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.
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