Boy Band EXO Comeback With the Winter Special Album Sing For You

EXO  ~ Sing For You

      Two years ago, EXO released 'Miracles in December,' kicking off a tradition of holiday releases. Last year, it was the single  'The Winter's Tale.' Now, they have another gift for you'Sing For You,' featuring the twin title tracks  "Sing For You" and "Unfair."  

"Unfair"
A jaunty piano starts off this cheerful mid-tempo pop number. The boys bring their trademark croons to the title track, energizing the song with their delivery, Chanyeol's deep voice contrasting nicely with Baekhyun's falsetto. It's danceable and ultraslick, begging you to get on your feet and move. The song itself is about how the girl is being "unfair" to them by looking so hot. 

"Sing For You" 
The second of their dual title tracks, this is a guitar-driven ballad. Here, they pour their hearts out, some of them tenderly half-whispering their parts. When they get to the chorus, though,Baekhyun, Chen, and D.O. really wrench the vocals from their souls and put on an impassioned performance. The song itself is an endearing winter confession.   

"Girl x Friend"
Extending the piano influence to another song, the boys crank out another medium-tempo tune. This time, it has different twists from the first to shake things up. Kai's backing vocals where he interjects something between another boy's lines are amusing and make this song pop. The rest handle their duties well, but I think Kai's parts give it more of a rhythm and make it catchier. It's about trying to get out of the friendzone and be a girl's boyfriend. 

On the Snow"
Snaps, harmonies, and backing vocals characterize this ballad. During the chorus, however, it picks up some and becomes a soft pop tune instead, and the boys' delivery gets louder and more heartfelt. Equal parts sugary and silky, this lush ballad deserves more than a single listen. The lyrics talk about love and loss in winter and how they want her back. 

"LIGHTSABER"
Probably the most enjoyable song on this album for this beat junkie, this EDM track features staccato vocals, dance breaks, and synth wub-wubs ftw! The track, produced specifically with Star Wars in mind, even has Darth Vader's ominous breathing at the beginning. The lyrics are clever, alluding to how the boys are a girl's life saver (rhymes with "lightsaber"). 

This slow-burner is entirely appropriate for the season. The use of real instruments over synths give you a sensation more warm than sizzling, a reminder that winter is here, the leaves have dropped from the trees, and that logs are smoldering in the fireplace. The boys never fail to put in a moving performance in December, 'Sing For You' included.  The album leaves you with a mellow, pleasant glow, something perfect to curl up with a cup of mocha and keep the winter at bay.  

Track Listing :

Unfair Click Here
Sing For You Click Here
Girl x Friend Click Here
On the snow Click Here
LIGHTSABER (Bonus Track) Click Here

source : http://www.allkpop.com/review/2015/12/album-mv-review-exo-sing-for-you

PSY Comeback with the Seventh Album 7th Album

PSY ~ 7^th Album

Arguably the most well-known name in K-Pop (at least to the West), hitmaker Psy, best known for "Gangnam Style" and "Gentlemen," is back again with 9 new tracks. As may be apparent from the track list, the rapper has teamed with some of the biggest names in K-Pop and beyond. 

Psy starts us off with the energetic synth-laden dance track "Dance Jockey." Largely a turn-your-brain-off song, the beats laid down here should get you on your feet and moving. The message, of course, is just to dance to the music.  

"I Remember You" is a soft pop number starring Zion.T. Featuring synth washes and Zion.T's pretty singing voice, the duo makes their way through this song of love and loss and memories. I like Psy's delivery here, altering the previous wild and crazy cadence to something more pulled back and reserved. 

"Bell Bottoms" cranks it up once again, giving us jangly guitars and Psy's trademark delivery in a catchy party tune and probably the most enjoyable ode to a pair of pants that you'll ever hear. And yes, that's exactly what it is. He's singing about Bell Bottoms. But with some Latin-style horns and a body-moving beat, you won't care. 

Then we come to the title track "DADDY." Featuring loud synth blasts ripped straight from the club version of T-ara's "No. 9," this is an unrepentant, repetitive club banger. But anyone who knows me knows that I don't consider repetition a bad thing. This monster features multiple easy hooks, including CL's part: "Hey, where u get that body from?" Also Psyshouts in a couple parts like he's struggling to be heard above the music, and I haven't heard him that passionate since 2010's "Right Now." With CL, , a danceable beat, and lines like"U be my curry, I will be ur rice" what's not to like?

PSY slows it down for "Dream." This tune benefits from the amazing sincere pipes of Junsu from JYJ. The tempo is one that Junsu excels at, and PSY once again reins in his raps, his delivery entirely appropriate to the tune. The angst-ridden tune is about missing a girl and dreaming about meeting her again. 

Done with will.i.am, "ROCKnROLLbaby" helps the Black-Eyed Peas singer get the K-pop bug out of his system. Their raps blend well together in an electronic orgy dedicated to celebration. Amusingly, it sounds like he's actually saying "Rockn'raoul," which makes me smirk every time he says it. That lifts my mood because he says it a lot. 

"The Day Will Come" features the legendary Jun In Kwon from Deulgukhwa, the band that at one time was dubbed "the Beatles of Korea." His voice has gained more character with age, and his performance is soul-searing, and Psy dials it down to deliver a rather morose-sounding rap -- he still keeps the time, and it lends itself well to the song, which is about getting the courage up to face the day

. 

"Ahjussi Swag" has Gaeko from Dynamic Duo, and together with Psy he completes another dynamic duo. The song is about an older gentleman trying to dress like he's younger and being unable to hide his age. . The song is playful, the lyrics show him trying to be a lady killer and his wrinkles and body fat give him away. It's not meant to be serious, and it's not. It's also insanely catchy with awesome hooks. 

"SING (PSYmix)" is a remix of Ed Sheeran's tune "Sing." The British folk-pop singer reveals that the MV for the original was  inspired by a karaoke night out with Psy. The rapper kicks it up a notch with sick lines and backing track reminiscent of the original tune, along with Sheeran's signature falsetto in the chorus. It's not a bad tune, but I just have to ask why?  

One thing I really like about Psy is his ability to alter his delivery. He's been at it for awhile so he's had time to perfect his craft. And while tracks like "Gangnam Style" go viral, they don't really show how versatile he is. And while the appeal of this album is largely danceability, , this is still a really fun album to listen to. There are clever lyrics, massive hooks, and talented collaborators. If that's not enough for you, then what is?  

Track Listing :

Dance Jockey Click Here
I Remember You (Feat. Zion.T) Click Here
Bell Bottoms Click Here
DADDY (Feat. CL of 2NE1) Click Her
Dream (Feat. Junsu of JYJ) Click Here
ROCKnROLLbaby (Feat. will.i.am) Click Here
The Day Will Come (Feat. Jun In Kwon) Click Here
Ahjussi Swag (Feat. Gaeko of Dynamic Duo) Click Here
SING (PSYmix) (with Ed Sheeran) Click Here

source : http://www.allkpop.com/review/2015/12/album-mv-review-psy-7th-album

Boy Band BTS Comeback With the Fourth Mini Album Hwayangyeonhwa Part 2

BTS ~ Hwayangyeonhwa Part 2

BTS warmed up your Spring with part 1 of 'HwaYangYeonHwa Pt. 1,'featuring the hitsongs "Dope" and "I Need U." Now is your chance to snag part 2, featuring nine all-new tracks and the single "Run," which debuted at No. 1. The members wrote many of these tracks on this new release, too, adding a personal touch.

The first track, "Intro : Never Mind," is a tough track. It starts out slow with an occasional slow piano riff. About 30 seconds in it gets a beat and some fuzzy electric guitars, and it starts in earnest, SUGA spitting the lines he wrote himself. This song stands in defiance of the haters, pretty much saying they've succeeded, no matter what anyone thought.  

"Run" is their title track, and reminded me a lot initially of "I Need U." But some of the little things make this song different. I like the setup between tough raps and smooth bridges, and some of Rap Monster's lines delivered aggressively, filtered like he was recorded over the phone. The SUGA, J-Hope, Rap Monster, and Jungkook-penned song is written to a girl, saying that all he can do is love her, and asking her not to leave. 

The ballad "Butterfly" is sweeping and sweet, with wafty vocals and sugary harmonies.  It's definitely a switch from the first part of the album, and the lyrics are quite evocative:

"It's like a wind that gently strokes me
It's like a dust that gently drifts along
You're there but for some reason, I can't reach you, stop
You, who is like a dream is a butterfly high to me."

They're comparing the girl to a butterfly, saying she might fly away and break. 

"Whalien 52" is a slow, soft rock tune. Again we have the silky smooth vocals with tinkling piano notes and a bendy synth riff. The song is earnestly sung with raps that are less angry and more downcast. Written by Rap Monster, Suga, and J-Hope, the title refers to the 52-hertz whale, dubbed the "world's loneliest whale" by Smithsonian magazine. The title is meant to convey alienation, similar to this whale, which appears to be the only one of its kind.  The song does this well.  

The frenetic tune "Ma City" has all kinds of description about where they live, and what to find there, and the difference between real life and life on the stage. Drums and electric guitar help keep the raps on point. The pre-chorus makes a killer hook: 

"Now open sea of Busan
Say la la la la la
This skyline under a blue sky
Say la la la la la" 

  
"Silver Spoon" or "Crow Tit/Try Hard" has a very creepy main melody that doesn't let up even into the chorus. It probably would've made my "Spookiest K-pop Songs" article if it had been released at that time. It's rapped rather mockingly, adding an even darker note to the production. Rap Monster has his hands all over this one, and it seems to be the voices of self-doubt and exhaustion that stop you from being creative.   

"One Night in a Strange City" is what they call their "skit." In this snippet, they analyze their songs and performance from their three-day concert tour at the end of November. Overall, they're pretty optimistic about this release. 

"Autumn Leaves" starts with synth warps and gives way to soft vocals. When the raps come when things become a bit unsettling, kind of like...dead leaves. Underlying the raps is a deep, ominous, lowing synth that gave me the creeps. Jimin, V, Jungkook and Jin deliver the lofty croons that takes the edge off this tune. The song itself can be summed up by one of their lyrics: "This love is like the fallen leaves."

"Outro : House Of Cards" is the final track (as you may have guessed), and again has a kind of dark vibe running through it. It's fairly spare, and is significantly different than the intro. It's also got an echoey, ethereal quality to some of the vocals that makes it even darker. The song compares the relationship to house of cards, easy to knock over. 

I feel Part 1 was more upbeat while this disc is less playful and darker, almost as if they were being more introspective in the months between this LP and their last release. Still, the raps are awesome, and some of the lyrics are really evocative, and the tracks here are at least as good, if not better, than their previous tunes. This is still a really good album; the silky voices of the Bangtan Boys will keep you cozy as winter closes its icy grip

Track Listing :

Intro : Never Mind Click Here
Run Click Here
Butterfly Click Here
Whalien 52 Click Here
Ma City Click Here
Silver Spoon Click Here
SKIT : One night in a strange city Click Here
Autumn Leaves Click Here

source : http://www.allkpop.com/review/2015/12/bts-hwayangyeonhwa-part-2

Girl Band APRIL Comeback With the First Single Album Boing Boing

APRIL ~ Boing Boing

April made a splash earlier this year with their debut mini-album, 'Dreaming.' The album hit number 8 on the album charts and was an impressive debut for the six girls. After having lost member Somin, they are staging their comeback as a five-some, with their first single album 'Boing Boing.' The Album released on 30th November 2015

"Glass Castle" starts with synth blasts and a jangly guitar joins along with chimes and triangles. It's a light, playful tune with the girl's trademark high-pitched vocals and an easy beat. It's got a bit of swing influence here, but mostly it's pure saccharine pop.

"Muah!" has more of a horn influence, with some vibrating synth riffs behind them. This has a little of everything, with cute idol rapping, angelic bridges, and synth slams during the chorus to give the song some punch. It's a catchy tune, and the hook in the pre-chorus is what does it: "Come to me, baby kiss my lips."  The next lines change with the verses. The title "Muah!" refers to the sound you make you give someone a kiss.

April is a fun band. Why more people aren't into them I can't guess. Yes, we already have a glut of these bands, such as G-Friend, and Lovelyz, Red Velvet, and Oh My Girl, but some of these rookie bands have already managed to shoot into the charts, and I think it'sApril's turn. If you're a fan, this release is great news, and something to whet your appetite while waiting for a full comeback. If you're not, just think: you can get your "cute fix" from these girls while you're waiting for your bias.

Track Listing :

Glass Castle Click Here

Muah! Click Here

Muah! (Inst.) Click Here

Source : http://www.allkpop.com/review/2015/12/album-mv-review-april-boing-boing

Girl Group Taetiseo Comeback with the Chirstmas Album Dear Santa

Taetiseo ~ Dear Santa

TaeTiSeo, a subunit consisting of Girls' Generation members Taeyeon, Tiffany, and  Seohyun, have dropped a special Christmas album,'Dear Santa,' to wish you a happy holiday season. The title track is written by Seohyun herself. :). The album released on  Desember 4th 2015.

"Dear Santa," the title track, starts with an amazing ballad that showcases their angelic voices. If there ever was the slightest doubt these girls couldn't sing, it was erased. It quickly launches into a more traditional fast-tempo Christmas tune, reminiscent of  "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Piano-driven and fun, this wishlist to a guy is the kind of tune you want playing while trimming the tree. 

"I Like the Way" is very disco-R&B-inspired track and even more lively than "Dear Santa." This is less wintry, but fiercer than the previous tune. There are urgent, seductive bridges, and the vocals are more dulcet here, which just shows you how versatile these songstresses are. The only thing I could hope for is a better hook, as the only repeated part is the chorus. The song, of course, is about how they like the way their man treats them. 

They switch gears for "Winter Story," a guitar ballad. It's very pretty and stripped down, with tinkling chimes and snaps being the only other instrumentation. And again, those voices! They handle the vocal duties extremely well, and an MR version of this would be epic. The 'story,' of course, is that there's a man who warms their hearts. 

"Merry Christmas" is another ballad, this time dressed up with all the things that you'd expect of a holiday ballad: sleigh bells, piano, and something a little different. The girls use harmonies as accompaniment, using their vocals as instruments alongside everything else. It does more to enhance the vocals than a ton of faux orchestra pieces and makes this a pleasure to hear. This is a song to the fans, wishing them a Merry Christmas. 

The song "First Snow" is a gentle dance tune and almost reminded me of A Pink, if it weren't for the vocals. There's an appropriate build in the main verses, and the overdubs in the chorus sound like an army of TaeTiSeos ready to take on the world. It works really well as the payoff in this song. It's a romance tune, talking about "the white light that shines in my heart" and all that. 

"Dear Santa" (English version) is not as good as the Korean one. Now you might be saying "They're the same tune!" While they're the same melody, they are not the same song at all. There are no references to heartache or repetition of lyrics in the Korean version -- this one is set up very much like some of the more traditional pop songs that make it into an artist's lexicon when they do a Christmas album. The girls' enunciation, however, was really nicely done. There's only a couple of Seohyun's words I had trouble with. It's not bad, just not as good as it could be. 

This was an awesome album. I like it even better because it's original tunes, not just a bunch of rehashes. There's only so many times you can hear someone murder "Silent Night" (though these girls would probably do it justice). And for those who would rather have something more traditional, well, there's tons of other Christmas albums out there. As for me, I'll take these songs dancing in my head over visions of sugar plums any day.

Track Listing :

Dear Santa Click Here

I Like the WaycClick Here

Winter Story Click Here

Merry Christmas Click Here

First Snow Click Here

Dear Santa (English Ver.) Click Here

Source : http://www.allkpop.com/review/2015/12/album-mv-review-taetiseo-dear-santa