khukei

[khukei]

Well, duh, of course this group gets a lot of hate. Decades and decades of discrimination and inequality towards migrant Koreans/Asians working in America has taught them that. As an Asian (Filipino), I can understand where they (the audience and the bashers) are coming from. If EXP EDITION did this in the Philippines they'd be instafamous because my people are generally more forgiving, but not Korea, and some other parts of Asia, and you can't really blame them. White Americans crying foul over the hate this group is getting is ridiculous because they're  acting like we're the evils of this world in this simple act of retaliation when they've been doing far worse to everyone else for centuries. Let’s just be thankful that the audience is just being quiet and not throwing stuff. EXP EDITION had it easy. Muslim women wearing Hijabs get assaulted in the streets of America, and there are countless other examples, I'm sure we're all aware. And yeah yeah not all Americans are racist, but the very fact that majority of their population voted for a racist homophobe speaks for itself.

[khukei]

SO FAR THE BEST AND CLEANEST MASHUP I’VE EVER HEARD

[khukei]

LOL

[khukei]

[khukei]

[Zion. T - O O] Album Review

I first heard of Zion. T from Jonghyun’s Deja Boo. Today I saw his EP  on the new releases section on Spotify and checked it out and I’m so glad I did.  So here are my two cents on this Mini Album:

Cinema  This song is pure genius. I totally did not expect Hangul to sound so great in a Latin pop style song. This is sheer perfection. And his voice fits this style very well. The choir parts make it even more interesting. And then near the end it has this sudden feel change into this jazzy bass-driven part that works really well. I am blown away. I have nothing but praises for this song. Eargasm all the way. I can imagine myself sipping wine in my garden on a lazy sunday afternoon. This is love at first listen. I am now a fan of Zion. T.   

The Song This is such a lighthearted, feelgood song. And the message is quirky. 

Memorable line:  One week ago, in the bathtub I was humming a song by myself Now you’ve heard that song And soon, people will hear it tooJust piano alone is too boring So I put in some bass I wrote this song by thinking of you all day There’s not much to it But it’s just how I feel I hope you’ll listen with that in mind

Comedian I thought laughter in the intro was kinda creepy. The chord progression is interesting. And I’m kind of sad that it’s only under 2 minutes.

Sorry (feat. Beenzino) What can I say. I’m a sucker for lighthearted feelgood songs. This is my second favorite in this album. I like everything about it. 

The Bad Guys I like Zion T’s voice. I like his rapping style. I like his style. I have nothing but praises. This song goes well played after Cinema on your lazy-sunday-afternoons-drinking-wine-in-the-garden-playlist.  

Complex (feat. G-DRAGON) In this song Zion T talks about his insecurities and the struggles of being a celebrity. I’m amused at G-Dragon’s ‘diss’. 

Memorable line:  Haesol, I don’t have any complexes, sorry I’m short and skinny but that’s ok, cause it’s me Actually, for me, if I was Zion.T They know all your songs but not really your face When you say GD, you think of money, fame, girls Yeah, honestly, I can’t count it all Irritated by me? Then live like me Think you can walk in my shoes? Look at me now I’m your complex, bitch

Wishes (2015) Here’s a more raw-sounding song with just Zion T’s voice and an acoustic guitar and a simple song structure and arrangement. I can’t seem to find the lyrics online right now so I can’t comment on its meaning, but judging from the way he delivered his emotions in this track it seems to be a very meaningful song. The blowing (or was it a failed attempt at a whislte??) in the middle is an interesting touch. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: 

Grade: 12/10

Favorite Song: Cinema, The Song, Sorry

Zion. T had me at the very first minute of the very first song in this EP. I don’t remember ever becoming a fan of any artist this fast. This is exactly the kind of music I’ve been looking for. This is already in my list of best albums of 2017 and it’s still the first quarter. It’s that good. My ears have been blessed!  God bless Zion T and his music! I will check out his other works later. 

[khukei]

[Red Velvet - Rookie] Album Review

Hi! It’s time for album reviews again. This time I’m listening to Red Velvet’s 4th mini album, Rookie. So without further ado, here’s what I think of each track.

Rookie  Okay I’m going to be perfectly honest. The first few listens, as in, the first 4 times, I actually thought the song was okay. The hook is pretty weak but all the other sections are strong enough to carry the song as a whole. I liked everything except the hook.  

Little Little Dat heavenly harp intro. I like the this song! I have found my favorite track in this entire album. I specially like the subtle little pizzicato runs with the violin. And the harmonization is amazing! As expected of Red Velvet. 

Happily Ever After I was taken by surprised with this one. It has the same feel as Dumb Dumb because of the claps. It also has those arcade sounds again. So many things are going on here. 

Talk to Me By this time I don’t know what to expect anymore. You just can’t exactly predict what Red Velvet is going to do next. I thought I’ve heard it all, and then here they come with this weird backwards vocals that haven’t been used in quite a while now. There are also these spacey sci fi sounds in the background. Red Velvet is the Epitome of Weird. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if someone’s going to backmask this track and come up with some strange conspiracy theory.

Body Talk This song reminds me of two artists who are OG weirdos: Enya and Bjork.  The Chord progression reminds me of an Enya song. Bjork came to mind when I heard the synth flavor. 

Last Love I’m really not a fan of ballads. The intro reminds of one of those cheezy Tagalog ballads (I’m Filipino btw) from the 90s. I blame Tagalog ballads for my distaste for all ballad songs in general because there was a time back in the 90′s when Ballads were playing everywhere in the Philippines and I remember being so annoyed as a kid and promising never to listen to ballads ever again. lol Not saying this song is cheezy or full of emotional baggage, but I can’t help but remember how annoyed I was that there was nowhere I could hide from the ballad pandemic. Our neighbors would blast them all day long and I was really angry. I probably need to see a shrink about this. lol I’m sorry, Red Velvet! 

Favorite Track:  Little Little Why? Because this one touched my stone cold heart. And it’s not as weird as the others and doesn’t remind me of an angry phase in my childhood. haha!  Memorable line: The wind blows past my cheeks My heart churns because of you It keeps softly blowing You shake up my world

Final thoughts:

Grade: 5/10

Overall, this album is okay. I am not completely blown away in a grand scale, but I appreciate what this album is trying to say. Just like the title track, the rest of the songs are an acquired taste. I really like how Red Velvet is not afraid to deviate from the norms and formulas that are proven to work to make their own sound. The R in Red Velvet stands for Risk. And that is the reason why I am a fan. 

No one ever  made it big from following the status quo. 

[khukei]

Oh my gosh it's the TARDIS 😂😂

[khukei]

[BTS - Wings] Album Review

4 months late because I got busy with life but hey better late than never right? A mini album can be dissected in a day because there’s only 7 songs max, but in Wings we have 15 tracks to chew and digest. And that is my excuse. 

ANYWAY

So my friend (who is the culprit behind my conversion to KPOP), talked me into joining this nationwide bulk ordering movement for BTS’ Wings album. 

Wings is my very first physical Kpop album and honestly, I still feel a mild pang of guilt because I wanted to get SHINee’s 1 of 1 first since they were my first love in KPOP  but Wings came in the mail first so okay.  Forgive me, SHINee! 

 Now I understand why physical  KPOP albums sell so much despite the dominance of digital downloads. I mean wow. HD pictures, posters, photo cards and other merch. I also noticed that the CDs are just casually tucked in a page like it’s just an afterthought. The albums are also quite cheap. You’re basically just paying for the photo book. But I do use the CD because I like me some high quality audio. 

 So here are my thoughts on each track:  1.Intro: Boy Meets Evil  There are some interesting vocal effects/EQing going on here. Also the lyrics are really poetic. This is btw what got me into BTS in the first place, they sing about relevant issues and matters that young adults could really relate to.  Memorable line:   I threw my future away because I was drunk on dating

2.Blood Sweat & Tears

Ah, the title track. What else could I say? This is a masterpiece. The production is amazing. This was everyone’s jam in the last quarter of 2016. And V’s incredibly deep voice, wow. I like how they’re using the Spanish mode and incorporating trap hi hat things into the mix. Everyone’s using trap hi hat these days but this is the first time I’ve heard it used in a song with a Spanish beat and chord progression. It’s strange to me, but it works! 

Memorable line:  I wanna be addicted to your prison So I can’t serve anyone that’s not you Even though I know, I drink the poisonous Holy Grail 3.Begin (Jungkook solo)

The harmonization in this song is amazing. Kudos to the vocal arranger. And the lyrics are so meaningful and sweet. Jungkook’s singing is on point too, but that goes without saying.  Memorable line:  I feel like I’m going to die when hyung is sad When hyung is in pain, it hurts more than when I’m in pain 

  4.Lie (Jimin solo)

Blood Sweat and Tears is a music production treat, but in my opinion, Lie takes the prize in production quality. I like the incorporation of some Spanish elements in this album, it’s not a parody nor an imitation and it’s  really well done. Also, before I checked the lyrics I thought he was saying Karina Lie. The real line is caught in a lie. I have a friend named Karina so lol #MisheardLyrics

Memorable line:  Find the me that was innocent I can’t free myself from this lie Give me back my laughter

5.Stigma (V solo)

I’m going to mention again how much I am a fan of V’s deep voice. We take a sharp turn from a Spanish-y song to a more familiar RnB vibe on this one. And oh man, V’s high note genuinely surprised me The lyrics are once again very meaningful and vulnerable. This is really what sets BTS apart from other groups. Relevance. Relatableness. Authenticity. *applauds*

Memorable line: Deeper, deeper, the wound just gets deeper Like pieces of broken glass that I can’t reverse Deeper, it’s just the heart that hurts every day (You) who was punished in my stead, You who were only delicate and fragile 6.First Love (Suga solo) This one is a slow and mellow rap song. Well actually, if you ask me I’d call this a Spoken Word piece. It’s already very poetic just reading the English translation, how much more in its pure, unadulterated form. I really like how Suga’s voice is EQ’d here also. The overall vibe of this song reminds me of Kingdom hearts. I don’t know why.  I find it hard to jive with Suga’s rap flow in this song, but that’s probably just due to the language barrier. 

Memorable line: Even though I was gone for a long time Without repulsion You accepted me Without you there’s nothing After the dawn, two of us We welcomed the morning together Don’t let go of my hand forever, I won’t let go of you again either 7.Reflection (Rap Monster solo)

Here is one sad/creepy sounding song. The synth parts remind me for some reason of Creepshow. You know, Stephen King’s horror anthology films in the 80′s. The instrumental part after the first verse could really pass off as Creepshow’s soundtrack. The slow pulsing delays adds even more to the melancholy yet creepy vibe of this song. Mentioning Creepshow probably ruined the moment, but I can’t help it! But yeah, this song is really-- how many times did I say meaningful already?!

Memorable line:  In the darkness, people look happier than the day

8.MAMA (J-Hope solo) This is my favorite track in the whole album simply because it’s upbeat and more cheerful compared to the other darker, more somber songs in the earlier parts of this album. I’m biased towards happy songs. The general vibe of this track reminds me of happy go lucky rap songs in the 90s and that’s because of the bass line. The short and subtle choir parts near the end was also a nice touch.  

Memorable line:  You were like fertilizer to a budding plant Now I’m a flower, I’ll be your flower path 9.Awake (Jin solo)

From upbeat hip hop we then transition to a sentimental orchestra fusion song. Because BTS is cool like that. This is my second favorite song. There is real tension and release going on here that will really take you up on a ride. Or maybe that’s just me. The melodic hooks really stick with you and touch your heart. The bridge is the best part here. 

Memorable line: Maybe I, I can’t touch the sky Still, I want to stretch my hand out I want to run, just a bit more 10.Lost This song starts off with with the familiar Spanish vibe with the acoustic guitar and RnB chords but then when we get to the chorus it suddenly changes to this very loud, in your face Dubstep phrase that for some reason, works! 

Memorable line:  I didn’t know there were this many Paths I can’t go and paths I can’t take I never felt this way before Am I becoming an adult?

11.BTS Cypher Pt. 4  

A very angsty song about the struggles of being an idol. This type of sound isn’t really my cup of tea. But the lyrics make up for it. 

Memorable line:  I’m sorry bae because I’m breathing I’m sorry bae because I’m so healthy 

12.Am I Wrong 

I’m not a fan of country music. And this song is kind of like a fusion. And even though it’s not completely country the main riff is annoying to me. Hill Billies suddenly come to mind. But as usual the lyrics is the redeeming factor so I still appreciate this song. 

Memorable line:  If what you see on the news is nothing to you If that comment is nothing to you If that hatred is nothing to you You’re not normal, you’re abnormal 

13.21st Century Girls 

Yey for women empowerment!! And here we go again with the Spanish beat!  Did BTS go to Spain or something? Anyway, this song is too loud and aggressive for me. It does have its moments, but I wouldn’t put this on any of my playlists because I’m an old soul who prefers smooth grooves. 

Memorable line:  If anyone keeps insulting you (insulting you) Tell em you’re my lady, go tell them (tell them) Whatever other people say, whatever this world tells you You’re the best to me just the way you are

14.Two! Three!   

I thought this was going to be another one with the melancholy feel but I’m glad I was proven wrong when the beat picked up after the intro. Thank you!  This is like the cool down part of your cardio exercise as it is more toned down and less aggressive. Oh and the choir parts near the end are heavenly!! 

Memorable line:  Me, a shadow behind the stage, me, in the depth of darkness I didn’t want to show everything including my pain But because I’m still unaccustomed I just wanted to make you smile I wanted to do good 

  15.Interlude: Wings   I was not expecting an upbeat party/club kind of song. But somehow it makes sense. After your cool down exercise you go straight to the club to end the day. I’m not the partying type, but that’s just the vibe I’m getting from this song. It’s makes sense as the closing song. 

Memorable line: I trust myself, Since the reason why my back hurts Is so that wings can sprout 

 Final thoughts: 

I’ve already mentioned this, but what the heck, I’ll say it again! What I really like about BTS is the authenticity in their lyrics. I may not always like their music, but the words always get to me. It takes a great amount of courage for young men to be openly vulnerable, and that, for me, is very endearing.  The general theme of this album are: Depression, confusion, loss of innocence, young love, the yearning to return to happier times, mental illness... aka struggles of being an adolescent. Aka growing up. 

Speaking of mental illness, I noticed that the ordering of the tracks have a kind of bipolar feel to it due to the sudden and contrasting mood transitions of each song. Without studying the lyrics the track order might not make sense to the listener, but it all comes together nicely when you look at the lyrics. I saw what you did there, BTS. Very clever. Kudos to you all. 

For me what makes BTS very appealing to a lot of people is that they talk about very human experiences in their songs that everybody can relate to (especially adolescents). While a lot of other groups send you off to to dreamland with their perfection, BTS brings you down to earth with the harsh realities of our time and compel you to think about how you’re living your life. And that, is what I think sets them apart. 

Rating: 8/10

[khukei]

[khukei]

A comment by this user called ponyboy on Red Velvet’s new MV Rookie.  No truer words have ever been spoken. Posting it here so I can revisit it again and be blessed by another person’s valid and informed opinion. Someone give this man a Persian rug!! *slow claps*

[khukei]

LOOKIE, LOOKIE!! IT’S OUT!!!

And the views are skyrocketing! 

456k in 35 minutes and it looks like the view count is stuck there for now as I’m writing this.

Describe this song in 3 words? Catchy. Fun. Energetic.  

So my initial thoughts on the song:  An acquired taste

After listening for like 10 times, I must say that I like everything about the song except the chorus. I felt like it was pretty weak and too simple, but they probably have killer dance moves for that part. The brass and bass parts are great and the way the sing the verse is interesting, too. I like Yeri and Seulgi’s parts the best because it really suits the song. Wendy though feels out of place in some parts because of her mature and overpowering voice. She’ll learn as she grows.  A handful of people have expressed disappointment over the song but it really isn’t that bad. Like really. If you’d just listen with an open mind. Also, I hear the rest of the songs in the EP is Gold. I’ll definitely check it out later. 

For now let me just give my grade for this song:

6.5/10 The song reminds me of Mickey  for some reason. 

What is it with these creepy smiles? lol 

Joy is looking great here. 

She seems to have lost most of her baby fats and is it me or did she grow like an inch taller?

About the music video, well of course it’s bright fun and colorful because Red Velvet and SM Entertainment. 

This music video though, I find, isn’t as weird and creepy as Dumb Dumb or Russian Roulette. I like me some weird creepy concepts. I hope SM is saving the really bonkers ideas for Halloween or something.

What do you think? 

Is the chorus stuck in your head yet?

[khukei]

TOP 16 KPOP SONGS OF 2016

I was asked to make a list of my favorites for the year 2016 so okay here they are: 

16. Boombayah - BLACKPINK This song is perfect for running or exercising in general. Be energized!!

15. Press your Number - Taemin What can I say, it’s produced by Bruno Mars. I’m a huge fan of Taemin. He did justice. End of story.

14. 11:11 - Taeyeon  I was having a hard time deciding between Rain and Why because they’re all nice but in the end I went for 11:11 just because it touched my heart.Taeyeon and her etheral voice. My heart. I kennat. omg

13. Hey! - Sandeul  I’m a sucker for easygoing feel good songs. This one is perfect for lazy sunday afternoon drives. 

12. Blood Sweat and Tears - BTS I think it’s pretty safe to assume that every kpop fan has this on their list of best songs for 2016. I mean, it’s BTS. 

11. Russian Roulette - Red Velvet I love me some weird quirky upbeat music. Red Velvet’s Russian Roulette is just that. The accompanying music video is also Aesthetic af.  If you haven’t heard of it yet, be warned-- you’ll get hooked. 

10. Nightmare - B1A4  It’s another one of those feelgood songs that I’m a sucker for. 

9. What do I Do - Tiffany  Not that I don’t like the title track, I Just Wanna Dance, I just like What Do I Do more. Probably because Tiffany wrote it and the korean lyrics were written by Sooyoung. 

8. Fxxk It - BIGBANG I loved the song the moment I heard the teaser. Expected nothing less from BIGBANG. This song is my style. 

7. Make Love - 2PM I really like the throwback movement that Kpop is doing these days. Make Love is my favorite out of 2PM’s album (Gentlemen’s Game) but I highly recommend you listen to the entire album if you’re into late 70′s to early 80′s pop. 

6. Mama - Jhope (solo track from the Wings Album) Mama is my favorite track from BTS’ Wings album to be perfectly honest. 

5. What the Spring?? - 10cm The amount of salt in this song is unbelievable. Which is why I like it so much. 

4. She Is - Jonghyun Kim Jonghyun is my ultimate favorite. He’s the best male vocal in all of kpop (IMHO) and I really like his style. He makes amazing songs, too. What more could one possibly ask for?

3. You’re so Fine - CNBLUE Describe this song in one word? HAPPY. Every time this song comes on I just can’t help but sing along and dance even though I don’t speak a word of Korean and I have 2 left feet.  I’m heavily biased towards happy music, I know. I like happy music.

2. 1 of 1 - SHINee I can’t remember how many times I thanked God for this song. SHINee delivers with a fresh yet nostalgic 90s throwback of a title song for their 2016 comeback. Also, where do I get Minho’s sweater?

1. All Mine - F(x) EDM is made for F(x), it is known. 

[khukei]

[Seohyun - Don’t Say No] Album Review

I just finished my first listen of Seohyun’s full mini album and unlike my initial reaction to the title track I’m actually very happy about this EP because of the following reasons: a.) All the songs are to my liking because I’m an RnB and Jazz junkie b.) No cheesy ballads. I’m not really a fan of ballads in general because the amount of over-saturated emotional baggage overwhelms me and makes me cringe so I’m really happy I don’t have to deal with any of that in this album. c.) Seohyun wrote the lyrics to all the tracks in this album. definitely a plus there. d.)Girls’ Generation is my favorite girl group. I therefore rate this album 10/10 based on the aforementioned reasons.  lol

So here are my two cents for each song:

1. Don’t Say No The song has grown on me overnight and I like it better now but it’s still not my favorite because the transition  towards the bridge feels awkward and doesn’t really work for me.  That’s my only problem with this song, however. Everything else is great. 

2. Hello I like how this song is easy and lighthearted. Perfect for leisurely drives on a sunday afternoon. The bridge reminds me of Sarah Bareilles’ Many the Miles. 

3. Magic  This has an interesting chord progression and Seohyun’s voice is really sexy here.  Other than that, this is probably my least favorite song here. It’s still nice, it’s just that I’m not a fan of this style. 

4. Lonely Love   This is my favorite song in this album! It kind of reminds me Tamia’s Officially Missing You. The funny thing here is that I’m an absolute beginner in Hangul but for some reason even when I can only pick up a few words I’m gonna say that this song is very meaningful. I don’t know why or how I am able to say this, but it just touches my heart. I am aware that Seohyun has written lyrics for SNSD but 90% of her efforts have been rejected because they don’t fit with the already set concept of the group. Seohyun is an intelligent and mature person so it makes sense that her lyrics would evoke emotions.

5. Love and Affection I am touched by the vulnerability of this song. It’s both the words and the way Seohyun sang it. So much feels. Someone give her luv! Anyway this is the most unique song in the album, for me. It has interesting parts that actually works in this context that would otherwise won’t somewhere else. 

6. Bad Love Not sure if it’s just me, but I detect Justin Timberlake influence here. The choir parts remind me of What Goes Around Comes Around.

7. Moonlight  When I first heard this song I instantly felt nostalgic because of that high pitched synth part that was commonly used back in 90′s hip-hop. Flashbacks of the likes of Tupac and the GTA San Andreas theme  came flooding back in. 

Final thoughts:  I like this album a lot. I like all the songs. I’m totally getting a physical copy. Oh and I noticed that some people are saying that she’s trying hard to be Arianna Grande. To that I say, meh. As if Arianna Grande isn’t heavily influenced by Mariah Carey. Artists borrow and learn from each other. pffff 

[khukei]

Don’t Say No - Seohyun MV Reaction

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Seohyun’s solo music video has been out for over an hour now. 

Not gonna lie, I stood vigil for this. When I saw the teaser clips a few days ago I instantly liked it because I’m a sucker for RnB and Jazz. When I opened the youtube app at exactly 12am KST and checked SMTOWN’s channel the MV was 10 seconds old. I thought I was the first viewer but there were already 5 views-- lol I digress.  ANYWAY, here are my initial thoughts:

I don’t quite know how to put this into words. My feelings for this song is a little bit lukewarm. I’m not altogether disappointed, but I’m not very impressed either. I’ve been listening to this song over and over since it came out, and right now, so far, I’m just not captivated. There’s nothing wrong here technically, in fact, it’s great and I should be going gaga over this because I love RnB-- but it just doesn’t touch my soul (?).

Maybe it needs to grow on me more? I’m not sure. My mind isn’t in the right place these days, so that’s probably why I can’t properly appreciate the song?

Still gonna buy Seohyun’s physical EP though because yes. 

 I’m gonna go to sleep and see if my opinion changes in the morning when I’m in a brighter mood.

Screws and tools on a cake. I am reminded of Red Velvet’s Russian Roulette mv. Taeyeon  probably disliked this multiple times because of all the cake brutality.

Anyone else having flashbacks of the Lionheart choreo? 

Lastly, anyone know where I can get this funky oversized  hat?

[khukei]

[BLACKPINK - Square Two] Album Review

BLACKPINK Released their 2nd single album on November 1, 2016. The album contains 3 tracks: Playing with Fire, Stay, and Whistle (acoustic version). Here are my thoughts for each track:

Playing with Fire: I like the piano intro but I’m not a huge fan of the synth parts, but that’s just me! The rap parts are good. As usual I’m praising Jisoo and Rose’s vocal tone, mature-sounding and sultry. But other than that I have nothing else to report. I’m not particularly captivated by this song. It has its good parts and it has its moments, but not enough to make it memorable for me. It just sounds too cliche to me. 

Stay: The strength of this song is the sudden unexpected feel change in the transition from verse to chorus from an intimate, sentimental verse to a slightly more cheerful chorus. Once again utilizing that half time-double time trend. It's the first song of this kind in KPOP (that I know of) that works really well. There are a lot of songs that do feel changes these days but not as emotional, evocative, or effective as this. That being said, I do, however, have complaints about the rhyme scheme  (melody, felony), this has been my case since square one (whistle, missle; Lambo, Gamble, Rambo), but I guess that's an aesthetic choice because they're very young and they're probably doing that on purpose for whatever reason. Did I mention that I’m a huge fan of Rose and Jisoo’s voice?! 

Whistle (acoustic version):

I don’t know, the acoustic version just does not work for me. The chord progression isn’t working for me. Some of the chords used also feel out of place. Specially the verse and chorus chord progression. Overall it feels dissonant to me. I wonder if I can say the same thing if I heard the acoustic version first. Probably not.  I actually listened to this song again and again to see if my opinion will change. It’s been 3 days now. Still no. I like the Square One version better. 

Personal rating: 4/10 Favorite song from the album: Stay 

Final thoughts:  It is my personal belief that Stay is the album’s saving grace. All the other tracks have failed to get me hooked.  That being said, I’m still going to follow this group because like I said in my previous review of them, they have great potential. They all have unique voices. I’m still interested in how YG is going to direct their career. I’ll be waiting for BLACKPINK to do more vocally challenging songs in the near future because they have such great voices, it’ll be a shame if they don’t flaunt it once in a while. 

[khukei]

[Sandeul - Stay As You Are] Album Review

B1A4′s Sandeul released his solo debut EP last October 4, 2016. Stay As You Are is a ballad mini album containing 5 tracks. So without further ado, let’s get right to it.  Here are my thoughts on the songs and the whole album:

1. Stay As You Are -  The way this song is arranged and produced reminds me of mid 90′s to early 00′s contemporary Christian music. Paul Baloche and Vineyard Music comes to mind. I actually looked up Sandeul’s background from several sources and according to them he’s a Christian. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he took inspiration from CCM. Nothing wrong there. Similarities aside, I like this song. And I like Sandeul’s voice, it suits the song really well. 

2. Home - I can’t find English lyrics for this song yet at the moment, but I’m curious, from what we can gather from the English lines it seems like a gratitude song for his parents. Sandeul managed to make this song meaningful (and I don’t even know Korean) without being too cheesy. I find a lot of Korean ballads to be too cheesy sometimes. Good job!

3. My Childhood Story - I can imagine this song being used in a coming-of-age drama or anime. Sandeul’s voice is very soothing and then he surprises us in the middle of the song where he shows off his vocal prowess a little bit, then simmers down again. I like the use of the harmonica here, it works really well for this style of music. Someone make this an OST for a movie already! 

4. Hey! (Feat. Wheein of Mamamoo) - This is my favorite track out of the whole album. I personally like happy, jazzy, chill, feelgood music. I like the little jazzy guitar licks they put here and there. The way the drums and bass are mixed and arranged reminds me a little bit of Michael Jackson’s Butterflies. The harmonies here are done really well also. 

5. The Road We Walk Together - I like the flute section of this song. It’s good for those sunday afternoon drives. I can also see this as a graduation song even though I don’t really know what the lyrics is saying. But it has that bittersweet graduation feels about it. 

Overall this album is really nice. All the tracks have OST potential. Once again, I don’t know Korean yet but from what I gather from listening to all the songs it has that vulnerable, sentimental feel to it, like this album was intended to be a tribute to his roots and humble beginnings. If I got that right then it proves once and for all that music transcends linguistic barriers. I really appreciate Sandeul’s sincere voice, and I like how he isn’t doing vocal acrobatics in this album. A lot of singers tend to show off vocally in ballads and I feel that most of the time it ruins the whole song and makes it sound too cheesy to the point that it’s cringe-worthy, but Sandeul here is just sitting back and letting the message speak for itself. That’s what I’m getting from this album, at least, there seems to be more emphasis on the message rather than Sandeul’s awesome vocals. I like that. This album, for me, has successfully avoided being a cringe-worthy OA ballad album. Definitely worth listening to. Well done, Sandeul! If you’re having trouble sleeping, listen to this album and let Sandeul’s soothing voice take you to dreamland. 

So my overall rating for this album is: 7/10

[khukei]

[SHINee -1 of 1] Album Review

SHINee’s music video for 1 of 1, the lead single off their new album of the same name was released last October 5, 2016.

The album contains 9 tracks and offers a completely fresh, throwback feel of the good old days. There’s even a cassette version! How cool is that?

Being a 90′s baby, I’m very happy about this album. It reminds me of the carefree, feelgood, happy music of my childhood. In today’s EDM-dominated world of K-POP, 1 of 1 is a whiff of fresh air. And that’s why I’m a Shawol. That being said, I will obviously be fan-girling in this review but I will try to be as objective as possible. 

Looking at the album credits, we can see that some of the members have been very much involved, Minho with the most contribution lyric-wise. I like the idea of Jonghyun being the composer and Minho as the lyricist, Key as the image stylist, Taemin doing the choreos, and Onew at the head of the group. I was very happy last year when I learned that View was written by Jonghyun. It is my personal belief that Kim Jonghyun is a musical genius. Give a listen to Odd Eye and She Is, if you’re not convinced. 

So I listened to all the songs in this album on shuffle and loop since it came out to make sure that I provide an informed opinion, as always. 

One thing I noticed that I’m really happy about is the obvious improvement in the group’s vocals. They already have great vocals to begin with, but they improved even more. The harmonies in this album are ethereal. Onew’s voice is smoother than ever. Jonghyun’s singing has matured, he doesn’t belt or show off as much as before, something I totally appreciate; restraint is just as important as going all out. Key has also improved, though I noticed there seems to be more EQ-ing and volume on his voice, his low notes are really standing out (specially in 1 of 1). Nothing wrong with that though. Minho! Where do I begin? Minho’s rapping has improved greatly! He’s got more swag and better rhythmic patterns in his raps (Feel Good and Don’t Let me go). Looks like he did his homework. I’m very happy. And his voice is sultrier (Don’t Stop). It seems like they finally learned how to utilize his deep voice. Kind of like how Hyoyeon finally stood out vocally and added her low, husky voice like icing to Check.  And last but nothing even resembling least, Taemin! I’m happiest with Taemin’s vocal improvement because I used to get annoyed with his voice when he belts, I found it overly dramatic and somewhat out of place genre-wise back in their older releases (but that’s just me).  Now he’s improved his technique, you can still sense the shyness, but not as much as it used to be. His upper registers are also really good now. Kudos to you, Taemin!

So here are my 2 cents for each song:

Prism - Reminds me of those neo-soul/rnb days in the 90′s. It has interesting chord progressions and harmonies. I love Key’s lines most here. And thumbs up for Minho for doing more than rap in this song, he can sing well, ladies and gentlemen! 

1 of 1 - Starts off with a Michael Jackson shout to engage the listeners. It worked. I like it. It’s already established that Taemin is a huge fan of MJ so no surprise there. This is where I first noticed that there seems to be more EQ-ing on Key and Minho’s voice. Again, nothing wrong with that.  The song kind of reminds me of Eric Gad’s Do You Believe in Me a little bit, probably because of the synthesizers. I especially like the jazzy guitar lick at the bridge. And yes, the vocal part of the chorus does sound like Married to the Music, only with different chords. 

Feel Good - Minho’s rap here it great. And in the chorus there’s that use of dissonant-sounding chord again that makes the song more interesting. 

Don’t Let me Go - This is a slow, meaningful song that evokes sentimental feels to the listeners. Jonghyun himself comments that Minho’s lyrics will make you tear up. I want to learn Korean first before looking at the lyrics because translated lyrics tends to dilute the meaning of the song. 

Lipstick - As usual, more praises for the harmonies. SHINee is definitely one of those boy groups with the best harmonies and overall vocals. I think already said that though. The bridge kind of changes the feels of the song for a little bit, the chord progression worked well to make it more interesting. 

Don’t Stop - Here’s another neo-soul inspired song. Very smooth vocals. And this is the song where Minho’s voice sounds sexiest. The melodies are heavenly and Onew and Jonghyun’s voice: angelic. The outro to this song is really cool, too. 

Shift - This song kind of has the same feels to F(x)’s 4 walls. I looked at the credits again and found out that LDN noise participated in the creation of both songs so that pretty much explains it. It’s using the same low, pulsing bass (?) sound thing I don’t really know what it’s called, someone help me please. lol 

U Need Me - This song is kind of confusing at first. It starts off with a jazzy drum roll then shifts to a more familiar drum pattern. The bass line is interesting and shifts often, at the first part of the song it sounds like an electronic Michael Jackson song and around the pre-chorus it shifts into a groovy RnB kind of pattern and it shifts yet again at the bridge. Really cool bass parts here. And if that isn’t enough, the song changes key near the end! This song is an acquired taste. I don’t recommend this as a first song if you’re planning on making your non-kpop friends listen to SHINee for the first time. 

So Amazing - The keyboard part of this song reminds me of yet another Michael Jackson song. I’m not so sure and I can’t quite pinpoint it exactly yet, but it sounds very familiar, or maybe it’s just because of the way the keys were played that’s very reminiscent of the way Michael Jackson arranged his songs back in the early 90′s. What comes to mind is Another Part of Me, but I’m not so sure, I feel like there’s something else closer to home but I can’t recall it yet. The verse sounds like Another Part of Me transposed to a major key, and the chorus reminds me of Holiday by Madonna, probably because it uses the same chord progression. Nothing wrong with that. Artists borrow from one another. 

And so overall I give this album 8.5/10. I love all the songs from this album, but if I were made to name my favorites, they would be: Don’t Let Me Go, Don’t Stop, Prism, and 1 of 1.

What I love most about SHINee is that they keep reinventing themselves and they get better and better with each new comeback. I love their nonconformist approach in their music. They have never been known to follow trends-- they set them; they take risks; and that’s why I’m a Shawol. 

And that concludes my lengthy review/reaction/fangirling.  Congratulations on this comeback and more power to you! 

P.S. You know you’ve made it big in the music industry when you sell out cassette tapes in 2016.