I must first mention and send out my wishes for Secret's recovery. As many should know, they were involved in a horrific car accident recently, and Zinger was injured. From recent updates, I'd say that they have coping pretty well, and I hope they recuperate and pump out some awesome tracks for 2013.
That being said, about Secret. I love Secret. Every single song of theirs have been awesome, maybe with the exception of Shy Boy, but they have been pretty flawless. Madonna, Magic, Starlight Moonlight, Poison were all really different, yet really powerful and attention-grabbing. And need I say, their dancing is incredible.
About this song, I have a hard time classifying it as a genre. It is like a mishmash of a dark, pop-ballad and an R&B track, which isn't a bad thing I must add. It certainly is quite different from most of Secret's more powerful, lively tracks, but hearing this song over and over again, I still feel like it's uniquely Secret.
Secret's sound is very lusty, and each member fits their own special role in accordance to their incredibly assorted vocal ranges and characteristics. Jieun's voice has the traits of a powerhouse vocalist, with her soaring notes and occasionally stunning runs. Hyosung's voice is a lot more simplistic, and hit the surface with impact. Her pronunciation is clear with clear distinctions between each octave or note. Sunhwa's supporting vocals are a lot weaker and lighter than the previous two's, focusing less on raw power but more on emotion or pace-setting an emotional template for the rest of the song. Zinger's raps come in short, but intensely stuffed bursts, and her vocals are either used as airy notes for transitional purposes, or simply higher notes to fill in gaps (if any) in their vocal repertoire. Combined, everything sort of complements, yet one can easily distinguish each person, which I think makes Secret unique. You just know its them, when musical harmonizing between almost jarring elements fit almost seamlessly.
"Talk That' is the epitome of such incredible complementary difference.
The song starts off sweetly enough, with the girls barely getting their voices out, before a quicker beat and monotonous chanting of 'Talk That'.
Sunhwa kicks things off with a nice introduction. She doesn't use much tonal variation and sticks to the lighter, more emotional support vocals as she is more used to. It is actually quite a beautiful opener, with the high note at the end almost seemingly like it could go over-the-top, yet being reined in at the last moment, providing an overwhelming sense of mystery. Progressively, the song starts on a quite a high. From the first line to that longer note, the pace and emotions grow subtly yet evidently stronger, like a teaser, being forced back down again. The background bubble-like, electronica synths also complement the song well.
Zinger's next line is actually one of my favourite parts. It is very airy and serves not only as an emotional amplifier, but as a transitional vocal. Almost like Seungri's parts in 'Blue'. It separates the cool vocal of Sunhwa and the hard, more solid and expressive wails of Hyosung, and serves as an apt transition. Without it, the movements would fall apart for they would be jarring but Zinger's line is like a mix of both; soft but fierce in its expression.
That being said, Hyosung's vocals, too, do not disappoint, with the immense soulfulness and really loud but controlled pipy sound she is able to create. At one listen, one can realise that her voice is actually quite one-dimensional, but it is very solid and powerful, making it a really good complement to pretty much any song.
The chrous comes soon. Before reaching here, Jieun has a long note which transfers to the first beat of the chorus. The chorus has a bit more kick to it, with slightly louder bass booms. It is a very sensual sound, with rather European sounding influences. The pattern of high-tease-soft, is repetitive and really gives the song an identity. The importance of the pattern is further amplified in the chorus, where emotions run high before being reined in, giving a successful illusion that the next high was bigger than the preceding ones. Dropping into the tease is actually exciting rather than boring, for instead of going down to a ballad-style vocal, they simply lower the speed and pace, not sacrificing their progression or emotion in the process.
The second half of the song mirrors the first, with the pattern evident and the post-chorus riling away till the forthcoming verses. This is really brilliant song progression, and the usual slow bits are handled brilliantly, with Secret opting for a richer tone to their slower portions, never really letting any bit go to waste. Also, all 4 voices are very different and clearly highlighted in the song; each person has a role and a gap to fill, all of which provide a sense of completion to the song.
In all, a great song, with incredible harmonics between 4 distinct, yet utterly stunning vocalists.
Great comeback.
Monday 31 December 2012
Friday 7 December 2012
Random Post- Song Progression 1: The Intro
I'm starting a series of posts regarding some technicalities I consider when reviewing.
This post is not a review, so please do not expect one. It's going to be a clarification of sorts, a cogent piece explaining some stuff which I say quite often in my reviews. It's about progression. I've mentioned this many times before, and why? Because I firmly believe that a good song should be one that draws you in to an emotional experience, a narration where one is able to really feel something from it.
Take a song to be a story, with climaxes, falling actions, build ups, the works. The introduction of a song should serve a clear purpose in the song. It could be used as an artistic effect, like a slow beginning that contrasts with the rest of the song (Eg. I Will Show You by Ailee), that actually melds in with the build-up, resulting in a longer, more drawn out buildup that intensifies naturally. Take note, while I bashed Boyfriend for their dull introduction, my main gripe was not merely that it was really boring, but actually taken into context with the portion after, it really didn't do anything. After the slow and slightly cheesy opening, the pace drops even lower to this awkward rock-piano hybrid which well, I guess only adds negatively to the progression of the song.
Looking at progression, the introduction, by right, should start of on a low key, before the dramatic build-up climaxes into the chorus that should be the explosion of emotion worthy of everything before it. But can an introduction start out high? If it did, wouldn't the pacing have to be held way up throughout?
Well, no.
This is actually where pacing sets in. With a booming intro, to sustain a narrative would be Herculean task, but one can overcome it with consistent, or better, livelier pacing. With a beat to stick to, or an emotion which we could tag upon for a long duration, one would never feel empty even with a slower track.
Looking back at Janus, the beat after the introduction really dies and seems almost of an alien genre. The emotional transitions are too quick, and comprehending or devoting oneself to the emotions in the story would be perplexing and downright cluttering to musical soul. 'The Chaser' on the other hand, starts really strong and manages to sustain the pace to the chorus by means of drawing the listener to the emotions of being in a chase; the fear, the anxiety, the excitement, all mushed up into a fiery ball of soulfulness that the listener can grasp and attach to. In this case, song progression in the introduction at least, would have the potential to be sustained and developed for the rest of the song.
This is it for the intro, and other sections of the song will be up soon.
This post is not a review, so please do not expect one. It's going to be a clarification of sorts, a cogent piece explaining some stuff which I say quite often in my reviews. It's about progression. I've mentioned this many times before, and why? Because I firmly believe that a good song should be one that draws you in to an emotional experience, a narration where one is able to really feel something from it.
Take a song to be a story, with climaxes, falling actions, build ups, the works. The introduction of a song should serve a clear purpose in the song. It could be used as an artistic effect, like a slow beginning that contrasts with the rest of the song (Eg. I Will Show You by Ailee), that actually melds in with the build-up, resulting in a longer, more drawn out buildup that intensifies naturally. Take note, while I bashed Boyfriend for their dull introduction, my main gripe was not merely that it was really boring, but actually taken into context with the portion after, it really didn't do anything. After the slow and slightly cheesy opening, the pace drops even lower to this awkward rock-piano hybrid which well, I guess only adds negatively to the progression of the song.
Looking at progression, the introduction, by right, should start of on a low key, before the dramatic build-up climaxes into the chorus that should be the explosion of emotion worthy of everything before it. But can an introduction start out high? If it did, wouldn't the pacing have to be held way up throughout?
Well, no.
This is actually where pacing sets in. With a booming intro, to sustain a narrative would be Herculean task, but one can overcome it with consistent, or better, livelier pacing. With a beat to stick to, or an emotion which we could tag upon for a long duration, one would never feel empty even with a slower track.
Looking back at Janus, the beat after the introduction really dies and seems almost of an alien genre. The emotional transitions are too quick, and comprehending or devoting oneself to the emotions in the story would be perplexing and downright cluttering to musical soul. 'The Chaser' on the other hand, starts really strong and manages to sustain the pace to the chorus by means of drawing the listener to the emotions of being in a chase; the fear, the anxiety, the excitement, all mushed up into a fiery ball of soulfulness that the listener can grasp and attach to. In this case, song progression in the introduction at least, would have the potential to be sustained and developed for the rest of the song.
This is it for the intro, and other sections of the song will be up soon.
Monday 26 November 2012
[Single Review] B1A4- "Tried To Walk"
B1A4 is a guilty pleasure of sorts, for me at least. They remind me of Orange Caramel in a way, and ever since their debut (as well as Orange Caramel's), I think they have really been taking a spin on K-pop as it is. Why? Well, personally, I find B1A4 and Orange Caramel to be forms of parody. With their over-bearing (yet awesome) cute style, I think they not only performed the aegyo which people have grown tired of, but they exploited it, being just so ridiculously crazy and loony that one really begins to understand the fine line between forced cuteness and true imagination.
Imagination, of course, is the more desired one. B1A4 do not really portray themselves as just cutie boys, rather they portray themselves as comics. Their forced cuteness as seen in their earlier videos were just another medium in which they could bring forth the parody and satire of the overly common aegyo style, and also a tool in which they could establish themselves as these adequately crazy, fun and just guilty-pleasure-ish artists. If everyone could just understand the purpose for their image, I really don't think there would be any other reason to hate on them.
Their music is fine. Really catchy and playful, with really poor English which just add tenfold to the fun count. Their style of music, I'd say, haven't really deviated much from electro-dance pop which is perfecty acceptable if they want to set an image for themselves in stone. However, since dance pop has literally swamped all music charts, I could only foresee B1A4 having a harder time making their music stand out from the rest. Yes, they could add more crazies into their music videos, which by themselves threaten 'PONPONPON' and 'Balloons' as one of the wildest, imaginative videos ever in the Asian music market.
What I was hoping for them was to break from the mold. Try something new and different. Look at Brown Eyed Girls.
When they first debuted, the style they wanted to go after was a sort of vocal group style, primarily focusing on dull ballads and dry, cliched summertime pop music. Naturally, they didn't garner much success. That was, until they decided to go bold and indulge in the dark side of music so rarely tapped upon. With 'Abracadabra', 'Sign' and 'Sixth Sense', they firmly cast their roles as one of the premier groups in Korea.
B1A4 has so much potential. Jinyoung is a fantastic songwriter and singer. Baro is a phenomenal rapper, with mellow, deep and rich tones that almost mirror that of TOP's. Sandeul is a stunning vocalist, as is C.NU. And Gongchan bears all the charms of a innocent maknae, that just make fangirls swoon. But if they were to stick to their usual style, going the safe route of dance pop, I would be satisfied just the same, but it would be such a waste of their abilities.
What was their true, defining style?
Thus, 'Tried to Walk' was released to much of my personal interest. Just the first listen got me really hooked, and thanks to the heavens, it was different, and to my enjoyment, a welcome change. It veers away from the fun dance pop style, instead opting for a more muted Europop ballad, somewhat like 'Blue' if you want an example. In fact, I'd say it sounds quite reminiscent to Bigbang's style of music. That sort of bluesy, souful, rich vibrato-ey music. It's lush and really soothing, and is quite an impressive track overall. Now, let's break it down to analyse each section.
First, the introductory verse. It starts out slow and raspy, with chopped up verses delivered with a softness, that just bring forth this gentle vibe to start us off. It is slow, but unlike 'Janus', isn't dull or overly-stretched out or even cheesy sounding. Janus' background track was all grand and everything, almost pleading for a gregarious roar of emotion, yet only this frail, weak pleading tone spurted out instead, which resulted in a failed introduction. In B1A4's case however, the background track is barely even there, only appearing as little strums or teases, really allowing Jinyoung's and Sandeul's sweet vocals to shine. Then comes an electronic breakdown, into the main melody, a foot-stomping, bass synth-heavy Europop groove.
Though heavy with all sorts of clashing melodies, the product is surprisingly light to the ear and serves as a very upbeat and fun way to start of the song. The first verse follows the introduction somewhat, albeit with a louder, quicker beat and cleaner electronica rhythms and synths. The pacing of the song while aurally, may seem slower, actually becomes livelier and serves as a progressive build-up.
The bridge diverts the beat right back to old school pop. The first couple of notes of each bar hit the surface quickly, yet with an airy, spiritual quality. These lines are delivered soulfully but somehow keep an almost casual, overly-relaxed tone throughout. Hearing them, I don't feel overwhelmed or emotional, instead I am piqued. I feel curious, the song drawing me into a narrative, establishing the song's identity. Some lines, like these, have anthropomorphic qualities, and are just stunning to the ear and soul.
The chorus then kicks in, with a crass burst of raining electronic beats. Falsetto is used in abundance here, in addition to a couple deeper, richer wails. The blend is really amazing to hear, and the beat somehow manages to add another layer to the lyrics, adding a core to it, and also sustaining the pace. From the intro to the chorus, although the lines themselves have undergone significant variations, from choppy syllabic lines to airy runs, the pace never lets up and the pulsating bass beat keeps our feet tapping. Jinyoung's interjection in the chorus, brings us back to the start with the choppiness, and makes the chorus seem almost like a tease at what the song can be, before reining it back to its humble, indigenous roots.
This brings us to the rap. Oh how much I love the rap. It's deep and really mellow. The rap itself is split into 2 sections. The first is a portion in which Baro barely gets his voice out, letting a lot of air burst through his words, and also adding a melancholic, almost heavenly quality to his lines. The pacing here doesn't drop, and the rap intertwines around the main beat to make things work.
The section part is more fierce, and the lines are delivered with a more cocky bite that I really adore. The raps aren't empty, they are versatile and teeming with emotion, unlike those empty, hollow, rap-for-rap's-sake type of breakdowns. The rapidfire is really cool, and the overall rap sequence serves as a brilliant flip side of the song, albeit with a similar beat and pace.
On a whole, I'd say, that this song is a lot more complex than it seems. While appearing to be a one-off sad song, I think the stark changes and differences between each section, be it the way it is delivered or how it meld around the synths, really gave the song such variation which kept me really hooked and intruiged. The style and progression of the song really mirrors the concept of creativity, which as I mentioned really enabled B1A4 to have the success they've been having. Though each section, to the ear sounded unalike, they were all rooted by the same beat, the same core and the same emotions.
Maybe creativity is complexity? Creativity is maturity?
If creativity can come across as forced cuteness, totally unappreciated and flat, how can it be such a rich, deep concept simultaneously? An immature maturity? Maybe that's what really describes B1A4's defining style; the bombastic perfection, the playful abider, callous obedience.
These may not seem to make sense but who cares.
It's creativity, give me a big dose of it.
- Kpop Philosopher
Imagination, of course, is the more desired one. B1A4 do not really portray themselves as just cutie boys, rather they portray themselves as comics. Their forced cuteness as seen in their earlier videos were just another medium in which they could bring forth the parody and satire of the overly common aegyo style, and also a tool in which they could establish themselves as these adequately crazy, fun and just guilty-pleasure-ish artists. If everyone could just understand the purpose for their image, I really don't think there would be any other reason to hate on them.
Their music is fine. Really catchy and playful, with really poor English which just add tenfold to the fun count. Their style of music, I'd say, haven't really deviated much from electro-dance pop which is perfecty acceptable if they want to set an image for themselves in stone. However, since dance pop has literally swamped all music charts, I could only foresee B1A4 having a harder time making their music stand out from the rest. Yes, they could add more crazies into their music videos, which by themselves threaten 'PONPONPON' and 'Balloons' as one of the wildest, imaginative videos ever in the Asian music market.
What I was hoping for them was to break from the mold. Try something new and different. Look at Brown Eyed Girls.
When they first debuted, the style they wanted to go after was a sort of vocal group style, primarily focusing on dull ballads and dry, cliched summertime pop music. Naturally, they didn't garner much success. That was, until they decided to go bold and indulge in the dark side of music so rarely tapped upon. With 'Abracadabra', 'Sign' and 'Sixth Sense', they firmly cast their roles as one of the premier groups in Korea.
B1A4 has so much potential. Jinyoung is a fantastic songwriter and singer. Baro is a phenomenal rapper, with mellow, deep and rich tones that almost mirror that of TOP's. Sandeul is a stunning vocalist, as is C.NU. And Gongchan bears all the charms of a innocent maknae, that just make fangirls swoon. But if they were to stick to their usual style, going the safe route of dance pop, I would be satisfied just the same, but it would be such a waste of their abilities.
What was their true, defining style?
Thus, 'Tried to Walk' was released to much of my personal interest. Just the first listen got me really hooked, and thanks to the heavens, it was different, and to my enjoyment, a welcome change. It veers away from the fun dance pop style, instead opting for a more muted Europop ballad, somewhat like 'Blue' if you want an example. In fact, I'd say it sounds quite reminiscent to Bigbang's style of music. That sort of bluesy, souful, rich vibrato-ey music. It's lush and really soothing, and is quite an impressive track overall. Now, let's break it down to analyse each section.
First, the introductory verse. It starts out slow and raspy, with chopped up verses delivered with a softness, that just bring forth this gentle vibe to start us off. It is slow, but unlike 'Janus', isn't dull or overly-stretched out or even cheesy sounding. Janus' background track was all grand and everything, almost pleading for a gregarious roar of emotion, yet only this frail, weak pleading tone spurted out instead, which resulted in a failed introduction. In B1A4's case however, the background track is barely even there, only appearing as little strums or teases, really allowing Jinyoung's and Sandeul's sweet vocals to shine. Then comes an electronic breakdown, into the main melody, a foot-stomping, bass synth-heavy Europop groove.
Though heavy with all sorts of clashing melodies, the product is surprisingly light to the ear and serves as a very upbeat and fun way to start of the song. The first verse follows the introduction somewhat, albeit with a louder, quicker beat and cleaner electronica rhythms and synths. The pacing of the song while aurally, may seem slower, actually becomes livelier and serves as a progressive build-up.
The bridge diverts the beat right back to old school pop. The first couple of notes of each bar hit the surface quickly, yet with an airy, spiritual quality. These lines are delivered soulfully but somehow keep an almost casual, overly-relaxed tone throughout. Hearing them, I don't feel overwhelmed or emotional, instead I am piqued. I feel curious, the song drawing me into a narrative, establishing the song's identity. Some lines, like these, have anthropomorphic qualities, and are just stunning to the ear and soul.
The chorus then kicks in, with a crass burst of raining electronic beats. Falsetto is used in abundance here, in addition to a couple deeper, richer wails. The blend is really amazing to hear, and the beat somehow manages to add another layer to the lyrics, adding a core to it, and also sustaining the pace. From the intro to the chorus, although the lines themselves have undergone significant variations, from choppy syllabic lines to airy runs, the pace never lets up and the pulsating bass beat keeps our feet tapping. Jinyoung's interjection in the chorus, brings us back to the start with the choppiness, and makes the chorus seem almost like a tease at what the song can be, before reining it back to its humble, indigenous roots.
This brings us to the rap. Oh how much I love the rap. It's deep and really mellow. The rap itself is split into 2 sections. The first is a portion in which Baro barely gets his voice out, letting a lot of air burst through his words, and also adding a melancholic, almost heavenly quality to his lines. The pacing here doesn't drop, and the rap intertwines around the main beat to make things work.
The section part is more fierce, and the lines are delivered with a more cocky bite that I really adore. The raps aren't empty, they are versatile and teeming with emotion, unlike those empty, hollow, rap-for-rap's-sake type of breakdowns. The rapidfire is really cool, and the overall rap sequence serves as a brilliant flip side of the song, albeit with a similar beat and pace.
On a whole, I'd say, that this song is a lot more complex than it seems. While appearing to be a one-off sad song, I think the stark changes and differences between each section, be it the way it is delivered or how it meld around the synths, really gave the song such variation which kept me really hooked and intruiged. The style and progression of the song really mirrors the concept of creativity, which as I mentioned really enabled B1A4 to have the success they've been having. Though each section, to the ear sounded unalike, they were all rooted by the same beat, the same core and the same emotions.
Maybe creativity is complexity? Creativity is maturity?
If creativity can come across as forced cuteness, totally unappreciated and flat, how can it be such a rich, deep concept simultaneously? An immature maturity? Maybe that's what really describes B1A4's defining style; the bombastic perfection, the playful abider, callous obedience.
These may not seem to make sense but who cares.
It's creativity, give me a big dose of it.
- Kpop Philosopher
Sunday 18 November 2012
[Single Review] Boyfriend- 'Janus'
The two-headed Janus. The god of beginnings, transitions and changes, with two heads guarding both the future and the lost eras simultaneously, predicting the ending of time in itself. Such profoundness and almost complex simplicity in the depiction of such a character; everything makes sense with two heads overseeing two points, yet the power in it actions far supersede the superficial meanings of the duplicate heads, the power to alter existence.
Just the thought of all that in a song slays my very existence, and overwhelms all my senses. Would I believe there is an added pressure of having to abide by historical accuracy and mythological understandings by naming a song after a certain god? Yes, I would think so. A title serves two purposes in a song. First, to simply state out the catchiest line and/or second, to serve as a satisfactory, conclusive phrase to encapsulate the meaning of the entire song. Just thinking about the titles of some songs, the shallowness, the irrelevance, simply induce rapturous forced coughing from me.
With this said, having a Roman god of such admirable impact to our very existence as a title for Boyfriend's latest track simply adds some pressure for a song with a message perfectly symbolic of everything that the legendary bipolar Janus stands for. The splits. The hidden sides to people. The message that things have layers of depth to them, and that simplicity is complexity in disguise. Hearing Boyfriend's latest single, I would have to say that they have done a pretty decent job at doing just that.
Let's analyse the song in little sections. The start of the song honestly, doesn't really do it for me. I'm not sure why. Even after reviewing the song over and over, some part of it just seems a bit to weak for me. It doesn't exactly draw me into the song as quickly as that of quite a number of other songs. Look at 'Beautiful Night', it starts with some hard-ass, slightly pitchy wailing from Gikwang, and it gets me on my feet, squirming to the beat frantically. As for 'Janus', well...it starts of well enough with a mixture of sad violin squeals, but then it jarringly moves on to these odd shooting sounds and the singing portions in here are really not that great. They seem a bit too melo and slow to start the song.
When the electric guitar riffs drop in, it just adds more of this superfluous complexity to the song, which I not only underappreciate, but I also think it just adds this sort of cheesiness to the intro that I really do not like. Some may argue that some songs start slow as well and that I'm probably speaking poppycock. But look at 'Cleansing Cream' for example. The start is just dripping with emotion and backings that really complement the feeling of the song really well.
As for Janus, they don't work. And the lines delivered just seem really 90s, Westlife to me. Just a little dull and boring in my opinion. The next verses follow the same, syllabic style, with frequent pauses and a mass of orchestrals in the background. An orchestra depicts grandeur, right? So why utilise such brassness to describe stories of such shallow, heartless, soulless, trivial matters?
The pre-chorus however turns the whole song around.
After a break from the rock tracks, the electric guitar kicks in again, by this time instead of serving as an unnecessary side, it serves a start, a beginning of each line, a kick of adrenaline before each syllable is uttered. It really lifts the song from the previously melondramatic feel, almost like an elephant previously jogging in molasses to one skidding on grease. It slowly builds up pace with the notes getting stronger, richer, longer and the background pace getting more and more frantic. It IS a frantic build up to the chorus that I thoroughly appreciate, and serves as a foreboding sense of danger and mystery for the chorus that lies ahead.
The chorus is brilliant. An intense explosion of emotion, completely worthy of the stellar build-up before it. The emotion is now a lot more evident. One can sense anger, confusion and slight sadness, all of which delivered brilliantly throughout everyone's long notes and sharp yells. It's also really really catchy, another plus point.
The rest of the point use raps as interesting fillers and thankfully make do without the boringly slow introduction. The verses are all really masculine and meaty, with tons of feeling oozing out of each line. The raps, while not the best top-notch, do a decent job of ensuring the pacing of the song doesn't slip, also making sure the feel and the beat of the song continue abiding by the progressively booming orchestra track behind the vocalists, ensuring a continually strong progression to the end.
In conclusion, this is a really great song by Boyfriend, a great change from their previous songs and image. If they could focus more on a strong beginning, but keep the intense progressions, I am very certain that they could create some pop magic. In all, disappointing intro but shocking amazing build-ups.
Fantastic song.
Sorry, for not posting in a while. To make up for it, in a couple of days, I'll be posting a review of that new, rawesomely sick B1A4 song! So please suscribe! And share this with your friends!
Just the thought of all that in a song slays my very existence, and overwhelms all my senses. Would I believe there is an added pressure of having to abide by historical accuracy and mythological understandings by naming a song after a certain god? Yes, I would think so. A title serves two purposes in a song. First, to simply state out the catchiest line and/or second, to serve as a satisfactory, conclusive phrase to encapsulate the meaning of the entire song. Just thinking about the titles of some songs, the shallowness, the irrelevance, simply induce rapturous forced coughing from me.
With this said, having a Roman god of such admirable impact to our very existence as a title for Boyfriend's latest track simply adds some pressure for a song with a message perfectly symbolic of everything that the legendary bipolar Janus stands for. The splits. The hidden sides to people. The message that things have layers of depth to them, and that simplicity is complexity in disguise. Hearing Boyfriend's latest single, I would have to say that they have done a pretty decent job at doing just that.
Let's analyse the song in little sections. The start of the song honestly, doesn't really do it for me. I'm not sure why. Even after reviewing the song over and over, some part of it just seems a bit to weak for me. It doesn't exactly draw me into the song as quickly as that of quite a number of other songs. Look at 'Beautiful Night', it starts with some hard-ass, slightly pitchy wailing from Gikwang, and it gets me on my feet, squirming to the beat frantically. As for 'Janus', well...it starts of well enough with a mixture of sad violin squeals, but then it jarringly moves on to these odd shooting sounds and the singing portions in here are really not that great. They seem a bit too melo and slow to start the song.
When the electric guitar riffs drop in, it just adds more of this superfluous complexity to the song, which I not only underappreciate, but I also think it just adds this sort of cheesiness to the intro that I really do not like. Some may argue that some songs start slow as well and that I'm probably speaking poppycock. But look at 'Cleansing Cream' for example. The start is just dripping with emotion and backings that really complement the feeling of the song really well.
As for Janus, they don't work. And the lines delivered just seem really 90s, Westlife to me. Just a little dull and boring in my opinion. The next verses follow the same, syllabic style, with frequent pauses and a mass of orchestrals in the background. An orchestra depicts grandeur, right? So why utilise such brassness to describe stories of such shallow, heartless, soulless, trivial matters?
The pre-chorus however turns the whole song around.
After a break from the rock tracks, the electric guitar kicks in again, by this time instead of serving as an unnecessary side, it serves a start, a beginning of each line, a kick of adrenaline before each syllable is uttered. It really lifts the song from the previously melondramatic feel, almost like an elephant previously jogging in molasses to one skidding on grease. It slowly builds up pace with the notes getting stronger, richer, longer and the background pace getting more and more frantic. It IS a frantic build up to the chorus that I thoroughly appreciate, and serves as a foreboding sense of danger and mystery for the chorus that lies ahead.
The chorus is brilliant. An intense explosion of emotion, completely worthy of the stellar build-up before it. The emotion is now a lot more evident. One can sense anger, confusion and slight sadness, all of which delivered brilliantly throughout everyone's long notes and sharp yells. It's also really really catchy, another plus point.
The rest of the point use raps as interesting fillers and thankfully make do without the boringly slow introduction. The verses are all really masculine and meaty, with tons of feeling oozing out of each line. The raps, while not the best top-notch, do a decent job of ensuring the pacing of the song doesn't slip, also making sure the feel and the beat of the song continue abiding by the progressively booming orchestra track behind the vocalists, ensuring a continually strong progression to the end.
In conclusion, this is a really great song by Boyfriend, a great change from their previous songs and image. If they could focus more on a strong beginning, but keep the intense progressions, I am very certain that they could create some pop magic. In all, disappointing intro but shocking amazing build-ups.
Fantastic song.
Sorry, for not posting in a while. To make up for it, in a couple of days, I'll be posting a review of that new, rawesomely sick B1A4 song! So please suscribe! And share this with your friends!
Monday 5 November 2012
[Single Review] Lee Hi- '1.2.3.4'
YG almost never disappoints. I use ‘almost’ lest some SM
stans come screaming at me, berating about the ‘countless’ flaws that YG and
its acts have. I have had my disappointments with YG before, many in fact; I
hate their closed-ness to their fans, their secretive ways and I was definitely
disappointed with a couple of their songs. (‘I Love You’, ‘Ugly’, ‘I Need A
Girl’) Not to mention, they have not been first-timers with controversy, with
the marijuana and sex scandals whatnot.
However, while they have hit some lows, their ability to
just bounce back and blow everyone’s socks off have been nothing short of pure,
remarkable perfection. 2NE1 have still remained epically swaggy and confident without
being overly-brass, BIGBANG time and time again have reminded us why they are
indeed the true kings of the K-pop industry, and perhaps the most important
achievement of all of YG’s countless, Gangnam Style!!
Thus, when I heard about Lee Hi’s upcoming debut, I was
excited. I had seen her on Kpop Star before, and she was pretty damn good a
singer then. So, I know she can sing, but all of YG’s acts have had a sort of
unique stage presence about them. Could a young barely legal teenager pull off
a head-turning, confident performance, being the junior of legends in a highly
dog-eat-dog industry? I wondered and hoped.
‘1.2.3.4’ is very much like a bluesy, soulful song, with
hints of Duffy and Amy Winehouse injected into many portions of it. The
slowness of the song, coupled sometimes with the lack of background music
really enable Lee Hi’s incredibly mature and rich voice to shine, though at
points I think I would hoped for more intonation variation, as certain sections
were really one-dimensional, and really soft, like the verse before the chorus.
I won’t really be going on a full breakdown of the song, because there really
isn’t that much for me to talk about (on a whole, they sound fine) but I will
be putting some input about the chorus.
The way she says ‘1 and 2 and 3, 4’ is so catchy and I’ve
been repeating it in my head for days since listening to it. She is really deep
when she hits this section, which makes her reminiscent of those 1960s
trot/blues singers. Her voice is really well-developed I’d say, very mature,
and I especially like the tiny tinges of vibrato which sometimes penetrate. It
is bluesy not because she is raspy, but because she is serious in her voice.
The serious quality of her tone really adds a lot to the feel of the song. The
way she delivers her lines are composed and in their own way, emotional.
Despite this emotion, her acting in her music video is cringe-worthy, such
irony.
On a whole, a solid debut track, though not the best female
solo K-pop debut I’ve ever heard, the honours of which are tied between G.Na
and Ailee, for ‘I’ll Back Off So You Can Live Better’ and ‘Heaven’, but
nonetheless, I will be looking forward to what direction YG will be taking her.
I hope they can
continue developing on the soul route, as it is a genre seldom used or heard in
K-pop which should give Lee Hi, and her voice, a chance to shine. Please YG,
don’t botch up her career like how Cube botched G.Na after her debut (still a
fan of hers, don’t get me wrong).
I will be looking forward to what lies in store for Lee Hi
next.
Monday 29 October 2012
[Single Review] Miss A- 'I Don't Need A Man'
How audacious.
How bold.
How ironic for Miss A to be singing a song about female empowerment and independence, especially in a (comparatively) traditionalistic country such as Korea, where norms are as would the older generation; where women are perceived to be less capable than men. For a woman to say that they could live without a man, in their eyes in any sense, would be equivalent to throwing one's existence and survival out the window. If you were to have a similar mindset, or think the same way, I'd believe you'd throw up chortling at this new track, and damn you for that. Damn you.
However, if you are a 21st century being, understanding gender equality and whatnot, this song would perhaps be somewhat of a breakthrough, an expression of freedom and release that is utterly impressive given the constrictive context of South Korea. I feel K pop has be revolutionized in a way. Many songs have started to shift away from that cute and coy image, about falling in love and all, and have really started to create not just entertainment art, but ad vocative art; music which really go beyond simply enjoyment, and actually reach into the regions of deep lessons and advocacy about freedom, questioning the existential rights and frequently shortchanged allotments that many living in Korea, especially the women, are sometimes subject to. This should not be taken as an insult to Korean culture or ways, but actually should be taken as a compliment of sorts to groups, like Miss A, 2NE1, Glam, all of those who are using their art and actually aiming to invoke equality and making a change in the world. And I sure as hell applaud that.
Anyway, beyond the message of 'I Don't Need A Man', I could just summarize my feelings towards it with just a couple of words.
Utter brilliance.
Seriously, the review could just end there, but for the sake of my pride and my personal desire of providing in-depth critiques of songs, I will try to recapitulate all I can to provide as complete a picture as I can of the track, by analyzing each part of the song and evaluating how they flow into each other if they even have to. Yes, there are exceptions that do not really require logical flow, like most of Block B's songs which basically demonstrate and exude confidence without the real need of technically flawless vocals, and they are pretty good on their own. Anyway, onto the review.
The introduction of this track is really special. It first features some chanting, which tells you that something about this song isn't really ordinary. The chant sounds a bit celebratory and is quite an upbeat way to start the song off. It really reminds me of Beyonce in some way. Like it conceals a form of power, but is kept in an almost tribal trance-like state.
Min then kicks in with her line, which is pronounced really well, I must say, especially compared with the Engrish that groups like T-ara and EXO have been pushing out. The background track sounds really playful and repetitive and fun, which really lightens up the mood, which is very different from most of Miss A's other tracks, aside from 'Breathe' maybe. The chorus comes in first and it remains light. Like really light.
Almost happy actually, which when compared to the lyrics seem really ironic. In a way, it works, and I think the playfulness almost plays a part in giving off the message that a woman can live without a man, and still remain really positive, happy and confident. In that aspect, the chorus works really well, and Suzy's vocals, though lacking in the the depth of Jia and Fei, really complement the beat of the track.
The first verse goes exactly how I would have expected it, given the context and message of the song. Swag. Strong swag oozing with personality and cockiness, an endearing cockiness that really shout out to the men out there about the capabilities of women. It's not really singing, but more of speech with intonation, and I really really enjoy it. It is very reminiscent of Southern hip-hop, very hood, and very enjoyable.
The verse that follows is somewhat similar in terms of mood. The swag is still present, but the voices and their differences remain very distinct. I mentioned Suzy's lightness in her tone, and also Min's swag. Jia's voice is really unique and a bit challenging to describe. I'd say that her voice is very complex and each syllable is very clearly spoken out. Also, her intonation variation is a lot more evident, which makes her lines sound a lot more rich and colourful.
Fei's part is interesting, ranging from some airy vocals to slightly stronger variations. She is really underrated in the group, and really, her vocals are pretty good. There is a certain je ne sais quoi about her part that I really really like. It throws off the pace, which I usually detest, but it really works and adds another dimension of unorthodoxy to the already unorthodox.
In all, a really great song. I know I couldn't run through everything, but I wanted to really push out this review as quick as I could. Hope you guys can stay tuned! Maybe a little B.A.P or something next week ;)
How bold.
How ironic for Miss A to be singing a song about female empowerment and independence, especially in a (comparatively) traditionalistic country such as Korea, where norms are as would the older generation; where women are perceived to be less capable than men. For a woman to say that they could live without a man, in their eyes in any sense, would be equivalent to throwing one's existence and survival out the window. If you were to have a similar mindset, or think the same way, I'd believe you'd throw up chortling at this new track, and damn you for that. Damn you.
However, if you are a 21st century being, understanding gender equality and whatnot, this song would perhaps be somewhat of a breakthrough, an expression of freedom and release that is utterly impressive given the constrictive context of South Korea. I feel K pop has be revolutionized in a way. Many songs have started to shift away from that cute and coy image, about falling in love and all, and have really started to create not just entertainment art, but ad vocative art; music which really go beyond simply enjoyment, and actually reach into the regions of deep lessons and advocacy about freedom, questioning the existential rights and frequently shortchanged allotments that many living in Korea, especially the women, are sometimes subject to. This should not be taken as an insult to Korean culture or ways, but actually should be taken as a compliment of sorts to groups, like Miss A, 2NE1, Glam, all of those who are using their art and actually aiming to invoke equality and making a change in the world. And I sure as hell applaud that.
Anyway, beyond the message of 'I Don't Need A Man', I could just summarize my feelings towards it with just a couple of words.
Utter brilliance.
Seriously, the review could just end there, but for the sake of my pride and my personal desire of providing in-depth critiques of songs, I will try to recapitulate all I can to provide as complete a picture as I can of the track, by analyzing each part of the song and evaluating how they flow into each other if they even have to. Yes, there are exceptions that do not really require logical flow, like most of Block B's songs which basically demonstrate and exude confidence without the real need of technically flawless vocals, and they are pretty good on their own. Anyway, onto the review.
The introduction of this track is really special. It first features some chanting, which tells you that something about this song isn't really ordinary. The chant sounds a bit celebratory and is quite an upbeat way to start the song off. It really reminds me of Beyonce in some way. Like it conceals a form of power, but is kept in an almost tribal trance-like state.
Min then kicks in with her line, which is pronounced really well, I must say, especially compared with the Engrish that groups like T-ara and EXO have been pushing out. The background track sounds really playful and repetitive and fun, which really lightens up the mood, which is very different from most of Miss A's other tracks, aside from 'Breathe' maybe. The chorus comes in first and it remains light. Like really light.
Almost happy actually, which when compared to the lyrics seem really ironic. In a way, it works, and I think the playfulness almost plays a part in giving off the message that a woman can live without a man, and still remain really positive, happy and confident. In that aspect, the chorus works really well, and Suzy's vocals, though lacking in the the depth of Jia and Fei, really complement the beat of the track.
The first verse goes exactly how I would have expected it, given the context and message of the song. Swag. Strong swag oozing with personality and cockiness, an endearing cockiness that really shout out to the men out there about the capabilities of women. It's not really singing, but more of speech with intonation, and I really really enjoy it. It is very reminiscent of Southern hip-hop, very hood, and very enjoyable.
The verse that follows is somewhat similar in terms of mood. The swag is still present, but the voices and their differences remain very distinct. I mentioned Suzy's lightness in her tone, and also Min's swag. Jia's voice is really unique and a bit challenging to describe. I'd say that her voice is very complex and each syllable is very clearly spoken out. Also, her intonation variation is a lot more evident, which makes her lines sound a lot more rich and colourful.
Fei's part is interesting, ranging from some airy vocals to slightly stronger variations. She is really underrated in the group, and really, her vocals are pretty good. There is a certain je ne sais quoi about her part that I really really like. It throws off the pace, which I usually detest, but it really works and adds another dimension of unorthodoxy to the already unorthodox.
In all, a really great song. I know I couldn't run through everything, but I wanted to really push out this review as quick as I could. Hope you guys can stay tuned! Maybe a little B.A.P or something next week ;)
Monday 15 October 2012
[Single Review] Ga In- 'Bloom'
Bloom! It really is such a magical word, filled with a sort of mystique and a sense of intangible hope, or development. Applied to a song title, to me, was slightly odd and out of Ga-in's usual solo work, which by all means was usually really gothic or dark. So, just hearing about the song title just gave me more interest into finding out how Ga-in's image could change for her new solo comeback.
Ga-in is my second favourite member of BEG, with Narsha being my ultimate bias. I love Ga-in because of her sexiness. And it is not just that type of 'I'll strip off my clothes and shake my ass in your face' type, rather a more conserved, yet brash, bold and unrefined type of confidence that simply exudes an aura of empowerment which I find just so utterly captivating and sultry. Oh, and not forgetting to mention her singing abilities. I feel like being in BEG is like a double-edged sword for her. Firstly, she can stand out by virtue of the fact that practically no one else other than Narsha actually bothers to actively promote themselves on variety shows, and Ga-in's stint has sure as hell brought her legions of endearing fans. Second, her talents can be overshadowed by the powerhouse diva Jea, or the bad-ass swagtastic Miryo or the hularious, tender-vocalled Narsha, which makes her singing abilities sort of meh. Compare her to the best singer in Kara for God's sake (Gyuri) and you'll see where I am getting at. Like seriously..... It is sort of her bad luck that she's in a group of such amazing individuals, so I'm happy she is at least making an attempt to go for these solos and really put herself out there. That being said, this comeback of hers sure as hell does not disappoint.
Let's go play by play, first on the intro, then the verses, then the chorus/pre-chorus, then the conclusion.
The introduction is something quite different from what I usually hear from most BEG or Ga-in songs. It is really quite upbeat and peppy, with a nice light guitar backing going along with it. The vibe I get is one of dance pop, or even fun bluesy music, which is really quite an interesting direction given Ga-in's typical take on her image and artistry. And so, the song starts. Ga-in's voice is very unique in that it is high-pitched but with quite an endearing quality to it. It's almost angelic, being very delicate and light, which she successfully managed to contort to suit all of BEG's hits. In 'Bloom', she really gets to ability to show her distinctive sound and coupled with the background, I think they work rather well in setting a tone for the fun beat of the song.
The verse is rather consistent throughout, with Ga-in's wailing and falsetto working and harmonizing very well. The bit before the chorus with 'speak up' being chanted incessantly is a bit of a let-down, as it breaks the pace of the song, from a cheery tune to a rather abrupt shift in momentum and feel, which really go quite jarringly against the rest of the verses before it.
The chorus is brilliant, a display of raw power (though not in a diva sort of way) and emotion which really reach out to listeners.Her vocals are almost spiritual in the chorus, and they remind me somewhat of Ailee, although they somewhat lack in the aspect of powerhouse vocals, but they are brilliant overall.
With that, I will end of the review. A great song from an unorthodox but epically fierce artist. I hope all of you can hear this, and Ga-in, I hope you keep re-inventing yourself, and provide us with these awesome tracks. Listeners will definitely bloom as you do in your career!
Next week, we will be doing, 'I Don't Need A Man' by Miss A. It's aweshum!!!!!
Ga-in is my second favourite member of BEG, with Narsha being my ultimate bias. I love Ga-in because of her sexiness. And it is not just that type of 'I'll strip off my clothes and shake my ass in your face' type, rather a more conserved, yet brash, bold and unrefined type of confidence that simply exudes an aura of empowerment which I find just so utterly captivating and sultry. Oh, and not forgetting to mention her singing abilities. I feel like being in BEG is like a double-edged sword for her. Firstly, she can stand out by virtue of the fact that practically no one else other than Narsha actually bothers to actively promote themselves on variety shows, and Ga-in's stint has sure as hell brought her legions of endearing fans. Second, her talents can be overshadowed by the powerhouse diva Jea, or the bad-ass swagtastic Miryo or the hularious, tender-vocalled Narsha, which makes her singing abilities sort of meh. Compare her to the best singer in Kara for God's sake (Gyuri) and you'll see where I am getting at. Like seriously..... It is sort of her bad luck that she's in a group of such amazing individuals, so I'm happy she is at least making an attempt to go for these solos and really put herself out there. That being said, this comeback of hers sure as hell does not disappoint.
Let's go play by play, first on the intro, then the verses, then the chorus/pre-chorus, then the conclusion.
The introduction is something quite different from what I usually hear from most BEG or Ga-in songs. It is really quite upbeat and peppy, with a nice light guitar backing going along with it. The vibe I get is one of dance pop, or even fun bluesy music, which is really quite an interesting direction given Ga-in's typical take on her image and artistry. And so, the song starts. Ga-in's voice is very unique in that it is high-pitched but with quite an endearing quality to it. It's almost angelic, being very delicate and light, which she successfully managed to contort to suit all of BEG's hits. In 'Bloom', she really gets to ability to show her distinctive sound and coupled with the background, I think they work rather well in setting a tone for the fun beat of the song.
The verse is rather consistent throughout, with Ga-in's wailing and falsetto working and harmonizing very well. The bit before the chorus with 'speak up' being chanted incessantly is a bit of a let-down, as it breaks the pace of the song, from a cheery tune to a rather abrupt shift in momentum and feel, which really go quite jarringly against the rest of the verses before it.
The chorus is brilliant, a display of raw power (though not in a diva sort of way) and emotion which really reach out to listeners.Her vocals are almost spiritual in the chorus, and they remind me somewhat of Ailee, although they somewhat lack in the aspect of powerhouse vocals, but they are brilliant overall.
With that, I will end of the review. A great song from an unorthodox but epically fierce artist. I hope all of you can hear this, and Ga-in, I hope you keep re-inventing yourself, and provide us with these awesome tracks. Listeners will definitely bloom as you do in your career!
Next week, we will be doing, 'I Don't Need A Man' by Miss A. It's aweshum!!!!!
Wednesday 26 September 2012
[Single Review] UKISS- 'Stop Girl'
Let's just say I was deeply perplexed by this title. It seemed so wrong. Like if you were to use 'stop' in such a context, it would appear that 'stop' is an adjective, describing a girl to be very stop, whatever that means. How could someone be stop? Anyway, through further research, I found out that the song goes along the lines of guys falling in love with another girl (big surprise there, Ukiss) and them being unprepared, thus telling the girl of their infatuations to 'stop'. To just hold back. And that kind of cleared things up a bit....but that title still vexes. Why couldn't it have been 'Stop! Girl'? That exclamation mark just adds another dimension to the title, an added pop you know? And Kevin and Eli.........you guys were the English warriors of Ukiss, what happened? Why didn't you intervene with the title??? Ah, anyway, onto Ukiss.
I haven't really heard much Ukiss, even though they have been freakishly efficient in pushing out track after track this year. I mean with 'Doradora', 'Believe' and 'Neverland' later last year, it's safe to say that they have been pretty freaking busy. I heard those tracks like once before, maybe twice, just to try it out and get a feel of what Ukiss' style was. The songs DO sound uniquely Ukiss which is nice to know, given the range of aegyo counterparts in the girl group industry, that they were at least able to try out a sound different from other bands. However, this efficiency in pushing out tracks seem to have had detriments on the songs' quality. What I mean is that rather than focusing on one song, and perfecting it before releasing and blowing the brains out of everyone (eg. Brown Eyed Girls with 'Abracadabra' (2009) and 'Sixth Sense' (2011)), by Ukiss seems to just be satisfied with at least showing proof of activity by releasing yet another track ever so often, and it had turned out, none have really been mind-blowing. Which also explains why they haven't had a Music Bank win even after 4 years. Well, 'Doradora' was cool, which a cool dance to it, and a decently catchy chorus, and '0330' was good, but the rest were just pretty meh. So how would 'Stop Girl' match up to these? Could it be the breakout song (at least in my personal opinion) for Ukiss?
Ok, on my first listen, I felt a bit torn. Some parts of the song I felt were incredible in terms of raw emotion and harmonzing, but there were parts of the song which just fell flat and ruined the pace of the song somewhat. Let us analyse the song in beats of 20 seconds each. Take note I am using the timing from the music video so check it out for this to make sense. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XboGRNb1Fd8
0:00-0:20- This introduction is quite different compared to other songs in the Kpop world today. It has this really American pop feel to it, very Jason Derulo-esque or maybe Usher, with the incessant 'yeah's and that R&B techno synth beat in the background. It's good and really sets the tone for the song, a sort of moderately-paced hip-hop pop hybrid. A great start. Oh, and that dwindling run of notes towards the end is a nice touch, somewhat reminiscent of that of like Lil' Wayne tracks.
0:21-0:40- Hoon's part kicks in with a somewhat pleading line, followed by a slight pause. This first line was quite mediocre especially to kick off the song. However, the next two lines, especially the last one really do it for me, with a really cool electronic meets R&B hiphop feel to it. Kiseop's lines follow the same pattern but without the awesome last line, which is replaced by Eli's ever-confident swaggy rap cut. This beat serves to set the tone, a rather sombre sound with really chill and swaggy beats. Not a bad combination, and it serves as a build-up for the next beat which differs slightly.
0:41-1:00- Now, Kevin's part has got to be the biggest part. I think his voice is quite high-pitched, thus it wouldn't really fit into this type of quick-paced speak rap portions, which seem really weak. And his last line seems autotuned to death and at the end of it, the pace really slows by a lot, which is disappointing. Thank goodness Soohyun picks it up with his part which though follow the pattern of Kevin's, have a really deep tone and this manly husk to it. Which really penetrate with emotion and bring the song right back up to speed.
1:01-1:30- I LOVE THIS CHORUS! It really reminds me of Usher, with the extended voice trails towards the ends of the lines and the variation in tone. The harmonizing too is brilliant and with regard to context, I think it really brings forth a sense of hesitation, but a form of confident hesitation if you will, like a plead for the girl to halt for a moment but with a composure so cool and suave that it's just awesome.
1:31-2:20- Pretty much the same as those above. Though Kiseop's and Hoon's exchange is really powerful and emotion-filled. Kevin still kinda spoils though...but Soohyun delivers gorgeously both in his part and in the interjection in the chorus.
2:21-2:40- The rap. Aah. Dongho's rap is good, and his tone is sort of flat throughout, not in a bad way but rather it has a purpose and a sort of attitude that comes with it. However, I prefer Eli's as you can hear his intonation a bit better and his voice also has that added fierceness which Dongho cannot replicate due to his tone I think. On a whole, the rap segments meld into the song quite seamlessly due to the R&B beat of the song giving the song some versatility when transferring to and from sentences. Really good job.
2:41-End- The awesome chorus strikes again. Not much to say here, but Kevin redeems himself a bit with the second chorus house, when he interjects with a couple verses. Here his voice does not sound as rushed and complements the chorus very well, adding a background, a back voice, a layer of emotion to the song. In fact, here he sounds a bit like Jesse McCartney with his youthful tone and all. Great ending to a great song on a whole.
So is this THE song for Ukiss? It's a brilliant song I must say, but honestly, I have this feeling they can do so much better. They are surely improving but if they can just keep their consistency, I am very sure THAT song is coming. The song to propel them to the mid-top tier alongside B2ST, B1A4 and 2PM.
Sunday 16 September 2012
[Single Review] Orange Caramel- 'Lipstick'
I haven't really listened to much After School. I don't know why, but it's sort of a thing for me that when I get obsessed with a bunch of groups, I can't really bring myself to start listening to other groups not included in my obsession list. Who isn't in that list? Well, Dal Shabet, Dalmatian, SECRET.....I can't really bear to click on their videos or hear their songs. Maybe, it is because I fear disappointment, that the first song I hear from them should be ass-kickingly awesome. And I fear that they would not deliver.
After School to me is one such group. Their songs are well-known and their odd graduation system is interesting to say the least, but I'm not really a true fan of them. The irony is that I am a complete diehard fan of their epically cute sub-group, Orange Caramel. When I first heard them in 'Bangkok City', I really despised them; their cuteness and the odd jarring beats of the song really did not appeal to me. 'Shanghai Romance' completely turned that around. It was cute as usual, but it had this very authentic China-meets-anime feel, with was pulsating and just really feel-good. 'Funny Hunny' too was a gorgeously peppy track, with a fully animated video to boot, just adding layer upon layer of endearing aegyo-style cuteness.
'Lipstick' does not divert from this cute concept. But I'd say, lyric-wise it is more deeply thought out than the rest of their songs. I mean, this isn't just plain falling-for-a-dude love type of thing, rather it's a rather spiteful or mischievous song, with hints of darkness. And this is all masked behind incredibly catchy and cheerful tunes and the epic Americana background track repeating on loop through the chorus.
From the start, the opening lines come at you quick and accompanied by this digitalised synths which add to the playfulness of the song. Also, to me, the opening lines had a slight undertone of sexiness, with a tinge of squealing and an almost-whiny sort of enunciating (that surprisingly does not put me off the song) which make the song sort of more desperate and young. The verses are fast too, with the shrill whining coming in towards the end of the lines, which I think serve to add an emotional depth (like a beg, a pleading tone for love) to the song, which at first listen may seem rather playschool (as were Orange Caramel's previous singles). The chorus, was what killed me. The 'mo-mo-mo-mo' parts sounded so cute, so catchy and like the quintessential aegyo girl. And the way it couples with the short slightly slower verses interjecting the chorus bring on an onset of rising and falling of pace and feeling, which adds a whole new level of complexity to the song, which by now, has already sold me.
The slow bit, typical in most KPOP songs, still manages to be delightfully pouty. It isn't too adrupt, rather it follows the same emotional path, just reducing the pace gradually and kicking in the Americana beats towards the end for another sudden rush of emotion of joy.
And I think that is what Orange Caramel really excels at. Happiness. They bring forth a sort of playfulness in their style. Their videos are so brainless and dream-like that they are hilarious, and I think it is to show an image that the girls are sticking to the usual roots (aegyo) while playing totally out of the box simultaneously (alien videos and outfits and songs), a sort of restrained audacity which I can only credit to successful management and organised conceptual decisions.
With these continued Orange Caramel boppy hits and if only After School could take a leaf out of their book, I'm pretty sure After School would find itself slowly catching up to my obsessions list in no time. But, meanwhile, Orange Caramel remain gorgeously alien, and just bring me into their world. Bring me there please. Again. Now.
After School to me is one such group. Their songs are well-known and their odd graduation system is interesting to say the least, but I'm not really a true fan of them. The irony is that I am a complete diehard fan of their epically cute sub-group, Orange Caramel. When I first heard them in 'Bangkok City', I really despised them; their cuteness and the odd jarring beats of the song really did not appeal to me. 'Shanghai Romance' completely turned that around. It was cute as usual, but it had this very authentic China-meets-anime feel, with was pulsating and just really feel-good. 'Funny Hunny' too was a gorgeously peppy track, with a fully animated video to boot, just adding layer upon layer of endearing aegyo-style cuteness.
'Lipstick' does not divert from this cute concept. But I'd say, lyric-wise it is more deeply thought out than the rest of their songs. I mean, this isn't just plain falling-for-a-dude love type of thing, rather it's a rather spiteful or mischievous song, with hints of darkness. And this is all masked behind incredibly catchy and cheerful tunes and the epic Americana background track repeating on loop through the chorus.
From the start, the opening lines come at you quick and accompanied by this digitalised synths which add to the playfulness of the song. Also, to me, the opening lines had a slight undertone of sexiness, with a tinge of squealing and an almost-whiny sort of enunciating (that surprisingly does not put me off the song) which make the song sort of more desperate and young. The verses are fast too, with the shrill whining coming in towards the end of the lines, which I think serve to add an emotional depth (like a beg, a pleading tone for love) to the song, which at first listen may seem rather playschool (as were Orange Caramel's previous singles). The chorus, was what killed me. The 'mo-mo-mo-mo' parts sounded so cute, so catchy and like the quintessential aegyo girl. And the way it couples with the short slightly slower verses interjecting the chorus bring on an onset of rising and falling of pace and feeling, which adds a whole new level of complexity to the song, which by now, has already sold me.
The slow bit, typical in most KPOP songs, still manages to be delightfully pouty. It isn't too adrupt, rather it follows the same emotional path, just reducing the pace gradually and kicking in the Americana beats towards the end for another sudden rush of emotion of joy.
And I think that is what Orange Caramel really excels at. Happiness. They bring forth a sort of playfulness in their style. Their videos are so brainless and dream-like that they are hilarious, and I think it is to show an image that the girls are sticking to the usual roots (aegyo) while playing totally out of the box simultaneously (alien videos and outfits and songs), a sort of restrained audacity which I can only credit to successful management and organised conceptual decisions.
With these continued Orange Caramel boppy hits and if only After School could take a leaf out of their book, I'm pretty sure After School would find itself slowly catching up to my obsessions list in no time. But, meanwhile, Orange Caramel remain gorgeously alien, and just bring me into their world. Bring me there please. Again. Now.
Friday 7 September 2012
[Single Review] T-ara- 'Sexy Love'
T-ara! What balls they had to stage a comeback just after the ugly situation with Hwayoung! Usually groups involved in such scandals would probably just wait for the effects to die off, which would usually take months to even years in certain cases, but T-ara seems determined to soldier on and slay the charts. I think I need to use this opportunity to bring up a point that we should really stop hating on T-ara. Like seriously. The bullying was not proved, rather it was declined by both T-ara and Hwayoung, and would you really let your childish dislike for bullying affect whether you would like the group's music or not? Honestly, I would not really care if there was indeed bullying in T-ara, though if it happened I would be upset, rather I simply care about the quality of their music. I mean, why let internal matters within a group irrelevant to myself prevent me from hearing wall-thumping, ass-kicking tunes? Yes, and I only care about music quality, and T-ara has never disappointed.
Is there any other girl group as bold and diverse and shamelessly addictive as T-ara? They have practically sampled every style out there, with the aegyo concept ("Bo Peep Bo Peep"), the sexy concept ("Like The First Time"), the retro concept ("Roly-Poly"), the disco concept ("Lovey Dovey") and the outrageous WTF concept ("Yayaya"). I really respect T-ara for actually giving other styles a shot and trying to appeal to wide spectrum of audiences, and honestly, no matter how drastic the song style changes, all their songs (well, maybe most of them') have been awesome.
Now with the controversy about Hwayoung and all, I wondered what style T-ara would choose to go with to win back the converted haters. To overcome all that negativity, I would have expected a classic, T-ara, ridiculously addictive dance track. And voila. Sexy Love. Sure, it is playing somewhat safe, but with all the trouble behind them, maybe safe is the way to go. Let's face it, T-ara is monkey balls awesome, but CLASSIC T-ARA? Respect.
Onto 'Sexy Love'. Let's just start by saying I like this song. Yeah, it's not my favourite T-ara song ("I Go Crazy Because Of You" still holds that honour) but it is pretty solid. From the get-go, a wall booming beat comes in, setting off this club-like atmosphere in you and your feet start to twitch. It is an amazing beat and really sets the pace for the rest of the song. Then a robotic creaking sound plays alongside which is well probably to serve as a build-up for the pre-verse hook, and it does serve its purpose, though it kind of overpowered the infectious wall booming beat which I guess is a tad disappointing. But the next bit makes up for it wholesale.
Duck + Robots + T-ara being robots = WIN.
Yeah, I can't really describe what that background track felt like to me but it was like an anthem, an anthem of robotic dance pop, and I could just imagine a filled Seoul Olympic Stadium just grooving to this. Jiyeon starts the song off with her verse. Jiyeon's voice is ok? I guess? She was great in HersHE perhaps because of Ailee and Hyorin, but I never really thought of her as a powerhouse vocal. Still her lines probably bring forth the sexiest vibes out of any other lines in the song, with an airy trailing vocal towards the end and a slight slurry texture throughout which add a sultriness to the song. Hyomin's parts are the catchiest as usual and the rhythm in her lines never let up, just rushing forward with a tangible impatience and venom, just adding the buildup once more. Boram's parts were high pitched. And they were so-so. Boram is pretty meh to me but at least she got some exposure, and Qri butts in with her whisper. That whisper was probably the most artistic element in the song for me, as it added a sense of mystery, like some ancient goddess suddenly chimed in with a soft quivering message, and it added another layer of sexiness to the song. Mystery and unpredictability are part and parcel of sexiness, because you never know what the real thing is. However ambiguous that was, not knowing anything just makes the result better and not knowing a woman makes her true self and personality shine through much better, enhancing her womanly face, enhancing her appeal.
The chorus is a sudden fast-paced burst of intensity and rapidfire mutterings of sexy organs by Soyeon. What I don't like about this chorus is that it is flat, it lacks intonation. It is like a rap but with louder background, and one-dimensional, not really falunting Soyeon's vocal ability. Eunjung's section after the chorus serves as a pretty good, mildly energetic closing section for the intense chorus, which is much appreciated.
Onto the rap. AARRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHH! Why do raps have autotune? Why? Maybe to add to the robotic vibe of the song? But I could barely hear anything in that rap; maybe the excessive digitalizing was to allow Ahreum to smoke her way through the rap (originally meant for Hwayoung) or something? I don't know. But it is my least favourite part of the song by far.
In all, a solid track by T-ara, it is decently catchy (disregarding the rap) and the dance steps are really fun to watch. Maybe not their best track but surely enough to show the haters what T-ara is about, what they can be and what they will be.
- The Kpop Philosopher
Is there any other girl group as bold and diverse and shamelessly addictive as T-ara? They have practically sampled every style out there, with the aegyo concept ("Bo Peep Bo Peep"), the sexy concept ("Like The First Time"), the retro concept ("Roly-Poly"), the disco concept ("Lovey Dovey") and the outrageous WTF concept ("Yayaya"). I really respect T-ara for actually giving other styles a shot and trying to appeal to wide spectrum of audiences, and honestly, no matter how drastic the song style changes, all their songs (well, maybe most of them') have been awesome.
Now with the controversy about Hwayoung and all, I wondered what style T-ara would choose to go with to win back the converted haters. To overcome all that negativity, I would have expected a classic, T-ara, ridiculously addictive dance track. And voila. Sexy Love. Sure, it is playing somewhat safe, but with all the trouble behind them, maybe safe is the way to go. Let's face it, T-ara is monkey balls awesome, but CLASSIC T-ARA? Respect.
Onto 'Sexy Love'. Let's just start by saying I like this song. Yeah, it's not my favourite T-ara song ("I Go Crazy Because Of You" still holds that honour) but it is pretty solid. From the get-go, a wall booming beat comes in, setting off this club-like atmosphere in you and your feet start to twitch. It is an amazing beat and really sets the pace for the rest of the song. Then a robotic creaking sound plays alongside which is well probably to serve as a build-up for the pre-verse hook, and it does serve its purpose, though it kind of overpowered the infectious wall booming beat which I guess is a tad disappointing. But the next bit makes up for it wholesale.
Duck + Robots + T-ara being robots = WIN.
Yeah, I can't really describe what that background track felt like to me but it was like an anthem, an anthem of robotic dance pop, and I could just imagine a filled Seoul Olympic Stadium just grooving to this. Jiyeon starts the song off with her verse. Jiyeon's voice is ok? I guess? She was great in HersHE perhaps because of Ailee and Hyorin, but I never really thought of her as a powerhouse vocal. Still her lines probably bring forth the sexiest vibes out of any other lines in the song, with an airy trailing vocal towards the end and a slight slurry texture throughout which add a sultriness to the song. Hyomin's parts are the catchiest as usual and the rhythm in her lines never let up, just rushing forward with a tangible impatience and venom, just adding the buildup once more. Boram's parts were high pitched. And they were so-so. Boram is pretty meh to me but at least she got some exposure, and Qri butts in with her whisper. That whisper was probably the most artistic element in the song for me, as it added a sense of mystery, like some ancient goddess suddenly chimed in with a soft quivering message, and it added another layer of sexiness to the song. Mystery and unpredictability are part and parcel of sexiness, because you never know what the real thing is. However ambiguous that was, not knowing anything just makes the result better and not knowing a woman makes her true self and personality shine through much better, enhancing her womanly face, enhancing her appeal.
The chorus is a sudden fast-paced burst of intensity and rapidfire mutterings of sexy organs by Soyeon. What I don't like about this chorus is that it is flat, it lacks intonation. It is like a rap but with louder background, and one-dimensional, not really falunting Soyeon's vocal ability. Eunjung's section after the chorus serves as a pretty good, mildly energetic closing section for the intense chorus, which is much appreciated.
Onto the rap. AARRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHH! Why do raps have autotune? Why? Maybe to add to the robotic vibe of the song? But I could barely hear anything in that rap; maybe the excessive digitalizing was to allow Ahreum to smoke her way through the rap (originally meant for Hwayoung) or something? I don't know. But it is my least favourite part of the song by far.
In all, a solid track by T-ara, it is decently catchy (disregarding the rap) and the dance steps are really fun to watch. Maybe not their best track but surely enough to show the haters what T-ara is about, what they can be and what they will be.
- The Kpop Philosopher
Friday 31 August 2012
[Song You Need To Know #2] GLAM- 'Party'
I heard this song not too long ago on Inkigayo and I wasn't really impressed. I mean, it seemed to be an attempt at a fun, upbeat song, but those base synths. sudden drop in pace and the odd chanting (in poor English, mind you) in the chorus really let down the exciting build up that the killer rap sections and endearing vocals had provided. Or at least that was what I thought until I saw the actual music video. The music video was eccentric and basically portrayed GLAM as freakish people from another planet, coming (or at least that is what I presume) to just have a good time. It was ok, I guess, with some moderately interesting effects and bright colourful explosions. But it tied in pretty well the meaning of the song, which I find incredibly inspiring and is the reason behind my love for this track.
What is the meaning? Well, if you do not Korean, you'd might probably think its some messy party anthem, as people to get 'the party started' and the 'its just a heartbeat away' (which does not make sense), which is pretty damn shallow. But if you do understand the language, or bothered to look up the translated lyrics online, you'd realise the boldness of the song, and the impactful messages hidden within the lyrics. Basically, 'Party' is a lesbianic song.
Wow.
And no, it is not raunchy in any way. It is somewhat reminiscent of Firework by Katy Perry, as both provide messages about acceptance and being yourself. But GLAM's attempt at advocating this message comes through way stronger. Why? Because they are in Korea where homosexuality is universally looked down upon by society and from GLAM to come up with such an in-your-face song is seriously awesome. And also they haven't been banned by KBS. The song is rebellious, it goes against societal norms, much like Bikini Kill were when they were in their prime, advocating feminism and starting a feminist rock wave which spread like wildfire. GLAM are just so daring and it does not come off overly vulgar, rather its a really sweet and inspiring song.
Wow.
GLAM tells everyone that anyone can be a 'Romeo' and anyone can be a 'Juliet' and that you should just screw others' opinions and just have fun and enjoy life. And hearing that just gets me so pumped and brimmed with emotion that I just want to stand up and jump around brainlessly.
- The Kpop Philosopher
What is the meaning? Well, if you do not Korean, you'd might probably think its some messy party anthem, as people to get 'the party started' and the 'its just a heartbeat away' (which does not make sense), which is pretty damn shallow. But if you do understand the language, or bothered to look up the translated lyrics online, you'd realise the boldness of the song, and the impactful messages hidden within the lyrics. Basically, 'Party' is a lesbianic song.
Wow.
And no, it is not raunchy in any way. It is somewhat reminiscent of Firework by Katy Perry, as both provide messages about acceptance and being yourself. But GLAM's attempt at advocating this message comes through way stronger. Why? Because they are in Korea where homosexuality is universally looked down upon by society and from GLAM to come up with such an in-your-face song is seriously awesome. And also they haven't been banned by KBS. The song is rebellious, it goes against societal norms, much like Bikini Kill were when they were in their prime, advocating feminism and starting a feminist rock wave which spread like wildfire. GLAM are just so daring and it does not come off overly vulgar, rather its a really sweet and inspiring song.
Wow.
GLAM tells everyone that anyone can be a 'Romeo' and anyone can be a 'Juliet' and that you should just screw others' opinions and just have fun and enjoy life. And hearing that just gets me so pumped and brimmed with emotion that I just want to stand up and jump around brainlessly.
- The Kpop Philosopher
[Single Review] G-Dragon- 'One Of A Kind'
G-Dragon. Aaaaah. Honestly, out of all the talented Kpop idols out there, I could swear by my dog's life that he is, unquestionably, the most talented one out there. And comparing him with other musicians like Jung Yonghwa and whatnot, I'd say that's a pretty good place to be at. But I have my reasons. Firstly, when idols produce songs, usually they would not partake in the production process, like writing the lyrics or composing the backing tracks. However, G-Dragon does it all. He is an amazing songwriter and 'Haru Haru' still blows my mind today. Secondly, I like his style. And by style, I do not mean in the fashion scene solely, no, I refer to his method of presenting himself. In terms of fashion, one cannot deny that he takes an unorthodox approach to clothing, with really flamboyant clothing which clash so much, yet turn out so good. In other aspects, he too does not follow the routine styles followed by majority of the other idols out there, and it is probably because of that that I respect him so so much. He is just so out there, and he just wants to tell the world that, "Hey, I'm gonna do things the GD way, and if you don't like it, screw off", and that confidence he brings with him is so endearing and utterly respectable. To top it off by doing such potentially controversial acts in a renowedly conservative nation like Korea is really really remarkable.
That being said, I had high hopes for his solo comeback. Heartbreaker in 2009 was heavily lauded, and bagged GD numerous awards, like Album of The Year at the 2009 edition of MAMA. Heartbreaker was somewhat a milestone for Kpop, as it brought this form of swag which had never really been seen before, with lightning fast raps and GD showcasing his unmatched stage presence. Even by himself on a comparatively large stage, he owns it, and swallows the stage whole. That left me a question, would I be disappointed? Usually I do not keep my expectations too high up as naturally disappointment would come about easier. Look at The Boys, where I held ridiculously low expectations for; ultimately I felt satisfied despite eventually realising that compared to legend tracks like Gee and Genie, it just felt short on so many levels. Still my trust in GD's talent and swagger led me to keeping up with my expectations and I took my first listen of One of A Kind, with a tinge of nervousness and overwhelming eagerness.
And so I did......
Everything I had said about GD, everything I had praised him forced just went full circle, back to this video and slammed me in the face with twice the force. Holy cow.
In case you had not realised, this is a positive review. The song drips with arrogance and self-flattery, so much so that one can see GD's wild and unrestrained side, and not too much that it portrays him as a snob. If the song did convince you that he was an arrogant piece of poop, then I guess it would not reflect poorly on GD's character, rather, it shows you just how incredibly magical and convincing GD's productions are. You hear it and you are engulfed by the beat, engulfed by GD's swaggy arm movements and slightly nasal rap runs, and you feel like you ARE ONE OF A KIND. You feel like you are GD. And yes, GD is a freaking awesome guy to take the role of, so being GD......well accepted.
The song is not exactly catchy, and in fact it is rather weird. The raps sort of come in triplets, and have this sort of rolling effect as they dribble relentlessly out of GD's mouth. Also, there are these odd dreary lengths of beats between verses, in addition to the speak-rap chorus. Add any one of those three elements to a regular peppy Kpop song, and I'd probably flip.
But then the magic of GD kicks in. He teases us, with the monotonous rap triplets serving as somewhat of a build-up. We start to think, 'What's coming next? Is he gonna switch back to his nasally voice or do a divalicious high note (unlikely, but hey GD is the epitomy of an enigma)?" We never know. And we wait. In anticipation.
Then it hits. Oh. Wait. It hasn't. He slows down his rap, intentionally drawling over the lyrics with a seductiveness and confidence which I do not believe anyone else in Kpop can do better than he. The tempo slows down a bit and our hearts go on a rollercoaster.
Then comes the long beat sequence. Which sort of brings things back up to speed building up the tension yet again as we wait for a loud, bombastic chorus. In Heartbreaker, GD intertwined hardcore rapping and auto-tune laced long notes which made the chorus similar to a tsunami, hitting us forcefully with heaps of electronica and hip hop. In this song, he doesn't. Instead, he goes back to his monotonous raps and contorts his voice digitally. While some may think its an anti-climax of sorts, I do not agree. It is progressive. It serves a suitably offbeat ending, rounding up all the tension from the previous verses into a speak-rap, with GD swagging about, convincing you "Hey Sir, I'm one of a kind." And hell yes, I believe that.
This pattern goes on throughout the song with some variation, which is always appreciated to break the monotony of songs sometimes. And the video ends. I close the browser. And I stone in disebelief.
After the masterpiece in Heartbreaker, GD has done it again.
Who wouldn't have expected it? He is after all, one of a kind.
- The Kpop Philosopher
That being said, I had high hopes for his solo comeback. Heartbreaker in 2009 was heavily lauded, and bagged GD numerous awards, like Album of The Year at the 2009 edition of MAMA. Heartbreaker was somewhat a milestone for Kpop, as it brought this form of swag which had never really been seen before, with lightning fast raps and GD showcasing his unmatched stage presence. Even by himself on a comparatively large stage, he owns it, and swallows the stage whole. That left me a question, would I be disappointed? Usually I do not keep my expectations too high up as naturally disappointment would come about easier. Look at The Boys, where I held ridiculously low expectations for; ultimately I felt satisfied despite eventually realising that compared to legend tracks like Gee and Genie, it just felt short on so many levels. Still my trust in GD's talent and swagger led me to keeping up with my expectations and I took my first listen of One of A Kind, with a tinge of nervousness and overwhelming eagerness.
And so I did......
Everything I had said about GD, everything I had praised him forced just went full circle, back to this video and slammed me in the face with twice the force. Holy cow.
In case you had not realised, this is a positive review. The song drips with arrogance and self-flattery, so much so that one can see GD's wild and unrestrained side, and not too much that it portrays him as a snob. If the song did convince you that he was an arrogant piece of poop, then I guess it would not reflect poorly on GD's character, rather, it shows you just how incredibly magical and convincing GD's productions are. You hear it and you are engulfed by the beat, engulfed by GD's swaggy arm movements and slightly nasal rap runs, and you feel like you ARE ONE OF A KIND. You feel like you are GD. And yes, GD is a freaking awesome guy to take the role of, so being GD......well accepted.
The song is not exactly catchy, and in fact it is rather weird. The raps sort of come in triplets, and have this sort of rolling effect as they dribble relentlessly out of GD's mouth. Also, there are these odd dreary lengths of beats between verses, in addition to the speak-rap chorus. Add any one of those three elements to a regular peppy Kpop song, and I'd probably flip.
But then the magic of GD kicks in. He teases us, with the monotonous rap triplets serving as somewhat of a build-up. We start to think, 'What's coming next? Is he gonna switch back to his nasally voice or do a divalicious high note (unlikely, but hey GD is the epitomy of an enigma)?" We never know. And we wait. In anticipation.
Then it hits. Oh. Wait. It hasn't. He slows down his rap, intentionally drawling over the lyrics with a seductiveness and confidence which I do not believe anyone else in Kpop can do better than he. The tempo slows down a bit and our hearts go on a rollercoaster.
Then comes the long beat sequence. Which sort of brings things back up to speed building up the tension yet again as we wait for a loud, bombastic chorus. In Heartbreaker, GD intertwined hardcore rapping and auto-tune laced long notes which made the chorus similar to a tsunami, hitting us forcefully with heaps of electronica and hip hop. In this song, he doesn't. Instead, he goes back to his monotonous raps and contorts his voice digitally. While some may think its an anti-climax of sorts, I do not agree. It is progressive. It serves a suitably offbeat ending, rounding up all the tension from the previous verses into a speak-rap, with GD swagging about, convincing you "Hey Sir, I'm one of a kind." And hell yes, I believe that.
This pattern goes on throughout the song with some variation, which is always appreciated to break the monotony of songs sometimes. And the video ends. I close the browser. And I stone in disebelief.
After the masterpiece in Heartbreaker, GD has done it again.
Who wouldn't have expected it? He is after all, one of a kind.
- The Kpop Philosopher
Saturday 25 August 2012
[Song You Need To Know #1] 'Cleansing Cream'
This song was not exactly an underrated song. It did generate quite some interest, but many still have never really heard this song before, preferring the orchestral, divalicious masterpiece in Sixth Sense, from the same album.
I loved Sixth Sense. It was powerful and that Mariah Carey-esque note from Narsha was probably one of the best things with appeared on the 2011 Kpop Scene. But it seemed a little unfair that that song, which was stunning to say the least, had to steal away practically all the limelight from the rest of the songs in the album, most of which were pretty solid. Cleansing Cream, was one such overshadowed song.
Aside from the ambiguous and laughworthy title, the song conceals a deep message further enhanced by the beautiful vocals, laced with pain and helplessness, all which culminated into an emotional ballad, one of my favourite ever Kpop ballads. Most ballads done by Kpop groups have been produced simply to add a slight variation to their album songlists which (let's face it) are predominantly swamped with mindlessly catchy electronica beats, and many a time, these ballads have been gobsmackingly lacklustre. A rare gem like Cleansing Cream thus immediately grabbed my attention, and after the first listen, I bought it. I got the message. My soul was permeated with the ideas of superficiality and feelings and suffering. The chorus, expecially, featured many moments of spectacular falsetto by Ga-in and to-and-fro high notes with Narsha, which were brilliant. Jea, of course, shone with her chesty belts and Miryo, who got the least share of the song, made the most out of her short rap bits, which intertwined gorgeously with symphonic Western strings in the background.
Few other Kpop ballads have managed to convey such depth and complexity, especially not in such a sound smothered with variety and exceptional singing techniques. Maybe another one I could think of would be 'We Were In Love' by T-ara and Davichi, another lovely ode with surprisingly spiteful rap sequences from Hyomin and Hwayoung, and also beautiful harmonizing from Soyeon and both Davichi members, simply oozing with sadness and raging pleads for their loves to return to them.
Still, Cleansing Cream is a ballad not to be overlooked. Need I say more about BEG? Brown Eyed Girls have never disappointed and I do not foresse them doing so in the near future.
I loved Sixth Sense. It was powerful and that Mariah Carey-esque note from Narsha was probably one of the best things with appeared on the 2011 Kpop Scene. But it seemed a little unfair that that song, which was stunning to say the least, had to steal away practically all the limelight from the rest of the songs in the album, most of which were pretty solid. Cleansing Cream, was one such overshadowed song.
Aside from the ambiguous and laughworthy title, the song conceals a deep message further enhanced by the beautiful vocals, laced with pain and helplessness, all which culminated into an emotional ballad, one of my favourite ever Kpop ballads. Most ballads done by Kpop groups have been produced simply to add a slight variation to their album songlists which (let's face it) are predominantly swamped with mindlessly catchy electronica beats, and many a time, these ballads have been gobsmackingly lacklustre. A rare gem like Cleansing Cream thus immediately grabbed my attention, and after the first listen, I bought it. I got the message. My soul was permeated with the ideas of superficiality and feelings and suffering. The chorus, expecially, featured many moments of spectacular falsetto by Ga-in and to-and-fro high notes with Narsha, which were brilliant. Jea, of course, shone with her chesty belts and Miryo, who got the least share of the song, made the most out of her short rap bits, which intertwined gorgeously with symphonic Western strings in the background.
Few other Kpop ballads have managed to convey such depth and complexity, especially not in such a sound smothered with variety and exceptional singing techniques. Maybe another one I could think of would be 'We Were In Love' by T-ara and Davichi, another lovely ode with surprisingly spiteful rap sequences from Hyomin and Hwayoung, and also beautiful harmonizing from Soyeon and both Davichi members, simply oozing with sadness and raging pleads for their loves to return to them.
Still, Cleansing Cream is a ballad not to be overlooked. Need I say more about BEG? Brown Eyed Girls have never disappointed and I do not foresse them doing so in the near future.
Friday 24 August 2012
[Single Review] Kara- Pandora
Kara, I would say is one of the top 4 girl groups in Korea, as claimed by many Kpop fans internationally. In all honesty, I never really thought they deserved a place within the 'Big 4' since their compatriots in that prestigious category were the unique and utterly confident 2NE1, the eternally harmonized Girls' Generation, and of course, the youthful veterans of the industry, Wonder Girls. All these groups had a very evident strength, be it in stage presence and vocal talent (2NE1), harmony and beauty (SNSD) or remarkable consistency (WG). But Kara, to me, did not seem to have a really defining factor which enabled them to stand out.
Their debut single was a failure, but what truly propelled them into the spotlight was 'Mister' where their ridiculously difficult, and sexy, butt rolling attracted girl crushes and induced heterosexual fantasies all over the globe. Besides the butt rolling, that song was not impressive. I mean, the song had a decent hook and all but everything seemed so generic and the rest of the dances looked a bit base, and weak.
When they released 'Lupin', I was extremely impressed. I liked their change of concept. The aegyo concept of girl groups was really starting to become quite the overused fad, and I for one was certainly not impressed in the least by any of the rookie groups who had creatively instilled the concept into their debut singles. Lupin was powerful, with a blaring trumpet background and a rocking hip swinging dance, oozing with pure energy, power and confidence, a side of which I was dying to see in many of the new female groups which debuted.
But since then, Kara has appeared to have gone back to their 'cute' concept, with 'Step' and 'Jet Coaster Love' portraying as rather naive females, easily attracted to undeveloped relationships and night partying. I don't understand why the aegyo concept existed at first, for Kara especially. Sure, they debuted as teens, but didn't DSP know better than to promote their group in a way copied so many times before? And now being grown women, the cute concept is completely inappropriate and reflects on the groups' agencies as rather materialistic in some ways.
With 'Pandora', they have seemed to have taken that message, going with a slightly darker song with epic background music from Sweettune. In the teasers, what really got my attention wasn't Jiyoung's hair or Hara's eyelashes or Nicole's crawling on all fours. Rather it was that mess of sounds in the back, a sick electric guitar riff, noisy violin rapidfire sections, more awesome trumpet blares, and they added a form of complexity to the song, in that it gives the impression of quick movement, that the song is surging forward, urging the listeners to move forward with it to gain the impression of the dominance the song has over their souls. The lines were equally distributed, a norm for Kara, but a problem I am facing is that lack of distinguishable quality between the members' voices. They sound the SAME, which brings forth the rather obvious fact that Autotune was used to quite an extent in the production of the song, taking away credit from the true potential of the girls. (well, Seungyeon and Gyuri at least)
What I liked about this song was its hook, which seems to be a constant in all Kara songs. They always have a repetitive one/two syllable hook (eg. Hallo hallo, La la, Up and up ah ah), and it just worms its way into your head and take control over your body's nervous system. I, for one, have been singing it all day without giving two poops about the stares I have been receiving in public. I also loved the chorus, it seemed very harmonized which brought forth depth in their tones.
While I love this new concept by Kara, as well as this song, I would say that the thing Kara needs in order to justify its position within the Big 4 in my books, would be variation. All their appear to follow a strict pattern:
Hook ---> Short Verse ---> Chorus ---> Short Verse ---> Chorus --> Awkward Slow Part ---> Chorus
It works in a way, but perhaps they could try a ballad next time, if they are so insistent on implementing a slower section into their generally fast-paced tracks. They really do throw off the pace quite a bit and just seem out of place. In SISTAR's 'Alone', their rap (fast) melded with the melody (slow) very well by intertwining with one another, yet Kara seems to take them separately like heterogenous substances, resulting in uneven pacing.
In all, this song is a step in the right direction for Kara, and I sincerely hope they could try out new concepts in future, while staying true to the traits which make Kara essentially Kara.
Final Score: B
- The Kpop Philosopher
Their debut single was a failure, but what truly propelled them into the spotlight was 'Mister' where their ridiculously difficult, and sexy, butt rolling attracted girl crushes and induced heterosexual fantasies all over the globe. Besides the butt rolling, that song was not impressive. I mean, the song had a decent hook and all but everything seemed so generic and the rest of the dances looked a bit base, and weak.
When they released 'Lupin', I was extremely impressed. I liked their change of concept. The aegyo concept of girl groups was really starting to become quite the overused fad, and I for one was certainly not impressed in the least by any of the rookie groups who had creatively instilled the concept into their debut singles. Lupin was powerful, with a blaring trumpet background and a rocking hip swinging dance, oozing with pure energy, power and confidence, a side of which I was dying to see in many of the new female groups which debuted.
But since then, Kara has appeared to have gone back to their 'cute' concept, with 'Step' and 'Jet Coaster Love' portraying as rather naive females, easily attracted to undeveloped relationships and night partying. I don't understand why the aegyo concept existed at first, for Kara especially. Sure, they debuted as teens, but didn't DSP know better than to promote their group in a way copied so many times before? And now being grown women, the cute concept is completely inappropriate and reflects on the groups' agencies as rather materialistic in some ways.
With 'Pandora', they have seemed to have taken that message, going with a slightly darker song with epic background music from Sweettune. In the teasers, what really got my attention wasn't Jiyoung's hair or Hara's eyelashes or Nicole's crawling on all fours. Rather it was that mess of sounds in the back, a sick electric guitar riff, noisy violin rapidfire sections, more awesome trumpet blares, and they added a form of complexity to the song, in that it gives the impression of quick movement, that the song is surging forward, urging the listeners to move forward with it to gain the impression of the dominance the song has over their souls. The lines were equally distributed, a norm for Kara, but a problem I am facing is that lack of distinguishable quality between the members' voices. They sound the SAME, which brings forth the rather obvious fact that Autotune was used to quite an extent in the production of the song, taking away credit from the true potential of the girls. (well, Seungyeon and Gyuri at least)
What I liked about this song was its hook, which seems to be a constant in all Kara songs. They always have a repetitive one/two syllable hook (eg. Hallo hallo, La la, Up and up ah ah), and it just worms its way into your head and take control over your body's nervous system. I, for one, have been singing it all day without giving two poops about the stares I have been receiving in public. I also loved the chorus, it seemed very harmonized which brought forth depth in their tones.
While I love this new concept by Kara, as well as this song, I would say that the thing Kara needs in order to justify its position within the Big 4 in my books, would be variation. All their appear to follow a strict pattern:
Hook ---> Short Verse ---> Chorus ---> Short Verse ---> Chorus --> Awkward Slow Part ---> Chorus
It works in a way, but perhaps they could try a ballad next time, if they are so insistent on implementing a slower section into their generally fast-paced tracks. They really do throw off the pace quite a bit and just seem out of place. In SISTAR's 'Alone', their rap (fast) melded with the melody (slow) very well by intertwining with one another, yet Kara seems to take them separately like heterogenous substances, resulting in uneven pacing.
In all, this song is a step in the right direction for Kara, and I sincerely hope they could try out new concepts in future, while staying true to the traits which make Kara essentially Kara.
Final Score: B
- The Kpop Philosopher
An Introduction
Kpop Philosophy. I am pretty sure many out there (especially the kpop antis lurking about in cyberspace, waiting to hate) would figure this phrase as somewhat of an oxymoron.
I hear many a time people saying that Kpop is fake and shallow, which really irk me as most of their criticisms usually come about rather unjustified, other than through the peer pressure of the rest of their friends either having a dislike for Kpop or not knowing about it in its entirety. I have tried asking people to give it a chance, but apparently my attempts have proven unfruitful and many of them continue to uphold biased typecasts against it.
In honesty, I do not see why they perceive Kpop as fake. Kpop is music and music is never fake. It exists around us, it smothers our ears with melodies, good or bad. Saying Kpop is fake would imply that it is a form of music which does not exist, which not only questions the theories of matter but also defies all forms of common logic. I would understand if they were to say they dislike Kpop, I mean, each to his own right? But to label it as fake simply disrespects the efforts which the artists put into creating their tracks and disregards any element of Kpop's existence, which to me is ridiculously unjustified and insensitive.
Honestly, I did not like Kpop at first. Not mere dislike, almost of a hatred, and yes I was affected by my friends. I did not comprehend why people would enjoy songs of which 70% of their lyrics were completely alien to them. I took a hiatus from exposing myself to Kpop for a while, before I accidentally came across Brown Eyed Girls' Abracadabra one day, and it really showed me that the messages of the song could resonate through anyone, and that music was a universal language. I could feel the raw power in the song, I could somewhat grasp a message through the sounds and controversial video; it was eye-opening and really got me to start digging Kpop. Yet, if only others could give it a chance.
Anyway, the reason I am setting up this blog is to mainly give weekly reviews of popular Kpop tracks, along with my analysis of them, and also a weekly recommendation of not-so-heard tracks that will definitely worm their ways into listeners' heads. I want to show Kpop's complexities and wonders, which I feel have yet to been discovered by many out there. This blog thus could serve as an insult to them, showing them what they have truly been missing out on.
KPOP for the win.
- The Kpop Philosopher
I hear many a time people saying that Kpop is fake and shallow, which really irk me as most of their criticisms usually come about rather unjustified, other than through the peer pressure of the rest of their friends either having a dislike for Kpop or not knowing about it in its entirety. I have tried asking people to give it a chance, but apparently my attempts have proven unfruitful and many of them continue to uphold biased typecasts against it.
In honesty, I do not see why they perceive Kpop as fake. Kpop is music and music is never fake. It exists around us, it smothers our ears with melodies, good or bad. Saying Kpop is fake would imply that it is a form of music which does not exist, which not only questions the theories of matter but also defies all forms of common logic. I would understand if they were to say they dislike Kpop, I mean, each to his own right? But to label it as fake simply disrespects the efforts which the artists put into creating their tracks and disregards any element of Kpop's existence, which to me is ridiculously unjustified and insensitive.
Honestly, I did not like Kpop at first. Not mere dislike, almost of a hatred, and yes I was affected by my friends. I did not comprehend why people would enjoy songs of which 70% of their lyrics were completely alien to them. I took a hiatus from exposing myself to Kpop for a while, before I accidentally came across Brown Eyed Girls' Abracadabra one day, and it really showed me that the messages of the song could resonate through anyone, and that music was a universal language. I could feel the raw power in the song, I could somewhat grasp a message through the sounds and controversial video; it was eye-opening and really got me to start digging Kpop. Yet, if only others could give it a chance.
Anyway, the reason I am setting up this blog is to mainly give weekly reviews of popular Kpop tracks, along with my analysis of them, and also a weekly recommendation of not-so-heard tracks that will definitely worm their ways into listeners' heads. I want to show Kpop's complexities and wonders, which I feel have yet to been discovered by many out there. This blog thus could serve as an insult to them, showing them what they have truly been missing out on.
KPOP for the win.
- The Kpop Philosopher
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