[June 5, 2010] MBC Music Core Highlights + Commentary

Oh yes, another recap! Hopefully I complete this weekend's music shows.

I'm a bit surprised by the absence of SISTAR - hmmmm. ANYWAY. The sound today was pretty decent, so you won't read that many complaints about the engineer and whatnot. It's not up to par with the MuBank sound, but it's better than the previous weeks. Yayyy.

YT credit goes to CrazyCarrot250 - amazing. WAHAH.


CN Blue - Love
You know, I think I like the other guitarist's voice better now - Younghwa has a nice voice, yeah, but I dunno, I'm leaning more towards the other guy. Hmm. Solid performance, and I wish Younghwa gets his voice back ASAP!

Secret - Magic
Now that's what I call a performance - vocals-wise, at least. I'm serious. Their vocals as a group were very strong, so strong that even the blonde girl sounded rather good today compared to girls from other bands and the other 3 sounded very comfortable. Now that they've got their live vocals fixed and strong (hopefully they sustain it for the rest of promo), the next step is working on their group dynamics and the performance itself, which isn't very hard. Third favorite girl group? If and when they give me good material.

f(x) - NU ABO
I will say one thing about their performance today - THE BACKING TRACK WAS TOO DAMN LOUD. The girls were actually singing, but the only indicator that they were singing live were the murmurs in the background, the breaths, and Luna's lag in tempo on her middle 8. *sigh*

MBLAQ - Y
*sigh* MBLAQ, MBLAQ, MBLAQ - Rain isn't the next JYP just yet, and he's proven it with you guys. I acknowledge that their performance today was very tight and that they have a very obvious good group dynamic, but those are of no significance if they don't have the music part mastered and learned. I mean yeah they work nicely together and the routine was tight, but if that's all they can offer us, we might as well mute the sound, take off their mics, and watch them dance - if we just watch them dance, what are they doing on a music show? The reason why Rain hit is because he could not only dance, he was a pretty decent live singer as well. Not the best, but he could pull off a song - MBLAQ can't. Their vocals today were a bit better, but still not up to par with the other bands in their league. *ahem* BEAST *ahem* lol.

4Minute - HUH
That was a good performance. Vocally they weren't at their best, but they sounded decent and really sold the song like it's the best song ever (even if it's not) - good performance.

After School - Bang!
Christmas-themed outfits today, eh? It's official - from this moment on I will be smiling throughout AS performances. The vocals were strong for the most part, and for the second time I got goosebumps on that high note - even if the release was a little sloppy. That and I think I have my favorite voice in After School now, I just need to know her name! Strong performance, very strong. Not as good as yesterday's, but still miles better than their past appearances.

Super Junior - Bonamana
Now that Kyuhyun's gone (temporarily), you see what it does to a band where less than 70% of the members have actual competent vocals - they nearly fell apart today. If this was any other band, the performance would've been an epic fail, but this is Super Junior - they don't do falling apart. The coming back as 10 members thing didn't cripple them that much because they'd lived without Kibum for ages, Kangin wasn't a lead lead singer, and although Han Geng had a decent live voice, they treated him more like a dancer and therefore he got less lines. But Kyuhyun - he most probably has the most accumulated solo lines out of all of them, or he's tied with the rest of KRY - you lose him, you lose a big chunk of the group's vocal ability. Ryeowook, even if I don't really like his voice, was very good today, and so were Heechul and Sungmin and a spattering of Yesung. Donghae not too much - he can't pull off Kyuhyun's line. The performing part was standard SuJu, but you guys know I lean more towards the vocals on these recaps. Oh well - better luck tomorrow.

SS501 - Love Ya + Let Me Be The One
Do these guys warm-up before the performance or what? 'Coz they always manage to screw up the first song they do, and pull off the second one. Yesterday Let Me Be The One was brilliant and although today's performance of Love Ya was still crap, it was a teensy bit better than yesterday's. I have a word for the performance - it was sad, it really was. I'm sorry, but you call Jungmin and Yong Seng the band's supposed "best singers"? They sounded pretty bad today - the most decent one out of the 5 was Hyung Joon - Hyun Joong was pathetic, he annoys me. I think the reason why they sound like this is because they're trying to do something they clearly can't. Either they can't sing it, can't dance the routine, can't do both at the same time, or something to that effect - there's something with this entire single/package that they cannot do. I don't know it they can't do it yet or just can't whatsoever. Over the next few weeks hopefully I figure out what it is.

Inki tomorrow. If I watch, I'll be live tweeting for @thekpopnation on Twitter, so follow us if you want live updates! :)

[June 4, 2010] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAACK! The last weekend of my summer vacation - hopefully I complete recaps for all 3 shows. Fingers crossed.

Today's MuBank didn't have that many idol groups - the Wonder Girls and f(x) were MIA, but SISTAR and SS501 debuted their latest singles. All was good, especially the sound. I would like to personally meet and thank the sound engineer on today's episode, and all the previous episodes. *clap clap clap*

As always, YT credit goes to UnknownCarrot110.

SISTAR - Here We Come + Push Push
Now that we hear them without all the auto-tuning, it's like the 4 girls were just thrown together and it just to happened that one of them had a nice voice and one could rap and sing a bit - those two in skirts really annoy me beyond belief, and I mean more than that girl in the Wonder Girls. The girl in the ponytail is rather outstanding for a band of their caliber and position, and the timbre of her voice could potentially be jaw-dropping if she works on her vocals. There are better singers than her, but this early into SISTAR's career she has traces of technique - that means she'll grow with time. A few lazy lines though - forgiven since she's new. It just hit me this afternoon what Push Push sounds like, and it hit me when I couldn't stop humming After School's Ah. Made by the same producer for the girl group at the same stage SISTAR are at now - the similarity is striking. I just hope they follow in the footsteps of AS though, at least music-wise.

CN Blue - Love
I don't know why but I kinda feel sorry for CN Blue and Yonghwa (did I spell it right or does it have a u? Ugh whatever) 'coz the song's growing on me, but his live vocals are still scratched and weak. *sigh*

MBLAQ - Y
You'd think that winning M!Countdown yesterday would give MBLAQ some kind of push to try and stop being to pre-occupied with looking good on stage and getting their 5 minutes of fame, but no, it didn't. I mean I won't say they didn't deserve yesterday's award because it's done - they've won it and I can't say anything about it - but I still don't like their performances. They look so stiff when they sing, it's like singing isn't natural to them when that's what they effin' do for an effin' living. Ugh. Next song.

4Minute - HUH
I love the fanchants for 4Minute today, they added to the intensity of the song - very loud, very chaotic, very good. 4Minute have become all about the performance and although I don't think they'll be able to just stand there doing nothing and command an entire audience, they're doing OK for a girl group of their standing. Vocals are getting stronger - it shows that they're a lot more comfortable with the stage now, which is good for us.

After School - Let's Do it!(hip hop version) + Bang!
Pledis really know how to read my mind, don't they? I was beginning to get a bit bored of the single, and what do they give me? A "hip hop" version of Let's Do It!. Although it wasn't that hip hop except for the re-arrangement of the backing track and the clothes, it's new and it's fresh - it keeps us all interested in them. Unlike Hyori who only had all the bells and whistles at the beginning, AS are doing the right things - promote the single for a long period, but keep your fans on their toes waiting for the next twist. I liked it. That and everyone's vocals today were on top form. Well, top form relatively within the band. Gahee's learning technique, the two girls' vocals are getting stronger, and I actually got goosebumps today - bravo. That's it, one more good performance from them and I will officially have a second favorite kpop girl group. Officially.

SS501 - Love Ya + Let Me Be The One
When SS501 lose the "complicated" choreography (are they complicated? I really don't know), they actually sound pretty good. Their vocals aren't my taste, but they're strong, practiced and mature. That performance of Let Me Be The One had probably some of the best live vocals I've heard from the band. BUT they just had to go ruin my good mood, by completely screwing up the vocals on their LEAD SINGLE of all performances. The vocals were pathetic - breathy, weak, out of time, and at times out of tune, and the only redeeming factor was the fact that the fans were screaming so loud. I mean, I know it's hard to sing and dance at the same time, but that's what idols are expected to do well. I'm sorry for saying this but it's true - if DBSK can do it, why can't SS501? I may sound biased, but it's a fact that DBSK may not have been the best live singers when they were starting (which often led to lip-synced performances for the first 3 years of their career), but when they were at where SS501 are at now, they had some of the best live vocals in Korea. Now, I repeat - why can't SS501 do that? They had decent vocals on that slower song, and they performed that after this lead single - what happened?

Super Junior - Bonamana (WINNER)
Aaaaand Super Junior, despite winning, didn't have one of their 3 hopes of being able to pull off today's vocals due to an ear infection I believe? Yeah. Sad, Kyuhyun was finally starting to get a hang of singing that part. Donghae was shaky at the beginning, but the performance as a whole was pretty strong, continuing last week's string of better performing.

SS501 - Love Ya

If you were with me last year, you'll remember that I gave a rather negative review to Rebirth and got an army of fangirls run after me. I stand by my review and don't regret writing it - I had every right to say what I did, and I still have every right to say what I'm about to.

I've tried very hard to like an SS501 song apart from 4 Chance and maybe a spattering of Deja Vu, I really have, but so far it's been unsuccessful - there's always something about their new material that turns me off.

When I saw the teaser to this single the first thing that popped into my mind was DBSK - the set, the strings, the sound. Then I heard the entire song and that thought was just reinforced.

Love Ya sounds like a DBSK song circa Tri-Angle, which was 6 years ago, and they don't necessarily have better vocals than DBSK. I don't mind them sounding so six years ago if they did it deliberately and took the sound of that year as a whole 'coz the whole 'vintage' thing is in now but to take something your rival boyband did a gazillion years ago and pretty much turned into their signature sound and do it now that they've pretty much fallen apart is rather stupid. The song fits their vocals, yeah, but it's unoriginal - strike 3958937552 for SS501 in my books.

As a song alone and without comparison it's OK. I mean it's nothing new or ground-breaking and they didn't exactly take the old and radicalize it into the new nor did they make it better, but it sounds very SS501, if that means sounding like DBSK years ago - it's not so much the song though, it's their vocals. Whether or not I like them, DSP has gotten very distinct singers and they've got their own signature sound.

That said, their vocals sound bear-able now, but I guess I'll have to see them do this live before I reinforce that.

The string section throughout kinda pulls me in for a while, and as a string section alone I like it - it's pretty but it's not that obvious until the tail end, which is a little upsetting or whatever. It is a nice touch though, as well as the piano loop.

Everything else about the song goes through me - I find myself listening to it while I surf the web or read or something and a little later I look and I'm like "I already played this 5 times and I didn't notice?" - oh well.

2/5

I will not publish disrespectful comments. You might think I'm "weak" or something for not welcoming criticism but disrespect is not criticism - it's offensive and I don't want another fight to spark on the blog. Please, I've had enough.

Best of 2009: October #6 - #4

October was an all-kpop month. See which songs made the cut.

#6: SS501 - Wasteland

If you remember back when the mini-album this is on was released, I did a review and it was slammed, bashed and treated like trash by a bunch of SS501 fans (Triple S) just because I said I didn't like it and that it sucked. I don't regret saying that because for crap's sake what is wrong with me saying what I think and no, I will NOT be careful with what I say because I was raised to always say exactly what I think. I study in a school that taught me to always voice my opinions so NO, I refuse to 'soften' my opinions just because someone'll get hurt. ANYWAY. This entry is sort of a truce to the NICE SS501 fans. You know who you are and I won't name you anymore but thank you for presenting your opinions in a civilized way, I appreciate that. To the fans who just kept on bashing me, this is mot definitely NOT for you.

Wasteland is the best of the mediocre - it's bearable and the melody has some semblance of beauty.

#5: SeeYa - 그 놈 목소리

SeeYa came back late this year with a new member and a continuation of their Hot Girl days - it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Yeah, their vocals are processed like hell (excuse me for a moment while I throw up..) but BEG went the same way - from ballad singers to eurocrap robots. I had a few theories on them back when this was released and they still stand. SeeYa are the Korean version of the Sugababes and they're trying to cash in on what The Brown Eyed Girls have done with their music. His Voice isn't a BAD song, I just wish they'd get rid of the processing.

#4: Hwayobi and Sleepy from Untouchable - Kiss Kiss Kiss

This is brilliance. No really, Kiss Kiss Kiss is a sweet R&B staple but it's not dated - it sounds like it's from 2009. I like the funky-sounding instruments, the simple but pretty verses and the undeniably R&B hook - Hwayobi knows how to make a song. All is great with just that but then you add Hwayobi's gorgeous, gorgeous voice and everything just explodes (figuratively).

SS501 - Rebirth

I'm drowned in schoolwork at the moment (A 30-page paper on the history of my university, a reading primer for elementary school kids AND my final exams next week. I hate school.) but writing keeps me sane so I will write. If I don't, I might self-destruct before I even see the light of my final exams. If you're with promo and you plan to send me stuff, go ahead but I won't be able to answer until sometime next week after my finals - keep the stuff coming in though! Hahah. ANYWAY.SS501, the band famous for having Kin Hyun Joong play Yoon Ji Hoo (did I get his family name right?) on Boys Over Flowers AND be best friends with Jaejoong GOD DBSK. They're back as a 5-piece after a long time away from the Korean industry and a few quite unsuccessful attempts to break Japan (is it just me or are they trying too hard to be the next Tohoshinki?) - I'm not that impressed.

Yeah, sure this album 'boasts' of American producers and the guys are all in eyeliner for the album cover + over 60-page photo book but really, the entire mini-album sounds generic and overused. The slower songs suck, they bored me to death the first time I heard them and they're not songs I'll consciously listen to again. I'll still take you through all 5 songs though because it's what I do.

Wasteland is generic, nothing special and at the beginning very boring. One of those trying hard 'piano-influenced R&B' numbers that turns into an auto-tuned song somewhere along the way. I do commend the songwriter and producer for making the chorus more explosive and not anti-climactic like I thought it would be. The verses put me off a bit but the bridge kind of redeemed the entire first part of the song - the chorus is nothing special either but it's not bad and it has its appeal. The second verse is much, much more interesting, I now blame everything on the guy who sang the first verse. All in all Wasteland is probably the best song on the album, nothing to gush about but the middle 8 is GORGEOUS.

Love Like This, the lead single, is even more boring than Wasteland. It sounds a little like Wasteland but more commercial and you know commercial for me means bland and uninteresting. I like the production and I like the instrumental but the melody is just, just - NO. By the verses you'd think the song's a bit serious but then the chorus turns into this cheesy-ish thing that really puts me off. However if this is what they mean by maturing musically, I highly doubt that. They've changed, yes, but this is not 'more mature'.

The next track, Haru G/Ka (I THINK it translates to days pass or something to that effect? Correct me if I'm wrong.) is the boring ballad I was talking about. Pretty melody, not bad vocals (I don't particularly think SS501 have outstanding vocals as a whole but they're not bad. I'll get to that later) but the entire package has been so overused and it's starting to get a bit boring.

Obsess is boring as well. No really, it's bland, generic and sounds like a reject track for some new R&B singer who wants to be the next Usher or something. They didn't sing or sell the song very well either. Nice try guys but the next time you attempt to be all 'global' or 'international' by working with American producers, at least get the good ones, OK? Good ones anywhere in the world won't give you reject songs or will at least try to make the rejects sound good.

I can't talk about the last track, I really can't. It's so bad and corny and UGH that I CANNOT stand the damn thing. The counting before the first chorus was the last straw for me - really, prepare your ears for the worst before you listen to it.

Although I don't like the songs as songs or packages, I've got to say that I was surprised at the quality of their vocals on this album. For the longest time I thought SS501 were a lot weaker than their other boyband equivalents *ahem* DBSK *ahem* but their vocals on Wasteland and Love Like This and even Haru G/Ka were not bad at all. In fact, they were quite good! I honestly didn't know these guys could sing like that. If there's one reason why you have to listen to the album at least once, it's to hear the vocals. The songs suck, yes but I do applaud the guys for delivering their vocals better than I expected.

3.3/5 Sadly the songs still suck.

SS501 - 4 Chance

SS501 are one of those boybands in Korea that aren't insanely popular to the point of legendary like 2PM, DBSK, Super Junior and Big Bang but they've had moderate success in Korea and Japan - tickets to a date in their Asian tour were sold out in half an hour. They also happen come from the same talent agency that made Korea's biggest late 90's to early 2000's girl group - Fin.K.L. where Lee Hyori came from. Not too shabby, eh?

Their leader(I still don't get why boybands and girl groups need 'leaders') is more famous for being the mysterious musical guy in the Korean F4 - this insanely rich and bratty group of guys then the cold and even more insanely rich leader falls in love with this poor girl. It's been remade as a TV series in Taiwan, Japan and Korea - talk about repetitive but when I was a little kid I adored the Taiwanese version even if I didn't know what the crap was happening in the story and now it's extremely lame.

Even if they got a 'sub-unit' - a bunch of guys who took the band name and promoted a new single while the original members were out earning way more money and becoming really popular on their own in 2008, the original group does have some brilliantly made pop songs under its belt. They came back this year with a new Japanese album filled with quite good songs and the title track was a capella - it's honestly not as bad as I thought it would be. Not as good as Westlife, I have yet to find a boyband who can do it better than them but SS501 singing a capella is pretty good, I'd love to hear what they sound like live.

4 Chance is one of those songs that I don't like when I first hear it but because it's a pop song I kinda force myself to like it and it works, sort of like Girls Aloud. Of course my first impressions on these songs are always wrong because once I actually like the song I get the album and curse myself for not hearing it earlier. Me and my stubbornness.

It took me some time to notice this but it has become a rarity over the past few weeks - THERE IS NO RAP PART. Rejoice! My ears are thanking these guys. haha. The melody is less repetitive but extremely catchy - the type that makes you want to hum along by the end of the song.

The structure of this song has been driving me to insanity ever since I first heard it. So you have your standard verse-chorus-verse-chorus-dance break-middle 8-dance break(One is enough for heaven's sake! Unless you're Rain and you NEED more than one dance break to properly do yourself justice.) structure for the first 2 and a half minutes or so but then what sprouts out of nowhere after the second dance break? ANOTHER VERSE. What the effin' crap was that? First the song has two dance breaks and now this?

I'm going nuts trying to figure out why the songwriter put another verse at the friggin' end of the song. It could be to accommodate 5 solos but you can make the verses 2 stanzas long(which he/she already did), split them between two members and make a different guy sing the middle 8 - it's been done but noooooooo, the third verse HAD to put in AT THE END so the 'leader' gets 2 stanzas worth of solos on the song. Makes no sense.

Oh but I do love the melody. Hahah.

All the music videos of the song on YouTube can't be embedded so this is a live performance. If you want to see the video, it's here.

4.2/5