[Gayo Daejun 2012] Part 1: The 10 Best Performances

Year-End Festival season is the time of the year when everyone, or at least, everyone who mattered even just a little bit, comes out bringing the songs that made them relevant during the past year. Remixes are made, special stages held, dance breaks added -- anything to make those songs special for what is quite possibly their last hurrah. Gayo Daejuns have become places where acts come out in all their musical finery and show off.

They're like marketplaces -- you have practically the entire idol industry for the picking, so the performances come in a variety of qualities. Thankfully, that wide spectrum of quality translates into pretty tough competition, making acts really step up their game. Every year, a select few rise to the challenge, and succeed, or set bars, only to surpass existing expectations.

The performances I chose are some of the most creative, most confident, and best-executed performances -- they're strong from top to bottom and side to side. These are the performances that bring out some of the best talent in K-Pop, and that really do a good job of showing it off. They aren't flawless, because that's humanly impossible, but the flaws on these performances are either minuscule, or contribute something good to the entirety. It's those kinds of performances that are on this year's list -- performances I would gladly watch over and over and over again.

KBS

The non-idol groups

The KBS Gayo Daejun had very little spectacle compared to the other two networks' offerings, but at least the stage looked more elaborate than it did last year. Still, majority of the performances either felt too much like regular music show ones, or tried to do something and failed because of a number of different factors. However, the circumstances managed to bring out the performers, and performances, who are really good to begin with. I swear I didn't even know none of my choices were idols until I looked over the list again earlier!

Ailee - "Halo" / "Heaven" / "Just Dance"
Her "Halo" cover was part of a suite called "Idol & Artist", and with her Hyorin and K. Will also covered "Sway" and "Ribbon In the Sky", respectively. Honestly the only cover I really liked was Ailee's because Hyorin's "Sway" was way too heavy and didn't have that effortlessness that a song like "Sway" really, really needs, and K. Will's was boring until he started belting more, which means it was pretty boring throughout. Ailee, however, not only chose only a newer song that brought out her strengths, but also delivered it with conviction and effortlessness. It's not really the language barrier, to be honest, because Hyorin has had some beautiful English covers, it's really the song choice and the delivery. Which just goes to show that Ailee really does have what it takes to be a soloist because she knows how to carry herself, regardless of the song.

The first thing that surprised me about Ailee's KBS appearance was the fact that she was placed to late in the show, something usually reserved for more senior acts. But honestly, she gave a better performance than a lot of other seniors that night. The song choice was correct, "Heaven" has the possibility to be that epic, big-performance song with the class and sophistication you should associate with Ailee, and she delivered it with mastery and so much conviction. I like that she lowered the high note at the climax, because it shows that she has a performer's mindset -- there's no room for hesitation on stage, so if she felt that she couldn't hit the higher note, it was the right decision to lower it.

The other thing that surprised me was that she did a "Just Dance" cover, which reminded me a lot of past Gayo Daejuns when they'd do special covers of newer songs. Most of the old covers weren't really any good, but it was something to look forward to and get curious about when it came to Gayos. To see Ailee do that, and pretty much slay everyone else who covered "Just Dance" before (didn't someone do that in 2009? SHINee? I think), was one of my favorite moments from all three Gayo Daejuns.

But above all, Ailee's performance showed me that it's possible for one act to have everything I talked about last year (!!) and said that other rookies needed. She has talent, she has presence, but she also has very, very good stage manners. She was singing live on this performance, overpowering her backing track, she showed how much she wanted to be on stage, she was enthusiastic and she didn't count on her "hard work" to show it for her, she went and showed it herself. And finally, once it was time to jump around on stage and have fun, she did just that with so much effortlessness, but she never, ever forgot what got her on stage in the first place -- to sing. So many other acts forget that, but not Ailee. With this performance, she proved that she is, without a doubt, rookie of the year.

Brave Guys - "Wait and Get Ready" (With K. Will, Kang Kyun Sung and Secret's Sunhwa)
Given my limited knowledge of Brave Guys (I'd seen a few gag concert cuts and some other stuff they did), I was extremely surprised when Shin Bora started singing, because she did it so well. She has a gorgeous timbre, the song was right for her, and there was this effortlessness that you don't see in majority of many female idols, who have probably trained for much, much longer. I think it's safe to say that she out-sung almost all the female acts that night. And that this performance, despite not being a "conventional" one, outdid majority of the others.

And this one performance showed me that Brave Guys as a musical act is actually really, really good, so when I found out that they're not doing music anymore, I was disappointed. I mean they're not ridiculously amazing, but they're solid, entertaining performers, with good, catchy songs. That's better than a lot of what we get from other acts. But what angered me was the reason why they decided to quit. Apparently since they're comedians, they "can't do music and comedy", which is probably one of the most stupid criticisms I've heard, and also one of the most ironic, coming from an industry that promotes a "jack of all trades, master of few/none" mindset in idols. You see all these idols trying to go into acting or comedy or anything other than singing (which some of them aren't even that good at in the first place), and while some of them are actually pretty okay, the majority aren't. Meanwhile, you have Brave Guys, who are good comedians to start with, and good performers and musicians as well, and you tell them they can't be all that? I'm sorry but I can't accept that reasoning, and this performance is why.

K. Will - "I Need You"
I loved this performance so much, and it really was one of the most memorable moments of the otherwise boring KBS show. The song choice was on-point -- it wasn't a ballad, but it still shows off K. Will's gorgeous and stable voice. It's also a lot more interesting than his "Ribbon In The Sky" version because it really took advantage of his very clear belting in contrast to his otherwise husky, rich middle range. The dance/instrumental break kept it fresh, but it didn't overpower the rest of the song. This is just one of those performances that are so effortlessly good I want to watch them over and over and over again.

SBS

The Boybands

Last year's SBS Gayo Daejun was my favorite out of the three, but I'm afraid I can't say the same about this year's show. I initially really liked the idea of them forming project groups just for that night, because it was a good way to present not only songs from the year that was about to end, but something fresh -- it set the SBS show apart from other shows. But once we got the songs I was extremely underwhelmed by them -- either they weren't any good, or they sounded too much like something else. The only song I really liked was Mystic White's, but the performance was boring. Actually, all four performances weren't that good. So when it came down to choosing the best performances from that night, none of them were even on my shortlist. And, again, I just happened to choose all the boy band performances.

Big Bang - "One Of a Kind" + "Crayon" + "Fantastic Baby"
And this, my friends, is how you do a Gayo Daejun performance -- you take advantage of the fact that the stage is bigger, and you take advantage of the fact that the audience is much better. If there's one more thing to add to my (rather long) list of "Reasons Why I Have THE Utmost Respect for Big Bang", it's that they know exactly how to please a crowd with their music. They know how to balance all these fancy gimmicks and the delivery of their music, so much better than anyone. Groups like BEAST and maybe Teen Top now, they try, and to a certain extent it works, but they haven't yet captured that level of effortlessness that Big Bang put into their playful performances. Like, TOP may be deadpan in terms of movement, but he knows other ways of how to play with the crowd, and GD is just a fireball, really. Also, I wasn't really convinced with a lot of the "Gangnam Style" incorporations this year, save for this one. It wasn't a direct copy, and I really liked that. I really liked the entire performance, and it was one of the few that put a genuine smile on my face without me having to force it.

BEAST - "Beautiful Night"
If the Big Bang performance was something to have fun with, the BEAST performance brought out the anthemic quality of "Beautiful Night". Despite the fact that, like I said earlier, they don't have the music that's as effortless as Big Bang, they bring a different kind of performance to the table. "Beautiful Night" isn't something you subconsciously play along with like a Big Bang song, it's really that anthemic kind of performance that you sit back and appreciate. They're different, really. (So I should stop comparing them!) Stable vocals, strong yet humble stage presence, good stage manners -- it's good over-all, all while being above a music show performance. They played the crowd well, and I like how they succeeded without all those bells and whistles. It's hard to find a balance between the two, but it's also hard to do without the bells and whistles, just like what BEAST did.

Infinite - "The Chaser"
This is probably my favorite remix of "The Chaser", not really because of the presence of the orchestra alone, but because it made the song even more epic than it already is. Because this was truly a Gayo Daejun-worthy performance. The arrangers really made an effort to make it special for the Gayos -- it wasn't just some random new synth line put on top of the original arrangement. And unlike other orchestra versions that have been done in the past, this one wasn't some boring attempt to do "classical" music under a pop melody. You have your strings, but then you also have these electric guitars running around, I loved that part. That's another thing I really like about this arrangement -- it's not pretentious, it's confident. And to top it all off, this was also the best-sung and most stable of Infinite's three Gayo performances. It was a lot more stable vocally, and I liked the friction between their vocals and the instrumental. It was, all-around, one of the best performances of the night.

MBC

The Fierce Battles

Finally, a relatively vague categorization. It's not my fault the best from the other shows had striking similarities! To me, the MBC show has always been the messiest of the three -- you have a "battle" thing going on with blue and white teams, but then you have these random special stages stuck in between them, with little to no relation with the main "battle". This year was a bit more organized than last year's though, which is good. And if there's one thing I like about the format, it's that there's a lot to talk about, and a good point to make regarding the battles. In a perfect world, the battles exist so acts can push themselves -- if they want to win, they have to be good. I tried to look for those kinds of battles, but I only found one, so the other pair of performances that I'll feature is sort of my "dream team" -- the two acts that I think would've made for a really, really fierce battle.

(Note: Despite the fact that they're paired up, each act accounts for one performance -- which means the MBC section features four performances ;D)

Epik High - "Don't Hate Me" / "Up" (with Park Bom) vs. MBLAQ - "It's War"
And that, my friends, is how you do a performance. Both groups did the right songs, and they carried themselves extremely well. This was honestly the only battle that night where both acts presented really strong fronts, and made it hard for me to mentally declare a "winner".

Epik High was brilliant, and I really like that instead of doing a whole performance of "Don't Hate Me", they did "Up" as well. It was ridiculously fun, but also fresh and Gayo-worthy. Watching their performance earlier was kind of a culmination of my want to understand rap, because they did it so well and they made me want to do more than just passively listen and passively like it. Park Bom was surprisingly stable, like she should be, but I also really like how even if she got center stage during her solos, it remained an Epik High song and not a Park Bom song, something that I noticed some songs turn into.

Honestly I wasn't so surprised that Epik High did such a good job because well, they're Epik High. I was more surprised with MBLAQ actually, because they exceeded my expectations a thousand times over. That was really one of their best-sung performances ever, one of the most stable, and also over-all one of the best-delivered. This was what I meant when I said that "It's War" truly takes what I used to think as MBLAQ's weakness, their over-performing that oftentimes translates into arrogance, and makes it a good thing. It's a song that will rise to the challenge of over performance, and that's really what MBLAQ has always needed. It's strong enough to overpower their bad points, while bringing out their strengths. And also, I love the re-arrangement. It's gorgeous and not the least bit less epic than the original, but it's something new.

Epik High vs. MBLAQ was really the fiercest battle on that show, and probably one of my favorites out of all the Gayo Daejun performances. They were that good.

SISTAR - "Alone" vs Miss A - "I Don't Need A Man"
A few hours ago I was really frustrated, because I really wanted the MBC section of this post to be centered around the "battle" concept of the show, but other than the Epik High/MBLAQ one, none of the other pairings matched up, to each other or to my standards. There were acts who did well in relation to each other, but outside of that they weren't that good all-around. In Miss A and SISTAR's case, they were both really, really good, but their partners were the opposite. The 4Minute performance was badly sung and the arrangement wasn't really that great, and the KARA one had an interesting arrangement, but they didn't even bother singing it live. However, the Miss A and SISTAR performances stood out too much for me not to include them here.

I really, really, REALLY liked the arrangement of "I Don't Need A Man", because as much as it sounded new and fresh (we'll get to that later), they also retained the original feel of it, better than any of the other remixes that tried. Hardly any of the original elements were retained, and yet it managed to channel a sense of familiarity. The most unfamiliar-feeling element of this performance is the dance break, but I love it. I love how it's so unexpected at first, but when you watch it again it makes sense in the greater scheme of things. And when you look at the elements themselves and how they relate to the song proper, it's actually really, really cohesive. I love it, it gives the song sass. This version was still as fun and tongue-in-cheek as the original one, and actually slightly more playful because there were more things to play around with. But at the same time, I like how the song has a different kind of substance, and how it's clear that this was approached with a musical mindset. The melody was tweaked to match, but not too much that it would become impossible to sing live. And actually, their vocals on this were quite good, and stable in general, save for a few slips and a fraction of the song being really breathy. But all things considered this is one of the most creative performances this year.

It's also a slightly similar case with SISTAR -- the arrangement is really creative and musical. But unlike Miss A, I didn't expect this to even just happen at all. But it did, and then I was surprised at how well it worked. One of the main reasons why I didn't like the original version of "Alone" was because it didn't do a good job of carrying SISTAR and hiding their flaws. And because I found it boring. Well, this arrangement was anything but. From the beginning all the way to the end it's overflowing with confidence, and it has so much spunk it almost hurts. The delivery was really good as well -- they really sold the song. Even if that one girl's voice cracked, it was a tiny miss in a sea of direct hits. In terms of their movements, this really worked too because they finally found somewhere to channel the roughness of their stage presence. This was one of the best things SISTAR ever did, probably the most well-rounded performance of their careers, actually.

Phew. That was long. Watch out for part 2 tomorrow! ^_^

[#2] Ailee (with Simon D) - "Shut Up"

From: "Invitation"
Format: EP
Released: October
Territory: Korea
Previous Best of Appearances: First Appearance

Like I said yesterday, ranking this year's top three was really a challenge for me, because Younha's "Run", this, and my now-#1 song, are all outstanding songs among a throng of good ones. Which is why for the most part, I just went with my gut feeling. That gut feeling landed Ailee at #2, making her the highest-ranking rookie act, not only this year, but pretty much since I started counting down songs.

And boy does she deserve it. You could say that Ailee got lucky, ending up in an agency that gave her material that suited her and made all the right choices during this extremely precarious debut year, but she would've never gotten that lucky without the voice. Without that powerful yet gracefully beautiful voice, that nice, deep timbre, and the effortless technique she now has.

What I like the most about "Shut Up" is that it's not what most people would give to a voice like Ailee since "protocol" is usually to give them a bunch of ballads and be done with things. But people have to remember that while Ailee does have a voice that can easily slay a ballad, she's also young and this kind of "role model" image should be pushed -- she needs to sing songs for her age, because there will come a time when she'll get too old for things like that.

"Shut Up", above all, is fun. It's something I'd play in the background while running around in the morning, it's something I'd put on to get me in a good mood. It's fresh, it's playful, and Ailee's voice literally glows, almost like it's smiling.

But it doesn't stop there, and I'm really happy that it doesn't. As happy as it is, "Shut Up" also brings out Ailee's beautiful vocals in the process -- not just in terms of emotion, but in terms of all the technical aspects. Contrary to what a lot of people think of up tempos, this is not an easy song to sing. The lines may be short, but listen to how much power it takes to deliver one of those, breathe in between beats, and deliver another one. The belting starts at the first verse, and increases as the song goes along. You really need to know how to sing to pull this song off and not crack a few lines in, and boy does Ailee know how.

This is what happens when you give a good song to a good singer and do a good job delivering it. This is what happens when people in the industry pull themselves together and do a good job because they genuinely want to. This, my friends, is called magic. Or music. Whichever you prefer.

Six rookies to look out for in 2013

A debut is one of the biggest milestones for any act, and not just musically. The debut period lays foundations for the future, foundations that these idols will carry for the rest of their careers, whether successful or not. (Though taking off from the debut period is another milestone in itself though.) This also is why it’s so important to put all your eggs in one basket, just this once -- the competition is fierce, and these acts need everything they can get.

Being a rookie in K-Pop isn't a walk in the park, especially now that the relatively small industry is overflowing with acts from agencies of all shape and size. A lot of rookies, more so those from smaller agencies, just fizzle away into irrelevance and never get their chance in the spotlight. But a competition will always have winners. As we've seen from the previous years, there are acts who got through their debut year with flying colors and went on to see even more success, and there are also those who fly under the radar at first but see massive success in the following years.

The acts on this list fall into one of those two categories -- acts who I think did a phenomenal job this year and deserve to get even bigger, and acts who I think have the potential to do well next year. These are the rookies who proved themselves, whether it be in one area or all, and managed to stand out.

FIESTAR
Agency: LOEN Entertainment
Debuted: August
First Release: "Vista" (Single)
Follow-Up Release(s): "We Don't Stop" (November, Single)
Previous Review(s): "We Don't Stop"
Other Best of 2012 Appearances: N/A

As far as A&R and image go, FIESTAR have it. They're girly and feminine, but they pack a punch -- just how I like my girl groups. "VISTA" was a strong effort, a pretty good song, and even if "We Don't Stop" failed as a whole song, as far as musical direction goes, it's right on track. They have substance, and they have an agency that can afford to make them look, and sound, nice and sparkly.

If we talk individual talent, that's something they haven't quite yet been able to show off properly, but honestly I think that if they have good A&R and a good agency, it's something their future material will bring out. And as early as now, some of the girls have already stood out vocally.

They kind of crept up on me, but when I was looking through all the rookies this year, Fiestar is actually one of my favorite girl groups. I guess I didn't really feel it like the other rookies I liked because they're still pretty under the radar, and they've only had two singles out, but I really like them. With the little material and exposure that they had this year, they made me curious enough to want to see big things from them next year.

JJ Project
Agency: JYP Entertainment
Debuted: May
First Release: "Bounce" (EP+Single)
Follow-Up Release(s): N/A
Previous Review(s): "Bounce"
Other Best of 2012 Appearances: Top 50 Songs - #23: "Hooked"

JJ Project was really one of my favorite debuts this year, but then again it's so hard not to like them. They're one step away from annoying, but they don't take that step, so what you get is a playful, mischievous act. Take that mischief and give it good material to play around with -- you have JJ Project. They are proof that getting the right material is, without question, one of the most important parts of a debut, because had they not gotten "Bounce" and the other songs on their first EP, they wouldn't have been as effective as they are.

Another thing I really like about JJ Project is that they know how to sell that sound, without forgetting the fact that they are, in fact, making music. They run and jump around stage like a bunch of little boys, but underneath the image, they're actually stable live singers/performers. And what made them even better was the fact that they debuted during a time when all the rookie groups failed to deliver once they got to music shows.

Like I said earlier this year:

The reason why I like them so much is because they’re convincing, because there is as much effortlessness in their execution as there is conviction. See, this is what I mean when I say that execution matters just as much as good material. While good material will take you places, equally competent execution will drive the point home. 

And that effortlessness is really what you need for material as fun and straightforward as the songs on “Bounce”, because what these two guys do is give the otherwise thin JYP material some spring. Save all that soul for Miss A or half of the Wonder Girls -- I like my boybands jumping through hoops and fire like there’s no tomorrow. ... “Bounce” is what I’ve been looking for in a boygroup for a long time now -- effortlessly fun material, complete with literal jumping around stage.

Ailee
Agency: YMC Entertainment
Debuted: January
First Release: "Heaven" (Single)
Follow-Up Release(s): "Invitation" (November, EP)
Previous Review(s): "Heaven" / "Invitation"
Other Best of 2012 Appearances: 5 Best Albums - #4: "Invitation" / Top 50 Songs - #2: "Shut Up" (With Simon D)

If I had to name a rookie of the year (which technically I'm doing because I'm saying this right now), without a shadow of a doubt it would be Ailee. From the very beginning the thrust of her career has been clear -- she had a gorgeous voice that could quite literally move mountains, and she showed it off for everyone to hear. But of course, there are so many rookies overflowing with talent, which made me scared for her earlier this year. Thankfully I was proven wrong, because "Invitation" followed "Heaven" and I just fell in love with everything about Ailee. What makes her better than everyone else is the fact that she knows how to bring it, and she does it with material that's practically made for her.

I know I sound like a broken record now, but really, Ailee is lightyears ahead of all the other rookies on this list. With Ailee it's not a matter of "I want to see what you do next", or "I see potential in you", it's more like "I want to see how you stay brilliant". Ailee took all of our existing standards for rookies and she bettered them. All of them. Talent, stage presence, material, promotions -- she did them all, and they brought out her strengths. That's really what a debut period should be -- it should be that time where you show everything off with the hope of people liking it.

Lee Hi
Agency: YG Entertainment
Debuted: October
First Release: "1, 2, 3, 4" (Single)
Follow-Up Release(s): "Scarecrow" (November, Single)
Previous Review(s): N/A
Other Best of 2012 Appearances: Top 50 Songs - #37: "1, 2, 3, 4"

Despite finishing second in the first season of "Kpop Star", Lee Hi was the one who set aside my fears of an audition show for idols. Of course there was "Superstar K" beforehand, but the thrust of the show wasn't as clear as "Kpop Star", where they were literally looking for someone to sign to a big three agency. My biggest fear was how these big agencies were going to sustain, or completely change, the images that the contestants had built up during the show, images they had little control over. I found my answer in Lee Hi, and all the success she had amassed in such a short period.

She has the talent, that's pretty obvious given not only her time before her formal debut, but even after. But she also chose the right agency for her -- YG took her strengths and they made her run with it, which she gladly did. And succeeded. But as with majority of the rookies on this list, the question now is -- "what's next?" She's laid the foundations very well, and now she has to start building her identity. If her foundation is anything to go by, I think we'll see great things from her next year. I hope we do.

Hello Venus
Agency: Pledis Entertainment
Debuted: August
First Release: "Venus" (EP)
Follow-Up Release(s): "What Are You Doing Today?" (December, EP)
Previous Review(s): "Venus"
Other Best of 2012 Appearances: Top 50 Songs - #39: "Love Appeal"

In my books, Pledis is notorious for not delivering the right material for their acts -- After School and Son Dambi are testament to that. But for some strange reason, this year they did pretty well, not with their established acts (AS and Dambi had pretty flat comebacks), but with their rookies. NU'EST, although not on this list, had material they could actually sing, and of course, Hello Venus had "Venus". I loved it earlier this year, and I love it now.

I don't ask much from rookie groups, I just want them to deliver their material with competence, conviction and a sense of togetherness, and I want them to show the beginnings of a musical identity. Surprises of all surprises, I found that in "Venus". While their material isn't exactly top-tier or revolutionary or anything, it's solid, again it shows off what they can do, and at the same time it matches their vocals.

And that continued on to their second EP and lead single, which, despite the fact that it's kind of messy, was cute with substance, and actual singing, as opposed to whining or squeaking. You don't have to be sickeningly cute to be effective, they're proof of that.

Hello Venus is textbook girl group, complete with cutesy material and a girly image. But they're proof that it's not always the mould that's the problem when cutesy girl groups go astray, sometimes it's the group themselves. Or the material they get. Or maybe even both. Whatever it is, they remain one of those groups who do cute the way I like it -- with actual singing, and that extra bit of oomph to give them substance.

EXO (M+K)
Agency: SM Entertainment
Debuted: August
First Release: "MAMA" (EP)
Follow-Up Release(s): N/A
Previous Review(s): "MAMA" (EXO-K)
Other Best of 2012 Appearances: Top 50 Songs - #30: "History" (EXO-K) / Top 50 Songs - #29: "What Is Love" (EXO-M)

Despite what a lot of people may think about my views on EXO, I don't completely hate them. I don't because I haven't heard enough from them, and because majority of the things that went wrong with their debut happened because of SM's sloppy and pointless decisions. First they set extremely high expectations -- EXO were supposed to be SM's golden rookies, all new, shiny and ready for the taking. They hype them up like no other, with teasers left and right. And then, they give EXO a song that needs to be carried, as opposed to one that plays on existing strengths and masks flaws in recording, and especially performance. So because of that, they end up either lip-synching, or going all over the place, during their live promotion cycle. "MAMA" wasn't the right song, plain and simple.

But over the course of the year, I had numerous chances to look beyond what SM set up for them, and honestly they're not half bad. I don't see any clear voices that I haven't heard elsewhere, but considering that their debut single was a product of such bad A&R and they've improved immensely since their debut, it won't take long for me to find one.

So why did EXO take the last spot on the list? Because to me, they are the epitome of "potential". Look at everything they have -- the variety of members, the fan base, and of course SM backing. Take all of those, and EXO could possibly go places next year because so much can go right, despite the fact that so much went wrong this year.

The 5 Best Albums of 2012

After running through everything yesterday, including eligibility and the main criteria, this is it! Let's get right to the list.

#5: Big Bang - "STILL ALIVE"
Released: June
Territory: Korea
Singles: "Blue", "Monster", "Bad Boy", "Fantastic Baby"

"STILL ALIVE" has two of the things I really go out of my way to look for in an album -- identity and cohesion. It has those qualities because one, Big Bang are good musicians, they have the training and they have the experience, and two, they're confident about what they have, and who they are. It's because of that confidence that they're not afraid to play around. If you really are who you are, then nothing will change that.

Another thing I really like about Big Bang is that they're such an animated group, and it shows in their songs. As opposed to groups who bring out the good in their songs on stage (not that it's a bad thing!), Big Bang take the personality on stage and bring it to the recordings. And again, it's not just one personality, it's an entire range of sounds, and of moods.

You have songs like "Feeling" and "Fantastic Baby" which are literally made for the stage with all the energy and catchy hooks left and right, and you have mid-tempos like "Bad Boy" and "Blue" that show off these pretty melodies and their attention to detail. But then you also have songs that are somewhere in between, like "Love Dust", which is kind of dance-y, but not quite, but still a very good song, or "STILL ALIVE", which is epic and the kind of song that would be perfect for an opening song of a concert where everyone's excited, but just staring in awe and not exactly jumping up and down yet.

And all of these songs fit, they all work together to deliver one, solid, album because Big Bang are confident. See what a little brevity can do to an act, and what that brave act can do to an album?

#4: Ailee - "Invitation"
Released: October
Territory: Korea
Singles: "Heaven" (June), "I'll Show You" (September)

At first glance "Invitation" can seem very plain. When you look at the numbers you have a few ballads, a few mid tempos and two up tempos, one of them a disco-inspired one. Looking at that alone it doesn't seem that special, but when you actually listen to the album it's a completely different story.

That's what I like about music, and art in general even. Facts will give you information, yes, but it's the experience that matters. It's the experience that makes the magic, not the facts. And "Invitation" makes magic. Sweet, musical magic.

The binding factor of this album is and always will be Ailee. The songs themselves are pretty ordinary, most of them good at best, but it's Ailee's vocals that give them not just life, but fire. She has the ballad-ready emotion that the industry demands, but she adds spunk and confidence to it. You give "Evening Sky" to a singer with no attitude and I can assure you it'll be a snooze fest.

But of course, this album isn't without that one moment that makes me want to die of beauty -- that moment is "Shut Up". I love it I love it I love it and I don't know how to say it any other way, because really, "Shut Up" is one of this year's most stunning, most brilliant songs. It's the type of song that looks you in the eye and doesn't blink for three minutes, all while having so much fun. And Ailee has so much fun on this song, I can hear her smiling, even with all the post-prod this song went through.

For an act like Ailee, that young, vibrant female solo singer, "Invitation" fits like a glove. It's an album that's mainstream, it's an album that people will listen to, and it's also an album that makes sure Ailee, with her gorgeous vocals, stays in the center. Simple songs for a beautiful voice, "Invitation" is an album I've listened to time and time again, and I have no plans of stopping.

#3: Se7en - "2nd Mini Album"
Released: February
Territory: Korea
Singles: "Even When I Can't Sing" (February)

I don't know if you've already noticed, but all these albums have a point to them, or even more than one, that make them some of the best albums of the year. So what does Se7en's EP have?

One word -- effortlessness.

In music, or at least to me, it's one thing to have good material, it's also one thing to have talent, but it's an entirely different story if you can take that good material and talent, and deliver it with a sense of mastery, with a sense of effortlessness. Music isn't something to be forced, it's something to be fostered. If you're a good musician, a good singer, a good instrumentalist, once you learn how to operate your instrument (a voice is an instrument too) and take care of it, everything else will follow.

This EP gives off a sense of mastery -- Se7en is in his element, and the songs were clearly made for him. Everything is graceful and smooth, and the EP is the kind of pop that really lets you savor everything that happens. You hear everything, and you hear it enough to appreciate it. It's anything but an EP full of noise or elements that just stand there and don't really serve a purpose.

And you really do need that mastery with a purpose when you attempt to do songs like "When I Can't Sing" or "Angel", because that's what they depend on. These are songs with melodies so solid that they're already classics, they're so strong, so imposing, yet so beautiful, that the original version really does need to be lightyears better than the hundreds of talent show auditions that this song will carry. You need that effortlessness for songs like "Make Good Love", songs that depend on the delivery to drive the point home, and you need to notice every single detail, each of the beautiful melodies to make sense of the entire album as a whole.

#2: Girls' Generation - "GIRLS' GENERATION II ～Girls & Peace～"
Released: November
Territory: Japan
Singles: "PAPARAZZI" (June), "Oh!/All My Love Is For You" (September), "Flower Power" (November)

The first time I heard the album in full, I was actually really surprised. I mean I adored "PAPARAZZI" and "All My Love Is For You", but at that point I wasn't really sure what the rest of the album was going to be like. Nevertheless, I was greeted by a strong front -- outstanding material, outstanding production and confident delivery on all twelve songs. If that's not a strong front I don't know what is.

What I like about this album is that this is lightyears better than any of their Korean albums, and more of an album that majority of them will ever be. Musically as well, if this is the kind of material they put out on a regular basis, I wouldn't be as confused towards them like I am now. They're a girl group, they're pop, they need songs that cover for them and carry them, and those songs need to be good. I got that with "Girls & Peace".

The material is very girl group -- it's edgy, trendy, but girly. Tracks like "Flower Power" and "Animal", one of my favorites, provide the edgy, "PAPARAZZI" and "Boomerang" the trendy, with tracks like "TOP" giving the album some kick as well, and "Stay Girls", "All My Love Is For You" and "Girls & Peace" the girly, with "Not Alone" being a pretty ballad to boot. It's a very dynamic album, but what ties everything together is the production throughout, and the idea of this being the epitome of a well-done girl group album. Which it is.

I had two early favorites when this album was new -- "Animal" and "Stay Girls" -- but what ultimately put this album on this list was the fact that by this time, I've literally looped all of the songs for at least two or three days. Even "Oh!". They're really good songs, I could spend several paragraphs talking about why I like each song, but ultimately this is an album with dimension. The more you listen to it, the more you discover, and you'll start to see the appeal of songs you initially didn't really like. It's an album that grows on you, but at the end of the day it's still a really, really good album.

#1: Younha - "Supersonic"
Released: Month
Territory: Korea
Singles: "Run" (month)

"Supersonic" is my #1 album of the year because it's an album I can listen to from start to finish with no exceptions. There's no "Even if this track is pretty boring this other one is really good". There are no apologies to be made and mistakes to be corrected the next time around -- it is what it is, and it's brilliant. But then again, that's to be expected from someone with as much experience as Younha.

I honestly think it's an album that gives off an air of musicality, but it's not pretentious and doesn't attempt to be anything other than what it is. See that's what I hate about some pop acts, they try so hard to be "serious" or "high art" and they're not really any good at it, when, at the end of the day, they're still in pop. So why are they doing pop in the first place? It's as if pop has become a dumping ground of people who can't make it in "serious" music, when there are so many other people actually who take it seriously. There are people who build serious careers around it, and I just hate it when pop is treated like second-rate music, because not all of it is, and it's not like there isn't bad jazz or bad heavy metal. It's just a really big pet peeve of mine, but the absence of that mindset on "Supersonic" is one of the biggest reasons why this is my favorite album this year. It knows exactly what it is, and it does it extremely well.

You have a whole range of material on "Supersonic" -- from the fun, to the gorgeous, the stunning, and the mind-blowing. And I guess another thing that I really like about this album is that despite all the Coldplay references in some of the arrangements, this is an album that sounds Korean. You have your prerequisite Korean ballad melody in "Wait For Me", but it's not set against your usual Korean ballad instrumental -- it has some of the most understated, but most beautiful strings I've heard all year, it has this quaint guitar line, and it has that gentle, but resonating bass line. It's beautiful, it sounds very K-Pop, but it's also Younha.

This is one of those albums where it is literally impossible for me to name my all-time favorite, and not because they keep changing, but because I like them in different ways. Like "Wait For Me", I genuinely fell in love with it because of that beautiful melody and the beautiful delivery that came with it, but then I also adore the John Park duet because his voice is goosebump-inducing in that range and it's an understated epic that I really, really like. "Run" is truly one of the best pop songs all year -- it has all the emotions to pull on heartstrings, all the bells and whistles to get people interested, and it does it all in the most musical, most practiced but effortless way possible. And then you have these very fun songs like "People", which I love because it's so perky and it's the perfect wake-up song to keep me from getting grumpy, and then the Tiger JK track just lets everything loose and does it with so much brevity that I can't not like it.

The rest of the album is like that, and it's really the epitome of what I look for in an album -- songs that stand firmly on their own, but together they make magic and move mountains and everything in between.

Ailee - "Invitation"

I'd like to think it's a widely accepted truth that Ailee has a beautiful voice, and that it has to be taken advantage of in the best way possible. Compared to other acts who need songs specifically suited to them, Ailee's far more versatile, but that doesn't mean she doesn't sound better doing certain things. This girl can sing everything, yes, but give her a song that actually matches her voice and she can move mountains with it.

Speaking in ballpark figures, half of this album is Ailee being her versatile self, and the other half is Ailee moving mountains.

When I heard the teaser last week, I was worried that "I Will Show You" would end up sounding like some cheap Eurotrash Whitney remix. I thank the K-Pop gods that I thought wrong. I'm not personally worshipping the song, but I get it, and I get why it's the lead single. As far as K-Pop is concerned, if someone can sing extremely well, that person needs to be given big ballads majority of the time -- this song is sort of a compromise. Ailee has a gorgeous voice, yes, but technically speaking she's between ballad singer status and idol status, and this song is right in between being a ballad and a dance track. It's extremely epic, and the explosion right before the chorus leads the song into a complete reversal, complete with choreography! I like how they kept the instrumental as low-key as possible until it was time to explode, and even then the arrangement made sure that Ailee's vocals stood out. And that drum line is gorgeously natural, just smoothed out a bit, but they sound like real drums!

I usually call songs like this "diva songs", because the vocals for this need to be pushing all the way -- this isn't a song for some throwaway member of some gigantic girl group (ahem, ahem), and only a few of the better girl group singers can actually pull something like this off, "I Will Show You" is a song for one girl, one girl with a huge, show-stopping voice. And that's exactly what Ailee is. Songs like these are very particular about the voice that sings them -- smooth is okay, but they have to really be big, deep and slightly more mature voices. For example, Taeyeon and Luna have gorgeous voices and can belt notes accurately, but they're very feminine and not deep enough for songs like this. People like Hyorin or CSJH's Lina, and obviously Ailee are better suited.

That said, I personally think the song is a bit too old for Ailee. She can sing it all right, and it's obvious that the song and her really click, but she's 23, and after listening to the rest of the album, this song sounds too mature for her. Obviously we don't want her to turn into another G.NA, nor do we want her to go the cute route like IU's dark age, but the rest of the album is pretty good evidence that she can be young and keep showing off her gorgeous voice. Even the other ballads sound younger than this.

"Into the Storm" is a gorgeous song, I love it, and like I said just now it's current and fits Ailee's age, but this is one of those songs that she just sings well and doesn't really move any mountains with. I love it as a song, and the vocal treatment is beautiful, but it doesn't show off Ailee's vocals as much as some of the other songs on the EP. The chorus is stunning -- it's simple but so effortlessly epic. And I guess that's the good thing about this song, the other songs may be better fits, but "Intro the Storm"'s simplicity translates to an effortless delivery. The belting is so natural, the arrangement goes with the flow so well that the song ends and you're clamoring for more.

If someone else got "Evening Sky", honestly I think it wouldn't be as effective as it is with Ailee doing it. It's actually a pretty generic song on it's own, very ordinary -- what gives this that extra strong kick is the delivery, because it really turns the entire song around. Ailee not only has the emotion to make this song interesting, but the technique to accurately translate those emotions into her vocals. She's not doing any screaming or straight-out emoting during the verses, but she gives the lines all these pretty curls. By the time she does start belting, that's also when the bare melody gets a bit boring, so it gets another kick. "Evening Sky" is generic, yes, but it's also unforgiving, but if the singer knows exactly what she's doing, as Ailee does, well, you get a pretty song.

"My Love" is probably my least favorite song on the EP, but it's still pretty good, and on-par with the rest of the album. It's a song that I think I need to see performed, because right now it's subdued but the only kick it gets is courtesy of the vocals, which aren't as powerful as they are on the other songs, and it's a bit too repetitive in the wrong places. This may potentially work with a live band or some choreography though. We'll see if this ever sees the light of a performance.

The one song that really took my breath away on this EP though was "Shut Up". It's fresh, it's young, it's current -- it's so, so effortless. If I thought "Into The Storm" was pretty effortless, "Shut Up" just pushes it even further. It's effortless, but it's also ridiculously brave. The intro is unassuming, but when Ailee's vocals just power through that stunningly powerful melody over that confident instrumental -- you know you're in for brilliance. The transition to the chorus gives me goosebumps every time, and vocals take a step back in terms of power, but the emphasis goes to that beautiful melody and the arrangement to match. With all that power, it's very easy to forget the melody, but this song is confident and comfortable enough to remember it, and remember it well. The gracefulness of the chorus is a perfect contrast to the very stiff (but still beautiful) verses.

This track really shows off Ailee's vocals, pulls them apart and puts them back together all in a span of three minutes. The rap part also gives the song even more oomph, as if it needed any more of it. "Shut Up" is the type of song that you can't not want to sing along too, even if majority of us can't hit the notes Ailee seems to just zoom through. This is exactly what I meant by Ailee moving mountains with an amazing song -- I'd totally give this a 5/5, maybe more.

The EP finishes off with "Heaven", Ailee's first single. I won't talk about the song itself, because I already did that earlier this year, but honestly I think it's kind of lost in relation to the rest of the album. It's a gorgeous song, yes, but the production, the style, and even the vocals, don't match the rest of the EP. Even "I Will Show You" which is also kind of not there, matches better than this.

4.7/5

Ailee - "Heaven"

Before the review, of course I have to talk about Whitney Houston. How can I not. I don't have any sentimental stories or whatnot about her or her music like a lot of other people, and I'll admit that I didn't listen to her as a kid as much as other people do/did, but I have immense respect for her. Immeasurable respect. So many people have attempted to pull her songs off, and only a handful, or even less, have pulled it off. There is no one like Whitney Houston. May she rest in peace, and may she continue to serve as both an example and and inspiration to younger singers and musicians.

Honestly, I've been paying next to no attention to all the new acts that've come out so far, but one, I'm glad I watched Dream High 2, and two, I'm glad I bothered to look Ailee up. Because I'd never hear the end of it from myself if I missed Ailee.

I hate how the only reason why I bothered listening to Ailee was because she's in Dream High 2, but I think the reason why I noticed her in DH 2 in the first place kind of makes up for it. For those who aren't watching the drama, Ailee part of the sort of flagship girl group of the main talent agency in Dream High 2 - the other two members are T-Ara's Jiyeon and SISTAR's Hyorin, and they all move to Kirin and train. Jiyeon has the biggest role out of the three, and out of the four episodes I've seen, I hardly ever heard Ailee talk in comparison to Jiyeon, and actually even Hyorin, because she's always in the sidelines. But out of the three, honestly, Ailee was the one who stood out the most for me in terms of vocals. I mean yeah, Hyorin's amazing too, but her voice in the drama is kind of being downplayed. When Ailee and Hyorin did G.NA's "Top Girl", Ailee slayed Hyorin. Beat her to a pulp.

However, I'm a bit scared for Ailee. We've seen this done recently - "this" being the super-talented female solo artist being given a HUGE publicity push, a melodramatic ballad that shows off her voice, and everyone falling at her feet. G.NA. Ailee may not be from an agency with some kind of clout like how G.NA is from Cube, but she definitely isn't from a humble background, because she's Wheesung's protege. But of course, the measure of a mentor's worth isn't in what he/she has done for him/herself, but in how the student fares. I mean look at Rain, when he was handling MBLAQ they were a complete disaster, no matter how good a performer Rain is. It usually works well though, seeing as YG and JYP were both former pop stars/now-legends themselves, and SM was a frustrated pop star. And it definitely worked with Wheesung, even if I'm not that big a fan.

Ailee is amazing. Let me just put that on the record so if ever she hits it huge in the next few years, I can say I called it. (A bit later than a few others, but early nonetheless!) Like how I called BEAST AND Infinite. And IU.

The reason why I like Ailee's voice is because even if it has body and she can hit high notes at the drop at the hat, there is a sense of youth to her voice. Ailee is like a half-painted canvass -- she has her foundations firmly planted, and unless she smokes or something her voice won't get any worse, but her voice has so much room to grow, to mature. Like IU, who, I think we all agree, was amazing back then, but is even more amazing now. You know Ailee's young (22 is still young in terms of voice), but you also know that she's not this little girl trying to sound like she's fifty. If there's something you should never mess with, it's the age and development of your voice. Tampering with your voice is kind of like tampering with your face - I'm sure we've all heard our fair share of plastic surgery horror stories.

There's nothing really new to "Heaven" per se, but what it does is that it brings out Ailee's voice. It's somewhere in between a screaming-parade and a cute-fest, and it works, both in gaining mainstream attention, because it's not too avant garde, and in showing off that stunning voice. She doesn't hit you over the head with her voice, but she isn't ashamed of it either and when she lets go, it's really something. Everything in moderation.

That moderation reflects in the instrumental and the arrangement as well. "Heaven" starts off with just a simple piano line, progresses into a full-fledged, but gentle accompaniment. Ailee is one of those singers who can actually carry a song with just her voice, and I haven't seen a lot of that recently. The product is a graceful, but convincing package.

"Heaven" itself sounds like a Korean-ified cross between Shontelle's "Battle Cry"/"Superwoman", and The Script's "We Cry" -- I like how the instruments sound very clean, but also how the somewhat still raw guitar takes center stage during the chorus, and how you don't hear the bass clearly, but you feel it. And really, it's a gorgeous song, one I'll definitely be looping for the next few days at least. A gorgeous melody on top of an epic and firm, but graceful, melody, brought together by Ailee's stunning and perfectly capable vocals. It's nothing ground-breaking, but it is what it is, it's not pretentious either.

"Heaven" is an effective debut, it gets Ailee out there, and it shows us what she can do, but I still can't help but be a little scared for her, seeing as material-wise, K-Pop female solo acts (emphasis on the POP) haven't been doing as well as they should be. She better not disappoint!

4.2/5