Hello Venus - "Venus"

Pledis is really on a roll this year after years without new groups debuting (new After School members don't count), and while I was a bit doubtful at first, looks like my doubts were proven wrong.

I know that apart from music show recaps, I didn't talk about NU'EST, but for both them and now Hello Venus, I honestly had zero expectations, which is both a good and bad. Obviously it's bad because having no expectations means that I wasn't impressed with anything before the formal album release, and considering how many misses Pledis has made with After School (in comparison to their hits, that is), I wasn't sure if I wanted more groups they could screw up. However, it's also a good thing because starting with zero expectations means that if they play their cards right, things will turn out perfectly fine. They did for NU'EST, because while fundamentally they're not the best at anything, they're not completely bad either, and they mix that competence with confidence and conviction. And I'm sincerely hoping they work out for Hello Venus too.

Because from this EP, they're not half bad. Of course there are a lot of things I'd like changed and improved, but all in all it's a solid first release, and though I don't know all the members, the material does a good job of showing off what they can do, along with what they're pushing for. In all honesty, it's the first K-Pop release I've genuinely enjoyed in quite a while (my dry spell was also partially because of all the mediocrity being released), and for a rookie group, of their stature also, it's not something I'm going to take lightly.

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.

"Hello" reminds me a lot of that ill-fated ZE:A single, whatever it was called, patched up and done that much better. As a song it's pretty boring and one-dimensional, but it's strong, and it gives off a rather confident impression, which is always a good thing for a new groups. Now I understand that "Venus" is a lead single, and while it's the second weakest song on the EP, it has a merit that no one should overlook. It's cutesy, yes, it's saccharine sweet and all that, but this is what I mean when I say that cute doesn't have to be overdone. You can be cutesy without sounding like 3 year-olds. There are still those baby moments here and there, but the hooks, and about 95% of the song, is cute without being annoying. Looks like Pledis can still churn out attitude. I personally wouldn't listen to it again for personal reasons, but I'm curious to see how they'll carry this live.

Now, I'll probably get backlash for saying this, or you guys will be like "not the ballad again", but "설레임" really was the track that convinced me these girls have some semblance of talent. It's not perfect, and I doubt they all have solos on this, but it's a fair attempt at a potentially boring song. The melody is gorgeous bordering on stunning once they hit the chorus, and while the arrangement is standard, honestly I think that's something they need to have on the album. They're rookies, and while everyone's "be yourself" and all that, at the end of the day, to me at least, before they can go frolicking around with whatever crazy idea Pledis has, they have to show that they have some semblance of fundamentals, and this song does it. I want to hear this live, Pledis.

"Love Appeal" starts out sounding like a T-Ara rip-off, and I thought it would be like that for the entire song, but surprisingly, both arrangement, melody and delivery-wise, it does a complete 180. I love the arrangement, I'm not ashamed of saying that, and it's currently fighting to be my favorite song on the EP. It's upbeat, it's happy, but it's also well-done and confident. The part I'm most surprised and pleased with though is the fact that part of the reason why this doesn't sound like a complete rip-off is because of the girls' vocals -- because on this song, they're not completely plain and boring, they actually have the beginnings of character.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that I'm liking Hello Venus, and more than an "I'll keep my eye on you", it's more of a like where I hope they'll be able to deliver this material and live up to what it's shown us, and that, if they do have something to offer, they keep improving getting better and better material.

4/5

EXO shows us what's wrong with K-Pop

Well guys, this is it. After 92498574983 million teasers and a bunch of irrelevant, overdubbed "live performances", EXO are formally debuting. While it's very easy to be blinded by all the flashy CGI and the "cool" superpowers they each have, at the end of the day they're debuting in music, so they have to be treated as musicians. "MAMA", the video and the song itself, is really the epitome of what SM Entertainment is now, all problems included. So before we all get swept off our feet (if you haven't already), let's take a look at what's wrong with EXO, shall we?

Honestly, I'm quite amused at how well EXO have managed to bring forth several of K-Pop's major problems in a concise, slightly obvious, and "creative" way. The whole idea of "MAMA" is a K-Pop crash course in itself. Of course they're still problems that need to be fixed, and I wouldn't really call SM brilliant for doing it, but it's pretty cool.

So we start from that "legend" at the beginning. The story itself is your average, commercial "tree of life" and super power/force legend, and if it was a movie it would be perfectly fine. But the problem is that this isn't a movie, this is a music video for EXO, and that's where the first problem lies. K-Pop tends to sensationalize and exaggerate everything it runs into. Not just in music videos, but in news items, so-called "scandals", and even talent itself. If you show even just a pea's worth of talent, you're the biggest thing since anything. And even if you don't have any talent whatsoever, you can become the biggest thing since anything. I understand that EXO need a big push to be able to succeed in the competitive industry today, bigger than the pushes SME gave the bands before them, and bigger than f(x), who didn't really turn out the smash-hits they were supposed to be at the beginning, but this is overdoing it. From what I'm getting, the superpowers they gave everyone are similar to giving band members colors or distinct personalities ala-Spice Girls, and while it's a good idea, I just hope they don't keep using it for every single release, judging by how badly SME does A&R after the first few releases, and before bands become legendary.

And another thing. I get that EXO is "global" and all, being halved into K and M and all, but the intro was also in English. As someone who isn't fluent in either Korean or Mandarin, it's convenient, but when you think about it, EXO-K is Korean and EXO-M is Chinese. Their main markets are supposedly Korea and China. Now this is obviously for Hallyu, but I don't know about you guys, I got into K-Pop because it was Korean. There comes a point when, in trying so hard to appeal to international audiences, K-Pop loses the qualities that made it appealing in the first place.

"MAMA" itself is another reflection of what's wrong with K-Pop -- all style, no substance. All flash, no foundation. Of course at this point we're not sure if EXO have actual talent, because SM just overdubs everything on the grounds that "it sounds better", but from what we get in the video, they are all style and no substance. It's a "visual" song in the sense that you have to watch it for it to sound better, but neither the audio nor the visuals really give off the impression of mastery or effortlessness.

They don't look like a group, they look, and perform, like six (or twelve, whatever) arrogant, self-centered brats. With emphasis on look, because obviously I don't personally know them.While confidence is vital to a new act, there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Which leads us to another problem. You cannot manufacture art and expect it to be perfect. No matter how perfect it looks, if it doesn't feel perfect, it will always be flawed. Yeah sure the dancing was probably practiced to oblivion and the video looks perfect, but you can't just put practice into group dynamic, you have to put sincerity and emotion into it. It's kind of like cooking. A possible reason why home-cooked food tastes better to a lot of people is not because of the ingredients or the recipe per se, but because of the sincerity put into the cooking, as opposed to fast food.

To be in any art form, whether it be song, dance or literature, you need sincerity, something you simply cannot manufacture. And it's human nature for us to recognize a lack of sincerity, which is something K-Pop has to realize. Humans are not robots because while you can work them like one, what you show on stage doesn't lie.

And not just in the way they move, but in the song alone -- I felt nothing. My heart didn't race, I didn't get goosebumps, I wasn't smiling like a madwoman, none of the standard feelings I get from amazing releases. "MAMA" is supposed to be this epic, world domination song, but it has absolutely no personality. Even all these cute-fests K-Pop gives us have more personality than this. You hear the bass line perfectly fine, but it's not powerful enough to be felt. The vocals are very bold and intense, but they're not sincere. You have so many things going on -- electric guitars, synths, screaming, chanting -- but everything sounds so stiff and over-rehearsed that they managed to suck every bit of emotion out of the song.

EXO, as shown by "MAMA", is basically what everyone else in K-Pop wants to be -- perfect. But they have shown us that even perfection comes with compromises. Emotions, or outstanding technicals? Overflowing style, or solid substance? Commercial success, or artistry?

Note (6/23/2012): I originally wanted to keep my mouth shut and just take everything, but there are too many comments saying the same things over and over again -- I'm going to end things here. To everyone calling me out for saying that EXO are arrogant, no, I do not know them personally, and I probably never will. However, you seem to forget the context in which I say those things. I am looking at the music. I am not looking at the members, I am not looking at their attitude towards other people and themselves -- I am looking at their attitude towards their music, and their performances. No one is perfect, and that's one of the most important points I take into consideration. However, everyone can improve, and that's the purpose of this article -- to take apart the concept of EXO, and see what can be corrected. In the same way, the purpose of my writing is for me to improve, and I value comments that both respect and criticize my writing. This is a blog that is grounded on musical criticism, not entertainment gossip or news-based op-eds -- if you want to read those kinds of things, this is not the place to go to. So please, before you start disproving my worth, at least bother to read and understand everything I say and everything this blog is, because I bothered to watch and follow EXO before I wrote this article, regardless of what I said.

[Edited] DBSK/HoMin - "Winter Rose"

I couldn't help myself, I really couldn't. The minute I heard this song it's like I was enlightened. (LOL) I'll try to be back later today for a MuCore recap, but no promises. It's Saturday today, errands day. We'll see.

(continue reading for the edits)

If you were with me through at least one set of Christmas-themed posts, you know that I'm very picky with my Christmas pop songs, and that's partially because Christmas is a very big deal here in the Philippines, plus the fact that I grew up (professionally) singing pieces like Handel's Messiah and classics by Filipino greats. Christmas songs are not just Christmas songs because they mention snow or gifts in the lyrics, and one of my missions in life is to make everyone understand that!


Christmas songs are all about familiarity, about good memories from the past Christmases. They are one of the best examples of the fact that music is half-heard and half-felt -- hearing a Christmas song should make you warm and fuzzy and, well, Christmassy. And how do you do that? With familiarity. Familiar melodies, familiar instruments, chymes and bells, anything that *feels* like Christmas. Why do you think Ray Conniff arrangements/albums still sell big? Because they're familiar, because people already equate them to Christmas.

Christmas songs are as familiar as they are fresh, and so if you try too much to change the arrangements, you lose the feel, and I think I've made it very clear that the feel is everything when it comes to these songs. Pop songs are usually like that - they try too hard to deviate from the formula, but they fail to realize that once you deviate from that formula, you deviate from Christmas. And aren't you making a Christmas song in the first place?

The best Christmas songs are those that can take the formula, take the familiarity, and keep it, while delivering something that much more fresh. Let's just say that "Winter Rose" is exactly that.

The song has this sweeping melody, and it's in waltz-time. WALTZ-TIME. Christmas songs are not just in standard 2-4 or 4-4 time, some of them have really whacked out time signatures, actually. I know. Like I said, I've sung Handel's Messiah a gazillion times. You think he stuck with 4-4 all the way? Hell no!

So the chorus. It's familiar, isn't it? I can't put my finger on exactly what it mirrors, but the time signature mixed with the melody itself are enough to get you all tingly inside. And they're gorgeous. So, so gorgeous. But also, if you were to take this melody alone, without the bells and chymes, it would still actually sound like a Christmas song and not just a random pop song.

The bells, the chymes, THE STRING SECTION, the way they all have a mini-explosion at the chorus when that gorgeous melody takes over, I'm ready to die now. And that middle 8. Holy mother of heaven and earth and maybe even hell that middle 8.

*edit*

I cannot believe I based this morning's review on what I heard from my crappy MacBook Pro speakers. I cannot believe it. I can't believe I missed what is possibly the most important part of this song - the bass line. You know me, I'm very picky with the intensity of my bass, and when songs become bass-fests they're instantly put on my bad list, but if I hate a certain type of bass, I have to like another, right? Right. As a kid, one of the many things I learned from my dad was that you can identify a song by its bass line, and that, in a noisy crowd, all you have to listen to in a song is the bass line. He was dead-right too.

But what does that have to do with anything? Well, I like very unassuming bass lines, just like the one I didn't hear on my laptop speakers this morning. I *like* looking for the bass line, like what my dad and I used to do to pass time in a noisy restaurant. And I also like bass lines that sound like they were played live then just slapped on to the song with minimal processing. I like REAL bass lines, because they actually have emotion.

The bass line on "Winter Rose" gives the song so much dimension, and it makes it real. Why do you feel all warm and fuzzy? Because you feel real. Because the bass line sets your heart racing. Like I said, Christmas songs are more about what they make you feel than they are about the technical aspects of a song. So close your eyes for a bit and just listen - listen to the real bass line, to the familiar melody, to the gorgeous strings. Don't you feel all nice and warm and fuzzy? Mission accomplished, then.

This is, without a shadow of a doubt, THE best original pop Christmas song I have ever heard.

5/5

Diana Vickers - Once EP

I'd love to say "holy crap" again like how I started my Robyn review, but that would be too redundant on my part. So how about "OMG I THINK I'M IN LOVE" this time? OMG I THINK I'M IN LOVE.

OK so kill me now for writing a review after listening to the track on the music video, because damn I don't think I did it any justice. That and this EP has successfully sent me into hysterics - brilliance. Downright, unmistakeable brilliance.

I'm banging my head on the table right now for not listening to this sooner. Like, I should've listened to Ken when he said this EP is epic because it is! Damn.

I've said it numerous times but I love Diana's voice. It does have a tendency to be a bit rough or airy, but I think it's all a matter of taste - some people like it, some don't. I for one, adore it - the girl's got "kick", and it just so happens that voices like that are the in thing now, with Ellie Goulding all high and mighty (but she's a completely different story).

If I were to describe the production on this EP in one word, I'd say it's very warm. It's very Brit, yes, but the production sounds very homely and warm - kinda like a home-cooked meal. It's very clean, yes, and the strings on Sunlight are gorgeous, but as a whole it sounds very warm and comfortable - effortless almost.

I said my piece on Once, rather publicly on Virgin Music, but hearing the higher quality version, I realize that I didn't to it justice whatsoever. I still like how it explodes, but the explosion is way more stunning on my copy. The 70's-ish synths are still there and they're still a nice complement to the song, but the last chorus just sends me into hysterics. Like, HOMG THOSE ARE REAL DRUMS AND HOMG THE LAST CHORUS IS EPICCCC. Sorry, lost control for a while. I mean, how can I not? Then everything just goes back to the piano loop and the guitar. Damn.

Sunlight is one of those gorgeous ballads. It's not in-your-face, it's not excessive nor is it trying too hard to be intellectual and whatnot. It's a pop ballad. It's gorgeous. That's it. The string section made me faint and Diana's vocals match AND contrast the melody very well. Here you have a very sleek, clean instrumental and then you have a voice like Diana's - holy crap I think I might just name her my favorite artist of the year, emphasis on the might.

Jumping In To Rivers has a "Frou Frou Central Mix", whatever that is. The start reminds me a lot of something straight out of a Guy Sebastian album. Hmm. I find it really cool though - it's very summer-y and light but still manages to keep a sense of dynamics and intensity. I love the percussion section, it's literally really snappy and sounds like drum sticks hitting a hardwood surface or possibly the side of a snare drum. (I'm a drummer's daughter - I know these things!) I like the sound of the guitar as well, although I'm not really the biggest guitar expert out there, it matches the snappy percussion really well.

I remember the first time I heard the "acoustic version" of Four Leaf Clover - Ken was all over the song. I listened to a lower-quality version and I was like "this is gorgeous" but again, now with the better-quality version it's like the song got a sense of dimension. I like the dynamics on this song, like the rest of the album - she seems to be very good at it, which is fantastic. The chorus for me is a little less brilliant than the verses, but they're kind of untouchable so the entire song is like WHOA. It reminds me a lot of Britt Nicole's Have Your Way, but I think I like this better.

5/5 - too many perfect scores lately!

2PM - Without U

To be completely honest, I'm not the biggest 2PM fan in the world. I acknowledge that they have their own niche in kpop and that Wild Bunny was so damn funny but apart from liking maybe 2 or 3 songs from 1:59PM, 2PM is just another Korean boyband for me - nothing special, nothing bad.

It took me time to write up my review for this, mainly because I'm honestly really uninterested in 2PM at the moment. Not because of all the Jaebeom drama or whatever but because I don't think they're giving us songs worth listening to.

From Again and Again to Heartbeat I praised 2PM for the growth in their music - I liked both singles, not with a passion, but enough to listen to them a fair amount of times. But with this new single it's like their growth reached a complete standstill.

2PM have never been the most vocally-able band, at least to me, and it's for that reason that I never really got into them. Yes, they had some good songs and yeah, they have their plus points but the very basis of a vocal group are the vocals - they don't play their own instruments for the very reason that their voices are supposed to be their instruments. I mean yeah sure there are maybe 1 or 2 good voices in the band but even they don't deliver at times. It's also for that reason that I scrapped the idea of writing a commentary on them!

Without U, I think, is trying to be epic with the 'haunting' piano loop and all these melodic parts left and right but you have to remember that 2PM aren't the most competent vocalists around, even in recording. You need processing, pitch-fixing, all these studio tricks, just to get this - it's not even that good. This is more my personal taste but I've never liked how JYP makes his boybands sing - he's trying to make them sing like him and how his voice 'hits' higher notes but they're not him.

The chorus explodes, a bit, but once again, they don't have the vocals to support an exploding, melodic chorus. 2PM just doesn't do solid melodies. And the explosion totally goes against this 'epic' vibe they're chasing.

I'm not even gonna try commenting on the rap 'coz I know nothing about it and you people might start attacking me if I say something. LOL.

JYP's overusing this piano loop thing, and he's overusing the 'epic' idea without even trying to give each release a little flare. I don't want a complete change, nor do I want them to stya the same - they have to grow. They were doing it pretty well until this though.

2/5

Gummy - 사랑은 없다

During my kpop special (almost a year ago, actually. time flies.) I didn't really delve into Gummy. I knew her and all, came across some of her songs a couple of times, but I never really freaked out over her. The songs were OK, some were good, and her vocals are impressive, but she just wasn't my taste. Until this.

Gummy has a gorgeous voice, if I may say so. It's smooth but it's got punch/kick/whatever. I wouldn't say it has a nice deep timbre, but it is a bit deep. She has technique, and she sounds like a seasoned pro on the song.

So the song. The song, the song, the song. I'm ALL OVER it. Like, ALL OVER.

It's epic, it's grand, it's gorgeous. The verses sound very Evanescence and then the chorus just explodes into this gargantuan, THING. The drums just make the entire song epic. Like, without that part this sound would probably be boring. The second verse also has this loop running around, it sounds as if it belongs more in an Usher or Chris Brown staple but you hear it and it's like it just fits perfectly.

Her vocals just compliment the song and the arrangement leaves you stunned - it's got intensity but it's also got dynamics. Like, she isn't screaming throughout the entire song, nor is she mumbling random sounds. Synths, creepy effects, strings and a voice like Gummy's - all the makings of a good "long-haired girl in black running through an old deserted house" song.

You strip away all these lavish instruments though, leave just a simple piano part following the vocals for time and/or pitch and you have a gorgeous song. Like, gorgeous - the melody of this just makes me melt, it's epic on its own.

Each part of this song can stand alone - the instrumental, the melody - but put them together and everything just explodes.

5/5

Robyn - Dancing On My Own

Holy crap. OK that wasn't exactly the best way to start a review but it's been a while since I've properly reviewed something that isn't Korean or Asian so yeah. Cut me some slack.

As you all probably know, I'm really out of the European pop loop at the moment and I haven't really made the best effort to try and catch up for lost time. I'm just really lazy, OK? But anyway, by some stroke of luck (and a little persuasion from Mel) I managed to not only get a hold of Robyn's new EP but also listen to it and actually adore the heck out of it.


I read Mel's review last night - she nailed it. So now I'm like, what the crap do I say now?

Robyn has been a rather vital part of my taste in music since probably the very beginning of this whole blogging thing (around 2007?) - Don't Stop the Music has got to be one of the most brilliant early 2000's pop masterpieces everrrrr and of course, it was covered by Play and I think you all know I was a Play fan for like a year or something. And of course when With Every Heartbeat came around I was all over it - as was probably everyone else.

Robyn has a distinct sound to her name, she doesn't sound like another RedOne clone or eurocrap wannabe - her last album practically banged that in our heads. So Robyn's back. And for crap's sake she's still brilliant.

Dancing On My Own is epic in the Robyn way, it really is like 2010's With Every Heartbeat. All the techno stuff in the background usually has the tendency to be annoying and whatnot, but Robyn has a knack for making these seemingly annoying eurocrap loops rather tasteful. I love the synths (are those synths? it sounds more like an electric piano) - it adds another dimension to the song.

The effects and the loops and practically the entire song remind me of a certain Simon Curtis, actually. And that was a compliment for both of them. hahah.

Put aside all the eurocrap and the bells and whistles and you have a flexible melody, like With Every Heartbeat. The hook sticks and the verses have the potential to be remixed and rearranged like there's no tomorrow (there're probably mixes floating around already) - that's a pop song. Artists decades later can take the basic melody and the chords and slap it on a new instrumental but it'll still sound like Robyn and it'll still sound like the same song.

5/5

DBSK - Darkness Eyes

I don't know if you guys have noticed, but I don't usually write single/song/album reviews of my favorite boyband of the year/moment for the simple reason that most of the time my fandom takes over my train of thought and I end up gushing throughout the entire song - it was like that with Westlife, it still is with DBSK. Have you noticed? Even if I know practically everything about DBSK and more the stuff I write about DBSK are either not reviews or basically me gushing over performances or songs, which I don't wanna do too often.

But I guess I'll have to make an exception for this song.

Darkness Eyes was released in 2008 on DBSK's third Japanese album T - the same album that had Purple Line, their very first Oricon/Japanese #1 single. It was never a single, but they performed it live for the accompanying arena tour in the same year and when I saw the performance I was speechless.

The song is so. damn. EPIC. in every way possible. DBSK's vocals don't explode, but the instrumental does - the contrast between this intense, epic instrumental and DBSK's almost float-y vocals just makes me go ballistic. In a damn good way. The instrumental screams girl in a black dress running in an old, deserted mansion - the piano loop, the HOMG I THINK I'M GONNA FAINT 'COZ IT'S SO DAMN GORGEOUS string section and all the little bells and whistles throughout the song. I already established that Japanese production pays attention to the little details, so that isn't a big surprise.

It's as if Avex asked for an 'epic' song and DBSK said "You want epic? Here - knock yourselves out." I personally don't think it's single material for the simple reason that the hook doesn't stick as much as those of singles do, but damn is this a good song or what? No matter how much I think it's a brilliant song, it should stay the way it is - an album track performed on tour.

But again, all these observations were done while listening to the recorded version and knowing that DBSK went on tour with a live band for the first time that year, I should've been ready for the live version above. I wasn't. Aish.

I said this before when I gushed over the O performance but I'll say it again - I. LOVE. LIVE. BANDS. Recorded versions are great and all, they're clean and controlled, but you don't feel the music anymore after all that processing. You know why you don't feel it? 'Coz the drums aren't real.

On most pop recordings, with the exception of a few I've heard, the drums are always computerized or rendered. I know this because my dad's a drummer - I grew up hearing him play a REAL set of drums AND hearing him rant about fake drums. Drums/percussion parts are the very foundations of songs - all the instruments take cues, tempo and feel from the drummer. You have a good drummer, everything will fall into place.

Music is half heard and half felt. I'm not talking about lyrical meaning or any of that crap, I'm talking about how your body reacts when you hear a song, even if you don't understand a thing. Your heart starts beating faster and you get excited in the different way - everything just feels different live. For the simple reason that your foundations and even the other instruments are real, FELT and not computer-processed, live performances sound and feel different. I sure as hell wouldn't mind paying a fortune to watch an artist live if they have a live band.

That said, the song reminds me a lot of the Jaejoong-composed 9095 - how you want the chorus to just explode and the song to turn into this anthemic thing but it doesn't, it stays the same. The contrasting instrumental and vocal parts, the haunting piano loop, how it feels so different live, but all in different ways compared to 9095 - I haven't heard it all before.

Does this need a rating? Fine, for formality.

5/5

Lee Ryan - Secret Love

*sigh* I'm disappointed, I really am. I liked Lee Ryan back then - he was blonde, in Blue, he had a nice voice with a gorgeous timbre and he crooned mid-tempo verging on slow pop songs. He was pretty good at it too. Now that he's actually back, we get THIS piece of trash? Can I puke now?

I understand if he's trying catch on to the techno/eurocrap fad and all because it sells right now and let's face it, the guy hasn't really sold that much as a solo artist but he could've at least put some effort into making it a decent song? Lack of creativity is a pretty mild offense for me compared to being a bad copy.

Read my full review on Virgin Music. weehee!

Lee Hyori - H-Logic

I'm backkkkkkkkkkk! *waves* I was planning on writing something when I got home last Saturday but I was too sleepy, then I was gonna write yesterday but I was still so sleepy - coming home from 4 days without sleep singing your head off for 8 hours a day isn't exactly the most ideal situation. Camp was fine, for those who are asking (if I haven't already answered you on Twitter. wahahah) and I'm back to civilization now, only I think I'm getting a cold. Hopefully I don't, or you'll have to live without me for a few days again. hahahah. AAAAAAANYWAY.

Hyori Hyori Hyori, oh Hyori.

To be completely honest with you, as I was listening over to the album for the first time earlier this morning, I had a very hard time formulating an opinion about it - mainly because all this rap confuses my concepts of good songs and I have a lot of issues to take up before I discuss each song individually that I don't know where to start.

*sigh* Here we go, I hope I don't confuse anyone along the way.


The first issue about this album is the amount of collaborations - by my count you have more than half the album worth of duets. This can mean a couple of things, some good and some bad. Collaborations most often mean that the main artist can't do something like rap, which is why outside artists are brought in - the perfect example of the inability is Timbaland, Shock Value 1 and 2 were all collaborations. Duets can also mean that the the main artist is new and this needs hype from other, bigger artists but this obviously isn't the case with Hyori. Either way, it pretty much means that a certain artist can't carry a full album by him/herself, but who's to blame - you can't expect solo artists to sing, dance, write songs, jump through hoops AND rap, although it would be good. On the other hand, the album as a whole won't be the same without the artists who contributed parts - it would sound completely different.

There are songs on the album that are really, really strong and I mean potential pop staples, but there are also some that just make me fall asleep. I was listening through the album for like the 3rd time today and towards the middle of it all, I got pretty bored. The duet with Daesung got me interested again but by the last few tracks, I was bored to death again - the songs were just so-so and not up to par with the rest of the album. But we'll pinpoint them later.

Sound-wise this album is surprisingly very cohesive, considering that one, it's Korean and two, Hyori's changed image-wise once again. Come to think of it, Hyori has been pretty consistent with her music style over the years - she's a pop star and that's what she does, she makes pop. I think another reason why she's stayed consistent over the years is because her vocals are/have become so distinct - you hear one measure and you know it's Hyori. H-Logic as a whole is one of the few kpop packages I can actually call an album - the songs on this weren't just randomly selected and put together just because they show a wide range of styles (I've heard it too much before, don't give me that excuse puh-lease) - the album really tells a story musically, not lyrically. Although even if it's very cohesive, each and every song has it's own 'spice' so to say, and I think some of the collaborations give it that flare.

I'm Back is sort of her big statement - the title gives it away and the song sounds very Hyori with the heavy beats and the melody made for her vocals. She isn't the best vocalist in the world but you gotta hand it to her, she knows what melodies work for her and she uses them like hell. I like the song, it's catchy, it's strong and it's not necessarily single material but it starts the album well.

Love Sign is a duet from one of the guys from Mighty Mouth (Sangchu?) and I'm still not sold on the whole thing. It sounds very American hip-hop-y and I can pretty much imagine how the video's gonna look as I'm listening to it now - with an epic dance routine and all. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is the second single (was that one with the clown even a single or just a buzz video?) and it's very, VERY Hyori - the trashy pop star-y thing? Oh yeah. The only thing I absolutely can't stand about this is that the video is way too trying hard Gaga. Look, she's got the music down and it's decent - why try to be something you're not, as well as something that isn't really that good to start with?

Feel the Same is the first slower song on the album and it's very staple kpop - repetitive chorus, 'lay low' verses and Hyori's unmistakable vocals make for a strong song. Possibly a last single? Bring It Back is the idol-fest, with rappers from After School and 4Minute taking most of the rap parts that pretty much make the song. I like the touch of electric guitars and the 'girl power' vibe - it sounds like some 80's heavy metal package with 2000's vocals and kpop rap, pretty good combination. Hmm.

Highlight reminds me of an updated popular Latino party song in the 90's/Ricky Martin number with the instrumentals and is that a cowbell I hear in the background? Whoa. I didn't expect it, but it actually sounds pretty good. The production has punch and conviction, which you need for songs like this, and the extra touches add that flavor to the song.

그네 (Keu Ne? I think.) is very Mexican-y - the lazy instrumental and vocals plus the very old-sounding production give it character. Not a big fan of it, but it's catchy in it's own way and like I said, it's got character which a lot of pop songs nowadays lack. Of course, they just had to put some rap in. *sigh* The start of Scandal reminds me of a more sophisticated version of Hey Micky or some 90's cheerleading movie theme song. I like how they used the whistle throughout the song and how it doesn't ooze cheese as much as all these other cheerleading images but that's pretty much the only think I like about the song - the idea is very cheesy and the conversation towards the end drives me off the wall.

100 Percent was where I started to get bored. The 2NE1 reference amuses me and all, but the song is pretty boring. The sound effects are OK, and the entire thing being so damn repetitive is very pop, but I'm not sold. I was so tempted to forward it when I first heard it but to be fair in my judgement, I had to listen to the whole thing. *sigh*

Want Me Back sounds very Chris Brown/Usher-y at the beginning, I've heard the tak-tung-tung-tak percussion part too many times before but I do like the epic-ness of the entire package - it has a tendency to be boring at certain points if you're not pre-occupied with listening to a specific part because the melody is what we call in Filipino 'lubog', the instrumental overpowers it, but it's OK.

Now the Daesung duet - How Did We Get. The song is very sweet and generic, but I like the sweeping melody and I REALLY like the harmonies - they're pretty. I think what gives the song the dimension it so badly needs is Daesung's vocals - without the guy this song wouldn't be anything special but DAMN THAT VOICE JUST MAKES ME WANT TO FAINT. Hyori picked well. Gorgeous, gorgeous voice Daesung - the guy should definitely do a proper solo album, none of that Trot stuff, because I'd most certainly buy it just for his vocals.

I don't like So Cold that much if all I'm paying attention to is the melody, but I do like the epic instrumental - it's very interesting to listen to. Hmm. I like the 50's-inspired feel of Get to Know and I like the sweet piano loop mixed with the modern percussion and bass - it's not my favorite song but it'll do. I personally think Memory isn't a very strong end to the album - not a big fan of the whole package. Although I do like the creepy vibe it gives off at the beginning but that's it. It's OK.

H-Logic is a pop album - no more, no less. It's not intellectual, it's not conceptual, it's not even ground-breaking, but Hyori has honestly perfected her craft and for that she deserves at least some praise.

So, to sum up the album:
Best Track: I'm Back and How Did We Get
Better Tracks: Love Sign, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Bring It Back
My Least Favorite Track: 100 Percent or Memory
THE RATING: 3.9/5

Secret - Magic

I'm trying a different approach with these reviews - I've listened to this song for days but it's only now that I'm writing it. Hmm.

When I first heard of Secret last year, I thought yes, they could sing but I Want You Back was one of the most boring, generic, uncreative songs I'd heard all year. The vocals were there at times and it was decent but I'd heard everything before - the loop, the melody - it didn't interest me. So like numerous other kpop groups I've heard over the course of a year, I left their first EP safely nestled in my iTunes library until the day I'd write this review.


Like practically every other kpop group, Secret drastically changed with the release of Magic. When I first heard the song I was like OK, maybe this could work, I don't like it but it might just do the trick. The more I listen to it, the more I get sick of it.

The song is strong, the vocals are slightly WHOA, and I like the REAL tambourine at the beginning but the whole thing seems so contrived. Is this really the same Secret I heard months ago? OK sure, maybe pop as a whole is contrived, but shouldn't you at least try and sell the song? I'm not feeling this style with them.

The hook isn't infectious, OK, but the verses are strong enough to make a decent song. Pass.

3.7/5

Rain - 널 붙잡을 노래

You know, it's always when I'm not a fan anymore that all these artists put out new material. Oh well. The new Rain single is out in preparation for his comeback (it's really a comeback now), and I have a few words to say about it. whoa. lol.

He's back after the highly-hyped but kind of flop that is Ninja Assassin, and may I say, he hasn't lost his touch - the guy still knows how to make music. Which is good for all of us, since we need Rain back amidst all the not-so-talented idol groups and I badly need new, good music to amuse me.

I'll flat-out say it now - the single is very Rain. And I mean, down to the production and the unmistakeable vocals (or maybe it's just 'coz I spent this time last year listening to Rainism) there's no doubt that the guy responsible for this is Rain. It's not just because I used to be a fan and I've listened to every single song he's ever put out, it's just that the production is so him.

The start is really simple - him and a piano part. Which is rather different for him, since all his other lead singles have been 'I'm so gonna dance my feet off by the second verse' types. I actually didn't like it at first because it was just that - so un Rain. But I like the irony, and I like the simplicity - Rain isn't getting any younger, he has to show us that he's not just some pretty-faced dancing machine, that he's actually a musician. Of course, a boring ballad won't necessarily show his creativity, but it'll show his ability. If he can make something sound complete and gorgeous with minimal effort, he's gotta be the least bit good, right?

I like the string section. I like string sections, I like beautiful, sweeping string sections that give me goosebumps - probably a homage to my orchestra upbringing? The chorus is very catchy, despite the song being a ballad. I find myself humming the melody even if I'm not listening to it!

The second verse is more Rain - the backbeat, the whole thing sounds like something off Rainism with a little flare. Which is really good.

The middle 8 is gorgeous. The intensity and the emphasis he put on it with the background vocals and the syncopation (I'm not sure if that's the right term, but I think it is) was really something - I like how it's impatient and aggressive and just naturally leads you to the last chorus where everything explodes.

I don't like his adlibs - far too Changmin when he was really young-y - but you gotta hand it to the guy, he was pretty decent. The last chorus ends very quickly, which I find really good. I like how it just ends the way it is and he doesn't really put all these bells and whistles at the end. Although I do think there will be fireworks when he does this live.

Over-all, 널 붙잡을 노래 really shows how Rain has matured since we last heard him, and it shows us that the guy is good without all the theatrics and dancing.

5/5, he's back! hahah.

After School - Bang!

Like I said, Because of You made me actually like After School - if it wasn't for their sub-par/shrill vocals, they'd probably be one of my favorite girl groups. This new single is rather.. different. But it's grown on me since I first heard it.

I like the fact that they have a rather different concept, as opposed to the dark image that's spreading around girl groups and boybands alike, and I like that they clearly made an effort to make this work.

When I first heard the song in full, I was a bit iff-y - the structure and concept are pretty clear, yes, but sonically the song was a mess. You have these very intense verses and marching band/cheerleader chants and then suddenly out of nowhere this middle 8 sprouts out. It's not even a break down, it's like it's part of a completely different song. When I was listening to it for the first time and I heard the first few measures, I was thinking to myself, "I wonder where the other song on the teaser is." Then it came out as the middle 8 and I was like "WHAT?!?!?"

HOWEVER, the verses are very strong - they really bring across the intensity of the rest of the song. And I LOVE the percussion part throughout, I love how it's actually marching band and apparently, the girls can perform it. I'm not sure if it's just a small bit or the entire thing, but here's a practice video of 2 of the members:

Damn.

To a certain extent, I'm pleased that the song is mainly chanting, rapping and the like, mainly because After School aren't the best vocalists in my book. They can pull of melodies, yeah, but live they falter and I'd like to see a strong live performance for this song, since it calls for it. I would've liked it if they had better vocals and a more melodic song, but that would be asking too much from After School. I do hope the new girl (Lizzy I believe) actually has a voice though. *fingers crossed*

4.1/5

Simon Curtis - 8Bit Heart

MY FINALS ARE DONEEEEE! My Junior year is officially over and in 2 months I'll be a senior. whoa. In celebration, I bring you a review of Simon Curtis' brand-new album. It's been a while since I've done one, and album review and two, a Western review. Let's see if I still know how to do this. I hope I do.

Simon has one very, VERY important fan - Paul. It's Paul's constant nagging and raving that made me give Simon Curtis a chance and I'm sure it's the same for a lot of other bloggers. BUT, you gotta admit - this guy is a pop genius. Simon, I mean. Although if Paul ever became a pop star I would have absolutely no problem with that! wahahah.

If you read PRN on a regular basis, you know that since I got addicted to kpop early last year, 85% of the music I review now is Korean. The remaining 15% is UK and US pop, but this new album has just made me want to start writing about Western pop a heck of a lot again - if this is what it offers me.

Honestly, this album isn't perfect for me in terms of execution and production. However, the material is so. damn. brilliant. Honestly, I think these are some of the best pop songs I've heard all year. I know I say that a lot but I honestly REALLY mean it now.

Every single song has a lingering hook, a catchy melody and under all the fancy sound effects the songs just shine. What we have here are pop staples - the type of songs that should and will be re-arranged and remade over the years but remain pop to the core.

I personally don't like certain parts of the vocals. But it's these raw vocals that prevent the material from being so in-your-face that you don't realize how good the melodies and songs are. There are also certain parts of the production side that I'm not really feeling, like the processing on Diablo, but it's live-able. Although, the vocals on Brainwash match the song quite well.

Another thing I don't personally like but find really brilliant and pop-y are all the gimmicks, talk breaks and laser-ish sound effects. Pop is a gimmick - you need to find new and creative ways to get listeners to keep playing your songs and in Simon's case, I like what he's done to tie the entire album together with all these gimmicks.

I don't think I can go over every single track, but I'll try. (excluding all the interludes and stuff)

Don't Wanna Be Alone sounds like a more serious version of something that would fit very nicely in Spectacular - I like how you think it's gonna explode into a chorus during a verse but it doesn't. Brilliant. And the song is 2 minutes +, short enough to keep someone's focus throughout the entire song.

The gimmick I was walking about earlier start on Fell in Live w/an Android, with all the videogame-y laser sounds. I like, and it works. The chorus is brilliant, the verses sound fantastic and the arrangement on this song is super cool. Definitely one of my favorites on the album.

Super Psycho Love has a really interesting drum part and these Middle Eastern-y elements then it launches into a Darin-esque arrangement+melody. Briliannnnnnnnce. The vocals on this are a bit bleh for me though.

And of course, the title track does NOT fail to impress. 8Bit Heart has these cool 80's synths going on throughout the song - there they type that if used wrong right now can turn a perfectly good song into an EPIC FAIL. They were used well on this. I like the musical-y melody and the irony of the synths mixed with a cool backbeat and the repeating hook. It's a pop song in the truest sense.

Diablo has it's strong points, like all the cool laser sounds, but the processing on this is a bit bleh for me as well. It reminds me of a Britney song during the verses and certain parts of the chorus, with better vocals though.

We heard Delusional a few months ago, and honestly, it sounds just as good as it sounded when I first heard it. In short, it's brilliant. I love the bridge. I mean, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE AND ADORE THE BRIDGE THAT I'D LIKE TO WORSHIP IT NOW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. It's a heavy song at first listen but no matter how many times I've listened to it, I haven't gotten sick of it yet. Yeshhhh.

I like how the lasers were used as elements of Joystick and I like the melody throughout - very pop. There's nothing more to say, really. The arrangement and instrumental of Beat Drop remind me of a Britney's Do Somethin', again, but I love the operatic thing going on in the background. Apart from that, the only part I actually really like is the chorus.

I find Brainwash really cool. I like the synths, I like them a lot, and I like the arrangement a heck of a lot. The processing on this matches the entire thing, so much that I honestly can't imagine it without the heavy auto-tune. One of the new songs I've heard that have actually used this crappy auto-tune/processing in the right way. One of my favorite songs.

The Dark is OK, I understand what he's trying to do with this and it's good, but I'm personally not liking it. It's a nice semi-end to the album though.

Honestly, there isn't one song I can single out and say "ok, I like this the most" because not only are all the songs really consistently pop, 8Bit Heart is as cohesive as it is brilliant. In short, it's really, REALLY cohesive - the gimmicks, the songs and the entire concept of the album come together well.

5/5, Pop at it's finest. It's been a while since I've heard pop this good.

Impressed? Wanna hear the album? Get it for free at http://www.simon-curtis.com/

SNSD - Run Devil Run

SNSD are back and following the current girl group trend, they're donning a supposedly 'dark' image. Hmm.


A little background on the song - the 'concept'/makeover was hinted as early as the release of the Oh! music video that featured the nine girls in black outfits at the end of the video. Once the song finally surfaced earlier this week, it was brought to knowledge that Ke$ha recorded a demo a while back but the license/copyright was sold to SME Korea and the song went to SNSD.

The song is definitely a departure from their cutesy image during Oh! promotions, but before I start actually reviewing the song itself, I have something to say. As a non-biased SNSD listener (meaning I listen to SNSD material but only choose what I like), I'm sick and tired of all these 'image changes'. I don't like the fact that their pattern ever since they came out with Gee early last year is cute-not cute-cute-not cute. I don't like it because it's confusing me - who the effin' crap are SNSD as a band? What are they, cute or not cute? Yes, there should be change, but like I always say, it should be a growth rather than a complete 180.

SNSD constantly changing in gargantuan proportions only means one thing to me - they're one of the most capitalist-controlled bands I've ever seen because only someone who doesn't know anything about music can do something like that to 9 pretty decent performers.

But that aside.

The song isn't very original in my opinion - it sounds like a cross between their earlier promo single Chocolate Love (for the LG Chocolate phone) and Kara's Lupin. It's a midtempo verging on uptempo and I'd have to admit, after listening to it once, the hook was stuck in my head. It wasn't as annoying as Gee and Oh!, but I believe that it'll never match Genie in terms of production. Although the production on this single is pretty OK too, considering the oftentimes crap production all these other Kpop acts get.

In short, it's catchy in the non-annoying way. It's not that annoying mainly because their vocals weren't cute-i-fied but the treatment of their vocals is similar (NOT identical) to the treatment they got on Chocolate Love, which I hated - it's like a toned down version.

Surprisingly, the right girls get the right solos/airtime on this song - Taeyeon, Seohyun and Tiffany. The three take most of the melodic parts and they do it pretty well, thankfully. Yuri gets like a line or something, which is good, but I wish Sooyoung got a solid singing part - she would've matched the song nicely although I highly doubt if she'd be able to deliver it live. Jessica got a ton of exposure on this as well, but I find her vocals annoying. Yeah sure she matches the cute side, but I do not like their cute side.

I don't like the pseudo-rapping/talking/pseudo-singing throughout the song, but I think I'll learn to live with it the more I listen to it.

One of the reasons why I held off reviewing the song was 'coz I wanted to see if it was like Genie that took some time to sink in. (that and I literally didn't have any time whatsoever during the week) The conclusion? I don't really ADORE it, nor do I hate it, but the good thing is that after a few days of listening to this almost non-stop, I haven't gotten sick of it. Usually if I listen to a kpop single as much as I did this, I would've thrown up if I ever heard it again. That's a good sign, but I'm not that keen on the song.

One thing's for sure, it's better than Oh!. I know I gave that song a pretty high rating and responded pretty positively to it when it was new but the cuteness makes me want to hurl. Oh well.

4.5/5

B2ST - Shock Of The New Era

So the album is out. I wasn't expecting it to be out until maybe tomorrow, but it is and I've heard it.

B2ST are under Cube Entertainment, a subsidiary of JYP, but what puzzled me the most was that last year, Cube signed a deal with Universal Music - this EP could either been done with American producers or with America in mind. After all, their sister group 4Minute was already featured on an Amerie remix.

There are a few very fine and small but recognizable clues on this that it could just be for the US in the near future - there's a lot more English in it than the group's first release and the production has just gone from mediocre to FANTASTIC. I don't just mean they got new producers, I mean they got DAMN good ones.

The basic material can still be improved and most of the album sounds like R&B staples but then again everything sounds the same in Korea - what's drawing me in is the production. Like, this is better produced than all the other crap that's out right now.

I was really, REALLY let down to find out that the song on the teaser ISN'T the lead single/track - it's sort of an intro. The song I was digging yesterday is actually called Just Before Shock, 2 minutes long. Regardless, it's one of the first kpop songs that have genuinely made me smile. Heck, I don't think I've ever smiled listening to a kpop song. Damn. It's as American and as R&B-ish as it can get but considering their previous sound, it's an upgrade - the production on this song is just WHOA. This is tied with Genie for one of the best-produced Korean songs I've heard. It's epic, it's got a gorgeous piano line and when it explodes it's like WHOA. Now I wish I had damn good earphones to listen to this. I wish this was the lead single - seriously.

So now what does the lead single sound? Like a B2ST single. To a certain extent I'm glad they grew and didn't completely change but a part of me absolutely ADORES the previous track. But back to the fact that I'm happy - goes to show there is some semblance of musical growth in kpop after all, thankfully. B2ST are really growing on me, and this new single has just made me appreciate them even more. It's catchy, it sounds like something from Cube Ent and it's well-sung, the vocals are strong. If there's one compliment I can give this band, it's that they're probably a lot better in the vocal department than a lot of other boybands. I'm not saying they're the best, there are better bands, but considering that their main competition is MBLAQ, these boys have nothing to worry about. The single is a lot less pop-y and a little more mainstream, although I don't think they can crack the US with this - their best shot is with Just Before Shock.

To be completely honest with you, Special sounds like something for the US. B2ST are surprising me more and more with a well-produced album - I never knew Koreans had it in them. The vocals are a little too throaty for my taste (I can feel my throat cracking just listening to them) but the production is pretty darn good. The eurocrap loops can get a little too annoying for my taste as well but most of the time the song is bearable. I just can't stand the vocals though.

In comes one of my favorite tracks on the album, 내 여자친구를 부탁해 (My Girlfriend? Or something like that.) - it's like a continuation of Just Before Shock in terms of style. I like the chorus, I like the epicness of the entire thing and surprisingly, this is one of the few songs with rap parts that don't annoy the heck out of me. And here we go again with the 'are they breaking the US?' thing - the hook is in English. A girl can dream, right?

And to close off the album, Easy. I'm not gushing about this track as much as I am the others, but the verses are TO DIE FOR. lol. Gorgeous, gorgeous melodies. The hook isn't my type but the rest of the song is cool - reminds me of one of the tracks off their first EP.

This EP is well-produced, well-sung and well-made - it shows B2ST's growth and who they are as musicians. It PROVES that they're worth my time and they're worth listening to more than just a few times. They have a long, LONG way to go in terms of musicality (with the linear instrumentals and all) but they're one of my only hopes of having REAL musicians in Kpop.

No sum-up, since this is an EP. lol.

4.7/5

Dissecting Kara, DBSK and The Sugababes.

It's been a while, hasn't it? I guess you could call it a lack of inspiration but even if I had the ideas and theories, I couldn't write anything. Now I can - I AM BACK! hahah. Take note that I'm considering doing a review of the Ellie Goulding album, just to remind everyone that I haven't been completely converted to kpop!

So to get me back full-swing, 3 songs from 3 different territories - Korea, Japan and Britain. Go easy on me, OK?

Kara - Lupin/루팡

It's been a few weeks/days since the release of the song, but Lupin still sounds the same - mediocre, boring and nothing special.

Kara's back catalogue is pretty solid proof to me that one, there is no musical growth in Kpop and two, you don't have to be able to sing to be a singer. Stupid, I know.

There is no musical growth in Korea - just change. Growth is taking what you have, who you are, learning from your mistakes and altering who you are to make your material better. Change is like randomly picking a song from a hat. Lupin is serious, it's 'dark' (for kpop) and if their vocals were a gazillion notches higher, it would've sold the concept. What did they used to do? This:

See what I mean? This applies to most kpop artists, even DBSK. Not all, but most.

Lupin is catchy and I like the back beat but the entire song is just bleh, there's nothing about it that makes it stand out from all the other crap that's out these days. Yeah, sure you have this 'thief in the night' concept and to a certain extent it mirrors in the music but I'm not convinced.

3/5

The Sugababes - Wear My Kiss

Oh how I miss writing artists and song titles in straight English. lol.

I hated Get Sexy, About A Girl bored me to death and so I wasn't expecting a lot from Wear My Kiss.

I have one thing to say - it took a kpop addiction for me to appreciate how British pop is really at a different level in terms of production and musicality. The two fields are different and their creativity varies but in terms of being MUSICIANS in the pop industry, I still personally think that Britain is waaaay ahead. Hahah. I haven't lost it yet!

Wear My Kiss is one of those songs I would've loved a year and a half ago and to a certain extent I like the hook. The chorus is solid, the vocals are WAY better than most of the stuff I get in Korea (sorry, but it's true.) and the production is more my taste - rich, but crisp.

4/5

DBSK/TVXQ/Tohoshinki - With All My Heart

Before I start the review, I just have to boast about a few things. First, DBSK's Break Out! became the best-selling single by a foreign artist in Japan, selling over 350,000 copies. As if that wasn't enough, their GH package sold 300,000 copies in A DAY and reached more or less 400,000 copies in a week - making it the best-selling album by a foreign artist, breaking Bon Jovi's 14+-year record.

LSM has left SME. *rejoices*

And last but not the least, I'VE SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED MEL (http://popdivalc.blogspot.com) TO ALMOST TOTAL DBSK FANGIRL-ISM. *dances around room*

ANYWAY. Let's get on with the review.

The first time I heard this song, I didn't hear the whole thing - all I had was a clip of the last 2 minutes - but that didn't stop me from completely FREAKING THE HELL OUT. I was spazzing all over Twitter, freaking out at anyone with ears, and I fell in love with those 2 minutes.

So then the whole song came out. If I was freaking out over the 2 minutes, I almost died (REALLY CLOSE TO DYING). Those strings, that melody, THOSE VOCALS.

The best part of the song is around 3:42 when Junsu SENDS ME INTO HYSTERICS OVER THOSE VOCALS and the whole song just explodes - string section, screaming and exploding drum lines. Then the song mellows down before just exploding and OH MY GOSH I'M SPAZZING JUST IMAGINING IT.

I might die before I finish this review so obviously it's a 5/5 and just listen to the damn song:

2NE1 - Try To Copy Me

Even with only 2 singles and one EP out, 2NE1 have been continuously proving that they're a force to be reckoned with - can they sustain it with this new digital single?

At first listen I personally don't like the single - I don't like the arrangement, I don't like the production and I don't like the treatment of the vocals BUT, I've come to know that those things kind of mean nothing when it comes to a 2NE1 single - recordings weren't their claim to fame for me. Yeah sure this recorded version is the basis of everything and it has to be presentable at the very least but I didn't like Fire or I Don't Care recorded either.

The thing with 2NE1 and pretty much most of YG is that they're performers - the only thing that really matters on this song is the melody and the raw version of the song. This recording is the basis, it's not a definitive version and it's not really the one you should use to judge it - it's the live performances. The re-arragements, the added stage presence, the choreography - that's what I personally think you should look at 2NE1 for.

So because of that point, I won't say that Try To Copy Me is good, I'll say that is has potential. If we're basing on current popularity and past success alone, this song is a sure hit. If we're basing on musicality of the recording, it's a fail - I don't think it's that musically proficient nor is it anything special or new. If we're basing on how well this song works live, I think it's safe to say that it'll work very well.

The arrangement is very reminiscent of their Fire days and some of the melody parts are similar to those of I Don't Care - that's somewhat a good thing for me. It means that these girls (or their songwriters) have a very clear idea of where their music is going and how their material will grow and progress. Straight out of the bag, Try To Copy Me is a growth - it's not a mirror, it's not a complete change, it's a growth. It sounds like their previous hits but it's also it's own song.

Strip away the processing/auto-tune, strip away the cheap instrumental and you actually have a very American R&B-ish melody. Slap on a eurocrap loop or a stereotypical R&B loop like something the Brave Brothers use and the song will still make sense. I think that's what makes 2NE1 themselves and honestly, I can't wait to hear this song live.

3/5 for the recorded version.

Craig David - One More Lie (Standing In the Shadows)

Craig David you are a genius.

But I'm sure you guys already knew that.

I say time and time again that I hate generic eurocrap loops - I really do. I hate them because one, they sound cheap and two, they sound cheap because they're not done right. You guys know where I'm going with this.

Craig David did it right. He always does.

Although Insomnia was a little to 'mainstream'/Chris Brown rip-off for me, I couldn't deny the fact that Craig David knows how to make music. There have been mistakes direction-wise but execution-wise the guy knows exactly what to do and HE DOES IT SO DAMN WELL. Add a gorgeous voice and gah, I can just faint. Seeing him live last year made my impression of him even better - this guy not only knows how to make music, he knows how to perform it. I don't think you need anything else.

One More Lie is a pleasure to listen to - I adore everything about it. I've missed well-done singles and after all the crap that's being put out now, it's nice to hear some real music. But that might be because I'm a fan.

The hook at the beginning is very Eurocrap-y but it doesn't sound cheap, one of the few songs that're like that. The verses are standard Craig David - I swear if he ever stops doing what he does I'm going to throw a fit. Then go back to adoring him. LOL. Clean vocals, processed, but at least the guy can pull it off live (I know he can.), unlike a lot of people who process their vocals.

The thing with this guy is that he's not just a singer, he's a musician. Being a musician gives him all these opportunities to do so much with his music - thank heavens people like it because if they didn't, I'd throw a fit. Again. I'm a little disoriented right now because of all this brilliance. Just listen to the damn song, will you? But before the video, time for some 'spazzing' from me.

GAH THIS SONG IS BRILLIANT. GAH. LIKE OH MY GOSHHHHHHHHHHHHH. lol. Back to the real world.

5/5 You guys saw it coming.