[Single Review] FAT CAT – ‘Is Being Pretty Everything’

Tracklist

1. Is Being Pretty Everything

~

On December 29^th, 2011, rookie solo-artist FAT CAT released concept photos for her upcoming single.  Many people became interested as the photos showed a completely different style from her debut.  On January 1^st, 2012, two music video teasers for “Is Being Pretty Everything” were released.  The teasers received explosive interest in South Korea; many websites even reported her they reached over 500,000 views.  Three days later, FAT CAT unleashed her full-length music video.  Promotions for “Is Being Pretty Everything” began on January 6^th, 2012, on Music Bank.

~

Since I was a fan of FAT CAT’s debut single, I was a little disappointed when I heard that she was going to be undergoing a radical transformation.  That was until I actually heard “Is Being Pretty Everything”.  Before you have time to really get into the song, you’re instantly hit with a very powerful message.  I’ve heard quite a few comments calling this a ‘man-bashing’ and even ‘sexist’ song, but I couldn’t agree less.  The message being sent out in this song is that society in general only accepts pretty faces and doesn’t appreciate the inner beauty of a person.  (A message I personally agree with.)  The song quickly moves into the chorus, which is actually quite catchy and playful.  One thing I enjoyed about the chorus is the way she pronounces her words.  I’m not sure if she has a lisp or not, but she has a very unique voice and I can’t get enough of it.  The second verse and chorus are essentially a copy and paste of everything that came before it, but it manages to not sound too boring and repetitive.  It actually flows quite nicely.  I was really surprised when I heard the rap break following the chorus.  FAT CAT is a skilled rapper, but I’m not entirely sure that this was needed.  Since it was included though, I have to deal with it.  I just wish it was longer than four lines, as it left me feeling a little bit unsatisfied.  Overall though, this was a very strong release.  It’s really refreshing to hear empowering and meaningful songs in K-Pop, so I applaud FAT CAT for going the less traditional way with her single.

~

As I previously said, I was very unsure of how I was going to feel about this release, as I was huge fan of her debut single and concept.  It almost felt like a sell out to me, but I ended up being wonderfully surprised.  Her transformation was pulled off so well and with such elegance that I was actually shocked.  FAT CAT is definitely a rising star to look out for this year. As for the song, I was also very impressed.  It was very upbeat, charming and meaningful, which is something we rarely hear in K-Pop.  I look forward to FAT CAT’s next transformation and release, she’s really an interesting artist.

~

Single Rating:  4/5

Recommended?

Yes

[Mini-Album Review] NS Yoon Ji – ‘NEO SPIRIT’

Tracklist

1. What Do You Know (ft. Verbal Jint)

2. The Reason I Became a Witch

3. Shower (ft. Two Sidekicks)

4. Talk Talk Talk

5. Want To See You Again

6. The Reason I Became a Witch (Inst.)

~

On January 2^nd, 2012, NS Yoon Ji surprised fans everywhere by releasing a sexy concept photo for her upcoming mini-album.  The photo, which showed Yoonji with bright blonde hair and sexy clothing, shocked many.  The following day, a powerful and fierce music video teaser for “The Reason I Became a Witch” was released.  On January 4^th, 2012, the full-length music video was released.  Her first mini-album, ‘NEO SPIRIT’, was released an hour later.  Promotions for “The Reason I Became a Witch” began the following day on M! Countdown.

~

When I heard NS Yoon Ji would be completely changing her concept, I was hoping we wouldn’t get a song like “What Do You Know (ft. Verbal Jint)”.  While this is a very pretty song, I just can’t help but feel it is way over done with solo female artists.  If you’ve heard one love song with a featured rapper, you’ve pretty much heard them all.  There really isn’t much to say about this one, honestly.  It’s a simple and pretty sounding love song with an above average rap in it.  I do applaud her vocals though, as Yoonji has never really been one to impress me with her vocal ability.  I’d recommend this to someone purely based on that, other than that though… You can probably skip over this one if you’re not really a fan.

When I first watched the music video teaser for “The Reason I Became a Witch”, I was beyond pumped for this comeback.  Everything about that teaser was honestly just flat out fierce.  The final result, though?  Not as great as I expected, but still a very solid track.  I want to like the introduction, but the static really just turns me off and makes me feel like my headphones aren’t working.  Once the actual song begins though, it’s this instant rush of powerful energy.  I don’t know who the featured voice is, but he does an amazing job of making you feel pumped up and excited for what’s coming up.  The first verse is messy and flows a little awkwardly, but oddly transitions well into the chorus.  The chorus, which is the highlight of this song, has a very empowering sound.  Everything after the chorus continues to build upon itself, but unfortunately, there’s no real defining moment.  Overall though, this is a very strong title track. This is without a doubt Yoonji’s best track to date.  I’m so glad she has moved on from her cute image to one that is more powerful.  I think what really ended up appealing to me was how the lyrics focus more on a woman becoming strong and independent after a break up.  Instead of venturing into a typical ‘revenge’ type of song, she celebrates her decision and wants to make it known that she is completely fine being alone and will not let a man bring her down.

“Shower (ft. Two Sidekicks)” is probably one of the best tracks I’ve heard in a long time.  I thought this was going to be a copy and paste of the first track on the mini-album, but I was pleasantly surprised when it wasn’t.  Everything about this track is honestly just beautiful.  Yoonji’s vocals, Two Sidekicks’ rapping and even the instrumental… Everything just comes together and works.  As I previously stated, I’ve never been that impressed by her vocals, so this album has really showed her growth as an artist. (For me, at least.)  If you’re going to listen to anything by Yoonji, I completely recommend you listen to this song right here, you won’t regret it.

When “Talk Talk Talk” was released, I actually wasn’t that into NS Yoon Ji.  I can say though, this is certainly the song that made me love and notice her.  What I really enjoy about the introduction is that it wastes no time and tries to get you instantly hooked.  It may not lure everyone in, but it surely worked on me.  I think my main reason for enjoying the particular release was because it was the first time where I felt like Yoonji was not pretending to be somebody she is not.  She finally ditched that Son Dambi meets Seo In Young vibe and went for something fresh, fun and girly, which completely suited her image at the time. It’s hard to point out a specific favorite point as it’s one of those overall catchy and well-made songs, but I can’t see anybody not liking the chorus.  Each verse does a really good job at keeping of with the fast past of the chorus without sounding too awkward.  Despite sounding a little over auto-tuned at points, the song maintains a constant upbeat and girly feeling, which is really refreshing in K-Pop.  I love how there’s nothing unnecessary added in either, it really does a great job at keeping a consistent flow.  Does it really belong on this album though?  I’m not so sure.

I was a little apprehensive when I heard the cringe worthy introduction in “Want To See You Again”.  What was up with that?  Whoever wrote those lyrics is totally on their way to being a lyrical genius.  Thankfully, that was the only part of the song I have a problem with.  It’s very obvious that NS Yoon Ji went for a playful and carefree summer loving type of song, and it really worked for her.  When this was released, this was totally the type of song you could blast in your car with the windows down; it was just really fun and relaxing.  The chorus has a more uplifting feeling compared to the verses, but it actually works.  I’d say I like the third verse the most out of anything in the entire song.  Pairing Sangchu’s rapping with NS Yoon Ji’s cute high notes was a really nice choice.  Aside from the introduction, Sangchu is a really nice addition to the song.  His interaction with NS Yoon Ji during the song and video are really just adorable and further that feeling of a carefree summer romance.  His rap break(s) don’t interrupt the flow of the song; I actually think they manage to add a little something interesting to it.

~

When I heard NS Yoon Ji was releasing her first mini-album, I was quite excited to hear what she would bring.  In the back of my head though, I just knew it was going to a mini-album with mostly old songs.  Unfortunately, that’s what we ended up getting.  What really confused me is that the songs they did add have no real relation to the new image Yoonji is presenting us.  (In the end, all it does is make the album feel really disjointed.)  Two of the three new tracks were very nice though.  “The Reason I Became a Witch” and “Shower (ft. Two Sidekicks)” are without a doubt Yoonji’s best songs to date.  This image change has been nothing but good for her.  I hope we see more of this fierce and confident version of Yoonji in the future, as it really just suits everything about her.

~

Album Rating: 7.5/10

Recommended Songs:

The Reason I Became a Witch | Shower (ft. Two Sidekicks)

[Mini-Album Review] T-Ara – ‘Funky Town’

Tracklist

1. Lovey Dovey

2. We Were In Love

3. Love Dovey (Club Remix Ver.)

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On November 23^rd, 2011, it was announced that T-Ara would be releasing a sequel music video and song called “Lovey Dovey”, which would be the conclusion of “Cry Cry”.  On November 30^th, 2011, an intense and dramatic music video teaser for “Lovey Dovey” was released.  On December 15^th, 2011, the group released their club-inspired jacket photos.  A few days later, it was announced that the group would be pushing off the release of “Lovey Dovey” to January of 2012.  On January 2^nd, 2012, after over a month of anticipation, T-Ara finally released the full-length music video of “Lovey Dovey”.  The full-length mini-album, titled ‘Funky Town’, was released hours later.  This is a review of the three new tracks on this mini-album.  If you’d like to see my review of “Cry Cry”, “Goodbye, OK” and “O My God”, please refer to my review of ‘Black Eyes’.

~

When I first heard the short teaser for “Lovey Dovey” at the end of “Cry Cry”, I knew T-Ara had another smash hit coming.  After a long month of anticipation, Core Contents Media finally released the dramatic conclusion to the drama that took place in “Cry Cry”.  While the plot was quite confusing, I was very pleased to see Qri finally step up and make herself noticed in T-Ara.  In the end though, I was pretty happy with how the entire two-part drama played out.  As for the song… I was more than happy with it.  This may be a little pre-mature to say, but I think that this is my favorite T-Ara song since “Bo Peep Bo Peep”.  While I do enjoy this song greatly, it isn’t free of flaws.  I felt like the first verse sounded quite rushed and out of place when compared to the chorus.  I was quite fine with how the lines were delivered, but they were completely overpowered by the blaring instrumental.  It just made everything sound a little bit messy and hard to understand.  Fortunately, the chorus manages really stick out and overcomes the instrumental.  Lyrically, the chorus isn’t anything special, but it is so damn catchy.  S.Tiger really knows how to create catchy songs; he’s certainly a producer that knows what he’s doing.  The second verse, in my opinion, completely improves upon everything that was wrong before it.  It’s a lot easier to understand what the members are saying and it flows a lot more smoothly than before.  Following the second chorus is a nice little break, which definitely helps break up a little bit of the monotony that’s going on.  The remainder of the song is basically just the chorus repeated.  I can honestly say that the wait for this song was well worth it.  I sense a lot more awards in T-Ara’s future because this song is outstanding.  Job well done, T-Ara.

“We Were In Love” is actually the other track you hear playing in the background of the “Lovey Dovey” music video, and I’m really happy they included it in this album.  For those of you who may be un-aware, this a track sung by Soyeon, Hyomin, Jiyeon, Hwayoung and the incredible ladies of Davichi.  The track opens up with a beautiful introduction by Soyeon and Haeri, which is just beyond words.  Their voices are outstanding on their own, but surprisingly powerful together.  I was surprised to hear Jiyeon on this track, even if it was just two lines.  Her voice has a very unique sound to it, and I can’t get enough of it.  Hopefully she gets more lines next time T-Ara releases a ballad.  There isn’t a lot of variation going on throughout this track, but I’d just like to go over some things that really surprised me.  I was so shocked when I heard MinKyung rapping that I actually ended up replaying her part over and over.  She’s not the best rapper around, but she actually did a very good job.  I’m still just so shocked to hear MinKyung, this beautiful and amazing vocalist, bust out a rap break.  Total shock factor!  Not too far behind MinKyung is an impressive rap break from Hwayoung, of all people.  One thing I’ve noticed about Hwayoung is that her rap breaks outside of the title tracks are phenomenal.  After hearing her rap break on this track and on “Ma Boo”, I really want to hear Hwayoung possibly have her own solo track.  (If not that, then a rap break that isn’t five or less lines.)  Overall, this was a very solid and unique track; definitely something unique to the Core Contents Media family.

When I saw “Love Dovey (Club Remix Ver.)” on the tracklist, I was so ready to lose my mind at Core Contents Media.  I couldn’t help but wonder if they did not learn their lesson from the disaster that was ‘John Travolta Wannabe’.  Thankfully, this remix is not as horrid as their previous remixes.  I personally wouldn’t even consider this a remix, but I’m just happy that it’s not a horrible disaster.  The only difference here is some added instrumental breaks in random places.  Luckily, those breaks add an extra clubbing feel to the song, and really just further the disco / retro feeling they were going for.  I’d recommend this remix to anybody who couldn’t get enough of “Lovey Dovey”.  If you’re just a casual fan of T-Ara, you can probably skip right over this.

~

With the release of “Lovey Dovey”, T-Ara released what is going to be another smash hit.  With the back-to-back success of two promotional songs, T-Ara has really proven themselves in the past few months.  I was concerned when they took a small dip with “Yayaya”, but the ladies managed to bounce back up and release two of the biggest songs in Korea for 2011.  “Lovey Dovey” alone is a very powerful track, which could have probably been released as a single.  Thankfully they went with another mini-album and released “We Were In Love”.  Both tracks together are outstanding and completely revived all faith I had in T-Ara.  This mini-album was an amazing way to kick off 2012.  Congratulations, T-Ara!  You’ve done it yet again.

~

Album Rating: 5/5

Recommended Songs

Lovey Dovey | We Were In Love

[Mini-Album Review] T-Ara – ‘Black Eyes’

Tracklist

1. Cry Cry

2. Goodbye, OK

3. Oh My God

4. I’m So Bad

5. Cry Cry (Ballad Ver.)

6. Cry Cry (Ballad Music Video Ver.)

~

On November 4^th, 2011, T-Ara officially announced their comeback by releasing jacket photos for their album ‘Black Eyes’.  On November 9^th, 2011, T-Ara released a dramatic music video for their promotional single “Cry Cry”.  Three days later, their third mini-album ‘Black Eyes’ was released.  The song quickly rose to #1 on many sites and even managed to achieve the coveted ‘all-kill’ on music charts.  Promotions for “Cry Cry” began on November 17^th, 2011, on M! Countdown.

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When the music video to “Cry Cry” was first released, I was so excited to watch it.  I immediately stopped everything I was doing and began watching the sixteen-minute music video, only to find out you don’t really hear the full audio!  When I finally heard the full audio a few days later, I was surprisingly disappointed the final product.  I was expecting T-Ara to really blow me away with this comeback, but I was honestly not that impressed with this song.  I will however admit that I really enjoyed a select few parts, and one of those is the video game style introduction.  This is without a doubt my favorite part of any T-Ara song ever released; I just wish the rest of the song kept that intense and dramatic feeling.  What really disappointed me throughout the entire song was how the verses didn’t really fit with everything else.  There’s no doubt Soyeon and Hyomin’s voices are beautiful in verse one, but when I compare it to the chorus and introduction, it just feels so out of place.  The chorus, which is the highlight of the track for me, is very uplifting and fit surprisingly well with the slower verses.  I even liked the Hwayoung and Hyomin break following; it was pretty unexpected and made the short chorus seem longer.  The second verse isn’t too different from the first; the only difference is the addition of Jiyeon.  This made me wish they had utilized Jiyeon more throughout this song, as her voice fit perfectly with the style they went for.  I loved the little saucy instrumental break following the second chorus; it really broke up the monotony that was starting to happen.  I’m glad they decided to close everything with the Hwayoung and Hyomin break; it helped the song go out on as intense of a note as it started.

“Goodbye, Ok” is a very subtle and welcomed change from the previous track.  It may not be as upbeat and intense as “Cry Cry”, but I actually think the sound they went for would have fit their concept and music video much better.  (I personally think this would have been a better song to promote.)  Much like “Cry Cry”, I found myself really enjoying the introduction.  Unlike it though, I found myself enjoying the rest of the song!  Soyeon and Jiyeon’s voices in the first verse were just beautiful and went very well together.  I don’t know what it is about Soyeon’s voice, but it always gives me chills.  I’m glad her company is finally starting to notice how wonderful her voice is, it’s refreshing to hear more and more of he in every album.  The chorus is actually very lovely; I just wish they made it longer than four lines.  Hwayoung’s rap break following the chorus may just be the first time she has ever impressed me.  I’ve never approved of Hwayoung being a member of T-Ara, but she is slowly proving her worth to me.  (Let’s just hope we never get another “Roly Poly” styled rap break…)  I was pleasantly surprised to hear Eunjung in the second verse as it feels like she’s been almost non-existent in this album so far.  Other than her addition, it’s nearly identical to the first.  Things start to get really interesting after the second chorus passes.  Jiyeon, Soyeon and Eunjung’s lines really help break up some of the monotony that was going on.  I absolutely loved Eunjung’s high notes; she hit them perfectly.  The closing was very sweet and simple; I thought it was a pretty nice way to end everything.

I wasn’t too surprised when I began listening to “Oh My God” and realized it was a more Christmas themed song.  I’m normally not a fan of this style of music, but T-Ara managed to make this a very sweet and lovely song.  What really made me happy though?  This is the first song on the album that Qri and Boram actually sing!  (This may actually be the first T-Ara song ever where the two of them have more than one or two lines.)  The first verse is almost entirely Qri and Boram, and I love it.  Their cute and higher-pitched voices fit perfectly with the cheerful spirit of the song, so I’m glad they chose them for it.  As much as I love them, the chorus is where things really start to pick up and get fun.  Eunjung and Soyeon do a great job at speeding things up, while really driving home that Christmas feeling.  What really ended up impressing me in the second verse was that note Jiyeon hit.  I was not expecting her to be able to hit such a high note, I honestly thought that pitch was out of her range.  It was very unexpected and very much welcomed.  The remainder of the song is basically just a repeat of what already happened, so there’s not much more to discuss.

“I’m So Bad” is another track that I’m not quite feeling.  I was actually enjoying the introduction, but it slowly started sounding like a boring second version of “Oh My God”.  It’s not necessarily a bad song; it’s just so similar to the previous track that I don’t even want to bother with it.  The only thing it really has going on that interests me is the catchy little “oh baby oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh” lines.  Other than that… I don’t really like anything else going on here.  It’s pretty much a basic filler track.

I was a little hesitant to see “Cry Cry (Ballad Ver.)” included on the album, as I did not enjoy the original version.  Much to my surprise though, I actually ended up enjoying it more!  Unlike the original version, the slow delivery of the verses really fits with the rest of the song.  There’s a few things removed here and there, but it’s essentially the same as the original version, just in ballad form.  I think more than ever, Soyeon’s beautiful vocals are showcased.  It’s easy to appreciate them in an upbeat song, but when she’s singing a ballad such as this… It’s just chilling to listen to.  I’m quite sure I would not have enjoyed this version as much as I do if she wasn’t the one singing a majority of the lines.  If you weren’t really feeling the original version like I was, I recommend you check this out immediately!  I don’t have too much more to say about it as I pretty much discussed all my feelings in the original version.

I will not be reviewing “Cry Cry (Ballad Music Video Ver.)” as the only change to the song is the swapping of a few stanzas.  If you want to see how I feel about this song, please refer to my section on “Cry Cry (Ballad Ver.)”

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I did not have high expectations when I got into this album as we are coming off the disaster that was ‘John Travolta Wannabe’.  Luckily, Core Contents Media did not take the easy way out this time and stick on six awful remixes!   As I said before, I was not too pleased with the promotional song “Cry Cry”.  The great thing about this album is that the real treats are hidden throughout the other tracks.  I really found myself enjoying “Goodbye, Ok” and “Cry Cry (Ballad Ver.)” more than anything else.  I did enjoy a good chunk of this album, but I still feel as if T-Ara hasn’t quite found the perfect balance.  I rarely listen to a non-title track by them and automatically say to myself ‘this is T-Ara 100%’.  A part of me feels like they will never be able to impress me as much as they did with ‘Breaking Heart’, but who knows… T-Ara doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

~

Album Rating: 7/10

Recommended Songs

Goodbye, Ok | Cry Cry (Ballad Ver.)

[Single Review] Orange Caramel – ‘Shanghai Romance’

Tracklist

1. Shanghai Romance

2. Close Your Eyes

3. The Day You Went Away

~

On September 29^th, 2011, it was announced that Orange Caramel would be making their fourth comeback with “Shanghai Romance”.  On October 6^th, 2011, a concept photo was released.  Four days later, a music video teaser was released.  On October 12^th, 2011, the full-length music video was released.  Promotions for “Shanghai Romance” began on October 15^th, 2011, on Music Core.

~

When I found out that Orange Caramel would be releasing another Asian city themed single, I was pretty excited.  I was a big fan of “Bangkok City”, so I couldn’t wait to see what they would give us this time around.  When I heard “Shanghai Romance” for the first time though, I was actually pretty disappointed.  For me, it lacked that instant charm their previous singles had.  After I gave it some time though, I found myself liking it more and more.  I’m generally not a fan of lengthy introductions, but I have to say the instrumental opening was just genius.  Not only did they manage to really stick with their image, they did it in a way that wasn’t cheap or cheesy.  Unfortunately, I was not as impressed with the first verse, or any of the verses for that matter.  My main issue was the speed at which their lines were delivered.  I felt like they were too slow and dragged on when compared to the fast paced instrumental and chorus.  Where I really started to get interested again was the surprisingly great chorus.  It blended the perfect amount of aegyo, catchiness and speed.  I thought the second was really out of place and ruined the great flow the chorus set up.  Thankfully the “baby oh, naekkeo haejul kkeoji eung” and “baby oh, bogo shipeun nae nim a” stanzas weren’t as bad.  I was pretty confused when I heard Nana’s rap for the first time, as Orange Caramel isn’t really a group I’d imagine having ‘rap breaks’ in their songs.  I wasn’t that impressed with it, but I wasn’t honestly expecting much from her.  She doesn’t really rhyme anything and it’s essentially just her talking fast.  I was happy that they decided to close the song with the chorus; it was a smart choice.  The little “wo ai ni” at the very end was a cute and appropriate way to rap everything up.

I’m sure everybody saw a Nana solo coming sooner or later, so nobody should be too surprised that this single includes her brand new solo song “Close Your Eyes”.  While this is probably the most basic of ballads, I can’t stop myself from listening to it.  Even though I’m biased towards Nana, I’m willing to admit that she is one of the weakest vocalists of After School.  What always draws me into her singing is her unique voice.  It does sound a little pitchy at times, but it has a certain charm to it that only Nana could give to it.  Other than that, there really isn’t that much to discuss about this as it really is just a basic Korean ballad.  I recommend it to anybody who is a fan of Nana or someone who enjoys ballads.  If you’re neither of those though, I would probably say you’re not missing that much.

I kind of side-eyed Pledis when I saw that “The Day You Went Away” was included on the single for the third time.  I don’t feel the need to really review this for the third time, so I’ll be brief this time around.  This is basically a gentle pop song that borders on being a ballad; it’s very sweet and relaxing.  I’m not fluent in Chinese, so I can’t comment on how good they are, but it sounds just fine to me.  When comparing the Chinese version to the Korean version, I actually find myself preferring the Chinese.  It has a certain unique charm to it and really fits with the whole Shanghai, China theme they went for this time.

~

It took me awhile to do so, but I really ended up enjoying this single.  Orange Caramel always releases solid singles that have a very enjoyable title track.  This single is no exception.  While it may not be as impressive as “Bangkok City”, it has a very unique charm to it… Something you don’t really see that often in K-Pop.  Hopefully we get to experience a full-length Orange Caramel album one day, because I really love the direction this group is going.  I dare even say I prefer their promotional singles to After School’s sometimes.

~

Single Rating: 3.5/5

Recommended Songs

Shanghai Romance | Close Your Eyes

[Mini-Album Review] Kan Mi Youn – ‘OBSESSION’

Tracklist

1. Won’t Meet You

2. Please

3. Let It Snow (ft. Seojun)

4. Won’t Meet You (Inst.)

~

On September 26^th, 2011, Kan Mi Youn surprised fans everywhere by releasing an unexpected and unannounced music video teaser to her upcoming song “Won’t Meet You”.  Two days later, the full-length music video was released, as well as her second mini-album ‘OBSESSION’.  Promotions for “Won’t Meet You” began on September 29^th, 2011, on M! Countdown.

~

Anybody who has read some of my past reviews knows that I am a huge fan of Kan Mi Youn, so it may not come as a surprise that I was very excited for this release.  After my first few listens of “Won’t Meet You”, I honestly wasn’t quite too sure how I felt about it.  I initially found myself comparing it to “Paparazzi” and couldn’t help but feel a little bit disappointed.  After awhile though, I noticed I didn’t really want to listen to anything else.  What really hooked me in were the infectious “my mind is in and out, in and out” lines in the introduction.  I actually don’t think I would like them as much as I do now if it wasn’t for the heavy auto-tune.  I also like the transition from this auto-tune to the first verse, where you can clearly hear Kan’s strong vocals.  While I do enjoy the first verse, I couldn’t help but feel like it was a little too slow for such a fast paced instrumental.  The chorus helps in speeding things up a little, but I also feel like it runs into the same problem.  I actually found the verses to be catchier than the chorus, which is a little odd.  I did enjoy the little “anmanna ah-ah-ah-ah” lines though; they were a nice break in the repetition.  The second chorus and verse are essentially the same things as the first, so there’s not too much to say about them.  I enjoyed the instrumental break towards the end since we rarely hear a song by Kan where there isn’t a rap break; it was a nice little touch.  Basically, this song is completely Kan’s style.  Her songs are never the most complicated or original, but they are insanely catchy, which is part of her charm.  If you’ve ever liked any past release by her, you will surely love this as well.

I wasn’t all that surprised when I found out “Please” was a ballad, as Kan Mi Youn has a pattern of releasing a mini-album with a very pop influenced title track and two or three ballads.  Personally, I’ve never been the biggest fan of her ballads, but “Please” might just be one of her strongest releases to date.  What really caught my attention here was the we finally get to hear Kan’s beautiful voice without an unnecessary featured rapper taking away from it.  While this may follow the same basic format as any other Korean ballad, I actually find myself really enjoying it.  What really made this particular ballad interesting for me was Kan’s unique vocal range.  I had always known she had a significantly lower voice, so it was nice to hear her hit those higher notes.  There’s not too much to say about this song other than what’s already been said.  It’s pretty much a basic ballad, but it’s a nice one at that.

Closing up the album on more of an upbeat feeling is “Let It Snow (ft. Seojun)”.  This happens to be my least favorite song of three, unfortunately.  It’s not that it’s a bad song; I just find it to be a little boring.  The only thing I feel like it has going for it is that she went out of her normal vocal range for almost the entire length of the song.  This higher range meshes quite nicely with Seojun’s, but it’s not enough to get me to really sit down and enjoy it.  This pretty much just feels like she didn’t want to releases a two-song mini-album, so they added this.

~

Kan Mi Youn is an artist I’ve always respected and enjoyed, but I can’t help but feel like this album is lacking.  I don’t have a problem with mini-albums, but this one just seems a little bit like it was rushed.  I really enjoyed the promotional track, but other than that… The album got a little boring.  “Please” is a nice little number, but it’s nothing too special.  I’m pretty sure this would have been better off a single with just the promotional track and an instrumental.

~

Album Rating: 3/5

Recommended Songs

Won’t Meet You | Please

[Mini-Album Review] Boyfriend – ‘Don’t Touch My Girl’

Tracklist

1. You’re My Lady

2. Don’t Touch My Girl

3. Jum Jum Jum

4. Don’t Touch My Girl (Inst.)

5. Jum Jum Jum (Inst.)

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On September 27th, 2011, Starship Entertainment announced Boyfriend’s second mini-album by way over cover, tracklist and music video teaser release. It was also announced that Boyfriend would not be working with Brave Brothers, the producer behind their debut track “Boyfriend”. Instead, the six members would be working with hit producer Sweetune, the man behind many hits such as KARA’s “Mister” and “Lupin” as well as INFINITE’s “Be Mine” and “Paradise”. On September 29th, 2011, a mini-album cover showing off Boyfriend’s drastic image change was released. On October 5th, 2011, Boyfriend’s second mini-album ‘Don’t Touch My Girl’, as well as the respective music video, was released. Promotions for “Don’t Touch My Girl” began on October 7th, 2011, on Music Bank. Shall we see if Sweetune managed to continue his amazing producing ability through Boyfriend?

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Anybody who has read one or two of my reviews knows that I’m usually not the biggest fan of short introduction tracks, but I actually find myself really enjoying “You’re My Lady”. I think this may be because it has the classic Sweetune sound to it, but what I really enjoyed was how it kept a common thread with the other tracks on the album. You always see these groups releasing introduction tracks that are actually quite nice, but have nothing to do with the rest of the album. This time though, we finally got an awesome introduction that doesn’t let you down. This was a very promising way to start off the mini-album.

When I saw the teaser for “Don’t Touch My Girl”, I was actually really intrigued by it. The vibe it gave off was almost reminiscent of “You & I”, which is the only song on their debut album that I ended up enjoying. Thankfully, they ended up steering towards that type of song and ditched their ‘cute’ concept. (I personally thought their concept was a little bit creepy, so I’m relieved they didn’t stick with it.) The song starts off with a very familiar beat and vocals, but quickly and smoothly fades into the first verse. What really stood out to me in the first verse was how almost all of the members had the right range for this type of song. The only person I’m in question of is Donghyun. While the other members had very clear and smooth vocals, he sounded a little nasally and out of place. Before you even realize it, you’ve already made it to the chorus. That’s how great this song flows; it’s actually really impressive. The chorus itself is just as impressive – Instead of going with a very simple and meaningless chorus, they went for something more mature and enjoyable. Kwangmin and Minwoo’s following rap break wasn’t that bad when compared to some other boy groups. I’m just glad it didn’t end up ruining the overall feeling of the song. (That’s all I can ask for as far as idol rapping goes.) One thing I noticed was how the verses progressively get shorter and shorter as the song goes along, and I’m sure I like it too much. After awhile it feels like you’re only listening to a chorus. Thankfully once you approach the end of the song, things start to get a little bit more interesting. The song closes with a rap break, which I liked the idea of… Unfortunately, it wasn’t all that great. I’m not saying Kwangmin and Minwoo are horrible rappers; it’s just the rap they were given. Six of the eight lines end with either ‘yo’ or ‘nayo’… It just sounds really repetitive and isn’t that great of rap. Overall though, when you don’t sit down and pick the song apart, it’s very enjoyable and probably one of the better songs released by a rookie group this year.

Closing this short mini-album is “Jum Jum Jum”, which goes for a little bit of a more mature sound. Compared to the previous two songs, this one has more of a ‘deep’ feeling. I really love how everything comes together here. The vocals, the mood and even the instrumental all just fit together and make one very enjoyable song. The verses are a tad bit slow, but they’re really interesting to listen to. What really stands out to me here though is the chorus and the accompanying rap breaks. While the verses have a very mature and soft feeling to them, the chorus and rapping have very energetic and lively energy. I honestly don’t have too much to say about “Jum Jum Jum / Little By Little”, but I will admit there are parts of this I’m really impressed with. What really surprised me was how the rapping went from mediocre to being pretty decent. Unlike in “Don’t Touch My Girl”, where the rap break slightly came out of nowhere, this song practically calls for it. Even though their vocals obviously improved with this release, you can really hear them and appreciate them here more than ever before. Basically… This is a pretty damn good track. Go listen to it.

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I have to honestly say that I was very impressed by this mini-album. I wasn’t a huge fan of their debut album, but I decided to give them another shot after I found out they ditched Brave Brothers. Switching their producer to Sweetune was probably the smartest decision Star Ship Entertainment has made since they took Hyorin in. Anyways, I believe this will be the album where K-Pop fans start to take Boyfriend more seriously and realize that Boyfriend is here to stay. Each track is solid, there’s no weak link here, which is why I’m giving this album such a strong rating. Anybody who doubted Boyfriend before should really give this album a try, it’s almost like this is a completely different group!

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Album Rating: 5/5

Recommended Songs

Don’t Touch My Girl | Jum Jum Jum

[Single Review] FAT CAT – ‘Indifferent Love’

Tracklist

1. I Love A Bad Boy

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On September 4^th, 2011, a profile photo of upcoming solo-artist FAT CAT was leaked on a Korean portal site.  FAT CAT, who is also known as ‘Defconn Girl’ due to her multiple appearances with Defconn, has become the target of immense interest from Korean netizens.  On September 19^th, 2011, FAT CAT stunned netizens by releasing her dramatic transformation through her concept photos.  On September 26^th, 2011, FAT CAT officially released her debut single ‘Indifferent Love’ and held her debut stage on Inkigayo.  Shortly after her debut stage, multiple Korean news sites began to praise her for her explosive debut single and performance.  Shall we see how ‘explosive’ her debut single really was?

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When I began hearing rumors of a female solo-artist debuting, I was really interested and hopeful.  I had previously known FAT CAT through her various appearances on shows and videos with Defconn, so I was pleasantly surprised when I realized she was the solo-artist that was going to be debuting!  Surprisingly, “Indifferent Love” stays true to the words of her company and Korean netizens.  This certainly isn’t the most ‘pretty’ or refined song that’s ever come out K-Pop, but I really appreciate how she tried to go for a more alternative meets mainstream type of sound.  FAT CAT obviously takes a very pop-influenced path with this single, but she manages to make it her own and produce something I’ve never really seen in K-Pop.  I’ll be honest and say the first verse isn’t exactly my favorite thing going on here.  It sounds a little too rough and busy for my personal taste, but it progressively gets more enjoyable as the chorus approaches.  The chorus, which happens to be my favorite part of the song, manages to be very catchy while maintaining a cool vibe.  I really find myself enjoying her “tic-toc-tic-toc-tic-toc” lines throughout it, despite the heavy auto-tune.  The second verse, in my opinion, is a vast improvement over the first.  Where the first verse sounded very busy and noisy, this verse managed to lighten things up with some nice and enjoyable lines.  Knowing Defconn and his way of doing songs, I wasn’t at all surprised with the rap break following the second chorus.  I just wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I do.  She doesn’t have the best technique, but I see great potential in her rapping abilities.  My only real complaint with her rapping was how short it was, I wanted more!  I’m glad the song closed with those infectious “tic-toc-tic-toc-tic-toc” lines, I can’t get enough of them!

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I have a feeling a lot of people are going to pass this girl by, but I’m glad I actually took the time to listen to her single.  “Indifferent Love” isn’t as explosive as I had imagined it would be, but it gets the job done.  I was personally very thrilled to see someone do something a little bit different for once and go for a darker vibe without being sexy or using a ‘dark’ concept.  I’m aware this song won’t be for everybody due to its constant use of auto-tune, but I feel that’s what makes this song interesting.  Hopefully she manages to survive the girl group saturated market and release more music in the future!

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Single Rating: 3.5/5

Recommended?

Yes!

[Single Review] Chocolat – ‘The First Single Album’

Tracklist

1. Syndrome

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On August 2^nd, 2011, it was announced that Paramount Music would be debuting Korea’s first-ever bi-racial girl group.  On August 3^rd, 2011, a music video teaser for their debut song “Syndrome” was released.  On August 8^th, 2011, a second music video teaser was released.  On August 17^th, 2011, the full-length music video was released.  Promotions for “Syndrome” began on August 18^th, 2011, on M! Countdown.

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When “Syndrome” first came out, I’ll be honest and say I really had no intention of listening to it.  This was mostly because all of their pre-debut interviews and profiles were so focused on three of the members being bi-racial that I was convinced these five girls were just put together for the purpose of creating a scene in the music industry.  After a few days of not being able to avoid these girls on any K-Pop related website, I finally decided to watch their music video.  I wasn’t sure how I felt about “Syndrome” after my first few listens, but I eventually decided I really did enjoy it.  It’s not the most unique or creative debut song, but I think it was a perfect choice for the girls.  What really stood out to me was how they didn’t include an overly annoying introduction; some girl groups should follow this style.  The first verse is probably my favorite part throughout the entire song.  I don’t know why, but I found myself really enjoying the verses of this particular song.  Going from the laid back feeling of the first verse to such an explosive chorus was a surprise to me, but it ended up being a good surprise.  Despite not being a typical three or four word chorus, it has the perfect amount of catchiness.  The second verse has some weird English going on it, but it oddly works out.  Tia’s vocals definitely stood out here more then anywhere else in the song.  She knows how to make her vocals sound ‘cute’ without sacrificing her actual talent, which is pretty nice.  I’m not sure how I feel about Jaeyoon’s lines after the second chorus; they feel really out of place.  This was one of those songs that could have done without the typical high note from the main vocalist.  The remainder of the song certainly makes up for it though; I like how each member got to sing one final line before the closing chorus.  The only thing I honestly really dislike in this entire song is Tia’s closing line… It just sounded really creepy and overly fake to me.

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Before I get into my final thoughts on the single, I’d like to address something… The overwhelming hate these girls received prior to and during their debut promotions was absolutely embarrassing to read and completely unnecessary.  I saw and heard nothing in their music video that warranted such hate; it’s just another case of K-Pop fans being over the top and immature.  Anyways, getting into this single, I was honestly not too sure what was going to be thrown at me, but I’m glad I ended up giving it a chance.  As I said before, it’s not the most unique song around, but it’s good enough for me.  In a sea of weak debuts, these girls managed to catch my interest.  This might just be my second favorite girl group debut this year, so I will certainly be supporting these five girls as much as I can.  I can’t wait to see what they give us next!

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Single Rating: 3/5

Recommended?

Yes

[Single Review] Girl’s Day – ‘Girl’s Day Party #4′

Tracklist

1. You, Don’t Let Your Eyes Wander!

2. You, Don’t Let Your Eyes Wander!  (DJ Stereo Remix)

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On August 29^th, 2011, it was announced that Girl’s Day was going to be releasing one last digital single before their advancement into the Japanese market.  Cute and simplistic concept photos were released the following day, as well as the news that the single was not going to be promoted.  On September 1^st, 2011, Girl’s Day digitally released ‘Girl’s Day Party #4’.  The song “You, Don’t Let Your Eyes Wander!” quickly climbed various real-time music charts, despite there being no promotions.  A music video for the song was released on September 6th, 2011.

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When I found out Girl’s Day was going to be releasing another single, I found myself getting really excited… That was until it actually came out.  I generally find myself loving whatever Girl’s Day throws at me, but “You, Don’t Let Your Eyes Wander!” falls very short for me.  This song has that classic Girl’s Day sound to it, but I feel like they’re trying to emulate the success of their previous two singles by mashing them into one.  The major problem that rises from doing so is that the entire song just sounds so cluttered and even a little bit messy.  The first half of the first verse isn’t doing anything for me, but the remaining parts by Minah and Jihae are perfect for leading into the chorus.  The chorus, which I consider this songs savior, managed to sound very true to the group.  At the same time though, it’s not as repetitive as their other choruses, which might be appealing to some people.  I’m not a fan of Yura’s little rap talking after the first chorus, it felt really out of place and the English was just a mess.  The second verse is nearly identical to the first, so I basically have the same feelings about it as I did the first.  I was about ready to give up on this song until I listened past the second chorus.  Jihae’s “love is fantasy” lines are pretty much the only reason I went ahead and reviewed this single.  Had the entire song sounded something like that, it would be getting the highest of praises from me.  Minah’s following lines are also something to look forward to as she rarely disappoints.  The closing chorus and added lines were a really nice to way to end everything.  I’m still not the biggest fan of this release, but it might just end up being a grower.  It’s clear that it started off weak and progressively got stronger and stronger, so we’ll see how this one goes for me.

With the recent ‘remixes’ that have come out in K-Pop, I was really dreading listening to “You, Don’t Let Your Eyes Wander! (DJ Stereo Remix)”.  I ended up being pleasantly surprised with an actual remix that I enjoyed more then the original version.  I think the main reason why I love this remix is that it breaks up that cluttered feeling I previously mentioned.  By breaking up sections of the verses, DJ Stereo made the song flow so much better, which is what it really needed.  The added instrumental breaks between the verses and chorus was really nice, it added a totally different feeling to the song.  One thing I particularly loved was the repetition of Jihae’s “love is fantasy” lines.  That is what honestly made this remix such a hit for me.  The original version was just begging for that sound to be more utilized, and DJ Stereo realized that.  The closing instrumental break was really quite amazing in its own way, I’m glad he didn’t end up repeating the chorus until the very end because it didn’t need it.  Overall, this remix fixed basically everything I hated about the original version.  It’s like DJ Stereo knew what I wanted before I even knew what I wanted.  If you weren’t a fan of the original, I highly recommend you check out the remix version, as it’s really just leagues above the original.

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It’s rare for me not to like a Girl’s Day release, so I was really surprised when I found myself not really enjoying this one.  As I previously mentioned, I believe they tried too hard to emulate the success of their past singles and ended up making a very bland song.  The overall feeling of the song feels very rushed and messy, like they planned this single at the very last second and just came up with whatever they could.  Luckily, the remix version ended up completely saving the entire single.  If you have yet to listen to the original, save yourself the time and skip straight to the remix, you won’t regret it.  I’ve been going back and forth on what to rate this particular single, but I ended up settling on a solid three.  Just know that I’m feeling really gracious with that three.  Had this been a single with just the remix version, I most likely would have ended up giving it a perfect score.

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Single Rating:  3/5

Recommended Songs:

You, Don’t Let Your Eyes Wander! (DJ Stereo Remix)