrangement and still make it sound interesting. But that's exactly what the Brown Eyed Girls did. Apart from adding a few bits and pieces (literally pits and pieces) all over the place, and adding a dance break, the base is still the same. This is one of the best girl group performances, and, like the entirety of their "Sixth Sense" promotions, performances, songs, singles, this is girl group master class. To all the girl groups trying to be sexy with skimpy, but cheap, outfits, to all the girl groups trying to be fierce but failing, to all the girl groups trying to sing while dancing, this, girls, is how it's done. Watch and learn.
BEAST - "Fiction" They didn't really do much to the arrangement of "Fiction", just softened a few parts, added bits and pieces here and there, and switched some things around, but the basic mould of the song is still the same. And that's the selling point of the performance -- it's familiar. However, despite it being pretty simple, the modifications were enough to keep things fresh and not bore people to death. It's also a very straightforward performance, but in being simple it's also very well-sung. And considering how good a song "Fiction" is to start with, it's a good thing that they didn't experiment too much, but still had the foresight to prepare for it. Like I said a while ago, I prefer a simple, but prepared performance over an elaborate but haphazard one.
DBSK/HoMin - "Keep Your Head Down"+"MAXIMUM" Call it unoriginal, because the dance part most probably is, call it boring, because there were no significant changes to the arrangements, but what you can't deny is that Yunho and Changmin know how to perform, and they showed it. They hold the audience in the palm of their hands and they know exactly what to do to make them go wild, but they never, ever, forget the musical aspect of it all. Screaming, yes, chanting and interacting, yes, but stopping to sing just for the sake of it? Never. That's the kind of stage deportment that newer acts, even Super Junior and SNSD, lack -- they lack concentration and choose dancing, waving and being cute over singing. Image is important, yes, and they take care of that too, but they are singers before anything else, and singing should always be first priority. Yunho and Changmin are what idols should be, and THIS is how it should be done.
I thought of mixing things up a bit this year, so instead of just laying down the best albums that came out in the past twelve months, I'm going to be talking about the albums that caught my ears, and maybe even eyes, this year. They are on the list not necessarily because they're amazing albums (but I have those too!), but because they've been talked about, or they've broken records, and basically because they've caught my attention. Therefore, I won't just be talking about the music, so I hope it's a welcome change!
The rules:
1. This list is exclusively for releases which contain FIVE (5) or more tracks. A mini-album must have the minimum five tracks, whereas a full-length one should feature at least TEN (10) original tracks. Only cuts which were released for the first time in 2011 are eligible to be counted. For example, in SNSD's Japanese album "GIRLS' GENERATION", "Genie" and "Gee" were Japanese singles in 2010, not 2011, and so they will not be included in the final, technical, count (exclusively for eligibility and classification), however they can be talked about in the review proper. 2. The featured artist must be an idol or idol group and of Korean nationality, regardless of where the album was released and what nationality the production staff were. 3. The featured artist must be the sole artist on least 75% of the songs on the album. So, for example, G.NA's "Black and White" (let's pretend rule #1 doesn't exist for now, because half of that album was from 2010) contains TEN (10) tracks. However, in SIX (6) of those ten tracks, she shares credits with other artists. Therefore, the album is disqualified. 4. One album per artist, regardless of territory. If the artist had two albums this year, only one can appear on the list.
I will not be writing full reviews for the eleven albums on the list, however, if available, I will refer you guys to my reviews of the albums, or singles. I don't have enough time to write eleven full reviews, but I hope the 2-3 paragraphs I wrote will suffice.
The Album: Super Junior - "Mr. Simple" The Format: Full-Length The Release: August 2011, South Korea The Lead Single: "Mr. Simple" The PRN Review: N/A The Reason: Because according to Hanteo, and several other Korean sales charts, this is the biggest-selling album in Korea for 2011. So far. Do I think it deserves that title? Honestly, no. And that's why it caught my attention, because this is the business side of the industry at work -- you don't just have to have superior material to be popular, you also need buying power and armies of fans who will buy anything you release at the drop of a hat. And sometimes, you can't have both. The material on "Mr. Simple" aren't the dregs of the earth or anything, but so much more could've been done, considering that one, Super Junior aren't completely lacking in talent, and two, SM Entertainment clearly have the money and manpower to get better material. I mean, if you put together a sub-par album then put Super Junior's name on it, since the buying public is stupid, then no one will really notice how bad the album is, right? "Mr. Simple" also demonstrates how stupid all these capitalists are for thinking that we're stupid. The Recommended Track(s): "Opera", "My Love, My Kiss, My Heart"
The Album: Wonder Girls - "Wonder World" The Format: Full-Length The Release: November 2011, South Korea The Lead Single: "Be My Baby" The PRN Review: Full Review, Best of 2011 - "Me, In" The Reason: Best album of the year, and most definitely worth the long wait. I went from being this close to absolutely hating their Korean material, to worshipping the ground they walk on. I don't do that very often. But somehow, in this massive shift, the Wonder Girls managed to keep the sound that makes them, themselves. "Wonder World" is cohesive yet diverse, it's fresh yet familiar but confident, and the material is not only top-grade, it's also well-executed. Outstanding song selection and strong production, but not too strong, giving the album some character. Catchy hooks, simple melodies, a whole array of synth loops, and everything your standard pop album has to have these days, but done in a sophisticated and musical manner. "Wonder World" is pop down to the last note, and it's not ashamed of that, but it also has kick. With tracks like "Me, In", why wouldn't it? It's one of those albums that you have to listen to from start to finish over and over and over again. The Recommended Track(s): "Girls Girls", "Me, In", "Stop!", "Sweet Dreams", "G.N.O."
The Album: BEAST - "Fiction and Fact" The Format: Full-Length The Release: May 2011, South Korea The Lead Single: "Fiction" The PRN Review: Full Review, Best of 2011 - "Though I Call" The Reason: BEAST are solid proof that effort can, and will, go a long way. They have talent, they have good songs, but unlike other acts, they also put in actual effort to make up for what they lack in. Even if they got what is possibly the best material Cube ever provided, the album was a success because they knew how to deliver the material and how to make it work for them. The songs on "Fiction and Fact" have the potential to be classics, and it's not exactly impossible now that BEAST have the influence they have now. And also, the material allowed us to both look at how far BEAST have come, but also see what they still have to improve on, and something to make us look forward to their next release. The Recommended Track(s): "You", "Virus", "Though I Call"
The Album: DBSK/Tohoshinki/HoMin - "TONE" The Format: Full-Length The Release: November 2011, Japan The Lead Single: "Why? (Keep Your Head Down)" The PRN Review: N/A The Reason: It's DBSK, that's why. Even if it's just Yunho and Changmin now, doesn't mean it can't be brilliant. Despite the fact that DBSK are of Korean descent and thus are eligible for the "K-Pop" categories of major Japanese retailers' charts (like other Japanese-language releases by K-Pop acts such as SNSD and KARA), they do not appear on them. Instead, they are counted as a J-Pop act and are the only K-Pop group ranked alongside J-Pop artists. (see: my soompi article on HMV Japan's year-end rankings) Despite the influx of Korean acts in Japan, DBSK (and BoA!) are still much, much higher up the respect ladder than everyone else, and this album is solid proof of that. While the rest of the Hallyu wave is merely scraping the surface of Japan, DBSK are already a part of the Japanese industry. "TONE" is an amazing album, whether you hear it in CDQ or MP3, because every single track matters, and every single track was thought through and delivered outstandingly, but with such ease. Filler tracks, what filler tracks? The Recommended Track(s): "Back To Tomorrow", "Thank U My Girl", "Duet", "I Don't Know"
The Album: SNSD/Girls' Generation - "GIRLS' GENERATION" The Format: Full-Length The Release: June 2011, Japan The Lead Single: "Genie" The PRN Review: Single Review - "Mr. Taxi", Best of 2011 - "Let It Rain" The Reason: It was SNSD's first Japanese album, the best-selling K-Pop album in Tower Records Japan during the first half of the year (despite being out for only a month prior to the chart), and it was their ticket to this year's Kouhaku Uta Gassen. In short, it was massively successful. And it's probably one of the most cohesive SNSD albums. Ever. With material from Swedish producers like Jörgen Elofsson, strong A&R, and generally okay vocals from the girls, this is probably the best album SNSD have ever released. Of course "Gee" sticks out like a sore thumb, and so does "Genie" at times, but the album proper, and the new material first heard in Japanese, is really good. Months after it's release, and a few hundred plays later, the good songs are still as good as they were back in June. The Recommended Track(s): "you-aholic", "Let It Rain", "BORN TO BE A LADY", "Mr. Taxi"
The Album: MBLAQ- "Mona Lisa" The Format: Mini The Release: July 2011, South Korea The Lead Single: "Mona Lisa" The PRN Review: Best of 2011 - "Mona Lisa" The Reason: Apart from actually being a good, solid album, "Mona Lisa" was what I had been waiting for since day one. Like I said earlier this month, this EP is still not enough to make up for the disaster of the debut they had back in 2009, but it's a step in the right direction. We have actual songs now, people, ACTUAL SONGS! They've managed to deliver good, solid songs, without losing the MBLAQ sound, a bit thin around the edges and trying to be a Michael Jackson song, among others. And, I never thought I'd say this, but the album is filled with gorgeous songs. Stunning, almost. Everything, from "Mona Lisa" down to the last track, they're all such a pleasure to listen to. "Mona Lisa" is as cohesive as it is gorgeous, and it's also one of the few albums I can listen to without skipping a single track. The Recommended Track(s): "Mona Lisa", "One", "말하지 말걸.."
The Album: Brown Eyed Girls - "Sixth Sense" The Format: Mini The Release: September 2011, South Korea The Lead Single: "Sixth Sense" The PRN Review: SOOMPI - single review ("Cleansing Cream") The Reason: "Sixth Sense" is girl group master class, courtesy of the Brown Eyed Girls. Even if you don't like their music, because even I'm very picky with the BEG songs I like, you have to hand it to these girls because my gosh the attitude is literally spilling out of the album. Even for a toned-down song like "La Boheme", which is also my favorite track. It's half the material, because the songs are so distinct yet tie together nicely, and half their strong vocals. They pull off the material because they actually have the vocals to jump through hoops and fire. While all the other girl groups were either going the cute route or trying way too hard to be edgy and "fierce" (I'm talking to you, SNSD and "The Boys"), the Brown Eyed Girls don't even have to lift a finger and BAM you have "Sixth Sense", both the album and the gorgeous, gorgeous single. Listen to it for the sake of hearing what kind of attitude everyone else should be channeling, regardless of the song. The Recommended Track(s): "La Boheme", "Sixth Sense"
The Album: Big Bang - "The Fourth Mini Album" The Format: Mini The Release: February 2011, South Korea The Lead Single: "TONIGHT" The PRN Review: The First Quarter Report The Reason: Big Bang not only did a lot for their careers this year, they also did a lot for K-Pop. I know I kept quiet about their EMA win, but I'd rather it be them than a lot of other acts who could've very well been nominated as well, because even if I don't worship Big Bang, they, as musicians, have my respect, something I don't give out a lot in k-pop. Their 2011 offering was tight, cohesive, strong, and distinctly Big Bang. Catchy hooks, synths all over the place, and your usual Big Bang chaos were all present, but with a fresher, more current sound. Even without watching their performances and just listening to the album, I could literally imagine the five of them running around and going wild on stage. The Recommended Track(s): "SOMEBODY TO LOVE", "TONIGHT"
The Album: Infinite - "OVER THE TOP" The Format: Full-length, counting the repackaged tracks The Release: July 2011, South Korea The Lead Single: "Be Mine"/"PARADISE" The PRN Review: N/A The Reason: To the industry, and the fans, Infinite's success was one of the year's biggest surprises. You have here a group from a rather small talent agency, with okay, but not brilliant or stellar, vocals, and they actually won Inkigayo and M!Countdown this year. And who were they up against on Inkigayo? Oh, no one. Just the Brown Eyed Girls, KARA, Super Junior, B1A4, Davichi and Sung Shi Kyung. Although 4 wins is a far cry from the likes of DBSK, Big Bang, SNSD, BoA and a host of others, they have laid down the foundations, and they can only go up from here. "OVER THE TOP" is not the year's strongest album, but it's a solid effort, and a solid base to take off from now that Infinite are no longer rookies. It's a well-rounded and well-done album, that's very sure of itself, but it also leaves a lot of room for Infinite to grow with their subsequent releases, which I'll be eagerly waiting for! The Recommended Track(s): "Amazing", "Julia", "Be Mine", "Paradise", "Because", "Tic Toc"
The Album: G.NA - "Top Girl" The Format: Mini The Release: August 2011, South Korea The Lead Single: "Top Girl" The PRN Review: Best of 2011 - "Banana (Feat. SWINGS, JC지은)" The Reason: Because everyone should know of the injustice that is being done to G.NA. Sure, she's not the best singer in k-pop right now, she's a bit flimsy around the edges, but she's probably the most stable and one of the best voices in Cube! And she got *this* as a "big comeback single"? Blasphemy. The rest of the album, although the two recommended tracks are pretty, sound like leftovers from BEAST and 4Minute (and 4Minute didn't exactly get good material this year either) and even if I like "Banana", G.NA can't sing that song live even if she tried really hard. It's such a waste, because k-pop finally gets a young solo artist that is more pop than ballad, and who is actually from a talent agency with actual influence in the industry, and they just ruin her. "I'll Back Off So You Can Live" was light years better than this, I want that back. The Recommended Track(s): "싫어", "Without You"
The Album: JYJ - "IN HEAVEN" The Format: Full-length The Release: September 2011, South Korea The Lead Single: "IN HEAVEN" The PRN Review: Full Review The Reason: With all the intrigue that surrounded JYJ this year, and will probably continue to surround them next year, it's good to know why SME is so afraid of them that they take all these drastic measures to ensure that JYJ never promote this album on Korean TV, including banning "Pierrot" for mentioning "PSM", which apparently means "President Soo Man". JYJ denied it, and even if it's most probably true that it has something to do with SM, they didn't explicitly state it for heaven's sake! A "guess" cannot be grounds for banning a song. It's also good to know why, even amidst all the stupidity JYJ were faced with, this is still one of the biggest-selling albums of the year. Despite not being spoon-fed prime material from local and foreign songwriters and not boasting of "foreign producers" (they've already had their fill of that, thank you very much), JYJ deliver a solid effort with "IN HEAVEN". There's much to improve, yes, and it's only right that they learn to walk before they run, but for what it is, "IN HEAVEN" is a good album. The Recommended Track(s): "Get Out", "Boy's Letter", "IN HEAVEN", "You're"
Agree? Disagree? What albums did I miss out on? Comment away! ^_^
We're finally at song #11, which means that starting tomorrow, up until new year's eve, I will be revealing my top ten songs of the year. One by one. Oh the agony. Mwahahahahahah! So which song just missed the cut?
From: "SIXTH SENSE" (Album), South Korea Released: September 2011 Rating: 3.98
And this, my friends, is how you sing a song. It is also how you make a song with attitude. And to top it all off, I actually adore "Sixth Sense". Kick, attitude, punch, whatever you want to call it, "Sixth Sense" is it.
Basically, the reason why this song works so well is that they can actually sing. Extremely well. If they didn't have the vocals they do, this song would have been a pure and utter failure, not to mention a disgrace. And the good thing is that they actually show it off, but not too much.
The chorus is a mix of screaming and melodic singing, and although it's a bit anticlimactic (not as much as it was when I first heard it though), it does the trick. It's a scream-fest, yes, but it's a melodious and ever so slightly feminine, scream-fest. They scream enough to wow you (and make you go O.O), but they also dilute it enough to keep your eardrums alive, and let you recover from the shock.
Let us take a moment to drop everything and worship the verses of this song. They are stunning. Smooth, melodious, slightly interesting, but powerful and catchy at the same time. But they're also rather simple, with the right amount of repetitiveness, simple enough to remember after a few listens here and there.
The entire song has a pinch of arrogance to it, but that's exactly what it needs. The arrogance leads to punch, and the punch leads to power, and the power leads to a strong, literally stunning, song.
Watching today's show made me realize how long it's been since I've watched more than a few cuts from a music show, let alone write a recap. You'll have to excuse me if I'm REALLY rough around the edges and allow me to slowly ease back into this routine, but hey, this is a start! I hope I make it out of this week alive, for the sake of my year-end countdown!
It's really no surprise who won today, but honestly I'm surprised at all the acts I've never heard of before! Oh well. Since it's been months since my last recap, for new readers, my music show recaps focus on idols and idol groups whose singles I've already heard prior to performance.
Video credit goes to UnknownCarrot180.
Boyfriend - "Don't Touch My GIrl" It may be a quaint song, but my God, these guys really can't sing this song live, can they? It's like they equate singing well to singing loudly. No. They end up sounding like they're whining and/or sing-song-ing, and I'm sorry but that just doesn't really quality as actual singing. I watched one of their earlier performances of this though, and it was even worse, so I suppose this is the best they can do.
The Boss - "Lady" Stunning song, gorgeous vocals, but inexperienced vocalists. Don't get me wrong, they are lightyears ahead of their peers, but looking at their vocals alone there is much to be improved. Everything up to the part just before the high note parade is perfectly fine - strong vocals, solid, consistent delivery and stunning harmonies - but the guy who does the high note, no matter how much his voice shone on that live video they released the other day, when left to his own devices he's not as sure as Mika or Karam. First of all, he cut the note in half. On one hand I appreciate that he had the foresight to not push the sustain, but after hearing that disaster of a note that came after that pause, I get the feeling that he stopped to "gain momentum" for a train wreck. My throat hurts after hearing it - you're overdoing the husk(y). Not really something praise-worthy. Try again, DGNA.
Orange Caramel - "Shanghai Romance" We'll talk when you people stop putting out such cheap songs, coupled with horrid choreography and bad vocals, Orange Caramel.
Secret - "Love is MOVE" I never thought the day would come when Sunhwa would become the second-best singer in the band. I always thought it would be the other girl. But then again, they've all really improved over the years, and Ji Eun can now sing her own songs with that pretty voice of hers! Strong performance this week, very explosive and consistent, except for that girl who now cannot sing. And I really like how the entire thing is perky and fun, but still melodic. It's one of those songs that does best live.
Brown Eyed Girls - "Cleansing Cream" I finally understand how BEG challenge the k-pop norm, and it's not just in the song, it's in the entire package of the comeback. The song itself isn't anything groundbreaking, it sounds like several other songs, but the way they pull it off, and of course the fact that they're actually mainstream whether they like it or not, makes the entire idea of this release, somewhat off. In a good way of course. And the performance - of course it has to be different from everyone else who prances around stage or stands there - they're sitting down. Thrones, maybe? Again, the outstanding vocals get perfect marks, but the performance as a whole is really something else.
Kim Hyun Joong - "Lucky" Whoever says that Hyun Joong can sing live clearly has no ears. He's gotten much more stable since going solo, but it's not like he has a voice to start with, so there's only so much he can do before. And why isn't he singing during the chorus? I don't care if the choreography is hard, you are a singer, you SING, you do not dance and randomly chant English. Oh Hyun Joong, when will you ever realize that singing solo is not for you.
SNSD/Girls' Generation - "The Boys"(WINNER) The only thing on my mind while watching this was how I could accurately describe my rage over the excessive bass on today's performance. Let's just say that no, I haven't found an English word, but I do have a rather stinging rant in my native tongue, which I put on Twitter. As for the vocals, I don't know, there's always something off about EVERYONE's vocals, and I think that has to do with THAT STUPID BASS LINE DROWNING EVERYONE OUT. If everything was evened out on the recording, I'm afraid studio tricks mean nothing in the real world. Seriously, they all sound like they're being strangled, regardless of whether or not any of them are singing well. I'm sorry, but that really puts me off.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the title of this translates to 'I'll Be OK' or something like that. The Brown Eyed Girls may have taken over kpop with Abracadabra and now Sign but I love the fact that they used to be ballad singers and that they can actually, actually sing - unlike a lot of the girl groups today. Their vocals may be processed to infinity and doctored in every way possible but there are songs that prove they have the vocals to be one of the most influential girl groups. I love the bells/whatever instrument that is in the background - it makes the song sound like a fairy tale.
#5: 2NE1 - I Don't Care
2NE1 have become gigantic in such a short span of time that it hurts. I don't necessarily adore I Don't Care but I think it has to be on this list - it was a big enough hit to be nearly influential this year. And whether I like it or not, I Don't Care has always been a hit in the making. It's got a boring instrumental and the song revolves around the melodic hook, I'm just thankful that the hook actually has a melody. This is one of the few songs with rap parts I can actually stomach so for that, I gotta give it to the girls. It was also the song that proved to me that my favorite voices in the band are Minzy and CL - they sang exceptionally well. (Hmmm, time to do a vocal commentary! Next year, I promise.)
#4: Kristinia DeBarge - Somebody
There's a part of me that says I can't like Kristinia because of this and this and this but there's another part that screams "I LIKE HER SONGS". I think the latter part won when I was choosing the songs. She's not the best at what she does and she's not this or that but I love the fact that she's doing what she does. Somebody is one of the few songs from her debut album that really made an impact on me - potential single, perhaps?
#3: Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart
Taio Cruz was one of those acts I was listening to Christmas last year at about this time and so listening back to this song reminds me of that time, even if this exact song wasn't even out then. The guy has the ability to make songs that one, sound like hits in the UK and two, appeal to me. LOL. No really, I'm not one to adore hits but Taio makes them well. He may not be in Craig David's league in the world of British R&B (I highly doubt anyone will) but he has his own appeal.
#2: Jordin Sparks - No Parade
I've said it once but I'll say it again - No Parade is stunning. The piano part at the beginning makes me melt, the chorus makes me tear up and how the song builds up makes me burst out crying. If I'm depressed enough. But really, the chorus is stunning and the emphasis on the piano throughout the song makes me smile. This song won't work though if the singer doesn't know what he/she's doing - Jordin does. Although I don't think she deserved to win her season of Idol (Yes, I'm still bitter - BLAKE!!!), she has learned how to be a good singer over the years.
#1: Ola - Sky's the Limit
I'm afraid my love for European pop still managed to rule this month - Ola's single just knocked all the (tough) competition out of the race. The melody, the super pop-y arrangement and the whole package are just too good to be left out on. It's catchy, well-produced and Ola can damn sing.
I'm exhausted but I don't know why - I always want to write about a ton of stuff on Friday night. Maybe I should make this an every week thing. Sounds interesting. hahah.
So first thing's first - Kristinia DeBarge. I don't know - something about the songs make me uninspired to write about the album. There are good songs, don't get me wrong, Speak Up and Somebody are the best of the good but the album as a whole sounds like various stuff we've all heard before - most of the melodies haven't moved me to the point of no return either.I'd give the album a 4/5 at the moment.
My beloved Brown Eyed Girls have released their new album(which is extremely confused but has three of the most brilliant ballads ever sung) and the lead single is so Eurotrash-y it could pass for crap. OK, maybe I'm being a little mean but seriously, the song is way too auto-tuned and techo-ized that I have a hard time imagining how the heck they're gonna sing this live.
I've noticed this with quite a number of girl groups. For some strange reason, the best singers are the ones who get the most auto-tuning, cutesy-fying and crappy-fying of all the members - that's like the worst thing you can do, make a girl who can sing sound like a baby or a crap singer. For BEG, Narsha gets like 3 short lines asa bridge and it's auto-tuned to the point where you can't even decipher if it's her - heck, she hardly even sings.
Oh, and the video is possibly going to be banned in Korea because it's VERY controversial and the girls' entertainment company refuses to edit it. Kudos to them for standing by their creation - even if it's not my taste at all. BSB's new single has left me speechless. The fact that they can make a melody that sounds like it came straight out of the year 2000 and slap it onto a very 2008/2009 arrangement is beyond me. THIS is why they're Gods in the boyband world - enough said.
A lot has been happening and I haven't had the time to properly digest everything since I got sick. I'm feeling a lot better now - better than yesterday but I'm stuck at home for the next three days.
For those of you who loved the severe pop-y-ness of BoA's Milky Way during the KPOP special and Etude - the song I featured a few days ago, there's another song in that category. My Boy is honestly like a mix between Milky Way AND Etude so do check it out.
So Kristinia DeBarge has covered Varsity Fanclub's Future Love. I was surprised, to say the least but I do love the version now - it's so, her. The girl is continuing to impress me as I hear more of her stuff - I just hope she gets some attention at the very least.
Since yesterday Leona Lewis songs have been leaking like crazy - three full songs and one clip but I haven't heard the first Ryan Tedder song that leaked (mainly because Mediafire is being a pain..). Perfect Stranger's not my type, Brave's nothing special but I Got U has the potential to blow me away. It hasn't done the job yet but I think once we get the whole song I'll start going crazy. The melody reminds me something songwriters here would give a band, surprisingly - let's see where the song will go.
OLA! I adore the guy - reminds me so much of a male Agnes Carlsson. Sky's The Limit is armed with lyrics that can make your cringe but don't because the song is just so pop-y that you don't mind. That's what I call pop music.
There's a new Brown Eyed Girls teaser out and even if they made a song with the most brilliant bridge ever, I'm not impressed. Will have to wait for the whole song, then.
Daughtry has covered Poker Face. Haven't heard it and I don't have any intentions to - unless someone tells me it's any good.
Whitney Houston has a new song out? Haven't heard it either but I think I'll give it a shot later - it's bound to be decent at the very least.
What to expect in the near future:
I've set up a few interviews with some indie artists so that should come through most probably in the next month or so. YAY!
Apparently it's new single season in Korea and US and UK artists are slowly leaking new stuff so that should keep me preoccupied.
A 'spin-off' of my Rain addiction - I heard the song during a Rain interview and loved it so I've been looking for it since yesterday morning. I found ittttt! hahah.
Compared to the UK and even more the US, South Korea seems to have a whole bunch of girl groups out at the moment and I'm not just talking about new ones - there are a whole host of established girl bands. If I was to compare it to UK pop, think of the time when Girls Aloud, Atomic Kitten, The Sugababes, Clea, The Spice Girls, B*Witched and All Saints existed which was NEVER. hahah.
That's just for the girl groups I know - and I don't know a lot. There's Wonder Girls, Girls Generation, T-ara, Jewelry, and a lot I forgot about or just don't know about yet. Then of course, you have the Brown Eyed Girls.
Once again, I never look at the lyrics. Even if I don't know what the crap they're saying - this song is amazing. If I was to evaluate everything else from them that I've heard, I'd say they're not that good but this song is just so freakin' brilliant that it's a crime not to listen to it. It follows what I assume is a trend within female solo/group acts - that Euro-ish/dance/techno sound(Lee Hyori was doing it and I've heard quite a few other bands doing this.) but what I love so much about this song is the bridge(the part the girl with the ponytail and bangs sings, I'm quite sure that's the verse).
(note: you have to listen to this before you even think of loading the video below - trust me.)
Heck, even mind-blowing wouldn't do it justice. Time to look for another word.
If I was to honestly name the best bridge I've heard this year(and I've heard a lot of good bridges this year..) - this would be it. I don't care if I hate the rapping part(although it's become tolerable now..) and the girl singing first sucks live - the bridge is the best thing I've heard since the first time I played Rain's discography.
Amazing instrumentation, good, strong verses, a chorus that hits you from nowhere and the most mind-blowing bridge, can it get any better? Of course it can!(I was as surprised as I expect you to be right now..)
A good song should be able to morph - it should be able to be flexible and not limit itself to one arrangement. In short, if you strip the vocals/melody and slap it on another arrangement, it should work like nothing changed and boy can this song do that. This is the reason why I told you guys to listen to the original song with the original arrangement because now you HAVE to hear this: What I don't understand though is why the girl singing that friggin' bridge ISN'T the lead singer - she beats that crap can't-sing-live lead singer any day. Did you hear how she just belted out her part? ugh.
