[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.)

~

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?

~

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.

~

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!

~

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

~

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?

~

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!

~

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!

~

Single Rating: 3.5/5

Recommended?

Yes!

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

Tracklist

1. Syndrome

~

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.

~

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.

~

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!

~

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)

~

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.

~

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.

~

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.

~

Single Rating:  3/5

Recommended Songs:

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

[Album Review] Kyary Pamyu Pamyu – ‘Moshi Moshi Harajuku’

Tracklist

1. March of Kyary

2. Cherry BONBON

3. PONPONPON

4. I Just

5. Pinpon ga Nannai

6. Jelly

7. PONPONPON (Extended Ver.)

~

On July 9^th, 2011, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, a famous Japanese model and blogger, released a music video teaser for her debut single “PONPONPON”.  On July 16^th, 2011, the full-length music video for “PONPONPON” was released and quickly became viral.  The song topped ITunes charts in Finland and Belgium, while also entering many charts in Japan.  On August 3^rd, 2011, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu released “Jelly”, a second single from her debut mini-album.  On August 19^th, 2011, her debut mini-album, ‘Moshi Moshi Harajuku’, was released and debuted at number fourteen on the Oricon Daily Chart.

~

The introduction track to this mini-album, “Kyary no March”, is almost something I could listen to on repeat.  I could tell the instant I listened to this, that this mini-album was going to be fun and a little quirky, which I love.  Even though it only consists of Kyary spelling out her own name and saying the word ‘way’ a few times, it managed to end up being fun and a pretty accurate indicator of what this album is all about.  The only thing I don’t like about it was that extended note at the very end, it sounded so out of place and unnecessary.

When I saw the title “Cherry BONBON”, I was assuming we were going to be given another song just like “PONPONPON”, but ended up being pleasantly surprised with a very nice little number.  After seeing some of the non-sense lyrics this girls company can come up with, I was expecting them to be in this song as well.  Much to my surprise again, the lyrics were actually really innocent and cute.  What I really like is how the vibe I get from this song reminds me of something I’d listen to when I was younger.  (The lyrics really help emphasize that feeling, I recommend you check them out.)  There’s not too much variation going on through the verses and the chorus, but I don’t find myself getting bored of it.  The chorus, which contains only three words, ended up being really catchy and fun.  (I’m beginning to think Kyary will manage to make every single song she releases super catchy and fun.)  One thing I found a little bit unique was how each verse got shorter and shorter.  I don’t know if that was done purposely, but I thought it was a neat little addition to the song.  The third verse, despite its short length, is my favorite.  The effects they put on her voice to get that faded sound were really nice.  I’m sure the lack of variation throughout the song will be a turn off to some people, but I think the simplicity is what really makes this one shine.  Anybody who has read my previous reviews knows I’m a sucker for these types of songs, so I’m not at all surprised that I love it.  Overall, this is just a simple and fun little song that wasn’t meant to outshine the lead single.

“PONPONPON” happens to be the lead single off this mini-album, as well as the catchiest song I’ve heard since “Supa Dupa Diva”.  I’m pretty sure everyone that has listened to this song either fell in love with it or ended up hating it, I’m one of those that ended up loving it.  The first verse is actually one of my favorite parts of the entire song.  I love the very distant clapping and the interesting synthesizer you hear, it makes you sense that it’s ultimately building up to something.  When I heard the chorus for the first time, I was so entranced by it that I couldn’t stop playing it over and over.  I don’t think a chorus has ever had me as hooked as this one did.  Considering the chorus makes up almost this entire song, it’d be impossible to not like it and still like the song.  It’s hard to even begin explaining this one, so I’m just going to say that it’s most likely impossible for it to not get stuck in head.  I’d honestly judge anybody who says they didn’t find themselves singing it at least once.  The instrumental break in the middle is actually really cute and fit with the song very well.  It gives you a much-needed break from the addictive and busy chorus.  The song eventually closes with a very familiar second verse and an addictive as ever chorus.  This is obviously a very well produced track that was created with the job of getting stuck in your head for days.  Even though it’s faced some hate for being weird and senseless, I think this was the perfect song for Kyary to debut in the music industry with.  I personally found nothing wrong with debuting with a super catchy song; it was smart of her and her company.

I had figured any song following “PONPONPON” would flop in comparison, but “I Just” takes that and runs with it.  I had assumed that this was going to be a really cool sounding song by the unique little instrumental introduction, but everything following it is just super flat and boring.  Unlike “Cherry BONBON”, the simplistic approach didn’t quite work this time around.  The lack of variation just didn’t appeal to me as much and ended up coming off as boring to me.  I will give this one props for maintaining a common sound as the previous three tracks, but managing to create this cool and almost dated sound.  Had there been a fun little chorus, or unique verse, I probably would have found myself enjoying this particular track a lot more then I do now.

Just like the previous track, “Pinpon ga Nannai” has a very enjoyable introduction.  Everything I found lacking in “I Just” seems to have made its way here.  It follows the same basic pattern, but for some reason, I find everything a lot more enjoyable in this one.  The lack of variation may turn some people away from this one, but for some reason I really like it.  The verses and choruses flow back and forth quite effortlessly, I hardly notice when one ends and when one begins.  One thing that really stands out to me is the fantasy like instrumental that accompanies this song, which is one of the small reasons why I enjoy this as much as I do.  It’s certainly not the most interesting or exciting song on the album, but it’s relaxing and fun.  If you liked any of the previous tracks, there’s a high chance you’ll end up liking this one, maybe even just as much.

“Jelly” is the closest thing to a ballad on this entire mini-album, but it runs into a bit of a problem.  “I Just”, “Pinpon ga Nanni” and “Jelly” all sound like the same exact song.  I want to be able to appreciate this particular song, but after listening to the album a few times… I can’t help but feel annoyed by how similar every song sounds.  It’s good to keep a common theme throughout your album, but damn, two diverse songs just isn’t cutting it for me.  It’s not even just the instrumental and the tempo that’s the same, even the lyrics start sounding the same after awhile.  As I said before, I want to be able to like it, but I just can’t.  There’s too much similarity going on, and honestly… This is a pretty long song for it to sound like an even longer song I just listened to.  I appreciate “Jelly” more as a single then on the album, and I wished she didn’t include it on here.  When it stood alone, it was a very pleasant and enjoyable song to listen to.  While it’s on this mini-album, it gets lost in the continuity of the previous tracks.

The first few seconds of “PONPONPON (Extended Ver.)” had me really excited as they sounded like E.Via’s “Shake!” in a different pitch, but those familiar beats quickly faded and presented a more trance-like addition of beats.  I wish those new trance-like beats kept my interest though.  The only real difference in the extended version is parts of the instrumental, the mixing of parts of the verses and a different outro.  I wish this had been an actual remix instead of an extended version as I feel like it falls into the same thing all the other songs did… If you were someone who couldn’t get enough of “PONPONPON” and wished it were longer, then this is absolutely perfect for you.  If you were content with the original version, then you can probably just skip right over this one and not look back.

~

Getting into this album, I honestly wasn’t too sure what to expect.  I thought I was going to be presented with a bunch of songs just like “PONPONPON”, but ended up being surprised by what I listened to.  I thought the album started off very promising, but it progressively got really dull and boring.  Take away the lead single and you have a mini-album of six songs that sound exactly the same.  It was a nice and even a little bit refreshing at first, but it slowly got on my nerves how similar each song really is.  I may have seemed like I liked a few of these songs more then I actually did, but they honestly really did get on my nerves after awhile.  That’s honestly my major issue with this entire album, had there been some sort of variation or something to break up the similar tracks… I probably would have loved it.  I guess that’s what she gets for sticking with one producer for every single track.  I was honestly expecting a little bit more after her ‘explosive’ debut single, but I ended up being really disappointed.  I’ll keep an eye out for her though; hopefully she releases something better in the future.

~

Album Rating: 5/10

Recommended Songs:

Cherry BONBON | PONPONPON

[Mini-Album Review] Dal★Shabet – ‘Bling Bling’

Tracklist

1. Beep

2. Bling Bling

3. Dream In U

4. Moonlight

5. Bling Bling (Inst.)

~

On August 2^nd, 2011, Dal★Shabet announced their third mini-album by way of surprise cover release.  The album cover, which showed the members in very patriotic and sexy outfits, surprised many due to the group’s previous sweet and cute image.  On August 3^rd, 2011, concept and jacket photos for the mini-album were released over the day.  From August 4^th to August 6^th, more individual member concept photos were released.  On August 7^th, 2011, a music video for “Bling Bling” was released.  The following day, Dal★Shabet’s concept and jacket photos were deemed too sexual, which forced Happy Face Entertainment to overhaul the entire concept.  On August 10^th, 2011, after three days of uncertainty, the full-length music video to “Bling Bling” was released, as well as the four-song mini-album.  Promotions for “Bling Bling” will begin on August 12^th, 2011, on Music Bank.

~

Remember the infectious beats and vocals you heard in the music video teaser to “Bling Bling”?  Well, they’re back in the form of this mini-album’s introduction track, “Beep”.  What really grabbed my attention right away were the club-like synths used throughout this rather short introduction.  Pair those deep, hard hitting beats with Ah Young’s energetic and high-pitched vocals and you’ve got quite the interesting combination.  The added amount of instrumental towards the middle was a nice twist, as I honestly wasn’t expecting it.  If you listen closely from 0:35 to 0:49, you can hear a new addition to the instrumental that wasn’t in the first half.  I personally think it adds a level of creepiness, which is certainly an odd working pair with the rest of this club-inspired introduction.  I’ve never been that into short introduction tracks, but “Beep” ended up becoming a must have on this mini-album.  Besides being a very good indicator of what you’ll be hearing throughout the mini-album, it’s actually become something I could listen to for hours on end without getting bored!

Have you ever thought you had an artist figured out but they always manage to surprise you in the end?  Surprisingly, that’s Dal★Shabet for me.  I’m always convinced I know what E-Tribe will have in store for us, and I always end up being pleasantly surprised.  While “Bling Bling” might not be Dal★Shabet’s catchiest song to date, it’s certainly one of their most unique.  The introduction starts off with some very familiar vocals from Ah Young, but there is an obvious increase in pitch and speed.  It actually ends up working because it fits perfectly with the overall fast pace on this track.  One thing I usually end up loving about Dal★Shabet’s songs is that their vocals always seem so crisp and clear, despite the busy nature of the instrumental.  Having Serri and Subin open up for the first verse was a smart choice; both of them actually have really unique sounding voices.  I’m actually a fan GaEun and Viki’s lines throughout the verses, I love the inflections they put on their voices.  I know a lot of people weren’t really feeling the chorus due to the lack of catchiness, but I actually really like it.  It’s not the typical Dal★Shabet chorus where they repeat one or two words, which is where they lost that classic catchiness they always bring.  For someone to say that the chorus has no amount of catchiness to it though… That’s a little bit of an exaggeration.  The second verse basically follows the same format as the first, but somehow manages to not feel repetitive.  I wish they had changed who sang what though, they followed the same exact singing format from the previous verse.  I don’t know if I’m the only one, but I happen to absolutely love Viki’s rap break.  I think she has a really unique rapping and singing voice, and it works to her advantage.  It sounds a tad bit disjointed from the rest of the track, but it doesn’t manage to ruin anything.  Closing with the chorus and Ah Young’s addictive “Just Disco, Just Disco!  Bling bling bling bling disco!” lines was a very smart choice.  “Bling Bling” is certainly one of Dal★Shabet’s most unique and charming songs to date.  It may not be their best, but there is no denying they took a common concept and made it their own!

You know when you hear a song by an artist that’s so different from their normal sound, you end up questioning where this new style came from?  That’s what ended up happening to me with “Dream In U”.  Now, Dal★Shabet has released a various amount of songs, but they’ve never tackled an ‘in-between’ type of song, as I like to call it.  The tempo of this track is that of a faster paced ballad, but their vocals sound like they belong in a fast tempo type of track.  It’s a really odd combination that ended up creating a very interesting track.  While I personally do enjoy “Dream In U”, it’s not a track without flaw.  The major issue I noticed was how there seems to be no build-up or climax; it’s essentially the same tempo the entire time.  I know most people will end up passing this one off as boring, but there’s something I find really special about this one.  The way the girl’s transition from verse to chorus is without flaw, I don’t even realize what part I’m listening to sometimes!  I think what I ended up enjoying the most was how refreshing this track is overall.  There’s no unneeded high notes or rap breaks, it’s just a really relaxing and lovely track to listen to.  I’m sure that makes it easy for people to pass it off, but this is really a gem among their discography.  Even if you’ve never been a fan of Dal★Shabet in the past, good ahead and give this one a try, you may just end up liking it.

Completely changing the musical direction of this mini-album is “Moonlight”.  I know this album was supposed to be heavily influenced by the 70’s and 80’s, but this is really the only track on the album I get that type of feeling from.  I’ve come to learn from Dal★Shabet’s albums that there will always be a track that is essentially hip-hop meets bubblegum pop – This is that track.  The previous tracks they have like this include “Dal★Shabet (with Big Tone)” and “Shakalaka”, if you’re interested in them.  I’ve realized that these types of songs are obviously not for everybody, but I encourage you check them out if you end up liking “Moonlight”.  I’ve personally enjoyed all three of these tracks as the sound is very true to Dal★Shabet.  It’s a sound I couldn’t see any other girl group pulling off, even those ‘fierce’ ones, which is why I really like it.  Their style of rapping and singing during this song is really unique, they does these really interesting inflections on their voices that end up sounding really cool.  Combine those inflections with the random bursts of energy in their singing and you’ve got quite an interesting set-up.  A few things that impressed me was how they managed to find the perfect balance between singing, rapping and talking.  Viki’s rapping stood out among the other girls, she’s the most experienced member of the group and it really shows when she sings and raps.  I feel like Viki ended up becoming a vital part of this mini-album, as the other girls can’t top her sexy rapping voice.  Despite following the basic formula of any other K-Pop song, “Moonlight” really stands out and manages to bring something different to the album.

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Anybody who has read my past reviews of this group can obviously tell I’ve been a fan since their debut.  I believe this mini-album showed a lot of growth from Dal★Shabet.  It proves they aren’t just another cute group and that they can tackle different concepts.  Out of their three mini-albums, I believe this one shows the most diversity in their song selection and overall concept.  Where their previous albums failed, ‘Bling Bling’ succeeds and brings even more then expected.  Sure, it didn’t end up following the concept they advertised, but I’ve come to expect that from K-Pop.  As always, I’m amazed at the quality of Dal★Shabet’s songs, as they seem to be cranking out mini-album after mini-album.  I’ve been getting the feeling that a lot of people didn’t end up liking this mini-album, but I think it’s Dal★Shabet’s best release to date.  As always though, I can’t wait for next time!

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Album Rating: 5/5

Recommended Songs

Bling Bling

Dream In U | Moonlight

[Mini-Album Review] Teen Top – ‘Roman’

Tracklist

1. No More Perfume On You

2. Beautiful Girl

3. First Kiss

4. The Back of My Hand

5. Tell Me Why

6. No More Perfume On You (Inst.)

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On July 11^th, 2011, TOP Media announced that Teen Top would be having a comeback later in the month of July.  On July 18^th, 2011, Teen Top’s official website was updated with comeback concept photos for the groups first ever mini-album.  The photos, which showed the members wearing tight boxer briefs and high heels, stunned Korean netizens and international fans alike.  Three days later, a music video teaser for the promotional single “No More Perfume On You” was released.  A second music video teaser was released the following day.  On July 25^th, 2011, Teen Top’s first ever mini-album, ‘Roman’, was released.  The music video for “No More Perfume On You” was released only hours after the mini-album dropped.  Promotions for “No More Perfume On You” began three days later on M! Countdown.

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I can’t say I’ve ever actually sat down and completely listened to anything Teen Top has released before this mini-album.  I decided that since this is their third release, I’d finally give these guys a chance.  Get ready for this; I actually really enjoyed “No More Perfume On You”.  It’s very obvious from my reviews that I prefer girl groups and soloists, so I’m really surprised I ended up liking a boy group!  What immediately stood out to me was how interesting the instrumental is.  Instead of venturing into the typical ‘in your face’ bass and beats, it provides a really subtle club-like and almost trance-like beat.  It ended up fitting very well with the overall soft and relaxing feeling the song gives us.  Something else I noticed was how their vocals also have that same feeling to them.  They never get too harsh or loud, it almost sounds like they’re faded, but the instrumental never overpowers them.  From the very start, Niel’s soft vocals perfectly mix with the instrumental.  The only problem I could imagine someone having would be if they didn’t like Niel’s voice.  Seeing as how he sings literally more then half the song, you kind of have to like it.  There’s very little variation going on as the verses are almost completely the same and are sung by the same two people.  (Except for Ricky & Changjo’s one line in verse two.)  The only thing that breaks up the monotony would be CAP and L.Joe’s rap break.  It’s not really the most impressive rap break I’ve heard from a boy group, but considering I don’t listen to many… I wouldn’t call myself a proper judge of boy group rapping skills.  I think it was certainly needed, considering the lack of variety throughout the entire song.  You see so many groups nowadays putting rap breaks in songs that don’t even need them, so it’s nice to see Teen Top placed one correctly.  I can tell this song isn’t for everybody, but I actually really do enjoy this and find myself listening to it quite often.  My only complaint, which is probably a common complaint, would be how ridiculous this groups line distribution is.  It’s nice to have a talented main vocalist, but when they’re singing over twenty lines in one song while regular vocalists get one, is it really fair?

While “Beautiful Girl” isn’t as impressive as the lead single, it does deliver its own charm to the album.  I’m typically a little bit apprehensive when it comes to Korean groups doing R&B songs, but Teen Top legitimately surprised me with how well they pulled it off.  I read that a lot of people ended up disliking this song as their voices seemed too high pitched, but that’s something these boys can’t control, so I ended up rolling with it. I actually don’t mind the boys high-pitched voices, I think it ends up lending to the charm this song has.  This isn’t exactly the most unique or interesting song I’ve heard, but for some reason, I can’t stop playing it.  I don’t really have that great of a reason for liking this song, I just genuinely enjoy it.  One thing I noticed is how quickly they transition from the first verse to the chorus, I don’t even realize how far along I am until I’m at the rap break.  I like the change in tempo at the start of the second verse, but it ends up fading quickly.  I also ended up liking the added notes from Niel towards the end as well.  What really ended up impressing me, and most other people, was L.Joe and CAP’s rap break.  L.Joe did a nice job, but CAP ended up blowing him out of the water.  CAP’s surprisingly deep and almost sexy voice really stands out among the other members and easily becomes the most memorable moment within the song.  Had the rap break not been included here, I’m not sure I would have liked this as much as I did. I do like Niel and Chunji’s vocals, but after you listen to them sing 85% of the song, it gets a little boring, which is why I’m glad this group has rappers.  It seems like L.Joe and CAP are really good at their roles, I just wish they’d be given more chances to shine.

When I found out “First Kiss” was supposedly a mostly rap-influenced song with lots of L.Joe and CAP, I was pretty excited.  When I actually ended up listening to it, I pretty much just rolled my eyes at how much singing time they gave to Niel again.  It’s undeniable that Niel has a great vocal range, but that doesn’t mean he’ll sound good in every single song.  I personally think he ended up ruining it for me, which sucks because I loved L.Joe and CAP’s rapping.  I think what really ends up ruining it for me was the fact that they were going for this mature and emotionally filled love song, but it didn’t sound emotional at all.  I do like the rapping, but do they really give off an emotional feeling or fit with the general mood of the song?  Not really.  What ended up happening was that these guys tackled a song style that seems to be above their current skill set.  I’m not saying they’re bad singers, it’s just they haven’t learned how to put such emotion in their vocals.  (If I make no sense to someone, please listen to a ballad by Son Dambi or G.O; you’ll understand what I mean by being able to put emotion into your singing.)  For someone who doesn’t care to take those kinds of things into account, I’m sure this would be a perfect song for you.  Sometimes I notice small things like this in a song and just can’t let go.  Give Teen Top another year or two and I’m sure they’ll be able to tackle a song like this with no problem.  Until then though, I’ll be avoiding this.

Anyone who has read a few of my reviews knows that I’m not that into ballads or boy groups, so it might come as a surprise to some that I absolutely love “The Back of My Hand”.  This track makes up for anything lacking in the previous one, and probably anything lacking in any other track.  There are quite a few redeeming qualities to this track, and the first is definitely the fact that Chunji, Ricky and Changjo are actually used to their full potential.  Ricky and Changjo’s harmonizing throughout the entire track is just lovely; it really impressed me.   Sunny Hill is generally the only group who impresses me with their harmonizing, but Teen Top now joins that list.  While I like that they included it, I can’t help but feel that they could have utilized it more.  Niel generally always impresses me, but this time around he really managed to go above and beyond.  I like that he seemingly ditched his high-pitched voice and managed to go with a deeper and more mature sound, which really fits him and this track.  The rapping seemed a little unneeded, but it didn’t ruin anything for me either, it was kind of just there this time.  It’s different to hear rapping in a ballad that doesn’t mess everything up.  This is easily the most impressive song on the entire album; I completely recommend it.  Combine Ricky and Changjo’s beautiful harmonizing, Niel’s vocals and some impressive vocals from Chunji, and you have a song that can’t fail.  Who would have thought one of my favorite ballads of the year would come from Teen Top?  I surely didn’t.

Closing the album on a not so impressive note is “Tell Me Why”.  While this is an up-tempo song, it really just reminds me of a watered down 4minute song.  It seemed like a lot of people were really blown away by this one, but I don’t really see why.  I think their promotional track, which is also up-tempo, has a lot more to offer then this.  Everything that happens throughout the entire track just seems so dull and uninspired to me, like they weren’t even trying.  The chorus and even the verses seemed really dull to me, like the song had no variation at all.   Their vocals were nice, but the lack of energy ruined any chance of me liking the song as whole.  The rapping was ok this time around, but they certainly had better rap breaks throughout the album.  It feels like they spent all their energy and time on the previous four tracks and ended up losing any creativity they had on this final track.  It lacks anything interesting or note-worthy, kind of like they were just going through the motions in order to make the album five songs instead of four.  Thankfully all the previous tracks make up for this boring little number.

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I’ve never listened to Teen Top before, so I can’t really comment on any growth they’ve made as artists, but I’m willing to bet this is their most solid release to date.  I personally find the album to be a little bit shaky as there are some really nice tracks, and some I don’t really care for.  The album has a slight disjointed feeling to it, but at the same time it manages to have a common thread between all of the tracks.  I love how they managed to create one amazing up-tempo track and one amazing ballad.  It seems to me this group should probably stick to really pop-esque songs or straight up ballads, their strength doesn’t appear to be in tracks with a ‘in the middle’ type of sound.  Overall though, I’m glad I finally gave Teen Top a chance.  I don’t normally give many boy groups a chance, so I’m glad I decided to pick the right one!

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Album Rating: 7/10

Recommended Songs

No More Perfume On You

Beautiful Girl  | Back of My Hand