Son Dambi was one of the first acts I was introduced to when I was first getting in to K-Pop, and over the year's she's has her fair share of amazing singles. 2010's "Queen" was pretty good, so I was sort of curious of what she'd deliver this year.
"Dripping Tears" wasn't exactly a pleasant surprise, but it was pleasant. It's very Brave Brothers, which to most people, me included, makes it very generic. But to be completely honest, amidst the cheap synth loops and ridiculously overused drum kits, if there's one thing that the Brave Brothers know how to do well, it's make a beautiful, yet still pop, melody. They're so surprisingly good at it, that their melodies have become one of my biggest guilty pleasures, actually, and this is just another one of them.
A lot of people react negatively to the Brave Brothers, and even I have a pretty comprehensive list of everything I dislike about their productions, but people have began to overuse the fact that they make rehashes of everything. Originality is a good thing most of the time, and of course being generic and directionless aren't very good qualities, but some of the best songs are songs that are familiar to us, or songs with familiar elements. Bottom line is that even if most people would like everyone's material to be different, a good song isn't necessarily one hundred percent original, it isn't necessarily always the newest thing since anything.
Sure, "Dripping Tears" may sound too much like the Brave Brothers song that it is, and it may be ever so slightly outdated beside all the other trendy songs on this list, but I like it. I like it because I think the melody is gorgeous -- it has this slightly sharp, slightly cheap sound to it during the chorus and especially the hook, but it also has this rounded, smooth quality. It's soft to the ears, making the song graceful, but at the same time that sharpness gives the song enough kick to carry Son Dambi and her extremely airy, flat vocals. As far as the arrangement and instrumental goes, it's very plain, but I really like how the bass line is very full, creamy almost. It gives the song body. Not kick like the melody, but body.
Throw everything together, and honestly the analogy that has been on my mind for a few paragraphs now is mozzarella cheese. Mozzarella isn't a sharp cheese like cheddar, like how the bass line is subdued and kind of muffled. The cheese becomes really soft when you melt it, but what makes mozzarella good is the fact that it also becomes chewy, like how the melody of the song isn't strong but still manages to grab your attention.
Out of the blue, after writing up all the posts I have to for tomorrow, I stumbled upon Music Bank's year-end special, with everyone performing hits from earlier this year. Then I got the brilliant idea of writing up a recap - this is as much a year-end thing for me as it is for them as I'll be able to trace the improvements, or deteriorations, of the idol groups who were on today.
Needless to say, I'm over my writer's block, and I'm so making the most out of this break.
Today was truly an extravaganza, I couldn't even count the number of performances because there were so many! This recap does not include those specials like the boyband guys doing that Orange Caramel songs, the dance-offs and so on and so forth. ALSO, because of the large number of performances, I'm only recapping selected performances from idol groups + idols only. No FT Island, I'm afraid - bands are just not my turf, except for that CN Blue song that I just have to recap.
YT credits to whoever uploaded the videos. I'm sorry - too many videos, too little time, and my head's starting to ache. Stupid cold.
SISTAR - Push Push + How Dare You And I see SISTAR still haven't learned a thing about performing with the least bit of grace. It's been what, more than half a year already and 3 rounds of promo? Half of the group have shown me raw talent, but I'm afraid that's not enough for a band of their calibre. I know it's pretty much discrimination, but the truth of it is that unless you have the backing of a major agency with enough money to pour into your road to success, you need to stand out and really be better than every single band out there. SISTAR do not, and are not. On top of not being either, there are times when they're just plain pathetic - How Dare You has got to be one of the cheapest sounding, grace-less songs ever, and their stage presence doesn't help one bit.
Miss A - Bad Girl Good Girl + Breathe I will say that Miss A neither deserve nor not deserve the truckloads of MAMAs they won a few weeks back - they got them, fine fantastic, DEAL WITH IT. At least they didn't go to SISTAR or Nine Muses for heaven's sake - would you rather those go to them? I think not. I will say that Miss A have the talent and the potential to succeed in the future - will someone just give them a decent song, please? They perform it well, no doubt, but with a good song they will simply soar.
Rainbow - A + Mach A is still not a song, but the kinda pulled it off decently now. I've always liked Mach, just never admitted it, and to be honest with you all Rainbow have to do is stop trying to sound like KARA and better what they've done with Mach - once they've done that I'm all good. They have the group dynamic and maybe even the presence, so a word of wise to DSP - GET THEM GOOD SONGS!
CN Blue - I'm A Loner Ahhh yes, CN Blue. I remember writing about them a lot earlier this year, but I will admit that I still don't own a copy of any of their albums or singles, whether virtual or physical. After I write this up I'll scramble for one. Anyway. There's nothing to complain about with these guys, really - they're a band who work together well. I still think Jonghyun has a much better voice than Yonghwa and that their drummer should be given more credit AND PUT CLOSER TO THE REST OF THE BAND GODDAMNIT, but other than that there was nothing they had to work with in the first place. I'm pleased that drummer dude isn't a whole building away from the rhythm section, but I'm still not completely happy - he should be closer for heaven's sake! May I please whack KBS in the head now?
T-Ara - Ya Ya Ya + I Go Crazy Because Of You What. Was. That. It reminds me of that American-indian inspired thing MC Mong had out sometime ago. I didn't like that. And MC Mong had a bit of talent. T-Ara have the equivalent of none, or at least that's what they're showing on this song. They're decent performers, but they can't sing, and the song is a lost cause. Therefore, we move on. Thankfully.
Secret - Madonna + Magic I like Secret. Have I said that I like Secret? I like Secret - they have talent, they have stage presence, they have sophistication (even if Madonna got a little too cheap-ish) and they work extremely well as a group. They've improved since the last time I actually seriously watched a performance of theirs, and I'm honestly really excited about their future, albeit a but scared since HoMin are set for a comeback at around the same time and I don't want them overshadowed like every time they release a single because they really do deserve praise. They performed Magic better than Madonna though, if I may say so. And I like Magic better, I can now conclude.
BEAST - Breath I like BEAST too. But to be honest with you, Breath was the BEAST single I watched over the least this year. I kinda regret it now. Everyone's really improved vocally this year - their live vocals are much more stable and they've starting to all develop their own quirks. Add that to their already-brilliant stage presence and group dynamics and you have genius. Yoseob's high part was shaky at times and he was relying on the backing track for a while, but he pulled it off, and for a band like them, that's a big thing. I now have even more respect and excitement for BEAST. And I had a lot already, mind you.
4Minute - HuH Wow. Everyone's vocals were spot-on today, and the performance was eye-catching, to say the least - they're one of the proofs that going to Japan will really help Korean idol groups. The girl with the bob-ish hair (don't know her name, sorry) could very well be my favorite voice in 4Minute, and the leader if she shapes up even more than she already has. Definitely one of this year's biggest improvements performance-wise - I like. And the dance at the end was a nice addition, even if I know nothing about dance.
2AM - Even If I Die, I Can't Let You Go Live + You Wouldn't Answer My Calls Gorgeous voices are great, but gorgeous voices with years of training and practice that gel together perfectly are what happens to every band in a perfect world. Sadly, this is not a perfect world, and so that holds true for only a handful of bands. 2AM is one of them. They may not dance their legs off or prance around stage, but they know that they can get your attention with their vocals, and they do. Extremely well. With songs worthy of their magnificence. I have no words for how well they do it, so just watch the performances and revel in the brilliance. *sits back for a while and watches with you*
2PM - Without U + I'll Be Back I like the re-arrangement of Without U, but that's about it. Their vocals have gotten a tad bit better and I still like Wooyoung the best, but again, that's about it. They're synchronized and all, yeah, and I'll Be Back is a decent song, but they honestly bore me. I don't know if it's because they're trying too hard or they really are boring - they kinda remind me of an older version of MBLAQ with more money spent on them and more talent. And you know what I think about MBLAQ.
IU - Good Day I like this song! I also have a lot to say about IU, so I'm saving it for a full-length review, after all the chaos that is my end-of-year extravaganza. Anyway. IU has grown a lot vocally, and it's not really obvious, but I hear faint traces of her voice beginning to sound like a young Hwayobi. WHAT DID I TELL YOU GUYS ABOUT THAT VOICE? She may have started out young and squeaky, but she was what, 15? 15 year-olds singing pop songs are supposed to sound like that. I know, I was once 15. Voices grow for heaven's sake, so just because she sounds her age doesn't mean she isn't a good singer - look at her now, and watch her in the future. As she grows older, her voice will deepen and I know that it will turn out gorgeous. I may not be able to predict hits, but I know if a young singers's voice will turn our fantastic. IU will be more than fine.
SHINee - Lucifer Oooooooohhh yessss. I would've wanted to see all 5 of them dancing, performing the song how it should be, but the near-perfect vocals clearly make up for that. Jonghyun sounds like himself, reckless at times but when kept in check is nearly brilliant, Key sounds like a deteriorated version of himself last year, and he's probably my biggest regret of them all, he was once my favorite ballad singer in the band. Minho is still not singing and I'm fine with that, Taemin is slowly turning into Jaejoong and I hate to say this but I TOLD YOU SO. AGAIN. Told you guys I know how to spot a good voice when I see it - Taemin is just a year older than me, his voice was still growing when I acknowledged his brilliance and look at him now. Now, Onew. *takes a deep breath* ONEW I STILL WANT TO MARRY YOUR VOICE, LET'S SET A DATE RIGHT NOW - I'M READY. Starring in a musical, no matter how bad his hair was, paid off big time - his already-gorgeous voice learned the value of control, and he executes his lines with a lot more body and conviction. I am convinced. Now, you throw these 4 voices and 5th rapper together, and you get magic. It's a different kind of magic from DBSK's, but special all the same. For all of SME's mistakes and disrespect this year, I won't deny that they know how to put a band together, market them and make them into stars, sometimes, if they like them enough, they even manage to give them the right songs. This year's biggest k-pop yes, I am giving to SHINee. Willingly.
KARA - Jumping + Lupin I think I've said it enough, but KARA really do have crap live vocals. They've gotten better, I will say, but they're far from good. It's a shame really, they have these fantastic songs with some of the best production I've heard this year and what could be some of the best performances from a girl group as well, and they go ruin everything with their pathetic vocals. Gyuri's gotten decent, Nicole and Seunghyun consistent, but there are 5 girls in KARA, and 3 girls being just near-decent is clearly not enough. KARA could very well be my biggest frustration of 2010. I mean look, they have fantastic songs, you know that already, they can perform well as a group and they have the backing of an almost-big 3 agency, what more could you ask for? Right, BETTER VOCALS.
Son Dambi - Queen + DP Rider I don't know why, but watching her perform Queen is nostalgic - it reminds me of the time I was doing my music show recaps, maybe because this was one of the songs whose promo I really followed. Her vocals have gotten stable, and that's all she really had to do back then, so I'm pleased. I like the chorus, to be honest with you, and so hearing her do it a lot better than earlier this year is a relief. So she can do it decently. DP Rider is a little odd - it hardly has a solid melody during the verses, then she suddenly can't sing again. It's all style and no substance, but I guess her performance makes up for it, one way or another. If there's one thing to praise Son Dambi on this year, it's that she can command the stage like it's second nature.
Super Junior - Bonamana This is one of the biggest improvements this year. I don't know if it's because this is the first time I've heard the song again in ages or because they really have improved a hell of a lot. I can actually hear Heechul now, and Yesung sounds epic. I was actually wondering why Yesung wasn't put in SM The Ballad, to be honest with you, but I'm glad SM didn't put Ryeowook in. Anyway. Even with just 10 of them, their group dynamic still overflows. Even if there are times when they're not 100% synchronized, you know they work together well and they're really all performers - I call it the SME touch. Everyone sounds fantastic, if I may say so. And I see they've resurrected the dance break we all know and love. Gosh, this is all really nostalgic for me now - has it really been that long?
SNSD - Oh! + Hoot (WINNER) I don't know what to say, really. On one hand, Oh! was almost completely mimed and that sucks, but on the other hand, Hoot was pretty decent, for SNSD standards. Taeyeon was great, Seohyun was consistent, and Tiffany was non-existed due to her injury, so I have no one else to compliment tonight. Yuri did a sloppy version of Tiffany's line, Sunny still sounds horrid, and you can hardly hear Yoona, is the girl even singing? Jessica still annoys the hell out of me and it's not funny anymore because you can hardly hear her, and Sooyoung's getting better while Hyoyeon's getting better at sounding like the Yunho of SNSD. Hurrah. There were good points to the performance, namely times when Seohyun and Taeyeon sang, but that's 2 girls and there are 6 others. I will now refrain from saying anything else.
Son Dambi's "big comeback" this year was pretty much a flop, which was really no surprise to me because the girl can't sing and dance at the same time to save her life. That and the accompanying mini album wasn't that hot either. OK, it was crap, cohesion and material-wise. Except for this one song, Can't U See.
This was the song that was on the very first teaser for her comeback, and to be honest with you this was probably the only reason why I even got my hands on the EP.
Yes, she can't sing it live and yes, it's a little more than a tad bit generic, however it's very classy, and for that reason, I like it. Well, that and a few others.
I love gorgeous piano lines, I love flow-y melodies and I love smooth voices. Put aside the fact that Son Dambi can never, and will never be able to, sing this song live, it's gorgeous as a recording. And it was never really a single single so any promotion done using this song was for the album and not this alone, and the songwriter or producer might not have intended for this to be sung live.
ANYWAY.
There are times when the vocals get sloppy, but all-in-all the delivery was good, given her vocal capabilities and the fact that there was obviously more than a little processing to her vocals. But what the heck, it sounds good.
Technicalities aside (have I said this before? why does it feel like I have?), the song makes me smile. That really ends all arguments for me, to be honest. The minute a song makes me smile, I know there's something to it that's special. Most of the time a lot better than other songs (not always), but always special.
Do I HAVE to write an intro? I'm so tired (yet again) and I have two projects to finish by Tuesday. I'm not happy. Anyway. SHINee WON TODAYYYYYYYYY! *dances around room*
Video credit to CrazyCarrot350.
GP Basic - Game The issue of these girls' ages is somewhat a sore spot for me because I started writing when I was around 14, and I got a lot of criticism just because I was young in a circle of bloggers who were all in their 20's - there were people who didn't even bother reading my writing just because I was 14, that's not fair at all. Just because someone young is trying to succeed in a world of people older then him/her, doesn't mean they should be overlooked completely. If they really want to do this, and if they're serious about succeeding, then I have no right to put them down just because of their age. I believe that they should be judged like any other new girl group, and that's why I'm going to say what I'm about to. They're not good. Except maybe for the girl in CL sunglasses, they're not very good singers. They don't have to sound like 40 year-old's to sound good, but they should at least be able to hold a melody. They can't. And once again, they have no sophistication, no class, when they perform. Again, I'm not saying this because they're young - if they were good I'd say they were, but they're not so I won't.
Nine Muses - No Playboy There might be some nice voices hidden behind these girls, but their song sucks and they can't perform. There's no grace to the way they move - it looks so robotic and contrived. It doesn't help that the song goes nowhere. Look, I know they all look like models and they have long legs and walk like models but they're in music - I expect them to deliver when we talk about performance. They're not delivering.
G.NA with Yonghwa (CN Blue) - I'll Back Off So You Can Live(review/The Kpop Panel Review) Yonghwa gave presence to today's performance, but that's about it. Sorry Yonghwa, please stick to singing, even if Jonghyun's better than you. OK, maybe stick to writing songs, then. She's not blowing me away with her performances yet, but they don't make me uncomfortable when I watch them anymore. Maybe by her next single she gets some presence.
Miss A - Bad Girl, Good Girl All they really need to do is get rid of the breathlessness and their performances would be near-perfect. Today was their usual - tight, strong vocals with that hint of sophistication.
Infinite - She's Back Well that's more like it, Infinite. Although I think certain parts were mimed, that wasn't half bad a performance. The song's on the cheesy side, but hey, if it works for them I'm not complaining. I'd rather they pull off a good performance and have a slightly cheesy song than have a fantastic song and not be able to even sing it.
Rainbow - A Well, at least they gave the verses to the girls who can actually sing. Otherwise, this would've been a bigger disaster than it already is.
Secret - Madonna Even if the high notes weren't pulled off very well, they still have the basics mastered. Their vocals aren't fantastic, but they're stronger than all the other rookie girl groups. And besides, I've already established that these girls are performers - they have the finesse and the elegance to their performance.
Son Dambi - Queen Consistent performance today, but I'm starting to seriously get sick of the song. Next single, please.
Se7en - Better Together(The Kpop Panel Review) Even if I'm literally throwing up the recorded version of this, when I watch the live performances I suddenly like it again. The power of a good performer. Strong performance today, and even with the white-haired girls, it was rather sophisticated. The performance, I mean.
Hwanhee - While Doing Now THAT is a gorgeous voice. It has timbre, character, and technique. He gets a little exhausted towards the end, but the mid-range melodies are all well-delivered, it's just the higher parts where he strains. I think that's the reason why this song works - it's not has good as his single last year (which I was completely blown away by), but his vocals are enough to carry the song. Brian may have the presence and decent vocals, but Hwanhee's the voice.
BoA - Hurricane Venus(The Kpop Panel Review) I don't know what to say anymore, it's like I've said everything there is about this! She's consistent with her vocals and performance, yes, but that's expected of someone who's been around for as long as she has. I want a damn good song, and I don't have that.
SHINee - Lucifer(review/The Kpop Panel Review) (WINNER) Aaaaaand Jonghyun's letting go again. *sigh* I named this week's MuBank performance the best one so far, and it still is - everyone, apart from Jonghyun at parts, sounded fantastic, but the magic that the MuBank one wasn't there. They had presence today, and they performed well, but once again, music is half heard (representing the technical side) and half felt (representing the "oh my gosh I got goosebumps" side) - they lacked a bit of the "feeling" today. Just a bit though. It's up to you to decide if a little goes a long way on this one. But they won so YAYYYYYYYYYY.
Today's MuCore was outside, but that came at a price - crap sound. Ugh. So annoyed. And quite a few acts who've more or less ended promo for their singles were "invited" back - f(x), After School, SISTAR, 4Minute and 2PM. Comebacks from Secret and Rainbow as well. SHINee, BoA and Se7en "battled" it out today, but since there's no winner on MuCore, yeah. LOL. Didn't include Taeyang today, sorry.
Video credit goes to CrazyCarrot260.
Miss A - Bad Girl, Good Girl Strong vocals, tight choreography, and a good performance. Apart from the sound system being a pain, nothing more to say, to be honest.
SISTAR - Push Push(review) Like always, they have no class, no sophistication, when they perform - the song's cheap to start with, they don't even have the ability to make it sound that much less cheap. Their vocals were normal (for them) today, and the bright yellow outfits kinda hurt my eyes.
Rainbow - A I said this yesterday, and I'll say it again - the girls who actually get decent solos aren't half bad. They're not fantastic, but they're better than the other useless half of the band. Once again, all style, no substance - the song just goes on and on.. and on. It's not bad, it's boring.
f(x) - NU ABO (review/Virgin.com review) I still don't like this song, and I still don't like f(x). I mean yeah sure the song has fantastic production, but without that, it'll be your average run-of-the-mill crappy rookie girl group song that doesn't really go anywhere, and doesn't blow your mind. They're decent performers, but not decent enough to make the song sound fantastic when performed live.
MBLAQ - Y I now realize that no matter how hard they try, they will always be weak singers. They held the melody a bit better than usual today, but it still sounded sub-par. Sorry Rain, MBLAQ is a fail. But then again I've known that for a long time now.
Secret - Madonna Strong performance today, given the crap sound system. They sang well, carried themselves well, and had the audience at the palm of their hands. Can't really ask for more, given the fact that they just started promo yesterday.
4Minute - HuH I like this a gazillion times better than I My Me Mine, to be honest - it has a lot more attitude, character, and their vocals are a gazillion times better. Good performance today, very tight and very strong. Yayyyyy.
After School - Bang!(review) Their vocals were good today - definitely better than they were at the start of promo for this single. Lizzy has a voice, a quite pretty one, she just needs to learn how to use it, and Jung Ah, oh Jung Ah, I think I've found my favorite voice in After School. But even if their vocals were relatively good today, I think to a certain extent their movements were a little lazy and sloppy - there was no energy, no fire, in the way they moved and carried themselves on stage. Which sucks 'coz when they had crap vocals, they really put on brilliant shows, and now that they have strong vocals, they look lazy.
2PM - Without U(review) I'll admit, they know what they can do, and they do it well - but that's about it. Each member knows his strengths, and the entire group know what their strengths are, together, and they work on that. It may be a good thing, but they never manage to work on their weaknesses.
Son Dambi - Queen Her performances have been consistent over the past few days/weeks - good sign. The song is nice and lively, but that's all it is - it doesn't wow me, nor does it make me wanna die or anything, but she pulls it off nicely. The song fits her well. If there's something Pledis has learned, it's how to choose songs that match the abilities of their acts.
SHINee - Lucifer(review/The Kpop Panel Review) And the crappy sound system just had to ruin it for SHINee. They were good today, but not as good as yesterday. They were still really good though. ;D
Se7en - Digital Bounce with TOP + Better Together(The Kpop Panel Review) Still impressed. Still not bored. Still think Se7en fully deserves to compete with Rain. I mean it! Near-perfect vocals, a tight performance, and he can literally command that gigantic audience just by raising a hand, or even just a finger.
BoA - Hurricane Venus(The Kpop Panel Review) She has strong vocals, and she has presence on stage, but I think because of the nature of the song - processed like hell and very dependent on a backing track - she doesn't get the chance to make me like the song because of a live performance. But then again, you could argue that a good performer will be able to do that regardless of the song. Oh well.
YAY I've completed another weekend of music show recaps! Woohoo! The winner today was rather surprising, considering the competition, but if you don't know yet, I won't spoil the fun. ;D Se7en made his comeback, and it seems like Taeyang's back to promoting I Need A Girl. Doojoon made an appearance on G.NA's performance again, so I'm happy.
Credit for all the videos goes to CrazyCarrot350.
G.NA - I'll Back Off So You Can Live(review/The Kpop Panel Review) She's a lot more comfortable on stage, you can tell, but her sloppiness as a performer has come out because of that. It's like she just flings her arm here and there, steps to the left or right, but she's unsure of whether or not she should've done that - she's hesitating. There's no room for hesitation when you're on stage. I liked Doojoon's part, as usual - the guy knows how to carry himself. The best part? When she sang at the end, backing track-less. She actually sounded good. A bit wild, but good.
Teen Top - Clap Actually, the second guy who sings is actually better than the guy who gets the most lines - I kinda like his voice. And even if only two guys sing, I do think they're better off than Infinite, if I may say so. They have stage presence, now all the rest of the guys have to do is open their mouths and get proper singing lines. That and they should really get better material. This is decent, but not good enough.
Infinite - Come Back Again Their voices sound like crap to start with, and then they just have to top it of with a dimension-less performance. Seriously, there's no depth to their actions or their singing - what you see is what you get, and even that isn't any good. I tried, but they really don't have the talent to go where they should go. Sorry Tablo, try again.
MBLAQ - One Better Day These types of songs match them better than the Oh Yeahs and Ys of the world, but if this is all they're capable of, and all they do, they won't get anywhere. This band has been a lost cause since day 1, I just needed solid proof to say that.
Son Dambi - Queen Let's just say that yesterday was her best performance of the song. Today was a bit bleh, Next song.
SHINee - Lucifer(review/The Kpop Panel Review) Now, I'm probably just as disappointed as anyone is right now that SHINee didn't win, but who the hell cares? There's always next week, and at least once Miss A get a triple crown (if they do), there's one less act to compete with. ANYWAY. They just keep getting better - except for that slip towards the end, ONEW WAS HANDS-DOWN PHENOMENAL TODAY. He's like a not-so-direct but still direct descendant of DBSK's Jaejoong - starts out with a nice, smooth voice, then suddenly BAM it develops a deep-ish timbre, without loosing the smoothness. Jonghyun was let loose again today, sorry to say - the guy has to learn to control himself. He did it before, so why not now? Key's voice is slowly getting shriller, and I'm not liking it. I miss the nice timbre he had, and I want it back. And Minho's standing now, hopefully SHINee finally become a 5-piece dancing machine again. Soon.
Taeyang - I Need A Girl I think I know what's wrong now - I can't stand Taeyang's live singing. On this song, at least. Seriously, I can't. Next song.
Se7en - Digital Bounce with TOP + Better Together(The Kpop Panel Review) Now that is what I call a performance. Consistent, tight, and worth every second. You see how he just walks out with his hand up and everyone stars screaming - that's what a performer should be able to do. I pretty much have the same opinion as yesterday, I don't think I have to say that his vocals were spot-on, do I? Oh wait, I just said it. LOL.
Miss A - Bad Girl, Good Girl (WINNER) I wouldn't say they're undeserving of their win, but I do wish that SHINee of Se7en won today. That doesn't mean Miss A are bad though, they're probably one of the best rookie groups since 2NE1. I mean it. Now JYP, stop making them sing like you and give them a better song - once you do that I might just think about worshipping you. Oh, and move them over to JYPE.
Why does it seem like all the music shows this weekend know I'm taking a BIG BIG BIIIIIG exam next week, so not a lot of acts show up and perform? The acts I recap, at least. I'm serious - there were only 6 performances today, usually I have to recap like 10 or 12. Not that I'm complaining or anything! Taeyang finally shows up again after a lul in promo, and Se7en made his comeback with a 2-song "suite". This was also Tiffay and Yuri's last episode as MCs/emcees. Awww. Video credit goes to CrazyCarrot260. Always brilliant.
G.NA - I'll Back Off So You Can Live(review) I'm ever so slightly more convinced with her live vocals today, but that lasted only up to the first chorus - it kinda went downhill from here. And YAY Doojoon's back - I'll just go and say that no one can do that rap line better than he can. Coming from someone who doesn't know a lot about rap, at least. And he can actually sing! G.NA's a bit more used to the stage, based on how she moves and carries herself, but there's still this hint of fear in her movements - I want that thrown out of the window as fast as possible. Like, now.
Miss A - Bad Girl Good Girl Another consistent performance. Nothing special or especially bad, they just REALLY need to work on the breathlessness.
Son Dambi - Queen Could this be? Is Son Dambi actually singing pretty decently now? There's not much to judge, but from the parts that are melodic, she is singing rather well. Once again, for her standards. All she has to do is keep doing it the way she is, and she'll be decent for me. Now, just give me a good song and we're good to go.
SHINee - Lucifer(review) Did I just hear several attempts at a harmony? I honestly wasn't expecting they do that, given how demanding the choreography is, but apparently, they tried. They didn't do it exceptionally fantastic or anything, but the harmony was there, and I heard it. Very, VERY strong performance today (except for the crappy sound system) - Onew sounded phenomenal and Jonghyun was a little less wild as well. I kept on saying that DBSK need to make a comeback to show all these new groups how you really do it, but I think SHINee's a good enough replacement. They're not at DBSK's level (yet?), but they're close enough. Second favorite boyband? Second favorite boyband. Sorry, BEAST and D-NA. Hahah!
Taeyang - I Need A Girl Still bored. Would still rather listen to the recording. Even with the slight change in gimmick and blocking and wardrobe and this and that, I'm still not sold. Well, it's slightly better than it was the last time he performed, but I still don't like it.
Se7en - Digital Bounce with TOP + Better Together And that, people, is how you do it. I may not be the biggest Se7en fan around and when I talked about him on The Kpop Panel I wasn't all over the new single, but after watching today's performance, I have a newfound appreciation for the guy. He actually has the vocals. I mean, he's not singing an awful lot on these songs, but the times that he does, it just comes out like it's second nature to him. He's a performer - even if I don't like the songs and even if the girls are wearing these horrid bodysuit-like things, he makes me HAVE to watch the performance. Not just want, HAVE. Everything seems so natural for him, and he's living proof of my "you can command an audience just by raising your hand" statement - now I know why he's Rain's biggest rival, because they're basically in a league of their own when it comes to putting on a show. Just by watching this, I wouldn't mind spending my money to see this guy live, even if I'm not a big fan of the material.
*pops confetti* YAY! It was between SHINee and Miss A, so I think you can guess who won by my reaction. Not that many performances, but that's 'coz Se7en didn't show up and I've stopped writing about Narsha. G.NA performed with yet another "special" guest, and Teen Top + Infinite had this collaboration. Which I didn't include, sorry.
Video credit to UnknownCarrot150. Brilliance.
G.NA - I'll Back Off So You Can Live(review) I'm serious, she looks so uncomfortable on stage. I mean, you can be a good performer and not really move around, but her movements look so strained and contrived. Her vocals aren't as good as they should be, but they're better off than a lot of others, so I shouldn't be complaining. And Thunder just sucked today - no question.
Teen Top - Clap If Teen Top didn't make me wonder what the other guy's vocals sound like and if they weren't synchronized like hell, I'm pretty sure I'd be bored to death by now. Tight performance, for rookie standards, and actually, pretty decent vocals from the guys who actually sing. Not bad, not bad at all - they just don't captivate me or anything.
Miss A - Bad Girl Good Girl It's been what, almost a month since they started promo, and I'm still not sick of seeing them perform. I've never really liked the song as a recording and I would never really listen to it willingly on my iPod or anything, but they have the ability to make me shut up, watch the performances and somewhat be impressed with them. The breathlessness has improved A LOT, so I expect them to sound flawless by the time they start promoting their second single!
Infinite - Come Back Again It's not the band who carry the performance, it's the instrumental. Seriously! It's like the roles were reversed. The instrumental is spunky and has character, and then these guys are singing to it and they sound horrid. I do hope, for the sake of the money their agency put into them at the very least, that their second single makes them sound much better than they do right now.
MBLAQ - One Better Day To a certain extent they do sing this better than Y, and they've improved since their debut, but do we have to go through this sermon week in and week out? I don't think they've heard me (metaphorically, at least) - they're too pre-occupied with looking good on stage to care about singing, and they don't deserve to be singers if that's all they wanna do. Please, at least give me something worth my time.
Son Dambi - Queen Well, I like the piano loop? LOL. Her vocals have gotten probably as strong as they can get, given her vocal ability, so I think I should be content with the state she's in right now. Still not as big a fan of the song as I was before I saw any of her live performances, but the slightly better vocals have helped a bit. Even then, the only part of the song that's really any good is the chorus - it's nice and cheery and explosive and all. And I gotta hand it to her, she kinda pulls it off well.
SHINee - Lucifer(review) (WINNER) *dances around room* WOOHOO! SHINee won today! *pops confetti* Now, this was truly a deserving win. You put gorgeous voices and fantastic performers together with a good sound system and you have magic. I love it. Right now, my only problem is Jonghyun - he's trying to jump through hoops and fire, but it doesn't always work. I mean yeah, when it does work he sounds good and it's not sloppy, but when it doesn't work, it just doesn't work. He either needs to learn to control himself, or be more consistent - either will solve the problem. But otherwise, fantastic performance - I got goosebumps again!
I'VE FINALLY COMPLETED ANOTHER WEEKEND OF RECAPS! *pops confetti* Let's finish things off with Inkigayo, and yes, Taeyang won again, SHINee made their comeback, and Super Junior finished off promo for Bonamana (the album). Video credit: CrazyCarrot350 :D
G.NA - I'll Back Off So You Can Live(review) I just noticed today, but she looks so uncomfortable on stage. Seriously, it's like she's about to cry, not because of her song, but because she hates being on stage - she moves, and looks, like a robot. I know she must love performing to be in the industry and be a trainee for as long as she has been, but it clearly doesn't show and if it doesn't show, that means her performances are once again ineffective. Seriously, it's like the entire performance perked up when Doojoon came on, and then went back to zero when he left. She should be able to carry herself on her own, but it doesn't look like she can. I hope I can add a "yet" after that.
Teen Top - Clap Teen Top looks very sophisticated and practiced and all, but until I hear more than two guys singing on a lead single, I think they'll be a cross between Infinite and MBLAQ. They're trying too hard to look good on stage, but there are guys in the group who can sing, it just doesn't really show, even if their material is somewhat decent. They have to prove me wrong on that one, somehow.
Miss A - Bad Girl Good Girl Ouch. What happened to pink-haired girl towards the end? Completely stopped singing for like 2 seconds. I don't know if I should be disappointed or feel bad for them - I know a lot of people have said the routine's hard plus they're singing live, which makes it especially hard. But then they pretty much pulled it off yesterday, which means it's humanely possible to sing and dance that thing at the same time. Oh well. Although now that they've proven they can sing, dance and literally do gymnastics, I think it's time for a better song, don't you, JYP? LOL.
Sistar - Push Push(review) Just... no. Next single, please. And next time make it a little tasteful, please?
ZE:A - Level Up Ugh. Next song, please.
Black Pearl - Gogossing Seeing these girls just make me miss CSJH even more. Seriously, I miss girl groups with actual vocals, who actually make use of them. Another consistent performance - and the even stronger harmonies today just sent be ballistic. I'M IN LOVE WITH THOSE HARMONIES. lol.
SHINee - Up & Down + Lucifer(review) It's good to know that some people agree with me when I say Jonghyun's live singing is getting a tad bit too excessive. He was just a big, slightly wild voice before, and it was just a matter of taste that I didn't like his vocals, but now it's like he's like how he should've been when they just debuted - running before even attempting to walk. He's trying to do all these ad-libs and high notes all over the place, and because he's not really sure whether he can sing it or not, he fails several times. But when he's sure of what he's singing, he actually sounds good. Even with Jonghyun going wild today and SBS' most of the time crap sound, I do think that this was the best performance out of the three - if we're talking about performance as a whole. Onew was phenomenal to say the least, Taemin and Key sounded good, Minho was... Minho, and Jonghyun had his good points.
Son Dambi - Queen For Son Dambi vocal standards, today's performance was pretty good, actually. Not as good as I'd like it to be, but good enough. In Filipino, pwede na. She does carry herself well and command the audience, so I'm OK.
Super Junior - No Other + Bonamana Well, it seems like their rather impeccable performance yesterday was just luck - and we're back to having not very strong vocals. If my "calculations" are correct, this is the last ever promo performance of both songs - it's a pity they didn't make it phenomenal. Oh well, I guess I'll just go watch yesterday's brilliance.
Taeyang - I Need A Girl (WINNER) It's been a while since I last recap-ed a Taeyang performance, but I'm afraid my opinion hasn't changed - don't like him, the song, and the way he performs it. I'm sorry. But I wouldn't go as far as saying he doesn't deserve his win, because he's definitely better than a handful of other idols. So yeah.
I'll just get this out as fast as humanely possible - I have a BoA review to write! And most likely I'll be home late again tonight, so my Inki recap will come late too. Video credit for today's recap goes to CrazyCarrot250. Always brilliant. LOL.
G.NA - I'll Back Off So You Can Live(review) She sounded off at the beginning, but thankfully by the second verse she was the way she always was. HyunA's part was a little boring, I prefer the guy from BEAST. This girl seriously needs to learn how to carry herself on stage like a performer. Not a diva or a "rookie", a performer. They're pushing her as an outstandingly good artist, her skills as a performer should match her vocals.
Girls' Day - Tilt Your Head To be fair, their vocals improved today, however much they can given the crap song. And honestly, I do think they have more sophistication than SISTAR. But they still suck, sorry.
Miss A - Bad Girl Good Girl Well that's more like it! All they had to do to get the breathlessness out was win two awards. LOL. They must've been really nervous before they won that now that they have, they're doing pretty darn good. I still don't like the song as much as I'd like to, but out of all the groups who've recently debuted, I'd say they're by far the best. No question.
Infinite - Come Back Again They were getting better the last few times we saw them, but they just stopped for a few shows and suddenly they suck again? For some strange reason, they kinda remind me of ZE:A back when they were really new. Towards the tail end, the vocals started getting better - but that was for like 10 seconds. Not impressed.
Sistar - Push Push(review) Holy crap what the hell happened to tutu girl's tutu? IT JUST GOT BIGGER. lol. But anyway, what use is a single if only one of the 4 girls can sing it? I'm now sure that more than one of them can actually sing, but not on this song. Even if that song they did for the video game soundtrack was a little generic, I'd rather they promote it than this.
ZE:A - Level Up Their vocals are getting better, yes, but their improvement's getting masked by the fact that the song is pathetic. Sorry guys, try again.
MBLAQ - One Better Day The only part I like is the piano line at the beginning before they start singing - that says a lot about them and how they perform. Like I always say, if all they really do on stage is look good and maybe dance together, then why be idols who're supposed to make songs? Form a dance group for all I care, but if you can't sing why push it? Seriously.
4Minute - I My Me Mine I don't know exactly why, but they kinda lost their punch on this performance. I mean technically their vocals were strong and they carried themselves, but the punch they had when I said I was starting to like them suddenly disappeared. I wonder what's wrong.
Black Pearl - Gogossing Have I publicly professed my love for Black Pearl yet? I will now. Except for the girl with the thing in her hair, they have gorgeous voices. And I mean gorgeous. Harmonies on music shows, strong vocals and a nice perky (but sometimes cheap) song - what more can I ask for? HARMONIES PEOPLE, HARMONIES.
SHINee - Up & Down + Lucifer(review) ONEW YOU ARE BRILLIANT. Jonghyun has a tendency to go wild when he sings live and sometimes fails, almost like Mark Westlife, but Onew, onew just nails it. But, I do think that this sounds better recorded - I was listening to the recording all day yesterday and I can't get enough. Like seriously, I'm itching to hear it every few seconds. This is bad. The performances are good, strong, and there's no question that these guys are performers, but I'd have to go with the recording on this.
Son Dambi - Queen I don't like the song as much as I did when I first heard it (before I saw the videos and performances), but she is getting better at performing it. Like I said, Pledis makes performers, not necessarily singers, but at least they're better than MBLAQ because they're not just trying to look good on stage - they're trying to entertain. And besides, Queen is a song this girl can most likely pull off brilliantly if she tries hard enough - it's not out of the range of her abilities.
Super Junior - No Other + Bonamana Actually, that was pretty good. Except for a few slips here and there, it's kinda said that they only really got the hang of things when they're ending promo. The vocals were strong, the performance was tight, and I "enjoyed" it. LOL. I really did.
