Boy Band Super Junior Comeback With the Ninth Album Devil

Super Junior ~ Devil

Devil is the overall eighth Korean-language studio album (ninth overall) by South Korean boy band Super Junior, released on July 16, 2015, by S.M. Entertainment. Released as a "special album", the album features 9 members, marking the return of Yesung after his mandatory military service. The album also marks the first album without Shindong     and Sungmin, due to mandatory military service.

9 Devils ?

It's Super Junior's 10th anniversary! To celebrate this, they've released a special album, 'Devil.' The album contains 10 new tracks not just by the full band but by their subunits as well. Not to mention they worked with some of the top names in the industry to bring this to us. And it's just in time for summer, too!

We start off with the pop-dance track "Devil." Guitar-driven, it takes dance-pop to the next level. With easy hooks ("hey hey hey hey") and a catchy chorus, we're off to a great start here. The boys are describing an encounter with a bad girl, a "devil," and how they'd like to get with her.

Next up is "Simply Beautiful," a mid-tempo R&B piece where the boys are telling the girl how hot she is, just the way she is, "simply beautiful." Smooth croons by SuJu drive this song more than any of the instruments. And hooks like "Simply, It's simply, Baby simply, You're simply beautiful," and "yay ay ee ayyy" really make this song pop.

"Stars Appear..." is the Epitone Project-penned soft rock song. It reminds me a bit of "Growing Pains," but I don't mind -- I love that song. The boys manage this song well, strong vocals and sincere emotion coming through clearly. The lyrics are about the last 10 years, where Super Junior has met many people, and this is dedicated to the ones who supported them.  

The next song is "Good Love," an R&B track where the boys channel their inner Prince, driving their voices (in their words) "higher and higher." It's a body-moving track, with playful raps and slightly naughty lyrics. They handle it well, though. The boys are telling their girl to relax and just think of them tonight. 

Super Junior K.R.Y. brings us a quiet, meditative track -- the ballad "We Can." Veteran producer-singer-songwriter Lee Seung Hwan wrote and composed this one. Emotional and poignant, the lyrics talk of the decade-long friendship between the band members, and the hopes they have going forward. Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and Yesung's skillful vocals milk your tear ducts here.  

They kick it up for the next track, Super Junior D&E's "Don't wake Me Up." Donghae got his writing team together from Team One Sound for this one. A great mid-tempo soft rock track driven by guitar, Donghae's smooth vocals and Eunhyuk's on-point raps make for a great jam. Most of what I hear out of D&E I love. D&E are telling the girl they don't want to wake up, to get out of bed and end these perfect moments with her. 

Next we have a trot offering from (who else?) Super Junior-T, "Love at First Sight." This is firmly in the trot realm (or "acid pop," if you prefer), a little bit retro and a little bit modern.Eunhyuk, Heechul, Kangin, leader Leeteuk, Shindong and Sungmin all kill it here, and combine to make a tune that happily bounces along. The lyrics themselves are humorous and sweet: "A guy who is prettier than a girl, that's me."

The next song is a piece of discofied Mandopop, courtesy of Super Junior-M. Sung in Chinese (naturally), "Forever With You" not only borrows from disco but also gets back to the funk roots of the style in places. Evocative lyrics by member Zhoumi set the tone: "Only you can understand the language of my heart/The music of sadness and joy." The song is written for the fans, who stayed with them all these years.  

"Rock 'n Shine" gets the band back together again, for this bluesy rocker. Blistering guitars blare over a powerful chorus. This is far and away my favorite track on the album. At times it reminds me of Styx, which is a good thing. This really showcases Super Junior's vocal talents.  The message of the song is courage: "Break down all the walls of the world that trap you/destroy it all / fly towards the dreams that you wanted." 

Donghae gets together with Team One Sound again and composes the song while he andEunhyuk contribute lyrics. "Alright" is a playful tune while the lyrics themselves are hilarious; one verse is a play on the member's names. While witty, this song is also written for the fans, about friendship and staying true to yourself. 

Track Listing :

Devil Click Here

Simply Beautiful Click Here

Stars Appear… Click Here
Good Love Click Here
We Can Click Here
Don't Wake Me Up Click Here
Love at First Sight Click Here
Forever with You Click Here
Rock'n Shine! Click Here
Alright Click Here

source : http://www.allkpop.com/review/2015/07/album-and-mv-review-super-junior-devil

Boy Band Seventeen Comeback With the Second Mini Album Boys Be

Seventeen ~ Boys Be

Pledis' boy band Seventeen is back with their new album 'Boys Be.' The 13-member group, split into three different subunits highlighting the members' talents, have been delighting fans since their debut. Now they're back with five new tracks for your listening pleasure. 

Five new tracks .. what are they?

The first tune, "Keeping a Straight Face," is by Seventeen's hip-hop unit, leader S.Coups,Mingyu, Vernon, and Wonwoo. The song juxtaposes raps with a sung chorus, but it's no smooth croon (the usual trope), as it has some edge to it. It makes the song better, IMHO. The rappers are explaining how Seventeen is no poser group while at the same time scamming off a girl. The song had a pretty sarcastic tone to it which made for an amusing listen.

"Hands Up" is the title track, written and composed by member Woozi. It starts out seriously upbeat and I love that the raps come early. It is a party song through and through, pure dance pop and pure fun. Harmonies combine with hip-hop elements to make this a kickin' track. The lyrics are clever at times, referencing the movie 'Chulsoo and Younghee,' for example. It's basically an ode to a girl. 

 
"When I Grow Up," by Jeonghan, Joshua, Woozi, DK and Seungkwan (the vocal unit), is a ballad. It sounds a bit lonely and mournful starting out, but the boys' vocals warm it up quickly. Never let it be said they can't sing. The vocals are a bit sad, talking about having to grow up and hoping the girl will wait for him. They almost seem to be looking back in regret. 

The next song, "OMG," is my pick out of all the tracks (but that's just my own

bias). An EDM/trap monster, it is the contribution of the performance

 unit: Jun, Hoshi, The8, and Dino. Sampled autotuned vocals, staccato sections, sick

raps, awesome bass lines, and a synth that alternates between doppler beats and

piping help make this track really pop. 

Coming in with an undulating synth, "Rock" is a sweet, crunchy pop song. It's

definitely upbeat, and each boy plays his part perfectly. Their vocal talents really

come through in this track. Vernon's really on point with his raps here, and

combined with the bridge makes a really good hook. Another song written about a

girl, she's being asked to "rock my head."

Track Listing:

Fronting Click Here

Mansae Click Here

When I Grow Up Click Here

OMG Click Here

Rock Click Here

source : http://www.allkpop.com/review/2015/09/album-mv-review-seventeen-boys-be

Girl Band Red Velvet Comeback with the First Album The Red

Red Velvet ~ The Red

The Red  is the first studio album by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. It was released on September 9, 2015 by S.M. Entertainment and distributed by KT Music.

The Red Velvet ?

SM's rookie girl group Red Velvet is back with their first full album, 'The Red.' They were a hot topic around the time of their debut and have lost none of their momentum this time around, generating both love and hate for their teasers. 'The Red' features 10 brand-new tracks, including the title song "Dumb Dumb" by British composing team LDN Noise, whose other credits include SHINee's "Married to the Music" and "View." 

The title track "Dumb Dumb" starts out with a high-energy hook and horn blasts. The main verses are chanted initially, and the chanting eventually gives way to belts. Those girls definitely have lungs! The whole thing comes together to make a pretty sweet dance track. This tune has clever lyrics, as well. In particular a verse references just about every Michael Jackson single.

"Huff n Puff" is introduced by low-pitched synth honks and a big beat style drum beat. All the girls' voices combine to make it sound like a small girl army is singing for you. The lyrics talk of being transported to another world, an Alice in Wonderland locale. I like it better than the first track, to be honest.  

Notably smoother than the previous tracks, "Campfire" has a bit of a retro feel, sort of a mashup of '70s and '50s at the same time. It's a risky endeavor, but is skillfully pulled off here. The powerful vocals here make this a standout track, the best I've heard so far on this LP. The lyrics are about night of love by a campfire.

"Red Dress" takes the high energy and kicks it up with horn blasts and insistent vocals. The chorus slows it down with a hooky refrain and smooth delivery. It's an interesting contrast within the song, and again shows some superior songcraft to pull this off. The song itself is about feeling good and being dressed to kill.

"Oh Boy" begins with the chorus and turns into a swingy, R&B-inspired dance tune. Another smooth chorus lets you know they've moved away from the excesses of "Ice Cream Cake" to a more experimental mode. The second verse turns up the dance elements and makes this an awesome body-moving tracks.  Obviously, the song is an ode to a boy they like.

The playful "Lady's Room" has some synth waves and a smooth refrain. There are some sweet croons, and the tune is simple and accessible. The song is also really catchy. The title made me snicker at first -- the "ladies' room" in my part of the world is a restroom. In this case it appears to be a party room, possibly even a hotel suite for the ladies.

"Time Slip" starts out kind of stripped down with a very basic synth line. It transitions to a chanting, and the synth gets more bass. It's obviously a nod to hip-hop without being strictly hip-hop. The chorus is a silky harmony that you don't want to end. Perfect for the theme about time slipping away.

The next track, "Don't U Wait No More," has a few similarities to the title track, the repeated refrain and the nonstop nature of the vocals. It's still pretty well its own song, and is a fun tune, even if really short. The lyrics indicate the girls are telling the guy not to wait anymore and just ask 'em out.

Reminding me a lot of a diary entry, "Day 1" is a bouncy, playful tune. It chronicles the feelings and thoughts of the first day of officially dating. Defying easy classification, it reminded me a lot of an A Pink tune and, by turns, a retro showtune as well. It's definitely easy on the ears. 

"Cool World" is the last song and an absolutely smooth entry with synth waves and pretty harmonies during the bridge and chorus; it has a beat and a hook that'll have you singing along in no time. The song itself is about fantasizing and retreating into yourself. 

Track Listing :

Dumb Dumb Click Here

Huff n Puff Click Here

Campfire Click Here

Red Dress Click Here

Oh Boy Click Here

 Lady’s Room Click Here

Time Slip Click Here

Don’t U Wait No more Click Here

Day 1 Click Here

Cool World Click Here

Source : http://www.allkpop.com/review/2015/09/album-mv-review-red-velvet-the-red

Boy Band Monsta X Comeback wiith the Second Mini Album Rush

Monsta X ~ Rush

On Sep 7th, Monsta X released their music video for their second mini album "Rush". The rap artist Giriboy produced Monsta x's title song "Rush". That day, they also held their showcase at llji Art Hall in Gangnam, Seoul.

Rush?

After wowing audiences on the idol survival show 'No.Mercy' which spawned the seven-member band, MONSTA X made another splash with their debut album, 'Trespass.' Now the rookie band is back with their new EP 'Rush,' containing six new hip-hop and R&B tracks. 
Beginning with a honking, insolent synth, the title track "Rush" starts out strong with the hook, and then Jooheon comes in with his rap. I.M. lays down the raps for the second verse; I.M.'s part is distinct from Jooheon's, as the pitch and flow are different. They mesh well, and keep things interesting. Everything comes together to make this song pop. The point of the title? They want the girl to "rush" to them.                                                                                    Sassy horns begin the second track, "Hero." The tune is noticeably different from the first in that it's primarily sung instead of rapped. It still contains that immediacy that characterizes "Rush." The transition to the rap segment is awkward, though, like a different song was tacked onto the main song. It recovers, but it takes a bit. The lyrics talk about how the singer will protect her from other guys who make her cry.
"Perfect Girl" is the first ballad on this album. This tune really shows off the boys' vocal abilities.  They croon to a gentle guitar while a space age synth provides accents. There are emotional raps that go along well with the flow of the song. The song itself is about how the girl is so perfect and he wants her by his side.                                                                                                                             The fourth track, "Amen," is a smooth R&B piece; slower, like the previous track. All the pieces are in place here, technically perfect with a skillfully inserted rap interlude. Some of the deeper voices come through clearly during the bridge, giving the song some edge. There are sampled "heys" behind the chorus, too, a clever nod that helps this absolutely sick track. The lyrics are asking the girl to pray for the singer because he wants her.
"Gone Bad" just sounds delightfully bratty all the way around. The croons in the bridge just help set up the hook-filled, impertinent chorus. There's a beat drop at about 2:50, but do we really need an autotuned, downpitched voice pointing this out? It grabs your attention, which I think was the point. The song is about a love "gone bad," but the boys sound like they're telling the girl to get lost.    

They switch gears entirely with "Broken Heart," a ballad about love and loss. Tenderly sung and rapped, the spare piano helps highlight the wounded voices. It's a pretty song, the boys trading vocal duties especially during the bridge.  The song is about their "broken heart."
I've raved about MONSTA X before, and they come through once more. 'Rush' is just as good as 'Trespass,' but with some definite differences in tone. 'Trespass' was trying to establish the band's concept and hammer it into you. 'Rush' sets up a more playful image, and even has some different styles for them to experiment with. It's not a hard sell -- they kill it on every track.  

Track Listing :

Rush Click Here

Hero Click Here

Perfect Girl Click Here

Amen Click Here

Gone Bad Click Here

Broken Heart Click Here

Source : http://www.allkpop.com/review/2015/09/album-mv-review-monsta-x-rush