Fair Shake Reaction: Pieces - (Bi) Rain

Pieces - (Bi) Rain

(Genre: Kpop)

Rain's The Squall Live in Hong Kong LiveStream

For 3 months, I will be doing public livestreams to get a chance to interact with my followers (readers/viewers) and to give a glimpse of all the awesome things I offer on my Patreon. There's only 3 more streams left and then it'll be your turn to decide what we watch next!

When: Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 pm CST
Where: Rabb.it via mikosuzahiru18

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Quick Music Review

San E - 'Not' Based on the True Story (2013, South Korea) Rating: 4.5/5
Favorite Tracks: 더 불행했음 좋겠다, 전 여자친구에게, 어디서 잤어
You have no idea how happy I was to see that San E was finally releasing something, especially after his departure for JYPE. This release starts off with a phone conversation skit and proceeds to a very blunt track called "더 불행했음 좋겠다". This is a really good track and you can definitely feel that lyrical freedom soar away in this seemingly sounding break up anthem. "전 여자친구에게" takes a more somber tone with a little dialogue interlude and rain and traffic sound effects in the background. This shows a more pain filled side to San E with Seon Woo Jung Ah enhancing the tone and story with her soft, beautiful vocals echoing for the chorus. I also really enjoy this song and I enjoy the emotional shift in San E's delivery as the song progresses. If you don't listen to any other track on this album, I urge you to listen to at least this one. "지영이 어머니" pulls out of the sorrowful mood with some upbeat acoustic guitar and quick rap delivery. It's a fun sounding song and a stark contrast from the previous two tracks. "어디서 잤어" was used for promotion for this album. It mixes the fun side of San E and his sarcastic style in delivering insults or, in this case, accusations. It keeps the beat up from the previous track and brings a little more hip-hop feel to the sound. Also, there's some good contributions from Verbal Jint and Swings. "이별식탁" was another choice used for promotion. It utilizes the beautiful, soulful vocals of Phantom's Sanchez and gives more of an R&B feeling, which is a nice change up and transition from the previous track. "아는사람 얘기" closes off the album with more smooth R&B acoustic guitar, piano, and bass while continuing the whole theme of this album. There are three instrumental tracks included as well. I must say that this release was worth the wait and San E's departure was a good move on his part. This is definitely a solid release.



AYABIE - Kakusei Syupurehicoru (2012, Japan) Rating: 4/5
Favorite Tracks: Kakusei Syupurehicoru, SICs
"Kakusei Syupurehicoru" is a high energy, electronic track that comes at you right off the bat. It has a good bass line, catchy melody, and fun vocals. You could easily bounce around to this song with a big grin on your face. "HERO" continues that fun, upbeat sound, but takes away the electronic sound for a more pure rock sound. It has a simple, familiar sound and is easy to dance or rock out to. "SICs" steps away from the light, fun rock sound that "HERO" has and goes all in for something more heavy with a mix of traditional Japanese elements. It reminds me of original Ayabie's "Brownie". I could definitely see myself doing furi to it with a tambourine or something.



Rain - Rain Effect (2014, South Korea) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: 30 Sexy, LA SONG, Marilyn Monroe, 30 SEXY (East4a deeptech mix)
Most of you know I've been dying for a release from Rain and I finally got it, around my birthday no less. XD "Rain Effect" gives a little sample of an intro to what we're getting into, that's when "30 Sexy" transitions in. It's a very electronic/R&B driven song with a subtle alluring melody weaving in and out of the beat and claps. Rain's vocals definitely tests itself out with mid to high range vocals, which I'm sure took some time to exercise back to a comfortable position. "LA SONG" takes a different direction with a brass driven party sound that's unique to kpop. The lyrical delivery is admittedly a bit sloppy in the verses, but you can't resist how fun and simple the chorus and beat are. I know a lot of people don't like this song, especially the video, but I enjoy it for all its carefree silliness. "어디 가요. 오빠" is minimalistic trap song with way too much bass and an annoying guitar whaling in the background. The song would be decent if Hyuna's breathy voice of try too hard sexiness wasn't trying to milk out the "oppa" vocal fantasy. It makes me feel icky listening to her beg this way. "Marilyn Monroe" cleans up the sleaziness of the previous track for something more mature and sophisticated. This is the Rain that I'm familiar with. Deep, adult sounding R&B beat and smooth vocals that feel a little more natural compared to "30 Sexy". "차에 타봐" continues that mature musical sound with some unnecessary pounding drums...or something. It's an okay track, but it feels like there's something missing to make it jump a bit more, mostly in the beginning. The build up is good, but meh. "SUPERMAN" experiments with some electro-pop, but doesn't go too crazy to sound like the younger groups. There's not much lyrical substance and I wish I could forgive it as easily as "LA SONG" as it feels like the same vein of delivery, but it just doesn't stick, especially with those high notes. "알아버렸어" mixes electro-pop and funky fresh sounds of the 80s together. It's not all that exciting, but it is different. I have a feeling I would've enjoyed this beat if it was set up for this song a lot more with actual instruments. "DEAR MAMA DON'T CRY" is a more heartfelt song with a very simple beat. It kinda works for this song, but I wish there was a little less bass and more soul in the melody. "30 SEXY (East4a deeptech mix)" ends this album with a surprisingly fun and more danceable beat. I don't know whether I like this remix more or less than the original. I find myself alternating between the two. Added recently was "사랑해" for the special edition version of this comeback album. It's nice to hear some real instruments on this, assuming, tribute/thank you track. It's sweet and the vocals are pretty good. Unfortunately, I found myself a bit underwhelmed by this comeback, but not completely let down at the same time. I'm happy it's something new, but it wasn't quite the sound I was looking for Rain's catalogue.



Dir en grey - SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH (2014, Japan) Rating: 4.5/5
Favorite Tracks: SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH, 流転の塔 (Acoustic Ver.)
Similar to Rain, I was really looking forward to this single. Well, mostly the full version of the title track. I've already expressed my love for "SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH" and surprisingly [or unsurprisingly] I got a new feeling and enjoyment while listening to it without the visuals. The melody, transitions, and vocal shifts sink into my ears very naturally that it instantly stuns my heart to stop beating. Upon listening to it for maybe the third or fourth time, I noticed that Kyo utilized splitting up certain vocal parts from one speaker to another, which I love when it's done right. [ex. deadman's "bodybag NO."] At the moment, I can't help but be drawn back to this song and lose myself on this musical journey. "流転の塔 (Acoustic Ver.)" was an interesting choice to include on this single as this song isn't that old and there's an unplugged version that already exists, but you know what, I really don't care. Not because I love Dir en grey, but because it's a really good and well composed acoustic track of an already great song, whether you're listening to the original or the unplugged version. I would say this was a rather bold choice on their part. One thing that hasn't changed about the recent Dir en grey singles, live tracks. This single features a live track of "凱歌、沈黙が眠る頃". It's just as good as the studio version, if you're a live track fan, or hearing it in person.



B2ST - Sad Movie/Christmas Carol no Koro ni wa (2013, Japan) Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Sad Movie, Christmas Carol no Koro ni wa
It's rare to find a good Japanese release from a kpop group, so I gave this single a try. "Sad Movie" is upbeat track that immediately starts off with its chorus. It has an interesting melody and annoying whining that comes in and out of the track. Despite the weird voice and odd placement of violin noises, the song isn't that bad. The beat is simple and the vocals are deliver well. "Christmas Carol no Koro ni wa" somehow mixes the sounds of kpop with the subdue sounds of jpop. Something about it makes me want to demand parapara choreography to this melody. When I pay more attention to the structure of the music, it does sound a little odd in places, but I can look past it and enjoy it for what it is. The vocals are nice and a bit too soft that it tends to occasionally get drowned out by the music. The only other track on this Japanese single is an instrumental version of "Sad Movie".


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Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"30SEXY" by (Bi) Rain
I don't care what anyone says, but I love this song and this video. Bias aside, it's quite simple and gives the kpop genre a refreshing slick and mature approach. The choreography might not be the most complicated thing, but it fits the tempo and confident attitude of the music. Rain definitely hasn't lost his touch in his moves and his vocal range. I can't wait to listen to his album completely.



"ZOTTO MOLA" by Gary (LeeSSang)
I love LeeSSang, so naturally I was excited about this solo project. Similar to Rain, Gary did a double single promotion and I'm sure one is gonna get some huge racial debates over...that I'm not gonna discuss here. This might be boring to some, but this was Gary's vision and it feels just right for this slow building, dramatic, and old school sounding song. It feels poetic and forces you to engage in the words occupying the visuals. I'm really looking forward to hearing this whole project.



"MISSING" by SuG
Now that the band has taken a break and Takeru got whatever he needed to get out of his system with Uwakimono, we can get to real Heavy Positive Rock this band is known for. This is a comeback, kpop fans! I think this what the band wanted to do while in PS Company and now they are free to take their music to the next level. I'm definitely excited to hear their new release under the new label.



"SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH" by Dir en grey
Despite this video being almost completely band centric, with bits of random scenery shots and live footage, there's something about it that seems a bit poetic in the new footage. The dramatic hand movements, thoughtful slow motion placement, and then there's the song. It's quite amazing. I really like the melody and transitions throughout the song. It doesn't have too much screaming and squealing either. Great atmosphere and tone. I'm looking forward to listening to the new single and slowly getting pumped for whenever that next album is released.



"Manyo Maash" by Puer Kim
I didn't expect to like this song or video, but obviously I did, otherwise it wouldn't be in this list. This video has some great simplistic visuals and substance that support the lyrics and tone of this song. It's very straightforward and makes you think about the industry and whatnot. The song is very easy on the ears and has a nice, catchy melody to it without sounding generic. I'm curious what the rest of her material will sound like.

Most Shocking/Disappointing/WTF Asian Music Moments of 2013

Promising J-Indies Favorites Disband
I thought it would be excessive to give each of these bands their own entry as there's not much to say other than I'm sad I won't be seeing much of them, if anything, in 2014. Some were bands I've followed in the beginning and sad to see their journey end when they were reaching their peak: otogadead, cocklobin, and Eat You Alive. Some were new discoveries, but sadly faced their end when I was about to jump on the bandwagon of greatness: Called≠Plan and 2the DISCOLAND. I hope at least they find something else to join and continue on their musical journey.

Angeline Jolie Casts Miyavi
If you haven't heard the news, then I'll let you know that this isn't a rumor or a typo. I couldn't believe it myself, but apparently it's true. Angeline Jolie is directing a movie and Miyavi auditioned for it. I have no idea how his acting abilities have changed since Oresama, but I really hope he doesn't try to overwhelm himself with outside work like his pal Gackt. To make the situation even more amusing was his appearance in a tabloid claiming that Brad Pitt was jealous of Miyavi because he resembled a former lesbian lover his wife had. Don't you love tabloids~

Gisho and Hakuei Reunite
I must admit that this whole Litchi Hikari Club thing is a bit hit and miss and a little confusing to me. I don't understand its purpose anymore, unless there's an epic anime series coming out soon based on the manga. Anyway, as a casual listener of Penicillin, I was surprised to see Gisho reemerge to join Hakuei's side for the project. I don't know if it's a permanent addition, but whatever. Hakuei's way of working has always confused me.

Rubik's Kei Fired
Normally I would leave news like this off, especially since I'm not super into this band nor do I know enough people that even know of their existence, but I couldn't resist the vagueness of the news. I do like this band and they make good music too. Among all the band member departures, I think this one won the best of the best. Kei was apparently fired for "inhumane acts". What does that mean? No one knows and I doubt anyone will tell what those "inhumane acts" may be, but it was amusing to see what other people come up with as to what it may be.

ALSDEAD's Setsua's Departure
I think these member departures hit me harder after seeing them live and interacting with each other offstage. It's really weird. You believe everything is well and then bam! member departure or disbandment. It makes you wonder what happened between then and now to make someone leave or decide to break up the band. Anyway, I hope Setsua gets to fulfill everything he wants musically.

Signal's Controversial Disbandment
I thought about adding Signal to the disbandment entry, but there was something more going on with their story. I'm not sure how many people are familiar with them, but they are another talent j-indies band that sadly ended before they reached their peak. I was saddened by their shorten journey and disappointed to find out that their bassist embezzled money before their final live. I never understood the reasoning behind a member betraying their band, especially financially. Fyi, these visual kei bands don't really make much and most have to pick up another job or two to support themselves.

KARA Member Departure(s)
I'm not really a KARA fan, but I do like a couple or so of their songs and my favorite member is Nicole. I was aware that the group, or at least 3 members, had some contract issues with their label DSP Entertainment. Fortunately, things got settled and KARA has been one of the most successful kpop groups in Japan. Toward the end half of the year, Nicole and Jiyoung contemplated letting their contracts expire and leave KARA behind. Nicole made up her mind without hesitation and decided to let her contract expire, while Jiyoung takes the remaining few months at the beginning of the year to think things over. I think KARA is one those brave kpop groups that has a firm grasp of their individual futures and how business works in some way. Since I only have a bit of an attachment to Nicole, I hope this isn't the last I see of her in the public eye, but I want her to be happy with her freedom as well as whatever Jiyoung's decision may be on her own future.

Wonder Girls Hiatus
It all started when Sunye announced that she was getting married and it kinda seemed out of the blue. Of course, a lot of people assumed that she had a bun in the oven and worried about the future of Wonder Girls. Well, she did give birth and probably extended the group's hiatus as she adjusts to motherhood and married life. There was hope, but then Sohee decided to let her contract expire to pursue acting and modeling. I'm curious as to what is going to become of the Wonder Girls now. Will they pick up another member? Form a sub-unit or conduct solo careers in the mean time? I suppose we'll find out eventually.

SE7EN Scandal
Rain had a rocky check out of the military and SE7EN decided that he was continuing the celebrity military scandals when he began his 2 year service. Normally I would make fun of how big of deal South Korea made of SE7EN's trip to the massage parlor, but I can understand the fuss. Aside from ruining his dignity as a South Korean citizen serving his time, he also committed infidelity on his long time girlfriend. The interesting thing is that this scandal may change the system for male celebrities serving their mandatory military time. I guess something about it causes their hormones to go crazy.

BORN Accused of Starting Bizarre "Trend"
Overseas media love picking up bizarre "trends" that aren't really trends at all. Sure, Japan can be weird, but most things westerners think is weird they think is weird too. Eyeball licking happens to be one of those things. Although this viral "epidemic" was proven to be a hoax on CNET, BORN gained some views for "Spiral Lie" and of course some humorous commentary on the situation. Most long time fans of jrock are familiar with the late hide and Zi:Kill's TUSK's short film Seth et Holth and mentioned that, if anything, they would be the ones to start the "trend" of eyeball licking among visual kei. Nonetheless, everyone had a good laugh while it lasted.

Piggy Dolls Revamped
Piggy Dolls was a group that not many people knew about that possessed massive vocal talent and charisma. They started off with a bit of controversy with their image and name, but they embraced it and joked about their appearance while delivering powerful and confident performances. They were silent for a while, but I was happy when they returned with their first album. Unfortunately, more weight controversy arose when the girls lost weight. Whether it was the label's decision or they really did work their asses off literally, no one will know. Piggy Dolls went silent once again and returned with another controversial comeback: the original members were replaced. This upset me as well as other Piggy Dolls fans. Something I enjoyed about the group was that they stood out from the stereotypical imagery of kpop, but most of all they had mesmerizing vocals. Their replacements were quite vanilla and their debut was very bland. In short, I gave the new girls a chance and decided to abandon this new direction.

T-ara Ruins CEO's Competitive Plan
It seems like the overflow of drama has made it to 2013 with Kim Kwang-soo's initial plan falling apart before his eyes. Although we'll never know the truth behind Hwayoung's departure and relationship with the other members, we do know that new addition Aerum left before any serious attachments formed, but is said to possibly have a solo career in future. We also know that Dani will probably never be part of the main group and remain in T-araN4 as long as that exists or until she follows the same path. Either way, the line-up remains as six as it should've been in the beginning.

-OZ-'s Disbandment
As mentioned in my entry about Setsua's departure, I had the same feeling toward the announcement of -OZ- disbanding. They were an indies band that I felt would be producing music for a long time as their quality seemed to improve with every release. The band had amazing chemistry on and off stage and they were very consistent with everything. I hope the members find some projects to participate in because they are very talented, but nothing will replace -OZ-'s powerful energy.

AYABIE Member Shuffle
I've gained some enjoyment from this band after a few releases and seeing them in person. I still might not get over the whole name thing, but I learned to look past it enough and simply enjoy the music. Some time passed and Taito was announced to be part of the band as keyboardist. Later, KENZO stated he was leaving the band and I was really surprised, but it was nice he was working with Nightmare's Hitsugi on a side project called GREMLINS. After releasing a new single after his departure, Yumehito and Intetsu announced that they would be departing at the end of year. It looks like the band will continue with a new set of members to the existing and I'm really curious how that's gonna go.

Koki Tanaka Gets Kicked Out
I've surprisingly enjoyed KAT-TUN more and more over the last year and I know my younger self would be surprised that I would pick them over Arashi now, but I still have a soft spot for MatsuJun. Even though I'm not a hardcore fan, I was shock to see that Koki was getting the boot from Johnny's for violating the rules. After leaving, he was rumored to be offered to write a book about the scandalous underbelly that goes on in Johnny's Entertainment, which caused Papa Johnny to make a move to silence him. It didn't seem like Koki cared either way and went about his busy conversing with his fans on Twitter and working on his restaurant.

Dir en grey's Kyo Becomes Super Active
After recovering from vocal issues...again, Kyo decided to be more interactive. He opened a Twitter and Facebook account, had his photos featured in a gallery, created a website for his solo endeavors including some fictional characters he drew up, and lastly put together a band called sukekiyo. As much as I worry about Kyo's health, it is exciting to him open up more to his fans and try new things. Unfortunately, you have to deal with these crazy fans who think Dir en grey is breaking up. To those people, please calm down and reevaluate everything.

Block B vs. Stardom Entertainment
Block B has been through a lot of ups and downs as a rookie group, well somewhere in between rookie and veteran. They recovered fairly well after the mistranslated Thailand incident and soon the contract dispute began. I really wish companies would stop taking advantage of young talent (and their parents). The struggle was over their contract and not being paid what was due to them. According to sources, their parents contributed to the group's funding as well and the group never received what was promised to them. Fortunately, Block B made a true comeback under Seven Seasons and a new mini-album.

Rain Returns
Some of you may know that Rain is my ultimate kpop bias and the reason I even know what the heck kpop is. I've already expressed my excitement when I watched MAMA 2013 and watching him perform on stage like a boss. I remember holding back just a little when I heard the announcement of a new album for 2014 and a documentary/reality show. The more Rain the better. I'm obviously not complaining and can't wait to hear and see and feel everything for this man.

Ailee vs. AllKPop
Some of you may know I really dislike AllKPop and that I don't understand why people rely on them for news because they're as poor, reliable, and unbiased as Fox News and CNN. Most people know the story, AllKPop posted some nude photos of Ailee and everyone went crazy over it. I never really voiced my opinion on the actual situation of who was right or wrong, except for a class assignment, but I don't think I will be changing that anytime soon. Although, I still thought the "boycott" was stupid. Fans will continue using the site and continue to bash Ailee.

Gackt Scandal Part 2
Congratulations, you made the list twice and stayed consistent with being the spotlight of scandal! I thought things would settle after the financial and possible illegitmate child news and then we would get new material. Well, Gackt has been super busy throughout 2013 as an actor, judge, and musician, but he didn't avoid the scandal boat. As much as I wanted to rant about the fan commentary presented on the matter, I didn't make the time for it and I kinda wanted to avoid certain aspects of it. In short, a woman went to a tabloid and exposed her sexual exploits with Gackt. She accused him of sexual assault and the story went all twisty turny. As I want to still maintain my opinion on the whole situation toward the comments a secret, I'm not surprised that Gackt continues on by gearing up with several singles for 2014 without a moment's hesitation.

Pay money To Pain's K Passes Away
Only a few days after posting 2012's list and mentioning K's mental health, it was announced that the vocalist passed away. I wasn't expecting such news to occur so quickly when there was so much hope for recovery and new material for the coming year. With two new songs on the compilation album to hold us over, they did a fine job honoring K's essence with their last album.

Favorite MAMA 2013 Performances

Welcome to the Mnet Asian Music Awards! Where everyone has fun and the awards don't matter~

Yes, this is the post to replace my usual long-winded v-log talking about the year end MAMAs. Why am I not doing a v-log this year? Well...honestly...there's not much to talk about. I could easily rant about everything I disliked about this year's awards and how it falls into the same problems as American music awards, but then you'd almost have an essay. So, for once, I'm gonna leave the extra commentary out and stick to the performances...more specifically the performances I enjoyed.



JAURIM, Lee Haneul, & Jay Park
Songs: JAURIM - Icarus (ENTER THE DRAGON ver.), Lee Haneul - Enter the Dragon

Over the 4 years of watching MAMA, I think this is the first time I've felt nearly satisfied with the opening musical performance. As someone who doesn't listen to a lot of Korean rock music, I felt the need to check out JAURIM. I really loved the female vocals and the music was dramatic and powerful, then Lee Haneul and Jay Park came in. I'm not familiar with Haneul, but I enjoyed his performance. The mixture of all three artists surprisingly worked out pretty well.



Infinite
Songs: BTD (Before the Dawn), Destiny

I was really surprised to see this group at the MAMAs and I was a little embarrassed that I didn't recognize them right off the bat either. Anyway, Infinite is one of the few groups I can expect near flawless choreography live and I was pleasantly surprised that they chose their strongest song, "BTD". Even though I'm not that big of a fan of their new song, "Destiny", I think they did a really good job performing that as well. And just for added context of HyunA's appearance at the end, their set was tied in with Trouble Maker's story of two rival gangs. It really isn't worth mentioning in this post. ^^;



Ylvis & Crayon Pop
Songs: Ylvis - The Fox, Bar Bar Bar

I'm sure some people are sick of this YouTube hit song and I will admit that "Bar Bar Bar" gets on my nerves, but it was interesting seeing these two strange trending songs come together. Watching A Pink and Sistar laughing and singing along to "The Fox" is quite memorable. Also Ylvis did a very good job with the choreography for "Bar Bar Bar".



EXO
Songs: Growl, Wolf (remix)

It's a little scary to admit that I was kinda looking forward to EXO's performance. They were mere rookies last year and played it up with labelmates SHINee. This year, they were on their on and, since they're on this list, it's obvious they did a good job. I really enjoyed their imprisoned concept mixed with this ongoing school thing. For "Growl", I thought it was cool that they incorporated the same camera work as the music video. Kai and Luhan's section was slightly unnecessary, but entertaining nonetheless. Lastly, I enjoyed the remix and tweaks to both songs. Of course, their performance did have some criticism from my end that I won't be expressing here, but overall I'm proud of them.



Big Bang - The Human
Songs: T.O.P - Doom Dada, Tae yang - RINGA LINGA, Seungri - Strong Baby (remix) & Let's Talk About Love, G-Dragon - Crooked, Fantastic Baby

Another year of solo releases for Big Bang, so another year of solo performances leading to a reunion. Starting off with the most recent of solo releases was T.O.P. There's really not much to say. I mean T.O.P is T.O.P. He commands the stage with confidence and charisma while letting a little goofiness slip in the right places. Tae yang followed up with his own recent release and I feel that he really stepped it up with his choreography. I'll slip in one little complaint: I wish I could hear his voice more, but it's forgivable. Once Seungri arrived, I was surprised he threw in an old track along with a new one. Similar to last year's performance, everyone (except Daesung) had their own style and dancers to match their set. They concluded with the energetic "Fantastic Baby" and I think this time around was slightly better than last year's in certain aspects.



Rain - Man of the Moment
Songs: How to Avoid the Sun, It's Raining, Hip Song

If I wasn't already spoiled by this surprise appearance, I would've been spazzing all over the place...more than I did when I watched this. You have no idea how excited I was to see this man on stage, singing live, hypnotizing us with those deadly hips, and slaying all those youngins. Once Rain started performing "It's Raining", it felt like no time had past since the last time he set foot on stage. Aside from his amazing and nostalgic performance, the promotions following after of a documentary type of release for December and a potential comeback for January nearly killed me.



Stevie Wonder - It's a Wonder
Songs: Lately, Isn't She Lovely, Superstition

It was shocking to see the legendary Stevie Wonder grace the MAMA stage and nice to witness the reverence and respect the artists had for him. It seemed like they were overjoyed and near tears by his music. Mr. Wonder is proof that no matter how much time passes, he still brings an amazing presence and uplifting atmosphere to any stage his on.


I guess if enough people are interested in my gripes and complaints about the show, just leave me a comment. I'm sure everyone knows that I love to have a good rant.

Quick Music Review

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (2010, USA) | Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach, Stylo, Empire Ants

After seeing them live, my view has changed a little about this album. It's hard to categorize Gorillaz into one genre and this album proves how diverse their sound is. "Orchestral Intro" is just what it says. It's not too classical or anything. It's just the right sound to set a light mood and smoothly transitions to "Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach". It features a smooth R&B sound with great band elements and smooth rapper Snoop Dogg make it an even cooler first full length song. "White Flag" mixes traditional Indian sounds and hip-hop together in one enjoyable package. "Rhinestone Eyes" is a seemingly simple electro-pop song with megaphone vocals and an interestingly, dramatic chorus that sticks to the mind. "Stylo" skillfully combines old school elements from the great Bobby Womack, a sprinkle of hip-hop, and Gorillaz's unique electronic twist. This song is easily catchy and enjoyable by fans of either artists. "Superfast Jellyfish" leans more on the hip-hop sound of the band, but in a very comical and catchy way. It kinda reminds me of PaRappa the Rapper game. The music steps down to something softer. Originally, I wasn't too fond of "Empire Ants", but hearing it live made a huge difference. It's a beautiful ballad mixing that old electro-funk sound and Asian ambiance. "Glitter Freeze" is purely an electronic instrumental song. "Some Kind of Nature" and "On Melancholy Hill" is a light hearted electro-rock songs. "Broken" is very down tempo song that keeps their signature electronic sound. "Sweepstakes" is a bit of a random song mixing brass instruments and raggae elements to a fun melody. "Plastic Beach" is a very mellow rock song that touches base with their roots and combining it with this new format. "To Binge" is very islandy. Mellow and familiar like a Beach Boys song. "Cloud of Unknowing" is a very deep, emotional song that proves that Bobby still has it. The album ends with a retro electro-pop sound in "Pirate Jet". In the end, Gorillaz stick to their original plan of being abstract and opening our ears to different sounds worldwide.



Rain - Back To Basics (2010, South Korea) | Rating: 4.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Love Song, Same, One, Hip Song

It had been 2 years since the last release from Rain (unless you wanna count the repackaged material), so I was really excited to see him finally releasing something new. I must say, this comeback did not disappoint. "Love Song" was the title track for this sexy mini. Usually I would whine and complain over love ballads, but...I sadly have a slight Rain bias. Yes! There are a few Rain ballads I can't stand, but this one wasn't so bad. It's passionate, soft, and the music has a nice build up. I believe "Hip Song" was the next target for promotion. Completely opposite of the first track and displaying a heavier R&B/hip-hop fusion of bass and a catchy chorus to keep you rockin'. "One" resembles a lot of Rain's older material, but suitable for his age. A mature R&B song with a lovely chorus that's easy to remember like the rest. "Same" also has the same type of sound as "One", which proves that he could blend easily with American R&B artists. The mini ends with "Love Song" once more, but in English. His pronunciation is improving little by little. It's a bit awkward to listen to, because my ears and memory are tainted by the original Korean lyrics.



f(x) - NU ABO (2010, South Korea) | Rating: 4/5
Favorite Tracks: NU ABO, Mr. Boogie, Ice Cream, ME+U

So, I wasn't part of the original fan club of f(x), but hearing their collaboration with Son Dam Bi and this mini album sold me for good. "NU ABO" is a strong electro-hip-hop/pop song with intense beats, catchy chorus, and signature Korean girl cuteness that isn't obnoxious like some female kpop groups. "Mr. Boogie" goes into that whole electro-pop trend that's just catching on every where, but it's a good arrangement. It's very dancy and has attitude written all over it. Missing a good old sugary sweet girl kpop song? Well, "Ice Cream" is definitely cutesy and pop. If you listen to this track too much, you might get sick of it. "ME+U" has become a recent favorite from hearing it in the car. It's fun, simple, and very dance worthy. The mini ends with something more mellow and slow. The arrangements are nice for both songs, but not my style.



Big Bang - Big Bang Special Edition (2011, South Korea) | Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: Baby Don't Cry, TONIGHT, CAFE, I Need a Girl

If you weren't satisfied with the mini-album, prepare yourself to be disappointed with this not so Special Edition the boys have released for us. I wasn't even expecting another release so quickly, but I found it extremely unnecessary. Don't get me started on the Japanese version of "TONIGHT". So, pretty much we have 3 tracks from the mini: "TONIGHT", "Somebody to Love", and "CAFE". I like 2 out of 3 of those songs. Then we have a couple released solo material by Tae Yang and Seungri. And if you haven't picked up your GD&T.O.P CD, this includes "HIGH HIGH" and "Oh Yeah" with Park Bom. As you can see, majority of the tracks have already been released, but wait! There's 3 brand spankin' new tracks to rattle in your brain. "Love Song" has been the promotion song to convince fans to pick up this not so Special Edition. Sure it's mature and follows a totally different direction than most kpop male groups [and Daesung gets more voice time], but it proves that songs about complaining how you dislike love songs are annoying to me. *coughs*Ne-yo*coughs* I did think the video was beautiful, but could've lived without the half assed choreography and just mute the music. What's more annoying about whining about how much you hate love songs? Admitting how dumb you are...over and over and over again. "Stupid Liar" is an extremely repetitive and annoying song that seems like there was no thought put into it, but honestly...it's just all over the place. After cleaning my ears from this blasphemy of a CD, I braced myself for the usual trot/ballad-y song that Daesung usually produces. And OMFG! It was the best addition to this train wreck and I couldn't get enough of it. Little Daesung is growing up ;~; Sure, it's a bit of a slow song, but it's not an obnoxious love ballad. It has a R&B/rock flare to it that makes it even more enjoyable with Daesung's sweet voice. At least they did one thing right.



Sadie - COLD BLOOD (2011, Japan) | Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: sabaku no SYNDROME, Graceful Angel, deathtopia, mabuta no yuuutsu

I wasn't sure what to expect from this album, since the singles leading up to it were a bit hit and miss. The album starts off pretty calm and you can hear every instrument clearly in "doukoku". It has a dramatic build and helps you get settled for the rest of the ride through the other tracks. "Juggernaut" was one of the singles that didn't quite agree with me. It sounded very anime, but still Sadie in some ways. Very generic. Nothing special except the chorus on a good day. "LOOSING MY WAY OF THE PROUD" shows a lot of Dir en grey influence. It's aggressive, sneaky, and energetic. "sabaku no SYNDROME" shares a similar Diru influence, but still true to Sadie's aggressive, dark sound. The musical transitions are interesting and Mao skillfully follows his own transitions from a low growl to raw vocal. "棘 -toge-" was another single they released for promotion and I'm sure you can find my thoughts on it in an older post. "deathtopia" made me a little skeptical with the name, but it had an interesting beginning that no one would expect from them and explode instantly into something aggressive. Very clever~ "Dress" was a miss single and I simple just skipped it as usual. "Graceful Angel" brought something a little new to the band and I really enjoyed this one. It had a great dual guitar and bass relationship and Mao's voice were flawless. "kasumi ni kieru hana" features a slightly softer side of the band that is equally enjoyable to their heavier sound without selling out to a mainstream "anime" rock sound. "GIMMICK" sounds like their roots back in the "Meisei" era when they first started out with mixed with that mainstream sound I mentioned before. "Kuraimoa" was actually a single I kinda liked compared to the others. It's fast pace and a little aggressive. "mabuta no yuuutsu" is another soft song with a dark undertone. The album ends with an unplugged version of "Dress" which I'm sure fans will enjoy if they liked the original, but for me it was a pass...obviously.

Poll: Who Had the Bigger, Better Comeback?

2010 has been marked as the comeback year for kpop rivals Rain and SE7EN. Both of them explored the U.S., dabbled in a few creative areas in the entertainment world, and finally delivered a long awaited mini album and digital single. I am a fan of both, but I have a bias for Rain as he is responsible for getting me into the genre.

The poll was set up and the Cult followers responded with a winner.


SE7EN's ba-back on the microphone!