From: "THE RETURN" Format: Full-Length Album Released: March Territory: South Korea Previous Best of Appearances: First Appearance
Shinhwa are one of the few idol groups who are solid proof that there is indeed some sense of longevity in K-Pop. It was hard enough for them to try and survive through a dry period for idol groups in Korea (back when solo acts ruled circa-early 2000s), and it's even harder now to not fade into obscurity. I mean Shinhwa now isn't the hottest thing since anything like they were back in 1999, but the simple fact that they're still putting out music is good enough for K-Pop.
I really liked "Venus" when it came out this year, and although I wish I could say the same for the rest of the album now, I still like it now. I like it because it takes the formula, makes some very minor tweaks, and delivers it well.
Those verses are beautiful, the arrangement gives a sense of urgency, but the melody itself is stunning enough to work together with the urgent arrangement. You'd think that because the verses are stunning, the chorus will be anticlimactic, but honestly I really like how the instrumental takes a step back and lets the vocals carry the song. The vocals don't pop, but neither does the instrumental -- there's a balance there that really does make the song.
But what I like the most about the song is that even if the chorus sounds very modern and autotune-y and whatnot, it still has a melody, and that melody is still sing-able. It's something I would love to play at a party or a club because of what it sounds like on the outside, but also because I really like how that sound works, and the possibilities it opens. It's radio-friendly, it's club-friendly, it's remix-friendly, but at the same time it's a beautiful song.
As I said yesterday, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I've come to a half-conclusion that I should just keep writing through whatever it is I'm going through right now. And, if I feel like writing, I should. So, here we are! Honestly, today's show had quite a nice line-up, and the right mix of new and old.
(I'll add in the 4Minute video once I find one :D)
EXO-K - "MAMA" The high notes are still painful, but their vocals are starting to take shape and develop attitudes. The same goes with their performance as a whole -- they're showing the beginnings of a group dynamic, as well as a sense of effortlessness. This is the point where I say I'll keep my eye on them, and hope they get a better second single.
B.A.P. - "POWER" Apart from that hilarious gif of them with rice bowls for heads, I never really took notice of these guys, but honestly, I get what I was missing. I'm not a big fan of the song, and their over-all direction in general, but I actually enjoyed the performance. The guys who sing, can sing, and most of all, they look like they genuinely enjoy the stage. Even if it's a very rugged song and performance, they move with grace and just the right amount of confidence.
Supernova - "Stupid Love" Like I said before, I hate the song, and I hate it even more for Supernova, and it doesn't help their cause that they sound horrible singing it. Obviously, I'd take their Japanese material over this, every single time.
U-Kiss - "DORADORA" Everything about this bores me to death. There's very little dynamics, and the chorus is basically them whispering "DORADORADORADORA", so the song itself is extremely boring, U-Kiss vocals generally need to be carried by the song, so when you have something like this obviously they're going to sound flat, and this performance wasn't exactly jaw-dropping either.
SNSD (Taeyeon, Tiffany, Seohyun) - "Twinkle" Taeyeon sounds amazing, she really does -- this song, flaws aside, was made for her. Still side-eyeing Tiffany and whoever made the decision for her to sing like a 3 year-old for half the song, and honestly, Seohyun lacks power in her voice, something this song badly needs. Her voice is smooth and she sings the line down to the last note, but her high notes are off at times and incredibly weak -- they lack attitude. Although, today's performance was much better than yesterday's, which is always a good thing.
Shinhwa - "Venus" I don't know if I just missed it last week or something, but Hyesung's out of his chair and back dancing! A few cracks here and there, which kind of brought the performance down in terms of the Shinhwa side, but the atmosphere was something else. Shinhwa may be next to irrelevant with the international fandom, and new fans who haven't bothered, but watching these music shows and hearing how much louder and wilder their fan chants are, over the likes of SNSD, just goes to show how much they matter. Of course, I got the obligatory goosebumps from the combination of the song, the performance, and the wild, screaming fans. That's one of the main reasons why I don't believe in MR removed videos -- performances were meant to be heard as a whole, and taken as such. *joins the wild screaming fangirls*
SISTAR - "Alone"(WINNER) Since I assume Hyorin's not sick anymore, she sounds like her normal self, but other than that, there's been little progress since I last did a recap, and Hyorin being sick doesn't really count as a basis either. Everything's still as cheesy and ungraceful as it was, outfits included. Which is why I'm extremely surprised that they're actually winning left and right.
Today's show featured comebacks from Girls' Day and Supernova, and goodbye stages from CN Blue, who I'm not recapping today, and SHINee.
And before we start, I just really want to thank you all for the support you've put in to the return of these recaps, all your comments and the discussions you engage in because of my posts somewhat drive me to keep writing these recaps. To know that people still actually take time to read my work means a lot to me. But enough of the mush.
EXO-K - "MAMA"
I've half-figured out and made sure of why EXO look so stiff on stage -- it's because they've overdoing it, to the point where, again, they don't enjoy it. While I understand that it's natural to over think performances, and it's actually for that reason that I stopped performing, EXO are supposed to be in it for the long run. Or at least that's what I assume. If they themselves cannot start genuinely enjoying their performances, then their audience won't either.
BTOB - "Insane"
Now the problem with BTOB has something to do with dynamics again. There are seven of them on stage, but it seems like there are more, like the stage is crowded, because they're not moving as a group. Their vocals are fine, their song is so-so but fits them, but they have to work on their group dynamic.
Spica - "Painkiller"
Their vocals were ever so slightly slipping today, but nothing majorly bad and/or painful happened, and the song is still as bland as it was yesterday, despite the girls' efforts.
Girls' Day - "Oh My God"
I'd love to say that their vocals were actually consistent and that I just really hate them, but then... what vocals? They sound like three year-olds begging you to buy them something. All of them.
SISTAR - "Alone"
In fairness to SISTAR, Soyu (is that her name?) sounds a lot better, and thus that much more relevant today. At least Hyorin's not the only one properly carrying the melody during live performances anymore. Other than that though, I practically fell asleep during today's performance. The song itself is a song that needs to be carried with both grace and attitude, and while SISTAR do have attitude, it's not coupled with grace, so it just becomes boring.
Supernova - "Stupid Love"
When Supernova were promoting "On The Days I Missed You", I adored them. They were a b-list group with lots of potential, and above all, brilliant material. It was a shame that they weren't more famous in Korea. However, this time around, it seems like they've degraded, and now they're just another b-list band with sub-par, generic material. "Stupid Love" sounds a BEAST reject, rejected because it was too cheap, even for Cube. And it's obvious that this song doesn't fit them, because they can't sing it live. It's not that they're completely untalented, because they're actually all pretty okay, and Sungje reminds me of a cross between a young Hyesung and a young Jaejoong, who are both gods in their own right, it's that they need good material or else they'll just disappear in the sea of b-list acts.
4Minute - "Volume Up"
So I see we're still turning the backing track way too high during the parts that matter, huh, Music Core? The performance itself was consistently okay today, and if there's one thing 4Minute knows how to do, it's carry a song with the right kind of attitude.
SHINee - "Sherlock"
I liked the camera effects they put in today's performance, a lot more than the spinning cameras everyone used to use. It's subtle and tasteful, it wasn't over-the-top and that sense of "live" still remained. Vocals were consistent today -- again, not as powerful as I'd like them to be, but good enough for me not to be in any pain.
Shinhwa - "Venus"
In all honesty, for the songs that Shinhwa are doing now, Minwoo should take over lead vocals. While Hyesung's voice is godly and we should all worship it, it's very picky, and rather shaky live. They need a lead singer who can not only sing well, but who is versatile and stable enough to carry the band, regardless of what kind of material they get. But that's just me. On the performance side, again, they are so good at performing that it looks effortless, it feels effortless, and they have total control over the audience.
Significantly less major comebacks this week, and actually the only idol comebacks were from 5tion, who I'm not going to cover on today's recap, and Girls' Day, who are all lower-profile idol groups. But, it was still a pretty good show, what with 4Minute and SISTAR getting used to stage again, Shinhwa being around, and SHINee and CN Blue leaving with a bang, CN Blue in particular.
Credit for the videos goes to shu35151224@YouTube. (Other videos to follow)
EXO-K - "MAMA" The good thing is, at least their vocals are that much more bearable this week -- I'm glad they're showing signs of improving, at least in terms of vocals. However, as I was watching the performance today, they're not only stiff and ungraceful, they're also still very all over the place. You can argue that the choreography itself is very edgy, but the way they present themselves and move on stage has no grace whatsoever. They're not yet at the point where they look like they're enjoying the stage.
NU'EST - "FACE" I like NU'EST, I'm confident enough to admit it. They have emotion, they have grace, and again, they can pull off their material. Heavily choreographed, yes, but this early on, they know how to show that they genuinely enjoy being on stage. Another consistently strong performance today, and an absolute pleasure to watch, for rookie standards.
Spica - "Painkiller" Strong vocals, good stage presence and delivery, but really, these girls need a much, much more interesting and powerful single to match what they already have in the bag.
Girls' Day - "Oh My God" It's been a year since they last had something new out, and I still feel like strangling all of them, AND their song. Looks like my "well talk when you get decent" line will never get done, because I doubt they're gonna get decent within the next few years. They don't even sound like they're singing, it's more like they're talking.
SISTAR - "Alone" And I see we're back to tacky gold dresses to match the cheap choreography this week. Really, the dresses are so distracting because not only is there a huge slit in front, it's also a really awkward length and bad, stiff material, so when the girls dance it makes them look fatter than the sticks they most probably are. That said, considering that Hyomin has been sick for ages now, the vocals were pretty okay, and at least the other girls are singing too.
4Minute - "Volume Up" Is it just me or was today's performance flat? I mean in terms of vocals everyone, Hyun A maybe a bit, was consistent, and Jiyoon's high notes were pretty much spot-on, but as a whole they lacked intensity, and the leader's middle 8 was of no help to break the lack of intensity. They carried themselves well, but it just lacked that spark.
SHINee - "Sherlock" Honestly? Today's performance wasn't their best, but it's a lot better than when I first saw them perform this. All-around strong vocals, and the stage presence is just overflowing. It was an enjoyable performance.
Shinhwa - "Venus" The purple outfits are... interesting, to say the least, but distracting, especially the unlucky members who got purple pants to match. Not as distracting as SISTAR's outfits though. The way they carry themselves on stage is really something else, the song is as choreographed as everyone else, and even without prancing around stage, they hold the audience in the palm of their hands -- the fan chants are so, so loud, and everyone revels in the performance. It's such a joy to watch a Shinhwa performance, it really is.
CN Blue - "In My Head" + "Hey You"(WINNER) No big breakthroughs in today's performance, just the same old complaints. First off, I know they're not really playing, and that itself is a problem, but really, couldn't you give off some semblance of them being a band like say I don't know, putting them near each other so they can mock-hear each other? In other news, Jonghyun sounds more and more amazing each time I hear him.
And we move on to today's episode of Music Core. Music shows are getting more and more enjoyable these days, which is really good! And, surprise, surprise, MBC's sound system seems to be getting better as well. Or, they put someone better behind the system. Today's show features EXO's debut, and comebacks from 4Minute and SISTAR.
Video credit goes to shu35151224@YouTube.
EXO-K - "History" + "MAMA" Looks like someone took my comment on them singing together too seriously, because now it's 80 percent backing track, 10 percent random mumbling in the background, and another 10 percent belting out unnecessary notes. However, the parts which weren't drowned out by the backing track were much, much, better today. There are still so many major problems with their performance though. First off, the six of them are still singing and moving for themselves rather than for EXO as a whole, and so the performance is so robotic. I believe I said this before, but they don't look like they're happy to be on stage, like it's a privilege -- they look like they were pushed on stage against their will. You don't need to smile to show joy, or prance around not caring about anything to show effortlessness, but their performance has no emotion whatsoever. Which leads me to believe that these guys aren't in it for the music, but for the popularity. And I'm extremely disturbed by that. And secondly, I was telling Ree just a while ago that pretty much all of the SM bands have a very obvious "lead singer" figure from the very beginning. While that figure can change through time (like Junsu and Jaejoong in DBSK), it is always present, and very obvious, even to the untrained ear. I don't see that with EXO. In fact, listening to them now, if I didn't know any better I wouldn't think they were an SM group. They don't move like one, they don't act like one, and they don't even sing like one either. All of this is very strange.
BTOB - "Insane" I never thought I'd say this, but honestly, BTOB sound much better than EXO, because for one thing, at least they, or some of them, can sing their own song. Yeah sure they murdered DBSK's Love In The Ice, but EXO murdered their own song.
NU'EST - "FACE" NU'EST fulfill one of the most important traits in a new group -- if you don't have good material, if you don't have amazing voices, at least pull of what you have, so much that you keep people's attention on you until the day you do get good material and you do become brilliant singers. And really, they pull this song off so well, that I had to do a double-take to see if they were lip-synching, which they were not. I have my eyes on you, NU'EST, you better not disappoint.
Spica - "Painkiller" Another strong performance, however, again, I'm more concerned with what they're going to release next than I am the song they're currently promoting. These girls need an explosion of a song to show off their vocals!
B1A4 - "BABY I'M SORRY" Seriously, B1A4, after a disastrous singles last year, you're quickly turning into a band I'm keeping my eye on for quite a long time! They all look like they genuinely enjoy being on stage, on top of consistently pulling off a strong performance. The song matches their vocals, and they all know how to perform it as well. Pretty good, B1A4!
SISTAR - "Lead Me" + "Alone" To answer the reactions to my comment on their performance yesterday, there are three other members in SISTAR, are there not? Hyorin is not the only member of SISTAR. But, I'm glad they didn't lip-sync Alone today. My problem with SISTAR has always been the combination of their performances and their material, and how they can never seem to pull them off with a sense of finesse. The same goes for today's performance.
4Minute - "Dream Racer" + "Volume Up" So far, 4Minute are creaming SISTAR in terms of live performances -- from song selection to stage presence and the consistency of their vocals. The middle 8 of Dream Racer was really sloppily done, but the rest of it was pretty good. And for a second there I was really surprised at HyunA's not painful vocals, then I realized that this performance was overdubbed and double-tracked, very badly may I add. Which is suspicious because this could possibly mean that they can't pull this song off for three days straight, which will ultimately make them lose to SISTAR, who we know can pull their single off. Hmmm. We'll see.
SHINee - "Sherlock" Strong, consistent performance today. Very effortless but accurate and snappy at the same time. Everyone sounds good, Taemin and Onew in particular. But then again, I expect nothing less from SHINee.
Shinhwa - "Venus" A lot more stable than yesterday, but of course, performance-wise they're still consistently effortless, as individuals and as a group. They look not only like they belong on stage, but like they love being on it, they love performing. That's something new groups have to learn and take to heart, because it's one of the most important aspects of a live performance -- if you can't sell what you have, no matter how good you are people won't be convinced.
Why hello there! (^_^) Music show recaps are now in full-swing after re-starting with Inkigayo last Sunday, and today's show was full of comebacks! If you haven't already, acquaint yourself with new offerings from EXO-K, 4Minute and SISTAR before we go on to the show itself.
Today's show was actually pretty good, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear very few extremely painful moments. However, we weren't completely free of them.
Video credit goes to shu35151224@YouTube.
EXO-K - "History" + "MAMA" YES! They finally sing live! However, like everything else SME does, it's once again a huge disappointment. I thought you guys could sing? You're even worse than DBSK when everyone but Yoochun sounded painful. When they hit the chorus of History, I literally started laughing. What is this? A screaming contest? What are you, a bunch of starving 3 year-olds during lunch time? I admire you all for singing at the choruses, but that was just painful. That high note at the beginning of the second chorus is MAMA was painful beyond words. Whoever did that should be sent back to SME bootcamp. It was even more painful than Changmin's wail during their performance of Mideoyo back in 2004, because at least that had some semblance of a note. The problem is that by themselves they're not exactly brilliant live performers, so when you put them together, it's not enough that you put six new vocals together, they also have little group dynamic, and they don't have a concept of just standing back and letting someone else bask in the spotlight. They have to learn that they're now in a group with five other guys -- they can't go prancing around like the "star trainees" they used to be, because the most important thing now is not standing alone, but helping other guys stand. It's like a human pyramid, if the guys below are shaky, everything else becomes a total disaster.
NU'EST - "FACE" If there's something Pledis has done right, it's giving NU'EST this song. From the performances you can tell that they're not the world's best singers, and if they sang something from more vocally capable bands they'd probably sound like dying chickens too (I'm looking at you BTOB), but they got the right song for their vocals, so they actually sound pretty good. A few slips here and there, but over-all they've gotten to a point where they can all pull this song off well. I'm keeping my eyes on you, NU'EST.
Spica - "Painkiller" I should really get to listening to their album. After the show, I will. That said, it's another strong performance today, but I think I know why that's all I ever say about them. The song itself is not really made for performance, even if it's an okay song when you think about it. Therefore, although they do a really confident and consistent job at pulling it off, and they themselves have wow factors of their own, the song is pretty flat when performed in front of a live audience, and goes right through us.
B1A4 - "BABY I'M SORRY" B1A4, you're slowly inching back into my good books. Today's performance was strong, and even if I was in the middle of writing my EXO comment when they came on, I stopped to watch and I definitely wasn't disappointed. The vocals were consistently strong, and they're beginning to show that attitude of holding the audience in their hands. Good job, B1A4, good job.
Nine Muses - "Ticket" Everyone sounds pretty okay today, surprise surprise, and it's a solid performance over-all, they have presence and all that, but that's all this will every be -- just okay at best. And that's what bores me, because it's the same thing every week and they're not good enough to draw us in every single time.
Seo In Guk - "Tease Me" I usually only recap idols, but I was really drawn in with Seo In Guk's performance today. I was aware that he does have a voice, but this song reminds me so much of the Hwanhee songs I adore. It has groove, and despite not hearing the recording before today's show, it drew me in amidst writing comments for Spica -- I had to stop and watch. Well-sung, well-performed, amazing song.
SISTAR - "Lead Me" + "Alone" I, once, again, predicted the accompanying song. What can I say, it's a talent. Will this get me hired as an A&R person now? (;D) Lead Me was done pretty well, and I liked the cute set design, plus, it's a good thing they didn't make tutu girl (who I see is still wearing frilly skirts) sing live, because that would ruin everything. Let her hide behind her backing track, that would be less painful, thank you. Now, Alone. I love the set, but hate the outfits and the choreography. And, why, may I ask, are you girls lip-synching? You can try hiding it, but you're forgetting that I have ears. Someone turn on their mics or face death! NOW!
CN Blue - "Hey You" Aaaaand they pushed the drummer back again. Just when we were beginning to get along about this matter, Korea! I'm disappointed. And also, while you're at it, please plug in their instruments. Thanks!
4Minute - "Dream Racer" + "Volume Up" Guess who predicted their second song? Me! It's a performance song, and even if the verses are kind of meh, I genuinely like the melody of the chorus. Volume Up was how I expected it to be, and while Hyun A sounded whiny and the leader's voice was non-existent, the magnae did a pretty decent job, Gayoon was consistent as always, and Jiyoon hit those notes pretty well considering that they're pretty high to be doing more than one or two times. Not bad at all, 4Minute.
Shinhwa - "Venus" Now I'm sure we've pretty much acknowledged that Shinhwa are not exactly the most amazing live vocalists, but what they do in spite of that fact is what makes them such amazing performers. No one's perfect, and there were slips with the vocals today, but as a whole it was really a show. And note, they're using the standard-issue KBS handsfree mics that everyone but DBSK seems to sound horrible with. The stage presence they have, the fact that when they all sing together they sound like a whole (take notes, EXO), and how they confidently carry their not really amazing live vocals -- that's what makes the performance a pleasure to watch.
SHINee - "Sherlock"(WINNER) It's good to know that after last Sunday's meh performance, SHINee haven't entirely lost it. Everyone was much better today, and the intensity of their presence is back with a vengeance. Always a good thing, SHINee, always a good thing.
Shinhwa made their comeback last month, and while there were a good number of fans freaking out, me included, the other half of the K-Pop fandom was nonchalant, even negative towards them. I'd hear things like "why are they still around" or "who are those old guys" and honestly, if these fans had just bothered to do a simple google search, then maybe they'd know the significance of Shinhwa's comeback to K-Pop as a whole. I understand that newer K-Pop fans have no affinity to Shinhwa, that they weren't round during their golden days, but just a reminder, neither was I. Not having experienced a Shinhwa comeback is no excuse for not bothering to look up the very basic facts and figures. Just because they weren't around when you became a fan, doesn't mean they don't deserve the same treatment as other acts.
Sure, fine, living in the present is great and the past should stay in the past and all that, but you will only be able to understand the present if you know what happened in the past. "Write the present, master the past" -- that was what I always told the writers under me back when I was working in K-Pop news. Whether you like it or not, the past has affected the present, and as writers and fans who live in the present, it's only right that you understand what's happening. Of course, as a music writer I had to learn and listen to practically everything, and as casual fans who don't really plan on a career in this you don't need to be an expert, but what we're going for here is a sense of understanding.
It's a double-edged sword -- the biggest problems of K-Pop are that the industry has no sense of longevity when it comes to idols, and the fans don't have a sense of history. Now until one of those sides is fixed, the other will remain and of course as fans, the easiest way is to start with ourselves. I've tried breaking the importance of this historical mindset within the K-Pop news writers, and honestly, none of them want it to happen, because they think the fans won't understand it. If the news writers don't want to start it, then it has to come from the fans. I don't think anyone wants to be considered stupid by anyone.
Shinhwa lasting fourteen years together is huge and practically unheard of, but in other countries other bands have lasted for much longer. Of course when we talk of "idol" equivalents abroad the standard lifespan has always been five years, but you see, these foreign industries only built themselves around groups for a short period of time and showcase a very wide variety of chart-topping, mainstream acts, whereas idols and idol groups are K-Pop. And because idols are the majority of the industry, everyone has to invest as much as they can -- from the people on top, all the way to the fans.
Everything starts with a sense of history. If K-Pop wants to continue pushing idols as the majority of the industry, fans have to know why, and they have to at least be able to understand how everything works, and how things came to be.
I completely understand that a lot of people don't like the idea of "history", and as a kid I despised history class too. I didn't like memorizing names and dates and places and listening to lectures about wars and colonization, and I'm sure there are a lot of people who felt the same way. However, I realize now that I hated history because I didn't understand it, because I was just memorizing empty facts and not using it in everyday situations.
The history that K-Pop fans have to learn is very basic and extremely relevant. You don't have to religiously follow every single act that ever existed, you don't even have to go all the way back several decades and know everything about everything -- you just have to make an effort better understand your present. This so-called "history" you need in K-Pop doesn't have to feel so much like history, because of modern technology. It's so easy to look up facts and events now, much easier than it was several years ago. Watch a few YouTube videos, look at a few pictures -- all of those are historic, and entertaining. They don't have to be boring news items or Wikipedia articles, because watching the actual videos is even better.
All you have to do is go back a little over a decade and start from there. Earlier idol groups like H.O.T., G.o.d., S.E.S., Fin.K.L. Shinhwa and of course Seo Taiji & Boys were massively successful with local consumers, and sold albums in the millions. Look up a video of an H.O.T. concert and you'll know why. Because of their success, newer generations of idols and idol groups were launched -- Rain, BoA, DBSK, CSJH, and later Super Junior, SS501 and Big Bang. DBSK's debut was significant because it was a time when solo artists ruled music shows -- watch even just one of their Mutizen song wins and observe the other contenders for the prize. BoA and DBSK worked for years in Japan before cementing themselves as the frontrunners of the Hallyu wave -- DBSK became the first Korean group to make it to the Kouhaku Uta Gassen in 2008, after three years, three albums, and over twenty singles.
In more "current" times we have fandom wars, never-ending plagiarism claims, acts suing their agencies, and countless member re-shuffles. Know that the KARA we know today isn't the KARA that debuted in 2007, and the same goes for the Wonder Girls, 2PM, and evenDBSK, Super Junior and CSJH. People have come and gone, have moved groups and changed paths, and groups have built their names around very different things. Trace histories of groups you already know, and you'll be surprised at what you'll find out.
Knowing all this will help you understand why everyone's moving to Japan, why fans are up in arms over something, why this person said that, and basically everything that's happening in K-Pop these days. Honestly, don't you want that? A sense of history and understanding?
The (other, older) gods are back, and I don't think we mere mortals are ready, but in true god fashion, they don't care.
Not that I'm complaining, because I had such a hard time staying sane while listening to it. The thought of them finally coming back, paired with the gorgeous songs, is a lethal combination. But more than anything, this album proves something that a lot of acts completely forget. If you're really a good musician/performer and you really know what you're doing, it doesn't matter if you're in 2000 or 2012, you will still be good, and you will still sound like yourself.
There are two sides to "THE RETURN", as this is Shinhwa in 2012. The "now" aspect is very clear -- they make use of a lot of modern technology, trendy chord progressions and sophisticated vocal treatment -- but the Shinhwa aspect is just as clear, there is no denying that this is a Shinhwa album. There's a certain regality to the way they went about producing and executing the album, and from the first song all the way down to the last, regardless of everything else, it finds a way to sound superior.
"THE RETURN" isn't some haphazardly album thrown together just for the sake of a reunion, complete with "new versions" of old hits in a desperate attempt to relive the past (none of that on this album!), it's sure of what it is, and what it has to be. They made all the right decisions with the direction, the packaging, and the all-important lead single. "Venus" is not the only good song on the album, but it most definitely isn't horrible. But it's not only in what songs were put in, it's also in how they were put in, and how going through the entire album in one sweep is so natural.
Put the musicality, the good decisions and the crisp production together and you get the closest thing to perfection. Sorry Big Bang, "ALIVE" was great, but "THE RETURN" is now the best release of the year.
But they don't completely forget the fact that fans will be crying over this album, and so adding a few tear-jerking songs in between all that regality won't hurt, right? Right. Because that's exactly what "On The Road" is. We're greeted with soft drum rolls laced with a pretty piano line and some cymbals here and there, before a very low-key verse that just spirals into this tear-jerkingly stunning chorus, that's light enough to match the song, but intense enough to hear over fangirl sobs. It's simple, and we don't get any of those fancy instruments yet, but it's simplicity makes you curious -- what's the rest of the album going to sound like?
Amazing, I believe, because they just keep it coming with the brilliance. "Hurts" is just that much darker than "On The Road", with that whole late '90s/early 2000's R&B thing going on, and their vocals are really something, but once you get to the chorus, it's literally a chorus of all their voices -- no jumping through hoops and fire needed, that's the explosion. "Hurts" is the epitome of effortless -- it has so much conviction, but it's also very natural.
It turns out that those two tracks were just the beginning, and a sort of "flashback" musically, because the next two songs are nothing but current. They're like hybrids of everyone from BEAST to EXO to U-Kiss and even that new NU'EST song -- it's trendy, upbeat, and fresh. To be honest with you, so many things could have gone wrong with the two songs, they could've ended up sounding cheap, the melodies could've gotten lost under all the autotune, but again, the difference is that this is Shinhwa we're talking about, they know exactly what they're doing -- these new groups don't hold a candle to Shinhwa, and everyone knows that. It's like the difference between cheap chocolate and the really good kind. Essentially they're both chocolate and they have almost the same ingredients, but it's in the quality of the ingredients and how they were put together that the two kinds differ.
Unlike other similar songs, what "Venus" has is musicality -- you can tell that the composer really put effort into it. The dynamics work seamlessly and effortlessly with each other, literally gliding from verse to chorus to middle-8, the verses are stunning, but they don't hit you over the head, the bridge builds-up in the smoothest possible way, and while half of the chorus monotonous, they actually picked the right note to sing this time around. The song literally sounds like eggs on a well-oiled pan, and how they slide off once cooked, and taste heavenly.
Continuing with the trendy suite of "THE RETURN", "Red Carpet" is not as epic as "Venus", but it's an amazing song in it's own right. I'm honestly having such a hard time believing that the guys singing this are in their 30's, but then I remember whose album this is. The main thing to pay attention to on "Red Carpet" is the presence of a melody, and how the vocals deliver it in relation to the rest of the song. If SHINee sang this it would sound flimsy, and if other bands sang it they'd sound cheap -- what Shinhwa have is maturity with the right mix of youth, and not the other way around.
And we're back to boyband bootcamp with "Move With Me". It's SO early 2000's k-pop, ala-early BoA, S.E.S., a bit of Rain here and there, and Shinhwa of course. Rather than saying it has conviction, the better word to describe "Move With Me" would be that it has spunk. The drum line, the short and sharp guitar parts, the harmonies all throughout, the chord progressions they used, and everything all together equals a package that's funky, slightly mischievous, but still light and modern.
"Let It Go" is in the vain of "Insomnia"-era Craig David during the verses, with the sharp, but slightly soggy/full beats and that eerie piano line. You think it's going to be like that for the entire song and just explode into a loud chorus, but when the chorus actually arrives this guitar part just swoops in out of nowhere, steering the song away from what you originally thought it was going to be, and you're left speechless. It's the guitar part that gives the song the conviction, but it's the vocals that give it groove. Everything rolled together is really a feast to your ears. I don't know if you guys have tasted it, but "Let It Go" reminds me of those Marks&Spencer Dark Chocolate Jaffa cakes. When you bite in to it all you taste is the chocolate, but chew it a bit more and BAM this amazing orange jam comes out of nowhere and takes over your mouth.
I was actually pretty iffy about "Stay", because it starts off like some novelty song, and pretty much keeps at it throughout, with the cheap synths and novelty song-worthy, melody executed with light vocals and thrown together with rather flimsy production. The same goes for "Welcome", it sounds like a cross between "Bonamana" with thin production and something Haha would rap/"sing" to, what with the "conga" instrumental. I guess the redeeming factor of the two songs is that they're not pretentious. They're not cheap songs masquerading as something sophisticated -- they're cheap songs that sound like cheap songs. They are what they are, and they're very consistent in that.
I never really understood K-Pop's fixation with all things retro (and even J-Pop, if you count DBSK's "Choosey Lover"), but it's being done, so I really can't do anything about it. "Be My Love" doesn't sound cheap like the previous two songs, but it is pretty cheesy. Like, cringe-worthy cheesy. I can imagine them in those all-silver/metallic blue (ala-Westlife's "What Makes A Man")/OR GOLD suits doing repetitive sways and snaps, complete with spirit fingers at the "youuuuuu" parts. Yeah.
"Re-Love" is epic and stunning and brilliant and everything rolled in. Swoon-worthy harmonies throughout a stunning melody, a bass line you feel instead of feel underneath the epicly gorgeous, but pretty basic, instrumental -- it's the mandatory boyband slow song done flawlessly. This plays up the band part of boyband, with all the gorgeous harmonies and the high note parades, and this is one of the main reasons why fangirls start dropping like flies. That pause towards the end killed me, and the harmony right after killed me again.
We start with epic, go through a couple of different songs, and we're back to epicly gorgeous with "Breathin'". Putting aside the fact that it sounds like "breeding" instead of "breathing" (I bet you won't be able to unhear it anymore after this LOL), the best way to describe it would be that it's glorious. Not gorgeous, not stunning -- glorious. Glorious in the pop sense, of course, but glorious nonetheless. The beautiful melody, the harmonies and background vocals, the strings in the background that literally lift the song up to the heavens, and the percussion that makes sure it's a smooth ride -- glorious.
My favorite: "Venus" and "Breathin'" are tied Song(s) I'd listen to again: "On The Road", "Re-Love", "Let It Go", "Red Carpet", "Hurts" My least favorite: it's between "Welcome" and "Be My Love" Last words: Best release of the year so far. The final verdict:5/5
