Keeping it short -10 bits and thoughts

Well, it’s been a while. And a lot has happened in kpop utopia.

Even though I haven’t been active here I’ve been actively following new releases and listened to anything that appealed to me and I really love a lot of those new songs. Also I may have changed preferences over the last year, looking back, on some of the posts I was way too harsh , on others, let’s not call it biased, but too subjective.

I’ll keep it short and on point :

1. Way to go and steal wigs on a daily basis 2ne1. I’ve been blown away by each and every release of them, also CL’s solo. Digging the rapping and baddass attitude, although ocasionally forced or cheesy sounding, but all in all, great music, cool MV’s, good job.

In my defence I still think those first releases, up until I am the best, were a bit too similar and quite tamed. The girls had it in them to kick ass.

( to be really honest I’m having a hard time liking Happy. H-a-p-p-y?! Seriously now. Also too soon, too PharellHappy. )

2. On a similar note, loved Alive, loved TOP’s solo, loved Taeyang’s solo, loved Seungri’s solo, GD,…I don’t know. Only liked both song and MV for Coup D’état. The rest, not so much. Still jamming to Heartbreaker.

3. Among the oh so called rookies, well not all of them are still technically rookies, I loved : EXO singles ( even Wolf, I can’t believe what a silly crush I had on that crazy song ), Lee Hi’s songs, all time favourite being Rose, Ladies’ Code, Crayon Pop, B.A.P ( B.A.P , actually hit or miss for most of the times) , History, Tiny-G. Favourite new group – LC9. Stupid name. Huge potential, Great mini album. Worth tons of listens.  And a lot others. I lived with the false impression that most of the new acts are not so special, or interesting but seeing all these names constantly on my playlist, the situation is looking actually pretty good.

4. Crazy cool comebacks by Rain ( oh Rain, y u so hot !!), Epik High, Leessang, Infinite, Lee Hyori, Kahi, Miss A, block b, PSY, Sunny Hill, Ga-in, Jay Park ( really underrated) etc.

5. Somewhat dissapointed by or expected more from : Shinee, Ailee, TVXQ (biggest dissapointment, with Shinee being 2nd tier ), Super Junior, etc.

6. Still trapped in kpop limbo : U-Kiss, Teen Top, B2ST, CN Blue, Nine Muses, Secret, A Pink, ZE:A, FT Island, despite having really cool songs, choreos and/or lovely personalities.

8. What the hell, 2PM, what the hell ??

9. Biggest revelation : Cho Yong Pil ( whole album, great material ).

10. On kdrama land things for me haven’t been so exciting. Loved the Reply series, couldn’t get past episode 3-4 of any of those new Lee Min-ho dramas, and pretty much nothing else got me hooked. Oh, no, I’m lying, LooooooVED Queen In Hyun’s Man. The guy is crazy hot and the girl is pretty damn funny, both on screen and in real life. Also, talking about real life, they’re a couple. Ain’t that really cute ? I think it is.

On variety programs – I have a soft spot for 2days and 1night ( both old and new seasons ) and Immortal Song 2. ALi rocks!!!!!

Sorry about any typos. It’s been a long time and english is still not my first language.

Big Bang – Always (album review)

I was ready to give the 5 boys from Big Bang more credit, right before the release of their last album, Tonight. That was compassionate Tha. Back then I even had a thing for Daesung. Meantime there was that horrible car accident, GD&TOP playboy incident and an announcement about a G-Dragon solo album release in october. Oh, and a Universal Tonight craze. A bit too much drama for my taste.

I have nothing but respect for G-Dragon for being such a prolific composer. He’s the brain behind most of Big Bang albums. Well, he and his label mate Teddy, however he does get on my nerves every times he plays the fashion diva.

 

TOP can be an interesting rapper when he’s not on peroxide and steroids :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seungri will always be the overestimated maknae of the group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taeyang has to tame his hormones, they’re all over the place. And don’t even get me started on his stubborn refusal to wear tops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Daesung …I am really SAD about that nightmare he’s in right now. He had the most vocal potential out of all of them and I  envisioned a nice solo career for him. It really was his turn to shine. He shouldn’t be remembered solely for this powerful interpretation!

Their first mini album is actually one of their best releases. Each of the boys is well incorporated in the songs and the choruses are top-notch. The intro is fun, most of the intros by r&b and rap artists are something different. The sampling could have been more carefully selected, but their solo parts each have a nice flow. They make me shake my booty.

Lies is a great song. The chorus and the middle 8 are stunningly well sung and the moment when G-Dragon says something in Korean that sounds exactly like : Drop dead, bitch!, oh… pure ecstasy.

I knew Wrong Number’s English version, So Beautiful, which, if you were to ask me, sounds better. I have no idea which of the two is the original, but even the raps are better synchronized with the beat in the English version. G-Dragon really sounds tacky with that “that’s the shit/real shit” insertion.

TOP’s solo track, As If Nothing’s Wrong featuring Ji Eun has a sampling very similar to that gruesome song by Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey. This is the one reason why I don’t like it.

Oh My Baby sounds very generic and I can’t put my finger on exactly where I heard it before, however I like G-Dragon’s cries at the end of the song.

Always can be  a playful quite enjoyable song if you are capable of  ignoring G-Dragon’s “Bang them” from time to time.

Kids, what have we learned from the listening of this mini album ?

All together : That G-Dragon  has a very dirty mouth!!!

Final rating : 6.5/10