[Kpop song review] Distance – CLC

From the same album, but with a totally different feel from Black Dress, comes CLC’s second MV “Distance”. The song is a ballad that goes similarly to any other Kpop ballad song out there, but somehow to me it brings back a lot of old-school Kpop vibe. I keep seeing a bit of T-ara’s ballad songs in this one, those like “Lie (ballad ver)”, with a little mix of Bigbang “Monster” (maybe because of the rap part, and the I love you that reminds me of “I love you baby I’m not a monster”). But I think they pulls off this concept well, it touches old Kpop fans’ heart, and it’s a nice twist among the recent dance songs’ comeback.

The MV is pretty, I really, really like their make-up looks. This MV is completely the opposite of “Black Dress”, in here, CLC shows off their feminine side, with white dresses, subtle mature make-up looks, and sad lyrics. “Distance” is a confirmation that CLC is a group that can pull off both sexy dark and gentle mature concept well.

Check out the MV here.

[Kpop song review] One – Samuel (Full Album review)

Hi guys! I have been wanting to do this since last week, because One is a really great album and I’m both impressed and proud of Samuel for pulling off such a good album like this. Just a soft reminder, but he’s only 16, and he’s a solo artist who actually majors in dance. But his voice is amazing and really stable in this album

I will skip One, you can read it here.

SOS

SOS is a cool R&B tune, and it’s exactly what I imagined Samuel would do the best at. Samuel just has that vibe that suits R&B really well. The instrumental beat with the constant shifts in tempo every time the song goes into a new part is pretty interesting. I specifically like the last part, where it’s just the music with Samuel doing the adlib. He really handles this song well, it’s upbeat and refreshing, and could be promoted side by side with the main song.

Princess

Another R&B tune (I told you he suits this really really well right). The song is so cute but makes you wanna dance at the same times. I also like that Samuel sings the chorus and some parts of the bridge in English, his good pronunciation makes every thing sounds better and has a US-vibe. The song starts out chilled, but as it moves to the chorus the beats get harder and makes you wanna dance, or at least nod your head along with it.

I can’t sleep

This piece is put in the middle of the album track list, and after 3 dance songs, this piece is a really nice change. I like how this song highlights his vocal well, while still has that pop dance instrumental, so it still fits well with the album as a whole. The chorus is the best part of the song in terms of showing off Samuel’s vocal skills and sweet tones, while the bridge gives me a vivid image in my head of Samuel dancing with a (female) dancer.

Clap your hands. 

This song is so awesome! That’s really all I have to say haha. I love the party vibes, the strong pounding beats, the synth notes and the simple chorus. This is really old US-UK vibe, but Samuel’s youthful voice has brought a new feeling to the song. And I love the first sentence “I got it from my daddy”, it’s just soooo full of swag. I can totally imagine a cool dance stage with this song.

Just a while (Jamsiman)

The song starts off with light beats and Samuel’s cute, clear voice, then the beats increase with the bridge. The chorus is light and upbeat,  but then it goes into a surprised dance breaks with strong beats. It’s just like how Samuel is, cute and young but also a powerful dancer and an idol with strong minds. The song is quite short, with just 1 verse and 1 chorus, followed by 1 dance break. It seems like a “Thank you” song that Samuel want to give to his fans.

Overall, this album is a really good one, and I love every piece of it. I even consider buying this album, because Samuel is such a sweetheart and I want to support him in every way I can.

 

[Kpop song review] Fiancée – Jung Joon Young

A super unexpectedly cheesy song from Jung Joon Young, that doesn’t seem to suit his bad boy image at all (LOL seriously it’s Joon Young we talk about, the one that Roy’s mother told him to Stay away). But the song is super good, and I love love love Joon Young’s voice so much.

Personally I really like how the song starts, because Joon Young’s voice, the music video and the meaning of the lyrics are all in sync from the start, and it helps set the mood for the song well. The song starts with Joon Young singing “Marry me” in a lazy voice, as he lies on the bed lazily while the girl tries to wake him up, and that tone goes on for the whole verse. The bridge shows off his beautiful powerful vocal, and the chorus is totally “aweeeee”, like the cheesiest thing ever but still manages to put a smile on my face. The song is a ballad piece with acoustic guitar at the beginning, but builds up into a bit of the “rock alternative” feel during the chorus, because of the drums and electric guitar sounds.

I also like how the story of his MV is built. From the beginning to the end, Joon Young totally acts like a bad boy, showing off all the “bad” things about him, the tattoos, the smoking, the “I don’t care it’s mine” attitude. Even till the end of the video, the girl was shown driving her own motorbike to the altar, and walking in while filming by herself, while the groom himself is just standing there waiting for her to come over. He even throws the ring at her (that part made me laugh out loud since I know a bit about his personality, and this just suits him very well). But after all, the girl is a badass herself, and they love each other enough to accept all that.

Check out the music video here. Turn on CC for English translations (it’s really cheesy haha)

[Kpop song review] One – Samuel ft Jung IlHoon (BTOB)

Kim Samuel is here for the spring! Seriously how come he has grown up so much, he was still just a baby a few months ago (or at least to me), but he has matured a lot with this comeback

“One” is the title track and the comeback song of his mini album this time, and I have to say that I am impressed. The song is a definitely different from his previous songs “Candy” and “Sixteen”, with a darker concept, but Samuel’s youthful voice is still bringing an upbeat, refreshing vibe to “One”. I like the instrumental beat a lot, it’s catchy and quite well-produced. Personally I think each part of the song, from the verse, the bridge, the chorus to the “la la la” part near the final chorus, is all intended and arranged with a specific intention. I like IlHoon’s rap parts, I think it suits the dark concept of this song well.

The music video and live stage both showcases Samuel’s dancing skills. His live voice is quite stable, I know Samuel feels a bit cautious about his vocal, so I’m impressed and also proud that he could perform so well on stage, considering the complicated dance moves.

Check out his music video here.

[Kpop song review] Chance of Love + Love Line – TVXQ

THE KING IS BACK! I mean, DBSK is back!!!! So they’re finally have their long-awaited comeback with “New Chapter”, their 9th album, and I have to say that they’re definitely still the king of Kpop. I will review on these 2 songs first, because they’re promoting both songs on music shows. I might have a full review on the album later on~

First thing first, I’m never disappointed with SM’s songs quality, especially when it comes to DBSK. Both songs are really well-produced, and of course DBSK performs both songs really well.

Love Line

The song puts a smile on my face since the very beginning. The song is a refreshing, lighthearted start to the album, and I’m so hooked on the upbeat instrumental that goes from the very beginning to the end of the song. I really like how YunHo and Changmin sing the song in a soothing voice, with a pretty high key; somehow I feel like they’re whispering to their fans. I think this is a perfect start song to set the mood for this album, it’s something new and refreshing, just like the name “New Chapter”.

If you haven’t watched their live stage of “Love Line” yet, this is a good time to do so! The dance moves are so cute (yes I know they’re both 30-something oppa but still…), but delicated at the same time (especially the ooh hooo hooo part with the body wave), the high quality of the stage really claims “DBSK level”. I really love how they both smile and seems so relaxed throughout the whole performance. As an old time Kpop lover, this song and their performance somehow brings me so many good memories.

Check out their live stage here.

 

The Chance of Love. 

The title track and main comeback song of this album, and I do have to say that I LOVE IT SINCE THE VERY FIRST LISTEN. The song is catchy from the very beginning with the hook “ooooooohhhh”, which soon becomes stuck in my head and draws me to the song. I specifically like the bridge a lot, the change in tempo and beats catch my attention and makes me anticipate the chorus more. The song goes with the same structure for the second verse, then it changes again on the second bridge – which I really enjoy. Besides being a catchy pop song with a retro feel that can definitely stuck in listeners’ head, the song is also really well-produced, everything is just enough and it suits Yunho and Changmin’s vocal tone really well (which I’m not surprised, it’s SM and it’s DBSK)

The live stage is AWESOME! Their dance moves are both cute and attractive! And Yunho makes me cringe really hard with his excessive moves but at the same time I smile a lot watching him, because he hasn’t changed at all ever since the first time I saw him on TV 10 years ago. Changmin is classy, and he controls his moves and his facial expressions well.

Check out their live stage here.