Formed in 2012. rookie group Melody Day has dropped their new single 'Speed Up.' Formed initially as a group that sang exclusively for drama OSTs. in early 2014. Viewga Entertainment debuted them properly. Their New Album Released on October 7th, 2015.
A high-tempo dance number, "Speed
Up" starts with a funky bass line and electrifying guitar
riffs. The bridges are slower, but no less frenetic, giving the whole song a
definite body-moving energy. This is a fierce yet fun number that's different
than what they've done before. If they were trying to revamp the band's image,
this is the song to do it with. The tune is an upbeat reminder to keep going
and get what you want, although I think the line"parking in the party"would look more like this:
"Hallo" is a power ballad and more akin to their previous
output. It's pretty, but not entirely my style, though the raps seemed decent
enough. One part that I do like is the raps at the end, with the chorus layered
over them. Amusingly, they keep saying"Halo,"like the first-person shooter. The subject matter is standard
-- its an ode to a guy.
In the
same vein as Unicorn's "Huk," the last song is "Want U Bag."
It's another dance track, but different from the first, playful with a great
hook. The lyrics are clever as well as catchy; the refrain is"I Want You Back,"but
the lyrics could be talking about a purse or handbag as much as a man, with
lines like"you're a little different like
limited edition"and"sold out? no way."
Five months ago, they wowed you with their debut
song "Cupid"; now, B1A4's "little sister"groupOh
My Girlis back with a new mini-album,
'Closer.' We've got some talent
here, including Swedish guitarist/songwriterAndres Oberg, as well asAlexanderandDarren Smith, composers ofGirls'Generation's "Lion Heart."The album released on October 8th, 2015.
The album starts out with "Closer," an ethereal dance track akin toBoA's "Shattered." It's a slower, more languorous track, with
lush effects, synth washes, and layered vocals. Towards the end is really when
it reaches its nadir, with raps combining with the beautifully-sung
chorus. It's an epic tune, and the girls handle it well. The lyrics are
about getting closer to a guy, but there's an interesting line here:
"Out of all the constellations I take the one that you look like
And gently place it in the sky. I hope you see it."
"Say No More" has a snappy R&B groove to it, but the
chorus doesn't really match the smooth buildup in the verses. It feels a bit
disjointed, like two different songs fused together. The verses contain their
sweet voices, and they carry the song nicely until they hit the chorus, where
the vocals don't really match the tempo. It's a bit naughty, asking the guy"sweet or exciting which feeling is it?"
Light,
fun, and poppy, the tune "Playground"
has more to recommend it than you might think. There's some understated sassy
horns, and the girls get a bit more adamant as the song progresses, almost like
they're giving the guy a piece of their mind. The song itself is about a
breakup, making that brattiness a particularly appropriate.
"Sugar Baby" has that doo-wop '60s girl group vibe to it, from the piano to the hinking synths. it's very sweetly sung, with a main singer and backing singers as well. As saccharine as its name, the song is more far innocent than the title might suggest. It's really just about a guy with references to teddy bear. :)
"Round About" is high-tempo and playful with lots of
repetitions and callouts as hooks. Body-moving and definitely light on content,
it moves at a breakneck pace and never lets up. It screams fun and it's
insanely catchy:"Come on out out girls
girls. Nobody can change me so play it loud loud girls girls." It's
all about believing in yourself and being confident enough to have fun.
Other than "Say No More," which fell flat, the other tracks on this album are actually pretty good. "Closer" almost feels like a cheat because its
dreamy tone doesn't really match up with any of the other songs. I feel that
the title track should have been placed in the middle, maybe with a
transitional tune introducing it. It's not a bad album, just a bit uneven.
Famed for her voice as well as her beauty,Girls'GenerationleaderTaeyondebuts as a solo artist at long last. Fans have been waiting for this
for a while! Her new mini-album consists of six tracks, including her
self-penned title song "I" featuring rapper VerbalJint. The Album released on October 7th 2015.
Sweeping and anthemic, "I" is a fantastic tune. It's largely acoustic withTaeyeon's voice featuring as the main attraction.Verbal
Jinthas his spot early on, and in another section, he
raps the lyrics simultaneously as she sings, giving the tune even more depth.
Her voice is used extremely well here, soaring all over the track. The song is
about living well despite obstacles.
"U R" is a ballad that showcasesTaeyeon's ability nicely as her voice rises to eclipse
the instrumentation. The production they threw at the later parts of the song
serves to enhance the effect. She really lays bare the emotion as her vocals
crescendo. The song itself is an ode to a lover.
"Gemini"
is stylistically different from "U R," her voice more measured. It's still a slower song,
but with gentle claps and a medium tempo. The vocals range from sweet to strong
when appropriate, and it's got a nice, singable hook:"Come
to me baby / Come come to me baby."The
lyrics are tender, and speak of being together.
"Stress" is the high-tempo tune on the EP with a pounding drum
and insistent piano riff. The way she wraps her voice around the verses is
breathless with some nice belts during the chorus. The song itself is awesome,
about a bad guy that she just can't resist, and it freaks her out.
"Farewell"
a sweetly-sung ballad, reminding me a lot of a lullaby. The lyrics are about a
breakup, but they're a little different from the standard. She asks"Are people who walk alone like me?"and
suggests that"maybe I should have
shown you my shabby self first."
Three years after her
debut, Korean-American singerAileehas dropped her first
full-length album, 'Vivid ‘ on 30, September 2015. She's got ten new tracks
for us, and not an instrumental or remix in the bunch. She had a hand in
writing and composing several songs on this LP.
She puts her powerhouse
vocals to good use on theDuble Sidekick-penned "Mind Your Own Business." A sassy sax
starts out the song, which soon transitions to sassy vocals. It's obvious from
her tone she's had enough. It's catchy and body-moving, ready-made to dance to.
The lyrics talk about a breakup.
The next track is "Insane," a slower, R&B-inspired
tune. There's a pretty awesome main verse with her backup singers and the
chorus is quite catchy. One standout thing about this track: it uses the sound
of water dripping to help it keep time. I've already written about my enjoyment
of sound effects as music, and this just further cements my opinion. The lyrics
are lovelorn, about how she's going nuts without the guy.
"I Love You, I Hate You" is a ballad that perfectly showcases her skyscraper
vocals. It moves slowly, seductively, her voice drawing you in. Her masterful
pipes go high and low again. In the lyrics she apologizes, even though her
lover has already moved on.
"Second Chance" bears some resemblance to the first track, but quickly
forges its own identity when she hits the chorus. It starts slowly, smoothly,
and thenAilee's vox come in and shatter the calm and demand your
attention. It's got sort of a stop-start sensibility, married to some soul,
Korean style. In this song, she's giving a 'second chance' to a guy she has her
eye on.
The bluesy ballad "Why Are People Like This" is sung to an acoustic guitar. There's some
faux-symphonic effects later in the song, but they don't drown out her voice,
so that can be forgiven. The emotion here is raw and palpable, describing how
the tears are flowing after a breakup. "Letting Go"
is probably the poppiest track on the album, but that doesn't diminish what's
done here. It's sweetly sung and shows you what she can do when she reins in
her voice and gives you a sweet taste. On the chorus she unleashes it again and
goes back and forth between belts and sweetness.Amberdoes
what she does best on this track: rap. And it adds an awesome vibe to an
already excellent song.
The funky "Love Recipe" contains the same sass as some of her other tracks.
Bold, brassy, and full of fire, her voice positively sizzles on this track.
There's more guitar than anything else as accompaniment, just adding to the
excitement. It's a bit naughty, as well, anticipating a hot time with a lover."I'll never melt in your hand."
"Fill Your Glass"
is an interesting ballad, starting as it does with military marching drums in
the background. As on "Letting Go," it's a slow burn, with beautiful vocals
giving way to soaring belts. Electrifying guitars only enhance what she does
here. The lyrics basically describe the aftermath of a breakup, tears filling
the glass.
"One
More Step" is anthemic
and sweeping, buoyed by the impressive pipes on this girl. It reminds me of a
lullaby for a couple reasons, not the least of which is she says"keep it together my child" in
the beginning. It's also quite soothing. There's sweetness in the lyrics, and
also hope, talking about how sadness is gone.
Woollim's rookie girl groupLovelyzis back with 'Lovelyz8', a reference to the fact they are an octet again. MemberSeo Ji Soo had to bow out of their debut promotions thanks to malicious
rumors that shook her mental state. All eight girls are together again and have
dropped a new album for the fans. Welcome back,Jisoo!
"Welcome to the Lovelyz8"
is the intro track. I'm not sure whatCoach & Sendowere
aiming for, but it didn't work, whatever it was. While it's not an awkward rap
or something equally as silly, it's an electronic mess that did little other
than give me a headache.
The title track, "Ah-Choo," is pretty much what we've come to expect fromLovelyz. It's a slick production with angelic voices and synth
washes and a head-nodding chorus, together with the characteristic belts and
the band's charm that go into the recipe for a great song. I'm not sure why
they sneeze every time they see the boy, that would indicate an allergy.
"Shooting Star"
is the pre-release track, a soft, sweet, soft pop song. It's slower than the
previous tune and has a gentle, soothing quality. It does no less to showcase
their cute voices, though. The song is about a breakup.
"Hug Me" picks up the pace, which is way more my speed. It
increases in tempo quickly and becomes a proper dance track. It's a sweet love
song sung in that way-high octaveLovelyzspecializes in. Innocent lyrics talk of little more than
holding hands.
The
disco-inspired "How
To Become a Pretty Woman" splits the difference between head-nodding
dance and soft vocals. It works well, though. The tempo doesn't let you forget
that it's mainly a dance track. And"I'm pretty pretty pretty
pretty"is
a great hook.
"Sweet and Sour" reminded me a lot of anA Pinksong. It starts out
as a soft popper, picks up during the chorus, and has those skillful
instrumental descents into the main verses from the chorus. An extremely well
put together tune, and the girls sing their hearts out here. The title refers
to the sauce, comparing that to their love and how their"heart melts."
The
final track, "Rapunzel,"
didn't feel as if it belonged on this album. It's a great, body-moving track
with mature overtones. And the girls kill it here. Despite singing "Rapunzel,"
there wasn't really anything in the lyrics about the fairytale. Though,
the amusing pronunciation of the title was enough to make me snicker a bit.
With a fanbase larger than quite a few established acts, this debut is eagerly anticipated. They blew up the charts with their warm-up single, "My Type," and now they officially debut with their
half-album, 'Welcome Back.' This EP contains five new tunes, as well as "My Type." MembersB.I.andBobbywrote
the twin title tracks "Rhythm Ta" and "Airplane."
The EP launches into "Welcome Back," a song that has an R&B feel to it.
They're backed by sassy saxes (probably synth, but it still oozes cool).Bobbyreally
kills the raps here. It's also really catchy, and I found myself singing along.
The lyrics are nothing amazing, basically saying they miss her and they're lonely
even though they tried to be strong about the breakup. It's a strong opening,
and it gives me hope for the rest of the album.
"Rhythm Ta"
is the title song, and apparently a controversial one, as netizens are claiming
the lyrics are dissing their idols. MemberBobbydismissed the claims, putting a more positive spin
on things. To me, it's a generic diss, a boasting song, nothing more insidious.
Besides that, the song is a heckuva lot of fun, from the piping synths to the
rapping and the hook:"Rheethum Ta."
My thoughts on "My Type" It's not bad, and gets better and better
the more I hear it.
The
fourth track, "Today,"
is a pretty catchy pop tune. They have some funky guitars going in the
background, which I dig. I like some of the nasally intonations -- they remind
me ofG-Dragon. It's
a little slow for a dance tune, though. The title is no mystery: as of today,
the boys are suddenly attracted to a girl that they used to view as a friend.
"Airplane" is a slower song, sort of a combination of
sung verses interspersed with raps. BobbyandJunhoehandle
the rapping here, which works really well; everything is on point and the
melody is intact. I have respect for artists that can do this, as often a rap
can ruin a good song, and a song can ruin a good rap. I'm happy to report the
absence of ruin. The lyrics are clever: the girl is aboard an airplane, and the
boys are begging the pilot to either let them on or kick her off so they can
talk.
The
last tune, "M.U.P.,"
is an anthem-like song. The tune alternates between piping synths and washes
while the boys take turns rapping and singing. The title is an acronym for
"Make U Proud," which the lyrics back up. They become very candid and
humble here, saying that they're broke losers, but they will change and make
the girl proud. A good closer to a good album.
